Jan 3 (SO) Ooh La La! This feline is purring like the engine of an extra posh Benz left running. At a Christmas party friends looked askance at this bright eyed, purring-with-malicious-pleasure cat - Me. And why the joy? Santa was generous? An old flame rang to wish this cat? No, none of these pleasantries. She had been gifted grist to her writing wrist, malice and intolerance to set her acid writing flowing. The givers? None other than the President of the country himself and a MP. more..

Jan 3 (ST) Indian real estate company Krrish Group has finally sealed the controversial Transworks House land deal, that drew allegations of huge pay-offs to politicians and officials, signing a lease agreement with the UDA in October. The new agreement, not known to the public until officials revealed it on Thursday, involves a block of land slightly smaller in size than the earlier proposed deal. more..

Jan 3 (SO) Foreign remittances from expatriate workers will further plummet this year due to the aggravating Middle East crisis fuelled by violence by the Islamic State, said economic analysts who predicted a bleak year for emerging economies with the anticipated slow down in economic growth in developed countries. Foreign remittances from Sri Lankan expatriates came down significantly last year. Remittances dropped from over US$ 7 billion in 2014 to around US$ 6.4 billion in 2015. more..

Jan 3 (SO) Joint Opposition will meet on Jan 6 where the agenda would be the inclusivity of an all party representation at the steering committee of the Constitutional Assembly, leader of DLF Vasudeva Nanayakkara said. Referring to the Constitutional Reform Resolution E 20151117, he said the resolution does not lucidly or explicitly detail as to who would represent at the two subcommittees of the CA and eventually draft the Constitution bill for consideration by Parliament. more..

Jan 3 (CT) With events that followed the Sex and Love Tour concert by Latin pop singer Enrique Iglesias grabbing the momentum than the event itself, spotlight was taken away from the brewing conflict in the TNA. At a time where two incidents, a girl who happened to be the daughter of incumbent Commander of SL Air Force getting cosy with the irresistible pop singer and a brassiere being tossed at him, going viral on social media more..

Jan 3 (ST) Both the Sri Lanka Tourism (SLT) and The Hotels Association of Sri Lanka (THASL) this week expressed alarm over the intended pullout of SriLankan Airlines from the European sector barring the UK (London). While there is no official intimation yet from the national carrier that it will withdraw from Paris, Rome and Frankfurt as the routes are uneconomic and loss-making, the airline has said in the past that this is under serious discussion under the rationalisation process. more..

Jan 3 (ST) Some high profile stockbrokers are in the dock over asset declaration related issues. FCID has recorded the statements of these brokers over probes that are not related to market manipulation or insider dealing. �They were on questions on how they have accumulated assets worth billions of rupees,� one source said. He said the SEC had also warned a few stockbrokers verbally since Jan 2015 for upsetting stock exchange and disruptive behaviour. more..

Jan 3 (SO) UNP MP Hirunika Premachandra�s arrest in connection with the alleged abduction of a youth in Dematagoda is imminent, sources from AG�s Department said. They added, there was sufficient evidence to suggest that the UNP MP was aware of the alleged abduction and it was done with her consent. Police, last week, sought AG�s Department�s opinion on the arrest of Premachandra over the incident. more..

Jan 3 (CT) After all the media hype SLC election is finally happening today. We will wait and see whether we get the best result which is good for the game. The news going around is that the value of a vote might exceed the Rs. 500,000/- mark. It may be good for those craving for that sort of hand out, but they are not the type to help old ladies cross the street. That is the sad part that has come our way from happenings internationally, after sport lost the amateur status to become a more..

Jan 3 (ST) On the eve of the Annual General Meeting of Sri Lanka Cricket to be held today, candidate for President, Nishantha Ranatunga spoke to the press of the plans that his team hopes to implement in developing the game of cricket in Sri Lanka on their election to the SLC. Addressing the press yesterday Ranatunga said that his team consisting of past cricketers, good administrators and a Treasurer with over 40 years expertise in the financial field, their main target is to more..

