Aug 25 (DM) First and foremost move of the govt in making constitutional changes would be to rectify the issues arisen from the 19th Amendment, SLPP Chairman Prof G.L. Peiris said. Speaking at a news briefing, he said the 19A is a cursed piece of legislation detrimental to the economic development, the security and the democratic culture in the country. �The 19A has been a great obstacle for economic revival. more..

Aug 25 (FT) Sri Lanka is a country that has the attraction of all global superpowers due to its geographical importance. It is located in one of the busiest maritime routes in the world. The US and India too are competitors to have a stake in the country, in addition to China. Trincomalee harbour is another attraction. It is one of our greatest assets, one among the five best natural harbours in the world. After ending the brutal war, SL rulers have failed to achieve economic progress due to more..

Aug 25 (FT) Prez Rajapaksa reiterated once again the need for Sri Lanka to be a prosperous society and a virtuous society. In a wide ranging policy speech to the new Parliament, he outlined his and his govt�s vision for the post-COVID world. While his message was one of hope and opportunity, he did not elaborate on the perilous state of SL�s own economy and that of the world. Perhaps he should have been more forthright in placing the very tough times ahead for Sri Lankans in context. more..

Aug 25 (AD) New Secretaries have been appointed to 35 State Ministries. The names of the new secretaries were published in an extraordinary gazette notification. Signed by the Secretary to the Cabinet of Ministers W.M.D.J. Fernando, the document was issued yesterday. Cabinet of Ministers, during its meeting on August 19, has granted the approval for these new appointments. Thereby, Mr. R.M.A. Rathnayaka has been appointed as the Secretary to State Ministry more..

Aug 25 (DM) The Prisons Department has introduced Alcohol Strips to detect alcohol and drug consumption in the urine of prison inmates, Deputy Director Prison Health services Dr Hemantha Ranasinghe said. He told the media that many ways of bringing drugs into the prisons had already been banned. �We conduct a random check on prison inmates with the use of these strips to find out whether the inmates had used drugs or alcoholic substances. If the strips result positive, more..

Aug 25 (AD) Secretary to President Dr. P.B Jayasundara explained the reasoning behind the decision of the govt to halt of vehicle imports to the country. He stated that right until 2019, between 1,000 and 1,200 million US dollars were spent per a year on importing vehicles to Sri Lanka. He said that the vehicle stock in the country had risen significantly between 2015 - 2019 to such an extent that it is sufficient for two-and-a-half years. more..

Aug 25 (ANI) SL's Foreign Secretary Jayanath Colombage on Monday said that Prez Rajapaksa believes in India first policy along with pursuing a neutral foreign policy. "Prez has stated that in terms of strategic security we will follow India first policy because we can not afford to be a strategic security threat to India and we don't have to be. We need to benefit from India," Colombage said. "Prez has clearly said that you are our first priority as far as security is concerned but I have to deal with more..

Aug 25 (AD) An officer attached to Police Narcotics Bureau (PNB), who is currently under arrest, has been remanded by Colombo Chief Magistrate Lanka Jayaratne. Accordingly, Constable Lakshan Wanniarachchi was remanded until the 31st of August. The CID has nofitfied the court that information was uncovered about the defendant being in possession of 31 counterfeit currency notes of Rs. 5,000. Hence, investigations have been launched into the suspect under more..

Aug 25 (EN) The dispute as to who should be nominated to the single National List seat won by the Buddhist Monks-led OPPP will have to be decided in a court of law, Chief Elections Commissioner Mahinda Deshapriya said. Both Athureliye Rathana Thero and Galagoda Aththe Gnanasara Thero are staking a claim for the seat. Deshapriya said that the dispute arose immediately after the election when the then Secretary more..

