Feb 27 (CT) Koralawella was primarily a fishing periphery of Moratuwa town. Turning off from the Moratuwa Bridge towards Modara, middle class families lived alongside the main road while the fisher folk had their dwellings away from the main road, closer to seaside. St. Michael's Catholic Church was situated just before the Koralawella Railway Station turn-off. An Italian priest, with a passing resemblance to Jesus, was in charge of St Michael's Church in Koralawella and more..

Feb 27 (DN) Former Minister Piyasena Gamage said he lost the last election because his opponents claimed he would switch alliance to the UNP after winning. "But the very people who levelled this accusation have themselves aligned with the UNP and obtained ministerial and other posts while I am spending my retirement at home after rendering services to my village and electorate," he said. He was addressing a meeting at the opening of the newly built Sandhasirigama-Golupaluwa more..

Feb 27 (EN) Sri Lanka's exports fell 5.6% from a year earlier to US$ 10,504 million and imports fell 2.5% to US$ 18.9 billion, with the trade gap rising marginally to US$ 8,430 million. Oil imports fell 41.3% to US$ 2.6 billion but non-oil imports rose 9.6% to US$ 15,235 million. In late 2015 and early 2016 oil prices were sharply cut putting more money in the hands of people to import non-oil goods. more..

Feb 27 (Island) The Vavuniya police yesterday arrested a person in connection with the recent rape and killing of schoolgirl, Haarshavi Gangadaran. Investigations have revealed that the suspect, an electrician by profession was her immediate neighbour. The arrest was made in the immediate aftermath of a protest in the north against the killing. A senior police officer said the suspect had joined the family members, relatives and friends in mourning for the victim. more..

Feb 27 (Island) India’s Bharathiya Janatha Party joined the International Democratic Union during the opening session of its Executive Committee meeting in Colombo. The meeting is being hosted by the UNP, which is a leading member of the International Democratic Union (IDU). Welcoming the BJP representatives, the New Zealand PM John Key, who is Chairman of the IDU and UNP leader and PM Ranil Wickremesinghe, who is a Vice President of IDU said that the entry of BJP, more..

Feb 27 (Hindu) Even as certain sections of society in Sri Lanka continue to express reservations over the proposed Economic and Technology Cooperation Agreement (ETCA) with India, the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce (CCC) has come out in support of the ETCA. For Sri Lanka, being a small economy with a limited domestic market, “trading more with the world and welcoming more business and investment partnerships from abroad is more..

Feb 27 (Island) The Supreme Court recently ordered the Colombo University to appoint petitioner Sethu Fathima as a probation lecturer in journalism. The court said that the failure of the university authorities to give the petitioner the aforesaid post was an arbitrary act. The petitioner had complained that she had a Master’s Degree in journalism with a second upper and she had worked as tutor, assistant lecturer and visiting lecturer in journalism, at this university. more..

Feb 27 (AD) Veteran lyricist and senior journalist Dr. Ajantha Ranasinghe has passed away at the age of 75. He passed away at the Colombo National Hospital today while receiving treatment, according to family members. Ranasinghe was born in Kurunegala and studied at St. John’s College after moving to Nugegoda. He gave up studies and wrote poetry and short stories to the Children’s Page in the Silumina and Peramuna newspapers. He joined the Dinamina in 1965 as a staff reporter and more..

Feb 27 (DM) Student unions have protested against the proposed code of ethics formulated by Jaffna university’s Administration officials for students. University administration has decided that dress and the appearance should be in keeping with student culture. Code of ethics bans beards and states that the female students must wear sarees on Fridays. It also bans students and academic staff attending classes in denim jeans & T-shirts. more..

Feb 27 (CT) Senior Astrologer Wyman Hettiarachchi passed away Wednesday. He launched his career initially as a reporter of Trade Unions and then served as a journalist at Lankadeepa and Dawasa newspapers until the Dawasa paper closed down. Subsequently he joined the Associated Newspapers of Ceylon Limited Dinamina Editorial Board and reported on the Municipal and Urban Councils of Colombo, Kolonnawa, Kotikawatte-Mulleriyawa and later the Western Provincial Council. more..

Feb 27 (CT) Investigations into embezzlement of monies at ITN has reached its tail end, said a officer at PRECIFAC, that conducted the investigation. This was in relation to a monetary fraud that took place in the lead up to the presidential election of 2015. "We focus on expediting all inquiries as we do not want to drag it. When we deal with people, we cannot be unfair with them. Although it is a difficult job for us, we have to be accommodating when people ask for more time" an officer of PRECIFAC said. more..

Feb 27 (Hindu) As there are no signs of release of fishermen languishing in Sri Lankan prisons after the were arrested by Sri Lankan navy and their boats were impounded by the island nation, the local fishermen launched an indefinite strike from Friday, and resolved to go ahead with their decision to lay siege to Sri Lankan Deputy High Commission office in Chennai on Feb 29. A day after Sri Lankan courts extended the judicial remand of more..

