Dec 26 (AFP) Fast bowler Dale Steyn said on Monday he was looking beyond breaking the record for most Test wickets for South Africa in the forthcoming series against Pakistan. Steyn currently shares the record of 421 wickets with former captain Shaun Pollock, who retired in 2008, and needs one more wicket in the first Test against Pakistan, starting at SuperSport Park on Wednesday, to hold first place on his own. "I have a lot more wickets in me than just one more," he said. more..

Dec 26 (NR) Three associates of underworld gang member Samayan have been arrested by the Police Special Task Force in Biyagama. Investigations revealed the suspects were engaged in intimidating and extorting bribes from businessmen based on the instructions of chief associates of Samayan and Gotha Asanka. Two of the suspects were arrested while travelling in a three wheeler in Biyagama around 4.45pm yesterday. The Police STF said two sharp weapons and 1.3 grams of marijuana more..

Dec 26 (ST) As the country marks the 14th anniversary of the tsunami next week, Jeyarajah Abilash, who survived the deadly waves in Kalmunai as a newborn baby and went on to make headlines around the world, also marks the anniversary of his miraculous survival. Abilash, now completing his education in his village, says his only ambition is to serve the country as a doctor. His parents, Murugupillai and Jenita Jeyarajah, more..

Dec 26 (EN) Hambantota Port said it has attracted the first vessel for lay-up with a drillship to be moored at the port for six, months, which will be supervised by a unit of Colombo-based Hayleys Advantis. Aban Abraham, a drillship was berthed last week at Hambantota for a six-month warm lay-up. Under Sri Lanka's flag requirements a minimum crew will be on board. Hambantota is run by Hambantota International Port Group (HIPG), a joint venture with China's CM Port group. more..

Dec 26 (FT) A legal issue has emerged regarding the number of Cabinet Ministers in the new UNF-led Govt. According to the 19th Amendment (Article 46[1]), number of Cabinet Ministers is restricted to 30 and non-Cabinet positions to 40 in a single party-led Govt. A legal issue has been raised whether the 30 Cabinet Ministers include the President and the PM. The UNF says that while the 19th Amendment restricts the number to 30, this is with the exclusion of both the President and the PM, more..

Dec 26 (ST) A Sri Lankan staffer has accused one of the highest ranking UN officials of sexual harassment in a case currently playing out at the United Nations. Shihana Mohamed, a Human Resources Policies Officer with the International Civil Service Commission (ICSC), has charged the New York-based Commission�s chairman of retaliating against her by denying promotions and excluding her from duty-travel overseas more..

Dec 26 (CT) Pathum Nissanka produced a fascinating batting performance when he scored a wonderful double century for NCC in the SLC Major League Tier �A� game against SL Army Sports Club last week. A product of Isipathana College, Colombo, Nissanka had a horrific start to the season. Playing for SL Board XI against England in the first warm up match he was struck on the head while fielding at short leg. But he put all that aside to go from strength to strength to end up more..

Dec 26 (Island) PM has instructed the Minister of Disaster Management Ranjith Madduma Bandara to provide all necessary facilities to those who are affected by floods in the North. Madduma Bandara has been asked by the PM to reach out to all MPs representing the North when carrying out relief activities. Minister of Finance, Mangala Samaraweera has been instructed to release funds for relief and reconstruction work. Committee led by Madduma Bandara has also been appointed more..

Dec 26 (AD) Fifty-two people have died and over 48,000 were affected by the dengue virus in Sri Lanka, so far this year. Epidemiology Unit said that the highest number of dengue cases had been reported from the capital Colombo District with over 9,500 cases. The second worst affected district with over 5,400 cases was from the Gampaha District in the outskirts of the Colombo District followed by the Batticaloa District, with over 4,700 cases. more..

Dec 26 (AD) PM Ranil Wickremesinghe, adding his wishes for the Christmas, said the life of Jesus Christ brought about hope and reconciliation to a fragmented world. He says that Christmas is an opportunity Sri Lankans to rid themselves of divisiveness and bring about a sense of brotherhood and amity among all. The complete message of the Prime Minister is as follows: Christmas is the season of great joy. It�s a time of remembering the past with hope for the future. more..

