June 10 (SO) Thilake and his sister were a happy brother and sister duo who lived in harmony. They grew up together and Thilake's sister was blooming like a flower. Her almond-shaped eyes were getting larger and her lovely locks were cascading down to her knees. Her olive complexion was the cynosure of all eyes and her parents were on the look-out for a suitor for her. There was hush-hush every time a suitor came to see his sister. Thilake was watching all this happening around him more..

June 10 (SO) Is the Sri Lankan economy caught in a “Middle Income Trap”? Some economists have put forward the hypothesis that when a country achieves middle income level there are inherent reasons that trap the economy from further growth. It provides an “explanation” for slow economic growth after a spell of rapid growth. Is Sri Lanka’s economic growth slowing down due to this “Middle Income Trap”? What is the “Middle Income Trap”? It is a hypothesis that countries achieve rapid growth more..

June 10 (CI) Earlier this year, Lasith Malinga drew the ire of much of Sri Lanka's media as well as many fans, for an incident that earned him an official reprimand from the board. Approached by a television journalist as he was stepping out of his sports car during the contracts crisis of early March, Malinga lashed out while the camera rolled. His rebuke on that occasion, which translates poorly into English, was barbed with arrogance, and more..

June 10 (CI) "When you are away from the game it probably rejuvenates your love for it." That assessment came from Daniel Vettori as he contemplated his lengthy absence from the fray. Against Sri Lanka, in New Zealand's first game in the Champions Trophy, Vettori finally made his return. One wonders how rejuvenated his love feels now. Vettori still loves the game, but he is uncertain whether the game still loves him. These days it gives him so much hardship. Back on the field, more..

June 10 (CI) New Zealand's captain, Brendon McCullum, was full of praise for a narrow one-wicket victory against Sri Lanka which broke a run of 10 out of 11 defeats against them in 50-over cricket. The win came on a used Cardiff pitch that McCullum dubbed "incredibly difficult". New Zealand looked to be cruising at 48 for 1, needing only 139 to win, but their ninth wicket fell with five still needed before they squeezed over the line. Sri Lanka were harshly done to by a rejected lbw decision more..

June 10 (Island) Inequality and injustice is huge in Sri Lanka because of massive tax evasions in the country warned Senior Minister and Chairman COPE D.E.W. Gunasekara. "We can keep borrowing to build infrastructure but we must not forget that people also have to make end meets," the minister said at the launch of the 2012 annual report of the Ministry of Finance and Planning in the presence of President Mahinda Rajapaksa more..

June 10 (Island) All signs are that the so-called New World Order is fast becoming a thing of the past with Russia reasserting itself as a global force to be reckoned with. While the Russians are propping up the Assad govt in Syria in a show of strength vis-à-vis an all-out effort by the West to install puppet regimes in oil rich regions, China has bluntly told the European powers a few home truths. Irked by an escalating trade row, China has told Europe quite undiplomatically that it should realise more..

June 10 (DN) The first step of introducing solar powered street lamps to main cities in the country is to be launched today in Nugegoda. The Sustainable Energy Authority has planned to install 40 solar powered street lamps on the sides of the main road extending from the Nugegoda rail crossing to the flyover as the initial step. The inauguration of the project will be held at the Sathipola in Nugegoda at 6.30 pm with the participation of Minister Susil Premajayantha parallel to the Environment more..

June 10 (DN) The Sports Ministry vehemently condemned the Sarath Weerasekara Committee Report on alleged missuses of Tsunami funds by the GOAL project office in Sri Lanka blaming that the report was issued to the Media by the committee chairman Rear Admiral Sarath Weerasekara on his own without the consent of other four members, Rtd. DIG Pathirana, Rear Admiral Ananda Peris, SSP Padmasiri Munasinghe and Brigadier more..

June 10 (Island) Many of the country’s public enterprises are following out-dated accounting standards making their financial results suspect which would make foreign borrowing impossible, COPE Chairman D.E.W. Gunasekara said. "The profits or losses reported by many of the state-owned enterprises are doubtful and we will not be able to borrow from overseas on the strength of their balance sheets. We need to adopt internationally accepted accounting standards as a more..

