Jul 7 (SO) It has been over four years since the infamous Central Bank Treasury Bond auction of 27 Feb 2015, which led to huge losses being incurred by the state due to the actions of former CB Governor Arjuna Mahendran, Perpetual Treasuries Limited (PTL) and the son-in-law of the governor and PTL owner, Arjun Aloysius. After years of dragging feet and media circuses by the CID and several officers of the AG�s Department, more..

Jul 7 (ST) Presidential Commission that has investigated SriLankan Airlines and its subsidiary, Mihin Lanka, has placed the official seal on several outlandish happenings that have taken place at these exalted institutional sacred cows and been talked about over the years. The way the national airline has been run is pathetically symptomatic not only of the lack of financial expertise and managerial skills of successive politicians who ran the country, but also of their succumbing to more..

Jul 7 (Island) The country is where it is thanks to partisan party politics which takes precedence over everything else. The economy is struggling to remain afloat and the tourism sector is still lying supine following the Easter Sunday carnage. Another National Thowheed Jamaath cadre wanted in connection with the terror strikes in April has been arrested. This is proof that the situation is not so rosy as the govt has made it out to be. The suspect in custody cannot be the only terrorist left. more..

Jul 7 (CT) Public Affairs Officer (PAO) of the U.S. Embassy Colombo, David J. McGuire, clarifies matters relating to three controversial Agreements between the Govt of SL and the US that has caught the attention of the Sri Lankan public. Three Agreements namely the Acquisition and Cross-Servicing Agreement (ACSA) between the US and Sri Lanka that was signed in 2017, Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA) more..

Jul 7 (ST) My dear Hangman, I thought of writing to you because the entire country is suddenly talking about you, and becoming worried that we will soon start executing people, just because Aiyo Sirisena wants to do so. I am told that you have already been recruited, trained, and it is only a matter of time before you get to work. All this is because Aiyo Sirisena believes that by reintroducing the death penalty, he will be able to put an end to drug trafficking in our society. more..

Jul 7 (ST) Finally it happened, after more than four years. SL�s biggest white collar crime in decades came to courts last week with indictments being filed in the CB bond scam against nine persons and chief culprit firm Perpetual Treasuries Ltd (PTL), by the Attorney General. The accused are former CB Governor Arjuna Mahendran, former CB Deputy Governor P. Samarasiri, Perpetual chief Arjun Aloysius, PTL CEO Kasun Palisena and Arjun�s father Jeffrey Joseph Aloysius among others. more..

Jul 7 (Island) Last week, the debate on the proposed Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA) between SL and the US took centre stage. The proposed SOFA is not something specific to this country but a generic agreement signed by the US with many other states. Many of the provisions would be the same in SOFA�s throughout the world. However, the very idea of entering into a Status of Forces Agreement with the US ran into a storm of protest in SL with even outfits like the CCC and more..

Jul 7 (DM) A government-owned fishing net manufacturer, the Northsea Limited, methodically has imported low-quality material from India, it was revealed at the PCoI to investigate corruption in the current administration. J.P Fernando and Sons CEO Jude Praveen informed the Commission that earlier fishing nets were manufactured by Cey-Nor Foundation and they used import threads from Toray Industries in Japan, a well known international company in the industry. more..

Jul 7 (CT) A group of senior political figures in SLPP gathered at the official residence of Opposition Leader Mahinda Rajapaksa at Wijerama Mawatha last week to have a serious discussion on going ahead with proper plans to intensify their organising at electoral level aiming any impending election. Gampaha District MP Prasanna Ranatunga who was completely dedicated to getting his team fully engaged in more..

Jul 7 (CI) They have one foot on the plane home, and South Africa have finally turned up at the World Cup. In the final league game of the tournament, the Proteas corrected many of the mistakes that had plagued their campaign to secure a consolatory 10-run victory over Australia at Old Trafford. Their batsmen have struggled to convert starts, yet here there were very nearly two tons scored, Faf du Plessis leading the way with a round 100 and Rassie van der Dussen backing him up with 95. more..

