Aug 27 (DM) The failure of the Nuwara Eliya Police to find anything suspicious from a search operation carried out on May 8, 2018 at a lodge where National Thawheed Jama'at (NTJ) Leader Zahran Hashim was operating a training camp, enabled Zahran and the NTJ associates to escape from the Police, it was informed yesterday at the PCoI. Testifying before the Commission, officer attached to PCoI police unit, SI Sanjeewa Sampath of CID said that more..

Aug 27 (FT) A Motion to increase the size of the two Parliamentary oversight committees, COPE and COPA, to 22 members will be presented to the House today. The two Committees comprised 16 members in the previous Parliament. Last week, Opposition members requested that the Chairmanship of the two Committees be given to members from their side. The request was made when the Committee of Selection, which appoints members to all important Committees, more..

Aug 27 (FT) Dilantha Malagamuwa, the world renowned SL motor racing champion, will be representing Sri Lanka at the Lamborghini Super Trofeo Europe Championship 2020 held across Germany, Belgium, France and Spain from 5 Sept to 15 Nov. Having carried the SL flag and its pride for the past 36 years across many parts of the world, accumulating multiple accolades as a result of the fortitude and time he has placed into it, Dilantha continues to take pride in representing SL more..

Aug 27 (FT) Former Speaker Karu Jayasuriya responded to allegations made after he indicated his willingness to become the next leader of the embattled UNP, insisting he holds party membership, and not being a Working Committee member was not a prohibition. Issuing a press release, veteran politician downplayed concerns regarding his eligibility to hold the leadership position due to his party membership status. more..

Aug 27 (DM) The prevailing hot weather condition in several areas in the Island would continue until mid-September, Director General of Dept of Meteorology Athula Karunanayake said. He said the month of August is generally considered as a dry month and added the condition would subside with the onset of the Inter monsoonal rain. Although there was a slight increase in the temperature, it had not yet reached the adverse level. �There may also be minor spells of showers in Uva and East. more..

Aug 27 (FT) Unemployed graduates who will be recruited under the latest Government program will undergo a three-week leadership training, Public Service, Provincial Council and Local Govt Ministry Secretary J.J Ratnasiri said. Graduates will be given training that will increase their self-confidence and ability to work collectively in the public sector. He noted the training would also focus on training new recruits to adapt to different situations and be capable of smart decision-making. more..

Aug 27 (ST) The Inland Revenue Department (IRD) was sitting on more than Rs 290 billion in defaulted taxes and unpaid penalties last year and the arrears are rising every year, Auditor General�s Department has warned. The unclaimed taxes by mid-2019 were more than the Govt�s total expenditure on education that year � Rs. 198 billion, according to a report by the COPE regarding that year�s budget. more..

Aug 27 (DN) Since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, vulnerable people across the country have faced multiple challenges, including the loss of income. This has led to a cascading socioeconomic impact on communities at the grassroots level in Sri Lanka, upending their daily lives. Following a request made by the District Secretary in Anuradhapura, and in line with the International Organization for Migration�s (IOM) global mandate to support the better management of migration more..

Aug 27 (Island) Having appointed senior officials to the National Security Council (NSC), former President Maithripala Sirisena was unable to question them on the actions taken against NTJ leader Zahran Hashim, and his associates, based on information provided by State Intelligence Service (SIS,) former SIS Director SDIG Nilantha Jayawardena, told PCoI. Jayawardena told the PCoI that he had informed the NCSC of Zahran and his followers on numerous occasions. more..

Aug 27 (AD) Former Director of the State Intelligence Service (SIS) Senior DIG Nilantha Jayawardena accused officials throughout the country�s national security hierarchy of ignoring their responsibilities and their attempts to pin the sole blame on him for the security establishment�s failure to prevent the 2019 Easter Sunday terror attacks as he testified for the 18th day before the Presidential Commission probing the attacks. more..

