Jul 13 (EN) Int'l cricket commentator Roshan Abeysinghe apologised profusely and begged for forgiveness Thursday after a backlash on social media over his comments glorifying Hitler. After resisting for days to remove his offending tweet and calling his own fans fools, stupid and uneducated for criticising his remarks wishing for a Hitler to rule the country, Abeysinghe did a 180-degree turn with the online equivalent of begging on his knees. more..

Jul 13 (CT) Nipun Dhananjaya Perera, of St. Joseph Vaz College Wennappuwa, was named captain of the Sri Lanka Under-19 four day squad to face India Under-19. He becomes the first cricketer from St. Joseph Vaz to be appointed captain of a SL U-19 team. Dhananjaya has represented the SL Under-19 on tours to Malaysia and New Zealand for the Asia Cup and Youth World Cup. Two Mahindians, Navod Paranavithana and Nipun Malinga and two Antonians Navodya Vijayakumara and more..

Jul 13 (DN) Opener Dimuth Karunaratne rated his monumental innings of 158 not out against South Africa on the first day of the first Test at Galle yesterday amongst the top three of his eight Test centuries scored in his 50-Test career. Thanks to Karunaratne�s solid defiance SL�s top order that was threatened to be blown away by the pace of Kagiso Rabada recovered from slumping to 176-8 to post a healthy total of 287. �This is one of my best after NZ and India it ranks in my top three,� said more..

Jul 13 (CI) Dimuth Karunaratne has a hard time convincing people it is tough to open the batting in SL. He tried this line once in a press conference overseas, and you could practically hear the eyerolls. SL? The place where conventional seam bowling goes to die? Sri Lanka? Where pitches are so dusty that dismissed batsmen have to be blasted with industrial-strength firehoses before they are allowed back in the dressing room? more..

Jul 13 (DM) Curtailing the ability of cigarette packs to advertise and promote their brands just makes common sense. Why? Think about it - everybody these days would agree that the ban on advertising tobacco on television and the internet, on billboards and in shops, is sensible and necessary. Nobody could dispute that promoting tobacco and smoking have led to the greatest public health threat the world has ever known. And every marketing manager of any business that makes more..

Jul 13 (GDI) The World Bank Board of Directors today approved a $200 million loan to help increase the use and the quality of Sri Lanka's primary healthcare services. The Primary Healthcare System Strengthening Project builds on years of experience and lessons in Sri Lanka's health sector and will focus on detection and management of non-communicable diseases in high-risk population groups, responding to the needs of the poorest of the population, a press release said. more..

Jul 13 (DM) The State Plantations Corporation (SPC) said it had withdrawn some projects attached to the Knuckles mountain range after finding that the lands given to those projects belonged to the Knuckles conservative area. SPC Chairman Thilak Mahanama told a news conference that no land belonging to the Knuckles Conservation Forest had been given to investors to carry out projects and added that they had withdrawn more..

Jul 13 (DN) Malinda Pushpakumara�s six-wicket haul blew away Bangladesh A by an innings and 38 runs within three days in the third and final 4-day unofficial test played at Sylhet. SL A finished 1-0 winners in the three-match series after the first two matches were drawn. Left-arm spinner Pushpakumara finished with nine wickets but it was his second-innings haul that wrecked Bangladesh, who were bowled out for 107 on the third morning. They started the day on 57/1, trailing by 88 more..

Jul 13 (Island) The decision of the govt to selectively implement the death penalty with regard to some hard drug offenders along with the sanctioning of selling fuel at the new prices have increased the confidence of investors in the Colombo Stock Exchange (CSE), our news sources said. Prez Sirisena stated at a Cabinet meeting that he would sign the required orders to implement capital punishment for convicted drug traffickers who carry out large scale drug smuggling operations more..

