Jun 7 (DM) The Anuradhapura Municipal Commissioner declared the Anuradhapura sacred area as a rabies-free zone, assuring devotees that there is no need for concern, the Association of Veterinarians for Humane Management of Animal Population said. Municipal Commissioner Ruwan Wijesinghe said there is no danger of rabies within the Anuradhapura Municipal Council area due to the highly organized anti-rabies programmes over the last four years. more..

Jun 7 (FT) In the backdrop of declining volumes, tea prices are on the rise sharply with May establishing record National Sales Averages both in rupee and dollar terms. In May, as well as year to date, have seen significant gains except for High and Medium grown. In May, the total auction average of Rs. 1,266.80 per kilo, the High grown average of Rs. 1,162.31 per kilo, Medium grown average of Rs. 1,074.79 per kilo and Low grown average of Rs. 1,608.57 were the highest ever. more..

Jun 8 (DM) For over the past 35 days, the non-academic staff of govt universities in the country has been on strike. There is no doubt that the working class of this country is burdened with low salaries. In some instances, workers� wages were reduced during the economic melt-down. On June 6 the Locomotive Operating Engineers� Union of Sri Lanka Railways suddenly decided to go on strike. The trade union action according to the Union is being carried out over delays in second-class promotions more..

Jun 8 (DM) What a big fuss would have been made by the embassies of Western countries had the Chinese Ambassador to SL, Qi Zhenhong met with the members of the Election Commission (EC), as American Ambassador Julie Chung and several other Western diplomats had done recently? Also, can we at least imagine a meeting between the SL or Indian Ambassador to US and the election officials of the US, including those of the Federal Election Commission (FEC), to discuss forthcoming more..

Jun 8 (CT) In a country that takes pride in early human settlements, millennia old civilisations, and claims to have the longest written history in the world, it comes as a surprise that SL does not have the required laboratory facilities to carry out radiocarbon dating or any other contemporary tests to determine the age of organic and inorganic materials found in the country. Ceylon Today spoke with experts and Dept of Archaeology more..

Jun 8 (FT) Govt of SL has recently requested international financial institutions to provide financial assistance under subsidised interest to revive the small and medium scale businesses that have suffered setbacks due to the COVID pandemic and the subsequent economic crisis. As a result, Asian Development Bank Rs. 20 billion has been agreed to be provided through commercial banks in SL at concessional interest rates. Ministry of Finance has issued a statement that this credit facility is more..

Jun 8 (ST) Many of the discussions and comments in the political circles during the past two weeks were about the new Economic Transformation Bill, among other things. Quite interestingly, these comments had little to do with economic transformation of the country. They were mostly about the procedures, timings, danger, and rights and privileges associated with the Bill. In an interview with me too, I was asked about my opinion about the Economic Transformation Bill. more..

Jun 8 (TM) In many South Asian countries including in SL, nutrient dense foods, especially fruits, vegetables, and animal meat-based foods, being relatively expensive compared with calorie dense foods is partly because of agricultural policies and consumer subsidies having long favoured the production of staple crops. To deal with the situation, countries should take a number of measures, including increasing availability more..

Jun 8 (Island) It was with shock and dismay that we received the news about death threats to COPF Chairman Dr. Harsha de Silva over the ongoing parliamentary probe into the on-arrival visa scam. Dr. de Silva yesterday told Speaker that he was facing death threats and intimidation, and it was incumbent upon Parliament to ensure his safety. He stopped short of naming names, but revealed that some ruling party MPs were among those who had ganged up against him. more..

Jun 8 (ST) The tourism industry in north western coastal areas have been affected by the adverse weather conditions. Guest houses and hotels in coastal areas Iranawila, Kalpitiya, Chillaw, Wennappuwa and Puttalam areas have been affected. Some residents are seeking refuge at their relatives� places as their houses were affected by sea erosion. The residents at Kandakuliya, Kalpitiya asked authorities to take swift action to reduce the damage caused by sea erosion. more..

Jun 8 (GV) With the end of the war 15 years ago, thousands LTTE fighters surrendered to the govt and were sent to rehabilitation camps, which they refer to as detention camps. The govt considers over 11,600 former combatants to be rehabilitated and reintegrated. Out of nearly 12,000 rehabilitation programme participants, there were 594 children, 9,374 adult males and 2,032 adult females. A report on the rehabilitation of female cadres by Hasangani Edema, Kelsey Rowe, Eric Smith and more..

Jun 8 (ST) The much-criticised prisoner rehabilitation mechanism is being transformed into an empowerment programme, enabling prisoners to obtain NVQ3 certificates and find jobs. Prisons Dept has transformed its vocational training programmes for inmates at the Bogammbara and Dumbara prisons, and young inmates are showing a great interest in following the courses, the prison authorities said. One of the key features of the courses is that the inmates who complete more..

