Oct 27 (Island) South Korea had taken steps to develop naval cooperation with Sri Lanka, Commander, Cruise Training Task Group Rear Admiral LH Yang, Yong-mo of South Korean Naval Ship Kang Gam Chan (DDH-979) that has docked at Colombo Port on a friendly visit, said yesterday. The 2017 ROKN Cruise Training Task Group, includes two Korean Navy vessels -Kang Gam Chan (DDH) and Hwa cheon (AOE). They arrived in Colombo for a four-day visit as part of more..

Oct 27 (FT) Tamil prisoners who have embarked on a hunger strike to force the transfer of their case back to the Vavuniya High Court from the Anuradhapura High Court yesterday filed an appeal in the Court of Appeal against the Attorney General and the Terrorist Investigation Division (TID). Petitioners Rajathurai Thiruvarul, Mathiarasan Sulakshan and Ganeshan Dharshan, who have been fasting for the last 32 days, filed their petition through their Attorney M.K.P. Chandralal.  more..

Oct 27 (CT) Govt is proposing that the Sinhala phrase Ekeeya Rajya be used in both the Sinhala and English drafts of the proposed Constitutional changes to describe the nature of the Sri Lankan State. This is because of the growing storm threatening to overwhelm Constitutional reforms due to protests by extremist groups about the description of the nature of the State of Sri Lanka. Legal and Constitutional experts have pointed out to PM more..

Oct 27 (DM) Health aspects of vegetarianism or veganism and therefore a more healthy and more compassionate society, were the theme of the second Asian Buddhist animal rights conference held in Colombo yesterday, co-hosted by the Sri Lanka branch of the California based Dharma Voices for Animals (DVA) and the Srimath Anagarika Dharmapala Foundation.   Speaker Karu Jayasuriya, himself a total vegetarian as is his immediate family, was the chief guest, but more..

Oct 27 (CT) The appointment of Admiral Travis Sinniah as Navy Commander was celebrated by most, although there were a few voices raised against President Sirisena's decision. Celebrated because, after all he is a true war-hero, the most decorated officer in all of the Armed Forces who played a pivotal role in the fight against the LTTE by neutralizing its floating armouries. He had been sidelined for a while and denied promotion, probably despite his heroics he is an ethnic Tamil. more..

Oct 27 (DM) Dr Asanga Welikala is a Lecturer in Public Law at the University of Edinburgh and the Director of the Edinburgh Centre for Constitutional Law. He is also a Research Associate of the Institute of Commonwealth Studies, University of London and is a Research Fellow of the Centre for Policy Alternative (CPA) SL. Welikala shared his views on the current constitution making process including the interim report, more..

Oct 27 (ST) The chaotic weather pattern over Sri Lanka continues to wreak havoc — with the South West monsoon lashing one half of the country in an extended stay, while October’s much-expected inter-monsoonal rains are yet to make an appearance to end the drought in the other half. The Meteorological Department said the low pressure condition that had developed in the Bay of Bengal was delaying onset of inter-monsoonal rains. more..

Oct 27 (SL) Women across Sri Lanka have joined the #MeToo campaign against sexual abuse. The campaign was kicked off by actress Alyssa Milano following sexual abuse allegations raised against movie executive Harvey Weinstein. More than 40 women have accused Weinstein of sexual harrasment, abuse or rape. In Sri Lanka, actresses, journalists, mothers and young girls posted notes on their Facebook supporting more..

Oct 27 (Island) Health Minister Dr Rajitha Senaratne says govt hopes to allocate 4.5% of SL’s GDP for the Health Service by 2020. Currently, only three percent of the GDP is spent on Health. Minister addressing the recently concluded WHO Global Conference on Non Communicable Diseases (NCDs) held in Montevideo, Uruguay said that with development in health services Sri Lanka was also faced with the challenge of battling NCDs. more..

