Apr 1 (AD) MP Wimal Weerawansa has been acquitted from the passport case by the Negombo Magistrate�s Court. In 2015, Weerawansa was accused of using an expired passport to fly abroad while the MP was preparing to travel to Europe for a series of lectures, following an invitation from SL expatriates in Dubai and Italy. However, the MP had claimed that upon arriving at the airport he realized that the passport in his possession was one that he had lost and later found after obtaining more..

Apr 1 (DM) Singapore cargo ship Dali chartered by Maersk, which crashed into the Baltimore, US bridge on Tuesday (26), was carrying 764 tons of hazardous materials to SL. Waste included mostly corrosives, flammables, miscellaneous hazardous materials, and Class-9 hazardous materials, including explosives & lithium-ion batteries � in 56 containers. So says the US National Transportation Safety Board, more..

Apr 1 (AD) The preliminary arrangements required to hold the presidential election have been completed, according to the Election Commission. Nevertheless, internal sources within the govt revealed that Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe informed the Cabinet and the Election Commission that no election will take place before the month of July, as the country�s debt restructuring programme under the IMF will be in progress until July. However, Prez Election is required to be held within this year, more..

Apr 1 (DM) The recent reduction of Petrol 95 Octane by Rs.7 and super diesel by Rs. 72 shows which sections of society were most affected by the economic difficulties, AITWDU President Lalith Dharmasekera said. While criticising the recent fuel price revision, he said the people who use super diesel were affected the most by the economic difficulties. "However, based on the fuel revision formula, the decision-makers chose not to lower the prices of auto diesel and petrol 92 Octane. more..

Apr 1 (DM) Ten distillery companies have defaulted taxes to the tune of Rs 6.9 billion in 2023 as per the report of the Ways and Means Committee which was tabled in Parliament today. The companies that have defaulted include W.M. Mendis & Company, Wayamba Distilleries, Wayamba Spirit, Globe Blenders, McCallum Brewery, Kalutara Cooperative Distilleries, Synergy Distilleries, Randenigala Distilleries, more..

Apr 1 (PMD) The 52nd commemoration ceremony of the late Mr. Philip Gunawardena, a pioneer in the establishment of the socialist movement in SL, took place at the SL Foundation in Colombo, yesterday (31) under the patronage of Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe. The celebration of virtues was presided over by Ven. Dr. Ittapana Dhammalankara Anu Nayake Thero, the Chancellor of the Uni of Sri J'pura and the Chief Prelate of Kotte Sri Kalayani Samagri Dharma Maha Sangha Sabha more..

Apr 1 (DM) In order to encourage the daily school attendance of school children in remote areas, a total of 500 bicycles were given as a grant from the Japanese ChildFund organization to SL to provide students with the opportunity to attend school continuously. These bicycles were officialy handed over today by Education Minister Susil Premajayantha at Water's Edge, Battaramulla. Japanese Ambassador to SL Mizukoshi Hadeaki, representative of Japanese Childfund more..

Apr 1 (FT) In a promising start to 2024, SL Tourism has seen a significant uptick in arrivals during the first quarter welcoming over 600,000 visitors. SL has drawn a total of 181,876 tourists during the first 27 days of March, pushing the cumulative number to 608,475. Figures for the full month of March are expected this week. Given its daily average arrivals of 6,736 tourists, industry stakeholders expressed confidence in exceeding an influx of over 200,000 during the last month of the winter season. more..

Apr 1 (CT) Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe has announced plans to revitalise the outdated state Film Corporation to modernise it into a dynamic film and teledrama industry development entity. He was speaking at the 20th Raigam Tele�es Awards ceremony at the Shangri-La Hotel in Colombo on Saturday (30), Prez emphasised the importance of integrating modern technology into the country�s film and teledrama sectors. He said the need to provide foreign training opportunities to artistes more..

Apr 1 (CI) Asitha Fernando put Bangladesh on the backfoot with a four-wicket haul, as the hosts collapsed to 178 all out on the third day in Chattogram. SL themselves slipped to 102 for 6 with debutant Hasan Mahmud picking up four of those wickets. But the visitors' lead stands at a formidable 455 runs at stumps after they didn't enforce the follow-on on Bangladesh. Sri Lanka fast bowlers attacked in pairs and more..

Apr 1 (CT) A 35-year-old woman, suspected to be connected to several incidents, including the death of the OIC of the Eheliyagoda Police Station five months ago, was arrested by the Divisional CID of the Kandy Police. Investigations showed that prior to the tragic incident on 21 October last year, where the Eheliyagoda Police OIC was found dead with gunshot injuries at his official residence, the last incoming call on his mobile phone had originated from the suspect�s phone. more..

Apr 1 (DM) United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) met with National People's Power (NPP) today at the JVP Head Office. UNDP Resident Representative in SL Azusa Kubota, Policy Specialist Chandrika Karunaratna took part in the discussion. They briefed the NPP representatives about the projects initiated by the UNPD in Sri Lanka and they have also mentioned that their attention has been drawn to increasing poverty in Sri Lanka due to the prevailing economic situation. more..

