Sri Lanka says war crimes allegations ‘propaganda’

PERTH: Sri Lanka’s government today sought to dismiss war crimes allegations as propaganda from its defeated rivals, as it came under further pressure ahead of a Commonwealth summit.

A spokesman for Sri Lankan President Mahendra Rajapakse described the heavy focus on the issue in the lead-up to today’s gathering of leaders from the 54-nation Commonwealth bloc in the Australian city of Perth as “unfair”.

“This is the well-oiled propaganda machinery of the LTTE rump,” spokesman Bandula Jayasekera told the ABC news network,...

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Transgender for Madurai mayor’s post?

CHENNAI: To ensure their voice is better heard in the corridors of power, the marginalised transgender community in Tamil Nadu has begun venturing into politics.

Perhaps, for the first time in the southern state, a third gender candidate is gearing to contest the Madurai corporation mayor’s post.

Bharathi Kannamma, 51, a computer programmer and transsexual rights activist, would be among the six contesting the fierce polls on Oct 17.

“Politicians promise but they never deliver. If elected, I want to make Madurai a...

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Cleaning up legacy of Asia’s longest war

By Nita Bhalla

MANNAR (Sri Lanka): Wearing a visor and a protective vest over grey fatigues tucked into black military boots, former housewife S Dishanty crawls on her hands and knees through dense bush, slowly inching forward and methodically scanning the ground.

A year ago, this 23-year-old Sri Lankan woman was looking after her elderly parents and young son in their war-devastated village. Nowadays, she searches for an instrument of that destruction: landmines.

“My husband...

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Civil war horrors still torment survivors

By Nita Bhalla

KILINOCHCHI (Sri Lanka): Ranjini wakes up screaming. Her mother’s body is on fire, her teenage sister is covered in blood and the mutilated, charred corpses of her relatives lie scattered everywhere.

It’s a recurring nightmare.

“I see my mother’s burning face… she is calling me to help her, but I can’t or I will be killed from the shelling also,” says the 23-year-old, petite Sri Lankan woman, wiping the tears from her...

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Malaysian-born Indian actor dies in Chennai

CHENNAI:  The once flamboyant Malaysian-born actor Ravichandran who shot to stardom in his first movie, the super-hit ‘Kaadhalikka Neramillai’ (No time to be in love) in 1964, died on Monday after a brief illness.

The 69-year-old, who had dazzled the South Indian cine world in the 60s and 70s, succumbed to lung infection and kidney ailment at a private hospital in Chennai on Monday morning, reported The Hindu newspaper.

Ravichandran wanted to become a medical doctor. But chicken pox...

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Tamils sceptical of future in Sri Lanka’s north

By Shihar Aneez

JAFFNA: Sri Lanka’s minority Tamils say President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s post-war development and infrastructure projects in the former war zone in the island’s north have yet to address their real concerns and have not excluded their participation.

Sri Lanka’s northern cities held local polls for the first time in many years on Saturday amid opposition and poll monitor complaints of intimidation.

Healing after a 25-year war between the government and the...

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Ban gets new term in ‘most impossible job on Earth’

NEW YORK: The United Nations unanimously elected Ban Ki-moon to a second term yesterday as its leader with the major powers hailing his work in turbulent times.

The 192-member UN General Assembly voted the 67-year-old former South Korean foreign minister by acclamation. His new term will start on Jan 1 and run through 2016.

Ban declared his candidacy two weeks ago, got formal backing from the UN Security Council on Friday and with no...

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Low key Ban get second term as UN chief

NEW YORK:  The United Nations unanimously elected Ban Ki-moon to a second term as its leader with the major powers hailing his work in turbulent times.

The 192-member UN General Assembly voted the 67-year-old former South Korean foreign minister by acclamation. His new term will start on January 1 and run through 2016.

Ban declared his candidacy two weeks ago, got formal backing from the UN Security Council on...

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Singapore treatment for movie superstar Rajinikanth

NEW DELHI: After spending weeks in a local hospital, South Indian superstar Rajinikanth is expected to be flown to Singapore tonight for further treatment, an Indian daily reported.

The popular 61-year-old actor has been undergoing treatment for gastroenteritis and pneumonia at Sri Ramachandra Hospital in Chennai.

Quoting close family sources, the Asian Age newspaper today front-paged that Rajinikanth was booked as “wheelchair passenger” on a Singapore Airlines flight, and would be travelling under his...

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India film megastar Rajinikanth in intensive care

CHENNAI: – Indian film superstar Rajinikanth was being treated in intensive care for breathing problems , doctors said, as legions of ardent fans prayed for his recovery.

The Sri Ramachandra hospital in the southern city of Chennai said that the 61-year-old Tamil language cinema icon was moved to a special ward on Wednesday to improve his breathing.

“He is showing a positive response to the treatment,” the hospital said in a statement issued Wednesday...

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