Jan 10 (Island) President Maithripala Sirisena’s life maybe in danger due to the facts uncovered during the PCoI on the controversial bond transactions, General Secretary of the UPFA, Mahinda Amaraweera said. He said the people of the country must unite to ensure the safety of Prez Sirisena as he had taken bold action to curtail corruption. "The report of the Commission was submitted to the President on time and the President has revealed most of the important details in it. more..

Jan 10 (NR) Three senior Deputy Inspector General of Police have been issued transfers with immediate effect. Senior DIG SM Wickramasinghe in charge of the VIP Security Division has now been transferred as the DIG of the Central and Uva Provinces. Senior DIG Jagath Abeysirigunawardana was transfered as the DIG in charge of the North Western and North Central Provinces. He previously held the post of Acting Senior DIG of the North Western, North Central and Central Provinces. more..

Jan 10 (NR) A five member Supreme Court bench headed by CJ Priyasath Dep has been appointed to consider the interpretation pertaining to the Article 32 of the Constitution on the Executive President’s term. Bench will comprise of judges Eva Wanasundera, KT Chitrasiri, Buwaneka Aluwihare & Sisira De Abrew. Yesterday, President Sirisena sought the SC’s opinion if he could remain Prez for six years till 2021. more..

Jan 10 (DM) UN Committee on the Rights of the Child would review children’s rights in Sri Lanka on Jan 15 and 16 in Geneva. Committee would also review Guatemala, Panama, Seychelles, Spain, Solomon Islands, Palau and Marshall Islands on different sessions spanning till February 2. Committee, which is composed of 18 independent experts, monitors how States that have ratified the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) are complying with their obligations. more..

Jan 10 (DM) Ministry Finance and Mass media today revoked the prohibition on selling liquor to women and employing women in places where liquor is manufactured or sold. Minister of Finance Mr. Mangala Samaraweera signed the Excise notification gazette Extraordinary in this regard under the Excise Ordinance. Excise Notification No 666 of the Gazette Extraordinary had imposed bar on selling liquor to women and employing women in the liquor related fields. more..

Jan 10 (Island) Civil society organization Parapuraka Balaya said that it was backing an independent group comprising youth contesting for the Balapitiya PS at Feb 10 local govet polls. Parapuraka Balaya spokesperson Chamara Nakandala said that they wanted to test public sentiments especially in the wake of those who had voted for the Jan 2015 revolution being disillusioned with yahapalana administration. more..

Jan 10 (NR) Elections Commission says the distribution of postal notices to eligible voters for the 2018 LG Election has been delayed. Commission said, the distribution of postal ballots for eligible voters was delayed following the announcement of a postal strike. The distribution of ballot notices was scheduled to take place tomorrow. However the Commission said the distribution of ballot papers will commence in the Gampaha, Kurunegala and Batticaloa districts and more..

Jan 10 (DM) A story that said the sporty one at the top team level consulted a female soothsayer about the future of the country’s popular game went viral in the recent past. Female one later confirmed that the distinguished visitor consulted her. Sporty one went into a fluster on hearing that his tryst with the soothsayer had leaked out to the public domain and hastened to deny story. “I'm not so superstitious as to go after occultists to know about the future of the game,” he declared in righteous anger. more..

Jan 10 (LT) “This election is held according to a new system. It is an election in which a representative is elected to the ward. It is an election in which thieves should be chased away and elect a team from a political party that has a plan and ability to work for the area. As such we ask the voters in the area to bring victory to the JVP that has never stolen from the people,” said the General Secretary of the JVP Tilvin Silva. more..

Jan 10 (LT) The Secretary to the President should be summoned to the party leaders’ meeting today and asked why the report of the PCoI into the Bond Issuance of the Central Bank and 34 reports of the Presidential Commission of Inquiry appointed to investigate and inquire into serious acts of fraud, corruption and abuse of power, state resources and privileges to parliament today informed the Chief Whip of the Opposition and Leader of the JVP Anura Dissanayaka. more..

Jan 10 (DM) Megapolis and Western Development Ministry is planning to introduce a rapid bus service within the Colombo city limits in line with its new initiative the light railway service. Minister Champika Ranawaka said the ministry will commence the project before end of this year. While launching the priority bus lane from Borella to Maradana today, he said ministry had identified new measures of strengthening the public transportation as there were no other way to overcome more..

Jan 10 (CT) Lawyers representing Arjun Aloysius, former owner of primary dealer Perpetual Treasuries, claimed that they are at a loss to know what future action they should take, as the findings of PCoI had not been released as yet. Counsel Anuja Premaratne, representing Aloysius, said that nobody is willing to comment on matters related to the controversial allegations made against his client and his company, due to more..

Jan 11 (CT) On 30 Dec, 2017, Minister Lakshman Kiriella was visibly jubilant to make a revelation in front of a set of graduates from SL Institute of Advanced Technological Education. It was a statement embedded with sarcasm directed towards the students’ movement which stood opposing the grand plan to establish a fraudulent institute and grant recognition. Sri Lanka Medical Council (SLMC) had agreed to recognize the medical degree awarded by the SAITM with more than more..

