Sep 8 (WB) In response to public interest, the World Bank in Sri Lanka chose to host a dialogue, offering an opportunity for anyone to meet the World Bank team and directly ask questions related to environment protection, disaster risk management and the economy. In fact, the engagement began with a Twitter chat earlier in the week that saw participation from across the region, before moving on to a public discussion. In attendance at the latter were close to a hundred people, more..

Sep 8 (PTI) The US has expressed concern over the unsustainable debt-burden on Sri Lanka due to non- concessional loans from China. China is investing billions of dollars in infrastructure development in Sri Lanka. Sri Lanka is struggling to repay Chinese money, and recently signed an agreement to give a state-run Chinese firm a stake in the strategic Hambantota port as a way of paying down some of that debt. more..

Sep 8 (FP) After the 5-0 win in the ODI series, the fans in the country are pretty much convinced that it is going to be a whitewash by the Indian cricket team again in the T20 as well. The island nation is fully aware that the Team India are the best whitewashers in the business, as of now. A family has actually hired the team for painting their home. �Currently, the touring Indian team are the best whitewashers in the country. We want to use the services while still available. more..

Sep 8 (NR) Speaker of the House Karu Jayasuriya today refuted media reports that allege only 9 MPs have declared their assets and liabilities for the year 2017. Ministers Dayasiri Jayasekara, Lakshman Kiriella and Mahinda Amaraweera and MP�s Ravi Karunanayake and Anura Kumara Dissanayake expressed their views on the matter. The Ministers and MP�s requested that the list of Parliamentarians that have declared their assets and liabilities be publicized. more..

Sep 8 (DM) The Ven. Elle Gunawansa Thera, in response to a statement by Minister and Field Marshal Sarath Fonseka describing the monk as a mad man in robes said yesterday the UNP should decide whether it should have such a person as a Cabinet minister any longer. The monk said senior UNPers such as Gamini Dissanayake, Lalith Athulathmudali and R. Premadasa had visited his temple on several occasions. more..

Sep 8 (DM) Four Betel leaf purohitas who are to quit yahapalanaya at an auspicious hour this month had a heart to heart chat with Number One following the last weekly meeting of the top team.� Number One walking up to the four dissidents waiting for him greeted them with a friendly remonstrance about their putting spokes in the yahapalanaya wheel. Oyala baaldi peralena eka honda nehe neda? �A senior one among the foursome hailing from Sabaragamuwa was quick to give an more..

Sep 8 (Island) Health Ministry said that steps had been taken to treat patients with leprosy at govt hospital OPDs. The decision had been taken as the number of leprosy patients was on the decline. The possibility of the disease spreading could be controlled if the patient was treated within 48 hours of diagnosis. Last year the number of leprosy patients detected in the country was 1,954 while this year from January till now only 974 patients have been diagnosed with the leprosy. more..

Sep 8 (AD) Minister Champika Ranawaka stated that investments made in cricket should also be made in other sports. He expressed these sentiments upon well-wishing the football and carom teams of the Land Reclamation and Development Corporation, which are due to represent Sri Lanka on an upcoming Thailand tour.�He also said that all sports including athletics, football, netball, and volleyball should be developed. more..

Sep 8 (AD) Several members of Joint Opposition arrived at the Welikada prison earlier today, to call upon Lalith Weeratunga and Anusha Palpita who were admitted to the Prison hospital today. The contingent included MP Bandula Gunawardene, MP Dullas Alahapperuma and MP Mahindananda Aluthgamage.� Speaking to the media following their visit, MP Bandula Gunawardene stated that this incident should be recorded as the first time the govt has taken political prisoners.� more..

Sep 8 (PMD) President Maithripala Sirisena offered a Tusker elephant named Pulatisi Raja, to the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic (Sri Dalanda Maligawa) in Kandy, today. Myanmar has donated this Tusker elephant to the President. President who visited Kandy today,initially paid homage to the Sacred Tooth Relic and secured blessings. Later, the President presented the Scroll which contains the offering of the Tusker elephant to the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic, more..

