Jun 23 (Island) Chairman of the SLPP, Prof. G.L. Peiris took exception to an Election Commission decision to entrust its member, Prof. Rathnajeevan Hoole with the task of selecting foreign polls observers. Prof. Peiris said that he fully endorsed the participation of international election observers, but handing over the responsibility to one person was wrong. Prof. Peiris said what was worse was handing over that responsibility to a citizen of another country and it was also wrong to more..

Jun 23 (DN) PM Mahinda Rajapaksa, at a meeting with the State and private sector plantations last week, gave them a gently reminder about the Rs 1,000 minimum wage for estate workers, but the Regional Plantation Companies (RPCs) had pointed out the thumping losses that they were going through, claiming that it was impossible at this stage. This followed the meeting which Premier Rajapaksa had with the Chairmen and other senior officials of the Regional Plantation Companies (RPCs), more..

Jun 23 (FT) Prison Department officials came in for scathing criticism from Attorney General Dappula de Livera who said prisons in the country have become breeding grounds for criminals and underworld gangs with the aid and abetment of prison officials. AG who visited the Colombo Remand Prison on Friday delivered a strong speech to senior officials of the Dept of Prisons after an inspection tour in which he said that unless more..

Jun 23 (CT) Nationwide inflation during May this year slowed down to 5.2% year-on-year compared to 5.9% recorded a month earlier, as both food and non-food inflation decelerating amidst the COVID-19 lockdown. Year-on-year food inflation slowed down to 11.1% from 12.2% a month earlier, while non-food inflation slowed down to 0.8% from 1.1%. However, the 12-mont moving average inflation accelerated to 5.2% in May from 5.1% in April, with food inflation accelerating 7.2% from 6.2% despite more..

Jun 23 (Island) The main LTTE activist in Norway, Nadaraja Sethuparan was yesterday arrested at the BIA by the TID. Sethuparan had arrived here a few months ago and been unable to leave the country as flights were not available. The key LTTE activist was on his way back to Norway on board a Qatar Airways flight when he was taken into custody by the TID officers to obtain a statement. Sethuparan had been detained by the security forces for questioning and released. more..

Jun 23 (FT) Despite being hit by the double whammy of the Easter Sunday terror attack and COVID-19 pandemic, SriLankan Airlines expressed confidence of a turnaround late next year with revival in travel and tourism and Govt supported restructuring and other measures. The national carrier has posted a loss of $ 130 million (over Rs. 23 b) in the financial year ending 31 March on account of $ 70 mil of interest cost (Rs. 13b) more..

Jun 23 (CT) Emirates has announced it will offer scheduled flights for travellers in 10 more cities: Colombo (from 20 June), Sialkot (20 June), Istanbul (from 25 June); Auckland, Beirut, Brussels, Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City (all from 1 July); and Barcelona and Washington DC (all from 15 July). Emirates� flights from SL, Vietnam and Pakistan, will only carry outbound passengers to the UAE and onward destinations. This will take the total number of Emirates destinations on offer for to 40, more..

Jun 23 (DN) In a special statement the Catholic Church yesterday condemned the comments made by former MP and member of the SJB Harin Fernando against His Eminence Malcolm Cardinal Ranjith, the Archbishop of Colombo. The statement issued by Archdiocese of Colombo: �We, the Auxiliary Bishops of Colombo together with the Catholic Clergy of the Archdiocese of Colombo view with grave concern the statement made by former MP at a political rally in Medirigiriya. more..

Jun 23 (NI) Sri Lanka received another round of Chinese-made face masks and medical equipment to combat the coronavirus in mid-June, which is further evidence that Sri Lanka is a major target of Beijing�s foreign policy and donation diplomacy. China�s continued Indo-Pacific expansion and Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) promotion, culminating in the launching the Health Silk Road, have caused a swell in U.S.-China tensions. more..

