June 25 (ST) Forced into the slow lane by the govt’s sudden tax hike, high interest rates and lowering the car leasing facility to 70% from 100%, Sri Lanka’s only maker of assembled cars, Micro Cars Ltd has cut down production almost by half this year compared to the production last year. Founder of Micro Cars Ltd and Chairman Micro Holdings (Pvt) Ltd, veteran automobile engineer Dr. Lawrence Perera who is also, the franchisee for Renault Trucks of France, more..

June 25 (Hindu) DMK leader M. Karunanidhi on Friday alleged that Chief Minister Jayalalithaa was harping on the Katchatheevu issue only to divert the people’s attention from the regular problems faced by the Tamil fishermen. “Whenever she raised this issue, I have given a proper explanation on behalf of the DMK. She is harping on the issue only with ulterior motives,” Mr. Karunanidhi said. The DMK leader said the AIADMK govt in 2012 had informed the Madras High Court that more..

June 25 (Island) The COPE had no political agenda and it had never attempted to whitewash CB Governor Arjuna Mahendran, COPE Chairman and JVP MP Sunil Handunnetti told Parliament. He made the observation in reply to an allegation made by MP Wimal Weerawansa that the COPE was deliberately acting to take Mahendran off the hook. Handunnetti, rejecting the allegation by his erstwhile comrade, said MP Weerawansa more..

June 25 (Island) Delivering the keynote address at a Briefing Session organized by the Standard and Trade Development Facility (STDF) Division of WTO held on 21st June to share SL’s experience on the Cinnamon Development Project Assistance, R.D.S. Kumararatne, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Sri Lanka to the World Trade Organization highlighted how technical and funding assistance from international agencies such as WTO, UNIDO, ITC and WIPO are important more..

June 25 (EN) Sri Lanka’s tea export volumes in May 2016 fell by almost a quarter from a year ago with the unit value of exports in the first five months of the year slumping to the lowest in six years. Customs data analyzed by Asia Siyaka Commodities shows exports in May 2016 fell 23% to 21.2 million kilos from the year before, the lowest since 2004. Shipments for the five months ending May have declined 5% to 117.8 million kilos from the same period in 2015, they said in a report. more..

June 25 (DN) The Supreme Court dismissed a Fundamental Rights petition filed by a Singaporean company over alleged irregularities said to have taken place when supplying coal to the Lanka Coal Company Ltd in 2015. Three-judge-Bench upheld the preliminary objections raised by Additional Solicitor General S. Rajaratnam on the ground that the petitioner does not have locus standi to invoke the jurisdiction of the court under more..

June 25 (FT) Norwegian PM Erna Solberg welcomed the progress in Sri Lanka in reconciliation, strengthening democracy, good governance and economic development policy. Minister Mangala Samaraweera, who was on an official visit to Norway from 21-23 June, called on PM Erna Solberg on 21st June. PM Solberg expressing her views during the meeting with Minister Samaraweera acknowledged the valuable contribution to Norway by the Sri Lankan community in the country and more..

June 25 (CT) Media spokesman of Ministry of Power & Renewable Energy Sulakshana Jayawardene says that CEB has sustained a loss of Rs. 44 million in the explosion of the army ammunition dump at Salawa, Kosgama earlier this month. "All the 33 KW electrical lines in the Salawa, Kosgama area had been completely destroyed in the explosion while al lines near the High Level Road and the primary grid station which stretch up to Padukka have also been rendered non-usable. more..

June 25 (Island) Minister Dayasiri Jayasekera on Thursday declared that President would not extend CB Governor Arjuna Mahendran's term under any circumstances. Minister Jayasekera emphasized that a decision had been made in respect of Mahendran. The announcement was made amidst a widening rift in the govt over a second term for Governor Mahendran, accused of manipulating the issue of Central Bank bonds more..

June 25 (DM) One of Shakespeare’s most quoted sayings is “O! Judgement Thou art fled to brutish beasts and men have lost their reason.” When this line was quoted in a newspaper, some typographical devilry led to brutish beasts being printed as British beasts. We were reminded of this yesterday when a sort of a British beast – meaning the hard-lined right wing if not white supremacists’ vice – emerged at the referendum with a 52%-48% majority vote for Britain to leave the European Union (EU). more..

June 25 (DM) It sucks being ignored when you badly need attention! DIG Ranjith Perera, commandant of STF could not have agreed more. Last week he unleashed a tirade against the media for allegedly ignoring the role of the STF in the recent multi-billion-rupee cocaine bust. STF chief’s outburst, which has now landed him in hot water -- the IGP has ordered a disciplinary inquiry against the former- was more a lament than a threat. And he smacks a bit of Mervyn Silva, more..

June 25 (DM) Many of our rural folks have been conditioned and brainwashed with a notion that poverty is caused mainly by exploitation of one class by the other. The influx of Socialist Marxist thinking, in addition to the sheer arrogance and insensitivity of the ruling class which was dominated and spearheaded by educated, English-speaking elites, who were clustered around big cities in the country, more..