Apr 1 (Island) SJB MP Kavinda Jayawardena said that the ruling SLPP should accept the responsibility for creating conditions for public protests that led to the overthrowing of Prez Gotabaya Rajapaksa. MP was responding to Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena�s declaration that powerful external elements had intervened in the violent public protest campaign. Referring to Speaker Abeywardena�s claim that more..

Apr 1 (AD) The daily operations and management of the country�s expressways have been officially handed over to the private sector under a formal management agreement, with effect from today (1). Furthermore, all relevant assets will reportedly be transferred to the private sector within six months, following a legal and financial feasibility study jointly carried out by the RDA and the private sector. Minister of Transport Bandula Gunawardena had submitted the Cabinet paper pertaining to more..

Apr 1 (DM) Since there hasn't been a price revision for Lanka Auto Diesel, it is not possible to consider a bus fare revision right now, but if the prices of Lanka Super Diesel decrease further, they may be able to switch to using it, Lanka Private Bus Owners Association (LPBOA) president Gemunu Wijerathne said. He said private buses are operating while incurring a loss of Rs. 28 and even though the Lanka Auto Diesel price was reduced by Rs. 50, they are unable to reduce private bus fares. more..

Apr 1 (AD) The Colombo District Court has issued an interim injunction order preventing the SLFP's Executive Committee from removing Duminda Dissanayake, Lasantha Alagiyawanna and Mahinda Amaraweera from their respective positions in the party, Ada Derana reporter said. The Executive Committee of the SLFP decided to remove Dissanayake, Alagiyawanna and Amaraweera from their respective positions in the party, during a special party meeting held on Tuesday (30). more..

Apr 1 (9N) A bank teller saved a woman who he said was blinded by her love from losing thousands of dollars to a cunning scammer. The woman went into a Melbourne branch of National Australia Bank to transfer the money to a person overseas who she said was her boyfriend. But the employee, NAB Customer Advisor Dilan Pathirannahalage, was suspicious. The woman, who was in her 60s, needed help sending the money when she went into the Cranbourne bank. She said she didn't know more..

Apr 1 (ENS) The emotive issue of Katchatheevu, an island ceded to SL by the Congress govt at the Centre in 1974, had always been a key point of discord between late Chief Ministers M Karunanidhi and J Jayalalithaa and the issue has occupied centre stage yet again, ahead of Lok Sabha polls. The Katchatheevu retrieval issue had all along been a subject of intense debate between the Dravidian majors with unceasing arrest more..

Apr 1 (DM) Attorney General's Dept has implemented the action recommended by the Presidential Commission which probed the Easter Sunday attacks while it is up to other institutions to act, Minister of Justice Wijedasa Rajapakshe told Parliament today. �Presidential Commission which probed the Easter Sunday attacks made recommendations to various institutions such as the AG�s Department and the police. AG�s Dept had filed 41 court cases against 79 persons as of now. more..

Apr 1 (DM) Govt today withdrew the Penal Code (Amd) Bill which calls to reduce the consent age for sex to 14 years. Minister Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe told Parliament that the govt was withdrawing the Bill and said that an amendment which could be agreeable to all interested parties will be presented to Parliament in the future. Minister said the recommendation on the Bill was presented to the Justice Ministry by senior President's Counsels, other Attorneys and professionals after more..

Apr 1 (TM) India is negotiating a bilateral investment treaty with Sri Lanka while both countries are looking to open up the market for apparel and service exports through the Economic and Technological Cooperation Agreement (ETCA), Indian High Commissioner to SL Santosh Jha said. He said that through ETCA both countries are seeking to broaden the scope of the existing Free Trade Agreement (FTA) and more..

Apr 1 (PMD) In a significant development addressing public concerns and parliamentary deliberations, Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe, in his capacity as the Minister of Finance, Economic Stabilization and National Policies, has taken decisive steps concerning the recent increase in staff remuneration at the Central Bank of SL (CBSL). The Independent Remuneration Committee members include Mr Dinesh Stephen Weerakkody, Mr Arjuna Herath, Dr Indrajit Coomaraswamy, more..

Apr 1 (TM) The National Trade Union Centre (NTUC) yesterday stated that the working people of Sri Lanka will receive tangible benefits through the Govt's recent decision to increase the national minimum wage by Rs. 5,000. A proposal to increase the national minimum wage from Rs. 12,500 to Rs. 17,500 (by Rs. 5,000) was recently approved by the Cabinet of Ministers. Convener of the NTUC Wasantha Samarasinghe said that the said decision would not benefit the working people. more..

Apr 2 (TM) It is International Women�s Month and it is a month to celebrate females. While we do believe that all females are super females, there is always the danger of expectations on females being way too high. Keeping up the momentum can be tough. On Kaleidoscope this week, the focus was on super females heading towards burnout, which is a very realistic phenomenon. In 2022, it was found that 25% of employees experienced burnout symptoms and more recent studies say that 52% of more..

