Daily News Bulletin | දිනපතා ප්‍රවෘත්ති

*TODAY'S (10.02.2018) NEWS*
1. The Local Government Election that had been postponed for nearly 3 years by the UNP-SLFP Government with various excuses, to be held today: Elections Commission requests voters to take a valid ID when going to vote
2. In the face of the Central Bank asserting that the government debt figures compiled  by the Bank has been accepted by  the world, Auditor General Gamini Wijesinghe calls for a "free and frank discussion on the national debt issue" following the local government elections
3. UNP candidate in Bulathsinhala enters houses and grabs polling cards: maverick UNP MP Palitha Thevarapperuma stages fast outside Bulathsinhala Police Station
4. The Buddhasasana Karyasadaka Mandalaya comprising 14 leading Buddhist priests and Presidents of 14 national level Buddhist organisations write and thank Lord Naseby for his comments in the House of Lords about the numbers who had died in the final stages of the conflict
5. Overseas investors and Foreign Correspondent Banks of local banks deeply concerned about Sri Lanka being added to EU's money-laundering countries blacklist: Government efforts to win the international community suffers major setback
6. Attorney General's Department objects to bail being granted to Perpetual Treasuries' Arjuna Aloysius and Kasun Palisena: Arjuna Mahendran and other Masterminds still at large
7. Former Minister of Justice Wijayadasa Rajapakshe says Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith is in the forefront of protecting Buddhism in Sri Lanka
8. Galle District Medical Officer Nalin Wijesekera says the only animal species that gives milk from other species to its off-spring, is the human species 
9. Candidate who was attempting to "express his gratitude" to his supporters with 22 bottles of foreign liquor nabbed by Galgamuwa Pilice
10. PM Wickremesinghe inaugurates a taxi service which is aptly named "Drop me"
*Have a "picked-up" Saturday*


*2018.02.10 ප්‍රවෘත්ති*
1. වසර 3ක පමණ කාලයක් තිස්සේ එජාප-ශ්‍රිලනිප රජය විසින් විවිධ හේතූන් මත කල් දමන ලද පළාත් පාලන මැතිවරණය අද පැවැත්වේ: ඡන්දය දැමීමට යන පුද්ගලයන් දැනට බලපැවැත්වෙන හැඳුනුම්පතක් රැගෙන ආ යුතු යැයි මැතිවරණ කොමිසම පවසයි
2. රජයේ ණය ඉලක්කම් මුළු ලෝකයම පිළිගෙන ඇතැයි මහ බැංකුව විසින් නිකුත් කරන ලද ප්‍රකාශනය ඔස්සේ, ජාතික ණය ප්‍රශ්නය  පිළිබඳව නිදහස් සහ සත්‍ය  සාකච්ඡාවක්, එළඹෙන මැතිවරණයෙන් පසුව, සිදු කළ යුතුයැයි විගණකාධිපති ගාමිණි විජේසිංහ පවසයි
3. එළඹෙන මැතිවරණයේ බුලත්සිංහල ප්‍රදේශයේ එජාප අපේක්ෂකයෙක් ගෙවල් වලට පැන පෝලිං  කාඩ් පත් පැහැර ගැනීමට උත්සාහයක: බුලත්සිංහල පොලිස් ස්ථානය ඉදිරිපිට එජාප පාර්ලිමේන්තු මන්ත්‍රී පාලිත තෙවරප්පෙරුම මාරාන්තික උපවාසයක
4. ගෞරවනීය බෞද්ධ නායක භික්ෂූන් 14 නමකින්ද, ජාතික තලයේ බෞද්ධ සංවිධාන 14ක සභාපතිවරුන්ගේද එකතුවෙන් සංවිධානය වෙන බුද්ධ ශාසන කාර්යසාධක මණ්ඩලය, නේස්බි සාමි වරයා විසින් යුද සමයේ අවසාන කාලයේදී සිදුවූ මරණ සම්බන්ධයෙන් බ්‍රිතාන්‍ය පාර්ලිමේන්තුවේදී කරන ලද ප්‍රකාශනයට, ස්තුති කරති
5. යුරෝපීය සංගමය විසින් ශ්‍රී ලංකාව මුදල් විශුද්ධිකරණය සම්බන්ධ අපලේඛන ලයිස්තුවට එකතු කිරීම පිළිබඳව විදේශීය ආයෝජකයින් සහ දේශීය බැංකු වල විදේශීය ඒජන්ත බැංකු දැඩි ලෙස කැළඹෙති: එජාප-ශ්‍රිලනිප රජයේ ජාත්‍යන්තරය දිනා ගැනීමේ උත්සාහයට විශාල පරාජයක්
6. පර්පෙචුවල් ට්‍රෙෂරීස් සමාගමේ අර්ජුන් ඇලෝසියස්ට සහ කසුන් පළිසේනට ඇප ලබා දීමට නීතිපති දෙපාර්තමේන්තුව විරෝධ වෙයි: අනිකුත් මොළකරුවන් සහ අර්ජුන මහෙන්ද්‍රන් තවමත් නිදැල්ලේ
7. බුද්ධාගම රැකගැනීම පිළිබඳව කාඩිනල් මැල්කම් රංජිත් ඉදිරියෙන්ම සිටින්නේ යයි හිටපු අධිකරණ ඇමති විජයදාස රාජපක්ෂ පවසයි
8. වෙනත් සත්වයන්ගේ කිරි තම අලුත උපන් සත්වයන්ට පොවන්නේ මිනිසා පමණක් යැයි ගාලු දිස්ත්‍රික් වෛද්‍ය නිලධාරී නලින් විජේසේකර පවසයි
9. තම ආධාරකරුවන්ට "කළගුණ සැලකීම" සඳහා විදේශීය මත්පැන් බෝතල් 22ක් ළඟ තබාගත් මැතිවරණ අපේක්ෂකයෙක් ගල්ගමුව පොලිසියෙන් අත්අඩංගුවට
10. "මා හලන්න" නොහොත් "Drop me" නමින් හැඳින්වෙන පෞද්ගලික කුලී රථ සේවයක් අගමැති වික්‍රමසිංහ විසින් ආරම්භ කෙරේ
*ඔබට "නැගී-එන" සෙනසුරාදාවක්*