Aug 25 (EN) SL�s largest mobile operator Dialog Axiata Plc has welcomed an announcement by the regulator that the island will move towards number portability, allowing customers to switch operators with their existing number. �We are very happy to see the TRCSL moving forward with the next steps in the liberalization of our industry and we congratulate the TRCSL for initiating the process of implementing number portability in Sri Lanka,� Supun Weerasinghe, Group CEO of Dialog more..

Aug 25 (AD) Four new members have been appointed to the Presidential Task Force for Archaeological Heritage Management in the Eastern Province. The 12-member Task Force was established on the 1st of June under the directives of Prez Rajapaksa, exercising the powers vested in him by Article 33 of the Constitution. However, the following four members were also added to the composition of the Task Force with effect from Aug 19, Secretary to Prez P.B. Jayasundera said more..

Aug 25 (EN) Minister Prof G.L. Peiris says Prez Rajapaksa has a moral and legal right to hold the Defence Minister portfolio as the defence of the country is a part of the necessity and content of executive power. �The current Defence Minister is Prez Rajapaksa, we argue that according to section 3 and 4 of the constitution that portfolio should be held by him,� he said. Peiris said that a govt is formed to ensure the security of the country more..

Aug 25 (Island) A team of Lankan scientists has decided to name a newly discovered a skink species from the central hills of the country after US herpetologist, Alan Resetar in honour of his contribution to the conservation of herpetofauna. This species had previously been confused with two other species known in their binominal names Eutropis carinata and Eutropis beddomei, head of the team Lankan research team, Sudesh Batuwita said. The new species had been recorded more..

Aug 25 (DN) Attorney General yesterday commenced his oral submissions regarding the appeal petitions filed by former Secretary to the President Lalith Weeratunga and former TRC Director General Anusha Palpita, challenging Colombo High Court�s judgment to convict them regarding the Sil Redi distribution case. In his oral submissions, Deputy Solicitor General Thusith Mudalige appearing for the Attorney General informed the Court that there is no error on more..

Aug 25 (AD) The Court of Appeal has issued a stay order preventing the execution of the arrest warrant on the Mayor of Kurunegala Thushara Vitharana and four other accused linked to the demolishing of a historical building. The order was delivered by Appeals Court�s bench consisting of its President, Justice A.H.M.D. Nawaz and Justice Sobhitha Rajakaruna, after taking up the writ petitions filed by the Kurunegala Mayor and more..

Aug 25 (EN) Charities World Vision and Citi Foundation said they had given 1,100 Covid-19 antibody testing kits to Sri J'pura University, allowing doctors to identify patients who have had the disease in the past as well as diagnose those who have Coronavirus. �The medical professionals can now determine whether a person�s body produced an antibody response to COVID 19 �indicating past exposure to and recent infection by the novel Coronavirus,� Chandima Jeewandara, more..

Aug 25 (CT) The daily revenue of the Sri Lanka Transport Board (SLTB) has risen to Rs 69 million, slowly climbing to normal levels after the resumption of public transport services. SLTB was incurring a loss of Rs 10 million daily due to COVID-19-related health guidelines. Its daily income during the pandemic was Rs 55 million. SLTB Chairman, Kingsley Ranawaka noted that since the public has started using public transport services again, the SLTB was able to increase its daily revenue. more..

Aug 25 (AD) As the COVID-19 pandemic still prevails in other foreign countries, Sri Lanka cannot be declared as a country that has eliminated the virus, says the Commander of the Army, Lt Gen Shavendra Silva. He pointed out that, due to the sustained efforts of everyone under the guidance of Prez Rajapaksa, no COVID-19 positive cases were reported from the community for 50 days after the 30th of April. more..

Aug 25 (DM) Colombo's three main prisons; the Remand, Magazine and Welikada would be soon monitored by CCTV cameras, Prisons Commissioner and Spokesman said. �This will ensure the safety of prisons and thwart violence and criminal activities that take place inside prisons,� he said. Mr. Ekanayake said CCTV cameras are already in place at the Agunukolapelessa and Bosssa prisons while STF personnel have also been deployed outside these prisons so as to more..