Jun 8 (ST) The average person�s cup of tea now lacks the once-familiar zing of ginger, and the tempting taste and aroma that ginger adds to curries are absent in many homes. The reason is the steep rise in the cost of this popular herbal spice. It has soared to an unprecedented high of Rs. 5,000 a kilogram. With ginger prices skyrocketing, the authorities are mulling the import of about 2000 metric tonnes of ginger to stabilise prices, more..

Jun 8 (FT) Sri Lanka Tourism surpassed the milestone of 900,000 tourist arrivals, fuelling optimism within the industry to meet year-end targets. The accomplishment marks a striking growth, a milestone previously reached only in August of the preceding year. This landmark was achieved with the arrival of 3,374 tourists on 1 June, which pushed the cumulative figure to 900,153. It underscores the substantial progress made in the tourism sector, reflecting high interest and more..

Jun 8 (DN) Sri Lanka cricket team led by Wanindu Hasaranga will come up with new plans in their must win game against Bangladesh which will be played today at Grand Prairie Stadium ,Dallas ,USA commencing at 6 a.m (Sri Lanka time). After losing low scoring game against South Africa victory against Bangladesh is vital to enter super eight round while the next two matches against Nepal and Netherlands also important as only top two teams qualify for the Super eight round. more..

Jun 8 (CT) I refer to the front page headlined news report in the Daily News paper, where the Buddha Sasana, Religious and cultural Affairs Ministry Secretary, Somaratne Vidanapathirana, is reported to have said that the Govt would bring strict Laws against those who distort Buddha�s teachings, in response to a complaint made by the Heads of Buddhist Nickayas. As a Hindu, having an interest in religion and spirituality, I wish to express my views, as an independent observer, on this matter more..

Jun 8 (FT) Colombo stock market ended the week on the up thanks to a late rally fuelled by a rebound in investor sentiment. During the week the ASPI gained by 1.7% and the active S&P SL20 by 2.4%. Average daily turnover was Rs. 1.13 billion. Asia Securities said indices closed in the green for the four consecutive sessions on Friday supported by a late-hour recovery. The ASPI touched an intra-day low of 12,291 (-20), however managed to close higher for the day at 12,314 (+4). more..

Jun 8 (CT) The Buddhist concept Maithri denotes compassion. However, due to the actions of former Prez Maithri, the word has now become synonymous with paying compensation, given the number of occasions where he had been ordered to pay compensation due to his ill-timed, irrational and ignorant decisions, which he executed using Executive Powers. The latest is the Supreme Court ruling on the FR filed challenging Prez more..

Jun 8 (FT) SLT-Mobitel, together with the Dept of Pensions, announced the celebration of the 15th anniversary of Upahara, recognising State pensioners for their untiring dedication serving the nation, with special and attractive value-added device offers designed to provide them with peace of mind and ease of life. Upahara Device offers strongly align with SLT-Mobitel�s commitment to supporting and valuing senior citizens by providing them with access to essential communication more..

Jun 8 (EN) SL�s remittances coming through official channels gained 13.5 % to $544.4 million in May 2024 compared to the same month last year, helped by more expatriates using the official banking channels. The remittances in the first five months were $2,624.4 million, 11.8% up from the same period last year. The remittances have risen continuously after the CB gave up a parallel exchange rate regime, which compelled most expatriates to switch informal Undiyal and more..

Jun 8 (EN) SL legislators have slammed 49 renewable energy deals running into hundreds of Megawatts each which are under consideration without competitive tenders and also India�s Adani deal already procured at a high price. A cabinet paper was submitted on May 21, seeking approval for 49 plants, some as large as 700 MegaWatts which have been proposed following an Expression of Interest and no competitive bidding, more..

Jun 8 (FT) Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe on Thursday announced that the Govt has initiated the first step towards economic stability by submitting the Economic Transformation Bill. He stressed that regardless of which Govt or leader takes power, it is imperative to adhere to this agreement to effectively rebuild the national economy. The Prez emphasised that a proper plan is essential for addressing the country�s economic challenges. Prez Wickremesinghe made these remarks during more..

Jun 8 (DN) Court of Appeal will appoint a 5-judge Bench to hear the Writ Petition filed by former Navy Commander Admiral-of-the-Fleet Wasantha Karannagoda against the case in the Colombo High Court Trial-at-Bar on the alleged abduction and forced disappearance of 11 youths from Colombo in 2008. This decision was taken based on a request made by the Attorney General when the said petition was considered before Court of Appeal President Justice Nissanka Karunaratne and more..

