Jun 23 (Island) Former President Chandrika Kumaratunga was honored with the 2019 Common Ground Award for her vision, courage and commitment to peace and reconciliation in London, last week. The ceremony was held at the House of Lords. Previous winners of the award include Archbishop Desmond Tutu, former US President Jimmy Carter and the former President of Kyrgyzstan Roza Otunbayeva. more..

Jun 23 (CT) An international campaign has been launched to seek the release of a Ukrainian ship captain who has been detained in the country for the past four-plus years, a maritime trade union official said yesterday. Captain Gennadiv Garryylov was the former skipper of the Avante Garde floating armoury and was arrested by the CID in October 2015 and subsequently remanded. He was later released on bail in April 2017 but more..

Jun 23 (CT) Shattering hopes of the power and energy, agriculture as well as environmental sectors, the south-west monsoon this year did not fall according to the usual rhythm and strength. The failure in the southwest monsoon has a great impact on the economy and the entire society of Sri Lanka. However, the country that has been devastated by the Easter Sunday attacks of the Islamic terrorists has no time even to notice more..

Jun 23 (SO) Independent election monitors have ruled out the possibility of holding Provincial Council elections before the Presidential polls planned for December this year. Despite a series of court cases pending before the Supreme Court and the Appeal Courts to speed up holding elections in eight Provincial Councils - Sabaragamuwa, North Central, Eastern, Central, North Western, Northern, Western and Southern - some of which more..

Jun 23 (ST) Cabinet has sanctioned four new coal power plants—two in Norochcholai and two in Trincomalee—and a proposal to amend the SL Electricity Act to weaken the industry regulator, Public Utilities Commission of SL (PUCSL). Approval was granted this week on a Cabinet paper containing these and several other recommendations. It was signed by PM Ranil Wickremesinghe, Ministers Mangala more..

Jun 24 (CT) Two months have completed. It was an unexpected explosive attack that took place on 21st of April 2019 and none of Sri Lankan Muslims had any prediction on it. Few years back, some Muslims from Kattankudi had arranged a massive demonstration against Zahran Hashim, leader of banned terrorist group NTJ and the for-frontier of suicide bombers. In which they requested the govt to arrest that particular person who was abnormal in his speeches and activities. more..

Jun 24 (CT) Tamils have little interest in reconciliation without resolution of the political issues. Proper reconciliation can come only after a political solution is found… With successive Govts refusing to acknowledge, let alone address the political issues that lie at the core of the conflict, the alienation of Tamils will remain high. In the circumstances, reconciliation remains a distant dream. An internationally supervised interim period, a fear-free period, set for the independence more..

Jun 24 (SO) On Tuesday a sudden raid in the infamous Ward 3 of the Welikada Prison Hospital by a group of Prison Intelligence Officers unearthed four mobile phones hidden within the ward. While former MP Duminda Silva who was found guilty of assassinating MP Bharatha Lakshman Premachandra has been receiving treatment in the Ward since his incarceration, allegations have been rife that the recovered more..

Jun 24 (SO) It is generally assumed we have passed the stone age, the bronze age, the iron age, the industrial age and the space age. After a breathtaking dive in to the digital age, we are well on our way to the age of automation and artificial intelligence. Not quite. In Sri Lanka, we are trapped in a new stone age. An age of stoning. Or to be precise, we are now in an age fascinated with the idea of stoning people to death. The reader is invited to listen to the Anusasana of the Most Ven. more..

Jun 24 (Island) Here we are, with the probably the most uneducated Parliament in the world, and we still think our educational policies do not deserve highly critical examination? To those who objected to my views on the OVERNIGHT Sinhala policies of SWRD let me ask if they did not notice the word put here in capitals - namely ‘overnight’? The Sinhala and Tamil only policy was already in use begun under a UNP Govt. (I cannot remember which PM’s time). Children were already divided into more..

