Jul 9 (SO) An elephant never forgets they say. A remarkable conjuction of elephant and human memory that occurred in the middle of a glittering perahera in 2015 has contributed to the ongoing prosecution in our first ever elephant trafficking case that will hopefully bring to book the most notorious of suspect gansters. Animal rights activists are watching with fingers crossed the progress of the Colombo HC trial-at-bar against accused more..

Jul 9 (GV) The Trinco 5 case, involving the murder of 5 students on a beach in Trincomalee on 2 January 2006, is an emblematic case of impunity in Sri Lanka. The case became well-known thanks to the courage of Dr Manoharan, the father of one of the students. Dr Manoharan knew the security forces were involved with the killings and testified at an early inquiry. International human rights organisations joined with local activists to demand justice for the Trinco 5. more..

Jul 9 (DN) It was the end of 1977, and a new Govt, with the promise of economic liberalization, and the removal of controls and restrictions hitherto inhibiting public life, had come in to power, raising new hopes and aspirations amongst the people. The economic policies and strategies of the new Govt were a marked departure from those which had pervaded the nation till then. A star-studded Cabinet of Ministers under President J. R. Jayewardane had taken over the reins of Govt. more..

Jul 9 (CT) UPFA MP Shehan Semasinghe says, if a fair investigation isn’t carried out on Rishad Bathiudeen, JO will definitely bring in another No-Confidence Motion. Q: Certain Muslim Ministers who resigned from their posts, once again accepted them, what do you think about that? A: We did not accuse all Muslim Ministers neither did we ask them to leave. But they all resigned to free the accused, Rishad Bathiudeen. more..

Jul 9 (ST) So Washington’s envoy here thinks the media is faking news. The other day Ambassador Alaina Teplitz did an imitation of her president, the irascible Donald Trump who thinks media commentaries that trash him constitute fake news and only he is capable of truth. If Trump’s ambassador to Colombo is intent on following in her president’s footsteps, it is her business. But if she is as uninformed and ready to criticise the media as purveyors of blatant misinformation then more..

Jul 9 (Island) The city of Colombo is getting chaotic by the day. Traffic congestion is worsening and air pollution levels are rising. Some expensive gentrification projects, carried out by the former government, have helped beautify the ageing city to some extent, but its burning problems remain unsolved, one being its dilapidated foul sewer system. The Colombo Municipal Council (CMC) has launched a programme aimed at easing traffic congestion in the city. more..

Jul 9 (ST) Reflecting on the long-run economic development of the country is hardly appropriate in the current state of the economy when a recovery or a moderate growth is all that can be expected. Nevertheless, achieving a higher sustained economic growth is what the nation has failed to achieve but must aspire to attain. The preconditions required for an economic take-off are the same as for the immediate economic recovery. These are peace, security, political stability, more..

Jul 9 (Island) Asian Development Bank (ADB) and Road Development Authority (RDA) officials engaged in building the integrated road network (iRoad) in rural areas in the Southern Province were astonished by the voluntary land donations by villagers to build new roads adjacent to their lands in the deep South despite deep emotional attachment to their ancestral lands. "We found it amazing when compared with rich affluent society in Colombo and other cities who wouldn't give up an inch of more..

Jul 9 (ST) Tharindu Maduranga, St. Joseph’s College centre, was slapped with a ban of two years by the Disciplinary Committee of the SL Schools Rugby Football Association (SLSRFA) last Thursday, for assaulting referee Priyantha Gunaratne after the Singer Schools League match against Royal College. But Nalaka Weerakkodi, head Coach of St. Joseph’s, has acted promptly to iron matters out more..

Jul 9 (CT) There are three elections pending. They are The Presidential, Parliamentary and Provincial. They must mean that voters are given the opportunity to decide who the people are to ruin, (sorry, run) the country. The air waves are naturally, all agog with expectation. Unfortunately, the current dialogue is heavily concerned with ponderous trivialities. Matters that are of real relevance are likely to escape the attention that they deserve. This note entertains a small hope that more..