*TODAY'S (11.02.2018) NEWS*
1. Former President Mahinda Rajapaksa's Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (Pohottuwa) sweeps the Local Government poll  for a landside victory: President Sirisena's SLFP/UPFA decimated: PM Ranil Wickremesinghe's UNP in tatters: ITAK wins the North
2. Secret talks among UNP and SLFP rank and file about forming a "new" Government after the local government elections
3. President Sirisena says many politically disruptive decisions will be taken by him after February 10
4. Brigadier Priyantha Fernando says his throat slitting gesture to the pro-LTTE demonstrators in London on Independence Day was to portray the death of terrorist leader Prabakaran 
5. Refuting claims previously made by President Sirisena, Megapolis Minister Champika Ranawaka says there is no basis for the claim that Port City will cause Colombo City to flood
6. Unexplained delays in election results cause fear among citizens that fraud is taking place after initial results
7. SLFP Minister in the UNP-SLFP Government Susil Premajayanth says he will expose beleaguered former Finance Minister Ravi Karunanayake's involvement in the Bond Scam in Parliament on February 22nd
8. Central Bank in a move to transfer the ownership of the assets of ETI Finance Company to a dubious Foreign investor although a local investor has also made a similar bid
9. Today marks the 35th anniversary of the date Upali Wijewardena, Founder Chairman, Upali Group of Companies, disappearence 
10. Speaker Karu Jayasuriya says he intends to inquire into certain Ministers visiting remanded Bond Scam suspects Arjun Aloysius and Kasun Palisena
*Have a triumphant Sunday*

