Feb 27 (CT) A top ten-member Chinese delegation will be in Colombo on a three-day official visit beginning on 9 March to explore the possibilities of fostering investment promotions and joint ventures between the two countries. The business conferences and the meetings with the local counterparts will begin on 9 March at the Galadari Hotel. The delegation will be here on the invitation of President of International Business Council Kosala Wickremanayake who has met more..

Feb 27 (FT) A major battle has erupted between Minister Ravi Karunanayake and former president Rajapaksa over a 2015 January gazette by Central Bank listing past and future Treasury bond issues with an aggregate value of a staggering Rs. 1.8 trillion. Karunanayake charged that Central Bank under Rajapaksa regime had violated regulations as well as legalised corruption-prone private placements of Treasury bonds more..

Feb 27 (CT) Despite the high expectation of a better trade integration with India, trade with India had gone down during 2016 as the export earnings from the country declined approximately by Rs 7 billion during 2016, Export Development Board (EDB) data shows. In 2015, the export earnings from India was Rs 87,411 million and it declined to Rs 80,256 million in 2016. Data shows that the most exported good to India is pepper which had generated revenue of Rs 7 billion. more..

Feb 27 (FT) On his first visit to Sri Lanka, Global CEO of BDO Martin van Roekel was pleasantly surprised by the country’s economic development and believes the circumstances are right for it to realise higher economic growth in the future. During his two-day visit to Sri Lanka he had several meetings with Ministers, including Minister Ravi Karunanayake, as well as key corporate leaders and scholars.  “Sri Lanka has immense growth potential with China’s One belt, One Road initiative more..

Feb 27 (DM) A conspiracy to transfer Treasury Bonds scam to former President Rajapaksa’s account has been enacted by the present govt, JO revealed. Largest financial fraud that believed to have taken place in SL’s history so far. JO MP Bandula Gunawardene said Presidential Committee of Inquiry (PCoI) is attempting to prove that the Bonds were issued following a gazette notification released by ex-President Rajapaksa. more..

Feb 27 (DM) Kim Jong Nam half-brother of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un was assassinated at a crowded airport in Malaysia in broad daylight on Feb 13. According to autopsy report North Korean leader’s brother was assassinated using a lethal nerve agent which UN has described as a weapon of mass destruction. Malaysian police investigating the crime charge a group of North Koreans including second Secretary of the North Korean embassy is suspected of being behind the attack. more..

Feb 27 (DM) The ongoing discussion on LGBTIQ rights and issues is hugely welcome. In the recent past many LGBTIQ persons have come out of hiding and are lending their faces and names to a much taboo subject. I find this current trend extremely encouraging, being an activist since an era when such discussions were frowned upon in our country. This is important, as being visible as one’s own self is crucial in this fight for rights for the Sri Lankan lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, more..

Feb 27 (SL) President of the Bar Association of SL President Counsel Jeoffrey Alagaratnam says that he recommended the appointment of R. Kannan as a High Court Judge to President Maithripala Sirisena in concurrence with the Judicial Service Commission and the Attorney General. According to Alagaratnam, the Judiciary does not comprise with only carrier Judicial Officers, but includes more..

Feb 27 (ST) Last week’s incident where a fishing boat transporting people to an annual church feast capsized killing 16 and injuring 33 in the high seas of Kalutara has plunged the people of Beruwela into mourning. On Wednesday the Bandarawatte residents of Beruwela buried seven of the victims after a funeral service presided over by Cardinal Malcom Ranjith. The residents were still in shock and disbelief after so many lives were more..

Feb 27 (AFP) Sri Lankan police formally denied hunting nationals who sheltered fugitive whistleblower Edward Snowden in Hong Kong and said their claims to the contrary could have been made to bolster asylum applications. Police said they had no interest in the two Sri Lankan men, both asylum-seekers, who in 2013 had helped the former US National Security Agency contractor evade authorities in Hong Kong. more..

Feb 27 (LBO) Helping local farmers overcome challenges through training will lead to a thriving dairy industry by addressing nutritional gaps and providing income opportunities. Even though demand for dairy is growing, Sri Lankans consume only a quarter of the recommended daily intake of dairy products. Industry meets just 30% of the demand in SL, with 80% of this supply coming from small-scale dairy farmers. more..

Feb 27 (Nikkei) Japan and Sri Lanka are celebrating 65 years of diplomatic relations this year, but their bilateral ties have rarely seemed more important -- especially in relation to maritime security in the Indian Ocean. The two countries launched a dialogue on maritime security and other oceanic issues in January, following a 1.83 billion yen ($16.3 million) aid package from Japan in June 2016 designed to boost more..

Feb 27 (DN) All Ceylon Makkal Congress (ACMC) led by Minister Rishad Bathiudeen is to go before Court, challenging the report of the Delimitation Review Committee. ACMC General Secretary S. Subairdeen told the Daily News that a court case would be filed no sooner the Gazette notification on Delimitation Report comes out. He said ACMC felt representation of Muslim population would be very badly affected more..

