Jan 15 (Island) The Police inspectorate, considered as the backbone of the department, is frustrated, disappointed and demoralised due to inordinate delays in finalising their promotions by the National Police Commission, Sri Lanka Police Inspector’s Association has informed President Maithripala Sirisena, in a letter. The letter, signed by Chairman of the SLPIA Chief Inspector Y. de S. Pinnaduwage & Secretary CI Asitha de Silva, more..

Jan 15 (AD) The fourteen-year-old girl who attempted to suicide after being gang raped by three men succumbed yesterday while undergoing treatments at the Intensive Care Unit of Hambantota Hospital. The 14-year-old victim in Tissamaharama, Hambantota was allegedly gang raped by three men on January 09. The two 20-year old suspects and 22-year-old suspect were identified as residents of the same area, reports claim. more..

Jan 15 (DM) We aired the Tamil song Niththiraya Thamila Nee Nimirnthu Parada as the Tamil leadership continued to deceive the Tamil people, Jaffna District MP Angajan Ramanathan said. Introduction of the SLFP candidate for Jaffna and the election manifesto was released on Friday. The event began followed by airing the Tamil song Niththiraya Thamila Nee Nimirnthu Parada and certain songs composed by LTTE. more..

Jan 15 (CT) Following the special statement made by PM Ranil Wickremesinghe, MP Bandula Gunawardena insisted that the President Maithripala Sirisena and the CB Governor reveal to the people whether the Treasury bond frauds actually took place between 2008 and 2014, when Mahinda Rajapaksa was the President cum Finance Minister. If it is not revealed, Sri Lanka will not be able to obtain loans from more..

Jan 18 (CT) At this election, under much appreciation and attention, a special position was given to female candidates. The Govt gazetted the Provincial Councils Elections (Amendment) Bill to increase the number of female representatives in Provincial Councils. The Bill sought to amend the Provincial Councils Elections Act, No.2 of 1988. Also, according to the new Act, 25% of women's representation is compulsory for candidate lists. This makes it binding on all political parties and more..

Jan 15 (EN) Minister Malik Samarawickrama had met top official of the World Economic Summit organization ahead of its annual summit in Davos, Switzerland to cement closer co-operation. Minister Samaraweera had met Børge Brende, President of the World Economic Forum, Sri Lanka's Permanent Mission to the UN in Geneva said discussing the possibility of hosting an investment round table in Sri Lanka in the near future. The WEF summit in Davos will take place from 23-27 January 2018. more..

Jan 15 (CT) Wimal Weerawansa, leader of NFF, addressing a meeting in Moratuwa urged supporters to give Dr. Nirmal Dewasiri and Prof. Sarath Wijesuriya, both academics at Colombo University, the treatment that Lokuge meted out to Marikkar. Weerawansa, whose party members are contesting the LG elections under the Pohottuwa Symbol of the SLPP, was referring to an incident where Gamini Lokuge (Pohottuwa supporter) assaulted S. Marikkar (UNP) in the parliament. more..

Jan 18 (FT) It was the presidential election time in 2010. The incumbent President after a five-year rule and a conclusive victory over the Northern rebels had sought another term. Given his popularity, the Opposition had a tough time to penetrate the voter base in the country. Hence, they used every trick in the book to attack the incumbent candidate. One such trick was the castigation of the incumbent over the reported proliferation of corruption during his term. more..

Jan 15 (AD) Nearly 928.2 kilos of cocaine worth Rs.16.7 billion seized by the Police Narcotic Bureau in 2016, was prepared for destruction today in the presence of President Maithripala Sirisena and PM Ranil Wickremesinghe at BOI premises in Katunayake. It was carried out under the supervision of Colombo Chief Magistrate Lal Ranasinghe and the official of Govt Analyst Department. Stock of cocaine was liquefied more..