*TODAY'S (14.02.2018) NEWS*
1. SLFP Ministers say they want PM Wickremesinghe to be removed: UNP insists that PM should not step down: as expected, a Committee is appointed to decide UNP-SLFP Government's future
2. Tamil National Alliance says it won't join the Government, but will "cooperate on progressive matters"
3. Some UNP Back-benchers say they want a Government of their own: some SLFP Ministers plan to join the UNP Government, while other SLFP MPs contemplate joining the Opposition
4. US Ambassador rushes to meet President Sirisena while Indian High Commissioner hastens to meet PM Wickremesinghe: speculation mounts that foreign powers are doing their best to encourage the continuation of the UNP-SLFP Government, notwithstanding the Local Government Election result 
5. Civil groups who espoused "good governance" and supported President Sirisena in January 2015, want the UNP-SLFP Government to continue despite the clear rejection of the two Parties at the LG Election
6. Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna maintains that the UNP-SLFP Government has lost its mandate to govern, and must immediately call a General Election so that the people can give a fresh mandate to a new Government
7. Government steps up investigations by the FCID which has been described as a "Political" revenge-seeking illegal authority by foreign legal experts: former Chairman of a private TV channel, Carlton Sports Network whose licence was cancelled by the Government, summoned to give statement
8. Vote of No-Confidence to be brought by Joint Opposition against Auditor General Gamini Wijesinghe for his comments on the debt position of the country on the eve of the Local Government Election
9. Stock market continues fall: Rupee continues slide: foreign reserve continues decline: Almost all economic indicators continue adverse movement
10. Person from the Adiwasi (Veddah) community, Shiromala elected as a people's representative for the first time
*Have a loving Wednesday*

*TODAY'S (15.02.2018) NEWS*
1. Joint Opposition alleges USA and India are doing their utmost to save the UNP-SLFP Government
2. Joint Opposition will intervene to form a new Government, but will not take part in it, says Spokesman Dullas Allahaperuma: SLFP Ministers say "no" to Wickremesinghe as PM at Cabinet Meeting: CWC Leader Thondaman pledges support to President Sirisena
3. President Sirisena wants a solution to the Government impasse before Friday, 16.02.2018: UPFA proposes Nimal Siripala Dr Silva as Prime Minister
4. Chairman of the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna Professor G L Pieris says there are staged incidents to drive a wedge between the Muslim community and the SLPP: calls upon the Government to establish a Commission of Inquiry into the Aluthgama incident 
5. Former President Mahinda Rajapaksa urges Government to stop victimising public officials who voted against it
6. Court of Appeal extends Stay Order preventing FCID from arresting Former Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa: globally recognised INGO, Sri Lanka Judicial Watch claims FCID is illegal and is carrying out a political agenda
7. Chairman of the Elections Commission Mahinda Deshapriya says it is "not my job to issue final results" of the Local Government Election
8. Fears increase that the Government has stepped up its revenge agenda against Political opponents: retired DIG Nanayakkara arrested for allegedly "concealing evidence" in Lasantha Wickremetunge's killing:
9. Rupee plunges to new low: reaches almost Rs.157 per USD: Panic buying of dollars by importers: Stocks continue fall: economy in crisis
10. Deadline for disgraced Former Central Bank Governor Arjuna Mahendran to return to Sri Lanka and report to the CID, dawns today: PM Wickremesinghe asked by civil organisations to go to Singapore and bring Mahendran back
*Have a "turmoil-free" Thursday*

*TODAY'S (18.02.2018) NEWS*
1. Governance crisis continues: power struggle shifts hour to hour: even if there is a short term "solution", such solution likely to be under threat: country moving towards serious destabilty: economy suffers
2. The popular message from the Local Government Election is that the current Government must be toppled, says key Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna strategist and Former Minister Basil Rajapaksa
3. PM Wickremesinghe's blue-eyed boy, Law and Order Minister Sagala Ratnayake likely to be removed in the current power struggle
4. Reports indicate that President Sirisena has attempted to contact Former President Mahinda Rajapaksa
5. Former President Mahinda Rajapaksa says present UPFA candidate for Prime Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva did not respond to his telephone calls for the past 3 years
6. US and Indian interventions appear to be on the increase, in the light of the current re-positioning of Political forces
7. Former Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa says he will come forward to contest for the Presidency only if his brothers Mahinda and Basil support the effort: says he can give up his US citizenship at any time
8. Sri Lankan Billionaire Dhammika Perera imports one of fifty Mulsan Hallmark Bentley car
9. Power and Energy Ministry official says Electricity Board engineers are blocking emergency power purchases
10. More Members than labourers in some Local Government Councils: many Councils to seek new premises and more funds to accommodate new numbers of Members
*Have an "excessively-represented" Sunday*

