Mar 25 (DM) Nestl� Professional, Nestl�s Out-of-Home food and beverage solutions provider, recently launched Sri Lanka�s first ever proprietary cool beverage dispenser made with advanced smart technology, NESTL� COOLPRO. This revolutionary machine has been designed specifically for the Out-of-Home market such as restaurants, hotels and food chains, to help them make cold beverages in a refreshingly simple way. With consumers becoming more demanding, wanting not just more..

Mar 25 (DN) The MoU between the French govt and the Sri Lankan prioritizes the cultural heritage conservation and valorization changes as key factors, said French Ambassador Jean Marin Schuh. He said that French Agency for Development has recently approved a 52 million Euro loan to finance the Anuradhapura Integrated Urban Development Project. "This initiative is part of the Strategic Cities Development Program (SCDP) within Ministry of Megapolis and Western Development", more..

Mar 25 (DN) Motor car registrations have recorded 2,897 units in Feb marginally up from 2,888 units a month ago and significantly down from 4,138 units 12 months ago. As a point of reference the number was 10,084 units in Nov and 14,544 units in Sept last year. Brand new segment registrations recorded 1,066 units in Feb marginally up from 1,023 units the previous month and also down from 1,920 units recorded year ago. more..

Mar 25 (DM) Lost and found Gem of MinisterA disturbance had occurred when a gem said to be worth Rs 500,000 worn by Minister S.B. Dissanayake was found to be missing during a function held at Lunugama. The gem, which had been affixed to a ring worn by the minister, had got lost; and the minister had alerted one of the secretaries after he discovered the loss. This excitement had taken place when the minister was opening three Grama Niladhari offices. more..

Mar 25 (ITN) Colombo Chief Magistrate has fixed 20th June for hearing in the case filed against Former Minister Kumara Welgama. He is accused of appointing a Vice Chairman for the SLTB illegally as Transport Minister in the year 2010. Bribery Commission presented to Courts today the letter related to the appointment said to have been issued by Former Minister Kumara Welgama. Bribery Commission has accused Mr. Welgama of causing a loss of over 3.2 million rupees by more..

Mar 25 (Island) Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka (HRCSL) has assured complainants, Siddque Mohammed Sufai and Gayashan Venura that their complaints in respect of Minister Chapika Ranawaka�s alleged involvement in a hit-and-run accident would receive its attention. HRCSL comprises Dr. Deepika Udagama, Hamid Hussain, Saliya Pieris, Ambika Satkunanathan and Dr. Upananda Vidanapthirana. more..

Mar 25 (DN) Christians all over the world celebrate Easter, Christianity's most holy occasion, with reverence and reflection. The death of Lord Jesus Christ, commemorated on Good Friday and His joyful Resurrection on Easter Sunday, serves as a powerful reminder of the theme central to His message: love, justice and mercy, PM Ranil Wickremesinghe stated in a message. "In the Christian liturgical calendar, the period of Lent begins with Ash Wednesday and continues more..

Mar 25 (Island) Professions Supplementary to Medicine (PSM) warned that they would stage a countrywide token strike on Tuesday from 8 am demanding that the govt resolve several of their outstanding issues. PSM Vice President said the circular had affected Staff Grade Status (SGS) that they had been enjoying for several years. They had faced the same situation during the Rajapaksa govt owing to a controversial circular which had awarded SGS to only medical officers. more..

Mar 25 (DM) One of the questions in the multiple choice question paper for the Buddhism subject set by North Western Province Education Department for the first term test in schools have been criticized by the public and education sector trade unions for its incongruous answers. SL Teachers� Union said for example question No.20 in the Buddhism question paper for Grade 10 contained a multiple choice question more..

Mar 25 (Island) Defending champions Sri Lanka are facing an uphill task in the World T-20 as they require winning both their remaining games to be sure of a semi-final spot. SL take on England on Saturday followed by the game against South Africa on Monday. Both matches will be played Feroz Shah Kotla in Delhi. Angelo Mathews� side had ample time to regroup following their 7-wicket defeat to West Indies in Bangalore and need to play well to keep their chances alive. more..

Mar 25 (ITN) Former Minister Jagath Pushpakumara was summoned to the Presidential Commission inquiring into serious acts of fraud and corruption. He was so summoned to the Commission to record a statement on allegations that he had not distributed the money obtained as assistance. Jagath Pushpakumara is reported to have collected a sum of 3.2 million rupees from Plantation Companies in Chilaw and Kurunegala as flood aid and had not distributed the funds collected. more..

Mar 25 (DM) Sandhya Eknaligoda, wife of missing Journalist Prageeth Eknaligoda, charged Ven. Gnanasara Thera, MP Wimal Weerawansa and former president Rajapaksa of disrupting the investigations into her husband�s disappearance. She said Mr. Rajapaksa and the others frequently visit the imprisoned army personnel who were arrested in connection with the disappearance, influencing the case. more..

Mar 25 (Island) Kumar Gunaratnam, Leader of the FSP has filed a Writ Application in the Court of Appeal requesting the court to issue a Mandatory Order on Minister of Internal Affairs and the Commissioner General of Immigration and Emigration, directing them to process his application for SL citizenship. Petitioner Gunaratnam is a SL by descent, but at present he is an Australian citizen. He wants to be a SL citizen as he has a right to be so by descent, petition has said. more..

