Jun 24 (Island) Rifkhan Bathiudeen, brother of former Minister Rishad Bathiudeen, had assisted National Thowheed Jamaath (NTJ) Leader, Zahran Hashim in fleeing to India by sea in 2018, a former top intelligence officer, told the PCoI. He said Rishad Bathiudeen had associated with SL Thowheed Jamaath (SLTJ), of which Zahran had also been a member. Witness said his unit had warned, on 9 separate occasions, more..

Jun 24 (FT) The recently-held meeting by Prez Rajapaksa with the top team of the Central Bank (CB) requires the entire country to thank him for its outcome. There was an overnight sea change by the CB which approved an economic stimulus of Rs. 150 billion for the business and construction sectors to recommence their businesses after the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. The latter was mandated to lend at 4% interest. Therefore, the two sectors should quickly capitalise on this offer and more..

Jun 24 (WSWS) Socialist Equality Party (SEP) in Sri Lanka will hold its first online public meeting for the 2020 Parliamentary election, live streamed on Facebook at 3 p.m. local time on Sunday (28). The election, which has been postponed several times due to the COVID-19 pandemic, is scheduled to be held on Aug 5. SEP is fielding 43 candidates to contest three districts�the capital, Colombo, the central plantation area of Nuwara Eliya and war-ravaged Jaffna in the island�s north. more..

Jun 24 (DM) The new govt, which will be formed on Aug 6, will fall within a short time together with the country�s economy, former MP Vajira Abeywardene said. He said that this would be the fate of the new govt no matter who forms it. �SL�s economy is also bound to collapse as nothing has been done to support it in the wake of the global economic crisis resulting from the COVID 19 pandemic,� he said. �The govt is yet to pump in funds to the private sector as other countries have done.� more..

Jun 24 (PMD) Following corporate, individual donations and direct deposits, ITUKAMA COVID-19 Healthcare and Social Security Fund balance has now surpassed Rs. 1392 million. Anunayake of the Malwathu Chapter, Most Ven. Niyangoda Wijithasiri Thero donated Rs. 192,516, Chief of Madhirigiria Buddhist Center, Ven. Madhirigirye Assaji Thero contribute with Rs 100,000 while Piriven Unit of the Ministry of Education donated a sum of Rs. 4,484,500 to the Fund and more..

Jun 24 (FT) Vinayagamoorthi Muraleetharan alias Karuna Amman a.k.a. Col Karuna is currently very much in the news. The former Eastern Regional Leader of the LTTE who broke away from the LTTE in 2004 and collaborated with the SL armed forces in combatting the Veluppillai Prabhakaran-led Tigers appears to be in trouble today due to shooting his mouth off at an election meeting. LTTE�s eastern warlord�s defection more..

Jun 24 (DN) Minister Dinesh Gunawardena said that the statement made by former LTTE Eastern Province leader V. Muralitharan alias Karuna Amman has paved the way for countries pointing fingers at Sri Lanka from Geneva to gain a clear understanding on the extent of brutality of the LTTE organisation. �Certain Western countries keep mum on atrocities committed by the LTTE terrorists. In this backdrop, Karuna�s comments on the killings of soldiers in the North is commendable,� more..

Jun 24 (FT) Many SMEs complain about lack of access to finance, lack of Government support, insufficient customer preference for local products and services and so on. While these may be true, these are not the only reasons some SMEs are unsuccessful. Low-cost funds are not the panacea for all ills. High protection could only be a temporary relief. SMEs must introspect and make a paradigm shift in their structure, operations and customer service philosophy if they wish to grow and more..

Jun 24 (PMD) Prez Rajapaksa highlighted the necessity of right media practice that helps preserving SL identity and cultural values. He made this comment during a progress review meeting with the ITN at the Prez Secretariat today (23). The changes that should be made to create a new television culture incorporated with the state of the art technology and the requirement of programs to improve knowledge were discussed more..