*TODAY'S (19.02.2018) NEWS*
1. Sri Lanka runs the risk of defaulting on its loan payments says Governor of the Central Bank Dr Indrajith Coomaraswamy
2. UPFA quits National Unity Government between UNP and SLFP: UPFA General Secretary Minister Mahinda Amaraweera hands over letter on quitting Unity Government
3. Disgraced former Finance Minister Ravi Karunanayake says that the UNP-SLFP Government will continue further
4. Minister Susil Premajayath says unless President Sirisena forms a Government without the UNP, 15 SLFP Ministers and MPs will join the Joint Opposition
5. Joint Opposition and Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna demand an interim government and an early General Election
6. Revolt in UNP against signing of letter in support of PM Wickremesinghe
7. Northern Province Chief Minister C V Vigneswaran and Tamil National Peoples Front Leader Gajendrakumar Ponnambalam commence a signature campaign calling for war crimes investigations
8. Gangsters break door and storm into house at Talangama in the night and shoot husband and wife: husband killed and wife greviously hurt: mistaken identity suspected
9. Health Minister Rajitha Senaratne requests private hospitals not to charge fees from patients seeking organ transplants
10. Governor of the Central Bank Dr Indrajith Coomaraswamy says that at his age of 68 years, four days of instability in the country is not a long time
*Have a stable Monday*

*TODAY'S (20.02.2018) NEWS*
1. Beleaguered PM Wickremesinghe appears to win first round: remains as PM after stormy opposition to his continuing in power: President Sirisena gives in and asks SLFP MPs under his control to support UNP-SLFP Government for another month
2. SLFP Ministers continue their Ministries although there is speculation that the UNP-SLFP Unity Government is no more: President Sirisena asks Supreme Court whether he can sack the PM under the 19th Amendment to the Constitution: Cabinet re-shuffle on the cards
3. Former President Mahinda Rajapaksa says it is none other than President Sirisena who is keeping Ranil Wickremesinghe in his post as PM, and protecting him
4. Speaker Karu Jayasuriya who is considered to be the most partisan Speaker in history, says he is unaware that the Deputy Speaker Thilanga Sumathipala has told the media that the UPFA is quitting the UNP-SLFP Government
5. JVP Leader Anura Kumar Dissanayake who is generally considered to be a secret ally of PM Wickremesinghe, says there is now anarchy in the country due to the power struggle between the President and Prime Minister
6. Former Minister who spearheads the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna, Basil Rajapaksa says the Local Government election results indicate that the people want not only the Government, but the President also to step down
7. Joint Opposition seeks Leader of the Opposition position in Parliament
8. Central Bank Governor Dr Indrajith Coomaraswamy says results yet to be seen in the revival programme of ETI Finance: Central Bank seen to be in a rush to sell ETI Finance assets to controversial UK based Lycamobile Company which is alleged to have had LTTE links 
9. Former Central Bank Governor Ajith Nivard Cabraal says confidence in the Sri Lankan economy has eroded completely due to the actions of the Government and that future generations will suffer as a result
10. Deputy Minister Ajith P Perera who was a key player in placing Footnotes in the COPE Report on the Bond Scam, says the new Code of Ethics for MPs is welcome
*Have an ethical Tuesday*

*TODAY'S(26.02.2018) NEWS*
1. PM Wickremesinghe sworn in as Minister for Law and Order in a low-key Cabinet re-shuffle
2. Former President Mahinda Rajapaksa says the Cabinet re-shuffle will do no good and is a joke: State Minister for Foreign Affairs Wasantha Senanayake also says the re-shuffle is a farce and is a joke
3. Senior UNP stalwart and Minister Gamini Jayawickreme Perera left with Buddha Sasana Ministry only: all other subjects removed from him
4. UNP Provincial Councillor Srinath Perera urges the UNP to remove Ranil, Malik and Ravi and hand over the leadership to Sajith and Naveen
5. President Sirisena says there will be changes in the portfolios of the UPFA Ministers as well
6. Second Team of high level officials who were flown to Dubai to apprehend Former Ambassador Udayanga Weeratunge also come back empty-handed
7. Nationalist Movement Activist Gevindu Kumaratunge says Sri Lanka needs a Parliamentary Election without delay: says TNA polled only 339,675 votes as against 515,963 at the 2015 Parliamentary Election
8. Suresh Subramaniam elected as the new President of the National Olympic Committee 
9. Chairman of the Institute of Policy Studies and Advisor to the Finance Ministry, Razeen Sally says, "There is no investment, jobs or growth, and people view Government as dysfunctional and incompetent, while the Rajapaksas won a war, brought peace and developed infrastructure" 
10. United Nations Human Rights Chief Zeid Hussein calls for the application of universal jurisdiction in order foster accountability in Sri Lanka
*Have a "universally accountable" Monday*