Dec 26 (AD) President Maithripala Sirisena conveying his Christmas message says that Christmas is the season which the message of peace and reconciliation throughout the world. President Sirisena, wishing a joyful Christmas to every Christian, says that it is the season to fulfill the aspirations of the Lord Jesus of wholesome of goodness. Following is the complete Christmas message of the Prez: The expectation of Christmas is a promise of a new life; a new birth. more..

Dec 26 (DM) The SLPP said it has not yet reached any agreement with the SLFP to contest future elections together. Prez Sirisena has reportedly said that SLFP has decided to contest future elections together with the SLPP. However, SLPP Secretary Sagara Kariyawasam said they have not yet made such as agreement with the SLFP. �We are open for the formation of a political alliance but no agreement more..

Dec 26 (ST) Colombo Municipal Council�s 2019 budget was passed at the council meeting this week � and it showed a surplus. The expected revenue for 2019 stood at Rs.16.9 billion while the expenditure was Rs. 597,000 short of that figure, indicating a surplus. Mayor Rosy Senanayake said the council�s main challenge was to collect the arrears due from ratepayers. �We would lay down a mechanism to collect these arrears in a fair manner through concessions and negotiations,� more..

Dec 26 (DM) Opposition leader Mahinda Rajapaksa requested the Ministry of Disaster Management and other Ministries concerned to attend to the relief measures in an efficient and timely manner in order to alleviate the sufferings of the people in the flood affected areas. He said in a statement that in the absence of Provincial administrations in almost all the worst affected areas, the responsibility of managing the relief effort would have to be borne mainly by the line ministries concerned. more..

Dec 26 (AD) Namal Kumara, the Director Operations of the Anti Corruption Force, says that the investigations regarding the information he revealed on the VIP assassination plot are at a weak status. According to him, information on the relevant investigations has been released to the media by some individual. He also says that there is a conspiracy to sweep the investigations regarding the assassination plot under the rug. more..

Dec 26 (AD) On the instructions of the IGP, a team of officers from the Colombo Crimes Division (CCD) has been sent to investigate the shooting incident in Kudawella. The team will be headed by an Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) of CCD, stated the Police Media Spokesperson. Previously, the Senior DIG of Southern Province and the DIG of Matara were also deployed to probe the incident on the orders of the Inspector General of Police (IGP) Pujith Jayasundara. more..

Dec 26 (FT) President Sirisena has emphasised that whatever the pressures put on the public servants, they should not allow any room for illegal activities and irregularities to occur. He made these remarks addressing the new Ministry Secretaries at the Presidential Secretariat last week. After presenting the appointment letters to the new Ministry Secretaries, President Sirisena said that he himself personally and as the President of the country will stand on behalf of the public servants more..

Dec 26 (Island) Unidentified gunmen stormed the Kudawella fisheries harbour in Tangalle and fired killing four persons and seriously wounding eight. According to eyewitnesses, one of those killed is Latheesh Udaya Kumara alias Rana, who dominates the fish business there. Police attributed the killing to a long standing dispute over the supremacy in the fish business between slain Rana�s family and another group. more..

Dec 26 (CT) The Lanka Teachers Services Union (LTSU) said it would boycott the paper marking process of the GCE O/L, Mathematics paper, which was held recently due to a payment issue related to paper marking and checking. Secretary of the Union, Mahinda Jayasinghe said that paper marking payment for the Mathematics paper was reduced this year by officers of Dept of Examinations. He said the boycott would only be implemented in the case of the Mathematics paper. more..

Dec 26 (DN) The govt will provide an allowance of Rs 10,000 to each affected family in the Kilinochchi and Mullaitivu District until the damages caused due to the floods are accurately evaluated. The decision was made on Monday by Minister Ranjith Maddumabandara along with Ministry Secretaries held discussions with officials at the Kilinochchi DS. Kilinochchi District Secretary Sundaram Arumainayagam, heads of the Security Forces and officers of DMC were present more..

