June 21 (SL) Controversy continues over the cancer drug ‘pegaspargase’ with doctors refusing to prescribe it and oncologists saying that most likely the drug will be kept at the hospital until it expires, so that nobody is held responsible for it. The Chinese drug is imported by Medmart Pharma (Pvt) Limited, the marketing arm of Omax Healthcare (Pvt) Limited. According to doctors at the Maharagama Cancer Hospital, more..

June 21 (ST) The lifting of the European Union (EU) ban on the export of fishing products from Sri Lanka will bring in about 100 million euros – Rs. 16.3 billion – in annual revenue, the Director-General of Department of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources, Christy Lal Fernando, said. Prior to the ban, the country had earned nearly 78 million euros in revenue from fish exports to EU. Following the sanction, earnings had plummeted more..

June 21 (Island) Leftist parties yesterday expressed their strong opposition to PM Ranil Wickremesinghe’s decision to open up the country’s capital account, claiming that it would lead to a serious financial crisis. Communist Party (CP) leader D.E.W. Gunasekera told a media briefing that PM Wickeremesinghe could not take such decisions alone and he had to discuss with other political parties, economists & experts. more..

June 21 (Island) Teachers attached to the pro – JVP Ceylon Teachers’ Service Union (CTSU) and unemployed graduates who passed the teachers’ examination would march to the Finance Ministry on June 27 demanding that the latter be recruited to the Western Province teachers’ service immediately. After lodging a complaint with the Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka (HRCSL) yesterday morning, more..

June 21 (DN) Health authorities have taken legal action against 392 dengue breeders detected during the three day intensive dengue control programme implemented in 42 high risk MOH divisions. Notices had been issued on 1,771 persons. The team found 1,456 premises with dengue mosquito larvae during the operation. The teams inspected 41,139 premises during the three day intensive dengue control programme. more..

June 21 (CT) Flood victims in Ekasiya-ekawatte say, "Ministers come to visit us. Yet they have not taken any further steps to solve our housing problem. We do not need luxurious houses but please give us decent accommodation somewhere". Though the govt has supplied financial, medical and material aid to the disaster victims, satisfactory relocation and resettlement processes are yet to be completed. more..

June 21 (DN) The National Police Commission (NPC) yesterday requested Inspector General of Police Pujith Jayasundera to submit a report regarding the comments made by Special Task Force Commandant DIG Ranjith Perera targeting journalists during a media briefing on June 17. NPC Secretary Ariyadasa Cooray said the NPC informed IGP Jayasundera in this regard and the report will be received in the near future. more..

June 21 (DN) The govt owned Lak Sathosa is still a huge loss making entity with average losses per month in 2016 running in to nearly Rs. 60 million. Established much before the private sector super markets like Arpico, Cargills, Keells, and Laugfs were created this government entity despite having the biggest reach with over 300 branches is now heavily dependent on the govt coffers to survive. more..

June 21 (CG) International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) has condemned the threat against a Sri Lankan journalists by a STF officer on June 17. The IFJ demanded that immediate action be taken against the police officer. On June 17, DIG Ranjith Perera, the head of the Police Department’s commando arm, publicly threatened to punish journalists for not giving enough media coverage to his efforts to crack down on narcotics more..

June 21 (Hindu) Sri Lankan govt has not come out with any categorical response to the latest news report on the use of cluster bombs in the final stages of the civil war. Defence Secretary Karunasena Hettiarachchi said he does not wish to comment on the report while the Director General Ranga Kalansooriya said the report is being studied. The news report published by The Guardian has been based on certain material, more..

June 21 (CT) On coming Thursday, the UK will vote in a referendum on whether the UK should remain in the EU. The decision of the majority of the UK citizens at the referendum will be vital in the context of international politics as well as the global economy. With the heat of the referendum starting to be felt, SL's PM Ranil Wickremesinghe too, expressed his ideas over the matter and said that Sri Lanka is very concerned about the probable impact of the referendum. more..

June 21 (CT) A forum of discussions and freedom for research. Facts and sanity going together. Sinhalese nationalism being construed as racism while it remains in print form for others to read. Tamil nationalism too, being construed as racism. Nationalism and racism doesn’t seem to go hand in hand in SL. Many years ago, it was so. The debating forum in this web in this digital age has opened up not known stories for analysis and judgement of an ensuing muddle. more..

June 21 (Reuters) Shares fell on Tuesday for a second straight session, a day after Moody's revised down its outlook on the country's sovereign rating and as continued foreign outflows and rising interest rates weighed on investor sentiment. Investors were also concerned over a govt proposal to reintroduce capital gains tax, brokers said. Moody's Investors Service on Monday changed Sri Lanka's outlook to negative from stable, citing further weakening in some fiscal metrics in an environment more..

