Aug 6 (CT) The BIA has now become a hotspot for human trafficking according to Immigration and Emigration Controller Nihal Ranasinghe. The Immigration and Emigration Controller has made the startling revelation at a time efforts have been strengthened to curb human trafficking globally. Sri Lanka was a popular spot for human trafficking when the war was in progress over nine years ago. Human traffickers benefitted in a big way by sending civilians from the war-torn N&E Provinces more..

Aug 6 (FT) In part I of our analysis of the National Export Strategy (NES), we commended the Export Development Board (EDB) for presenting a NES, though it was a belated product. It was pointed out that since NES had envisaged changing the country�s export structure for good, to attain that goal, the whole economy had to be disrupted. That was because Sri Lanka had been into a complacent lull with respect to its mediocre achievements on the economic front in the past. more..

Aug 6 (EN) Central Bank is forced to collect forex reserves to be able to pay off govt debt when necessary and meet IMF targets for the foreseeable future, which shows it has no choice but to operate a peg. If that is the ground reality, Central Bank has to shake off some of its practices that have destabilized the peg and undermined its credibility. To avoid balance of payments crises forever and gain full control over the exchange rate, CB has to float the overnight interest rate. more..

Aug 6 (SLN) During the past few days, Sri Lanka Navy apprehended twelve (12) persons who were engaging in illegal fishing at different locations in the island. Accordingly, a troop of Naval personnel attached to the North Western Naval Command on foot patrol apprehended four persons (04) who engaged in illegal fishing activities in Thirikkapallama area on last 31st July. 7 Kg catchment of prawn, a Walllam, a dinghy and 2 banned nets possessed by them were also more..

Aug 6 (CT) An enterprising effort by an investigative journalist using the Right to Information Act (RTI Act) to unearth the truth behind the killing of two University students in Jaffna as a result of the police shooting at them in Oct 2015 has resulted in a shocking discovery that the police explanations for the deaths were a string of lies and that particularly, the students had not been drunk, as claimed by the police. more..

Aug 6 (DM) Employees of the Govt Printing Department have resorted to a work stoppage from 12.00 noon today to 6.00 p.m. tomorrow thereby delaying the printing of gazettes, hansards, order papers and other documents. However, the Govt Printing Department Trade Union Federation (GPDTUF) said the strike was launched demanding solutions to several issues faced by them. GPDTUF Convener Sarath Lal Perera said that the govt had paid staff members Rs.100,000 each as more..

Aug 6 (Island) Minister Ranjith Madduamabandara urged the Opposition politicians and media not to compare the activities of the Aava group with the activities carried out by the LTTE in the initial stages. He denied that there was a breakdown of law and order in Jaffna. "It�s the opposition politicians who say that there is a breakdown of law and order. Aava Group was created by a group of teenagers and young adults who got carried away by watching Tamil movies. more..

Aug 6 (EN) A light rail transit (LRT) system planned for Sri Lanka�s capital Colombo could inflate property prices and rents along the route but investors should be careful in accepting price rise projections, a property consultancy said. Already, the suburb of Malabe, where one terminus of the LRT into Colombo�s main business district will be located, enjoys projected, year on year land price increases of 16%, Jones Lang LaSalle (JLL) more..

Aug 6 (Island) A story of courage overcoming obstacles is reported from Mahiyangana, where a ten-year old girl attacked by a wild elephant sat the Grade Five scholarship examination yesterday. Grade five student Sayuri Sathsarani (10) of the Haddaththawa Primary School in Mahiyangana was on her way to the examination centre on her mother�s bicycle, when they came under a wild jumbo attack around 6.15 am. Wild elephant kicked the bicycle and both victims were thrown off. more..

