Jun 14 (GV) Mr. Jazeel (captured in featured image) walks around his shop, located on the bend near the Akurana bridge, 12 km from the bustling Kandy city. It looks the same as it did on the night of March 7, when a mob set fire to the shop premises and his workshop behind it. Petrol bombs were thrown into his showroom, and the ensuing damage has left the building unsafe for renovation. It needs to be torn down and built again. ‘We received 100,000 rupees from the govt in the immediate aftermath, more..

Jun 14 (CT) DLF Leader, Ratnapura District MP, Vasudeva Nanayakkara, says “The JO won’t be able to reach its targets by carrying out various agendas of various people with regional and district problems.” Q: Has the JO broken into two? A: The JO is a group of Parties holding different views; from the beginning. It’s a collection of a number of political Parties. So, there can be divergent views within the JO. more..

Jun 14 (DN) 35 years ago on July 23, around 11.30 pm at Thinnaveli in Jaffna, a bomb was detonated targeting an army jeep. The soldiers who followed in a truck arrived to help the injured; they were ambushed by LTTE cadres who hurled grenades. The 13 killed on the spot was the highest number of fatalities sustained by the forces in a single event up to the time. The bodies were flown to Kanatta the next day for last rights when anti-Tamil pogroms commenced in city & spread to other areas. more..

Jun 14 (CT) Reports based on assumptions that a three-cornered contest among incumbent Maithripala Sirisena, PM Ranil Wickremesinghe and one or the other of the Rajapaksa clan in the next Presidential Elections needs greater examination. To assume that Sirisena would be able to cut into the Rajapaksa votes from Elections-2015 or the minorities to help Wickremesinghe win the same way their pre-poll combination did for the former in Elections-2015. more..

Jun 14 (DM) Sri Lanka’s third largest private lender by assets, Sampath Bank PLC, which was recently included in the MSCI Frontier Market 100 Index, says the bank is ready to launch the first-ever blockchain-based product in Sri Lanka, this year. Speaking to the reporters, Sampath Bank Managing Director Nanda Fernando said, “We have lined up new products in the blockchain platform and blockchain will be used to deliver our products very soon. We have already laid the foundation.” more..

Jun 14 (Island) The Pakistani Media Development Foundation should be commended along with the Pakistani Army for taking us to Miranshah in North Waziristan, where the Army had destroyed terrorist groups in the area. It is no easy task to fight terrorists in tough terrain and the Pakistani Army had succeeded in doing it. We flew in two Pakistani Army helicopters (A Pakistani Major told me that in Pakistan the Army has more helicopters than the Pakistani Air Force). more..

Jun 14 (DN) Sergeant Major B. Sugadhadhasa (55) can neither walk nor talk properly. He was one of the victims of the attack on the Army Hq on April 25, 2006. His head was badly injured during the attack, resulting in his losing his memory. Today, he lives under the care of the Army rehabilitation centre, Abhimansala 2, in Kamburupitiya. There are few people Sugadhadhasa recognises; one of them is more..

Jun 14 (FT) In a strategic move to reposition the entity to represent the Group’s business vision, and take on the dynamic, techno-centric business world of tomorrow, Taprobane Group yesterday announced the transformation of the Group, including the name change to Ambeon. Taprobane Holdings PLC will be repositioned as Ambeon Capital PLC, while Lanka Century Investments PLC will be Ambeon Holdings PLC, with immediate effect. more..

Jun 14 (Island) It looks as if Chairman of the National Election Commission (NEC) Mahinda Deshapriya had taken to public speaking full-time. He cannot be faulted because there is nothing else for him to keep himself occupied with. The government, afflicted with polls phobia, keeps postponing elections. The NEC and the Election Department personnel must be longing for something to relieve tedium. The NEC chief, who has made a name for himself as a gifted more..