June 21 (CT) The 100 metres Gold Medallist at the South Asian Games (SAG) and South Asia's Fastest Sprinter Himasha Eashan said that although he is training in preparation for the 2017 Asian Athletic Championships and for the 2018 Asian Games and the Commonwealth Games, he is depressed that the officials have failed to provide him with the necessary facilities. The sprinter who had recorded a timing of 10.26 seconds while claiming the Sri Lanka and South Asian records expressed these views while being involved in his training schedule. more..

June 21 (DM) Commencing an internal inquiry into the incident where Police STF Commandant has made intimidating remarks towards certain media personnel, the Police Headquarters today recorded a statement from Lankadeepa Journalist Indika Ramanayake. Acting Director of Police Media Division SSP Priyantha Jayakody said Journalist Indika Ramanayake had been summoned to the Police Headquarters to record a statement this morning regarding the incident. more..

June 21 (CG) Former Colombo Additional Magistrate Thilina Gamage was granted bail today by the Colombo High Court in the case over the illegal possession of a baby elephant. Bail was earlier granted to Thilina Gamage by the Gangodawila Magistrate in the case but it was was suspended by the Colombo High Court till today. The Attorney General (AG) earlier filed a revised application at the Colombo High Court seeking the annulment of the bail order granted to more..

June 21 (DM) A tense situation prevailed at an event organised by the Purawesi Balaya and the National Movement for Social Justice (NMSJ) being held at the Public Library in Colombo, when several attendees had questioned, why the panel was not paying respects to the late Ven. Maduluwawe Sobitha Thera, the former head of the NMSJ. The attendees had criticised the panel for not observing silence to pay respects to the demised prelate and not mentioning him prior to the beginning of the event. more..

June 21 (CT) For the first time in the history of Sri Lanka an Equine Veterinary Hospital (EVH) will be built at Nuwara Eliya racecourse to treat injured and sick race horses soon. Several sites were considered for EVH with the final decision being the current saddling area. Dr. Hasneyn Mirza, a leading veterinarian from India was in Sri Lanka advising the Royal Turf Club officials on the construction of the new hospital and as to which state-of-the-art equipment more..

June 21 (DN) Western Region Megapolis Planning Project Chairman and Human Elephant Conflict Resolution Committee Chairman Ajita de Costa yesterday said that two vehicles carrying a leading Buddhist monk and a lady with trackers had ventured into Yala National Park block II after seeking the necessary permission from the authorities concerned on June 18. He said that these visitors have done nothing wrong in the national park. Ajita de Costa while denying media reports that two vehicles more..

June 21 (AP) Indonesia has allowed international humanitarian organisations to assist Sri Lankan Tamil refugees stranded in Aceh after bad weather foiled much-criticised plans to tow the group’s boat back into international waters. The boat came ashore more than a week ago after its engine broke down off the northernmost Province of Sumatra. Indonesia provided food, water and repairs but refused to let the 44 refugees disembark until Saturday. They have been sheltered in tents, more..

June 21 (DM) Though the Governor of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) had decided to step down because of criticisms, Sri Lankan Central Bank (CB) Governor continues to hold on to his post, amidst severe allegations and criticisms, the Joint Opposition charged today. UPFA MP Bandula Gunawardane said Reserve Bank of India Governor Raghuram Rajan stepped down due to criticisms over his fiscal management, higher rates of loan interests, economic stability more..

June 21 (Island) People’s Bank proudly unveils People’s Bank Foreign Currency Gold Fortune 2016, a unique promotion for those living and working abroad who use People’s InstantRemit, People’s e-Remittance, Swift and Telex, to send money to their loved ones in Sri Lanka. This unique promotion invites people to make remittances of any amount during the rest of the year and winners will be awarded with a 22k one sovereign gold coin on a weekly basis for 28 weeks. more..

June 21 (HCI) The prestigious Mahatma Gandhi Scholarships for 2015-16 were awarded to 150 A/L school students from all 25 districts across Sri Lanka by Akila Viraj Kariyawasam, Minister of Education, Sri Lanka, and Mr. Y. K. Sinha, High Commissioner of India, at a special ceremony at the Ministry of Education Auditorium, Battaramulla on June 20, 2016. Mahatma Gandhi Scholarship, a merit-cum-means based Scholarship instituted in 2006-07 for Sri Lankan students, more..

June 21 (DM) Deputy Minister Ranjan Ramanayake and joint opposition MP Mahindananda Aluthgamage are reported to have exchanged blows in the parliamentary complex outside the Chamber over some allegations made in the social media. Mr. Aluthgamage is reported to have inquired from Mr. Ramanayake about an allegation made against him in the social media and this had resulted in a heated argument including obscenities. The two had then exchanged blows but more..

June 21 (SBC) Mitchell Starc will pick the brains of past and present Australian pacemen ahead of his first Test tour of Sri Lanka. Starc has featured in 25 Tests, making him comfortably the most experienced fast bowler in the Australian squad that starts a three-Test series in Kandy on July 26. The left-armer has played two Tests in India but has no experience in Sri Lanka outside the World Twenty20 in 2012. The spearhead has already started doing some research more..