Aug 25 (CT) Lt Commander Yoshitha Rajapaksa has sent a letter of demand, through his lawyers, to environmentalist Sajeewa Chamikara, seeking Rs 500 million within a seven-day period, as compensation for damages caused to him by the latter. Through his letter, Rajapaksa�s lawyers have stated that through a statement made to the Media, the environmentalist had made false, unfounded, fabricated and baseless allegations with clear animus injuriandi (Desire to Injure) calculated more..

Aug 25 (AD) Supreme Court has concluded the Contempt of Court case filed against MP Ranjan Ramanayake. The case was heard before the SC 3-judge bench consisting of Justices Sisira de Abrew, Vijith Malalgoda, and Preethi Padman Surasena today. The bench has decided to take up further clarification on the case on the 21st of Oct. The case was filed against State Minister Ranjan Ramanayake over Contempt of more..

Aug 25 (AD) Twelve new cases of COVID-19 have been detected this evening (25) increasing the total number of positive cases in the country to 2,971. The novel coronavirus patients detected today are arrivals from India. Epidemiology Unit says 143 active cases are currently under medical care at hospitals. In the meantime, the number of recoveries from the disease in SL moved up to 2,816 cases as 5 patients were discharged earlier today. SL has thus far witnessed 12 deaths due to the virus more..

Aug 25 (EN) Sri Lanka�s general election dawned at a crucial time of extreme uncertainty and precariousness. The island�s political, social, and economic spheres have been dismantled by an unexpected global pandemic that drove the country into a political limbo with the dissolution of Parliament. The task of untangling the island from its woes has now been handed over to a male-led parliament elected by the general public ostensibly upholding the true values of a democracy. more..

Aug 25 (AD) The Orientation Seminar for the newly elected members of the 9th Parliament organized by the Parliament Secretariat today was held with a participation of more than 95% of the newly elected Members. Members showed great interest in the program by actively engaging with the resource personals with regards to Parliamentary proceedings. Organized by the Secretariat of Parliament, more..

Aug 25 (NR) Election monitoring body, CAFFE says the govt must announce its stance on the conduct of the impending Provincial Council Election. Issuing a statement, Executive Director of CaFFE Manaz Makeen said three years have lapsed since the dissolution of some Provincial councils and stressed that it is unacceptable to delay the conduct of elections within a democratic framework. He said Provinces are now ruled by Governors who are representatives of the Central Govt. more..

Aug 25 (CT) The Govt will have to bear a considerable cost in moving the Dehiwala Zoo to Piliyandala, as all the facilities will have to be provided to all animals, from the smallest to the biggest, including infrastructure to accommodate them, Secretary to the Ministry of Tourism, S. Hettiarachchi said yesterday (24). The proposal to move the Dehiwala Zoo was initially made by a former Minister from Piliyandala during the tenure of the late President Ranasinghe Premadasa. more..

Aug 25 (AD) The meeting of the UNP Working Committee held today (25) has ended without a decision on party leadership and the National List nomination. The decision on new leadership and the National List nomination will accordingly be taken at Working Committee meeting scheduled to take place on first week of September. The Working Committee meeting, chaired by party leader Ranil Wickremesinghe, was held at Sirikotha. more..

Aug 25 (YC) Sony Pictures Networks India (SPN) has acquired the exclusive global media rights for Sri Lanka Cricket, with the exception of terrestrial, digital and radio rights for the territory of Sri Lanka which has been retained by the SLC, for a period of three years starting July 1, 2020. The agreement provides SPN exclusive TV and digital rights to air all 92 days of live cricket comprising 10 Tests, 24 ODIs and 18 T20Is sanctioned by the ICC and conducted by SLC between more..

Aug 25 (NIP) To say that the political decimation of the parties that claim to speak for the SL Tamils has been completed is an understatement. It was a rout. The TNA was all but swept away in the unprecedented flood of support that marked the return of the Rajapaksas to pre-eminence in the SL polity. But what was equally remarkable was the swiftness with which PM Narendra Modi called to congratulate the SL leader, even as parliamentary poll results were coming in on Aug 7. more..