Jan 15 (NR) Deputy Minister Ajith P. Perera says no individual should panic over the conduct of the next Presidential Election as the current govt has attained a referendum to amend the Constitution. He said the Executive Presidency will be abolished through the Constitutional Amendment. He said the govt will change the Constitution and abolish the Executive Presidency adding that the people of the country gave the govt a mandate to change the Constitution and establish democracy in Parliament. more..

Jan 15 (DM) State Minister of Local Government Sriyani Wijewickrama had been admitted to the Peradeniya Teaching Hospital after her official vehicle met with an accident at Henawala early this morning, the Police said. A Spokesman for the hospital said Ms. Wijewickrama had sustained injuries on her forehead but was out of danger. Her vehicle veered off the road and crashed onto a wayside tree at the Henawala bend in Kadugannawa on the Colombo – Kandy Road. more..

Jan 15 (DM) The JVP said President Maithripala Sirisena was trying to gain publicity instead of ruling the country by criticising the decisions taken by some of the ministries at public meetings instead of in the Cabinet. JVP General Secretary Tilvin Silva said the President had told a public meeting that he was informed about the two Gazette notifications on permitting the sale of liquor to women and liquor shop opening times more..

Jan 15 (Island) Campaign for Free and Fair Elections (CaFFE) has warned candidates contesting February 10 local govt election that they will file election petitions against those accused of distributing goods to secure votes. Addressing a workshop to train female candidates contesting the elections in the Vavuniya District CaFFE Executive Director Rajith Keerthi Tennakoon said distributing goods to secure votes might lead to their removal within six months of being elected. more..

Jan 15 (DN) Justice Preethi Padman Surasena took oaths as President of the Court of Appeal before President Maithripala Sirisena, today. Justice Surasena having studied the subjects of physics, applied mathematics and pure mathematics for his B.Sc obtained his first degree from University of Colombo in the year 1984. Thereafter, having entered the SL Law College, he was enrolled as the Attorney-at-law of the Supreme Court of the Democratic Socialist Republic of SL in 1989. more..

Jan 15 (DM) MP Udaya Gammanpila said today the diplomatic immunity of former Sri Lankan Ambassador to the US, Jaliya Wickramasuriya has been revoked for duties he had performed during his term of office and that this was the first such instance in diplomatic history. He said the Foreign Affairs Ministry had, on Oct 27 last year, informed the SL Embassy in the US that Mr. Wickramasuriya’s diplomatic immunity more..

Jan 15 (CT) The final Draft of the National Audit Bill, which has already been amended 23 times, is to include more, after the Prime Minister's office had sent some more amendments to the Legal Draftsman, although the final draft was approved by the Attorney General (AG),a senior govt official told Ceylon Today on Saturday. He said the making of fresh amendments, by the PM's office, was illegal since it had gone beyond the authority of the Cabinet Sub-Committee too. more..

Jan 15 (NR) An investigation will be conducted into the engine of a luxury train travelling from Mount Lavinia to Kankesanthurai which had caught fire. Railway Control Room said the engine caught fire whilst in Chavakachcheri. Accordingly, railway guards, residents of the area and the fire department were able to douse the fire. It is believed that the fire occurred due to a technical failure. Several foreigners were also on-board the train when the fire was reported. more..

Jan 15 (DM) President Maithripala Sirisena’s utterance on cancelling the Gazette notifications issued on permission of selling liquor to females and the time extensions on liquor shops, MP Mahindananda Aluthgamage said President Sirisena was unaware of what PM Ranil Wickremesinghe and the govt was doing. He said it was astonishing as President Sirisena had not been consulted by both the Premier and more..

Jan 15 (CT) Police, investigating the rape at knife point, of a Swiss woman in Nuwara Eliya earlier this week, have arrested a man whom they believe could be the real culprit, OIC Tourist Police Prabath Withanagama. A photograph of the individual in custody, described as a security guard attached to a private firm, has been sent to the victim for identification, he said. Victim is currently recuperating in Weligama, OIC Withangama said. "We expect a reply from her by Tuesday." more..

