July 1 (CT) In line with the duty of developing and maintaining an efficient, coordinated and economical system of electricity supply for the whole of Sri Lanka (CEB Mission), CEB has submitted its Least Cost Long Term Generation Expansion Plan 2018-2037 (LTGEP) for the approval of the Public Utilities Commission of SL (PUCSL). The LTGEP draft report is the key document which defines Sri Lanka’s plans for generation expansion while  providing information on the demand forecast, more..

July 1 (CT) In a most welcome move, UNP Chairman Malik Samarawickrama announced: “UNP welcomes the statement of the Cabinet of Ministers, the PM and the President to use the full force of the law against those causing religious tensions, racial hatred and undermining the efforts at reconciliation since the new govt came to power.” However, it was an empty boast. It was only on 05.03.2017 that The Hindu wrote that SL govt had rejected a fresh appeal from the UN to allow international judges more..

July 1 (DN) Minister of Justice and Buddha Sasana Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe spoke on the recent controversy involving him and issues pertaining to minorities among others. Q: In a recent interview with the BBC, you said that there were four minor incidents regarding attacks on Churches. A: Not attacks. I meant incidents some of which were issues among themselves. Q: But there is documented evidence that it is beyond that. more..

July 1 (CT) ITAK leader and TNA MP Mavai S. Senathirajah became the first high profile Internally Displaced Person (IDP) to return last week to his house in Mavittapuram, in the Jaffna peninsula, after a lapse of 27 years. The ITAK, being the foremost Tamil political party founded by late S.J.V. Chelvanayagam seven decades ago, still remains a powerful political outfit winning the confidence of the majority of people in the North and East to fulfil their political aspirations. more..

July 1 (SL) The National Land Commission is proposed to be activated and all the country’s land issues will be brought under a national land policy according to a proposal included in the proposed new Constitution. As Sri Lanka is a small island its land mass holds greater value. About 75-80 % of the country’s lands still belong to the govt, but there is heavy criticism as to how the govt has utilised these lands for the welfare of the people. The main reason for this is more..

July 1 (NS) Ananthi Sasitharan was appointed Northern Provincial Minister of Women’s Affairs. She is the only female councillor among the 37 members. Sasitharan, the wife of former LTTE Trincomalee Political Head, Velayutham Sasitharan alias Elilan, speaks of her plans for women in the North, and their struggles. Q: You have been appointed the Minister of Women’s Affairs. What do you hope to do through this more..

July 1 (NS) A Youtube stunt went awfully wrong last week when a woman shot her husband dead accidentally in the US. Act was videoed as it was intended to be a prank in order to garner more hits on Youtube. Even though the incident does not have anything to do with Sri Lanka, it does trigger many questions over the extent to which people would go to in order to get something they want. In this case, it was online fame through number of hits. Internet has loads of crazy videos that involve more..

July 1 (Island) Minister Rajitha Senaratne has gone so far as to drag Lenin, of all late leaders, into SAITM dispute. He tells us that the legendary Bolshevik leader, if alive today, would call university students’ forcible entry into his ministry last week an act of terrorism. Referring to Lenin’s seminal work, Left-wing communism: An Infantile Disorder, minister has quoted chapter and verse, to drive his point home. Having cut his teeth on progressive politics as a dental science undergrad, more..

July 1 (NS) SAITM issue has come to the forefront of the political debate again, pushing many other issues to a side. While the student groups and the GMOA who have been fighting against the SAITM have asked for its complete abolition and nationalization of the Neville Fernando Hospital, the govt maintains that it would not nationalize the hospital, but take over it and run along the lines of Sri J'pura Hospital. Meanwhile, arrangements are under way to gazette the minimum standards more..

July 1 (Island) Philosophy of all physicians from time immemorial has been to provide healing to those who are sick. When a patient sees a doctor a relationship is established and it is considered sacred. The patient and the doctor are two persons equal in human dignity. As most people do not have family doctors the two are strangers. Yet, one trusts the other stranger and reveals to him/her one’s ailments and related personal matters expecting an appropriate diagnosis and treatment. more..

