Oct 29 (DM) Three teenagers have been arrested after a pizza delivery man was stabbed to death while out on his rounds. Thavisha Peiris, who moved to Sheffield two-and-a-half years ago to study, was found dead in the city late on Sunday evening. The 25-year-old victim was a Buddhist from Colombo, Sri Lanka, and was today described by friends as being 'calm and quiet'. He came to England to study software engineering at more..

Oct 30 (NS) People have multiple identities based on ethnicity, religious faith, gender, age, location, citizenship, vocation and ideological preference among other things. Thus it is that a journalist or a human rights advocate can also be a terrorist, a facilitator or approver of terrorist activity. If a terrorist has some journalistic credentials and if that individual is arrested or killed in battle, who is it that dies, the terrorist or the journalist? Similarly, if a priest is now in cassock and now in military more..

Oct 30 (NS) Media networks had, over the week, laid heavy emphasis on what was called a Kenyan bid to withhold the participation of a tangible African delegate, even as Colombo is being drilled and laid with walkways and whatnot in preparation for the CHOGM assembly, set to commence in less than a month. According to these reports, Kenya’s agenda in the plotting has to do with the pending inquest of their controversial Head of State, President Uhuru Kenyatta, who will be summoned more..

Oct 30 (SO) Sri Lanka is now slowly but surely moving towards the further narrowing of the trade deficit with higher earnings from exports. The cumulative trade deficit during the first eight months of this year declined by 5.6% to US$ 5,998 million, from US$ 6,356 million in the corresponding period of 2012. Earnings from exports in August 2013 reached US$ 918 million, the highest monthly value since January 2012, led by a significant more..

Oct 30 (Island) The govt remains maniacally focused on infrastructural projects and is going at full tilt to achieve its development goals so much so that it has even drawn flak from the Opposition for overspending borrowed money on projects sans tangible returns in the foreseeable future. Past few years have seen an infrastructure boom in all parts of the country. Successive governments have flaunted their development projects and boasted of their achievements. more..

Oct 30 (Island) The next article on the theme, "Let them die to maintain the hegemony of western science" has to be postponed to respond to what Mr. Bodhi Dhanapala has written on 28th. I thank Mr. Dhanapala from Quebec, Canada for responding to part of my article published on Oct. 23. Although I am going into detail describing my views on Western Science and Knowledge in general later, after CHOGM, on which I intend to write about Canadian boycott as well as Manmohan Singh, more..

Oct 30 (DBS) Jaffna’s Main Street begins at a curvy corner at the entry point to the peninsula. and gets connected to the Jaffna town through the long and winding A9 Highway. Here is a street that had faced enormous challenges and witnessed causalities. Lives have been lost on this road and its properties damaged. The signs of devastation are still visible on this street unlike any other main street in Sri Lanka. more..

Oct 30 (CT) In a democracy, restrain on power is introduced for a reason. Dictatorship is what you call a legacy that is prolonged. There are many so-called compelling reasons for leaders to continue to hold on to power: Vision of one strong leader for the greater common good of the people, stability for the country, need of a strong leader for security and economic prosperity. However, in the long run, have any of these dinosaurs managed to bring the desired outcome of their governance? more..

Oct 30 (CT) The Sri Lanka Economic Association or SLEA in its 2013 Annual Sessions held last week had a very important topic as its theme: ‘The Way Forward for Sustained Growth’. At the inaugural sessions, two eminent economists, Professor A.D.V. de S. Indraratna and Dr. G. Usvattearatchi, made a microscopic dissection of the current state of the economy and came up with some important suggestions which the Sri Lankan authorities may consider if they are interested in more..

Oct 30 (CT) Some believe the chairmanship of the CHOGM, officially referred to as 'Chairperson-in-Office,' which will be bestowed on Mahinda Rajapaksa, could be more of a crown of thorns than a crown of power and glory. Observed in the backdrop of the Indian-levered NPC elections, the UK Govt-influenced action in arresting a govt politician for the murder of a British tourist and the withdrawal of CHOGM visa restrictions imposed on foreign journalists, who were critical of the more..

