Jan 25 (CT) PM Ranil Wickremesinghe has assured that he would look into the issue of the appointment of institutional heads in the Fisheries Ministry, State Minister of Fisheries Dilip Wedaarachchi said. He said this when Ceylon Today inquired about the alleged controversy over appointing new heads to these institutions as former heads were refusing to step down. Letters have been issued to these heads of institutions asking them to leave the posts-paving way for new appointments. more..

Jan 25 (EN) Power minister Ravi Karunanayake has told reporters that a controversial carbon tax slammed in the style of European interventionism, which led to yellow vest protests in France, may be rolled back. "We have said that to raise a small amount of revenue, this type of carbon tax should not be imposed creating so many problems," Power Minister Ravi Karunanayake was quoted as saying in broadcast on Hiru, more..

Jan 25 (AD) The Permanent High Court-at-Bar has granted permission for three prosecution witnesses in the D.A. Rajapaksa Museum case to travel overseas. The case, which has been filed against seven defendants including former Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa, was taken up for hearing today before High Court Judges Sampath Abeykoon, Sampath Wijeratne and Champa Janaki Rajaratne. After considering the requests made by attorneys appearing on behalf of witnesses, more..

Jan 25 (FT) National newspaper Editors resolved 243 complaints made directly to them by aggrieved readers last year, while the Press Complaints Commission of SL (PCCSL) received 79 complaints from the public, of which 19 were outside its scope. The complaints resolved by the Editors come under the Right of Reply procedure laid down by The Editors’ Guild of SL in their Code of Professional Practice (Editors’ Code). The Code, which is implemented by the PCCSL now provides for more..

Jan 25 (EN) Australian mineral sands miner Iluka Resources Ltd. has said Sri Lanka’s recent political crisis could delay its plans for investing in an ilmenite deposit on which it has been having talks with the govt. The company, one of the world’s biggest producers of minerals sands, said in a stock exchange filing a pre-feasibility study is underway on the Puttalam deposit on the island’s northwest coast, 170 km north of Colombo. more..

Jan 25 (DM) Sri Lanka’s Police Spokesman today said that 24 major drug traffickers have fled the country and that investigations are underway to confiscate their assets and properties. ASP Ruwan Gunasekara stated this while participating in a conference at the Government Information Department to brief on drug prevention programme. Programmes to educate students and the public on the topic are being today as well coinciding with the national drug prevention week. more..

Jan 25 (EN) Sri Lanka Telecom, the island’s main fixed line telco, is likely to borrow from local banks to rollover maturing debt, Fitch Rating said in a new report. SLT, rated B with a stable outlook, had debt of about 53 billion rupees as of end-September 2018, a quarter of which was denominated in US dollars, the rating agency said in a report on Asia-Pacific telecommunications companies. “Fitch expects Sri Lanka Telecom to access local banks to refinance its maturing debt.” more..

Jan 25 (DM) Speaker Karu Jayasuriya rejected the claim made by TNA Leader R. Sampanthan for the second time yesterday that the UPFA could not hold the post of Opposition Leader. Mr. Sampanthan said the present opposition could hold not that post as he was a member of the UPFA which is actually a part of the govt. “UPFA Leader and Prez, Maithripala Sirisena is the head of the govt and is holding ministerial portfolios. more..

Jan 26 (CT) I seek your leave to raise the following question relating to a matter of public importance The Position of the Leader of the Opposition in the Parliament You made a statement in Parliament on 18th Dec 2018, pertaining to the position of Leader of the Opposition. In the course of the said statement you mentioned that you had received a letter from the Secretary of UPFA which claimed to have the second largest number of MPs and requesting that Mr Mahinda Rajapaksa be more..

Jan 26 (CT) Many, including the writer, depend heavily on the News Programmes on television, for updates on what happens around us. We cannot but be astonished by the overwhelming content of the sensational and trivial, smothering all that is even mildly comforting. Members of the governing elite complain that their achievements are ignored while the failures are highlighted. There is some justification for this lament. But media must depend on popular demand for their existence. more..

