Jun 3 (DM) China and Sri Lanka have historically maintained close relations. In AD 400, it is recorded, Chinese monks visited the country. After it achieved independence from the British in 1948, Sri Lanka established diplomatic relations with Beijing in 1950 and co-sponsored the resolution giving the People’s Republic of China permanent membership in the UN Security Council. In 1952, when Sri Lanka was facing a grave food shortage as she did not have the withal to import her requirements in rice, more..

Jun 3 (DM) Crises of any form have class, gender and caste characteristics. Social disparities are aggravated by crises whether it is a natural catastrophe such as a tsunami, a political disaster such as a coup or social trouble as with the climate of fear after the Easter Sunday attacks. The Easter Sunday attacks have led to a situation where the livelihoods of Muslim informal workers are under considerable stress. In this column, I outline some of the concerns raised by more..

Jun 3 (DM) Radicalization of some local Muslims climaxed with the serial bombings that rocked the nation on April 21. Bomb strikes, committed by a handful of terrorists, altered and reshaped dynamics in multiple fronts. Obviously, foremost among them is the call for measures to ensure national safety. Alongside, in the process of de-radicalization, fresh measures are advocated for the regulation of Islamic religious studies. more..

Jun 3 (Hindu) The enormity of Sri Lanka’s Easter bombings was pretty clear by the end of day, April 21. At least 250 lives had been lost and the island was jolted into realising that its relative post-war peace was far from secure. Over a month since, as Sri Lankans grapple with lingering fear and get used to heightened security all around, some worry that the attacks could have had an impact deeper than apparent. more..

Jun 3 (Island) PM Ranil Wickremesinghe, on Saturday, spelt out the govt’s strategy prevent the reemergence of the IS terrorism in Sri Lanka. Addressing a ceremony held at the Sangamitta School in Matale to commence the programme to take public service to the village the PM said that the attention of the public should be focused on all three aspects of preventing people from joining the IS terrorist organisation, more..

Jun 3 (EN) Sri Lanka is expecting foreign direct investments (FDIs) to be delayed, but there are no cancellations yet, a top Board of Investment official said. "There are no cancellations as such, but there can be delays," BOI Chairman Mangala Yapa told reporters in Colombo. "Investments, unlike tourism, you can't measure today on who has come. It's a medium to long-term measure," he said. more..

Jun 3 (Island) The JVP, yesterday, vowed that it would go all out to reverse an agreement the govt signed with Japan and India to sell 49 %of the ownership of East Container Terminal of the Colombo Port. JVP Politburo member and MP Bimal Ratnayake said that the Sri Lanka Ports Authority had recently issued a statement that arrangements were being made to develop the East Container Terminal of the Colombo harbour, more..

Jun 3 (Island) Wartime Rajapaksa administration, having created the post of Chief of National Intelligence (CNI) to run an efficient network involving all three services, the police and the State Intelligence Service (SIS), placed Maj. Gen. Kapila Hendavithana, in charge of the powerful Office in Jan, 2007. CNI tasks included managing local and foreign intelligence and briefing the National Security Council (NSC) chaired by the Prez. more..

Jun 3 (ST) Wonder why you never win big–or even decently–at the lottery? One reason is that the Development Lotteries Board (DLB) prints a strikingly smaller number of tickets for each draw than is required on the basis of the number of balls in the draw machine. This means the probability of there being a winning ticket in your hand is minimal, AG’s Department has said in an explosive new report available on its website. more..

Jun 3 (CT) Following objections by PM Ranil Wickremesinghe, Ministry of Public Administration suspended the Circular issued on 31 May, which made it compulsory for all female public servants to wear a traditional Sari or a Kandyan Sari aka the Osari. The Circular, which was originally issued in 1989, had permitted male public servants to wear both traditional national dress and western office dress to work. more..

