Jul 2 (ST) SriLankan Airlines will lose its fuel supplies from Wednesday if it does not pay up a billion rupees before the deadline, the state owned Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC) has warned. The amount, from an outstanding Rs 14 billion, is needed by the CPC which is locked in another payment controversy with the Inland Revenue Department. Last week, the IRD froze the bank accounts of the CPC after it failed to pay up more..

Jul 2 (CT) Global real estate consultancy Jones Lang La Salle (JLL) launched the 10th edition of the Global Real Estate Transparency Index this month. Sri Lanka ranked 66 out of 100 economies this year, according to the Index, improving from its 2016 debut ranking of 69. With peers Myanmar improving by 22 places to rank at 73, and Vietnam ranking at 61 in 2018, Sri Lanka must focus on maintaining its upward momentum in an increasingly competitive market for real estate growth, stated JLL. more..

Jul 2 (CT) Dr. Anuruddha Padeniya was elected President of the GMOA for the eighth consecutive year, at the Association’s AGM on Saturday. Dr. Nalinda Herath, Assistant Secretary of the GMOA, said that this was the third time that Padeniya was elected uncontested. Sanjeewa Tennakoon was re-elected as the Deputy Chairman while Haritha Aluthge was re-elected as the Secretary. Dr. Navin de Soysa, Dr. Herath, and Dr. Samantha Ananda were re-elected Assistant Secretaries. more..

Jul 2 (Island) Minister Rajitha Senaratne said that the New York Times (NYT) had done something the FCID, CID and the Attorney General’s Department couldn’t do. Referring to the recent NYT report titled How China got Sri Lanka to cough up a port posted online on June 25, Dr. Senaratne pointed out that respected US newspaper had exposed how former Prez Rajapaksa had received campaign funds amounting to USD 7.6 mn more..

Jul 2 (DM) The media are often described as the watchdog of freedom, and many journalists all over the world have lived up to the high moral values and standards the media sets for itself. As is the case with every human endeavour, a few rotten eggs are always found amid the thousands who are ready to die for the lofty principles of their trade. And dying for the principles, if statistics are anything to go by who the journalists are. During the period -- 2013 and June 26, 2018 -- more..

Jul 2 (DM) After almost four decades of liberalisation around the world, economic development continues to fail. These failures have been characterised by increased national debt, mounting levels of unemployment and underemployment and large numbers of people living in poverty. Yet international agencies and national policymakers continue with neoliberal economic prescriptions of austerity and market-oriented economic reforms. These economic failures have serious political repercussions more..

Jul 2 (DM) The debate between the power regulator Public Utilities Commission of SL (PUCSL) and powerful Engineers Union of the power monopoly CEB on power generation and much talked about Long Term Less Cost Generation Expansion Plan (LTLCGEP) is getting intensified day by day. The CEB engineers have resorted to trade union action putting the smooth power generation, transmission and distribution at risk. more..

Jul 2 (Island) The North Western Provincial Environmental Authority (NWPEA) had not yet granted approval for the proposed Rs. 723 million coal dust barrier, whose construction around the coal yard of the Lakvijaya coal power plant at Norochcholai commenced recently, NWPEA Acting Director, Saman Lenaduwa said. Usually, large scale constructions require the approval of a number of state agencies, subject to more..

Jul 2 (UCAN) The Sri Lankan civil war ended in May 2009. In 2010, Mahinda Rajapaksa was re-elected as president and his party, the UPFA, won a landslide victory in the parliamentary election due to the defeat of the LTTE. Even though the victors promised many policy changes for all the people, they were unable to bring in a new set-up to establish true peace, reconciliation and coexistence between the Tamils and Sinhalese. more..

Jul 2 (AD) Vehicle used in the Matara jewelry shop robbery and its owner has been taken into the police custody, this morning. The arrest has been made at Meditation Center Road, Moragahahena-Thalagala, by the Kalutara District Crime Unit Officers. White Alto car (license plate no. CAE 4706), allegedly used at the robbery, had been investigated by the police and has been discovered to be registered under a woman. more..

