Jan 14 (ST) So how will this world end, with a big bang or a whimper? If we are to believe that Mad Don in the White House it will not end at all unless he nukes the entire planet to the strains of the Stars and Stripes. If this world had one more like Trump who blows his own trumpet at what he calls his military successes incinerating foes � and friends � from thousands of miles away, then it will ultimately be another big bang that blows us apart. Just last week the Washington Post reported more..

Jan 14 (TM) It has been some time since Sri Lankan politics had taken the look of a celluloid world unfolding in real life. However, it has never been more real than last week. The events that unfolded through the week were nothing short of something out of an action-packed movie. The week started with audio clips of telephone conversations between UNP MP Ranjan Ramanayake and many individuals ranging from senior members of judiciary to senior investigators in Police, senior politicians, more..

Jan 14 (TM) Gotabaya Rajapaksa administration has gone back to the 2005-2014 practice of appointing a host of near and dear ones to top govt posts, the latest in a series being the appointment of his schoolmate and Los Angeles neighbour Malraj De Silva. According to an advertisement calling for representations on ambassadors nominated to serve in SL missions overseas, published in the newspapers by more..

Jan 14 (CT) Customary 21-gun salute associated with the ceremonial inauguration of Parliament was done away on January 3, 2020, on the instructions of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa. He also arrived sans the customary ceremonial horse-mounted cavalry escorts. The country�s first non-political Head of State elected six weeks ago is taking simplicity to a new level. The Presidential decision to cancel the gun salute seems to have upset some, including Field Marshal Sarath Fonseka. more..

Jan 14 (Island) The agreement proposed to be signed between the Govt of Sri lanka and the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) of the US has drawn much national attention during the past few months. It is understood that the govt has presently undertaken a detailed and a comprehensive study of the proposal before deciding on its final response. However, despite the justifiable concern among the political, civil society groups and academics etc, the official text of more..

Jan 14 (GV) The indications are clear, as are the implications. Gotabaya Rajapaksa, elected on a Sinhala-Buddhist supremacist platform intends to rule as a Sinhala-Buddhist supremacist Prez. For the first time in Independent Ceylon/SL, we have a cabinet of ministers without a single Muslim member. Nor is there a Muslim amongst the 38 state/deputy ministers. Of the 54 cabinet and non-cabinet ministers, more..

Jan 14 (Island) Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa has offered to cooperate with the govt, where necessary, for the benefit of the public, while preparing UNP for the upcoming general election. There are many areas where the govt and the Opposition should cooperate, but the problem is that they try to undo severally what they do jointly in some rare moments of unity. 19th Amendment is a case in point. All the UPFA MPs who voted for it, in 2015, are now all out to abolish it. more..

Jan 14 (DN) Following are extracts from an interview conducted with Ven. Prof. Medagoda Abhayatissa Thera: �The work now being carried out by President Gotabaya Rajapaksa is satisfactory. We cannot judge him now. We have to do it after five years. Not even two months have passed since he came into power. He asked us to judge him after five years,� Ven. Prof. Medagoda Abhayatissa Thera said. �We did not sleep for five long years because of the fear of a proposed separatist Constitution. more..

Jan 14 (ST) Governor of CB, Prof. W.D. Lakshman, on Monday, presented the Road Map 2020 highlighting the monetary and financial sector policies for the year 2020 and beyond. Given the central banking objective of maintaining economic and price stability, the banking regulator has the mandate to implement monetary policies and financial sector policies to achieve this objective. Monetary policies are aimed at influencing interest rates & money stock (liquidity) in economy. more..

Jan 14 (Island) His first impression of flying was a deafening noise outside the school grounds. It was the mid 1920 and Sirimanne, the kindergartener, along with a bunch of other enthusiastic tots and teachers, ran outside to spy an aircraft pilot waving to them. He left school in 1938 and all but forgot about the inspiring encounter. D. Lionel Sirimanne took up a stenographer job with Carson & Co., Ltd. But he couldn't stay a stenographer for long, fate was calling him, or rather it was the war. more..