Mar 25 (Island) Lanka Sathosa is now in the process of having partnerships with top brands, such as, Unilever, Nestle, Reckitts, Hemas and Prima, which market household power brands like Sunlight, Nestomalt, Mortien, Baby Cheramy and Prima noodles, to achieve a Rs 35 billion revenue target for this year. "We will be achieving an operational profit this year at Lanka Sathosa which is rated a strong 3.6 in the latest store equity survey, Lanka Sathosa chairman Dr Rohantha Athukorala said.  more..

Mar 25 (Island) Trade unionists at the CEB alleged that there were again hidden attempts to privatise electricity generation. President of the Lanka Viduli Podu Sevaka Sangamaya (LVPSS) Malaka Wickramasinghe said that govt was trying to sell off national assets like the CEB, instead of improving their management. Early this year the CEB Engineer�s Union had informed all other trade unions at the CEB of the alleged privatisation more..

Mar 25 (DM) The statement purported to have been made by the Ven. Uduwe Dammaloka Thera, on the demise of the former convener of the People's Movement for a Just Society, the Ven Maduluwawe Sobitha Thera is now being investigated. Minister of Law and Order and Southern Development Sagala Ratnayake had directed the IGP to immediately record the statement of the Ven. Thera He had recently alleged that Sobitha Thera had been murdered. more..

Mar 25 (Island) Rathugala Vedda community leader, Suda Wannile Attho, his wife and his sister-in-law�s 11-year-old son are being treated at the Bibile hospital after being assaulted allegedly a group of policemen attached to the Ratmalgaha Ella police post of the Inginiyagala police station in the Ampara police division on Wednesday night. A policeman, too, is being treated for injuries he sustained at the hands of a group of Veddas. Police said the incident had taken place when more..

Mar 25 (Island) JVP leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake said in Parliament that the country would lose billions of rupees as a result of several scams in the Ministry of Resettlement, Rehabilitation and Prison Reforms. MP Dissanayake said the would suffer a loss to the tune of Rs 65 billion owing to a decision by the Ministry to review the cost of a housing unit in a project to construct 65,000 houses in the North and East. more..

Mar 25 (DM) Today Christians the world over remember and commemorate the death of Jesus Christ. The death of Jesus Christ was not a peaceful one. It was a brutal and violent end to the life of one of the most gentle and unique persons who have ever lived. Normally we like to believe that good things happen to good people and bad things happen to bad people. But the question today is why do bad things happen to good people? From the dawn of human civilization, people have more..

Mar 25 (DM) World TB day which is held each year on the 24th of March is intended to promote awareness, knowledge and motivation for action against tuberculosis worldwide. TB was identified 136 years ago, after the discovery of the Koch�s bacillus. Even today TB remains an epidemic in much of the world despite the fact that effective cures have been made available for decades. This greatest killer of human beings in all history is still at work despite many scientific breakthroughs more..

Mar 25 (DM) SLMC seems to be heading towards another split, apparently due to a rift between a small group headed by the Party�s Chairman Basheer Segu Dawood and its General Secretary M.T. Hassan Ali on one hand and the rest of the party led by its leader Rauff Hakeem on the other. Interestingly cracks have begun to appear in the main Muslim party in the country at a time, when an idea about a broader Muslim political front has been more..

Mar 25 (ST) The possibility of chemical poisoning causing the deaths of a businessman and three others at their residence on Kawadana road, Dehiwala, is being investigated by a team of Judicial Medical officers. Colombo South Teaching hospital Consultant JMO Dr. Bandula Abeysinghe, AJMO Dr. Chathura Nandasiri and AJMO Dr. Senarath Prasadini on Wednesday were called to ascertain the cause of death. more..

Mar 25 (DM) Discussing the circumstances that led to the violence that took place in the North as well as what took place during the war was essential if we are to move forward with the reconciliation process, Ex-President and National Unity and Reconciliation Office Chairperson Chandrika Kumaratunga said yesterday. Mrs. Kumaratunga, who was one of those present at the panel discussion organised by more..

Mar 25 (Island) Supreme Court granted leave to proceed with the fundamental rights violation application filed by Pradeep Seneviratne, a 17-year-old schoolboy from Kotadeniyawa, who was erroneously arrested and detained and remanded in connection with the rape and murder of five-year-old girl Seya Sadewmi. The petitioner was acquitted by the Magistrate after DNA tests were submitted to court. more..

Mar 25 (FT) Attracting a large number of people for a political rally is not sufficient to form a govt, said newly-elected General Secretary of the UPFA and Minister Mahinda Amaraweera. He pointed out there is political enthusiasm in the country once again and as a result people attend rallies organised anywhere in the country. �President Maithripala Sirisena has another six years and the Govt has five years to remain in power. more..

Mar 25 (SL) The Port City Project, which was suspended by the new govt in March last year, six months after it began construction, has now been given the green light to proceed and will be done in phases, instead of in one go as a mega project. According to Minister Champika Ranawaka, there were legal issues that hampered the progress of the Port City Project, but these issues have now been addressed to a large extent. more..

