May 2 (SO) Climate change is going to increase inequality much more in the world, warns Mohan Munasinghe, Nobel Peace Prize Laureate 2007. The regions of the world that are dry will become drier and the regions that are wet will become more humid, he says. SL’s physicist, engineer and economist, Mohan Munasinghe was vice chairman of UN’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) who shared the Nobel Prize more..

May 2 (Island) Another International Workers’ Day has come and gone. It was like Sinhabahu without the Lion’s son, the eponym. Yesterday’s rallies, in our book, did not serve anyone useful purpose. This year, too, workers, eclipsed by politicians, have achieved nothing on the day dedicated to their cause. Only political leaders have got a mega ego boost. Their servile supporters who, well oiled and dazed, shouted themselves hoarse, and trudged along hot macadam roads under scorching more..

May 2 (NS) April 26, 2017 marked 40 years since the demise of a legendary Tamil political leader, SJV Chelvanayakam. Fondly known as Thanthai Chelva, he was the founder of the two major Tamil political parties of this country, the ITAK and the TULF. He was also instrumental in forming the ACTC along with G.G. Ponnambalam when the Soulbury Commission was established in 1944. He was part of the delegation which campaigned for balanced representation in Parliament, more..

May 2 (Roar) On Saturday, April 22, Maldivian social media activist and blogger Yameen Rasheed was writing a recommendation letter to help old friend and self-exiled activist, Muju Naeem, apply for asylum. It’s pretty much done, Yameen had said. I just need to make a few edits. On Sunday, April 23, Yameen was stabbed to death. Muju never got that letter. Sri Lanka has played a key role in the turbulent politics of the Maldives archipelago. It was in Colombo, in 2003, more..

May 2 (Island) Rajitha Senaratne was neither the first nor the most important Yahapalana political figure to make a pitch for federalism. The first and most significant was ex-President Chandrika Kumaratunga two years ago. The second was Mangala Samaraweera, who keeps saying what’s wrong with federalism? It is not separation. The fact that Rajitha chose to make an even stronger pitch for federalism two years later when the political situation is changing, is significant. more..

May 2 (WB) In a little room on the Hatton tea plantation in Sri Lanka, fifty or so young people, most of them under 25, had a smartphone and shared a common purpose. They wanted to use WhatsApp, Viber, Facebook and Twitter to change the way their community perceives nutrition. A new report brings the spotlight on undernutrition in SL’s tea estates—or large plantations—where anemia is widespread among pregnant women more..

May 2 (DN) The Plantation Industries Ministry says tax issues concerning the tea industry is currently being addressed at top govt level along with several other issues. Minister Navin Dissanayake and Tea Board Chairman Rohan Pethiyagoda have met Tea Exporter’s Association (TEA) representatives on numerous occasions to sort out their issues. The Ministry was responding to a series of news items initiated by the TEA published last week. Ministry is of the view that certain aspects and facts more..

May 2 (DN) SL golfing fraternity was baffled with a recent ruling by Tournament Committee when the best score winner of the Commander’s Cup 2017, Tyron Perera was not awarded the trophy with a surprise announcement being made by the compere during the presentation ceremony, stating that only members of the RCGC, NEGC and VGCR are eligible for it. Perera is a fully paid member of the Eagles Golf Links, club that comes under the wings of SL Air Force, organizers of c'ship. more..

May 2 (LBO) Total vehicle registrations in Sri Lanka recorded 39,173 units in March, significantly up from 30,036 the previous month, with a rebound in two-wheeler registrations. On most categories, there was a rebound due to higher number of working days and pre-holiday season push from dealers. Mini truck registrations, however, recorded a low 291 units, significantly down from 840 units 12 months ago. more..

