Apr 2 (CT) One of the greatest lessons that Buddhism has taught me is that the idea or concept of ‘self’ is untenable. Paṭikkûlamanasikâra or “reflections on repulsiveness”, where body parts are contemplated in a variety of ways teaches us not just about impermanence but makes us question ‘I’. It helps diminish ego. Similarly if one contemplated sensations and thoughts deep enough immediately one begins to understand that ‘I’ is made of innumerable ‘externalities’. more..

Apr 2 (ST) Fashion is a way to explain yourself without talking. It’s the way you present yourself to the world – you can’t go into battle in sweats and tees – how will you close the deal like that? says Dutch designer Nish De Gruiter. De Gruiter who works on the commercial and creative sides at ‘Suitsupply’ says that it was while he was in Italy at Brunello Cucinelli for several years that he figured out that it’s possible to make beautiful more..

Apr 2 (Island) The US and Europe erupted in jubilation when Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi was dragged out of a culvert, paraded on streets and put to a violent death by the western-backed rebels in 2011. They may have thought that by ousting him they would be able to install a puppet regime in Tripoli and control Libya and its oil resources. British Prime Minster David Cameron and the then French President Nicolas Sarkozy flew to Tripoli during the closing stages of more..

Apr 2 (GV) Q: Nimalka, now we’ve seen that the council voted for the resolution on Sri Lanka. What is your initial impression? A: It’s a serious voting pattern. Because if you look at the resolution, the resolution has very substantial concerns raised by civil society for a period of time. From holding elections in the North, addressing issues of impunity, collapse of rule of law, the unaddressed issues of accountability, the failure of SL Govt to address issues of reconciliation for a long time, more..

Apr 2 (ST) Avoid caffeine-packed energy drinks during strenuous sports activity, cautioned a heart doctor, strongly urging coaches, trainers and parents to refrain from encouraging young athletes to take these drinks. Too much of caffeine can stimulate the heart to go into abnormal rhythms, said Cardiologist Dr. Gamini Galappatthy, stressing that this could even be fatal. When asked about speculation in sports circles that more..

Apr 2 (DN) The Veyangoda flyover being built on a request by Minister Basil Rajapaksa to meet the rush hour traffic congestion in the Veyangoda town, is scheduled to be opened in September. 80% of the work on the flyover is now complete. This is one of the biggest projects launched to develop infrastructure in the Gampaha District under the Mahinda Chinthana Vision. The Highways Ministry is spending Rs. 2,000 million for the construction of the flyover which after completion, more..

Apr 2 (DN) The scientists and engineers of the country as well as science and technology institutions, have a crucial role to play towards building our technological capabilities in our national development drive, said Minister Champika Ranawaka. He was participating in the Sri Lankabhimanya Sir Arthur C Clarke Memorial Lecture 2013 - "Value Creation for Economic Development through Technology," held recently at the Bandaranayake Centre for International more..

Apr 2 (DM) The spate of hot weather experienced in and around Sri Lanka these days is expected to rise in the coming days as the country is expected to come directly under the sun. A spokesman said Sri Lanka would directly come under the sun from April 5 to 15 resulting in the heat rising further. He however said this was a usual phenomenon that took place around April each year. The highest temperature of 35.8 degrees more..

Apr 2 (Island) The unique multi-storey luxury clubhouse complex of Havelock City is reaching its monumental completion. Scheduled for a ceremonious opening for early September 2013, the complex boasts of a total built up area exceeding 55,000 sq. ft. Havelock City, the largest luxury residential and commercial development in Sri Lanka is developed on eighteen acres of prime land in the heart of Colombo. The clubhouse will be nestled in the scenic roof garden, which will more..

Apr 2 (Island) The National Museum closed following last week’s collapse of a wooden staircase, which resulted in 40 persons including 29 children receiving injuries, has been partially opened to the public since yesterday. Meanwhile, on the directions of Minister Dr. Jagath Balasuriya, a five-member committee has been appointed to probe last week’s incident. The committee comprises Additional Secretary to the Ministry of National Heritage D. G. Samarasinghe (Chairman), more..

