Nov 25 (AM) In a probe being carried out by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) in India, alleged Islamic State (IS) recruit Ashfaque Majeed’s father has revealed that Arshi Qureshi, guest manager with the Islamic Research Foundation (IRF), had allegedly funded Ashfaque and his fellow recruits’ Sri Lanka trip. IRF is led by the controversial priest Zakir Naik. After Abu Anas, another alleged IS recruit from Rajasthan who the NIA believes received a Rs-80,000 scholarship more..

Nov 25 (EN) Central bank has begun permanently sterilizing forex outflows by outright purchases of domestic assets in a quantity easing move, and also begun to signal rates up to 72 days ahead through purchases of govt securities. SL's banking system has faced liquidity shortages after the central bank effectively tightened monetary policy on March 28, by no longer buying Treasuries outright to offset interventions in forex markets and liming injections to overnight cash. more..

Nov 25 (ITN) PM Ranil Wickremasinghe says that Sri Lanka should be made a country that will win the world through sports with the implementation of proper plans. He pointed out that the foundation for this effort should be laid from the school. The PM was speaking at a function organized for the launch of the National Sports Development Programme. The launch of the National Sports Programme under the theme more..

Nov 25 (Island) Minister Malik Samarawickrema said in Colombo that the newly formed Sri Lanka People’s Front (SLPF) had levelled baseless allegations against him aimed to gain cheap publicity. He said that his detractors had increased Rs. 300 million to Rs.1 billion, legally granted by the National Wealth Corporation, which managed the Mahapola Higher Education Scholarship Trust Fund, to establish a subsidiary named NatWealth Securities dealing in bonds and treasury bills. more..

Nov 25 (NR) Colombo high Court today ordered the suspects arrested and remanded in connection to the murder of former TNA MP Nadarajah Raviraj to be provided special protection. The order was issued when the case was taken up before Colombo High Court Judge Manilal Vaidyatilake and the Jury. Three Navy officers and a former police Constable who is a witness in the case were further remanded till the 28th of Nov. An order was also issued to ensure that the Police Constable, more..

Nov 25 (DM) A parliamentary subcommittee is reported to have proposed that two or more provinces be amalgamated into a single unit with the approval at a referendum by the people living in these provinces. The six committees which interacted with the stakeholders on formulating a new constitution submitted their reports to Parliament on Nov 19. One such committee had also proposed that such a provision be more..

Nov 25 (EN) Commex Sri Lanka S.R.L., a fully-owned subsidiary of Commercial Bank of Ceylon has inaugurated its money transfer operation in Italy, following the grant of a Money Transfer Licence from the Bank of Italy. Commex Sri Lanka S.R.L. of Via Giacomo Leopardi, Rome, incorporated and registered in Italy under the supervision of the Bank of Italy had received the necessary regulatory approvals from both countries to engage in fund transfers on its own. more..

Nov 25 (DN) Cinnamon Garden Police informed court today that the prosecution would file charges against NFF leader Wimal Weerawansa and six other party activists. The charges are that they allegedly provided leadership to a protest that blocked the main roads at Bauddhaloka Mawatha, causing disturbance to the people and the normal flow of traffic. On Feb 6 this year, NFF staged a protest march against the visit of UN High Commissioner for HR, Zeid Hussein. more..

Nov 25 (AD) The Galle Magistrate’s Court today ordered the release of the Avant Guard vessel, which was anchored in the Galle harbour, on a Rs 35 million bond.  The vessel will be released to the Sri Lanka Shipping Company. The ship was taken into custody by the Sri Lanka Navy in October last year. Officers from the CID boarded the vessel MT Avant Garde after obtaining a court order from Galle Magistrate’s Court on Oct 17, 2015. more..

Nov 25 (CT) The Judicial Service Commission (JSC) has sent Colombo District Judge Ayesha Abdeen on compulsory leave, after it was alleged that she had visited death row inmate and former MP Duminda Silva at the Welikada Prison. The former MP has been convicted and sentenced to death in the Bharatha Lakshman Premachandra murder case. Sources said that following a probe conducted by the JSC into the alleged incident, they had decided to send Judge Abdeen on compulsory leave. more..

Nov 25 (NR) MP Mahindananda Aluthgamage says members of SLFP should move away from the govt if the good governance govt continues to harass members of the SLFP. Speaking in Parliament, MP was expressing his views on an incident of a plot of land allocated for housing facilities for teachers in Nawalapitiya being retaken. The MP said the present govt was a good governance govt. However the MP said the present govt was established with both the SLFP and the UNP. more..

Nov 25 (PMD) President Maithripala Sirisena appointed a Special Committee to implement and oversee the approaches and programmes on poverty alleviation as the Govt has declared 2017 as the year of alleviating poverty from the country. Minister Sarath Amunugama will chair the committee and the other members of the Committee are the Ministers Ravi Karunanayake, Kabir Hashim, Sajith Premadasa, more..

