May 25 (DM) While admitting that he did receive a Rs. 1 million cheque from Walt and Row Associates for election campaign in 2015, former Minister SLFP MP Dayasiri Jayasekara today said he was neither an MP nor a member of the COPE, when he received it for election funding. He told Parliament that it was a cash cheque and added that he could not remember whether it had been signed by Perpetual Treasuries owner Arjun Aloysius. more..

May 25 (NR) The JVP has handed over the draft proposal of the 20th Amendment to the Constitution as a Private Members Bill to the Speaker of House. The Office of the Speaker said Leader of the JVP Parliamentarian Anura Kumara Dissanayake, and MPs Sunil Handunnetti and Nihal Galappaththi handed over the Private Members Bill. The draft proposal includes proposal such as the abolishment of the Executive Presidency. more..

May 25 (MoD) With torrential rains showing no signs of slowing down, most parts of the island are still being battered by heavy rains. Widespread floods experienced during the past few days have greatly affected the day to day lives of people in almost two thirds of the country. The onset of the Southwest monsoon has seen an unprecedented record of rainfall in the country. Floods, landslides, heavy winds and lightning related incidents more..

May 25 (SL) US President Donald Trump has nominated Alaina B. Teplitz, of Colorado, a Career Member of the Senior Foreign Service, Class of Minister-Counselor, to be Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United States of America to Sri Lanka, and to serve concurrently and without additional compensation as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United States of America to Maldives. more..

My 25 (CT) The JVP yesterday queried as to what kind of promotional campaign has, thus far, been carried out by the Sri Lanka Tea Board by using the Tea Promotion Levy Fund, which is approximately Rs 8 billion. JVP MP Sunil Handunnetti, participating in the Second Reading of the Sri Lanka Tea Board (Amendment) Bill, pointed out that the Govt receives Rs 3.50 from each kilo of tea for the fund. “The intention of establishing this fund more..

My 25 (CT) Dept of Wildlife Conservation has banned local and foreign tourists from trekking the Sri Pada Mountain at night during the off season, with effect from 23 May, after taking into consideration the adverse weather conditions prevailing in the western slopes of the Central Hills brought on by the South-east monsoon. Inclement weather conditions are currently prevailing from Nallathanni to top of the Sri Pada Mountain. more..

My 25 (CT) The Gangodawila Magistrate yesterday (24) turned down the application to send victimized children back to Darun Nusra—a children’s home allegedly harbouring a suspect accused of sexually harassing them. Officers of the Department of Probation and Child Care Services and the NCPA) yesterday submitted the application on a request made by seven children and their parents. more..

My 25 (ST) Police and forensic experts trying to solve the mystery of the deaths of two young British rugby players are seeking a three-wheeler driver who could shed light on the players’ last movements after they were picked up from a night club and dropped off at their hotel.Thomas Howard, 25, and Thomas Baty, 26, who died two days apart after experiencing breathing difficulties, were picked up outside night club Cleopatra in Kollupitiya more..

May 25 (Island) Alleging that there were no new faces in the SLPP except for a group of retired military officers, PM Ranil Wickremesinghe warned a section of the media of dire consequences in case the new outfit won power. PM said so addressing a gathering at Sirikotha after Minister Navin Dissanayake received his appointment as the National Organizer of the UNP. PM said that the UNP had a young more..

My 25 (DM) The NBRO said nine Districts had extended warnings of landslides and warning on floods in areas downstream Kelani, Kalu, Gin, Nilwala, and Mahaweli Rivers and also Maha and Attanagalu Oya. People in those areas have been asked to evacuate at the time of writing this brief on Wednesday (23) evening. At least 11 people have lost their lives, while over 105,300 people have been affected in 18 Districts. more..

My 25 (DM) The river had swollen up to the level of the Colombo Ambatale Road. A thin layer of water was slowly overflowing under their feet towards their houses, on which side the overflowed water had made a small stream. Having experienced a huge flood two years ago, which had devastated their lives and from which some of them had not recovered yet, fear, frustration and disappointment had drawn on their faces. Will it be a perilous flood as the one that had inundated the entire more..

May 25 (DM) With about 120,000 people seriously affected by the ongoing floods and landslides, the Disaster Management Centre (DMC) and other State institutions say they are providing the relief measures needed by the victims while full-scale rescue operations are taking place with the assistance of some 600 police personnel and troops. They say more than 5,000 security forces personnel are standing by for action if the situation gets worse. While relief and rescue operations more..

May 25 (DM) According to a further report (B report) filed into the magisterial inquiry over the Bond scam by the prosecution, it was revealed that UPFA MP Dayasiri Jayasekara had received a cheque of Rs.1 million from Walt & Row Associates-a Perpetual Treasuries Ltd related group company in 2015. According to a statement given by a police officer to the CID, who was attached to Mr. Jayasekara’s security in 2015, more..

