Feb 25 (DM) SL�s long-standing links with China have been greatly beneficial to the island nation in the past and could be termed a blessing. But in recent times, some have begun to wonder and ponder whether the very same Chinese blessing is in some ways turning into a Chinese curse. Although the SL govt seems to have been taken unawares by Secretary Pompeo�s designation, an influential segment within the Tamil diaspora more..

Feb 25 (DN) Opp Leader Sajith Premadasa yesterday took pains to defend the Opposition from the accusations of blocking the Govt�s attempt to settle the overdue payments of the contractors and give relief to the people during the New Year season. MP Premadasa tried to justify their opposition to a raise of the debt ceiling, adding that no responsible Opposition could support such a move when the country more..

Feb 25 (AD) Lankan Angel Network (LAN) today announced that it has signed a landmark grant agreement with the Ford Foundation to catalyze the growth of SL�s startup ecosystem. The grant of USD 300,000 is the first of its kind for the Ford Foundation in SL and will be utilized to reach entrepreneurs across multiple sectors island wide. While SL�s startup ecosystem has grown rapidly, it is still very much focused in Colombo. more..

Feb 25 (FT) Power & Energy Ministry this week fast-tracked efforts to gain Cabinet approval to purchase 128 MW to meet short-term power requirements but this is less than half of the 300 MW that the CEB has estimated is needed to ensure uninterrupted power supply over the next two months. Ministry�s task of supplying power has been complicated due to the shutdown of Unit 1 of Lakvijaya Power Station for repairs in Oct. more..

Feb 25 (DM) Former Army Commander & now SLPA Chairman Daya Ratnayake has criticized the former govt for failing to protect the image of SL military in the international arena within the past 5 years which led to Lt Gen Shavendra Silva and his family from being banned to enter the US. Ratnayake also questioned the timing of the ban, stating that some people were trying to create instability in SL just before an election. more..

Feb 25 (DM) The Sectoral Oversight Committee on National Security in its report to Parliament last week revealed that two leading extremist Islamic leaders from India had visited Sri Lanka on several occasions to conduct lectures even after the Easter Sunday attacks. Accordingly, Tamil Nadu Extremist Islamic Leader Jainul Abdeen and popular Mumbai-based preacher Zakir Naik have visited Sri Lanka on several occasions. more..

Feb 25 (AD) Today (25) marks the completion of first 100 days of after assumption of office by President Gotabaya Rajapaksa. President�s Media Division (PMD) said that many implementations concerning various sectors including education, public sector and national economy were put into action in keeping with Vistas of Prosperity and Splendour manifesto during this period of time. more..

Feb 25 (CT) Birth defects, also called congenital disorders, are conditions present at birth which may be physical, mental or developmental disabilities resulting from genetic or chromosomal factors as well as external factors such as medicines or chemicals and also due to factors during or before pregnancy. Around 5,800 babies are born with birth defects out of 360,000 annual births in SL, of which 650 children die before their first birthday. Although the population risk for birth defects more..

Feb 25 (FT) So that saintly MP has thrown a spanner in govt�s works again. The pious member lashed out against a battery of citizens from journalists and lawyers to members of his own estate. Last week, much of his grievance was about the silence of the media and the judicial-legal fraternity on the harassment of a bastion � no pun intended � of the free media. There is a background to this story and I would thank you to research it on the jungle telegraph, as mainstream media more..

Feb 25 (Island) Speaker Karu Jayasuriya yesterday requested the Election Commission to expedite the process of inviting foreign observers to monitor the forthcoming election campaign. Jayasuriya made the request when he was presented with a book titled SL Parliamentary Elections 1947 to 2015 by Chairman of the Election Commission, Mahinda Deshapriya, at the Parliamentary Complex, yesterday. The book contains information about elections as well as parliamentary election results from 1947. more..

Feb 25 (AD) Six suspects have been arrested along with over 4 kg 290g of heroin from Dehiwala & Maharagama areas, says the Police Narcotics Bureau (PNB). The suspects include 2 Maldivians and 4 Sri Lankans, according to reports. Two cars have also been taken into custody along with the suspects. The PNB says that the suspects, aged between 26 and 28 years, will be produced before the Mount Lavinia Magistrate�s Court today. The PNB is conducting further investigations more..

Feb 25 (EN) Sri Lanka is the twenty-fifth most polluted country in the world but has the cleanest air in South Asia according to the IQAir AirVisual�s 2019 World Air Quality Report. The island�s only metropolis, the Greater Colombo region is the most polluted with the congested area around Kynsey Road showing the highest particulate matter. Air quality improves as you move into the suburbs, the report showed. more..

Feb 25 (AD) Bribery Commission today filed a lawsuit with the Colombo High Court against former Minister of Enterprise Development and Investment Promotion, Rohitha Bogollagama for allegedly misappropriating public funds amounting to Rs. 1.5 million back when he was in office. The charge sheet submitted by the Bribery Commission stated that BOI had conducted an exhibition in London from 21st to 23rd of June back in 2016 with regard to promoting investment in Sri Lanka. more..

