Mar 22 (CT) Jaffna Mayor Immanuel Arnold has requested the Jaffna Police to beef up his security following death threats notes by post and a viber call. Addressing the Media, the Mayor said that some unidentified persons have warned him and some others have urged him to protect himself from dangerous situations that await him. The Mayor has urged the Jaffna Police to give him security while travelling to office and back home. more..

Mar 22 (CT) PM Ranil Wickremesinghe has no right to talk in favour of investing the EPF in the stock exchange, Chairman of ICEU, Wasantha Samarasinghe said. He added that the total EPF available had increased by Rs 300 million and yet investing those funds in the stock exchange had resulted in a loss. �We, as employees, have lost faith in investing in the stock exchange,� he said adding �we request the Govt to prevent politicians from getting involved for political gain,� more..

Mar 22 (EN) Sri Lanka's insurance sector will see slower growth due to higher taxes slapped on cars in a budget for 2019, Fitch Ratings, a rating agency said. "Fitch expects these measures to further reduce new vehicle registrations and cause a slowdown in the new business growth of the motor insurance segment, which accounted for around 60 percent of the overall gross written premiums (GWP) of non-life insurers in the past three years," the rating agency said. more..

Mar 22 (AD) Sri Lanka has successfully tested artificial rain for the first time in the country with moderate rainfall experienced over the Maussakele Reservoir for around 45 minutes. The pilot project to induce artificial rain at the catchments areas of the Maussakele Reservoir was carried out by the CEB on Friday. An aircraft (Y12) of the SL Air Force was used to spray the chemicals on the clouds around 8,000 feet above more..

Mar 22 (DN) A partly-burned human body of a 50-year-old found in a vehicle near a jungle at Horombuwa in Moneragala this morning. According to information received, the incident had occurred at around 12.45 a.m and the body was identified to be of E. Wanasinghe Guruge Chandana Kumara, a resident of Hulandawa area in Moneragala. The vehicle had caught fire in a wooded area while the persons driving it believed to have died in the fire, said the police. more..

Mar 22 (CT) Water supply, by the National Water Supply and Drainage Board (NWSDB), to a part of Enderamulla in Wattala, has been erratic for almost last two weeks thereby greatly inconveniencing the residents, mainly of the John Keells Housing Scheme. Even earlier, the water supply had been restricted to the night, but now very little or no water at all is supplied even in the night. There is not enough water for residents to bathe or wash clothes, leave alone water their gardens and wash more..

Mar 22 (DN) Owing to the increasing number of complaints received by the UGC over incidents of ragging and sexual harassment, the UGC has set up a Sexual and Gender Based Violence (SGBV) online complaints mechanism to provide relief including counseling, safety and protection. In a statement by Prof. Mohan de Silva, Chairman of the UGC, there have been numerous incidents of ragging and sexual harassment reported to more..

Mar 22 (CT) Action will be taken against all those who were against the ban of the agrochemical herbicide/weedicide Glyphosate, said MP Ven. Athuraliye Rathana Thera said. Minister Naveen Dissanayake and the President�s Secretary have been two main figures involved in such acts and we look forward to taking action against these parties, he added. As a result of the use of Glyphosate, the risk of kidney failure has increased from 5,000 to a shocking 28,000 from 2002 to present, more..

Mar 22 (DM) The JVP has informed PM Ranil Wickremesinghe to let them know the UNP�s final stance on 20th amendment which is aimed at abolishing of the executive presidency by May this year. JVP MP Vijitha Hearth said that his party had conveyed their request to the PM when its delegation led by party leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake met the PM at his office in the parliamentary complex this afternoon. PM had informed the JVP delegation that more..

Mar 22 (DM) The TNA today pointed out that the SL Constitution did not prevent the setting up of special courts with foreign judges to hear human rights cases and that it would do its best to haul Sri Lanka before an international tribunal if it failed to set up such courts. TNA MP M. A. Sumanthiran said this when participating in the committee stage debate on the budget last morning. �Sri Lanka must adhere to the commitment more..

