July 15 (CT) World Rugby has refused the request made by Sports Minister Navin Dissanayake to appoint an interim committee until such time elections are held to the Sri Lanka Rugby Football Union (SLRFU). In reply to Minister's request letter dated 24 June, World Rugby has clearly stated their stand that the Interim Committee will not be recognized by them. However, Minister denied this and said he has not received any more..

July 15 (Island) Many people belonging to Colombo civil society appear to think that every one�rich and poor, old and young, urban and rural�wishes to have good governance (yahapalanaya). Mesmerized by the term and its anticipated popularity, new political coalition was formed to face the next Parliamentary election. I have always been suspicious of these terms, especially when they are included in the lexicon of international financial institutions. more..

July 15 (Island) Global Tamil Forum (GTF) spokesperson, Suren Surendiran, recently fired a broadside at war � winning former President Mahinda Rajapaksa, and the then Defence Secretary, Gotabhaya Rajapaksa. UK � based Surendiran declared that the Rajapaksas should be hauled up before, both local and international courts, for gross human rights violations during Eelam War IV. Commenting on the former President, contesting parliamentary polls, Surendiran asserted: more..

July 15 (CI) For so long the owners of one of most unique attacks in limited-overs cricket, Sri Lanka's bowling has clearly fallen away. Nuwan Kulasekara has declined so swiftly that 15 months after helping win a World T20, he no longer finds a place in the squad. Sachithra Senanayake's remodelled action has seemingly left him less effective. Rangana Herath has been picked apart by Pakistan. Lasith Malinga, who has not looked more..

July 15 (Island) We are familiar with the case of individuals who become obsessed with some project, plan or ambition and who devote themselves to it with great enthusiasm only to give up disheartened after a short period of focused engagement with it. I think it�s a fairly common experience among people. Japanese have a special phrase to describe this problem: the Three Day Monk Syndrome. But it can be a blessing in disguise when the projects undertaken are either more..

July 15 (CT) Javelin Queen Nadeeka Lakmali returned a seasonal best of 59:00 m even though she missed her second consecutive IAAF World Championship qualification from just 2 metres at the Army Volunteer Forces athletics championship which started at Diyagama yesterday. Lakmali who faced a setback during the last Asian Championship finishing fourth with 52.29 points came back hard in a lone battle where second placed Dilhani Lekmage threw only 53.86m. more..

July 15 (Island) Sri Lanka to meet Lebanon in their Davis Cup Group-II Asia-Oceania Zone Relegation Play-off from this Friday, July 17 to Sunday, 19, at the Sri Lanka Tennis Association clay courts in Colombo. The winner of this tie will stay in Zone Group-II in 2016 while the loser will be relegated to Asia-Oceania Zone Group III. Lebanon is trying to avoid dropping straight back to Zonal Group-III having won promotion only last year. Sri Lanka, meanwhile, has been in competitive more..

July 15 (FT) Blackbird International Corporation, a global leader in renewable sea wave energy technology, announced that its fully-owned subsidiary, WERPO, has received approval for a renewable energy project from the CEB, state-owned power monopoly. The initial plant would have a capacity of 10 Megawatts, while 10 additional plants are proposed to be set up consequently. WERPO has created a local subsidiary in Sri Lanka as a result of this approval, BBRD said. more..

July 15 (LBO) Sri Lanka has over 90% of sole ownership businesses in the island while 25% of the establishments are run by women entrepreneurs. Census and Statistics Dept released data of its first Economic Census 2013/14 on the Industry, Trade and Services sectors. �Census has listed all the economic activities except for the activities, which were operated for the sole purpose of own consumption.� more..

July 15 (DN) The first phase of the Mahavali North central canel project is underway. The work up to the finalizing of engineering planning of upper Elahera canal which comes under the first phase has been completed. It is targeted to start the upper Elahera canal construction with in this year. The canal which will flow from Moragahakanda reservoir to Huruluwewa in Anuradhapura district is 64 kms and consisting of 16 kms long tunnel way en-route. NCP canal project was included in the more..

July 15 (DN) Export prospects for Sri Lanka�s industrial mineral of remarkable durability has enhanced with value addition. Lanka�s Mineral Sands (LMSL) is shining with a huge sales windfall, as revealed in Colombo. �Due to corruption and politicization, many government owned businesses are incurring losses. I am pleased that LMSL is not in this category,� Minister Rishard Bathiudeen said. Addressing the management and technical team of Lanka Mineral Sands Limited (LMSL) more..

July 15 (ENS) M.K. Sivajilingam, a leader of the TELO, a member of NPC, and the prime mover of Feb 10, NPC resolution condemning genocide of the Tamils in Sri Lanka, is contesting the parliamentary elections against former President Rajapaksa in Kurunegala District. Sivajilinagm said that he is not contesting as TELO or as part of TNA, but as an Independent. He has put up a list of candidates as an Independent Group. more..

