May 26 (DN) The torrential rains that swept the country in the last few weeks and the resulting floods and landslides also swept away political concerns and differences if only ever so briefly. The natural disasters witnessed in the past few weeks were arguably second only to the deadly 2004 Tsunami that left over 30,000 dead in a matter of few minutes. While the death toll in the recent floods and landslides was in the hundreds- more..

May 26 (DM) The Ukranian national who had been killed by a wild elephant’s attack in Habarana had attempted to take a photograph with the elephant. Wildlife Health Management’ Director Dr. Tharaka Prasad said it has not yet been officially proved whether the photograph was a selfie or not. “It has been reported that the foreigner had been killed on Tuesday and his female companion was injured by the wild elephant’s attack, while they were on the Habarana-Sigiriya road,” he added. more..

May 26 (ST) The notion that banks’ and finance company directors in Sri Lanka are wildly overpaid, is indeed becoming true. Central Bank (CB), in a possible bid to better monitor salaries to enhance corporate governance of this sector, has written to all banks to send details of the remuneration of their directors. CB Governor Arjuna Mahendran said that the regulator wants the financial sector entities to contain their costs and limiting fixed costs such as high director salaries was one way to do it. more..

May 26 (EN) Sri Lanka's hydropower reservoirs boosted their storage 97% which is enough to generate 890.2 million units of electricity (GigaWatt hours) in less than two weeks, from torrential rains that hit the country in mid-May generating floods and landslides. Storage at hydro power reservoirs were only 540 GWh in the morning of May 12, 2016 which was 35 percent of the total water the state-run Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) can store. more..

May 26 (CT) The JVP said that arrangements have been made by the Red Star Relief Services Brigade of the JVP to hold a Shramadana Campaign on the 26th and 27th of this month to help people affected by the floods to clean up their houses and to clean out their flood water polluted wells. JVP MP Vijitha Herath, said JVP personnel will be deployed across the country on this volunteer programme. Volunteer organizations have also been invited by the JVP to boost the efficacy of the programme. more..

May 26 (Island) An Air Force helicopter was damaged at the Hingurakgoda SLAF base yesterday morning while it was taking off. SLAF Spokesman Group Captain Chandima Alwis said it was a Bell 206 Jet Ranger training craft. A cadet officer performing his individual training stint without an instructor had swerved the chopper to a side while taking off causing its rotor blade to touch the ground, Group Captain said adding that the pilot cadet officer had also sustained minor injuries. more..

May 26 (FT) The world’s largest sovereign wealth fund, Norway’s Pension Fund, with assets worth a staggering $ 800 billion, appears to be bullish on investing in Sri Lanka, having built a small yet growing portfolio of listed equities. Recently, the Norwegian Embassy revealed that its Pension Fund has invested $ 31 million in shares of 12 SL listed companies engaged in industrials, finance, telecom & consumer goods sectors. more..

May 26 (ST) SriLankan Airlines (SLA), on the back foot vis-à-vis a gigantic debt running into billions of rupees and desperately seeking a new management partner, is driving ahead with a mega public relations campaign in its most profitable market, India. The company has called for pitches from public relations companies here with Indian links and in India for a 12-month campaign at a fee of US$60,000 ++. According to the request for proposals, the work involved ‘obtaining exposure in more..

May 26 (FT) The anti-corruption commission has requested the Department of Immigration and Emigration to furnish the flight details, date of embarkation and the destination of Pushpa Rajapaksa, the wife of the former Minister Basil Rajapaksa, and his daughter Thejani, who were continuously absent to give statements over the alleged misuse offlights carried out by the Sri Lanka Air Force. PRECIFAC summoned the duo twice but they didn’t appear before the Commission. more..

May 26 (FT) Minister Harin Fernando outlined five key pillars for social innovation, pointing out that the advantage of foresight would be the differentiator in accelerated and inclusive economic growth. “In an age where the world keeps changing at a rapid pace, we have to continuously innovate and be one step ahead. In order to be a leader, we need social innovation that contributes towards positive development of society and engages more..