Dec 26 (CT) Disaster Management Centre (DMC) requested the public, Ministries and Govt institutions to observe two minutes silence between 9.25 a.m. and 9.27 a.m. today and organise religious programmes for those affected by various disasters. According to a 2005 Cabinet Memorandum, 26 Dec was named National Safety Day in memory of persons who perished on 26 Dec 2004 in the deadly tsunami that hit more..

Dec 27 (CT) Prez Maithiripala Sirisena (MS) has called on his supporters to prepare for an election next year. He has not indicated any timeline yet. However, one can understand his state of mind, which is still smarting under humiliation received in the aftermath of the infamous Fifty-Two-Day constitutional coup at the hands of the legislature, judiciary and civilian public at large. Provincial Council Elections may come first to test the waters, and if he sees a positive swing to his side more..

Dec 27 (CT) It is said Maithripala Sirisena left Mahinda Rajapaksa four years ago, after a hopper treat, because he was not given due recognition as a Minister, and the PM position. That may be true. Otherwise, he even voted for the 18thAmendment to allow the possibility of Rajapaksa to contest for the Presidency again and again without a term-limit. There must have been other reasons to do with family rule or authoritarian handling of things. The Lord (the people) took vengeance from more..

Dec 27 (SO) Rolling green hills dotted with tea factories, a cluster of small houses, and the reservoir studded with small islets, make the winding Highway (B149) from Maskeliya one of the most picturesque drives. After a half hour, we reached the bank of Castlereagh Reservoir, dotted with tall trees and a sea of lush green tea plantations. Charming views of women plucking tea leaves in the lush tea gardens of Wanarajah more..

Dec 27 (DN) Today marks the 14th anniversary of the Boxing Day Tsunami in 2004 in the Indian Ocean which killed nearly 240,000 people in Asia and Africa. It is an ever-present danger, as Indonesia learned just a couple of days ago and yes, they can strike without any warning. Just what is a tsunami? Tsunami is a Japanese word comprising the words tsu (meaning harbour) and nami (meaning wave). It is not surprising that this word has originated in Japan, more..

Dec 27 (DN) Jesus was not a politician or a businessman or a general. He came to earth to save us from our sins. He came to give us freedom and to spread the message of Love and the Kingdom of God. The best lessons we can learn this Christmas are from the life of Jesus himself. We learn about the importance of compassion because Jesus preached and practiced compassion. The gospels themselves state that he healed a paralyzed man (Matthew 9:6). He healed a Leper (Matthew more..

Dec 27 (Roar) It�s the most wonderful time of the year! While it is mainly the festive and fun aspects of Christmas that we like to talk and get excited about, the inner scrooge in all of us positively dread this time of year; so much so that a human being saving up money for Christmas shopping is really like a bear going into hibernation. If you do not fatten up your bank account in time for the year - end sales run, you are in for a sad, more..

Dec 27 (CT) If one thought that all is well that ends well and that the constitutional crisis may after all have blown off with the return of Ranil Wickremesinghe as PM, it does not seem to be. From the days of two Prime Ministers and no Prime Minister, the Nation is now being treated to two Opposition Leaders and then no Opposition Leader. True, the office of the Leader of the Opposition is not as important as that of the PM in a parliamentary democracy. more..

Dec 27 (CT) There were two pledges regarding the new Cabinet in the manifestos we prepared for Maithripala Sirisena in 2014 when he contested the Presidency. The short manifesto declared that on �Sunday, 11 Jan, a Cabinet of not more than 25 members, including members of all political parties represented in Parliament, will be appointed with Leader of the Opposition Ranil Wickremesinghe as PM.� That was breached in that there were 27 members, sworn in on 12 Jan, without more..