Sep 8 (NR) Minister of Health Dr. Rajitha Senaratne says a special program will be launched in future to regulate ayurvedic spa centres. The Minister made these comments at a discussion held at the Ministry of Health today with indigenous doctors. During the course of the discussion the doctors informed the Health Minister of unsuitable acts being carried out in institutions under the guise of ayurvedic spas. more..

Sep 9 (CT) A commemoration, to mark the 32nd death anniversary of slain veteran Tamil politician V.Tharmalingam of the Tamil United Liberation Front (TULF) and MP M. Alalasuntharam, who were brutally assassinated on 2 Sept 1985, was held at the memorial site in Thavadi, Jaffna last week. Tharmalingam and Alalasuntharam were the first TULF MPs to be gunned down by the Tamil militants, when the separatist war was gathering momentum in the early eighties in the N&E. more..

Sep 9 (CT) The�Queen of Peace and the winner of the prestigious Nobel�Peace�Prize�in 1991, Aung San Suu Kyi�is today performing the Maori HAKA at the brutal and sadistic murder of Rohingya children, women and men. Aung San Suu Kyi�is now the de-facto leader of Myanmar and presides over the ruling party, the National League for Democracy (NLD) that is brutally murdering the Rohingya people. In an article in the New York Times of January 2016, Nicholas Kristoff claims, more..

Sep 9 (Roar) Not everyone knows this, but Sri Lanka is home to as many as 200 varieties of edible green leaves, some of which are exclusive to the island. As far as leafy greens are concerned, the island has so much more to offer than the usual gotukola, nivithi, mukunuwenna and kankun�often found in local supermarkets. There are, in fact, some leaves that are so alien to us that we wouldn�t even know what dishes to use them in. more..

Sep 9 (NS) No one is perfect. Everyone has done some mistake at one point or the other in his or her life. These mistakes are usually done without any intent, which is why they are called mistakes. The consequences may not be serious, but sometimes could be deadly. It depends on the type of mistake an individual makes. But he or she is punished or penalized because of the damage caused by the mistake. That's how the system works. Punishment may be severe if it was intentional. more..

Sep 9 (NS) Almost 900,000 people in North Central and Eastern parts of SL faced serious food insecurity issues in 2016 due to the country�s worst drought in 40 years. This situation was further exacerbated by severe floods in May 2017 in South Western parts of the country. UN Food and Agriculture Organization (UNFAO) estimates that about 4.7 million people of the 21 million population of SL, or over one-fourth of the population, do not have sufficient food to sustain a healthy life. more..

Sep 9 (CT) With the sole intention of defeating any move to divide the country through constitutional means, Eliya: Illuminating Aspirations an organization formed under the patronage of former Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa was launched at Hotel Golden Rose, on Wednesday. Alleging that the proposed new Constitution would give separatists what they had failed to achieve through terrorism, more..

Sep 9 (CT) What are these two rocks? To me, those are not about Yahangala (siesta rock) or Uthungala (sacred rock), but about poverty and lack of proper education. As admirably reported by Kandaketiya � G. Chaturanga, the above quote is the lament of the people in this poor and remote village in a far corner of the Central Province. Minipe is the relevant Pradeshiya Saba & Divisional Secretariat in Kandy District. Name of the village, Udagala Debokkawa, might translate as upper-rock crevice. more..

Sep 9 (GV) It is easy to forget that Deniyaya is located in the Matara district. Many people travel here in order to trek through the Sinharaja rainforest. Few people stop to notice the sprawling tea estates they pass en route, apart from the local community. Throughout the hill country, especially in areas such as Nuwara Eliya or Hatton, estates border each other and most of the community is Tamil-speaking. While the characteristics of life in up-country estates are vastly different to that of nearby towns, more..