Oct 27 (Island) The JO reiterated its commitment to taking part in next week’s 3-day parliamentary debate on the interim report of Steering Committee spearheading the new constitution making process, in spite of its disagreement with major recommendations. JO constituent, NFF comprising five MPs and several nationalist organizations however want former Prez Rajapaksa to quit new constitution making process. more..

Oct 27 (CT) The former President and the former Secretary of the CEB Engineers Union have filed action in the Court of Appeal seeking a ban on the Least Cost Long Term Generation Expansion Plan (LCLTGEP). They allege that it was prepared illegally by the Public Utilities Commission of SL (PUCSL) acting beyond the authority granted to them in the SL Electricity Act. They have also requested a Writ Order to withdraw the letter more..

Oct 27 (IE) With special emphasis on increasing the use of modern communication, reconnaissance and weapon technologies, the joint military exercise between India and Sri Lanka concluded in Pune on Thursday. The 14-day exercise, Mitra Shakti, had focussed on counter-insurgency and counter-terrorism operations. On the last day of the exercise, a joint operations team of both armies conducted a mock drill more..

Oct 27 (SLE) At the Annual Clearing the Path Gala 2016 organized by The Marshall Legacy Institute (MLI) of Washington D.C., Mine Detection Dog (MDD) Alvin and its handler Lance Corporal Nawarathne of SL Army Engineers Humanitarian Demining Unit, were selected as the MDD team of the year. Marshall Legacy Institute, an organization dedicated to removing landmines and promoting stability has been assisting more..

Oct 27 (CT) Disaster Management Centre (DMC) is to establish a special centre in Bandarawela to monitor any disaster, including adverse weather related situations that may arise in the areas surrounding the Uma Oya Project. The DMC said the centre, mooted by Ministry of Disaster Management, will commence work on 1 Nov from the first floor of the Uva Provincial Community Radio building in the Bandarawela town, and more..

Oct 27 (DM) The Department for Registration of Persons (DRP) will issue Smart IDs from today, DRP Commissioner General Viyani Gunathilaka said today. He said all National Identity cards will be issued from today with front-facing images prior to converting them to Electronic Identity (E-ID) Cards. The photos in Smart IDs issued from Oct 27, will be engraved on a special polycarbonate plastic with the use of laser technology. more..

Oct 27 (DM) “We have decided to include the responses of political parties in the interim report so that MPs could study them before coming for the debate. Some MPs utter things without knowing the details.” PM said referring to comments made on the framework resolution for a Constitution presented to parliament by the Steering Committee. The PM is right. There is only a framework for a Constitution proposed and there is no draft Constitution per se. Yet, it is within this framework more..

Oct 27 (CT) Every now and again some state mandarin will make a statement that reminds people (ok, me) of Monty Python’s Flying Circus. Rather than leave the strutting and fretting to petty functionaries in the Ministry of Silly Walks, these senior ministers take it upon themselves to shower us with their precocious platitudes. And the results are chaos, confusion, consternation. Note first the casus belli given below. A. The State Minister of Finance this week called for establishment more..

Oct 27 (EN) President Maithripala Sirisena had asked Qatar to partner with the island's troubled national carrier SriLankan Airlines which had run hundreds of millions of losses under two administrations. "The special attention of the Emir of Qatar was drawn to the request made by the President regarding entering into partnership with the SriLankan Airlines," a statement from the office of President said. President is on a state visit to Qatar, his fist to a Middle Eastern country. more..

Oct 27 (DM) The former madam was appointed the Blue party’s chief organizer for the family bastion Attanagalle the other day. But, she had said that she could not feel happy about this appointment, because the politico who drew countrywide condemnation for forcing a female teacher to genuflect before school children was appointed a Blue party chief organizer in his area the same day. “Naturally she would not have liked being placed in the same company with a discredited more..

Oct 27 (DM) Elections Commission Chairman Mahinda Deshapriya briefed representatives of the political parties about electioneering under the new system in view of the upcoming LG elections, it is learnt. The meeting took place yesterday evening in his office. He briefed them about the procedure set out regarding vote canvassing, the handing over of nomination papers, vote counting at polling stations and more..