July 15 (CT) Dialog Broadband, a subsidiary of the Dialog Group - Sri Lanka's premier connectivity provider, announced, the commencement of its LTE Advanced Pilot Network that will provide data speeds exceeding 100Mbps for Home Broadband users in Colombo. Customer trial follows successful exposition of 100 Mbps Broadband delivery at INET Colombo 2015, an event organized by the SL Chapter of the Internet Society to celebrate the 20th anniversary of Internet in Sri Lanka. more..

July 15 (Island) Tea plantations collective agreement crisis deepened as some tea trade unions rejected the Planters� Association of Ceylon (PA) formula on wages being hinged to productivity. Negotiations last week were deadlocked, when the Ceylon Workers� Congress (CWC) withdrew from negotiations. There are around 72 trade unions in the tea plantation sector. This source further said that although the CWC withdrew other unions continued discussions, but finality was not reached. more..

July 15 (EEAS) Following an invitation from the Sri Lanka authorities, European Union has started the deployment of an Election Observation Mission (EOM) to Sri Lanka to observe the Parliamentary Elections. Federica Mogherini, High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs, has appointed Mr Cristian Preda, Member of the European Parliament, to lead the EOM as Chief Observer. more..

July 15 (Island) Ministry of Health has developed a programme to establish neonatal screening with pulse oximetry around the country. As part of this, the Director General of Health Services, Dr. Palitha Maheepala is starting the CCHD screening initiative for Sri Lanka as a national newborn care programme and has created a CCHD screening kit that will be acquired by the neonatal units for the CCHD screening programme. The Family Health Bureau of the Ministry of Health has more..

July 15 (DM) Southern Provincial Councillor Geetha Kumarasinghe said today the drug menace in the country could not be eliminated by refusing nominations to a few MPs charged with involvement in drug trafficking. She said there was no doubt that the drug menace should be eradicated from Sri Lanka�s soil and safeguard the younger generation suffering directly or indirectly because of drug addiction. �Anyone can make allegations but they have to be proved in courts. more..

July 15 (Island) Former governor of the Central Bank Ajith Nivard Cabraal said that CB Governor Arjun Mahendran was only partly responsible for the controversial Bond-Issue scam and that there was a mastermind behind the scenes. "The whole country is shocked by the magnitude of the loss incurred by this infamous transaction. But PM Ranil Wickremasinghe has been earnestly covering it up, so one can see what more..

July 15 (FT) Former Minister and General Secretary of the United National Front for Good Governance (UNFGG), Champika Ranawaka, yesterday stressed the need to ensure stable and good governance within the country instead of family governance, as was the case before 8 January. Meeting with the chief prelates of the Asgiriya and Malwatte chapters, former minister said that the political reforms that the country obtained after 8 January should continue in order to establish stable & good governance more..

July 15 (CT) The first Buddhist monk to enter Parliament, Ven Baddegama Samitha Thera, is contesting from UPFA. Meanwhile General Secretary of BBS Ven. Galagodaaththe Gnanasara Thera is contesting from BJP with 15 other monks. Leader of JSP Ven. Battaramulle Seelarathana Thera is also contesting with 16 monks. Meanwhile Ven. Athuraliye Rathana Thera and Ven. Omalpe Sobitha Thera are both in the United National Front for Good Governance national list. more..

July 15 (Hindu) The World Forum of Fisher People (WFFP) has called upon adoption of moratorium on arrest of fishermen in India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka. Mohamad Naseegh Jaffer, Secretary General of WFFP (South Africa) pointed out that the moratorium on arrest should be adopted until there was substantive discussion between the representatives of fishermen and the governments of India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka. more..

July 15 (DM) UPFA candidate Nishantha Muthuhettigama said he was ready to cooperate with Southern Provincial Councillor Geetha Kumarasinghe and carry out his election campaign in a peaceful manner despite certain incidents which had happened in the past. He said the decision to refuse nominations to some former MPs over allegations of involvement in drug trafficking and corruption was unfair because none of these allegations were proved in court. more..

July 15 (CT) Senior DIG Gamini Navaratne said Police had discovered plans by several powerful politicians contesting the forthcoming parliamentary elections to deploy underworld gangs to ensure their election victories. "I am unwilling at this particular moment to name the political parties and their politicos who are now recruiting members of these underworld gangs for this purpose, he said. While investigations are continuing, he added that these suspects would be arrested, more..

July 15 (Island) UPFA election campaign would be handled by an election committee appointed by President Sirisena and headed by himself and SLFP General Secretary Anura Priyadarshana Yapa, the Alliance Gen. Sec. Susil Premajayantha said. The UPFA�s inaugural election rally would be held in Anuradhapura on Friday and its election manifesto would be launched within ten days. more..

July 15 (EN) President Maithripala Sirisena said he had suggested that Central Bank Governor Arjuna Mahendran resign following 10 billion rupee bond scam that rocked the new administration. In a February bond auction, 5 billion rupees in 30-year bonds were sold at sharply higher interest rates to a company connected to Central Bank Governor Mahendran's son-in-law after asking a tender committee to accept bids from the firm which it had already rejected. more..