Feb 25 (AD) PM Mahinda Rajapaksa has assured that he will not appoint those who lost at the polls to the parliament through the national list, says Rohana Hettiarachchi, the Convener of the March 12 Movement. Members of the March 12 Movement expressed these views to the media following a meeting with the PM today (25). Hettiarachchi stated that they made a request to the PM to nominate persons with vision and skill to the lists at the upcoming parliamentary election. more..

Feb 25 (FT) Well-known investor and emerging markets guru Dr. Mark Mobius during his recent visit to Sri Lanka placed the odds of returning to strong growth in the country�s favour, provided the Govt moved efficiently to implement policies, which include establishing an investor-friendly environment and competitive tax regime. Dr. Mobius, who is a founding partner of the Templeton Emerging Markets Group, more..

Feb 25 (IANS) It could be Virat Kohli versus Faf du Plessis in the Asia XI-World XI two-match T20 series that has been organised by the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) on March 18 and 21 � subject to the India skipper confirming his availability. The matches will be played to celebrate the 100th anniversary of their founding father Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. The BCB is awaiting a confirmation from Kohli as well as K.L. Rahul for the March 18 game as India are set to play South Africa on the same day more..

Feb 25 (NR) The JHU today officially pledged allegiance to the Samagi Jana Balawegaya led by Leader of the Opposition Sajith Premadasa. Speaking at a media briefing MP Premadasa said several more parties and organisations will join hands with the Samagi Jana Balawegaya. The Opposition Leader said in order to uplift the public and the country, the Samagi Jana Balawegaya, which is a broad alliance that also includes the UNP and other progressive forces more..

Feb 25 (NR) UNP National List MP Saman Rathnapriya has termed the 100-day tenure of the present administration as a failure and claimed the govt continues to deceive the general public in a bid to win the upcoming General Election. He said the move to withdraw from the process of co-sponsoring the UNHRC resolutions in Geneva, is also an attempt to garner additional votes at the next election. He said although those who are more..

Feb 25 (EN) The use of Military Police to perform regular police duties is illegal, an Opposition MP said. At a media briefing held this morning, the UNP�s Ajith P Perera said that the military police do not have the capability or legal right to take action against the traffic offences or make arrests under the Police Ordinance. Since Monday, Military Policemen have been deployed throughout the Greater Colombo area during peak traffic times and were seen directing vehicles. more..

Feb 25 (DM) The govt has decided to immediately import 310 varieties of essential drugs in short supply at public hospitals under the emergency purchasing procedure. Cabinet has approved the relevant cabinet memorandum submitted by Minister Pavitthra Wanniarachchi. Rs 6,000 million has been allocated for the import of these drugs. Drugs will be purchased from SL�s main suppliers of medicinal drugs in India and Bangladesh under the close supervision of the Health Ministry. more..

Feb 25 (FT) Uber recently released How Sri Lanka Moved in 2019: A Year in Review, which reveals Sri Lanka�s most loved Uber service, most visited local and foreign destinations and preferred dates and times to use Uber. Backed by rider insights and captivating data, the report shares information on the increasing importance of ridesharing within the country and efforts to create sustainable cities for the future. more..

Feb 25 (FT) UNP yesterday expressed confidence that it can form a Govt if the party manages to win 90 seats at the upcoming General Elections. UNP General Secretary Akila Viraj Kariyawasam said the party will be able to form a Govt if they secured 90 seats in the election. �We only need 90 seats, we can and will form a Govt post- elections,� he said. He argued that the UNF had formed a minority Govt in 2015 and functioned under difficult circumstances to deliver development to the public. more..

Feb 25 (Island) Two persons were taken into custody by the Omanthai Police yesterday for torching two vehicles, on Sunday night, following an accident that claimed five lives and injured 25 others. The mishap occurred when an SLTB bus heading towards Jaffna and an SUV collided head-on on the Kandy-Jaffna road in the Panikkarniravi area in Omanthai on Sunday night. A businessman from Wellawatta and his family members were among those killed. The SUV driver also died. more..

Feb 25 (FMT) Eight individuals, including DAP Gadek assemblyman G Saminathan, were freed by the High Court today of charges linked to the now-defunct LTTE. High Court judges Collin Lawrence Sequerah and Muhammad Jamil Husin and judicial commissioners Aslam Zainuddin and Ahmad Shahrir Mohd Salleh granted the acquittal orders after the prosecution told the courts they did not wish to proceed with the cases. more..

Feb 25 (CI) As the action moves from the leafy surrounds of the SSC to the jungles of the southeast, both teams may ponder their shortcomings from the first game. Neither middle-order quite fired. West Indies lost five wickets for 68 runs while SL might reflect they could have done better than lose their first four wickets within 57 runs after a century opening stand, then their next four for 61. SL's spinners failed to produce wickets through the middle overs and WI quicks were modest more..