Jul 13 (Island) U.S. companies surveyed for a report on FDI Landscape and Investor Sentiment in SL, have painted a sombre picture of business conditions within the country with policy instability being the primary issue cited, followed by a shortage of labour, among other concerns. From a U.S. perspective, conditions for attracting FDI into SL are not optimal and the current quantity of U.S. FDI into SL is not significant. more..

Jul 13 (FT) Joint Opposition (JO) MP Vasudeva Nanayakkara said that the Joint Opposition would be reconstituted under the name Joint Podujana Peramuna (JPP). MP Nanayakkara said that the re-formation of the JO into the JPP was to form a larger alliance in the Opposition. �We expect to include additional parties to the JPP in order to form a larger alliance against the Govt.� With regard to the SLFP Group of 16, MP Nanayakkara said that the group subsequently adopted JPP membership. more..

Jul 13 (CT) SL earned nearly US$ 1.8 billion from tourism during the first five months of this year, up 14.7% compared to US$ 1.65 billion a year ago, reflecting the same growth as tourist arrivals to the country during the period. In May this year the country earned nearly US$ 240 million from the sector, up 6.2% compared to US$ 226 million during the same month last year. SL hopes to welcome 2.5 million tourists this year, the same target the Govt failed to achieve during the last two years. more..

Jul 13 (PMD) The Central Province received numerous benefits from the private sector under the Grama Shakthi People�s Movement. Central Province Action Committee of the Grama Shakthi People�s Movement met under the patronage of President Maithripala Sirisena at the President�s House in Kandy, yesterday (11) and during this meeting several agreements were signed in this regard. It is a project implemented more..

Jul 13 (CT) Department of Wildlife Conservation (DWC) is not using the Global Positioning System (GPS) belts successfully in connection with elephant conservation, Surakimu Sri Lanka, an environmental organization alleged. While addressing a media briefing, Secretary of the organization, Nayanaka Ranwella said that despite DWC already having 42 GPS collars, they were not being used to track the pathways used by elephants. �They are not using them, but are keeping them in storage. more..

Jul 13 (CT) Sports Minister Faiszer Musthapha has introduced a new concept of granting free entry to school children in the Southern Province to watch the ongoing Test match between Sri Lanka and South Africa being played at the Galle Stadium. 21 schools - including difficult areas like Angunukolapalassa - have been given the opportunity to send their cricket crazy children to the Stadium by providing free transport, food and tickets. more..

Jul 13 (DM) The Prisons Department will call for applications to recruit two hangmen next week to carry out death sentences, Prisons Spokesman said. The department with the Justice and Prisons Reforms Ministry is to finalize the list of the inmates who received death sentences over drug trafficking and will handover it for the consent of Prez within the week. There have been no executions in SL since June 23, 1976, more..

Jul 13 (DM) While welcoming President Maithripala Sirisena to execute drug traffickers who have been sentenced to death, Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith said today there is more to be done to stop the criminals organizing crimes while being in the prison in addition to subjecting them to capital punishment. �We will support Prez Sirisena�s decision to subject those who organize crime while being in the prison to death sentence but we also feel that there is more to be done,� Cardinal Ranjith said. more..

Jul 13 (Island) The Bar Association of Sri Lanka (BASL) yesterday strongly criticized the government decision to resume judicial executions. BASL President U.R. de Silva, PC, said that the govt could never successfully eradicate narcotics trade by executing those running it. U.R. de Silva was responding to President Maithripala Sirisena�s declaration and the cabinet decision to hang those found guilty of running drug operations from prisons. The President�s Counsel emphasized that more..

Jul 13 (DN) A Contempt of Court action was yesterday filed in the Court of Appeal against Minister Rishad Bathiudeen for allegedly providing false information through an affidavit regarding a writ petition filed for allegedly installing human settlement in the Villattikulam Forest Reserve in the Mannar district. The petition was filed by a public interest litigation activist Attorney-at-Law Nagananda Kodituwakku. more..