Feb 27 (Island) GMOA will today launch 4th phase of their struggle against SAITM with all doctors in state hospitals in North Western (Wayamba) Province staging a strike from 8 am today. Secretary of GMOA Dr. Naveen D Zoysa said their members would attend to emergency cases during the strike scheduled to end around noon. He, however, said the executive committee of the provincial GMOA branch would meet this morning more..

Feb 27 (DM) The SAITM controversy was fast heading towards a violent situation that might claim lives of the youth in the country, Minister Champika Ranawaka has warned. Reminding the loss of lives during the efforts by the then Govt to introduce private Universities in 1980s, Minister in a Cabinet Paper had warned the Govt not to aggravate the situation. He said in the Cabinet Paper that universities in US, UK, Canada, more..

Feb 27 (DN) A Cabinet reshuffle is imminent after the scheduled visit of IMF Chief Christine Lagarde next month, a highly placed Govt source said. IMF Managing Director Lagarde is expected in the country early March and the Sri Lankan Govt will present her a proposal for economic development. Cabinet reshuffle will take place after her visit. Meanwhile, Minister Ravi Karunanayake along with senior officials of the Treasury more..

Feb 27 (Island) Former President Mahinda Rajapaksa on Saturday called upon the govt to explain what it had done with the loans obtained during the last two years. He said: "Politicians of this govt go all over the country lamenting that I obtained massive loans and landed the country in a debt trap. Anyone can see what I did with the loans we obtained. You can go all over the country you will see the roads, bridges, harbours and airports. more..

Feb 27 (CT) Constitutional reform is once again on the front burner of the national agenda. The election manifestos of both President Sirisena and PM Wickremesinghe in 2015 gave high priority to it. The govt started strongly with passage of the 19th Amendment through parliament. In an unprecedented act of statesmanship President voluntarily relinquished much of the power he was vested with as executive president of the country and reduced the term of office of president. more..

Feb 27 (CT) Geneva has been a household name in Sri Lanka for the past several years, as the island nation faces a tug-o-war with regard to resolving its post-war humanitarian issues. Previous Rajapaksa regime had a tough time with Geneva following three consecutive resolutions, backed by the US, brought against the regime by the UNHRC over the post- war issues including alleged war crimes. Despite the change of regime Geneva, the beautiful Swiss City, still remains a nightmare to Sri Lanka. more..

Feb 27 (CT) Former President Rajapaksa has indicated his interest in meeting representatives of the main two minority communities, sources said. Rajapaksa wants a platform to discuss the current political situation in the country with them, and a tentative meeting is scheduled for next month between the representatives of both communities, including leaders of political parties, and Rajapaksa, who has been largely unpopular in the face of both minority communities. more..

Feb 27 (AD) 24 suspects who were arrested and remanded over the clash in Hambantota on 6 Jan have been granted bail by the Hambantota Magistrate’s Court today. The suspects were released on three personal bails of Rs.500,000 each after being produced before the Magistrate. At least 21 people, including three police officers, were injured in violent clashes between govt supporters and protesters marching against what they say is a plan to take over private land for more..

Feb 27 (DM) Women and girls can use 119 Police Emergency hotline number to make any complaints over sexual harassments; especially on public transports, Head of Child and Women Bureau, said. Women and girls are often silent in case of sexual harassment in public transport because they need to reach their destination soon without getting involved in any legal activity against harassment, while travelling. more..

Feb 27 (DM) Appointments made to 25 Govt institutions as Chairmen had not yet been cleared by the High Post Committee of Parliament, officials said. UPFA Executive Committee discussed the matter at its meeting last Friday. Former MP Somaweera Chandrasiri, who attended the meeting representing Mahajana Eksath Peramuna (MEP) took it up with the President. President Maitripala Sirisena instructed Minister Mahinda Amaraweera to look into the complaint and report to him. more..

Feb 27 (DM) MP Ven. Athuraliye Rathana Thera, who is in the centre of a controversy over his recent statement that he would act as an independent MP, said that he would not leave the present govt. He said there is no need for him to leave the govt as he wished to get what he wanted done with the help of the govt. Speaking at a harvest reaping function of a paddy field where organic fertilizer had been used instead of chemical fertilizer, the Thera stated that Sri Lanka could save more than more..

Feb 27 (AD) Seven prisoners including a notorious underworld figure were killed Monday morning after shots fired at a prison bus in Kalutara. The police are investigating to identify and locate the gunmen who opened fire at the vehicle while it was on its way to the Kalutara Courts Complex, officials said. Two prison officers were also among those who were killed. Apart from that, underworld figure Aruna Udayanga alias more..

Feb 27 (DN) A backhoe machine operator was crushed to death and three other workers were injured when a heavy mound of earth with rock boulders collapsed on a group of workers engaged in construction work connected with the Kalu Ganga reservoir project in the Laggala area around 9 am yesterday. This project is handled by a Chinese company. The large mound of earth had collapsed because it had got loosened due to rock blasting work done on hillock above the previous day. more..

