Wednesday, March 16, 2016

Recruitments Done In Accordance To UGC Circular, Says Higher Education Ministry

March 16, 2016

Responding to the news story, “Ministry of Higher Education like a job bank: Jaffna University Union”, the Secretary to the Ministry of Higher Education & Highways has today said that the recruitment to the university staff is done in accordance with the circular number 876 issued by University Grants Commission.

Lakshman Kiriella – Minister

Sending a clarification to the Colombo Telegraph, the ministry said; “Almost all recruitments are done through examinations or interviews conducted by respective universities. Usually for one position several number of applicants appears for such examination or interviews and after following proper process a suitable candidate for a position is selected on competitive basis.”

University of Jaffna Employees’ Union last week said; “Even though the University of Jaffna administration gives the excuse that its actions are according to UGC Circular 876 dated 6 June 2006, this is an excellent example showing that this Government of Good Governance is administering institutions exactly as the previous government did,”

The union also expressed their deep distress and dissatisfaction over the recent attempts made by the ministry to fill the non-academic staff vacancies without falling proper procedure.

Prof. Rajiva Wijesingha

Meanwhile former State Minister for Higher Education, Rajiva Wijesinha has posted the following text on his Facebook on 11th of March; “Reading the Jaffna University critique of the Ministry of Higher Education, I was reminded of my horror over a year ago when I found that there was actually a circular declaring that non-academic positions had to be filled from a list prepared by the Ministry. This had been issued in Chandrika Kumaratunga’s time, but it is quite possible that, given her carelessness, she did not even know that such a perverse system was institutionalized in her time.

“I sent a directive to the effect that that circular should no longer apply in the university system, but doubtless after I resigned, the old evil came back with a vengeance. I remember being asked whether I had the right to violate a circular, which struck me as a silly quesiton since obviously one had the right to abrogate any privileges that had been heaped on one.But I don’t suppose other politicians, who need to curry favour to win votes on our preposterous electoral system, could dream of following the ideals I was able to espouse.

“Lakshman Kiriella is obviously a bad example of the breed, but it would be wrong to criticize him excessively for this (as opposed to his outrageous attempt to impose his choice for an academic post, and then try to justify it in terms of his general powers). It is the system that needs to be changed, and its entrenchment by Chandrika’s appalling circular.”

Prageeth murder case: Magistrate directs army commander a second time to provide all records to CID

-Where are the reports pertaining to the days of abduction?

(Lanka-e-News- 16.March.2016, 11.00PM) The verdict on whether murder charges can or cannot be filed against officers of the army intelligence division ( the suspects ) involved in the abduction and illegal detention of Prageeth Ekneliyagoda will be delivered on the 29 th ,the Homagama magistrate Ranga Dissanayake revealed yesterday(15).

The magistrate also said , since no evidence or circumstantial evidence have been put forward by the CID , a decision has to be taken whether the murder charges shall or shall not be pursued further . Based on those grounds , it will also be decided whether bail shall be granted , he added.

The magistrate who heard the submissions made by all the parties when the case was taken up, gave a directive to the army commander for the second time to hand over all the necessary records ,registers and documents without any omission to the CID .

The magistrate also ordered that the taped record of the conspiracy on the day Ekenliyagoda was abducted with a view to murder him , be sent to professor Gihan Wickremenayake of the Colombo University , and a comprehensive report obtained in that regard be submitted to court.

The details of the vehicle used by the first accused Shammi Arjuna Kumararatne , and the documents and registers in the possession of the Girithale third armed intelligence force on 25 th January 2010, the day Ekneliyagoda was abducted , were also ordered to be handed over to the CID by the magistrate .

The suspects Shammi Arjuna Kumararatne, Nankulage Toshinath Prabodha Siriwardena , Rajapakse Mudiyansalage Priyantha Kumara Rajapakse alias Nathan , Wadugedera Vinee Priyantha, Dilanjan Upasena,S.M. Ravindra Rupasena alias Ranji, Y.D. Daminda Kumara Abeyratne , S.M. Kanishka Gunaratne, Aiyasamy Balasubramaniam and D.N. Tharanga Prasad Gamage were produced in court by the prison authority .