Jan 15 (DM) GMOA warned that it would resort to an island-wide work stoppage without prior notice after January 22, if the authorities fail to fulfill its demands within this week. GMOA Secretary Dr. Haritha Aluthge said the decision was unanimously taken at the executive meeting held this morning. Also the GMOA had informed the President and the health authorities about its scheduled stern trade union action and said yet it had not received a satisfactory response from concerned authorities. more..

Jan 15 (EN) Sri Lanka will get access to Indian digital expertise and infrastructure under a deal between the two countries covering electronic public services delivery like e-learning, tele-medicine and office work and linking universities in a high speed network. Agreement to expand information technology cooperation was signed during a visit to Sri Lanka by Ravi Shankar Prasad, Indian Minister of Law & Justice and Electronics & IT. more..

Jan 15 (DM) UNP MP S.M. Marikar slammed Prez Maithripala Sirisena and even described him as a pickpocket President. He said the President had let down former president Mahinda Rajapaksa after partaking in a hopper meal with him. MP charged that the same conspiratorial activity was being mooted to fix the UNP. "President accused us of being thieves. We call him the pickpocket President. We are asking him not to back-stab the UNP like what he did to Mahinda Rajapaksa," more..

Jan 15 (CI) After a see-saw 2017, Bangladesh ushered in 2018 with an eight-wicket win over Zimbabwe, in the first match of the tri-series also involving Sri Lanka. After the bowlers, led by Shakib Al Hasan and Mustafizur Rahman, bowled out Zimbabwe for 170, Tamim Iqbal struck an unbeaten 84 to wrap up the chase with 129 balls to spare. Sikandar Raza resisted with 52 off 99 balls but Zimbabwe needed a bigger score from him to challenge Bangladesh at home. more..

Jan 15 (Island) Ministers representing both the UNP and the SLFP were duty bound to protect the govt, President and PM and they had to sink their difference, for the benefit of people who had voted for good governance programme, Minister Rajitha Senaratne said. Addressing a UNP rally, he said: "We risked our lives to form this govt. Those who joined us subsequently are now enjoying privileges and more..

Jan 15 (HT) Former wicketkeeper-batsman Romesh Kaluwitharana believes SL have enough firepower in their current crop of players to revive their fortunes. Coming off a dismal year in 2017, wherein Sri Lanka lost 40 out of 57 international games across all formats, the 1996 cricket World Cup winners have reappointed all-rounder Angelo Mathews as their captain. SL have also roped in Chandika Hathurusingha as their head coach, following his successful stint with Bangladesh team. more..

Jan 15 (DN) Media Guidelines made by the Election Commission (EC) to guarantee just and fair use of mass media at all future elections will be presented and passed in Parliament next week. Govt will present the Extraordinary Gazette stipulating 32-point guidelines for all the electronic and print media organizations on Jan 23 and it will be passed following a brief debate on Jan 24. The guidelines have been prepared by the 3-member EC to ensure a fair and independent election. more..

Jan 15 (LT) People have lost interest in politics as the politics in our country that was a voluntary service has been made a very profitable business. Politics in SL today is more profitable than heroin racket. Heroin racket is profitable but dangerous. However, there is no danger in politics. People enthusiastically make it possible for politicians to steal. As such, politics has been transformed into dignified profitable business” more..

Jan 16 (CT) “President Sirisena must leave aside any private adventures and re-dedicate himself to represent the promised revolution that alone will awaken our nation. If he doesn’t, the struggle will continue into the future in probably violent phases- engulfing him, his men, and the country. The simple logical reason is that that yahapalanaya is a must and the current contradictions must lead to that Hegelian dialectic.” Yes, lot’s of funny things are happening on the govt side giving more..

