Aug 27 (FT) The soft opening of the Palaly Airport will be held on 15 October with a meeting on the progress of the airport held yesterday with PM Ranil Wickremesinghe. Ministers Arjuna Ranatunga, Thilak Marapana and TNA MPs Mavai Senathirajah and M.A. Sumanthiran were present at the meeting, according to an update released by Temple Trees. Officials present at the meeting said that as much as 30% of the construction had been completed and a soft opening will be held on 15 October. more..

Aug 27 (Island) A crucial discussion between the SLFP and the SLPP will be held today at the Opposition Leader�s Office. UPFA General Secretary Mahinda Amaraweera, SLFP General Secretary Dayasiri Jayasekera and former Minister Lasantha Alagiyawanna will represent the SLFP at the talks while former ministers Basil Rajapaksa, Prof. G.L. Peiris and Dullas Alahapperuma will be there from the SLPP. more..

Aug 27 (DN) The CCTV network in the Colombo area will be upgraded shortly, Police DIG Ajith Rohana told the Daily News. The upgraded CCTV system will enable clear identification of number plates of vehicles and the identity of the drivers more clearly. Currently there are around 103 CCTV cameras installed in and around Colombo, which are around 10 years old. This CCTV system is currently operated under the Analog system and is scheduled to be upgraded to digital. more..

Aug 27 (PSL) President�s Awards for Scientific Publications was held under the patronage of Prez Sirisena. This year, more than 240 doctors and professors received awards for their Scientific Publications for the year 2017. This Awards ceremony was organized by the National Research Council for 12th Consecutive Year. Minister Sujeewa Senasinghe, Chairman of the National Research Council, Prof. Janaka de Silva, Manisha Rajapaksa, CEO of National Research Council, more..

Aug 27 (CT) FCID yesterday informed Colombo Chief Magistrate Lanka Jayaratna that the land, on which the Batticaloa Campus is situated, has been transferred through a lease agreement. They told her that the said lease agreement has been signed by Prez Sirisena effective since 2013. These details were revealed in Court in connection with further investigations into the case filed against the Batticaloa Campus. more..

Aug 27 (WE) Four months after bombs exploded at churches and hotels across Sri Lanka, church leaders are seeking accountability for government officials who ignored intelligence about the terrorist threat. The Catholic Bishops� Conference of Sri Lanka is calling for an independent investigation, but with elections scheduled for later this year, political leaders are more focused on political maneuvering than accountability. The attacks have become a flashpoint in this year's presidential election, more..

Aug 27 (AD) Newly appointed Commander of the SL Army Lt General Shavendra Silva said that he will work to improve the intelligence units during his term in office. Responding to a question raised by a journalist on the various comments made regarding his appointment, the Army Commander said that those countries can express their views but the President has chosen the leader needed for the country�s military. When inquired on the alleged fears and disappointment of Tamil community more..

Aug 27 (DM) The FCID yesterday informed Colombo Chief Magistrate Lanka Jayaratna that more than Rs. 4 billion had been received from foreign countries and credited to one account of a state bank in Sri Lanka on behalf of the university being constructed in Punani area in Batticaloa by Batticaloa Campus (Pvt) Company which is said to be owned by the former governor of Eastern Province, M.L.M. Hizbulla. more..

Aug 27 (DM) The night of Aug 22 to 23, 1791, in Santo Domingo--today Haiti and the Dominican Republic--saw the beginning of the uprising that would play a crucial role in the abolition of the transatlantic slave trade. It is against this background that the Int'l Day for the Remembrance of the Slave Trade and its Abolition is marked on Aug 23 each year. According to the UN this Int'l Day is intended to inscribe the tragedy of the slave trade in the memory of the people. more..

Aug 27 (DM) Presidential Election campaign has begun. Three contestants have already entered the battlefield and up to now, the campaign moves peacefully. Before long, however, the airwaves, the billboards and roadside walls will be taken over by the candidates. The TV and radio channels and newspapers will ignore most events other than those related to the elections. And we, the humble citizens, will gobble up every piece of information that is dished out to us. more..

