May 3 (CT) Anil Weerasinghe, who has again been appointed as the Team Manager for the SL junior athletics team once again has begun his usual acts of fury and idiocracy leaving junior athletes in shock, angered and dejected. These have taken place just three days prior to the South Asian Junior Athletics C'ship to be held 5 - 6 May at Sugathadasa Stadium. A school PTI by profession at the Janadhipathi BV, Nawala and Weerasinghe was nowhere to be seen on the last day of the Junior National, more..

May 3 (Island) Sri Lankan cricket seems to be going from bad to worse each day and there was further shock as the team slipped to an all time low of number nine in T-20 cricket in the official ICC Rankings which was updated yesterday. According to the updated rankings, minnows Afghanistan were placed eighth above ninth ranked Sri Lanka. Sri Lankans were champions of the 2014 edition of the World T-20 while finishing more..

May 3 (EN) TAL Lanka Hotels, the owner of five-star Taj Samudra Hotel in Colombo, said it made a loss of 15.8 million rupees in the March 2018 quarter, compared to a 1.2 million profit a year earlier, on higher taxation, falling revenue and rising marketing and administrative costs. The company which also manages the Airport Garden Hotel reported a loss of 11 cents per share in the quarter. The stock was trading 40 cents lower at 15.80 rupees on Wednesday. more..

May 3 (Island) The opening round of the Inter-Provincial 50 over tournament was affected by rain but Kandy and Colombo recorded wins on Duckworth Lewis method after Lahiru Thirimanne and Mahela Udawatte posted centuries for their sides in Colombo yesterday. Chasing a target of 271 runs to win at RPS, Colombo’s innings was anchored by Lahiru Thirimanne, who was axed from the national side in December last year. The top order batsman made an unbeaten 107 more..

May 3 (CT) The Rheumatology and Rehabilitation Unit of the Sri Jayewardenepura General Hospital yesterday warned that with the escalating aging population, the country would have to deal with an increasing number of age related diseases. Head of the Rheumatology and Rehabilitation Unit (RRU) Dr. Kaleel Cassim observed that osteoarthritis (OA) could be foremost amongst them. more..

May 3 (CT) If Sri Lanka is to attract more tourists, an improved service management and hotel efficiency were critical along with better-managed transport and traffic in the country, as the concept of hospitality was not simply based on smiling faces, opined Thai Ambassador to Sri Lanka, Chulamanee Chartsuwan. “There is a serious lack of efficiency in hotels and other sectors of tourism. If you look at the check-out times, it is painstakingly long. Many tourists want this done efficiently”, she said. more..

May 3 (DN) Minister Mangala Samaraweera will lead the SL delegation at 51st Asian Development Bank (ADB) Board of Governors’ Annual Meeting 2018 at the ADB Headquarters in Mandaluyong City in Manila. Minister Samaraweera, who is also the ADB Governor for SL, will address the Business Session on Saturday highlighting the country’s performance in the development and economic spheres. Treasury Secretary Dr. R.H.S. Samaratunga and higher officials of the Finance Ministry’s more..

May 3 (Island) President Sirisena said that there was no need of talking of a presidential or general election right now as such talk might create unnecessary problems leading to political instability in the country. "I do not think that there is a need for talk about a presidential or general election right now," Prez said in response to a question raised by BBC during an interview with him to know whether he would be contesting next prez election. more..

May 3 (DM) Colombo is the third most popular non-European destinations for Brits followed by New York and Orlando respectively, the UK’s Daily Mail reported quoting an analysis conducted by the search site Kayak.co.uk. However, the analysis hadn’t included actual bookings, Daily Mail said. Kayak.co.uk travel expert Neil Cartwright has said internationally, there has been a huge shift towards the Indian Subcontinent as well as Africa. “And we couldn’t have predicted a few years ago that more..

