May 9 (DM) Govt Information Director General Nalaka Kaluwewa today instructed media institutions to refrain from publicising photos or videos of swords and kris-knives which are being seized during the special operations carrying out by security forces. At a meeting held with heads of media institutions at the Govt Information Department, Mr. Kaluwewa said President Sirisena had instructed the department not to publicise more..

May 9 (AD) Former SLMC Provincial Council member Shafi Raheem, who was arrested along with high-sensitive communication devices, has been remanded. Accordingly, he has been remanded until the 22nd of May on the orders of the Negombo Magistrate’s Court. On May 07 former SLMC Provincial Council member Shafeer Raheem was arrested along with 8 high-sensitive communication devices which could jam telephone and other networks. more..

May 9 (NR) The govt has requested school van and bus services not to obtain fees for the days that schools were closed following the Easter Sunday attacks. The schools were due to reopen for the second school term on the 22nd of April. However in the wake of the Easter Sunday attacks on the 21st of April, the reopening of schools was delayed. Schools opened for the second term on the 6th of May for students in Grade 6 and above with Grades 1 to 5 to reopen on the 13th of May. more..

May 9 (Reuters) Sri Lanka has suspended flight training near its biggest air force base due to security concerns after suspected Islamist militants killed more than 250 people last month, according to a govt directive seen by Reuters on Thursday. Sri Lanka has been on high alert since multiple suicide bombings on Easter Sunday targeted churches and hotels. Islamic State claimed responsibility for the attack. more..

May 10 (CT) Maithripala Sirisena, the sixth executive president is the title and the subject of this essay. Dead man walking is a euphemism for a person trapped in an untenable position and is about to lose his exalted roost. Fifteen days after the carnage on Easter Sunday, Prez Sirisena appeared before parliament on Tuesday 7th May. With ill-disguised condescension he told parliament “I am the sixth person to hold this office”. Oh! Didn’t you know that? Was the implied refrain? more..

May 10 (CT) We are going through a period of major tragedy with the blood of innocents, due to a massive failure in governance. Months away from the Presidential Election, and not too far from the next General Election, there is no serious discussion of the constitutional and legislative changes needed to face up to the rising trends of Islamic terrorism and the need to deepen democracy in the country. Political parties and civil society organizations with commitment to democracy, more..

May 10 (DN) Former US Ambassador to SL and currently Senior Director (India and South Asia) of McLarty Associates based in Washington D.C. Robert O. Blake Jr delivered a speech at the Pathfinder Foundation – Joint Apparel Association Forum of Sri Lanka as second in the series of seminars held in BMICH on May 7. The following is Robert O. Blake’s full presentation. I return to Sri Lanka with mixed emotions. more..

May 10 (DN) Almost three weeks after the Easter Sunday massacres, SL is now slowly beginning to feel the full impact of the bomb attacks carried out by extremists affiliated with the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS). It appeared that the greatest effect was on the sense of freedom Lankans enjoyed prior to the attacks. Country had been engulfed in a fear psychosis during almost three decades of Eelam war. When that conflict ended in 2009, Sri Lankans took to enjoying peace as never before. more..

May 10 (FT) The country is yet grappling to come to terms with the manmade disaster on 21 April. The attendance at schools is slowly recovering whilst the private sector is returning to normalcy. The Army Commander’s announcement that Sri Lanka is safe and returning to ‘business as usual’ is very reassuring given that Sri Lanka has lost confidence on the political hierarchy. It is been widely reported in media that the key personalities in the Govt were informed of the impending attacks more..

May 10 (DM) Presidency goes away beyond the holder’s personal likes and dislikes. It goes beyond the holder’s fears and pleasures; its scope is so large and extending beyond the personal boundaries of one’s lamentable limitations, a not-so-sophisticated intellect (if he has any) fails to embrace the immense responsibilities and demands that are rested upon the office. As this writer has enunciated in his previous columns, more..