Jan 11 (CT) Understandably, many criticisms are being made of the Unity Govt set up by the UNP and President Maitripala Sirisena. Some of them are fair and some total fabrications and distortions. Ironically, the most vociferous are the print media and TV, which seeing no need to feel grateful for the new freedom they have got, are witnessed lashing at the President and the PM who are the key architects of the revolution of Jan 8th. One reason for that, is that the Press finds, at last, more..

Jan 11 (SO) Election campaigns in the run up to the February 10 local govt polls is gaining momentum in the North and East with political parties and political groups conducting pocket meetings and house to house visits, according to reports. The TNA and SLMC, the two minority political parties wielding power in the North and East respectively, having the highest number of parliamentary seats and more..

Jan 11 (DN) Last week, the focus of attention in political circles was President Sirisena’s special address to the nation regarding the report of the PCoI into the sale of CB bonds and the possible political fallout from the issue. The hearings of the Commission were held in public and received wide coverage in the print and electronic media. It had already led to the resignation of Minister Ravi Karunanayake, whose position in the Cabinet became untenable after it transpired that more..

Jan 11 (CT) Governor of Tamil Nadu, Banwarilal Purohit, speaking at the birth centenary celebrations of the late TN Chief Minister, M.G. Ramachandran, a few days ago highlighted that the late Chief Minister genuinely remained sympathetic towards SL Tamils. Maruthur Gopalan Ramachandran, who was popularly known by the initials of his name as MGR, had expressed his concerns politically and sympathized with the grievances of SL Tamils after Black July communal disturbance in 1983. more..

Jan 11 (CT) Minister Akila Viraj Kariyawasam says that the UNP could have formed a Govt alone if they wanted. "But we formed a Govt with President Maithripala Sirisena." Q: There are two charges against the Govt. One is that it is not doing anything and the other is that one cannot see what it is doing either? A: The second charge is admitted. We are doing a lot. A surprisingly large amount of work is being accomplished but more..

Jan 11 (GV) On Jan 10, Parliament will convene for a session to discuss the report released by the PCoI into the Bond Issuance of the CB, which was handed over to the President on Dec 30, 2017. President Sirisena released a statement discussing the findings of the report on Jan 3, 2018. In what was described as a hard-hitting statement, Sirisena said that legal action should be taken against wrongdoers, including Perpetual Treasurie, Arjun Aloysius and Kasun Palihena. more..

Jan 11 (Island) Some people love to see dangerous predators turn on one another and go on fighting till they are red in tooth and claw. The Animal Fight Club on Nat Geo channel is full of such bloody encounters among aggressive wild beasts of all sorts. These programmes don’t come cheap, though; one has to pay for them and not many find them affordable. But, thanks to our political representatives, with a violent disposition, even the people without access to cable TV get more..

Jan 11 (Island) The rejection of the nomination lists of several political parties and independent groups made headlines during the nominations period for the local govt elections to be held on 10 February. The rejection of the nominations lists of the SLPP gained more publicity than the other rejections because of the greater public focus on the performance of the SLPP at this election. The rejection of nomination lists is a matter that should be taken up for public debate more..

Jan 11 (Island) Presidential Commissions have their advantages, disadvantages and uses, depending on the particular government in power and the different agendas. Whatever the kind of Commission - special or normal, it is generally time-consuming. The Treasury Bond Commission has taken 10 months. One would think it not too long considering the megabucks involvement, the intricate nature of the issues and the unanticipated further issues that emerged during its proceedings. more..

Jan 11 (CB) SL naming rookie fast bowler Shehan Madushanka in their squad for the tri-nation series in Bangladesh brings back memories of tearaway fast bowler Ravindra Pushpakumara. When Arjuna Ranatunga picked Pushpakumara from total obscurity to make his debut at the age of 18, very few had heard of him. It's the same case with the 22-year-old Madushanka, who has played less than a handful of domestic matches. more..

Jan 11 (ICC) Every team wants an all-rounder, but finding one to properly justify the title is a tough thing to do; there are few players who could earn their spot in an international team with either bat or ball. But Kamindu Mendis is rarer than all of them. Not only does he bat in the middle order and captain his country, he also bowls spin equally well with left and right arm, even changing mid-over on occasion. “When I was young and starting cricket, I just practised both with my coaches,” more..

Jan 11 (SLN) On 9th Jan around 11.20 pm, the container carrier MV GLOVIS CAPTAIN under the flag of Marshal Islands, which was sailing to the Hambantota port from the port of Colombo collided with Nadeesha II a multiday fishing trawler which had left Hikkaduwa fisheries harbour for fishing with 7 fishermen onboard on last 1st of January, at the deep sea 13 nautical miles off the Light House, Dondra. The ship’s crew had been able to rescue two of the distressed fishermen a more..

Jan 11 (CT) National Audit Service (NAS) has requested the public not to cast their vote at the upcoming LG Polls, in favour of either the Yahapalana govt, which is intentionally not ratifying the National Audit Bill (NAB), which has been drafted to protect the State finances and public property, or to any representative of a political party that has governed the country to date. NAS has also challenged the Govt, to if possible ratify more..