Aug 25 (PMD) President Gotabhaya Rajapaksa stating that it is high time to increase agro harvest in order to strengthen the local economy proposes a number of actions to reach this outcome. President emphasizes the importance of strengthening national agricultural economy in the context of global economic collapse due to COVID 19 pandemic. Prez says that we should focus on seed & sapling production, usage of fertilizer, more..

Aug 26 (CT) An English clergyman, Thomas. Robert Malthus (1766 � 1834) in a book Titled The theory of population growth argued that while population increase was exponential, resources (mainly food) grew only linearly. In his 1796 book titled The Theory of Population he argued that the growth of population will in time, outstrip the production (or availability) of resources, (in particular food). Opponents of his proposition, held that improving Technology should be the way to redress more..

Aug 26 (CT) It is a pity to note the disoriented state of the United National Party (UNP) which is the first political organ to lead Sri Lanka soon after the country gained Independence from the British in 1948 under the Premiership of D.S. Senanayake. UNP remained an integral force uniting the island nation in a big way with the representations of several refined politicians in the country of various linguistic, religious and regional backgrounds. Until the untimely death of Prez R. Premadasa, more..

Aug 26 (DM) Newly appointed Foreign Secretary Admiral Prof. Jayanath Colombage spells out the foreign policy of the Govt. He spells out how the Govt will reconcile competing interests of China and India, and how SL can have healthy ties with other countries including Pakistan and Bangladesh. Q: We came across media reports quoting you that the foreign policy of the new Govt would be Asia-centric. What do you mean? more..

Aug 26 (GV) The election of Prez Rajapaksa in Nov 2019 marked the beginning of a new era of a Sinhala-Buddhist nationalist ascendancy in SL. The Covid-19 pandemic provided an early opportunity for the govt to establish an authoritarian governing style, helped by Parliament standing dissolved, and the SC�s refusal to subject the govt to the constitution. In the delayed parliamentary election earlier in August, the govt and its allies sought and obtained a two-thirds majority mandate. more..

Aug 26 (CT) Sri Lanka�s general election dawned at a crucial time of extreme uncertainty and precariousness. The island�s political, social, and economic spheres have been dismantled by an unexpected global pandemic that drove the country into a political limbo with the dissolving of the parliament. The task of untangling the island from its woes has now been handed over to a male-led parliament elected by the general public ostensibly upholding the true values of a democracy. more..

Aug 26 (SO) STF seized the largest weapons cache to be recovered from an underworld gang in SL on June 29. Acting on a tip off, the STF found 11 T-56 and one T-81 assault rifle hidden in a house in Pitipana, Homagama. The haul of weapons is said to belong to the infamous drug lord Gagana, a close associate of the notorious underworld leader Kosgoda Tharaka. The Police found more weapons from several safe houses of the gang more..

Aug 26 (DM) In the aftermath of the Black July 1983 race riots in this country, thousands of Tamil refugees and a plethora of militant groups and organisations sought refuge on Indian soil. While civillians caught up in the state-sponsored rioting fled seeking sanctuary, the militant groups sought to use India�s proximity to Sri Lanka to stage ground attacks on the SL State. With thousands of SL Tamils fleeing to Tamil Nadu, the Sri Lankan problem was fast-developing into an Indian issue. more..

Aug 26 (Island) Washington heaved a sigh of relief when Sri Lanka successfully conducted a general election amidst the Covid-19 pandemic about three weeks ago. It also exhorts govts here to uphold democratic values, hold free and fair elections and respect people�s verdicts. America�s concern about Sri Lanka�s democracy is to be appreciated, and, now it is up to Colombo to reciprocate by urging Washington to ensure a free and fair presidential contest in the US, in Nov 2020, more..