Jun 14 (CT) SL athletics was running on reminisces of glory for too long. Of course there had been medals from many talented athletes at Asian level, but at international level none of them could match the world’s top performers. Winning Gold after Gold and breaking Asian records was something the likes of Sugath Thilakarathne, Susanthika Jayasinghe, Damayanthi Darsha and Sriyani Kulawansha used to do years ago. more..

Jun 14 (CT) The Sri Lanka Junior athletics team, witch won nine medals (three Gold, four Silver and two Bronze) at the Asian Junior Athletics Championship in Gifu Japan, was warmly welcomed at the BIA Colombo. The victory had many fathers as the occasion was graced by their parents, coaches, officials from Athletics Association, Sports Ministry including the Sports Minister and well wishers along with few others who wanted to score some points on the athletes’ account. more..

Jun 14 (SL) Children in Sri Lanka are at risk of entering adulthood at a disadvantage to their peers, because they have not benefited from the good nutrition, stimulation and protection – known as eat, play and love – that enable a brain to grow to its full capacity by the age of 5 years, the UN Children’s agency UNICEF warned today. Advances in neuroscience have proved that during the early years of life a child’s brain grows at an astounding rate which is never again repeated. more..

Jun 14 (PMD) President Maithripala Sirisena has given instructions to swiftly present the plan on development of 13 Islands of Kalpitiya to the Cabinet. President further instructed the Chief Minister of the Province Dharmasiri Dasanayaka and the Minister S.B. Nawinna when presenting that plan to pay proper attention to the development issues of the people in the respective areas and identify the priorities. more..

Jun 14 (ST) The 9th Trinco Blu Sailing Regatta hosted Royal Colombo Yacht Club (RCYC) Regatta 2018 is scheduled to be held on June 30 in Trincomalee with a record number of 50 boats in action, the largest fleet to compete at this annual event. This year’s regatta will be worked off with three classes of boat races – 20 Optimists for sailors up to 15 years of age, 23 Laser class boats, both in the single handed category and seven Enterprise class boats and one GP14 in the crewed more..

Jun 14 (DM) The former strongman chaired a party meeting the other day. The meeting over, a few faithfuls remained with their boss for a chit-chat. During the small talk that ensued, the former strongman confided in his loyalists a prediction made about his political future by a prominent astrologer in South Asia. “He told me that I would go out of power in 2015, but would make a comeback after 2018.” The first to react to this revelation was a stocky one who made it to Diyawanna from more..

Jun 14 (DM) Minister Champika Ranawaka urged President Maithripala Sirisena to appoint a Presidential Commission with extraordinary powers to investigate the alleged coal scams that took place from 2009 to 2016. He said the scam which was bigger than the CB’s Treasury bond scam benefited by many while two million of country’s population still suffering due to high electricity tariffs. more..

Jun 14 (DM) Deputy Minister Ranjan Ramanayake had commented on the Indian film Kaalaa where he had criticized Indian director Pa. Ranjit and his movie Kaalaa which features Superstar Rajinikanth. “Please don’t ruin your career by acting in Ranjit’s films, I am telling you this as a fan of yours. I also have the right to comment as a fan,” Ramanayake said. The story of the movie is about a politician, who promises to clean up India and grabs lands belonging to people once he came to power. more..

Jun 14 (FT) In a bid to face any downturn in the tea sector, Plantation Industries Minister Navin Dissanayake said the setting up of a special fund of Rs. 5 billion within the next three months is under consideration. “I want to have a special fund set up for the tea industry, where it will assist the stakeholders in the replanting process as well as to meet any emergencies. I’m thinking that in about another two to three months we’d be able to set up this fund,” he said. more..

Jun 14 (CT) The Ministry of Petroleum Resources Development has been instructed to create a mechanism to prevent kerosene fuel being pumped into public and private vehicles. The Cabinet of Ministers meeting on 12 June taking up the matters with regard to kerosene fuel prices had noted that with the reduction in prices, petrol stations islandwide will recommence the malpractice of pumping kerosene fuel into vehicles which more..

