June 1 (CT) The most important step in finding the truth about Dr Shafi Siyabdeen is to calm down. Second would be to stop giving visibility to the scavengers feeding of human flesh, blood and after-birth to feed their impotent political lives. One must not even mention the names of those racists who have struck the final nail on the medical profession’s dignity in Sri Lanka, once and for all. My personal opinion on Dr Shafi is that he is not suited to be a doctor in Sri Lanka. more..

June 1 (CT) In the aftermath of the September 11 attacks the US invented a term that has stuck on since and will stick on for as long as chaos reigns in the Middle East: the War on Terror. Those who were with Uncle Sam were part of the Coalition of the Willing and those who were not were part of the Axis of Evil, never mind that no one really questioned the right of one country to come up with these terms and divide the world along their lines. In any case the War turned out to be more..

June 1 (SO) Krishnadas Sajirani (39) was born in Kumulamunai, Mullativu around the time that the civil war started. Until 2009, she had only lived in a world controlled by the LTTE. She had never met a Sinhalese person or known what life was like outside the borders of Tiger-controlled territory. War has been the defining feature of her life experiences. Third in a family of five, Sajirani’s father was killed in shelling by IPKF more..

June 1 (CT) Terrorism in general is abhorred in political discourse. Nonetheless terror has been in practice since the inception of the State with which politics in its modern sense began. Following Thomas Hobbes, it has been argued that, the leanings towards terror, is a basic inherent feature of human nature. In 1932, Albert Einstein (1879-1955) addressing a letter to Sigmund Freud (1856-1939) posed a question, Is there any way of delivering mankind from the menace of war more..

June 1 (SO) When the courts ordered the BBS monk to pay her Rs. 50,000 compensation after being found guilty of criminal intimidation, Sandhya Eknaligoda received the money in coins and 10 and 20 rupee notes, all piled into polythenebags. Supporters of the monk, who were being driven around in a brand new red Nissan X trail SUV before his jail term, told the courts, when questioned about this curious method of payment, that the money had been collected from temple tills. more..

June 1 (TC) Mahela Jayawardene, one of Sri Lanka’s greatest captains, believes that four or five wins for his old side will be enough for them to make an unlikely semi-final. The 10-team round-robin format would seem to play into the hands of the big favourites – England, India and Australia – but the close margins between several of the teams encourages Jayawardene to believe that a bolter can emerge to reach the last four. more..

June 1 (Island) Cassandra is thankful that she enjoyed two weeks off politics and the general state of the country, both in her attention and in her writing of this weekly comment. She was inspired by Kumar Sangakkara being bestowed a great honour by the cricketing world, in that the Mecca of cricket – the Marylebone Cricket Club - selecting him for the prestigious title and post of President of the MCC for the period Oct 1, 2019 to Sept 30, 2020. That definitely is something to gloat over, more..

June 1 (SO) After the Easter Sunday attacks 1200 refugees and asylum seekers in SL were faced with new problems. Many were attacked and evicted from their homes. Many left out of fear. Now they are staying in mosques and centres across the country. One group is stranded at the Negombo Police station. Individuals have spread rumors and myths about this community which fled their countries. Myth 1: Refugees and Asylum Seekers in Sri Lanka are all Muslim and all are from Pakistan. more..

June 1 (CT) On 23 May, Ven. Galagodaaththe Gnanasara Thera, with the title General Secretary of the Bodu Bala Sena, received a Presidential pardon, and was released from Welikada Prison. Gnanasara Thera was arrested on contempt of court charges in August 2018. At the time, he received a 6 year term, to be served concurrently. Although arrested on contempt of court charges, Gnanasara Thera was also known for his provocative criminal abuse. The video of a speech he made at Aluthgama more..

June 1 (Island) Minister Champika Ranawaka has publicly called upon Minister Rishad Bathiudeen to resign so that an impartial investigation into serious allegations against the latter could be conducted. He has also demanded the resignation of Governors Azath Salley and M.L.A.M. Hizbulla. Prez Sirisena is shielding the 2 Governors & minister Bathiudeen. So, asking them to resign is an exercise in futility. What guarantee is there that there will be an impartial investigation if Bathiudeen resigns more..

