Mar 14 (ST) The Royal College Old Boys’ Union (RCU) members met PM Ranil Wickremesinghe and Minister Akila Viraj Kariyawasam earlier this week following accusations by the minister that an “old boy mafia” was engaged in fraudulent admissions to Grade 1 and that 31 cases of forged documents had been detected this year. During the discussion, RCU delegation had challenged Education Minister to substantiate more..

Mar 14 (CT) It's merely a jungle. Several half built houses funded by the Indian govt in Periyamadu of Nainamdu GS Division in the Vauniya District is gloomy and so the Kaasipillai family who is searching for their eldest daughter Jeromie who disappeared on 4 March 2009. But they found her alive in a photo that appeared on a presidential election campaign pamphlet, standing next to President Sirisena with a set of school girls & boys, way back in 2015. more..

Mar 14 (DM) The Malabe Medical College Parents’ Association (MMCPA) today handed over a letter to the Police Headquarters complaining against what they called a mud slinging poster campaign against the SAITM. The association’s president Gemunu Wijeratne said some trade unions had put up these posters within the Health Ministry and around the govt hospitals in order to tarnish the SAITM’s image. more..

Mar 14 (DM) Former defence secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa said it was the weakness of the govt to keep thrusting itself upon the UNHRC Resolution on SL when the US, which co-sponsored the resolution, had detached itself from it. He said the govt should utilize the opportunities in the int'l arena especially the change of administration in the US. “With the election of President Donald Trump, officials who were more..

Mar 14 (DM) PM Ranil Wickremesinghe said that he and President Sirisena will have to go slow when bringing about political reforms and should achieve it through an ongoing dialogue. PM made this remark at a programme held to mark the centenary of the Russian revolution in Colombo. “Late PM D S Senanayake once said let’s go slow when the socialist leaders of this country wanted to go on a fast track in bringing more..

Mar 14 (Reuters) Somali pirates are suspected of hijacking a Sri Lankan-flagged fuel freighter after the ship sent a distress call, turned off its tracking system and altered course for the Somali coast, a piracy expert said on Tuesday. If confirmed, Monday's incident would be the first hijack of a commercial ship by Somali pirates since 2012. Aris 13 is believed to be carrying eight crew, said John Steed of aid group Oceans Beyond Piracy. more..

Mar 14 (Island) The Judicial Services Commission (JSC) had, in a letter to President Sirisena dated 23 Feb 2017, disowned the recommendation it made earlier that Ramanathan Kannan be appointed a High Court Judge. In that letter, JSC stated that if the BASL had made no proper recommendation that Kannan be appointed a HC judge, recommendation that JSC had sent earlier to President had no force or avail in law. more..

Mar 14 (DM) Former CB Governor Ajith Nivard Cabraal rejected allegations about irregularities in the sale of bonds during his time, and said the bond sales were carried out at that time with the sole objective of minimising the cost of govt borrowings. He said CB had already confirmed on March 2, 2017, that all Treasury bond sales had been done in accordance with the applicable rules, regulations/laws via a transparent procedure. more..

Mar 14 (CT) The Tamil Nadu fishermen encroaching on local waters North of the country, has reached a boiling point. They have now issued an ultimatum to Sri Lanka and India, demanding that concrete steps be taken to address the Indo-Lanka fishing dispute, saying that failing which the situation may spiral out of control. The warning was issued after a Tamil Nadu fisherman was allegedly shot and killed last week and fingers were pointed at the Sri Lanka Navy. more..

Mar 14 (DM) A 23-year old man was beaten to death by residents of Pahalagama in Kiriella after the man attempted to kill his wife last night. Police said the residents and relatives of the woman had assaulted the man when she had screamed after her husband tried to stab and throw acid on the woman. The officers at the Kahawattha Police arrived at the scene to rescue the victim. However he succumbed to his injuries on admission to Kiriella Hospital. Police said the deceased man was earlier more..