Aug 6 (FT) Marking yet another milestone in Sri Lanka-Vietnam relations, a sapling of the sacred Jaya Sri Maha Bodhi Tree of Anuradhapura was brought to Vietnam on 22 July. The gift of the sapling of the sacred tree was made at the request of Xuan Truong Construction Company CEO Nguyen Van Truong, a devoted Buddhist and a philanthropist, to Parliament Speaker Karu Jayasuriya during the latter�s visit to Vietnam in April. A delegation comprising of senior more..

Aug 6 (EN) Sri Lanka's unemployment in the first quarter of 2018, rose to 4.5%, up from 4.1% a year earlier, amid a drought, while the share of services sector employment continued to edge up, a survey by the state statistics office showed. The absolute number of employed person fell from 8.23 million to 7.96 million persons with agriculture workers falling from 2.221 million to 2.139 million, state statistics office said more..

Aug 6 (CT) Former cricketing legend Sanath Jayasuriya was the chief guest at Run for Education, a marathon organized by the Arugam Bay Forum on Sunday. Addressing the gathering, Jayasuriya said �At a time when people from different communities don�t believe in each other, Arugam Bay Development Forum�s Marathon Race �Run for Education� is a praiseworthy activity and need of the hour. I appreciate this wonderful idea of utilizing the funds raised from this marathon being utilized more..

Aug 6 (DM) A former pilot of the Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) traveling to Dubai, was arrested at the Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) this morning for carrying an unregistered pistol with a bullet, Police said. Officers said the 50-year-old pilot, a resident of Rajagiriya, was currently working at a domestic airline in Kenya. The pistol was detected in the pilot�s luggage by authorities when it was being scanned by security. Negombo Police are conducting investigations. more..

Aug 6 (SLA) The 6th South Asia�s Regional Civil Affairs Seminar - 2018 (SARCAS), aimed at bringing all military officers that specialize in civil-military operations, humanitarian assistance professionals and disaster response practitioners in the Asian region under one roof, began its Colombo sessions on Monday (6) at Hotel Movenpick, Colombo 3 under the main theme Disaster Recovery & Planning. more..

Aug 6 (Island) Some people think the hallmark of a strong govt is its readiness to assault representatives of trade unions, Minister Rajitha Senaratne has said recently at a ceremony at the Jayewardenepura hospital. "Under this govt trade unions can win their demands through discussion. However, some people seem to consider a sign of weakness, they think that a strong govt doesn�t hesitate to assault trade unionists." The govt, according to the Minister, has commenced more..

Aug 6 (AD) About 32 persons have been hospitalised after sustaining injuries following a train accident at the Panaliya station this evening. The group has been admitted to the Polgahawela district hospital. Two trains reportedly derailed after a collision along the mainline between the Polgahawela and Rambukkana stations this evening. The Badulla night mail train scheduled to leave Colombo Fort at 8pm today (06) has been cancelled due to the Polgahawela accident, more..

Aug 6 (CT) The authorities are working on fresh plans to bring an end to mass-scale human trafficking through the Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) and towards this end several State agencies will work together on a round-the-clock basis, a high ranking official disclosed. An Integrated Border Management System (IBMS), that will include Advance Passenger Information (API), will come into force at the very earliest more..

Aug 6 (DM) The Indian Minister of State for Civil Aviation and Minister of Civil Aviation of SL had expressed contrary statements on the Mattala International Airport (MRIA), NFF leader Wimal Weerawansa said. He said the subject minister of India had made a clear declaration in the Lok Sabha recently that Airports Authority of India had not had rounds of discussions with Sri Lanka on the lease of the Mattala Airport. �Although the subject Minister of India says so, our Minister more..

Aug 6 (NR) PM Ranil Wickremesinghe says he has not received a proposal or a request to increase the salaries of Parliamentarians. Rejecting recent media reports, Premier has said party leaders have not discussed any proposal regarding the increase of salaries of members of Parliament. Speaking during the UNP Parliamentary Group meeting at Temple Trees today, PM said the Cabinet has also not received a proposal to increase the salaries of MPs. However the PM noted that more..

