Dec 7 (DM) Govt�s attempt to reduce the tax on liquor through the Budget 2018 would only result in having financial benefits to the main brewing company in the country, which incurred huge losses in preceding years, GMOA charged. GMOA Secretary Dr. Haritha Aluthge said according to the annual reports of this brewing company for 2016/17, it had incurred a loss Rs. 1.4 billion whereas it had obtained a profit of Rs. 2 billion in 2015/16. more..

Dec 7 (AD) Minister Sajith Premadasa says that the hunting and killing of wild elephants is a very prominent business in the country and that the murder of notorious tusker Dala Puttuwa is not the first instance this has happened. �What is the punishment given for hunting a tusker? I clearly say that the death sentence should be given straightaway,� he said. Minister stated that although that is not the existing law more..

Dec 7 (Island) JVP accused Minister Faiszer Musthapha of stirring up communalism. JVP MP Vijitha Herath, participating in the third reading stage debate on budget 2018,said that Musthapha�s promises shouldn�t be taken seriously. The JVP MP raised concerns about people in Sainthamaradu demanding a separate Pradeshiya Sabha for their area. At present Sainthamaradu is part of Kalmunai MC. more..

Dec 7 (EN) Sri Lanka�s efforts to attract more investments are being affected by a new threat, shortage of water, which has delayed plans for new factories by companies, the head of the island�s investment promotion agency said. �Water has become a very challenging issue,� BOI chairman Dumindra Ratnayaka said. �Even today we have challenges in existing industrial zones like Biyagama where we have a water shortage,� more..

Dec 7 (NR) The JVP today called for the President and two other Ministers to vacate their posts. MP Bimal Ratnayake said the trio must resign from their posts due to the failure to effectively spend funds allocated from last year�s Budget. The MP requested all three Ministers including the Ministry that falls under the purview of the President to be removed from their posts under powers vested with Parliament. more..

Dec 7 (DM) In what appeared to a further split of the Tamil National Alliance (TNA), Tamil Eelam Liberation Organization (TELO) decided to leave it to join hands with other Tamil parties to contest the LG elections. TELO�s politburo that met in Vavuniya on Tuesday took this decision. The 21 member presidium council of TELO concluded that, TELO could not be any more a co-traveller with the ITAK in the TNA. more..

Dec 7 (SL) All trade unions attached to SriLankan Airlines have expressed their solidarity to the management of the Airline, in supporting the restructuring efforts initiated by the Govt under the supervision of the Public Private Partnership (PPP) unit attached to the Ministry of Finance, SriLankan Airlines said. This was expressed by the representatives of the trade unions when they met Chairman Ajith Dias, more..

Dec 7 (DM) President Maithripala Sirisena has extended the term of the PCoL into the Central Bank Bond issuance by another 23 days until Dec 8th, 2017, President's office said. Commission was established on 27th Jan to investigate into the Issuance of Treasury Bonds during the period 1st Feb 2015 to 31st Mar, 2016. The period of the Commission has been extended several times and the last extension until tomorrow. more..

Dec 7 (CT) "I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it" -Voltaire Freedom of expression is one of the pillars of democracy and media freedom is vital to defend this right. But this freedom was trampled during the previous regimes of Chandrika Kumaratunga and Mahinda Rajapaksa, reaching a crescendo in particular, during the latter's regime. Media institutions were attacked and burnt, journalists threatened, assaulted and killed and to more..

Dec 7 (FT) We love history and especially our version of it! Someone said that history is what someone wrote and past is what actually happened. Well then for most of the time we will not have an ability to fathom the past the way it actually unfolded. Yet one can say in SL we have a strong predisposition towards the past. Politicians love the past, of course not all what had happened had been written down and most in politics have not really being registered as there are so much in so more..

