Apr 3 (ITN) Veteran female vocalist of the gramophone era and the country’s senior-most songstress Vivienne de Silva Boralessa passed away. She passed away this morning at the age of 86. Vivienne de Silva Boralessa who was an A Grade vocalist of the SLBC, started singing when she was barely eight years old. She was awarded with several unique awards in recent years especially for her longstanding contributions to the music field. These include state awards, more..

Apr 3 (Island) Sri Lanka’s technology conglomerate—Epic Technology Group, synonymous for innovative FinTech Solutions have come forward to construct a state-of-the-art Research and Innovation Lab at the University of Moratuwa (UOM). Epic Technology Group takes pride in being the only Sri Lankan Technology Conglomerate to have an In-house, fully equipped state of the art Research and Innovation centre with dedicated innovators and researchers." more..

Apr 3 (ITN) The Youth Camp organized at Trincomalee has drawn to a successful close. The National Youth Services Council has referred to plans to hold more Youth Camps in the future. Youth Camp programme resumed on a concept of PM. It commenced against under the theme The Future Has Begun in the year 2016. Around 6000 local as well as foreign youths participated in this Camp which continued for 4 days. more..

Apr 3 (ITN) Minister Rajitha Senaratne has said that everyone including the President and PM is ready for the conduct of a referendum on the Constitution if necessary. He made this reference expressing views to the media after attending a function held in Vavuniya. The Health Ministry has drawn up plans for the launch of 19 Centres for the conduct of the Blood Transfusion Service countrywide. The Seventh Centre built at the Vavuniya District Hospital was opened more..

Apr 3 (DC) Mahela Jayawardene is back at Wankhede stadium as Mumbai Indians coach. Six years ago his team Sri Lanka were on the cusp of history by taking on hosts India in the World Cup final. Jayawardene struck an unbeaten 103 to guide Sri Lanka to a challenging 274 and Lasith Malinga reduced India to 31/2 before Gautam Gambhir and Mahendra Singh Dhoni played blinders to easily chase the target. “I did not even remember it until I opened my Twitter account this morning. more..

Apr 3 (FT) In an emphatic move, Beijing has brought together two competing bidders for the Hambantota Port to work together, reinforcing China’s serious intent on SL though the latter is still grappling with differences of opinion on the crucial $ 1.4 billion public-private partnership (PPP) project. Beijing administration had asked China Merchants Port Holdings Company (CMPort), chosen party by Sri Lankan Govt, more..

Apr 3 (DM) During the previous regime several groups extorted money from businessmen in Pettah, Colombo with the support of the Govt, Minister Faiszer Musthapha said speaking at the AGM of the United Federation of Traders of the Pettah Business Community, Attending as the Chief Guest at the AGM he said that they would never experience such incidents in the Yahapalana Govt. “During the past regime there were groups that used to collect extortion from you with the backing of govt. more..

Apr 3 (DM) A tensed situation arose at the UNP meeting held on Saturday in Ambalangoda, when two senior Ministers who attended the meeting, failed to answer questions raised by the party members. At the meeting of UNP activists of Balapitiya, Ambalangoda, Karandeniya and Rathgama at which Ministers Vijira Abeywardena and P. Harrison participated, activities related to organising the party's May Day rally and future programmes were discussed. more..

Apr 3 (DN) Judicial Services Association (JSA) has unanimously adopted five resolutions seeking the removal of Ramanathan Kannan from the position of High Court Judge. The resolutions had been passed at a special meeting of the JSA held on Saturday. President in a discussion with the JSA has agreed to correct any procedural errors with regard to the appointment. First resolution of JSA states that it requests President Sirisena more..

Apr 3 (TOI) Six Indian smugglers were arrested by Sri Lankan navy in the island nation's territorial waters on Sunday for possessing substance suspected to be heroin. The banned substance weighing about 13.5 kg was reportedly seized from the men who travelled across the international maritime boundary line in the guise of fishermen. They were arrested following a search conducted in a boat on which they were travelling. According to SL navy, its team found the contraband more..