Jul 7 (SO) Two leading former Observer Schoolboy Cricketers of the Year main award winners have showcased Sri Lanka�s glory to the world once more in the 2019 ICC World Cup by playing two different major roles as officials. Former SL captain Ranjan Madugalle is once again playing the all-important role of ICC�s Chief Match Referee while the ICC�s top award winning former World Cup winner Kumara Dharmasena is serving in the elite umpires� panel. Up to the last India-Bangladesh WC match more..

Jul 7 (CI) Shahid Afridi had a hundred comebacks, Ross Taylor batted for years with a growth in his eye before realising it, Irfan Pathan's unrealised potential is infamous, but as far as ongoing careers go, none is more vexing than that of Angelo Mathews. At 32, he has been captain in two separate stints, been touted as the next all-time SL player, been dropped partly for his running between the wickets, resigned from the captaincy, more..

Jul 7 (SLN) Naval personnel attached to the Southern Naval Command took part in a worthy drive to clean-up beaches in the Southern Naval Command, today (6). Accordingly, under the supervision of Commander Southern Naval Area, Rear Admiral Kassapa Paul, naval personnel of SLNS Dakshina, SLNS Nipuna, SLNS Ruhuna and Naval Deployment Hambantota belonging to the Southern Naval command were engaged in cleaning the beaches of Habaraduwa, Gintota, more..

Jul 7 (ST) So, Sri Lanka�s World Cup journey has ended without qualification. Few predicted they would reach the semi-finals and their final mid-table position represents a decent performance in the circumstances. Nevertheless, it was ultimately a disappointing campaign. In hindsight, it feels like we could and should have done better and could have competed harder for the fourth qualification spot secured by New Zealand. SL were dogged by the inability to balance out the side with more..

Jul 7 (CI) India didn't quite get to test their middle order one last time before the semi-final, but Rohit Sharma and KL Rahul put up India's fourth century for the opening stand in the tournament, made centuries of their own, and helped India to 15 points at the end of the group stage as they galloped to a seven-wicket win over Sri Lanka. The openers put on 189 of the 265 India were set, unleashing strokes that ranged more..

Jul 7 (ST) In a novel move to build a green Sri Lanka, a car-free day will be observed next Sunday from 6 am to noon in parts of Colombo. The event is being organised by the Colombo Municipal Council and the government of the Netherlands, a country reputed for embracing cycling as the preferred means of transport. To ring in this fact, Dutch Ambassador Joanne Doornewaard cycled to the Town Hall media conference where details were announced. Our picture shows more..

Jul 7 (Island) The national cricket team has returned home after an unsuccessful World Cup campaign. It is the first time since 1999, they failed to qualify for the second round of the tournament. At the start of the campaign, no one gave Sri Lanka a chance to make it to the semis as they had been whitewashed in New Zealand and South Africa lead up to the tournament and as a result slipped to number nine of official ICC Rankings. To finish sixth in that context wasn�t bad at all. more..

Jul 7 (Island) Amidst an uproar over the procurement of the questionable Russian-made Trastuzumab and Bevacizumab oncology drugs, GMOA warned that ongoing moves to offer a 15-year buy back guarantee for the controversial products would translate into a staggering Rs. 50 billion loss to the country. "This is atrocious", protested Dr. Haritha Aluthge, GMOA�s Secretary, who asserted that the envisaged buy back guarantee more..

Jul 7 (EN) Bureaucratic red tape and regulatory barriers are hampering Sri Lankan startups, according to a survey carried out by the SL Association of Software and Service Companies (SLASSCOM). The survey found that 49% of respondents think lack of govt support to enable a startup environment was extremely challenging, while 15% thought it was somewhat challenging, and 21% slightly challenging. "Red tape has been identified as a major obstacle, where more..