Dec 7 (AD) Colombo Additional Magistrate today imposed a fine of Rs 1,000 on former MP Sajin de Vass Gunawardena, who pleaded guilty for failure to declare his assets from the year 2011 to 2012. Bribery Commission had filed a case against the former Parliamentarian for failing to submit declarations of assets and liabilities during his time as an MP from March 31, 2011 to March 31, 2012. When the case was taken up for hearing before Magistrate Aruni Artigala today, more..

Dec 7 (AD) The Secretary to the Ministry of Sustainable Development and Wildlife, R.M.D.B. Meegasmulla, has been transferred to the Ministry of Special Assignments, with immediate effect. Accordingly a decision is to be taken to appoint the current Secretary to the Ministry of Special Assignments, Mr. D. Nanayakkara, as the new Secretary of the Sustainable Development and Wildlife Ministry. Minister Gamini Jayawickrama Perera also confirmed the transfer order. more..

Dec 7 (AD) The Locomotive Operating Engineers� Union says that talks held today with the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation, Nimal Siripala de Silva, have failed. The association said that therefore they have decided to continue with the trade union action launched since last night. Meanwhile the Ministry of Transport said that train season tickets have been made valid for travel in SLTB buses due to the ongoing strike. more..

Dec 7 (CT) PM and the leader of UNP Ranil Wickremesinghe has openly flouted elections laws by engaging in a hand-out programme that is set to cover the entire island in the month of December. He launched an initiative at Temple Trees yesterday (5) to prepare for cultivation 12000 plots of pin bim or sacred lands across the country under the National Sasunodaya Programme (Programme to Uplift the Buddhist Order) under which 1000 temples will be reconstructed and protected before more..

Dec 7 (NR) The Department of Examinations has issued a set of guidelines for students sitting the 2017 GCE O/L Exam, including principals and parents. Statement said the 2017 O/L Exam is being held under both the old and new syllabi from the 12th to the 21st of Dec. Department said it is compulsory for students to produce their admission card along with a recognised form of identification and to observe the examination details thoroughly. Department also said a 5 year ban will be more..

Dec 7 (CT) Sri Lanka once known as the Granary of the East is yet again betraying its farmers with the latest allegations of irregularities tainting the Yahapalana govt�s Rs 10 billion urea fertilizer deal, with the initial Rs 3.5 billion tender being pressurized to be awarded to a errant bidder, by the highest echelons of the so-called Yahapalana Administration. Famous English sea captain in the service of the British East India Company � more..

Dec 7 (LT) The Cardiology Unit of the Colombo National Hospital, which performs the most number of heart surgeries in the island every year, has been closed jeopardizing the lives of patients states the General Secretary of All Ceylon Medical Officers Association Dr. Jayantha Bandara. The OTJ theatre which contains intensive care units was closed 20 months ago in April 2016 and the OTC theatre was closed on 1st December this year points out Dr. Bandara. more..

Dec 7 (EN) China Machinery Engineering Corporation is to build a 400MW natural gas power plant in Hambantota industrial zone. The project will be implemented under a partnership between the state power utility Ceylon Electricity Board and China Machinery Engineering Corporation (CMEC) which is nominated by the Govt of China. The cabinet of ministers this week approved the proposal by PM Ranil Wickremesinghe as Minister of National Policies and Economic Affairs. more..

Dec 7 (CI) The decision to play the Delhi Test amid high pollution levels has drawn strong criticism from both participating countries with the Sri Lankan manager Asanka Gurusinha and the Indian Medical Association (IMA) deeming the conditions far from ideal. While the IMA wrote to the BCCI and Vinod Rai, the head of the Supreme Court-appointed Committee of Administrators, stating that it was troubled over 3rd Test between India & SL more..

Dec 7 (CB) India will fly out with an excitable pace battery for their upcoming away tour, and Virat Kohli should believe that at some point during the three-Test series, he can go gung-ho with pace and unleash all four - Mohammed Shami, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Ishant Sharma and Umesh Yadav. They all got two Tests each against SL and some wickets - 30 off the 52 to fall - to go with before a big away sojourn. Bhuvneshwar showed why he was one of the most improved fast bowlers in Tests more..