Apr 2 (CT) The Colombo District Cricket Federation (CDCF) filed a case against Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) yesterday, for rejecting the nomination submitted by Thilanga Sumathipala for the post of Chairman and illegally nominating Jayantha Dharmadasa instead. A case filed before the Colombo District Judge by Mohan de Silva and Bandula Dissanayake, President and Secretary of the CDCF, seeks an enjoining order more..

Apr 2 (CT) The Red Bull campus cricket world finals will get underway today and the first match is scheduled to take place between Australia and India at 9.30 am at the R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo. The tournament will feature six campus teams from six countries Sri Lanka, India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Australia and Great Britain. The Sri Lanka campus team will play two matches tomorrow at 12.30 pm against Great Britain and Bangladesh at 7.30 pm. Sri Lanka is represented by the more..

Apr 2 (CT) Sunday Leader journalist Raisa Wickrematunge was yesterday questioned by the police who had visited her residence with an arrest warrant, over a series of articles she had written during an assignment in Mannar, last year. Police had earlier sought to question Wickrematunge over her articles. Yesterday, police visited her residence with an arrest warrant and escorted her to the office of the Sunday Leader where she was quizzed by the officers, a colleague said. more..

Apr 2 (NS) The CEB has submitted a proposal to the Public Utilities Commission of Sri Lanka (PUCSL) for increasing its revenue by 27% in 2013. The PUCSL has requested the public to submit their comments on this proposed tariff revision. In general the CEB proposal is to have a higher tariff increase to low-end consumers and a tariff reduction to the high-end consumers. The domestic sector overall tariff is proposed to more..

Apr 2 (Island) Nawalapitiya Magistrate Deepthi Kodituwakku yesterday remanded, till April 10, the two suspects charged with last Saturday night’s abduction of a five-year-old boy, after flinging chillie powder into the mother’s eyes at Mawella, in the Pussellawa police area. The first suspect, Pitiyekumbure Gedera Nimalsiri Rupasighe (21) was charged with the abduction of the child and his father, Pitiyekumbura Gedera Rupasinghe, with aiding and abetting in the crime. more..

Apr 2 (DN) The percentage of Sri Lankans over 25 years with High Blood Pressure (HBP) is nearly 42%. About 41.9% of Sri Lankan men and 37% of Sri Lankan women suffer from High Blood Pressure, a Health Ministry spokesman said. About 43% of adult Sri Lankans suffer from HBP, the spokesman said. HBP is becoming one of the main health issues in Sri Lanka. The danger of the HBP is it does not have any visible symptoms. One can get a sudden stroke or kidney failure due to HPB, more..

Apr 2 (DN) Plans are afoot by the Department of Motor Traffic to computerise motor vehicle registration and transfer the process under the department's e-motoring programme, General S H Harischandra said. Moves are underway to set up a fully computer-operated document management system for registration of motor vehicles and their transfers under the programme. This will replace more than more..

Apr 2 (CT) The people of Sri Lanka would lose their basic rights when casino moguls enter the country, the Anti- Imperialistic People's Movement (AIPM), warned yesterday. Addressing the media at a forum highlighting the impending arrival of casino king, James Packer, in Sri Lanka, the AIPM declared its opposition to the decision taken by the government in allowing him to enter the country, with AIPM Co-convener, Ven. Dambara Amila Thera pointing out that, "The right of the people to overturn or more..

Apr 2 (AT) The Speaker Chamal Rajapaksa paid his first official visit to Cuba from 26th to 30th March accompanied by MP, Akila Viraj Kariyawasam and Secretary General of Parliament, Dhammika Dasanayake. The delegation was accompanied by Ambassador to Cuba, Sarath Dissanayake. On 27th Speaker paid floral tributes to the Monument of the Cuban National Hero, Jose Marti at the Revolution Square and proceeded with a guided tour of the Museum dedicated to Cuba’s revolutionary more..

Apr 2 (Island) The Health Ministry warned that it would come down hard, with immediate effect, on all eateries where food handlers were not properly attired. According to the Food Act all kitchen staff and servers had to don clean uniforms. However, that hitherto it did not happen in small eateries, where the workers not only dressed un-hygienically but observed unhealthy practices. Hereafter, the Ministry would make it "a must" more..

