Aug 30 (Island) Amidst JO accusations that the Sirisena-Wickremesinghe govt was planning to hand over the strategic Palaly airfield to India, Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva said that the SL Air Force would undertake a feasibility study for developing the airport. Addressing the media, flanked by Minister Mahinda Samarasinghe and SLFP General Secretary Rohana Piyadasa, Senior SLFP Vice President de Silva more..

Aug 30 (Island) Minister and SLFP spokesman Mahinda Samarasinghe denied TNA allegation that there was a move to settle outsiders in the Mullaitivu district. Samarasinghe emphasized that there was absolutely no basis for this claim. The SLFPer said so when The Island sought an explanation as to why Prez Sirisena, ministers, including Samarasinghe as well as senior govt officials remained silent when more..

Aug 30 (DM) The ICC has granted further six-week grace period to hold Sri Lanka Cricket election after a delegation headed by Sports Minister Faiszer Musthapha beg for more time to sort out issues before going for election. Accordingly the deadline has been extended till February 9, sources said. The meeting took place on August 29 in Dubai between a SL delegation and a delegation headed by ICC Prez Shashank Manohar. more..

Aug 30 (DM) Senior Deputy Solicitor General Haripriya Jayasundara today told Court that there is no legal barrier for former CB Governor Arjuna Mahendran to acquire the documents he sought earlier from the Singapore Interpol relating to the magisterial inquiry conducted into the controversial bond scam. It was said that first suspect of the inquiry, Mahendran had recently requested copies of some documents more..

Aug 30 (DM) PM Ranil Wickremesinghe said today that the technology-driven new media including social media is a source of non-traditional threat and becoming a global disruptive force. “The new media including social media sites such as Facebook, Twitter and other websites are becoming global disruptive forces. We have seen the potential of this new media to de-establish nations & affect series of changes,” more..

Aug 31 (CT) The worst affected people due to the three decade of war were the fisher folk in the Northern and Eastern Provinces. In the early stages of the war, coastal areas of the Jaffna Peninsula in particular and the coastal stretch of the North and the East were targeted by the Tamil outfits to link up their seaborne activities with the Southern Coastal areas of the Tamil Nadu State of India. The displacements from the Northern Province both internally as well as more..

Aug 31 (CT) Sunil Shantha was one of Tissa Abeysekara’s icons. In his opinion, an unsung hero. Even a brief perusal of his biography confirms this, from his forays into Indian music and his later repudiation of the raghadari tradition, acts which cost him support at the top and reduced him to a pauper. Over the years, all that has been written on, delved into, examined, done justice to, and in more ways than one, settled. But Abeysekara’s adulation of Shantha did not end there. more..

Aug 31 (CT) The sub culture of Three-wheelers has hit this country like a tsunami! There is talk about the Three-wheeler industry. The damage this so-called industry has caused to youth is immense. Earning easy money has driven a majority of youth to take to Three-wheeler driving. They have forsaken a reasonable education and got into this culture of earning a fast buck. Due to most three-wheeler drivers flouting road rules, more..

Aug 31 (CT) It is a great pleasure to participate at the launch of the International Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences (IJHSS) by the Al-Mustapha International University (MIU), Sri Lanka Branch. Let me first congratulate the Chief Editor, Prof. Premakumara de Silva, and other editors, and also the Vice Chancellor/Director, Mr Ali Kazemi, and other staff of the MIU, for their painstaking work in bringing this first issue timely on the theme of Interreligious Dialogue. more..

Aug 31 (SO) It is never too late to challenge yourself with education. A septuagenarian is set to prove that by facing the A/L examination. At 79, Tudor Munasinghe could be the oldest candidate sitting the A/L exam this year. Munasinghe was all excited to sit for his first exam paper on Indian History. His final exam paper awaits him on August 27, says Munasinghe. Indian History is the last of the 5 subjects he had offered. He had already answered the papers on Political Science; more..

