May 3 (PMD) In a bid to create a business-friendly environment in the country, Presidential Secretariat has organized 54 institutions that provide investor facilitation services under seven Task Forces on the directives of Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe. The aim is to simplify the processes involved, reduce the time taken, and make information readily available to increase efficiency. Task Forces have been given clear deliverables and have made concrete commitments to deliver them. more..

May 3 (DM) The COPE instructed the University Grants Commission (UGC) to collect a total of Rs. 2 billion due from the lecturers who did not return from abroad from sabbatical leave. It was revealed at the COPE meeting on Tuesday that only 84 university dons have returned the funds which they were given when they were overseas to further their studies and conduct research. Accordingly, some 533 dons who had gone on sabbatical leave have not returned as yet. more..

May 3 (AD) Accepting the public opinions and suggestions regarding the proposed Anti-Terrorism Bill is now in progress, Ministry of Justice, Prison Affairs & Constitutional Reforms says. Accordingly, the members of the public have been instructed to submit their standpoints and proposals in writing to the following fax number or the e-mail address: 0112 470822 / [email protected] Last week, Minister Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe said more..

May 3 (EN) Cabinet of ministers has given the approval to sign a MoU with Australia for smoother custom operations, spokesman Minister Bandula Gunawardana said. The MoU will be signed between the Customs and the Australian Border Force. �The aim of the MoU is to do custom operations according to the legal frame work, policies and the process in both countries,� a statement said. The clearance by the Attorney General has already being given to the draft of the MoU. more..

May 3 (LBC) Dramatic footage shows the moment a wife fled to safety as a swarm of bees moved in and stung her husband over 50 times. Recently married travel bloggers Leanne and Dan were walking across the Nine Arches Bridge in Sri Lanka when the a giant honey bees caught them by surprise. In a video posted on a joint account on YouTube, the pair are seen taking in the views when other tourists begin bolting for safety. Leanne looks uncomfortable as bee lands upon her as Dan warns: more..

May 3 (TM) Although the draft to amend SL Electricity Act, No. 20 of 2009 is to be submitted to the Parliament by the third week of this month (May), not even a concept paper related to the said draft has been given to the relevant parties including the trade unions (TUs) within the CEB, claimed the CEB Joint TU Alliance (CEBJTUA). Convener of the CEBJTUA, Ranjan Jayalal said that the Minister Kanchana Wijesekera had, more..

May 3 (DM) Following the report of at least two incidents of assault and abuse of novice monks at temples, Ven. Omalpe Sobitha Thera has urged Chief Prelates of main Buddhist chapters to wake up from slumber and act to stop incidents of child abuse in places of worship in the future. The latest reported incident involved a novice monk at a temple in Pussellawa where he was allegedly brutally abused by three elder monks on April 23. This was because the novice monk failed to recite sermons. more..

May 3 (DM) Sri Lanka welcomed a total of 105,498 tourists for the month of April, making it the fourth consecutive month to record over 100, 000 arrivals, data from the SLTDA showed. Earlier last week, based on an analysis of the daily arrival average, Mirror Business predicted that April will cross the 100,000 arrival mark and is likely to end with about 104,800 international visitors. When compared with the corresponding month of the previous year, tourist arrivals in April expanded by 67.5%. more..

May 2 (DM) Sri Lanka is a paradise for biodiversity, despite moves that political leaders and business tycoons take to damage this diversity. On May 22, UN marks the International Day for Biological Diversity with the theme being building a shared future for all life. UN says As the global community is called to re-examine our relationship to the natural world, one thing is certain; despite all our technological advances we are completely dependent on healthy & vibrant ecosystems more..

May 2 (DM) Sunil Ariyaratne who wrote Nanda Malini�s celebrated song Nidahas Baila got it all wrong when he claimed that no blood was shed in the struggle for independence from British rule. He claimed that no one was beaten, as Nehru and Patel were in British India and that no lives were sacrificed (as Mahatma Gandhi did). Mahatma Gandhi didn�t really sacrifice his life for India�s independence. True, Indian leaders were assaulted and imprisoned, but so were the leaders of SL�s more..

May 2 (TM) From May last year (2022) to last month (April 2023), media related rights violations in the South Asian region including in SL have increased by 19% compared to the previous year. Among the reported cases in this period are 13 targeted killings of journalists and media workers, 76 cases of jailing or detaining journalists, and 257 media related rights violations. This is in addition to various other threats posed to press freedom more..

May 2 (CT) After a historic financial bankruptcy followed by an unprecedented economic crisis, the small open economy of Sri Lanka ignored the call for system change and went for the seventeenth time in search of funds and advice for damage control from the watchdog of the ruling economic order, IMF. It received help after agreeing to comply with all of IMF�s conditionalities. As a result, amidst a new bout of higher taxes and tariffs accompanied by drastic cuts in public expenditure, more..

