Jul 17 (CT) The Tamil National Alliance (TNA) was formed in 2001. At its inception, it was an umbrella organization consisting of the Tamil United Liberation Front (TULF), the All Ceylon Tamil Congress (ACTC), the Tamil Eelam Liberation Organization (TELO), and the Eelam People�s Revolutionary Liberation Front (EPRLF). The organization was a Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) creation. Since it was an LTTE creation, the party supported the LTTE and took orders from the LTTE. more..

Jul 17 (CT) The containment of Covid spread in SL relative to other countries, including its immediate neigbours, had put the govt on a strong footing to face the general elections on Aug 5. Since the curfew and lockdowns ended in mid-May there has been a major relaxation of tension within the country regarding the Covid virus. Even govt leaders began to take the matter lightly, as evidenced in the funeral arrangements for a former minister which saw tens of thousands of his party supporters more..

Jul 17 (DM) Harshana Nanayakkara is an outspoken lawyer and campaigner for democracy representing the National People�s Power (NPP) for the Colombo District at the upcoming parliamentary elections. The NPP, affiliated to the JVP, is promising a policy-based programme to address the current needs of the people. Nanayakkara spoke to the Daily Mirror on the NPP perspective and other social, economic and political issues. more..

Jul 17 (DM) In Sri Lanka it seems like people do get many lifelines. Just the other day cricket writer Andrew Fidel Fernando won the 2019 Gratien Award for a travelogue; for the record it was not for his cricket writing. We all know that this country is starved of cricket activity due to the present pandemic. When the rest of the world is battling against the COVID-19 threats Sri Lanka remains as one of the countries with the lowest death rates connected to the COVID-19. more..

Jul 17 (DM) There is no difference in essence between the politics and particularly the election campaigns of majority Sinhalese politicians and minority Tamil and Muslim politicians. No political party, be it majority or minority, has any programme for the economic or social development of the people of the country as a whole or the community they claim to represent. But every party has something to sell during elections, which they call services to the people, despite more..

Jul 17 (ST) He has just won the 2019 Gratiaen for his first book, but Andrew Fidel Fernando at 31, has a long established writing career following doosras and bouncers. What launched the cricket writer for ESPN into the literary orbit was probably the pithiest modern biography of the island in recent times Upon a Sleepless Isle: Travels in Sri Lanka by Bus, Cycle and Trishaw. At the beginning of this travelogue, more..

Jul 17 (CT) In the backdrop of New Navy Commander Vice Admiral Nishantha Sirisoma Ulugetenne assuming duties, Army Commander Lt. Gen Shavendra Silva has announced that the Tri-Forces would be deployed in the Northern waters to prevent the Indian fishermen infiltrating into the SL waters. Indian fishermen from the South Indian coastal areas enter the Palk Straits breaching the International Maritime Border Line (IMBL) between Sri Lanka and India and sail up to even more..

Jul 17 (DN) On one hand the leaders of the three main opposition parties accuse President Gotabaya Rajapaksa of taking the country towards authoritarian rule by dissolving Parliament, governing by decree and delaying the convening of Parliament. On the other hand they take the convenience of COVID19 pandemic to call for postponement of the General Election now rescheduled for Aug 5. Presidential Election of Nov 2019, has given the country a stable, more..

Jul 17 (Island) Desertions from his party may be worrying former PM and UNP leader Ranil Wickremesinghe, but two things will not desert him�his quirky sense of humour and rapier wit. He, once, got up while Wimal Weerawansa was venting his spleen at him, in Parliament, and mischievously asked the Chair whether the author of The Old man and the sea was Ernest Hemingway or Guy de Maupassant. An embarrassed Wimal went ballistic again; (he had mistakenly referred to more..