Jun 3 (EN) PM Ranil Wickremesinghe and opposition leader Mahinda Rajapaksa had met with finance bigwigs for talks on an economic recovery program after Easter Sunday blasts, a minister has said. "Participated in good meeting with Opp Leader @PresRajapaksa n his team," Minister Harsha de Silva said. "Positive move to shed at least some political differences at a time like this, even temporarily." more..

Jun 3 (EN) Governors of two provinces in Sri Lanka has resigned the office of President Maithripala Sirisena said as protesting monks continued a fast demanding their resignation and that of a minister in govt. Resingations of Azath Salley, Govenor of the Western Province and M L A M Hizbulla, Governor of the Eastern Province has been accepted by Presided, the statement said. more..

Jun 3 (TOI) While Indian security agencies have not found evidence of Sri Lankan bomber Zahran Hashim or his aides having visited India before the April 21 Easter Sunday attacks, it is learnt that Sri Lankan investigators are working on leads pointing to Hashim's travel to the Maldives in the recent past. “A thorough scan of our immigration records failed to throw up any evidence of travel by Hashim or other Sri Lankan bombers to India in the past months and years. more..

Jun 3 (CT) In the backdrop of efforts to afforest Wilpattu jungle area being expedited with Army personnel already got into action to plant trees in the jungle area in the North-Western part of the Island, Govt has declared the period from 30 May to 5 June as Environment Commemoration Week. The declaration of Environment Commemoration Week by the Govt comes as a prelude to the World Environment Day on 5 June on the theme of minimisation of air pollution through more..

Jun 3 (FT) Delivering the first memorial oration of the late A.S. Jayawardena in Colombo last week, the incumbent CB Governor Dr. Indrajit Coomaraswamy emphasised the need for institutionalising the macroeconomic policy being presently pursued by the bank in order to make it sustainable. He spoke on ‘Creating Frameworks for Macroeconomic Policy Making and Institutionalising them to Achieve Sustained Improvement in Macroeconomic Fundamentals’ before more..

Jun 3 (AD) Customs officials at the BIA arrested a foreign national who attempted to smuggle out an undeclared stock of Japanese currency. The arrestee has been identified as a 38-year-old Japanese national who works at a development project in Sri Lanka. He had attempted to smuggle out the stock of currency to Japan on a flight to Narita at 7.20 pm last night. At the customs, he had claimed that he would be carrying currency worth USD 10,000 on his trip. more..

Jun 3 (AD) The protest fast launched by Ven. Athuraliye Rathana Thero in front of Sri Dalada Maligawa has entered its fourth day. Accordingly, many including Buddhist monks and politicians visited the Thero in Kandy. Archbishop of Colombo, Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith called on the Thero this morning. He stated that Rathana Thero is appearing for the rights of the deceased and the injured from the Easter Day attacks and more..

Jun 3 (AD) Australian Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton is slated to arrive in Sri Lanka today for a two-day official visit. He is set to meet several high-profile senior govt officials during his visit. Upon his arrival, the Australian Home Affairs Minister will visit the St. Sebastian’s Church in Katuwapitiya, one of the churches targeted by the terrorists who set off bombs on Easter Sunday. Two Australian nationals were also among the victims of the attack at the St. Sebastian’s Church. more..

Jun 3 (PSL) President Maithripala Sirisena says the programmes implemented with the aim of preventing and eliminating of diseases should be broadened and promoted. ‘Even though the treatment units were strengthened by allocating a large sum of money from the annual budget, the programmes being implemented regarding the prevention and elimination of diseases are not in a satisfactory level’, the President said. President made these remarks addressing inauguration ceremony more..

Jun 3 (AD) Venerable Athuraliye Rathana Thero has concluded his protest fast upon learning that Governors Azath Salley and M.L.A.M. Hizbullah had resigned from their respective posts. Athuraliye Rathana Thero launched a protest fast in front of Sri Dalada Maligawa in Kandy on 31st May demanding the removal of Minister Rishad Bathiudeen, Eastern Province Governor M.L.A.M Hizbullah and more..