Jun 24 (DN) Former Navy Commander Wasantha Karannagoda has filed a writ petition in the Court of Appeal challenging indictments filed against him at Colombo High Court Trial-at-Bar. Meanwhile, Additional Solicitor General Sarath Jayamanna appearing for the Attorney General raised objections for this writ petition stating that the Court of Appeal has no jurisdiction to intervene into High Court trial proceedings. This application is to be taken up for further hearing on June 25. more..

Jun 24 (AD) Nineteen chief jailors of prisons in Sri Lanka have been transferred with immediate effect on exigencies of service, the Commissioner General of Prisons Thushara Upuldeniya said. He said that the transferred prisons officials include the Chief Jailor of the Negombo Prison, who has been removed from the position of chief jailor and transferred to Dumbara Prison. Negombo Prisons was in the spotlight recently after a drug racket operating from the prisons was uncovered. more..

Jun 24 (AD) Sri Lanka has carried out over 100,000 Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) tests thus far, says Minister Pavithra Wanniarachchi. Meanwhile, SL reported 40 new infections of the COVID-19 virus yesterday. All new cases are returnees from overseas, confirmed the Ministry. 29 of the new cases had arrived from India as a part of the crew of a ship anchored in the island and the remaining 11 cases were returnees from US. more..

Jun 24 (AFP) Bangladesh have formally called off their Test series in Sri Lanka because of the coronavirus pandemic, officials in Colombo said Wednesday. The Bangladesh team was due to play three Tests in late July, but the tour was in doubt because of the worrying spread of COVID-19 across South Asia. SLC board said Bangladesh had pulled out due to �the lack of preparation for its players, caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.� Former Bangladesh skipper Mashrafe Mortaza more..

Jun 24 (DM) Two special SriLankan Airlines flight carrying 94 Sri Lankans stranded in Singapore and 169 Sri Lankans stranded in Maldives due to COVID-19 pandemic arrived in Sri Lanka this evening. The SriLankan Airlines flight UL-4102 from Maldives arrived at 3.07 pm at Mattala MRIA and SriLankan Airlines flight UL-303 from Singapore arrived at Katunayake BIA at 5.07 pm. Upon their arrival, all passengers were subjected to PCR testings. more..

Jun 24 (FR) Fitch Ratings-Hong Kong-24 June 2020: SL�s stressed external liquidity position is set to remain a weakness for the country�s credit profile, says Fitch Ratings. Policymakers may be able to offer more clarity about their economic agenda once elections are held on 5 Aug, but hurdles to accessing additional external financing support will persist. We highlighted Sri Lanka�s external financing challenges when we downgraded more..

Jun 24 (EN) The PM�s Office has ordered an inquiry into an incident that happened last week at the historic Nainativu Nagapooshani Amman Temple on Nainativu island where some police and military personnel allegedly entered the temple wearing their boots. Former TNA MP Mavai Senathiraja said that police and military personnel had entered the temple premises without removing their footwear last Saturday (20 June) which the first day of the annual flag-raising ceremony. more..

Jun 24 (CT) A petition was filed with the Court of Appeal yesterday by 366 Police Sergeants seeking a writ order issued on the Acting IGP Chandana Wickremaratna, to promote them to the rank of Sub- Inspector, as they have completed 30 years of service. Several others, including the Acting IGP Wickremaratna and Attorney General Dappula de Livera, have been named as respondents in the petition. The 366 Police Sergeants who have filed the petition have pointed out that more..

Jun 24 (AD) Attorney General Dappula de Livera has decided to file indictments on former Minister Patali Champika Ranawaka and former Welikada Headquarter Inspector (HQI) Sudath Asmadala, separately. This is with regard to the alleged hit-and-run incident which took place back in 2016, where the vehicle in which the former Minister was travelling in collided against a motorcycle, causing life-threatening injuries to its rider. more..

