Sep 23 (Island) Sri Lanka has sought assistance from the IMF to tide over the global crisis that has arisen due to US dollar strengthening, PM Ranil Wickremesinghe said in Nattandiya. Addressing an event at Al-Noor College, he pointed out that even currencies such as the Sterling Pound and Euro had weakened with the US Dollar appreciating. "Depreciation of the rupee is not something peculiar to SL." The quantum of foreign loans repayable next year was USD 400 million, PM said. more..

Sep 23 (ST) The Maldives goes to the polls today amidst claims and counterclaims that rival parties have rigged the elections. President Abdulla Yameen�s Progressive Party has accused the Opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) of bribing voters with funds infused from Western countries while the MDP says voter lists may have been manipulated and the counting process compromised by the incumbent in office. The MDP�s candidate is Ibrahim Mohamed Solih, more..

Sep 23 (ST) Tensions peaked once again between the coalition partners � the SLFP and the UNP � this week over fresh issues. The flashpoint this time, evidently serious, is over accusations that the UNP had almost abandoned SLFP policies and was only implementing its own. The subject formed the complaint of many members of the SLFP Central Committee (CC) which met on Thursday night at Janadipathi Mandiraya more..

Sep 21 (Island) It would have been a breath of fresh air for Sri Lankans concerned by the falling rupee to hear the Central Bank Governor Indrajit Coomaraswamy address the country�s currency crisis while participating in a cyber-security forum in Colombo. Contrast that with the odourful nonsense that emanates from the country�s principal political forum. It is the Central Bank more than the cabinet or parliament that is at the wheel for the daily management of the economy. more..

Sep 21 (Island) Neo-populism is a disturbing political upsurge of recent times. With some embarrassment (fathering Single-Issue Common-Candidate was notoriety enough) I admit to being one of the first, and surely the first in Lanka to flag neo-populism as an ubiquitous new phenomenon of 21-C. But it is crucial to appreciate that it cannot be laid out as a linear progression from fascism at one end to left zealotry at the other, with jihadism, racism, enmity to immigrants, alienation of the 99% by more..

Sep 21 (ST) President Maithripala Sirisena�s left yesterday for New York to address the UN General Assembly, a move which has become the focal point of attention for Colombo-based diplomats, Tamil diaspora and even larger sections of the Govt. Unlike his previous visits every year, it comes in the backdrop of moves by the CID to arrest Admiral Ravindra Wijegunaratne, the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS). more..

Sep 21 (CT) 175 wild elephants have died so far this year, and on average 250 wild elephants die annually in SL. Some of the main reasons for these deaths have been recorded as gunshots and hakka patas, whilst seven have been run over by trains. There were also those who have died of natural causes as well as unknown causes. a survey conducted in 2011 had revealed that there were a total of 5,878 wild elephants in SL. more..

Sep 21 (CT) The unique Joint Tri-Service Field Training Exercise (FTX), code named Cormorant Strike is being held for the 9th consecutive year, highlighting expertise gained by the SL Security Forces in overcoming the ruthless LTTE terrorists in a war spanning three decades and the nation�s broader outlook in sharing military skills and experience towards combating terrorism in any form. SL Security Forces dealt with the LTTE, more..

Sep 21 (EN) Minister Mangala Samaraweera had got cabinet go ahead to scrap a controversial annual company registration fee, introduced in a budget for 2016, which critics warned would be a tax discouraging incorporation. Budget proposed an annual tax of 1.5 million rupees for listed companies, 250,000 other public companies and 30,000 for a private company, as part of several other follies of the administration in the first 2 years, more..

Sep 21 (SO) Amidst the recent hike in domestic fuel prices, SL�s current retail prices are comparatively lower than many regional peers, a recent analysis by the Finance Ministry has showed. While Petrol and Diesel were revised in SL with effect from Sept 10 Oetrol 2018 to Rs. 161 and Rs. 123 respectively, prices in India currently stand at Rs. 190 (Petrol) and Rs. 171 (Diesel), Bangladesh - Rs. 173 (Petrol) and Rs. 127 (Diesel) and more..