Oct 30 (CT) No doubt each one of us loves to see a prosperous and thriving Sri Lanka. Whether we come from Tamil community or Sinhalese community or for that matter from any other community each patriotic Sri Lankan wish to see a flourishing Sri Lankan economy and they hope for the rapid development and progress of our nation: This is the inner feeling of all Sri Lankans in SL and Abroad. No one wishes destructions and devastation for our nation. Every patriotic Lankan wishes more..

Oct 30 (FT) On the historic morning of 25 Oct, 72-year-old G. Kriushnamurthiy, a veteran civil servant, is a very busy man. As Secretary of the first-ever NPC, Kriushnamurthiy has his work cut out for him hours ahead of the Council’s first session. But the septuagenarian is an old hand, having served as Chief Secretary of the North East Provincial Council 25 years ago. Amidst the flurry of activity, the affable gentleman remembers to more..

Oct 30 (TOI) To go nor not to go - Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's dilemma on the advisability of participating in the summit of commonwealth heads of state, has been compounded by the Tamil Nadu assembly resolution asking him to boycott the meet respecting the sentiments of Tamils in the state. Lanka experts say the PM should not dilly-dally and should take a decision one way or the other. "The Sri Lankan Tamils issue cannot be resolved by the PM attending CHOGM or not, more..

Oct 30 (Island) Deputy Minister Sarana Gunawardena said that it was a mystery how a fire had broken out, destroying four vegetable stalls belonging to him. He said that the fire had reduced all stocks of carrot, beans and cabbage to ash. He said he had rented out all four stalls to a person named Gamini, who had sub-let them to another. The fire had caused him a total loss of Rs. 3.5 million, he said. The land, on which those stalls are situated, had been purchased by him during more..

Oct 30 (CT) General Secretary of the Bodu Bala Sena (BBS), Ven. Galagodaaththe Gnanasara Thera, in an interview with Ceylon Today, said the halal issue is more serious than casinos, and vowed to continue the fight against the halal certification. Q: Why have you started to raise the halal issue again now? A: We made a promise before 25,000 people who had gathered in front of the Temple of Tooth in Kandy on more..

Oct 30 (CT) The National Food Safety Week, which was carried out last week, was unsuccessful due to the lack of facilities provided to the Public Health Inspectors (PHIs), the United Front for Paramedics (UFP) charged. Responding to a query at a media briefing yesterday, Co-convenor of the UFP, Upul Rohana, revealed the ratio between the PHIs and the general public is unbalanced. "The World Health Organization states the ratio between the PHIs and the public should to be 1:10, 000. more..

Oct 30 (LMD) A couple of years ago, as soon as the rail link northward got reactivated, I took a train ride along the northern line to Vavuniya. At that time, it was as far as I could go. The ticket cost Rs. 900 and the train set off in the early hours of the morning, when Pettah was bustling with goods lorries. Early commuters were trickling in. By the time the train set off, it was already packed with commuters. I have many memories of train journeys, particularly those spent sitting on the floors of more..

Oct 30 (LBO) Smartphone sales are taking off showing fast growth, Singer Sri Lanka, a top consumer durables retailer which launched a slim phone targeting domestic and tourist markets said. Smartphones have an operating system which can run many applications, similar to a small computer, while remaining connected to the internet compared to so-called older feature phones which are now in wide use. more..

Oct 30 (CT) The UNP yesterday submitted its objections in the Court of Appeal against the two Writ Applications filed by two Provincial Councillors, who had complained of a decision taken to expel them from the Party as being mala fide. Maithri Gunaratne of the SPC and Shiral Lakthilake of the WPC filed two cases, seeking Writ of Mandamus to quash the UNP decision. In their petitions, the two Councillors stated that the Party has taken an illegal and wrongful decision against natural justice more..

Oct 30 (LBO) Water's Edge, a hospitality facility coming under UDA is seeking investors to build a 200 room hotel, an official said. Water's Edge, which was built as a golf club on state land, but was re-vested in the state by a court order over irregularities in now being run by the UDA. It has a clubhouse with banquet hall and facilities for meetings but no rooms. It is located in SL's administrative capital of Kotte bordering a wetland sanctuary. UDA chairman said a 200-room hotel was being planned. more..