Aug 27 (DM) Gotabaya Rajapaksa is the clear front runner in the prez race; even before the UNP names its candidate, the former strongman- Defence Secretary is cruising ahead with say, around a 10% lead in the South. The UNP�s choice of its candidate and whether the Grand Old Party would remain a unified group after that would decide whether the prez election would be a one-horse race. Probably by harnessing floating vote more..

Aug 27 (ST) The Department of Fisheries is to introduce an island-wide mobile alert system for one-day fishing boats and other small fishing vessels. While multi-day fishing trawlers are fitted with VHF radios, there is no way to contact small fishing vessels in case of an emergency. Moreover, multi-day trawlers can only leave from designated harbours while small boats set sail from various points, making it difficult to track them. more..

Aug 27 (EN) Sales of better quality drugs are soaring after price controls and less affluent people are able to take them without a break after prices came down, improving their long-term well-being, Minister Rajitha Senaratne said. "Now people are taking better quality drugs," he said. "Sales of some drugs have increased 10 or 15 times. People those days used to stop halfway. In several years, you will see better health of people." more..

Aug 27 (TM) Located in the very heart of Kandy, the Bogambara Prison, one of the city�s biggest landmarks, is currently being repurposed into a cultural park and tourism centre. The ancient prison complex hosted Prez and PM on Saturday at a ceremony to mark the end of the final phase of the Bogambara Prison Development Project and inaugurate its second phase, following which the third and final phases would begin. more..

Aug 27 (Island) Sri Lanka being a good performer in good governance, rule of law, investing in citizenry and other social welfare programs, resulted in the granting of US $ 480 million by the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC)- Sri Lanka compact, but there is no hidden agenda for the US govt whatsoever, its Resident Country Director said. "Sri Lanka became eligible for this programme in 2015 after qualifying on 20 different criteria, more..

Aug 27 (DM) The UNP has decided to institute disciplinary action against two of its MPs � Non-Cabinet Ministers Ajith Perera and Sujeewa Senasinghe � for making certain remarks in breach of party discipline. According to informed sources, the party noticed these two ministers to appear before General-Secretary of Education and Minister Akila Viraj Kariyawasam as well as Legal Secretary Nissanka Nanayakkara at 11 a.m. at the party hq more..

Aug 27 (Island) Almost Rs 90 million out of Rs 300 million given to state-owned fishing net manufacturer North Sea Ltd by the External Resources Department (ERD) was not shown in the institution�s accounts, the PCoI was informed. Alagarathnam Manoranjan, Chief accountant of North Sea testified before the PCoI. In 2016, North Sea was promised Rs. 300 million for livelihood development projects more..

Aug 27 (AD) The Federation of University Teachers� Association stated that if they do not receive a positive response regarding their salaries, the university lecturers will go on a continuous strike from the 10th of Sept. Chairman of the Federation Prof. Rohan Fernando said that although the govt, in 2016, promised of the 107% increase in the salaries of university lecturers, it still has not been fulfilled. more..

Aug 27 (AD) The 7th round of discussions between the SLFP and SLPP has come to a successful conclusion, says SLPP National Organizer former Minister Basil Rajapaksa. The leaders of the two parties will accordingly meet for further discussions, he said further. The SLFP and SLPP today resumed their discussions which had come to a temporary halt since June. Changes were made also to composition of representatives more..

Aug 27 (AD) Indictments have been served before the Colombo High Court against former Chief Judicial Medical Officer (JMO) of Colombo Ananda Samarasekara for allegedly concealing evidence in the Wasim Thajudeen murder case. The former Chief JMO was indicted before the Colombo High Court for destroying vital evidence pertaining to the case. On 17th July 2012, rugby player Wasim Thajudeen was found dead more..