May 10 (DM) Arabization of the local Muslims finally made way for the emergence of militants who blew themselves up on April 21 causing immeasurable damage to the country and its people. Only after the serial bombings that rocked the nation on April 21, some people, including the likes of top notched politicians, came to the realisation that a segment of the Muslim community was increasingly embracing the puritanical form of Islam or Wahhabism along with Arab culture. more..

May 10 (CT) “Suddenly, a silent silhouette, that was there but only a few noted, started commanding respect, not only among the flock but also by others, not only just as a man of God, but as a bridge that became a link between man and God not by the religious importance, but by his revolutionary thinking that has always been down-to-earth, carrying the message of God to all whom he considered as children of God, blending it with warmth and the light of wisdom and became more..

May 10 (Island) As a nation we lose so much through complacency and pettiness, misjudgment and self-centred behaviour, but yet, invariably some streak or beam of light penetrates the darkness and lifts our spirit. This time around it is a single human being, and many others who have ignited the flash of light. Cassandra will first write glowingly of the single human being who shot through our gloom, and showed us that for every brain-washed terrorist who flashed crazily on the world scene more..

May 10 (Island) The SLFP and the SLPP are planning to have the fifth round of talks, on 30 May, SLFP General Secretary Dayasiri Jayasekera has reportedly said. They don’t seem to be aware that they are on a sleeveless errand. The previous rounds of talks ended inconclusively with no contentious issues being taken up. The two parties may go on talking, but the realisation of their goal of achieving reconciliation and unity will be possible when hell freezes over, given their leaders’ more..

May 10 (TM) The Easter Sunday attacks in Sri Lanka put the spotlight back on the Islamic State (IS) and its global operations, with attention being drawn to its operations in South Asia. IS has been known to be fairly active in Afghanistan and Pakistan and has carried out several attacks in those countries. Now, IS seems to have made inroads into Sri Lanka through a local outfit, posing a serious threat to both SL and its neighbours. more..

May 10 (Island) Ensuring students receive a head-start towards their higher education goals, SLIIT, nation’s largest private degree awarding institute announced the commencement of its June 2019 intake for Undergraduate and postgraduate degree programmes. While all degrees offered at SLIIT are approved by UGC and Ministry of Higher Education, interested students can enroll in an impressive range of programmes conducted in affiliation with prestigious foreign unis & edu institutes. more..

May 10 (FT) Hotels and airlines will have their second meeting today to firm up respective special offers they could introduce in a bid to lure tourists who have avoided Sri Lanka post-Easter Sunday terror attacks. Today’s meeting is a follow up to their inaugural discussions held last week. “We will discuss what each other can offer in terms of special deals and agree on what is most attractive,” an industry source said. Apart from national carrier SriLankan Airlines, at present, four other more..

May 10 (Island) Sri Lanka have begun training in London ahead of their World Cup campaign having arrived in UK three weeks prior to cricket’s showpiece event that gets underway later this month. The national cricket team arrived in London on Tuesday and have begun training at a private facility – Merchant Taylor’s School. Dimuth Karunaratne’s side will stay in London until the 15th of May and then leave for Scotland to more..

May 10 (Island) Athletics Association of SL has decided to appoint veteran administrator and coach Sunil Gunawardena as the National Head coach ahead of a busy international season. The AASL announced the decision to appoint the former Olympian after a General Committee meeting yesterday. The decision, which is subjected to Sports Ministry approval, comes ahead of a crucial period for track and field sports. The AASL is planning to field strong teams for more..

May 10 (Island) As this article is being penned, the Parliament of SL is engaging in a two-day adjournment debate on the devastating massacres launched against innocents on Easter Sunday in Colombo, Negombo and Batticala. In the course of the debate, Prez Sirisena, as Minister of Defense and Minister of Law and Order expressed confidence, that the security forces have got on top of the situation, arresting not only the conspirators but also negating the capacity for terrorism more..