Jan 14 (FT) The stimulus packages put in place by the new Govt for various sectors are not sustainable, with the extra layer of spending adding to the already perilous state of the country�s public finances, well known economist Dr. Razeen Sally said. �The budget deficit and the current account deficit required an IMF bailout. The IMF conditions are being broken, which means another crisis is in the works. more..

Jan 14 (IC) Sri Lanka clinched a thrilling 15-run victory over South Africa at the Braamfischer Oval in Soweto in their opening warm-up assignment of the Under-19 World Cup on Sunday. After winning the toss and batting first, Sri Lanka�s Navod Paranavithana played an anchoring role as regular wickets fell around him. The opener smashed an impressive 12 fours and a six during his 64-ball 68, getting his side past the 100-run mark before falling in the 24th over. more..

Jan 14 (FT) Top economist Dr. Howard Nicholas will address business leaders today evening on the dynamics of global economy and their impact on Sri Lanka at a forum organised by the Daily FT and the Economic Training and Information Services (ETIS) Lanka with support from Allianz. Titled Sri Lanka�s New Beginnings� as global economic storm clouds gather, this invitees-only forum will be held at 4 p.m. at the Ramada Colombo. Among issues Dr. Nicholas, presently an Associate Professor at more..

Jan 14 (Island) Having sacked Lasith Malinga as SL�s ODI captain on the verge of Cricket World Cup last year, Chairman of Selectors Ashantha De Mel has indicated that the fast bowler�s T-20 captaincy was under the microscope after another humiliating series defeat in India. The series defeat meant that SL slipped behind Afghanistan to number 8 in official ICC Rankings and Malinga�s inability to bring the team together has been highlighted. more..

Jan 14 (ST) Disheartened by the step-motherly treatment they received at the recent South Asian Games in Kathmandu, the athletes have placed their grievances before Minister Dullas Alahapperuma at a recent meeting. They have vehemently criticised the officials�both from the Ministry of Sports and the National Olympic Committee (NOC) who enjoyed a fully paid joy ride in Nepal while neglecting the athletes. The minister met the SAG team on Jan 9 to hear their views as the govt is planning to more..

Jan 14 (DN) Fast bowler Suranga Lakmal returns to the Sri Lanka Test squad for the two-match series against Zimbabwe starting at Harare Sports Club on January 19 after missing out the last Test series in Pakistan in December having contracted dengue. Lakmal replaces young fast bowler Asitha Fernando who was named as replacement for Lakmal for the Pakistan tour. As Sri Lanka are taking only 15 players to Zimbabwe, wicket-keeper/batsman Kusal Perera finds himself out of the reckoning. more..

Jan 14 (TM) The colour coding requirement for solid and semisolid foods that came into effect recently will cost biscuit manufacturers of the country well over Rs. 1 billion. On 1 Jan, Ministry of Health, Nutrition, and Indigenous Medicine implemented a colour coding system to indicate sugar, salt, and fat levels in solid and semisolid foods. The new regulation came with a grace period of six months that ends on 31 June. more..

Jan 14 (DM) The UNP does not need a leadership council as most of its members want opposition leader Sajith Premadasa to take over party leadership, two UNP MPs said yesterday. UNP MP Harshana Rajakaruna told a press conference that Mr. Premadasa should be appointed the party leader according to the wishes of a majority of UNPers. �Mr. Premadasa assured that his intention was to unite all factions and to see that the UNP emerged victorious at the upcoming general elections. more..

Jan 14 (DN) SL economy has long been dependent on the exports of garments, traditional products and labor and it is time that SL move away from this and look at new areas of export, said SL diplomat and former Permanent Representative of SL to the UN, Palitha Kohona. He said that it was pleasing to note the shift towards ICT exports and this is a step taken in the right direction. Under the new govt�s series of concessions and tax incentives are offered and I think entrepreneurs should look at more..