Aug 27 (DN) SL will ink an MoU with India to the tune of Rs. 300 million to develop the Palaly airport in Jaffna, Minister Prasanna Ranatunge said. He said that he hopes to obtain Cabinet approval for this and the MoU is likely to be signed in two weeks. The funding will largely focus on the expansion of the passenger terminal at the Palali Airport, as well as the luggage inspection area. Air India and Fits Air operated scheduled flights to Palali, but these operations were halted after Covid Pandemic. more..

Aug 27 (Island) Abbinanthan Arulanantham of Hindu College, Jaffna, Sayuni Malavige of Lyceum International College, Nugegoda and Nilushi Dhanapala of Mahamaya Girls� College, Kandy clinched Bronze, while Samidhi Munasinghe (Mahamaya Girls� College, Kandy, won a Merit certificate at the International Biology Olympiad (IB0) held early this month. Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, International Biology Olympiad, scheduled to be held in Nagasaki, Japan, more..

Aug 27 (CT) The interim report of the Independent Committee on the islandwide power failure that occurred on 17 Aug, which was handed over to Cabinet yesterday, has concluded that the Kerawalapitiya Grid Substation tripping was due to correct maintenance procedure not being followed by relevant officials, including the Electrical Superintendent. In his note to Cabinet under Cabinet Memorandum 52/2020/PE, more..

Aug 27 (AD) A group of foreigners have been arrested in the area of Mount Lavinia, for violating visa regulations. Raid was carried out by the officers of Special Task Force Camp in Pugoda at around 6.30 pm on Wednesday. 13 Chinese and Thai nationals, including 09 females who were staying at a lodge in De Seram Road in Mount Lavinia were accordingly taken into custody. A haul of 10,300 sticks of foreign-manufactured cigarettes, illegally brought into the island, were also seized more..

Aug 27 (AD) A close accomplice of the notorious underworld figure Podi Lassie has been arrested at the Gonapeenuwala area in Meetiyagoda. The arrest has been made during raid based on a tip-off received by the officials of the STF. Reportedly, 45 grams of Kerala Cannabis and 2 swords have been found in the possession of the suspect. The arrested suspect has been handed over to the Meetiyagoda Police for onward investigations. Meanwhile, another individual, with 11 arrest warrants issued more..

Aug 27 (DN) More than 300 new lawyers are being giving their oath before the Supreme Court from yesterday to the 28th of Aug 2020. In parallel to this event, the BASL and Junior Bar committee has organized a stall and for the first time proceeded to hand over a series of books to the junior lawyers as a gesture of welcoming the junior lawyers through a combined stall placed at the Supreme Court Complex in Hulftsdorp. �The Junior Bar Committe spearheaded and guided by its Chairman, more..

Aug 27 (FT) The objective of this write up is to focus the attention of the Govt, particularly those closely linked to the subject of Local Govt. The ministry, however, is now covering a wide spectrum of subjects outside the local govt ambit extending to pensions � official languages, human resource development, language education, etc. the assigned functions. (Ministry of Public Services, Provincial Council and Local Govt). Local Govt is a field where major developments have been effected more..

Aug 27 (EN) A controversial statement made by first-time Member C.V. Vigneshwaran delivering his maiden speech at Parliament on August 20 congratulating the newly elected Speaker as a party leader is making waves across the political spectrum. In his speech, Vigneshwaran said that the Tamil language is the oldest living language in the world and the first language of the first indigenous inhabitants of Sri Lanka. more..

Aug 27 (FT) The Presidential Policy Statement delivered at the inaugural of the new session of Parliament had three key takeaways. Firstly, the 19th Amendment is to be demolished, not rectified. Secondly, by means of the 20th Amendment, the electoral system will be replaced by one which is only secondarily that of proportional (or more correctly, proportionate) representation and primarily that of a first-past-the-post mechanism. Thirdly, there will be a totally new Constitution. more..

Aug 27 (DM) Public Viewing Area at the BIA was declared opened yesterday by the AASL Chairman G.A. Chandrasiri. He said that this Public viewing area was opened following a request made to Prez Rajapaksa by a little girl during Prez's visit to the airport, a few months back. "After visiting this viewing area, anyone including schools children can get the knowledge of how the CAASL conducting their operations, about aircraft, how the airport had functioned during the COVID-19 pandemic, more..