May 2 (CT) Three things came out of Premier Ranil Wickremesinghe's visit to India last week. Those were India's concerns over the leasing out of the Hambantota Port to the Chinese in a debt swap, India's interest in Trinco oil tank farm to counter the Chinese threat and Wickremesinghe's keenness in getting Indian aid to develop certain northern roads linking up with the East and the South of the country in a tourism promotional putsch. Nonetheless, what figured, vis-à-vis the outcome of more..

May 2 (Roar) Ninety years ago today when pioneering trade unionist Alexander Ekanayake Gunasinha led a group of men and women in what was Ceylon’s first ever May Day march, he would hardly have foreseen the shift in priority and the eventual capitalist hijacking of the International Labour Day celebrations by mainstream political parties in the island nation. The country’s first May Day rally proper held in 1932 held at the Galle Face Green, again led by Gunasinha, more..

May 2 (CT) Sri Lanka remains in sixth position and had slipped from 98 points to 93 points and is just 5 points above eighth ranked Pakistan according to the latest ICC rankings' annual update that was released yesterday. Pakistan gained nine points over 9th placed West Indies along with their recently concluded ODI series. Cutoff date for selection of top eight teams for ICC World Cup 2019 will be Sept 30 where SL is facing danger more..

May 2 (Island) If not properly designed and implemented, taxes can harm growth because they distort economic incentives and behavior, Minister Ravi Karunanyake said in Thailand. He made this comment delivering the keynote address at the 4th high level dialogue of the UN Economic and Social Commission for Asia and Pacific (ESCAP). "I believe that one of the fundamental challenges for the Asia-Pacific economies, in the medium-term, will be to increase revenue generation. more..

May 2 (GDI) Ministry of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Development has taken measures to deliver the transponder devices to all the multi-day fishing vessels which will enable monitoring of multi-day fishing vessels engaged in deep sea fishing from the ground. These devices will be able to investigate the location of the respective fishing vessel in sea and this facility would be helpful to rescue the vessels in case of a danger or accident at sea. According to the Int'l Law of the Sea, more..

May 2 (FT) In a bid to tap into the product-driven global network, Sri Lanka is mulling expanding its Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) with top markets in Europe. “We are going to get the GSP+ only for few years, maximum of three to four years. Therefore, we need to make the regaining of GSP+ a foundation to sign an FTA with the EU,” Deputy Minister Dr. Harsha de Silva said. He said that he would further discuss the matter with PM, more..

May 2 (DN) At the invitation of the Pathfinder Foundation, a four member delegation from the Sichuan University in Chengdu, China visited Sri Lanka recently. The focus of the visit was to discuss Economic Development in Sri Lanka and the One-Belt, One-Road (OBOR) Initiative of the Chinese President Xi Jinping and to examine challenges and way ahead as well as to develop a programme for providing higher education opportunities for Sri Lankan students. more..

May 2 (Island) The Sri Lanka Export Development Board (EDB) on the direction of the Ministry of Development Strategies and International Trade held the second programme of creating awareness for the Central Province entrepreneurs on the developing 2000 new exporters by 2020 on 28th April 2017 in Pallekele, Kandy. Under the programme the EDB will assist the regional entrepreneurs to groom them to become exporters under the programme. more..

May 2 (BBC) The BBC on April 30 finally drew the curtains on Thamizhosai - a popular Tamil show that lasted three quarters of a century. Originally called A news letter from Ceylon, it was launched on May 3, 1941, as a propaganda machinery of the British to report on World War II in Sri Lanka - which was then a British Colony. But the later years saw it metamorphose into a favourite among Tamil diaspora, more..

May 2 (Island) A married man of Ampitiya developed a liking towards a young woman walking on the pavement of Kandy daily after work but could not express his feelings to her as he was dumb. Recently, he spat on her out of frustration. The young woman lodged a complaint with the police and the man was prosecuted by the Children’s and Women’s Bureau of the Kandy police. During initial inquiries the man claimed he had spat on her accidentally. However, in Magistrate’s court more..