Nov 25 (DN) The Magampura Port Management Company Pvt. Ltd. has incurred a loss of Rs. 1,917 million in the years 2014 and 2015, Minister Arjuna Ranatunga said. He said that the loss incurred was calculated as per the Sri Lanka accounting standards, disregarding price fluctuation in the international market, and is Rs. 1,087 million in the year 2014 and Rs. 830 million in the year 2015. He disclosed this information in response to a question raised by more..

Nov 25 (NR) Ten Fundamental Rights petitions have been filed at the Supreme Court against the decision by the Senate of the Kelaniya University to limit the intake of students for the External Degree. The petitions were filed by 10 students who registered for the external degree in 2014 at the Kelaniya University. The petitions state the Kelaniya University issued paper advertisements calling for applications for external degrees for 2014. The petitions further state that more..

Nov 25 (NR) Minister Gamini Jayawickreme Perera says the Dehiwala Zoo will abolish animals being caged by March next year. He said the government has made arrangements to provide proper animal care. Speaking during the Committee Stage Debate of the 2017 Budget, he said the Dehiwala Zoo will be open until 9.30pm to promote it as a night park. The Minister said the govt has allocated 3,500 million rupees through more..

Nov 25 (SCMP) Hong Kong captain Siu Chun-ming has put his faith in his teammates to deliver the goods in Saturday’s semi-final against pool B winners Sri Lanka in the 5th men’s Asian Hockey Federation (AHF) Cup. Siu knows the opposition will be strong and Saturday’s crunch match at King’s Park will be a severe test for the predominantly Chinese Hong Kong squad, who squeaked into the last four on a better goal difference from Taiwan in pool A. more..

Nov 25 (SLN) US Naval Ship, USS Somerset arrived at the Port of Trincomalee on a training visit on 22 Nov, in view of sharing Theatre Security Cooperation (TSC) with the SL Navy's Marine Forces. The military exchange will focus on enhancing relationships between the two Marine Corps, honing basic military skills and small boat operations that could support humanitarian assistance and disaster relief missions. Additionally, the TSC will provide an opportunity for more..

Nov 25 (ENS) A SL court on Friday issued an international arrest warrant against Lankaenews Editor Sandaruwan Senadheera for contempt of court. The warrant is to be executed through Interpol.  This is the first time a SL court has issued an international arrest warrant against a journalist. Senadheera has been accused by Gampaha Chief Magistrate of publishing on his website a photograph of a suspect in a case more..

Nov 25 (DN) Sri Lanka was among the 84 countries which defeated a draft resolution put forward by African states calling for the suspension of work of the first ever UN independent investigator appointed to help protect lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex (LGBTI) people from violence and discrimination. Sri Lanka, Cambodia, Mongolia, Thailand, Vietnam, Turkey and Korean Republic were among the 84 countries which voted in favour of the counter-amendment. more..

Nov 25 (NR) Deputy Minister Asoka Abeysinghe says a final agreement can be made following further discussions over the minimum fine for traffic offences which was proposed to be increased to 25,000 rupees. He said a further six months will be required to implement the law. Deputy Minister said further discussions are underway between the Department of Motor Traffic, Ministry of Transport and transportation associations. There are 23 types of fines and 23 types of road violations more..

Nov 25 (DM) The 200 kilos of cocaine was detected yesterday by the Police Narcotics Bureau (PNB) when checking the containers after obtaining a court order based on the information provided by the sugar importer, Police said. PNB officers with the assistance of the Customs officers checked the thirteen suspicious containers which were held at the Rank Container Terminal (RCT) in Orugodawatte. more..

Nov 25 (PDN) Two SL men were arrested on kidnapping and human trafficking charges for allegedly forcing a compatriot into prostitution in Pattaya, Thailand. Harsha Kumara, 34, and Madura Thushara, 26, were taken into custody Nov. 12, a day after a 20-year-old SL woman complained to police she had been forced to serve a half-dozen men a day since arriving in Pattaya Oct 30. Pair were charged with kidnapping, human trafficking, pimping, forcing an individual into prostitution. more..

Nov 25 (DM) Uva Provincial Council members from UNP and SLFP are planning to visit Italy with the commissions received by the chief minister from road construction contractors, Chief Opposition Whip Anura Kumara Dissanayake revealed in Parliament today. He alleged that the Uva PC was riddled with corruption and that the chief minister was trying to pay the contractors as soon as possible so that he could collect the commissions for the trip to Thailand. more..

Nov 25 (DM) Govt has awarded a controversial tender to re-lay the 400m and 200m training tracks at the Sugathadasa Sports Complex to a joint venture between Access International and Conica-veritas despite their price being significantly higher than at least two other bids. Cabinet Appointed Procurement Committee (CAPC) awarded the project at a cost of Rs. 334,291,610 plus VAT. Access’s bid is Rs. 56 mil higher more..

Nov 26 (CT) Ravi Karunanayake has allocated funds amounting to billions from the 2017 budget to provide tablets to all students who are in Advanced Level classes and for the teachers. I hope that cash vouchers would be issued to students to buy tablets of their choice. Instead of doing it, if the Ministry of Finance or the Ministry Education decides to provide tablets to students and teachers then I feel that there is an element of corruption inbuilt in the budget itself with this proposal because more..

