Jan 18 (Island) Asian Marketing Federation (AMF) has re-appointed Rohan Somawansa for the second time as its President, while two other prominent corporate personalities, Pradeep Edward and Ruwan Liyanagamage were appointed Secretaries General at the recently concluded Annual General Meeting held in Taiwan. The First Vice President and Second Vice President seats were allocated to Boojong Kim and Jack Yao of Korea and China, respectively. Pradeep Edward is more..

Jan 18 (FT) Govt lifted a ban on civilian drone operations, which was imposed in the aftermath of the Easter Sunday bombings in April last year. Govt halted civilian drone and aviation operations after the attack citing security concerns. Domestic aviation operations were given the green light a few months after the bombing but the ban on drone operations remained. Commercial unmanned aerial systems (UAS), commonly known as more..

Jan 18 (ST) Janul de Silva of Royal College won recognition for his school and for Sri Lanka after emerging as the first runner-up at the 14th World English Scrabble Players� Association (WESPA) Youth Cup held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Tarin Pairor from Thailand emerged as the Champion while Yash Potnis from India emerged as the second runner-up in this tournament where 190 players from 18 countries including USA, UK, Australia and Hong Kong battled it out over 23 rounds. more..

Jan 18 (Island) Reiterating its pledge in leading Sri Lanka towards an info com and knowledge rich society, Mobitel has partnered with CareerMe, a fully-fledged career guidance app and web platform developed by a local company in partnership with an Australian body, to aid students, teachers, parents and other industry professionals alike to obtain career guidance. The free career guidance mobile app is a first of its kind in Sri Lanka and hosts free, interactive online career tools more..

Jan 18 (DM) Referring to the video footage circulating on social media, where an elephant was allegedly slapped with sticks by the keeper at Bellanwila Temple in Colombo, a spokesman of the temple told Daily Mirror that it was an incident which had been exaggerated by the so called media sites, which had received false information from NGOs. �Anybody, who wishes to see how the elephant is treated, is welcomed to visit the temple,� more..

Jan 18 (DN) Nine regulations under the Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Act including the prohibition on disposal of industrial or domestic effluent directly or indirectly in SL waters will be taken up for debate in Parliament on Jan 21. These regulations include a number of directives to protect fish and aquatic resources in SL waters. �Accordingly, regulations relating to the disposal of any pollutant, waste or foreign matter and fill or reclaim the sea areas in a manner causing destruction to fish and more..

Jan 18 (Island) Most of the UNP MPs believe that Ranil Wickremesinghe should quit the party leadership, MP Ajith P. Perera said. He was commenting on the fact that 52 UNP MPs had supported the appointment of MP Sajith Premadasa as the UNP leader, on Thursday. The party MPs met on Thursday to discuss the leadership issue, at Siri Kotha. When an informal vote was taken 52 MPs including Sajith present had voted in favour of appointing Premadasa, Perera said. more..

Jan 18 (FT) The SLFP decided remove former President Chandrika Kumaratunga from the post of Organiser for the Attanagalle Electorate. General Secretary Dayasiri Jayasekara said the decision was taken at the party�s Central Committee and politi bureau meeting held on Thursday night. State Minister Lasantha Alagiyawanna was appointed as the Acting SLFP Organiser for Attanagalle, he said. more..

Jan 18 (AD) President of the Court of Appeal Yasantha Kodagoda PC has been recommended to be appointed to the Supreme Court. It is reported that Prez Rajapaksa has sent recommendations to the Constitutional Council. President�s Counsel (PC) Yasantha Kodagoda was appointed the President of Appeals Court on the 28th of March last year. Prez has recommended Mr. Kodagoda to the SC to fill the position vacated by the demise of SC Justice Prasanna Jayawardena. more..

Jan 18 (Island) Debt Conciliation Board should take steps to ensure that loan sharks and other elements that exploited the poor were stopped in their tracks, Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva said, yesterday, at an event to hand over appointment letters to 12 new members to the Board. With this the number of members in the Debt Conciliation Board was increased to 17. Earlier the number of members was five. That step was taken to expedite the cases being heard and assist people. more..

