Aug 19 (NDTV) Rangana Herath has jumped to number five in the latest ICC Test rankings for bowlers after he helped Sri Lanka whitewash Australia 3-0 for the first time in their Test history. Herath, who has played 73 Tests and taken 332 wickets, was the leading wicket-taker in the three-match series against Australia with 28 wickets at a phenomenal average of 12.75. This is the left-arm spinner's highest ranking since he had achieved his best of fourth spot after the end of 2nd Test more..

Aug 19 (FT) The Catholic Church is violating The Fauna and Flora Protection Ordinance and damaging conservation efforts in Wilpattu according to two environmentalist organisations. The Wildlife and Nature Protection Society (WNPS) and Environmental Foundation Ltd. (EFL) held a press conference to publicise their long-running criticism of the expansion of a Catholic shrine in the protected area of Wilpattu National Park. more..

Aug 19 (TG) CM of northern province, C V Wigneswaran highlighted the need for justice for the Tamil people, as he addressed a public event where the former president, Chandrika Kumaratunga was present. "Without compensation for all the injustice meted out to the Tamils in the past, including war crimes, whatever benefits that are provided to us will not satisfy us," he told the gathering. Stressing that international prosecutors must be included in any investigation into mass atrocities, more..

Aug 19 (DN) Minister Rishard Bathuideen has been summoned to appear before the PRECIFAC on Aug 29 to record a statement regarding an alleged fraud involving Rs 5 billion in the import of rice by the Sathosa during the previous regime. A statement from him has become necessary in this regarding as he is currently in-charge of the Sathosa in his capacity as Minister of Industry and Commerce. The rice had been imported during the previous regime notwithstanding the availability of more..

Aug 19 (DN) Sri Lanka Under-19 cricketers are knocking on the door of the national side, Sri Lanka�s chairman of selectors Sanath Jayasuriya said at a press briefing held at SLC headquarters soon after the victorious SL Under 19 team arrived from England following a successful tour. SL Under 19 cricketers beat their English counterparts to win the two-Test Youth series 1-0 and followed it up by whitewashing them more..

Aug 19 (CT) NFF Western Provincial Councillor, Actor Roger Seneviratne was summoned to the PRECIFAC yesterday. The accusation against him is that he used Manager (Training and Development) of State Engineering Corporation for a period of four years as his Private Secretary. An official of PRECIFAC said that Roger Seneviratne used the Manager as his Private Secretary from 2013 to 2015. This had been revealed in investigations carried out by more..

Aug 19 (CT) Senior DIG M.R. Latheef was appointed the Commandant of the STF, following a decision taken by the National Police Commission (NPC) on 4 August. Latheef said that IGP Pujith Jayasundara had yesterday ratified the decision taken by the NPC earlier this month. Headded that he would also continue in his role as the Senior DIG-Recruitment and Training Range and International Relations. Latheef is due to officially assume duties as the Chief of the STF today. more..

Aug 19 (CT) For the first time in its history the Bribery Commission filed 13 cases severally in Colombo High Court (CHC) and Colombo Magistrate's Court (CMC) respectively. Director General of the CIABOC Dilrukshi Dias Wickremasinghe said they had filed six cases at CHC and seven at CMC. The cases carry charges of bribery against Police officers, failure to declare assets by State officials and soliciting bribes more..

Aug 19 (PO) Dr David Young, an Australian orthopedic surgeon, who is popular among several Asian cricketers is on a week-long trip to India and Sri Lanka. He has been attending the 3rd International Congress of the World Coalition for Trauma Care in Delhi. He said, �it will be a good experience to meet world�s renowned doctors and India�s orthopedic surgeons�. Dr. Young is scheduled to deliver his talk on Friday night at the 4-day seminar, which began on Aug 17th. more..