Jan 16 (CT) The claim that Sri Lankan soils and its agricultural produce are full of toxins, and that it is a killing field is an attractive slogan for those foreign agents who compete with Sri Lanka’s agricultural products. It is also a useful cry for those who want to destroy the rural landscape and replace it by an urban Megalopolis. Tea, rice and most leafy vegetables and grains accumulate toxins from the soil during the plant’s period of growth, and the toxin accumulation in the rice grains or tea leaves, more..

Jan 16 (SO) Members of youth parliament met PM Ranil Wickremesinghe at Temple Trees to discuss their problems last week. Here are their questions and the PM’s answers. Q: PM, in place of the present competitive education system in the country what steps will be taken by the govt to elicit the innate talents of each student? A: It is an important question. We should weigh the pros and cons of the competitive exam system more..

Jan 16 (ST) In my college days, I remember reading a book of essays by the great American satirist and cynic S.J. Perelman. That collection of essays titled Crazy like a Fox turned me into an instant admirer of this humourist who was a regular contributor to The New Yorker. My mind was thrown back to the Perelman era making me wonder what he would have said had he followed with increasing wonderment the passing comedy called diplomacy in SL and the antics of some who profess to more..

Jan 16 (ST) The economy is expected to achieve a higher growth than last year. The projected growth rates range from 4.5 to 5.5%. Growth in the global economy is expected to support Sri Lankan exports and enhance industrial growth, while improved weather conditions are expected to revive agricultural output. Governor of the CB, Dr. Indrajit Coomaraswamy, when unveiling the Road Map for 2018 on Jan 3rd, disclosed that CB projects the economy to grow by 5 to 5.5% this year, more..

Jan 15 (CT) Northern Minister of Women Affairs, Ananthy Sasitharan said the Int'l Community had taken a different stance over humanitarian issues in Sri Lanka, thus letting down the war-affected people. "We were under the impression that US High Commissioner for Human Rights, Prince Zeid al-Hussein, would somehow help us to find a solution to our grievances. However, his recent stand & statements were in total contrast to more..

Jan 16 (GV) This is the seventh in a series of videos conducted by sister publication Maatram, highlighting the difficulties faced by women under the Muslim Marriage and Divorce Act (MMDA). Article 16 of the constitution states that existing written and unwritten laws, such as the MMDA, will continue in force even over constitutional law. There is currently a campaign for the reform of personal laws, with some calling for the repeal of Article 16 altogether. more..

Jan 15 (Island) The SC has decided that the length of President Sirisena’s term is five years. Why the President ever sought an opinion from the apex court on that non-issue is baffling. Any layman with a nodding acquaintance with the 19-A would have told him he had lost one year of his term and he had to come to terms with that fact. President Sirisena’s right to consult the SC cannot be questioned, but it certainly was a mistake for him to be seen to be desirous of holding office for six years more..

Jan 16 (GV) There is little research done on technology-based violence against women in Sri Lanka. In addition, there are no trilingual, easily accessible, open-source resources for digital security, key because many leaks occur due to lack of understanding about security measures to ensure privacy online. Research shows the varied impact of online harassment can be felt offline. The stigma has even driven young girls to suicide in SL. Attempts to report violations to Facebook more..

Jan 15 (Island) Google in Sri Lanka now defaults to Sinhala. Whenever you access a Google Form, the interface by default is in Sinhala. Whenever you use Google Maps, road, place and now even names of famous buildings, are rendered in Sinhala. Search for Chunnakam, close to Jaffna, and Google Maps translates the place name, in Sinhala, to Hunugama - wrong on so many levels. There is no Tamil place marker either. Jaffna gets a Sinhala label as Yapanaya, but no Tamil place name, more..

Jan 16 (CT) SL's record of a low prevalence of people living with either HIV or AIDS is being maintained but experts warn that negative attitudes towards people falling within the LGBTIQ (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Intersex, Questioning) spectrum remain and that it hinders programmes to help patients. According to 2016 estimates, SL's prevalence of HIV is at 0.1% with 4,000 adults over 15 yrs of age living with HIV. more..