Oct 17 (Island) Plans are underway to put up three shooting ranges as the first step to provide shooting ranges in each district for school shooters, according to the National Shooting Sport Federation (NSSF). The Ministry of Sports has responded to a request made by the NSSF to build new ranges for school shooters. �The Sports Ministry will provide funds to build the shooting ranges. At the initial stage shooting ranges will be built in Colombo, Hambanthota (Hungama) and Gampaha,� more..

Oct 17 (SLA) SL Force Protection Company (SLFP-Coy) serving the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), together with UN peace-keepers from France, Italy, Spain, Finland, Ireland, Germany, Slovenia, Ghana, South Korea, Malaysia, Nepal, India, Indonesia, Serbia, Brazil, Bangladesh, China, Poland, and Lebanese Armed Forces recently participated in a five-day long direct live firing Exercise, Ex-Steel Storm - 2020. SLFP-Coy with 3 Officers and 27 Other Ranks used more..

Oct 17 (CT) A top officer from Road Development Authority (RDA) claimed that a former Minister of the previous United National Front-led regime, hailing from the Kalutara District, had pilfered a sum of Rs 1,000 million from a highway project. He confirmed that necessary legal action against the former Minister will be instituted shortly. He also said the former Minister had obtained the said amount through a service bond and he emphasised more..

Oct 17 (FT) The national ICT and digital services provider, Sri Lanka Telecom PLC recently entered into an agreement with Nemra Properties Ltd., a BOI approved property development and construction company in Sri Lanka, to power five major condominium projects that are currently under construction in Colombo city. The agreement signing took place recently at SLT premises in Colombo Fort, with SLT CEO Kiththi Perera and Chief Sales and Regional Officer Imantha WIjekoon more..

Oct 17 (DN) A group of CID officers had visited Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa�s Royal Gardens residence in Rajagiriya in search of MP Rishad Bathiudeen. Issuing a statement Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa stated that the CID had questioned him on whether Bathiudeen had contacted him on the particular day he was to be arrested. However, Premadasa states that despite six Police teams being deployed to arrest Bathiudeen, two days have lapsed but more..

Oct 17 (CT) Three Buddhist monks submitted a letter to Prez Rajapaksa urging him to reconsider the decision to ratify the proposed 20th Amendment, introducing necessary amendments before passing it. The three Buddhist monks who had forwarded the letter to the Prez are Ven. Elle Gunawansa Thera, Ven. Muruththettuwe Ananda Thera and Ven. Bengamuwe Nalaka Thera. The monks had pointed out in their letter though more..

Oct 17 (ES) SL has long been a destination for travellers seeking escapism. This small beautiful island, situated south of India, is larger than life with idyllic beaches, sprawling tea plantations and exquisite properties that have the luxury credentials to rival any major city in the world. There are plenty of towns hidden away from the well-trodden tourist paths of SL. One is Piliyandala, where you�ll find Bolgoda Lake - which at a staggering 342 square km is country�s only natural & largest fresh water more..

Oct 17 (FT) The public services provided by the Department of Motor Traffic (DMT), which had been temporarily withheld due to the risks posed by COVID-19, will recommence from next Tuesday, the Department said in a statement yesterday. However, services will be dispensed with a limited staff and subject to certain limitations, with the aim of minimising the inconveniences faced by the public. Accordingly, the clients who expect to obtain the services provided by the DMT were asked to more..

Oct 17 (CT) The National Thowheed Jama�ath (NTJ) Leader Zaharan Hashim- led group had initially planned to carry out the bombings on Easter Sunday, with the involvement of 20 suicide bombers targeting crowded places including hospitals. This was related, on 16 October, by an officer, attached to the Terrorism Investigations Division (TID), testifying before the Presidential Commission of Inquiry into 2019 Easter Sunday bombings. more..

Oct 17 (CT) Parliamentary Council (PC) which replaces the Constitutional Council (CC) does not in any way reflect good governance and its powers in the democratic process are made negligible by the proposed 20th Amendment, Women & Media Collective (WMC) stated. Issuing a statement on the proposed 20th Amendment, specifically on independent Commissions under Clause 6, the Collective pointed out, Members of the PC will only be Parliamentarians and that it will no longer more..

