Apr 14 (ITN) Public views on the crafting of a new Constitution were gathered during the last few days. The Committee appointed to seek public views took action to get the views of the Anunayake of the Ramanna Nikaya. The seeking of views and proposals of the Nayake Thera of the Ramanna Maha Nikaya was done at the Sasanawardana Pirievna Vihare in Mirigama. The Anunayake of the Ramanna Maha Nikaya the Most Ven. Madithiyawala Medhankara Thera and more..

Apr 14 (Island) Office of Department of Muslim Religious Affairs at Maradana had been burgled on Monday night or in the early hours of yesterday. More than three persons including a Security Guard had been questioned on the incident and that Police officers were at the scene conducting investigations. Minister of Muslim Religious Affairs M.H. Abdul Haleem has requested the Police to conduct an impartial inquiry into the incident, Private Secretary to the Minister Fahim Hashim said. more..

Apr 14 (DN) The Bangladeshi Police team in the island investigating the Bangladesh bank heist said they did not think that there was a direct link between those in SL and the hackers who stole the money. "We suspect that they were only using Sri Lanka as a place to transfer money easily. They just may have had associates here," an officer said. She said the hackers were trying to find the easiest routes to transfer the money out. more..

Apr 15 (CT) As an exemplary gesture in 2006, a former Senior Additional Solicitor General, Srinath Perera, contested a local government council (Boralesgamuwa Urban Council) believing that the lack of committed, decent and capable people coming forward was one of the factors for the deterioration of the local government system. Giving an interview on his extraordinary decision to the Sunday Island (26 March 2006) he said: “I believe that the overall system more..

Apr 15 (CT) Democracy is a complex mechanism which has its highs and lows. While social, political and economic ignorance of people can lead them to elect representatives who are incapable of representing citizens of the country and making accurate decisions, shallow identities created by the neo-liberal economic policies play a major role in democracy making the ethno-religious majority powerful. Apart from all the structural weaknesses of the democracy, people have to deal with it more..

Apr 15 (CT) Minister T.B. Ekanayake said the need of the hour is not to keep on criticizing former rulers. We must ensure that we serve people and put the mandate we received to best practice. Continuing to criticize Rajapaksas alone will take the govt nowhere. Q: The situation has gone to such levels that the UPFA General Secretary cannot even attend a Bala Mandala meeting without being hooted at. Any thoughts on this? more..

Apr 15 (Island) Paddy Lands Act was promulgated by the Govt after 1956 with late Philip Gunawardena as the Minister. It provided a form of security to the tenant cultivator and established a formal boundary between the owner of the Paddy Land and the tenant cultivator. When this Act was promulgated the country had a problem of meeting the demand for the stable food item of the people – Rice. This vacuity, the Act was expected to fill and ensure the country was self sufficient more..

Apr 15 (DM) All seem to agree today that education imparted in most schools in Sri Lanka seem to be lacking what is important and need to be reformed. Students in schools and other institutes of higher learning need not only to be led to be knowledgeable and practical in the disciplines they study, and be good sportsmen and women, they also should be able to make use of that knowledge and all their capabilities in the right manner. Imparting education and training in skills in more..

Apr 15 (SL) A historic change took place in parliament recently. The entire parliament was convened as a Constitutional Assembly on April 5 to formulate a new constitution for the country. The motion to convert the entire parliament into a constitutional assembly was debated for two days and seconded prior to Constitutional Assembly convening on April 5. On that day, the parliamentary session began at 1 pm and was adjourned at more..

Apr 15 (DN) "Nowadays we have to be in our homes by 7 p.m. as it is around this time that elephants start roaming all over our village area." These words by a villager in Puunaagala sums up the pathetic situation people living in remote villages have to face daily, due to the marauding elephants who wreak havoc to houses, crops and especially to human lives. If the elephants too could speak out about the hazards they have to undergo due to the encroachment of their natural habitats more..