Mar 22 (DM) Another extreme heat weather advisory has been issued by the Department of Meteorology for North-Western Province, Mannar and Monaragala districts for today. According to the heat index issued by the department, Mannar, Puttalam, Kurunegala and Monaragala districts have been identified where the temperature will remain between 27 �C and 41�C. In extreme situations, it may be possible to have heat cramps, exhaustion & continuing activity could result in heat stroke. more..

Mar 22 (DM) A senior lawyer of the Hulftsdorp Bar has complained to the Police that he was being threatened with death after he appeared for a petitioner in a case against President Maithripala Sirisena. The petition seeking a writ of mandamus calling for an examination on the state of mind of the President The lawyer told Police that some unidentified men had visited his ancestral house at Gampaha and the surrounding houses and had collected his personal information. more..

Mar 22 (DM) Parliament was in a furor today over the deforestation of land abutting the Wilpattu National Park for the settlement of people. Arguments broke out in the House when JVP Leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake pointed out that lands on the buffer zone of the Wilpattu National Park had been cleared for resettlement of Muslims displaced by the war and asked Minister Rishard Bathiudeen whether more lands were being cleared for more..

Mar 23 (CT) As the lyrics of the song death of a dream suggests, shattered dreams turn out to be wickedly funny. The lights we kindle burn us out. Yet we keep on running. We cannot catch the horizon, it is always further than we know! Running never ends. In an article published in mid-February of the epochal year of 2015 I predicted the trajectory of the Yahapalana govt. In that piece of conjecture captioned Maithri�s Mandate and Ranil�s Royalist Regency I said that more..

Mar 23 (CT) Professor Ven. Walpola Rahula (1907-1997), a Buddhist rationalist and free thinker of international repute, was a unique intellectual, teacher and writer who never minced his words when speaking truth in front of power, a rare quality fast disappearing in a world of comprador intellectualism. �It would be a crucial weakness�, he avers, �if you do not express your honest and forthright views fearing public opposition. Persons seeking personal gain, glory, praise, and more..

Mar 23 (Roar) We step out into the torrid Kalpitiya sun to find ourselves staring at an expanse of tobacco plants, swaying faintly in the breeze from the ocean behind us. As we walk towards the farm, sand jams its way between the soles of our feet and the surface of our shoes. Continuing towards the site we are visiting, it becomes clear that this land nurtures much more than just tobacco. Beets, chillies, potatoes, and guavas are all more..

Mar 23 (CT) Minister Tilak Marapana is still remembered for his brilliance in successfully prosecuting the high profile Vicarage double murder case involving Rev. Fr. Mathew Peiris before a Trial-at-Bar Bench in the late seventies. As Solicitor General Tilak Marapana prosecuted Colombo Vicarage double murder case involving Anglican Priest Rev. Mathew Peiris and his secretary Dalreen Ingram who were convicted of murdering Eunice Peiris, wife of Rev. Mathew Peiris, and more..

Mar 23 (CT) Let�s face it; it�s hard to do business here in Sri Lanka; the almost snail�s pace of our Govt bureaucracy, rampant corruption, lack of good mercantile outlook and almost no room for innovation has made the country inhospitable for commercial growth. In a recent summit several diplomats suggested changes that can draw investments to Sri Lanka. Transparency is the key to attracting investment, Turkish Ambassador Tunca Ozcuhadar said. more..

Mar 23 (CT) That used to be our home, said Amani, as she longingly looked out from the window of her tiny flat towards the towering lotus rising towards the sky; a symbol of the former regime�s grandeur that also uprooted the lives of some of the city�s most vulnerable residents. Amani and her extended family were formerly residents of McCallum Road (also known as D.R. Wijewardena Mawatha) before the lotus tower was built. more..

Mar 23 (DN) The World TB Day which is held each year on March 24 is intended to promote awareness, knowledge and motivation for action against Tuberculosis worldwide. �Mycobacterium tuberculosis (TB) is infamous for many reasons, not least as the biggest infectious killer of all time. Dating as far back as ancient Egyptian times, the disease is present in most countries worldwide. For some, the spectre of Tuberculosis may seem relegated to the past, enshrined in 19th more..

