Jun 25 (ST) The long drawn controversy over the South Asian Institute of Technology and Medicine (SAITM) medical degree was apparently settled with Parliament passing the General Sir John Kotelawala Defence University Act which lays down the national policy relating to the admission of students registered with SAITM to KDU. Most stakeholders said they were satisfied with the KDU solution. more..

Jun 25 (NR) Four suspects arrested for their involvement in the brutal killing of a leopard in Ambalakulam, Kilinochchi, have been remanded till the 29th of June. The order was issued by the Kilinochchi Magistrate's Court this afternoon. Suspects are between the ages of 22 and 26 and residents of Kilinochchi and Dharmapuram. Two suspects were arrested yesterday over the incident and were also remanded till the 29th more..

Jun 25 (Island) The Joint Opposition (JO) said the Group of 16 wouldn’t be accepted as long as some of its members held positions in the SLFP. JO heavyweight MP Dallas Alahapperuma categorically ruled out the possibility of the Group of 16 being accommodated unless they severed links with the SLFP parliamentary group in the UNP-led govt. The SLFP parliamentary group comprises 25, including 23 SLFPers and 2 CWC members. more..

Jun 25 (EN) IMF has recommended Sri Lanka include contingency budgeting for natural disasters in its 2019 budget and an automatic pricing mechanism for electricity to contain fiscal risks from droughts. “Starting in 2019, the budget should include contingency budgeting for emergency cash support and infrastructure rehabilitation,” IMF said in the latest assessment by its executive board of its program with Sri Lanka. more..

Jun 25 (DM) Perpetual Treasuries Chief Arjun Aloysius has given liquor sales dealerships from Mendis Ltd to several MPs at a discount, Deputy Minister Ranjan Ramanayake alleged. He said that Aloysius had given dealership at a discounted rate of Rs 3 million per annum to the MPs whereas the usual price of the dealership had been Rs 6 million. “Some who had received liquor sales dealerships are govt MPs,” he said. more..

Jun 25 (CT) Legal action has been taken by the Attorney General’s Department to recover a sum of Rs 8.5 billion in losses incurred by five State institutions, due to the fraudulent Treasury Bonds transactions of the CB, Department sources said. The cases have been filed in the District Court of Colombo. According to the sources, the most serious loss was to the Employees’ Provident Fund (EPF). It is said to be Rs 4.5 billion. more..

Jun 25 (DN) It is the public who are ultimately inconvenienced due to the unending spate of strikes faced by the country. Solutions cannot be found to issues and problems unless there is flexibility on the part of both the govt and the strikers, Malwatte Mahanayake Thera Most Ven. Tibbotuwawe Sri Siddhartha Sumangala Thera said. The Mahanayake Thera expressed these sentiments during an Anusasana he delivered when more..

Jun 25 (AD) Former Secretary of Defence Gotabaya Rajapaksa says if the need arises he is capable of withdrawing his American citizenship within a period of two months. He claimed there was no necessity for such a move yet. Gotabaya Rajapaksa appeared before the FCID around 9 this morning to record a statement pertaining to the alleged misappropriation of public funds amounting to 90 million rupees during the construction more..

Jun 25 (CT) Sri Lanka’s Foreign Service is in dire straits and it is evident when hundreds of academics, media personnel and policymakers, along with 14 civil society organizations, expressed their concerns over the appointing of ambassadors representing the island nation in foreign countries. It is said, “Diplomacy is defined as the skill for dealing with people effectively, in a positive way, including the foreign relations with other countries. When you negotiate or broker a deal between more..

Jun 25 (NR) Colombo Fort Magistrate Lanka Jayarathne today issued a warrant for the immediate arrest of former MP Sarana Gunawardena. The warrant has been issued in relation to the case against the former Parliamentarian on charges of the misappropriation of state vehicles. Sarana Gunawardena is charged of using a vehicle owned by the Development Lotteries Board, worth 8 million rupees, for his personal use, even after he resigned from his post as the Chairman of the Board. more..