Oct 27 (DM) Four Buddhist and animal rights organizations called for a ban on meat consumption in Sri Lanka on Mondays and urged all Buddhists in the country to refrain from eating animal products during the month of May when Vesak is celebrated. The heads of these organizations -Anagarika Dharamapala Humanitarian Foundation, Dharma Voices for Animals (DVA), Bodhi Raja Foundation and Youth Non-vilolent Movement- told a news conference that they requested all people of more..

Oct 27 (Xinhua) Foreign Minister Tilak Marapana will pay an official visit to China from Oct 29 to Nov 4 at the invitation of Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, a Chinese spokesperson said today. "It is Marapana's first official visit to China, and China attaches great importance to the upcoming visit," said Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Geng Shuang. Chinese leaders will meet Marapana, and he will also attend celebrations marking the 60th anniversary of bilateral ties. more..

Oct 27 (USE) The Nimitz Carrier Strike Group is scheduled to arrive in Colombo, Sri Lanka for a planned port visit on Oct 28.  The Carrier Strike Group includes the USS Nimitz, the cruiser USS Princeton, and destroyers USS Howard, USS Shoup, USS Pinckney, and USS Kidd.  The ships are scheduled to depart Colombo on Oct 31, 2017. Reflecting the growing relationship between the U.S. and Sri Lankan navies, more..

Oct 27 (AD) President Maithripala Sirisena has given instructions to temporarily suspend the issuing of licenses to transport cattle, President’s Media Division said. “Incidents of illegal transporting of cattle are rapidly increasing and through these activities have a huge impact upon the dairy industry as well as agricultural needs.” Accordingly, until an appropriate process is implemented issuing of licenses to transport cattle will be temporarily suspended, PMD statement said. more..

Oct 27 (CT) Former Assistant Superintendent of the EPF, S. Pathumanapan, filed a Fundamental Rights petition against the officers assisting the PCoI probing CB bond issue. The petition was filed in the Supreme Court yesterday by Pathumanapan against the officers of the Attorney General's Department assisting the Commission of Inquiry including the Attorney General, officers of the Central Bank including current Governor Indrajit Coomaraswamy, members of the Monetary Board, more..

Oct 27 (LT) Lessons from October Revolution are very important to rescue the country from the tragedy it has been dragged to says the General Secretary of the JVP Tilvin Silva. He said this at a press conference held to apprise the media regarding the main commemoration held in Sri Lanka simultaneous with Centenary celebrations of the Great October Revolution. WPC member of JVP Lakshman Nipunarachchi too was present. more..

Oct 27 (PMD) A special programme titled Mathuparapuraya jointly organized by the Presidential Secretariat, Bharti Airtel Lanka, IDM Institute and the Ministry of Education, with the aim of enhancing the information technology literacy of the children in the country, will be implemented covering all the 25 districts of the country. The initial introduction of this programme was conducted on Oct 20 during the launching ceremony of the Grama Shakthi People’s Movement more..

Oct 27 (AD) Four members of the same family including three children have died and are believed to have committed suicide by consuming poison at their residence in Ariyale, Jaffna. The deceased have been identified as mother (28) daughter (4) and twin sons (2). The debt- ridden mother had added poison to ice cream and served the three children and had consumed it herself, police investigations revealed. The husband of the woman had also committed suicide one month ago more..

Oct 27 (DM) Proceedings at the PCoI appointed to go into the alleged scam that occurred in the issue of CB treasury bonds, will resume from Nov 2, sources revealed yesterday. The hearings will resume with the testimonies of two CID officials. On Oct 17 PCoI concluded its recording of evidence stating that in the event new evidence surfaces they would commence proceedings with a day's notice being given. more..

