Apr 3 (CT) Why would a mother abandon her new born baby? There is no answer that would justify the action, but the increasing number of infants, toddlers and even pre-teens found abandoned in various parts of the country, highlight a disturbing development in post-war Sri Lanka that requires more than mere police action to hunt down the derelict parent, parents or guardians. Granted, abandoning a child, no matter its age, is a criminal offence punishable with sentences up to 20 more..

Apr 3 (DM) The Health Ministry today decided to terminate the services of the minor staff of the Colombo National Hospital (CNH) who refrained from attending to their assigned duties after reporting for duty following an ultimatum given by Health Secretary Dr. Nihal Jayatilaka yesterday. The minor staff was on a trade union action after a colleague was transferred following a disciplinary inquiry by the PSC. more..

Apr 3 (IANS) After the Tamil film industry observed a day-long fast Tuesday to protest alleged "war crimes" against Tamils in Sri Lanka, actor R. Sarath Kumar said the entire Tamil film industry stands united for Sri Lankan Tamils. "We as an industry will stand united for our brothers and sisters in Sri Lanka. We want strict action to be taken against the Sri Lankan authorities by an independent body," said Sarath Kumar, president, South Indian Film Artistes Association (SIFAA), more..

Apr 3 (MoD) A decision has been taken to increase the number of scholarships awarded for foreign cadets to the General Sir John Kotelawala Defence University (KDU). As the only university offering graduate courses in defence studies in the South Asian region the KDU offers degrees to local and foreign students of the SAARC region. Approval has already been granted for the intake of 2 cadets each from India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal and Maldives for every intake. more..

Apr 3 (LT) The govt has become a diplomatic pauper and avoids issues that come up in international dealings says the President of 'Ethera Api' organization and Member of the Central Committee of the JVP former MP Lakshman Nipunarachchi. Sri Lanka Bureau of Foreign Employment (SLBFE) received 9925 complaints in 2012 from Sri Lankans employed abroad; the complaints received from Sri Lankans abroad more..

Apr 3 (CG) Minister Maithripala Sirisena says Sri Lankan politicians should be certified for their standards like products are certified by the standards institute, as there are several low quality politicians in the country. A Ministry statement quoted the Minister as saying that in society the issue of quality gets priority. �Like when picking a hospital or when picking a company, if we pick politicians based on their standards then we need to give them a quality certification,� more..

Apr 3 (LT) Lokugam Hewage Dharmasiri, former Member of Godakawela Pradeshiya Sabha and coordinating secretary of Minister John Seneviratne who had been arrested and remanded for more than a year on charges of murdering Nayana Nilmini a 58 year old mother of two and her daughter Kavindya Chathurangani at Kotakethana, Kahawatta was acquitted by Palmadulla Magistrate Ms. Neranjala Dias yesterday. The Magistrate after acquitting the suspect, on instructions from more..

Apr 3 (CG) The TNA, today called for a meaningful process of reconciliation based on ensuring truth, justice and reparations for victims of violent crimes committed by all parties. A TNA statement said that recent attacks on the democratic expression of Tamils in the North and East are clearly carried out with the active support, sanction and collusion of the Sri Lankan govt. �We call on all right-thinking citizens of this more..

Apr 3 (PTI) Domestic commercial vehicles leader Tata Motors today said it has rolled out its Prima range of commercial vehicles in Sri Lanka in association with it local partner Diesel & Motor Engineering to meet the increasing demand for such vehicles in the island market. Diesel & Motor Engineering, a leading engineering companies in Sri Lanka, caters to brands such as Bosch, Skil, Blaupunkt, and Fischer, Mercedes-Benz, Komatsu, Michelin, Osram, Siemens and Tata among more..