July 15 (BBC) Former President Mahinda Rajapaksa will stand in parliamentary elections on 17 August as a candidate for the governing coalition, the Election Commission confirmed this week. His successor as president, Maithripala Sirisena, leads the ruling party, but failed to prevent his rival standing as one of its candidates. The move to allow Mr Rajapaksa to stand for the UPFA coalition has angered millions of voters and activists who supported Mr Sirisena in his shock victory in January. more..

July 15 (DM) PM Ranil Wickremesinghe who kicked off the election campaign of the United National Front for Good Governance (UNFGG) in Kandy this evening requested the people to have pity on former president Mahinda Rajapaksa and his loyalists and stop them from coming into parliament. He made this jocular remark with reference to President Sirisena's observation that those who rob public funds more..

July 15 (DM) Last week we editorially predicted that political alliances with unexpected make-ups are to emerge not based on principles but with the sole intention of facing the Parliamentary election scheduled to be held on August 17. The prediction has materialized not only with unexpected political alliances but also with bizarre groupings of parties and individuals emerging. It is vividly clear as we predicted that these alliances and groupings are not based on policies or principles, rather more..

July 15 (DM) The President himself has recently acknowledged the importance of Strategic Studies and national security when he recently stated the country�s national security and territorial integrity would never be compromised. In the light of this statement the closure of the office of Strategic Studies of the Ministry of Defence comes as a surprise. Devoting special attention to Strategy both during a conflict and in the period after that is absolutely vital for our national security more..

July 15 (DM) Tenders were not the only field that was ripe for corruption and in need of reform. I appointed a committee within the Finance Ministry to study the privatization of State owned enterprises and examine the corrupt and inefficient running of 39 enterprises by the previous govt. We found that there were innumerable irregularities and bad practices followed in the privatization process while another glaring fact and more..

July 15 (ST) The work of the Legal Aid Commission (LAC) in the North hangs in the balance as donor funding for many of its centres runs out next month. Contracted lawyers in four out of eight centres � two in Jaffna and one each in Vavuniya and Mannar �have been asked to work for an allowance until Govt funds can be diverted to hire them permanently. They have not been given a guarantee of when this would happen. more..

July 15 (ST) Former Minister of Foreign Employment Promotion and Welfare, Bodhiya Baduge Dilan Priyanjan Anslam Perera is being accused of paying more attention to his personal welfare rather than the welfare of migrant workers while in office prior to Jan 8, 2015. Startling revelations have now surfaced how Perera had allegedly taken money from Sri Lanka Foreign Employment Bureau (SLFEB) fraudulently during his tenure more..

July 15 (CT) Senior DIG Gamini Navaratne said Police had discovered plans by several powerful politicians contesting the forthcoming parliamentary elections to deploy underworld gangs to ensure their election victories. "I am unwilling at this particular moment to name the political parties and their politicos who are now recruiting members of these underworld gangs for this purpose, he said. While investigations are continuing, more..

July 15 (CG) UNP said that it welcomed the stand taken by President Maithripala Sirisena to remain neutral and not openly support any political party contesting the parliamentary elections. UNP Senior member John Amaratunga said that his party also welcomed the statement made by Sirisena against former President Rajapakse stating that he would be defeated at the elections. �We appreciate that President will take a neutral more..

July 15 (DN) The funds of Samurdhi beneficiaries were heavily misused by the previous regime for the Presidential election campaign, UNP former MP Nalin Bandara Jayamaha said. He said Rs. 3,750 million in Samurdhi Banks were misused by the Rajapaksa regime by way of a circular issued by the Divi Neguma Department on Oct 30, 2014 to distribute money for Divi Neguma beneficiaries to renovate their houses. more..

July 15 (Island) The Election Secretariat admitted that the Parliamentary Elections Act lacked provisions to compel serving Chief Ministers as well as Provincial Council Ministers to resign before they submitted nominations for parliamentary polls. Western Province CM Prasanna Ranatunga (UPFA), North Western Province CM Dayasiri Jayasekera (UPFA) and Uva CM Harin Fernando (UNP) are in the fray in more..

July 15 (Island) JVP leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake alleged that those who had been attacking the UNP over controversial Central Bank transaction turned a blind eye to what happened during the Rajapaksa administration. There had been a spate of questionable Central Bank transactions during that time though none of those UPFA politicians dared take up those questionable deals, former MP said. more..

July 15 (AM) In a significant move, former President Mahinda Rajapaksa assumed duties as the UPFA Elections Committee Head at the meeting of the committee at SLFP headquarters. Interestingly, the letter informing him of the appointment is dated July 2, a week before nominations were handed over. Letter is signed by UPFA General Secretary Susil Premajayantha. MEP leader Dinesh Gunawardena announced this more..

July 15 (EN) Loyalists of former president Mahinda Rajapaksa staged an emergency meeting at the SLFP headquarters Wednesday despite President Maithripala Sirisena vetoing it. The SLFP-led UPFA defied Sirisena and held an excited committee meeting of those shaken by the President�s vituperative invective on Tuesday evening. Even before Rajapaksa's prime ministerial campaign could be launched on Friday, more..