Jul 9 (DN) In the eyes of the connoisseur SL’s performance at the 2019 Cricket World Cup was a disaster. But for a team ranked ninth in the ODIs and without a single win for the year it was asking too much to go and win the World Cup if not enter the semi-finals. The team had not jelled together as one unit with many new faces and, test and tried players thrown together to make up the 15 and the reins of leadership handed to a new captain who had not played ODI cricket since the last WC in 2015. more..

Jul 9 (FT) The Tea Exporters’ Association (TEA) has opposed the move by the Govt to utilise tea promotional fund to pay the Rs. 50 allowance for the plantation workers. The association is however yet to receive a response to the two that were sent to the Ministry stating their opposition to using money from the fund which was set up exclusively to carry out tea promotional activities. “We are not opposed to paying the Rs. 50 allowance to more..

Jul 9 (CT) Sri Lanka ended their campaign at the 11th Asian Youth Netball Championship in third place after defeating Hong Kong by 75-49 in a hard-fought encounter at Kashima Sports Centre, Japan recently. With this win the Sri Lanka lasses qualified for the 2021 Netball World Youth Cup Championship in Fiji. It was a tight game in the first-quarter, which saw both the teams pressure each other’s defense at every stage, hunting down ball and moving it quickly through court. more..

Jul 9 (Island) Microsoft concluded a nine-day Train the Trainer (TOT) workshop to equip underserved youth with future-ready skills. The capacity building workshop was held at the software company’s corporate office in Colombo, engaging 45 participants in a comprehensive, multi-day distributive learning process that harnessed a curated online learning platform called Future Ready ASEAN. The workshop was part of a joint initiative by Microsoft and ASEAN Foundation to more..

Jul 9 (HRW) A Magistrate in Trincomalee, acquitted all 13 defendants in the execution of five ethnic Tamil students on Jan 2, 2006, known as the Trinco Five case, HRW and AI said today. On July 3, 2019, the magistrate acquitted 12 members of the STF and a police officer due to a lack of evidence. The global notoriety of the Trinco Five killings has made it a test case for the commitment of successive govts more..

Jul 9 (DN) A major issue at the World Cup was the failure of Sri Lankan middle-order and they did not play positive cricket in the entire tournament said Ashantha de Mel Chief selector of the Sri Lanka Cricket. He made this remarks shortly after landing in the Island, along with skipper Dimuth Karunaratne and head coach Chandika Hathurusinghe at the SLC head office in Maitland Place yesterday. He further said “I think the reason for our middle order to fail is that they didn’t play positive cricket. more..

Jul 9 (Hindu) Hundreds of SL Tamil refugees living in at least three camps, including K. Pudhupatti in Batlagundu, Thottanoothu and Puliyampatti in Palani, petitioned the Collector here on Monday, seeking grant of Indian citizenship. “Every camp has at least 150 families and nearly 500 people. We were displaced during war in Sri Lanka and ever since have been living in India for the past couple of decades. We are thankful to the government for giving us shelter and resources to live. more..

Jul 9 (Island) Former acting Commissioner of Education Publications, I.M.K.B. Ilangasinghe had assured him that inserting his colour photo and his signature into school textbooks from 2018 would entail no extra cost, Minister of Education, Akila Viraj Kariyawasam told the PCoI yesterday. Ilangasinghe told the PCoI, in late June, that Kariyawasam had insisted that his photograph be included in school textbooks. more..

Jul 9 (FT) A white paper on The Harmony Act of Sri Lanka, initiated by a representation of SL civil society was presented to Speaker of Parliament Karu Jayasuriya at the Speaker’s Chambers at Parliament Complex yesterday. Entitled The Harmony Act for Religious, Racial, Ethnic and Civil Harmony in SL, the white paper was developed by an independent and diverse cross-section of SL nationals from the private and business sector, academic & professional spheres, more..

