Apr 26 (NR) Owner of Perpetual Treasuries Arjun Aloysius and CEO Kasun Palisena, arrested and remanded over the controversial Treasury bond issuance have been further remanded until the 10th of May. Order was issued by the Fort Magistrates Court. Meanwhile AG Dept tabled the facts in court today pertaining to the Int'l Red Notice issued for the arrest of former Governor of the CB Arjun Mahendran. Dept noted accordingly the arrest warrant is valid in 192 countries across more..

Apr 26 (EN) Fitch Ratings has warned that SL's political uncertainty could pushback fiscal and economic reforms, and undermine investor confidence ahead of debt repayments worth 15 billion US dollars over the next two years. "Recent political developments in Sri Lanka have created some uncertainty over reform momentum and fiscal consolidation, and prolonged upheaval could undermine investor confidence ahead of more..

Apr 26 (TC) New clashes between Buddhist extremists and Muslims occurred in two different towns in Sri Lanka, Kandy and Ampara, in early 2018. Triggered in part by hate-filled posts spread by nationalistic Sinhala Buddhist Facebook groups, these riots resulted in the death of one Muslim and the destruction of many buildings. To many non-Buddhists outside Asia, this sort of violence can seem surprising. Westerners think of Buddhism as a peaceful religion, more..

Apr 26 (Island) Prez Maithripala Sirisena, too, had to take the responsibility for the disastrous trade deals the country was to enter into including the Sri Lanka Singapore Free Trade Agreement (SLSFTA) Association of Engineers (AoE) member, R.C. Dassanayaka said, addressing the media, in Colombo. "If the President is averse to these pacts, he do away with them. President of Institution of Engineers Sri Lanka (IESL), Neranjanee Ratnayaka wrote to the President earlier this month. more..

Apr 26 (DN) There are inadequacies in the police force, but considering the huge tasks they are vested with, they are doing a great service to the country. Hence, they need the assistance of the media to give them feedback on their actions and the changes that need to be taken to improve themselves. Govt increased the salaries of the police by 40%, said Law and Order Minister Ranjith Madduma Bandara. more..

Apr 26 (Xinhua) India will send the sacred Buddhist relics to Sri Lanka for public veneration during the annual Vesak festival, a statement from the Indian High Commission in Sri Lanka said. Vesak is celebrated on April 29 this year in Sri Lanka to mark the birth, the enlightenment and passing away of the Buddha who founded the Buddhist religion. The statement said the relics would be brought from Sarnath, India for the first time for public exposition on the occasion of Vesak. more..

Apr 26 (DM) UNP MP Ravi Karunanayake today said a handful of people who opposed his appointment as the Assistant Leader of the party is something which has no significance. �Only one or two persons have opposed my appointment as the Assistant Leader. Therefore, it is not worth making any comment on it,� He said especially reacting to former Minister Joseph Michael Perera who resigned from the UNP working committee opposing party�s decision to appoint Mr. Karunanayake more..

Apr 26 (CT) Minister John Amaratunga approved the actions taken by Coast Conservation Department to remove illegal structures in the Mirissa area. �We need to bring in some regulations for beaches; these illegal structures are coming up haphazardly in coastal areas. If the owners of these structures are trying to justify their presence, they need to realize that they are behaving in a way that hurts this industry.� more..

Apr 26 (AFP) Sri Lanka on Thursday banned the sale of meat and liquor and ordered casinos to close on the Buddha's birthday in a move to appease the island's religious majority. The restrictions, which come just days after the government shifted May Day celebrations in a sop to Buddhist monks, will extend to tourist hotels for the two-day Vesak festival starting on Sunday. "Meat and liquor sales at supermarkets and hotels will be banned during this period," govt said in a statement. more..

Apr 26 (EN) Sri Lanka�s central bank has stressed that rational economic policymaking was essential for the country to progress and warned against resort to policy changes to achieve political gain. �The country can progress further only if policymaking remains rational with a long term focus on greater public good, while minimising policy swings motivated by short term political gains,� the bank said in its annual report for 2017 launched Thursday. more..

Apr 26 (AD) State Minister Ajith P. Perera says that he will not abandon the fight for a democratic leadership in the UNP. He made these comments while speaking to the media after attending the UNP Working Committee meeting held this morning. The UNP Working Committee has named and approved new members for several key posts and other office-bearer positions in line with their party reformation process. more..

Apr 26 (MO) British tourist who was raped by at a luxury hotel in Sri Lanka today has been denied compensation by the Court of Appeal. The woman was on holiday with her husband at Club Bentota Hotel when she was attacked by the uniformed hotel employee. She described how the man lured her into an engineering room in the hotel's grounds and held her by the throat as he assaulted her. The woman, who is in her 30s and from Glasgow, was diagnosed with a sexually transmitted more..

Apr 26 (NR) UPFA's Eraj Fernando has been elected with a majority of votes as the Mayor of the Hambantota Municipal Council. The UNP won the Hambantota Municipal Council at the Local Authority Election in February. However during the vote to elect the Mayor the 7 members of the SLPP and the 4 members of the UPFA cast their vote in favour of Eraj Fernando. The UNP Mayoral candidate only received the 9 votes. JVP Councillor abstained from voting during the election. more..

