Jan 12 (DN) The case filed against former MP Tiran Alles and three others was yesterday fixed for January 29 by the Colombo High Court. High Court Judge Vikum Kaluarachchi declined to sit on the bench citing personal reasons yesterday. This case is to be taken up for hearing before High Court Judge Pradeep Hettiarachchi. Attorney General had filed indictments against four accused for allegedly conspiring to misappropriate Rs.200 million of public funds belonging to RADA in 2005. more..

Jan 12 (Island) The new constitution should be passed in Parliament and taken before the people at a referendum and the people would decide whether it should become the supreme law of the country or not, and one did not need a general election for that, said TNA Leader R. Sampanthan in parliament yesterday. The TNA leader said that framing of a Constitution was a sacred duty. more..

Jan 12 (DM) Joint opposition MPs today brought to the notice of the Speaker that the English version of the panel of experts report on constitution-making was marked draft while the Sinhala and Tamil copies were not described as such. JO MP Namal Rajapaksa said the English copy carried a water mark saying, draft discussion only whereas it was not there on the Sinhala and Tamil copies and asked the Speaker whether there was any special reason for that. more..

Jan 12 (CT) MP Ravi Karunanayake informed Colombo Chief Magistrate Lanka Jayaratna that he does not generally put his signature as �r.k�. He was giving evidence in the case against former Sathosa Chairman Sunil Perera over allegedly ordering the sale of 1,000 metric tons of Sudu Kekulu rice against the price index and incurring a loss of Rs 4 million to the Govt. The case was filed by the CIABOC. Karunanayake further said that he had acted as the Minister of Trade, Commerce and more..

Jan 12 (Island) Poor attendance at the Constitutional Assembly (CA) meeting was noted yesterday with only 56 MPs being present when PM Ranil Wickremesinghe presented reports pertaining to constitutional reforms. The CA met, at 10 am at the Parliament chamber after a lapse of over a year. The meeting was convened to table five reports pertaining to the constitution making process following deliberations at the Steering more..

Jan 12 (Island) Two more govt lawmakers yesterday received appointment as non-cabinet ministers against the backdrop of President Maithripala Sirisena�s firm stand that the cabinet be limited to 30, including the President and PM. Cabinet appointments were finalized on Dec 20, 2018. Badulla District UNP MP Ravindra Samaraweera and N'Eliya District UNP MP V. Radhakrishnan received labour and trade union relations, and special regions portfolios respectively. more..

Jan 12 (Island) Chief Opposition Whip Mahinda Amaraweera, requested the govt to sign an agreement with Singapore to have Former CB Governor Arjuna Mahendran extradited. Amaraweera, participating in the debate on an Order on Extradition Law relating to Extradition Treaty between SL and Turkey, queried if there was any plan to sign a similar agreement with Singapore. Responding to Amaraweera, State Minister of Defence Ruwan Wijewardene said that more..

Jan 12 (FT) A report prepared by the Panel of Experts for the Steering Committee based on the Interim Report, six Sub Committee Reports, the Report of the ad hoc Sub Committee assigned to look into the relationship between the Parliament and the Provincial Councils were presented to the Constitutional Assembly yesterday. As the Steering Committee was unable to reach common ground on most of the areas under discussion to more..

Jan 12 (DM) In 2016, President Maithripala Sirisena launched a mission for Sri Lanka to grow our own nutritional food without the use of sometimes poisonous, chemical fertilizers, weedicides, pesticides or preservatives. At present, Sri Lanka imports junk foods or processed rubbish by spending hundreds of millions of dollars a year. At the same time, a country that was largely self-sufficient in fresh milk, now spends almost US$ 500 million a year on the import of powdered milk more..

Jan 12 (CT) Ranil Wickremesinghe who is disreputably known for his past acts of savagery and barbarianism, once again showed it to the public by engaging a group of NGO-funded rebels to disrupt the ordinary workflow of media institutions and to intimidate the journalists on 10 January. While Wickremesinghe was slamming certain media institutions as Black Media in Parliament, his traitor-gang concomitantly laid siege and terrorized the media institutions by interrupting their work. more..