Apr 3 (PO) Pakistan Cricket Board is mulling to play its home series against Bangladesh in Sri Lanka, instead of the UAE, this year. Chairman PCB Shahryar Khan confirmed that SL is being considered as an option to host Pakistan’s home series against Bangladesh after a tri-party meeting in SL, which also involved representatives from BCB and SLC. “We could play either in Bangladesh or in a third country, which is acceptable to both sides, or we could even do it in Sri Lanka,” he said. more..

Apr 3 (Island) Accusing the Power and Renewable Energy Ministry of favoring costly diesel power generation, the Anti Corruption Front (ACF) has urged the govt to immediately review a series of investment proposals to establish liquified natural gas (LNG) plants. The ACF has called for reappraisal of the entire power generation plan to prevent an influential few from making a killing at the expense of the national economy. more..

Apr 3 (DM) Terrorism in its broadest sense is the use of intentionally indiscriminate violence as a means to create terror/fear to achieve a political, religious or ideological agenda. Its goal is intimidating the public. On March 22, four civilians and a policeman died in a terrorist attack carried out by a lone wolf Muslim attacker. The attack made headlines world-wide. But the international media paid scant attention to the report where on the same day; the U.S. military acknowledged it more..

Apr 3 (DM) Govt is dragging out the Constitutional Reform process. Is it a lack of political will? Fear of reaction from Joint Opposition? Or preoccupation with the crisis-prone economy? Historically, it has been a combination of all three - rickety political will, fear of political backlash and repeated economic crises - that derailed efforts at constitutional reform. Rather than mere barriers to constitutional reform, I would argue that these three concerns are part and parcel of the political solution itself. more..

Apr 3 (CT) PM Ranil Wickremesinghe said in Parliament Wednesday (22) that only international observers will be allowed and foreign judges will not be brought in to investigate allegations of war crimes committed during the last phases of the war. "There will be no Hybrid Courts, no foreign Judges and nothing that would harm the unitary status or sovereignty of the country," he said in Parliament. While some parties are ready more..

Apr 3 (DM) Second show performed by the renegade Marxist Wimal Weerawansa, this time for nine consecutive days to pressurize the country’s judiciary to get bail, had to be called off for the simple reason that no respectable citizen took any interest of him. Weerawansa, who staged his first fast unto death drama in July 2010 in front of UN Headquarters in Colombo to force the then UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon to stop more..

Apr 3 (Nikkei) A South Korean ship unloads its cargo of cars at a terminal in Hambantota port, providing the only sign of life at SL's newest harbor, sited on its southern coast. Rest of this $1.4 billion port, built with a loan from China's Export-Import Bank, sits idle. In some areas, weeds are spreading. Visitors to the port's administrative offices must tiptoe around feral dogs stretched out in front of an empty entrance hall. more..

Apr 3 (Island) Former minister A.H.M. Azwer urged the govt to explain what it intended to achieve by reshuffling the cabinet of ministers. Joint Opposition spokesman Azwer said that the Govt Medical Officers’ Forum (GMOF) call to replace Health Minister Rajitha Senaratne with a real UNPer was a joke. The former UPFA MP was responding to a recent statement issued by GMOF President Dr Rukshan Bellana carried on more..

Apr 3 (Island) Four gazettes reportedly impacting the Northern Muslim resettlement process in Wilpattu proximity are to be rescinded. "I informed the officials that I will present a Cabinet Paper to do way with the gazettes affecting resettlement of Northern Muslim IDPs." said Minister Rishad Bathiudeen on 31 March. He was speaking to some members of the press shortly after meeting a team of govt officials led by Secretary to more..

