Tamil News Network (TNN) » Hindu

Anxieties over oil grows in Sri Lanka

Hindu — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 10:11:25 +0000

Amid Sri Lanka’s growing anxiety over possible disruption of Iranian oil imports due to United States-led sanctions against Iran, two important delegations from the U.S. and India visited the country this week, lent a sympathetic ear — and nothing more — to address the concerns.

The U.S. delegation led by its Assistant Treasury Secretary for Terrorist Financing and Financial Crimes, Luke Bronin, met the Sri Lankan Petroleum Secretary and others and, after listening to the Sri Lankan side, reportedly emphasised the [...]

Don’t rely on ‘imported solutions’ to solve country’s problems: Rajapaksa

Hindu — Sat, 04 Feb 2012 12:14:06 +0000

“It is the duty of all parties in the country to solve problems according to the people’s wishes by participating in this Parliamentary Select Committee rather than relying on imported solutions and utilising foreign influences,” Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa has said.

Addressing the nation at Anuradhapura, on the occasion of the Sri Lankan Independence Day, he said that Sri Lanka believed that the mechanism for solving the National Question is the Parliamentary Select Committee. “We are engaged in [...]

Rajapaksa’s appeal to Jayalalithaa

Hindu — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 09:34:57 +0000

Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa has a message for Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa: “Take care of our people who go there. Ministers, our relations etc.”

Commenting on the attack on his relative and industrialist, Thirukumar Nadesan, he said that he was attacked only because he was married to Deputy Minister Nirupama Rajapaksa.

“He is a Hindu, he is a Tamil from north not from south…Even the Indian fishermen are protesting [against the attack on him],” the President said, at an [...]

Rajapaksa does a U-turn on 13th Amendment

Hindu — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 09:20:16 +0000

Denies that he ever told India he would go beyond the 13th Amendment

After promising to go beyond the 13th Amendment to the Sri Lankan Constitution to find a solution to the Tamil ethnic problem, President Mahinda Rajapaksa has done a U-turn and said the Parliamentary Select Committee (PSC) would now have to suggest a solution.

At an interaction on Monday with the country’s editors at Temple Trees, the President’s official residence, Mr. Rajapaksa “denied that he ever told India [...]

An action plan for Sri Lanka

Hindu — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 08:16:30 +0000

The outline of a sustainable development system to empower villagers.

The process of evolution of human beings has been greatly accelerated by the application of science and technology in several fields. With the expansion of ideas, the geopolitical situation changed and many new independent nations were born in the era of the Second World War. Most of the nations had a great civilisational heritage, but suffered under colonial rule for centuries. After the end of colonial rule, independent nations formed [...]

ITC plans to set up luxury hotel in Sri Lanka

Hindu — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 08:34:56 +0000

ITC is planning to go overseas with its hotel business and is planning to set up a premium, green, luxury property in the Sri Lankan capital of Colombo.

Confirming the development, an ITC spokesman said “At the moment, it is ITC’s first proposed overseas foray to build and manage a hotel. The company said that Sri Lanka was strategically important to the company’s investment plans for hotels, given the vibrant tourism potential that the country offers.

The hotel is [...]

Sri Lanka launches tri-lingual initiative in Kalam’s presence

Hindu — Sun, 22 Jan 2012 11:08:28 +0000

Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa launched a tri-lingual initiative here on Saturday, aimed at making sure that all in Sri Lanka learn the three main languages in use here – Sinhalese, Tamil and English. The initiative was launched in the presence of former Indian President A.P.J.Abdul Kalam.

As part of the initiative, 2012 has been declared as the year for a Trilingual Sri Lanka, and a 10-year plan for a Trilingual Sri Lanka was also launched.

Addressing an invited audience [...]

On a mission to promote peace in Sri Lanka: Kalam

Hindu — Sat, 21 Jan 2012 10:11:00 +0000

The former President, A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, will embark on a mission to promote peace, harmony and prosperity for all societal constituents in Sri Lanka and propagate an agenda for an inclusively developed nation.

On the eve of his four-day visit to the island nation, Mr. Kalam gave an e-mail interview to The Hindu, explaining how he plans to meet leaders of “both sides” to convey a mission of building an environment for harmony and mutual trust.

He has asked [...]

Way forward in Sri Lanka

Hindu — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 09:08:21 +0000

President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s reiteration — in his recent meeting with External Affairs Minister S.M. Krishna — of his commitment to the “13th Amendment plus” approach to solving the nation’s Tamil question is to be welcomed, although it is only from Mr. Krishna that we know about this in the present instance. Of course, the President has articulated this commitment several times before, including in an interview to The Hindu in 2009. But what proponents of an early political settlement, including [...]

Krishna hands over Galle-Hikkaduwa section

Hindu — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 08:16:55 +0000

As part of an India-assisted plan to revive the south coastal Railway in Sri Lanka, the completed section of the Galle-Hikkaduwa railway track was on Thursday handed over to Sri Lanka.

Phase-One of this Project, comprising the 42-km Galle-Matara Section, was completed in February 2011. Phase Two of the project, which involves the section from Galle to Kaluthara, will be completed by April this year.

IRCON International Ltd, a public sector Indian company-involved railway infrastructure, had completed the 19-km [...]