Aug 31 (SO) Sri Lanka’s rail network is widely hailed as one of the more positive parts of the country’s colonial legacy. Annually, millions of passengers and tourists use these tracks snaking through a long coastline and tall mountains, once constructed for the primary purpose of transporting different goods to Colombo. In the 70 years since the colonisers left, no SL Govt has been able to extend the rail network built by more..

Aug 31 (FT) A word. An iota of info. The news, be it good, bad, or ugly. That grimy scrap of a rumour wrapped in a cruel whisper to lay at withered ears. Those hours spent in faint hope mixed with dread that the unforeseen worst might be true… Whatever it is that the friends, family and others have waited for – for so long – they’re still waiting. Still, there are no answers for the loved ones of an estimated 60,000 disappeared in Sri Lanka’s bitter, protracted, and apparently ongoing conflict with itself. more..

Aug 31 (FT) During my tenure in the Govt I got an opportunity to work in several different roles, through which I experienced first-hand the pros and cons of the way the Govt is run. I describe below some of my observations. The objective of my article is not to criticise or praise any side, but to share some of my thoughts and learnings as a person who sacrificed very attractive jobs in the private sector and joined the public sector to serve my country and served it for 7 years honestly and diligently. more..

Aug 31 (Island) Democracy is defined as: a system of govt by the whole population or all the eligible members of a state, typically through elected representatives and we in SL according to its full official name should abide by this hundred percent. "The power in people is stronger than people in power," said Saji Ijiyemi whoever s/he may be. It should be thus, but is not. Cass found it proven that both these edits are not applied and hold no water in the Sri Lanka we live in. more..

Aug 31 (Island) Coleridge immortalised Kubla Khan’s Xanadu, in his inimitable verse. If he were alive today, he would draw inspiration from the stately pleasure-domes in this blessed land to pen another poetic gem. Colombo Municipal Council (CMC) is in the news again—for the wrong reason, as always. Reports that as much as Rs. 8.4 million is to be paid to a private company for cleaning the Colombo Mayor’s residence have had the poor ratepayers, engaged in a never-ending more..

Aug 31 (FT) Asian Development Bank (ADB) reiterated its commitment to support SL’s continued development drive to achieve inclusive growth, earmarking $ 3 billion over the next three years, in line with its renewed long-term corporate blueprint Strategy 2030 for a slew of projects including infrastructure, energy, health, fisheries and education. Concluding a three-day visit to SL, ADB Vice President Wencai Zhang more..

Aug 31 (FT) In less than two years since its re-entry, the once global leader Nokia has gathered pace to become the third fastest selling smartphone in the Sri Lankan market, officials of its new owners disclosed yesterday in Colombo. HMD Global Thailand and Emerging Asia General Manager Sandeep Gupta said, as of end-March, Nokia had captured 10.8% market share, and as of date, it has comfortably emerged number three, trailing behind Huawei and Samsung. more..

Aug 31 (CT) Despite threats by the CH and FC of pulling out from the league tournament, Sri Lanka Rugby Council (SLR) decided to go ahead with their decision of fielding foreign rugby players for the bottom tier clubs in the inter-club league, set to start in November, taken at their meeting on Wednesday. Tournament Committee headed by Rizly Illyas, recommended to allow foreign players and also changed the tournament format to make inter-club league tournament more competitive. more..

Aug 31 (FT) Top entrepreneur Access Group Chairman Sumal Perera suggested that his fellow business leader Vallibel One Group Chairman Dhammika Perera should consider becoming the next presidential candidate prompted by a scintillating discussion on politics and the economy. The duo got entangled in debate along with four other business leaders at the packed Fireside Chat organised by the ICCSL, more..

Aug 31 (Island) Eshan Pieris achieved his first podium finish in a Formula Renault 2.0 championship, driving for Eurasia Motorsport at the Asian Formula Renault Championship last week at the Sepang International Circuit Malaysia. Eshan worked through the two practice sessions before qualifying seventh for the first race. Pieris made a great start to gain three positions and then found himself in a close battle with Antolin Gonzalez for the remainder of the race. more..

