Jun 5 (Island) The US made an abortive bid, in 2002, to finalize an Acquisition and Cross Servicing Agreement (ACSA), formerly known as NATO Mutual Support Act, with Sri Lanka. The attempt was made close on the heels of a Ceasefire Agreement (CFA) signed by then PM Ranil Wickremesinghe and LTTE leader V. Prabhakaran, on Feb 21, 2002. NATO member Norway arranged the CFA. Years later, Norway revealed its operation here had the backing of NATO by way of intelligence more..

Jun 5 (CT) On Saturday (1) this newspaper quoting Central Bank of Sri Lanka (CBSL) Deputy Governor H.A. Karunaratne, said that its Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU) had been reporting to the CID about suspicious financial transactions relating to Islamist terrorism even prior to Bloody Easter Sunday of 21 April. He had further said that previously the FIU used to be invited to the National Security Council (NSC) meetings chaired by President Maithripala Sirisena. more..

Jun 5 (CI) Two yorkers from Lasith Malinga crashed into the stumps and had zing bails light up the growing gloom around the Cardiff Wales Stadium and Afghan hearts, but by then Sri Lanka were as good as home. An oxygen-depleted win but a win all the same in their second game of the 2019 World Cup. Against the event's sweetheart qualifiers, Afghanistan, by 34 runs (DL method), which doesn't prove anything except give more..

Jun 5 (Island) Sprinter Nadeesha Ramanayake and middle distance runner Nimali Liyanarachchi won second places, while Gayanthika Abeyratne and Sumeda Ranasinghe settled for third places in their respective events at the first leg of the Asian Athletics Grand Prix in Chongqing, China on Tuesday. Ramanayake clocked an impressive 53.24 seconds to be placed second in the 400 metres. In the much looked forward to women’s 800 metres Nimali Liyanarachchi and Gayanthika more..

Jun 5 (DN) Sri Lanka cricket is certainly down in the dumps not for the lack of talent but for lack of self-confidence in the individual players’ ability to go out and express themselves in the middle. The absence of that freedom of expression is having a detrimental overall effect in the team performances. Currently the Sri Lanka senior team is competing in the cricket World Cup in England, the Sri Lanka ‘A’ side is touring India and taking on India ‘A’ in a two-test series and SL under 19 cricketers more..

Jun 5 (Island) One of the main reasons the Muslim ministers gave, on Monday, for resigning from their posts en bloc was that they were accused of interfering with investigations into extremist activities. They said that they would not hold ministerial positions pending investigations. One is confused. That allegation has been levelled against only one of them and why others chose to resign is the question. Are these politicians trying to have the public believe that after their dramatic exit more..

Jun 5 (CI) Hazratullah Zazai is on a constant audition to be your favourite cricketer. He plays cricket with garage punk rock hitting. When he faces his first ball from Suranga Lakmal, it's full and swinging in at the base of off stump. Zazai tries to force to square leg, it's the wrong length, wrong line, and his bat face is nearly the wrong way around. The ball whistles past off stump. The next ball is short outside off stump, Zazai gets quickly into position and pulls high over midwicket, more..

Jun 5 (FT) Softlogic Holdings Plc has defied a difficult business environment with depressed business and consumer sentiment, caused largely by high interest rates and a depreciating rupee, to record Rs. 3 billion in post-tax profits for FY 2019, which is a 30% increase year-on-year, while showing a 32% post-tax growth of Rs. 855 million during the fourth quarter. Despite challenges, the resilience of the conglomerate’s business model demonstrated steady profitability, more..

Jun 5 (RSF) Reporters Without Borders (RSF) calls on the Sri Lankan authorities to punish those responsible for recent acts of violence and harassment of journalists and to ensure that the police stop harassing and intimidating reporters covering the problems that the Tamil minority still endure ten years after the end of the civil war. The 27 May violence against Kanapathipillai Kumanan, a journalist more..

Jun 5 (Island) Batticaloa factory of leading Sri Lankan apparel solutions provider, Brandix, is the world’s first manufacturing facility to achieve Net Zero Carbon status. This signifies that the Brandix factory in Batticaloa has completely neutralized its environmental impact through carbon dioxide emissions by being highly energy efficient and using on-site renewable energy resources. Recognised by the World Green Building Council (WGBC), the Net Zero Carbon certification more..

