Oct 19 (Island) Mahanama College, Colombo batsman Sonal Dinusha helped Sri Lanka Under-19s post 288 runs in reply to Bangladesh Under-19s 309 runs as he anchored the batting line up with a 201-ball century on the penultimate day of the first Youth Test at NCC ground on Thursday. Commencing the day on 61 for five wickets, the hosts lost two wickets for the addition of just 17 runs. Tawhid Hdridoy who also accounted for Kamil Mishara on day one had Navod Paranavithana bowled for 40 runs. more..

Oct 19 (EN) Commerce Ministry said it has rejected a request by Litro Gas Lanka (LGL), the biggest importer and supplier of liquid petroleum gas, to raise prices because of rising crude oil prices. “Sri Lanka will not allow any sudden hike in domestic LPG gas prices right away, even if the global crude rates continue to gallop,” a statement said. “Our priority is to safeguard the consumers,” it quoted Minister of Industry and Commerce Rishad Bathiudeen as saying at a meeting more..

Oct 19 (DN) Sudarshana Muthuthanthri, is a huge influence on the rugby field as national captain to transform the short format of the game in which Sri Lanka has always had the talent but presently lacked even an acceptable structure and professionalism to compete successfully in the world sevens arena. An old boy of S. Thomas’ College Mount Lavinia, Muthuthanthri had remarkable success as the only Sri Lankan player to more..

Oct 19 (Island) Sri Lanka Economic Association (SLEA) will hold its 33rd annual session on Nov 16 and 17. The theme, Impact of globalization on SL Economy, Challenges and opportunities will be discussed in depth during these two days, said president, SLEA, Dr. Upananda Vidanapathirana said last week. Sessions will commence 16:00, hours on the 16th. These sessions will be convened at the auditorium, Center for Banking Studies, Central Bank of Sri Lanka, Rajagiriya. more..

Oct 19 (EN) Sri Lanka will get 30 million euros from France for a project to cut transmission losses at state utility CEB, and lower the island's dependence on fossil fuels for electricity generation, Ministry of Finance said. This is part of a US$ 260 million project - Green Power Development and Energy Efficiency Improvement Investment Programme - to improve energy savings by upgrading the island's transmission infrastructure with a smart electricity grid and smart metering. more..

Oct 19 (FT) Sotheby’s London Sale of Modern and Contemporary South Asian Art next week will be distinguished by three important works by George Keyt (1901-1993), one of the founding fathers of SL Modernism. Head of Sotheby’s London Sale of South Asian Art, Ishrat Kanga, said: “The influence of the western avant-garde spread all across the world in the mid-20th century, to trailblazing artists who wanted to more..

Oct 19 (Island) Dialog Axiata launched Voice over Wi-Fi (VoWiFi or WiFi Calling) service, that will enable users to make calls using a Wi-Fi network. The first to launch the technology in SL, Dialog, will enable subscribers with VoWiFi supported handsets to connect to a Wi-Fi network, and make or receive calls from mobile numbers and landlines at standard local call rates. The VoWiFi service does not require any third-party app to be installed and the recipient of the call will receive it more..

Oct 19 (FT) Putting forward key priority requests for tourism, the Hotels Association of Sri Lanka (THASL) this week called on the Government to recognise the sector as an export industry, provide tax relief, improve competitiveness and increase connectivity. Speaking at its 53rd Annual General Meeting (AGM), THASL President Sanath Ukwatte outlined four key requests to PM Ranil Wickremesinghe for future development of the industry. THASL’s four key requests include more..

Oct 19 (DM) Two Presidential advisors charged that there was an attempt by certain politicians and officials to belittle the investigations into the alleged attempt to assassinate President Sirisena and former Defense Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa and thereby thwart the successful conclusion of the probe. Presidential Advisor Shiral Laktilaka said though there was steady progress in the investigations, there were also attempts more..

Oct 19 (DM) While reiterating that China was not dragging SL into a debt trap, Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Lu Kang said Chinese loans only accounted for around 10% of SL's foreign debts by 2017. When asked about the allegations levelled by the US that China is using debt diplomacy to expand its influence worldwide, he said SL has been a case repeatedly played up by some foreign media recently. “But by 2017, Chinese loans accounted for around 10% of SL's foreign debts; more..