Jul 9 (Island) The talks held between the new political party formed by former NPC Chief Minister C. V. Wigneswaran and Gajendrakumar Ponnambalam’s party to forge an alliance have failed. Ponnabalam said that under no circumstances would the two parties come together. Although a Tamil scholar living in Australia, a close confidant of both Wigneswaran and Ponnambalam had made an effort to bring the two parties to together as an alliance, Ponnambalam said more..

Jul 9 (DN) Govt has fulfilled over 60% of the budget proposals spelt out last March, said Minister Mangala Samaraweera. He said that a total of 84 proposals were presented and only 16 proposals are left to be implemented. Samaraweera said that today world is focusing more on global warming, safeguarding of the environment and animals and fauna, reforestation of forests, reducing emissions and on the dumping of polythene/plastic. more..

Jul 9 (FT) Cabinet has green-lighted calling for applications for a second time to select a forensic audit company with international expertise for the Central Bank. Cabinet paper presented by Mangala Samaraweera sought approval to call for applications a second time as there were large discrepancies in the fee structures presented in the first round of bids. Procurement Adversarial Committee appointed by the Cabinet had therefore recommended that a second round of bids more..

Jul 9 (UNPFA) The life expectancy of a SL woman is 79 years, as opposed to 72 years for a SL man. This means that at age 60, females in SL can live 19 more years, compared to 12 more years for males. With the fastest growing ageing population in South Asia, it is predicted that by 2030, 1 in 5 Sri Lankans will be over the age of 60. With the majority of SL’s ageing population being women, feminization of ageing brings about unique challenges and opportunities that SL must be prepared more..

Jul 9 (FT) The SLPP yesterday warned its members will go before the Supreme Court if President Sirisena attempts to seek a fresh clarification on when his term will end as it will delay elections. Speaking to media at the SLPP head office, SLPP Chairman Prof. G.L. Peiris said his party is preparing to file a case against the President before the Supreme Court if he attempts to delay the Presidential Election, more..

Jul 9 (DN) The Batticaloa University set up by former Eastern Province Governor M.L.A.M. Hizbullah should be affiliated to the govt’s Eastern University after conducting a full-scale investigation into its sources of funding and objectives, Megapolis and Western Development Minister Champika Ranawaka said. He was addressing a meeting after laying the foundation stone for an administrative building of the Urban Development Authority at a cost of Rs. 75 million in Ampara recently. more..

Jul 9 (ST) In times of uncertainties, the private sector should have the mindset to change as Sri Lanka moves forward into the 2020-25 period to an exponential era of change. This is the idea Dr. Hans Wijayasuriya, Corporate Executive Vice President and Regional CEO of Axiata Group Berhad and newly elected Chairman, Ceylon Chamber of Commerce (CCC) suggested to the private sector business community while addressing the 180th AGM of CCC held last week more..

Jul 9 (FT) Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) yesterday announced possible power cuts as the Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC) refused to release fuel to thermal power plants exceeding the borrowing limit. The grid has lost 150 MW, with some emergency power suppliers and some independent power producers not being issued fuel, leading to one hour-long power cuts in several areas in the country, more..

Jul 9 (EN) Companies that were set up to recycle plastic in Sri Lanka now facing shortages of waste to run their factories to capacity, Minister Ajith Manapperuma said. "Plastic recycling companies are facing shortages," he said. "I see bottles by the roadside sometimes but recyclers don't have enough." Manapperuma said better methods of collection needed to be set up. He waved cloth bag, which he said was made by the material produced by one plastic recycling company more..

Jul 9 (DM) A one-hour power cut may be experienced in several areas in the country as CEYPETCO has suspended fuel supply to thermal power plants, Ministry’s Information Director Sulakshana Jayawardena said. He said the power cuts would be experienced due to a shortage of 150 megawatts of electricity in the main grid. The thermal power plants have no sufficient fuel supply for electricity generation. “The prevailing electricity has to be balanced and more..