Jun 5 (DM) JVP MP Bimal Ratnayake said not only the Muslim Ministers but also the whole govt including the President and the PM should resign over the Easter Sunday attack. He told parliament that Muslim ministers should not resign just because they were Muslims but as ministers of the govt. "The resignation of Muslim ministers on their own will not help resolve the current crisis. The whole govt including the President and the PM should resign. This matter has been brought to more..

Jun 5 (Island) The incumbent govt was the first to have no Muslim ministers since Independence, PM Ranil Wickremesinghe said addressing the postgraduate degree award ceremony of SL Institute of Development Administration. "Some people might be happy about this but this is not a good development. We managed to dismantle the ISIS cells in Sri Lanka within a month of Easter Sunday bombings. more..

Jun 5 (Island) Local business tycoon Harry Jayawardena has increased his shareholding in the CSE's leading blue chip, John Keells Holdings (JKH), to nearly 9.8% in a 12 month period, a recent financials note disclosed. Billionaire Jayawardena’s Melstacorp PLC owned 9.8% stake or 128.5 million ordinary voting shares of JKH compared to an 8.4% stake or 116.7 million shares of JKH exactly three months ago, the latest JKH financials outline as at March 31, 2019 revealed. more..

Jun 5 (SCMP) This was in response to a campaign by Buddhist monks who rallied Sinhala Buddhists against a minister in the cabinet, Rishard Bathiudeen, who they claimed had links to Muslim extremists. Athuraliye Ratana staged a fast unto death opposite Sri Lanka’s most sacred Buddhist site, the Dalada Maligawa (temple of the tooth), demanding the PM remove Bathiudeen from the cabinet and banish him from govt. In the face of such protests from the majority community, more..

Jun 5 (EN) SL real estate and apartment developers who were already facing difficulties had got into further trouble after Easter Sunday blasts, UPFA MP Bandula Gunewardene said. "Land and real estate firms have seen even less demand after Easter Sunday," he said. "Some of these companies were already in trouble." "Do you know that senior officials of some of these companies are in jail?" he asked State Minister Eran Wickramaratne more..

Jun 5 (DM) President Sirisena is reportedly not in agreement with the move to purchase a bullet proof vehicle for the use of Opposition Leader Mahinda Rajapaksa. PM submitted a Cabinet paper last week seeking approval to purchase such a vehicle based on a request by the Opposition Leader's Office. However, the Cabinet paper was differed for this week amid reservations expressed by Minister Mangala Samaraweera. This matter was not taken up for discussion by the Cabinet yesterday. more..

Jun 5 (FT) Ambassadors and the High Commissioners of Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) countries releasing a joint statement called for the Govt to prevent communal violence and take swift judicial action against perpetrators. “Communal violence targeting Muslims in SL has regional and global security implications. The developing situation over the past few days has been extremely worrying with regard to the safety and protection of SL Muslim community, more..

Jun 5 (AD) Former DIG of Terrorist Investigation Division (TID) claimed that the attacks could have definitely been minimized had he not been arrested unexpectedly. Testifying before the Special Parliament Select Committee appointed to look into the terrorist attacks on Easter Sunday, the former DIG stated he could have implemented the secret strategic plan against the ringleader of the attacks Zahran Hashim. more..

Jun 5 (DN) The Colombo International Logistics conference organized by Colombo International Maritime Conference (CIMC) will go ahead as planned, the organizers told the media at a press conference in Colombo yesterday. The event to be held from August 1 to 2 at the Galadari Hotel, Colombo will bring together 20 international speakers and a gamut of shipping, maritime and supply chain experts together with policy makers and industry representatives. more..

Jun 5 (DM) Sounding what appears to be a conciliatory note, President Sirisena is reported to have agreed to appoint two members of the UNP one of them as the Minister of Media and the other as the State Minister of Law and Order. He had met a group of senior UNPers including PM Ranil Wickremesinghe, Minister Mangala Samaraweera and MP Kabir Hashim on Monday night. During the national unity govt with the UNP, there was a separate ministry for law and order with more..

