Nov 28 (DN) Kaduwela Magistrate issued an injunction order preventing demonstrations near Parliament, entering Parliament road and blocking it. Members of Inter University Students’ Federation (IUSF) and Inter University Bhikkhu Front (IUBF) planned to hold a protest in Colombo and march to Parliament. Police obtained an injunction order from the Magistrate as they had received information about the protest which the IUSF and the IUBF planned to hold near Parliament. more..

Nov 28 (DM) Shangri-La's Hambantota Resort and Spa, the first of the two Shangri-La hotels being constructed in Sri Lanka will be declared open by early June next year, Shangri-La Hotel and Resorts Sri Lanka General Manager Mehdi Serrour said today. The constriction of the Resort, on a-145 acre land in Hambantota, started in late February, 2012. One of the major attractions of the Resort would be an 18-hole golf course, a first-timer in the Sri Lanka’s hotel sector. more..

Nov 28 (FT) Opposition lawmaker Annamalai Nadesu Sivasakthi alias Sivasakthi Ananthan moved the fourth day of the Appropriation Bill 2016 – Second Reading Adjournment Debate blaming the Govt for increasing taxes which will increase the burden on the struggling people in the Northern Province. “There is no big difference between previous and current Govts. Both are poor in delivery and not keeping promises,” more..

Nov 28 (NS) The Financial Crimes Investigation Division (FCID) was brought to a new building this morning after a small function, attended by IGP NK Ilangakoon. ASP Ruwan Gunasekara said that the new premise has enough space to carry out its duties freely. Accordingly, the FCID’s new office is situated at the Central Point Building at No. 54, Chatham Street, Colombo 1. The FCID has received 204 complaints, and around 100 cases are being processed in the judiciary. more..

Nov 28 (SLN) Two Japanese naval ships, Akizuki and Sawagiri, arrived at the Port of Colombo on a goodwill and replenishment visit on 27th Nov. They were welcomed by the Sri Lanka Navy in accordance with naval traditions on arrival. The head of the mission, Commander Escort Division V Captain Futoshi Toyozumi and the ships’ Commanding Officers, Commander Yasuharu Asou and Commander Tsuyoshi Sato paid a courtesy call on the Commander of the Navy, more..

Nov 28 (CT) Human Rights Commission of SL has written to Attorney General (AG) Y J Wijayatilake, conveying to him its grave concern about the rights of the detainees and remandees held under the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA) and the Emergency Regulations and called upon him to take necessary measures to ensure the protection of the rights of these detainees and remandees. more..

Nov 28 (CT) Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC) filed five cases in Court yesterday against former Minister Johnston Fernando for failing to reveal his income and assets. Director General for the Prevention of Bribery and Corruption Dilrukshi Wickramasinghe said that five cases were filed in the Colombo Magistrate's Court yesterday accusing Fernando of not revealing his income and assets from 2010 to 2015. Commission had filed these cases on grounds of more..

Nov 28 (FT) South Indian regional party MDMK celebrated the 61st birth anniversary of slain LTTE founder V Prabhakaran on Thursday, 26 Nov. Prabhakaran was born into a middle class family in the coastal town of Velvettiturai in northern Sri Lanka in 1954. The architect of Asia’s longest-running civil war had vowed never to be taken alive, but Sri Lankan army soldiers killed the island’s most wanted and most elusive man in 2009. For 37 years, LTTE Chief Prabhakaran had done one more..

Nov 28 (DN) The govt is faced with the task of paying Rs. 400 billion for construction projects undertaken by the previous govt, said PM Ranil Wickremesinghe. He also said that the govt would bring the matter before Parliament to decide on how to find this amount. “Many buildings were constructed at various places including Temple Trees,” the PM said. “I suspended the construction of one of the two proposed buildings at more..