Aug 27 (AD) Motor racing champion Dilantha Malagamuwa, who is representing Sri Lanka at the Lamborghini Super Trofeo Europe Championship 2020, has received state sponsorship to participate in the tournament. This is the first time that Malagamuwa, who has achieved great fame for Sri Lanka in motor racing for nearly 36 years, will be participating in a racing event under state sponsorship. more..

Aug 27 (AD) Court of Appeal has granted leave to hear the revision application filed by the interdicted Superintendent (SP) of the Negombo Prison, Anuruddha Sampayo, who is currently under remand custody. The respondents of the revision application including Acting IGP, Director of CID, and AG were meanwhile issued notices to present submissions in this regard on the 21st of Sept. The petitioner says that the Negombo Magistrate�s Court has dismissed the bail application filed by more..

Aug 27 (DM) Matale District SLPP MP Pramitha Bandara Tennakoon today handed over the first private member Bill in 9th Parliament to Parliament Secretary General Dhammika Dassanayake to set the minimum age of marriage of Sri Lankan Children at 18. In the Bill titled 'Minimum Age of Marriage', MP Tennakoon said the Bill�s intention is to ensure that the State fulfils its national and international obligations to protect the rights of every child in the country. more..

Aug 27 (AD) The Mayor of Matale Municipal Council Daljith Nandalal Aluvihare has been temporarily suspended from his position with immediate effect. The Central Province Governor, Attorney-at-Law Lalith U. Gamage, announced the suspension of Matale Mayor issuing an extraordinary gazette notification. Governor meanwhile appointed former High Court Judge Mrs. Sarojini Kusala Weerawardena to inquire more..

Aug 27 (DM) The Cabinet today approved the proposal to construct three flyovers above railway lines across Uttarananda Mawatha and Judge Akbar Mawatha close to the Slave Island Railway Station. The proposal to implement this project and call bids from eligible local contractors for the construction of three flyovers under the project, was presented by the Minister of Highways. The decision has been made considering the heavy traffic congestion that causes during peak hours near railway lines more..

Aug 27 (DM) A pregnant mother, a returnee from the Middle East has tested positive for Covid-19 today while in self-quarantine in Arachchikattuwa, Kottapitiya, Chilaw General Hospital Director, K.P. Mallawarachchi said. He said the woman, who had visited the Chilaw Hospital to seek treatment for fever was diagnosed with Covid-19 symptoms. �She was then admitted to the Covid-19 Special Treatment Unit where she tested positive for the virus following a PCR test,� he said. more..

Aug 27 (DM) When Sophie arrived in Sri Lanka for her long awaited vacation in March 2019, little did she know of the nightmare that awaited her in the island of paradise. Sophie, a frequent traveller, expected to make new friends and memories during her stay. Unfortunately for Sophie, neither the friends nor memories of Sri Lanka were of the kind a traveller would cherish. Sophie Roberts (name and identifying details changed to protect identity) more..

Aug 27 (DM) UNP General Secretary Ruwan Wijewardene said that party sympathisers were requesting him to accept the party leadership and that he was prepared to do so and lead the party to victory in the future if they had confidence in him. Addressing a gathering of his supporters who met him at his residence in Malwana, he said that the UNP had stood with victory and defeat alike and that the recent general election was not the first time that the party faced a debacle. more..

Aug 27 (EN) Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena has ended the spat over whether C.V. Vigneshwaran�s statement that Tamil was the first indigenous language to be spoken on our island should not be expunged from the Hansard. Abeywardene, a veteran MP, asserted that said that every member has the right to state their opinions in the parliament. �It doesn�t matter whether it is the opinion of the govt or the opinion of the opposition everyone has the right to state their opinions� more..