June 1 (Island) Recuse is a word that is getting all too familiar today. There has been one more recusal in the case involving the Wilpattu Forest Reserve and allegations of serious violations of the provisions and legal requirements for forest protection. Recuse is fast becoming part of our vocabulary of court proceedings with increasing recusals in many cases involving alleged bribery and corruption under the Rajapaksa Regime, more..

June 1 (Island) Captain Rohail Nazir’s knock of 76 and Akthar Shah’s four-for, paved the way, for Pakistan Under-19s to record a convincing five-wicket win and take 2-1 lead against hosts in the five-match Youth ODI series at Sooriyawewa on Friday. Chasing a target of 184 runs, Dilshan Madushanka sent the opening pair packing. But Nazir’s, third 50 plus contribution of the series, set the stage for them to reach the target with four overs to spare. His patient 76 runs included more..

June 1 (FT) City of Paris Deputy Mayor in charge of Tourism, Sports and the Olympic and Paralympic Games Jean-François Martins will visit SL from 5 to 6 June. Martins has been invited by the Ministry of Finance in the aftermath of the April terrorist attacks, to share the City of Paris experience in the tourism sector revival after the Paris attacks of Nov 2015. Martins will meet SL authorities and private sector tourism operators to hold talks about tourism development strategy. more..

June 1 (AFP) A series of photographs have been shared thousands of times in multiple Facebook posts published in May 2019 alongside a claim the images show a bomb-making factory used by terrorists in northern Sri Lanka. The claim is false; nine of the 10 photographs used in the misleading post have been taken from reports about Islamic State (IS) factories in Libya and Iraq. more..

June 1 (FT) Despite the setbacks suffered by Sri Lanka after the Easter Sunday attacks, China Harbour Engineering Company Ltd. (CHEC) was positive about prospects for Colombo Port City, outlining plans to finish reclamation completely within the next three months. “In January this year we finished the whole sand filing process. The marine structure engineering is expected to be completed within the next two to three months. This means that the entire land reclamation more..

June 1 (FT) A special exposition of the Sacred Hair Relics of the Lord Buddha, received from Sri Gangaramaya Temple in Colombo, was held in Singapore. Sacred Relics were brought by Ven. Dr. Pallegama Rathanasara Thero to Singapore for the exposition at the Buddha Tooth Relic Temple in Singapore to coincide with the Vesak Festival 2019. This was the first time those relics were exhibited overseas. Actg. High Commissioner of Sri Lanka to Singapore Ameer Ajwad received more..

June 1 (FT) UNP MPs Dr. Jayampathi Wickramaratne and Prof. Ashu Marasinghe denied allowing media to report on Parliamentary Select Committee (PSC) proceedings undermined national security, insisting transparency was essential for inquires into the Easter Sunday attacks to be successful and defended the public’s right to such information. The PSC to inquire into the Easter Sunday attacks was appointed on 23 May more..

June 1 (CI) There's a simple reason why this game was so short: because the West Indies bowlers were, too. In a spell of fast bowling more suited to Test cricket of the 1980s than limited-overs in this more cautious age, West Indies stuck to a length that kept pushing Pakistan further and further back. It wasn't far back enough, and, led by the youngest member of their squad, Oshane Thomas, they shot Pakistan out for their second lowest total ever in World Cup history; it would have been more..

June 1 (AFP) Captain Dimuth Karunaratne has revealed stirring speeches from two of his country's greats provided the perfect preparation for their bid to win the Cricket World Cup. Karunaratne's side start their campaign against NZ in Cardiff on Saturday, with motivational pep talks from Arjuna Ranatunga and Kumar Sangakkara ringing in their ears. Sri Lankans won the WC in 1996 but enter this edition in England and Wales on a terrible run of form, winning just one of their past 9 ODIs. more..