Jun 25 (EN) SL’s High Commissioner in New Delhi Chitranganee Wagiswara has highlighted investment and tourism opportunities in the island during a visit to Mumbai. Sri Lanka wants to leverage its strategic location to position the country as the Hub of the Indian Ocean, Wagiswara told a business gathering attended by over 125 executives in the World Trade Center in Mumbai. Addressing the members of the All India Association of Industries (AIAI) Wagiswara, who was on an official visit more..

Jun 25 (FT) Sri Lanka’s official statistics bureau, Department of Census and Statistics or DCS, has released the country’s 2018 first quarter provisional economic growth data in its website. These numbers may change later when DCS refines its data set. For instance, in the current release, DCS has firmed up its estimation of total output in the first quarter of 2017 by reducing its value from the previously released numbers. Had that previous high number been used, the growth rate more..

Jun 25 (CT) Following the expose on the loot machinery of the Ministry of Health which includes the brother of Rajitha Senarante, Minister of Health and Dr. Rukshan Bellana, quasi Acting Deputy Director of National Blood Transfusion services (NBTS), the harassment and intimidation of medical officers continues at NBTS, Colombo Telegraph learns. Colombo Telegraph exposed the attempt by Bellana to procure a NGS more..

Jun 25 (DM) A purohita at state level, handling a subject mainly related to a vital marine resource has got a regiment of youth as his following whenever he goes about in his constituency. These young cronies are seen accompanying the purohita whenever the latter takes a walk along the beach or visit the villages, they say. Some of them are heroin addicts with bad track records. And they brazenly engage in their pastime out in the open as the purohita had asked arms of the law to go easy on his boys. more..

Jun 25 (AD) Had I taken just one hundred rupees from Aloysius, I too am a suspect according to Yahapalanaya, stated MP Namal Rajapaksa. He made this comment at a press conference held in Vitharandeniya area, this morning (25). The ones who pointed fingers at them are now selling Aloysius’ arrack, says the MP. Only a part of who took money from Aloysius has been revealed, and along with emptying banks, there are more thefts of this govt, according to the MP. more..

Jun 25 (EN) SL govt will begin experimenting on processes to preserve rambutan and durian as a part of a national fruit production drive to popularise fruit consumption among the island’s youth, an official said. Govt studies will look for ways to have the fruits available for year-around consumption, Ministry of Agriculture Secretary B. Wijayaratne told a roundtable event of the South Asia Food & Nutrition Security Initiative held more..

Jun 25 (AD) An Army Corporal has been shot at and injured by unidentified gunmen at Chakkindarama Road in Ratmalana, stated the Police Spokesperson. According to the Police Spokesperson, The incident had occurred at around 7.20 am this morning (25) and the gunmen have arrived in a three-wheeler and a motorcycle. The Corporal had been shot while he was at the house of a Lieutenant Colonel and was admitted to the Kalubowila Teaching Hospital for treatment. more..

Jun 25 (DN) Since UK and Canada has lifted the ban imposed for Cannabis, Sri Lanka will also be allowed to grow cannabis for medical purposes, export the production, paving the way to earn millions of dollars, Minister Rajitha Senaratne said. He added that growing Cannabis in cold countries is not effective. He said that a cabinet paper had been presented to cultivate cannabis with the assistance of armed forces. Initially, around 100 acres of cannabis will be cultivated, more..

Jun 25 (CT) A former Secretary to the Ministry of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources has reportedly left the country, joining a foreign delegation, using forged documents impersonating the current Ministerial Secretary. Ceylon Today learns, from informed sources, that Jagath P. Wijeweera, has joined a foreign delegation leaving the country, masquerading as the current secretary to the ministry, in order to travel abroad. more..