Jan 14 (EN) A mafia or oligarchy of maize collectors who have been pushing the govt to restrict trade in the grain have been making profits squeezing poultry farmers with high prices, a poultry farmer group has complained. SL slapped an import ban on maize and groundnuts (peanuts) ahead of better harvests expected in the upcoming Maha season. Trade in maize is controlled to give higher profits to farmers, but small poultry farmers more..

Jan 14 (TM) Fuel prices in Sri Lanka are unlikely to be increased as tensions between Iran and the US eased over the course of the past week, helping world oil prices stabilise after a panic-induced sharp spike. Following the killing of Iranian Major General Qasem Soleimani of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps on 3 Jan, prices of oil rose considerably from it levels on 31 Dec. Oil prices reached their highest since 31 Dec on 6 January, a day before Soleimani�s burial. more..

Jan 14 (Island) Human rights, rule of law and democracy are core values of the European Union (EU). Sustainable peace and stability, long-term development and prosperity cannot exist without respect for human rights and democratic institutions. The European Union actively promotes and defends these values and principles both within its borders and when engaging in relations with external countries. At the occasion of the International Human Rights' Day, the EU Delegation to SL more..

Jan 14 (FT) Foreign investor interest is back in Sri Lanka and last week�s mega deal worth Rs. 22.7 billion on premier blue chip John Keells Holdings (JKH) is being flagged off as a big boost. Consultant to the broker to the deal CT CLSA Securities Marianne Page confirmed that several foreign investors were keen on buying into JKH though the 10.7% stake was snapped up by Citigroup Global Markets, Agency Trading Prop Securities A/C. more..

Jan 14 (Island) The majority of UNP MPs would thwart further attempts to deny party leadership to Opposition leader, Sajith Premadasa, UNP MP Harshana Rajakaruna said answering a question posed by a journalist. "There is no point in appointing leadership councils. We already have very little time till the coming general election and the current party leadership must immediately make Premadasa the UNP leader. I hope that this decision will be taken by the party on Thursday," more..

Jan 14 (CT) Sri Lanka Tourism closed 2019 on a resilient note, achieving its revised target for arrivals and earnings, although the tragic Easter Sunday attack shattered hopes of finally reaching the original 2.5 million-visitor target. According to the Central Bank of Sri Lanka, earnings from tourism slipped 18 per cent year-onyear to US$ 3.6 billion during 2019, slightly above the revised target of US$ 3.5 billion, but down from US$ 4.4 billion received a year earlier. more..

Jan 14 (FT) Prez Gotabaya Rajapaksa has instructed the Consumers Affairs Authority and Inland Revenue Department to closely monitor whether the businesses are passing on the benefits of recent tax cuts to the people. The move follows the Presidential Secretariat continuing to receive complaints from the general public as well as reports from both print and electronic media that the tax benefits particularly from the reduction of VAT more..

Jan 14 (ST) Although not a life threatening condition, acne can be upsetting and disfiguring while treatments can be complex and costly. But not anymore, thanks to eTreatMD, an eHealth technology start-up based in Vancouver founded by Sri Lankans which transforms smartphones into medical imaging devices. Fresh from receiving a Canadian Govt Grant for its Acne App which can tell what type of skin one has to how it should be treated, eTreatMD is gearing already more..

Jan 14 (UP) The third meeting of the Russian-Sri Lankan intergovernmental commission on trade and economic cooperation will be held in Moscow in the second half of the year, the Russian Foreign Ministry said on Monday ahead of Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov's visit to the South Asian country. Lavrov will hold talks with SL's Prez, PM and foreign minister on Tuesday. "Russia-SL intergovernmental commission on trade and economic and scientific and technical cooperation is aimed at promoting more..

Jan 14 (AD) Another controversial recording in the series of tapes containing the controversial telephone conversations between MP Ranjan Ramanayake and several other influential figures came to light today (13). This conversation takes place with the judicial interpreter of Kandy Magistrate�s Court. Releasing the audio tapes, Sinhale organization filed yet another complaint with the Judicial Service Commission, more..