Dec 7 (NR) Minister of Education Akila Viraj Kariyawasam says the number of subjects in the O/L Exam will be reduced to six. He said the number of subjects will be reduced in order to minimise the pressure on O/L students. Minister said the O/L subject content is too heavy as the subject area is vast due to additional areas that have been included. He said the Ministry assessed the current subjects according to a practical and developed method and have planned to restructure more..

Dec 7 (LBO) CB Chief says the proposed liability management bill will enable the got to exceed the borrowing limit approved by the appropriation bill. Governor Indrajit Coomaraswamy said the new bill, expected to be presented in Parliament this month, will enable the govt to exceed the borrowing cap for specific purposes like liability management. �Again, there would be another cap, so it�s not a kind of opening the door out more..

Dec 7 (Island) The govt said that it had permitted both the state and private sector to import rice and coconuts due to shortages created by adverse weather conditions. Co-Cabinet Spokesman Gayantha Karunathillake and Dayasiri Jayasekera, addressing the post Cabinet briefing, said that the decision to temporarily liberalise the import of rice and coconuts, to meet the shortfall in demand, had been taken at Tuesday�s Cabinet Meeting presided over by President Maithripala Sirisena. more..

Dec 7 (NR) State Minister Eran Wickramaratne says the govt will fulfil its promise of creating one million new job opportunities. He said the govt has generated jobs that will increase productivity. Minister said some claim that they applied for a govt job but were not recruited. He said if the UNP wants to win the election, it can easily do it by appointing unqualified individuals to Pradeshiya Sabhas, Municipal Councils, Ministries and govt institutions in order to obtain more votes. more..

Dec 7 (Roar) The ruins of Sri Lanka�s ancient kingdoms are a testament to the architectural skill of our ancestors. They have several unique architectural features including intricately carved stairs, the moonstones that lie at the foot of the stairs, and the guard stones that are placed on either side of the stairs at the entrances to these historic and religious sites. Among these, the guard stones, known as muragal in Sinhalese, more..

Dec 7 (DM) A US Coast Guard Cutter would be transferred to Sri Lanka further enhancing US-SL Indo Pacific Partnership. Ahead of the transfer, US Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs Thomas Shannon said this Coast Guard Cutter is a tangible symbol of growing partnership between the two countries and reflects shared commitment of the two nations to regional stability. Mr. Shannon who visited Sri Lanka last month announced that the US would offer a second US Coast Guard cutter more..

Dec 7 (CT) Colombo High Court Judge R. Gurusinghe yesterday temporarily lifted the travel ban imposed on Rakna Lanka Chairman Major General Palitha Fernando, to enable him to attend the National Athletics Association's meeting to be held overseas. Court also fixed 9 Feb 2018 to hear the case filed by the AG against Fernando and Avant Garde Chairman Nissanka Senadhipathy. President's Counsel Gamini Marapana, appearing on behalf of the accused duo, more..

Dec 7 (PTI) A group of dissenting Sri Lankan Tamil lawmakers has formed a new coalition to challenge the TNA which has come under severe criticism for going soft on the govt's delay in delivering justice to the minority community, a MP said on Thursday. Tamil MP Sivashakthi Anandan said the Tamil Liberation Alliance (TLA) has been formed to challenge the TNA which is the main political front for the Tamil minorities in SL. more..

Dec 7 (DM) The Fort Magistrate's Court today ordered the Controller of Immigration and Emigration to prevent Shanil Nethicumara - who had allegedly threatened Anika Wijesuriya, a witness in the Treasury bond investigations - from leaving the country. The Fort Magistrate made this direction considering a motion filed by the CID seeking an order to prevent the suspect Shanil Nethicumara from leaving the country in an illegal manner. They told the Magistrate that they had asked more..