Jul 7 (ST) Sri Lanka Telecom (SLT) is now in dire straits owing to its failure to adopt sensible management practices, Telecommunication Engineers Union (TEU) alleged. In a letter to SLT chairman P.G. Kumarasinghe Sirisena, TEU President Samantha Ruwanpathirana stated that SLT has proven a fertile ground for enacting decisions made outside of it, thus causing negative consequences to the organisation. As at today, it is uncertain that SLT has a proper more..

Jul 7 (ST) Fresh from attempts to nab two stock market offenders, capital market regulator, SEC is flexing its muscles to net two more high profile felons from the infamous pump and dump era, well connected sources say. They said that certain offenders during 2011 to 2013 when the worst manipulations of the stock market by high net worth investors happened creating a bubble, are on the chopping block. more..

Jul 7 (EN) The first of 100 model villages to be built in Sri Lanka with Indian assistance was handed over to the residents in Ranidugama, Gampaha on July 6. The Indian High Commission said that the village and houses were ceremonially handed over in the presence of MPs, leaders from Western Province, senior state officials and residents in the region. India has partnered with the Ministry of Housing and Construction & Cultural Affairs to build the 100 model villages with 2,400 houses more..

Jul 7 (DM) TNA MP S. Sritharan, who was critical of military security provided to schools in the North, said such activities had been orchestrated only to protect personnel despite their complicity in the killings of Tamil civilians. He said this at a function to mark the opening of a school building at Piramankalaru Maha Vidyalaya in Kilinochchi on July 4. MP said the schoolchildren could find out the number of their adults and brethren killed by the military by inquiring from more..

Jul 7 (ST) Some 210 statutory and non-statutory funds being operated by various govt institutions will be brought under the control of Parliament while shutting down a further 13 public funds, the Finance Ministry revealed. A new system has been introduced to make changes on the scope, mandate and objectives of such funds to reflect the present day requirements under the direct and strict monitoring of the Treasury, more..

Jul 7 (Island) Expressing displeasure over moves by some European countries to link the President�s decision to resume the death penalty to Sri Lanka�s tourism industry, the German Interest Group says that the two subjects are poles apart and are in no way inter-related to be used as a measurement to determine the future of a key foreign exchange earning economic segment in the country. It is unfair to criticize Sri Lanka for its decision to re-introduce capital punishment when Germany, more..

Jul 7 (PTI) In yet another incident that has political overtone, unnamed aircrafts ew over the Headingley stadium with anti-India banners during the World Cup match between India and Sri Lanka, here Saturday. The unsavoury incident has prompted the BCCI to le a written complaint with the ICC, raising concerns about the security of their players. Minutes after the match began, an aircraft carrying the banner Justice for Kashmir flew above the ground. After half an hour, a similar looking aircraft more..

Jul 7 (SO) Two key suspects in the Avant Garde floating armoury case had already left the island shortly before AG Dappula De Livera ordered the CID to arrest eight individuals implicated in the high profile money laundering and illegal weapons smuggling investigation. The CID had informed the Attorney General that Chairman of Avant Garde Maritime Services, retired Major Nissanka Senadhipathi and retired commodore more..

Jul 7 (AN) The Saudi govt has increased the Hajj quota for Sri Lankan pilgrims by adding 500 visas to the existing number, bringing the total to 4,000 from this year, Azmi Thassim, the island�s ambassador in Riyadh, told Arab News on Saturday. Mohamed Hashim Haleem, minister of postal services and Muslim religious affairs, thanked King Salman and Saudi Minister of Hajj and Umrah Dr. Mohammed Salih Bentin for this enhanced facility to allow more people to perform Hajj. more..

Jul 7 (DM) If the people trust me and place their confidence in my philosophy and mission, I am ready to serve the nation unlike any former SL leader, UNP Sajith Premadasa said. He said his main objective was to find solutions to the problems faced by the people and assist the poor and down trodden to rise from their current predicament, live a contended life and fulfill their basic needs like having their own house, a better employment, healthy life, good education for their children and more..