Aug 6 (EN) Sri Lankan apparel exports grew 12.1% from a year earlier to US$ 427 million in June 2018, with the EU and minor markets recording double digit growth, while half year exports were up 5%. For the first half of 2018, apparel exports grew 5% to US$ 2.4 billion, SL's Joint Apparel Association Federation data showed. European market helped most to boost exports in June with GSP+ trade benefits. more..

Aug 6 (NR) UPFA MP Udaya Gammanpila claims that the present govt is attempting to divide the JO through the contentious Opposition Leader�s post. Leader of the PHU Udaya Gammanpila said all members of the JO are in favour of appointing MP Dinesh Gunawardena as the Leader of the Opposition. He noted from Jan 2015 to June 2015, Nimal Siripala De Silva who was elected through the UPFA ticket, held the Opposition Leader�s post adding however during the same period more..

Aug 6 (AD) UPFA has handed over a letter to the Speaker on their decision regarding the change in the post of Opposition Leader, stated Minister Mahinda Amaraweera. Speaker�s Office stated that it will be submitted at the Party leaders� Meeting tomorrow. A Party Leaders� meeting of the UPFA was scheduled this evening, headed by Minister Amaraweera. All parties representing the UPFA were invited for this meeting and this meeting was held to come to a final decision regarding more..

Aug 6 (DM) No changes had been made in the tax rate for the calculation of Income Tax or the PAYE tax to the members of the Association of Medical Specialist, Finance Minister Mangala Samaraweera said this evening. �Agreement was reached to amend the process of the expenditure calculation for the purpose of income tax payment only,� Minister tweeted. He made the announcement after Minister more..

Aug 7 (CT) With the next presidential election due before the end of next year, and with a possibility that an early election might be called even by January next year, the question of who might be the next presidential candidates is getting to the fore. There has been speculation that the felicitation ceremony for Minister Dr Rajitha Senaratne on obtaining an international honour was a launching pad for his bid to be a presidential candidate from the government side. more..

Aug 7 (ST) When the UNP joined hands with some other parties and civil society organisations to propel Maithripala Sirisena as the common candidate to eject the incumbent president from his powerful perch, it was at a price. Sirisena had to make a promise � though he seems to be rather forgetful of promises made � to appoint UNP leader Ranil Wickremesinghe as prime minister though he had less than 50 seats in the 225-member parliament. They also made numerous vital promises to more..

Aug 7 (SO) Election Commission last week hit back at the critics who claim that the Commission was shirking in its duty by not holding the elections to the Provincial Councils whose terms expired last year. The SLPP, the main critic of the EC charged, the Commission could not wash its hands off the responsibility to protect the franchise rights of the people now that it has been given wider powers under the 19th Amendment, a fact that more..

Aug 7 (CT) Certain Members of the Panel of Experts (six out of 10) have presented a confidential, for discussion purposes only, document, for the consideration of and discussion by the Steering Committee of the Constitutional Assembly, a document which seeks to facilitate the formulation of a Draft Constitution Bill by the Steering Committee. The Panel of Experts consists of persons nominated and appointed by the political parties represented in the Parliament. more..

Aug 7 (Island) Sad but true, the Constitution-making process has once again hit a road-block. All stake-holders, starting with the SL people, whom it is supposed to serve, knew it would be so. Yet, the political class, or at least the ruling combine and their non-committed, free-will TNA ally, seemed wanting to go through the motions of the same, for their own petty, political reasons. It started with Speaker Karu Jayasuriya elevating the TNA to the status of the Leader of the Opposition, more..

Aug 7 (CT) UPFA MP, Roshan Ranasinghe says the Govt itself has turned the people towards the Flower Bud. Q: A discussion was held, recently, at the former President�s house to select the next presidential candidate, isn�t that right? A: No. We did not discuss about a candidate on that occasion. What was discussed then was the postponement of the anti-Govt people�s parade, which was to have been held on 17 Aug. more..