Oct 17 (CT) Chairman of the Election Commission Mahinda Deshapriya requested Prez Gotabaya Rajapaksa to take necessary actions to pass a Parliamentary Act as soon as possible in order to hold the postponed Provincial Council elections. In a letter sent to the President, Deshapriya stated, the Supreme Court had ruled that governing Provincial Councils through Governors and other officials without holding the Elections is not legal. This was when the petition SCFR35/2016 was heard. more..

Oct 17 (Island) Close on the heels of China reiterating its commitment to Sri Lanka�s development goals and backing for Colombo at International forums, the Indian High Commissioner in Colombo Gopal Baglay met PM Mahinda Rajapaksa on Thursday to discuss ongoing Indian projects as well as cooperation on new projects. A top level Chinese delegation, led by senior Chinese leader and top foreign policy official Yang Jiechi, more..

Oct 17 (DN) Defence Secretary Maj. Gen. (Rtd) Kamal Gunaratne urged the public to give the law enforcement officers time for the arrest of MP Rishad Bathiudeen, assuring that he would be arrested very soon. �When we look at social media, Govt is attacked and criticized. Prez is targeted and the Police and Defence Ministry, including the Defence Secretary are being targeted and blamed. However, these people who are attacking and criticizing us are also citizens of this country. more..

Oct 17 (DM) The Covid-19 cases, reported at present are not random cases but in someway linked to the Minuwangoda factory cluster, Health Minister Pavithra Wanniarachchi said yesterday. She said it was true that cases were reported from several areas in the country but each case had either direct or indirect links to some of the positive cases of the Minuwangoda cluster. �Therefore, reports that cases are reported here and there randomly, are not just and correct,� more..

Oct 17 (FT) The total number of COVID-19 patients identified in the island rose to 5,354 yesterday with the identification of 110 new cases. Of the new cases, 38 are staff or associates of the garment manufacturing facility in Minuwangoda who were at quarantine centres at the time of testing positive and 72 are other contacts. This brings the Divulapitiya cluster to 1,899 cases. The remaining cases include 1,450 returnees from abroad, more..

Oct 17 (DM) SJB MP Rauff Hakeem said that CID officials arrived at his residence to record a statement over MP Rishad Bathiudeen. MP Hakeem, who was leaving the Parliamentary Complex after attending the party leaders� meeting, told journalists that the statement was recorded about a phone call he received from MP Bathiudeen on Oct 10. �The call was made before the Attorney General�s instructions to arrest MP Bathiudeen. He spoke of minor issues and more..

Oct 17 (FT) A renowned writer and a foreign policy analyst, Dayan Jayatilleka in a recent media article titled President GR�s Foreign Policy deviation, has referred to the current foreign policy of Sri Lanka in a highly critical sense. As the subject matter is of utmost importance to all of us, certain observations made by him need to be reviewed and pondered over. Hence the following concerns, along with more information relevant to the issue both in the international scenario as well as our own. more..

Oct 17 (DN) Russia�s Ambassador to Sri Lanka Yury Materiy has promised Minister of Irrigation and State Minister Chamal Rajapaksa to provide the COVID-19 vaccine developed by his country to Sri Lanka. This was stated by the Russian Ambassador when he met Minister Rajapaksa at the ministry premises recently. The Ambassador said the Russian Govt hopes to distribute the Sputnik vaccine developed by the Russian Govt against the COVID-19 to several countries, including Sri Lanka. more..

Oct 17 (FT) The people are the real owners of sovereignty both in terms of the classical liberal opinion and the domestic and international law. In other words, State power lies with society and the rulers elected by the people are subject to the will and the control of the people. In this context, the 20th Amendment can be considered a constitutional adjustment that undermines and lets down the sovereignty of the people. Most of the things that the Prez intends removing from the Constitution more..

