Jan 31 (TM) Although the incidents of people encountering leopards in the upcountry areas have suddenly increased in recent times, the situation has been controlled by the implementation of a number of programmes, stated the Department of Wildlife Conservation (DWC). In upcountry areas like Hatton, there are regular reports of people getting injured due to leopard attacks & leopards breaking into houses, more..

Jan 31 (Island) A group of undergraduates yesterday stormed the main administrative building of the Kelaniya University in protest against police attacks on them. On Monday night students demonstrated opposite the university against an invitation the university administration had extended to Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe to open a new administrative building at the Faculty of Graduate Studies. Wickremesinghe was expected to arrive there for the event today (31). more..

Jan 31 (DM) Ten Indian fishermen were sentenced to a two-year suspended prison term by a SL court for poaching in the island nation's waters. The magistrate in Point Pedro in the northern Jaffna peninsula on Monday also ordered the owner of the trawler to be present at the court on Oct 24 when the case will be next heard. The trawler has been detained in a case of illegal fishing. The two-year prison term suspended for five years means that the fishermen don�t go to jail actually but more..

Jan 31 (FT) Cabinet of Ministers at its meeting on Monday gave its approval to import vehicles specifically for the Ports, Shipping and Aviation Ministry as well as the Education Ministry. This decision comes against the backdrop of the Govt�s temporary suspension of motor vehicle imports, excluding construction vehicles and ambulances, as part of measures to alleviate pressure on the foreign exchange market. While the general prohibition on vehicle imports remains in place, more..

Jan 31 (DN) Decades of wrong economic policies and failure to carry out proper reforms led to SL�s economic crisis, said MP Dr Harsha De Silva. He stated this in making the keynote address at the Economic Freedom Summit 2024 hosted by Advocata Institute on Monday. Silva said several govt and private institutions have been destroyed by corruption and corruption has become a disaster. He pointed out that it�s a great necessity to strengthen governance to prevent corruption. more..

Jan 31 (Island) Health workers would resort to trade union action on Thursday against the govt decision to increase the Disturbance, Availability and Transport (DAT) allowance only for doctors. They belong to 72 trade unions. The unions previously suspended their strike and gave the govt time until 31 Jan to redress their grievances. President of the Joint Council for Professions of Supplementary to Medicine, Ravi Kumudesh said that more..

Jan 31 (DN) US Govt is looking forward to extend further assistance to support SL to overcome challenges in the healthcare sector, said US Ambassador Julie Chung at the Health Ministry yesterday. In this meeting, the current status of the health service in SL and the support and grants provided by the US govt for the development of the health sector in SL were discussed at length. Here, Health Minister Dr. Ramesh Pathirana said that the Govt has taken steps to implement more..

Jan 31 (AD) Media and civil society groups have urged Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena not to endorse the recently passed controversial Online Safety Bill without verifying whether the Supreme Court�s directives are fully adhered to. In a letter jointly addressed to the Speaker, Media, Civil Society and Trade Union Collective to Rise against Oppressive Laws noted that the proposed legislation which completely endangers the freedom of expression should be rejected outright. more..

Jan 31 (TM) The IUSF said that it is against any kind of political meeting held within uni premises with the participation of Presidential candidates of any party. IUSF Convenor Madushan Chandrajith said that the IUSF would not endorse any political meeting organised by Prez candidates of any party and would not let the uni premises be a platform where rallies of political parties are held ahead of the Presidential Election. more..

Jan 31 (FT) On last poya holiday, the first full moon this new year 2024, I was woken up pretty early in the morning by the tinkle of a WhatsApp message on my mobile phone. One from an expatriate Sinhala-Buddhist patriot, an old-time pal of mine. It was a hurried short message. His excitement and joy no less ingrained. �Macho, Good news for all�did you hear it? That mad thug from Puttalam had died in an accident on Katunayake Expressway� Just past midnight� read his message. more..

Jan 31 (FT) President Ranil Wickremesinghe addressing the International Customs Day celebrations had once again thrown the gauntlet at all political parties and challenged them to put forward a better and alternative agenda to the current IMF designed economic revival program. In his address, he obviously omitted to utter even one word about the extent of economic hardship endured by a vast majority of the people as a result of implementing IMF recommendations. more..

Jan 31 (AD) CEB has decided to introduce payment plans for new connections, Minister Kanchana Wijesekera revealed. Taking to �X� (formerly Twitter), Minister stated that the decision was taken at a meeting held with officials of the CEB and the Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC) at the Ministry�s premises on Tuesday. Accordingly, it was decided to introduce payment plans not only for new connections, but also for other services obtained by consumers from the CEB. more..