Jul 17 (Island) Even though I may not agree with some of the sentiments expressed, it was so refreshing to read the interesting piece by Dr. Sarath Gamini de Silva on Literacy, Democracy and the Role of Intellectuals. He used to be a regular contributor and it is heartening that he has returned, after a prolonged period of silence, with this thought-provoking piece. He would be least surprised that I have disagreements because our perceptions on matters political are from differing angles. more..

Jul 17 (CT) The latest Kandakadu COVID-19 cluster is mushrooming fast and health authorities have warned this cluster could be bigger and fast spreading than the Navy cluster that has remained the largest so far in the country. Up until an inmate taken to Welikada Prison from Kandakadu Drug Prevention, Treatment and Rehabilitation Centre being tested positive for COVID -19, there were no cases reported for 70 days, more..

Jul 17 (CT) It is reliably learnt that Dialog Axiata is slated to continue with the three-year sponsorship of the national cricket team covering the period 2020-2023. Dialog Axiata and ITW (an Indian firm), had been engaged in a close tussle to obtain the three-year sponsorship of Dimuth Karunaratna�s side. Apparently, Dialog Axiata had submitted a substantial bid over and above the Indian firm, forcing the officials to grant the sponsorship contract to the local telecommunication giant. more..

Jul 17 (TM) The Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority (SLTDA) plans to incentivise the local informal tourism sector, which currently constitutes the major portion of the industry, towards formalisation using the Covid-19 relief measures. According to SLTDA Director General Dhammika Wijesinghe, they plan on using the relief measures together with relaxed licensing regulations to attract the informal accommodation segment and travel agencies towards registering with the SLTDA. more..

Jul 17 (ST) The role of a quality opening batsman has become an important aspect in world cricket during the past three decades. SL has been struggling to find a consistent opening combination in Test cricket ever since the departure of the formidable opening pair of Jayasuriya and Atapattu. This is a story of an underrated opening batsman who was failed to do justice to his talents and potential he showed early in his career. more..

Jul 17 (Island) Cassandra�s hearing and sight senses have been assailed this last week by pictures of campaign meetings and candidates� advertisements, more in the electronic media than the print. She is surprised, though the ad is flashed across the TV screen several times during each day, when she sees young Amunugama contesting a Kandy seat greeting his leader, Mahinda Rajapaksa, by first sniffing his shirt shoulder and then planting a kiss or close cheek�to-cheek contact on more..

Jul 17 (DN) The Ministry of Sport (MOS) granted the final deadline to hold respective Annual General Meetings (AGM) of all sports bodies on or before August 31, this was confirmed by the K.D.S. Ruwan Chandra, Secretary, Ministry of Sports and Youth Affairs, speaking to Daily News yesterday. The initial deadline for these bodies was dated May 31, but due to the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic, MOS decided to grant an extension to be fair by these sports bodies until end of August. more..

Jul 17 (Island) Former Sports Minister Mahindananda Aluthgamage�s sensational match fixing claims are set to boomerang on him as three former Test captains are expected to lodge a complaint with Police Sports Investigation Unit shortly. SL became the first Asian nation to pass legislation relating corruption in sports. Hence, a special police team � Sports Investigation Unit attached to the Sports Ministry is responsible more..

Jul 17 (Island) Coaches working closely with junior athletes highlighted the need to have a system in place to develop key physical skills of young athletes and monitoring junior coaches in the wake of Education Ministry decision to scrap competitions for lower age categories from 2021. From 2021 there will not be competitive sports for Under-13 and age categories below that according to Ministry of Education officials. Instead the ministry will promote carnival type activities to keep the interest in more..

Jul 17 (DN) The SL Wushu Federation (SLWF) is planning to field a nine-member contingent for the 10th Asian Wushu Championships which will be staged from Nov 2 to 9 in New Delhi, India. SLWF has already convened the National Pool comprising 56 players in Sanda and Taolu categories in preparation for this event under the guidance of Coaches Ruchira Bodinayake and Kapila Sabapathi. Top competitors from over 40 countries are expected to participate in Asian Wushu C'ships more..

