Jan 19 (CT) The Committee for Protecting the Rights of Prisoners (CPRP) yesterday (18) said they would raise the case of the assault of detainees by Prison officers at the Angunakolapelessa Prison on 22 Nove 2018 at the UNHRC sessions in Geneva, Switzerland in March. The CPRP lodged a complaint in this regard at the Human Rights Commission of SL (HRCSL). The CPRP will also lodge complaints with the UN more..

Jan 19 (DN) Sports Minister Harin Fernando yesterday stated that he was approached by certain individuals who offered bribes requesting him to include players into the Sri Lankan Cricket team. Minister Fernando said that he had already made a complaint about those attempts to International Cricket Council Anti-Corruption Unit Head Alex Marshal on Wednesday. Minister made these observations in a live interview broadcast over BBC News Sinhala on Thursday (17) evening. more..

Jan 19 (CT) The presentation of the biography of UNP Leader and PM Ranil Wickremesinghe in Chinese took place at Temple Trees yesterday (18). The event was attended by Dr. Chen Ying, Professor Tong Jiyamen, Prof. Gau Lee, Prof. Shuye Kejiyao, Prof. Liu Jiyang, Chairman of the Sri Lanka Book Publishers Union (SLBPU), Vijitha Yapa, Head of Sarasavi Publications H.D. Premasiri, Sampath Bandara, Manager of Sarasavi Publications Sripali Perera, more..

Jan 19 (CT) Steps will be taken to investigate and provide solutions to the 49 Sri Lankan housemaids taking refuge at the Women’s Welfare Centre (WWC) in Saudi Arabia within the next week, said Monitoring MP of the Ministry of Foreign Employment, Hector Appuhamy yesterday (18). He told a Press conference at the Sri Lanka Bureau of Foreign Employment (SLBFE), which was organised in response to the video footage of more..

Jan 20 (SO) Even as the country gets back on an even keel after last month’s narrow avoidance of a return to autocracy, at least some elements of the news media seem to be straying from their ostensible commitment to defend democracy. If the bogey of cruel and corrupt family rule has been effectively thwarted for now, these sections of the national news media seem to have forgotten who had subjected them to terror and who have been voted to power to check that terror. more..

Jan 20 (CT) The UNP last won a Presidential Poll 31 years ago in 1988. The next Presidential Election is due as early as December or as late as March 2020, according to the Constitution. Meanwhile, with the next Parliamentary Poll due as late as Oct 2020, the earliest of the next national elections is the Prez Election. Former President, SLFP/UPFA MP and newly elected Opposition Leader Mahinda Rajapaksa, speaking after assuming duties as Opposition Leader at the Opposition Leader’s more..

Jan 20 (SO) SLFP spokesperson and Kalutara district MP Mahinda Samarasinghe says it’s time the former President Mahinda Rajapaksa declares President Sirisena’s candidacy for the upcoming Presidential race. “The Rajapaksa brothers and the different SLPP groups are sending confusing signals to the voters which is not going to work if they are serious about defeating the UNP candidate,” he stressed, more..

Jan 20 (Island) The fate that has befallen Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) bears testimony to the heavy toll corruption has taken on national institutions in this country. The sorry state of affairs at the SLC represents, in microcosm, what is happening in the country at large. Removing the scourge of corruption is half the battle in helping stop the rot, which set in when the Temple of Cricket was dedicated to Mammon and taken over by politically backed moneybags, who have thrived more..

Jan 20 (Island) After what is widely believed to be a draft Constitution was tabled before the Constitutional Assembly (CA) last week, the prime Minister who presented it in his capacity as the head of the Steering Committee of the CA, then immediately disowned it saying that it was his duty to table before the CA whatever came into their possession and that it was now the duty of the CA to take things forward from there. Even though the Steering Committee was supposed to steer more..

Jan 20 (SO) A group of activists came together to share Pongal as they stood in solidarity against what is dubbed as modern day slavery to demand Rs. 1,000 as minimum wage for estate workers. Protest took place at the Liberty Round About on Tuesday as the country celebrated Thai Pongal- harvest festival. “What other day is better than the Thai Pongal day to demand the rights of the people?” asked Gautham, a lawyer and more..