Jul 2 (ST) The Govt has decided to write off more than Rs. 1 billion worth of micro-credit loans given by state and private financial institutions in the Northern, Eastern and North Central Provinces. State Finance Minister Eran Wickramaratne said the Govt intervention was to ease the hardships caused to families which had been severely affected by this debt crisis. “As the Govt will bear the cost for the debt relief, this initiative will be carried out more..

Jul 2 (DM) TNA asserted that the govt should enact new electoral reforms within the next two months to conduct the elections to the three provincial councils which are already overdue, or else revert to the old system to do so without any further delay. The terms of the Eastern, North-central and Sabaragamuwa Provincial Councils ended in October last year. However, govt enacted a new piece of legislation in the form of more..

Jul 2 (Island) Leader of the NFF Wimal Weerawansa told a meeting in Kandy last Friday that the Yahapalana govt, which had pledged to jail former President Mahinda Rajapaksa was making use of fabricated news items in The New York Times to sling at him. The NFF leader was addressing a gathering against the 20th Amendment to the Constitution, presented to Parliament by the JVP. more..

Jul 2 (NR) Auditor General Gamini Wijesinghe says the new National Audit Bill will reinforce the Auditor General’s Department and provide broad powers to address concerns pertaining to state finances. Speaking to media after calling on the Chief Prelates of the Asgiri and Malwathu chapters in Kandy today, he said the draft bill has undergone changes on 26 occasions. However he said AG’s Department expects parliament to more..

Jul 2 (DM) The govt will spend between Rs. 160 billion to Rs. 200 billion within the current and next year to bring about a development revolution in the country, PM Ranil Wickemesinghe said at Kelebokka, Panwila yesterday. He was addressing a meeting held at the Kelebokka state plantation playground to mark the distribution of 500 plots of land in extent of seven perches blocks among plantation workers. more..

Jul 2 (Island) South Asia correspondent at The New York Times, Maria Abi-Habib, who recently penned a story titled How China Got Sri Lanka to Cough Up a Port, yesterday rejected claims made by Deputy Minister Ranjan Ramanayake that she had obtained information for her story from a B report given by the FCID. Maria said she would never reveal the sources of her story. more..

Jul 2 (AD) A state bank in Thalawa town in Anuradhapura has been robbed of its money and jewelry, by a group of thieves. Police suspects that the robbery had taken place over the weekend when the bank was closed. Reportedly, the robbers have broken into three out of the four safes of the bank. The CCTV system database has also been removed and taken by the robbers, according to the police. Thieves had taken away approximately Rs 78 million worth gold jewelry & Rs 17 million in cash. more..

Jul 2 (FT) Last week, the mainstream media as well as social media was abuzz with two explosive stories. One was the brutal clubbing to death of a leopard which had accidentally wandered into a village in Kilinochchi by some of its inhabitants. The public anger was directed at them particularly for their euphoric posing for selfies with its carcass, while ridiculing it all the time. This appeared, in today’s sense of a humane approach to life, to be a shocking exhibition of cruelty. more..

Jul 2 (EN) India’s food safety and standards authority has authorized three labs in Sri Lanka to issue food and beverage standards certificates which will not be rejected at the Indian border, a top official said. “The Indian Food Authority has come into Sri Lanka and there are now three laboratories, where when the certification is given in Sri Lanka, is accepted at the borders in India,” Chairperson of Sri Lanka’s Export Development Board, Indira Malwatte said. more..

Jul 2 (AD) Former Defense Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa will directly join SLPP and enter politics, says SLPP Chairman G. L. Peiris. He stated this today at the press conference held in SLPP Headquarters. He says that it is evident that the New York Times (NYT) article is a conspiracy of the govt, seeing as the journalist’s sources were the CID. However, they will file a court case regarding this and only former President Mahinda Rajapaksa can rebuild this country, he further stated. more..