May 26 (Island) A four-year-old girl succumbed to her injuries at the Gampaha Hospital after her father had jumped before a moving van carrying her on the Minuangoda-Colombo road yesterday morning. The deceased was Udeshika Dulakshi Silva of Gangodamulla, Miriwatte. The 54-year-old father, too, sustained serious injuries. He is being treated at the Gampaha Hospital. Investigations have revealed that the victims father who lived with his family in Mahawa had come to his ancestral home more..

May 26 (Hindu) The ‘Q’ Branch CID police in Coimbatore arrested four persons, including a Sri Lankan refugee, a Sri Lankan national and two residents of Chennai on Tuesday for allegedly collecting money from inmates of the Sri Lankan refugee camp at Kottur in rural Coimbatore and tempting to illegally take them to Australia. The accused were identified as A. Edison (48), an inmate of the refugee camp at Kummidipoondi, L. Vimalan (31) of Yanai Vilunthan Kulam, more..

May 26 (Island) Defence Secretary Karunasena Hettiarachchi has sought advice from President Maithripala Sirisena in respect of Eastern Province Chief Minister Z.A. Nazeer, who had been accused of humiliating Captain I.R. Premaratne, the senior officer-in-charge of Sampoor base Vidura in public on May 20 at the opening of a science lab and computer unit at Sampoor Maha Vidyalaya. Nazeer represents the SLMC, more..

May 26 (Reuters) Floods in Sri Lanka which have forced more than 350,000 people from their homes have left some families with nothing, the Red Cross said as it launched an emergency appeal to deliver relief to tens of thousands of people in the country. Last week's floods, considered the worst natural disaster in the Indian Ocean region since a 2004 tsunami, destroyed more than 125,000 houses and killed at least 92 people, with a further 109 feared trapped beneath landslides. more..

May 26 (DN) Colombo Crimes Division (CCD) informed Colombo Chief Magistrate Gihan Pilapitiya that kidney transplant surgeries were performed at a private hospital after using fake rubber stamps of the Indian medical practitioners. The CCD told Court that forged documents pertaining to the kidney transplant had been formulated to the name of Dr. Rama Krishnan, Dr. Umesh Khanna and lawyer Aris Subramaniam. CCD further submitted to Court that these surgeries had been performed during more..

May 26 (Island) Compensation amounting to Rs. 100,000 each for loss of life and Rs 100,000 to Rs. 250,000 each for property damaged by recent floods and landslides would be provided by the govt. Many of the victims, whose houses were submerged in flood waters, however said what was offered by the state was hardly enough even to colourwash their houses going by today’s costs. They asked how they were to replace all their more..

May 26 (Island) Eastern Province Chief Minister Z.A. Nazeer said that he had been treated shabbily by Governor Austin Fernando and those responsible for organizing an event at Sampoor. CM Nazeer said that had rushed from Kinniya along with Eastern province Education Minister S. Thandayuthapani (TNA) after having participated in a function whereas Governor Fernando, US Ambassador Atul Keshap and Chief Secretary flew from Kinniya to Sampoor in an SLAF chopper. more..

May 26 (Island) University of Ruhuna signed two MOUs with Chinese Academy of Sciences to establish the China-Sri Lanka Joint Centre for Education and Research to expand opportunities in the two fields. The MoUs were signed for the China-Sri Lanka joint research programme and Joint Master’s degree programme in Sciences by Vice Chancellor of the Ruhuna University Prof. Gamini Senanayake and Prof. Tan Tieniu, the Vice President of Chinese Academy of Sciences more..

May 26 (DN) The Monetary Board of the Central Bank should submit a detailed quarterly report on the issuing of foreign and local bonds to the Parliamentary Committee on State Finance, according to a directive issued by PM Ranil Wickremesinghe. PM’s office said that even though state finance was a subject directly coming under the purview of Parliament according to section 148 of the constitution most monetary activities more..