Nov 26 (NS) As the debate over a new constitution for the country progresses through the Constitutional Council and its Steering Committee, the idea of having a referendum on a new Constitution has been much favoured by the stakeholders. At the initial stages some argued that a mere two-thirds majority in Parliament was sufficient for the promulgation of a new constitution while others insisted that a referendum was a must. Strange enough this time over it’s none other than more..

Nov 26 (SO) When I visited Negombo, more than ten years ago, I passed by some of Colombo’s poorer areas, where people lived in wooden shacks, in densely packed informal settlements, along the Dutch Canal (Hamilton Canal) with fishing boats moored along much of its length. But, during my recent visit to Negombo, I glimpse a completely different image. New highways and new housing settlements dotted Negombo road. more..

Nov 26 (Island) JVP leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake saw red the other day when a parliamentary committee report on the SAITM was presented to the House. Taking exception to the committee’s recommendations, which ran counter to the JVP’s position on the issue, he opposed a govt move to have a debate thereon; he cited an ongoing court case pertaining to the issue as the reason. Govt was, however, convinced otherwise; it said it saw nothing wrong with a parliament debate more..

Nov 26 (CT) Another Rajapaksa was arrested. Once again, the charge is corruption. This time it’s an Ambassador, not just one to a third world country. He was our Ambassador to the US. One time, a merchant of tea whose business involved, among others, export of Ceylon Tea to America, first gained limelight by virtue of his close relationship to then President Rajapaksa, when he was appointed as SL Consul General in Los Angeles- a training platform for the Ambassadorship in Washington D C. more..

Nov 26 (Hindu) Former President Mahinda Rajapaksa is on a week-long visit to China on the invitation of the Chinese govt — a development that sections within the govt and diplomatic circles here see as a strong message from Beijing. The visit assumes further significance in the wake of controversial remarks made by Yi Xianliang, Chinese Ambassador to Colombo, that pointed to apparent tensions between SL govt & Beijing. more..

Nov 26 (NS) Just where is the govt going with its policy on road traffic accidents? The decision to impose a minimum fine of 2500 rupees for any traffic offence, announced first in the Budget, was commendable. However, what has happened since then brings back memories of the 2015 budget which eventually ended in a shambles, with most proposals being watered down or even withdrawn. When the 2500 rupee fine was announced SL Private Bus Operators Association protested more..

Nov 26 (NS) The govt is to issue application forms to all district and divisional secretariats, especially in the North and East for family members of those who have been reported missing during the war in order to obtain the Certificate of Absence. Govt Agent of Mullaithivu District, Roopavathi Ketheeswaran said that the application forms would be available in the near future and the public would be able to obtain them from the respective divisional or district secretariat. more..

Nov 26 (DN) Hayleys emerged as the winner of the ‘Best Corporate Citizen Sustainability Award 2016,’for the fifth year and won and the ‘Grand Slam Award’.The annual event is organised by the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce to recognise sustainable champions of the local corporate world. Cargills (Ceylon) PLC and People’s Leasing & Finance PLC were awarded as the first and the second runner up of the competition, respectively. The award ceremony was held at the Cinnamon Grand, Colombo yesterday. more..

Nov 26 (Island) UN Resident Coordinator and UNDP Resident Representative in Sri Lanka Una McCauley said times are changing in Sri Lanka. She said the UN was committed to doing things differently. She explained that the UN was investing in innovation with the vision of becoming a forward looking organization. The campaign under the tag line Our UN, expressed in all three languages, was the benchmark for activities carried out and formed the UN's vision for the future. more..

Nov 26 (DN) A Cabinet paper to grant seven perches of land with a title deed to plantation workers will be submitted for approval soon, Plantation Infrastructure Development Minister P.Digambaram said. Speaking at the Consultative Discussion on Outsourcing Plantations, he added that the Cabinet paper would also have Plantation Minister Naveen Dissanayake and Labour Minister John Seneviratne contributing to it. more..

Nov 26 (Island) •Requests for a license, permit or permission from govt agency is deemed to have been granted, if no reply is received within 10 working days –Positive; •Introduce laws which give Public Limited Companies freehold right of land–Positive; •75% waiver on PAL when importing High Tec, automated machinery & equipment–Positive •Mandatory for all companies with more than 500 employees to establish Child Care Centers. -Negative; •Aim to reduce interest more..

Nov 26 (CT) Minister Rajitha Senaratne has announced that there was nothing wrong in commemorating the dead. He was in Jaffna on Sunday to participate at the event to commemorate the tenth year death anniversary of slain TNA MP N. Raviraj. The statue of N. Raviraj has been erected in his hometown Chavakachcheri, and it was unveiled by the Leader of TNA Leader R. Sampanthan, in the presence of Dr. Rajitha Senaratne and the NSSP Leader Dr. Wickramabahu Karunaratne. more..

Nov 26 (PSL) Vidulka National Energy Efficiency Award, organized by the Ministry of Power and Renewable Energy, in collaboration with the SL Sunithya Energy Authority, was held today (24), under the patronage of President Sirisena. Objective of this Award Ceremony is to take SL progressively towards energy security. This also aims at promoting the energy management activities, carried out by Sunithya Energy more..