The senior state counsel Dileepa Peiris appearing on behalf of the prosecution said, the CID has the right to file murder charges against the suspects, while adding that there is clear evidence as well as direct evidence in this murder case which suggest that there has been a most profound conspiracy behind this brutal murder, and the murder is a consequence of that conspiracy.

Dileepa Peiris went on to comment as follows :

This is a struggle in the cause of justice and fair play with the aim of exposing the crime and criminals . This is not just a struggle of the legal profession. This is not something revolving around enmity between the army suspects and the victim. Hence, the Attorney General’s (AG) department is bound to stand by justice and fair play.

On 24 th January 2015 the victim was abducted by the accused. Those who arrived at Rjagiriya to abduct were not ordinary individuals. They were army intelligence division officers .

On the day following abduction the deceased was taken to Girithale army camp , and questioned not regarding security affairs, and not what concerns the army intelligence division. He was interrogated regarding drawing of cartoons relating to ex president , and about the writings pertaining to ex president and his family. Sergeant major Banda who questioned on these matters is today appearing as a witness.

It must be probed whether this is a private army contract , political revenge or an army conspiracy . The accused has admitted that the victim was held in detention in the army intelligence force camp.

The next day , the victim had been taken to Akkaraipattu . This has been corroborated by telephone call evidence. This took place during the presidential elections period. This suspect who went along had not reported back to the camp.

Wife of Ekneliyagoda lodged a complaint with Homagama police. She has filed a Habeas Corpus plaint in the appeal court .The army did not at any stage say what happened to Ekneliyagoda, though they mounted charges against him who had no accusations , while showing some weapons .By creating this false picture they tried to suppress this murder. Even now the army is reluctant to furnish the evidence and information called for .

Why are records between 25 th and 27th January 2010 not available? If the officers of the State took an accused with them , why wasn’t his wife informed? Why was Ekneliyagoda bilnd-folded ,handcuffed and interrogated ? In the circumstances , the suspects are obliged to give answers as regards what happened to Ekneliyagoda. Based on the decision delivered in India’s Supreme court case which was cited by senior State counsel Vasantha Perera in court , murder charges can be filed against the suspects by the prosecution.

Magistrate Ranga Dissanayake at this stage posed a question. When there is no absolute evidence that an individual is dead , can murder charges be based on alternative grounds?

The State Counsels in reply said, the prosecution can mount murder charges based on the evidence that have surfaced.

It is possible for the AG to file indictments directly without a non summary trial .

However the lawyers appearing for the accused while making their submissions cliamed , that is not possible. The lawyer Upul Kumaraperuma the lawyer for the complainant making his submissions stated thus:

‘As murder charges have been filed against the suspects , the magistrate who heard this complaint preliminarily had given a verdict that the magistrate court cannot grant bail. If that order is not tenable in law, what ought to be done on behalf of the accused is , make submissions in this court against that .Yet that legal step had not been taken. Otherwise ,what should be done is the preliminary order be vacated , and a new order issued thereafter .

In this court there were no submissions made that necessitated the vacation of the preliminary order .The prosecution is still steadfast on its stance that Ekneliyagoda was murdered and there is evidence to testify that Ekneliyagoda was abducted. Therefore it is only the suspects who must explain what happened to the victim. If that explanation cannot be offered it is the suspects who have to face the adverse result . It is why the Indian case cited by the State counsel is most relevant.’

The magistrate after weighing the pros and cons of the submissions , gave the aforementioned order while remanding the suspects further until the next date of hearing fixed for the 29 th.