May 26 (FT) PM Ranil Wickremesinghe has expressed delight over the London Stock Exchange Group’s (LSEG) decision to expand its investment in Sri Lanka. “We are delighted that LSEG has chosen to expand its technology business in Sri Lanka, creating more than 400 highly skilled jobs in the region,” the Premier had said when a delegation from the LSEG called on him last week in Colombo. “London Stock Exchange Group already employs over 700 personnel in the country and more..

May 26 (Island) Speaker Karu Jayasuriya warned in Parliament that he would be compelled to take disciplinary action against the MPs who had used abusive language against senior officers of Parliament and snatched their documents if they did not apologise for their misdeeds. Speaker said so after Minister Harin Fernando had tendered an apology for using un-parliamentary language on May 18. Speaker Jayasuriya said that he had studied the video footage of the MPs’ protest against more..

May 26 (FT) The appointment of ex-TRC Director General Anusha Palpita to high bureaucratic office in the Home Affairs Ministry and tolerance of senior officials publicly hobnobbing with sinister and notorious corporate entities like the Avant-Garde Chairman smacks of the new administration’s disdain for its own Yahapalanaya slogan and reinforces growing perceptions of Govt complicity in stalling or delaying corruption cases against more..

May 26 (DM) With the national unity govt’s long term economic strategy involving opportunities, at city and rural levels for creative and imaginative jobs, there is much scope for new reflection and redesigning on World Interiors’ Day which will be marked on Saturday May 28. The International Federation of Interior Architects/Designers (IFI) says this event is designed to spotlight interior architecture/design. The main aim is to actively engage professionals, organizations, more..

May 26 (DM) If we look at Sri Lanka’s history, we have been subjected to many a natural disaster. We have heard of famines in ancient times, tsunamis and floods and cyclones in recent times. But as a people, we have always risen above these calamities, simply because we are always willing to help others in times of distress. Between 1950 and 1980, Govt Agent and his officials were so able to bring such a calamity under control. He was supported by the Grama Sevakas, more..

May 26 (DM) Many lives were lost, property damaged and tens of thousands displaced in the recent weather related calamities. What mitigatory plans does the govt. have to handle similar catastrophes in the future? The floods, landslides and inclement weather that wrought havoc in the country appears to have been an eye opener for policy makers to adopt mitigatory measures to minimise natural-disaster more..

May 26 (LBO) The European Commission is providing 200,000 Euro (Rs. 32.8 million) in humanitarian funding to assist the most affected populations from floods and landslides in Sri Lanka. This aid will directly benefit 20,000 individuals who have been heavily impacted in five of the worst-hit districts in the country’s West, namely Colombo, Gampaha, Puttalam, Kegalle and Kurunegala, Commission said in a statement. more..

May 26 (CT) The final report of the Public Representation Committee on Constitutional Reforms (PRCCR) is due to be handed over to PM Ranil Wickremesinghe on Friday, Chairman of the Commission, Lal Wijenaike said. He said, the final report has been prepared in English and consists of 300 pages and it has already been translated to Sinhala as well. He said the Tamil translation will be completed in 2-3 days time. more..

May 26 (SL) The recent event of forcible entry of opposition leader Sampanthan to a military camp in Paravipachchan with a group of nearly 50, including MP Sumanthiran, and MP Sridharanon on April 16th aroused a great deal of public interest. Some of govt ministers disapproved the act saying that people’s representatives can only enter a military camp with proper permission from necessary authorities. more..

May 26 (CG) Eastern Province Chief Minister Nazeer Ahamed has been banned from entering military camps and the security forces will also not attend any functions attended by him. The move follows an altercation the Chief Minister had with a Navy officer in Sampur last week. The Ministry of Defence had earlier briefed President Maithripala Sirisena on the incident involving Ahamed. more..