Jul 13 (DM) The country�s tea industry regulator, the Sri Lanka Tea Board (SLTB), has decided to conduct tests on all teas coming into the Colombo Tea Auction, to ensure the quality of Ceylon Tea and most of all, to certify that sugar is not used during the manufacturing process, a senior SLTB official said. The Tea Research Institute of Sri Lanka (TRISL) recently has come out with baseline sugar contents for individual tea types, following almost one year of studies and research. more..

Jul 13 (Island) Cardiothorasic surgeon Dr. Namal Gamage has decided to stop performing surgeries from nest Monday as the air-conditioner at the Karapituya Teaching Hospital is not funtioning. There were around 3,000 heart patients waiting to undergo heart surgery at the hospital. Heart patients are admitted to the Cardiac Intensive Care Unit of the hospital for post-operative care hospital sources said adding that as the central air-conditioning system of the hospital was not functioning, more..

Jul 13 (FT) Both the JO and the JVP dismissed President Maithripala Sirisena�s decision to implement the death penalty as mere political rhetoric made without any foresight. JO Parliamentary group leader MP Dinesh Gunawardana said that it was another ad hoc statement made by the Govt. �This claim that the death penalty will be brought in as a measure to curb the rising drug menace is nothing but more..

Jul 13 (Island) Colombo Fort Magistrate Lanka Jayaratne deferred a case filed against a leading businessman charged with smuggling 60 grammes of Kerala ganja into the country by post. The suspect is Suganeshan Mylan of W.A. de Silva Mawatha, Colombo-06. He was charged by the Police Narcotic Bureau. The suspect pleaded guilty to the charge. His lawyers Susil Premajayantha (MP) and Gamini Dissanayake (retired Senior DIG) told court that their client wanted the case concluded in more..

Jul 13 (DN) The list of names of prisoners sentenced to death for drug trafficking were to be handed over to President Maithripala Sirisena yesterday, Justice Ministry sources said. �The list was compiled following a directive issued by the President�, Ministry sources said. President Maithripala Sirisena said on July 11 that he had decided to sign the death warrant on prisoners sentenced to death on drug offences continuing the drug trafficking racket from their prison cells. more..

Jul 13 (Island) President of Bar Association of SL (BASL) U.R. de Silva, PC, acknowledged that guidelines were needed to regulate sponsorships. De Silva admitted that there was a need for the BASL to set guidelines when The Island sought an explanation as to why the BASL had obtained Rs. 2.5 mn from tainted primary dealer, Perpetual Treasuries Limited (PTL), over a year after the exposure of its direct involvement more..

Jul 13 (DM) SL seems to be a very unsafe country at present given that killings are taking place rampantly. Just a few days ago Independent Group CMC member Krishnapillai Thirubanandan was shot by unidentified gunmen in Pettah. He became the fifth victim to be killed in a shooting incident in the recent past. Later it was revealed that Thirubanandan had a history associated with drug dealings. A good number of these shooting incidents are related to the drug trade. more..

Jul 13 (DM) The visit by Law and Order Minister Ranjith Madduma Bandara, his Deputy, Nalin Bandara Jayamaha and Inspector General of Police Pujith Jayasundare to the North to defuse the Pro-LTTE mindset in the region, as reported on Wednesday is an admission of a resurgence of such a mindset there by the Govet. In fact, there seems to be within the Tamil community a surge in incidents favourable to the LTTE, the outfit that ruled the roost in the region a decade ago. more..

Jul 13 (DM) Laws need to be reasonable, or people will come to despise them and those who carry them out. The idea is to respect the law, not to fear or despise. According to a news item, 10 new traffic offences have been added to the current list, making a total of 33 offences which can be fined. One new offence is carrying goods other than personal luggage in motor cars or private coaches, followed by more..

Jul 13 (Island) Deputy Solicitor General Thusith Mudalige told the Supreme Court that the third accused Dematagoda Chaminda had made a false statement from the dock that he had been abducted on his return from India. DSG Mudalige said that the CID had arrested the third accused, when he arrived at the airport, after being deported from India. He had fled to India after the killing of Bharatha Lakshman more..

