Sept 6 (DM) A Ford Mustang type car suspected to be owned by Parliamentarian Namal Rajapaksa was found from the Kaduwela area this afternoon by Financial Crimes Investigation Division (FCID) officials, sources said. According to FCID sources, the car was allegedly used by Mr. Rajapaksa in 2010. Sources said the FCID is recording a statement from one person for keeping the car. However, there was no official confirmation regarding the incident by the Police yet. more..

Sept 6 (CT) The head of lecturers at British Columbia Technical Institute, David Mackie, issuing a special report, had stated the CCTV camera footage, captured on the route a for the last time by murdered rugby player Wasim Thajudeen, was unclear and hence it was difficult to either identify the number of the vehicle or those in the vehicle which had followed the victim's car. A special CID team had taken 10 CDs containing the said CCTV camera footage to Canada recently. more..

Sept 6 (CT) Attorney General (AG) informed Colombo Additional Magistrate that former Colombo JMO Ananda Samarasekera had allegedly stolen parts from the body of rugby player Wasim Thajudeen and taken them away in a lorry. The AG informed Court that a probe has already been launched into the stealing of the victim's body parts and that a few statements has already been obtained from State employees more..

Sept 6 (DM) Sri Lanka will today launch a powerful move in the battle against climate change, with the installation of renewable solar energy equipment at President Maithripala Sirisena’s private residence amid rays of hope, that about one million households will have solar energy within months. The Power and Energy Ministry’s creative and innovative project is already being promoted and launched in the Trincomalee, Ampara, Jaffna and Hambantota Districts. more..

Sept 6 (DM) “We realized it was better to understand the Dhamma taught by Lord Buddha in-depth and to pursue the path to attain Nirvana by emulating him rather than to acquire wealth by engaging in the engineering field” said Ven. Bhikkuni Gampaha Sumithra on Saturday. She was staying at the Galigamuwa Nevgala Bhikkuni Aramaya, prior to leaving for Australia to participate in a Meditation programme. The Bhikkuni, her two ordained sons and daughter who is also a Bhikkuni, more..

Sept 6 (CT) Lecturer at the University of Sri J'pura and Education Secretary of the JHU, Anuruddha Pradeep is one of the most important and interesting personalities in the current debate on education. In an interview, he speaks of the reasons behind his opposition to profit making universities, albeit being a believer of capitalism, and he believes that Sri Lankan primary and secondary education need a drastic overhaul. more..

Sept 6 (SL) National Olympic Committee (NOC) has come under attack on the number of officials who accompanied the Sri Lankan team for the recent Olympics in Rio. One of the main allegations is that a large number of officials were taken to Rio using govt funds. Even though the athletes were trained and sent for the Rio Olympics the Minister Dayasiri Jayasekera, said that athletes were not expected to win medals as more..

Sept 6 (DM) The National Housing Development Authority (NHDA) would relocate the three hundred families living in the Bambalapitiya flats in a sixty storey building, after the flats were demolished for the proposed mixed development project. The Bambalapitiya flats would be demolished in order to claim the 10.16-acre land for another housing and semi-commercial project by a Singapore-based Indian company. more..

Sept 6 (CG) Govt has been urged introducing fresh legislation to limit spending by candidates before the next local election. PAFFREL has written to PM saying legislation that imposes a ceiling on campaign financing has been implemented successfully in other countries in the region. “Such ceilings have been introduced in proportion to the number of voters living in the area concerned,” Rohana Hettiarachchi, more..

Sept 6 (CT) United Professionals Movement (UPM) warns Sri Lanka that signing the Economic and Technological Cooperation Agreement (ETCA) with India, a country with a systematic national trade policy, will definitely make Sri Lanka face irreversible dangerous repercussions. UPM has urged the government to plan a trade policy, which the country lacks since independence, before signing ETCA. more..

Sept 6 (ST) Just hours after police launched an investigation into two cyber-attacks on President Sirisena’s official website, an online forum called Yakadaya went down. It remained inaccessible at the time of going to press. Yakadaya was an identified meeting point for SL’s hacker community. CID notified court earlier this week that the two suspects arrested in connection with hacking of presidential website had been interacting more..

Sept 6 (CG) Minister Ravi Karunanayake said that the Govt has taken speedy actions to drive the traditional agro-based economy into manufacturing economy with foreign investments to create one million job opportunities. Under this context, he noted that it is the responsibility of the relevant state owned enterprises to create a competitive market environment with state intervention for farmers to get a good price more..

Sept 6 (Island) New solar power project, Surya Bala Sangramaya, will be launched today from the President’s official residence, Power and Renewable Energy Minister Ranjith Siyambalapitiya says. He said the project would convert one million rooftops to solar power plants to provide an additional income to the customers of the CEB, which would buy the extra solar power generated by each and every household. more..

Sept 6 (DN) A Fundamental Rights petition was filed in the Supreme Court yesterday, seeking an Interim Order directing the Law and Order Minister to take immediate action to investigate the incidents of vandalising Buddha statues in the Northern Province. The petition was filed by Attorney-at-Law Dharshana Weraduwage. The petitioner sought an order directing the Buddha Sasana Minister to take immediate action more..