Aug 27 (CT) Numerous news items have revealed that a notorious gang of heroin lords now serving under numerous sentences of prison have been involved in smuggling, we believe in heroin, etc., while they were imprisoned and that it's a continuing thing with them. We have been told that they have all been now sent on to the Boossa Prison, with many of them including those who have been sentenced to death for smuggling heroin and other forms of organised crime. more..

Aug 27 (FT) Whilst many of us believed in the Yahapalana regime and decided to serve the country, when we look back it�s sad to say that what we feel is that that the sacrifice we made was in vain. The last four years have been a disaster when it comes to living the spirit of governance. Starting from the CB bond scam to the AG�s revelation last Thursday that was discussed at the COPE meeting in Parliament on the Water Board and Sathosa, these are just the tip of the iceberg. more..

Aug 27 (Island) A suspect arrested on Sunday in Mawanella is the leader of a group of Islamic extremists, who have been vandalising Buddha statues across the country. Police said suspect Rashid Akbar had also sent a large number of Muslim youth to Turkey, Syria, Libya and Afghanistan for training. These youth include the sons of his brother. Rashid is also a member of the now banned National Thowheed Jamaath. The suspect is a 60-yr-old resident of Mawanella. more..

Aug 27 (EN) SL has received bids from a consortium of 'medium sized' oil companies in the UK, UAE and South East Asia to develop an off-shore block where gas deposits had already been found. Vajira Dassanayake Director General of Petroleum Development Secretariat said companies from Malaysia and Indonesia were in the South East Asian consortium. Gas deposits were discovered in the M2 block off the North Western coast of SL by Cairn India, but it did not develop the wells as more..

Aug 27 (CI) Rash strokes and poor decision-making cost SL the P Sara Test. So says captain Dimuth Karunaratne. It is a difficult summary to argue against, given the nature of SL's demise on the fifth day in Colombo. Lahiru Thirimanne essentially ran himself out, attempting a single to midwicket off the fifth ball of the innings. Kusal Perera was caught in the slips slashing at a short delivery. Kusal Mendis and Angelo Mathews were both out more..

Aug 27 (RN) SL�s High Commissioner to India Austin Fernando requested the members of the Outbound Tour Operators Association of India (OTOAI), to support promoting Sri Lanka�s Ramayana Heritage sites among Indian travellers, which will create a win-win situation for the respective stakeholders. Fernando made this request at a workshop on Sri Lanka�s Ramayana Heritage Sites, organized by the SL High Commission in association with more..

Aug 27 (Island) In the aftermath of the Easter bomb blasts Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby would be visiting Sri Lanka from August 29 to 31, Bishop of Colombo Dhiloraj Ranjit Canagasabey announced at media briefing in Colombo yesterday. The archbishop of Canterbury is the senior bishop and principal leader of the Church of England, the symbolic head of the worldwide Anglican Communion and the diocesan bishop of the Diocese of Canterbury. more..

Aug 27 (EN) SL had stability until July 2019 with cash withdrawn by the central bank to keep a soft-peg with the US dollar until new injections began. Prez meanwhile has put a monkey wrench on laws to stop money printing in the future. The question is, what is he smoking? This is relevant since Prez Sirisena is against drugs and against cigarettes. If he did not smoke anything, then the other question is, what are his more..

Aug 27 (AD) Two petitions have been lodged with the Supreme Court seeking an order declaring the Ruhunu Economic Development Corporation (REDC) of Sri Lanka Bill, which was recently tabled in the Parliament, is against the Constitution. One of the two petitions was filed by JO MP Bandula Gunawardena citing the Attorney General Dappula de Livera as its respondent. MP Gunawardena claims that certain Articles of the proposed Ruhunu Economic Development Corporation Bill more..