Apr 2 (CI) As Sri Lanka's mixed tour arrived at a happy close in Pallekele, Twenty20 captain Dinesh Chandimal's words after the game suggested an encouraging future, just as Angelo Mathews' comments had done after a loss, three nights earlier. Amid a flood of praise for Kusal Perera's bat speed and brutality, Chandimal explained how he would spend the imminent two-month break from international cricket, instead of travelling to India for the IPL. "Over the next two months, more..

Apr 2 (CT) A Sri Lankan attempting to smuggle out ancient Sri Lankan and foreign coins to Chennai,was caught by Customs officials at the Bandaranaike International Airport, Katunayake, yesterday. The 28-year-old Sri Lankan was caught with 158 coins by Customs officials on 31 March, at 5.00 a.m. Sri Lanka Customs (SLC) Director and Media Spokesperson, Leslie Gamini, told Ceylon Today that the coins were very old but were not valued at the time they were detected. more..

Apr 2 (DN) Acts related to land matters should be amended to suit present day needs, President Rajapaksa told Land and Land Development Ministry officials yesterday. “This should be done to ensure optimum land resource utilisation towards sustainable development and to provide speedy and fair solutions to public needs,” he said. The President was addressing a progress review meeting of the ministry at its premises in more..

Apr 2 (DN) Watawala Police found a day old baby girl abandoned near a culvert beside the Watawala Sinhala Vidyalaya yesterday. A policeman on duty near the school found the infant in the morning on hearing her cries. The infant was found wrapped in a cloth. She was admitted to the Watawala District Hospital. The doctors took steps to provide the infant with milk with the assistance of another mother who had volunteered to breast feed the baby. Police have launched investigations to more..

Apr 2 (DN) Renovation work on the Jaffna Gurunagar housing complex will commence today under the patronage of Minister Wimal Weerawansa. Ministry sources said the total cost of the project is Rs 77 million. The Jaffna Gurunagar housing complex was destroyed in an LTTE attack. The rehabilitation of the housing complex will be carried out under the Nagamu Purawara programme of the Janasevana one million housing programme on Minister Weerawansa's instructions, more..

Apr 2 (Island) With less than two weeks to go for the Sinhala and Tamil New Year, paddy and vegetable farmers had been duped once again by the govt, which had failed to purchase their produce at guaranteed prices, the UNP said. Paddy farmers in many areas including Anuradhapura, Madewachchiya, Polonnaruwa, Ambalangoda, Matara and Riddegama had been told that the Paddy Marketing Board would buy a kilo of more..

Apr 2 (TOI) More than a month ago, a heart-wrenching video released by Britain's Channel 4 accused the Sri Lankan army of executing Balachandran, the youngest son of slain LTTE chief V Prabhakaran, in 2009. The video was part of a documentary about alleged ethnic cleansing by the island nation's forces during the 37-year civil war. By mid-March, the situation in Tamil Nadu, which shares ethnic roots with the Sri Lankan Tamils, came to a boil. Visiting Sri Lankan Buddhist more..

Apr 2 (CT) Close to 1,000 minor employees of the National Hospital of Sri Lanka, launched a strike yesterday morning to protest against the transfer of the President of the All Ceylon Health Worker's Association, (ACHWA) to the Ragama Hospital. Due to the strike, many important areas of work, such as attendants wheeling patients to the theatre for surgery, taking patients to the Accident Service and other wards, as well as work carried out by minor employees were hampered. more..

Apr 2 (Island) The Health Ministry said that Rs. 38 billion had been pledged from next year’s budget for drugs, medical and surgical equipment. Health Ministry sources said the Ministry had received Rs.25 billion for this year from last year’s budget proposals. The decision had been taken by President Rajapaksa following a request made by Health Minister, Maithripala Sirisena for an increase in funds for drugs. more..