Apr 3 (DM) An Ella hotel owner was arrested on charges of having groped a 39-year-old French woman. She had come to Sri Lanka last week with a friend and had visited the well-known waterfall at Ella. The French woman who was staying at the hotel owned by the suspect had told him she was keen on getting a body massage. The 47-year-old hotel owner had said he would take her to a massage clinic in his trishaw and while on the way had stopped the vehicle on a lonely spot and more..

Apr 3 (CG) Physical training will be made compulsory from the next school term following the April school holidays, Education Minister Bandula Gunawardena said today. He said that a circular in this regard will be sent to all schools and the school principals will be kept informed. The Minister said that following religious observances in the morning, all school children will be asked to undergo physical training for 10 minutes. more..

Apr 3 (CT) A young man who had tried to impress onlookers who had gathered round a half dead viper, had been stung by the serpent as he had lifted it from the ground. He had been rushed to a native doctor who treats victims of snake bites. However, the native doctor had said that he needs to be treated in a hospital. The victim had then been taken to the Ingiriya Hospital where he had died on admission. The deceased, Nishantha Lakmal, 27 years, was a vegetable farmer. more..

Apr 3 (NF) The Indian Premier League or the IPL will commence today. Due to various actions in the political sphere the IPL currently appears to be the most talked about topic. Sri Lankans Nuwan Kulasekara and Akila Dananjaya who were recruited by the Chennai Supers have said that they have been told not to go to India until they are called for. "We have been told not to come to Chennai until we are told to do so. Because of this situation, we cannot make any decision until more..

Apr 3 (Island) The UNP said that the JVP, which had staged two insurrections causing death and destruction, was making a big noise over the 1988-1989 Matale graves, but it had conveniently forgotten that over 6,000 UNPers had been killed during the same period."We also want an impartial inquiry into the murders that took place during the period in question. Many of the officials who functioned in the affected areas are more..

Apr 3 (ACW) The new route, which includes a stopover in the Maldives, will be operated three times a week with a Boeing 777. IAG is returning to Sri Lanka after a 15-year absence and hopes that by opening trade routes to the world, it can better support business in the region. �We have always had a strong bond with the Sri Lankan market, and our announcement to return to the country has been met with excitement and warmth that is symbolic of the country,� Pravin Singh, area commercial more..

Apr 3 (DM) A former coordinating Secretary to a politician has been arrested by the Bandaranaike International Air Port CID Officers today, believed to have cheated millions of rupees from the people while disguising himself as a Criminal Investigating Officer. The suspect (57) is a resident of the area. It was revealed that he has cheated 15 people and charged between Rs. 50,000 to 100,000 saying that he could bail out the persons who were deported from Christmas Island while they tried to more..

Apr 3 (DN) �Ravana Balaya� members including Buddhist monks held a protest rally outside Sri Lanka Cricket office today vowing to �take action against the cricketers who are prostituting themselves for money�. Some 200 members gathered there chanted slogans against the Sri Lankan cricketers who are participating in the IPL. �These cricketers have prostituted themselves for Jayalalithaa�s money. more..

Apr 3 (AN) Not a punishment from God, but an opportunity given by the Lord to reflect on the crimes committed and not repeat them again. This is how some inmates of the women's prison in Welikada describe their lives in prison after Easter Mass celebrated by Fr. Prasanna Fernando, OMI to AsiaNews. Among the inmates of Welikada, more than 100 are Catholic, both tamil and sinhalese. These women are serving sentences of varying length, from one to 11 years in prison. more..

Apr 3 (RWC) Sri Lanka and Kazakhstan have set up a title deciding showdown on Saturday after overcoming Thailand and Chinese Taipei respectively in their HSBC Asian 5 Nations Division I encounters in Colombo. The hosts are the only unbeaten side with a maximum 12 points after beating Thailand 45-7 at Havelocks RFC on Wednesday, but cannot celebrate just yet because Kazakhstan can still pip them to the title and promotion to the Top 5 in 2014. more..