Jun 25 (Island) Kalai Kathir, published in Jaffna, in its Saturday (23) issue, reported that former President Rajapaksa had brought to the attention of Jaffna District TNA MP M. A. Sumanthiran the recovery of explosives at Oddusuddan. According to the report, Sumanthiran had received information about the weapons recovery from Rajapaksa and thanked him for alerting and advising him. But the report added that Sumanthiran warned Rajapaksa that if all did not get together to deliver more..

Jun 25 (EN) The Australian govt has helped train mid-career professionals in Sri Lanka’s state and corporate tourism sector on sustainable tourism development. The training for 25 representatives from govt departments and tourism companies involved workshops in Colombo in February and June and a ten-day study tour to Queensland in March. An Australian High Commission statement said the training was for senior officials from the Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority, more..

Jun 25 (DM) Paddy Marketing Board (PMB) will enter the domestic rice market shortly for the first time and sell high-quality rice varieties at an affordable price while maintaining a steady price for paddy, Agriculture Minister Mahinda Amaraweera said. He said the govt expected a bigger paddy harvest at the next Maha and Yala seasons because of the favourable weather conditions for paddy cultivation & private traders would no doubt more..

Jun 25 (NR) Minister Champika Ranawaka says Hitler's visions are not applicable in a democratic country. He said Hitler like seeds should not be sewn in the country. He noted Adolf Hitler and his Nazi practices are being discussed at present adding some people have drawn comparisons between Hitler and the Rajapaksa's while another group continues to make statements regarding Hitler. Minister claimed Wasim Thajudeen, Lasantha Wickremethunga and Prageeth Ekneligoda more..

Jun 25 (DM) The Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) said today people would question the practical need for provincial councils if the government delayed elections to them any further. Party Chairman G.L. Peiris said it was nine months since the term of office of the Sabaragamuwa, Eastern and North-Central Provincials Councils had expired while the Northern, Central and North-Western Provincial Councils would end their tenure by September this year. more..

Jun 25 (NR) The former Secretary of the Ministry of Disaster Management Siththi Mohammed says former subject Minister AHM Fowzie requested her for a vehicle received by the Ministry, worth 20 million rupees. She made this statement during evidence hearing in the case against State Minister AHM Fowzie on charges of incurring a loss of 1 million rupees to the govt. The former Secretary of the Disaster Management Ministry said more..

Jun 25 (DN) Four of the 20 suspects held in remand custody for creating disturbances in the Digana town were released by the Teldeniya Magistrate and District Judge Shanaka Kalansuriya on June 20 on eight strict bail conditions ordered by the Kandy High Court on June 20. The four suspects are Kundasale PS SLPP member Samantha Perera, Saman Dhammike, Saman Kumare Lanka and Lalith. They were released on Rs. 500,000 cash bail each and ordered to report to the Teldeniya Police more..

Jun 25 (DN) With the consent of the nayaka theras, the government will make recommended amendments to the Pirivena Act as requested by the Pirivenadipathi of the Maha Manthindana Pirivena, Ven. Tissamaharamaye Indrananda Thera and reaffirmed by the Chancellor of the Sri Jayewardenepura University, Ven. Dr. Ittapana Dhammalankara Thera, said PM Ranil Wickremesinghe, addressing the 125th anniversary celebrations of Maha Manthindana Pirivena more..

Jun 25 (PMD) The shining jewel of the historical Polonnaruwa is Parakarama Samudraya. Those who feel fatigued in midst of a tiresome journey come near the banks of the reservoir to view the breathtaking scenery to take a rest for the body and the mind from the cool breeze that comes with the ripples of water. But the garbage problem continued for a period of time near the banks of the Parakarama Samudraya is more..

Jun 25 (AG) Eight citizens of Sri Lanka have been arrested by the border police and state security service for attempting to illegally cross the border in the Adjara region. Investigators say that the detainees were trying to cross the Georgia-Turkey border aiming to enter Turkey and avoiding border control. The offence committed by foreign citizens is punishable from four to five years of imprisonment. According to official data there have been 38 cases of attempted illegal border crossings more..

