Oct 1 (ST) Sri Lanka will sign a deal with Russia to procure a Gephard 5.1 Offshore Patrol Vessel (OPV) for the Navy, the Cabinet of Ministers decided last Tuesday. The unanimous decision came on a recommendation from President Sirisena who is also the Minister of Defence. As reported last week, the Russian Govt will extend credit to the tune of US$ 135 million (Rs.20 billion) exclusive of 15% of Sri Lanka Govt’s contribution. more..

Oct 1 (SL) The Commercial High Court of the Western Province has granted a landmark interim injunction, which was sought by an Indian company over mass counterfeiting in Sri Lanka. The matter, which was held before High Court Judge, Mahinda Samayawardhena, was declared to be a textbook case of violation of intellectual property rights. Jyothy  Laboratories Ltd, an Indian multi-product company and more..

Oct 1 (CI) For eleven sessions this Test went nowhere, the teams only three runs apart at the end of the first innings, but towards the end of day four, Pakistan's spinners claimed four wickets, and shocked it into life. Having been made to labour in the field for 162.3 overs, SL's now face a stern battle on Monday. They are 66 runs ahead, but have lost four of their top five, and have fielded only six specialist batsmen in this match. more..

Oct 1 (Island) Rohingya crisis has now spilled across several national boundaries to cause unrest in SL as well and has once again called into question the true religious and human values that we claim to profess as Sri Lankans, says Rt. Revd. Dhiloraj Canagasabey, Bishop of Colombo. Conflict between Myanmar state and Rohingaya Muslim community in what is now called Rakhine State is not recent but goes back to more..

Oct 1 (AJ) It's been exactly two years since the UN adopted a resolution calling on Sri Lanka to ensure justice for victims of the civil war. Thousands went missing during the 30-year conflict. Just before arriving in New York for the UN General Assembly last month, Sri Lanka's president announced the setting up of an office to look into the disappearances. But critics say more needs to be done. more..

Oct 1 (SO) Leader of TNA, R. Sampanthan welcomed the judgement given in the Sivaloganathan Vidya’s rape and murder case. He said that the manner in which the investigations were conducted as well as swift legal procedures sets a good precedent, for criminals who think that they can evade the law. “This is one of the worst crimes in the history of SL, committed on an innocent young girl on her way to school. more..

Oct 1 (DM) Five suspects, including a woman who was arrested on Saturday in connection with the incident in Mount Lavinia on September 26, in which a group of protesters allegedly harassed the group of 31 Myanmar refugees, were remanded till October 9 by the Mount Lavinia Magistrate Court today. CCD arrested a 42-year-old woman who is a resident of Mount Lavinia on Saturday afternoon while another four more..

Oct 1 (CI) The bans handed out by SLC to the 22 players implicated in the Tier B match-manipulation case will be lifted, pending the result of an appeal process. Players of Panadura Sports Club and Kalutara Physical Culture Club were last month banned for one year from all cricketing activities for their supposed role in manipulating the result of a Tier B first-class match in January - captains Chamara Silva & Manoj Deshapriya more..

Oct 2 (CT) The old codger saw the deficiencies of democracy ages ago. Hence there is good reason why my previous columns dealt with unpredictability (17 Sept) and instability (24 Sept). We are nearing the end of 2017 and no one knows whether there will be a new constitution, whether the Executive Presidency will be retained and what the electoral system will be. The only two people (Ranil and Sirisena) who may have an inkling are tight lipped, or to be frank, I think they don’t know either. more..

Oct 2 (CT) The appended visual says it all. It depicts former Secretary to President Lalith Weeratunga and former Director General of TRC Anusha Pelpita being led away after their conviction for misuse of state funds amounting to LKR 600 mil belonging to TRC and aiding and abetting the same in spending it. Each of them were sentenced to three years rigorous imprisonment (RI) for all the charges besides each being fined LKR 2 million and ordered to pay the TRC LKR 50 million. more..