May 10 (FT) New regulations were moved in Parliament, permitting the Govt and the State-owned enterprises (SoEs) to borrow in foreign currency from outside foreign sources. Moving the motion, State Minister Eran Wickramaratne said: “Under section 7.1 of the Foreign Exchange Act No. 12 of 2017, Minister shall in consultation with the Monetary Board and with the approval of the Cabinet authorised by more..

May 10 (DM) A Moulavi has been arrested with several CDs containing extremist sermons during a raid by the STF at a house at Nawala in Rajagiriya. The STF also seized a mobile phone and several photographs of St. Anthony's church in Kochchikade along with the suspect. Investigations revealed that the Moulavi who had been at a mosque in Nawala area was sacked from the mosque two months ago as due to extremist preachings to the Muslims. It was reported that more..

May 10 (Island) About 80 air hostess are currently pregnant and not flying after the SriLankan Airlines management decided to change a rule which prohibited them from having babies for six years, former head of Human Resources, Pradeep Kekulawala told PCoI. It had caused a significant financial drain on the company, he said. He made this statement when Counsel asked him whether he was aware that the previous law had caused some air hostesses to have abortions. more..

May 10 (FT) PM Ranil Wickremesinghe said discussions on the Counter-Terrorism Act (CTA) will be held with all party leaders in the coming weeks, to build consensus ahead of getting it approved by Parliament at the earliest possible opportunity. Wickremesinghe, speaking to media in Kandy, said the CTA was important to counter global terror in Sri Lanka, as it moved past the constraints of the existing PTA. more..

May 10 (DN) FDI, including foreign borrowings of Board of Investment SL (BOI) companies, increased considerably, reaching the historically highest level in 2018. Total FDI inflows, inclusive of foreign loans received by companies registered with the Board of BOI, amounted to US$ 2,136 million, in 2018, in comparison to US$ 1,910 million in 2017. Meanwhile, FDI, excluding foreign loans obtained by BOI companies, also increased notably to US$ 1,611 m, in 2018, from US$ 1,373 m in 2017, more..

May 10 (AD) Govt Analyst today (9) conducted scrutiny at the residence of the two brothers who carried out the suicide bombings at Shangri-La and Cinnamon Grand hotels on Easter Sunday. The two bombers, namely Mohamed Ilham Ahmed and Mohamed Insaf Ahmed, were previously identified as the sons of local spice tycoon Mohamed Yusuf Ibrahim, who was taken into the custody of police following the terror attacks. Two females, who had served at the bombers’ residence at more..

May 10 (FT) Malcolm Cardinal Ranjith yesterday urged the country’s security forces to carry out proper security checks without pre-selection, finding fault with search operations carried out in Negombo during the past week. Speaking to media directly after a closed door meeting with President Maithripala Sirisena, who took time off from his only son’s wedding for the meeting, Cardinal said that govt has assured him of more..

May 10 (FT) The Cabinet Sub-Committee tasked to revive tourism post-Easter Sunday attacks is scheduled to meet in full today, to iron out teething issues related to the relief package approved on Tuesday. Finance Minister Mangala Samaraweera and Minister Malik Samarawickrama, who could not attend the inaugural meeting last week due to being overseas, will participate at today’s meeting, along with five other Ministers of the Committee chaired by Tourism Minister John Amaratunga. more..

May 10 (CG) The Human Rights Commission of SL (HRCSL) has proposed a set of guidelines to follow when implementing the emergency regulations. In a letter to President Maithripala Sirisena, the Chairperson of the HRCSL Dr. Deepika Udagama says the Commission does not dispute that emergency regulations are needed at a time like this in order to provide protection to the public and to restore normalcy. Similarly, Commission believes that if the regulations are implemented more..

May 10 (DM) JO stalwart S.B. Dissanayaka continuing his verbal battle with Minister Rishad Bathiudeen yesterday said the govt had ample evidence to arrest minister Bathiudeeen and a team of JO members including him would urge Prez to direct law enforcement authorities to arrest him immediately. “We have information to prove that he has had close contacts with members of National Thawheed Jamaath (NTJ) and more..