Apr 3 (CT) VCK Leader Tholkapiyan Thirumavalavan (Thiruma) of Tamil Nadu (TN) had visited Sri Lanka on three prior occasions but had no prominent exposure of his visits despite meeting Mahinda Rajapaksa and Tamil Tiger leader Prabhakaran during peace talks. However, when Thiruma and few other like-minded protested against Super Star of Tamil cinema - actor Rajinikanth's visit to Sri Lanka that was scheduled to happen more..

Apr 3 (LBO) The World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) will support Sri Lanka’s efforts to draft a national policy on Traditional Knowledge and Traditional Cultural Expressions, its Director General Francis Gurry said recently. WIPO’s national and cross-regional workshops on this theme, to be held in Colombo in April, will support the push for legislation, he said. Traditional knowledge (TK) is considered to be a more..

Apr 3 (PMD) It is the political thirst of the young generation as well as the public of this country, is to see an honest, energetic and a clean political movement. President also emphasized that he will not hesitate to take action against those who are charged with frauds, corruption and misuse of State funds and resources, irrespective of their political affiliations. Remarks were made by Prez addressing National Youth Convention more..

Apr 3 (ST) SriLankan Airlines has been slapped with fresh litigation, just days after dodging an expensive legal battle with a company through which it extended leases on three A330-200 aircraft. Duty Free Partners (DFP), supplier of SriLankan’s onboard duty free products, on Friday took out an enjoining order preventing the national carrier from terminating its contract. DFP’s operation with SriLankan was due to end on Mar 31, 2017. more..

Apr 3 (EN) Sri Lanka's unemployment has dropped to 4.2% in the fourth quarter of 2016 from 4.4% a year earlier, and also from 4.5% in the third quarter of 2016, data from the state statistics office show. Most of the jobs were created in the services and industrial sectors, while the agriculture sector was flat amid a drought. However for long term prosperity people have to move out of agriculture into industry and service, more..

Apr 3 (CT) It is for the first time Indian Navy Chief Admiral Sunil Lanba has admitted the violation of the Int'l Maritime Border Line (IMBL) between Sri Lanka and India by the Indian fishermen. Admiral Sunil Lanba addressing a press conference in Vellore last Friday while admitting the violation of the IMBL by the South Indian fishermen had also pointed out the importance of settling the issue through amicable discussions between the fishing associations of India and Sri Lanka. more..

Apr 3 (CT) In the public perception there is a sense of drift in the constructive activities of the govt on all fronts. President Sirisena has been attempting to overcome this sense of drift by political means. He has been having public programmes that enhance his own visibility. An example would be the SLFP Youth Convention where he expressed his intentions of holding the much delayed local govt elections this year. He also gave leadership to a public exhibition of locally manufactured products more..

Apr 3 (EN) Australia’s Minister for Int'l Development and the Pacific, Senator  Concetta Fierravanti-Wells, will visit Sri Lanka this week and launch a program to create better jobs and entrepreneurial opportunities for women. The 4-7 April visit will her first to Sri Lanka as Minister for International Development and the Pacific, the Australian High Commission in Colombo said. “Australia’s $80 million aid program over four years is entering a new phase,” it said. more..

Apr 3 (AN) A cairns-based woman has been deported to Sri Lanka while her young son remains on Australian soil. Immigration lawyer Frank Lanza said his client Nilanthi Senaratne was sent home late last year after a long-running battle to remain in Australia. Her son, who attends primary school in Cairns, was allowed to stay with his adoptive grandmother. Mr Lanza said his client had falsely claimed refugee status on advice of an immigration agent who was later deregistered for fraud. more..

Apr 3 (DM) Steering Committee working on Constitutional proposals had broadly agreed on power devolution and the interim report based such concluded matters would be presented soon. Party leaders met with last Monday to discuss the way forward in this regard. TNA MP M.A. Sumanthiran, who is privy to the Constitution making process, said there were areas already agreed upon. “We decided to go ahead and finalise the interim report more..