Jun 23 (CT) Govt of Sri Lanka�s (GoSL�s) face value money printing (FVMP) debt passed the Rs 400 billion mark yesterday aided by an increase in its demand-pull inflationary MP debt by Rs 10,778 million (Rs 10.78 billion). An additional increase in non-demand pull inflationary FVMP debt of Rs 80.652.94 million (US$ 432.22 million) was also made to meet the GoSL�s foreign debt servicing commitments which liability (US$ 432.22 million) was met from the foreign reserves. more..

Jun 23 (AD) A group of Sri Lankans stranded in the United States has been brought back to the island this morning (23). A flight � EK2528 � chartered by Emirates Airlines had returned to the Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) at around 4.47 am today with 217 Sri Lankans. With no direct flights operating between Sri Lanka and the US, this batch of Sri Lankans was flown back via Dubai International Airport. The returnees have been subjected to PCR tests at the BIA upon their arrival. more..

Jun 23 (Island) Easter Sunday suicide bombers had betrayed the country, mother of Fatima Jiffry, who blew herself up along with her kids at Mahawila Gardens, told PCoI. Fatima was also the wife of Easter Sunday suicide bomber, Mohamed Ibrahim Ilham. The witness told the PCoI that her daughter had three children and been expecting a fourth. "Fatima had a normal childhood. She always helped me with domestic work. more..

Jun 23 (FT) Parliamentary Elections to be held this year are critical for the country�s future. Currently SL stands on the brink of a budgetary crisis, debt-repayment crisis, economic slowdown beginning in mid-2018 with currency depreciations and exacerbated by the 2019 Easter attacks and now with the lockdowns resulting from COVID-19. The next Parliament and Cabinet will have to adopt a range of measures and those assigned to implement the program will need to be carefully selected more..

Jun 23 (MFA) Embassy of Sri Lanka in Doha in an effort to mitigate the difficulties faced by the Sri Lankans residing in Doha continues to distribute dry food rations and essential items to the needy Sri Lankan expatriates. The Ministry of Foreign Relations in Colombo has dispatched 6,700 kgs (1000 packs) of support kits which have been received by the Embassy on 21 June 2020. Sri Lankan Airlines has collaborated with the Foreign Ministry in carrying these support kits on more..

Jun 23 (FT) Nelson Mandela was a rare leader. It would be hard to imagine two individuals like Mandela inhabiting the earth at the same time. In fact, very few countries can boast of several leaders like him in their respective histories. This rarity is probably why he is celebrated not just in South Africa but the world over. Nelson Mandela is the leader every country wants to have but doesn�t. The Nelson Mandela yearning gains greater currency when the world, a nation or even a political more..

Jun 23 (DM) SJB Leader Sajith Premadasa tended an apology to Colombo's Archbishop His Eminence Malcolm Cardinal Ranjith on behalf of its national list candidate Harin Fernando who criticised him recently. Mr. Fernando blamed Cardinal Ranjith for reducing the UNP candidate's vote base by five percent at the last presidential election. "I tender an apology to Cardinal Ranjith if the remarks made by Mr. Fernando hurt him in any way" Mr. Premadasa said in a statement. more..

Jun 23 (FT) I can�t breathe, George Floyd said 12 times before he died. I can�t breathe, were also the last words of dissident Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi, as his killers asphyxiated him, prior to dismembering him with a bone saw. When US President Donald Trump issued a statement trying to exonerate the Saudi Crown Prince of Khashoggi�s murder, outrage ensued. The true purpose of that atrocious statement was not more..

Jun 23 (FT) A digital export promotion program was implemented last week by the Sri Lanka Export Development Board (EDB) to address the negative impact on exports caused by the outbreak of COVID-19. The scheduled physical export promotion programs of EDB are on hold due to the global pandemic, and instead new promotional activities are being accelerated. Hence a new plan of action has been drawn up to carry out digital promotions during the next two quarters of the year 2020. more..

Jun 23 (AD) Election Commission says that over 47,000 postal vote applications submitted for the upcoming parliamentary election have been rejected. A spokesman for the commission said that a total of 47,952 postal vote applications were rejected due to not being filled out properly. 753,037 public servants had applied for postal voting for this year�s general election. Postal voting of the 2020 general election is scheduled to be held on July 14, 15, 16 and 17 while those who were more..