Sep 21 (DM) Former Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa did not deserve more protection, Minister Field Marshal Sarath Fonseka said. He said that security detail of former Defence Secretary was higher than what was given to him. �I have been given 17 Police personnel. But Gotabaya has enough protection. As far I know the former Defence Secretary has 25 security personnel from Army, STF & Commandos. more..

Sep 21 (ST) The Govt will seek a loan of one billion US dollars from the Exim Bank of China for what could easily be the costliest project in Sri Lanka � the building of an 88 kilometre rail track from Kurunegala to Habarana. The construction work is to be awarded to the China State Construction Engineering Corporation Limited (CSEC) and will be part of President Sirisena�s Let�s Awaken Polonnaruwa programme. more..

Sep 21 (CT) Former Deputy Minister Vijayakala Maheshwaran had been a topic in Parliament ever since she made a controversial statement calling for the revival of the LTTE. This week too, opposition MPs demanded to know what course of action Speaker Karu Jayasuriya has taken in this regard as it was already reported that the Attorney-General has informed Jayasuriya about his Dept�s stance few weeks ago. more..

Sep 21 (CT) Muslim MPs, including Ministers, have as part of the proposed Muslim Personal Law reforms agreed that qualified women of eligible age can apply to be selected and appointed by the Judicial Service Commission as Quazi/Qadi Judges under the Muslim Matrimonial Law. Muslim MPs including Ministers have also agreed to have 16 years as the minimum age of marriage for females and 18 for males under more..

Sep 21 (ST) The Army has requested the Govt to release the Jaffna Fort to the military and in turn has agreed to release the lands occupied by three of the main camps within the city limits. The letters requesting for the Jaffna Fort have been sent by Jaffna Security Forces Commander Dharshana Hettiarachchi to President Maithripala Sirisena, PM Ranil Wickremesinghe and the Department of Archaeology. more..

Sep 24 (CT) For our story today, we travel back in time and space. It is the year 1976 and we are in the bicycle shed of Jaffna Hindu College, Sri Lanka, where a handsome young SL Tamil man in his late teens was debating with his classmates. Participation was uneven. He was alone and there were five opponents. But the five being highly emotional while the young fellow maintained his cool compensated for the numerical advantage they had. Those were best of times and worst of times, more..

Sep 24 (SO) The war was unendurable. It was mind-blowingly vicious. Suicide bombers made a fine art of painting the earth with blood-soaked human innocence. Babies refused to be lulled to sleep. Grandmas stopped praying. Mothers dared not hope. Fathers were marooned in fear and despair. Mahinda Rajapaksa ended the war. It was under his presidency that the wild screams stopped and the clash of arms ceased. But then, discord took refuge in the deep crevices of human breasts that more..

Sep 24 (SO) On a small hill inside the Trincomalee Eastern Naval Command is known among local residents as Gun Site because of a mounted weapon at its summit. A soundtrack of crashing waves, stunning views of the ocean side city of Trincomalee and the choppy blue waters of the Bay, would make Gun Site a picturesque little hillock at the Naval Base if not for the eerie colonial era buildings that stand near the summit. more..

Sep 24 (CT) Arnold Toynbee (1889-1975) who was at the London School of Economics was not as well acknowledged as he was outside the UK after he suggested that the Chinese and their language were well positioned to be dominant soon. He I think is proving to be right in almost two generations after his demise. His magnum opus, however, I think was his theory of Challenge and Response � explaining why some civilisations did well while others fell back. This theory is that challenges more..

Sep 24 (ST) The unseemly tug-of-war between the IGP and the National Police Commission, with the IGP openly balking to carry out directions of the NPC, must be deplored quite categorically. Indeed, the manner of both parties being summoned by the Speaker to resolve these issues unfortunately reminds one of two erring schoolchildren being summoned to the Principal�s office. The fracas plays itself out in the open, diminishing the credibility of the much vaunted concept of independent more..