May 25 (PMD) 722 newly built houses of Madampitiya, Henemulla, Methsanda Sevana housing scheme were vested with low income families in Colombo by President Maithripala Sirisena today May (23). These houses were constructed under the project Naagarika Punarjeewana by Urban Development Authority under the supervision of Ministry of Megapolis & Western Development in order to transform the suburbs in Colombo with less facilities in to more..

May 25 (DN) National Disaster Management Center (DMC) announced that more than 125,954 persons belonging to 32,136 families have been affected by the prevailing adverse weather condition in the country with 13 deaths reported so far. Around 43 houses have been completely damaged and 3225 houses have been partially damaged. According to DMC Deputy Director Pradeep Kodippili, people in flood risk areas have been evacuated to safe locations and to welfare centres. more..

May 25 (CT) The death toll due to floods and landslides has risen to 13 by last evening, while 32,136 families have been displaced, Director General, DMC, Dr. S. Amalanathan said. He said 125,954 individuals have been affected in 19 districts due to the inclement weather. Five deaths due to lightning strikes, five by drowning, while one due to landslides and another two deaths due to trees falling on them were reported. more..

May 25 (DM) SL national cricket team member Dhananjaya de Silva's father, Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia Municipal Councillor (SLPP) Ranjan de Silva allies Mahathun (62) has been shot dead by unidentified gunmen in Ratmalana, Thursday evening. He was the also the father of fmr SLPP Dehiwala-Mt Lavinia Councillor Savithra de Silva. Initial police investigations revealed that the victim was shot at in Gnanendra Road, Ratmalana close to his resident at around 8.30 pm. more..

May 25 (FT) Minor changes have been made to the constituents of several parliamentary committees, Speaker Karu Jayasuriya revealed in Parliament yesterday. According to the list of appointments made to the Parliamentary Committee tabled by the Speaker yesterday, MPs Abdullah Maharoof and Jayantha Samarawera have been added as new members to the COPE replacing MP Weerakumara Dissanayake who was removed. Members have to be appointed to parliamentary committees if more..

May 25 (Island) Opposition MPs expressed their displeasure and disapproval of Speaker Karu Jayasuriya over him re-appointing some MPs, who had been accused of manipulating the COPE proceedings during bond probe by having secret telephone conversations with main accused Arjun Aloysius, to the parliamentary committee again. Opposition MPs registered their disapproval when the Speaker announced the names of more..

May 25 (DM) The govt was using the same trick they used in the LG elections to postpone the elections of the three Provincial Councils such as Eastern, Sabaragamuwa and North Central provinces, Joint Opposition member and MP Dullas Alahapperuma said. He said the elections of the three PCs were scheduled to be held eight months ago. “The govt had used and is using the trick of delimitation report to delay the elections. It is apparent that the Govt has election phobia. more..

May 25 (DN) The wife of Australian businessman Brian Shaddick, the third witness in the alleged financial fraud case filed against the two accused, including PHU leader MP Udaya Gammanpila yesterday informed the Colombo High Court that she had never put her signature executing a Power of Attorney to Gammanpila, for the selling of shares belonging to the Digital Nominees Company. Witness Janet Shaddick, (69), was present before Colombo High Court A.A.R. Heiyanthuduwa more..

May 25 (Island) In the absence of clear guidelines in respect of the issuance of duty-free vehicle permits to MPs entering parliament halfway, newcomers too can receive the benefit though they aren’t entitled to the pension. Interestingly, those resigning without completing five-year term they are elected/appointed to are also entitled to duty free vehicles though they lose pension rights. Sudden resignation of ACMC MP M.H.M. Navavi has more..

May 25 (CT) Fuel oil and coal-based power generation expanded during 2017 to meet electricity demand due to the prolonged drought that prevailed in catchment areas. Amidst such challenges, electricity generation increased by 3.7%, the CBSL said. According to the CBSL Annual Report 2017, electricity generation increased to 14,671 GWh in 2017, while sales grew by 5 per cent to 13,430 GWh. As a result of the prolonged drought, hydropower generation contracted by 12.1% more..

May 25 (DN) A team of student innovators of the University of Moratuwa together with their academic advisers met Minister Dr. Sarath Amunugama yesterday at his Ministry office, to seek support for their project. This project is to develop a prototype of a single seat electric racing car to be submitted at an international competition to be held in Germany in August this year. The car is to be entirely designed and manufactured by the team of undergraduates involved. more..