Jan 11 (DN) Hotel De Buhari, Maradana will undergo modernization and will commence business with a new look, said Education Minister Akila Viraj Kariyawasam who is also the Chairman of Jathika Sevaka Sangamaya (JSS). The hotel will be re construct as a three storeyed building fitted with new equipment. The Buhari Hotel which comes under the management of the JSS would be turned around to be a profitable venture and its income used for the welfare of JSS members. more..

Jan 11 (DM) A story was reported where an individual had requested his mistress to return back to him 250 grammes of dry-fish that he had bought for her among other items if she wanted him out of her life forever. The man, who is 66 years old, was suspected by his mistress of having affairs with women other than herself. The mistress, a widow of 53, had changed her address to get away from the philandering boyfriend, but he had followed her to her new abode and wanted to reconnect. more..

Jan 11 (FT) Tourism industry is up in arms against Minister John Amaratunga’s decision to remove Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau (SLTPB) Chairman Udaya Nanayakkara, saying it would cause further setbacks and was untimely ahead of the much-needed global advertising rollout. Though asked to resign by Tourism Minister, SLTPB Chief Nanayakkara, an industry veteran, remained defiant. more..

Jan 11 (Island) Renowned sportsman, Tennis Champion and experienced administrator, Suresh Subramaniam announced that he will contest for the position of President of the National Olympic Committee of Sri Lanka (NOCSL) on Tuesday during a media briefing held at Tennis Association premises. Representatives of 18 sports associations were present during the media briefing pledging their support to Subramaniam. NOCSL is required to comply with instructions issued by more..

Jan 11 (DM) Centre for Human Rights and Research (CHRR) requested the Education Ministry to look into an incident in Badulla where a top provincial level politician in Uva had forced a school principal to kneel. In a letter to the Ministry Secretary, CHRR Executive Director Keerthi Tennakoon said they have received information that this politician had summoned a principal of a Tamil girls school in Badulla and forced her to kneel after she refused to follow his orders. more..

Jan 11 (CT) SL's social protection measures must be properly designed and better targeted to support the poor, said World Bank group's senior country economist for SL, Ralph Van Doorn. The impact of all socioeconomic reforms must look at innovative and focused solutions to protect the poor. "Take VAT exemptions: households in the top 60% income bracket, benefitting from exemptions, account for 75% of spending, more..

Jan 11 (Island) Recognizing the importance of industry – university partnerships in preparing the youth for the future, Nations Trust Bank made certain interventions recently to develop soft skills of undergraduates and sensitize youth on sustainable development. These interventions were made possible as a result of its collaboration with the Uni of Colombo Alumni Association and the student society - Base for Enthusiasts of Environmental Science & Zoology of Faculty of Science. more..

Jan 11 (SNA) Magistrate Court of Seychelles has remanded eight Sri Lankan citizens who are suspected of illegal fishing in local waters for an extra ten days as the investigation into their case continues. Seychelles Fishing Authority’s legal officer, said that “the suspects will return to court on Jan 19,” after they appeared in court on Monday. Seychelles, a 115-island archipelago in the western Indian Ocean, has a vast exclusive economic zone of more than 1.3 million square km, more..

Jan 11 (DN) Major national insurance procurement programs have lapsed as at Dec 31, 2017 and have not been extended or re awarded after expiry. National Procurement Guidelines rightfully provide that awards cannot be made pending the appeal, and it is very appropriate in instances like this where it is alleged that procurement guidelines are blatantly violated with intent to award at exorbitantly higher more..

Jan 11 (DM) President Maithripala Sirisena said today even though two factions accused in Parliament each other of being thieves, people know who the real thieves were. “Just as a pick-pocket calls out there is a thief, there is a thief while he is snatching someone’s purse, two factions in Parliament today accused each other of being thieves. But people know who the real thieves are,” the President said addressing a rally in Anuradhapura. more..

Jan 11 (CT) Despite revising the growth estimation for 2017 to 4.1% from 4.7% earlier, the World Bank remains confident that the SL economy would post an average growth rate of 5.1% during the next three years. According to CB and WB, SL's economic growth is expected to hit a three-year low, its lowest since 2013, where the growth rate was 3.4%. "In SL, activity expanded at an estimated 4.1% in 2017, below the June forecast as a result of disruptions from droughts and floods. more..

Jan 11 (Island) Speaker Karu Jayasuriya announced that President Sirisena had informed him that the report of the PCoI on Bond issue would be presented to Parliament on Jan 17. Speaker reading out a letter received from President’s Secretary Austin Fernando said the President had ordered that 26 copies of the bond report be semt to Parliament by next Wednesday. Letter also says that the copies of the report were handed over to more..

Jan 11 (FT) Govt called for Expressions of Interest (EOI) from local and international business enterprises to operate scheduled domestic flights to key tourism destinations in the country. The National Agency for Public-Private Partnership, the Finance and Mass Media Ministry and the Transport and Civil Aviation Ministry have published a request for EOIs from interested parties for the establishment of scheduled airline operations for domestic passenger air services based in Sri Lanka. more..