July 1 (Island) It may be the Sports Minister is angry because he was not compared to a monkey, but a macaque – to a rilava and not a vandura? Then monkey is the bigger in this species of primates, and politicians would always like to be associated with anything big. What is the problem he has with fat cricketers? It is part of his macaque or rilav thinking about the game of cricket. If he gets his ministry staff or those at SLC, more..

July 1 (LR) Today, Her Majesty The Queen presented young people from Sri Lanka with a Queen’s Young Leaders Award at Buckingham Palace, to honour Rakitha Malewana and Senel Wanniarachchi for their work in the fields of HIV/AIDS and social engagement. His Royal Highness Prince Harry joined The Queen in congratulating the winners at this special ceremony. Queen’s Young Leaders Awards programme, now in its third and penultimate year, celebrates more..

July 1 (LR) Over 1,100 Bharatanatyam dancers paid tribute to Canada as they performed in a spectacular red and white maple leaf flag formation in Toronto. Bharatha Mile 1000 was hosted by Canadian Tamil Arts and Cultural Organization. SL Tamil community come together to celebrate Canada’s 150 years, by combining the ancient traditional dance Bharatanatyam consisting over 1,100 dancers along with 150 singers. Over 40 dance teachers trained the students to participate in the iconic event more..

July 1 (Island) Notable performances in field events highlighted day one as school athletes from Western and Southern Provinces converged in their thousands and beat wet weather conditions to qualify for the final phase of Sir John Tarbet Junior Athletics Championship at Rajasinghe Central ground, Hanwella on Friday. According to officials of SLSAA over 4,000 athletes had entered for this phase covering the Western & Southern Provinces. more..

July 1 (CT) National Olympic Committee (NOC) successfully completed two workshops in Kandy on 29 June and in Colombo on 28 June ahead of their novel concept, debate programme under Olympic Value Education programme, for school children to promote Olympic Values which are Joy, Effort, Fair Play, Respect for others, pursuit of excellence, balance between body, will and mind. The aim of the workshop was to educate and better prepare school children for the programme where 20 schools more..

July 1 (Island) Although I am not quite an Anandian, I grew up with the values of patriotism and Buddhism that moulded my father, D.T. Devendra, as a young teacher at Ananda during the golden era of its Principal the charismatic Kularatne. Ananda's Old Boys' Association has now honoured their alma mater with this handsome, and amazingly comprehensive, volume of its history, achievements and the role it has played in Sri Lanka's modern history. Ananda was never just another more..

July 1 (ICC) SL batter Chamari Athapaththu has hogged the limelight in the early part of Women’s WC 2017 like no one had imagined. A dazzling 178 not out against defending champion Australia has overshadowed several fine performances and the left-hander believes she showed glimpses of her two batting heroes - Kumar Sangakkara & Sanath Jayasuriya, during the knock. “I started like Sanga & ended like Sanath” more..

July 1 (DN) Visakha Vidyalaya and St. Joseph’s College headed the points table with 156.50 and 189 respectively at 44th SL Schools Swimming Championship s second day morning session events held at Sugathadasa Swimming Pool Complex yesterday. In the second day morning session events four new meet records were set up. Pinsara Sadaham of Sussex College created a record in boys under 9 50m Breaststroke event by clocking 44.34 seconds while Royalist Banuka more..

July 1 (FT) Sri Lanka’s first multi-species marine finfish hatchery was inaugurated in Tharmapuram, Batticaloa to facilitate the development of marine finfish farming and produce sufficient amounts of marine fish to meet the demands of the national and international markets. The hatchery was ceremonially declared open by Minister Mahinda Amaraweera. State Minister of Rehabilitation and Resettlement, Chief Minister of the Eastern Province, the Minister of Fisheries of more..