Oct 2 (NS) It’s easy to romanticize about a dark skinned man with a European accent who comes to Sri Lanka looking for his long lost mother who gave him up for adoption as an infant. We’d all love to see his mother’s tear streaked cheeks upon finally being reunited with her son. But the hard truth is that he was probably, very likely, sold. The decades old issue of baby farms resurfaced recently when Minister Rajitha more..

Oct 2 (ST) In midst of an impossible muddle of governance in Colombo, the handing down of the death sentence to the accused in the Sivaloganathan Vithya rape and murder case by a trial-at-bar in Jaffna this week is one tentative indication that, (to borrow from Longfellow) the mills of justice in Sri Lanka have started grinding again, exceedingly fine. Indeed, this trial is noteworthy in a way that goes far beyond its verdict. It is more than merely symbolic that more..

Oct 2 (SL) Aside the commendable fact that the Maithiri-Ranil dual leadership has actually caused the presentation of the Steering Committee’s Draft Report to the Constitutional Assembly, a la Parliament, it has as much a long way to go before the nation could see much light, if at all, on this score. The fact that the presentation itself got timed to the UN General Assembly, preceded by what has become the customary, bi-annual SL-linked UNHRC session in Geneva, more..

Oct 2 (SL) Police has come under fire after a mob led by a group of monks threatened Rohingya refugees at a safe house in Mount Lavinia last week. Farhan Haq, Deputy Spokesman for the UN Secretary-General said the UN was alarmed at the incident. He said the UN refugee agency had also urged the public to continue protecting and empathizing with people fleeing persecution and violence. more..

Oct 2 (SL) Throughout the ages prophets have not been recognised in their own countries and for good reasons. Apart from a few prophets, the rest have been trouble makers and not been treated kindly as they should have been by their rulers. 21st Century’s prophets are the political prophets in the Media are also a source of much concern not only for current rulers but the general public as well. These Media Prophets are of different kinds: Minor Prophets, those who provide information or more..

Oct 2 (Island) The govt is serious about making it compulsory for students to complete 13 years of schooling, as we reported on Saturday. Ideally, each and every student should receive education at least up to the university entrance level, but the question is how realistic this goal is. It is hoped that the govt will consult experts in the field of education and other stakeholders and take their views on board without jumping in feet first. Some educationists of repute have stressed, in their articles more..

Oct 2 (ST) Forget their race, forget their creed and forget that they were born as Muslims in the land of Buddhist Burma, now Myanmar. Just hold them in your hearts for awhile as human beings, as victims of circumstances beyond their control, as innocent sufferers of another’s wrong, a nation’s crime, who must now cry in pain and bleed with grief; and storm heaven and verily raise the question, why me, why us, what grievous wrong have we and our children done on this earth this birth to more..

Oct 2 (Island) The 36th session of the UNHRC closed just a few days back, on the 29th of Sept. At that session, there were allegations of genocide, systematic discrimination, rape and torture in custody, extrajudicial killings and militarization leveled at Sri Lanka besides a call by the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid al Hussein, for the second time in two sessions, for Universal Jurisdiction to be exercised. Universal Jurisdiction allows the courts of another country more..

Oct 2 (CT) Schoolgirl Vithya Sivaloganathan murder Trial-at-Bar verdict came in for the praise by the law abiding citizens of the Jaffna Peninsula and the country at large. Seven of the accused were convicted for conspiracy, abduction, rape and murder and were sentenced to death. The verdict and handing down of the death sentence was given by the three-Judge Trial-at-Bar Bench, which comprised HC Judges more..

Oct 2 (Island) The Left, politically speaking, is not merely a philosophy, an ideology or a method of economy. It is an attitude and a belief in all that is best in humanity; in all that will enhance and ennoble the dignity and worth of each and every human being. The Left always stands for the equality of all, justice for all and universal (sisterhood/brotherhood) fraternity. For the true leftist Common Good is the primary concern, always taking priority over his personal privileges, more..