Jun 24 (CT) UPFA MP Mahindananda Aluthgamage says, “we will not join a Govt with extremists, nor will we allow any extremists to join our Govt.” Q: You and your team asked for a No-Confidence Motion, but what you received was a Select Committee; totally unexpected, wasn’t it? A: Actually, we asked for a No-Confidence Motion against Minister Rishad regarding attacks on 21st. But, a Select Committee was given instead. more..

Jun 24 (SO) Ethnic and religious polarisation have been spreading in South Asia and afar in recent decades. Sadly, sections of the intelligentsia and the clergy have also been fuelling divisive nationalist forces and xenophobia. A welcome counter to this trend are Bishop Duleep de Chickera’s thoughtful and inspiring reflections compiled in Water is for All, which raise difficult questions about Sri Lanka’s past and the challenges facing its future. In the spirit of de Chickera’s work, more..

Jun 24 (ST) This week, a small child died of malnutrition in Tissamaharama at the same time that SL’s Parliament debated the passing of millions of public funds to purchase luxury vehicles for Ministers as well as former President and current Opposition Leader, Mahinda Rajapaksa. Laid out in her white coffin, dark and pitifully small, her mother and father could only weep that they tried to provide for their family as best they could. Another child, when asked what he had for food that day, more..

Jun 24 (ST) Exactly two thousand three hundred and twenty two years ago when Indian Emperor Asoka’s son arrived in Lanka with the bowl of the Dhamma and presented his father’s priceless gift of the Buddha’s philosophy to King Devanampiyatissa atop Mihintale rock on a Poson Poya, the Triple Gem of the Buddha, Dhamma and Sangha has been the refuge of its people and the attendant tenet of non violence to all beings their creed. One of the fundamental dictates of the Buddha was more..

Jun 24 (ST) A rich harvest of 18 medals were won by the Sri Lanka Wushu team at the recently concluded 8th World Kung-Fu Championship held in Emelshan, China. In a highly contested championship participated in by over 4000 athletes from 48 countries, Lankans bagged 18 medals inclusive of two gold, six silver and 10 bronze. A performance of superior class, SL became the first South Asian nation to achieve this rare feat. Young Wushuite Pathum Vancuelanberg came out more..

Jun 24 (FT) Business tycoon Dhammika Perera on Saturday suggested the private sector must do their own campaigns without waiting for the Tourism Board’s PR and advertising campaign to kick off in July. He noted that arrivals had increased from around 500 a day in April to about 2000 a day. However, a lot needs to be done, especially on the promotions and security side, to give confidence to the world that SL is now back to normal, more..

Jun 24 (Island) President Maithripala Sirisena’s tenure has been like a badly scripted and shoddily directed mega teledrama, influenced by the Theatre of the Absurd. There is hardly anything organised or coherent about it, and, most of all, one cannot figure out the storyline; viewers have lost the plot. Sirisena, upon leaving the Rajapaksa govt, in 2014, to run for President, declared as his goal the abolition of the executive presidency, which he called a fountain of evil. more..

Jun 24 (CI) An inspired, backs-to-the-wall performance from Pakistan knocked South Africa out of the 2019 World Cup. Pakistan let sense prevail in their selections for this game, and a re-jigged XI collected a vital, 49-run victory. Haris Sohail, drafted in place of Shoaib Malik, showed just what Pakistan had been missing by blasting 89 of the most sublimely-timed runs so far witnessed in this tournament. His innings added further impetus after an 81-run opening stand between more..

Jun 24 (AFP) President Sunday called for sweeping reforms to the country's constitution that he introduced in 2015 to be rolled back, saying they are responsible for political instability. Maithripala Sirisena said the 19th amendment -- which notably transferred some of the president's powers to the Prime Minister and depoliticised key institutions -- should be scrapped because it has led to a power struggle. more..

Jun 24 (CT) The Sri Lanka team was the most ridiculed side coming into the World Cup 2019; but instead of being demoralized by English skipper Eoin Morgan’s snide remark that was they were a surprise package – due to ten new faces in the squad and a new and untested ODI skipper – the Lankan Lions were inspired to roar back – and they did, in style, delivering the tournament favourites a resounding 20-run defeat. Among other disparaging remarks were Brendon McCullum’s prediction more..