Jun 25 (Island) The Information and Communication Technology Agency (ICTA), a company owned by the govt has taken steps to strengthen the state website to protect it from hackers. Its Chairman Rohan Samarajeewa said that as an initial step the websites of 331 Divisional Secretariats would be strengthened. According to ratings given by the United Nations, Sri Lanka was ahead of other countries in South Asia, but the country needed a lot of improvement, he said. more..

Jun 25 (LBO) Teledrama and film director Rohan Welivita is to produce SL’s first 3D film which will be based on the drug trade spreading across the country. The script has been written by Welivita himself and the working title of this film has been named as Shakthi. Film depicts the manner in which the drug trade has seeped into the very fabric of society despite the efforts of a committed policeman to combat it. more..

Jun 26 (CT) When it comes to the likes of pseudo religious figures viz, Gnanasara, I refuse to dignify such with revered titles; Thera, Reverend or Venerable as others do. To do so, would be a downright insult to all those who are genuinely worthy of it. As a Sri Lankan, a Buddhist and a Sinhalese, I find this man utterly and completely reprehensible, offensive, an acute source of embarrassment and an irritation; in short, disgusting! This monk has, single handedly denigrated more..

Jun 26 (CT) For Sri Lanka waste handling and management has been a widely discussed subject. There have been several disagreements, disputes and debates surrounding the issue. It has cost many human lives flaring up in most inhuman manner. Shocking news of a mountain of waste devastating a whole area of residential houses causing a death toll of over one hundred human lives just less than two years ago, was seen as its latest culmination. The incident spurred many actions and programs more..

Jun 26 (Roar) We’ve all experienced the frustration of running out of data at a crucial moment, or wishing we hadn’t waited this long to get that reload, because it goes without saying that late night emergency tuk rides to pick up credit are extremely inconvenient, not to mention stressful. That’s where MyDialog comes in. The award winning, all-in-one app grants users control of over 350 Dialog features in one convenient space. more..

Jun 26 (Island) The news of a former hard-core Tiger’s arrest and the recovery of arms, ammunition and explosives in his possession, in the North, must have sent a chill down the spines of all peace-loving people. The last nine years have been free from terror strikes, child abductions, illegal taxes and high profile political assassinations. The disturbing reports at issue must have caused the gruesome memories of barbaric terrorism to come flooding back. more..

Jun 26 (ST) In a candid interview with a local newspaper, State Minister Vasantha Senanayake laid bare the lack of clarity and cohesion in Sri Lanka’s foreign policy and the obvious shortcomings in its operation by the institution responsible for it — the Foreign Ministry. Vasantha Senanayake is the Minister of State of the Foreign Ministry and should have a better knowledge of how that ministry works than most of us who see it from the outside. Even attempts to extract information through RTI more..

Jun 26 (CT) Former Chief Justice Sarath Nanda Silva says although this Government talked about Good Governance from the beginning what is in operation is totally against the law. What we see mainly is that their objective is to hunt down their opponents. Q: There are serious allegations regarding the Govt’s judicial process. Factions who brought the Govt into power allege that there is a political agenda behind more..

Jun 26 (DN) Ven. Galabodaatte Gnanasara Thera is the man in the news these days. He has eclipsed both the President and the Prime Minister as the chief protagonist in the media theatre or the theatrical media. Whatever he could complain of Ven. Gnanasara Thera cannot complain that he has received no publicity. As is known he was convicted by the Homagama Magistrate for criminally intimidating Ms. Sandhya Ekneligoda, wife of a disappeared journalist in open Court. more..

Jun 26 (DN) The issue of separating children from families has dominated headlines globally due to the zero tolerance policy on migrants in the US. Since rescinded in Washington, the numbers are around 2000+. What are some of the long-term issues these children might face? The younger you are when you’re exposed to stress (the longer, more prolonged stress), the more likely you will have negative health outcomes caused by dysregulation of the stress response. more..