Jun 5 (Island) A no-confidence Motion (NCM), submitted to parliament against Minister Rishad Bathiudeen will not be debated on June 18 and 19, consequent to the Vanni District MP giving up his portfolios. PHU leader and attorney-at-law Udaya Gammanpila yesterday told The Island that the parliament couldn’t proceed with the debate and the vote in the wake of ACMC leader Bathiudeen’s resignation. more..

Jun 5 (Island) The Life Healing Centre, led by a team of certified professionals to provide psychosocial support to those affected by the tragic incidents of April 21, was setup in Katuwapitiya, Negombo on May 18, by the Rally to Care initiative, a charitable trust under the aegis of Dialog Axiata PLC, and Seth Sarana, the social action arm of the Archdiocese of Colombo. The fund initiated with Rs. 15Mn by Dialog, saw generous Dialog customers, individual donors, corporates, enterprises, more..

Jun 5 (ET) Rising tensions between Buddhist and Muslim communities in SL manifested through Monday’s resignation of Muslim ministers from the Ranil Wickremesinghe cabinet has major security implications for India, especially in the southern states of Tamil Nadu and Kerala. The Modi govt is apprehensive of a contagion effect and keeping a close watch on links between disgruntled elements and radicals among Lankan Muslims and their counterparts amongst Muslims in TN/Kerala, more..

Jun 5 (DM) PM Ranil Wickremesinghe has decided not to fill the Cabinet vacancies arising from the resignation of three Muslim ministers, a govt source said. Ministers Rauff Hakeem, Kabir Hashim and Rishad Bathiudeen and Abdul Haleem submitted their resignations on Monday. The resignations came in the wake of a protest campaign and a fast unto death by MP Athuraliye Rathana Thera, demanding the resignation of more..

Jun 6 (CT) The implicit trust that was placed on the Yahapalana (better named the Nethipalana), has betrayed the hopes of some 60 lakhs of voters. This is a very serious matter. Medical Science has yet to discover a pill to cure stupidity. But, as with many things, adversity brings out the best of a people. Witness the way our people reacted in the aftermath of dispatching the injured to Hospital. The extremely wise words of His Eminence Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith, undoubtedly calmed people more..

Jun 6 (CT) Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith seems to be loving the limelight and the glow, however spooky, of politics. I have pointed out before how His Eminence has a penchant for popping up in public affairs when he shouldn’t & avoiding intervention when he should intervene. In terms of timing and appropriateness His Eminence doesn’t fair well. This time, the Archdiocese in Colombo has, perhaps, realized the Cardinal needs defense and it issues a statement refuting Minister Samaraweera’s charge. more..

Jun 6 (SO) Muslims in SL and the world over will celebrate ‘Eid-ul-Fitr’ (Ramadan Festival) this week. The festival begins with the sighting of the new moon for the month of Shawal, which marks the end of Ramadan. Eid means recurring happiness or festivity, and ul Fitr means breaking of the fast. Eid ul Fitr is an important religious festival celebrated by Muslims world over. Eid ul Fitr celebrates the conclusion of the month of more..

Jun 6 (CT) For those who read Ian Fleming’s book with the above title or watched the James Bond movie with this title released in 1981 were not shocked when the Intelligence Chief of Sri Lanka revealed that he marked Eyes Only code on the cover, when he forwarded the top-secret intelligence letter, revealing the possible attacks on churches and hotels on Easter Sunday to Inspector General of Police for action. Although, the letter was sent on 8 April, to the then IGP Pujith Jayasundara, more..

Jun 6 (Island) Former Director of the Terrorism Investigations Division (TID) DIG Nalaka de Silva would have the public believe that the Easter Sunday carnage could have been prevented if he had not been arrested. On Tuesday, he told the Parliamentary Select Committee (PSC) probing the Easter Sunday bombings and allied issues that the TID had, on his watch, kept the National Thowheed Jamaath (NTJ) and its leader Mohamed Zaharan under surveillance and conveyed information more..