( By Godagama group correspondent to Dinamina)
Translated by Jeff

SEVAKA YOHAN DEVANANDA – A MEMORY THAT SHOULD BE KEPT ALIVE – SUNANDA DESHAPRIYA

Yphan Devananda with disappeared journlists Prageeth’s wife Sandaya Eknligoda and their son

Yohan at the protest against abduction of journalist Poddala Jayantha (2009)

( Devasarana, has been Yohan’s dream and life)

16/03/2016

Sevaka Yohan Devananda was laid to rest in his “nest”, the grounds of Devasarana in Ibbagamuwa, Kurunegela district. There is no doubt that the ground that welcomed each morning with smell of Sepalika flowers would have warmly welcomed his body.

I first heard of Fr. Yohan from my mother in 1971. He had gone to visit my house with members of the community protection front, during the time I and my sister were in prison in relation to the 1971 revolution. Ms. Suriya Wickramasinghe was also part of that team. He had gone several times after that too. Due to his personality, my mother had given the name of Yohan to a son born to our family’s second generation.

He introduced himself as “Sevaka (one at service / servant) and one of his greatest examples was his determination to continue his mission despite setbacks and failures. To my knowledge, he never regretted choosing social service as his life journey.

Police fires tear gas to disperse IUSF student

2016-03-16
Police used tear gas to disperse a protest march by Inter-University Students Federation (IUSF) at the Fort area, Colombo yesterday. The march commenced from the Kelaniya University against the ‘privatization of free education’ was heading towards the Presidential Secretariat when they came under the police assault, students claimed. Pix by Romesh Madushanka

A common center against private medical schools

WEDNESDAY, 16 MARCH 2016

The organization 'Centre Against Private Medical Colleges', launched to oppose the private medical school attached to South Asian Institute of Technology and Medicine (SAITM), held a press conference recently.

The General Secretary of All Ceylon Medical Officers’ Association Dr. Jayantha Bandara, University Lecturer Dr. Nirmal Ranjith Devasiri, the General Secretary of All Ceylon Nurses Union Gamini Kumarasinghe, University Lecturer Winnie Hettigoda, Specialist Doctor Ajith Kumara, Specialist Doctor Mahima Gunasekera, the General Secretary of National Trade Union Center (NTUC) Samantha Koralearachchi, Mr. Tilak Pattiyakumara on behalf of National Intellectuals and Professionals Organization, the co-convener of Center to Oppose Private Medical Colleges Asanga Wickremesinghe and representatives from the medical sector and trade unions were present.

The General Secretary of All Ceylon Medical Officers’ Association Dr. Jayantha Bandara said a decision has been taken to amalgamate all organizations that have been struggling against Malabe private medical school and take continuous actions until the private medical school is closed down.

Dr. Nirmal Ranjith Devasiri said the present regime came to power as a result of a massive struggle carried out by university teachers, professionals, trade unions against the arbitrary moves of the previous regime and the present regime cannot move on without listening to the voice of those who brought it to power. He said setting up degree shops that sell degrees cheaply cannot be avoided when education and health sectors are privatized. However, this move should be completely halted for the right of life of the people in this country said Dr. Devasiri.

Dr. Winnie Hettigoda addressing the media said a person who had not passed grade 12 would not be able to pass any other higher examination and this would bring down the quality of the whole health sector.

He said producing doctors with the power of money should be stopped, the private medical school should be abolished and instead the quantitative and qualitative structure of the state university system should be raised.

A Thomian look-back at the 137th Battle of the Blues

Wednesday, 16 March 2016

Stunned. The word sums up the overall sentiment at the SSC ground on the evening of the 12th day of March, 2016. It didn’t matter which camp you belonged to, whether Royal or S. Thomas’. If you had been following the game from day one, you would have been stunned by the result of the 137th Battle of the Blues.

At the end of the first day, the Thomians were on top. They had started off as favourites and Royal’s gamble in putting the opposition in after winning the toss had well and truly backfired. There was talk of a possible Thora victory. When Royal, in response to the Thomians’ first innings total of 350 for 5 were 122 for 5 shortly after lunch on the second day, possible turned into probable.