July 1 (PSL) President Maithripala Sirisena pointed out the importance of streamlining and more efficiently implementing the programmes on waste management and prevention of dengue menace.  All should pay their special attention considering that these issues don’t belong to a certain political party or the Govt, but issues related to the lives of the all the citizens of the country.  He made these remarks addressing more..

July 1 (ST) Lionel Wendt Memorial Fund (LWMF) has announced a number of exciting initiatives, for local and international audiences, aimed at raising awareness about its unique art collection, a press release from the Fund stated. LWMF was established in 1948 with the purpose of perpetuating the legacy of Lionel Wendt (1900 -1944); it will celebrate its 70th anniversary in 2018 and is the only officially elected non-profit organisation in the world assigned to look after Wendt’s legacy more..

July 1 (ST) From clearing garbage on time, increasing penalties to garbage dumpers, increasing hospital facilities for dengue patients to holding municipal elections to urging the public to help the government in the anti-dengue drive. Like overflowing govt and private hospitals with dengue patients, dozens of Sri Lankans responded to a poll to examine issues pertaining to the dengue epidemic & its impact on society, with comments overflowing through street interviews and on email. more..

July 1 (DM) Five Policemen who were indicted in a murder trial had been sentenced to death by Kandy Provincial HC Judge presiding at the Panadura Provincial High Court. Each accused was also sentenced to six months imprisonment and fined Rs. 5,000 on the second indictment, when they were found guilty of the same. Court concluded the police murder case after 27 years Yesterday and passed death sentence more..

July 1 (Island) Sri Lanka can boost exports to Australia by US$ 1,622 million – ten times its current export volume – if the top 10 products with the highest indicative trade potential can be properly harnessed, a report compiled by the Economic Intelligence Unit of the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce states. Anushka Wijesinha, chief economist of the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce launching the report on Trade and Investment between SL – Australia and SL – NZ said, more..

July 1 (Island) On SL’s arrival home from Champions Trophy, SLC decided that Lasith Malinga should sit on the head table alongside captain Angelo Mathews to take journalists’ questions although vice-captain designated was Upul Tharanga. It proved to be a disaster. When asked about dropped catches that cost SL a semi-final berth in CT, Malinga said that catches won’t cost you matches. Popular saying in cricket, however, is that catches win you matches. more..

July 1 (NS) A fresh problem has arisen in the Northern Provincial Council (NPC) after two ministers had refused to cooperate with the three-member committee appointed by Chief Minister, C.V. Wigneswaran to probe allegations of corruption. Accordingly, the two ministers have questioned the legality of the 3-member committee appointed by the Chief Minister. Minister of Fisheries and Transport, B. Deniswaran alleged that more..

July 1 (Hindu) Indian High Commissioner to Sri Lanka Taranjit Singh Sandhu handed over as many as 16,000 books to the iconic Jaffna public library on Thursday. The collection will be kept at the India Corner in the library, which Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated during his maiden visit in 2015. “The titles cover topics ranging from culture, literature, philosophy, politics to science,” Chief Librarian Suganthy Sadasivamoorthy told The Hindu on Friday. more..

July 1 (DM) Nine persons, including the Borella Traffic Police OIC and four Police officers, who were arrested in connection with the robbery of gold and a lightning conductor, were further remanded till July 14, after being produced before the Colombo Chief Magistrate Lal Bandara today. The Cinnamon Garden Police informed Court that charges had been filed against the suspects under the firearms ordinance. The Police charged that the suspects used firearms during the incident. more..

July 1 (DN) Colombo Archbishop Malcolm Cardinal Ranjith while lodging a strong protest against the dumping of garbage in the Muthurajawela area. He appealed to the govt to find a long term solution to the issue without causing destruction to human life and the environment. He urged the govt to stop haphazard dumping of garbage and find a viable solution without causing destruction to human life and environment. more..