Jan 18 (DN) Prez Gotabaya Rajapaksa yesterday directed that the Lak Vijaya Power Plant in Norochcholai, the country�s biggest contributor to the national power grid, should be operated strictly according to proper technical procedures and environmental standards in order to avoid or minimise its impact on the local environment and surrounding communities. Prez issued this directive at a special meeting more..

Jan 18 (DN) Minister Bandula Gunawardena has decided to begin SL�s biggest high-tech university in Sooriyawewa, Hambantota this year. This university will be set up with the investment of local and foreign investors. New study courses including Information Technology, Engineering Technology and Robotic engineering will also be introduced at this university, Minister said. He made this decision during an inspection tour of the land in Sooriyawewa which was earmarked for an IT park more..

Jan 18 (AD) One person was killed while another two including a child were critically injured in a road accident involving a motorcycle and Minister S.M. Chandrasena�s vehicle at Kahatagasdigiliya. The accident had occurred in the Ranpathwila area in the Kahatagasdigiliya police division along the Puttalam-Trincomalee road at around 7.35 p.m. last night. A luxury SUV, in which the Minister had been traveling towards Anuradhapura, had collided head-on with a motorcycle. more..

Jan 18 (CT) Despite a majority of UNPers wanting Ranil Wickremesinghe to step down as Party Leader, he has decided to remain till the conclusion of his term, which is due to end in 2025, citing individuals he had contacted as wanting him to stick on as leader. In stark contrast, UNF MP Dr. Harsha de Silva told a Media briefing at the Opposition Leader's Office, that Wickremesinghe refused to step down as Party Leader. more..

Jan 18 (DM) The widely respected British naturalist Sir David Attenborough said yesterday it was palpable nonsense to suggest that Australia�s bushfire crisis had nothing to do with climate change as he warned the moment of crisis has arrived. In an interview with the BBC, the 93-year-old Sir David made the direct link between the ongoing bushfires and climate change. �As I speak, south-east Australia is on fire. Why? Because the temperatures of the Earth are increasing,� he said. more..

Jan 18 (DM) We now have a strict disciplinarian as our President. It is unlikely that the presidential form of governance would be abolished. Setting up an Upper House to prevent or delay hasty legislation and having a restricted number of ministers would never happen. The Cabinet of Ministers is welcome, but non-Cabinet Ministers specialising in particular fields of engagement are vital. We could have 25 such junior ministers with lesser salaries thereby saving a lot of expenses. more..

Jan 18 (DM) The remains of three Sri Lankans who studied at the Western Caspian University (WCU) in Azerbaijan � who died on Jan 9 due to toxic suffocation after a fire broke out in the building they occupied at Baku � were repatriated on Jan 15 with the assistance of the Foreign Affairs Ministry. The victims were Hansi Madhubashini (25) of Pahala Bomiriya in Kaduwela and sisters Malsha Sandeepani (23) and Tharuki Amaya (21) more..

Jan 18 (ST) The spillover effect of the liquidity crisis in the Ceylinco group with the collapse of Golden Key Company 11 years ago in 2008, is now being felt by the 80 year-old, The Finance Company (TFC), after crossing Rs.25 billion mark in public deposits. TFC has called expressions of interest for potential investors to inject Rs. 25 billion in capital to the collapsed firm. The company in a market disclosure said its board on Dec 31 decided more..

Jan 18 (ST) A persisting shortage of fertiliser is set to reduce paddy and vegetable harvests, threatening food supplies and farming incomes. Prime agricultural areas such as Dambulla have been experiencing a shortage of fertiliser for the past three months and this is expected to continue for at least another month. Farmers visiting Dambulla regional fertiliser stores were seen being issued with only 2 bags of fertiliser from a stock of 200 more..