Mar 23 (DN) The govt delegation comprises of Foreign Minister and members nominated by the President displayed that the consensual delegation could face the challenges at the UNHRC in Geneva in a stronger footing in the face of UN human rights chief�s warning that Sri Lanka could slip back to conflict unless it addressed the �worst crimes� during the final stages of its ethnic conflict. High Commissioner Michelle Bachelet�s statement clearly showed the ignorance of the int'l body about more..

Mar 23 (ST) The eclectic Bakeriya Space in Kottawa once again became home to the Down Town Pulse arts festival, which concluded recently. The week long festival featured a variety of artistic expression � including music, photography, graffiti art, stage dramas, film screenings, video art and more. The week ended with a concert featuring music of all genres like alternative, metal, classic rock, etc. Founder Viraj Liyanaarachchi has always firmly believed that when it comes to showcasing more..

Mar 23 (Island) Mr. X is a 45-year-old father of three. He works as a project manager in a leading company. His wife is a lawyer. Until he took over the project, he had been taking alcohol once a week. He consumed about a glass of wine at a time. He had no major issues at the workplace or home. Since taking up the big job he became increasingly busy and came home late after business meetings. The wife noticed that he was drunk more often than not during the past 2 yrs when he came home. more..

Mar 23 (Island) Isn�t this a weekend of real glory? The UNCHR has adopted the resolution on SL, without a vote. We have two more years to give further proof of peace building and reconciliation. Don�t we feel great about using the Lord Naseby facts to strengthen our case? Shouldn�t we feel even greater that the number of Tamil civilians allegedly killed at the final stages of the war has been reduced to about 6,000 more..

Mar 23 (Island) There has been a diplomatic row of sorts between Sri Lanka and Singapore over former Governor of the CB Arjuna Mahendran, the main suspect in the bond scam case. President Maithripala Sirisena�s office has denied Singapore�s claim that no official request was made for the extradition of Mahendran, a Singaporean national. His extradition was officially requested in May 2018, the President�s Office has said. Prez�s position on this issue is factually correct, we reckon. more..

Mar 23 (FT) The tea auction this week had on offer 6.5 M/kgs with Low Grown/Large Leaf teas continuing to meet with good demand but High and Mid Grown Small Leaf teas encountered a sluggish market, Forbes and Walker Tea Brokers said in their latest report. Ex-Estate offerings totalled 1.0 M/kgs. Overall, quality of teas from the Western planting districts showed a decline, whilst teas from the Eastern sector showed no change. Best Western BOP � a few select invoices appreciated more..

Mar 23 (CI) Reeza Hendricks and Rassie van der Dussen produced a scintillating second-wicket century stand, upon which was founded yet another comfortable South Africa win. The hosts took an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match T20I series with this 16-run victory in Pretoria, but don't let that margin fool you. Sri Lanka never seemed to have the measure of their target of 181. SL's No. 8 batsman Isuru Udana produced more..

Mar 23 (Island) Cargills� farmer assistance programme guarantees purchase of 140 metric tons of vegetables from about 5000 farmers each day. Under this Group Agricultural Protection (GAP) programme farmers selling their produce to Cargills are assured such trade would ensure fair prices. Group Manager Cargills Agri Business Haridas Fernando said recently at the launch of SL-GAP held at the Cargills, Food City outlet in Rajagiriya that the GAP scheme was commenced more..

Mar 23 (SO) Former SL, Tamil Union and Ananda College all-rounder, Muthumudalige Pushpakumara had been one of the most prominent schoolboy cricketers to have emerged through the Observer Schoolboy Cricketer contest. Ever since the launch of the Observer Schoolboy Cricketer of the Year contest in 1978, the Mega Show has turned out to be the most looked forward to event by school cricketers. The event is sponsored by SLT Mobitel which has been providing its financial support more..