Mar 14 (CT) I am Shabnam Sambriya Wallin, a final year Medical student from the 5th batch (the 1st batch to be UGC approved) of the Faculty of Medicine at SAITM. I completed my secondary education at a leading International Girls’ School here in Colombo where I sat for my Edexcel London O/Ls and A/Ls. The decision to go through a private education system was not something that I made but I’m very grateful to both my parents and teachers for opening up a world of opportunities to me. more..

Mar 14 (PM) Jacqueline Fernandez, who already owns a restaurant back home in Colombo, is all set to start one in Mumbai now. Back in her hometown, the 31-year-old actress has teamed up with chef Dharshan Munidasa with her fi ne-dining restaurant, Kaema Sutra, which opened on July 14, 2014. The furniture is colonial Lankan, its focal point is the authentic SL Miris Gala or Grinding Stone, with the carefully designed Open Kitchen. The cuisine draws inspiration from traditional local cuisine to more..

Mar 14 (CT) The ugly head of Islamic radicalization which has been plaguing Kattankudy for many years, has once again raised its head to terrorize innocent civilians in the area, with the latest incident seeing several people severely injured due to a clash between two groups, including the radical Thawheed Jamath, where the groups attacked each other with swords and knives on Friday during a lecture. more..

Mar 14 (DN) Ministers and Ministry Secretaries assured that the govt has no intention to hand over the CPC, CEB, SriLankan Airlines to the private sector. Minister Ranjith Siyambalapitiya said the government will not privatize the CEB. He said no Cabinet paper was presented for such a proposal. He said there is no need to privatise a profit earning institution. He said the CEB earned a profit of Rs. 15 billion in 2015 and a considerable profit had been earned in 2016. more..

Mar 14 (PM) A local politico eyeing a chief purohita’s post had reportedly accompanied a high political authority on an official foreign visit at his own expense. Politico had purchased his air tickets and personally borne all other expenses in his bid to be in the company of the high political authority during the latter’s sojourn abroad. Our country’s envoy in the host country is said to be an in- law of this local politico and he had facilitated this arrangement. Local politico had later confided to more..

Mar 14 (EN) SL has to start market pricing energy at state enterprises sooner rather than later, Minister Eran Wickramaratne said as crude and refined petroleum like butane and propane rose sharply over the last quarter of 2016. "Price formulae on energy and gas and will be introduced by the govt," he said. "Sooner we implement it, the better." After crude and refined products collapsed in in early 2016, price have risen in the last quarter. more..

Mar 14 (DM) A group of doctors had reportedly assaulted the employees of a hotel in Tissamaharama and damaged property after a party held there. Police heard that the doctors, who serve in hospitals in Tissamaharama and Lunugamvehera, were annoyed with one of the hotel employees, who they suspected to be videoing the party. Charuka Madusanka, the hotel employee, complained to the police about the assault. He said, “I received a video call. While I was answering it, more..

Mar 14 (CT) The unemployment rate among females had increased from 7.3% to 7.6% during the third quarter of 2016, latest Labour Force Survey Bulletin shows. Of the third quarter of 2016, total unemployment rate had declined from 4.6% to 4.5%, while the unemployment rate of males had declined from 3.1% to 2.7%. The youth unemployment rate (age 15 – 24 years) in third quarter 2016 is 21.6% and that reports the highest unemployment rate among all other age groups. more..

Mar 14 (DM) Govt would not stop arresting Indian fishermen and trawlers if they crossed the IMBL and engaged in fishing in Sri Lankan waters, Minister Mahinda Amaraweera said. He said any Indian fishermen would be arrested if found fishing in SL waters and all captured trawlers would be confiscated. “About 5,000 Indian trawlers enter in to our waters and take our resources forcibly, destroying our maritime resources,” more..