Jan 26 (Roar) “About 35 to 40-years-ago my now deceased friend Karunarathne Abeysekara brought a young singer to a meeting of the Sucharitha movement. While he was standing humbly and respectfully Karunarathne Abeysekara said to me that we should give this young man a chance to become a popular singer in SL before long. That was the first time I met H.R. Jothipala. That day after he performed I felt that more..

Jan 26 (CT) In the backdrop of Westminster Manchester Magistrate’s Court issuing an arrest warrant a few days ago on former Defence Attaché at the SL High Commission in London Brigadier Priyanka Fernando for gesturing with his fingers as cutting the throat at a group of people protesting outside the SL High Commission on SL Independence Day last year, Defence Secretary Hemasiri Fernando has stated that legal action would be taken against certain military more..

Jan 26 (CT) The latest computer literacy survey conducted by the DCS shows that there is a shift from computers to smartphones among the island’s population. The survey results showed that whereas household computer ownership in the first half of last year declined to 22.9%, from 23.5% in 2017, on the other hand digital literacy in the review period increased from 40.1% in 2017 to 40.3% by the first half of last year. This encompasses nearly half of the island’s population. more..

Jan 26 (SO) Nine years after journalist and cartoonist Prageeth Ekneligoda disappeared without a trace, investigations have uncovered a gruesome abduction plot allegedly orchestrated by a military intelligence unit operating out of the Giritale Army camp. The case took a stunning turn when two military intelligence officials attached to the Giritale Army camp provided matching confessions before a Magistrate that more..

Jan 26 (DN) As Rex played the first chords of love, a love forbidden blossomed in the soft-lit precincts of a night club three years before. Lady Boonwaat, wife of Burmese Ambassador, first saw bearded pianist on the bandstand. But love has nothing to do with persons, traditions, values, laws or customs. It was Oct 15, 1967 (Sunday). The two bricklayers had stopped their work focusing attention in the direction from where the report of the gun was heard, at Turret Road (Dharmapala Mawatha) where more..

Jan 26 (Island) Rajapaksa govt earned notoriety for bribery, corruption and the abuse of power. One of the main allegations against it was that its leaders thrived on fraudulent cost overruns as regards mega development projects. Those who raked them over the coals for such corrupt practices and claimed that the Southern and Airport expressways could have been constructed at much lower costs, but for corruption, are currently in power; they stand accused of adopting the same deplorable more..

Jan 26 (DN) Outspoken MP Hirunika Premachandra stole the limelight in Parliament this week with a bold and blistering speech pouring out her anger and frustration over a whirl of speculation on an attempt to grant a Presidential Pardon to former MP Duminda Silva. It was obvious that she was disturbed by the speculation that moves are underway to Pardon her arch-rival Duminda Silva, who was convicted after having found guilty for the murder of her father Bharatha Lakshman more..

Jan 26 (Island) I would be lying if I say that I had no concerns that I would miss what I had practised for almost half a century, when I retired a few years ago. Unlike some of my colleagues, who opted for locum work, part-time work or private practice, in retirement, I took the risk of a clean break and stopped working altogether. Surprisingly, I did not miss anything; maybe because I had other interests like travelling and writing, which mandated reading. That was until I read the moving piece more..

Jan 26 (Island) JVP MP Sunil Handunnetti told Parliament on Thursday (24) that estate workers lived like slaves on plantations and no govt had done anything to liberate them. Participating in a debate on a motion moved at the time of adjournment of the House on the plight of estate workers, JVP MP said that the interests of the leaders in the planation sector had taken precedence over those of the workers. more..

Jan 26 (DM) A young Green high-up and a Blue party stalwart had met each other at a celebration recently. They had taken advantage of this chance meeting to have a lengthy friendly chat and had finally come to the subject of the governing ones appointed recently. Both during their intimate conversation shared their displeasure over the conduct of certain new governing ones. “These appointments are now a big scandal!” Green party’s young high-up remarked. more..