Jan 18 (DN) The Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF), which contributed in a major way to the Humanitarian Operation has a wealth of experience in combating airborne terrorist activities more than any other Air Force in the world, PM Mahinda Rajapaksa said. The PM was speaking at the awarding of commission and flying brevets to officers and Cadet Officers of the Sri Lanka Air Force at China Bay, Trincomalee yesterday (17). more..

Jan 18 (DM) Govt, which lifted the ban on civilian drones, yesterday, is to introduce new regulations on drone operations, which was banned in the aftermath of the Easter Sunday attack in mid-April, last year. Following the instructions of Prez, Defence Secretary Maj.Gen. (Retd) Kamal Gunaratne has issued directives to relevant authorities to lift the ban imposed on drone operations to the pre 21 April, 2019 more..

Jan 18 (CI) The last time these two teams met, Zimbabwe gave Sri Lanka an almighty scare. Craig Ervine and Sikandar Raza struck hundreds, captain Graeme Cremer took nine wickets, and Sri Lanka were made to chase 388 for victory at Khettarama. Had a very tight stumping decision gone Zimbabwe's way in the back end of that chase, the visitors would have been headed towards an upset. more..

Jan 18 (FT) The Inland Revenue Department yesterday estimated the beneficial changes made to the VAT to be Rs. 143 billion and urged the trade and business community to pass it on consumers. �We estimate Rs. 143 billion in loss of revenue from the reduction of VAT from 15% to 8% and increasing the threshold for this tax to Rs. 75 million per quarter from Rs. 3 million. We want this benefit to be shared with consumers more..

Jan 18 (AD) The Health Ministry has cautioned Sri Lankans to be vigilant of the warnings that are issued by the WHO of a new coronavirus which originated in China. Necessary measures will be taken duly in case of a wider outbreak, the Health Ministry assured. According to the WHO�s statement, on the 8th of January, a person from Wuhan, China, who was traveling in Thailand had been diagnosed with novel coronavirus by Thai officials. more..

Jan 18 (ST) Colombo Port City has become an example of how even investors with the direct backing of a powerful Govt can fall victim to the vagaries of SL policymaking. Red tape, changes in administration, geopolitics, shifting goalposts and local sensitivities are just some of the challenges the project has faced since it was launched. Land reclamation was completed in January last year, adding 269 hectares to country�s landmass. more..

Jan 18 (PMD) Meeting President Gotabaya Rajapaksa today (17) at the Presidential Secretariat, UN Resident Coordinator Hanna Singer responded positively to his commitment to sustainable development. The discussions among other concerns included poverty alleviation, climate control, digitizing govt offices, addressing missing persons and better management of refugees. �Poverty alleviation is my main concern,� more..

Jan 19 (TM) The grapevine has it that the presidential proclamation calling for the general election will be issued on 2 March � six weeks from now. Ideally, the main political actors, namely the two most prominent parties, should by now be well primed to face the poll. However, the reality is the opposite. The two parties that have alternatively ruled this country since Independence are effectively in tatters, struggling for survival, thanks to the tectonic shift brought about by more..

Jan 19 (CT) History was in the making in SL last week. Representatives of three global superpowers were in Colombo for talks with Lankan officials, and met Prez Gotabaya Rajapaksa within a single day. Chinese State Councillor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi met both Prez Rajapaksa and PM Rajapaksa, on separate occasions and both sides pledged to further promote relations between the two countries. Prez Rajapaksa, expressing gratitude to China for its support for socio-economic development, more..

Jan 19 (CT) While students in urban schools engage in the daily battle of remembering their lessons to face examinations properly, students at Elahera junior school in Bakamuna fight an additional battle for survival - a battle to keep themselves and their books dry when the monsoon season strikes. Bakamuna Elahara Vidyalaya is not an ordinary school in the North Central Province. With 360 students studying up to Grade 11, more..