Dec 27 (ST) Sri Lankan tea production in 2019, consequent to the Govt�s decision to lift the ban on the use of glyphosate (weedicide) would provide much relief to producers and in particular large-scale plantations which would be able to carryout the required agricultural practices to achieve the full potential of the plantations, says broker Forbes and Walker Ltd. �Further the Govt�s decision last month � to allow a more liberal policy on fertilizer � should contribute favourably. more..

Dec 27 (CI) Suranga Lakmal bowled brilliantly, but the period in which Sri Lanka's younger seamers - Lahiru Kumara and Kasun Rajitha - attempted a short-pitched barrage worked in New Zealand's favour according to Tim Southee. Top-scoring for his team with 68 off 65 balls, Southee collected 29 of his runs behind square on the legside - a tally that included three top-edged sixes and two fours. Partner BJ Watling, with whom Southee mounted a 108-run seventh-wicket stand, more..

Dec 27 (CI) To be Suranga Lakmal on SL tracks is to be more or less relentlessly looked down upon by spin bowlers. Spinners to Lakmal: "Yes, we know you've played more Tests than most of the remainder of the attack, and of course your seam position is nice and your cutters are cute. But machan, look. You're a fast bowler. These are dry tracks. We're all are glad that you ran in so hard and tried your best with the new ball. more..

Dec 27 (Island) US President Donald Trump has met his match in the media, and vice versa. He never misses an opportunity to tear into the press, which pays him back in his own coin. He is bent on attacking the credibility of the media, which he accuses of disseminating what he calls fake news. The media portrays him as a man with bats in the belfry. The media got hold of something to beat Trump with, again, on Christmas Day. While taking calls from children, in keeping with tradition, more..

Dec 27 (DM) A phenomenon noted by everyone with the rise in the number of vehicles on the roads is the mushrooming of garages in every nook and corner in the Colombo suburbs. Almost 75 percent of these are tiny, shady spaces and probably without even proper licences. With the latter came another occurrence - the parking of thousands of garage vehicles on pavements and also on the roads, including main roads and by roads, causing a major nuisance to motorists & creating traffic snarls. more..

Dec 27 (CI) Of the fourteen wickets to fall under cloudy skies, on a greentop in Christchurch, Suranga Lakmal claimed five, and provided his team a meagre edge in what promises to be another absorbing Test. NZ got to 178 having been put into bat - 108 of those runs coming during an adventurous 7th-wicket stand between Tim Southee and BJ Watling. Southee, the day's only half-centurion with the bat, then delivered more..

Dec 27 (Island) The performances of the Sri Lankan cricket team in recent times has been well below par. Our lads are now losing both home and away. Many ardent fans are thoroughly disappointed and disgusted with the performances of the team. Most teams do well at home but struggle overseas. But the present Sri Lankan team has started losing at home as well. Losing to England in all three formats � Tests, ODIs and T-20s was a bitter pill to swallow. In the last 15 months, more..

Dec 27 (EN) There are pronouncements that SL is like Greece from both sides of the political divide, but that is not correct. SL has a Latin America style soft-peg which can put the country on a dangerous slippery slope unlike a strong floating rate like the Euro. Greece had a debt rollover problem like SL and went into sovereign default. There was no problem with the currency or private debt default or disappearing incomes. The central bank has put SL in a Latin America style strait-jacket. more..

Dec 27 (FT) People-centric development to create equal opportunities to all is the focus of the new Govt, Economic Reforms and Public Distribution Minister Dr.Harsha de Silva said. �Govt will refocus its attention towards people-centric development to create equal opportunities for the rising middle class, in order to ensure better living standards for future generations,� he said, assuming duties for the 1st time as a Minister more..

Dec 27 (FT) Minister Navin Dissa-nayake has reassured to provide an equitable and a long-term solution to the ongoing estate worker strike. �We are now discussing with both trade unions and the Employers Federation of Ceylon (EFC). There needs to be a long-term sustainable strategy to this issue. Collectively, we hope to reach an equitable solution very soon,� he said. Acknowledging that this issue is very subtle as more than one million people are depending on this industry, more..