Jun 3 (DM) The Elections Commission was ready to hold any election first, be it Presidential or Provincial Council, Chairman of Elections Commission Mahinda Deshapriya said. Commenting on the President’s comment that the Presidential Election was likely to be held on December 07, the Chairman said after participating in a ceremony in Egodauyana area, Moratuwa, that the Presidential polls should be held between November 09 and December 09. more..

Jun 3 (NR) Maximum Retail Price has been announced for 3 types of rice. Accordingly 1kg locally produced White Samba has been marked at Rs. 85. The MRP of 1kg of Local White Nadu has been set Rs.80, whilst the MRP of 1kg of Red Nadu rice has been marked at Rs. 74. Gazette Notification issued in this regard states the MRP is effective 31st May 2019. Meanwhile the Consumer Affairs Authority warned that anyone selling Rice in violation of the declared MRP will have strict more..

Jun 3 (PMD) President Maithripala Sirisena planted a sapling of Kiripalu (Bachuanania Axillaris) in the premises of the President’s House to mark the National Environment Week, today. National Environment Week has been declared from May 30 to June 05 to mark the World Environment Day which falls on June 5. A series of programmes implemented across the country while declaring May 30 as the Day to clean more..

Jun 3 (Island) Minister Lakshman Kiriella, said that those not aware of history made statements to the effect that SL was not a Sinhala Buddhist country. Addressing a ceremony held at Bogambara in Kandy, where he laid the foundation stone for the Bodhimalu Vihara Gilan Bhikkhu Centre, Minister said that SL was a Buddhist country and the govt was bound by the Constitution to safeguard and promote Buddhism. "Today, some people make irresponsible statements. more..

Jun 3 (FT) Minister of Science, Technology and Research Sujeewa Senasinghe during his visit to Geneva on 17 May, extended an invitation to the European Organisation for Nuclear Research (CERN) to participate in the Shilpa Sena exposition to be launched in July 2019 in Colombo. The exposition will provide an excellent platform for CERN and Sri Lanka to showcase the ongoing collaboration, and its potential for advancement of science in Sri Lanka. more..

Jun 3 (DM) Elections Commission today indicated to the Court of Appeal (CA) that he was, in principle, willing to conduct Provincial Council elections without recourse to delimitation process. Two writ petitions have sought the CA to direct the Elections Commission to take measures to conduct Provincial Council elections of those terms of office have expired. The petitions came before the bench comprising of Justices Yasantha Kodagoda more..

Jun 3 (FT) SLPP yesterday welcomed President Maithripala Sirisena’s statement made in India that the Presidential Election had been scheduled for 7 December, insisting Sirisena’s remarks assured that Presidential polls would be held on time. Speaking to Indian media during his short visit, President Maithripala Sirisena said the Presidential Election has been scheduled for 7 December but he was not in a hurry to make up his mind on whether to contest for a second term. more..

Jun 3 (CT) Visionary hotelier and hospitality sector veteran, Rohan Karr will assume duties as Managing Director of the Hayleys Leisure sector effective from 1 June 2019. With over three decades of unmatched experience under his belt, both in the local and international hospitality industry – Karr has been a driving force behind the success of several major hospitality franchises. Backed by the fullest support of the Hayleys Group, Rohan will revitalise strategy for the sector supporting more..

Jun 3 (AD) The total number of individual arrested over Easter Sunday bomb attacks are 2,289, according to Police Media Spokesperson. SP Ruwan Gunasekara mentioned this at a press conference. Accordingly, 330 Sinhalese, 139 Tamils, and 1820 Muslims have been arrested in this manner. Out of them, 423 arrestees have been remanded and 211 are still under police custody for further interrogation. more..

Jun 3 (NR) UNP MP Chaminda Wijesiri claims the President prevented Minister Rishad Bathiudeen’s efforts to resign, before the last Parliamentary group meeting. Speaking at a public rally in Embilipitiya the MP said UNP backbenchers were the first to call for Minster Bathiudeen to step down. The MP charged that Mahinda Rajapaksa’s party were accusing the UNP when they themselves had enabled the ISIS organisation to rear its head and set its sights on the country. more..

