May 29 (Hindu) Much after it met its end at the hands of the Sri Lankan military, the LTTE continues to hold fascination not just for a gaggle of believers scattered across the globe who believe it is still alive and ready to avenge its battlefield humiliation, but also researchers, writers and scholars, so much so that even research conducted nearly a decade ago in the LTTE's heyday is providing fresh grist for the mill. And why not? Much before the era of Al Qaeda and more..

May 29 (Xinhua) Over 75 people were injured following a wasp attack in central Sri Lanka on Tuesday. The wasps attacked people gathered at a Buddhist center in Kekirawa, Dambulla after a wasp hive located on a tree nearby was disturbed by an eagle. Among those injured were children and monks and all of them were rushed to hospital for treatment. Officials at a local hospital said that around 75 people had been admitted by mid-day for treatment and more people were expected to seek treatment. more..

May 29 (Island) Around ninety Lord Murugan (God Kataragama) devotees commenced their annual Pada Yathra (trek on foot) to Kataragama with repeated cries of Haro Hara, Haro Hara to participate in this years annual festivities, following poojas at the sacred Selva Sannidhi kovil in Thondamannaru in the North last Tuesday (22), Padha Yathra sources said yesterday The Chief Kapu Mahattaya of the Ruhunu Kataragama Maha devale Somapala Ratnayake said that more..

May 29 (Island) EPDP leader Douglas Devananda yesterday told the Colombo High Court that he wouldn’t want an LTTE handler, who had been allegedly involved in an attempt to assassinate him in July 2004, punished though he was convinced of the suspect’s involvement. Minister Devananda was making a special statement in the High Court with the permission of HC Judge K. H. Sumithrapala, when an LTTE woman operative arrested on July 7, more..

May 29 (SL) Gotabaya Rajapaksa, Secretary to the Ministry of Defence and Urban Development in a frank and detailed interview with The Sunday Leader outlined his future plans to help restore normalcy to the country three years after the war has ended. He further detailed the work he has already carried out which he emphasized addresses significant areas of the LLRC recommendations even before the report was finalized. Excerpts: FJ: Why did the President grant a pardon to Sarath Fonseka? Why now? more..

May 29 (SM) President Mahinda Rajapaksa today (May 29) arrived at Suvarnabhumi Airport in Bangkok on a four-day official visit to Thailand. At the airport, he was welcomed by deputy prime minister of Thailand Yongyoot Wichaidit. Thai ambassador to Sri Lanka Poldej Worachat, Sri Lanka’s Ambassador in Thailand Santha Kottegoda and the Embassy staff were present at the Airport to receive the President. The President is scheduled to have an audience with Princess Maha Chakri more..

May 29 (DM) The Inter-company Employees Union (ICEU) will lodge a complaint with the Bribery Commission today on the Employees’ Provident Fund (EPF) investments in the stock market. The ICEU said the EPF had incurred a massive loss of four billion rupees in this questionable deal. Union President Wasantha Samarasinghe accused the govt of failing to take action and that therefore it was vital for others to step in and more..

May 29 (DM) In our lives we have a tendency to form opinions of others. Quite often we see their negative side and think little before condemning them. What do we know of what is in the heart of other people when they behave in a certain way? What do we know of all the conditioning they are subjected to through temperament and upbringing? What do we know of the implications of their actions? Wanting to set ourselves up as judges is dangerous. more..

May 29 (Reuters) Stock market slid 2.5 percent on Tuesday, its seventh consecutive fall, as mostly retail investors unloaded their stakes in panic selling. The bourse erased $342.86 million market capitalisation on Tuesday with the main share index falling 2.47 percent, or 121.75 points, to 4,813.26, its lowest close since July 20, 2010. It has fallen 7.8 percent in the last seven sessions. "Investors are in a panic mood now with the market coming down. more..

May 29 (LT) Ven. Ellawala Medhananda Thera has told a daily newspaper that many accuse him of ‘shopping’ for the govt. He has said, “Some say I go ‘shopping’ for the govt. I wouldn’t mind ‘going to the super market’ if the govt is doing good work.” Speaking on a statement he had mad that all underground treasure and artifacts belong to the government and it is the govt’s responsibility to excavate such treasure Ven. Medhananda Thera more..