Jul 17 (Island) Bar Association of Sri Lanka (BASL) revealed that unscrupulous persons practised law without being qualified as an attorney-at-law of the Supreme Court. BASL, in a statement, issued by its President Kalinga Indatissa, PC and Secretary Rajeev Amarasuriya warned legal action against them. Following is the full text of the BASL statement: "It has been brought to the notice of the Bar Association of SL that there more..

Jul 17 (Ti) SAGT, a Public Private Partnership container terminal in Sri Lanka, has become the first terminal in the country to adopt the blockchain technology by collaborating with TradeLens. TradeLens is a digital platform jointly developed by A.P. Moller � Maersk and IBM. Its aim is to provide visibility across the supply chain, from booking to clearance to payments and includes integrations with more than 110 ports and terminals, more than 15 customs authorities around the world and more..

Jul 17 (MFA) Lessons learnt from the COVID-19 pandemic period must be utilized to have a positive effect on TVET skills development and life-long learning, and these new solutions for teaching and learning could bring the much needed innovation to education and training systems particularly in the developing world, observed Minister of Foreign, Skills Development, Employment & Labour Dinesh Gunawardena at the opening of the commemoration event of the World Youth Skills Day 2020. more..

Jul 17 (FT) PM Mahinda Rajapaksa dismissed fears of a second wave of COVID-19 infections sweeping the country, attributing them to statements made at party rallies to gain political mileage during the Parliamentary Election campaign. Rajapaksa, meeting with the editors of newspapers and other media houses, emphasised that there was no second wave and that the health officials had all agreed on this point. more..

Jul 17 (Island) World Vision partnered with Women�s Chamber for Digital Sri Lanka to uplift digital literacy and skills among 240 students, unemployed youth and women entrepreneurs from four districts. The programme conducted in Nuwara Eliya, Puttalam, Batticaloa and Jaffna districts will provide career guidance, ICT training and internship in IT firms and help them enter a digital economy. Women�s Chamber for Digital Sri Lanka is a social mission association which aims to empower women more..

Jul 17 (FT) Expressing confidence in getting a two-third majority at the forthcoming General Election, SLPP yesterday ruled out the possibility of forming a national govt to make expected constitutional amendments. Speaking to reporters, former MP Susil Premajayantha said that the SLPP had worked with a plan to win sufficient seats at the election, therefore they would not need to form a national govt to find sufficient seats to pass expected Constitutional changes. more..

Jul 17 (FT) The UNP yesterday placed emphasis on reviving the COVID-19-hit economy as they launched the party manifesto for the upcoming General Election, pledging to establish an Enterprise Support Scheme, set up new investment zones, and protect businesses from virus-related bankruptcies. Speaking at the manifesto launch, UNP Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe stated that SL needed to manage the COVID-19 virus while more..

Jul 17 (AD) Surging consumer demand for online retail in a post-COVID Sri Lanka has led to a rapid increase in enterprises signing on with HNB AppiGo, a revolutionary platform that facilitates businesses with end-to-end e-commerce capabilities. Launching with an initial 15 retail partners during the height of the COVID lockdown in mid-April, AppiGo has since gathered rapid momentum, with over 70+ merchants having come on-board to establish personalised e-commerce enabled websites. more..

Jul 17 (DN) Health guidelines for holding the General Election 2020 will be gazetted in the next two days, Health Minister Pavithra Wanniarachchi said. Minister Wanniarachchi said the health guidelines connected with the holding of the election will be gazetted after the Attorney General and the Legal Draftsman�s advice. The Health Ministry handed over the health guidelines in connection with the General Election to the Election Commission on June 3. more..

Jul 17 (CT) Edirisinghe Trust Investment (ETI) Finance Ltd had paid bribes amounting to Rs. 113.8 million to high ranking officials at regulatory agencies and several other high profile individuals to cover up the fact that they had Rs 8.6 billion in hidden accounts, a Central Bank (CBSL) official attached to the Financial Intelligence Unit of SL revealed. Testifying before the PCoI to investigate alleged wrongdoings, irregularities more..