Jan 31 (DM) In the wake of SJB leader Sajith Premadasa accepting the support of former Army Commander (Retired) General Daya Ratnayake, Field Marshal Sarath Fonseka expressed his strong displeasure over the move. Field Marshal Sarath Fonseka made these remarks during his participation in the protest organized by the SJB in Colombo yesterday. Sarath Fonseka disclosed Ratnayake's significant involvement in his imprisonment back in 2010 under the administration of former Prez Mahinda Rajapaksa. more..

Jan 31 (DM) SJB MP Sarath Fonseka urged SJB leaders Sajith Premadasa to remove former Army Commander Daya Ratnayake from the party claiming that party would have to face consequences otherwise. He said most of the high ranking army officials who are partial to the SJB called him and expressed their disappointment over the appointment. When asked what action he would take if Ratnayake was not removed, Fonseka said he would not leave the party but more..

Jan 31 (AD) The Illegal Assets Investigation Division of the CID has arrested the wife, son and sister of the drug trafficker Ruwan Chamila Prasanna alias Dematagoda Ruwan, who is the brother of Dematagoda Chaminda, a notorious drug kingpin who has been sentenced to death. The arrest has been carried out after it was uncovered that property worth over Rs. 100 million, which are suspected to have been obtained using drug money and other illicit means, more..

Jan 31 (DM) H.L.D. Mahindapala, the former Editor in Chief of the Sunday Observer and Observer (Daily) and veteran journalist passed away at a private hospital on Tuesday at the age of 93. Don Mahindapala, who belonged to a different era in journalism shared the limelight with legendary figures in the newspapers, such as Denzil Pieris, Clarence Fernando etc. in those spacious days of the 50s. He migrated to Australia in the early 70s when he had already risen to be News Editor of the Daily News. more..

JJan 31 (CI) Uncapped right-arm seamers Chamika Gunasekara and Milan Rathnayake have been named in SL's squad for the one-off Test against Afghanistan, starting on Friday. Also in the mix are opener Lahiru Udara, and batting allrounder Kamindu Mendis. Omitted, meanwhile, is Pathum Nissanka, who was part of SL's last Test squad, though he has not played a Test since the middle of 2022. Dilshan Madushanka, who is currently in the UAE playing in the ILT20, more..

Jan 31 (EN) SL�s inflation in the 12-months to Jan 2023 by the widely watched Colombo Consumer Price Index was 6.5%, higher than the statutory 5% target but below the 2% variation allowed. The index rose 2.9% in the month, with a 3% hike in value added tax hitting most goods and services and some that did not have value added tax earlier. The CCPI index was up 6% since Sept 2022, when monetary stability was reached. The central bank has been conducting broadly deflationary policy, more..

Jan 31 (EN) Trade Minister Nalin Fernando has opted for drastic changes in the Consumers Affairs Authority (CAA) after repeated failure of the state-owned firm to protect the customers from higher prices and ensuring fair market competition in the island nation. CAA fixed prices as a knee jerk reaction to price fluctuations under the direction of ministers in successive govts, but the moves only resulted in black market and exorbitant profits for sellers, economists and analysts have said. more..

Jan 31 (Island) Sri Lanka had failed to attract substantial foreign investment in the mining industry during the last 50 years mainly due to the high sovereign risks associated with SL, Chirantha Weerawardena, a mining engineer, said during a seminar, titled Blueprint for Developing a Sustainable SL Mining Industry by Attracting Foreign Investment, organised by the Institution of Engineers SL (IESL) recently. Eng. Weerawardena said that mining was a long term investment more..

Jan 31 (DM) Addressing an event in India, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar said, "My first advice to you, the next time you want to take a holiday, go to Sri Lanka. I�m serious. Please go to Sri Lanka. I say this to all of you." "I had visited SL and saw firsthand the fuel queues and shortage of food and essential commodities. The only country that came forward at this time was India," Minister Jaishankar reflected on the dire circumstances he had observed during his visit. more..

Jan 31 (AD) Two companies from China and India have been pre-qualified for the Request for Proposal (RFP) stage of the divestiture of the majority stake in the state-owned Sri Lanka Telecom PLC (SLT), according to the SL�s Finance Ministry. Govt of SL acting through the Ministry of Finance, Economic Stabilization and National Policies, had recently called for Request for Qualification (RFQs) from potential investors for the divestiture of its shares in SLT. more..

Jan 31 (CT) Discussions are ongoing, between the Ministry of Defence and the SL Navy, on the selection of an appropriate warship and to determine a date for it to sail to the Red Sea in order to safeguard commercial ships from potential attacks by the Houthi rebels of Yemen. According to Navy spokesperson Gayan Wickremasuriya, five warships have been earmarked for potential deployment in the Red Sea. From this selection, one warship will be chosen for the operation. more..