June 1 (CI) New Zealand's turbo-aggressive yet endearing cricket turned a rugby-mad nation into a cricket-loving country in 2015. Brendon McCullum, the (Super)man who was at the forefront of New Zealand's surge then, will breathe easy in the commentary box this time. Sure, Kane Williamson hates it - but the focus will be on him this time. The current New Zealand captain is more endearing than turbo-aggressive, more..

June 1 (Island) SriLankan Airlines is to resume services to Pakistan’s commercial capital Karachi on June 1, 2019. Sri Lanka’s National Carrier will operate five weekly flights on Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday, with flights arriving in Karachi at 15:10 hours and departing Karachi at 16:10 hours. Some of the international flights into Pakistan were suspended following the closure of Pakistani airspace by the Civil Aviation Authority of Pakistan on 27th Feb 2019. more..

June 1 (ST) The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has temporarily relocated 35 foreign refugees at the Poonthottam Rehabilitation Centre in Vavuniya. Earlier, discussions were held to relocate the refugees to Ridiyagama. Hambantota. This was abandoned due to protests by area residents. A decision was then taken to transfer 169 of the refugees to the Poonthottam Rehabilitation Centre in Vavuniya. However, only 35 refugees were transferred. more..

June 1 (AD) A day after after being sworn in with his 57-member council of ministers by President Ram Nath Kovind, Indian PM Narendra Modi on Friday held a bilateral meeting with Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena. In the first of a series of bilateral meetings with foreign leaders, Modi and Sirisena discussed issues of interest of the two countries at Hyderabad House in New Delhi. Sirisena congratulated the PM on more..

June 1 (EN) Sri Lanka's inflation accelerated to 5% from a year earlier in May 2019, from 4.5% in April. Colombo Consumer Price Index grew 1.6% to 129.0 points from 127 points a month earlier. Food inflation picked up 0.8% from a year earlier in May, while non-food inflation accelerated 6.8%. Sri Lanka's growth is now sluggish, despite inflation rising to the middle of the target 4-6% band. Prices have picked up after a prolonged period of liquidity shortage in the money market, analysts say. more..

June 1 (Island) Coming off from a hard-hitting first match defeat, the visiting Lankans did well to limit the Indian batting to 269 but the hosts hit back with four wickets, with a deficit of 182, at stumps on day-01, of the 2nd unofficial test, in Hubli, India. It was the same old story, of the poor returns from the openers while both Bhanuka Rajapaksa and skipper Ashan Priyanranjan, lacked staying power. Niroshan Dickwella and Priyamal Perera, scraped through the nervy stages, more..

June 1 (DM) SLFP's senior vice president Nimal Siripala De Silva said the proposals presented to the Parliamentary Sectoral Committee by his party for enactment so as to quell new forms of terrorism and extremism has made much progress. He said the 11-point set of proposals envisages to promote interfaith harmony while putting an end to extremism and fundamentalism and includes the close monitoring of social media and more..

June 1 (Island) National Organizer of the SLFP and Anuradhapura District MP Salinda Dissanayake, yesterday said, as there were many loopholes in the law and one law was not enforced for all, most of the people tried to implement their own agendas. "Allowing different communities to act on their own has plunged the country into a chaos today," Dissanayake said. Now the people have realised that there should be one law for all and law makers are trying to enact new laws, he said. more..

June 1 (DN) Eastern Province Governor M.L.A.M. Hizbullah issuing a statement said clashes among Islamists of different sects like Wahabists and Thawheeds is a dangerous precedent. He said the demolition of a mosque by some groups following Islam by making use of the present situation in the country cannot be condoned. The Governor expressed his position over the recent demolition of a mosque by a group of Muslims in Madatugama in Kekirawa. more..

June 1 (EN) Sri Lanka's hoteliers are trying to retain staff until arrivals recover from the Easter Sunday bombings, but many in the industry do not have the cash to maintain pre-attack cadres, industry officials said. "John Keells is keeping its staff," John Keells Hotels Vice President Dilip Mudadeniya said. The group's Cinnamon Grand was one of three bombed hotels. "Cinnamon is taking the longer view." more..