Oct 17 (Island) Former minister Kabir Hashim had had a telephone conversation, two days before the Easter Sunday attacks, with Abdul Latheef Hakeem Mohamed, brother of Abdul Latheef Jameel Mohamed, who blew himself up at Tropical Inn lodge, in Dehiwala, AG�s Department revealed, before the PCoI investigating the Easter Sunday attacks. The call had lasted for 147 seconds, AG�s representative said. more..

Oct 17 (AD) A consignment of heroin weighing nearly 10kg has been seized from Kotikawatte area, says the Colombo Crimes Division (CCD). The haul was recovered based on the information divulged by the notorious underworld figure and drug kingpin Makandure Madush during interrogations. CID had transferred Madush to the custody of CCD on Friday, for further investigations into the cases filed against him. Madush was previously under the custody of the Dubai authorities after more..

Oct 17 (Island) A group of journalists on Thursday protested, in Mullaitivu, against the failure on the part of the police to arrest those responsible for the recent attack on local colleagues Shanmugam Thavaseelan and Kanapathipillai Kumanan in the Murippu forest in the district. The group protested opposite Wildlife Dept Office there. Protesting scribes displayed posters and banners on the fence of the Wildlife Department Office alleging complicity of some public servants in the attack. more..

Oct 17 (Island) Army Chief Lt. Gen. Shavendra Silva strongly defended the armed forces role in the overall govt effort to bring the fresh corona eruption under control. Those who complained of the way the war-winning military responded to the growing crisis conveniently ignored the enormity of the task and the challenges faced by them. Acknowledging there could be some shortcomings in the wake of what the media called more..

Oct 17 (CT) Ministry of Fisheries stated that the Govt had set aside a sum of Rs 200 million to supply quality sea food to the public at affordable rates throughout the year, following a request made to this effect by subject Minister Douglas Devananda. The Ministry said that this amount had been allocated following a request made by Devananda at the Cabinet Sub-Committee meeting which had been chaired by President Gotabaya Rajapaksa on 14 October. more..

Oct 17 (AD) Ten more patients who were under treatment for the Covid-19 were discharged today (17) as they have made complete recoveries, Ministry of Health said. According to the Epidemiology Unit�s situation report, 03 at IDH, 04 at Welikanda Base Hospital, 02 at Hambantota District General Hospital and 01 at Iranawila had returned to health. The new development has brought the total number of Covid-19 recoveries in Sri Lanka to 3,395. more..

Oct 17 (ST) The decision to allow the ill-fated crude oil tanker MT New Diamond to be towed out of SL waters has led to controversy, with the Marine Environment Protection Authority (MEPA) accusing the SL Navy of releasing the vessel in violation of its directives and the latter insisting that it had the authority to do so. MEPA Chairperson Dharshani Lahandapura said that Maritime Rescue Coordinating Centre (MRCC) under more..

Oct 17 (EN) SriLankan Airlines says a negative Covid-19 test is mandatory for all departing passengers from Oct 2020. Full statement: Notice to all SriLankan Airlines passengers travelling out of Colombo. As per the directive issued by Director General Civil Aviation today, SriLankan Airlines wishes to inform our valued customers that all passengers departing BIA need to be in possession of a negative COVID-19 PCR test report taken 72 hours prior to the expected date of travel. more..

Oct 17 (CT) Govt has proposed to spend Rs 23 billion for the development of 103 rivers, as part of the programme which has been implemented under the theme, save the rivers. Minister Mahinda Amaraweera said that a special project has been prepared by the Ministry of Environment to conserve the river system which is the main source of drinking water as well as water for agriculture and other needs. �Currently, the entire river system is being polluted due to various human activities more..

Oct 17 (EN) For the third time since the present govt came to power the Director of CID has been changed with SSP Nishantha de Zoysa coming through the revolving door. De Zoysa has been moved from the post of Director of the department dealing with illegal funds by the Police Commission according to an order issued yesterday. The incumbent Director CID SSP Prasanna de Alwis goes back to his old job as the Director of more..