Aug 27 (EN) SL�s street dog population keeps sky-rocketing as authorities fail to set clear policies and create systems for the eradication of rabies and mitigating overpopulation through sterilization, experts said. �The national program for sterilization of dogs from 2008 up to now, continued through contract veterinarians. They would call for tenders and they give it over to a few vets,� Champa Fernando, secretary of more..

Aug 27 (TP) Qatar can play a vital role in SL�s strategic expansion as the South Asian country seeks to diversify its markets in the Middle East region and beyond, SL Exports Development Board�s Director General Chitranjali Dissanayake has said at a webinar on the Bilateral and Synergistic Opportunities between Qatar and Srilanka hosted by Doha Bank yesterday. During the event, Dissanayake spoke on the topic of Potential exports from Sri Lanka to Qatar and more..

Aug 27 (AD) The Cabinet of Ministers granted its approval to appoint the Cabinet sub-committee on cost of living. The relevant proposal has been tabled by President Gotabaya Rajapaksa. The proposed Cabinet sub-committee is tasked with working to keep the cost of living stable by providing policies and practical solutions focusing on the market demands and supply fluctuations, weather effects, seasonal product changes and international market prices. more..

Aug 27 (NR) Several Australian supplied hand-held Chemical Detection Devices were presented to Acting Inspector General of Police, C D Wickramaratne on 27 August by Australian High Commissioner to Sri Lanka David Holly and Australian Federal Police Detective Superintendent Rob Wilson. At the presentation ceremony, High Commissioner Holly said �Australia expresses solidarity with Sri Lanka in facing more..

Aug 27 (CT) The Chairman of the PCoI appointed to probe into the political victimisation of public officials during the tenure of the UNF-led Govt, retired Supreme Court Judge, Justice Upali Abeyratne yesterday, issued instructions to inform the Commissioner General of Prisons that former CID Director, SSP Shani Abeysekara, who is currently in remand, is required to appear before the Commission on 7 Sept. Abeysekara, who appeared before the PCoI yesterday in compliance to more..

Aug 27 (EN) The ongoing campaign to protect the 19th amendment will result in a third consecutive defeat of the opposition, Minister Keheliya Rambukwella said. He said the newly elected SLPP govt has a mandate to abolish the 19th amendment, which was one of Prez Rajapaksa�s chief campaign promises. For the first time in history under the current proportional representation system, voters have given the SLPP a two-thirds parliamentary majority for exactly this purpose, he said. more..

Aug 27 (EN) The Main Opposition SJB says the govt should admit it violated the constitution when it approved money for govt spending from April 30 to Aug 27. SJB MP Dr Harsha De Silva says the president during the Covid 19 approved two votes on Account without the permission of Parliament thus violating the constitution. �We asked that Parliament be recalled during the pandemic to give the approval for the vote on account more..

Aug 27 (CT) A discussion was held between Minister of Justice, M.U.M. Ali Sabry PC and officials from the United Nations (UN) and SL Resident Representatives of the UN Development Programme at the Ministry premises recently. Ali Sabry and UN officials exchanged views regarding the backing that had been extended by the bodies affiliated to the UN in connection with the aspects of meting out justice and the Judiciary as a whole. Among those who engaged in the discussion more..

Aug 27 (NR) One individual has tested positive for the coronavirus, increasing infections to 2,985. The individual was identified as a returnee from the UAE. 11 persons who contracted the coronavirus were discharged after recovering during the past 24 hours, raising recoveries to 2,830. Epidemiology Unit of the Ministry of Health said ten persons were discharged from the Welikanda Base Hospital and one individual from the IDH. 143 COVID-19 positive cases continue to receive in-house treatment. more..

Aug 27 (AD) The Cabinet granted their approval for the introduction of a simple yet accountable, efficient tax methodology so that it would be a tailor-made application for all the stakeholders in the economy including commuters, workforce, entrepreneurs as well as tax payers. The proposal was submitted by Prez Rajapaksa at the Cabinet meeting held on the 27th Nov, 2019. Govt has taken precautionary measures to issue state finance and more..