Apr 15 (DN) In the liberal-democratic tradition, media, as the Fourth Estate, is supposed to play a significant role in society in terms of safeguarding the public interest and functioning as a watch dog for govt activities. To achieve this objective, it should adhere to a set of values to ensure that its reporting is accurate, fair and non-discriminatory. However, violation of those basic values through using sexist and discriminatory language has become normalised in the Sri Lankan media. more..

Apr 15 (DM) So economic reality dawned and the UNP leadership had to eat humble fortune cookie. China is back in the game in a major way, which is a good thing because it partially and temporarily stabilizes the economic crisis while re-balancing the island’s recently lopsided external relations. Ironically, the restored Chinese footprint may eventually be larger than it was under the Rajapaksa administration. China re-set was inevitable, and only proves the crass unrealism of Yahapalana more..

Apr 15 (ST) Touchwood, a company embroiled in a scam in selling plantations, is found to have sold its properties in Thailand to non-Thai foreigners as well. Touchwood Liquidator Sudath Kumar noted that South African and Germans were among other nationals who invested in agarwood properties in Thailand which the Touchwood Forestry Company in Thailand claimed to have been made under forged documents. However, documents with the liquidator state that they would not be forged as more..

Apr 15 (SO) The sudden surge in applicants seeking Sri Lankan dual citizenship seems to have stabilised with an apparent decline during the past months. However, expatriates with older children were frantically trying to apply for dual citizenships before their children exceed the age limit to be qualified as dependents. The dual citizenship fees were revised by govt in 2016 Budget which was presented in Nov last year. more..

Apr 15 (FT) A Night Around The Pearl, the flag off event for the third edition of Around The Pearl initiative was held at Park Street Mews on 4 April. It was a night filled with inspiration and heart-warming performances by children from the Cerebral Palsy Lanka Foundation. The 10-day bicycle ride kicked off on 7 April where over 30 riders both local and international embarked on a 1,400 km bicycle ride around Sri Lanka to raise public support and funds for children living with cerebral palsy (CP). more..

Apr 15 (ST) Fertilizer subsidy has become a popular topic of informal discussions among almost every fraction of society fuelled by fierce resistance from the farming community to changes implemented through the recent budget proposals by the govt. Unfortunately, legislators/policymakers also seem to be in a dilemma partly due to the controversial demands of their vote base, raising concerns over pollution and food security. We applaud the govt for being brave enough to more..

Apr 15 (IBT) A fashion designer and a firm in Sir Lanka have created the world's first 3D-printed wedding dress, which was recently worn by a Sri Lankan bride looking for something unique to for her wedding. Fashion designer Charlene Thuring teamed up with 3D Concept Studio, which was the first rapid prototyping firm to open in Sri Lanka in 2013. The dress features a mixture of fabric and intricate panels that interlock, printed out of more..

Apr 15 (FT) Commercial Bank of Ceylon has come forward to support up and coming mobile game developers by recognising their creativity and capability through a mobile game competition. A first by a bank in Sri Lanka, the Combank Mobile Game Development Challenge conducted by the bank via Facebook over three months saw more than 100 applicants including individuals, companies and undergraduates of several leading IT universities competing, at the end of which 13 games more..

Apr 15 (ST) The Swiss Institute of Hospitality and Banking is to soon commence operations in Sri Lanka with land being scouted for this purpose. This is a major business venture that would include a training institution, a hotel property, a school campus, and a marina with a marine park. It is founded by BaSSAG AG and partnered by Swiss certifying and knowhow partners including the Swiss Hospitality School Lucerne (SHL) and the Swiss Banking Advisory Academy BBZ more..

Apr 15 (ST) Police have warned the public against those who engage in illegal dealings by pretending to provide accommodation to visitors intending to holiday in Nuwara-Eliya. It was revealed that some people have been getting money fraudulently from local and foreign visitors intending to come to Nuwara–Eliya saying they could provide accommodation during the Spring season in Nuwara Eliya, by advertising such places on internet more..