Nov 28 (DM) For centuries in the democratic world -- the time tested pillars have been the executive, the legislature, an independent judiciary and an independent media with checks and balances, transparency and public accountability. Since 1998 and especially during the previous regime, three of these pillars were virtually brought down by an all-powerful and over-loaded Executive President, resulting in the breakdown of democracy and the rule of law. more..

Nov 28 (DM) We are fast approaching the first anniversary of electing a joint opposition candidate as the President. But alas the people feel that the President and the Govt are finding it difficult to walk the talk. Somewhere in Nov, Dec 2014, we heard many allegations of corruption, and promises of bringing the culprits to book. But since the January 8 presidential election and the August 17 general elections, none of the wrong doers has been properly prosecuted. more..

Nov 28 (SL) Despite all authorities in the country being kept informed of the alleged rape of the crown land, several of Sri Lanka’s flagship national parks and highly sensitive conservation areas including the Wilpattu National Park in the North Western Province and Lunugamvehera National Park in the Southern Province, are allegedly being pillaged and plundered for mega commercial cultivations. more..

Nov 28 (DM) Deputy Minister Ranjan Ramanayake in a discussion with the said that party democracy faded when it came to the Avant Garde issue. He alleged that the chairman of Avant Garde had bought over many people with money. Q: Last week Minister Harin Fernando made a comment that he will take action against you if you actually had said that he was bought in an Avant Garde deal? Did you actually make such comments? more..

Nov 28 (ST) A respected academic in his late seventies is accused of secretly hawking to local collectors, the works of one of Sri Lanka’s greatest artists because he needed money. Prof. Albert Dharmasiri was granted bail by the Nuwara Eliya Magistrate this week. His arrest sent shockwaves through the country’s academic and artistic community. The nine paintings and two drawings he is alleged to have sold off are more..

Nov 28 (DM) In the wake of widespread protests over some of the budgetary proposals such as the increase in the fees for vehicle emission tests, the govt is contemplating amending the charges during the Budget debate. The Budget proposed to increase the charge for the vehicle emission test to Rs. 5000. As a result of protests from several quarters govt is now planning to introduce a congestion charge from motorists. more..

Nov 28 (CT) Collective of Aggrieved Employees of Avant Garde Maritime Security Services (AGMSS) said, AGMSS is not an illegal establishment despite the claims of mentally deranged politicians. Chairperson of Collective, Retired Commander Anura Ariyaratne said, for nearly 11 months various companies conducted investigations on the legality of AGMSS, but they were unable to find sufficient proof that it was illegal. more..

Nov 28 (DM) Perturbed over the withdrawl of concessionary vehicle permits, senior public servants have written to President and PM urging that the circular prohibiting such vehicle permits be withdrawn and the status quo restored. The privilege to purchase an imported or locally manufactured vehicle on a concessionary rate had been withdrawn in the 2016 Budget and a circular issued to this effect. more..

Nov 28 (CG) Minister Mangala Samaraweera says the LTTE terror did not represent the hopes and aspirations of the majority of the Tamil community. He made this observation while speaking at the Meeting of Commonwealth Foreign Ministers in Malta. He said that as radicalisation, violent extremism and terrorism undermine the core Commonwealth values of democracy and pluralism, Commonwealth states should direct it’s focus more..

Nov 28 (EN) Concerns are rising that Sri Lanka's interventionist proposal to ban leasing from banks, made without evidence based policy making or a consultation may have serious negative effects on the people, including small borrowers and depositors. Ranel Wijesinghe, a director of state-run Bank of Ceylon told a business forum at Ceylon Chamber of Commerce that while lenders like People's Bank had a subsidiary, his bank more..

Nov 28 (SB) Newly appointed Sri Lankan ambassador to Saudi Arabia Azmi Thassim has criticized the local media for their comments on Saudi law of stoning to death. Recently a Sri Lankan house maid was sentenced to death by stoning in Saudi Arabia for alleged relationship with another Si Lankan. Media has criticized the law as inhuman. But the SL ambassador Azmi Thassim defending saudi decision has said that the problem lies more..