Sept 6 (NST) The assault against Sri Lanka's High Commissioner to Malaysia Ibrahim Sahib Ansar at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) on Sunday, was an isolated incident triggered by political conflicts. Deputy Home Minister Datuk Nur Jazlan Mohamed said the incident had nothing to do with terrorism. He said the necessary action has been taken against five people, currently in police custody. more..

Aug 6 (Island) The bribery trial against UPFA MP Rohitha Abeygunewardena was yesterday called before the Colombo High Court Judge Nissanka Bandula Karunaratne. President’s Counsel Kalinga Indatissa, who appeared for the accused Abeygunewardena, took up the preliminary objection that CIABOC had failed to give the accused amended computer copies of evidence within the specified period of 45 days. The complainant was given time till Oct 3, to file counter objections. more..

Sept 6 (CT) On Aug 23, 2016 Northern Provincial Council (NPC) passed a resolution during the 56th sitting unanimously condemning the building of a Buddhist vihara by SL troops on land belonging to a Hindu temple in Kilinochchi. The resolution was moved by NPC member Subramaniam Pasupathipillai. “The Kanakambikai Amman Temple has historical importance,” said Mr Pasupathipillai “The military has occupied the house of the Gurukkal located inside the temple premises more..

Aug 6 (Reuters) Shares ended steady in thin trade on Tuesday, hovering near a more than three-week closing low hit in the previous session, as investors largely stayed on the sidelines. Colombo stock index edged up 0.02% to 6,524.46, hovering near its lowest close since Aug. 12 hit on Monday. The bourse fell 0.2 percent last week, posting its second straight weekly loss. Foreign investors, who have net sold shares worth 2.78 billion rupees so far this year, bought a net 157.5 million rupees more..

Aug 6 (Island) UNP marks its 70th anniversary today. The party’s anniversary rally is scheduled to be held at Campbell Park on Sept 10 from 9 am with President Maithripala Sirisena as the Chief Guest. Pirith was chanted at Sirikotha, on Sunday and an alms giving to 70 bhikkhus was held yesterday. A special working committee meeting of the party is scheduled to be held today. UNP was founded on 6 Sept 1946 by the late D.S. Senanayake after resigning from the Ceylon National Congress. more..

Aug 6 (Forbes) Hambantota isn’t just a place in Sri Lanka, it’s a symbol. What started out as a gargantuan project to transform an undeveloped swath of Sri Lankan jungle into the country’s number two city — an industrial and logistical epicenter in the heart of the Indian Ocean — turned into a metaphor for opaque govt dealings, poor planning, the flippant use of public funds, and token rivalries between political factions. more..

Aug 6 (DM) A video showing a group of people assaulting a young girl and a boy who had come to Kurunegala to attend the SLFP anniversary celebrations on Sunday has gone viral on social media websites. They were among a group of supporters of an SLFP organizer of the Gampaha District and had got into a brawl with another group of people who had come to attend the event. The incident later led to a brawl between the girl’s companions and those who attacked her. more..

Aug 6 (LBO) Finance Ministry denied recent media reports that there was a mass resignation and stepping down of directors from SoEs. The Finance Ministry said that all their nominees who have been appointed as Directors to the boards of the State Owned Enterprises (SoEs) are continuously serving in their respective positions and no one has resigned from their positions. Finance Minister Ravi Karunanayake in the statement said some section of the media had carried more..

Aug 6 (DM) The decision of the SLFP to contest the local govt elections by on its own might backfire, the PHU said today. PHU General Secretary MP Udaya Gammanpila said it was not the practice of the SLFP to form a Govt alone. “Except in 1991, the SLFP lost whenever it contested at elections by itself. That party always went ahead with the backing of other progressive political parties,” he said. During the 65th Anniversary of the SLFP, more..

Sept 6 (CT) Recently, Ceylon Today reported of a govt's decision to establish three commissions to actively engage in the reconciliation process in the country. According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, two more commissions in addition to the Truth Seeking Commission will be established before the end of this year. These new commissions will include a Reparations Commission which will deal with compensation for the victims of crime and an accountability mechanism. more..

Aug 6 (EN) Tropical storm Roanu which triggered floods and landslides in Sri Lanka had caused at least 570 million dollars of damage and left 96 people dead, a lending agency said. The preliminary findings of a Post Disaster Needs Assessment (PDNA) conducted by the govt, with the support of the UN and World Bank, showed total damages and losses over 570 million dollars, the World Bank said. The lender had given 101 million dollars to Sri Lanka over the disaster and more..

Aug 6 (DM) Condemning the assault on SL’s High Commissioner to Malaysia Ibrahim Ansar at the Kuala Lumpur Int'l Airport (KLIA) on Monday, the SLFP acting General Secretary Duminda Dissanayake also condemned the protests that were held against former President Rajapaksa in Malaysia. Minister said that they opposed anyone, who made statements in foreign countries against Sri Lanka or Sri Lankans. more..