Mar 14 (DM) A rehabilitated woman cadre and three others in her company were arrested by the Wellawaya Police on suspicion yesterday, when President Sirisena attended a ceremony in Kotaweheragala in Wellawaya to issue title deeds for State land to beneficiaries. The main suspect was from Mullaithivu area and others were residents of the Kotaweheragala area. Investigations had revealed that 35-year-old former LTTE cadre had been attached to LTTE Police in 1998-2002 more..

Mar 14 (NR) Chairman of Elections Mahinda Deshapriya says the delay in the conduct of elections is a violation of people’s rights. The Chairman of Elections added he has not been intimidated by any individual pertaining to the upcoming LG election. He said the Elections Commission is not in favour of postponing an election. Deshapriya said there was no need for the govt to intimidate him. He said it is the public that blames him for delaying the election, more..

Mar 14 (LT) “There are agitations everywhere; students have taken to the streets on behalf of the people against SAITM. Rs.12.5 million has to be spent for a medical degree from SAITM. Do we have so much money? This is why students have taken to the streets against SAITM. Doctors too have taken to the streets to agitate against SAITM. They agitate to maintain a good health service. For, degree holders that come out of SAITM more..

Mar 14 (DM) As a means of facilitating its inquiry into the SAITM issue the COPE has summoned all those who served in the various committees appointed by the previous government to appear before COPE on March 20. It includes the committee members appointed by the then Health Minister Maithripala Sirisena — a member of former president Mahinda Rajapaksa’s Cabinet — to inquire into the SAITM issue. The committee members, appointed by the then health minister, more..

Mar 14 (DM) CB's Public Debt Department Superintendent Raja Nanayakkara told the Presidential Commission on CB bond sales that members of the Central Bank tender boards were cautious and skeptical as to what would happen to them after the bond sale of Feb 27, 2015 on which the commission was appointed. He expressed this view in response to a question on the situation in the Central Bank after that bond sale by the Commission judge Prasanna Jayawardene. more..

Mar 14 (EN) European Union has underlined the need for concrete progress on human rights ahead of discussions in Europe over approving GSP+ trade concessions to Sri Lanka in May. "…[T]he EU drew attention to the importance of Sri Lanka making prompt and concrete progress in fulfilling international commitments on human rights and labour rights and environmental protection,"  joint statement released after more..

Mar 14 (AP) European Union's top court has rejected an argument by people accused of collecting funds for Tamil Tiger rebels that activities by the group shouldn't be classified as terrorist acts. SL's civil war ended in 2009 when govt forces defeated the rebels, who fought to create a separate state for ethnic minority Tamils. In the case reviewed by European Court of Justice, 4 people in the Netherlands had their assets frozen on the basis that Tamil Tigers were involved in terrorism. more..

Mar 14 (DM) Stray cattle in the Western Province, who have no owners, will be captured by the Ministry of Megapolis and Western Development from today. Ministry said the move was made due to the increasing number of fatal accidents, public disturbances and traffic congestion caused by these roaming herds. Committee appointed to identify road blocks to development in the Province had found the cattle were a major nuisance. Project was launched by Ministry in collaboration with UDA. more..

Mar 14 (CI) SL's most recent Test outing may have been the chastening 0-3 result in South Africa, but, where home Tests are concerned, there is a great deal of belief, acting captain Rangana Herath said. There has always been a disparity between Sri Lanka's home form and their overseas returns, but this has been especially pronounced over the last two years. While they have lost nine of their previous ten away Tests - not counting more..

Mar 14 (CG) Sri Lanka’s first resident Ambassador to Ethiopia, Sumith Dassanayake, has presented his Credentials to the President of Ethiopia Mulatu Teshome at the Presidential Palace in Addis Ababa. Ambassador Sumith Dassanayake is also the Permanent Representative of Sri Lanka to the African Union. The Credentials ceremony at the National Palace included a brief meeting with the President, guard of honour and playing of the national anthems of the two countries. more..