June 10 (FT) DNH Financial described corporate earnings released so far encouraging, with double digit growth in revenues though bottom lines have been under stress due to rising costs. “With the release of 1Q2013 corporate results season coming to an end, it is encouraging to note that consolidated revenues are up by 11% YoY for companies that have reported results so far. While the majority has recorded double digit revenue growth, bottom line profits have however come under pressure more..

June 10 (CT) Despite the Court order to the CID, to advertise in the media, calling on people to come forward to give evidence with regard to those who are missing in the period of the JVP insurrection in 1988-89, the advertisement had not been published in any media, to date. However, around 70 of the families who had lost their kith and kin, had lodged their complaints at the JVP office in Matale, responding to the JVPs call to do so. more..

June 10 (DN) The 2013 Mihintale Poson religious festival will be held on a grand scale with the participation of President Mahinda Rajapaksa as Chief Guest. This was revealed by Mihintale Raja Maha Viharadhipathi Ven Walawahengunawewa Dhammarathana Nayaka Thera. North Central Chief Minister Ranjith Samarakoon, Education Services Minister Duminda Dissanayake, Mihintale Pradeshiya Sabha Chairman U B Sirisena, Anuradhapura District Secretary more..

June 10 (SBS) In the debate about Sri Lankan asylum seekers in Australia, one question seems to come up again and again. Why, when the bloody six-year conflict that caused so many to leave their homes has ended, do more and more Sri Lankan refugees continue to make the dangerous journey to Australia? As you might imagine the answer is not a simple one and goes both to the history of the conflict and Colombo’s complicated road to peace. In 2009, the long Sri Lankan civil war ended more..

June 10 (LT) Is casino and gambling the economic development strategy of the leader who fancies developing a ‘miracle’ and has made it his dream asks the co-convener of Anti-imperialist People’s Movement (AiPM) Ven. Dhambara Amila Thera. “Even when we had little information we recognized the danger and apprised the media regarding the casino project. Today we have enough evidence regarding this scheme. more..

June 10 (Island) The Colombo Central Bus Stand, the railways yard, stretching from Colombo Fort to Dematagoda, the Gunasinghepura bus stand and the Police Garage at Narahenpita, are alleged to have facilitated breeding of dengue mosquitoes. Although the Health Ministry and the Presidential Dengue Task Force has repeatedly requested the organisations to destroy potential breeding grounds, the response of the central bus stand, railway yards and the police hasbeen negative. more..

June 10 (DN) A Committee appointed by President Rajapaksa, comprising legal experts and top-level authorities on land titles , registration and survey in the country, are currently studying the country’s Title Registration Act No 21 of 1998, to submit recommendations to amend the Act. The Committee on Title Registration Act is to submit their proposals in due course to the President, the Daily News learns. A member of the Committee, Land and Land Development Ministry’s Additional Secretary more..

June 10 (HRW) Sri Lankan authorities should challenge a parliamentarian’s claim as to the whereabouts of a political cartoonist who was forcibly disappeared in 2010 and provide information on his fate. MP Arundika Fernando told the Parliament on June 5, that Prageeth Ekneligoda, a cartoonist and govt critic who has not been seen since leaving work on Jan 24, 2010, is currently living in hiding in France. more..

June 10 (GDI) Police Information & Communication System (PICS) Project - the Sri Lanka Police needs to enhance the use of modern technology to assist and serve the public efficiently and effectively and to create a peaceful environment for the public to live without fear of crime and violence. The overall objective of the proposed project is to develop a modern state of the art information and communication system which in turn would enhance the voice, data and video transmission more..