Jun 23 (DM) Former Minister Harin Fernando has criticized media claiming that his speech was distorted with vested interests by certain media. �If I had done something wrong, it was the duty of my Chief Shepherd in Colombo (Archbishop) to confront me (a member of his flock) with it personally. If that failed he could have counselled me along with other church leaders,� he said. Full statement: A 45 minute speech made by me more..

Jun 23 (AD) The security guard and the pet dog of a house in Talangama have died under mysterious circumstances, Police said. The said house belongs to one of the candidates contesting the upcoming election from SLPP. The bodies of the security guard and the dog were discovered by the Talangama Police this morning upon receipt of information in this regard. The deceased man has been identified as a 72-year-old residing in the area of Kalutara. He is suspected to have died several days ago more..

Jun 23 (TM) Tourists on short term stay will be subject to three PCR tests, the Tourism Ministry told The Morning. Tourists who arrive in the Island will be subject to a PCR test at the BIA. The second PCR test will be done when within 5 to 7 days of their arrival. The third PCR test will be done within 12 to 14 days of their arrival. The Tourism Ministry added that tourists on long stay will be subject to PCR tests every 14 days after the initial test conducted at BIA. The Tourism Ministry said more..

Jun 23 (AD) Karuna Amman has informed the CID that he is currently unable to provide a statement. Reportedly, Leader of the TUFF, through his lawyers, has informed the CID that he is unable to provide a statement as he is unwell. However, it is reported that he will record a statement once he recovers. On Monday, Acting IGP directed the CID to launch immediate investigations into the controversial statements made by more..

Jun 23 (AD) A petition has been filed by 366 Police Sergeants seeking a writ order issued on the Acting IGP to promote them to the rank of Sub Inspector as they have completed 30 years of service. Several others including the Acting IGP and the Attorney General has been named respondents of the petition filed before the Court of Appeal. The 366 Police Sergeants filing the petition point out that they have completed 30 years of service and are now over the age of 50 years. more..

Jun 23 (DM) Former SL Cricketer Roshan Mahanama today said that some individuals closely involved in politics have taken sports in Sri Lanka for a joke. Speaking at the an event to commemorate the Int'l Olympic Day, Mahanama said that certain countries are introduced to the world by sportsmen and women. "Therefore the impact of sport to the society cannot be ignored. However I must especially note that a few who are closely engaged in politics have taken sports for a joke. more..

Jun 23 (Island) Centre for Environmental Justice on Friday filed a case in the Court of Appeal (CA/WRT/128/2020) against the Coast Conservation Depnt (CCD), Central Environmental Authority (CEA), Minister of Environment, Marine Environment Protection Authority (MEPA) and Attorney General over the beach pollution and the filling of the Mount Lavinia beach without following due procedure. more..

Jun 23 (AD) Claiming that bus fares has not been revised in nearly two years, private bus owners have requested the govt for permission to hike fares. The request had been made at a meeting held between the Minister of Passenger Transport Services Management and representative of private bus companies. Private bus owners say that they do not receive a proper income as the buses have to operate under health guidelines issued by the govt and the public has reduced the use of more..

Jun 23 (DM) Three Nigerian nationals and a female Ugandan national have been arrested by the STF in connection with an int'l credit card fraud operated through social media. The STF said that the suspects were arrested at a hotel in Mount Lavinia based on a tip-off received by the intelligence unit. Accordingly, STF has seized 15 credit cards in possession of the four suspects. It was revealed that the three Nigerians had been in the country since 2017 and that they had been staying more..

Jun 23 (PMD) Opportunity is now open to commence productions in many sectors with the limiting of imports of several non-essential items, Prez Rajapaksa said. As pledged in Saubhagyaye Dekma policy statement the way has been paved for a people-centric production economy. The current challenge before the industrialists is to win the domestic and global market, President observed. more..