Mar 25 (DM) The former president of the FUTA, Dr Nirmal Ranjith Devasiri said that the govt had no mandate to sign any trade agreement such as the Economic and Technology Cooperation Agreement (ECTA), and that its keenness to sign the agreement over the objections of the professionals was a dubious act. Dr. Devasiri said so at a rally organised by United Professionals� Movement, and held at Hyde Park, in opposition to ECTA. more..

Mar 25 (CG) UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon says the UN supports inclusive and genuine consultations with victims and affected groups in Sri Lanka. Observing International Day for the right to the truth, Ban Ki-moon urged States to adopt measures to promote truth, justice and reparations for victims, which is so crucial to ensuring that gross human rights violations are not repeated. Annual observance of International more..

Mar 25 (PTI) Criticising the Centre for not acting effectively on the issue of apprehending of Indian fishermen by Sri Lanka authorities, TN Chief Minister Jayalalithaa today said a decisive shift in dealing with the issue was long awaited and need of the hour. "I am concerned that Govt of India, despite my repeated requests and follow up, has not acted effectively to prevail upon the SL authorities to desist from more..

Mar 25 (DN) The county is heading towards a major economic crisis under the present govt with its debt burden to be repaid this year lying at USD 4 billion, former Science and Technology Minister Prof Tissa Vitharana said. Stating that the country's debts have increased during the last year because of the actions of the govt, he said although the govt is blaming it on the former govt, its own borrowings are a part of that debt. more..

Mar 25 (CT) Revd. Uduwe Dhammaloka epitomises something ghastly and frightening about the future of the Sangha, namely that this great and noble institution of Sri Lankan Theravada Buddhists is, surely, cracking from within. We had, once, nationalists crying from treetops that Christian and other Western forces were subverting the Sangha. I tell them that we need not look outside. The decay is internally generated. Revd Uduwe Dhammaloka had a big and venerating following. more..

Mar 25 (Island) Three suspects, arrested by the Kohuwala police for having heroin in thier possession recently, have revealed a chain snatching racket. Acting on information elicited from the suspects the police took into custody a car used by the robber gang. ASP Ruwan Gunasekara said the suspects aged 29, 37 and 39 from Piliyandala, Panadura and Horana had snatched chains from women in three police areas. They had robbed two gold chains in the Wellawatte police area, more..

Mar 25 (CT) The govt, in the 2016 Budget proposals announced in Parliament last November, spelt out the need for liberalization of the tea industry and a tea hub. It was an indication, that govt approved importing teas of other origins meant for blending and value addition for re-export. However, there has not been a clear cut policy on this, due to divergent views within the govt and the Cabinet itself. Tea Exporters' Association mooted the same idea of expanding revenue base from tea exports, more..

Mar 25 (EN) Protecting wetlands in and around Colombo is critical for the success of the planned western region megapolis urban agglomeration where eight million people will live, an international expert said. The wetlands provide many services to the city such as helping prevent flooding and moderating temperatures, said Matthew Simpson, an international wetland scientist from the UK. Tougher regulations and better enforcement will be needed to protect the wetlands more..

Mar 25 (LBO) Popular worldwide online payments system PayPal has listed Sri Lanka for 2017, Minister Harin Fernando said. �PayPal has listed us 2017, for them SL market is too small but we have convinced them and keeping a dialog, we have done our part,� Fernando said in his official twitter account. However, It is not yet clear whether Sri Lanka will gain the inward access to Paypal by next year. more..

Mar 25 (Island) Fisheries Ministry has decided to reduce the number of licences for collecting sea cucumber and conch es by 10% every year from next year as two species were becoming extinct due to unbridled harvesting. According to a study carried out by the NARA, sea cucumber and conches in Sri Lankan waters were under severe threat of extinction, Minister Mahinda Amaraweera said, adding that the two species would be protected to maintain the balance of marine environment. more..

Mar 25 (CT) Presidential Secretariat, on the directive of President Sirisena, will conduct a mobile service on Sunday to provide relief to the people of Polonnaruwa. This service will take place along with other programmes currently functioning to provide aid to the people of Polonnaruwa. Service will take place between 8 a.m. and 6 p.m., at Nishshankamalla School Grounds, Manampitiya. The mobile service will cover 140 Grama Niladhari divisions in Polonnaruwa, Welikanda, and more..

Mar 25 (DM) JVP said that when considering the slow pace of the investigation process it wondered whether the Govt had entered into political deals with those alleged to have committed fraud and corruption during the tenure of previous govt. �We have submitted relevant documents to FCID, Bribery Commission and the Courts regarding these incidents. But the investigations are proceeding at a snail�s pace. more..

Mar 25 (DM) Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) has intensified security checks at all arrival and departure points at the BIA in Katunayake in the aftermath of the bomb explosions that rocked Brussels recently. SLAF Spokesman said there would be additional patrolling within the terminal buildings. He said joint 24-hour security operations will be carried out by the SLAF and Airport and Aviation authorities. Several countries have tightened security at their airports to prevent more..