Jan 3 (SL) Joint opposition is in disarray and urgent meetings are being held to prevent some of its members from leaving and backing the govt. Sources close with joint opposition said that several members have indicated they will be supporting the govt. As a result the joint opposition has had several meetings are more are scheduled to be held over the next few weeks as well in an attempt to retain the members. more..

Jan 3 (SL) This week marks 7th death anniversary of the founding Editor of Sunday Leader Lasantha Wickrematunge and as of now 18 people have been questioned. Former govt suppressed investigations into Wickrematunge�s murder but the new govt resumed the probe and the CID has questioned 18 people. One key suspect arrested over the murder had died while investigations were proceeding. Another suspect had fled the country while another suspect, arrested but later released, more..

Jan 3 (CT) Just hours before the Sri Lanka Cricket election 2016, presidential candidate Nishantha Ranatunga's team called up a press conference where vice president candidate Arjuna Ranatunga stated his strong objection regarding presidential candidate Thilanga Sumathipala, stating that he has a document where Sumathipala himself admits that his family owns the betting company, Sporting Star, which has a chain of betting shops around the country. more..

Jan 3 (ST) Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC)�s constitutional change proposed by PM Ranil Wickremesinghe will be scrutinised very closely by all stakeholders when they congregate at the Sports Ministry Auditorium this morning to vote in the new administration of SLC. Sports Minister Dayasiri Jayasekera on Friday said that PM had forwarded a proposal recommending a constitutional change to SLC, but, it will be affected only after more..

Jan 3 (SL) Over 7,000 tons of imported paddy, stored at the Sathosa storage since 2014, has been infested with weevil. National Movement for Consumer Rights Protection (NMCRP) said that the paddy is among 84,000 MT of paddy purchased from India and Malaysia in 2014 but not sold to the market. Chairman of the NMCRP Ranjith Vithanage said that tenders had been called for to sell the paddy but it was later found that the rice was not the variety for which tenders were issued. more..

Jan 3 (CT) Cricket's clash of titans will finally get underway today when Sri Lanka Cricket's (SLC) AGM will be held at the Sports Ministry auditorium at Reid Avenue from 9 a.m. onwards. Following the verdict of the Supreme Court, all nominees including those who were rejected by the Director General of Sports, will be allowed to contest if agreed by all parties during the AGM. Two main teams � one headed by former SLC Secretary, Nishantha Ranatunga, and other by former President more..

Jan 3 (NS) Over thirty former and present ministers are to be prosecuted shortly for non-declaration of assets in a bid to combat corruption, fraud and accumulation of illegal wealth, govt sources said. Sources said that nearly 20 ministers out of this number are ex-ministers who were sworn in as new ministers of the Govt of Unity which comprise UNP and SLFP. Four of this group of over 30 in numbers are MPs of more..

Jan 3 (CI) Former Sri Lanka cricketer and SLC president Ian Pieris died on Friday at the age of 82 after a long illness. His funeral took place in Colombo on Saturday. Pieris served as the president of the SLC on two occasions. His first term, in 1989, lasted just four months and the second, in 1990, for one year. In his first term, Pieris did not see eye to eye with the board's executive committee on the need to follow the instructions of the sports minister Nanda Mathew, more..

Jan 3 (ST) Windscreens and rear windows of Sri Lanka Transport Board (SLTB) buses operating in the north are being protected by wire mesh following several incidents of stone throwing allegedly by private bus operators. The move follows a dispute over the implementation of a joint time table for SLTB and private buses. SLTB�s Jaffna Depot Manager said that the windscreens and rear windows of more than 50 buses had been damaged by stone-throwing miscreants. more..

Jan 3 (ST) Elevated highways are to link Colombo with key suburban towns, according to a 3-year project being formulated now. It is being worked out jointly by Ministry of Megapolis and Ministry of Highways and will be sent for Cabinet approval. A 21.6 kilometre-long elevated highway would be built from Athurugriya to Colombo Fort via Malabe, Battaramulla, Rajagriya, Dematagoda and Orugodawatta. more..