Jun 24 (AD) With three new COVID-19 positive cases being reported, the tally of confirmed cases in Sri Lanka crossed the 2,000 mark on Wednesday evening. Three more navy personnel from the Iyakachchi quarantine center have tested positive for Coronavirus. This brings the total number of confirmed patients thus far in the country to 2,001. Ten new cases have identified so far today (24). Earlier today 07 returnees from the United States had tested positive for the virus. more..

Jun 24 (CT) Acting IGP, C.D. Wickremaratne has given instructions for banks to freeze all accounts related to drug money. All bank accounts that have received any amount of money through drug-related transactions, are to be frozen under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, along with all tangible and intangible assets of these suspects, said Western Province (North) SDIG Deshabandu Tennakoon. He said this at a Media conference at Police Headquarters yesterday. more..

Jun 24 (AD) The expert committee appointed to review the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) agreement handed over its final report to PM Mahinda Rajapaksa today (24). The report was handed over to the PM by the chairman of the committee Professor Lalithasiri Gunarunwan at Temple Trees this evening. The report is expected to be handed over to the President tomorrow (25) while the PM will also table the final report more..

Jun 24 (DM) The residents of Aluthwewa, Galewala lodged a complaint with the police over the suspicious deaths of some 10 dogs. The locals discovered bodies of about 10 dogs scattered across the village this morning. Residents believe the dogs have been poisoned. They alleged that the owners of a local animal farm who had reportedly killed dogs earlier by attacking and shooting them have killed these dogs by poisoning them. Furthermore, the locals said more..

Jun 24 (DM) UNP candidate A.S.P. Liyanage today alleged that former Foreign Employment Minister Harin Fernando asked him to perform an illegal activity when he was the SL Ambassador to Qatar and told that he would be removed if failed to do it. Mr. Liyanage who is contesting the General Election from the UNP from Colombo said he also informed the former President about the issue. �I challenge Mr. Fernando to prove if my allegations are false. He did say that I would be removed from more..

Jun 24 (FT) The Court of Appeal (CA) cannot intervene in a case pending before a Permanent High Court Trial-at-Bar appointed by the Chief Justice, Senior Additional Solicitor General (ASG) Sarath Jayamanne P.C. told a two-member bench of the CA yesterday, when the Writ Application filed by former Commander of the Navy Admiral of the Fleet Wasantha Karannagoda was taken up for consideration. more..

Jun 24 (NR) CEB says it will suspend the power supply to consumers who have failed to settle electricity bills since January 2020. CEB said the power supply to households that have not settled tariffs during the COVID-19 pandemic period however will not be disrupted. Ministry of Power and Energy noted that 50% of electricity tariffs were settled for the month of April, 65% for the month of May and 90% for the month of June CEB noted that the present situation has arisen owing to more..

Jun 24 (DM) Over 5,000 people who were not wearing face masks in public places in Western Province have been observed and warned by the police. Police said public awareness campaign was held at 110 police divisions in the Western Province today to aware the people to comply with quarantine laws. The campaign was held using loudspeakers in public areas on the instructions of Senior DIG Deshabandu Tennakoon. A total of 5,620 people who did not wear face masks were observed more..

Jun 24 (Island) Former Minister and SLPP Colombo District candidate Dr. Wijeyadasa Rajapakse, said that the voting public would ensure their party absolute control of parliament at the Aug 5 parliamentary polls. He said that he was sure of a two-thirds majority for SLPP in the next parliament. Dismissing the JVP as a spent force, the former lawmaker said that the JVP would find it extremely difficult to retain even the six seats, more..

Jun 24 (EN) Sri Lanka has boosted its Coronavirus testing capacity 30 percent with a new lab build with emergency funding from the Asian Development Bank, the Manila-based lender said. �The building, constructed within the hospital premises on hospital land, is equipped with PCR machines, consumables, pharmacological refrigerators and freezers, generator, reagents, and dedicated utilities such as water supply, electricity, & telecom� ADB said. �In addition, all other operational support, more..