Apr 26 (DM) President Maithripala Sirisena today requested the electrical engineers to halt their scheduled trade union action on May 08, based on professional issues. He said their issues would be taken up for discussion at the Cabinet and assured to provide a satisfactory solution. He said this during a meeting on swift implementation of the long-term power generation plan held yesterday. more..

Apr 26 (AD) A retired Lieutenant of the SL Navy, who had served as the Operations manager of the Avant Garde floating armory, has been arrested by the CID this morning, police said. The suspect, Nilupul de Costa, 43, a resident of Wanawasala in Kelaniya, has been arrested in connection with the investigations being carried out by the CID on the vessel MV Avant Garde which was taken into custody by the navy in 2015. He is to be produced at the Galle Magistrate�s Court today. more..

Apr 26 (NR) Minister Ranjith Siyambalapitiya says electricity related challenges nor power failures will arise in future. Speaking at a function in Ruwanwella, he said Cabinet approval has been granted to decisions that will be deemed decisive for the energy industry. Accordingly approval has been granted to establish liquid air power plants that will generate 1,400 megawatts. Accordingly India and Japan will contribute to the establishment of power plants that will generate 500 megawatts each more..

Apr 26 (IC) The ICC today confirmed Sri Lanka's matches in the ICC Cricket World Cup 2019, which sees the 1996 world champions play their nine league matches in five cities. The 10-team tournament, to be played on a single-league format with the top four progressing to the semi-finals, will run from 30 May to 14 July across 11 venues of England and Wales. SL will face-off New Zealand in their opening match more..

Apr 27 (CT) It is still not too late to make a major focus on the rights/needs of working women in the coming May Day celebrations, whether it is celebrated on the 1st or the 7th. An arbitrary decision by the President has unfortunately created a confusion and a division among those who intend to celebrate the event for more positive and constructive purposes. May Day is an opportunity to think about how SL could collectively improve the working conditions of women, their rights more..

Apr 27 (Island) An explosion is not always a good thing. But it is not always preventable. Sometimes an explosion cannot be predicted but sometimes it can. Often an explosion is not inevitable but that does not mean it isn�t likely or even probable. In any country, these factors would cause a social upheaval. In Sri Lanka, a country of much unrest and violence, an explosion is almost certainly on the way. I do not wish it, nor will I exult over it, but I can see that it is on the way. more..

Apr 27 (Roar) In May 2017, the BBC reported SL as a country trapped in debt. Having a total debt of $64 billion, the report stated that 95% of all govt revenue goes towards debt repayment. Startling statistics such as this calls to question the stability of the island�s economy. With the economic performance of the country closely connected to how financial institutions function and how people make a living to support their daily expenses, more..

Apr 27 (DN) What is to be the future of the Sinhalese Film Industry? What sort of direction will our films take in the years to come? Will there be a change or a deviation in the pattern of picture making already established? These questions are difficult to answer with any kind of certainty. To answer them, one not only has to be a student of the local industry and a critic but also a prophet. One can say this, however. The type of Sinhalese film we are going to get will depend not on the talent more..

Apr 27 (DN) The trouble l have against scribes who use the prefix Dr. is that they do not disclose, for what and from where, they have obtained their doctorate. It can be a doctorate in theology from some small College for the blind or a doctorate in demonology from a small College for dropouts. But the prefix even though worthless, is often used to bamboozle, beguile, mislead and betray and at times as a mask to hide behind by a card carrying member of a political party to spread its more..

Apr 27 (CT) Minister Rajitha Senaratne says Ranil Wickremesinghe told him to contest as the common candidate, �When I said I had no money, he said he will look after the money and for me to come forward. Then, I told him I will bring in the best person to ensure a win and then I brought in Maithripala Sirisena.� Q: Govt defeated the no-confidence motion and tried to go on a new journey, but now there seems to be a new problem? more..

Apr 27 (CT) China is the second world economic giant and an emerging economic superpower helping members of the world family with no ulterior or any political considerations as many economic/political giants with geographical considerations/interests on small and neighbouring nations. China has 1.379 billion people with GDP 112.2 Trillion (in dollars) compared to the immediate neighbouring economic competitor - India with a population of 1.324 bil with GDP 2,264 mil. more..

Apr 27 (CT) �It may sound ruthless but a milder way cannot be found to describe the features of the economy which have started to deteriorate. This condition is quite common in SL, because all the Govts which ruled this country, since the Independence, are accountable for this, as all the Govts have contributed towards this. What is very clear is that no Govt had a concrete National Plan to rescue this economy. The very sporadic nature of such positive development became more..

Apr 27 (GV) The govt has a superiority complex. Let me elaborate. Within the last few weeks, the Govt of SL has managed to host tourism and promotional events and business interactions in Japan, Australia and South Africa, completed sessions at the CHOGM, amended legislation that lift restrictions on Maternity leave, and renewed the US GSP trade concession. All in all, the Govt of SL has had victories � some significant, some not so significant � but all victories nonetheless. more..

