Feb 28 (DM) When the trial of two cases filed against Shashi Weerawansa for holding diplomatic and general passports illegally, were taken up before the Colombo Chief Magistrate�s Court yesterday, eleventh witness of the case, former Commissioner of the Department for Registration of Persons Jagath Wijeweera informed Court that he gave special instructions to approve Shashi Weerawansa�s application more..

Feb 28 (DN) The case against former Minister and MP Mahindananda Aluthgamage for the alleged criminal breach of trust of funds amounting to Rs. 3.9 million belonging to a trade union named Sri Lanka Nidahas Kamkaru Congress, was yesterday fixed for trial on March 6 by the Colombo High Court. The case was to be taken up for trial yesterday, but President�s Counsel Nalin Ladduwahetty with counsel Hafeel Farisz appearing for Aluthgamage, moved court that the case be fixed for more..

Feb 28 (NR) Minister Akila Viraj Kariyawasam says although the project to distribute tabs to A/L students has been temporarily suspended, project will definitely be carried out in future. Speaking at a function to handover appointment letters at Education Ministry, he said several changes must be made in order to improve the education sector in the future. Minister noted 60% of present will face a change in next 10-15 yrs adding changes need to be made in order to adapt to new jobs. more..

Feb 28 (DN) Minister Faiszer Musthapha has asked the Elections Commission to order rather than appeal to political parties to appoint women through their lists to complete the quota. This was in a bid to break the deadlock over the 25% quota for women in many local councils. The gazette establishing the councils have been postponed to Mar 20, Minister said on the request of the EC and the current situation with the quota. more..

Feb 28 (DM) A special traffic plan was implemented limiting the transportation in several roads in Colombo for the annual Navam Perahera of Hunupitiya Gangaramaya Temple today and tomorrow, Police said. Accordingly, traffic movement along the following roads will be limited from 5pm onwards on both days: Sir James Peiris Mawatha, Navam Mawatha, Perahera Mawatha, W.A.D. Ramanayake Mawatha Muttiah Road, Sri Jinarathana Mawatha, Hunupitiya Lake Road, more..

Feb 28 (CT) Ministry of Education is planning to establish several new teacher training academies within the next two years, Minister Akila Viraj Kariyawasam said on 26 Feb. Kariyawasam, participating in a ceremony to handover appointment letters to 71 science diploma holders of the National School of Education, added that although his Ministry did not carry out media propaganda to publicize such, it has conducted a huge service for improving the quality of the education sector. more..

Feb 28 (EN) Sri Lanka's 12-month inflation fell to 4.5% in Feb 2018, from 5.8% in January with the Colombo Consumer Price index falling for the second month. Index fell 0.7% in during the month to 121.9 points after falling 0.1% in January. CB has had tight monetary policy over the past year withdrawing liquidity, instead of printing money, though the currency has weakened, pushing the price of traded goods up. more..

Feb 28 (CT) Former President Mahinda Rajapaksa flew to India last morning. Rajapaksa having taken wing to Bangalore at dawn yesterday is scheduled to return to Colombo tonight. He had headed to India to attend several religious events and is also expected to hold talks with the Chief Minister and Speaker of Andra Pradesh Chandrababu Naidu and K. Shivaprasad Naidu. SLFP Kandy District MP Lohan Ratwatte is accompanying the former President during his tour of India. more..

Feb 28 (DM) The senior purohita long aspiring to wear the prime ministerial mantle rang up his astrologer - a fair one � soon after his latest disappointment. Highly dismayed and dejected that the much coveted plum job was almost within his reach this time round when it was suddenly snatched away, the man turned to the faithful astrologer for solace. After all, numerous Poojas and other rituals conducted on her advice and guidance should produce some result, he thought. more..

Feb 28 (DM) PM Ranil Wickremesinghe who took over the Ministry of Law and Order few days ago pledged to declare war against drugs yesterday. PM made this pledge at a ceremony held to mark the 35th anniversary of STF which also coincided with the passing out of 169 STF personnel l at Katukurunda Police straining school last evening. �We have to stop the drug trafficking and distribution. more..

Feb 28 (SL) President Maithripala Sirisena, as the Minister of Defence, has obtained cabinet approval to sign the Convention on Cluster Munitions. Govt says the Sri Lanka armed forces have never used cluster bombs and showing its commitment on preventing use of cluster bombs, it was decided to accede to the convention which was ratified by 102 countries. Last year the Govt had said at the 7th Meeting of States Parties to the Convention on Cluster Munitions that SL fully recognizes more..

Feb 28 (Island) Some intellectuals who once condemned their pro Rajapaksa counterparts as slaves were now shamelessly defending the UNP-led govt, CaFFE Executive Director, Rajith Keerthi Tennakoon said. "For years they wrote articles and appeared in TV talk shows, flaying those backed the Rajapaksas as irrational, uneducated sycophants. Rajapaksa supporters were also called slaves. But, these so-called intellectuals are now defending PM Ranil Wickremesinghe following Feb 10 polls more..

Feb 28 (DN) Defence Ministry Cyber Operations Centre at the Sri Lanka Air Force Headquarters (SLAF) was declared open by Defence Secretary Kapila Waidyaratne on Feb 26, at the invitation Air Force Commander Air Marshal Kapila Jayampathy. The Defence Secretary was welcomed by SLAF Chief Information Technology Officer Air Commodore Arosha Vithana. Waidyaratne was received upon arrival by Commanding Officer more..

Feb 28 (AD) Colombo High Court says that the decision whether to proceed with the revision applications filed by Perpetual Treasuries Limited owner Arjuna Aloysius and CEO Kasun Palisena, will be announced on March 09. The attorneys representing Aloysius and Palisena filed the revision applications seeking bail before the High Court on Monday. The officer-in-charge of the CID�s financial crimes division, the director of the CID and the AG are named as respondents in the petition. more..

Feb 28 (CT) A senior official of the CID says that Inspector of Police Neomal Rangajeewa, of Police Narcotics Bureau (PNB), has become a suspect in connection to the 9 Nov, 2012, riot at the Welikada Prison premises and he will be apprehended soon. He added that however, the Attorney General's approval would have to be obtained for the CID to make the arrest. When inquired about the impending arrest of Rangajeewa, a spokesman for the AG's Department said that more..

Feb 28 (CT) Several Ministers who attended the Cabinet meeting yesterday demanded that Govt take the responsibility to pay compensation for the damage caused to property during the unrest in Ampara, earlier in the day. Several Ministers of the Govt, including Leader of SLMC, Minister Rauf Hakeem, Ministers Rishad Bathiudeen, Mano Ganesan, and Daya Gamage, had requested Prez and PM to take more..