Sep 24 (CT) Patients who feel that they or their loved ones suffered unnecessarily or died, due to the fault of a doctor treating them face a lengthy and opaque process to get justice, and as a result few seek redress. The Sri Lanka Medical Council has been set up to regulate doctors and safeguard patients, but its record is patchy at best. There had been 120 complaints from patients the SLMC entertained in 2012 and by 2018 more..

Sep 24 (ST) No one can say for sure whether Kamer Nizamdeen arrested by the Australian Police three weeks ago of secretly plotting to kill Aussie politicians and bomb Aussie hot spots was a lone wolf, a closeted Muslim fanatic who clothed his dark secret of being a terror merchant in burka and instead pretended to be a dissipate playboy who had squandered the dictates of Holy Quran, sacrificed his reward of thirteen virgins in heaven, in return for the earthy bliss of wine, women & song. more..

Sep 24 (Island) A deputy minister participating in a television show, on Saturday, said he was happy that some people did not know he was an MP. He should consider himself lucky that at the rate the govt is bungling on the economic front, the day may not be far off when the irate public takes to the streets looking for the yahapalana politicians��absit omen! There is, however, a surefire way of identifying a govt politician, especially a yahapalana MP. If you happen to see a politician but more..

Sep 24 (ST) Speaker Karu Jayasuriya this week urged MPs to attend sittings regularly, after the House had to be adjourned on several days in its previous sitting week, due to poor attendance. He said it is a matter of regret that sittings have to close abruptly due to a lack of quorum, adding it was the responsibility of both Govt and Opposition members to maintain a quorum in the House. He was not alone in raising such concerns. President Sirisena too brought up the issue this week, more..

Sep 24 (Island) Do you own a pet or have other animals (i.e. guard dogs, draft animals, etc.) under your care? Do you farm animals? Do you consume or use animal products? Do you admire animals in zoos? Do you enjoy recreation activities associated with animals, such as elephant riding, horse racing, bull fighting, elephants being paraded in cultural pageants, etc.? Do you directly or indirectly associate with any form of activity where animals are being used for scientific research or experimentation? more..

Sep 24 (ST) Former SLC secretary Nishantha Ranatunga says that there would not have been an incident like the Rs. 11 million near heist had Sports Minister Faiszer Musthapha appointed an interim cricket administration till cricket elections are called. He was of the view that there are efficient persons like Ana Punchihewa, Sidath Wettimuny, Jayantha Dharmadasa and Kushil Gunasekera who could play a responsible more..

Sep 24 (DM) The Buddha�s open invitation for women to participate in the Sasana by making them eligible to enter the Bhikkuni Sangha� with ample opportunities for public life had greatly improved the status of women. In Islamic and Hindu societies a number of books have been authored on the changing status of women, but strangely little in Buddhism�apart from Miss I.B. Horner, Pali scholar, who wrote the book titled, Women under Primitive Buddhism, in 1930. more..

Sep 24 (Island) The Maha-mangala Sutta, the Great Discourse on Blessings, is one of the most popular Buddhist suttas, included in all the standard repertories of Pali devotional chants. The sutta begins when a deity of stunning beauty, having descended to earth in the stillness of the night, approaches the Blessed One in the Jeta Grove and asks about the way to the highest blessings. In the very first stanza of his reply the Buddha states that the highest blessing comes from avoiding more..

Sep 24 (CI) SL's selectors have removed Angelo Mathews as ODI captain 10 months after he was asked to resume captaincy duties, and have appointed Test captain Dinesh Chandimal in his place. The move comes after Mathews attracted a hail of public criticism over the team's performance in the Asia Cup, where they were knocked out following first-round defeats to Bangladesh and Afghanistan. more..