Jan 19 (TM) India�s NSA meets President for one-on-one meet after US, Russian, and Chinese envoys UNF leaders to form alliance under Premadasa for polls; crucial meetings this weekend. Sri Lanka has once again become a focal point amongst global powers with last week being one of the busiest weeks for Prez Gotabaya Rajapaksa when it comes to holding high-level discussions with senior members of the international community. However, the most important meeting took place more..

Jan 19 (Island) The recent crash of a Chinese-built Y-12 twin engine turboprop aircraft flying from the Wirawila airbase to Ratmalana is currently being investigated by a Court of Inquiry appointed by the Air Force Commander. Although the crash occurred on Jan 3, there has yet been no news on what the investigation has revealed. Given that the Court was required to report within a month, but may request an extension if so required, nobody can complain about the time the investigation is taking. more..

Jan 19 (CT) Sri Lanka records a history of many smuggling activities in the dark web of the underground economy. The incident where around 100 star tortoises which were to be exported illegally being seized by the Pallama Police Station last month marked the most recent smuggling of wildlife until last Monday, where a Chinese passenger was caught by Customs trying to smuggle around 200 live venomous scorpions more..

Jan 19 (Island) As actor turned politician Ranjan Ramanayake�s recorded phone conversations sent shock waves through society over the past couple of weeks, the conversations that came in for the most scrutiny were those between the actor-politician and a former HC judge Padmini Ranawaka, who is heard importuning Ramanayake for a promotion to the Appeal Court. Among the reasons she mentions as to why the yahapalana govt should grant her that promotion is the verdict she returned in the more..

Jan 19 (ST) My dear Satellite, It has been a long time since I wrote to you last but I thought I must write to you after hearing that you have been removed as from the Blue party organiser for Attanagalla, the electorate which the B family dominated for decades. You may be shocked at this turn of events but surely, you are not surprised. The crime you committed to deserve this fate was to support Sajith at the last big race, or so they say. Ironically, the decision has been made with more..

Jan 19 (ST) It was just too good to be true. The Presidential announcement that a committee would select the right man or woman for the right job was, no doubt, taken with a pinch of salt by those who had heard this refrain before. The previous Govt, in fact, said about the same thing when it took office back in 2015. It said state sector top jobs would be selected on a scientific basis. The highfalutin pronouncement came crashing down not long after it was made when the Ports Minister appointed more..

Jan 19 (SO) We all know what a university students� protest used to look like: hordes of placard-carrying students pushing against road barriers and Riot Police, with Police resorting to the use of water cannons and tear gas. Some students are beaten while others are arrested. In the meantime, there is chaos on the roads as many of them are closed and traffic builds up everywhere in the city. Pedestrians and bystanders are caught in the �crossfire� so to speak, as students run helter skelter. more..

Jan 19 (SO) The crisis in the main opposition UNP shows no sign of ending after a meeting of the party's Parliamentary Group ended in a ridiculous vote to choose a new party leader. UNP Parliamentary Group meeting which was held last Thursday at Sirikotha ended abruptly without a decision as to who would become the next leader of the party. Some members wanted a vote to decide on the leadership but several including more..

Jan 19 (ST) Sri Lanka will meet defending champions India today in their opening game of the U19 World Cup at the Mangaung Oval, Bloemfontein in South Africa. Sri Lanka, India, New Zealand and newcomers Japan are in group �A� while Australia, England, West Indies and Nigeria are in group �B�. In group �C� Pakistan, Bangladesh Zimbabwe and Scotland battle it out while hosts South Africa, Afghanistan, UAE and Canada are in group �D� for the league round. more..

Jan 19 (ST) A youth was electrocuted while attending to a vehicle at a service station in Maligawatte, Colombo, coroner�s court inquiry was told. Victim Maradan Yogaraja (27) was washing a car with an electric high pressure water gun, when the tragedy happened. Service station mechanic S Somaraja told the coroner that he heard someone shouting near the servicing area. He said he saw a car on a hoist and Yogaraja lying underneath with the high pressure water gun on top of him. more..