Aug 19 (DN) CIABOC yesterday filed five corruption cases in the Colombo Chief Magistrate�s Court against Major Nevil Wanniarachchi, the ex-Chief Security Officer (CSO) of former President Rajapaksa over non-declaration of assets and liabilities. BC alleged that Major Wanniarachchi had failed to declare his assets and liabilities for a period of five years since 2010 to 2014 while serving as an Army Major. When the case came up before Colombo Additional Magistrate more..

Aug 19 (ENS) Governor of Northern Province, Reginold Cooray, has defended the building of Buddhist temples in the province saying that it is only part of a boom in the building of places of worship there. �Big Hindu kovils are being built and many Christian denominations have come up with their buildings. But there are only 13 Buddhist temples in entire NP,� he said. �We don�t object to Hindu kovils & Christian churches coming up. more..

Aug 19 (DM) With the General Certificate of Education Advanced Level examination now into its third week and the pressure building up for next Sunday�s Grade five scholarship examination it would be educative and enlightening for parents, teachers and other authorities to reflect on this letter sent by a Kolkata school to the parents. It said: �Dear Parent, The exams of children are to start soon. We know you are all really anxious for your child to do well. more..

Aug 19 (DM) In Sri Lanka, all armed entities, official or unofficial, have abducted people, whether they were opponents or not. Many victims were killed or made simply to disappear. Main among those accused of abductions were the LTTE and the Govt security forces, including the Police. All these groups are now denying their involvement in any of these disappearances of people. It is against this backdrop that the Govt has adopted a Bill to institute an Office of Missing Persons (OMP) in order to more..

Aug 19 (SL) The US has made a push to ensure the current govt protects religious minorities in the country. This comes in the wake of the BBS attempting to raise its head and voice once again. A new US State Department report had noted that US Ambassador to SL had urged govt leaders at the most senior levels, including President Sirisena, to arrest and prosecute perpetrators of crimes against religious minorities and more..

Aug 19 (CTV) An internationally wanted man accused of terrorist activities is living just outside the Greater Toronto Area as a Canadian citizen. The case raises questions about the weight of Interpol notices as well as how the Canadian govt deals with people they believe belong to terror groups. The story began to unravel when CTV Toronto received a tip that a man named in an Interpol red notice -- a notice that is issued more..

Aug 19 (Island) Jathika Guru Saviya (JGS) affiliated to JHU urged the govt to amend present circulars that prevent students from the districts where high Z score rankings are required for them to enter university to sit the GCE A/L exam in areas such as Nuwara Eliya District, where Z score is lower for university admission due to lack of facilities available for the candidates. The practice had been in place for nearly 40 years, more..

Aug 19 (ST) This year�s Esala perahera got underway with elephants very much in the news as the Department of Wildlife cracks down on elephants that are being kept as domestic animals without permits, and on the perahera (pageant) elephants. Among the officials designated to perform specific duties and tasks to ensure a smooth run of the Esala Perahera, veterinarians play an important role when it comes to the care more..

Aug 19 (EN) Sri Lanka is making plans to pay power users with rooftop solar panels, going beyond the current system of net metering where excess power will be bought by the state-run CEB through 20-year contracts. At the moment, CEB has a net metering system where power produced by rooftop solar panels are deducted from the total bill owed to the utility. Any excess power, however, is not settled in cash but is carried more..

Aug 19 (LBO) Tourist arrivals to Sri Lanka hit an all-time high in July this year. Number of arrivals which clocked 209,351 represented a growth of 19.1% compared to July last year and is the highest number recorded in a single month since records began in the sixties. July arrivals figure is higher than even the figure recorded last December which is traditionally SL�s highest grossing month in tourism calendar. more..

Aug 19 (Hindu) UNESCO has asserted that no reference was ever made to the delisting of the Golden Temple of Dambulla, one of the eight World Heritage sites in SL, during the recent visit of its Director-General Irina Bokova to the country. Located about 175 km from Colombo, the temple was declared a World Heritage site in 1991. Cave monastery, with its five sanctuaries, is the largest, best-preserved cave-temple complex in SL, more..