Jan 3 (TI) The possibility of a split verdict in Sunday's elections to Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC), with neither the Arjuna Ranatunga nor the Thilanga Sumathipala groups having a clean sweep, cannot be ruled out. Elections are scheduled for 9.00 am and should get over within two hours. Unlike what happens in other Boards, the votes will be cast at the Sports Ministry. But, then, country's sports minister - currently Dayasiri Jayasekera - calls much of the shots in the functioning of SLC. more..

Jan 3 (ST) At least 10,000 fresh passports were issued during the four day post-Christmas rush as thousands of people thronged the Immigration Department in Borella to beat the fee increase which came into effect on Friday, a top official said yesterday. Some 2,500 passports of different categories were issued on a daily basis and not a single applicant was turned back before the stipulated time of closure, Immigration and Emigration Chief Nihal Ranasinghe said. more..

Jan 3 (CT) News broke in Sri Lanka on New Year's Day, of the discovery of the world's largest known Blue Star Sapphire valued at a stunning US$ 100 million and hitting the scales at an incredible 1404.49 carats. The news spread like wild fire from Ratnapura, City of Gems, where the stunning sapphire that has been named The Star of Adam has dwarfed next largest Blue Star Sapphire, a 1395 carat beauty on its own merit, more..

Jan 3 (CG) The dates for the visit to Sri Lanka by the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra�ad Al Hussein have not yet been fixed. He is scheduled to visit Sri Lanka this year and there is a possibility the visit will take place before March. However the High Commissioner�s office said the dates for the visit have not yet been confirmed. No confirmation of dates yet, the High Commissioner�s spokesperson Ravina Shamdasani said. High Commissioner has been invited to visit SL more..

Jan 3 (Hindu) More than six-and-a-half years after the civil war between the SL govt and the rebel LTTE ended, over 1.22 lakh people from the neighbouring island continue to live as refugees in other countries, while another 50,000 people are internally-displaced, according to the latest figures from the UNHCR. A total of 1,22,533 persons from Sri Lanka are living as refugees in other countries and 15,504 persons (pending cases) have sought asylum there. more..

Jan 3 (ST) Dawn of 2016 portends a bagful of challenges for SL�s political firmament. Perhaps understandably, the share of the ruling alliance or its partners is much more compared to that of their opponents. On the one hand, internecine issues have engulfed them. On the other, they are speaking publicly over their disappointments. This is at a time when the partners of UNF are finalising two different documents to further glue their alliance. more..

Jan 3 (Island) Sri Lanka�s style of governance, whoever is in office, is one of procrastination. But foot dragging is no longer possible where our plantation industry is concerned. Estate workers are pushing hard for a substantial pay increase of a thousand rupees a day which the Regional Plantation Companies (RPCs) cannot afford unless there is a link between wages and productivity. This is not a problem of today and yesterday and has long been urged by the RPCs whenever more..

Jan 3 (Island) The Govt announced last week that it would set up a website to gather public opinion on issues related to reconciliation. This came after an announcement earlier in December that the govt intended to establish a secretariat to coordinate activities of various players engaged in reconciliation. In September came the announcement that the govt would set up a South Africa-style truth and reconciliation commission to look into atrocities committed during the war. more..

Jan 3 (GDI) The positive developments in Sri Lanka offers more hope while many regions were facing difficult challenges at present, said the King of Norway Harald V. He made this observation when Sri Lanka�s Ambassador to the Kingdom of Norway, Musthafa M. Jaffeer, on completion of his tenure as Ambassador to the Kingdom, recently paid a farewell call on King Harald. During this meeting, the Ambassador briefed His Majeralsty on more..

Jan 3 (ST) The CEB�s Long-Term Generation Plan does make room for wind power and other forms of renewable energy, contrary to claims by an officer of the Public Utilities Commission (PUC). The Plan has made provision for 925 megawatts of new capacity addition from non-conventional renewable energy power plants between 2020 and 2034, said Bandula Tilakasena, Additional General Manager, in a statement. more..