Sep 24 (Island) Commercial Bank of Ceylon has entered into a collaborative alliance with Asia Securities Holdings (Private) Limited, to provide investment banking services to customers of both companies. A MoU between the two institutions paves the way for a wide range of investment banking services to be provided to corporate customers. These include equity and debt capital raising through listed and unlisted instruments, mergers and acquisitions (M&A) advisory, more..

Sep 24 (CT) Family Planning Association of SL (FPA) recently introduced Smart Condom Machines, vending machines that dispense condoms, a press release stated. FPA collaborates closely with the Ministry of Health on HIV Prevention and Elimination in SL and access to condoms is seen as a major initiative that will promote safe sex and reduce the incidence of HIV/STDs and unwanted pregnancies in the country. For people who are uncomfortable with purchasing condoms from a pharmacy more..

Sep 24 (Island) Kumar Sangakkara says that he is confident that his former mentor and current Head Coach of the national cricket team Chandika Hathurusingha will help the team come out of the current crisis. Sri Lanka made an embarrassing first round exit in the ongoing competition after heavy defeats at the hands of Bangladesh and Afghanistan in what was their worst performance in the history of Asia Cup. more..

Sep 24 (DN) The latest two series in the third round of the ICC Women�s Championship delivered closely fought games and propelled West Indies out of the bottom half of the table as the teams test their competitive edge with the ICC Women�s World Twenty20 2018 less than 50 days away. Reigning World T20 champions West Indies drew their three-match series at home to South Africa 1-1 while India defeated Sri Lanka 2-1 in an away series of the 8-team tournament, which sees sides more..

Sep 24 (CT) The Sri Lanka Insurance Corporation�s (SLIC) Happiness Carnival concluded with immense success with the participation of more than 35,000 people across the country. The first Happiness Carnival was held at Viharamahadevi Park Colombo followed by series of carnivals held at Ampara, Matara, Dambulla and Kurunegala. The carnivals were conducted in celebration of the declaration of the largest Life Bonus in the insurance history of Sri Lanka, Rs 6.8 billion, the release added. more..

Sep 24 (ST) As Finance Minister Mangala Samaraweera gets ready to deliver the govt�s 2019 budget in Parliament on November 5, ahead of provincial council and Presidential elections, speculation is rife that the budget may be more rural and middle class-centric focusing on giveaways to the middle class, farmers and the poor. Amendments to the Finance Act have already been gazetted paving the way to implement more..

Sep 24 (ST) London-based International Integrated Reporting Council (IIRC), has partnered with SL�s Smart Media, the Annual Report Company, to prepare the IIRC Integrated Report 2017. Business sources said that a SL company�s involvement in preparing this global report is not only a confidence boost to the local company but also to SL as a whole. According to a statement issued by IIRC, a series of breakthrough moments have been named by the council in the integrated report more..

Sep 24 (CT) A total of 1,560 Maldivians, presently in Sri Lanka, cast their votes, in their country�s Presidential Election, at the Maldivian High Commission in Colombo yesterday. The source that 2,700 Maldivians in SL were registered to vote at the election but only 1,560 turned up at the polling centre. There were three ballot boxes at the voting centre, of which one was for three cities, Male, Addu and Fuvahmulah and the other two were allocated for the rest of the areas in Maldives. more..

Sep 24 (DM) Angelo Mathews feels he has been betrayed and let down after he was asked to resign from the captaincy taking full responsibility for the Asia Cup debacle. Mathews who tendered his resignation last night from the captaincy says he is even willing to retire from limited over cricket if the selectors and the coach believe he is unfit to play ODI and T20 cricket. His sacking comes in the aftermath of more..

Sep 24 (EN) Sri Lanka's banks will be charged a debt recovery levy on banks Oct 1, 2018 and not Sept 1, 2018 according to changes proposed to the island's finance act. The current administration came to power promising to lower the total number of taxes, making it easier to do business, but a so-called robin hood budget in 2015 went against the policy. The debt recovery levy however will have a sunset provision ending it on Dec 31, 2021. The finance ministry had said more..