Jan 31 (TM) Attorney-at-Law Rajeev Amarasuriya has been appointed to the Governing Board of the Central Bank of SL (CBSL). The former Secretary to the Bar Association of SL (BASL) was appointed by Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe, upon having received the approval of the Constitutional Council. Amarasuriya was known for his innovative legal education initiatives, including webinars and online courses. He holds key positions in various organizations, such as the Uni of Colombo Council and more..

JJan 31 (EN) An Indian firm is in the process of being given to manage SL�s three airports including the main BIA where the island nation has now seen an over saturation in foreign tourists, Minister Harin Fernando said. The island nation is expecting 2.2 million tourists for 2024, but the main airport needs capacity improvement to handle the traffic. �An Indian firm is going to manage three airports. If it happens, the airports could reach a good level,� more..

Jan 31 (AD) The Pekoe Trail, a 300km trekking trail that travels through the central hills of SL, has been profiled among the Top 20 Travel Experiences for 2024 as named by National Geographic�s Global Editorial Teams, as part of their picks for Best of the World 2024, the brand�s annual guide of the most exciting, meaningful, and one-of-a-kind travel experiences for 2024. The National Geographic recently announced their picks for BEST OF THE WORLD 2024, brand�s annual guide of more..

Jan 31 (DM) Former Health Minister Keheliya Rambukwella has been summoned before the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) for a statement to be recorded today regarding the import of substandard Immunoglobulin injections, a highly placed authoritative source told the Daily Mirror. According to the source, Rambukwella, who is also the Environment Minister, has confirmed that he will appear before the CID within the day. CID recorded a statement from him earlier too. more..

Jan 31 (PMD) Hon. Shasheendra Rajapaksa has assumed the role left vacant following the passing of Sanath Nishantha, the former Minister of State for Irrigation and Water Supply. Shasheendra Rajapaksa took the oath as the new State Minister of Irrigation and Water Supply in the presence of President Ranil Wickremesinghe today (31), at the Presidential Secretariat. The President�s Secretary, Mr. Saman Ekanayake, also attended the ceremony. more..

Jan 31 (DM) The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has told the Delhi High Court that Bollywood actor Jacqueline Fernandez, accused in a Rs 200 crore money laundering case, was knowingly involved in the possession and use of proceeds of crime of alleged conman Sukesh Chandrasekhar, news agency PTI reported. The probe agency alleged that evidence showed that the actor "had been enjoying, using and was in possession of the proceeds of crime" of Sukesh Chandrasekhar. more..

Jan 31 (AD) U.S. Ambassador Julie Chung says SL�s adoption of the controversial Online Safety Bill sends a negative signal in SL�s path towards reform and recovery, when major global tech companies characterize the bill as unworkable and stifling innovation and democracy, instead of actually addressing online crimes. She also emphasised that in order improve SL�s business climate, the govt of SL, while carrying out more..

Jan 31 (AD) India�s MDMK general secretary and Rajya Sabha member Vaiko on Tuesday urged the Indian govt to handle its relationship with Sri Lanka, considering the threat posed by China�s entry into the island nation. Addressing an all-party meeting chaired by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh in New Delhi, Mr. Vaiko said China had constructed a port in Hambantota and the Indian govt should realise that the threat to the country from China would emerge first from the south. more..

Jan 31 (DM) Tests conducted at the Medical Research Institute (MRI) in Borella have substantiated claims that The Dining Room restaurant at Cinnamon Lakeside, Colombo had served soup unfit for human consumption to a patron. A couple had reported dissatisfaction over the quality of a soup served during their dinner at the establishment recently. Colombo Central Medical Officer of Health Dr. Pethum Kodikara said "Following the patrons' complaint, PHIs more..

Jan 31 (AD) At least 72 health sector trade unions, excluding doctors� unions, will launch an island-wide strike from 6.30 a.m. tomorrow (01), demanding the Disturbance, Availability and Transport (DAT) allowance. Although the President had promised to hold talks with them regarding the allowances, soon after returning from his recent official overseas tour, the health workers said they have yet to meet with the Head of State more..

Jan 31 (DM) Supreme Court awarded Rs.2 million against the four police officers attached to the Kosgoda Police Station, as compensation for subjecting to arbitrary arrest of a police constable and his wife. While holding that four policemen, including the OIC of the Kosgoda Police Station have violated the Fundamental Rights of the Police Constable in terms of Articles 12(1),13(1) and 14(1)(g) of the Constitution, SC observed that the SL Police have been vested with more..

Jan 31 (AD) President Ranil Wickremesinghe emphasized that the foundation of a nation�s economy lies in fostering an enlightened and cultured society. He made these remarks during the inauguration of the new building complex at the Kelaniya University Postgraduate Institute of Pali and Buddhist Studies this morning. Prez underscored SL�s pivotal role as the heart of Theravada Buddhism, expressing the nation�s duty to delve deeper into the Dharma and more..