Dec 7 (EN) Sri Lanka will have more opportunities in the Indian with the ongoing rapid development of infrastructure in both countries, CB governor Indrajit Coomaraswamy said. �India is our third largest market but our proximity to India in the past was worthless for transport infrastructure was bad,� he told the Financial Sector Investment Conference. But now infrastructure was booming in both countries with development of ports and airports, making this proximity more useful. more..

Dec 7 (CT) Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka (HRCSL), addressing concerns about the right to education in the country, called for Circular Number 12/2016, regarding the protection of discipline within schools, issued on 29 April 2016 by the Ministry of Education, to be amended. In a letter sent to the Secretary of the Ministry of Education, signed by HRCSL Chairperson, Dr. Deepika Udagama and more..

Dec 8 (CT) Corruption is defined as the abuse of entrusted power for private gain. The yet unresolved bond scam saga in which too many notables, including the PM, are alleged to have involved highlights the extent to which this abuse has taken place at high levels. There is an old saying in Tamil, Arasan evvali kudikalum avvalip meaning, the monarch�s way is the subjects� way. In the case of Sri Lanka, it is not the ordinary subjects but the state functionaries that more..

Dec 8 (CT) Another festive season is closing in � Christmas and the New Year. Organisers of the new year eve dinner dances lure the party animals by making offers of a variety of alcoholic drinks. Sometimes the bacchanals at these do�s, in their inebriated bliss, are not even aware that the new year had dawned. In worst cases, the new year had dawned to some while they were in a state of unconsciousness in hospitals. So much for the revellers who gulped several drinks, more..

Dec 8 (SO) Disentombing the cases of Sri Lankans getting tangled and falling victim to organized human trafficking rings is a highly frustrating endeavour, as we learnt firsthand, recently. The issue remains well hidden below the surface and what you see is the tip of the iceberg, a senior state official who wished to remain anonymous said. We obtained access to the records of the CID and other state agencies overseeing counter more..

Dec 8 (CT) After waiting for more than 2 � years without any kind of election, the voters of this country are now hopeful that they will, finally, have an opportunity to express their views about the current leadership of the country. Though some powerful fractions in the present Hybrid Govt were trying their best in various dubious ways to postpone the election including a petition to the High Court, the Elections Commission has finally called for nominations for all the Local Govt bodies. more..

Dec 8 (ST) Weightlifting would be one of the main medal hopes at the 2018 Commonwealth Games and a contingent of eleven lifters who have qualified would be there the Gold Coast, Down Under. The Games are scheduled to be held from April 5 to 21. According to National Olympic Committee of Sri Lanka (NOCSL) Secretary General Maxwell de Silva, the weightlifters are among the medal hopefuls at this year�s games. �The weightlifters have already qualified more..

Dec 8 (Island) In the wake of the recent Maaveerar Naal celebrations in the north, The Island staffer C.A.Chandraprema spoke to Arun Tambimuttu about the direction that Tamil politics has taken in recent times and the implications for the future. Q: The 1.5 million or so Tamil people living in the north and east have known nothing but isolation, and turbulence over the past half century or more. During the colonial era and for about more..

Dec 8 (DN) They maybe elections that select representatives to the lowest tier in the political arena but the local govt elections that are now due created a huge controversy which seems to have resolved last week- although more legal twists and turns cannot be ruled out, even at this late stage. After much jostling and jousting between major political parties, there was a general consensus that the elections would be held in February next year. PM Ranil Wickremesinghe announced more..

Dec 8 (DN) My Department�s mission is to achieve national prosperity through the development of the plantation industry. Primarily we seek the provision of incentives and other facilities to increase the yield of plantation crops. So the Govt�s recent Budget was important for the industries and products we oversee. Tea is a vital industry for our country. It employs two million people directly and indirectly and is part of the crucial agricultural sector which employs 27% of SL�s population. more..