Jun 14 (Island) SL suffered a heavy blow ahead of the 2nd Test match against West Indies as the experienced Angelo Mathews was forced to return home due to personal reasons. Fast bowler Lahiru Gamage, who fractured a finger during the first Test also returned home. SLC has flown in Dasun Shanaka and Danushka Gunathilaka as replacements. Two players will not be available for selection for the second Test. They were expected to reach Caribbean only Wednesday night. more..

Jun 14 (CI) Sri Lanka had hoped this would be one of their easier away tours this year. West Indies' home record was modest; Sri Lanka's Test side was picking up some momentum. But the Test in Port-of-Spain wasn't merely a defeat, it was a decimation. Twice West Indies' quicks scythed through the visitors' top order. Although Sri Lanka had fielded five frontline bowlers, they still could not capitalise on having the opposition 147 for 5 on the first day. On a batting track, only Kusal Mendis more..

Jun 14 (FT) Govt has decided to set up a special Cost Estimate Review Committee, in a bid to avoid cost overruns and discrepancies in Total Cost Estimates (TCE) and actual cost in infrastructure projects. Committee is expected to review TCE and contract cost variation variances of infrastructure development projects falling under Cabinet Appointed Procurement Committees (CAPCs) value threshold. more..

Jun 14 (Island) Kandy Mayor Kesara D. Senanayake has warned those responsible for visual pollution in the sacred city of stern action. Senanayake told the Kandy World Heritage City Committee meeting, on Tuesday, that billboards and posters in undesignated places would be removed and legal action taken against those who put them up. He said congestion had become a huge problem and there was no space for green lungs. Air pollution had taken a turn for the worse. more..

Jun 14 (FT) Colombo Stock Exchange (CSE) announces CSE Masterminds 2018, the second edition of Sri Lanka’s industry-wide capital market quiz competition. The event will be held on 11 July at the Shangri-La Hotel, Colombo from 4 p.m. onwards, where a number of public and private companies and other institutions from around the country would be represented. Organised with the objective of enhancing knowledge of the capital market, participants at the competition will be more..

Jun 14 (Island) The Chairmen, CEOs and boards of directors appointed to SriLankan Airlines since the exit of Emirates management had not contributed to the development of the company, Captain Ruwan Vithanage, President of the Airline Pilots’ Guild of SL told the PCoI on irregularities at SriLankan Airlines, SriLankan Catering and Mihin Lanka, yesterday. Vithanage said that Harry Jayawardena, who took over the airline after more..

Jun 14 (DM) Sri Lanka is to consider limiting new approvals for tourism projects in tourist hotspots as over visitation threatens the sustainability of the country’s tourism industry. Addressing the 39th Graduation Ceremony of the SL Institute of Tourism and Hotel Management this week, Tourism and Christian Religious Affairs Minister John Amaratunga said, “We are seriously considering limiting the number of hotels coming up in cities, while encouraging them to spread out.” more..

Jun 14 (CT) Court of Appeal yesterday fixed hearing of the petition, filed by the Attorney General (AG), who has requested a re-trial of the case involving the murder of former MP Nadaraja Raviraj, after three Navy officers were acquitted from the charges filed against them, to 2 August. This order was given by a two-Judge Bench comprising Justices Deepali Wijesundera and Achala Vengappuli yesterday. The AG had indicted former Navy Commander Prasad Hettiarachchi and two others in more..

Jun 14 (Island) Civil society activists who campaigned for Maithripala Sirisena at the 2015 prez election are sharply divided over the JVP proposed 20th Amendment intended to further dilute executive powers and do away with the next presidential election. The 20 Amendment proposes that the parliament elects the next president. Presidential poll is scheduled to be held in Nov-Dec 2019 according to Additional Commissioner, more..

Jun 14 (DN) UNP MP Buddhika Pathirana is to be given a deputy minister post in the Unity Govt. Co-cabinet Spokesperson Gayantha Karunathilake said that Pathirana was abroad and once he returns, he would be sworn in. Pathirana entered politics contesting the Southern Provincial Council election in 2004 with the highest number of votes polled by a candidate in the country. In 2010, he was elected to Parliament, with the second highest votes won by any member in the Party. more..

