Apr 30 (FT) Minister of Development Strategies and International Trade Malik Samarawickrama led the Sri Lanka delegation to the 12th US-Sri Lanka Trade and Investment Framework Agreement (TIFA) Council Meeting in Washington which adopted a path breaking Action Plan to boost bilateral trade and investment. The Council meeting was co-chaired by US Trade Representative Michael Froman and Minister Malik Samarawickrama. more..

Apr 30 (CT) The SriLankan Airline story is now out. Those who still sing the praises of the ten year rule of Mahinda Rajapaksa and cry for his return need not look elsewhere to pause and check their urge and rage. The episode is part of the narrative of a style of governance that had been disastrously dysfunctional, thereby creating the potential for a nation’s ruin. It adds to the numerous historical instances where authoritarian regimes can go wrong, haywire and sore. more..

Apr 30 (EN) Sri Lanka faces a high risk of its flow of remittances from migrant workers being disrupted by the slowdown in Middle Eastern economies because of the slump in oil prices. Workers' remittance remains a vital source of hard currency for many Asian emerging economies, Fitch Ratings said in a new report. “Remittance inflows in the Philippines, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Pakistan and Vietnam are particularly strong relative to the size of their economies,” it said. more..

Apr 30 (Hindu) Post-civil war, SL’s tourism industry has witnessed a rapid growth both in terms of tourist arrivals and earnings. In 2009, the year in which the 26-year-long civil war came to an end, the tourist arrivals accounted for 4,48,000. In 2015, figure was 17,98,380, representing a little over 300% growth in six years. Similarly, the earnings from tourism surged from $ 349 million to $ 2,981 million, a rise of about 7.5 times. more..

Apr 30 (CT) I am sure that like this woman, Kumari, you are waiting to see the May Day rallies – at least four of them: the UNP, the JVP and the SLFP/UPFA, split this time to two – the official at Galle and the runaway at Kirillapone. Each of the latter two claims to be the real blue, but the real one is where the President of the party presides and that's in Galle. Like this woman, you must be waiting for tomorrow for circuses and deafening speeches, but with trepidation. more..

Apr 30 (ST) An infestation of bed bugs at the Dambulla Hospital is making the lives of patients warded at that institution a misery. Patients charge that they are unable to sleep during the day or at night due to this menace. Badly injured or dangerously ill patients are the worst sufferers as they are unable to leave their beds. During a visit to the hospital patients lifted the matresses of their beds and showed visitors thousands of bugs crawling under the mattresses and more..

Apr 30 (ANI) TN Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa urged PM Narendra Modi to take immediate action to secure the release of 34 fishermen from the state and 88 fishing boats, including 21 fishermen and three traditional fishing boats, apprehended by SL Navy on April 27. "I write to bring to your personal attention that 22 fishermen in three traditional fishing boats from TN set out for fishing from the Rameswaram fishing base of more..

Apr 30 (LT) “The govt, instead of paying attention to the issues confronted by students and attempting to find just solutions, has as usual, unleashed suppression. Police were deployed to attack the students. Deploying police to attack agitations of university students has become a trend of the govt,” states a press release issued by the Political Bureau of the JVP protesting against the police attack on the peaceful agitation carried out by medical students yesterday (28). more..

Apr 30 (ST) The body of a 29-year-old hair dresser from Kandy, who died in a three-wheeler accident, was exhumed this week, after his father alleged that his son had not died in an accident but had been murdered. Dilshan Malwana died in late February when he was reportedly knocked down by a three-wheeler at Hapugoda, in the Katugastota Police area. Three-wheeler had been driven by a soldier identified as Sunil Shantha Kumar who was in remand till April 1 and released on bail. more..

Apr 30 (CG) Concerns have been raised over the manner in which some LTTE suspects have been arrested by the security forces. National Peace Council said that the discovery of a cache of weapons used by the LTTE in the north last month has led to security concerns that the LTTE is seeking to regroup. In the aftermath of this incident there have been many arrests including former LTTE cadres who had failed to surrender to more..

Apr 30 (Island) Veteran journalist Mohan Samaranayake on Thursday said the country was full of pseudo patriots who were time servers and when there was a serious national issue none of them came forward in defence of the country. Samaranayake addressing a seminar organised by Yuthukama Discussion Circle said there was a group of persons who were lackeys of imperialists. "They belong to class of people who think and work in English and even dream in the Queen’s more..

