May 23 (DM) Fouzul Ameen should have been alive today. The furniture shop owner from Kottaramulla, Nattandiya was killed by a mob on May 13, 2019. Many shops owned by Muslims should still be standing. They are not. No one should have or should show any apprehension of any Muslim, regardless of attire or appearance. Non-Muslims are wary and Muslims are apprehensive of one another. Should not be that way, but that�s what things have come to. After Fouzul Ameen was killed, more..

May 23 (DM) Daily Mirror sat with the General Secretary of UNP and Minister Akila Viraj Kariyawasam to discuss the current political and security situation and Education in the country. Q: People blame the govt for its failure to prevent the Easter Sunday carnage despite repeated warnings on this act of terrorism since as far back as 2016. What do you have to say? A: I must point out that as you claimed, Muslim fundamentalism more..

May 23 (ST) A Govt Analyst report to determine why a British woman died during her honeymoon in Sri Lanka will take three more weeks to complete, with mystery continuing to shroud the incident. An open verdict was given into the death of Usheila Patel, 31, by JMO J.S.D. Peiris. The case was taken up before Acting Magistrate Somasiri Uduwella. Orders have been issued to send parts of the deceased�s organs to the Govt Analyst�s more..

May 23 (LBO) Sri Lanka�s High Commission in Islamabad, Pakistan said the news item titled Pakistan�s trade with Sri Lanka Comes to a halt which appeared in The Express Tribune of Pakistan on 20 May 2019 is fake news. Releasing a statement, High Commission said this fake news item has been published without proper verification of the facts contained therein. The High Commission emphatically states that no person by more..

May 23 (EN) Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has taken measures to improve investigation & enforcement capabilities with new skilled staff and processes, the IMF said. The reforms include creating a new Litigation Division able to focus on litigation management functions, the IMF said in a new report after an assessment of SEC functions by an IMF Monetary and Capital Markets mission which visited Colombo. more..

May 23 (DM) Business magnate Dhammika Perera was non-committal and did not reject speculation that he would come forward as a common candidate at the next Presidential election. When questioned after an event in Colombo about speculation in social media, Perera said: �We have to develop the country. For the question you asked let�s see what happens in the future." When asked whether these stories were wrong, more..

May 23 (AD) Speaker of Parliament Karu Jayasuriya has announced the members of the Special Select Committee appointed to probe the coordinated terrorist attacks that took place on April 21st. Speaker made the announcement when the Parliament convened at 10.30 a.m. this morning (23). The Special Select Committee, which comprises of seven members, will be chaired by Deputy Speaker Ananda Kumarasinghe. more..

May 23 (Island) Terrorism which destroyed more than 250 lives and left more than 500 others injured on Easter Sunday couldn�t be eradicated unless Wahhabism was eliminated, Galle District Muslim Mosques Trustees & Committee Members informed Speaker Karu Jayasuriya. "Wahhabism is an extreme ideology that has caused many problems across the world. Wahhabism arrived in SL in mid-20th century more..

May 23 (DM) President Maithripala Sirisena extended his warm congratulation to the Indian PM Narendra Modi on his victory in the recently concluded Indian General Elections. Issuing a congratulatory message, President Sirisena stated that: �The decision of the people of India to entrust your Party and its alliance partners the responsibility of guiding India�s destiny for a further term with this renewed mandate more..

May 23 (EN) Sri Lanka�s Easter bombers were from a home grown outfit, but with foreign expertise in the manufacture of Mother of Satan bombs, the trade mark of the Islamic State. Both police and military investigators believe they have accounted for almost all the followers of radicalised Islamic cleric Zahran Hashim�s who led the April 21 attack. �The top level of Zahran�s out-fit is no more,� a senior investigator said. more..

May 23 (AD) The party leaders� meeting held today ended without any final decision being reached on a date for the motion of no confidence against Minister Rishad Bathiudeen. Speaker Karu Jayasuriya had called a meeting of the party leaders at the Parliament Complex in order to decide on a date for the debate on the no-confidence motion (NMC) against the minister brought by the Joint Opposition. more..

May 23 (SLN) Based on information provided by the Navy, the Army and Police apprehended 02 suspects with 142.812kg of Kerala cannabis at the checkpoint of Medawachchiya today (22). On receipt of a tip-off provided by the Navy, the Army combined with Police searched a vehicle at the checkpoint of Medawachchiya and apprehended these 02 suspects with the stock of Kerala cannabis which was packed into 66 parcels. The apprehended persons are residents of A'pura, aged 50. more..

May 23 (APP) Pakistan U19 team captained by Rohail Nazir, left for Sri Lanka, Thursday morning for a series of five 50-over matches to be played from May 26 to June 5 in Hambantota. The series was part of the side preparation for next year�s ICC U19 Cricket World Cup 2020, which would be staged in South Africa from Jan 17 to Feb 9, 2020. The 15-player side includes a number of exciting players who made a big impression in the Inter-Region U19 One-day tournament held in August 2018, more..