May 25 (FT) A revamped UNP complete with younger office bearers is likely to be announced after the Executive Committee meets next week, PM Ranil Wickremesinghe said, striking a contrast with the opposition and insisting the UNP was blooding fresh leaders to take the country forward. Speaking at the ceremony where Minister Navin Dissanayake assumed duties as the UNP National Organizer at the party hq, more..

May 25 (FT) The 20th amendment bill to the Constitution, to be presented by the JVP, will be debated in Parliament today. The Bill, which the JVP will present as a Private Member bill, seeks to completely abolish the Executive Presidency – a key election promise of President Sirisena during the 2015 Presidential Election. If passed by Parliament, the Amendment would come into legal effect from 8 January 2020 onwards. As this would be after the dissolution of the current 8th Parliament, more..

May 25 (FT) The No Kunu campaign kick-started last weekend, with ten corporates pledging support to maintain the area around their specific organisations as Guardians of the City. With the prime objective of building a system of civic engagement that will help Sri Lanka become the cleanest country in Asia, phase one of this campaign was initiated from the vicinity of the DEMO Head Office in Jethawana Road. “Last Saturday, we launched the campaign from the DIMO office. more..

May 25 (FT) Minister Mangala Samaraweera said that even after 70 years of independence, the country could not achieve peace as the people were still quarrelling on the basis of race, religion and party politics. Sri Lanka at the time of independence was perceived as a country, which could set a precedence to countries in the entire Asian region. At the time of independence, a newspaper in Britain had written an article more..

May 25 (DN) Sri Lanka intends to become a benchmark for an integrated, paperless international trade thereby reduce time and cost currently spent by traders in preparing and submitting information and documents to multiple border regulatory agencies, with the implementation of National Single Window (NSW). These views were expressed by Dr. R.H.S Samaratunge, Secretary to the Treasury, at the second of four public-private consultations on the establishment of a NSW more..

May 25 (Island) Intense rainfall the country is experiencing will have an immediate impact on crop harvests. This is unfortunate as this is a period when the highest tea-crop yields are recorded in most plantation districts, John Keells tea market report stated yesterday. "The quick succession from scorching weather to flooding which we have seen frequently is recent years is believed to be induced by Global warming. Weather patterns in Sri Lanka have seen drastic changes. more..

May 25 (Island) Assistant Secretary of Sri Lanka Cricket and a stalwart of Panadura Sports Club, Ravin Wickramaratne has been framed as one of the masterminds in domestic cricket match-fixing scandal that rocked the sport last year. Panadura SC Captain Chamara Silva submitting an affidavit had claimed that a plot to fix the Inter-Club Tier ‘B’ Premier League match between Panadura and Kalutara PCC was put forward to him more..

May 25 (Island) Lanka Powerboat Association is proud to announce that it has successfully won the rights to host the opening round of the H20 racing International Aquabike Championship in March 2019. For the first time ever, Sri Lanka will enter a team into this prestigious event. The Lanka Powerboat Association will run an International Training Course in June to prepare trainers, racers and officials for the development of Aquabike Racing in SL and to prepare for this fantastic event. more..

May 25 (CT) The Joint Opposition (JO) has requested the Govt to treat drought victims of the Kurunegala District with the same efficiency with which the flood relief work is being conducted at the moment. Kurunegala District JO MP Tharanath Basnayake told the media in Colombo yesterday, the Govt was acting efficiently in distributing flood reliefs and urged the Government to adopt same efficiency when treating drought victims in the some areas of the Kurunegala district. more..

May 25 (CT) The famous group of English cricket fans, the Barmy Army, have voiced serious concerns over sky high ticket prices and SLC’s manner of ticket sales for the upcoming England tour of SL. In an open letter to English cricket fans the Barmy Army had asked them not to book their tour or tickets for the upcoming Test series until they resolve the matter; as the letter states that they felt that SLC was ripping off English Cricket fans, more..

May 25 (CT) Despite a fantastic second round of 7 under par 64 by J.M.D. Indika in tough rainy conditions, Sisira Kumara maintained the lead by two strokes in the May edition of the Pin Fernando Grand Prix golf continued at the Ridgeways course yesterday. Kumara who had a 4 under in the first round maintained his form with a 3 under par 68 in round two to lead by just two strokes. Rain forced play to be suspended with several flights on the course. more..

May 25 (CT) The Erste Bank of Austria has provided EUR 9.5 million (approximately Rs 1,810 million) interest-free Credit Facilities to enhance the access to quality and modern healthcare facilities in hospitals in the country, a press release stated. The Govt having recognized the importance, has now been able to provide Anaesthetic Machines, ICU Ventilators, Blood gas analyzers, Endoscopes, Operation Theatres and mobile lights for identified hospitals in Sri Lanka. more..