Nov 28 (EN) In a bizarre turn of events, Minister of Trade and Commerce, who is in charge of an agency that imposes price control by gazette has praised the concept of a social market economy. "I commend PM Ranil Wickremesinghe’s call for clear long term economic policy for Sri Lanka to become a highly competitive social market economy," Minister Rishard Bathiudeen was quoted saying in parliament. more..

Nov 28 (CT) US Ambassador to UN, Samantha Power said the Muslims of Jaffna had experienced ethnic cleansing even before the term ethnic cleansing was coined. Speaking to a gathering at Osmaniya College, Jaffna, earlier this week, she commended the school's efforts to house and provide refuge to recent flood victims of Jaffna. "It was on these grounds that just over 25 years ago the Muslim community of Jaffna was gathered and told to leave their homes. more..

Nov 28 (LBO) Mobitel, a fully-owned unit of listed SLT, said it is considering a strategic acquisition of a local operator and denies reports that the company intends to pay over and above the value of the target entity. “Mobitel denies the assumptions and opinions made on the subject that Mobitel is intending a payment which is over and above the value of the target entity,” mobile operator said. “Mobitel has stated that they are considering a strategic acquisition of a local operator to enhance more..

Nov 28 (ST) A woman who recently purchased land in a residential area, close to Colombo, was in for a shock when two months after the transaction she found a board had come up informing that the land belonged to the Urban Development Authority (UDA) and trespassers would be severely dealt with. She had bought a 40 perch land off the Malabe-Kaduwela road for Rs 40 million after checking on the necessary documentation. She lodged a complaint with the CID. more..

Nov 28 (ST) The winds and waves are taking toll of the ruins of what was once the residence of Sri Lanka’s first British Governor -Frederick North- in Mannar. The remains of the building are under threat of coastal erosion. Department of Archaeology says it needs Rs. 150 million to restore the building. In those days the British ruled the waves and waived the rules and looted the gems and pearls of this country with gay abandon. However they did leave behind fascinating more..

Nov 28 (CT) Kapila Chandrasena, ex-CEO SriLankan Airlines, who was forced to resign when his termination on charges of corruption was eminent, has been appointed to the Mobitel Board of Directors on the directive of President Sirisena. Ironically, Chandrasena will be replacing Thusitha Haloluwa, once Secretary to Maithripala Sirisena and presently Coordinating Secretary to Mangala Samaraweera, the former Minister more..

Nov 28 (CG) UPFA MP Dullas Alahapperuma claims Minister John Amaratunga is aware of pills he needs to take to stay young. Spekaing during the 2016 budget in Parliament, Alahapperuma said that Amaratunga had advised him to support the budget in order to protect his MP seat. “This is a senior member of the UNP telling us in the SLFP. He is telling me to support the budget to protect my MP seat. I guess he knows there are pills to take to stay young. He knows that,” he noted. more..

Nov 28 (ST) All that is wonderful about the human brain has been on the minds of eminent neurologists, both local and international, as they focused on what could trigger mishaps of this power organ, over three days ending today. As the 9th Annual Academic Sessions of the Association of Srilankan Neurologists (ASN) concludes, there has been much brainstorming on a wide range of issues including peripheral nerve injuries, neuro-rehabilitation and vertigo that makes the lives more..

Nov 28 (HT) Army chief General Dalbir Singh kicks off on Sunday a five-day visit to Colombo where he could discuss upgrading the island nation’s ageing warplanes, tanks and air defence guns as part of New Delhi’s efforts to curb China’s growing influence over Sri Lanka. If Colombo’s request to upgrade and overhaul its defence equipment goes through, it would mark a sharp turnaround in India’s policy to not supply more..

Nov 28 (CG) The Minister of Megapolis and Western Development Honorable Champika Ranawaka says the Govt will unveil the Master Plan it has developed to build Sri Lanka’s proposed Western Region Megapolis, during early January, 2016. According to the Minister, the govt is planning to adopt a four pronged strategy to build the Megapolis which will be built within three phases running between the years of 2016 to 2030. The first phase will span from the year 2016 to 2020, more..