Apr 2 (CT) I have repeatedly been writing about the unprecedented damage the 1978 JRJ constitution has done to SL political culture, the economy and to the country. The 1978 JRJ constitution laid the foundation stone for our eventual ruin. How so? Let me mention a few examples. We read a few days ago the police minister Tiran Alles instructed IGP to investigate the comments made by former president Maithripala Sirisena about the Easter Attacks. It does to show that Alles, a political appointee more..

Apr 2 (TM) Anyone who hears about the Northern Province will naturally remember the lack of drinking water and various other social, economic and political issues faced by the people living in the Jaffna Peninsula. Due to the constant voices of various parties including politicians, and local and international rights organisations demanding solutions to such issues, Govts have worked to solve them to some extent from time to time. more..

Apr 2 (TM) A video which allegedly shows SL nationals involved with the Russian military in the ongoing Ukraine�Russia conflict has shifted the spotlight back on Sri Lankan mercenaries fighting overseas. Some media reports have pointed to hundreds of Sri Lankans serving in Russian ranks, an allegation which is yet to be verified. The issue first came to light last year, when an ex- Sri Lanka Army soldier, the member of Ukraine�s Foreign Legion was killed in action. more..

Apr 2 (GV) All social science research is done for someone and some purpose. There is no politically neutral social science. The political agenda behind this article is my concern about the fate of the underprivileged in Sri Lanka. In post-colonial Sri Lanka, we have seen violence and state repression because of these issues. Resulting social costs have been enormous. No amount of essentialist categorisation of Sri Lanka as a democracy or it is a welfare state can hide this. more..

Apr 2 (SO) February this year saw 218,350 tourists arriving on our shores, a change of 102.09% compared to the same month last year, according to the SLTDA�s monthly report. European tourists are the largest arrivals by region with a percentage share of 61.5%, nearly double compared to the Asia Pacific region at 32.1%; the second largest tourist share. The South in particular is teeming with tourists and more..

Apr 2 (ST) Maithripala Sirisena is no stranger to controversies. Neither does he fight shy of springing surprises on an unsuspecting nation in the same way he set fire to his father�s paddy field to avenge receiving from him a knock or two on the head in early life to direct him to the straight and narrow. Unfortunately, it also seems to have had a side effect in turning him into a potential loose missile, liable to veer off course at any given time. A man who can break egg hoppers with his leader more..

Apr 2 (DM) Pre-electoral alliances and post-election coalitions among political parties have emerged as significant features in contemporary politics. An examination of this political phenomenon is crucial for understanding election dynamics and the processes of govt formation and sustainability. It is heartening to observe a relative increase in studies dedicated to alliances and coalitions over the past decade. However, despite this progress, several aspects of this phenomenon remain largely more..

Apr 2 (DM) Speaking at Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) rally in Meerut, Uttar Pradesh,(around 2232 Kms away from Chennai) on Monday, Indian Premier Narendra Modi suddenly found fault with Indira Gandhi for signing an agreement with Sri Lanka relinquishing Indian claims to the island of Katchchatheevu. Yes, you guessed it. It is election time in India and the BJP has never come to power in Tamil Nadu, the southernmost state in India. S. Ramanujam, a retired former more..

Apr 2 (ST) Key govt institutions are required to provide either real-time or monthly information through an electronic platform to the Commissioner General of Inland Revenue (CGIR) on all business transactions and property transfers from tomorrow, according to a new gazette notification. Accordingly, the Registrar General�s Department is required to provide information monthly about ownership of properties, lease agreements, and transfers, along with personal details of more..

Apr 2 (ST) Professorial units are widely acknowledged as being crucial to undergraduate and graduate medical education, but students at the University of Moratuwa�s faculty of medicine are encountering numerous challenges in the absence of such a unit and suitable learning environment. The faculty needs to meet certain basic criteria to deliver a sound academic programme and proper clinical training. more..

Apr 2 (Island) SJB MP Dr. Harsha de Silva has lashed out at his former boss, ex-President Maithripala Sirisena, for what is described as an attempt by the latter to implicate India in the Easter Sunday carnage (2019). Simply because Sirisena makes an allegation, nobody will hasten to blame India or any other country for having orchestrated the terrorist attacks here. At the same time, it is not prudent to rule out the possibility of an external involvement in the carnage. more..

Apr 2 (DN) Oshini Gunawardhana, a student at Wycherley International School, made history on Sunday night by becoming the youngest girl ever to win the women�s national chess championship in SL. The event, organized by the Chess Federation of SL, took place at the Taj Samudra Hotel in Colombo. At just 12 years and one month old, Oshini�s victory was remarkable. She secured the title with an impressive score of 11 out of 13 points, showcasing her exceptional talent on the chessboard. more..