Jan 12 (CT) One of the greatest challenges facing Sri Lanka today is how to confront radical cultural Islamic ideology that violates the human rights of Muslim women. And yes, moderate Sri Lankan Muslims and interfaith partners have a crucial role to play in addressing this problem head on and promoting a real and honest dialogue, free of political correctness, and comforting lies about the true nature of this predicament. more..

Jan 12 (CT) Major General Shavendra Silva last Thursday (10) assumed office as the 53rd Chief of Staff of the Army during a simple ceremony at his office in the Army Headquarters, amid religious observances, greetings and best wishes. Soon after his arrival at the new office, he made religious offerings before members of the Maha Sangha who invoked blessings on the new office. While chanting was in progress, more..

Jan 12 (ST) The elevator tragedy in which a well-known ruggerite was killed in a freak accident is believed to have been triggered by overcrowding of the lift, preliminary investigations revealed. The victim of the accident, Kokila Sammandaperuma, 25, played for the Ceylonese Rugby & Football Club (CR&FC) and was a former captain of the Wesley College team. Investigators have found that the two elevators at more..

Jan 12 (AD) IGP Pujith Jayasundara has been summoned to the Govt Analyst�s Department with regard to the alleged VIP assassination plan. Accordingly, IGP Jayasundara has been informed to be present at the department on Monday (14) at 9.30 am. Reportedly, this is the first time that the IGP has been called in to the Govt Analyst�s Department. IGP is summoned to inspect whether his voice can be heard in voice recordings more..

Jan 12 (PMD) President Maithripala Sirisena said that all new governors are expected to directly mediate in order to achieve the expected development goals by making public services systematic and efficient. The President made this statement at a meeting with Governors, Chief Secretaries of provincial councils and other officials at the Prez�s secretariat today (11th). Discussions were also focus on special projects more..

Jan 12 (AD) UPFA MP Dinesh Gunawardena says that a final decision has not been taken yet with regard to the next presidential candidate. He said that different parties have different opinions and that all party leaders have repeatedly said that everyone will sit down and decide on the matter. Anyone can express what they want, but no final decision has been reached so far, he said when asked about the statements made by certain more..

Jan 12 (Island) No one wanted the foremost place given to Buddhism taken away, but there was no harm in adding a few words to the Constitution to ensure that the other religions in the country would continue to enjoy the freedom they currently enjoy which had been enunciated in the bill of rights chapter, said Minister and SLMC Leader Rauff Hakeem. Participating in the Constitutional Assembly meeting yesterday, minister said: more..

Jan 12 (EN) Sri Lanka has busted US$ 1,229 million over the past four months to operate a highly unstable soft-pegged monetary regime, exceeding the total receipts from the IMF under program started after a 2015 collapse of the currency. By June 2018, IMF had disbursed 715.23 million Special Drawing Rights (a denominator currency used by the IMF), which it said was equal to US$ 1,014 million. more..

Jan 12 (EN) Some SL banks have been found overcharging rural farmers for Credit Information Bureau (CRIB) checks for loan applications, a consultant for a UN agency said. "A CRIB check is 100 rupees but banks charge loan applicants 1,000 rupees," rural finance expert Rauno Zander attached to the International Fund for Agriculture Development (IFAD) said. "That should not be happening," he said at a business forum more..

Jan 12 (Island) Minister Sajith Premadasa has alleged that the sacking of an elected govt on Oct. 26 was influenced by personal interests and well being of their families, friends and associates. Prez Sirisena replaced PM Ranil Wickremesinghe with former President Mahinda Rajapaksa. Lawmakers, representing the UPFA, received ministerial portfolios in the Sirisena-Rajapaksa administration. more..