Oct 17 (CT) Private bus services around the country will be suspended after 6 November, once the A/L Exams are completed, said President of the Lanka Private Bus Owners� Association (LPBOA), Gemunu Wijeratne. He explained that due to the current COVID-19 threat, passengers are not using public transport as earlier and that it is causing a massive loss. �In the last few days, after monitoring passenger movements, we have reduced the number of buses by 60%,� he added. more..

Oct 17 (ST) Some people who have lost their jobs and income sources due to the COVID-19 pandemic have turned to creative means to earn money. A few of these people have begun making artistic products from discarded materials such as old tyres, rims and wires. They made sculptures, flower pot holders and different types of ornaments. Mahen de Silva who creates and sells unique ornaments made out of old rubber tyres, said this was his new source of income after he lost his job at a boat service in more..

Oct 17 (ST) Like many settlements around Habarana, the quiet and rustic Laksirigama thrived on a brand of village tourism popular with foreigners. Tourists would gather around hearths and watch women toss ingredients into bubbling, fragrant pots of curry. They would scrape coconut, grind chili and pick crisp new vegetables from organic home gardens. Then, they would sit around wooden communal tables and chow down on more..

Oct 17 (ST) Four newly-appointed SL envoys have called on PM Mahinda Rajapaksa today at Temple Trees. Accordingly, Ambassador-designate to China Dr. Palitha Kohona and Ambassador-designate to Japan Mr. Sajiv Gunasekara have paid courtesy call on PM this afternoon. In the meantime, Permanent Representative-designate of SL to the UN in New York Mr. Mohan Peiris and Permanent Representative-designate of SL to Geneva Mr. C.A. Chandraprema also met with the PM. more..

Oct 17 (EN) Parliamentary Opposition is crying foul over the way the govt wants to steamroller the 20th Amendment through the House saying they are not being given sufficient time to debate the proposal. In a statement released by the General Secretary of SJB Ranjith Madduma Bandara and the Chief Opposition Whip Lakshman Kiriella, the opposition said that at a meeting of the Parliamentary Business Committee held yesterday the Govt refused to allow more than 2 days debate for the Amendment more..

Oct 17 (FT) Amnesty International in a statement yesterday urged Sri Lankan authorities to release prominent human rights lawyer Hejaaz Hizbullah, who has been held in detention for more than six months under the country�s repressive PTA without charge or any credible evidence being put before a court. It said a notable Govt critic, Hejaaz Hizbullah has been held at the CIA headquarters in Colombo since his arrest more..

Oct 17 (CT) Our country is being dragged back to the 2010-2015 era, under the then President and now incumbent PM Mahinda Rajapaksa, when we were isolated from the world, claimed SJB MP Harshana Rajakaruna. �We were isolated from the world. European Union (EU) stopped providing the GSP+ reliefs. We now see the country is once again in the same situation,� alleged Rajakaruna. �Recently, a Chinese delegation visited our country without even following any quarantine rule. more..

Oct 17 (MFA) Foreign Minister Dinesh Gunawardena leading the SL delegation to the 20th Virtual Commonwealth Foreign Affairs Ministers Meeting (CFAMM) in the sidelines of the 75 UN General Assembly last evening (14), called for innovative thinking, collective and integrated strategies to address the multi-dimensional and cross cutting challenges in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. Highlighting that e-commerce and e-governance would define the competitive edge of more..

Oct 17 (Hindu) The writers of 800 wanted to tell the story of a cricketing legend, but were keen not to make it a one-dimensional tale of a flawless superhero. They sought to bring in nuance, the shades of grey in Mr. Muralitharan�s career and life, according to Shehan Karunatilaka, an acclaimed SL novelist who co-wrote the story with director M.S. Sripathy. Murali, SL commentators have often observed, has been more..

Oct 17 (EN) Sri Lanka tea prices showed a marginal appreciation amid a dip in Indian production due to the Coronavirus pandemic, along with Chinese and some winter buying from Russia, brokers said. Indian tea production is expected to come down by 20 percent as the country may be in lockdown for a while, traders said, which is what gave way to the high prices we experience at the moment. Chinese buyers are fairly strong at the moment, which helps keeping the market buoyed, traders said. more..