Jul 7 (AD) President Sirisena says that he will never allow any agreements with foreign nations that would harm the country to be signed while he is still in office. He made these comments during the concluding programme of the Let�s Stand Together for the Country (Rata Wenuwen Ekata Sitimu) Monaragala District Programme. Prez says that he will never allow any agreements with foreign nations that would harm the country to be more..

Jul 7 (DM) The land projects envisaged in the agreement to receive US$480 million grant from the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) of the US will enhance tenure security and tradability of land for smallholders, women, and firms, a spokesman said. A US embassy spokesman said it will increase access to land rights information, helping maximize government revenue from rents on State lands that are leased to the private sector for commercial development and reducing opportunities for more..

Jul 7 (AD) Former Chief Minister of the Northern Province C.V. Wigneswaran has accused the TNA of aligning with the govt for its own benefit without thinking about the Tamil people so that its MPs can live comfortable lives. Speaking during an event in Jaffna on Friday (6), the former Supreme Court Judge said that he contested under the TNA at the 2013 provincial council election thinking that he would be able to serve the people when he is elected as the Chief Minister. more..

Jul 7 (ST) Opposition is mounting over the two defence related agreements between SL and the US, one already signed and another now pending. The first is the Acquisition and Cross Servicing Agreement (ACSA). For almost two years it was not tabled before Parliament. Nor was there a govt statement explaining the contents, on a matter of such national importance to Sri Lankans. The Sunday Times is able to reveal today that more..

Jul 7 (Island) There�s much chest thumping and hair pulling about Sri Lanka signing ACSA in 2007 and now pursuing a SOFA proposal. I am of the view that neither is justified but curious why Mahinda-Gota signed on and why the Sirisena-Ranil outfit now seeks to enhance it. What these deals include is not widely known and ignorance, the root of trepidation, offers journalists an opportunity to run a good story or bask in much-watched interviews. I will use a three-step approach; more..

Jul 7 (Island) According to President Sirisena, all the shortcomings and failures of the present govt are attributable to the 19th Amendment. The tiff betwixt him and the Prime Minister is not due to any personal animosity, says the President, but a direct result of 19A. Sirisena wants 19A abolished. But the Prez cannot disown it, counters his predecessor, Mahinda Rajapaksa, because 19A is the President�s legitimate child. So, filicide should be out of the question, you would think; more..

Jul 7 (Island) Former Minister Rishad Bathiudeen has been in the news for the last few months for the right or the wrong reasons. He continues to draw heavy flak for his alleged links to Islamic extremists, a charge he has vehemently denied. What is his side of the story? How does Bathiudeen describe himself? Sunday Island posed this question to him. He said: "I am 47 years old. Some people think that I am a terrorist; some think that more..

Jul 7 (CT) In order to encourage the transition from motor vehicles that produce toxic emissions to the use of bicycles which are environment-friendly and promote a healthy lifestyle, the Colombo Municipal Council (CMC) together with the Embassy of the Netherlands in SL has organised the first-ever car-free day which is due to take place on 14 July from 6 a.m. to 12 noon. Nearly 200 cities around the World, including some of the busiest more..

Jul 7 (SO) Investigators of the CID probing the Navy abductions case say former Navy Commander Admiral Wasantha Karannagoda has admitted to having knowledge of five youth being abducted from Dehiwala and that they were held at the Eastern Naval Command. In the B-report presented to courts, the CID also said Karannagoda had failed to take any steps to secure the release of youth from Eastern Command more..

Jul 7 (ST) In the backdrop of the ACSA, already signed and a SOFA deal pending, security companies in the US are looking for personnel in Sri Lanka. Sallyport, a US firm offers a comprehensive range of global protective, security and mission support solutions to the US Govt, foreign allied govts, and a wide range of private and commercial clients. In a note to recognised SL security companies, Sallyport has on offer more..