Jun 23 (AD) It has been revealed at the PCoI that Zahran Hashim had been aided by the brother of former Minister Rishad Bathiudeen to flee to India via a sea route. A former director of intelligence units revealed this before the Commission giving evidence, yesterday. The recording of evidence continued until 1 am this morning. The intelligence officer stated that there are reports on Zahran Hashim, the alleged ringleader behind the attacks, that he had fled to India on a boat in 2018. more..

Jun 23 (AD) SL�s diversified conglomerate John Keells Holdings PLC has entered into a long-term financing agreement with the International Finance Corporation (IFC) for US$ 175 million to support funding of the Company�s investment pipeline. The agreement formalising the facility was signed between the IFC and JKH today. This facility is IFC�s largest investment to-date in SL. "The proceeds from the facility will primarily be utilised to fund the Group�s expansion of its supermarkets more..

Jun 23 (TM) JVP Leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake said he may boycott proceedings of the PCoI probing incidents of Political Victimization following recommendations by his lawyers. Dissanayake was summoned to appear before the commission today over a complaint lodged by Avant Garde Chairman Nissanka Senadhipathi. Senadhipathi alleged that his group of companies had incurred significant losses more..

Jun 23 (DM) One leopard was found dead while another was injured after they were caught in two separate snares at Kothmale last night, Wildlife officers said. He said a special operation was launched to rescue the inured leopard which was in a critical condition. Wildlife officers said they believed the snares might have been set up by poachers. The body of the leopard that was killed has been referred to a postmortem examination. Several leopards including a rare black more..

Jun 23 (CT) Former MP, Candidate of the Gampaha District from the SJB Kavinda Jayawardena said, former Minister Harin Fernando should beg for forgiveness from the Catholic people and the Archbishop regarding the contemptible statement he made regarding the Cardinal. Jayawardena has said that the statement made by former MP Harin Fernando is an insult to the Catholic Community and that he should ask for forgiveness from the Catholic people as well as all Sri Lankans. more..

Jun 23 (CT) The Inspectorate and Enforcement Division of the National Medicines Regulatory Authority (NMRA) stated that they had seen a reduction in cases being reported of the abuse of pharmaceuticals for recreational drug use, in outstation areas, last year. Chief Food and Drugs Inspector of the Division, Amith Perera said that 90 cases involving the abuse of Tramadol (used as pain medication) and Pregabalin more..

Jun 23 (TM) The use of CCTV cameras at counting centres is considered an option for better transparency at the upcoming parliamentary election. Election Secretariat (EC) Commissioner General Saman Sri Ratnayake said that several new proposals had been made regarding the general election in August. �It has been suggested that we use CCTV cameras in counting centres. Several other proposals have also been made,� he said. He noted that a final decision has not been taken more..

Jun 23 (TM) SL Army has disinfected and handed over all school buildings used as additional military camps due to the influx of personnel in existing military bases, Military Spokesman said. As of now, all school buildings have been handed over to the schools and all military personnel have reported to their respective camps, he added. Secretary to the Ministry of Education N.H.M Chithrananda said that the school buildings were not used as quarantine facilities, more..

Jun 23 (CT) The Magisterial inquest into the death of Mahara Prison inmate Kavinda Tissera was conducted on 19 June at the Wattala/Welisara Magistrate�s Court, where three persons including two prisoners and a Prison guard gave testimony. One of the prisoners who gave evidence was an eyewitness to the incident, Senarath Liyanarachchi. Bandula Liyanarachchi�s spouse, Chamila Liyanarachchi, had claimed more..

Jun 23 (Microsoft) Microsoft announced it selected Fortude as the first SL grant recipient of its AI for Accessibility program, which funds organizations that use artificial intelligence to empower people with disabilities. The grant � which includes access to Microsoft�s Azure cloud computing service and provides training and resources to organizations looking to tackle problems relating to work, life, and human connections � will enable Fortude to develop and launch their Dysphagia more..