Aug 19 (TOI) The Sri Lankan govt has not announced any welfare measures for the widows of men who were killed during the civil war between the armed forces of the island nation and LTTE, according to four members of parliament from that country. Sri Lankan MPs Velukumar of Kandy, Shritharan of Kilinochi, I Charles Nirmalanathan of Mannaar and Seenithambi Yogeswaran of Mattakalappu were more..

Aug 19 (ENS) The Governor of Northern Province, Reginold Cooray, is organizing an international investment forum in Jaffna on August 22, and is planning to set up a One-Stop Shop at the Jaffna Secretariat to help persons wanting to invest in the war-devastated Northern Province. But this move could become an issue between the Governor, representing the Central govt in the province, and elected Chief Minister more..

Aug 19 (DM) PM Ranil Wickremesinghe said that the truth would be sought but that it would not result in retribution, as the past would be put aside. He said so at the launch of the law students' journal, Manuwara at the Law College last evening. �The Office of Missing Persons (OMP) will lead to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. The truth may be ugly. But we can live with that. Truth should not lead to retribution. more..

Aug 19 (CT) President Maithripala Sirisena has begun cleaning-up the Augean stables that is the SLFP. The stench that's pervading the SLFP today is the smell of former President Mahinda Rajapaksa whose apparent attempt to make a comeback was stumped by the electorate a little more than a year ago, i.e. at the 17 August 2015 General (Parliamentary) Elections. Rajapaksa as the de facto leader of the SLFP led United People's Freedom Alliance coalition party at that poll, more..

Aug 19 (Reuters) Shares hit a three-month closing high on Friday as investors bought banking and construction stocks, brokers said. Construction shares have been rising ever since the govt gave its consent to restart a $1.4 billion port city deal on hopes the sector would see a boom, brokers said. SL's govt on Aug.12 agreed on a new version of its $1.4 billion real estate agreement with China after changing the terms and blocking the outright sale of land - part of a project covering more..

Aug 19 (CT) SL�s position paper on Climate Change given at the COP21 in Paris stated : �We are aware that the optimum operating temperature of chlorophyll is at 37 deg C. In a warming world where temperatures will soar well above that, food production will be severely impacted. We would request the IPCC to address responses to this phenomenon�. This statement is now being vindicated by the temperature profiles that we are seeing over the planet. more..

Aug 19 (EN) French oil major Total SA has begun the Environmental Impact Assessment in preparation for surveys for oil and gas deposits off Sri Lanka�s east coast, an official said. �Total has just finalised their survey plan, selection of their seismic contractor and they are now in the process of doing the EIA,� Saliya Wickramasuriya, Director General of the Petroleum Resources Development Secretariat (PRDS), said. �Seismic surveys will start by November or December.� more..

Aug 19 (AD) UPFA MP Dullas Alahapperuma says he will resign from the Matara District SLFP leadership post. He said that the relevant letter has been sent to President Sirisena, who is also the leader of the SLFP. The former minister stated that he decided to resign from the position in wake of the party�s treatment towards senior members of the SLFP. Alahapperuma said he would commit himself to better serve the people more..

Aug 19 (Island) Several civil society organisations have submitted a letter to PM Ranil Wickremesinghe drawing his attention to former President Rajapaksa�s bags and luggage not being properly checked at the airport counters during his recent visits to other countries, sources close to the PM�s office said. The letter says that no proper procedure in checking the baggage had been followed when the former president went out and came back to the country during all his recent foreign visits more..

Aug 19 (DM) The Colombo Additional Magistrate Nishantha Peiris ordered Chief JMO of the Colombo National Hospital to submit a comprehensive report over Sujani Bogollagama, who is another suspect a suspect in the inquiry conducted under the Money Laundering Act for purchasing Rs. 100 mn worth shares of a company called Hellocorp, using allegedly ill-gotten funds by the Gowers Corporation headed by Namal Rajapaksa. She is currently being treated at Colombo National Hospital. more..