July 1 (HCI) Kirloskar Brothers Limited, one of the pioneering water pumps manufacturing company of India, handed over two state of the art portable heavy duty dewatering pumps to Minister of National Disaster Anura Priyadarshana Yapa at the Ministry of Disaster Management. The event was attended by Arindam Bagchi, Deputy High Commissioner of India, Abhijit Deshpande, representative of Kirloskar Brothers and S S Miyanawala Secretary of Ministry of Disaster Management. more..

July 1 (FT) United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) yesterday entered into a partnership with the Ministry of Science, Technology and Research to further develop and co-fund the Idea Board, an online crowd sourcing platform anchored at the Sri Lanka Innovation Dashboard, which is an initiative of the ministry. A collective effort between the UNDP and the ministry, the Idea Board was developed by a group of young developers brought together by the UNDP. more..

July 1 (Island) Senior Additional Director of Central Bank S. Fernando testifying before the Presidential Commission said that the market had been shocked when bids to the tune of Rs 10 billion were accepted in keeping with then CB Governor Arjuna Mahendran’s order on Feb 27, 2015. Fernando said she had found the market reaction from the telephone calls received by the front desk of CB Public Debt Department. more..

July 1 (HCI) In a ceremony held on June 30, the faculty of Agriculture and faculty of Engineering of Kilinochchi campus of University of Jaffna were dedicated by  Minister of  Higher Education and Highways, Lakshman  Kiriella, High Commissioner of India Taranjit Singh Sandhu and Governor of Northern Province Reginald Cooray. Vice Chancellor of University of Jaffna, Deans of various faculty, other faculty members, officials and students participated in the ceremony. more..

July 1 (CT) JO states that if the govt does not agree to the recommendations submitted by them towards the drafting of the new Constitution, they will do their utmost to defeat it in Parliament. JO Leader MP Dinesh Gunawardena said the first and the second clauses of the Constitution should not be changed under any circumstance. He asserted that there should also not be any change related to the unitary status of the country, national security and the concept of PCs as well. more..

July 1 (Island) Following a massive public protest in the Bandarawela town early this week against unprecedented environmental problems caused by Uma Oya project, a leading civil society organisation alleged that as much as USD 248 mn had been misappropriated by the politicians and officials who launched it during the previous SLFP-led UPFA administration. The protest, backed by all political parties, drew large crowds more..

July 1 (DM) In this era of microchips and digital technology, it is significant that the UN for the first time last Tuesday June 27, marked Micro- Small and Medium Sized Enterprises Day. This was because the UN says enterprises which generally employ fewer than 250 people, are the backbone of most economies worldwide and play a key role in developing countries. According to the data provided by the International Council for Small Business (ICSB), formal and informal Micro, more..

July 1 (DM) While the Parliament unanimously passed an Amendment to the Office of the Missing Persons (OMP) Act last week, relatives of the Tamil people gone missing during the war between the security forces and the LTTE crossed the 120th day of their sit-in protest in Kilinochchi. Similar campaigns by relatives of the missing persons in the North had reached 115 days in Vavuniya, 104 days in Mullaithivu and 97 days in Maruthankerny, all areas in the Northern Province by then. more..

July 1 (NS) This is an interview given by Minister of Foreign Affairs Ravi Karunanayake on the matters pertaining to the Cabinet reshuffle, the future plans of the Foreign Ministry and the vesting of the National Lotteries Board and the Development Lotteries Board under the Foreign Ministry. Q: What is your Ministerial portfolio – Finance or Foreign Affairs? A: This is a decision taken by the President and the PM. more..

July 1 (DM) 45-year-old Ananthy Sasitharan made history when she was sworn in before NP Governor Reginald Cooray in Jaffna as Northern Provincial Minister of Women’s Affairs, Rehabilitation, Social Services, Food Supply and Distribution and Industries.   Ananthy, who will celebrate her birthday on Sept 10th has set a record of sorts by becoming the first woman to be appointed as a Northern Provincial Minister. more..