June 10 (E24|7) An American who arrived at Bandaranaike International Airport in Colombo on Thursday night from Singapore, was arrested with 126 pieces of gold nuggets worth SLRs2.5 million, Customs director Leslie Gamini said. The 45 year-old suspect is said to be engaged in gold smuggling and has been travelling to African countries to collect gold. This is the second time that he had come to Sri Lanka. The weight of gold nuggets seized was 627 grammes. more..

June 10 (ENS) Ravana Balaya, a militant Sinhalese-Buddhist organization, has urged the Sri Lankan govt to erect a statue of the ancient Lankan king Ravana, before letting the Bharatiya Janata Party to build a temple for Sita in the country. “Before allowing the Sita temple, the Lankan govt should honour Ravana, the first Lankan king to resist a foreign invasion. If Sita is a Goddess for the Hindus, Ravana is a God for us,” more..

June 10 (CT) Ceylon Today learns the current losses due to the shutdown of the Sapugaskanda Oil Refinery stands at approximately Rs 950 million, with an average loss of Rs 50 million, daily, during its period of inactivity. A trade union official disclosed, no refined fuel had been released to the market by the Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC) even 10 days after recommencement of operations. The Refinery had only produced refined fuel of the required standard (to be sold) on 6 June, more..

June 10 (DM) Expressing dismay over the action by the ICC in playing a Hindi song while the Sri Lankan team was parading under the Sri Lanka banner during the opening ceremony of the ICC Champions Trophy, Minister Wimal Weerawansa said that the SL cricket team should have withdrawn from the tournament until the error was regretted and corrected. “It is a pity that the SL cricket captain is spineless. He should have kept away from the tournament until the error was regretted more..

June 10 (DN) Minister G L Peiris left the country over the weekend on official visits to Slovenia, Austria and Germany at the invitation of the Foreign Ministers of these countries. In Ljubljana, he will have bilateral talks with Republic of Slovenia Deputy PM and Foreign Minister Karl Erjavec. Dignitaries with whom Professor Peiris will have discussions in Slovenia include National Assembly of Slovenia President Janko Veber, more..

June 10 (AFP) Mahela Jayawardene and Tillakaratne Dilshan have been reprimanded for appealing excessively during Sunday's tense Champions Trophy clash against New Zealand. The International Cricket Council said the two players had pleaded guilty to a level one breach of that part of the Code of Conduct which relates to "excessive appealing during an international match." "Dilshan and Jayawardena were charged for excessive and prolonged appealing in a keenly-contested more..

June 10 (DN) President Rajapaksa ordered immediate relief to the fishermen affected by the adverse weather during the past three days, a Fisheries Ministry spokesman said. He said Deputy Minister Sarath Kumara Gunaratne participated in inspection tours in Galle, Kalutara, Colombo, Negombo and Beruwela on the direction of President Rajapaksa and he is to submit a report to the President about the fishermen badly affected by the bad weather conditions. more..

June 10 (FT) Finance Secretary Dr. P.B. Jayasundera on Friday described the performance of the economy in 2012 amidst severe challenges and prospects in the immediate future akin to a story of a “turned around” nation. Jayasundera in fact related key segments of the “turned-around” nation story in his speech at the ceremonial launch of the Ministry of Finance and Planning 2012 Annual Report officiated by President Rajapaksa. more..

June 10 (DM) History has shown us clearly that the four pillars of a genuine democracy are a people friendly executive, legislature comprising elected representatives who are servants of the people and work for the common good of all, an independent judiciary and a free media. All four are important to provide checks and balances for a government of the people, for the people and by the people. When they work effectively and honestly we see good governance, accountability, transparency, more..

June 10 (DM) Some of the findings in sociology theories need re - thinking in the present systemic context. Class, power and status are theories that were the major concern areas of famous sociologist Max Weber born in 1864. On the theory of status he describes the impact of intellectuality on it. Certainly, Weber was not wrong though, not applicable anymore for the economic and political power of modern times commands more respect and status over intellectuality in societies where more..