*TODAY'S (07.03.2018) NEWS*
1. President Sirisena declares country-wide Emergency in the wake of communal violence: curfews in Pallekelle and Teldeniya: Troops deployed in Digana: Tourism Development Authority says incidents and emergency will have no impact on Tourism
2. Centre for Human Rights Executive Director Keerthi Tennekoon says leading figures behind inciting communal violence at Aluthgama are now close associates of a current powerful Minister in President Sirisena's Cabinet and that they are behind the clashes at Digana
3. Former President Mahinda Rajapaksa says the violence is as a result of the UNP's inaction: UNP MP S M Marikkar says the Government is timid: Minister Lakshman Kiriella says the Buddhists must apologize to the Muslims: US and UK express concern over violence
4. No-Confidence motion against PM Wickremesinghe postponed following requests of UNP rebel MPs to the UPFA and the JO
5. Leader of the Opposition and Leader of the Tamil National Alliance R Sampanthan calls upon the Geneva based Human Rights Council to force the Sri Lankan Government to implement it's Resolutions
6. Reports emerge that at least 200 persons said to be "missing", are living in Canada, Switzerland, Norway, Germany, France and UK: Journalist from the North said to be missing, identified as applying for asylum in Canada 
7. Retired Rear Admiral Sarath Weerasekera says the Patriotic Professionals Forum will challenge UN High Commissioner Hussein's actions against Sri Lanka based on the UNHRC Resolution in 2015: refers to Sri Lanka Government's co-sponsoring of the Resolution as the biggest betrayal of the nation since 1815 
8. Victims of Aranayake Landslides of May 2016 including 586 displaced families, 100 missing persons and 10,762 affected families still not provided with proper or adequate relief by the Government
9. Economy in downward spin: Total bank loans  outstanding reduce by Rs.14 billion in January 2018 as investment and consumption fizzle out: Stock market in dramatic dip: Fixed deposit interest rates surge
10. Professor Maithree Wickremesinghe, the wife of PM Wickremesinghe joins Women's rights activists groups demanding "Safe Streets, Safe Homes and Safe Nights" 
*Have an extra-safe Wednesday*

*TODAY'S (11.03.2018) NEWS*
1. PM Wickremesinghe openly defies President Sirisena's order and conducts UNP's Cabinet Economic Management Committee
2. PM Wickremesinghe says Anti-Muslim riots was a heavy blow to Tourism and Economy: initial reports indicate 3 dead, 20 injured, 11 mosques damaged, and over 200 Muslim-owned homes and businesses damaged or destroyed
3. President Sirisena says the Amparai riots were planned, while the Kandy riots were spontaneous
4. Former President Mahinda Rajapaksa says some Ministers are attempting to lay the blame on the communal violence on him: political analysts point out that extremist Ministers who were with the former President in the Pre-2015 period are today with President Sirisena and PM Wickremesinghe
5. Executive Director of the Human Rights Legal Forum Kalyananda Thiranagama says the Sinhala-Muslim riots have been created to hurriedly push laws that are inimical to the country and to sell the country
6. Vice Chancellors of the State Universities say the University Grants Commission is destroying the Universities
7. Facebook shutdown to continue till emergency is lifted: Telecommunication Regulatory Commission Chairman Austin Fernando says he cannot say when the blockade would be lifted
8. Indian Engineering Consulting Firm 'Rites' wins contract to carry out feasibility for Katugastota-Galagedera road, without tender: Tender process directly interfered in awarding the the Central Expressway contract to bid winner Taisei 
9. Today marks one month since the conduct of the Local Government Elections: however, Elections Commission has still not been able to finalise results, and therefore, none of the elected bodies are functioning yet
10. President Sirisena visits Japan today to foster relationships between the two countries
*Have a sunny and rising Sunday*