Jan 26 (ER) The de-escalation of a recent constitutional crisis in Sri Lanka conceals a potential ideological struggle for power in the strategically located state in the Indian Ocean. Outwardly, the crisis spiralled down when Prez Sirisena reappointed the dismissed PM Ranil Wickremesinghe on 16 Dec 2018. Presidential and parliamentary elections are due by 2020. Sirisena and former President Rajapaksa, on the same side now, may campaign for a Sri Lanka First more..

Jan 26 (TRF) More than 100 SL Tamil families demanding the return of their land nearly 10 years after the end of a civil war, plan to occupy their former homes on Saturday if the govt does not hand over the properties as agreed. Residents of Keppapulavu village in northern Mullaitivu have campaigned for nearly two years for the return of their land, in what activists said is the country's longest roadside protest. more..

Jan 26 (DN) Having named virtually a new-look squad for their tour to South Africa head coach Harsha de Silva said that he was confident that the SL Women cricketers will come up with a fine performance in all departments and emerge victorious. Sri Lanka made no less than eight changes to their side that leaves for South Africa next month where they will play South Africa Women in a series of three T20I and three ODIs. The SL women’s coach said the tour will give more..

Jan 26 (FT) Govt will commence the first phase of development in the Bingiriya Export Processing Zone (EPZ) next month under the patronage of PM Ranil Wickremesinghe. “The work of the first phase of the Bingiriya, Kurunegala District EPZ will be commenced on 28 February by PM Wickremesinghe,” Deputy Minister Nalin Bandara said. He pointed out that the Govt was steaming ahead in developing new export processing zones in different parts of the country, more..

Jan 26 (DN) National Science Foundation (NSF) conducted a highly insightful knowledge sharing session for local sports administrators, trainers and ground-level practitioners, sharing eye-opening results of a 3-year research on the exercise physiology of SL athletes. The results indicate that Sri Lanka’s national level athletes and their custodians lack proper guidance and direction in how to apply science research findings more..

Jan 26 (FT) A decade after the war ended, unemployment remains a serious problem in the north, Govt Agent of Jaffna N. Vethanayahan said yesterday at the opening ceremony of the 10th Jaffna International Trade Fair (JITF), calling for the KKS harbour and northern airport to be developed to enable business and trade progress in the northern region. Speaking as Chief Guest at the launch of the JITF that attracts around 60,000 visitors annually with over 2,500 products on display and sale, more..

Jan 26 (DM) UPFA MP Dinesh Gunawardene yesterday called for a change in the composition of Constitutional Council in order to maintain its independence. “The composition of the CC should be changed in order to maintain its independence and avoid crisis situations,” he said. “There were issues pertaining to the appointment of the IGP and the AG. These issues can be avoided if the composition of the CC is changed.” The MP said the CC was rejecting those who are opposed to more..

Jan 26 (Island) A decision to purchase emergency power, at significantly higher cost, would only increase the losses incurred by the CEB, CEB Engineers’ Union (CEBEU) said. CEB Engineers’ Union President Saumya Kumarawadu said "After the Norochcholai Power Plant was built in 2014, the generation cost of one unit of electricity dropped to Rs. 15.07 and the govt was able to reduce the electricity bill by 25%. more..

Jan 26 (FT) The Working Committee of the UNP has unanimously decided to appoint State Minister of Defence Ruwan Wijewardene as the Deputy General Secretary of the party. In addition, Minister Sagala Ratnayake has been appointed as the Internal Affairs Secretary of the party. Ratnayake is also the Chief of Staff of PM Ranil Wickremesinghe. The Working Committee meeting was held at the UNP headquarters Sirikotha under the patronage of UNP Leader and PM Ranil Wickremesinghe. more..

Jan 26 (Island) Suranga Lakmal became only the sixth Sri Lankan to take a five wicket haul in Australia during the second day’s play of the day-night Test at the Gabba yesterday. Lakmal now has back to back five wicket hauls having taken five for 54 in Sri Lanka’s last Test match in Christchurch. He did have a chance to claim the best figures by a Sri Lankan in Australia but wasn’t able to go past Rumesh Ratnayake’s six for 66 in Hobart 30 years ago as Dilruwan Perera claimed last wicket. more..