Jan 3 (PSL) President Maithripala Sirisena says Sri Lanka is in a leading position among the countries which are committed to safeguard freedom, democracy and human rights in 2015. He said UN Secretary General Ban Ki�moon affirmed that in an international summit. President was speaking at a ceremony held at Buddhi Mandapa in Polonnaruwa. This ceremony was organized to extend President�s more..

Jan 3 (CT) Wasim Thajudeen's murder probe entered a phase with potentially serious political repercussions with the Army opening a probe into Captain Tissa Wimalasena who has been identified by the CID as a major suspect in the assassination of Wasim Thajudeen, sources said. Investigators claim to have identified links between Captain Tissa Wimalasena and few more killings and other crimes. more..

Jan 3 (ST) 193-member UN General Assembly, which in 1999 declared an International Day of Observance for Vesak � on the initiative of the then Foreign Minister Lakshman Kadirgamar � has gone one better, this time declaring May 20 this year an unofficial UN holiday for Vesak. Respecting the diverse religious affiliations of UN staffers, UNGA unanimously adopted a resolution last week recognising more..

Jan 3 (HO) Immigration authorities of Sri Lanka confiscated the passports of two high ranking Maldivian officials last month after they were blacklisted by mistake, it has emerged. The passports of foreign minister Dhunya Maumoon and her brother Faris Maumoon, who is a MP, were confiscated after they travelled to SL on an unofficial visit. They were reportedly held at airport for more than an hour before being told more..

Jan 3 (Xinhua) Sri Lanka is seeking to further cement its relations with China in the year ahead, a senior govt minister said. A high-level delegation led by PM Ranil Wickremesinghe is expected to visit China this year amid efforts to strengthen ties, said the minister, who asked not to be named. PM's visit will come at a time when SL resumes all its development projects which were suspended by his govt earlier last year. more..

Jan 3 (SL) SL Air Force claims that no decision has been made regarding the purchase of aircraft for the SLAF yet, despite reports that Pakistan is expected to be pushing hard for a follow-up agreement with Sri Lanka on the purchase of its JF-17 multirole fighter aircraft for the SL Air Force. Group Captain Chandima Alwis said that the evaluation process is still on-going and no decision has been made regarding a decision. more..

Jan 3 (AM) GCE A/L 2015 results have been released and could be obtained via www.doenets.lk. It was previously announced that the 2015 A/L results would be released on Dec 31, 2015. However, the department has decided to amend the date. Dasun Jayasinghe from Royal College Colombo 7 has obtained the island best results from Maths stream, while Umesha Karunawallaba from Ratnawali Balika V. Gampaha obtained more..

Jan 3 (Island) Contrary to the popular belief, govt doctors are not entitled to duty-free vehicles from the govt. What they are granted is a duty concession for which they have to pay 65% or more in terms of taxes, says Dr. Nalinda Herath, Secretary, GMOA. If doctors are denied these facilities, retaining them within the public service may be difficult, he warned. "As far as we are concerned, we have to ensure our members more..

Jan 3 (Island) With due apologies for dredging up Port City material on the last hangover day after the festival season, I think it is appropriate to raise the issue that to-date the Sirisena-Wickremesinghe govt has not made a formal statement telling the people the whole truth and nothing but the truth about Port City project. I would suggest that such a statement must come from President Sirisena as a statement in parliament, and that it should be followed by a parliamentary debate, no matter what more..

Jan 3 (Island) Many believe that Public Servants in years gone by could carry out their duties without fear of reprisals compared to their counterparts of today, who are at the mercy of the President, PM, Cabinet Ministers and MPs. It is a myth and a fallacy. Pre independence Public Servants had no political masters, only colonial masters. They did not have to obey improper directives given by politicians. It took some time for Public Servants, especially the highly thought of more..