Jun 24 (Island) Sanjeewa Renuka Jayaweera, the younger brother of Rajiv Jayaweera, who was found dead with a bullet wound at Independence Square, informed the Colombo Chief Magistrate�s Court on Monday that he was not suspicious about his brother�s death and it was a suicide. During the Magistraterial Inquiry, Sanjeewa Jayaweera informed the Court that he had received a message from his brother on June 11 giving him the code to open his briefcase. more..

Jun 24 (DM) A Cabinet minister of the yahapalana govt has been paid Rs.500 million by way of commission by investors who funded a solar power generation project, CEB Chairman Vijitha Herath claimed yesterday. However, he refused to disclose the name of the project or that of the minister who was alleged to have been paid this money to approve this particular project though the journalists insisted that the name be revealed. more..

Jun 25 (CT) Prez Rajapaksa�s meeting with top staff of the Central Bank has had a mixed reception. The president admonished the CB for not being adequately supportive of govt policy with regard to reviving the economy. In a strongly worded speech the president demonstrated knowledge of the economic performance of other countries. He compared the assistance given by govts such as in the US and Europe to businesses to revive the economy with facts and figures and said that more..

Jun 25 (TM) Prez Gotabaya Rajapaksa is reported to have given the administrators of Sri Lanka�s state universities an earful recently with regard to the unsuitability of graduates for the country�s job market. He�s absolutely right. Sri Lanka has and still does produce some truly remarkable graduates from universities such as that of Colombo, Peradeniya, Moratuwa, Jaffna�But there are also far too many graduates who aren�t fit to work in a koththu shop, let alone a top corporate. more..

Jun 25 (CT) Ceylon Workers� Congress (CWC), a trade union created in support of the plantation sector in the 1950s, is gearing to contest independently under the symbol loudspeaker in the Northern Province, to bridge the gap between communities and honour unity when the people of the world have begun clinging to unwarranted tags such as race, caste and creed for personal and political gain. more..

Jun 25 (DM) Not many weeks after casting insinuations at Kuwait -- even going to the extent of claiming it had dropped a bomb on Sri Lanka when those repatriated from that country were found infected with COVID19 -- former minister and ruling party candidate Mahindananda Aluthgamage has now opened another can of worms with his match-fixing allegations. Nearly nine years after the event, the then sports minister has made unsubstantiated allegations that the 2011 Sri Lanka-- more..

Jun 25 (DM) A lawyer in the USA,T. Greg Doucetteand a mathematician namedJason Miller have compiled a list of 780 videos (as of June 16) showing police brutality. The investigative journalism website Bellingcat has documented more than 140 incidents of police violence against journalists during the protests. A website called www.copcrisis.com claims only a small fraction of the 17,000 law enforcement agencies in the USA track misconduct reports, and that more..

Jun 25 (DM) Public Health Inspectors (PHI) Union is to instigate a trade union action within next few days following Ministry of Health�s failure to legitimise delegation of powers vested on them under the Quarantine Act over the past several weeks. Meanwhile, it intends withdrawing from election related duty work for the same reason and will be meeting members of Election Commission in due course to inform its decision. more..

Jun 25 (CT) It is a great joy to come across someone who loves this country passionately. In the case of Lord Naseby the joy is enhanced by the practical aspects of his devotion, his unceasing efforts to promote SL�s interests and to combat what he sees as unremitting and vicious hostility to SL on the part of successive Govts. The joy is however, limited by the fact that he has not been able to achieve much in these last efforts, and also because he has received so little practical support more..

Jun 25 (Island) This is the season of allegations. The govt and the Opposition are levelling various accusations against each other. These propaganda battles are bound to intensify and get dirty as the general election draws closer. Some political leaders even see murders in obvious suicides and try to hurl corpses at their rivals in a desperate bid to gain political mileage. Such is their desperation. CEB Chairman Vijitha Herath has levelled a very serious allegation against the yahapalana govt. more..