Jan 26 (Island) The UPFA has questioned the wisdom in creating another costly political setup in the form of a Senate (Second Chamber) comprising 55 persons, in addition to existing political structures. UPFA MP Dullas Alahapperuma flayed the UNP-TNA combine over the proposal which the SLFPer alleged would be a heavy burden on the taxpayer. Alahapperuma took up the issue at a media briefing this week more..

Jan 26 (DM) The Director General of Agriculture, Dr M.W.M. Weerakoon has warned that the use of chemicals to kill the normal caterpillars mistaking them for the fall armyworm or the Sena Caterpillar is not advisable. "Various types of caterpillars are seen in crops and farmers have been quick to identify them as fall armyworms and are using pesticides unnecessarily," he said. Mr. Weerakoon said the news that the fall armyworms had been discovered in banana cultivations has no truth and more..

Jan 26 (CT) SSC opener Kaushal Silva completed yet another double century scoring 273 against the SL Army Sports Club on the second day of their Super 8 game at the Colombo Cricket Club Grounds in Colombo yesterday. Silva scored 273 runs in 345 balls hitting 29 boundaries and one six in a superb innings while Kosala Kulasekara was dismissed for 94 runs in 209 balls. Kulasekara struck 8 boundaries and 2 sixes as SSC made 582 for the loss of 9 wickets before declaring their innings. more..

Jan 26 (Island) The Constitutional Council (CC) considered not only the seniority of nominees but also the recommendation of the Chief Justice and their recognition in the field when appointing superior court judges, CC Chairman and Speaker Karu Jayasuriya said. The Speaker, making a special announcement in Parliament, at the request of the CC, said the CC had always been impartial, transparent, fair more..

Jan 26 (Island) Chinese ambassador Cheng Xueyuan paid a visit to the China-SL Cooperation Studies Centre (CSLCSC) of Pathfinder Foundation (PF) located at River point at Peliyagoda recently. His visit was a follow up to the inauguration of the new office complex of CSLCSC last month by Long Guoqiang, Chinese Vice President, Development Research Centre of the State Council of China. The visit to the Centre was undertaken on the first anniversary of ambassador Cheng’s more..

Jan 26 (Island) Horana Export Processing Zone which comes under the purview of the Board of Investments (BOI) has contributed US$ 31.8 million (Rs.5, 796.7 million) in export revenue, according to export revenue stats as at end 2018. Horana Export Processing Zone (HEPZ) located in Kalutara District, is 80 kms from BIA, 55 kms from Colombo Port and is only 18 kms from the Southern Expressway. Zone was established in 1999 on a land area of 395 acres of which 178 acres are industrial land. more..

Jan 26 (FT) Rejecting media reports claiming the Govt will allow the US to establish a military base in any part of Sri Lanka, PM Ranil Wickremesinghe blasted those who were involved in the constitutional crisis for making false accusations. Allowing the Opposition to have a full day’s debate over a non-existent plan to allow a US military base in Sri Lanka, the PM said: “All this happened because of stealing the Govt. more..

Jan 26 (ST) Saudi Arabia has decided to increase Sri Lanka’s Haj pilgrim quota to 3,500. This was announced following the signing of an agreement between SL’s Muslim Religious Affairs Minister M.H. Abdul Haleem and Saudi Arabia’s Hajj Affairs Minister in Jedda. Mr. Haleem said the Saudi Minister had given an assurance to increase the quota of SL pilgrims after consulting the Saudi King. “Initially the Saudi Govt had provided a quota of only 2,240 for Sri Lankan pilgrims. more..

Jan 26 (FT) Minister Ravi Karunanayake commissioned a report on issues faced by small solar entrepreneurs, due in two weeks, following a meeting held with stakeholders. He called for the report after he met with the Small Solar Entrepreneurs and Suppliers Association and Sustainable Energy Authority yesterday. During the discussion, the Association officials spoke of numerous issues faced by their members in different situations, including acquiring of land, more..