June 10 (ST) An illegal slaughterhouse that operated for 12 years close to Colombo despite continued protests to local police has been shut down following a raid by Buddhist monks. Monks from the Nandagiri Viharaya in Nathuduwa, Kelaniya, claimed the slaughterhouse, in Enderamulla, Wattala had operated without a valid licence. “I got a tip-off a week back from one of the residents of the area about the more..

June 10 (CT) The former head of the LTTE media and the UPFA's prospective candidate for the Northern Provincial Council polls, V. Dayanithy alias Daya Master, emphasized the importance of the TNA engaging itself in the Parliamentary Select Committee (PSC) proceedings. He said, the TNA cannot continue to keep away from the attempts made to explore the possibilities of finding a political solution. "It's nothing like trying. more..

June 10 (SL) While student unions in local universities have gained notoriety these days initiating many protests and clashes with law enforcement authorities, it raises the question whether these student unions have been set up for the sole purpose of acting as a medium between college authorities and students. Student unions were initially vested with the task of solving the problems faced by students in colleges. more..

June 10 (PTI) Ravana Balaya (Ravana Force), a Buddhist monk nationalist group, today staged a demonstration in front of Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) headquarters here in protest against an ICC faux pas during the opeining ceremony of the Champions Trophy in Cardiff. The group blamed the SLC for its inability to lodge a complaint to the ICC for playing a Hindi song in place of Sri Lanka's national at the Champions Trophy more..

June 10 (DM) With the govt threatening to introduce media ethics for journalists and the UNP introducing a draft Constitution with major changes to the present system of govt, the Daily Mirror spoke to UNP MP Karu Jayasuriya. Hailing from the corporate sector, Mr. Jayasuriya is reputed as a politician who had promoted democratic form of governance and he introduced a private member’s motion for the implementation of the more..

June 10 (Xinhua) The death toll from the storm in Sri Lanka has risen to 40 with some fishermen still missing, the Disaster Management Center (DMC) said on Monday. DMC spokesman Sarath Lal Kumara said that the bodies of the 40 fishermen have been recovered and search and rescue operations are underway to locate those missing. Over 100 houses have also been reported as being fully damaged by the storm, the DMC said. more..

June 10 (AD) The International Cricket Council has written to Sri Lanka Cricket expressing their regret for the mishap concerning the opening ceremony of the ongoing ICC Champions Trophy when the Sri Lankan national flag was paraded onto the field. The controversy sprung when a Hindi song was played while the Lankan national flag was paraded onto the field during the tournament’s opening ceremony. The SLC stated that the more..

June 10 (Island) The Friday Forum has urged political parties and civil society groups to oppose government moves to dilute the 13th Amendment to the Constitution and to make every effort to ensure a free and fair northern provincial council election under the present constitution. The following is the full text of a joint statement issued by Ambassador Jayantha Dhanapala and Professor Savitri Goonesekere: "The Friday Forum more..

June 10 (Island) Close on the heels of the latest arrest of 49 poaching Indian fishermen by the Sri Lankan Navy (SLN), Director General of the Indian Coast Guard (ICG) Vice Admiral Anurag G. Thapliyal is in Colombo for talks with his Sri Lankan counterpart, Rear Admiral Ravindra Wijegunaratne. VA Thapliyal arrived in Colombo on Sunday on a six-day visit. The visiting ICG delegation is scheduled to visit the northern naval area more..

June 10 (Xinhua) The Sri Lankan govt on Monday said it has made progress in addressing human rights concerns and reconciliation which it says has been acknowledged by many in the international community. A govt statement said it was surprised by claims made by Canada last week at the UNHRC currently meeting in Geneva that there are ongoing violations of human rights in Sri Lanka and that there is also a lack of more..

June 10 (CT) Sri Lankan society is an ethno-religious mosaic and within the ethnic groups, there are clear religious divisions as well. To a certain extent, ethnicity and religion also have a regional basis, which is a significant reason why the Tamil militancy has a strong geographical dimension, which extended to the demand of a separate independent state. Of the ethnic and religious groups, Tamil Hindus predominate in the Northern Province and maintain a significant presence more..