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Category: Local News


John Kerry proposes 20% cut in US aid to Sri Lanka

– Submitted by Walter Jayawardhana – WASHINGTON: US Secretary of State John Kerry has proposed a 20 per cent cut in the American aid to Colombo, a move reflecting the unease in their ties over issues related to human rights, reconstruction and political integration in Sri Lanka after the end of the civil war. […]




National Oil Anointing Ceremony under the patronage of President Rajapaksa

– by Janaka Alahapperuma – (Pix By : Nalin Hewapathirana) – The traditional Oil Anointing State Ceremony for the Sinhala and Hindu New Year was held at the Katharagama Kirivehera Rajamaha Vihara premises under the patronage of President Mahinda Rajapaksa and the Chief Incumbent of the Viharaya and Chief Sangha Nayake of Magampattuwa, Venerable Dr […]



Sri Lanka trip exposes MPs to complexities of Tamil issue

– Submitted by Walter Jayawardhana – The five-member team of Indian MPs, which interacted with a cross section of political leaders, civil society personalities and government functionaries both in Colombo and Jaffna over the last four days, returned to India on Friday, fully sensitised to the complexities of the Lankan Tamil question. […]



Sri Lanka’s First Family celebrates New Year at Carlton House

– by Janaka Alahapperuma (Pix by: Sudath Silva) – When the entire country is gripped in a happy and festive mood, Sri Lankans celebrated the traditional “Aluth Avurudda”- Sinhala and Hindu New Year in usual grand style. According to the reports, Sinhala and Tamil people throughout the country enthusiastically got ready to celebrate it. This is […]



The fullest joy of New Year is realized in a free country – President

The “Aluth Avurudda” is a great cultural festival that has been observed by us from ancient times. It is the festival that marks the great association of Mother Earth with the Sun. Sri Lankans who are nurtured by an agricultural lifestyle meaningfully accepts the dawn of this traditional New Year, stated President Mahinda Rajapaksa in […]



Karunanidhi reiterates demand for abolishing death penalty

– Submitted by Walter Jayawardhana – Renewing his demand for abolishing death penalty, DMK chief M. Karunanidhi on Saturday made a fresh pitch for a state cabinet meeting to adopt a resolution recommending commutation of the death sentence awarded to three convicts in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case. […]



It was an inside job – Hulugalle

Director General of the Media Center for National Security (MCNS), Lakshman Hulugalle said that initial Police investigations into the attack on the Uthayan office in Jaffna had revealed that it was an ‘inside job’. […]



Sri Lanka newspaper office set ablaze, fifth media attack this year

(Reuters) – Three armed men set fire to the printing machine of a Tamil-language newspaper that is critical of the Sri Lankan government, forcing the paper to halt printing, the editor said on Saturday. The attack on the Uthayan newspaper office is the fifth attack on the media since January in Sri Lanka’s former war […]




Tamil Nadu’s IPL overreach

  – Submitted by Walter Jayawardhana – Only the Ministry of Home Affairs can regulate the entry of foreigners into India Designating the letter written by the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu to the Prime Minister as communicating a “decision” to “ban” Sri Lankan players, officials and support staff from participating in any Indian Premier […]



US stands ready to partner with SL: Kerry

Greeting the Sri Lankans on the occasion of their New Year, US Secretary of State John Kerry has said that the United States stands ready to partner with the island nation as it works to make progress on reconciliation and accountability. […]