Jul 2 (Roar) That Western colonialism had a profound influence on our little country there can be no doubt. Tea, the roads and railway system, a vibrant parliamentary system and the use of the English language are part of Sri Lanka’s colonial legacy. However, colonialism also had its ill effects. The suppression of national freedom struggles, often with an iron hand, unfair taxation and social changes that adversely affected more..

Jul 2 (CT) What action, motivation and idea drive a species to destroy its only home and hearth? What could possibly go through to cause one to destroy where one survives, willingly and intentionally? No one animal or species, except for us humans, are known to do that. And we have done it - are continuing to do it—every day to the singular planet we live, for temporary profit, idealistic venturing and misplaced corruption of our own selves; with no plan B, no rhyme or reason. more..

Jul 2 (NR) Minister Arjuna Ranatunga says a decision should be reached pertaining to the Ceylon Petroleum Cooperation supplying fuel to SriLankan Airlines even if it leads to a major crisis within the country. He said they will initially resort to holding discussions in order to resolve the matter, prior to ending the fuel supply. Minister Ranatunga said discussions were held with SriLankan Airlines in the past adding the organisations agreed to settle dues. However the Minister noted the Airline failed more..

Jul 2 (PSL) The ceremony of presenting the piriven building complex and the residence of the sangha of the Dibulagala forest monastery to the Mahasngha and the unveiling of the wahalkada was held under the patronage of Prez Sirisena today (27). President who came to the forest monastery opening the commemoration plaque at first and then openned the doors of the wahalkada in midst of pirith chanting of more..

Jul 2 (CT) National Building Research Organization (NBRO) Friday said that it received an annual sum of Rs 200 million for the structural mitigation of areas vulnerable to landslides. Senior Geologist of the Landslide Research and Risk Management Division (LRRMD) of the NBRO, Dr. Gamini Jayatissa said that the funds were allocated by the Ministry of Disaster Management to implement structural mitigation in landslide prone areas in Galle, Matara, and Ratnapura. more..

Jul 2 (DN) President Maithripala Sirisena says the govt will work towards providing every facility to develop the religious education since it is a timely need. “the religious education is essential for a person to be successful,” he said. He was participating at an event held in Tissamaharama ancient Uddakandara Raja Maha Viharaya on Saturday (30) to offer the Saddharma Keerthi Sri Revatha and Deputy Chief Sanghanayaka title of Ruhunu Magampattuwa of more..

Jul 2 (DM) Major public holidays in Sri Lanka will fall on Saturdays and Sundays next year, a gazette notice issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs says. The National New Year falls on a weekend -- April 13 is a Saturday and April 14 a Sunday. Vesak Full Moon Poya Day and the day following fall on May 18 a Saturday and May 19 a Sunday. Duruthu Poya in January, Poson Poya in June and Vap Poya in October are on more..

Jul 2 (DM) A group of politicos paid a visit to some close kin of a prominent political leader at the periphery on invitation the other day. The group who looked forward to a day of fun and pleasure was warmly welcomed by the host at his posh residence located on a sprawling 15-acre estate. He first took them round his novel showpiece – the models of Atamasthana - eight leading Buddhist shrines in the country put up on the estate. The pilgrimage to Atamasthana over, more..

Jul 2 (DM) Deputy Minister Ranjan Ramanayake claimed that the incumbent Govt was relatively more successful in taking action against thieves, rather than any other Govt. “We have completed many investigations regarding corrupt members of the previous regime and have also taken action against those involved in the Bonds scam,” he said. He pointed out that 28 bank accounts were suspended and Rs 12 billion was frozen as a result of the probe into the Bonds issue. more..

Jul 2 (CT) MP Namal Rajapaksa alleged that it was the FCID and the CID in Colombo that leaked false information to the New York Times, which erroneously published a story alleging that his father, former President Mahinda Rajapaksa, solicited funds from China Harbour Engineering Company Ltd. for his 2015 Presidential polls campaign. This is indeed strange and would raise a laugh over New York Times alleging more..