Apr 4 (GV) From 6 � 21 March 2013, Groundviews ran an online poll to ascertain opinions on the lasting impact of the unprecedented impeachment of Sri Lanka�s Chief Justice. The online poll was hosted on Typeform.com. 177 responses were generated. The questionnaire can be downloaded as a PDF here. The full poll results, for statistical analysis and verification, can be downloaded as an Excel spreadsheet here. Excerpts to the answers given to Question 1 and 7 are reproduced below, more..

Apr 4 (GV) Sri Lanka�s long relationship with Burma is something that anyone who has even a nodding acquaintance with Sri Lankan history is aware of. In both nations, Theravada Buddhism has been a vital political idea that has cemented the legitimacy of monarchs. Both Burma and Sri Lanka saw a Buddhist revival as a response to colonial occupation, a revival which has allowed Buddhism to fuse with nationalism as both countries achieved their independence. more..

Apr 4 (SO) The National Aquatic Resources Research and Development Agency (NARA), the research arm of the Fisheries Ministry plans to implement various marine research programs along the Sri Lankan waters, NARA Chairman, Dr. S.G. Samarasundera said. He said NARA provides all support to the Fisheries Ministry to achieve self-sufficiency in fish production. Aqua products have become the main more..

Apr 4 (CT) Kusal you have the audacity to talk about the shedding of innocent blood! Read on: �You respect me and I respect you; this is how I look like; accept me,� said the, �compassionate and wise� Venerable Samitha Thero, who is ready and willing to start a debate on making Sri Lanka a secular state? The country needs only a thousand venerable monks like him to ignite a thousand lights of wisdom to restore the luster to this island that�s yours (and mine on your terms). more..

Apr 4 (DBS) Kandy people�s assembly met at the YMBA hall last Sunday. This is the 3rd such assembly to meet, after Colombo and Kurunegala. All these were organised by the civil society organizations led by the Platform for Freedom. The Protest of the Opposition, the action alliance convened by the leader of the opposition, Ranil Wickremesinghe, supported this social programme. The main idea behind this project is to give an opportunity to all areas, for the militant and more..

Apr 4 (DM) We in Sri Lanka are shocked and disappointed at the recent statement of Sonia Gandhi - (Congress President Gandhi recently denounced Sri Lanka for the �unspeakable atrocities� on Tamils). We have respect for her particularly for the manner in which she stepped aside and brought in Manmohan as PM after the last elections, but she has recently made certain statements on the situation in Lanka more..

Apr 4 (DBS) Once, in Europe, there was a country that had just gotten through a war. It wasn�t the best place to be. It wasn�t the richest country in the world. Nevertheless, it was home to large numbers of people from a variety of races. People were, by and large, getting along and getting up on their feet again. Then some madmen came along and changed all that. They incited racism. They incited hate. They incited riots. And finally, when all the reins were in their hands, they incited a more..

Apr 4 (CT) How many of us, especially those of our political leaders pay heed to the significance of our National Anthem when they so proudly stand up and pay lip service to it? Where is the �wisdom� in their leadership? Where is the �ill-will, hatred, strife all ended�? Are we a �mighty nation in love enfolded marching forward as one�? Where, Oh where is the �fullest freedom�? Doesn�t our National Anthem sound hypocritical today? But yet we stand and salute it, uttering its words that more..

Apr 4 (FT) It played out like the perfect symphony in the end. Crazed mobs attacked the Fashion Bug warehouse in Pepiliyana after night had fallen on Thursday, 28 March. They vandalised property and vehicles, destroyed merchandise and injured personnel, including the manager of the warehouse and a TV journalist. Seventeen suspects were arrested in an investigation overseen by Senior DIG Western Province Anura Senanayake. more..

Apr 4 (Island) President Barack Obama has endeared himself to the global scientific community with his initiative to map the human brain. The huge success of the Human Genome Project which resulted in the transformation of genetics may have prompted him to embark on a much more ambitious project, which, appropriately known as BRAIN (Brain Research through Advancing Innovative Neurotechnologies) with an initial investment of USD 100 million, has been widely hailed as a more..

