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 (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 (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 (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 (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 (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 (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 (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 (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 (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 (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 (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) 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 (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 (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 (CT) Veteran politician and Leader of the TULF, V Anandasangaree is a moderate who has not only consistently shunned extremism in Northern and the Southern politics, but also closely associated with Tamil and Sinhalese leaders for as long as he has been in politics. He expresses his candid views on the 13th Amendment, the Northern Provincial Council polls and the current state of Tamil politics. more..

June 10 (Island) The Citizens’ Movement for Good Governance (CIMOGG) has been looking at the various proposals that are being put forward by many vested and non-vested interests calling for the present Constitution to be amended or rewritten. What is striking about all these proposals is that they are, for all practical purposes, founded on the half-built or badly damaged foundations of the three Constitutions that we have had since 1947. Marginal improvements in governance, more..

June 10 (CT) We celebrated World Environment Day last week. The theme for this year is ‘Think. Eat. Save.’ It was a novel concept for not only the ordinary people but also for some environmentalists. However, it was not a truly new concept. The UN Environment Programme (UNEP) and the World Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) have established an organization called ‘Think. Eat. Save.’ with the support of several charity foundations with a view to minimizing more..

June 10 (SO) "The opposition resorts to subtle tactics to achieve their sinister objectives. It is the leader of the Opposition who is heading this undemocratic campaign and not others in the country. If the UNP is digging its own grave what can others do in a situation like this," said SLFP chief organiser, Nugawela, MP Dilum Amunugama. "The leader of the Opposition, had suppressed the activities of every person who more..

June 10 (CT) As the Sinhalese and Tamils, or more precisely the Sinhala and Tamil nationalists, will eventually learn, there were rather good reasons that the Temple at Delphi bore the inscription ‘Nothing in Excess’, while the Buddha urged a Middle Path and Aristotle, the Golden Mean. Less than six months before the Commonwealth summit, the Govt is engaged in a pincer move. One is a move to circumscribe the 13th amendment and the other to straitjacket the media. more..

June 10 (CT) The modern democratic approach to constitution making is the formulation of a set of immutable constitutional principles. Gone are the days when the sovereignty of the people meant that the people could their through their elected representatives, pass any laws by majority vote and do away with human rights and minority rights. Democracy means more than the right of the people to elect representatives to form a govt which could then govern as they wish disregarding more..

June 10 (CT) Each time when some politico or panjandrum declares the urgent need for reform of the media, some stout defenders of the freedom of the media in the govt controlled sector go under the bed – in the tradition of a revered king of Lanka – to emerge days later with a confident announcement that it was a ‘pus vedilla’. Much more aggressive defenders of the media, will thunder in editorials, breathing fire and ‘vas kavi’ more..

June 10 (GV) How ‘The Show Must Go On’ came about described on the exhibition’s Facebook event page. Sachini Perera, who I first came to know of through her work with Women and Media Collective is clearly a talented photographer, but what makes her debut exhibition compelling is how she frames her subjects – singers, musicians and performers – including members of some of Sri Lanka’s best known, and most loved bands. Through black and white photography as well as in colour, more..

June 10 (SL) The ICC has often been derided as ‘toothless” and “spineless” for its inability to provide the strong leadership and guidance necessary in the administration of world cricket and therefore it should be no surprise that its cricket committee operates in the same inept manner. At their recent meeting, one of the key recommendations of the cricket committee was the suggestion to make it mandatory for all full member nations to play a minimum number of tests per year. more..

June 9 (CI) Lasith Malinga took the 22 yards out of the equation in low-scoring thriller, but New Zealand survived him to register their first win over Sri Lanka in four years. The pitch has hardly ever mattered less. It was flat, the sun was out, the ball was not swinging, but Malinga's dipping slower full tosses had New Zealand batsmen hopping and hoping in what was expected to be an afternoon stroll. Nathan McCullum, first, more..

June 9 (CT) The leader of the Nawa Sihala Urumaya Sarath Manamendra who sustained injuries due to a personal dispute with another person has been admitted to the Colombo National Hospital, the Police Media Unit said. The incident had taken place at around 11.30 this morning, when a dispute had occurred between Manamendra and his house owner who lives in the same premises, due to a problem that had arisen with regard to the parking of their private vehicles. more..