Apr 15 (ST) Sinhala and Tamil New Year is a time when Sri Lankans by and large, take a break from their usual daily routines and observe customs and traditions. As the New Year dawns, the festivities begin- tables are laden with mouth-watering sweetmeats and there is time to join in the many games that are closely related to the celebration of Avurudu. There is music too associated with the celebrations. Everyone knows the many Avurudu songs which are played over the radio but more..

Apr 15 (Island) Litro Gas, the largest national importer and market leader of Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) in Sri Lanka, partnered with the apex body of Sri Lankan marketers, Sri Lanka Institute of Marketing (SLIM) as a corporate sponsor for this year at Litro Gas corporate office. The agreement was signed and exchanged between senior officials. The association between Litro Gas and SLIM will no doubt strengthen and open up many opportunities in the marketing fraternity and more..

Apr 15 (TT) What do you think? How’s it looking? It was another practice session at the Premadasa Stadium in Colombo, and Kumar Sangakkara was as inquisitive and conscientious as ever. And very precise. He wanted his back foot to move from middle and leg to middle and off. Not forward or back – just a fraction across, which allowed his shoulders and hips to align when facing right-arm seamers. I was in first of two coaching stints more..

Apr 15 (DN) Norochcholai Coal Power Plant's emission of flying ash as well as environment pollution is almost Zero, Power and Renewable Energy Deputy Minister Ajith P. Perera said. Minister said although some people have said that flying ash affects their agriculture, it is totally misleading. He said 99.4% of the flying ash is trapped at the chimney and sold to cement factories. He also said sometimes a bit of bottom ash is blown away with the sea winds. more..

Apr 15 (CNBC) With miles of sandy beaches, quality reef breaks and consistent swells, Sri Lanka's coasts are fast gaining a reputation as a premier surf destination. Sri Lanka was a "hidden gem for travelling surfers until around five years ago when the surfing tourists, mostly from Europe, came flooding in," Max Hepworth-Povey, a surf holiday advisor from U.K.-based Errant Surf Travel, said. "Arugam Bay on the East Coast has one of the best waves in the world and more..

Apr 15 (UKG) David Cameron: "To everyone celebrating Puthandu and Aluth Avurudda, I wish you a very happy and prosperous new year." The PM said: “I would like to send my best wishes to everyone in Britain and Sri Lanka celebrating Aluth Avurudda and to all Tamil communities celebrating Puthandu today. “I know this is an incredibly important time when millions of people will be coming together with families, more..

Apr 15 (AD) A Sri Lankan woman has been arrested at the Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) in Katunayake for attempting to illegally smuggle gold worth over Rs 4 million out of the country. The 70-year-old, from Kotahena in Colombo, was preparing to board a flight to Bangalore, India. Customs officers found gold biscuits and jewelry weighing around 700g inside her baggage and are estimated to be worth around Rs 4 million. She was fined Rs 100,000 while the gold has been confiscated. more..

Apr 15 (CG) The Sri Lankan Navy said that it has assisted in the repatriation of three Indian fishermen released from Sri Lankan custody on Wednesday. The released fishermen were handed over to the Indian Coast Guard Ship Abheek at the International Maritime Boundary Line north of Kankasanthurai. Sri Lanka Coast Guard Craft CG 48 was deployed for the mission. Sri Lanka Navy (SLN) on Saturday assisted the repatriation of 96 Indian fishermen, who were released from Sri Lankan custody by more..

Apr 15 (CG) Labour Party has reaffirmed its strongest possible support for the Tamil people, both in the UK and in Sri Lanka, at a packed Tamils for Labour event in the Houses of Parliament. Almost 200 members of the Tamil community attended a meeting hosted by the Vice Chair of the Tamil All Party Parliamentary Group (APPGt), Joan Ryan MP, which was addressed by leading figures within the Labour Party, including the Leader more..