Feb 27 (AD) President Maithripala Sirisena has left the country for Singapore to visit Minister Dr Rajitha Senaratne, who is currently receiving treatment at the Mount Elizabeth Hospital. He boarded SriLankan Airline flight UL 302 at around 7.41am this morning at BIA. Minister was admitted to a private hospital in Colombo on February 19 for a medical check-up, however due to requests made by his kith and kin he was admitted to a hospital in Singapore for further tests. more..

Feb 27 (CT) President Maithripala Sirisena is to appoint a Presidential Commission to investigate the attacks on journalists and media organizations which were carried out during Mahinda Rajapaksa’s rule. Presidential Commission will be tasked with probing the attacks on several journalists including Poddala Jayantha, as well as the attacks on Sirasa TV and Lankaenews. Meanwhile, speaking at the US Institute of Peace, Washington DC on Friday, Minister Mangala Samaraweera said more..

Feb 27 (Island) JVP Leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake yesterday told Parliament that a large number of graduates who were above 35 years of age had been overlooked by the govt in providing jobs to graduates. The JVP leader said: There was an agitation by the unemployed graduates in Colombo on Feb. 16 demanding that they be given public sector employment. Govt, just like its predecessors, more..

Feb 27 (DN) Several important and decisive decisions that the previous regime failed to take have been taken by this government and Agricultural Minister Duminda Dissanayake, MP Ven. Athuraliya Rathana Thera said. "Under the previous regime, these decisions could not be taken because of the pressure put on the govt by the brokers of foreign and local companies, Thera said. Ven. Rathana Thera said that Glycophosphate has been completely banned in Sri Lanka. more..

Feb 27 (DN) In a first, a medical team at the Galle Karapitiya Hospital led by consultant neuro-surgeon Dr. Deepal Attanayake have performed corrective surgery on a 17-year-old boy suffering from a congenital spinal deformity known as lumbar scoliosis. Asanka Priyamal of Kantale underwent two surgeries, Dr. Attanayake said, reporting that both surgeries had been 100% successful. He said surgeries of this nature are only conducted on person, when they are between more..

Feb 27 (PSL) President Maithripala Sirisena says the aim of the Govt is to provide equal opportunities and benefits for all children in the field of education under a common policy which eliminates differences. He made these remarks participating in a ceremony to declare open the education and trade exhibition organized in parallel to the commemoration ceremony of the 75th anniversary of Kalutara Balika Vidyalaya, more..

Feb 27 (Island) Education Minister Akhila Viraj Kariyawasam yesterday threatened to resign from his post if provincial education ministers continued to defy his directives. The Minister said so while responding to a supplementary question raised by JVP MP Vijitha Herath, who pointed out that a dispute between the Minister and the Chief Minister and the Education Minister of the North Central Province, Peshala Jayaratne had resulted in a mess. MP Herath said the Provincial Minister had more..

Feb 27 (PTI) It will be a battle between the pace attacks of Bangladesh and Sri Lanka as the two teams square off in a crucial round robin league match of the Asia Cup T20 in Mirpur on Sunday. Match assumes significance as the winner will take a giant step towards qualifying for the summit clash of the tournament. For Bangladesh, a victory is a must as they have already played two matches winning one and losing against India in the opener. Both the teams beat minnows UAE in their more..

Feb 27 (DM) While claiming that Sri Lankan journey is still unfolding, with many steep hills yet to be climbed and many turns in the road, US Assistant Secretary, Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs Nisha Biswal said that much of the very hard work of reconciliation and justice still lies ahead. “We must underscore that this Sri Lankan journey is still unfolding, with many steep hills yet to be climbed and many turns in the road. more..

Feb 27 (AD) The two inmates of the Anuradhapura Prison who launched a hunger strike demanding that they be charged in court or sent to a rehabilitation camp, have ended their protest fast. The two Tamil prisoners, who were detained under the PTA over alleged links to the LTTE, had commenced the hunger strike around 6 days ago, refusing meals until a solution is provided. However, the Commissioner General of Prisons Department stated that that the inmates have decided to more..

Feb 27 (Island) Minister Faizer Mustapha reiterated that his ministry was trying its best to hold the Local Govt election this year without any further delay. He rejected State Minister Lakshman Yapa Abeywardena’s statement that the demarcation of wards had been completed. A discussion would be held with the head of the committee appointed to look into complaints arising from delimitation of new wards, Asoka Peiris to get the latest situation in the process, the Minister claimed. more..

Feb 27 (AM) Former Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa was aware of the murder attempt of former MP Nadaraja Raviraj and arranged a payment of Rs 50 million to the Karuna faction, a police constable of the intelligence unit, claimed giving evidence before Colombo Additional Magistrate. Witness, Liyanarachchige Abayaratne, claimed that murder was carried out with the knowledge of several senior police officers. more..

Feb 28 (SO) In the recent decade, we, Sri Lankans, had learnt to live in a world of make-believe when it came to our self-esteem. The discourse of greatness and civilization so regularly expounded by politicians and their allies had begun to sound so hollow that one needed the mental gymnastics of pretence and self-delusion to continue believing in any semblance of national honour. Despite that election promise of peace with honour on which many Sri Lankans voted in the presidential election of 2005, more..