June 1 (AFP) A lawyer for a family who sheltered fugitive former US National Security Agency contractor Edward Snowden asked Canada on Wednesday to take them in as refugees, saying they were being persecuted in Hong Kong. Guillaume Cliche-Rivard of the non-governmental group For the Refugees, which in March sponsored two other Snowden Guardian Angels -- Vanessa Rodel and her seven-year-old daughter Keana of the Philippines -- made the plea on more..

June 1 (PMD) President Maithripala Sirisena instructed to cancel the licenses of timber mill owners who keep illegal timber in possession. President Sirisena issued these instructions to respective officials at a progress review meeting held at Forest Conservation Department today (29th) morning. President who visited the Forest Department this (29) morning as the Minister in charge of the subject. Prez inspected its activities after the meeting with its senior officials. more..

June 1 (CT) The civic rights of Minister Rajitha Senaratne should be revoked, the GMOA claimed, citing the revelation made by Health Secretary Wasantha Perera to the PCoI to probe into acts of fraud and corruption, where the Health Secretary said State expenses were made towards the upkeep of a private hospital. GMOA Assistant Secretary Dr. Naveen D. Zoysa said the expenses by the State concerning the Neville Fernando Teaching more..

June 1 (DM) Jathika Sangha Sammelanaya President Ven. Liyanwala Sasanaratana Thera yesterday urged all peace loving Sri Lankans including Bikkhus to join Ven. Athureliye Ratana Thera's effort to save the nation from terrorists. Ven. Ratana Thera began a death fast yesterday calling President Maithripala Sirisena to remove Minister Rishad Bathiudeen, Western Province Governor Azath Salley and Eastern Province Governor M L A M Hizbullah from their posts. more..

June 1 (FT) Cabinet paper submitted by PM this week to purchase a bulletproof vehicle for Opposition Leader Mahinda Rajapaksa had been due to a request from the former President’s Office for a new vehicle. Secretary to the Opposition Leader Harsha Wijewardena had written to the PM’s Office on 22 May requesting a new bulletproof vehicle for former Prez, citing serious security threats. “Opposition Leader who is the fifth executive president of Sri Lanka has been warned more..

June 1 (DM) Chief prelates of the Malwatte and Asgiriya chapters and Colombo's Archbishop Malcolm Cardinal Ranjith called on the govt to refrain from entering into any agreement with any foreign country in a manner foreign armed forces could enter Sri Lanka and set up camps in the country jeopardizing the people's sovereignty upheld by the Constitution. They also requested the govt leaders to proscribe more..

June 1 (CT) Old Blighty is all spruced up playing host to the ICC’s Men’s Cricket ODI World Cup featuring ten of the best teams from around the world. But a word before we continue: Not many know that the origin of the word Blighty stems from the Urdu word VILAYETI progressively abridged and mispronounced as BLIGHTY. Broadly meaning home and interchangeably used to mean foreign or home country, the word entered the English lexicon and has stuck to this day. more..

June 1 (DM) In every race, religion, culture and nationality in all parts of the world, parents are the primary caregivers and teachers of their children -- preparing them for a happy, fulfilling and productive life. Parents are the anchors of the family and the foundation of our communities and societies. On this basis the UN today celebrates the Global Day of Parents with the world body saying the day provides an opportunity to appreciate parents for their selfless commitment to children more..

June 1 (DM) While the anti-tobacco and anti-smoking campaign could be said to be successful in Sri Lanka with both showing sharp drops, 15% or more than 16,85,000 adults smoke cigarettes every day, making it an ongoing and dire public health threat, a survey has revealed. Releasing a study paper after the survey to mark World No Tobacco Day that fell yesterday (31), Director, Centre for Combating Tobacco (CCT) of more..

June 1 (CI) Yes it was a good toss to win. Yes it was a green pitch. Yes it was beautiful morning on which to bowl. All that said, New Zealand's demolition of Sri Lanka in Cardiff was a powerful display by a team that always seems to figure at the pointy end of World Cups, demonstrating too that the climes of an early English summer (albeit in Wales this day) will only add to the their prospects of progressing to final four. more..