Jun 14 (Island) Eight separate police teams were deployed yesterday to arrest former Chief Kapuwa (lay custodian) of the Mahasen Devalaya of the Kirivehera temple and his brother over the shooting and injuring of Chief Incumbent of the temple Ven. Kobawaka Dhamminda Thera and another monk Vidamagama Sobitha Thera on Tuesday night. Three persons had carried the attack at about 10:50 pm on Tuesday after arriving there in a jeep. A senior police officer said that when the police more..

Jun 14 (FT) The Right to Information (RTI) Commission could gain access to the Bond Commission Report at the National Archives Department, if an appeal is made, and study the Bond Commission report to determine if it could be released to the public. RTI Commission Director General Piyatissa Ranasinghe made this disclosure, at the launch of the Internews report on four key policy reforms, adding that Secretary to the President more..

Jun 14 (DM) World spiritual leaders have warned us that those who abuse children or indulge in child labour would and should be thrown into the deepest ocean with a millstone tied rounds their necks. Children are devastatingly honest and innocent that is why the heavenly realms comprise people who have the honesty and innocence of children. Seen in this light many of our leaders -- political, social, business and even religious leaders -- appear to be sadly lacking in honesty, innocence and more..

Jun 14 (DM) Anyone who has read Noam Chomsky’s What Uncle Sam really wants would not get too excited when a US President, Secretary of State or Ambassador talks about democracy. Neither would they lose any sleep over such worthies speaking in somber tones about individuals, parties or governments they dislike. Chomsky’s book, published in 1993, traces four decades of US intervention in all parts of the world. It is all about the use of subversion and more..

Jun 14 (DM) Minister Gayantha Karunatilake speaks about the govt’s plan for the future and the next presidential election. Q: There is bitterness between Prez Maithripala Sirisena and PM Ranil Wickremesinghe. It seems to be high at the moment. How can the govt proceed under such circumstances? A: This is a novel experience. We are going through a unique period. The two main parties that were hostile to each other more..

Jun 14 (Roar) The period between the ages 0-5 is considered most critical to a child’s development. It is during this stage that neural connections shaped by experience and environment are made, that form the foundation of a child’s development and help a child learn, thrive and grow. These neural connections impact the parts of the brain that control a child’s visual, auditory and language abilities and is instrumental in more..

Jun 14 (DM) The Presidential Commission appointed to probe Sri Lankan Airlines, Sri Lankan Catering and Mihin Lanka directed investigators to inquire as to whether there was an influence from Mihin Lanka or any other body over the BoI to continue with tax concessions for Mihin Lanka, even though it was apparent that Mihin Lanka had violated the BoI Agreement in that regard. more..

Jun 14 (DM) Writing an article about the happenings in this country is becoming next to impossible!!! Those who lack the courage to do what is right; and there are SO MANY OF THEM, will always find a philosophy to justify it!!! We simply cannot count the number of wrongdoers who are continually being brought to Court and sent away!!! Recording of evidence never ends; we have lost count of the number!!! more..

Jun 14 (Island) The Centre for Environmental Justice (CEJ) urged President Maithripala Sirisena to reverse a decision taken by Sustainable Development and Wildlife Ministry to relocate the last two elephants in the Sinharaja Rainforest, a World Heritage Site. In a letter addressed to President, with copies sent to the Chief Justice, Attorney General, Secretary, Ministry of Mahaweli Development and Environment, more..

Jun 14 (CT) A national survey has revealed that 12% of women, between the ages of 15 and 35, face harassment in public transport daily the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) said. This was revealed at a media workshop organized by the UNFPA themed Public Transport: Safe for Women and Girls? held at a Colombo hotel. Furthermore, this survey conducted in 2015 by the UNFPA, comprising 2,500 female more..