Oct 19 (CT) The Northern Province added around 78,000 jobs between 2011 and 2015, a 22% increase in the labour force in the Province, which is also the largest percentage increase in the country, the World Bank (WB) said. However, the jobs added to the labour force were predominantly concentrated in the Jaffna and Vavuniya Districts, two districts with relatively low poverty rates, it said. In the Eastern Province (EP), job growth was predominantly in the industry sector more..

Oct 19 (DN) Attorney General will file a revision application in the Court of Appeal challenging the Kurunegala High Court’s judgement to acquit and release MP Johnston Fernando and three others. This is in connection with the alleged misappropriation of Rs. 5.2 million in public funds case. AG’s Dept sources said that the Attorney General is to file a revision application challenging Kurunegala HC’s judgement dated Oct 17 more..

Oct 19 (DM) Former President Rajapaksa said the removal of former CJ Shirani Bandaranayake took place in a lawful manner during their rule as per the Constitutional provisions, and added however the removal of Mohan Peiris as Chief Justice by this govt was unlawful. Mr. Rajapaksa said that they had followed the procedure provided in the Constitution while removing former Chief Justice Bandaranayake by appointing a Parliamentary committee and calling for evidence. more..

Oct 19 (DN) The national Vap Magul 2018 will be held in Tissamaharama under the patronage of President Maithripala Sirisena on Oct 29. He was addressing a media briefing held yesterday, Minister Mahinda Amaraweera said measures were taken to cultivate more lands in parallel to the festival as the area received sufficient rainfall in the recent past. Abandoned paddy lands will be cultivated from this year. “We have planned to cultivate them again with the support of CSD personnel,” he said. more..

Oct 19 (Island) Kurunegala District UPFA MP Johnston Fernando said yesterday that he would sue the FCID, for getting him remanded on what he termed a false allegation. Johnston Fernando along with his private secretary Sakeer Mohamed and former SATHOSA Chairman Nalin Fernando, were acquitted by the Kurunegala High Court on Wednesday of a charge of misappropriating SATHOSA funds worth Rs. 5.2 mil in 2013. more..

Oct 19 (DM) UNP appointed Chamal Senarath as its first Chief Executive Officer (CEO). Mr. Senarath obtained his letter of appointment from UNP General Secretary Akila Viraj Kariyawasam last morning. The proposal for the appointment of a CEO was approved by the working committee on Wednesday. Mr. Senarath was a one time Leader of Opposition in the North Western PC. This is the first time that a political party in SL has appointed a CEO, though it's a common practice in the Western world. more..

Oct 19 (AFP) Sri Lanka's President has heightened his security following reports of an assassination plot involving an alleged Indian intelligence operative, his advisor said on Thursday. Maithripala Sirisena took the undisclosed security measures after a police informant claimed that a senior officer discussed with him plans to kill the president, advisor Shiral Lakthilaka said. “The president has taken the threat very seriously,” Mr. Lakthilaka told reporters in Colombo. more..

Oct 19 (USE) A stupa restored under a project funded by the U.S. Department of State through the Ambassadors Fund for Cultural Preservation was inaugurated by PM Ranil Wickremesinghe. Funding for the project, initiated in 2013, totals nearly Rs. 43 million ($250,000). Counselor for Public Affairs David McGuire represented the Embassy at the event. The project includes the conservation and restoration of more..

Oct 19 (DN) Parliament had spent Rs.652 million to pay the allowances of MPs last year, a senior Parliament official said. He told the Daily News that Parliament had spent Rs.118 million to pay the MPs’ salaries and sittings allowance, Rs. 115 million to pay for the MPs’ fuel allowance, Rs.135 million to pay for the MPs’ postal and telecommunication allowance, Rs.259 million to pay for MPs’ rental and Rs 25 million to pay for the MPs’ transport allowance. more..