Jul 13 (CT) Deputy General Manager (DGM) (Power Purchase) of the CEB, Engineer Sujeewa Abeywickrema claims that he has been interdicted due to his failure to sign a cheque for Rs 860 million, which has to be paid for the purchase of emergency power for the next three years from the Ace Power Embilipitiya 100 Megawatt Diesel Plant owned by a private conglomerate. DGM had refused to sign the cheque due to approval not more..

Jul 13 (ST) Controversy simmers over 1,018 teachers, principals and education administrators being promoted to higher grades on grounds of political victimisation. Trade unions say there is nothing wrong with providing compensation for the victims but they are against promoting the victims to high posts without assessment. The govt refutes the unions� claims saying that they are only providing a (symbolic) grade elevation and more..

Jul 13 (CT) Trade Unionists, submitted a proposal to Speaker Karu Jayasuriya calling for Parliamentarians to be fined. In a letter signed by Chairpersons of the National Movement for Consumer Rights Protection (NMCRP), Ranjith Withanage, Ceylon Entrepreneurs and Three Wheel Drivers Collective (CETDC), Sunil Jayawardhane, Ceylon Motorcyclists Association (CMA), Chirantha Amarasinghe & Eatery Owners Association more..

Jul 13 (CT) Officials attached to the Ministry of Petroleum Resources Development, claimed that it was completely illegal for the Treasury and the Ministry of Finance to handle fuel pricing, when the mandate for revisions was with the Ministry of Petroleum Resources Development. They said that the Treasury had no mandate to engage in the price revision of petroleum products as it was in violation of Section 66 of more..

Jul 13 (DM) Civil Aviation and Transport Minister Nimal Siripala De Silva opined that the life imprisonment sentence should be brought in to punish reckless drivers in the same way that President Maithripala Sirisena had proposed the re-introduction of capital punishment for drug traffickers. He made this observation when he declared open a new computer-based driving license examination centre at Werahera. more..

Jul 13 (MFA) State Minister of Foreign Affairs Vasantha Senanayake paid an official visit to El Salvador from 6 -9 July 2018 to represent Sri Lanka in the first session of bilateral political consultations between the Ministries of Foreign Affairs of Sri Lanka and El Salvador. Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Integration and Economic Promotion Carlos Castaneda led the El Salvador side during bilateral political consultations. more..

Jul 13 (PTV) Malaca�ang on Thursday lauded the govt of Sri Lanka for its plan to replicate the �success� of the Philippines� war on drugs. Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque made this reaction after SL President Maithripala Sirisena has recognized Philippines� successful approach against illegal drugs. �Of course, we are happy that other countries have taken note of our war on drugs, and that they look upon us more..

Jul 13 (DM) Several agreements were signed between SL and Thailand yesterday including a MoU on Strategic Economic Partnership which was signed by Minister Malik Samarawickrama and Thailand�s Deputy Minister of Trade. Treaty on the Transfer of Offenders and on Co-operation in Enforcement of Penal Sentences was signed by Minister of Justice, Thalatha Athukorala and Thailand�s Foreign Minister. more..

Jul 13 (FT) Following is the speech delivered by Speaker of Parliament Karu Jayasuriya at the South Asian Speakers Summit held in Colombo on 11 and 12 July. At the first South Asian Speakers� Summit in Dhaka, we pledged to come together as a region to tap into our potential and face the challenges collectively in the journey towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030. At the second Summit in Indore last year, we decided to focus on four priority areas as a region: more..

Jul 13 (CT) There is a saying that if punishments are severe, the wrongdoers will think twice before committing an offence, which will in turn result in creating a better society. Several countries that have adopted this approach have been successful in maintaining law and order to high level. The topic of death penalty has created somewhat of a debate in Sri Lanka after the Govt announced that it was mulling implementing the punishment for drug related crimes. more..