May 2 (CT) Remittances, Sri Lanka's largest foreign exchange (FX) earner, received a blow, falling by 3.3% year on year (YoY) to US$ 1,733.7 million in the first quarter (1Q). Such declines may be due to the twin reasons of the current volatile situation, led by Syria and Iraq, prevailing in the Middle East (ME), coupled with weak commodity prices led by oil. ME is the largest source of foreign employment for Sri Lankans, largely dominated by the supply of low paid housemaids to that region. more..

May 2 (DM) A new port will soon be constructed North of the present Colombo Port with Japanese assistance along with several other projects, PM Ranil Wickremesinghe said. Addressing the UNP May Day Rally at Campbell Park last evening, PM said Japan and India would assist Sri Lanka to construct a floating natural gas storage in the sea. “SL will go in for a joint venture with India to develop oil tank farm in Trinco. more..

May 2 (FT) The present good governance Govt hopes to realise former President R. Premadasa’s hope to create a Sri Lanka with national unity and one identity, PM Ranil Wickremesinghe said yesterday, at a ceremony to mark the 24th commemoration of the former President. “President Premadasa emerged among the people and he dedicated his life towards serving the people. His unfortunate demise also occurred at a time during which he was with the people,” PM recalled more..

May 2 (FT) Finance Minister Ravi Karunanayake expressed his confidence that the third tranche of the IMF's $ 1.5 billion Extended Fund Facility (EFF) would be released following the meeting with them on 14 June. When asked if there was a delay in the next tranche, Karunanayake said he was confident that the review would be completed and Sri Lanka would get all the funds. According to the IMF first tranche review report, Sri Lanka was to receive the next tranche on 20 April.  more..

May 2 (DM) The challenge of filling up the Galle Face Green with Joint Opposition (JO) supporters was fulfilled successfully and now the government should hold the elections for the local govt (LG) bodies without a delay to test people’s franchise, former president and MP Mahinda Rajapaksa challenged today. Addressing the large crowd that thronged the Galle Face green for the May Day Rally organised by the JO, more..

May 2 (Xinhua) Sri Lanka's largest business organization, Ceylon Chamber of Commerce (CCC), said that it would hold a mega investment and business conclave here this month to attract foreign direct investors. In a statement, CCC said the event titled Sri Lanka Investment & Business Conclave 2017 will be held from May 30 to June 1. Business partners will gather for exports and imports and also to promote tourism, in a bid to help propel the nation's economic growth to greater heights, more..

May 2 (EN) A police constable opened fire at the UNP headquarters, shattering windows and a cut out of an elephant, party symbol, as May Day rallies in the country were drawing to a close. The former STF constable had used his T-56 automatic assault rifle to fire at Sirikotha, in an unexplained outrage, but fortunately there were no casualties. 41-year-old constable was arrested by the Mirihana police. Incidentally, the constable was a member of the personal security detail of more..

May 2 (DM) The JVP said today it had got a golden opportunity to seize power due to the political vacuum created in the country with the deterioration of the three main political camps of President Sirisena, PM Wickremesinghe and former President Rajapaksa. JVP leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake addressing its May Day Rally held at BRC grounds said that it would come as a broad peoples’ force to fill the political vacuum more..

May 2 (CT) Leader of the Opposition and the TNA R. Sampanthan expressed hope that the political aspirations of the people of the North and East would be fulfilled through the proposed new Constitution. Sampanthan was addressing at the TNA May Day Rally in Akkaraipattu, in the Eastern Province yesterday. Opposition Leader pointed out, "Several good opportunities have been missed and the present opportunity we have with this Govt shouldn't be allowed to go abegging. more..

May 2 (DN) Two persons who participated in the Joint Opposition’s May Day rally died yesterday due to intolerable heat and fatigue. According to police sources, these persons have lost consciousness and fallen while the rally was in progress. Director of the Colombo National Hospital Dr Anil Jasingha said that they were both pronounced dead on admission to the hospital.  The victims who are in the age group of 60 – 80 are residents of Nivithigala and Kandy. more..