Aug 7 (DN) The world economic forum in 2016 has ranked the water crisis as the highest concern over the next decade. We in SL are beginning to sense this crisis and the uncertainties in weather pattern further aggravate this issue. Different parts of the country experience shortages of water for day- to-day activities including drinking and for agriculture whilst the entire country is affected economically and environmentally by depleting levels of capacity to generate hydroelectric power. more..

Aug 7 (DN) As Sri Lanka�s tourism and business sectors grow, Colombo�s skyline is stretching higher and the three-wheelers swirling through the streets are multiplying. But beyond the cranes sprinkled along the coastline and the dusty construction sites popping up across the city, lies a question that could have global consequences: how is Sri Lanka powering this growth? This month, a heat wave swept across Asia, a firestorm ravaged forests on the west coast of the US, and torrential rain more..

Aug 7 (ST) A serious defect of the Govt has been its impulsive, irrational and unscientific decision-making. Impulsive and irrational decision-making affects the economy adversely. Ill-considered and unscientific decision-making has been a serious flaw impacting the economy adversely. It is an obstacle to economic development. The most recent instance is the sudden decision to re-impose the death sentence � a move that could have serious consequences for the country�s exports. more..

Aug 7 (Island) A person who vacuously courts danger and poses a grave risk to himself and others alike, in the process, is popularly likened to a monkey with a straight razor. But monkeys are far more intelligent than some humans. We, therefore, refrain from using that analogy anent the stupid bipeds who abuse the Internet, especially the social networking websites, and endanger their own lives as well as others�. Four out of about 2,000 persons who partied in Wadduwa, on Saturday night, more..

Aug 7 (Roar) Given Sri Lanka�s 1,340-km-long coastline, seafood is a readily available source of nutrition for a majority of the population. The benefits of seafood fish are numerous and well known. They are a rich source of omega-3 fats, vitamin D and selenium, and are high in protein, and low in saturated fat. In a country like Sri Lanka, where many communities eschew the consumption of meat, fish provides a widely accepted more..

Aug 7 (CI) South Africa captain Faf du Plessis will miss the remaining two ODIs and the lone T20I against Sri Lanka after sustaining an injury to his right shoulder. Du Plessis fell awkwardly while attempting a catch in the 10th over of the Sri Lankan innings during the third ODI on Sunday and immediately left the field for treatment. He was not able to return and will need up to six weeks to make a full recovery. "Faf sustained an injury to one of the rotator cuff tendons in his right shoulder and more..

Aug 7 (CT) Sri Lankan women�s U-15 National Football team will leave for Nepal on 7 Aug 2018, to participate in the SAFF U-15 Women�s Championship. The tournament will kick-off on 9 Aug at the Chalimithang Stadium in Thimphu, Bhutan. Nepal, Sri Lanka, Bhutan, India, Bangladesh and Pakistan will play in two groups in this tournament. Sri Lanka will compete along with India and Bhutan in group A. The Sri Lankan team comprising 23 players will be led by more..

Aug 7 (CI) There is a point at which Dhananjaya de Silva could have felt aggrieved. Since first turning heads at the international level in 2016, no player has been moved around - up the batting order, down the batting order, out of the team, back into the team, out of the squad altogether - than de Silva. Occasionally, his omission was justified, such as in the middle of last year when he was clearly low on confidence. more..

Aug 7 (DN) My Dad, My Super star - Dad�s Cricket Tournament was officially declared at an event held in Colombo, yesterday with many legendary cricketers including Ajuna Ranatunga, Chaminda Vaas, Pramodya Wickramasinghe, Upul Chandana, Lanka de Silva, Avishka Gunawardena due to participate. SL�s World Cup winning captain Arjuna Ranatunga is the mentor of this tournament where 18 teams will play in four groups. Tournament is only for Dads under the theme of Love for Dads. more..