Oct 2 (Island) Ageing is an issue close to my heart. I come from the country with the highest percentage of elderly people in the world. By 2050, almost half of the population in Japan will be above the age of 60 years. The lessons we have learned as a country are plenty; and the learning continues. In Japan, it is customary for the eldest son’s wife to take care of the grandparents. My mother was such a wife. As a working mother herself, she had to travel over eight hours by train to care for my grandmother more..

Oct 2 (ST) At the recent AFC U16 qualifiers, the young Sri Lanka side not only lost their four matches but did so humiliatingly. A 7-0 thrashing at the hands of Jordan was followed by a 6-0 loss to Bahrain. Uzbekistan beat them 6-0 to and a 10-0 hammering from the Saudi Arabians summed it up. Sri Lanka thus conceded 29 goals in four matches, which means the oppositions scored every 13 minutes of play. Results were no surprise. more..

Oct 2 (ST) Gampaha District retained the overall title for the second successive year at the National Youth Sports Festival which concluded at the North Central Province Sports Complex in A'pura. Gampaha finished with a final total of 116 points well ahead of the runners-up Kurunegala who managed to collect only 92 points. In addition, Kegalle District ended in the third position with a tally of 83 points while the last year runners-up Colombo were pushed into the sixth place with a poor 54 points. more..

Oct 2 (EN) Sri Lanka's state protected wheat milling duopoly produces 99 percent of the annual usage of 750,000 metric tonnes of flour in the country, with a Singapore based firm controlling the biggest shares, data disclosed in parliament has revealed. About 75% (562,000 metric tonnes) is produced by Prima mill owned by Singapore firm and 25 percent (about 187,000 metric tonnes) is produced by Serendib Flour Mills, Deputy Trade Minister Sujeewa Senasinge told parliament. more..

Oct 2 (EN) A US-based organisation supporting the cause of Rohingya have welcomed comments by two Sri Lankan ministers who condemned last week's violence directed against a UN safe house for 31 refugees near Colombo. The Burma Task Force said the 31 Rohingya who had been drifting off SL's northern coast five months ago had fled their refugee camp in Tamil Nadu after it was burnt down by nationalists. more..

Oct 2 (GDI) World Elders’ Day message: Elders are the most experienced senior community of a country. They are the persons who bestow their years of experience, knowledge and good sense to the contemporary generations, stated President Sirisena sending a message to mark World Elders’ Day. Message stated: “Though modern economic analyses define senior citizens as those who are over 65 years of age, without productivity, victories achieved by modern medical more..

Oct 2 (FT) Court of Appeal dismissed the revision application filed by Northern Power Company Ltd. seeking to set aside the order issued by the Mallakam Magistrate’s Court against the Chunnakam power generation plant of Northern Power Company on the alleged contamination of well water on the adjacent land by oil spills. The Bench comprised Justices Kumudini Wickramasinghe and Pathman Surasena. The petitioner Northern Power Company filed its more..

Oct 2 (DM) SL has recorded 12.3% in Misery index as of August due to escalating cost of living, JO MP Bandula Gunawardana said. MP revealed that during the past regime the Misery index had fluctuated less than ten percent but currently it had exceeded the previous rate. He said that the people had to struggle for their living as most of the prices of essential food items exceeded Rs.100 per kilo while unemployment gone up. more..

Oct 2 (Island) Mobitel (Pvt) Ltd, enhanced its 4G LTE network coverage by innovatively deploying its existing 900MHz spectrum. This initiative is Sri Lanka’s first such deployment, thus significantly enhancing Sri Lanka’s LTE coverage and making Mobitel the No.1 network for LTE Broadband in Sri Lanka. Mobitel Chairman, P. G. Kumarasighe Sirisena stated that he was proud that the dream of affordable Broadband was finally available to the wider population of Sri Lanka bringing more..

Oct 2 (FT) Sri Lanka has slipped to 85th place in the World Economic Forum Global Competitiveness Index (GCI) released last week, down from 71st place in the previous assessment. The latest ranking is the lowest for Sri Lanka in recent years. In 2005 the country was placed 68th. Other South Asia nations, including Bhutan (up 15 places), Nepal (up 10 places), Pakistan (up seven places) and Bangladesh (up seven places), have improved in competitiveness. more..