Jan 20 (ST) Predictable opposition has begun at the very mention of a new Constitution. The public announcement by a TNA MP that the draft for a new Constitution would be presented before Feb 4, the country’s Independence Day, provoked nationalist forces to raise their voice, if it did happen. Instead, the PM presented a voluminous report of a Committee of Experts whose members were not named therein. And for good measure, the PM, sensing trouble from a section of populace, more..

Jan 20 (ST) My dear Gota and Chamal maama, I thought I should write to you to congratulate you when I heard that both of you have announced that you are ready, able and willing to stand as a candidate for the next big elections, which are due some time later this year. However, most of us found those announcements amusing – and I’ll tell you why. Gota, hearing that you are ready to take the plunge came as no surprise. It would have been surprising if you hadn’t done that because more..

Jan 20 (CT) Former Northern Province Chief Minister C.V. Wigneswaran’s Thai Pongal Day message clearly indicated that Tamil politics in dire straits and even with the dawn of the New Year there were no signs of any hope in the path of bringing out a new Constitution as well as implementing the UNHRC resolutions cosponsored by Sri Lanka in 2015. Two important meetings, one in Colombo last month and another in Jaffna last week were held with the participation of more..

Jan 20 (ST) A.E. Gunasinghe, widely regarded as the Father of the Labour Movement in SL must surely be turning in his grave these days (figuratively speaking)! Why? Because his beloved labour movement, including the rights of workers and employees, has been downgraded by the current administration. I didn’t realise this….….and this applies to many in the trade union movement itself, until H.R. Perera, the human resource pundit, brought it to my notice. It all began on this warm and sunny Thursday more..

Jan 20 (CT) President Maithripala Sirisena, displaying his determination to prevent any chances of bridging the gap between him and UNP, appointed a Presidential Commission of Inquiry to investigate into the Acts of Corruption and Frauds that have been allegedly committed in State institutions during the period from 15 Jan 2015 to 31 Dec 2018. The Gazette notification in this regard was issued as President Sirisena was on a State visit to the Philippines. more..

Jan 20 (CI) The Sri Lankan batsmen ended the 3-day practice match in Hobart without a half-century between them in either innings, as they stumbled against the left-arm spin of Jon Holland on day three. The visitors had in fact been modest the entire day, taking only one wicket in their 32.5 overs with the ball before stuttering to 131 for 6 in their second innings. Their only solace is that the their tormentors on day three - Kurtis Patterson, who cracked a second unbeaten century in more..

Jan 20 (ST) A splendid batting effort by the Sri Lanka ‘A’ top order helped them towards a crushing 60-run win over Ireland ‘A’ in the first of the five-match unofficial ODIs played at the Sooriyawewa International Cricket ground yesterday. All what Ireland ‘A’ managed was 305 runs after Avishka Fernando and Milinda Siriwardana stroke quick-fire centuries to help Sri Lanka ‘A’ post a mammoth 365 for 5 after they were put in to bat first on a placid batting track. more..

Jan 20 (ST) Sri Lanka Cricket’s (SLC) appointment of Chandika Hathurusingha as Head Coach for a record salary was justified owing to his previous record in Bangladesh where the perennial minnows reached unprecedented heights during his first stint with a Test team. Twelve months into his 36-month contract with the SL team, however, it is being questioned whether he is worth the cash being dished out on him. The national team has fallen from the frying pan more..

Jan 20 (Island) Most Sri Lankans would not be proud about their team’s appalling record in Australia – played 13 and lost 11, yet to win a Test. This country has been playing Test cricket for 37 years but Australia remains unconquered territory to date. It is less likely that it will happen this time as well given our empty bowling cupboard that will struggle to take 20 wickets when there’s little help for spinners. The Sri Lankans need not be disheartened though. more..