Oct 19 (EN) Sri Lanka's investment promotion agency, said its director general Duminda Ariyasinghe had not resigned. "There have been some media reports that the Director General of the BOI, Mr Duminda Ariyasinghe has tendered his resignation," the statement said. "The BOI wishes to communicate that these reports are untrue." The statement came amid reports that President Maithripala Sirisena had asked the Board of Directors of BOI and state banks to resign. more..

Oct 19 (DN) Sri Lanka’s potential remains as bright as ever despite some of the dark clouds gathering in the horizon globally, Minister Mangala Samaraweera said. “While the country is facing a couple of challenging years, the govt has managed to build the necessary safeguards to face these challenges in a successive manner,” he told the SL Retail Forum 2018 under the theme Towards a Dynamic and Evolving Retail Sector more..

Oct 19 (DM) The sign boards which were displayed in the premises of the Koggala Martin Wickremesinghe Museum and Children Park by the Community Police Unit in Habaraduwa restricting tourists with swim-wear, were removed by the police following objections by the people on social media, police said. The Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority (SLTDA) yesterday said the Authority was concerned about the displayed notice by the Community Police Unit in Habaraduwa. more..

Oct 19 (Island) Customs officials recovered 662 cartons of foreign cigarettes from two baggage boxes shipped from Dubai yesterday. The contraband was found at an unaccompanied personal baggage warehouse situated in the Wattala area. Cigarettes were concealed under two false bottoms of boxes and 277 cartoons containing 55,400 sticks valued at Rs. 2,770,000 were found in one box while the other one had 385 cartoons containing 77,000 foreign cigarettes valued more..

Oct 19 (FT) Senior UNP Ministers yesterday held discussions with President Maithripala Sirisena in an attempt to persuade the latter to reverse the decision to dissolve the boards of directors of several state institutions. The President on Wednesday issued instructions to dissolve the director boards of Bank of Ceylon, People’s Bank and the Board of Investment, deepening the rift between the coalition partners. more..

Oct 19 (DM) This is a country which is harping on solving its ‘national question’; how to find a viable solution to the grievances of the minority Tamils. But despite this question being spoken about in the open, there is a question that seems to be addressed behind closed doors. That question is; how to unite the president and the prime minister? The relationship between Maithripala Sirisena and Ranil Wickremesignhe was deteriorating over the past several months & reached boiling point more..

Oct 19 (DM) It is natural for one to recall the leaders of the constituent parties of the TNA crowning of the LTTE some time ago as the sole representatives of the Tamil people, when the TNA leader Rajavarothyam Sampanthan said last week that Tamils could have won their rights through a nonviolent struggle, rather than resorting to an armed struggle. Yet, he seems to be sincere when he confessed on behalf of his community about the armed struggle that went on for over 30 yrs. more..

Oct 19 (DM) The GMOA, under the signatures of their President Anuruddha Padeniya and Secretary Haritha Aluthge had sent a two page letter in Sinhala to President, with copies to the PM, to the Speaker of Parliament, to all Cabinet Ministers, to all MPs, to the Attorney General and many others except the media, with the long title “To keep you informed of damage caused to the SL Medical Council and to whole health system more..

Oct 19 (DM) Last Monday, on World Habitat Day a demonstration organised by Janawabodaya Kendraya, which opposes economic globalisation, was held from Negombo Municipal Council up to the Rukmani Devi Arts Gallery at Negombo, where they held a meeting demanding houses for the homeless, under the banner where shall we dine tonight? Headed by Rev. Fr. Sarath Iddamalgoda, other religious leaders and more..

Oct 19 (DM) Responding to former president Rajapaksa’s remarks on the Court acquitting former MP Johnston Fernando, State Minister Ajith P. Perera said it showed Mr.Rajapaksa had admitted to the fact that the judiciary independent under this govt. He said that Mr.Rajapaksa and his supporters repeatedly claimed that the judiciary was not independent today and was unduly influenced by the govt and therefore they did not trust it. more..