June 21 (DM) The visa application forwarded by Regional Development Minister Field Marshall Sarath Fonseka to visit the United States has been rejected, diplomatic sources said. It is said that his visa application to the US was rejected last year too when he requested to visit his daughters. It is known that some incidents that happened when he held the post of Army Commander might have resulted in the rejection process. However, his media secretary Mahinda Kumara denied speculations more..

June 21 (DM) Bus fares should go up by five to six percent July 1 onwards, in keeping with the agreement with the National Transport Commission (NTC), Lanka Private Bus Owners' Association (LPBOA) Chairman Gemunu Wijeratne said today. According to the NTC the bus fare increment for this year was calculated as 3.2%, he said. “Bus fare should be increased from five to six percent. The 3.2 percentage increase had come out due to calculation error,” more..

June 22 (CT) Right to Information (RTI) Act currently being debated in the Parliament and scheduled to be taken up for voting on June 23, 2016 is long overdue. It has been in the making for the past fifteen years. It is heartening to note that the remit of the Act is broad in so far as to include the NGOs as well, in addition to all layers of the govt: national, provincial, and local. Asian financial crisis of the late-1990s led to the enactment of the Right to Information law and more..

June 22 (CT) Policy rates is not something that the common folk would consider as a topic in their day to day life, especially in a country where there are many things to worry about as the sun does its daily chores quite unaffected by the long wait to bring the culprits to book and forfeit of assets of those who indulged in self-aggrandizement while in office, or the immunity given to the corrupt public officers and private deal makers. However during the recent past this highly technical term more..

June 22 (SO) One of the most worrying fears of victims caught up in the double tragedies that occurred within the space of a few weeks, are their potential health impacts. Health officials have raised concerns of an outbreak of Dengue Fever due to the ongoing rains and the improper waste. 18,735 suspected cases of Dengue Fever (DF) have been reported during the first six months of the year, upto Thursday this week, with 49,21% from WP. more..

June 22 (CT) Some weeks ago, an application was received, requesting to allocate a hall of the Lakshman Kadirgamar Institute, to hold a conference. Maithripala Sirisena was mentioned as the chief guest in it, and this conference was organized by an officer of the Presidential Secretariat. The Kadirgamar Institute after receiving the approval forwarded same to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs which comes under the purview of Minister Mangala Samaraweera. more..

June 22 (CT) A drastic social and cultural revolution has taken place in SL over the past few decades; with peoples' attitudes, culture, the calibre of the rulers and politicians, school teachers, parents and students alike, have taken a three hundred and sixty degree turn towards the depreciation of the social fabric of the country. The present day children will never be able to fathom the difference between now and the bygone era. The new generation may call it simply a fantasy. more..

June 22 (CT) The govt should closely work with the private sector which is beneficial to the people and the country, the Minister Mahinda Samarasinghe said. Q: What are the new development plans for the Ministry of Skills Development and Vocational Training? A: As the Minister of Skills Development and Vocational Training, our challenge is to capture as many youngsters as possible who exits the O/L and A/L streams and who do not enrol at a conventional university. more..

June 22 (ST) Glory be. So it came to pass that in the year of our lord two thousand and sixteen three wise people came from the east. They did not come on camels like those before them who came to Bethlehem. They winged their way, more comfortably too if they travelled business class. They bore no gifts for an infant son. They brought words of wisdom as taught them by their masters at home and an iota of hope to the leader they travelled thousands of miles to help. more..

June 22 (GV) If only political leaders knew the horrors of war first hand, they might find other ways to solve differences, to meet threats – perhaps go to the root causes of the conflicts that stem from crucial conversations about identity, rights and privileges – listen, seek to understand and compromise in the common interest – anything to stop the guns from coming out. Then again, war has become an economic machine – run by the Military Industrial Complex, more..

June 22 (Island) Franchise is the linchpin of democracy as is common knowledge. It helps give expression to the popular will and install administrations people deem fit to govern them. Elections are to franchise what water is to fish. Deprived of the medium of electoral contest, franchise suffers disuse atrophy and anarchy sets in. We saw this happen in the 1980s, when the JRJ govt, intoxicated with power, substituted a heavily rigged referendum for a general election. more..

June 22 (Island) The UNP/SLFP Alliance govt came together, ostensibly as a National Unity govt, thereby escaping the restrictions placed on the number of Ministers by the 19th Amendment. It had as its main objectives (a) the establishment of good governance and (b) the changing of the Constitution to restore democracy and to build national unity. This Alliance Govt was for a two year period, with provision for extension, to achieve these laudable objectives. more..

June 22 (CI) Angelo Mathews admitted he thought Sri Lanka had the game in the bag after a dramatic tie in the first ODI of the Royal London series. England went into the final over eight wickets down and needing 14 to win but levelled the scores off the final ball thanks to Liam Plunkett's six. England had early recovered from 82 for 6 through Jos Buttler and Chris Woakes but Mathews, did not blame his bowlers for the result and more..