Oct 2 (DN) There were two sets of Sri Lankan manufactures, one looking at the local market and the other segment targeting exports, said PM Ranil Wickramasinghe. Speaking at the 25th National Chamber of Exporters (NCE) Export Awards held at Hilton Main Ball Room Colombo he said that there should be only one tier and the manufactures concentrating only on the local market should look at exports and govt would offer more..

Oct 2 (FT) Court of Appeal last week restrained a directive made by the Secretary to the Ministry of Industry and Commerce regarding the appointment of the Departmental Tender Board by the ministry. The bench comprised justices A.H.M.D. Nawaz (CA Acting President) and E.A.G.R. Amarasekera. The Chairman of Lanka Mineral Sands Ltd. (LMSL), who was the competent authority appointed on 7 Feb 2017, filed a case against the Secretary, Acting Secretary, Additional Secretary more..

Oct 2 (ST) Businessman Dhammika Perera, after his Hayleys-led ambitious forays into Singer PLC and Sri Lanka Shipping Company, is expanding his leisure sector business in the South. After gaining control of the majority stake in the Beach Resort Ltd. for Rs. 330 million last December with plans to invest Rs. 2.1 billion for another resort through one of his companies, Mr. Perera has medium term plans to build two hotels in Mirissa, officials told the Business Times. more..

Oct 2 (Island) PM and UNP leader Ranil Wickremesinghe has called on his party members to get ready for two back-to -back elections and to get rid of victor mentality as it would deprive them of their possible win in forthcoming elections. Addressing a meeting of UNP grassroots activists, PM said: "We have to face two elections soon. First, there will be elections for local govt bodies in January and then there will be PC polls. more..

Oct 2 (FT) The 8th Governing Board (GB) meeting of SAARC Arbitration Council (SARCO) was held at the Renuka City Hotel, Colombo on 21 and 22 September. Delegates from all eight Member States participated in the meeting. Secretary General of SAARC was represented by Rishfa Rasheed, Director (Social Affairs) of the SAARC Secretariat. The meeting was chaired by Shaikh Sarfraz, Additional Legal Draftsman/Joint Secretary of Ministry of Law and Justice, Pakistan. more..

Oct 2 (ST) Officials of the Royal Turf Club (RTC) and a delegation of Thoroughbred Horse Owners (THO) have had an urgent discussion on the progress of Horse racing, which is presently at a complete standstill, due to unsupportive weather conditions in Nuwara Eliya. The discussion was on the absence of activities on the Nuwara Eliya Racecourse, where Races were last held in April. THOs had questioned the RTC officials as to why Races could not be held in Aug as planned. more..

Oct 2 (CT) The BBS disapproved the violent actions of a group of Buddhist monks and activists against Rohingya refugees. Galagoda Aththe Gnanasara Thera said his organization does not approve the violent behaviour of the Buddhist monks and members of some Buddhist movements, towards Rohingya refugees. He also denied allegations levelled at BBS over the recent incident in Mt Lavinia. more..

Oct 2 (CT) Western Provincial Councillor (UPFA) Amal Pushpakumara Silva was arrested yesterday for being in possession of three rounds of live ammunition, Police said. They said that initial investigations have revealed the ammunition belonged to a weapon owned by a notorious drug dealer in the area identified as Welle Ratnapala. The suspect was apprehended at his residence in Ratmalana. PC member was picked up following information provided by the drug dealer more..

Oct 2 (CT) Two Buddhist monks were issued notice to appear before the Colombo Crimes Division (CCD), in order to give a statement regarding their protest against the Rohingya refugees. Police noted that Ven. Akmeemana Dayaratane and Ven. Arambepola Rathanasara Theras have been summoned to give a statement to the CCD today. Meanwhile, four suspects, including the female, arrested for threatening Rohingya refugees in Mount Lavinia, were remanded till 9 Oct more..