Oct 30 (NP) The unsteady sand of who is considered a terrorist in Canada has once again shifted in favour of a Tamil woman living in Toronto, whose politician husband was assassinated in Sri Lanka while attending Christmas Eve mass in 2005. Weeks after Joseph Pararajasingham, a MP in Sri Lanka, was shot dead, Canada granted residency to his widow, Sugunanayake Joseph, who was injured in the attack, more..

Oct 30 (BS) The biennial CHOGM rarely generates much news, with the charitable suggesting that the organisation of former British colonies has outlived its utility. But the 23rd CHOGM, due in Sri Lanka, has taken on political salience in India following a unanimous resolution in the TN Assembly last week calling for a boycott of the meeting because of the Sri Lankan govt's repression of its Tamil minority. The resolution has also called for Sri Lanka to be suspended from the Commonwealth until more..

Oct 30 (DM) The Benthara Elpitiya organiser Geetha Kumarasinghe said that a disciplinary inquiry should be carried out into the incident where PS Chairman Gayan Sirimana and the Vice Chairman Ranjith Wickremesinghe exchanged fisticuffs over an altercation at the finance committee meeting of the Bentota Pradeshiya Sabha last Monday. “A disciplinary inquiry should be carried out over this incident. This vice chairman who crossed over from the UNP has had a bad conduct more..

Oct 30 (DN) The Indian Supreme Court asking TN fishermen whether it was possible for them to know at which point to stop without entering Sri Lanka's territorial waters is a small consolation for the fishermen of Northern Sri Lanka whose fishing harvests are being stolen by Tamil Nadu fishermen on a daily basis, Deputy Fisheries Minister Sarath Kumara Gunaratne said. He was referring to an Indian Supreme Bench more..

Oct 30 (CL) BRISBANE archdiocese's social justice advocate Peter Arndt has heard many claims about the infringement of Tamils' rights in Sri Lanka since the bloody ending to that country's civil war in 2008. Recently the Catholic Justice and Peace Commission executive officer was able to observe the situation at first hand when he attended a networking meeting of the Asia Pacific Forum of Justice and Peace Workers in Kandy. What Mr Arndt saw and heard on his Sept 3-9 visit more..

Oct 30 (SBS) Victoria's Human Rights Law Centre has joined growing international criticism of Sri Lanka's human rights record and says asylum seekers shouldn't be returned to the island nation as a matter of routine. Critics of the SL govt have included UN rights chief Navi Pillay, who has warned Sri Lanka it could face an international investigation if it doesn't rein in rights abuses and look into suspected war crimes. While Canada's PM Stephen Harper says he'll boycott the CHOGM more..

Oct 30 (PTI) Sri Lanka has offered to name 37 stray baby elephants after CHOGM, visiting the country next month for the biennial conference. The Wildlife Resources Conservation ministry said they have arranged for heads of govt attending the Commonwealth summit to become foster parents for orphaned baby elephants. Up for grabs are 37 baby elephants aged from three months to five years and currently more..

Oct 30 (FT) The closure of Hayleys Group Dipped Products factory in Rathupaswala marking exactly three months today has caused a Rs. 900 million loss in revenue and around Rs. 180 million in profit with remedial efforts by the company to address the water issue continuing to be ignored by authorities concerned. According to the company, estimated loss of revenue was Rs. 300 million a month and pre-tax loss was around Rs. 60 million per month. Whilst these estimates are for the more..

Oct 30 (CG) Direct flights from Belarus to Sri Lanka do not make economic sense yet, Director of the Aviation Department of the Transport and Communications Ministry of Belarus Vladimir Kostin said during the online conference on the BelTA website when he was asked about a possibility to start operating direct flights between the two states. “At present Belavia has no resources and economic preconditions to operate direct flights from our country to Sri Lanka,” Vladimir Kostin said. more..