Even with Royal clawing back to get to 280 for 7 with 16-year-old fresher Pasindu Sooriyabandara unbeated on 97 at the close, Thomian Coach Dinesh Kumarasinghe was still upbeat. He envisaged his boys picking up quick wickets, then putting up a challenging total and the bowlers finishing off the job, presumably sometime during the third session of the third day.

That is not what happened. Royal, fighting with their backs to the wall on day two, took the fight to the Thomians from the word go on day three. Quick runs and a declaration even though 22 runs in arrears indicated a newfound self-confidence. Things went downhill for the Thomians thereafter and Royal scored the winning runs in rapidly fading light.

Walking out of the SSC after the match, I saw lots of young Thomians, as upset as they were stunned. They were down in the mouth and looked sad. Right next to me was an elderly Old Thomian. His phone rang. I assumed it was his wife. I couldn’t help but overhear. It was the account of a man who was looking for some kind of consolation.

This is the gist of what he said: “We lost but it was a good match. It was very good for cricket.”

PM warns CEB saboteurs

BY Thiyaga Srimalie Bandara-2016-03-17

Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe warned yesterday that several high officials will have to go home if there is another power outage causing serious inconveniences in the country. He also emphasized the fact that he is implementing every step possible, regarding this issue, as a Prime Minister who was appointed by the people.

The Prime Minister made these comments when he met a group of young parliamentarians of the United National Front.
This group urged the Prime Minister to take preemptive action against the destabilization plans of certain members of the Government Medical Officers' Association (GMOA) who were acting like dictators and to end the sabotage by some officials of the Ceylon Electricity Board.

They presented this demand when they went to meet the Prime Minister to tell him how successful the protest rally held under the theme 'let us create space for the new Sri Lanka' at the Lipton Circus in Colombo on Tuesday.A meeting to inform the Prime Minister of the success of the protest rally organized by the National Youth Front and the young parliamentarians of the United National Party was held yesterday (16) at Temple Trees.

It was during this meeting that the young parliamentarians submitted their appeal to the Prime Minister.
The Prime Minister responded that unlike the GMOA, which earned commissions and played around with the State administration, the engineers at the CEB will not be given any slack to dance as they wanted to. The young parliamentarians took this opportunity to express their gratitude to the Prime Minister for attending the protest rally organized by them.

Nepotism Grows: Hirunika’s Aunt Appointed As Sri Lanka’s Consul In Los Angeles

March 15, 2016

The Sirisena-Wickremesinghe regime’s policy of helping friends and family appears to have spread to the Foreign Ministry with career diplomats being overlooked in favour of loyalists and their kin.

Swarna Pushpa Kanthi Gunaratne, sister of Hirunika Premachandra‘s late father Bharatha Lakshman Premachandra has been appointed as Sri Lanka’s consul in Los Angeles, USA. She had never held a diplomatic post before or had any career training or experience in the diplomatic service.

Related posts;

Gotabaya’s STF Inspector arrested while selling LTTE firearms ! Culprit is nephew of former secretary of law and order ministry

How STF officers became millionaires by robbing Wele Sudha’s heroin

(Lanka-e-News- 16.March.2016, 10.45PM) 4 suspects including an STF police inspector engaged continuously in committing crimes on contracts ,along with two 9 m.m. pistols , and 29 bullets were taken into custody on the 14 th night when they were travelling in a car at Veediyagoda , Bandaragama by the police officers of unsolved crimes operation unit of Bandaragama police, according to police sources.

The STF group that earlier on arrested an individual who sold a pistol, had through him made a phone call to that seller saying they want to buy another firearm . Responding to this phone call , a group with another pistol and bullets had been coming in a car when the police officers who were laying in ambush had apprehended them,a high rung police officer disclosed.

The high ranking police officer said , the police inspector arrested was attached to the police STF headquarters , and among the other suspects was a constable who had left the police service. The firearms that were in the possession of the suspects were illegal , and it is suspected they belonged to the LTTE, he further noted.