Jun 3 (CT) The Ampara District has been hit by a severe drought and the residents are greatly inconvenienced due to the prevailing unbearable heat. Wells, water ponds and rivers in several areas have gone dry and those living in the higher elevation areas are finding it difficult to obtain even drinking water. The villages of Navithanveli, Thirukovil, Pottuvil, Aalayadivembu, Akkaraipattu, Maha Oya, Ampara, Padiyathalawa, Damana, Uhana and Dehiattakandiya Central Camp more..

Jun 3 (AD) All Muslim Ministers – Cabinet, Non-Cabinet, State & Deputy – have decided to resign from their portfolios in the govt. Leader of SLMC Minister Rauff Hakeem stated this at a press conference earlier today. Accordingly, Minister of Industry & Commerce, Resettlement of Protracted Displaced Persons, Co-operative Dev. and Vocational Training & Skills Dev. Rishad Bathiudeen will also resign from his post. more..

Jun 3 (CT) In a positive development, the Italian Embassy in Sri Lanka is pleased to announce that it has updated its travel advisory on its website for all Italian nationals travelling to Sri Lanka. Lowering the level of security previously advising against travel to Sri Lanka, the new update advises Italian nationals intending to travel to Sri Lanka during this period, to exercise the utmost caution, keeping the attention threshold in all circumstances. The improved outlook of the update adds more..

Jun 3 (AD) Minister Mangala Samaraweera has tweeted that Archbishop Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith has aggravated hatred and communalism by visiting Ven. Athuraliye Rathana Thero who has launched a protest fast demanding the removal of Rishad Bathiudeen, M.L.A.M. Hizbullah and Azath Salley. He says that the Cardinal has fanned the flames of hatred and communalism by visiting the fasting robed MP Rathana. Further, he calls on the Vatican to take note on this matter. more..

Jun 3 (DM) Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith who visited MP Ven. Athuraliye Ratana Thera during his fast unto death said the problem would not have blown out of proportion today if President Maithripala Sirisena and PM Ranil Wickremesinghe had acted against those who discreetly aided and abetted the terrorist attacks. “People have given a mandate to the President, PM and the Cabinet to govern the country for five years. more..

Jun 4 (CT) The threat of further attacks by extremist Muslim groups linked to the Islamic State has receded. Due to the breakdown of trust in the political leaders it needed the reassurance of the army commander to make people believe that they could send their children to school. The confidence of the security forces in the improvement of the ground situation is evident in the more relaxed way they are getting about checking vehicular traffic. This is true even in the North, which was under more..

Jun 4 (Island) His Kandyan home was bordered by the Medawela Thampita Raja Maha Vihara, home to some of the most exquisite murals of the Kandyan era. Holding a petromax lamp up to the murals, little Herath was awe-inspired by the use of colours, style, method, finesse and the wealth of religious knowledge that went on to creating such high art and experienced sentiments he was too young to put his finger on. "These may have contributed to my appreciation of art," said Shantha K. Herath. more..

Jun 4 (SO) Though many countries issued a travel ban on Sri Lanka in the aftermath of the Easter Sunday suicide bomb attack, they had started to relax the restrictions by the end of May. China, Germany, India, Sweden and Switzerland were some countries which had already lifted the travel ban, according to Foreign Ministry sources. Just three weeks after the devastating Easter Sunday attacks in Sri Lanka, more..

Jun 4 (CT) If any Sri Lankan, politician or otherwise, says he remembers the painful non-death of the Constitution Assembly, he is fibbing. If anyone says he is shedding tears for the institution that is now in deep coma, he may be fibbing even more – not, less! Came President Maithripala Sirisena-driven twin constitutional crises of Oct-Nov last, and the Nation forgot the Constitutional Assembly. They relied more on the Judiciary and Parliament, not on the Constitutional Assembly, more..