Aug 31 (PMD) PM of India Narendra Modi said that he deeply appreciates the commitment made by the President Maithripala Sirisena to achieve reconciliation and sustainable peace while ensuring democracy and freedom in SL. These remarks were made when President Maithripala Sirisena, who is in Nepal to attend the 4th Summit of the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multisectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC), met with Indian PM in Kathmandu, today (30). more..

Aug 31 (CT) Chairperson of the Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka (HRCSL) Dr. Deepika Udagama speaking yesterday, International Day of the Disappeared, said the independence of the Judiciary and independent institutions were the foundations of justice. Addressing an event organized by the Office of the Missing Persons (OMP), she said so far there was no political interference in the functions of the HRCSL. more..

Aug 31 (Island) Sri Lanka’s most famous Test win was achieved on a day like this 20 years ago at the London Oval when the national cricket team completed a comprehensive ten-wicket win in fading light. It was Sri Lanka’s maiden Test win on English soil. Reigning limited-overs World Champions, Sri Lankan side comprising captain Arjuna Ranatunga and coach Roy Dias had been angered at the English and Wales Cricket Board continuously providing the team only a one-off Test series. more..

Aug 31 (EN) Expolanka Freight (EFL), a global freight-forwarding company headquartered in SL and part of the Expolanka group, said it is expanding to Malaysia, by taking over operations of its Japanese parent. “Malaysia is a natural addition to EFL’s global portfolio, largely to drive the intra-Asia growth, and to complement our USA expansion,” EFL chief executive S. Senthilnathan said. “Being a prominent economy in the region, we believe, it will be an important part of EFL’s footprint, more..

Aug 31 (DM) Central Bank remains hopeful that it can migrate to flexible inflation targeting in the first quarter of next year— one year before it was originally planned. Flexible inflation targeting is where the interest rates are determined aiming a set inflation target instead of targeting reserve money or broad money in the economy. For instance, US Federal Reserve has set its consumer price inflation target at 2% for at least for five years before more..

Aug 31 (FT) Two suspects connected to underworld figure Makandure Madush were taken into custody on Wednesday by the Police, along with weapons. The operation was conducted by the Organised Crimes branch, and the arrests were made in Homagama and Bandaragama. The two suspects were Harsha Chandana Vithanage (35) from Homagama and Nirosh Thushara (36) a resident of Kohonnawala, Bandaragama were arrested on Wednesday night. more..

Aug 31 (FT) State Minister for Foreign Affairs of Japan Kazuyuki Nakane visited Sri Lanka from 28 to 30 August. During his stay, he participated in the Commissioning Ceremony of patrol vessels and held meetings with SL govt leaders in order to promote bilateral relationships between the two countries. Commissioning Ceremony of the two patrol vessels provided by Grant Aid from the Govt of Japan, valued at 1.8 billion yen (Rs. 2.3 b) was held on 29 Aug at the Colombo Port. more..

Aug 31 (Island) President Maithripala Sirisena’s effort to resolve contentious public sector salary anomalies issue in the wake of Railway strike, through a Special Presidential Commission has taken a new turn with a trade union affiliated to the govt seeking duty free concessions to a selected section of its members. Govt Nursing Officers’ Association (GNOA) President Saman Ratnapriya, who also functions as the Co-Convenor of more..

Aug 31 (HCI) In a special ceremony held on Aug 30, at Kumarawatta Estate in Monragala District, High Commissioner of India, Taranjit Singh Sandhu along with Minister of Public Administration, Management and Law & Order Ranjit Madduma Bandara, Minister of Hill country New Villages, Infrastructure and Community Development Palani Digambaram and State Minister of Education V.S. Radhakrishnan, laid foundation stone for 150 new houses being constructed under Indian Housing Project. more..