Oct 27 (Island) UPFA MP Sisira Jayakody said that recent statements made by retired Maj. Gen. Kamal Gunaratne and National Freedom Front (NFF) leader Wimal Weerawansa, MP, had been taken out of context and used to draw public attention away from growing opposition to govt efforts to rush through constitutional reforms. Gampaha District MP Jayakody said so in response to media query at Joint Opposition (JO) briefing at Dr. N.M. Perera Centre, Borella. more..

Oct 27 (DM) Ceylon Petroleum Corporation will be awarding tenders on several expansion projects totalling nearly US$ 150 million by next week, according to a top official. “Most of these tenders will be awarded by the 31st of this month,” CPC Chairman Dammika Ranatunga said. According to CPC documents, the largest investment is a US$ 52 million fuel hydrant system at the BIA, which will allow aircraft to be refuelled through a pipeline system installed under the tarmac, more..

Oct 27 (Island) Re-opening of Yala National Park earlier than it was scheduled was a politically motivated decision prompted by the aspirations of one prominent Minister, supported by the PM, a group of environmentalist said. They said that a decision was made by Department of Wildlife Conservation (DWC), and on the advice of a special committee set up by the PM’s Office, to extend the traditional closing of Yala during the drought more..

Oct 27 (DN) Judges and legal practitioners and academics from South Asia are meeting in Sri Lanka for the 14th South Asian Association for Regional Co-operation in Law (SAARCLAW) Conference being held from October 27 to 29. This was stated by Mehmood Mandviwalla, President of SAARCLAW.  The conference will deal with issues like artificial intelligence, human trafficking, FDIs and environmental protection concerns. Established in SL in 1991, conference has over a span of more..

Oct 27 (Eater) Season 10 of Parts Unknown rolls on, and this week Anthony Bourdain heads to Sri Lanka. It isn’t the first time Bourdain has visited the South Asian island nation, but when he made the trip for No Reservations in 2008, SL was embroiled in a civil war. Now, Bourdain finds a peaceful place. His dive into SL cuisine reveals food that is similar in some ways to that of southern India, which lies less than 100 km away across the Gulf of Mannar & Palk Strait, but with more seafood & lighter curries. more..

Oct 27 (AD) Minister Faiszer Musthapha said that the gazette notification pertaining to Local Govt elections will be issued on Nov 1. He made this statement at a media briefing held at Colombo today. The zoning plan of Ambagamuwa and Nuwara Eliya Pradeshiya Sabhas will also be launched parallel to the gazette notification, Minister said. He also said that the report will be released based on the geographical location and more..

Oct 27 (AD) Within days of President Sirisena leading a delegation from Sri Lanka for bilateral discussions in Doha, the State of Qatar is dispatching an official delegation led by a Qatari Minister to Colombo to move bilateral trade actions forward. Qatari Minister of Economy and Commerce Sheikh Ahmed al-Thani will be leading his 20-man delegation to Colombo for the second Joint Committee Meeting between both countries that will commence on Monday in Colombo. more..

Oct 27 (GDI) World Bank has assured its support towards improving the primary health in Sri Lanka, Minister Rajitha Senaratne said. At a special discussion between Minister Senaratne and a WB delegation held recently at the ministry in Colombo, it has been decided to implement national level plans in this regard. The WB is ready to grant about Rs. 200 million for this project. The progress of the WB funded projects on controlling Non-Communicable Diseases was also discusses more..

Oct 27 (DM) The NFF today reiterated that Parliament should be bombed if it approves the Constitution by a two-thirds majority leading to the division of the country and claimed there would be no need of a parliament if all the powers were transferred to the provincial councils. NFF MP Jayantha Samaraweera said that the interim report of the steering committee had proposed that land and financial powers should be given to more..

Oct 28 (CT) We have examined every possible winning combination with microscopic details and have come up with no answers or suggestions on how to rescue Sri Lanka’s Cricket from the present darkest abyss it has been pushed into by the players. The solutions cricket lovers suggest seem to have much graver consequences than the problem itself. Thilanga Sumathipala and his administration seems to be the core of the problem. When Minister Dayasiri Jayasekera aired more..