Apr 2 (DM) It has been fashionable for those who either support the LTTE, or are so anti-Govt (or anti-Sinhala/Buddhist) to shelve criticism of the terrorist organisation by claiming that it was a product of history. They argue that the LTTE was born in a particular social, cultural, political and economic context and warn that if these birthing conditions are not corrected, nothing can stop another LTTE from emerging. The argument certainly makes sense, never mind the more..

Apr 2 (DM) Is it possible that I permanently live in the past? Why is it that I don’t hear any one say ‘reading maketh a man?’ This saying was popular in my school days. It was quoted often. I understand that nowadays few people read, the reason being that they don’t have time (rather, reading is no longer a priority. Time management is about priorities). Perhaps it’s a good thing, too, because I have come to be quite circumspect about the above saying over the past few years. more..

Apr 2 (DM) Q. What do you think would be the consequences for Sri Lanka, due to the UNHRC Resolution passed against Sri Lanka; because some argue that resolutions are passed repeatedly against Israel and Cuba but they come to very little real consequence. Govt members also argue that last year’s resolution had no effect and this would go on a similar path. A: Well unfortunately the govt and most media institutions are really suppressing the consequences more..

Apr 2 (ST) The National Child Protection Authority (NCPA) says it lacks sufficient officials to monitor and inspect all the children’s homes in the country. Assistance had been sought from the Department of Probation and Child Care Services (DPCCS), the authority’s Director, Anoma Dissanayake, said. The director revealed the state of affairs when questioned about the recently-discovered scandal in the Tissamaharama more..

Apr 2 (SL) This week saw a storm of controversy as Pepiliyana was struck by a couple of attacks on Thursday (28) night. The Emerald Trading Company was subject to a sudden arson attack when a domestic matter spiraled out of control. Emerald Trading, which is a car salesroom, is owned by partners Murshid Sadun and Amjad Sathik – who also happens to be a captain at the national carrier Sri Lankan Airlines. more..

Apr 2 (IFRC) It has been a long wait, but finally Mr. and Mrs Jawath’s home is complete. The Jawaths live in the village of Rasool Puthveli in Mannar District in northern Sri Lanka. In 1990, when the long-running conflict in Sri Lanka came to their doorstep, they were forced to flee. For over 20 years they lived in different parts of the North, moving with the ebb and flow of the war, constantly seeking shelter and protection. more..

Apr 2 (Island) Sri Lanka is in need of a technologically advanced ship and equipment if it is to be successful in its battle against environment pollution and other related dangers within the country’s maritime boundaries, the Environment and Renewable Energy Ministry said yesterday. The Technology was of paramount importance to build up a strong legal framework, Secretary to the Ministry of Environment and Renewable more..

Apr 2 (CG) The Bodu Bala Sena is to lodge a complaint with the CID regarding a controversial email which has been circulating purported to have been sent out by the organization. Secretary of the Bodu Bala Sena, the Ven Galaboda Aththe Gnanasara Thera said that the organization had not released such a statement via email and will make a formal complaint to the CID. He said that various attempts are being made to tarnish more..

Apr 2 (PTI) Actors and other representatives of the Tamil film industry on Tuesday began a day-long fast demanding the rehabilitation of Sri Lankan Tamils and an international probe into the alleged war crimes. Film activity in Tamil Nadu came to a standstill as artistes, directors, producers, distributors and exhibitors are participating in the hunger-strike being held at the premises of South Indian more..

Apr 2 (LBO) Industries will get an annual subsidy of nearly 15 billion rupees even after a tariff hike proposed from April, hotels will be marginally subsidized and customers classified as general purpose pay in excess of costs, an analysis by the regulator shows. A document prepared ahead of a public consultation scheduled for April 4 by the Public Utilities Commission shows revenue from industries who were heavily subsidized more..

Apr 2 (ENS) Cuddalore MP K S Azhagiri raised doubts over Prabhakaran’s son Balachandran’s death and claimed that there was no video evidence on the killing by the Sri Lankan armed forces. The Congress MP made the statement while addressing a public meeting arranged by the youth Congress at Cuddalore Old Town on Sunday night. “Some parties were playing politics by taking up the issue of more..