May 29 (LBO) Vallibel Power Erathna Plc, a mini hydro firm, said it lost 13.04 million rupees in the March 2012 quarter as revenues fell amid drought and a tariff paid by the state power utility also decreased. The firm reported losses of 2 cents per share for the quarter. In the year to March it reported earnings of 33 cents per share on profits of 254 million rupees, which were down 66 percent from a year earlier. Group revenues fell 41 percent to 38 million rupees more..

May 29 (DM) The elder daughter of Sarath Fonseka, Apsara Fonseka said her father would move forward in a very simple manner. In an interview with Daily Mirror online, about the ordeal her family had gone through during the past two and a half years she said “His main goal is to provide freedom and bring successes to the country. I don’t think he cares about power or position. He will find his own way to do it. Everyone knows that he once said he would never more..

May 29 (Xinhua) The Singaporean foreign minister kicked off a five day visit to Sri Lanka here on Tuesday that will see him promote trade ties and monitor events in the former war zones, a statement from the External Affairs Ministry said here on Tuesday. Singaporean Foreign Minister K. Shanmugam will have discussions with President Mahinda Rajapaksa and his Sri Lankan counterpart G. L Peiris during his visit, the statement said. more..

May 29 (CG) Seven suspected human smugglers were remanded today when they were produced in court over an attempt to smuggle over 100 people to Australia. Meanwhile the court released on bail 112 people who were arrested in Colombo and Negombo yesterday while they were preparing to head to Australia by boat illegally. Investigations revealed that the asylum seekers had paid around Rs. 200,000 each for the illegal journey to Australia. The police said that the people arrested more..

May 29 (ES) Managing director of cricket Angus Fraser insists he understands why Lasith Malinga has pulled out of a deal to play for Middlesex. The Sri Lanka paceman was set to ply his trade for the south-east county side in the upcoming Friends Life t20 competition but has opted to pull out of the event to rest his body after a spell in the Indian Premier League with the Mumbai Indians. He no longer plays Test cricket due to a chronic knee problem, but can still more..

May 29 (IOL) Desperate Sri Lankan crew from an attached ship in Durban Harbour have been arrested after they tried to raise R800 “pocket money” by selling metal from the ship for scrap. The 13 men arrested with the metal at the weekend are part of the 26-member crew of the Lanka Mahapola, who say they are owed $85 000 (R708 900) in wages. The Lanka Mahapola was detained after the Durban High Court granted an order for a maritime lien more..

May 29 (DM) The UPFA group of the Colombo Municipal Council (CMC) is to bring in a no- confidence motion against Colombo Mayor A. J. M. Muzammil accusing him of various malpractices. UPFA Municipal Councillor Mohammed Maharoof charged that the Mayor had taken a group of Muslim MPs to a Hotel in Dambulla and enticed them to do things against the Islamic culture. Mr. Muzammmil who commented on the matter said the opposition members were trying to create a hoax by more..

May 29 (FL) THE war against the LTTE ended in an emphatic victory for the Sri Lankan forces in May 2009 at Nandikadal, a narrow stretch of land in north-eastern Sri Lanka. But the main hero of that effort, Army Commander Sarath Fonseka, had to keep on fighting a different battle in various courts in Sri Lanka to reclaim his liberty and rights. He walked out of the high-security Welikada Prison at 5 p.m. on May 21 into a crowd of waiting supporters, but his political future more..

May 29 (BR) Two High Level Pakistani delegations are currently visiting Sri Lanka and the first delegation comprises of nine members and is headed by the Parliamentary Secretary and MP Ms Robina Saadat Qaimkhani. The said delegation arrived here to represent Pakistan at the South Asia Follow up Regional Consultation on the UN Study on Violence against children. The event is being jointly organized by the Govt of Sri Lanka and and the Secretariat of more..