Oct 30 (CT) In an unprecedented move, the Bhikkunis in the country have submitted a petition to the Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka (HRCSL), demanding recognition and acceptance of the Bhikkuni Sasana. Commissioner of the HRCSL, Dr. Prathiba Mahanamahewa, said a petition has been filed in this regard and the Commission has initiated investigations. The petition has been filed by Ven. Inamaluwa Sumangala more..

Oct 30 (FT) A casino committee set up by the UNP convened for talks last week decided to muster opposition for the Govt’s controversial plan to set up a casino zone in Colombo on grounds that it would erode social values in Colombo. The UNP Casino Committee comprises MPs Karu Jayasuriya, Wijeyadasa Rajapakse, Ajith Perera, Joseph Michael Perera and Kabir Hashim. A notable exclusion is the UNP’s firebrand and vocal critic of casinos MP Dr. Harsha de Silva. more..

Oct 30 (ST) Police have tonight launched a major appeal to the public for help in finding the person or persons who killed a 25-year-old man in Sheffield. Thavisha Peiris was found slumped at the wheel of his car at around 10.30pm on Sunday. He had been working at Domino’s Pizza in Halifax Road, Sheffield, and was delivering an order to an address in Southey Crescent, Southey, which was due at around 10pm. When he failed to deliver the order, his workmates set off to find him. more..

Oct 30 (CG) While the govt has given the impression the proposed Casino project in Colombo has been put on hold following stiff opposition, Crown chairman billionaire James Packer has told his shareholders the project was still on. AAP quoted Packer as saying an ambitious program to expand the number of his integrated hotel and casino resorts in Asia and Australia is affordable. Packer told shareholders at the company’s AGM more..

Oct 30 (Island) A new Stroke Unit was opened at the Ragama Teaching Hospital yesterday in commemoration of Universal Stroke Day. Spokesman for the Health Ministry warned that one in every six Sri Lankans were vulnerable to a stroke. It also killed or disabled one in every three persons. However, there were those who regained a part of the ability to work. Approximately 40 persons die of stroke in Sri Lanka on a daily basis while 80% fall victim to strokes. more..

Oct 30 (CG) The British Home Office says while there are new “at risk” categories for Sri Lankan nationals being sent back after their asylum requests are rejected, Tamils per se are not at risk. Minister of State for Immigration Mark Harper said that each application for protection is considered on its individual merits against country information obtained from a wide range of sources. From January to June this year Britain has deported 347 SL nationals either voluntarily or by force, more..

Oct 30 (FT) Northern Province Chief Minister C.V. Wigneswaran is unlikely to make an appearance at the CHOGM that will get underway in Colombo next month, but his party will steer clear of calling for an Indian boycott of the summit. The Chief Minister said despite media reports, there was no official invitation yet from the Govt for him to attend or speak at the summit. “I do not think I will be going,” Wigneswaran cautiously noted, more..

Oct 30 (DM) Like a political cancer, corruption and hypocrisy appear to be afflicting many areas of society ranging from party politics to business and sport, the latest scandal in the widely popular field of cricket is the huge debt of some 3.2 billion rupees that the crisis-ridden or corruption-ridden Sri Lanka cricket owes to the State for the construction of what many analysts believe were two non-essential stadiums in Hambantota and Pallekele and the major renovation of the Kettarama stadium. more..

Oct 30 (DM) Whoever said that demand must drive supply was certainly not talking about reconciliation. However, the relevance and applicability of the philosophy and its wisdom in a post-war reconciliation setting cannot be overstated. After all, reconciliation is as important a goal as it is a process. While efforts in post-war rehabilitation, reintegration, and reconstruction have been commendable for the most part, the dividends of such efforts can be sustained and more..

Oct 30 (ST) An office executive went to a kiosk close to his office in Kollupitiya, and asked for a popular brand of imported cigarettes. The cashier stood up, raised his sarong and pulled out a pack from the shorts he wore underneath. It was Rs 25 cheaper than the same brand produced locally. Sunil Chandrasiri, a regular smoker, called over at a wayside grocery shop in Kirulapone and purchased two cigarettes of a popular local brand. more..