This arrested IP by the name of T.M.U.B. Tennekoon is the son of the younger brother of Tennekoon the former secretary of ministry of law and order.

This IP as a punishment on disciplinary grounds based on charges of illegal deals about three years ago , was sacked from the STF .Yet he was taken back later to the ordinary police service. How did that happen ?

With the aiding and abetting of Tennekoon , the secretary of the law and order ministry at that time , this IP his nephew was absorbed into the STF itself again, and this IP until the time of his arrest had been , working as the personal security officer of this secretary.

Though a ministry secretary is not entitled to have a personal security officer , but because Tennekoon had exerted pressures, to have this IP who has been working as his security officer.

The most perplexing question is , even though Tennekoon is no longer in the law and order ministry , how come this crooked IP was continuing in that post until the time of his arrest ? and under whose influence and patronage? Isn’t this an index that the ghost of Gotabaya the devil incarnate is still powerful within the police force?

While it is being suspected that the firearms belong to the LTTE , the name of an ASP of the STF is also being mentioned as the one who gave support on the sly to these criminals. It is also learnt that it is on the instructions and permission of this ASP these criminals had been transacting these deals. From this incident the true color of the STF which the IGP is carrying aloft on the center of his head ,to eradicate underworld criminals , has become known.

STF that robbed the heroin of Wele Sudha

It is noteworthy that this is not the first time the mafia operators in the STF were exposed. Through the media though a huge din was made and news were splashed across the front pages about the STF raid and the heroin that was taken into custody last year on a Poson Poya day , Wele Sudha the suspect in the Colombo chief magistrate court let the cat out of the bag – he revealed that he gave that heroin to the STF and there was no raid conducted , which disclosure shocked all and sundry.Moreover , Wele Sudha making a statement in the Colombo chief magistarte court disclosed , a large quantity of heroin belonging to Mohomed Siddeek was also robbed by the STF.

After these exposures were made by Wele Sudha , the STF’s true colors became known , and their rackets stood exposed more than what would be exposed of theirs if they were stripped nude in public. The IGP on the other hand who also belongs to that force despite these glaring exposures has not taken any action against those crooked and corrupt STF officers who were supposed to have conducted that special ‘raid’. All those criminal officers have been allowed to go scott free.

What’s more ? these officers are millionaires today having bought vehicles and lands . It is imperative and important that an investigation be conducted into how these officers came by such enormous wealth .

By Lanka e news inside information division
Translated by Jeff

---------------------------
by (2016-03-16 18:09:18)

Dhammika Ranatunga threatens journalists at court

March 16, 2016

Chairman of the Sri Lanka Ports Authority (SLPA), Dhammika Ranatunga, who is the brother of Ports and Shipping Minister Arjuna Ranatunga, today threatened media personnel at the Colombo High Court premises.

The bail application of former CEO of CNS television channel Nishantha Ranatunga, who is also a brother the SLPA chairman, was taken up at the Colombo High Court today.

Dhammika Ranatunga had threatened several journalists who were at the court premises to cover the case and even captured the faces the journalists present using his mobile phone.

The journalists had lodged a complaint with Keselwatta Police accusing the SLPA chairman of verbally abusing and threatening the journalists from electronic media who were recording video footage of the former arriving at the court.

Postmortem reveals toxic gas caused Dehiwala deaths

2016-03-16
The postmortem revealed that the death of four people inside a house at Kawdana in Dehiwela this morning has been caused by the inhalation of toxic gas.

Mount Lavinia Additional Magistrate Praharsha Ranasinghe, who conducted the magisterial inquiry into the deaths, had ordered that the body parts be sent to the Government Analyst.

