Nov 22 (AD) Three persons have been taken into custody at the cargo terminal of the BIA while attempting to clear 08 parcels sent from Pakistan containing 10.5 kilograms of heroin. The parcels had been declares as containing towels, SL Customs said, adding that the street value of the stock of heroine has been estimated at around Rs. 270 million. This consignment of heroin, which was packed in 08 parcels had been sent to the BIA�s air cargo terminal from Lahore, Pakistan more..

Nov 22 (TM) The Parliamentary session was temporarily adjourned last morning as a tense situation ensued while Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa was addressing the Chamber. Premadasa�s comments concerning the economic crisis and the Supreme Court�s (SC) ruling against those responsible sparked uproar, forcing the Speaker of the Parliament Mahinda Yapa Abeywardana to call off the sitting briefly. more..

Nov 22 (FT) This year�s Budget is presented at a time when the people of the country are struggling, unable to bear the economic hardships. Given the serious economic crisis the country is facing, one would have expected the Govt to present a practical budget addressing the core economic issues. However, the 2024 Budget appears to be another fairy tale budget that does not seek real solutions to the problems facing the country. The country grapples with two pivotal challenges more..

Nov 22 (AD) President of Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) Shammi Silva has revealed more details on the suspension imposed against SLC by the International Cricket Council (ICC). Silva clarified that albeit the suspension, Sri Lanka retains the right to host bilateral cricket tournaments and is also allowed to play both bilateral and ICC tournaments. Silva also mentioned that payments for Sri Lanka contract players will continue as usual while the suspension is in place. more..

Nov 22 (AD) State Minister Sanath Nishantha has been suspended from parliament for a period of two weeks due to his unruly behaviour inside the Chambers on Tuesday (21). Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena communicated the announcement to the Members of Parliament after the Third Reading or the Committee Stage debate on the 2024 Budget kicked off this morning. Abeywardena said he vehemently deplores the tense situation that ensued during Tuesday�s parliamentary session. more..

Nov 22 (EN) Sri Lanka has only allocated funds for a few projects totalling 4.5 billion rupees for the North and the East in a 2024 budget, after the end of a civil war, a legislator representing the area said. �Unlike all previous occasions where there have been calls for international conferences to raise funds for the North and East, this time there has been some allocations,� AITC General Secretary G.G. Ponnambalam said. �The total allocation for the North and East specifically is 4.25 billion.� more..

Nov 22 (AD) Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe says that the Prez Election and the Parliamentary Election will both be held next year and that neither of the elections will be postponed. He stated this while delivering a special statement in the Parliament today regarding several matters including the existing cricket crisis. �We have established democracy in this country. So, now how can you say that we are afraid of an election? more..

Nov 22 (DM) Claiming that he was saddened by the verbal attack on Ariya Rekawa and his son in Parliament, Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe said Rekawa was a UNP stalwart since 1970. He told Parliament that Ariya Rekawa and his son were good people and that he never think that Rekawa's son would be involved in any bad practices even though he was connected to the SLC. "Who is Rekawa? He has worked with us in the UNP since the 1970s. more..

Nov 22 (AD) Minister Bandula Gunawardena has slammed the token strike launched by the expressway employees this morning as a deliberate attempt at incurring a loss to the govt. �This is not a trade union action, but a subversive move,� he said. All-Island Expressway Workers� Union resorted to a token strike at 7 a.m. today by calling in sick. The trade union action is based on 3 key issues: the alleged attempts by the Finance Ministry and RDA to privatize the country�s expressway network, more..

Nov 22 (FT) In a landmark address at the SL Green Hydrogen Symposium 2023, Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe yesterday outlined a comprehensive vision for SL�s role in addressing climate change, emphasising sustainable practices and embracing cutting-edge green energy technologies. Prez drew attention to the alarming findings of the UNF emission report for 2023. Expressing concern over the potential more..

Nov 22 (FT) President�s 2024 Budget speech outlines plans for a new growth model�based on a digitalised social market economy. The plan also mentions effectiveness, equitability and green growth as key aspects of this new model. Digitalisation and digital connectivity are critical for economic development, so let�s focus on just the digital components of the Budget announcements and what this means for building a digital economy in Sri Lanka. more..

Nov 22 (DM) Two students of Rambukpitiya Maha Vidyalaya in Nawalapitiya were rushed to the Nawalapitiya District General Hospital after the principal had allegedly forced them to eat polythene and newspapers. The incident had occurred during the students' lunch break, involving a class of 33 children, seven of whom had brought their meals wrapped in polythene and newspaper pages. Witnesses reported that as these seven students were about to put the polythene into more..