Jan 14 (DM) On the invitation of his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi, PM Mahinda Rajapaksa will undertake his first official visit to India next month. During his two-day official visit, PM will be accompanied by a limited number of delegates in keeping with his and Prez Gotabaya Rajapaksa�s policy of undertaking foreign tours to that effect. PM will visit New Delhi to hold cordial discussions with his Indian counterpart over a wide range of issues and later depart to Varanasi and Tirupati. more..

Jan 14 (CT) Minister Prasanna Ranatunga has instructed Ministry officials to expedite the resumption of flights and other operations at the Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport. Accordingly, the Minister has instructed the Airport and Aviation Services Authority to first resume the airline operations of the national carrier, SriLankan Airlines, at the Mattala Airport, and in the meantime, negotiate with other international airlines to bring their flights to Mattala. more..

Jan 14 (FT) China this week will reinforce its support to Sri Lanka with its Foreign Minister Wang Yi due today in Sri Lanka in his first official overseas visit in 2020 reassuring the Govt at top level meetings. State Councillor and top diplomat in the global arena Wang is scheduled to meet Prez, PM and Foreign Minister. His visit is the highest level interaction so far after Sri Lanka elected its new Prez and Govt. more..

Jan 14 (FT) Japan yesterday declared that it would take steps to further strengthen longstanding bilateral relations with Sri Lanka. This assurance was given by the visiting Japanese State Minister for Regional Revitalisation Kozo Yamamoto when he paid a courtesy call on President Gotabaya Rajapaksa. �Sri Lanka has a secure and stable Govt. The economy is also progressing. In this context, a conducive investment environment has been created in SL for Japanese investors,� more..

Jan 14 (FT) The Port City Colombo has successfully achieved 12 million safe work hours with zero accidents, according to the 2018-2019 Social Responsibility Report of Port City Colombo, launched at a ceremony on Monday (13). This is the first Social Responsibility Report released by the Port City Colombo by its parent company China Communications Construction Company (CCCC). The report documents the company�s commitment to the communities, employees, customers and more..

Jan 14 (EN) Prez Gotabaya Rajapaksa has called for a target based plan to drive tourism revenue to US$ 10 billion by 2025, his office said, promising to cut un-necessary regulatory barriers that stand in the way of expansion of the sector. Prez Rajapaksa had met Minissters Prasanna Ranatunga, Arundika Fernando and officials including the Secretary to the Ministry of Tourism and Civil Aviation S M Mohomad, more..

Jan 14 (DM) Higher Education Minister Dr. Bandula Gunawardane has said that the govt would monitor and regularise the private institutions that send SL students to foreign universities. He had said this on Sunday after visiting the home of one of the three female students who had died in Azerbaijan due to suffocation while pursuing higher studies at a university in that country. Although it is not clear whether the Minister�s statement had anything to do with the deaths of the students in Azerbaijan, more..

Jan 14 (DM) �I was overjoyed when I got selected to the university. It was a dream I had since my childhood. My parents were really happy and proud of me as well. The only problem I had about starting university was my fear of ragging. I had heard so many stories of university ragging and how brutal it could be.� This is an account shared by a second year university student, recalling her memories after getting selected to a state university in Sri Lanka. Her fear of ragging is something very tangible more..

Jan 14 (DM) MP Namal Rajapaksa said the new SLPP govet would continue to call for the extradition of Arjuna Mahendran over the Bond Scam and would ensure that no one interfered with the judiciary or the law enforcement to conduct a thorough probe into the matter, as done by the previous UNF govt. He further said the leaked telephone conversations of MP Ranjan Ramanayaka had rocked the nation and had disrupted more..

Jan 14 (EN) Sri Lanka�s state-run Ceylon Electricity Board is in a deep financial crisis, the power ministry has said as the utility is going all out to avoid power cuts and buy at least 200 MegaWatts of short term capacity. Sri Lanka is entering the driest period of the year, in the first quarter, with Power Minister Mahinda Amaraweera warning that there could be power cuts in March, as inter-monsoonal rains are not expected until April. more..