Feb 27 (CT) NFF Leader Wimal Weerawansa is planning to hold an art exhibition once he is released from prison. NFF Media Secretary Anurudda Ranawarana said that during his imprisonment Weerawansa had created several artworks such as cartoons and drawings, apart from engaging in writing. After his release the NFF leader expects to hold an exhibition under the theme of Siragatha Sithuwam, Ranawarana said. In addition he has also completed writing two books. more..

Feb 27 (SNA) The strong mutual respect and cooperation between Seychelles and Sri Lanka’s leading healthcare facilities has been further consolidated through the first working visit of President Danny Faure to two Sri Lankan hospitals. Faure visited Hemas Hospital in Thalawatugodha and Lanka Hospitals in Colombo over the weekend and met with Seychellois patients undergoing treatment there. more..

Feb 27 (LBO) Sri Lanka’s Lee Hedges is to reverse a resolution for a proposed multi-storied apartment after several shareholders requested that the company buys back their shares. Lee Hedges in a stock exchange filing said they received letters from eleven shareholders, collectively holding 2,763,900 shares, requesting that the company purchases their shares in view of their dissent to the resolution. At an extraordinary general meeting held on 26th Jan, company passed a resolution more..

Feb 27 (NBC) When Rosanna Flamer-Caldera returned to her native Sri Lanka after immigrating to the United States as a teenager, she thought she'd get involved in eco-conservation or elephant conservation—two issues near and dear to her since childhood. But it was something much more personal—improving the rights for the LGBTQ community—that ultimately drew her interest and passion. Today, Flamer-Caldera, a dual SL-US citizen, is one of the leading activists more..

Feb 27 (WA) A SL-born doctor who was convicted of the manslaughter of her abusive husband last year has been granted parole and will be released from prison this week. Chamari Liyanage was jailed for four years in February last year over the fatal bashing of her manipulative and merciless husband Dinendra Athukorala in 2014. She has been eligible for parole since June but was facing deportation more..

Feb 27 (NR) Minister of Tourism John Amaratunga today refuted allegations that surfaced recently pertaining to the negligence in the maintenance of toilets at the national heritage site, Sigiriya. Reports circulated accusing the Tourism Ministry of neglecting the maintenance of toilets at Sigiriya that attracts many tourists and locals daily. Speaking at a media briefing Minister said heritage sites fall under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Education. He stressed that Tourism Ministry cannot more..

Feb 27 (Island) The govt was trying to destroy the military intelligence by portraying it as a criminal outfit, the NFF alleged. The party’s propaganda secretary and former MP Mohammed Muzammil said: "It is now clear that a plot is being hatched to destroy the army intelligence unit to curry favour with the enemies of the state. "At the moment five intelligence operatives including a major have been arrested on charges of attacking journalist Keith Noyahr. more..

Feb 27 (EN) Sri Lanka will honour all govt bonds issued by the govt, Minister Ravi Karunanayake said after amid questions whether the specified legal procedure has been followed in selling the bonds. "All bonds issued will be honoured," Minister said. He said the question of legality will be gone into later, but the govt will confirm the trust placed by investors who had bought the bonds. The controversy arose after it came to light that more..

Feb 27 (AM) PM Ranil Wickremesinghe, at a meeting with UNP seniors at Temple Trees yesterday, asked for submissions for party re-organisation. Premier had said that the UNP should not neglect party priorities, even while in the unity govt. Towards this end, the Premier suggested that while those holding portfolios in the unity govt continue with their work, other members of the UNP focus on party priorities. PM suggested that the party members make submissions and more..

Feb 27 (CG) The joint opposition had talks today with Central Bank Governor Indrajit Coomaraswamy and discussed the alleged treasury bond scam. Opposition MP Bandula Gunawardena said that Coomaraswamy was told that there was an unacceptable delay in taking action against those accused in the treasury bond scam. Gunawardena also said that former President Mahinda Rajapaksa was being falsely accused in the whole scam through a gazette notice. more..

Feb 27 (CI) Malinda Pushpakumara claimed a 13-wicket haul and then hit the winning runs as Sri Lanka A completed a dash to victory in Dambulla to square the unofficial Test series with England Lions. Needing 90 to win during the final session, having been defied for much of the day by Liam Livingstone's second hundred in the match, Sri Lanka A lost wickets regularly but did enough to hold off the Lions' unlikely tilt at snatching victory. more..

Feb 27 (DN) Sri Lanka has put in place a framework for both fiscal and monitory management and it has now come to the implementations stage of these plans, said Governor Central Bank Indrajit Coomaraswamy. Speaking at the 23rd annual awards ceremony of the Institute of Charted Ship Brokers, on Friday he said that there were very good plans ahead and the jury is very much out there to decide if they do it right or not. “The big questions is can we deliver? more..

Feb 27 (DM) Govt intends to place a bar on the provincial councils from discussing separatism, said PM Ranil Wickremesinghe. He said the govt intended including a clause to that effect in the new Constitution. He said devolution of power in the new constitution would be based on the existing provincial council system. "The existing system will be used as a frame for devolving power in the new constitution. Some allege that the govt is going to introduce federalism, but I aver that more..