Nov 22 (TM) Minister Mahinda Amaraweera has requested the Wildlife and Forestry Director Generals to grant permission to those engaged in the Kitul tapping industry to tap trees in the wildlife and forest conservation areas. Accordingly, Wildlife and Forest Conservation Department has agreed to grant permission for Kithul tapping in wildlife and forest conservation areas. As there is a high demand for Kithul-related products in the international market, steps must be implemented to more..

Nov 22 (EN) China�s BYD said it has tied up with Sri Lanka�s John Keells Holdings to provide zero-emission vehicles to SL. BYD makes cars, buses, trucks, battery storage and electric charging systems. �We�re striving to align diverse lifestyles with eco-conscious mobility choices globally,� Liu Xueliang, General Manager of BYD Asia-Pacific Auto Sales Division said. �This collaboration enables us to offer a range of advanced, eco-friendly passenger vehicles in Sri Lanka, more..

Nov 22 (Island) Top SJB spokesman Dr. Harsha de Silva dismissed Justice Minister Dr. Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe�s claim that well over USD 56.5 bn had been parked overseas by some exporters. Dr. de Silva also contradicted claims made by rebel SLPP MPs Vasudeva Nanayakkara, Wimal Weerawansa and Gevindu Cumaratunga on the matter. Justice Minister and rebel SLPP MPs have declared that the enactment of more..

Nov 22 (TM) On World Television Day, celebrated globally on 21 Nov, Orel Corporation proudly announced its pioneering achievement in the electronics sector by unveiling its groundbreaking accomplishment of inaugurating SL's first professional assembly line. This milestone represents a giant leap towards the nation's electronic manufacturing capabilities. Operated under the umbrella of Orel Electronics, this professional assembly line symbolises more..

Nov 22 (DN) Corruption and bribes facilitation in the local shipping industry is rampant and urgent steps are needed to stop it, said Chairman Shippers Council Sean Van Dort at the National Chamber of Exporters of SL organised Seminar on Navigating Global Challenges for Effective Logistics and Shipping Management on Tuesday. He said that surprisingly this was almost zero during the COVID pandemic and this was because there were no face to face transactions being done. more..

Nov 22 (AD) Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe says Sri Lankan cricket crisis should be resolved by bringing in relevant laws to select the most suitable persons for the administration of the sport. Delivering a special statement in parliament earlier today (21), the Head of State refuted the claims alleging that he is protecting Shammi Silva, President of Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) and other higher-ups in the cricket governing body. more..

Nov 22 (DM) Darshani, a SL maid who returned from Saudi Arabia said she was forced to swallow screw nails with water by her employer which resulted in her being hospitalized. Making an emotional statement at the Katunayake airport upon her arrival, the housemaid said she was continuously abused and assaulted by her employer. The victim, a resident of Mathugama is a mother of three children. Coming to her rescue, Marimuthu Nilantha Kumara, the husband of the victim, more..

Nov 22 (AD) A former SL Army sniper has been arrested by the CID, over his suspected involvement in the plot to help notorious underworld figure Harak Kata to escape from the custody of CID. 33-year-old suspect, a former Commando Sniper, was arrested by officers of CID at Godagama in Matara, and has been handed over to Terrorist Investigation Division (TID) for further investigations. On 10 Sept, Nadun Chinthaka, alias Harak Kata, who was being interrogated by 8 CID officers, more..

Nov 22 (DM) Going ahead with the sustainable development goals, the Airport and Aviation Services (SL) Pte Ltd (AASL) has taken steps to enhance the renewable energy share to meet the growing challenges before the power and energy sectors. Accordingly, the AASL commissioned its next solar photovoltaic project, a 100 kWp plant on the rooftop of the passenger terminal building at the BIA, by investing Rs. 19 million. It is estimated that the daily power generation of 600 kWh energy units, more..

Nov 22 (CT) Cabinet endorsed a decision to adjust the acceptable levels of Aflatoxin in local food supplement programmes to align with internationally recognised standards for food supplements. The proposal, presented by the Minister of Health, received approval during the Cabinet meeting. The revision of permissible Aflatoxin levels was specifically discussed concerning the Thriposha programme, component of Maternal & Child Health Programme implemented by the Ministry. more..

Nov 22 (FT) A 7-member judge bench of the Supreme Court unanimously has held that the properties mortgaged to a bank not only by an actual borrower but also by a third-party for the loan granted to the actual borrower can be sold at an auction to recover the unpaid loan and interest thereon. In effect the Supreme Court unanimously repudiated the view of a previous four-judge bench of the SC in the case of HNB versus more..

Nov 22 (DM) It is unreasonable to make budget allocations to former Presidents Mahinda Rajapaksa and Gotabaya Rajapaksa who have been held responsible by the Supreme Court for the economic crisis, NPP MP Vijitha Herath said today. He told Parliament that it is not reasonable at all to allocate funds to maintain the two Presidents who were instrumental in causing the economic crisis. MP said funds allocated from the budget 2024 for former Presidents had been increased from more..