Feb 25 (AD) Measures have been taken to deploy a new office train as a solution for the heavy traffic in Pilimatalawa-Kandy-Wattegama towns during the office hours. The inauguration ceremony was held yesterday (24) under the patronage of Central Provincial Governor, Attorney at Law Lalith U. Gamage. Addressing the event, the Governor stated that the relevant arrangements were made for the convenience of the public and as a solution to the traffic congestion in the city. more..

Feb 25 (CI) Sri Lanka have completed 38 ODIs since the start of 2018. In that time, how many individual centuries do you think Sri Lanka batsmen have racked up? The answer is six. Just half a dozen hundreds in a period of more than two years, which included a World Cup. Two of those hundreds went to Kusal Perera, and one each to Thisara Perera, Danushka Gunathilaka, Avishka Fernando and Angelo Mathews. more..

Feb 25 (TM) Sri Lanka�s bakery owners have decided to reduce the price of a loaf of bread (450g) by Rs 5 with effect from midnight tomorrow (Feb 26). Chairman of the All Island Bakery Owners� Association, K.N. Jayawardena said that the decision was taken to pass on the tax benefits introduced by the govt. �The govt scrapped the 2% Nation Building Tax (NBT) and reduced the Value-added Tax (VAT) from 15% to 8%.We intend to pass on this tax benefit to customers.� more..

Feb 25 (DM) Ceylon Teachers Union (CTU) said tomorrow its members would launch a countrywide work stoppage today as a protest against the absence of a favourable reply from the President and his failure to take action to pay an interim allowances until the salary anomalies were sorted out. CTU General Secretary Joseph Stalin said the Union had discussed this matter with the presidential secretary on February 14 and requested all teachers and principals to gather at more..

Feb 25 (MFA) Minister Dinesh Gunawardena who leads the Sri Lanka delegation to the 43rd Session of UNHRC arrived in Geneva a short while ago. The Minister is scheduled to address the High Level Segment of the Human Rights Council (HRC) on Wed 26 Feb, where he will formally inform the Council Members of the decision of the Govt of SL to withdraw its co-sponsorship of Resolution 40/1 of March 2019 on more..

Feb 26 (CT) The govt�s inability to obtain the support of the ethnic and religious minorities was visible in the outcome of the presidential election. The popular vote in districts in which the minority communities predominated went overwhelmingly to Prez Rajapaksa�s main challenger, Opposition leader Sajith Premadasa. At his swearing in ceremony, Prez Rajapaksa was straightforward enough to acknowledge this reality. He said he had been elected prez on the votes of ethnic majority. more..

Feb 26 (ST) The trio was at the gate having a �go� at Aldoris, the choon-paan karaya, and pulling his leg. �Aney miss, kaeme tikak ganna-ko (Miss, please buy some food),� he pleaded. �Issaravela oya kiyanna-ko corona virusaya gena monavada danne kiyala (First tell us what you know about the coronavirus),� cajoled Serapina, the youngest of the trio. �Aney miss, mama kisi deyak danne neha. Magey wede maalu paan ha banis viku-nana eka (I don�t know, my job is to sell maalu paan and buns),� more..

Feb 26 (SO) In April, the country will again head to the polls to elect MP�s for the ninth Parliament of Sri Lanka. As preparations are being made, a notion that only the educated must be given a ticket and be voted in has taken over the general populace. Various politicians have also expressed varying views on the topic. This week the Sunday Observer Face to Face segment sat down with the JVP MP Vijitha Herath to discuss more..

Feb 26 (DN) Disparities that arose among schools over time due to many reasons compelled parents to go in search of better schools for their children. Educational authorities using public examinations to direct clever students to the privileged schools, and also to select the best performers for the universities have brought about a highly examination-oriented system of school education in our country today. With the successes attained by students in traditional, knowledge-based public exams more..

Feb 26 (ST) A few years ago, a University research team was engaged in a research project in a remote village located on the river bank of the Deduru Oya in the North Western province. While they were conducting the project activities, they came across a prominent feature in that village: That there is an unusually large number of households without the mother/s who are working in Arab countries as housemaids. The families, which lost the care and protection of the mother, are left with more..

Feb 26 (SO) In April, the country will again head to the polls to elect MP�s for the ninth Parliament of SL. As preparations are being made, a notion that only the educated must be given a ticket and be voted in has taken over the general populace. Various politicians have also expressed varying views on the topic. This week the Sunday Observer Face to Face segment sat down with the General Secy of CP, DEW Gunasekara more..

Feb 26 (CT) The period followed by the Independence Day celebrations on 4 February, was marked by two significant events that etch an indelible mark on Sri Lanka's foreign policy frame. The first was the United States' announcement that Army Commander Lt. Gen. Shavendra Silva, who is the Commander of Defence Services, and his immediate family members would not be granted American visas. Instead of buckling down, the practice in the recent past, the Govt took more..

Feb 26 (CT) Most of our politicians are proven wolves in sheep's clothing, with predatory and conspiratory instincts. Politics was an elegant and evident man-made device decades ago, and politics is a science and the study of political activity and systems of govts, exploring peace, probity and progress, public anticipate. However, cherished prospects of growth, glory, grace and gallantry of politics & political science, could not be realised by many a State, thus defeating its sole more..