Feb 28 (SL) PM Ranil Wickremesinghe and the GMOA have been crossing swords in recent times over many issues which have also resulted in the question of the right of free speech. Wickremesinghe points out that his govt has received a mandate from the people to implement various pledges such as the creation of one million jobs and that the GMOA has no right to obstruct him. GMOA is essentially a trade union dedicated to protect the interests of govt medical practitioners and their involvement in more..

Feb 28 (SO) Reginald Cooray who commenced his political career with the inception of the Provincial Council system, made his journey into Parliament after becoming Chief Minister of the Western Provincial Council and climbed the ladder of politics to become a Cabinet Minister. Recently appointed Governor of the Northern Province, the politician who earned a reputation for his non-communal policies and politics, more..

Feb 28 (Island) When the campaign staff of Maithripala Sirisena started articulating the when-elected plans, neither he nor his spokespersons were taken seriously. It’s not their fault. Election-time, after all, is all about promises, never mind their doability. How many times, for example, have we heard the slogan, I will abolish the executive presidency if elected? The fact that the Sirisena-Wickremesinghe dispensation got the 19th Amendment passed, even with its flaws, more..

Feb 28 (Island) The main issue of the week past was supposed to be the commencement of the constitutional reform process with the passage of the PM’s resolution on parliament sitting as a committee of the whole house to draft a new constitution for SL. The debate on the PM’s resolution was held, but no vote was taken and the whole constitutional reform process seems to be in a state of limbo. The fact that such a thing could happen after the PM accepted all the amendments put forward by more..

Feb 28 (SL) JVP MP Vijitha Herath said that the govt not to try to cover up the burning problems faced by the people through the new constitution adding that the main reason for the problems that have cropped up in the country was not the constitution. A draft constitution prepared by the Constituent Assembly should be first placed before the people so that they could comment on proposals before proceeding with a referendum. more..

Feb 28 (ST) Last week, our INSIGHT team went to the International Maritime Boundary Line (IMBL) that separates Sri Lanka from India to follow up on an earlier investigation into the continuing rape of the country’s sea resources — the fish and the environment — by illegal Indian fishing expeditions. This was hardly three weeks after the Indian External Affairs Minister came to Sri Lanka for what was the Joint Commission meeting and where, as this newspaper reported, more..

Feb 28 (ST) I thought I must write to you because over the coming weeks the entire country will be diverting their attention to you and not on who is being remanded for what. That is because you will be trying to win the Asia Cup in Bangladesh and then trying to defend the T20 World Cup you won a few years ago. Lasith, I do feel for you. You have special talents like your unique bowling action and your hairstyle but no one seriously thought of you as a leader. more..

Feb 28 (MNA) In post-sanctions Iran’s ground-breaking first bilateral with Sri Lanka, the country has called for unprecedented level of engagement with Sri Lanka in multiple spheres. Mr. Hamid Chitchian who headed a delegation to Sri Lanka to cement lucrative bilateral trade agreement with southern Asian country, stressed that business sectors of both sides should lead the way. Meanwhile, Sri Lanka readily rallied its call for re-visiting the understanding on more..

Feb 28 (CT) PM Ranil Wickremesinghe and the Govt have stirred a hornet's nest with the proposed Economic and Trade Cooperation Agreement (ETCA) with India. The blame is largely attributable to the govt itself, for not laying its cards down on the table as to what is in the offing. Sri Lanka and India are expected to sign the proposed ETCA by around May or June 2016. Following the Commerce Secretary level talks between the Govts of Sri Lanka and India held in New Delhi the two sides more..

Feb 28 (CT) Head of the State and his Foreign Minister seem to stand poles apart when it comes to getting foreign expertise in the process of investigating war crime allegations. This was evident when Minister Mangala Samaraweera clearly stated Sri Lanka is open to international actors in the war crimes probe and zeroed President Maithripala Sirisena's remarks on the matter as mere personal opinion. more..

Feb 28 (SO) E. M. Forster wrote about what’s rude and reprehensible in society thus: “…distinction between coarseness and vulgarity is that coarseness is revealing something; vulgarity, concealing something.” That needed much mulling over which this cat did. And she came to agree with the author of Passage to India, who indicated the racist superiority of administrators and more so their memsahibs during the time of the British Raj as coarse, if not vulgar. more..

Feb 28 (CI) There is a bar for international batsmen and with Pakistan it is never quite certain which way they will push it. There is never a shortage of spectacle when they play and that box was at least ticked in Mirpur. Pakistan crumbled to 83 all out in 17.3 overs - their lowest ever score in T20Is after batting first. There is a bar for international bowlers too and Pakistan have been vaulting over it for years. Mohammad Amir, playing his sixth international limited-overs match more..

Feb 28 (NS) Despite mentioning that Sri Lanka had made strides in reducing poverty, the World Bank, in its latest report, Sri Lanka: Ending Poverty and Promoting Prosperity stated that pockets of severe poverty remained in predominantly Tamil-speaking areas in the country despite the progress. Several regions were identified by the report as being affected by severe poverty, including some districts in former war zone. more..