Jan 20 (ST) Rumesh Tharanga of St. Peter’s College Bambalapitiya qualified for the 3rd Asian Youth Athletics Championships to be held from March 15 to 17 in Hong Kong. Tharanga cleared a distance of 51.90 metres at the selection trial held at the Sugathadasa Stadium yesterday where 199, under 18 athletes – boys and girls participated. The qualifying distance set for the event was 51 metres. Shemal Milinda Perera of St. Mary’s College recorded a wind assisted time (+3.1) of 10.80sec more..

Jan 20 (ST) Sports Minister Harin Fernando this week claimed he was offered a bribe to include certain players to the national team sparking a fresh investigation by the International Cricket Council, the game’s global gate-keeper. The Minister’s shocking revelation came just a day after ICC started a 15-day Amnesty for Sri Lankans, cricketers and officials, on January 16, to divulge any approaches they may have received from fixers. more..

Jan 20 (SO) Banks have to face a hostile industrial environment and cope with the changing technology in the world. The seamlessly emerging technology in the world needs to be adopted by the local banking and financial services industry, former Central Bank Deputy Governor Dr. W.A. Wijewardena said. He told the Institute of Bankers of Sri Lanka (IBSL) convocation in Colombo last week that there are two kinds of advanced technologies viz: blockchain and artificial intelligence (AI). more..

Jan 20 (SO) Calling for liberalisation of labour laws in SL, British High Commissioner to SL James Dauris said that the voice of business matters most for the economy and the UK will have a trade deal soon. He was speaking at the 24th National Chamber of Exporters (NCE) AGM, in Colombo last week. “There will be a preferential trade system to minimise disruption. We look forward to a post Brexit future. We are engaged in addressing global challenges. A number of significant changes are taking place. more..

Jan 20 (ST) Sri Lankan authorities are worried over the concerns raised by a number of other countries pertaining to the residue levels found in Ceylon Tea after Japan in 2017, subjected imports to stringent checks. Though the re-introduction of glyphosate on the plantations is likely to bring relief during its absence authorities state that even countries like Taiwan and Europe raised issues of maximum residue levels found in teas from Sri Lanka. more..

Jan 20 (DM) UPFA MP Duminda Dissanayake said he was confident that the President would release BBS general secretary the Ven. Galagodaaththe Gnanasara Thera on February 4. He told this to the media after visiting the monk at the Welikada prison and said he had spoken to President about releasing the monk. “The Thera should be released on the Independence Day after considering the service he rendered to the country, to Sinhala Buddhists and his struggle to protect the Buddhism in SL,” more..

Jan 20 (AD) A 42-year-old retired army soldier has reportedly committed self-immolation moments after stabbing his wife with a sharp object at their home in Kamburupitiya, Matara. The former soldier died from burn injuries while his 37-year-old wife, who had sustained critical injuries in the attack, is receiving treatment at the Kamburupitiya Base Hospital. He said that a heated argument over an alleged extramarital affair is suspected to have led to the murder-suicide. more..

Jan 20 (DM) A defense-related pact to be signed shortly between Sri Lanka and the US will seriously impact on the national security, territorial integrity and sovereignty of Sri Lanka, SLFP general secretary and MP, Dayasiri Jayasekera said. He said the island nation would be turned into a defense enclave of the US like Okinawa or Diego Garcia. "The agreement will provide facilities to the US to set up more..

Jan 20 (AD) One suspect has been arrested along with a firearm in connection with the shooting incident at the Kudawella fisheries harbor, the Police Spokesman said. Four persons died while another 8 sustained injuries in the shooting incident on December 25, 2018. ASP Ruwan Gunasekara said that on the instructions of the IGP, a total of 10 police teams had continuously carried out investigations and as a result one of the suspects was arrested this morning. more..

Jan 20 (DM) Six China-led companies have qualified for the execution of three light rail projects in Colombo, it is learnt. Megapolis and Western Development Ministry held talks with the int'l bidders for the execution of these projects. Among them, six Chinese consortiums, having partnership arrangements with companies from different countries for technology, have qualified. One light rail project will link Colombo with Moratuwa via Kirulopone, Pepiliyana, Katubedda and more..