May 29 (CG) Just when you thought it couldn’t get any hotter, India moves it up a notch as they bring the hottest movie to Sri Lanka. The production team of Jism 2, is currently in Sri Lanka shooting the final few scenes for the film which is scheduled for release on the 3rd of August 2012. Jism 2, starring the hot a sexy Sunny Leone, is being Directed by former actress/model Pooja Bhatt who is the daughter of Indian film director Mahesh Bhatt. The Colombo Gazette caught up with Pooja while she was busy on location in sunny Galle, more..

May 29 (GDI) Public servants should be duty bound to take prompt action to resolve issues in their field without allowing things to drag on. These comments were made by President Mahinda Rajapaksa addressing the Polonnaruwa District Development Committee meeting last Saturday after laying the foundation stone for the MihiMeth Holiday Resort in Polonnaruwa. The three storey holiday resort will comprise 500 rooms, and it will provide accommodation to more..

May 29 (TA) SRI Lankans are again seeking asylum from Australia by boat in large numbers and they are bypassing people-smugglers in Indonesia, instead sailing direct to Christmas Island. Immigration authorities believe the 88 Sri Lankans offloaded at Christmas Island yesterday were the latest in recent months to embark on the perilous boat trip of more than 3000km from Sri Lanka to the Australian territory of Christmas Island. more..

May 29 (IINA) A three-member committee of lawyers will be appointed to solve the land problems of Muslims in the North and the East, All Ceylon Muslim Congress (ACMC) Leader Minister Rishad Bathiudeen said. Muslims in Trincomalee, Batticaloa and Ampara districts face severe land issues. The ACMC stressed the necessity of setting up a commission to solve the land problems of Muslims while protecting the privileges and ethnic identity of other communities, the Minister said. more..

May 29 (DN) School and student safety and high-rise building protection will be given major focus as the country’s disaster management experts introduce a ‘framework of action” for disaster resilience in due course. Disaster Management Center’s Director General Gamini Hettiarachchi said that they are working out guidelines for student safety that would make schools a safer place for children in times of disaster of any kind, be it an earth tremor or floods. more..

May 29 (AD) Train services on the coastal line from Galle to Colombo, which was delayed due to a derailment, has been restored. Railway authorities had restricted trains from Fort to Hikkaduwa after a train had derailed near the Galle railway station at around 4.25 am. Planning Director of Sri Lanka Railways Wijaya Samarasinghe stated that train services has now been restored and would continue as normal. Twin power sets and two compartments of the Maradana-bound train, more..

May 29 (ST) University students staged a protest against ragging in the universities today morning opposite the Fort Railway station. Around 100 university students took part in the protest. The group identified as the University Independent Conversion Movement said that15 deaths have being reported during the last few years, two suicides, five raped, 25 injured and 6000 have left universities due to ragging. They further stated that if another death of a student more..

May 29 (AD) The price of fuel in Sri Lanka cannot be reduced just because the price of crude oil in the global market has gone down by a certain percentage, the Ministry of Petroleum Industries said today responding accusations made by UNP spokesman. UNP MP Gayantha Karunathilaka claimed that despite oil price presently declining in the global market, fuel prices in Sri Lanka continues to remain at a very high level. more..

May 29 (SL) Over 100 cannon guns have been reported missing from the Galle Fort, the Galle Heritage Foundation said. The guns were used when Sri Lanka was under Dutch rule but has since gone missing. The guns were used at sentry points at the Galle Fort. National Heritage Minister Jagath Balasuriya said that investigations into the incident will be launched. Galle Heritage Foundation chairman Parakrama Dahanayake said that the foundation was formed in 1994 but there were no more..

May 29 (MEA) Dr. Abbas Araghchi, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs is currently on a visit to Sri Lanka as a Special Envoy of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, President of Iran. During his visit to Sri Lanka, he delivered a Letter of Invitation from the President of Iran to the President of Sri Lanka to attend the XVI Summit of the Heads of State and Govt of the Non-Alighted Movement, Tehran, from 30-31st August, 2012. The Iranian Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs paid a courtesy calls on Neomal Perera, Deputy Minister of External Affairs today more..