Oct 19 (EN) SL could consider temporary controls on capital outflows to halt a slide of the island's soft-pegged rupee following in the example of Malaysia, though they are not popular, an economist said. The Central Bank has faced two runs on its reserves in 2018, as a soft-peg with the US dollar weakened amid unsterilized excess liquidity. "One policy tool which we haven’t discussed or considered is temporary more..

Oct 19 (Island) Speaker Karu Jayasuriya has restored ministerial Consultative Committee system following representations made by some MPs. Parliament abolished the ministerial Consultative Committee system in Dec 2015 to pave the way for the Sectoral Oversight Committees. Minister Mahinda Samarasinghe explained the restoration of the Consultative Committee system about a month ago to address grievances which couldn’t more..

Oct 19 (CT) The Hotels’ Association of SL President Sanath Ukwatte asked PM Ranil Wickremesinghe to consider halting the building of new hotels in Colombo because of falling prices. He said that the occupancy at the city hotels averaged at 60 per cent and during off-season, 40%. He said that this low occupancy was not due to too little tourists visiting Colombo, but due to too many hotels and hotel rooms. more..

Oct 19 (CT) A charge sheet was handed over to the Colombo High Court yesterday against Western Provincial Councillor and a member of JHU Nishantha Sri Warnasinghe on the allegation of giving false evidences in relation to the RADA case. The charge sheet was handed over to the Court by President’s Counsel Nalin Ladduwahetty, who appeared for first defendant, former Chairman of RADA, more..

Oct 19 (Reuters) Sri Lanka has reversed a decision to award a $300-million housing deal to China in favour of a joint venture with an Indian company, the govt said, ahead of a visit by the PM to its South Asian neighbour. PM Ranil Wickremesinghe will meet his counterpart Narendra Modi on Saturday in New Delhi, for talks. The two countries have long-standing ties, partly because of cultural and ethnic links with Tamils, more..

Oct 19 (ABC) Police are dropping terrorism charges against a NSW University student who was accused of plotting to assassinate Australian politicians, with the lawyer for the Sri Lankan national threatening legal action against the police. Kamer Nizamdeen, 25, was arrested in August and accused of writing in a notebook about plans to kill former PM Malcolm Turnbull and his former deputy Julie Bishop. more..

Oct 19 (DM) Despite a news item that went out from the Prez's office to the effect that the President had dissolved the Boards of Bank of Ceylon, Peoples Bank and Board of Investment, as of last night none of the heads of these institutions had resigned from their posts, it was reported. Unofficial sources revealed that the Chairmen and Directors of these institutions had taken a decision not to resign from their posts as ordered. more..

Oct 20 (CT) Trade liberalization or free trade has come to a sharp controversy in the context of recent and ongoing rupee depreciation. However, it has been thoroughly a discussed topic internationally, both theoretically and empirically, although not conclusively. There is a school of thought closer to the economic decision making in Sri Lanka quite surprisingly argues that the country’s rupee depreciation and related economic ailments like the adverse balance of payment, sluggish export growth, more..

Oct 20 (GV) The Sri Lankan State’s erasure of the complex history and experiences of the war manifest in varying ways across the country; military monuments that showcase a single victory narrative, the construction of Buddhist statues in Tamil-majority areas and the blatantly incorrect signboards at several of these locations. Then, there is the desecration of the LTTE maaveerar thuyilum illam, which loosely translates to great heroes’ resting places. more..

Oct 20 (DM) Maithripala Sirisena is a man of many surprises. SL’s sixth executive President has a penchant to make controversial remarks and startling revelations on more than one occasion. Most of these sensational disclosures explode in the public domain with a powerful bang and then fizzle out into pathetic whimpers. The latest in this series were some comments purportedly made by Prez Sirisena at the Cabinet ministers meeting last week concerning an alleged conspiracy more..

Oct 20 (DN) Striking the headlines repeatedly this week, President Maithripala Sirisena brought new emphasis to his political message at home, raised concerns from India, and punctuated the growing differences between the UNP and SLFP in the governing coalition. The big headline that bothered India on the involvement of RAW (Research and Analysis Wing) in an alleged assassination plot on him, saw a clarification from the President’s Media Office; but more..