May 10 (EN) A new traffic plan has been put in place at Sri Lanka’s Bandaranaike International Airport to enable passengers to disembark or board vehicles at the departure and arrival terminals after new security checks inconvenience travellers. A spokesman for the Sri Lanka Air Force, which is in charge of airport security, said the air force was compelled to prohibit entry for vehicular traffic to the airport entrances soon after Easter Sunday’s suicide bombings which killed over 250 people. more..

May 10 (DM) MP Bandula Gunawardane urged the govt to utilize the funds allocated to purchase tab computers to purchase modern security equipment so as to ensure the security for school children. He told parliament that it was the need of the hour to give priority for security purposes of the children than purchasing tab computers. He said a national plan should be initiated in coordination with all relevant sectors to ensure security for all school children. more..

May 10 (CT) US Embassy in SL, in response to recent claims made by MP Udaya Gammanpila, concerning alleged US interference in the Lankan judiciary, stated that at the request of the local judiciary, the US Department of Justice via its Legal Adviser at the US Embassy had convened an exchange with justice sector counterparts in the US on best practices to address cases of white collar crime. Gammanpila alleged that more..

May 10 (Island) Minister Ravi Karunanayake, while denying what he called scurrilous claims, challenged the JO to find a better alternative. The top UNPer said that the contrary to unsubstantiated claims, he had been able to secure emergency power under much better terms than on the previous occasions. The minister alleged that the JO was hell bent on sabotaging efforts to meet the power shortfall. Karunamayake said that best possible terms had been negotiated for the benefit of the country more..

May 10 (DM) CID informed the Colombo Fort Magistrate Court that the two suicide bombers, who blew themselves up at Shangri-la Hotel, had rented out at least six houses in various parts of the country and used them time to time. Accordingly, Zaharan Haseem the mastermind of the Easter Sunday attacks and Mohamed Ilham Ahamed, who carried out the suicide attacks at Shangri-la Hotel, had rented out these houses in Mt.Lavinia, Lucky Plaza, Colombo-03, Mahavila Garden, more..

May 10 (CT) Govt will face a staggering loss of Rs 180 billion by procuring 400 MW of barge-mounted power from a Turkish company. This is by purchasing a unit at a cost of Rs 60. However, Minister Ravi Karunanayake’s Cabinet proposal shows the amount as being Rs 26 per unit, claimed MP Shehan Semasinghe. Semasinghe lodged a complaint with the CIABOC, requesting an inquiry about recent proposal forwarded to Cabinet more..

May 10 (Island) On a request made by the Western Province Governor Azath Salley, the All-Ceylon Jamiyathul Ulama (ACJU) has issued a directive to its branch office in Kattankudy that it cannot issue any religious verdict on any matters related to Islam, its preachings and about the Muslim community activities, Salley’s Office said. The directive points out that the verdict issued by the Kattankudy branch of the Jamiyyathul Ulama to the Zavia Mosque in Kattankudy on 08—05-2018, more..

May 10 (DM) President Sirisena said one of the masterminds who orchestrated the Easter Sunday terror attacks in Sri Lanka was arrested in Saudi Arabia a couple of days ago. Prez said this during a meeting with the representatives of Muslim Civil Organizations including the All Ceylon Jamiyyathul Ulema (ACJU) at the Prez Secretariat on Wednesday. He said officials from Sri Lanka also went to Saudi Arabia to arrest this person who was one of the masterminds behind the attack. more..

May 10 (Island) State Defence Minister Ruwan Wijewardene told Parliament, yesterday, that the government would hold an investigation to find out how son of Eastern Province Governor M.L.A.M. Hisbullah had secured shares amounting to 500 million rupees in the proposed Sharia University in Batticaloa. The University is a gift from Saudi Arabia. Prez in January this year appointed Hisbullah Eastern Province Governor. more..