Nov 28 (CT) Former Minister of Coconut Development Jagath Pushpakumara was called to the PRECIFAC yesterday. Secretary General of the PRECIFAC Lacille de Silva said, former minister was summoned to record a statement regarding several irregularities that had allegedly occurred in the ministry during his tenure as the minister. He was questioned regarding the ministry's acquisition of a 45-acre land in Buttala in order to cultivate coconut trees. more..

Nov 28 (CT) Q: Where is your hometown? A: My home town is Tissamaharama Q: Where did you school at? A: Well, in fact I went to three schools. First it was Tissa MV and then to Debarawewa NS, finally to do my A/L I went to Richmond. Q:Tell us about your family? A: I am an only son to my parents, there are 4 elder sisters and one younger, altogether 8 of us. Q: How did you start cricket? A: I can't pinpoint where more..

Nov 28 (NYT) It was a vacation for his 40th birthday that sold Paddy Dalton and his partner, Rob Ioannou, on Sri Lanka. Their stay at the Aman resort in the southern town of Galle was intoxicating enough that the couple returned three weeks later in search of a permanent home. They found it on the first day, acquiring a working tea and cinnamon estate a half-hour drive into the hills behind the surf town of Weligama on the island nation’s south coast. Five years later, they have completed more..

Nov 28 (ST) A quick-thinking Ampara police constable saved a youth from drowning while he was swimming in a tank. Sergeant S M Kulathissa and police constable A M.A Nishantha were on duty last Saturday in the vicinity when they heard people shouting for help from the bund of the tank close by. When they ran to the spot they saw someone struggling in the water about 15 metres away from the bank. Immediately, PC Nishanha removed his weapon handed it over to sergeant more..

Nov 28 (DM) Two youthful ministers of the Yahapalanaya government are presently accusing each other over several controversial subjects that may even end up in courts. Minister Harin Fernando has now openly challenged his erstwhile Cabinet colleague Minister Ranjan Ramanayake which is a development that came to light when the former was interviewed recently. Excerpts of interview with Minister Harin Fernando: more..

Nov 28 (CT) Leader of the Opposition R. Sampanthan addressing Parliament yesterday condoled with the family of Rajeswaran Senthuran (18) who committed suicide emphasizing the release of Tamil political prisoners by jumping in front of a moving train at the Kondavil Railway Station in Jaffna on Thursday. Sampanthan while condoling with the family of Senthuran, had stated that the incident had demonstrated the frustration of the people in the North and the East, more..

Nov 28 (DN) Education Minister Akila Viraj Kariyawasam stressed that all students will receive a gift voucher to purchase uniform material by Dec 3 prior to the commencement of third school vacation. The minister urged the Zonel Education Directors to ensure that every student receives the gift voucher by the due date. Zonal Education Directors and Provincial Education Directors were made aware regarding the method of offering vouchers for students instead of giving uniform materials. more..

Nov 28 (AD) The father of murdered businessman Mohamed Siyam today withdrew the statement he made regarding former DIG Vass Gunawardena after the latter was sentenced to death in connection with the killing. “I was not in a right mind when I made that statement yesterday. I withdraw it,” said Mohamed Zubair Mohamed Huzamdeen, speaking to reporters at his home. The former DIG, his son Ravindra Gunawardena more..

Nov 28 (DM) Sri Lanka’s proposed economic reforms are of such a magnitude that it is possibly the third generation of reforms in the country’s economic history, and Lankan youth are increasingly attracted to services and it is now time to enlist them to manufacturing as well, said Industry and Commerce Minister Rihad Bathiudeen, presenting his Budget speech in Parliament yesterday. He also called for lowering of energy costs to sustain country’s manufacturing competitiveness. more..