May 29 (DM) Sri Lanka’s external debt, inclusive of project loans and international bond issues, increased by 13% year-on-year (YOY) to US$ 18.6 billion in 2011, according to the Ministry of Finance and Planning’s Annual Report for 2011. However, external debt to GDP was recorded at 31.9%, down from 33% in 2010 and 32.2% in 2009. The report stated that increased GDP was responsible for offsetting foreign financing of the govt’s more..

May 30 (NS) The Mahavamsa (a history of Sri Lanka) is full of conflicts between generals and kings. Usually, the more bloodthirsty and unscrupulous would win. Our current elected ruler Mahinda Rajapaksa has had his own general conflicts, namely with one Sarath Fonseka. In the old days, Fonseka would have staged a coup, as in literally try to cut Mahinda’s head off, and Mahinda would – if that failed – tie him to four elephants and split his parts asunder. more..

May 30 (NS) Republicanism can be seen as firstly a state of being kingless. It can also be seen as a means for the people to claim their stake in crafting the State and not to be ruled by the whims and fancies of the ruler. Our conceiving of a Republic was one of peaceful deliberation and voting that did not require mass mobilisation to topple a despotic king. Sri Lanka became a Republic by virtue of the 1972 Constitution which vested the sovereignty of our country more..

May 30 (NS) Former Army Commander Sarath Fonseka was released from his jail sentence last Monday (21) after serving more than two years in prison. He was arrested on Feb 8, 2010 on unspecified charges by the military police, cashiered, charged with wrongdoing in procurement, and sentenced to a 30-month in prison by a court martial. He completed this term on April 25 this year. In a second case, relating to defaming the Defence Secretary, more..

May 30 (LB) Greece has put the self-destructive, sectarian, intellectually stunted Lankan left to shame. SYRIAZ emerged as the second largest party in the May 6 elections and according to mid-May opinion polls, will be the largest after the June 17 rerun election. It is an alliance of about 13 radical left parties and movements and its leader is a 38 year called Alexis Tsipras. The left in France is also working together and the benefits will be seen at the National Assembly polls on June 10 and 17. more..

May 30 (LB) The parties of the opposition who joined in the campaign of Virodhaya, the VV, were jubilant that general Fonseka was given freedom. If there are restrictions, obviously we should continue our campaign for release of political prisoners. In any case Sarath is only one of them. There are more than 800 such political prisoners, who are variously dubbed as Tigers, Sinhala Tigers, etc. In addition, the regime arrested over a hundred in the recent searches in the Tamil homeland and they are kept illegally in various illegitimate places. more..

May 30 (ST) An eclipse of the Sun occurs when the Moon passes directly in front of the Sun. Since the planets Mercury and Venus orbit inside the path of the Earth around the Sun, they too can come between the Earth and the Sun. However since these planets have a tiny apparent diameter as seen from Earth, the Transit is seen as a small black disk moving across the face of the Sun. Transits of Mercury occur on average once in 7.4 years. more..

May 30 (CT) President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s Victory Day speech this year on May 19 was largely a defensive discourse justifying the continued presence large army formations in the North. The sense of triumphalism that had become hallmark of Victory Day speeches was missing this year. This is understandable as the President’s speeches from last year onwards have become increasingly reactive as international focus on Sri Lanka in recent times had been presenting it in bad light. more..

May 30 (GV) Once upon a time, after I presented a public talk in Oslo courtesy of Kumar Rupesinghe, a Norwegian journalist provided me with a refreshing insight into the difference between academic essays and journalese. There is, to be sure, a considerable overlap between the two fields; but the lesson he taught me was that journalists usually place their conclusions and punch lines at the very start of their essay. Academic authors, in contrast, tend to end with a BANG so that they more..

May 30 (GV) The eyes stared expressionlessly back at me from the fifteen small pictures, some clear, and some blurred; reflections that only hinted at the men behind those eyes. But sharp or soft, they all looked so innocuous, so devoid of any indication of what they had once seen. So normal. To look into those fifteen pairs of eyes, to read their names on the Wall that held thousands of similar names, was to gain no hint of the more..