Jan 13 (SO) Who was right and who was wrong in the dire political confrontation that pitted two arms of the SL State against each other last month? While many would accuse one side of riding roughshod over the Constitution, others will praise those who attempted to usurp power as patriots wanting to protect the country from what they saw as an unpatriotic govt. Still others waited in suspense to see if those elements that plagued ethnic minorities would entrench themselves in govt again. more..

Jan 13 (CT) A salient point in the proposed Third Republican Constitution of the UNP-led UNFGG Govt is the establishment of a Second Chamber, similar to that which existed under the island�s first Constitution at the time of Independence, 1948 Soulbury Constitution. It�s also proposed that the members of the Second Chamber should include five each nominated by the country�s nine Provincial Councils, including their respective Chief Ministers and 10 by Parliament, making a total of 55 more..

Jan 13 (SO) JVP MP Bimal Ratnayake was a vocal critic of the Oct 26 anti-constitutional power grab that installed Mahinda Rajapaksa as PM, insisting that once the coup was defeated, memory of it must be wiped out from the national psyche by educating the people about the danger it posed to the country�s democratic health. Post-crisis, Ratnayake remains convinced that legislation is necessary to investigate the economic, more..

Jan 13 (Island) More than two thirds of lawmakers were absent, on Friday, when Parliament met as a constituent assembly and PM Ranil Wickremesinghe presented reports pertaining to the proposed constitutional reforms. Only 28 of the govt MPs were present. The MPs� absence speaks volumes for their lackadaisical attitude towards their legislative duties. The documents, tabled by the PM, on Friday, were of crucial import and should be studied carefully and debated extensively. more..

Jan 13 (ST) It will be one month next week since PM Ranil Wickremesinghe took his oaths again after the bizarre events that followed the Oct 26, 2018 decision to sack him. Meanwhile, a large number of state-funded institutions, from statutory bodies to corporations to banks, remain headless. Prez�s capricious indiscretion that led to the Constitutional crisis is not yet dusted. It reverberates to date. The uncertainty that had the Administration grind to a virtual standstill, more..

Jan 13 (CT) Newly-appointed Governor of the Eastern Province, M.L.A.M. Hizbullah says, �I created a problem by being selected as the Governor of the East. I will find a solution very soon. I know how to tackle them. The protesters will be satisfied when they see my work. I will see that every community is satisfied within two or three months. I will prove it.� Q: How do you view the hartal that took place in the Tamil areas of more..

Jan 13 (ST) Aiyo Sirisena, I thought of writing to you because you were celebrating four years in office, just the other day. I suppose congratulations are in order, although I am sure they are few and far between these days because of what you have been up to in the last three months, plunging the entire nation into crisis. By a co-incidence, your anniversary fell on SWRD�s birthday. When you were at his statue at Galle Face to lay a wreath, you got the cold shoulder from Satellite more..

Jan 13 (Island) The UNP has recommenced its attacks on the media. Some time ago PM Ranil Wickremesinghe threatened journalists and media organisations mentioning some by name and this included our sister paper Divaina. Since the restoration of the UNP govt some weeks ago, these attacks have assumed a more sinister aspect. There has been a stoppage of advertising from govt owned institutions to the two premier private TV stations in the country Hiru TV and Derana TV. more..

Jan 13 (ST) The making of a new Constitution for the country was never going to be easy, but views expressed this week by leading political players in the country showed that, however noble the ideals of those who have set the process in motion are, it�s going to be a highly divisive process. Leader of the Opposition Mahinda Rajapaksa made it clear on Friday when Parliament met as the Constitutional Assembly (CA) that such a process cannot be taken forward by Govt of PM Ranil Wickremesinghe more..

Jan 13 (SO) Hassan Esufally the adventure marathoner goes down in history books as the first Sri Lankan to run a marathon on all of the seven continents by completing the arduous the Antarctic Ice Marathon with a time of 8 hours 35 minutes. The champion marathoner endured the 42.2 km marathon event under tough conditions with falling snow and poor visibility which required a superhuman effort. Previous multiple-times winners of both the Antarctic Ice Marathon and more..