Nov 22 (CT) Stating that that the issue of poaching by Indian fishermen, in the Sri Lankan waters, off the Northern Coast, has become a significant concern, Fisheries Minister Douglas Devananda said a diplomatic approach would be taken to find a lasting solution. Devananda mentioned that a delegation, comprising MPs representing the Northern people, will soon visit Tamil Nadu to meet political authorities and fisheries societies there. He said that the matter involves the Navy and more..

Nov 22 (EN) Sri Lanka�s indigenous people, said to number half a million, have sought a special law to ensure their traditional rights, during a meeting with Minister of Justice Wijedasa Rajapasksa. Sri Lanka was settled by immigrants from India, who took over the land of an indigenous people according to legend, and the historical record also shows the presence of a megalithic pre-Indianized settlements. more..

Nov 22 (UNDP) Violence against women and girls (VAWG) is one of the most widespread, persistent and devastating human rights violations in our world today and remains largely unreported due to the impunity, silence, stigma and shame surrounding it. 16 days of Activism against Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (SGBV) commemorated globally starting 25 Nov each year, is an invaluable tool to raise awareness on these important issues and to support complex public discussions about more..

Nov 22 (AD) Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) President Shammi Silva has hinted that he will not be contesting for the top position of the SL�s cricket governing body again. Speaking at a special press briefing, Silva hinted that he does not intend to recontest for the position as the President of SLC, upon completion of his current tenure. �I will not hold this position for my whole life. The first time, my members elected me to the post, and the second and third times, I was elected uncontested�, more..

Nov 23 (DM) Budget 2024 first reading was passed amidst uproar in Parliament on Tuesday. President Ranil Wickremesinghe and the SLPP govt have promised that by April next year the much-needed, though limited, reliefs will be given. But most of the people appear to have lost confidence in the govt with SLPP also split into many sections while the UNP of President Wickremesinghe is split in the middle with most of the members still backing SJB leader Sajith Premadasa. more..

Nov 23 (DM) Political parties, be it in international or local contexts, matter more than any other organisation in the implementation of policies. Communist Party of China (CPC), in the wake of the celebration of the tenth anniversary of China�s ambitious Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), has initiated fresh action to reach out to the political parties in all countries, particularly in the region to ensure greater success in the coming decade. Conceptualised and announced ten years ago, more..

Nov 23 (DM) Failure to tackle corruption is a key factor that contributed to the economic crisis the country is faced with today. Taking concrete steps to reduce corruption, therefore, is critical to recover from the current crisis and to put the country on a sustainable growth path. Public procurement is an important area the country has to focus on in its fight against corruption. Public procurement refers to the purchasing of goods and services by the govt, more..

Nov 23 (CT) We live in a state of permanent emergency. Poly crisis is a fashionable term these days in UN, and Bretton Woods circles that engage in crafting Covid-19 panicdemics, climate catastrophe, odious debt, inflation, poverty and inequality narratives and related globalist policy making. Meanwhile, local, national and regional realities and development priorities in countries in the Global South are increasingly marginalized and rendered invisible due to more..

Nov 23 (CT) Disregard the fact that SL is among the handful of countries in the Asian Region with a very high literacy rate, it is widely accepted that the system of education in the island was a partial failure. True enough that the said system of education has produced some of the biggest brains in the world-including individuals who sit at head tables of internationally recognised institutes such as NASA and so on-the same system has produced a very large group of under-educated and more..

Nov 23 (CT) Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe on Monday presented the Budget for the fiscal year 2024, revealing a substantial rise in expenditure and establishing ambitious revenue goals, in an effort to guide the island nation out of the economic crisis it faced in the previous year. Describing the challenge of reviving the economy after grappling with bankruptcy as formidable, Wickremesinghe, who serves as both the President and Finance Minister, addressed Parliament, more..

Nov 23 (ST) Whatever smiling face the Pohottuwa displays for public consumption, it cannot be happy with Prez Wickremesinghe�s Christmas gift in the way of the 2024 budget. Had the Pohottuwa and its henchmen been holding the reins they would have come down the chimney playing Santa Claus. But Prez Wickremesinghe was more Scrooge than Santa, though he did throw a few tidbits here and there. After all, it is election or elections year and not even the most tight-fisted paying pooja to more..

Nov 23 (TM) This week saw the return of hooligan politics to Parliament, reminding the public that despite the rosy recovery story painted by the Government, the foul culture of politics in Sri Lanka largely remains unchanged. The State Minister of Water Supply Sanath Nishantha, who is no stranger to the use of violence inside and out of Parliament, was suspended on Tuesday (21) from the House for a period of two weeks due to his unruly behaviour inside the Chambers. more..