Jul 17 (TM) Sri Lanka needs quarantine centres that can accommodate more than 500 people each, as a number of SL expatriates waiting to return to the island need to be accommodated, according to Military Spokesman Brig. Chandana Wickramasinghe. Sri Lanka has quarantine centres with the capacity to accommodate the local cases, but in future, once Sri Lankan expatriates return, more such centres would be required. According to Wickramasinghe, at present, more..

Jul 17 (DM) A special operation will be launched from tomorrow (17) to identify vehicles for illegal parking as well as for parking on pavements, DIG Ajith Rohana said. He said police will tow away such vehicles including motorcycles that are parked on pavements or blocking roads. DIG Rohana said the motorist will have to pay towing charges. �Legal action will be taken on incidents of illegal parking in which a person could be fined Rs. 50,000 or imprisoned after being produced in courts,� more..

Jul 17 (CT) The 2015 CB Bonds scam is being investigated under the Offences against Money Laundering Act, Deputy Solicitor General Haripriya Jayasundara informed Colombo Chief Magistrate Lanka Jayaratna yesterday. Owner of primary dealer Perpetual Treasuries Limited (PTL), Arjun Aloysius, CEO Kasun Palisena and Directors, Geoffrey Aloysius, Puspamithra Gunaratna, Ranjan Hulugalla, Muthuraja more..

Jul 17 (DM) The request made by students of SL Law College to get their exams postponed due to the country�s present COVID-19 situation has been turned down by the higher authorities, it is alleged. The scheduled Law College exams are to be held from Monday, July 20 till mid- August and most of the students who are travelling from outstations have raised concern following the spreading of coronavirus. Law College Principal Indira Samarasinghe PC, when contacted, more..

Jul 17 (AD) Police said that six individuals including 03 females have been arrested in connection with the tense situation in front of the Angulana Police Station. These suspects were arrested this evening for unruly behavior and damaging public property. A tense situation had been reported in front of the Angulana Police Station earlier today as police had to resort to using teargas in order to disperse an angry mob of villagers protesting and hurling stones at the police station. more..

Jul 17 (DM) Former TID Chief DIG Nalaka de Silva yesterday said the Easter Sunday attacks revealed the lack of a contingency plan and policy to face emergence situations. Testifying before the PCoI, Silva said that after his appointment as the TID Director in 2015, he always questioned at the Intelligence Review meetings about having a contingency plan and policy to act under an emergency situation. more..

Jul 17 (FT) The latest Treasury Bills issue by the CBSL, which closed at a record low interest after several years, is indicative of many aspects of our economy. In a close-up view, the sale has provided for a borrowing of Rs. 29,500 million, at rates below 5%. The excess liquidity created by the Central Bank by lowering the Statutory Reserve Requirement of commercial banks to 2% recently has in fact created a cheap borrowing market for the Govt, and has failed to adequately stand as a fiscal more..

Jul 17 (FT) Recently there were several articles on ragging in local universities. Article numbers dramatically increased when an undergraduate in Ruhuna Uni described his experiences over the social-media resulted action by the VC leading to complete stoppage of ragging in Ruhuna Uni. In addition, whenever action was taken by uni authorities against raggers articles appeared again. These articles detailed the ragging actions by senior students on freshers and I do not wish to more..

Jul 17 (AD) A committee of experts has been appointed to investigate the demolishing of a building of archaeological value in Kurunegala. The five-member committee was formed by the Secretary to the Ministry of Buddhasasana, Cultural and Religious Affairs, under the directives of PM Mahinda Rajapaksa. Chaired by Director-General of the Department of Archaeology Prof. Senarath Dissanayake, the committee consists of Kurunegala District Secretary R.M.R. Rathnayake, more..