Jan 13 (CT) President Maithripala Sirisena, as he completed four years in office, acknowledged there were instances of failures in implementing certain programmes when fulfilling aspirations of those who voted him to power with faith and vowed to turn the lessons learnt from those defeats to victories in future. While declaring open the new Laggala Green Town - country�s first such town - on Tuesday, Prez Sirisena also invited more..

Jan 13 (ST) Sri Lanka registered a dramatic three wicket win with two balls to spare in the three day Youth Test between Sri Lanka Under 19 and Australia Under 19 at the SSC grounds yesterday. Chasing a target of 112 in 20 overs, SL youth players reached the target with ease erupting wild celebrations among the team members. This was a major turn-around for the Lankan players who conceded the three-match limited over series 2-1. In reply to Aussies total of 269, more..

Jan 13 (SO) Unsung Lahiru Thirimanne could be excused for believing his team could bank on him when SL confronts Australia in the two Test series starting on Jan 24 in Brisbane as the south paw batsman may see himself as the only stand-out exponent the last time the islanders were on show down under. Thirimanne has a tale to his credit the last time SL toured Australia in 2012-13 when he went into the third Test in Sydney as a replacement for an injured Sangakkara and made a top more..

Jan 13 (Island) A key exporter of fresh fruits and vegetables to Gan Island in the Maldives has complained to President Maithripala Sirisena about the step-motherly treatment meted out to SL exporters in the business by SriLankan Airlines. Amalgamated International (Pvt) Ltd., has sought the President�s intervention to direct SriLankan Airlines to accord first priority to every cargo booking made by Sri Lankan exporters more..

Jan 13 (ST) In a desperate bid to strengthen the national team�s bowling attack, suspended spinner Akila Dananjaya was put to the test under match conditions in a domestic game yesterday, for the first time since he remodeled his controversial bowling action. Appearing for Colts CC, the right arm-spinner bowled with cameras capturing his action to see whether his remodeled bowling action meets satisfaction. Dananjaya�SL�s main strike bowler in limited-over cricket during the last 12 months more..

Jan 13 (ST) If you go through the daily newspapers, the Sri Lankan government fancies appointing committees and committees for this problem and that problem. Like balm for the soul, it appears as if appointing committees to resolve a crisis or problem is the way out. Our attention was drawn to this when Kalabala Silva, the often agitated academic, called on Wednesday morning to discuss the usual political happenings. �I say, they have gone and appointed another committee,� he said. more..

Jan 13 (ST) While the National Olympic Committee of Sri Lanka (NOC) qualms on some of its affiliated associations being banned in time to come, Sri Lanka has already missed out fielding a strong team at the upcoming South Asian Swimming and Aquatic Championships, for the same reason. The swimming event was scheduled to be held in Bangalore, India from January 24 to 27, but after FINA, World Body for aquatic sports, more..

Jan 13 (Island) Sri Lanka Cricket has let Lasith Malinga off the hook with a mere slap on the wrist following his outburst through the social media outlets under his control. The fast bowler made serious allegations against his colleague Thisara Perera. As the national cricket team suffered a 3-0 whitewash in the ODI and then lost the subsequent T-20 International, it appeared that the captain had lost total control over the proceedings. His appointment as the captain of white ball more..

Jan 13 (AAP) Staring at a string of losses, weighed down by history and missing key personnel, Sri Lanka arrive in Australia giving their best impression of lambs to the slaughter. On Saturday, the Lions crossed the Tasman, reflecting on a disastrous tour of New Zealand, offering few glimmers of hope they'd push Australia in a two-Test series. The tour ended on an appropriate note, capitulating in a run chase to lose the one-off Twenty20 international by 35 runs on Friday night at Eden Park. more..