Apr 3 (DM) Former UNP General Secretary Tissa Attanayake was today granted permission to travel abroad by Colombo High Court Judge. Subsequently, his passport was released to him by the Court. Filing a motion into the case in which he was accused of allegedly publishing a letter with forged signatures of the then common opposition candidate Maithripala Sirisena and the then opposition leader Ranil Wickramasinghe 2015 presidential election campaign, more..

Apr 3 (AD) Colombo Fort Magistrate’s Court has rejected a bail application filed by former Minister and NFF leader Wimal Weerawansa on Monday. A Counsel appearing on behalf of Weerawansa had earlier filed the application seeking bail for his client. A request was also made to grant bail for Weerawansa considering the medical condition of his daughter who was undergoing treatment at a state hospital. Counsel pointed out the child had been hospitalized due to depression caused more..

Apr 3 (DM) President Maithripala Sirisena has not been given the authority from the 19th Amendment to the Constitution to reshuffle the Cabinet, PHU General Secretary Udaya Gammanpila said. According to the 43 (1) and (2) clauses of the Constitution, he said the consent of the PM is needed for the President to make a decision about Cabinet Ministers. “When the Constitution was amended, Supreme Court more..

Apr 3 (DM) Ample space for distortions in national account estimates may exist due to shortcomings in conducting surveys, which requires constant vigilance, a leading statistician in South Asia said recently. “In national surveys, you should concentrate on non-sampling areas more than on sampling areas, because in the sampling size, everything is tightly controlled. The non-sampling areas could be out of control,” Indian Statistical Unit Social Sciences Division Economic Research more..

Apr 3 (DN) Two traffic Police officers who beat up a 16-year old motorcyclist in broad daylight on Saturday in the center of Dodangoda town, have been suspended. TV channels telecast scenes of the assault on the motorist.  Police officers knocked the motorist over to the ground and kicked him while he was on the ground. The incident brought out a large public presence. Two officers have been suspended over the incident. Beaten-up motorist had lodged a complaint with the Police more..

Apr 3 (DN) University of Peradeniya has been temporarily shut as over 30% students at the university have taken ill with a viral flu. Approximately 1,500 students have been admitted to the Kandy and Peradeniya Hospitals. It is suspected that they might be suffering from the H1N1 influenza but this has not be confirmed as of yet. The students from the university have been allocated a separate ward for treatment. more..

Apr 3 (LM) A Chennai court sent MDMK chief Vaiko to 15 days’ judicial custody on Monday for speaking in favour of LTTE in 2009. Vaiko, who has been seeking early disposal of the pending case, surrendered before the court on Monday and refused to apply for bail. Consequently, the magistrate had to remand a judicial custody. MDMK leader who had been supporting the cause of Tamil Eelam (independent state for Tamils in Sri Lanka), in a public meeting in 2008, more..

Apr 3 (ST) Making a historic land mark in Sri Lanka, the world largest Pure Car and Truck Carrier (PCTC), the mv Hoegh Trigger owned and operated by m/s Hoegh Autoliners AS – Oslo, arrived on her maiden call at the Port of Hambantota on last Friday.  The Hoegh Autoliners - AS have very well established their presence in the region by making Sri Lanka especially the Port of Hambantota as  one of their  main ports  for Transshipment of vehicles to various other ports in the world. more..

Apr 3 (CI) After years of failing to find a partner for Tillakaratne Dilshan at the top of the order, Sri Lanka suddenly find themselves having a logjam at the top of the order. Niroshan Dickwella is unavailable for this series, and yet, the hosts have in their squad four men who can open the batting, with each of them having trodden a different path. Upul Tharanga - the oldest of the four - has usually been thought of for the longer formats, but more..

Apr 3 (Island) SL’s appointment of Major General Shavendra Silva to the new position of Adjutant General of the army has sparked widespread criticism, according to Tamil Guardian. Major General Silva, who commanded the army’s 58 division during the final stages of the ethnic conflict in 2009 where tens of thousands of Tamils were massacred by shelling and aerial bombardment of civilian areas, assumed his duties at a ceremony on Thursday at the army’s headquarters.  more..