Aug 31 (News) A Tamil asylum seeker from Sri Lanka has died at Logan Hospital south of Brisbane after his life support was switched off. The 45-year-old was admitted to hospital last week after attempting to take his own life. He reportedly fell into a deep depression several weeks ago after his asylum application was initially rejected. A subsequent suicide attempt left him brain dead, with his life support switched off on Sunday. Refugee advocate Ian Rintoul said more..

Aug 31 (PMD) President Maithripala Sirisena called upon the leaders of the states in the Bay of Bengal Region to take collective steps against drug menace narcotics smugglers use ocean routes for drug smuggling. Addressing the 4th Summit of the BIMSTEC, he drew the attention of the leaders to the drug menace which is a great obstacle for the progress of the world community. “It is the menace of drugs and narcotics, more..

Aug 31 (AD) A family has been caught on CCTV camera when were stealing from a supermarket in Parakaduwa-Eheliyagoda area. A family of five, including 2 children, had arrived at the supermarket feigning to buy some goods and then had stealthily hidden items on shelves inside their clothes before leaving the place. They had stolen goods worth over Rs 8000, according to the owner. The incident had taken place on the 18th August and police has requested the public to notify the police more..

Aug 31 (AD) Former Deputy Minister Sarath Kumara Gunaratne, who is charged over the alleged misappropriation of state funds amounting to nearly Rs 14 million, has been granted permission to travel abroad by the Colombo High Court. Presenting submissions before Colombo HC Judge Shashi Mahendran, the defense counsels requested permission for their client to travel to India from Oct 1 to Oct 16. Accordingly, the HC Judge granted permission for the former deputy minister to more..

Aug 31 (DM) MP Dilan Perera said today that the 15 SLFP group of rebels are determined to form an SLFP govt with other progressive forces by hook or by crook by the next Sinhala and Hindu New Year and put PM Ranil Wickremesinghe in his rightful place. Mr. Perera vowed that a govt sans the UNP would be formed with the cooperation of all the progressive forces like the MEP, LSSP, CPSL, NFF, PHU and DLF, more..

Aug 31 (USN) San Antonio-class amphibious transport dock USS Anchorage (LPD 23) assigned to the Essex Amphibious Ready Group (ARG), with attached 13th Marine Expeditionary Unit, partnered with the Sri Lankan naval ship Suranimila (P-702) to conduct an exercise at sea, Aug. 28. During the exercise, multiple ships sail in formation to practice communications and maneuvering procedures. In addition to Anchorage and Suranimila, two landing craft air cushions (LCACs), assigned to more..

Aug 31 (DM) The joint opposition charged that the govt was frightened about the anti-govt protest campaign scheduled for Wednesday and was attempting to sabotage it. JO member MP Kanchana Wijesekera said that the Road Passenger Transport Authority had been ordered to restrict the issuance of temporary road permits for Sept 5, 6 and 7 in order to decrease the number of vehicles travelling in those days. “The govt is planning to prevent people from attending the protest campaign. more..

Aug 31 (DN) Office of Missing Persons (OMP) recommends the Govt to pay a subsistence allowance to the family members of the missing persons, OMP Chairman Saliya Peiris PC said. Chairman was addressing an event at the J R Jayewardene Center in Colombo to mark the Int'l Day of the Victims of Enforced Disappearances together with a large gathering of the family members of missing persons, govt officials, more..

Aug 31 (NR) State Minister of Foreign Affairs Vasantha Senanayake says the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation should work to establish a rules-based system, guaranteeing freedom of navigation for maritime commerce, addressing maritime security threats by non-state actors. Addressing the 16th BIMSTEC Ministerial Meeting in Kathmandu, he acknowledged that BIMSTEC has made significant strides in increasing cooperation among more..

Aug 31 (AD) Colombo High Court has called for a report of the complete investigation into the incident of former member of Sabaragamuwa Provincial Council Hasitha Muhandiram a.k.a Sarpaya using his Facebook account, while serving a prison sentence over triple-murder charges. Accordingly, Colombo HC Judge has ordered Welikada Prison Superintendent to conduct a complete investigation regarding the incident and to submit the relevant report to the court by himself on Sept 17. more..