May 4 (Island) Govt politicians, save perhaps a few, and their backers are still cock-a-hoop over the IMF bailout which they naively think is a kind of economic panacea. They went so far as to paint the town red when the IMF approved the much-awaited extended fund facility, in March, lighting as they did firecrackers. In so doing, they only made a public display of their asininity. SL will not be able to achieve economic recovery if it fails to rebuild its foreign currency reserves urgently. more..

May 2 (TM) Sri Lanka is on the brink of a major overhaul to its legal system with the proposal of a new bill on stolen asset recovery. The proposed legislation is aimed at combating economic crimes and addressing the issue of proceeds of crime in the country. The bill is currently being studied by a committee consisting of legal experts, officials from the Police Dept, and representatives from the Ministry of Justice. more..

May 2 (TM) As much as public sector reforms are an integral part of SL�s economic recovery process, during the past few months, during which time the Govt started discussing some of the biggest reforms the country has seen, reforms that the country is in need of have also proven to be quite challenging and intricate. Among them, plans to reform CEB, which has long been suffering astronomical losses, takes a special place. Industry experts as well as economists opine that not only the CEB, more..

May 2 (DM) On April 23, a Facebook post was shared by Shiromal Cooray which drew public attention to an incident of sexual harassment. Ms Shiromal Cooray, Chairman and Managing Director of Jetwing Travels and Jetwing Hotels, used her substantial FB platform to raise public awareness of a complaint made by Ms. Ishara Devendra about her workplace at ITN. Ms Devendra�s allegations, posted on her personal FB page, were that she had been subjected to continual harassment by more..

May 2 (GV) Generations of Sri Lankans have experienced many curfews and states of emergency and also experienced the bloody harm suffered by curfew violators. But successive insurgencies spanning all parts of the country also demonstrated to successive post-colonial generations that, if armed, citizens could successfully defy curfews. At this time last year, the nation was being rocked in its very heart: Janadhipathi Mandiraya, to be precise. Prez Rajapaksa the Second � more..

May 4 (Island) Admiral of the Fleet (Retd) Wasantha Karannagoda is the highest ranking retired, or serving military officer, designated by the US in terms of the Section 7031(c) of the Department of State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programmes Appropriations Act. This is supposedly to end impunity for human rights violators, acknowledging the suffering of victims, and survivors, and promoting accountability for perpetrators in SL. Previously, the US designated three others, more..

May 4 (ST) Allegations that vast conspiracies spearheaded by international players were behind significant events are not new to SL politics. It is rare, though, for such allegations to elicit a response. Most times, the alleged foreign actors tend to maintain diplomatic silence. US Ambassador Julie Chung, however, chose to publicly respond to sensational claims made this week by NFF Leader Wimal Weerawansa relating to her alleged more..

May 4 (CT) It takes a village to raise a child, an old African proverb says. It means that the responsibility of raising a child is shared among the community, rather than just the child�s parents or immediate family. Everyone has a role to play in nurturing and protecting children, and that a strong, supportive community is essential for raising healthy, well-adjusted children who can thrive and contribute to society. However, the sad reality in Sri Lanka is that many have forgotten more..

May 4 (ST) Sri Lanka is nowhere near the top 10 high-calibre performers in world trade logistics services, although a parade of national leaders is continuing to peddle the myth of a global or even regional logistics hub, cargo hub, shipping hub and the like. Trade logistics involves a chain of services to support goods movement, trade across geographical borders, and domestic commerce. The world�s dominant logistics player is Singapore, which leads with a score of 4.3 (out of 5), more..

May 4 (FT) Nestle Lanka announced its decision to go private ending its 40 year stature as Public Listed Company at the CSE. The move was resolved by Nestle Lanka Board yesterday and is subject to shareholder and regulatory approvals. Majority shareholder owning 91.95% Nestle S.A. will purchase remaining shareholding from those wishing to divest at Rs. 1,500 per share. The public shareholding of 1983-listed Nestle Lanka is 8.05% held by 6,054 shareholders. more..

May 4 (FT) Reinforcing its commitment to the nation, Unilever SL, has embarked on a journey to localise the production of its malted food drink brands with the commencement of the construction of its first Malted Beverage Plant at Lanka Industrial Estate Ltd (LINDEL) zone in Sapugaskanda. Unilever at present manufactures 97% of all its products in SL at its manufacturing facility in Horana and local third-party manufacturing sites and the latest venture will enhance its locally manufactured portfolio more..

May 4 (Island) Sprinter Aruna Dharshana overtook Kalinga Kumarage as the fourth fastest 400 metres sprinter in SL�s track and field history as he clocked his personal best at the Shizuoka Int'l Athletics Meet, a World Athletics Bronze label event in Prefectural Shizuoka Stadium, Fukuroi, Japan on Wednesday. Dharshana clocked 45.59 seconds to erase the more than 4 years old personal best (45.78) which had placed him more..