May 23 (FT) During the holy Vesak weekend the phones were buzzing all over Sri Lanka over a story that appeared on a web page. The story said that PM Ranil Wickremesinghe had met with business tycoon Dhammika Perera whose business empire contributes around 6% of the tax revenues to the Govt at the latter�s home. He had reportedly visited Dhammika Perera without his personal security personnel and official driver. The PM, after discussing the status quo, had suggested more..

May 23 (CT) To the extent that it does not end up like the Hambantota and Mattala versions of the ill-famed Trojan horse, news of talks between Sri Lanka, India and Japan weighing options for development of a container terminal at the Colombo Port, at face value, sounds like a promising and financially very lucrative joint venture for the three countries concerned, unlike the Chinese-funded white elephant projects down south which were the proverbial Trojan horses. more..

May 23 (CT) A controversy is brewing around a proposed steel manufacturing and export plant in Trincomalee which will have a major detrimental impact on the environmentally-sensitive Eastern town of Sri Lanka, Colombo Telegraph learns. The govt has already announced its plans to proceed with the construction of the controversial billion-dollar steel plant in the Trincomalee area. The Cabinet paper in this regard will be presented more..

May 23 (DN) PM Ranil Wickremesinghe yesterday said that the govt did not refuse to take up the No Confidence Motion (NCM) against Minister Rishad Bathiudeen for debate in Parliament. The PM further said that the govt �will not run away from anything� and is prepared to face the JVP�s NCM against the govt as well. �If we allowed the Opposition to bring in a NCM against me, why should we worry about this NCM against Minister Bathiudeen?� PM Wickremesinghe said. more..

May 23 (AD) The body of a man who has died under suspicious circumstances has been uncovered at a house on Bloemendhal lane in Kotahena. The body has been discovered by Kotahena police this morning based on a tip-off received by them. The deceased has been identified as a retired 67-year-old Tamil doctor. He had been residing in the house by himself. According to the police, the limbs of the body had been tied up when they discovered the body. more..

May 23 (AFP) SL go into the World Cup with low expectations after losing eight of their last nine one-day matches and led by a captain who has not played 50-over cricket for more than four years. While the 1996 champions have enjoyed some success in the Test arena, they have lost more than three-quarters of the ODI matches they have played since the beginning of 2017. During that period, SL have been led by 6 different captains, more..

May 23 (CI) There have been six centuries in World Cup finals. Only one of those has not been good enough to lift the trophy. Mahela Jayawardene couldn't really be blamed, though. He had mesmerised as he dissected India's attack. The bowlers found the leather in their hands betraying them, its favour won by Jayawardene's strokeplay. He walked out of a raucous Wankhede Stadium unconquered, with a serene 103 next to his name. "I knew he was going to get runs that day. more..

May 23 (Island) By allowing Governors, who are appointed by the President based on his personal preferences, to administer provinces, the govt had struck a serious blow to representative democracy, Executive Director of the Campaign for Free and Fair Elections (CaFFE), Manas Makeen said yesterday during a discussion with civil society representatives. "Serious issues have arisen because the govt has not held provincial council elections. more..

May 23 (DM) Following the Easter Sunday massacre more than 1000 refugees and asylum seekers were evicted from their rented houses in Negombo and they had to seek refuge in two mosques and the police station in Negombo. With barely minimal possessions and minimum facilities, the once persecuted group of people live in much uncertainty and fear. They plead for their cases to be expedited, so they can be resettled in more..

May 23 (AD) Permanent High Court at Bar has ordered the defence and the prosecution to present final submissions on the case against former President�s Chief of Staff Gamini Senarath and two others, for allegedly misappropriating Rs 500 million in funds belonging to Litro Gas, on 3rd of June. The case was taken up before a three-judge bench consisting of Judges Sampath Abeykoon, Sampath Wijeratne, and Champa Janaki Rajaratne this morning. Attorney General had filed the case more..

May 23 (AD) The legal procedures required to release of Galagoda Atte Gnanasara Thero are still underway, according to the Minister of Justice and Prison Reforms Thalatha Atukorale. When Ada Derana inquired the Minister, she stated that details on the matter cannot be revealed as the process is still ongoing. Meanwhile, reports are circulating that the General Secretary of Bodu Bala Sena (BBS) Organization Galagoda Atte Gnanasara Thero has been granted presidential pardon. more..

May 23 (EN) Sri Lankan internet users had the highest levels of awareness of e-commerce platforms but actual use, in completing transactions through to delivery, was low, according to a new survey of mobile phone owners aged 15-65 years. Awareness was highest about buying and selling goods and services through platforms such as Amazon, AliExpress and eBay, buying tickets, and transport and more..

May 23 (CT) Underworld kingpin and international drug dealer Makandure Madush has been grilled for over one hour by STF officers on 21 May, Police said. Police said a team of officers from the STF had arrived at the CID at around 9.30 a.m. on 21 May to interrogate Madush and had done so till 10.30 a.m. They said the STF had questioned Madush regarding his involvement in several international drug rackets and organised crime that had been committed on his orders in Sri Lanka. more..