May 2 (FT) President Maithripala Sirisena declared that the SLFP was never more democratic and open than it is today. “I did not take the chairmanship of the SLFP by force. Central Committee of the party invited me. In the last two years, I succeeded in gradually transforming it into a pure democratic party and I thank the senior leaders who extended me their support in this endeavour,” he told SLFP May Day rally in Getambe. more..

May 2 (DM) In the afterglow of his unexpected victory at the US presidential election Donald Trump the new American president, began his term as US president with a stunning turnaround on his election promises. Since his installation he has suffered a number of embarrassing body-blows, has been prone to stunning turn-a-rounds, setbacks in a Congress controlled by his own party and seen the judiciary overturn his executive fiat. Trump’s campaign was based on three slogans more..

May 2 (DM) It is a familiar cycle. An incident of ragging makes national headlines. Reactions of shock and horror follow: How could this happen? Aren’t these the educated in our society? and so on. There are calls for legal action. And then it ends. Ragging goes on, the cycle continues, and the question remains: why can’t we end ragging in our universities? There are many reasons. Ragging is a deep-seated social practice. It is found in State universities, vocational training institutes, more..

May 2 (DM) When the issue connected with the Kollonnawa-Meethotamulla garbage dump was getting dragged on without any solution, the anger of the residents directed towards the authorities led to the formation of a People’s Movement Against the Meethotamulla Garbage Dump in 2011. This movement was in the forefront of several public agitations facing suppressions from the past and the present governments. more..

May 2 (DM) Senior Lecturer in Law at the Open University Raja Gunaratne, says the OHCHR report entails grave danger for the country. He says it is baffling to see the govt co-sponsoring the UNHRC resolution as no responsible state would do so in any part of the world. Mr. Gunaratne, as a legal academic with a nationalist bent, played a key role drafting a report countering the allegations against the military in the OHCHR report. more..

May 2 (SL) The brutal killing of a Maldivian blogger recently has led to calls for an independent, international investigation, a push supported by Sri Lankan activists. On Sunday, 23 April, a prominent blogger and social media activist in the Maldives, Yameen Rasheed, was found in the stairwell of his residence with multiple stab wounds to his head, neck and body. Rasheed died of his injuries. Rasheed had in December reported to more..

May 2 (EN) Profits at central bank rose to Rs. 22.1 billion in 2016, returning from a loss of Rs. 19 billion in 2015 helped by interest income from a massive bout of money printing that stated in the latter half of 2015, sending the rupee tumbling. Interest income from Treasury bills bought to print money rose to Rs. 21 billion as the central bank held a portfolio of around Rs. 300 billion of bills earning interest, from Rs. 9.3 billion in 2015, more..

May 2 (CT) Minister Rajitha Senaratne said that the Govt would fulfil all pledges it made to the people of the North and East before next year's May Day. He was addressing a May Day Rally, organized by the Democratic National Front, at the Sankilian Park in Nallur yesterday. He said: "National Unity Govt is determined to solve all humanitarian problems of the people in the North and the East. more..

May 2 (CT) Sri Lanka will celebrate the UN Vesak Day with much pomp and ceremony next month in Colombo and Kandy and in almost every temple in the country. PM Narendra Modi of India who has sought to employ Buddhism as a vehicle for India's soft power outreach will be the chief guest at the celebrations. Other international dignitaries are also expected to be present in SL during this period. A special exposition of Sacred Tooth Relic more..

May 2 (ST) With minimum standards of medical education being put under the microscope and varied views being expressed, former President of the Sri Lanka Medical Council (SLMC) Prof. Lalitha Mendis has stepped in to counter allegations by Health Minister Rajitha Senaratne and reiterate that Sri Lanka does have minimum standards. The Minimum Standards of Medical Education have been in existence from 2006, more..