Jan 20 (AD) The Philippines will send a specialist team to Sri Lanka to inquire on the technical expertise that can be provided to eradicate drug smuggling. The Philippine govt has agreed to assists Sri Lanka to eradicate illegal drug smuggling. This assistance is provided as a special benefit obtained by Sri Lanka from the President of Philippines. Today (19) at the tail end of the state visit President Sirisena paid a visit to more..

Jan 20 (NDTV) SL is seeking serious dialogues with India for repatriation of Lankan refugees living in TN, its envoy on Friday said while asserting that his country wants them to be resettled back home with provision of housing and livelihood. A large number of Lankan refugees continue to live in TN over 30 years after the outbreak of civil war had caused them to flee the country. Austin Fernando, said he has planned to meet the refugees in TN and other people to hold consultations. more..

Jan 20 (ST) Several leading SL milk powder companies have suspended clearing their stocks from the port after discussions this week on prices held with the CAA and the Treasury ended in a deadlock. Milk powder companies cannot continue to run their business as the authority is resorting to delaying tactics rather than solving the problem promptly and they are left with no choice but to stop imports, placing new orders and also stop selling existing stocks of whole milk powder, more..

Jan 20 (EN) Former defence secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa declaring his intention to run for president this year has created sharp divisions within the opposition led by his elder brother Mahinda. Gotabaya’s public pronouncements this week were not taken lying down by his other politically-ambitious brothers, particularly former speaker Chamal who immediately responded saying he will was also be a more..

Jan 20 (Hindu) It’s a poll year in SL — except that few know whether it is the provincial, presidential or general election that will be held first. Provincial elections are overdue, with the terms of six out of nine PCs in the island having expired in 2018, but the possibility of a presidential election has elicited more interest in the country. “I am ready to contest presidential polls, if the people too are ready [for that],” former Secretary of Defence Gotabaya Rajapaksa recently declared, more..

Jan 20 (SO) President Sirisena will release 1,208.27 acres in the North tomorrow during his visit to Mullaitivu to launch the National Schools Drug Eradication Week. President who will be the chief guest at the event at Vidyananda Vidyalaya in Mullativu will release private and state owned lands to the District Secretaries in Jaffna, Killinochchi, Mullaitivu, Mannar and Vavuniya. In Thelipalai and Palali in Jaffna, 43.13 acres of private lands will be released, while 1.47 acres of state land more..

Jan 20 (CT) Police probing the massive explosive find at a location in Wanathawilluwa, Puttalam earlier this week are looking at several aspects including foreign terror links that are tied up with extremist organisations both in the country and overseas, a high ranking official on the investigation team said. “This is a very deep and sensitive investigation and it would take a considerable period of time before we establish the true motive more..

Jan 20 (DM) The Foreign Employment Bureau (FEB) yesterday said that most of the Sri Lankan expatriate workers who were being held in jail in the Middle East had committed drug related offences. Monitoring MP, Ministry of Foreign Employment and Sports Hector Appuhamy revealed this at a press conference last afternoon. However the MP fell short of giving statistical details about his claim but pledged to come out with the details shortly. The MP who clarified recent reports that more..

Jan 20 (ST) A night time temperature drop is likely in the next few days in most parts of the country, Meteorology Department official said. Official said that due to the cold weather, Nuwara Eliya and other upcountry areas could expect morning frost. The lowest temperature of 5.1 Celsius was reported from Nuwara Eliya yesterday. In addition, the official said night time low temperatures were also reported yesterday from Bandarawela (9.1C), Katugasthota (15.1C), Badulla (15.2C), more..

Jan 20 (ST) Though it brought suffering, the 52-day old political turmoil last year gave the UNP a new face lift and re-invigorated their ranks to rise up to their embattled onetime partner, the SLFP. Sworn in for a second time during a single term PM, Ranil Wickremesinghe returned with considerable lusture and some lament. He appeared stronger than before. The lusture was over the new opportunity to preside over his party during more..