Apr 4 (Island) The Global Towers Hotel,Wellawatte launched its authentic "Jaffna Food Festival" a culinary journey to the heart of North of Sri Lanka on Saturday and it will continue till the sixth of this month. What is unique about Jaffna cuisine is that it is well known for its unique taste and the use of specially prepared Jaffna curry powder. The use of ingredients exclusive to the northern cuisine enhances the flavour of the dishes. It is a vast spread and a variety of mouth watering more..

Apr 4 (FT) Former Attorney General and Solicitor General as well as the Chairman of the LLRC C.R. De Silva will be joining the Board of Directors of top blue chip Aitken Spence Plc from Monday. He currently serves on the Board of Cargills Agricultural and Commercial Bank Ltd. De Silva served as the Attorney General from 2007 until retirement in 2009. He has been a member of the official delegations from Sri Lanka to the Afro Asian Legal Consultative Committee held in Islamabad, more..

Apr 4 (DN) Environment and Renewable Energy Minister Susil Premajayantha instructed National Gem and Jewellery Authority (NG&JA) sources to expand its laboratory service to identify fake gold throughout the country. NG&JA sources identified that tungsten metal is being used worldwide to make fake gold jewellery. Those involved in this fake gold business have been able to earn massive sums by pawning gold covered 'tungsten jewellery' for the same price good quality gold fetches. more..

Apr 4 (Island) A leading exporter has charged that the govt had done little, if nothing, to boost the country�s exports. DSI Group MD Kulatunga Rajapaksa said that 2012�s trade deficit was almost equal to total export earnings that year and despite export earnings being on a declining trend as a percentage of GDP, the country�s export sector was struggling in a challenging environment with little support from the govt. more..

Apr 4 (SLA) Unparalleled heroism and unforgettable memories of hundreds of fallen War Heroes who liberated the entire Eastern Province from the grip of brutal LTTE terrorism a few years ago are to be immortalized by erecting the Digamadulla �Ranaviru Maha Seya� (Pagoda for War Heroes) at Namalthalawa Sri Shailabimbarama Viharaya premises. Ven Gampaha Narada Thera, Chief Incumbent, together with the temple�s Dayaka Sabha after taking the decision of this more..

Apr 4 (ST) President Rajapaksa, on March 18th coinciding with the opening of the Rajapaksa International Airport in Mattala, launched the Hambantota City App at the airport premises. The App running on Windows 8 provides travellers and investors a complete guide to Hambantota, according to a media release from Microsoft. The app is the first of 15 cities that will be included in Microsoft Sri Lanka�s �Window to Sri Lanka� App development exercise, in a bid to help more..

Apr 4 (FT) Fashion Bug Ltd. yesterday issued a statement over the recent attack at its stores and said the withdrawal of charges against the suspects was to preserve national harmony. The full text: The 17 suspects arrested, including three Buddhist monks, were produced at the Gangodawila Court this morning following the attacks launched on the Fashion Bug warehouse and office complex in Pepiliyana, last Thursday. more..

Apr 4 (DN) The Nuwara Eliya April festivities will be held with over 30 school bands together with the Police and Army Bands parading the streets of Nuwara Eliya. Central Province Governor Tikiri Kobbekaduwa will be the Chief Guest and Minister Navin Dissanayake the Guest of Honour. The April festive season is organised by the Nuwara Eliya Municipal Council, together with the April Festivities Committee and other sports and social organisations. Events such as motor racing, more..

Apr 4 (Hindu) The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Wednesday denied reports about India-aided projects in Sri Lanka having been halted in retaliation to India voting against the island nation at the UNHRC and the extreme stridency with which some Tamil Nadu parties have raised the issue of civilian casualties during Colombo�s war with the LTTE. On the contrary, most mega Indian projects were ahead of schedule and both countries were preparing to reopen their Comprehensive more..