May 23 (DM) PHU deputy leader Madumadawa Aravinda today filed a fundamental rights petition at the Supreme Court (SC) seeking an interim order preventing him from being arrested in connection of his alleged presence during a tense situation that erupted in Minuwangoda on May 13. Filing the case on behalf of Mr. Madumadawa, PHU Propaganda Secretary Thushara Dissanayake said that it was a trap by the Govt to arrest Mr. Madumadawa and added they would not fall into that trap. more..

May 23 (AD) Ven. Galagoda Aththe Gnanasara Thero, who was granted Presidential Pardon earlier today, has left the Welikada Prison, a short while ago. The Commissioner General of Prisons had received instructions on a Presidential pardon for Ven. Galagoda Aththe Gnanasara Thero, who was arrested in 2016 over Contempt of Court charges. He said that he has received the relevant documents containing the President�s more..

May 23 (CT) Minister Mangala Samaraweera yesterday gave appointments to 304 Regional Development Bank (RDB) officers who passed an open, competitive examination to be attached to 276 of its branches, the Finance Ministry said. They will be attached to the RDB�s Enterprise Sri Lanka units in those branches, a scheme to increase the number of entrepreneurs in the country from the current low level of 2.9% of the total population by providing them with low cost loans, it said. more..

May 23 (NR) The Govt has increased ration and other allowances paid to all officers and other ranks of the Tri �Forces with effect from July. Accordingly measures have been taken to increase rental allowances paid to all Tri-Forces personnel by 100%. Ministry of Finance announced the Commando allowance, which is applicable to equal ranks in the Sri Lanka Navy and the Air force will also be increased from Rs. 1,000 to Rs. 5,000. The Daily Allowance, Good Conduct allowance more..

May 23 (SKY) Kumar Sangakkara is confident Sri Lanka will be able to host England's scheduled tour next year despite security concerns raised by the recent Easter Sunday terrorist bombings. Joe Root's men are due to play Tests in Colombo and Galle in March but the death of over 250 people in a series of co-ordinated attacks last month could force Sri Lanka to join Pakistan in international isolation. more..

May 23 (Island) Despite thunder showers in most part of the country, water levels of hydro reservoirs have not improved. Yesterday, Dehiwala recorded the highest rainfall of 134.8mm, while among catchment areas Kukuleganga recorded the highest with 33mm. Met Department forecast showery conditions in most parts of the country, particularly in south-western part in the next few days. Showers or thundershowers will occur at times in Western, Sabaragamuwa & Southern provinces. more..

May 23 (CT) Surveillance conducted by the Maternal and Child Diseases and Deaths Surveillance Unit of the Family Health Bureau had revealed a gradual reduction in perinatal deaths. The Health Ministry Spokesman, yesterday (22) said that countrywide surveillance carried out by the Unit in collaboration with the UNICEF has revealed that for every 1,000 live births there had been 6.8 perinatal deaths in 2017. The surveillance carried out between 2014 and 2017 was analysed while more..

May 23 (DM) Education Ministry has informed heads of all schools in writing to abide by the Gazette notification issued under the Emergency law which prohibited dress and helmets preventing identification of a person. It said that the attention of Minister Akila Viraj Kariyawasam was drawn to this matter after the confusion that prevailed in schools when teachers and other individuals entered schools premises wearing more..

May 24 (CT) A singular and specific victim of the whole macabre incident of the April 21 Easter Sunday bombing by terrorists in Sri Lanka from a standpoint of Muslims was the maligning, tarnishing and distorting of a term indispensable, necessitous and fundamental to the faith of Islam. It�s indeed extremely troubling to the faithful�s that this is the existential coalescing reality. A term essentially integral and intrinsic to Islam and all its prophets namely Abraham, Noah, Moses, Jesus, more..

May 24 (CT) Sri Lanka faced three insurrections after independence and there were several ethnocentric and religious clashes among different ethnic and religious groups. As a nation we have failed to explore the root causes of these ethnic and religious clashes and insurrections. Instead, we have done our best to control the outcome, terrorism. In certain instances, we were successful and in certain instances we have failed. Outcome can be controlled in the short run but more..

May 24 (CT) Kattankudy, in the Eastern Province, looks like a township of a Middle Eastern country. It is also called Little Saudi Arabia as it has structures with Arabic wordings everywhere � on mosque walls, green flags flying on the tips of towers, name boards, street names and at the entrance of houses. It was in this town that Zaharan Hashim trained youth to join his militia to wage war against non-followers of Islam in Sri Lanka by more..

May 24 (GV) The sun was scorching at the Mullivaikkal memorial grounds as people gathered to remember loved ones and Tamil civilians killed during the war that came to an end on May 18th 2009. Lines of lamps and young coconut plants were laid out in lines in the soft sand. Surviving family members, loved ones and members of the community stood next to them. Each placed flowers at the base of the lamp and stuck joss sticks into the sand next to photos of their lost loved ones. more..

May 24 (SO) A few weeks after the Easter Sunday brutal terrorist attack, the country is set on fire again with the organised terrorism launched by Sinhala-Buddhist extremists under the guidance of opportunistic political authorities. This time it�s against ordinary Muslim civilians. The police was severely criticised for failing to prevent such savage attacks targeting the unarmed civilians even when the emergency law had been enforced in the country. more..