Investigations carried out at the scene have revealed that the carbon monoxide had been emitted after a mobile phone charger that was plugged in got burnt. (H.M. Dharmapala)

Four charred bodies found inside a house in Dehiwela

SAARC Inter-Summit Session in Nepal: 14-17 March 2016

Mar 16, 2016

The Inter-Summit Session of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) will be held in Pokhara, Nepal from 14-17 March 2016. The meeting will provide an opportunity for member states to assess the progress of decisions that had been taken in various SAARC forums, including decisions of the 18th SAARC Summit held in November 2014 in Kathmandu, and identify priority issues to be taken forward in SAARC related activities and programmes.

The 52nd session of the Programming Committee of SAARC at the level of Director General will commence from 14-15 March, with the 42nd Standing Committee of SAARC, held at the level of Foreign Secretaries following on 16 March 2016. These meetings would prepare the ground for the 37th session of the SAARC Council of Ministers. Foreign Minister Mangala Samaraweera will lead the Sri Lanka delegation to the Council of Ministers. The Council of Ministers meeting will be opened by the Rt. Hon’ble K.P. Sharma Oli, Prime Minister of Nepal on 17 March 2016.

This session will be the last high level meeting before the 19th SAARC Summit takes place in November of this year in Pakistan, when it takes over the Chairmanship of SAARC.

During the Ministerial meeting, the Foreign Ministers are expected to sign the SAARC Youth Charter, which would provide a regional framework and platform for Member States to develop appropriate national policies and plans for youth. The Foreign Ministers will also amend the Charter of the SAARC Development Fund (SDF) to simplify the process for member states to apply for funds for development projects.

On the sidelines of the Council meeting, Foreign Minister Mangala Samaraweera will also hold bilateral meetings with the Prime Minister of Nepal, and several of his SAARC counterparts.

During the Foreign Minister’s stay in Nepal, he is expected to inspect the reconstruction of two heritage temples in Kathmandu; the Buddhist temple “Anandakuti Vihar” and “Rato Macchindranath Hindu Temple", that has been undertaken by Sri Lanka, following their extensive damage caused by the earthquake in April 2015.

Roads Open Up For UNP To Protest, As University Students Tear Gassed

March 15, 2016

The public was severely inconvenienced this evening as the ruling United National Party (UNP) took to the streets in Colombo protesting against the opposition and their alleged conspiracies. In another protest also this evening, in Fort, a student protest led by the Inter University Students Federation (IUSF) protest was tear gassed.

The UNP protest which was held under the patronage of Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe at Lipton Circus was against ‘vicious forces’ trying to defeat the people’s mandate, while the IUSF demanded authorities to abolish the degree granting status of the South Asian Institute of Technology and Medicine (SAITM) in Malabe.

Francis Bacon paintings worth £23m stolen from Madrid house

The five works were stolen last June although it is unclear why details have not emerged until now

Three Studies of Lucian Freud by Francis Bacon on display at Christie’s in London before they fetched almost £90m. Photograph: Dominic Lipinski/PA

Agence France-Presse in Madrid-Sunday 13 March 2016

Five paintings by British artist Francis Bacon worth an estimated €30m (£23.2m) have been stolen from the Madrid home of their owner, according to Spanish media.

Sources close to the investigation told El Pais on Sunday the theft appeared to have been a highly professional operation which took place while the owner was away, with the perpetrators disabling the alarm system.

The thieves, who left no trace of their handiwork, had tracked the owner’s movements to ensure he did not return to his apartment to catch them red-handed, they said.

El Pais quoted the sources as saying the works, comprising portraits and landscapes, were stolen last June. It was not immediately clear why news of the theft was not made public until now.

It was also unclear exactly which paintings were involved but one contemporary art specialist told the paper they would be extremely difficult to sell.

“It is not at all easy to sell a Francis Bacon, large or small, without that getting to the ears of those who pore over such a rarified sector,” said the expert, speaking on condition of anonymity.

El Pais said police from a specialist arts and antiques unit had opened an investigation into the heist.

The owner of the paintings was a close friend of Bacon, the paper said. A police spokesman contacted on Sunday was unable to confirm the story.