Sep 9 (Island) Idea that the country needs a new constitution is a construct of the Tamil separatists and opportunist politicians who need their votes to come to power, and the imperialists and the regional hegemonic powers also in this game for geopolitical gains and strategic reasons. Thus, there is enormous pressure from all these forces on the govt to install a brand new constitution with virtual federal features. People of SL, on the other hand, are not interested in a new constitution, more..

Sep 9 (DN) While the two parties of the National Unity coalition are in a celebratory mood with the SLFP marking its 66th anniversary, and the UNP reaching its 71st anniversary this week and due to celebrate at Ratnapura tomorrow, the War Hero protection pledge has raised new challenges to coalition politics, as govt moves to third year. President Sirisena had cause for satisfaction at the success of the SLFP�s 66th anniversary celebration at Campbell Park, Colombo, more..

Sep 9 (Island) Several yahapalana ministers lamented during a parliamentary debate on draconian tax reforms that govt revenue was falling rapidly and its expenditure rising steeply. Tax laws had to be amended to increase the govt revenue, they argued. Ironically, they said so, one day after the presentation of a supplementary estimate which, among other things, sought as much as Rs. 58 mil for a ministerial vehicle. more..

Sep 9 (Island) Sprint power house St. Benedict�s, Kotahena and Sir John Kotalawala M.V., Kurunegala dominated boys� and girls� categories respectively as they won more than one event on day one of the Milo sponsored All Island Schools Relay Championship in Jaffna on Friday. St. Benedict�s with 27 points were leading the points table in the boys� category, some seven points clear of Maris Stella, Negombo (20). Sir John Kotalawala M.V, won Under-16 girls� 4x100 metres in 51.2 sec more..

Sep 9 (CI) Graham Ford is set to take over as Ireland's head coach in December, when the incumbent John Bracewell's contract comes to an end. Ford, the 56-year-old former South African first-class cricketer, has signed a three-year deal with Cricket Ireland. In June, Ford ended his second stint as Sri Lanka's head coach, stepping down after 15 months of a tenure that was originally scheduled to stretch until the end of the 2019 World Cup. His first stint lasted from 2012 to 2014. more..

Sep 9 (FT) Minister John Amaratunga categorically opposed limited legalising of abortion as proposed and insisted that PM Ranil Wickremesinghe has assured the proposal would not be supported. �I inquired on this issue from Prime Minister on Thursday and he said the Govt would not support this proposal,� he told journalists in Colombo. The proposal was made at a scientific session of a doctors union. more..

Sep 9 (CT) Veteran Cricketers Circle held a seminar for school coaches and MICs on the responsibilities and virtues of participating in sports at the MCA. Speakers at this seminar were Roshan Mahanama, Mahela Jayawardena and Kumara Dharmasena who gave invaluable advice. "We can support you all to go together to produce quality respectable cricketers & above all quality respectable citizens of the country. Some of them have got permanent residency in other countries. more..

Sep 9 (TD) Addressing the Indian Ocean Conference in Colombo on Aug 31, PM Ranil Wickramasinghe was confident that Sri Lanka is poised to become the Hub in the Indian Ocean. That was not all, with air and sea connectivity it was only a matter of time for Sri Lanka to emerge as a center for offshore finance, a competitive manufacturer, and service provider. PM�s assessment was made in the context of the island�s strategic location in the Indian Ocean, more..

Sep 9 (CT) Daily water leakages from households are expected to cost Govt Rs 167 billion, Project Director of Greater Kandy Water project, P.H.S. Gamini said. He said the cost of generating one cubic metre of pipe borne water, by the 11,000 employee strong National Water Supply & Drainage Board (NWSDB) was Rs 150, whereas it is provided to the consumer at a subsidized rate of Rs 50 a cubic metre on an average. more..

Sep 9 (EN) SL govt and corporate sector are discussing business continuity plans for disaster prone zones and closer integration of companies whose presence on the ground could prove useful during crises. A National Disaster Management Plan 2018-2022 is being prepared, according to Min of Disaster Management secretary S.S. Miyanawala, along with a national emergency operation plan. These initiatives will streamline govt approach in reducing disaster impacts in future, more..