Apr 15 (EN) Further monetary tightening would not be required as asked for by the IMF if Sri Lanka's economy achieves a soft-landing following high credit growth, Central Bank Governor Arjuna Mahendran said. "They have expressed a desire that that we continue tightening monetary policy in to the future," Mahendran told reporters Friday. "I would say that is not necessary if the economy continues to achieve soft-landing as we planned." Sri Lanka's core inflation at 5.7% in March more..

Apr 15 (SN) The number of asylum applications filed with the Swiss govt in the first quarter of 2016 dropped by 45% comparing to the last quarter of 2015, the Swiss State Secretariat for Migration said in a statement Thursday. The Swiss authorities received 8,315 asylum seekers’ requests in the first three months of 2016. The overall number of applications continues to decline as 1,992 asylum applications were filed in March, 25% less than in February. more..

Apr 15 (AD) Acting IGP S.M. Wickremesinghe has ordered the CID to investigate the theft of 6 firearms from the Laggala Police Station. A T56 rifle and 5 revolvers were stolen from the police station at around 1.00am today (14) by an individual who had opened the locked armory. A Reserve Police Constable (RPC) had been in charge of its key at the time of the theft. The suspect who had stolen the firearms was dressed in a sarong more..

Apr 15 (TD) Sri Lankan police have recently uncovered ammunition, a suicide vest, and explosives in Chavakachcheri, a town in the country’s north. It’s widely (and realistically) believed that this is an old arms cache. Let’s keep in mind that from 1983-2009 a brutal civil war raged in this South Asian island nation. LTTE were fighting for a separate Tamil state in the country’s Northern and Eastern Provinces. In May 2009, SL govt – under the leadership of former president, more..

Apr 15 (TN) Chairman Selection Committee of Pakistan Tennis Federation (PTF) Khwaja Saeed Hai has said Pakistan should have gone to China for Davis Cup tie in March. “We were not in favour of Sri Lanka as the neutral venue,” said Saeed. “I recommended to the secretary to send the team to China but they did not honour the decision of their own Davis Cup Committee,” he said. He said the decision of Davis Cup Committee of PTF was not conveyed properly to PTF president. more..

Apr 15 (ITN) The number of accidents caused as a result of the use of fireworks with the dawn of the New Year last night has increased. Also it is reported that there is an increase in the number of overall accidents this year. Many accidents were reported by the use of fireworks during the last few years, causing injuries to the face and hands. There is a keen enthusiasm especially among the children to light firecrackers. more..

Apr 15 (AD) Three police officers who were on duty at the Laggala police station the day that 6 firearms were stolen have been interdicted, police spokesman ASP Ruwan Gunasekara said. A T56 rifle and 5 revolvers were stolen from the police station at around 1.00am yesterday by an individual who had opened the locked armory. A Reserve Police Constable (RPC) had been in charge of its key at the time of the theft. However, no ammunition had been stolen by the suspect. more..

Apr 15 (Hindu) Customs Preventive Unit, after foiling an alleged smuggling attempt on the high seas, seized a Sri Lankan Fibreglass Plastic Boat (FPB) near the second island in the Gulf of Mannar region even as two persons onboard the boat escaped. Customs Superintendent M. Pugazhendhi, who was part of the team, said that acting on a tip-off about smuggling activity, a seven-member team, comprising three Superintendents and four Sea Crew, launched patrolling on a hired vallam more..

Apr 15 (CNBC) After years of civil conflict, Sri Lanka takes the needs of its multiethnic population very seriously, with a very pleasant side-effect: 25 national public holidays a year. It's one of the highest national public holiday counts in Asia, far outstripping Singapore's 13 days, Japan's 17 days and even Indonesia and Thailand's relatively generous 19 and 20 days respectively. For Americans, who survive on a measly nine more..

Apr 16 (CT) Police brutality is universally condemned. Recently there was public outrage regarding the alleged murder of Embilipitiya youth, Sumith Jayawardena by the Police and the role of media in exposing the attempts of the Police to cover up the incident was praised by those following the iSri Lanka is undergoing a serious discussion on Police reforms. The statements made by senior Police officials and Ministry of Law and Order officials indicate that they plan to change more..