May 4 (DN) SL women�s team will take on Bangladesh women�s team in their 2nd ODI today at SSC grounds, commencing at 9.45 am. The first match between the two teams washed out at P. Sara Oval. Second game also was abandoned at the same venue on Tuesday. But SLC made arrangements to play the second game today and change the venue to SSC grounds. This is a good move said both women�s team coaches Rumesh Ratnayake (SL) Hashan Tillekaratne (B'desh) more..

May 4 (FT) Cabinet at its meeting on Tuesday approved a proposal put forward by Minister Nalin Fernando to amend Consumer Affairs Authority Act, No.9 of 2003. Minister Bandula Gunawardena said Govt has recognised the need to revise the act to meet current market needs. He said the existing act was passed in 2003 to curb market monopolies, anti-competitive behaviours and unfair trade practices taking place within the country as well as to protect consumers from such acts. more..

May 4 (Island) MP G.L. Peiris, questioned the conduct of the Attorney General Sanjay Rajaratnam, pertaining to obtaining compensation for the worst ever marine disaster, caused in SL waters, following the sinking of container carrier X-Press Pearl, in the first week of June 2021. Rajaratnam was sworn in as AG on May 26, 2021, less than a week after the ill-fated vessel, carrying a hazardous cargo, reported a fire more..

May 4 (DN) The 2023 boxing season in Sri Lanka will commence with the Men and Women Novices boxing tournament from 24th to 28th May at Royal MAS Arena, Colombo 7. Tournament will be conducted according to IBA (International Boxing Association) rules and regulations by Boxing Association of Sri Lanka (BASL). Fresher boxers who have not been winners of previous Novices or Intermediate boxing tournaments are eligible to participate in this competition. more..

May 4 (FT) State owned Litro Gas SL, announced a reduction in LPG prices whilst the private sector supplier didn�t and cited a rise in global rates. Revised price, made as per the formula, is as follows: 12.5kg cylinder � Rs. 3,638 (reduced by Rs. 100); 5kg cylinder � Rs. 1,462 (reduced by Rs. 40) and 2.3kg cylinder � Rs. 681 (reduced by Rs. 19). Laugfs Gas said it will not be increasing the prices of its LP Gas products despite the recent increase in gas prices in the global market. more..

May 4 (FT) State Minister Dilum Amunugama recently revealed that a committee of experts has been appointed to introduce a stable investment policy and a unified investment law to make Sri Lanka the easiest and most attractive country in the Asian region for investment. He announced the move during a meeting held at Hambantota International Port. Amunugama said in a very short period, the various services of the Sri Lanka Board of Investment have been made more flexible. more..

May 4 (FT) The Committee of Selection to appoint the Chairman of the CoPF has yet again postponed the process. SJB MP Dr. Harsha de Silva who has been proposed to take up the post, yesterday took to Twitter to slam Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena for the continued delays. �Shame on you, Speaker of the Parliament. 4th time Committee of Selection to appoint Chair of Committee on Public Finance postponed!� he said. The appointment was delayed on three previous occasions. more..

May 4 (DM) As the number of Dengue, Malaria and Leptospirosis is on the rise, health authorities advise people to seek medical treatment if a fever lasts for more than 48 hours. Health Ministry officials said people should not make their own conclusions about which illness they are suffering from. A dramatic increase in both Dengue, Malaria and Leptospirosis cases is visible at present. Against this backdrop, people should not arrive at more..

May 4 (DM) Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe left BIA this morning for the UK to attend the coronation ceremony of Prince Charles, the airport officials confirmed. He said eight others have also accompanied the Prez. The coronation will take place on May 6, at 11.00 am London time. Prez and the entourage will be on transit in Dubai, before taking a connecting flight to London. Ahead of the coronation, the Commonwealth Secretariat will take advantage of gathering of leaders in London more..

May 4 (DM) Colombo Fort Magistrate's Court issued an order directing the immigration authorities to temporarily suspend the travel ban imposed against former SL Ambassador to Russia Udayanga Weeratunga. Udayanga through his lawyer today made an application to temporarily suspend the travel ban. The Court was informed that Udayanga was instrumental in bringing Russian tourists to SL. The court had imposed travel ban against Udayanga over the alleged MiG Aircraft deal. more..

May 4 (EN) Sri Lanka�s merchandise exports fell 1.96% in March 2023 from a year earlier to US$ 1,037.5 million, helped by higher tea exports, while most other key exports dropped, data from the island�s Export Development Board showed. Tea, which accounted for 12% of merchandise exports, increased by 16.34% to US$ 110.15 million, Export of Rubber and Rubber Finished products have increased by 6.01% to US$ 91.19 million, with rubber tyres and tubes up 14.65%. more..