June 25 (NS) Amidst allegations of the use of cluster munitions by the military during the final stages of the war, the main Tamil political opposition party suggested that recoveries made in war-torn areas during demining process be treated as evidence with forensic value for possible use in a probe into war crimes allegations. General Secretary of TNA, MP Mavai Senathirajah said that it was responsibility of the Govt to preserve more..

June 25 (ST) In the early days after the devastating fire at the Salawa ammunition dump, Ananda Nimal was an angry man. When soldiers berated a photojournalist for shooting pictures of the ravaged camp through a shattered wall in his brother’s house, he launched into a tirade. “Who do they think they are!” he burst out, defiantly. “We have nothing left to lose. You take your pictures. We will take care of the rest.” He even smiled and more..

June 25 (Island) Former Foreign Minister Rohitha Bogollagama asserted that UK’s exit from the EU would certainly hurt SL. He said the Brexit couldn’t have happened at a worse time for SL, particularly against the backdrop of the ongoing negotiations to regain GSP plus trade concessions. Bogollagama said that British exit would cause chaos in both UK as well as EU territory, thereby affecting large markets and more..

June 25 (DN) A lawyer yesterday filed a Fundamental Rights petition in the Supreme Court seeking an Interim Order directing President Sirisena to stay the operations of the tax exemption granted to MPs to import vehicles up to the value of $62,500. The petition had been filed by attorney-at-law Nagananda Kodituwakku seeking an order to stay the operation of tax exemption granted to MPs to import vehicles, gazetted (No 1965/2) under more..

June 25 (CG) The Bodu Bala Sena (BBS) has been accused of going back to its old habits of making hate speeches against the Muslim community. Muslim Council of SL has written to IGP Pujith Jayasundara saying BBS General Secretary the Venerable Galaboda Aththe Gnanasara Thero had threatened a repeat of the Aluthgama violence against the Muslim community, during a speech he made in Mahiyangana on 23 June. more..

June 25 (DN) Minister Lakshman Kiriella and JVP Leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake locked horns in Parliament over the COPE investigations on Central Bank Treasury Bonds controversy. A heated argument occurred between them when MP Dissanayake wrapped up his speech during the debate on Right to Information Bill. Kiriella, making a clarification on Dissanayake’s revelation on COPE findings on more..

June 25 (NS) The country’s economists and exporters predicted that in the wake of Britain’s exit from the European Union (EU), Sri Lanka would face negative consequences across the board in many areas. On June 24, the British public in an epoch-making referendum voted in favour of moving out of the EU, prompting speculation fuelled by incumbent Conservative PM, David Cameron himself that he would step down, more..

June 25 (EN) Sri Lanka's central bank needs a new Governor to be in office by preferably by end-of-day June 30, so that officers will have the authority to legally carry out their functions and ensure the markets operate smoothly, analysts say. The term of office of Sri Lanka's controversial central bank Governor Arjuna Mahendran who is under a parliamentary probe for alleged irregularities on bond auctions, end on June 30. more..

June 25 (DN) Minister Dr. Rajitha Senaratne in Parliament denied reports that expired stocks of drugs stored at the State Pharmaceuticals Corporation’s warehouse were passed to the private sector. He made this observation in reply to COPE Chairman Sunil Handunnetti over his statement following an inspection tour of a SPC warehouse on Thursday. “This particular SPC warehouse has been used to store expired drugs more..

June 25 (Island) Amila Jayasinghe, son of J.C.P. Jayasinghe now receiving treatment at the Welikade Prison Hospital after being arrested along with PHU leader Udaya Gammanpila, was taken into custody yesterday by prison authorities while attempting to handover Rs. 50,000 to his father. Later the suspect was handed over to the Borella police. The suspect had told police that the money was given to his father to be used as his legal fees. Gammanpila and Jayasinghe were arrested by more..

June 25 (DM) The survey work for the acquisition of land is now underway for the launch of the Panadura–Ratnapura Expressway project, Minister Lakshman Kiriella said. The work on the elevated road project between Kelaniya-Rajagiriya and Colombo-Kandy Expressway would also commence soon. The construction of an expressway linking Panadura and Ratnapura was proposed during the previous regime. Once constructed, travel time between the two cities would be reduced to half an hour. more..

June 25 (CT) Should the Govt come to an agreement with the TNA over a modified version of 13 A, we would have come to an important new phase in our decades long struggle to find a political solution for the ethnic problem. However that agreement, reached at an elite political level, would mean nothing at all if it finds no acceptance among the mass of the Sinhalese people who have a deep ingrained allergy to any substantial measure of devolution because of their conviction that more..

June 25 (CT) I have been accused by many in comments to my articles that I continue to write about the pogrom in Aluthgama and Muslims while the Tamils have had to undergo state terrorism during the 30 year ethnic conflict. For them, the two deaths and billions worth of damage is minor compared to the death of over 200,000 people and trillions worth of damage during the long drawn ethnic violence against the Tamil population. While none can justify another, it is important more..