Jun 24 (SO) Presidential Sports Award for years 2017 and 2018 are scheduled to held at the BMICH under the patronage of President Maithripala Sirisena and PM Ranil Wickramasinghe at a date yet to be announced. The ceremony was scheduled to be held this month but postponed as both the President and PM were busy with Poson Poya according to Minister Harin Fernando. Awards for new categories are Kreeda Deshoththara, Kreeda Ratna, Kreedada Bushana & Kreeda Praba more..

Jun 24 (FT) There are adequate provisions in the existing law to deal with hate speech, Bar Association of Sri Lanka (BASL) President Kalinga Indatissa said recently. Speaking at public seminar conducted by the BASL at the BMICH, Indatissa said that if authorities want to seriously curtail hate speech, it can be done under Section 3 of the ICCPR Act and Act No. 14 of 1995 (Evidence Ordinance). more..

Jun 24 (SO) The cost of maintaining money as cash in the system is a heavy burden on the economy as it costs the country a whopping 1.5% of the GDP. This alone is reason enough to change to a cashless system and use the savings for other more productive needs, CEO LankaClear, Channa de Silva said. A cashless society is the most efficient for transactions and the safest method in use so far. It is in everybody’s interest to adopt this system which is not only cheaper for the exchequer but more..

Jun 24 (CT) B.A. Sanjeewa continued his consistency returning a 1 under par 70 in the final round to clinch victory in the SL Golf LECTRA Grand Prix 2019 June Edition at the Nuwara Eliya Golf Club course. The closely contested final saw an unexpected turn of events with Amarapadma one stroke behind Sanjeewa and local golfer Vinoth Kumar a further one stroke behind playing in the final flight. Sanjeewa held his nerve and Vinoth Kumar carded a 77, whilst Amarapadma more..

Jun 24 (CT) The apex voice of the SL Automotive Industry, Ceylon Motor Traders Association (CMTA) has decided to develop a policy document detailing a future Mobility Plan for Sri Lanka. Speaking on the sidelines of its AGM, CMTA Chairman Sheran Fernando said that they were looking to work with international applied research agencies, NGOs and internatinal donors such as WB & IMF to create this policy document. more..

Jun 24 (Island) Milinda Moragoda, founder Urumayaka Ulpatha Foundation and former Minister puts forward three points on governance for aspiring Presidential Candidates to ponder upon. 1. It is now apparent to all that the 19th Amendment has created a dysfunctional governance structure in which the Executive President, although directly elected by the people, does not carry much power. Hence, the following options could be considered: a) Transforming the Executive Presidency into more..

Jun 24 (Island) Ten pairs of flamingoes would be the latest addition to the country’s second zoological gardens `Open Zoo’ close to Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage on Kegalle - Rambukkana Road, Rambukkana. National Zoological Gardens, Director General Dammika Malasinghe, contacted for comment, told The Island that the birds were kept in quarantine. Flamingoes are wading bird sin the family Phoenicopteridae, the only bird family in the order Phoenicopteriformes. more..

Jun 24 (AD) Minister Rajitha Senaratne stated that he would contest the presidential election if the opportunity arises. If he is requested he will contest for the Presidency and he can take up the responsibility of developing the country, the same way he salvaged health and fisheries sectors, he said. Commenting on Easter Sunday bombings, he claimed that former Defense Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa nurtured the terrorists more..

Jun 24 (CT) A Buddha statue, located at the Rest House Junction in Weligama, was vandalized during the early hours of Saturday morning, Police said. They said the statue had been extensively damaged and a hunt is on to arrest the person or persons responsible for the incident. The damaged statue was spotted by a female who was motoring towards Kataragama. The motorist later informed the nearby Weligama Police. Police said they are treating the matter seriously owing to prevailing situation more..

Jun 24 (ST) In the wake of renewed protests by unions at the Colombo port rallying against the East Container Terminal (ECT), interestingly the UNP labour activist Udeni Kaluthanthri has been promised a Working Director position on the board of the Sri Lanka Ports Authority (SLPA). Jathika Sevaka Sangamaya leader Kaluthanthri has been promised a Working Director position on the board of the SLPA, something that had been sought as far back as 2015. more..