Aug 27 (AD) Police have arrested two more suspected members of the banned organisations, National Thowheed Jama�ath (NTJ) and Jama�athe Milla�athe Ibrahim (JMI), who had received training with terrorist leader Zahran Hashim. The suspects have been arrested in Ampara based on information provided by the State Intelligence Service (SIS). One of the suspects, Muhammadu Abdul Rahman, who is identified by the nom de guerre Abu Anas, is a resident of Wattegama in Polgolla while more..

Aug 27 (PMD) INTERPOL Secretary General J�rgen Stock praised the steps taken by President Maithripala Sirisena, Ministry of Defence, SL Police and intelligence services for swiftly taking action to apprehend the criminals who were responsible for the Easter Sunday terrorist attacks. He presented Prez with the INTERPOL Medal at the President�s Office in Colombo today. President thanked INTERPOL Secretary General for more..

Aug 27 (RN) High Commissioner of SL in Singapore Sashikala Premawardhane, is assuring visitors that all necessary measures have been taken the since the Easter Attacks to bring about a safe and secure environment in the country. According to a Press Release from Ministry of Foreign Affairs Premawardhane made this statement at a Business Forum entitled Doing Business in Sri Lanka, which was held in Singapore. The communique further noted that a contingent from more..

Aug 27 (CT) A Unani Drugs Manufacturing Unit is to be established at Akkariapattu Mohamediayapuram, at a cost of four million rupees allocated by the PSDG programme of the Provincial Ministry of and Healthcare and Indigenous Medicine, to manufacture Unani drugs required for the Province to be provided without any shortage of supply. The foundation stone for the Manufacturing Unit was laid by the Secretary to the Provincial Ministry of Health A.H.M. Ansar at a ceremony more..

Aug 27 (OHCHR) A group of UN experts expressed serious concern at the appointment of Lieutenant General Shavendra Silva as SL�s army chief, and urged the Govt to advance long overdue reforms of the security sector and investigate past abuses. On 18 Aug 2019, President Maithripala Sirisena appointed Lieutenant General Shavendra Silva as Commander of the SL Army, raising concerns of numerous actors, more..

Aug 27 (FT) Non-Cabinet Minister of Economic Reforms and Public Distribution Dr. Harsha de Silva yesterday suggested the battered palm oil industry to create a multi-stakeholder committee and have an open dialogue to iron out the issues. Participating as the Chief Guest at the inaugural Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the Palm Oil Industry Association (POIA), Dr. de Silva pointed out that important industry issues of this magnitude cannot be resolved in isolation. more..

Aug 27 (AD) A 19-year-old girl and her 8-year-old brother were hacked to death by a neighbor over a long-standing personal dispute between the two families at Waikkal, Wennappuwa. Police Spokesman SP Ruwan Gunasekara said that the suspect, a 28-year-old from the area, has been taken into custody after he surrendered to Wennappuwa Police. He said that a disagreement between the two neighboring houses pertaining to waste water seeping into one property from more..

Aug 27 (AD) UNP MP Hirunika Premachandra says that the upcoming Prez Election will be an easy battle for the UNP and that former Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa entered the presidential fray too soon. �Many people think that Gotabaya Rajapaksa will be a big challenge for us. I personally think that Gotabaya Rajapaksa announced his candidacy too early,� she said. more..

Aug 27 (FT) Market Research Society of SL introduced the proposed classification to a captive audience of business leaders, marketers, and market researchers to whom the consumer behaviour becomes a foundation of planning. Given the need to set up a classification more relevant to feature the emerging consumer, this initiative becomes pertinent and timely. The social, economic, and cultural fabric has changed, the consumer today has evolved from her counterpart 15 yrs ago. more..

Aug 27 (RN) PM Ranil Wickremesinghe is set to take on an official visit to Maldives on Monday (2), following an invitation extended to him by the President of Maldives, Ibrahim Mohamed Solih. The bilateral talks will be conducted and existing ties are said to be reviewed to look for new areas in which both countries can come together, including global matters. Accordingly, PM is also set to chair the Indian Ocean Conference held on the third and fourth of September. more..