June 25 (Island) Rivers of the world, which is part of the Connecting Classrooms programme and the flagship arts and education project of the Thames Festival Trust delivered in partnership with the British Council. Sri Lanka has been involved in this project for two years and six schools taking part. The project enables young people to explore, celebrate and share their local environment, learn about other cultures and engage with global issues. It also provides fantastic opportunities for more..

June 25 (SL) By defeating the Joint Opposition- sponsored no-trust vote against Finance Minister Ravi Karunanayake, 145-51 in the 225-member Parliament, the ruling Maithiri-Ranil duo has proved that they have the numbers. The last time Minister Karunanayake faced a similar threat was in the previous Parliament. President Maithripala Sirisena averted a possible embarrassment to the Government by keeping up the delayed promise to dissolve the House and order fresh polls. more..

June 25 (CG) The projects launched by former Govt which were termed as white elephant projects are to be revived by the current Govt. PM Ranil Wickremesinghe said that Hambantota port and airport will be made fully operational to receive higher traffic than it currently does. “We promised to fill the Hambantota port with ships. We are ready for that. Only one plane arrives at the Mattala international airport. more..

June 25 (CT) We must be thankful to the Principal of Dharmaraja College for the action taken to remove half the members of the school Rugby team, for their involvement in last week's ugly brawl. Let this be a lesson for other principals to be more aware of the goings on with rugby teams in their schools. President of the SL Rugby Referees' Society, Nizam Jamaldeen's expression to an online sport programme 'A player punching an opponent and the Dharmaraja bench reacting more..

June 25 (CT) Prior to 2015 TNA MP M.A. Sumanthiran and Minister Mangala Samaraweera who was then in the Opposition had joined hands and met several Tamil diaspora organizations abroad to seek their support to overthrow the Rajapakse regime. They even succeeded significantly in gaining the support of some of the prominent Tamil diapsora organizations such as the Global Tamil Forum (GTF) and British Tamil Forum (BTF) in torpedoing Rajapaksa regime. more..

June 25 (ENS) Tamil press in Sri Lanka, which was very hopeful that the UNHRC would render justice to Tamil victims of Eelam War IV, has now lost faith in the international body’s commitment to the goals it had set for itself in the resolution it passed in Sept-Oct 2015. Despite strong and continued interest in securing international support for SL Tamil cause, Tamil press showed little optimism that on-going session of UNHRC more..

June 25 (DM) The police has busted a drug racket operating in and around several nightclubs in Colombo and seized drugs worth Rs. 600,000. Police said a manager of a garment factory, a close friend of a defeated MP who had close connection with nightclubs and another man were arrested in connection with the drug racket. Six people including two female employees of nightclubs and a basketball coach of a leading school had been arrested and released after being revealed more..

June 25 (Island) An order by the Colombo Municipal Council (CMC) not to proceed with the construction of a seven storeyed housing complex at Frankfurt Place, Colombo-04 and to demolish what has already been constructed has been ignored by its owners, who continue with the construction. The CMC said the construction of the building on a 17-perch block of land was illegal and it had ordered the owners to demolish it within 14 days of receipt of the notice to demolish. more..

June 25 (PTI) Terming the recent arrest of five TN fishermen in mid-sea by SL Navy as an inhumane act, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa urged the Centre to take up the matter with the highest authorities of the island nation. In a letter to PM Narendra Modi, Jayalalithaa said the boat which carried five fishermen from Tamil Nadu last week drifted ashore due to an engine snag following which they were arrested by SL govt. more..

June 25 (DM) JVP leader and Chief opposition whip Anura Kumara Dissanayke told Parliament that JVP members representing the Committee on Public Enterprises (COPE) are ready to resign from it if anyone thinks the stand taken by his party on certain issues affect the investigations carried out by the said committee. He was responding to a statement made by Leader of the House Lakshman Kiriella that COPE members should not divulge information on its investigations . more..

June 25 (AD) SPC Minister D.V. Upul, who was arrested after he surrendered to police over an assault incident, has been released on bail by the Hambantota Magistrate’s Court. He was ordered released on two personal bails of Rs 500,000 each after being produced at court today. A complaint had been lodged with police accusing a group of individuals including the provincial minister of assaulting an individual identified as T.M. Premadasa of Pallemalla on June 15. more..

June 25 (PSL) President says the govt is making arrangements to introduce a new national policy for the admissions of children to schools to prevent the parents going after politicians and govt officers for the purpose of school admissions of their children. President was speaking at the annual prize giving ceremony of Royal College. “Plans made by every govt so far regarding the school admissions of the children have failed so far. more..

June 25 (PSL) President Maithripala Sirisena requested private sector investors to join with the Govt’s initiatives in making Sri Lanka an energy self-sufficient nation in the next ten years while fulfilling the energy requirement of the country. This invitation was extended by the President during a special discussion held at the Presidential Secretariat regarding the new investments on power and energy. President gave instructions to the officials to continuously conduct more..