Mar 14 (CI) The bigshots of the Bangladesh Cricket Board are arriving to much fanfare, soaring rhetoric about South Asian brotherhood abounds. Mementos are being polished, showmen are practicing their lines for the presentation: the celebrations for Bangladesh's 100th Test are all set to go, but after the politically-minded have lavishly slapped each other on the back, there is some cricket to be played as well. It is the plight of Mahmudullah that will have most Bangladesh fans aflutter. more..

Mar 14 (DN) Executive Committee of the GMOA will meet next Thursday to decide stern future action to be taken in connection with the attacks on medical students and other students who protested against SAITM, GMOA Secretary Dr. Navin De Zoysa said. Addressing a press conference he said that GMOA vehemently condemn the attack on innocent unarmed students. “It is the sole responsibility of the govt to prevent such more..

Mar 14 (PSL) A special event was held to celebrate the centenary of the Great Russian Revolution 1917 at the BMICH under the patronage of President Maithripala Sirisena, yesterday. The keynote address was delivered by Prof. Jayadewa Uyangoda under the theme “The heritage of the Russian Revolution from February to October and Sri Lanka today”. The President also visited the exhibition organized in line with the centenary celebration. Ministers and MPs, including the PM, more..

Mar 14 (SLN) Naval personnel attached to the North Central Naval Command arrested 13 local fishermen who engaged in illegal fishing practices using explosives, at two separate locations. Accordingly, a group of naval personnel attached to SLNS Gajaba in Mannar arrested 4 local fishermen engaged in illegal fishing using dynamite in the sea area of South Bar yesterday. During the arrest a dinghy, a GPS unit, a diving mask, a 225 m long fishing net, 2 pairs of diving fins used for fishing activities more..

Mar 14 (NR) Ministry of Foreign Affairs says it remains in touch with shipping agents, concerned authorities, as well as relevant Sri Lanka Missions overseas to ascertain further information on the alleged hijacking of a reportedly SL-flagged fuel freighter by pirates. Ministry issuing a statement said it is aware of media reports regarding the alleged hijacking. Ministry is engaged in efforts to verify the alleged incident, more..

Mar 15 (NS) The Palk Strait has been a scene of battle for fishermen from Sri Lanka and Tamil Nadu for years. The conflict between the fishermen of both countries took a back seat when the war was at its peak eight years ago. But over the years, the clashes between both groups of fishermen, and allegations against the local Navy  attacking Tamil Nadu fisher folk has been on the increase. A massive protest broke out in Tamil Nadu last week after the death of a 22-year-old fisherman more..

Mar 15 (CT) The three basic substances of our biosphere, Air, Water and Soil share the characteristic that they are all dynamic and vary in quality and quantity from place to place on this planet. However there is what is generally recognized as the optimal range of values for each one of these substances, to render the environment hospitable to life. While my comments today, are focussed on water, it should be kept in mind that they apply equally to the other two. more..

Mar 15 (SO) In a jam packed city, trishaws are indisputably the easiest mode of transport. People from all walks of life at one point or another have had the good or bad experience of travelling in a trishaw. Tuk tuks are hard to avoid, especially, if you are in a hurry to get somewhere. But, beneath this convenient mode of transport lies a time bomb about to go off. Although a decision by Govt to slash loans and finance facilities for trishaws in more..

Mar 15 (GV) We first met 83 year old grandmother Sellamma when she was part of a protest fast outside the Puthukudiyiruppu Divisional Secretariat. At that time, her land and house across the road had been occupied by the Army for eight years. She was protesting along with her neighbours, mostly women, whose lands and houses had also been occupied by the Army. Even after a meeting with the PM in the early stages of the protest, they had vowed not to give up their protest, until more..

Mar 15 (Island) UPFA General Secretary and Fisheries Minister Mahinda Amaraweera, on Monday night, made one wonder whether Houdini was his middle name. In an interview with Hiru TV he strove to duck several curve balls on vital issues. He, however, had to admit that it was not advisable to postpone elections though he sought to defend the indefensible by trying to justify the govt’s position that some delimitation issues had delayed the local govt polls. more..