Jun 6 (CT) On 6 Sept 2016 Sri Lanka was certified as a Malaria-Free Country, by the WHO at the 69th session of the Regional Committee for South East Asia. But despite having received WHO certification, the Anti -Malaria Campaign (AMC) has warned that the country was still vulnerable to the mosquito-borne disease owing to the presence of the transmitter mosquito Anopheles, and surrounding malaria endemic countries. more..

Jun 6 (DM) The people of Sri Lanka love fish and both demand and consumption of fish are on the rise. On the one hand, that’s good because fish is high in protein and low in fat, and that helps to feed a hungry world while providing livelihood for hundreds of millions of people across the Asia-Pacific. But this increase in demand has also created opportunities for criminals to make a profit. While most of the Asia-Pacific fishing fleets operate within the rules, some USD 5 bil worth of fish more..

Jun 6 (Island) Brazen contradictions both in national politics and the exercise of franchise as well as in civic life have marked the tragic national history of the SL nation with vengeance during the last post-Independence 70-year span. The hartals of the late fifties with the Sinhala Only policy brought in the first taste of modern ethnic tensions. Then came the unsteady political situations of the sixties prefaced by nationalizing policies, the take over all denominational schools in 1960 more..

Jun 6 (DM) The World Environment Day (WED) is one of the most widely-celebrated global days that inspire the general public towards being eco-conscious. Hence, the United Nations (UN) seeks to focus the world’s attention on the environment and organises positive environmental action programmes and initiatives on June 5 every year since 1972. This year’s theme is ‘Air Pollution’ and it encourages seven billion people to have a better atmosphere to breathe clean and quality air, more..

Jun 6 (CT) “If my sisters and I fail to assist our Appa to collect firewood in the jungle, he will not be able to send us to school. We will not have our meals. My sisters and I daily follow our Appa to the jungle and collect firewood and assist him to sell it along the A9 Road,” Eleven-year-old Sarmika the eldest in the family said in a sad tone. Jegatheeswaran Sarmika (11) is currently in Grade 6. She goes to the jungle along with her father and three younger sisters to collect firewood before going to school. more..

Jun 6 (CT) Viyathmaga has started a series of seminars to discuss the current social, economic and political situation in the country and also how professionals, academics and entrepreneurs could contribute towards the creation of a better tomorrow. Following its successful seminar in Biyagama, the most recent seminar of Viyathmaga was held in Matugama last Saturday. The seminar, which drew more than 500 participants, more..

Jun 6 (CI) Kane Williamson is not a man who telegraphs his emotions too readily. But the look of self-recrimination and fury in the eyes of New Zealand's captain was unmistakable after the most fleeting moment of arrogance in a supremely humble career managed to turn a calm and collected victory cruise into an agonising scramble across the line. His side made it … just, by two wickets and with 17 balls to spare, as the bespectacled Mitchell Santner did his best Daniel Vettori impression to more..

Jun 6 (CI) Whoooooooosh. That's the sound of ball beating bat. South Africa were not in control of nine of the first 12 balls that Jasprit Bumrah bowled. Crrrraaaccckkkkkk. That's the sound of ball hitting bat. And breaking it. Kagiso Rabada made sure the entire world could hear it. But outside of that match-up, South Africa really had nothing to offer India. They'd lost Dale Steyn. They don't know when Lungi Ngidi will be fit again. And they can't ask AB de Villiers to come back. more..

Jun 6 (FT) The long-delayed tea Global Marketing Campaign is set to launch in the first week of August in Russia and Ukraine, with plans to carry out the program in China and Japan later this year. The Rs. 4.5 billion marketing campaign targeting 12 countries, which has been in the works for over two years, will utilise the CESS funds and will mostly focus on digital platforms, Tea Board Chairman Lucile Wijewardana said. more..

Jun 6 (ICC) SL coach Chandika Hathurusingha believes that his side’s 34-run DLS victory over Afghanistan can give them confidence to kick-start their Cricket World Cup 2019 campaign. Sri Lanka’s tight win at Cardiff Wales Stadium was only their second ODI win in 11 completed matches, a run that included eight straight defeats. He said: “This gives us a lot of confidence because we really needed a win. We haven't had much success lately. I'm sure you will see a better team, a better approach more..