May 3 (DM) Computer Emergency Readiness Team Co-ordination Centre (CERT|CC) said it had recorded complaints from five people who had paid a total of more than Rs.1.8 million to the accounts of social media fraudsters to get their gift items released from Customs. Five instances had been reported since last December about social media fraudsters requesting gullible users to pay customs duties to get their gifts released and sent to them. “Many use websites such as Facebook, more..

May 3 (Island) Mount Lavinia Magistrate, directed the CID to record a statement from former Army Chief Sarath Fonseka in respect of the inquiry into the abduction of Deputy Editor of The Nation Keith Noyahr on May 22, 2008. Magistrate said so in response to representations made by lawyers representing the accused in the high profile case. Lawyers pointed out that Fonseka, too, should be questioned as the original accusations more..

May 3 (DN) All pre-arrangements have been completed with financial support from the Ministry of Sports to host the South Asian Junior Athletics Championship 2018 at the Sugathadasa Stadium on May 5 and 6, Athletic Association of Sri Lanka (AASL) president Palitha Fernando stated at a press conference held yesterday. Fernando said that the championship was fully funded by the Govt through the Ministry of Sports and all pre- arrangements were concluded to commence the c'ship. more..

May 3 (DM) The former strongman had occasion to visit Nuwara Eliya the other day to attend a function there. He was to be hosted to lunch at a grand hotel in the city. Soon after the former strongman’s arrival at the hotel, a milky white Lamborghini drew up opposite the hotel. A heavyweight from another main political party who was scouting around at the time spotted the Lamborghini and immediately concluded that it was the former strongman who arrived in the vehicle. more..

May 3 (DN) The doyen of Sinhala cinema and internationally renowned filmmaker Dr. Lester James Peries was cremated amidst glowing tributes from fellow artistes, politicians, members of the clergy and the public at the Independence Square yesterday evening. Dr Peries’s cinematic journey which was illustrated by his desire to highlight the indigenousness and the local cultural ethos to the Sri Lankan cinema and more..

May 3 (CT) The Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) helped waste management by introducing a municipal solid Waste Material Recovery Facility (WMRF) at the garbage dump site at Karadiyana, Kesbewa recently, a statement found on the JICA’s website said. The site was built by Recycle Company Limited, Japan which has the technology to separate recyclable items from mixed waste and convert organic waste into fertilizer, the statement said. more..

May 3 (Hindu) In three different operations in less than 24 hours, special teams of the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence, Chennai Zonal Unit, seized 32.249 kg of gold smuggled into India with the help of fishing boats from Sri Lanka. The gold was meant for sale in Chennai. Acting on a tip-off, DRI officials mounted surveillance in the Mannady area on Tuesday evening and intercepted a motorcyclist who was carrying a suspicious baggage. The suspect admitted to have received the consignment more..

May 3 (EN) SL's tour operators have protested a decision by a regulatory agency not to take action against hotels built on the coast illegally, which could be contributing to the rise in crime against tourists, saying it will harm the image of the country. SL Association of Inbound Tourist Operators said after a brutal attack on tourists at a beach bar in Mirissa, it was decided to remove unauthorized constructions on the beach. more..

May 3 (AC) INDEXES on press freedom indicate that SL’s media has become freer since the National Unity Govt took office in January 2015. However, the reality on the ground with journalists threatened with counterterrorism laws, editors forced to practice self-censorship and near-continuous surveillance, paints another picture. Although the operating environment for journalists in 2018 is far safer than when SL’s civil war ended in May 2009, the mere absence of death and disappearance of journalists is but more..

May 3 (CT) Minster Navin Dissanayake commenting on a proposal to offer Minister Field Marshal Sarath Fonseka the portfolio of Law and Order and the President’s alleged reluctance to appoint him, said that he was aware that certain DIG had requested that the President not appoint a military officer for this position. Moreover, when queried as to the re-appointment of MP Ravi Karunanayake as the UNP’s Assistant Leader, the National Organizer of the Party said that more..