Jul 2 (CT) Wildlife officers recently seized around 17 snakes, which have been listed as protected species, from a house in Rajagiriya. They also took into custody a man named Arumapperuma Arachchige Abeyratne. “The snakes, including the Forsten’s Cat snake, the Green Vine snake, the Ornate Flying snake, the Indian Rock Python, the Trinket snake and the Sri Lanka cat snake were illegally kept in cruel conditions by Abeyratne, who claimed to be a native doctor,” more..

Jul 2 (Island) A policeman who saw a gold chain lying in a temple traced its owner and returned it in Balangoda. The chain is worth about Rs. 150,000. The necklace was found on the flight of stairs of the Weligepola Purana Raja Maha Vihara in Balangoda by Police Constable 42929 ML Upul Chandrajith attached to the Crime Branch there on the Poson Poya day. He was visiting the temple with his children. The constable, who walked with the help of a walking stick due to injuries he had more..

Jul 2 (DM) State Minister Ajith P Perera today challenged former president Mahinda Rajapaksa to sue The New York Times if its June 25 article alleging that his presidential election campaign being funded by a Chinese company, was a fabrication. "This is a golden opportunity for Mr. Rajapaksa to become the richest person in Sri Lanka if he proves in a US court that the China Harbour Engineering Company (CHEC) more..

Jul 2 (AD) As the govt spends billions for the train services, the general public should heed to their responsibility and duty as a railway passengers to use the service with proper care, says Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation Nimal Siripala de Silva. He emphasized this, today, at an event launching a special train that comprises 10 compartments modified by local manufacturers. The train embarked on its inaugural journey from the Fort Railway Station to Matara. more..

Jul 2 (EN) Sri Lankan youth who want to become entrepreneurs should not fear failure, Idah Z. Pswarayi-Riddihough, World Bank Country Director for Sri Lanka, said. “Today, in many middle-income countries, young people focus on jobs that allow them to innovate; that permit risk taking and many would not even consider being a lifer in a single job,” she said. Rather, they see the opportunity to change jobs as a way to amass experiences that give them a variety of skills and opportunities, more..

Jul 2 (CT) Forest Conservation Department (FCD) has rejected a request from the SL Air Force for permission to construct a new two-storey building, as an officials’ residence for Air Force personnel posted at the Radar Center, belonging to the Air Force, on the summit of the Pidurutalagala Mountain. The FCD claims that the Air Force, has gone beyond their limits and is engaged in unnecessarily destroying more..

Jul 2 (CT) A leaked version of the report compiled by a committee led by Justice Saleem Marsoof to amend the Muslim Marriage and Divorce Act (MMDA) published in the website Groundviews is incomplete and distorted. Colombo Telegraph obtained the original and complete report and publishes it below. Six long months have gone by after the finalization of the MMDA Committee Report and its hand over by the Chairman of the Committee Justice Saleem Marsoof, PC to more..

Jul 2 (AD) State Minister Vijayakala Maheswaran says that the LTTE should be resurrected for the freedom of the Tamil people. If Tamil people want to live freely, the LTTE should raise their hand again, she further stated. She made these comments at a state event held in Jaffna today. While she pointed out women of North are facing harsh difficulties, she also mentioned the recent murder of a 6 year old girl in Jaffna. Meanwhile, the President is only engaged in the development of his party and more..

Jul 2 (EN) Sri Lanka’s state-run Ceylon Petroleum Corporation Corporation which has been bankrolling losses of SriLankan Airlines is in talks to avoid closing the fuel taps, Petroleum Minister Arjuna Ranatunga has said. Media reports said the CPC had given more than 15 billion rupees of fuel on credit to help SriLankan Airlines run losses. “Though SriLankan agreed to a repayment plan it had not happened,” more..