Apr 27 (Island) The JVP has stated that they will be presenting the motion to abolish the executive presidency as a private member�s Bill next month. Even though they have said that they will agree to electoral reform, too, if that is deemed to be a prerequisite for the abolition of the executive presidency, they have not given any indication that they will be including provisions for electoral reform as well in their draft 20th Amendment. Hence it appears that the 20th Amendment more..

Apr 27 (Roar) The Southwest monsoon, that typically falls between May and September, is approaching, and we are reminded of the devastation caused by excessive rains in May 2016 and 2017 that led to the loss of lives and displaced thousands of people, as floods and landslides wreaked havoc in parts of the country. In 2016, a low pressure area over the Bay of Bengal�a precursor to cyclonic storm Roanu� more..

Apr 27 (Island) JVP has stirred up a real hornets� nest. The proposed 20th Amendment (20A) has eclipsed all other issues, especially the ones on the economic front, such as the soaring cost of living, draconian tax laws, the tumbling rupee and the attendant increase in public debt and cost of imports. Why has the JVP come out with a private member�s motion to abolish the executive presidency at this particular juncture? The 20A has come to be viewed with a jaundiced eye, more..

Apr 27 (MO) A few days we spent last week in SL with no business to mix with pleasure turned out to be a pleasant surprise. This island, characterised often as an island of blood and violence, appeared to be out of this world, peaceful, relatively prosperous, hospitable and at peace with the world. We did not see the dreaded Tamil Tigers nor wily Sinhala killers. And not a single Chinese, who are said to be everywhere, exploiting islanders, building bridges & roads that lead only to Beijing. more..

Apr 27 (Island) The involvement of prominent Sri Lanka Cricket officials in fixing a domestic cricket match last season has been a topic of discussion and it appears now that the culprits may have got off scot-free. An independent review conducted in November last year found prominent SLC official Ravin Wickramaratne�s hand in foul play. The independent review was done on the instructions of former Minister Dayasiri more..

Apr 27 (CT) Senior athletes will return to Sugathadasa Stadium after three years for the second National selection trials of the year which will be held on the newly laid Sugathadasa track today and tomorrow. The new track helped junior athletes to produce some wonderful performances during the four-day junior nationals where records were shattered by the juniors especially in sprints when the seniors watching from the stands were itching to run on the track eyeing personal best timings. more..

Apr 27 (DN) Rohit Sharma led Mumbai Indians has found ways to lose the games from winning positions. With their shocking batting display, the side now sits just above Delhi Daredevils because of their positive net run rate. Mumbai Indian head coach Mahela Jayawardene felt that no one in the side took the responsibility of winning the match. On the slow wickets, both side�s batters struggled but the horror display by Mumbai saw them record their joint-lowest IPL score in history. more..

Apr 27 (Island) Sprinter Aruna Dharshana and middle-distance runner Dilshi Kumarsihnghe both reached qualifying standards for the IAAF Under-20 World Championships as the four-day Junior National Championship ended with remarkable 400 metres performances at the Sugathadasa Stadium on Thursday. The 400 metres is probably Sri Lanka�s main strength in track and field sports and when national level athletics more..

Apr 27 (Island) IFC, a member of the World Bank Group, is partnering with leading apparel company MAS Holdings to assess areas for resource efficiency across three of its factories in Sri Lanka. This will help the company save costs, prevent waste, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Under this project, IFC will assess and recommend measures that can help MAS Holdings improve efficiency in its operations, lower usage of water, energy & chemicals, & increase water reuse. more..

Apr 27 (ST) A group of engineering students at University of Moratuwa is on the verge of making Sri Lanka proud by being the first participants at a Formula Student Electric event and is seeking funds to make it a reality. Formula Student competitions are one of the most popular competitions among undergraduates all over the world. These competitions are held in countries all over the world while the major events taking place in the US, the UK, Germany, Japan, Austria and Brazil. more..

Apr 27 (ST) With just over 600 days more to go in a tenure of governance marred by recent political instability, the debt-laden govt is trying to find a short term way out of its economic woes, official sources revealed. The fight for economic survival will be crucial at this moment as the coalition govt is being pressurised to take austerity measures to provide relief for the people amidst dissension among its major constituent parties. more..

Apr 27 (Island) Iran�s Speaker Dr. Ali Larijani has called for unity among all communities and religious groups in SL. Speaker�s remarks came after having held discussions with Chief Priest Ven. Galboda Gnanissara Nayaka Thera, at the Gangaramaya Temple in Colombo and Muslim leaders last week. Larijani said that Islam was a religion of peace as shown by the Holy Prophet Muhammed (Sal). There was no reason to fight when we can talk and coexist peacefully together, he noted adding that more..

Apr 27 (SL) The former CEO of SAITM Dr Sameera Senaratne was on Thursday questioned by the CID over a shooting incident last year. The vehicle in which Dr. Sameera Senaratne was travelling in was shot at in Malabe in February last year. Investigations later revealed that the shooting incident was staged. Police said at the time that a politician was also involved in the incident and was connected to Dr. Sameera Senaratne. Gunmen on a motorbike opened fire on the vehicle of more..