Aug 19 (PSL) The Sannasa (Scroll) on the successful conclusion of the annual Kandy Esala Perahera was handed over to President Maithripala Sirisena by Diyawadana Nilame Nelanga Dela Bandar at the President�s House in Kandy on August 18. The President warmly received the Diyawadana Nilame including the �Sathara� (four) Kandy Devala Nilames and the �Pitisara� Devala Nilames who came in a procession to President�s House. more..

Aug 19 (Island) Young MPs of Joint Opposition (JO) urged the govt to investigate the complaints lodged against those who were currently within the ranks of the ruling coalition. JO MPs claimed that the complaints lodged against Minister Rajitha Senaratne and Minister Duminda Dissanayake and former CB Governor Arjuna Mahendran had not yet been probed. One-and-a-half years had elapsed since the complaints against Minister Senaratne were lodged, but so far no single inquiry more..

Aug 19 (SLN) Indian Coast Guard Ship Samarth arrived at the Port of Colombo on a goodwill visit today (18). The ship was ceremonially welcomed by the SL Navy in accordance with naval traditions on her arrival. The Commanding Officer of the ship Captain Anand Prakash Badola called on the Commander Western Naval Area, Rear Admiral Jayantha De Silva at the Western Naval Command Headquarters in Colombo and held cordial discussions. more..

Aug 19 (AD) Spokesman of the NFF, Mohammed Muzammil today arrived at the CIABOC in order to record a statement. He said that he was summoned by the commission in order to give a statement regarding certain appointments made while he was the Working Director of the State Engineering Corporation. Muzammil, was recently arrested by FCID over alleged misuse of Govt vehicles when more..

Aug 19 (Island) Health Minister Rajitha Senaratne has revealed that 10,000 Sri Lankans died of diabetes complications annually and eight per cent of the population are treated for various stages of diabetes. Dr. Senaratne addressing the Endocrine Congress 2016, earlier this week observed that diabetes had previously affected only the elderly population. However, now it was prevalent even among the youth and children and fast turning into a serious health issue. more..

Aug 19 (CT) Yahapalanaya Govt which came to power pledging to rid abuse appears to be following in the footsteps of the former regime, with ministers in the current govt being involved in various forms of misuse which has resulted in the country losing millions but the ministers earning in millions. Deputy Minister Sujeewa Senasinghe, who was a vociferous campaigner against the corruption of the Mahinda Rajapaksa led former regime has been accused of selling his duty free car permit. more..

Aug 19 (EN) World Bank has given Sri Lanka a new procurement system to make the best use of public money in bank-funded projects that promotes transparency and accountability. The 6 core principals governing the new framework are value for money, fit-for-purpose, economy, efficiency, integrity, transparency and fairness. �The new Framework will include an online tracking and monitoring tool Systematic more..

Aug 19 (DM) Colombo Additional District Judge, M.A.A. Navaratne ordered popular Sinhala tuition master Upul Shantha Sannasgala and Powerhouse Private Limited to pay Rs 2.5 million each to journalist, film critic and author Ajith Galappathi for insulting his character during a TV interview on the Derana TV channel in their programme 360. Plaintiff Ajith Galapatthi, of Pannipitiya had sued the defendants Powerhouse Private Limited and Dilka Samanmali, both of Colombo 5 more..

Aug 19 (DM) The manufacturing, importation, distribution, storage and sale of helmets without an SLS certification issued by the Sri Lanka Standards Institution (SLSI) would be banned with effect from Sept 1, Consumer Affairs Authority (CAA) said. CAA said it had published a gazette in this regard in 2015. Authority directed all manufacturers, importers, distributors and traders not to manufacture or offer protective helmets for sale unless such helmets bore SLS certification. more..