Irish-born Bacon died in Madrid in 1992, aged 82, and his expressionist-surrealist works, which are often raw and emotional, remain hugely sought after.

Bacon’s death only enhanced his reputation, and the 2013 sale of his 1969 work Three Studies of Lucien Freud fetched $142,405,000 (£90m at the time) at auction, a world record at the time.

Art market information leader Artprice lists Bacon as one of 10 frontline modern artists alongside the likes of Pablo Picasso and Andy Warhol.

Palestinian arson attack victim to meet idol Cristiano Ronaldo

Ahmad Dawabsha, whose immediate family died in a settler firebomb attack on their West Bank home, is on his way to meet Real Madrid star

Ahmed Dawabsha on 15 March 2016 (AFP)

Wednesday 16 March 2016

A Palestinian boy who was the sole survivor of an arson attack by Jewish settlers on his family home is on his way to Spain to meet his Real Madrid idol, Cristiano Ronaldo.

Five-year old Ahmad Dawabsha, along with his uncle and grandparents, crossed the border into Jordan on Tuesday night amid much fanfare from Palestinian officials.

Dawabsha spent the last eight months recuperating in an Israeli hospital. He suffered severe burns which affected his mobility.

A picture of him wearing a Real Madrid shirt as he lay on his hospital bed inspired Palestinians to campaign on social media to convince the team to meet Ahmad.

Reakl Madrid agreed to the request in January, and preparations have been set since.

Nasr Dawabsha, his uncle, said: “The trip will take over three days, with Ahmad set to meet Ronaldo on the 18th of this month. After that Ahmad will return to continue his treatment at the hospital.”

Ahmad will be received by the Real Madrid football club and will meet Ronaldo at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium.

“Ahmad supports Real Madrid and he always wants to wear Cristiano Ronaldo’s number 7 shirt,” Hussein said. “Once, they brought him a football with Barcelona’s slogan, but he immediately painted it white.”

In January, the Portuguese met with a three-year-old Lebanese child, Haider, whose parents were killed after a twin suicide attack in the Burj al-Barajneh area of Beirut last November.

The head of the Palestine football federation, Jibril Rajoub, said he would like to thank current Real Madrid manager Zinedine Zidane for his help in setting up the meeting

Ahmad's home in his West Bank village of Douma was firebombed by settlers in July of last year.

His 18-month-old brother Ali was burned to death, and father Saad died a week later from his injuries. Riham, Ahmad's mother, died a month after that.

Ahmad's grandfather Hussein previously told Middle East Eye of the difficulty in telling the little boy what happened to his parents and baby brother.

“The doctors said it is best to tell him now, when we have psychologists on call here at the hospital, but they also said he is not going to understand what to be dead actually means,” Hussein said.

North Korea sentences U-Va. student to 15 years of hard labor in prison

Otto Warmbier, 21, was sentenced to 15 years of hard labor in a short trial at North Korea’s Supreme Court on March 16. He has been detained for more than two months for attempting to steal a propaganda sign in Pyongyang. (Jenny Starrs/The Washington Post)

By Anna Fifield, Susan Svrluga and Carol Morello-March 16

SEOUL — The University of Virginia student being held in North Korea was sentenced Wednesday to 15 years in prison with hard labor for trying to steal a propaganda sign from a hotel in Pyongyang.

Otto Warmbier, a 21-year-old economics major from Cincinnati who had gone to North Korea with a tour group, was convicted after a one-hour trial in the Supreme Court. Video footage showed Warmbier, dressed in the same clothes he was wearing during a highly choreographed news conference last month, being led into the court room in handcuffs.

Diplomats from the Swedish Embassy in Pyongyang, which represents American interests in North Korea because the United States does not have diplomatic relations with the country, were present at the trial.

White House spokesman Josh Earnest said Wednesday afternoon that the administration is urging the North Korean government to pardon Warmbier, grant him special amnesty, and release him.