May 3 (CT) The Glyphosate ban has been lifted on tea and rubber, in the light of recent warnings from Japan that a ban on tea will be imposed on shipments due to inconsistent levels of MCPA - a Glyphosate substitute used by tea producers - said Minister Navin Dissanayake. “President Maithripala Sirisena and PM Ranil Wickremesinghe have taken the decision to lift the Glyphosate ban on these two industries. more..

May 3 (DM) Three wheelers, no doubt have become much of a headache to motorists and pedestrians. The haphazard driving of three-wheelers often makes the others hope for a day that the govt organizes alternative routes for these auto-rickshaws so that the other vehicles can travel on the roads peacefully. Despite the challenges that this small man’s transport system poses for motorists one often finds oneself flashing a smile on seeing the funny slogans written mostly more..

May 3 (DM) Exactly one year ago, just after the joint opposition picked up the gauntlet thrown by the Yahapalana Government (that of filling Galle Face Green on May Day) and put up an unprecedented show of force, I posted the following comment on Facebook: “pef,akaÊ tlla wjYH kï fukak(tcdmfha fyda cúfm fyda Y%S,xksmfha 2018 uehs Èk fIda tl f.da,a f*aia tfla ;shkak (If you are looking for a challenge, here’s one: let the UNP or SLFP or JVP hold the 2018 May Day rally at Galle Face). more..

May 3 (Nikkei) When PM Ranil Wickremesinghe invited Britain's Prince Edward to be guest of honor at the island state's 70th Independence Day celebrations this year, Sri Lankans took it in their stride. This was a form of progress for the premier, who was shouted down when he suggested during a previous term in office that Sri Lanka should celebrate the 500th anniversary of the Portuguese invasion with more..

May 3 (DM) JVP General Secretary Tilvin Silva, in an interview with Daily Mirror, speaks about his party’s initiative to bring a constitutional amendment for the abolition of executive presidency. Q: How do you i ntend to amend the executive presidency, technically speaking? A: We have prepared a draft. According to it, some powers vested with the executive President will be transferred to the Cabinet and the PM. more..

May 3 (Roar) On 14 April, 2017, while people across the island were preparing to celebrate the Sinhala and Tamil New Year, tragedy struck Colombo. The Meethotamulla garbage dump, on the outskirts of the city, collapsed, killing more than 30 and affecting as many as 1,800 people. Upon collapse, the garbage dump was almost 50 feet high and covered a whopping 21 acres of land. Until the 1970s, general area of the present garbage more..

May 3 (NR) A special party leaders meeting is scheduled to take place at the Parliamentary complex today under the leadership of Speaker of House Karu Jayasuriya. Deputy General Secretary of Parliament Neil Iddawela said the party leaders meeting which was scheduled to be held yesterday was cancelled. He said the Parliamentary session scheduled to reconvene on the 8th of May will be discussed during the meeting. more..

May 3 (DM) Milk powder importers said yesterday they stopped importing milk powder from last week following its increase in the world market. “The cost of one metric ton of milk powder in the world market is US$ 3,250-3,350. It can go up to US$ 3,400-3,500 by June. Against this backdrop, we requested the CAA and the Cost of Living Committee to increase the price of one kilo of imported milk powder by Rs.100 to cover up importer costs. more..

May 3 (ST) Dubious tourist guesthouses where vulnerable travellers face being bashed and sexually attacked by drugged and drunken local thugs have been ordered to obtain licences within a year as authorities alarmed by the damage done to SL’s tourism reputation rush in safety measures. Govt will increase the Tourist Police force by 300 officers and provide 20 more police posts at tourist hotspots. more..

May 3 (Island) The JVP yesterday demanded to know from the President and the govt on what scientific basis the ministries had been allocated at Tuesday’s cabinet reshuffle. JVP MP Vijitha Herath, urged the govt to tell the nation what it meant by the term scientific basis. "The govt and the President kept on telling people that they would reshuffle the Cabinet and ministries would be allocated on a scientific basis. more..