Jun 24 (AD) The launch of the historic final step of expanding Sri Lanka’s pre-hospital emergency care revolution to the entire nation took place in Ampara district today (23) under the patronage of the Founder of the 1990 Suwaseriya Ambulance Service, Minister Dr. Harsha de Silva. Minister Daya Gamage, Dy Minister Anoma Gamage, was also present at the ceremony. The service was first launched in July 2016 more..

Jun 24 (FT) A top industry expert last week outlined insurance as a potential sector the capital market must focus on for future growth asserting that it will be a win-win proposition. “If insurance companies can grow bigger and enhance their participation in capital markets, there is definitely potential to increase allocation in equity from 7% to 14% which results in an additional investment of Rs. 37 billion ($ 211 million),” National Insurance Trust Fund (NITF) Chairman Manjula de Silva said. more..

Jun 24 (AD) Opposition Leader Mahinda Rajapaksa will be announced as the Leader of the SLPP at the party’s National Convention, stated Basil Rajapaksa, National Organizer of SLPP. National Convention of SLPP would be held on Aug 11 at the Sugathadasa Indoor Stadium. He stated that he invites fraternal political parties as well as representatives of the SLPP to the convention. At the convention, Mahinda Rajapaksa would declare the SLPP candidate for the Prez election as well, he added. more..

Jun 24 (FT) A paper seeking Cabinet sanction to pay CEB engineers’ salaries under the special salary scale which was deemed illegal by the Court of Appeal in March is set to be presented at this week’s meeting. Minister Ravi Karunanayake is set to present a Cabinet Paper tomorrow, seeking the approval of the Cabinet to authorise the Ministry and the CEB to continue the payment of salaries and other related payments based on more..

Jun 24 (AD) The clothes that Muslim ladies wear to cover their faces came to Sri Lanka following the Open Economy concept in 1977, according to Minister M.H.A. Haleem. He says that no one wore such clothing during his parents’ time and that Muslim women covered their heads using their sarees. “After the Open Economy system, a lot of women left to the Middle East for employment. They brought back these styles of clothes inspired by Arab women”, pointed out Haleem. more..

Jun 24 (DM) Six Indian nationals were arrested while attempting to smuggle gold biscuits worth Rs. 3 million to Chennai at the Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA). Customs Spokesman Deputy Director, Sunil Jayaratne said the suspects, aged between 36 and 53 had concealed the gold biscuits in their luggage, pockets of the trousers they were wearing and their rectum. Further investigations are being conducted by the BIA customs. more..

Jun 24 (Island) Police had arrested everyone who attended Zahran’s lectures, in Kattankudi, PM Ranil Wickremesinghe said, at Hiniduma, recently. "Some of them are young. But they have to be investigated," he said. All members of terror group, National Thowheed Jamath (NTJ), had been arrested and legal action taken against them, PM added. "I assure that the country is now safe," he said. more..

Jun 24 (DM) Popular yester-year songstress Indrani Wijebandara (Senaratne) passed away this afternoon at the National Hospital in Colombo at the age of 79, family sources said. Indrani, who married Sisira Senaratne in May 1962, will be remembered for her evergreen songs like Gaya Geethayan Game Wel Eliye, Budu Samine, Vesak Kekulu, Sudupata Mal, Sandapane Mal Pipuna, Sujatha, Oba Gathin Ma Langai, Dhammi Thawamath Adarei and others. She sang for almost 40 Sinhala films and more..

Jun 24 (DM) A house in Ratnapura, where counterfeit government documents were processed, had been raided by the Wellawaya Police yesterday, with two suspects being arrested so far. Centre was at Bodhiwardanarama Road in Kospelawinna Ratnapura and police had been able to find this fraudulent printing centre on a revelation by a suspect arrested in the Wellawaya Town with seven fake licenses, purported to have been issued by the Geological and Mining Bureau while more..