Jun 8 (DM) SL is successfully lobbying for the increase of the size of its Exclusive Economic Zone or the country�s territorial sea in cooperation with the Maldives avoiding any conflict between the two sides on overlapping claims. The Exclusive Economic Zone is an area of the ocean, generally extending 200 nautical miles (230 miles) beyond a nation's territorial sea, within which a coastal nation has jurisdiction over both living and non-living resources. SL submitted in May 2009 technical more..

Jun 8 (FT) PM Dinesh Gunawardena yesterday held a discussion with the European Union Exploratory Mission (ExM) of the EU Election Observatory Mission (EOM) at the Temple Trees. The delegation discussed issues pertaining to forthcoming elections in SL and explained the EU�s methods of election monitoring after entering into an agreement with the Government and the Election Commission. When they said that there were rumours regarding the next election, PM stated that the Constitutional more..

Jun 8 (AD) The IMF says there is a strong expectation that SL will soon reach agreements with external commercial creditors consistent with program parameters. �So overall we assess that there has been sufficiently strong progress on the debt restructuring front,� Julie Kozack, Director of the IMF Communications Dept, said. On March 21st, IMF staff and the SL authorities reached staff-level agreement on economic policies to more..

Jun 8 (DM) In light of the severe flood risk, plans are afoot to establish a new city along the Kelani River bank, designed to provide comprehensive amenities including hospitals, schools, and residential complexes. This initiative aims to enhance living standards for the local population, particularly given the proximity of major institutions like the IDH Hospital and the SLTB Depot. Authorities are set to engage with residents to incorporate their feedback, ensuring a community-driven more..

Jun 8 (CG) Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe has extended the term of General Shavendra Silva as the Chief of Defence Staff. General Shavendra Silva has been given an extension until 31st Dec 2024, a gazette notice stated. The gazette notice issued by President�s Secretary Saman Ekanayake said that the Prez, in terms of Section 3 of the Chief of Defence Staff Act, No. 35 of 2009, has re-appointed Gen. Shavendra Silva, as Chief of Defence Staff for the period of June 1, 2024 to Dec 31, 2024. more..

Jun 8 (DM) The person who was seen assaulting a small boy in a viral video has been attacked by inmates of the Anuradhapura prison following his arrest and remand. The police said he was admitted to the Anuradhapura Teaching Hospital. The person, who is said to be the paramour of the boy�s mother, was arrested by the Welioya Police and produced before the Padaviya Magistrate, who remanded him till June 19. The suspect who is a resident of the village called Hansawila in Welioya more..

Jun 8 (FT) The Wildlife and Nature Protection Society (WNPS) has initiated a pivotal court action against the Wildlife and Forest Resources Conservation Minister. The legal challenge is a response to the Minister�s recent and controversial decision to modify the boundaries of the Wedithalathive Nature Reserve, as documented in Extraordinary Gazette No. 2383/05, dated 6 May, which effectively disestablished a portion of this protected area. more..

Jun 8 (Island) In spite of differences between Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe and the SLPP over the latter�s call for early General Election, a consensus seems to be emerging on the overall political strategy with the ruling party voting for the SL Electricity Amendment Bill, political sources say. SLPP has so far declined to officially endorse Ranil Wickremesinghe candidature at the forthcoming Prez Election though several members more..

Jun 8 (FT) Transparency International SL (TISL) has filed legal action on Wednesday in the Supreme Court challenging the Public Financial Management Bill, highlighting concerns related to public procurement. The petition points out that Clause 32 of the Bill seriously weakens the controls on public procurement, thereby enhancing the corruption risk and weakening the level playing field. Bill was published in the Gazette on 10 May and presented to Parliament for the first reading on 22 May. more..

Jun 8 (AD) Locomotive Operating Engineers� Union of SL Railways says that the strike action launched from midnight yesterday (6) will continue further. Trade union action is being carried out over delays in second-class promotions of locomotive drivers and several other issues, according to the Locomotive Operating Engineers� Union. However, only locomotive drivers from two out of the 5 running sheds have joined the strike. As a result, the power set trains will not be in operation, more..

Jun 8 (FT) In a new twist of the saga surrounding visa system crisis, CoPF Chairman and SJB MP Dr. Harsha de Silva told Parliament that he has been intimidated by Govt members to stop the investigation into addressing the issues related to the new visa issuance process. Speaking in Parliament, he emphasised the gravity of the situation, calling for the Speaker to ensure his safety amid threats & professional humiliation. more..

Jun 9 (SO) History will be made today when Narendra Modi takes oaths for the third time as the PM of India. This is incidentally the first time that a non-Congress leader has accomplished this feat in the world�s largest democracy. The guest list for the ceremony also reflects PM�s Modi�s Neighbourhood First policy, with leaders of mostly Indian Ocean Region (IOR) countries invited to grace the occasion. Among them are Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe, Bangladeshi PM Sheikh more..