June 9 (CT) The army has rejected allegations that some soldiers had been involved in stealing items from three Hindu temples in Batticaloa. Army spokesman Brigadier Ruwan Wanigasooriya said that investigations on the incident had been carried out and a suspect had been arrested by the police. “There were some false reporting in pro LTTE web based media that Sri Lanka Army was responsible for burglery taken place in three Hindu Temples, namely, Kurukka’l-madam more..

June 9 (SL) The country’s rising inflation rate has dealt a devastating blow to the average family while it is struggling to keep up with the sharp increases in prices, especially the increase in electricity tariffs. The recent increase in electricity tariffs has accounted for an increase of 1.96% in the monthly expenditure of families during the month of May. Economists meanwhile say that the electricity price hike has affected the population more..

June 9 (AD) The body of an elderly woman, who had died under suspicious circumstances, was recovered from the Lunu Oya in Chilaw this morning, according to information provided by a resident of the area. The deceased has been identified by relatives as K.D. Theresahami, 85, a resident of Sangathattana, Chilaw. The magistrate’s inquiry was carried out by Chilaw Acting Magistrate Nissanka Nanayakkara, who instructed the judicial medical officer at the Chilaw Hospital to conduct more..

June 9 (Island) Speaker Chamal Rajapaksa was a special guest at a Vesak Commemoration event organised by UNESCO in Paris on May 23. Speaking on this occasion, the Speaker said that each year Vesak Day gives us an opportunity to reiterate our determination to lead noble lives, develop one’s mind, practice loving –kindness and bring peace and harmony to humanity. "The decision this year to reflect upon the contributions of religious teachings towards reconciliation comes as more..

June 9 (ST) The number of local govt politicians breaking the law is rapidly increasing, with most of them belonging to the ruling UPFA. Last week alone, five incidents involving Pradeshiya Sabha politicians—four from the UPFA and one from the UNP—were reported by media. A criminal case related to a Deputy Minister was also taken up in court. On Monday, the Attanagalle Magistrate’s Court ordered the impounding of Deputy more..

June 9 (Island) The wedding of Princess Madeleine of Sweden and Christopher O’Neill from USA took place in the Royal Chapel at the Royal Palace of Stockholm, Sweden last week. Officiates at the wedding ceremony are Lars-Goran Lonnermark, chaplain to the King and Bishop Emeritus and Michael Bjerkhagen, pastor of Royal Court Parish. Pastor Michael was born 1966 in Kandy and a couple of years later adopted by a Swedish couple. Earlier this year Pastor Michael was more..

June 9 (CT) The death toll from the stormy weather conditions has risen to 27 with several others still missing at sea, the Disaster Management Center said this evening. Meanwhile the Sri Lanka Air Force said that it has deployed it’s Beech King Air (B-200T Beechcraft) surveillance aircraft to search the coastal area from Kollupitiya to Galle as part of a continuous joint search and rescue operation being conducted together with the navy to locate the missing fishermen. more..

June 9 (AD) President Rajapaksa has instructed Disaster Management Minister Mahinda Amaraweera to submit a report regarding the manner in which relevant authorities had taken measures to inform the public regarding the changes in the weather and the possible disaster situations it may cause. Directing his attention towards the various difficulties the people of the country had faced due to prevailing adverse weather conditions, more..

June 9 (ST) Police are yet to identify those responsible for the attack on the students at the Science Faculty hostel of the Kelaniya University on Thursday night. Six students were admitted to the Kiribathgoda and Ragama hospitals following the assault. Peliyagoda police carrying out investigations said that they had not identified any attackers nor arrested anyone responsible for the attack. IUSF Convenor Sanjeewa Bandara said the govt was behind the attack. more..

June 9 (IANS) DMK president M. Karunanidhi Sunday told PM Manmohan Singh that India has to ensure the implementation of a 1987 pact with Sri Lanka that promised autonomy to the Tamils there. In a letter to Manmohan Singh, the former TN chief minister referred to attempts by "Sinhalese extremist groups" in Sri Lanka to get the 1987 Rajiv Gandhi-JR Jayawardane accord abrogated. "India should not be a silent spectator to the events taking place in Sri Lanka at this critical point of time," more..