Jul 9 (Island) Ranil Wickremesinghe administration was attempting to create a cheap labour force needed to facilitate the implementation of neoliberal economic policies, by amending` land laws, Chinthaka Rajapakshe, Convener of the Movement for Land and Agricultural Reform (MONLAR) said commenting on the scheme to grant outright ownership of land to one million people. "Providing land deeds may look like more..

Jul 9 (DN) Chief of the PM staff, Minister Sagala Ratnayaka paid a visit in the canal yard yesterday, to inspect the land area allocated for the construction of 17 storey building complex to relocate the SLPA head office. Chairman of the SLPA Kavan Ratnayaka, Managing Director Athula Hewavitharana, a group of high profile officials and engineers were present at this occasion. One of the extensive development projects been carried out surrounding port city, more..

Jul 9 (Island) The newly appointed Chief Executive Director of the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) Sean Cairncross has written to PM Ranil Wickremesinghe stating that he looks forward to Wickremesinghe’s continued leadership to advance their shared goals. The Prime Minister’s Office yesterday released Cairncross’s letter to the media. Cairncross has also copied the letter to Alaina Teplitz, Ambassador to Sri Lanka and Maldives. Given below is the full letter. more..

Jul 9 (EN) PM Ranil Wickremesinghe said he would battle in court anti-freeholders to give title to farmers and others who have been given less certain land rights by the state through several programs. "There are some groups who are opposing the freehold rights through court action," PM was quoted as saying at a speech in Ampara. "We will stay on the side of the people and face the court cases on their behalf." more..

Jul 9 (DM) In Sri Lanka, the population issue has become a crisis not because of overpopulation but due to baseless allegations that a doctor had sterilized hundreds of women or girls after caesarian section births. In any event, in most countries, fertility levels are declining rapidly. The allegations were made largely by the black media or fake media which are apparently misusing the freedom given by the 19th Amendment. US President Donald Trump, described by Britain’s US Ambassador as more..

Jul 9 (DM) Back to the People Before Chaos Reign Supreme... Sound incredible?, but it is the truth; a country that have been totally robbed, plundered and devastated by the politicians needs to go…. Among the few reformist provisions, like Right to Information; Independent Commissions, and restrictions on legal immunity of the Executive: 19A has provided a unique, but calamitous ‘power sharing by two heads’ arrangement -- a result of Parliament flouting Supreme Court’s ruling more..

Jul 9 (DM) Some 98 containers laden with used mattresses that have been smuggled into this country illegally from the UK were taken into custody yesterday by the Customs. During investigations, carpets, plastic and items like polythene, larvae, dead plants, fungus and other items like bird feathers had been found among them. This stock of old mattresses had been imported without approval from the CEA and more..

Jul 9 (DM) The Bodu Bala Sena, a Sinhala Buddhist nationalist group blamed on propagating Islamophobia converged in a large gathering in Kandy on Sunday. Around a thousand Buddhist monks and a large number of devotees answered the call by BBS chieftain Ven. Galaboda Aththe Gnanasara Thera, who is mobilizing grassroots of Sinhala Buddhist zealotry since his release from prison on a presidential pardon. more..

Jul 9 (DM) In his paper entitled, Kattankudy in Eastern Sri Lanka: A Mullah-Merchant Urban Complex Caught between Islamist Factionalism and Ethno-Nationalisms. Dr. Ameer Ali traced the history of the town and came to the ominous conclusion that Islamic radicalism which was being nurtured there, could pose a major challenge to govts in Colombo. The paper published in Journal of Muslim Minority Affairs in 2009, more..

Jul 9 (ST) Public funds to the tune of Rs 698mn were squandered on an unsuccessful bid to host the 2018 Commonwealth Games in Sri Lanka and a special investigation must be carried out into the donation of Rs 570,819,155 towards this effort by other institutions and private individuals, the National Audit Office (NAO) says. The findings are contained in a Special Audit Report on Securing the Hosting Right for. more..