Aug 6 (Island) GMOA said it was unable to continue its services at the Police Hospital following a circular issued by the Director of the Police Hospital stating that police top brass should be afforded special treatment. GMOA Secretary Dr Naveen de Zoysa said the circular was a direct result of a death of a retired DIG on Oct, 26, 2015 at the Police Hospital. He died of cancer. However it triggered a CID investigation against the doctors who treated him and hospital staff. more..

Aug 6 (CG) Former Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa has been accused of abusing his powers when he was the Defence Secretary. Minister Mahinda Samarasinghe, who was also a Minister in the former Govt, said that Rajapaksa had once verbally abused a senior police officer for carrying out his duties. “He scolded a DIG on the telephone when the DIG attempted to stop a protest. He asked the DIG who gave him the authority to go there. Police officer went to carry out his duties,” more..

Aug 6 (PTI) The long-standing bonhomie between sub-continental cricket boards again came to the fore as Sri Lanka Cricket acknowledged the much needed support from BCCI, which has vehemently opposed the proposed two-Tier Test system by ICC. SLC president Thilanga Sumathipala said: "SL has already made very clear its opposition to two-tier Test proposal of ICC as it's detrimental for lower ranked countries in many ways. more..

Aug 6 (AD) The tasks related to delimitation review has almost completed and hopefully it would be concluded by Sept 15, Chairman of the Election Commission Mahinda Deshapriya said. The observation was made while speaking at a press conference today. He also added that the electoral register of Sri Lanka has been posted online enabling voters to check the latest electoral register. The 2016 electoral register is now available on the website – www.slelections.gov.lk. more..

Aug 6 (Island) Socialist Alliance flayed UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon’s recent comments in Colombo bracketing Sri Lanka with Rwanda and Srebrenica and charged that his comments had instigated pro-LTTE diaspora and Tamil extremist groups in SL as well as abroad. UPFA MP Chandrasiri Gajadeera alleged that the UNSG’s comments during a speech at Lakshman Kadirgamar Institute on his recent tour of Sri Lanka had caused the LTTE activists in Malaysia to more..

Aug 6 (DM) Condemning the assault on SL High Commissioner in Malaysia Ibrahim Ansar, PM Ranil Wickremesinghe said in Parliamen it was Malaysian Tamils of Indian origin responsible for the incident. Making his remarks in response to a question by JO’s Parliamentary group leader Dinesh Gunawardane, PM said perpetrators were not Sri Lankans by any means. Those persons were members linked to a South India more..

Aug 6 (Island) SLFP asked its dissidents to sink differences and join forces with the party leadership to form a govt in 2020 as President Sirisena pledged at its 65th anniversary celebrations in Kurunegala on Sunday. Western Province Chief Minister Isura Dewapriya said President, himself, had invited the SLFP members of the Joint Opposition to do so. "President Sirisena gave the pledge to form an SLFP govt while representatives of several political parties including UNP General Secretary more..

Aug 6 (DM) The Ford Mustang found by the FCID yesterday was brought with MP Namal Rajapaksa’s vehicle permit and a bank loan, Former President Mahinda Rajapaksa said. The car suspected to be owned by the parliamentarian, in 2010, was found by the FCID yesterday in Kaduwela. Speaking to the media in Anuradhapura, the former President said Namal had purchased the car in the same manner other parliamentarians did and later sold the vehicle to another individual. more..

Aug 6 (CI) Sri Lanka Cricket is investing in the development of cricket in parts of the country less exposed to the game by earmarking funds for the construction of two new cricket stadiums in the Northern and North Central Provinces. The executive committee of SLC has given its approval for the two projects to go ahead. The projects, on which work is due to begin in the near future, are expected to cost Rs 200 m. more..

Aug 6 (LBO) Foreign Employment Bureau is to increase the minimum wage of migrant workers to US$ 300 per month from January 2017. Foreign Employment Minister Thalatha Athukorala said that the ministry is currently holding discussions with several countries to raise the minimum wage. “We have already signed MOU agreements with several countries to increase the minimum wage of workers,” Athukorala said. “This was something we were discussing for a long period of time.” more..

Aug 6 (Island) Tangalle DIG Sumith Edirisinghe said that he had instructed Kataragama OIC to ban three wheelers playing loud music in the sacred city and surrounding areas. Kataragama OIC Upali Kariyawasam had summoned around 125 three wheelers to the police station yesterday morning and ordered them to remove loud sound systems from their vehicles immediately. DIG said action had been taken following a request made by Chief Incumbent of Gangaramaya Ven. Galaboda Gnanissara more..

Aug 6 (AD) Maj Gen. Palitha Fernando and Nissanka Senadipathi has been arrested by the Bribery Commission this afternoon. They were released on bail after being produced before the Colombo Magistrate. The CIABOC earlier filed action against former Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa and 7 others for unlawfully authorizing the establishing of a floating armoury. The other seven persons include more..

Sept 7 (SL) The issue of civilian land being held by the military in the North and East seems to be heading towards a final solution following the visit to Sri Lanka by UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon last week. President Maithripala Sirisena told a group of newspaper Editors and media heads that the govt’s intention is to return the remaining privately-owned lands in the North to the rightful owners within the next three months. He said that while vast extents of land have been returned more..