May 26 (DM) Former President and Kurunegala District MP Mahinda Rajapaksa said in Parliament that all persons should act in unison rather than hurling allegations against each other to serve the victims of natural catastrophes. While participating in the debate on natural disaster in the House, he said the country witnessed serious calamities such as floods in 1958, the cyclone in 1978 and the tsunami in 2004. more..

May 26 (PMD) President Maithripala Sirisena arrived this morning in Nagoya in Southern Japan to participate in the G-7 Outreach Summit in Ise-Shima, an island south of Nagoya. President was received at the airport by Yoji Muto, Japanese Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Hideaki Oomura, Governor of Aichi Prefecture, Hideaki Oomura, Ambassador Dhammika Dissanayake, other officials and diplomats. more..

May 26 (Island) NFF Leader MP Wimal Weerawansa called upon the govt to take action against those responsible for damaging an ancient Buddha statue belonging to the Anuradhapura Period at Temple Trees. He said: "Now there is a golden opportunity for the govt to show that they respect accountability. It should punish those responsible for the great loss. There are media reports of a seated bronze Buddha statue more..

May 26 (SLA) Sri Lanka Army troops, including 1 Field Engineer Regiment this morning (25) hand in hand with the Ministry of Land Reclamation, began to clear the Attanagalu Oya outfall at Ja-Ela which remained disrupted due to heaps of garbage washed away in recent floods. Lieutenant General Crishanthe De Silva, Commander of the Army, responding positively to a request of respective state agencies, more..

May 26 (Island) The UK will make representations to UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein on behalf of the Tamil Diaspora regarding what UK based sources called extremely slow progress in the implementation of the Geneva Resolution adopted on Oct 1, 2015. State Minister at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office Hugo Swire has assured All Party Parliamentary Group for Tamils more..

May 26 (Island) The Court of Appeal gave the Attorney General time till June 6 to submit his observations in respect of the application for Sri Lankan Citizenship made by Kumar Gunaratnam alias Noel Mudalige of the FSP. Gunaratnam in his writ application to the Court of Appeal has said that he was born in Sri Lanka and he has the right to apply for Sri Lankan citizenship. Commissioner General of Immigration and Emigration has so far not granted him citizenship on the basis that more..

May 26 (CT) Will the foreign aid flowing into the country following torrential rains, widespread floods, landslides and gale force winds since 14 May 2016 reach their victims? This is the question raised by many circles in view of the heartless looting of billions of dollars of tsunami aid allegedly by politicians, bureaucracy and others involved. Almost 12 years after tsunami today there are Muslim victims in the east living in make shift camps ignored by govt, authorities & their own politicians. more..

May 26 (CT) It was reported yesterday about an incident of Eastern Province Chief Minister Nazeer Ahamed scolding a naval officer over a protocol issue, in the presence of Eastern Province Governor Austin Fernando who was the Chief Guest and US Ambassador Atul Keshap. The video had gone viral and it certainly raises a lot of concerns due to multiple reasons. The event, in which this incident occurred, took place at the Sampur Maha Vidyalaya, on Friday. more..

May 26 (Reuters) Shares closed at a four-week low in thin trade on Thursday, led by blue chips amid foreign investor outflow as investor sentiment took a hit on rising interest rates despite the central bank keeping key policy rates steady last week. Yields on treasury bills edged up by between 5 and 27 basis points to near three-year highs at a weekly auction on Wednesday. The central bank left key policy rates steady for a third straight month. The stock index fell 0.22%, or 14.73 points, to 6,568.76, more..

May 26 (CG) Govt says it is looking to deepen ties with the United States and appointed a new official for this purpose. SL Embassy in Washington said Sri Lanka’s deepening political and economic partnership with the US, and it increasing people to people contacts require further expansion of Sri Lankan representation throughout the United States. Ambassador Prasad Kariyawasam handed over more..