Mar 23 (CI) Lasith Malinga has ruled himself out of at least the first six IPL matches for Mumbai Indians in order to qualify for the SL World Cup squad. With SL's selectors having told players they must play in the forthcoming Super Provincial One Day domestic tournament if they are to be considered for the World Cup, Malinga has chosen to fulfil that requirement. As he is out for over a third of the season, Malinga himself suggested more..

Mar 23 (ST) A three-member Interim Committee was appointed by the Minister of Sports for the smooth function of the Table Tennis Association of Sri Lanka(TTASL), the controlling body of the game after it had failed held its Annual General Meeting for the past four years. At a meeting held with the Minister of Sports and the Ministry officials, national players, coaches and parents, the irregularities of the SLTTA were brought to the notice of the minister. Players highlighted the failure of holding the AGM more..

Mar 23 (ST) Sri Lanka�s coir industry, once a flourishing business that provided a major income to thousands of people, seems to have tied itself up in knots. The small, medium and traditional coir and coir-based industrialists in the country have complained that they are now compelled to close down their businesses owing to foreign company invasion in joint ventures with local partners. Foreign companies engaged in the lucrative coir-based product exports with local partners are more..

Mar 23 (ST) As the Sinhala Tamil New Year nears local commercial banks normally woo customers with unique offerings of valuable gifts coupled with a host of benefits. This practice is not only confined to New Year periods but also to any other days especially when bank products are launched under various names and at different interest rates. As banks deliver various banking solutions, they used to bring more..

Mar 23 (ST) Headstart Pvt Ltd, a pioneering e-learning solutions provider in SL, has been chosen by Ladies College, Colombo, for the implementation of a digital education based smart school programme. The company�s role is to provide teacher training, learning content creation and a state-of-the-art Learning Management System for teaching, learning and monitoring the progress of the students and the teachers. Ladies College has already installed smartboards in all of its more..

Mar 23 (LBO) Commercial Bank of Ceylon has been adjudged Sri Lanka�s Best Bank in 2019 by the USA-based Global Finance magazine, giving the Bank its 19th such accolade from this entity alone. Global Finance�s just released list of Best Banks in Asia Pacific 2019 names Commercial Bank in a pantheon of banking giants of the region, including Westpac (Australia), ICBC (China), DBS (Singapore), Bank East Asia (Hong Kong), State Bank of India, Bank Mandiri (Indonesia), more..

Mar 23 (FT) The Opposition disapproved of the govt�s decision to allow the EPF to re-enter the Colombo stock market, voicing fears that the move could result in losses to the country�s largest pension fund. Opposition lawmaker Bandula Gunawardane raising a question on the Small and Medium Scale Enterprise Board established at the CSE in accordance with proposal No.293 of the Budget in 2016 said: more..

Mar 23 (ST) IGP has ordered an investigation into a motorist�s complaint regarding the alleged police harassment that occurred recently near the Police Hospital in Narahenpita. Accordingly, OIC of the Colombo South Division, Roshan Dias has been directed to conduct an inquiry and take appropriate action. A police team appointed by the OIC sent to the Narahenpita Police has recorded statements from several officers who were on duty in the area during the day of the incident and more..

Mar 23 (ANI) Sri Lanka have announced a 15-member squad for three match T20I series against England, slated to begin on March 24. Hansima Karunaratne, Sugandika Kumari, Inoshi Fernando have been recalled into the team, while uncapped Madushika Meththananda has also been included in the team which will be led by Chamari Atapattu. Karunaratne, Kumari, and Fernando, who were not part of the squad that toured South Africa earlier this year, have all been added for home T20Is. more..

Mar 23 (CT) Media Spokesman of Ministry of Power and Energy Sulakshana Jayawardene has resigned from the post with effect from 21 March. However, internal sources from the CEB said Jayawardene had tendered his resignation as he was unable to tell the truth regarding the four to five-hour power cuts in most parts of the country. Another reason was the Minister Ravi Karunanayake wanting the Media to be kept in the dark more..