Apr 30 (ST) The unfortunate incident where a motorcyclist taking part in the races in Nuwara Eliya skidded off course and crashed into spectators leaving 16 persons injured, has raised many questions about the safety of people who flock to the area each year in April during the holiday season. Residents in the area say that there is no proper racing track but each year ad hoc arrangements are made and a racing track put in place which has proved to be a danger to spectators more..

Apr 30 (Island) Acting on a complaint lodged on April 26 by a fraud control manager of a private bank in Colombo, CID sleuths arrested two Chinese nationals who had fixed electronic devices in several ATM machines belonging to the bank to obtain data on ATM cards illegally. The suspects had been arrested by the CID, when while were checking their devices inside one of the ATM booths in Colombo. They had been followed by CID more..

Apr 30 (CG) Actor and politician Ranjan Ramanayake insisted that his meeting with Indian superstar Rajinikanth today was not political. Rajinikanth’s name being dragged to politics is an unending affair in Tamil Nadu. As Tamil Nadu is getting ready for the big assembly election on May 16, the high profile politician met the evergreen Superstar at his Chennai residence today. However this meeting does not have anything to do with TN politics or the impending elections. more..

Apr 30 (Island) Islamic Solidarity Front (ISF) has requested the Ministry of Muslim Religious Affairs to investigate an incident where one of a high ranking official allegedly partied on the day of former Speaker of parliament and Minister M.H. Mohamed’s demise. ISF says the official concerned organised a farewell party for one of his staff members on that day. "They sang songs loud and had fun," Chairman of ISF Riyaz Salley said, expressing displeasure at the attitude of the official. more..

Apr 30 (DN) President Maithripala Sirisena said when Mahinda Rajapaksa was nominated as the Presidential candidate in 2005 many party leaders did not support him. “However, I did,” he said in Galle. “I was behind him since the beginning until his success. Even former President Chandrika Kumaratunga did not support him. She preferred the victory of Ranil Wickremesinghe to Mahinda Rajapaksa in 2005. more..

Apr 30 (DN) All Sri Lankans should get their blood tested before marriage and make themselves sure that two Thalassemia carriers do not get married and have children, Consultant Pediatrician Dr. Sachith Meththananda said. He said that two Thalassemia carriers should not get married and if they get married, they should not have children. They could adopt a child if they wish. Any citizen who wishes to get himself or herself tested for Thalassemia carrier status could do so more..

Apr 30 (DN) GMOA vehemently protests the brutal attack launched against innocent medical students who protested against the degrading quality of medical education in Sri Lanka, GMOA Secretary Dr. Nalinda Herath said. According to Dr. Herath, the brutal attack on innocent medical students clearly show govt’s strange love towards SAITM, which is an illegal private institution that violates the law of the land and grabs billions of rupees belonging to innocent people by cheating them and more..

Apr 30 (CG) PM Ranil Wickremesinghe today asserted that there was no room for terrorism to raise its head again in Sri Lanka. PM said that the Govt has taken measures to ensure democracy is protected in the country and National security is secured. He also accused some media organisations of publishing false reports stating that the LTTE was attempting to regroup in the country. more..

Apr 30 (MF) Mr. Thorbjorn Gaustadsaether, Norwegian Ambassador to SL stated that Norwegian govt has taken actions to give more Investment opportunities to Sri Lanka in their fish market with the lifting of fish ban imposed to SL fish and fishery products by the European Union. He further shows that now Sri Lanka has gained opportunity to invest in fish exports industry in Norway. Mr. Thorbjorn Gaustadsaether stated this at the meeting held with Finance Minister, Ravi Karunanayake, more..

Apr 30 (DM) The joint opposition said yesterday it received a court order restricting its members from entering the Shalika Grounds in Narahenpita for any demonstration in relation to its May Day activities. Its parliamentary group leader Dinesh Gunawardane said his side would respect the court order. yet, he said the police had granted permission for its members to participate in the main May Day Procession starting from Park Road, Narahenpita. Accordingly,he said its members would more..

Apr 30 (DM) Northern Province Chief Minister C.V. Wignewaran said yesterday the recent resolution that was adopted to propose a federal system was not aimed at dividing the country but to unite it. Mr. Wigneswaran said the country was not divided by the federal system and that federal system was a system in which everyone could get together and work. “The country is not divided by a Federal system as claimed by some people. more..