May 3 (DN) Most Ven. Tibbotuwawe Sri Siddhartha Sumangala Mahanayake thera of the Malwatte Chapter said he believed that the 16 SLFP members who held Ministerial posts would remain in the govt for the full length of its tenure. Prelate expressed these sentiments when the group of 16 SLFP members who resigned from govt ranks called on him at his temple in Kandy to receive his blessings. more..

May 3 (DM) One wonders whether the main qualification needed to get a cabinet portfolios is engaging in corruption, Deputy Minister Ranjan Ramanayake said. Ramanayake came out with this statement responding to the cabinet reshuffle and the reshuffling of state and deputy ministers during the last two days. “I have not been engaged in corruption and had got only a deputy minister’s post but I wonder whether the main qualification more..

May 3 (NR) Party leaders representing Parliament have decided to hold a Parliamentary debate on the govt's policy statement on the 10th of May, after it is presented by President Maithripala Sirisena at the forthcoming Parliamentary session scheduled to convene on the 8th of May. The decision to hold the debate was reached during a special party leaders meeting held this morning, under the patronage of Speaker more..

May 3 (CT) The term scientific is synonymous with methodical and logical. To be scientific is to be grounded on or characterized by the methods and principles of science. It is a discipline, a systematically organized body of knowledge, analyzed, tested, experimented in order to understand, explain and make efficient. Yet not an iota of science is observable in the recent Cabinet reshuffle that boasted an extensive scientific methodology when appointing individuals to more..

May 3 (FT) This commentary looks at the recent humanitarian crisis involving Myanmar’s Rohingya community from a Sri Lankan perspective. In particular, it considers implications of the crisis for Sri Lanka. We suggest that the crisis requires Sri Lanka to formulate a national policy on refugees, in its drive to become a better regional citizen. In addition, we argue that the deteriorating situation in Myanmar serves as an implicit warning for Buddhist-Muslim relations in Sri Lanka. more..

May 3 (CT) The 17-member Committee headed by Ruwan Wijewardene appointed to develop a programme to restructure the UNP unanimously recommended that ‘the Sinhala-Buddhist base should be strengthened within the party and towards this end a strong leadership with a Sinhala-Buddhist base should be created (Recommendation 5.1). This is the only one under the broad recommendation ‘Working towards strengthening the religious base within the party (Recommendation 5).’ more..

May 3 (MFA) The 2018 Intake of Officers of the Sri Lanka Foreign Service (SLFS) assumed duties at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Colombo, today (2), and were welcomed by Secretary to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The SLFS batch of 2018, comprising of 21 officers were appointed to the SLFS by the Public Service Commission through an Open Competitive Examination held in 2017 conducted by the Department of Examinations, as per the provisions of the SLFS Minute 2016 and more..

May 3 (Roar) What’s in a name, asked the bard, and we know now that that which we call a rose, by another name would smell as sweet. But for a number of Sri Lankans, their names given at birth proved a thorny issue. These Sri Lankan, who came to dominate the spheres of music, sports, cinema and others, chose to change their names for a variety of reasons we’ll attempt to discover in this article. more..

May 3 (AD) Field Marshal Sarath Fonseka says that certain groups operating externally are creating conflicts within the UNP. He said that there is no reason to fail if responsibilities are fulfilled with dedication and honesty. The newly-appointed Minister of Sustainable Development, Wildlife and Regional Development stated that there is a scientific basis for his new ministerial portfolios as regional development and wildlife are both associated with rural life. more..

May 3 (AD) Newly appointed Minister of Agriculture Mahinda Amaraweera says that the shifting of Ministry of Agriculture back to its previous location has been brought to his attention. Responding to questions by the media personnel after assuming duties in his new ministerial post today, he said that he personally doesn’t see the need for such a luxurious and large building to house the ministry. The most suitable place for the Ministry was its previous location at Govijana Mandiraya, more..