Sep 9 (ST) A senior Women and Child Affairs Ministry official who had completed her term as National Child Protection Authority (NCPA) director had forced her way into a meeting of the NCPA�s Director Board and intimidated those present, officials alleged. They said the former director, who was also an Additional Secretary to the Ministry of Women and Child Affairs, had allegedly prevented new NCPA Director Ashoka Alawatta from attending the board meeting. more..

Sep 9 (CT) The negligible growth in tourist arrivals in August was a result of dengue advisories emanating from several missions in Colombo, Minister John Amaratunga said. Tourism, SL's third largest foreign exchange earner, suffered a setback last month, growing by a mere 2.5% year-on-year (YoY) to 190,928, despite it being a peak month for tourism due to the Kandy Esala Perahera, which usually draws tourists in large numbers, more..

Sep 9 (NS) The TNA pointed out that lawsuits filed by the international community against members of the armed forces over alleged war crimes were inevitable in light of lackluster internal governmental measures to address accountability issues. TNA MP, President�s Counsel, M.A. Sumanthiran said the govt was nowhere near in addressing its undertakings to the United Nations with regard to� accountability issues. �There is nothing in that direction,� he said. more..

Sep 9 (DM) Gabby Senior Banda from the hills who had to make it to Diyawanna through the list the other day sought the approval of the top team for a supplementary estimate involving a hefty amount for putting up a headquarters for the poor relief campaign. He also had proposed that the estimated expenditure be met from the monies available in the poor relief bank.�Authorities in the highest echelons in yahapalanaya had made discreet inquiries as to why the purohita had brought up more..

Sep 9 (DN) Many Parliamentarians requested Speaker Karu Jayasuriya to take measures to divulge the list of names of members who have declared their assets and liabilities, to the media. Speaker Karu Jayasuriya observed that he would act accordingly after taking a list of the Ministers who have declared their assets and liabilities to President�s Secretariat as the Ministers have to make their declaration to the Prez. more..

Sep 9 (DM) Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) is the oldest and largest trade body in Pakistan with strong credentials having a large membership base standing around 20 thousand members. � LCCI�s history dates back to the early part of the last century. �LCCI�s prime objective is to serve its membership to their utmost satisfaction. �It acts as a bridge between the government and internal agencies on important national and international policy matters. more..

Sep 9 (DM) In a recent ceremony organized in Mannar, the European Union and United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS) officially handed over new and renovated infrastructure critical for flood control within the Mannar Urban Council Area. These infrastructures include over 14 kilometers of drainage canals, 117 culverts and the renovation of six ponds within the Urban Council (UC) that are critical for flood water control and improving ground water quality.� more..

Sep 9 (Telegraph) One of the Northern Irish MPs propping up the Govt is facing a parliamentary inquiry after a investigation revealed how he accepted holidays worth �100,000 from a state he is now helping to secure a post-Brexit trade deal. Ian Paisley Jr said he had referred himself to Kathryn Hudson, Parliamentary Standards Commissioner, following the disclosure that he accepted two all-expenses-paid trips to SL. more..

Sep 9 (Island) New tax laws would deal a severe blow to artistes and turn the country into a cultural deserts, JVP�s Society for Socialist Art (SSA) said on Wednesday. Convener of the SSA, JVP MP Bimal Ratnayake said: "The JVP continues to oppose the new Inland Revenue Bill, which provides for taxing artistes as well as their creations. The artistes and literature, too, will be taxed. We know that some artistes conduct private tuition classes to raise funds for their dramas. more..

Sep 9 (CT) Minister Lakshman Kiriella says the Govt has not decided to hand over the maintenance of the country's highway network to the private sector. He said, that it has been reported to him that employees of RDA had become suspicious that Govt was making moves to handover the overall control of the highway network � encompassing the Southern Expressway, Highway network from Kottawa to Kadawatha and Katunayake Highway network � to another party by taking it away from the RDA. more..