*TODAY'S (21.03.2018) NEWS*
1. SLFP General Secretary deleted Dissanayake says President Sirisena will seek second term: President Sirisena solemnly promised to abolish the Presidency within 100 days when contesting the 2015 Presidential Election
2. Yet another Joint Opposition MP remanded: Prasanna Ranaweera taken into custody on grounds of assault of a person
3. Parliamentary Debate on Bond Commission and PRECIFAC Reports put off by another month: Speaker Karu Jayasuriya says President's Secretary Austin Fernando has informed him that Tamil and English translations are not ready: Reports handed over to President in late December 2017 and early January 2018
4. National Police Commission abruptly "retires" it's Secretary Ariyadasa Cooray stating he is "over-age": Centre for Human Rights Executive Director Keerthi Tennekoon says removal is because he requested a Report from IGP Pujith Jayasundera about Police conduct during communal riots in Kandy
5. Sri Lanka's Permanent Representative to the UN in Geneva Ravinath Aryasinha says draft bill for an "Office for Reparations" will be presented soon
6. Reports suggest Police has not taken steps to arrest Kingpin "Makandure Madush" who is operating from Dubai: Madush has allegedly masterminded the killings of "Ranale Samayan" and 7 others who were in Police custody, and "Kos Malli" near the Hulftsdorp Courts
7. Census Department miraculously revises 2017 Q4 growth to 3.2% from originally announced figure of 1.1%: Growth for 2017 reported at 3.1%, the lowest in 16 years
8. Central Bank Governor Dr Indrajith Coomaraswamy says Sri Lanka must "guard against danger of going for short-term solutions to push up growth"
9. Supreme Court determines  Active Liability Management Bill is consistent with Constitution
10.Police inform media that the BMW vehicle involved in the hit-and-run accident and later crashing into the Thalawatugoda canal as bearing number CBB 5005: however, pictures of vehicle in the canal show the number as C18-3182: cover-up suspected
*Have a well-covered Wednesday*

*TODAY'S (22.03.2018) NEWS*
1. No-Confidence motion against PM Wickremesinghe containing many allegations about his role in the Bond Scam, presented to Speaker with 51MP signatures: 4 MPs who are with President Sirisena also sign: others in the SLFP not decided yet, says Minister John Seneviratne: JVP says it will support
2. The JO is covering up its sins through a No-Confidence against PM, says PM's close confidante and Education Minister Akila Viraj Kariyawasam: UNP will defeat the Motion, says Minister Lakshman Kiriella: UNP MP Palitha Thevarapperuma resigns as UNP Organizer for Bulathsinhala 
3. President Sirisena on yet another overseas tour: leaves for 3-day visit to Pakistan today
4. Sri Lanka's Permanent Representative to the UN in Geneva Ravinath Aryasinha says Sri Lanka has accepted 177 Recommendations out of 253 made by UN Human Rights Council 
5. Global Sri Lanka Forum requests UNHRC to stay all actions inimical to Sri Lanka, including implementation of Resolution 30/1, until veracity of UN Human Rights Commissioner's Report is examined: Hundreds of GSLF representatives, including Admiral Sarath Weerasekera and Dr Nalaka Godahewa stand up to LTTE sponsored diaspora in Geneva
6. US Embassy communique says it is pleased that the Sri Lankan Government has "accepted the US recommendation on full implementation of HRC Resolution 30/1 on accountability"
7. Government in for a bonanza: Tax on Savings deposits interest to double to 5% from 1st April: Senior Citizens to be included
8. Shooting spree continues: Gunmen in a three-wheeler shoot policeman attached to the Intelligence Unit of Tangalle Police, in broad daylight
9. Government to borrow USD 300 million from State Banks to part-finance repayment of Sri Lanka Development Bonds of USD 732 million falling due in 2018 Q1: no news yet of Central Bank's plan to issue an International Sovereign Bond of USD 2,000 million in "early 2018" 
10. New Active Liability Management Act to enable Government to borrow over Rs.1,000 billion (10% of current borrowings) from any source, in excess of existing borrowing limits: respected Editor says "it will be like giving a whimsical spendthrift who is already neck-deep in debt, a high-limit credit card with no conditions"
*Have a high-spending Thursday*