May 20 (DM) The SLPP has not requested Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe to hold a general election first but only conveyed the opnion of the SLPP to the President, SLPP General Secretary Sagara Kariyawasam said. "According to the law, dates for the prez election is certain. Prez has powers to dissolve Parliament at any time after two and half years of its term. The decision to dissolve Parliament is in the hand of the Prez. SLPP founder Basil Rajapaksa informed the Prez that it is better more..

May 20 (FT) The SL leader and pioneer in the pawn brokering and gold loan industry - Dedigama Group Ltd., represented by its legal representatives Sudath Perera Associates, has resorted to legal action against another entity engaging in the same pawn brokering and gold loan entity operating under an identical trade name. Dedigama Group claims that their jewellery and pawn brokering business dates back to 1945, and that since 1992, they have adopted and continued to use the trade more..

May 20 (Island) Sri Lanka�s former Ambassador in Iran M. M. Zuhair has questioned the govt�s stand on sending workers to Israel amidst growing international condemnation and isolation of the Jewish State over the Gaza genocide. Apropos Labour Minister: Govt. won�t heed demand for severing diplomatic ties with Israel, halt sending workers, carried in the May 16 edition of The Island, the former Senior State Counsel and ex-MP Zuhair has sent us the following statement: more..

May 20 (AD) All-Ceylon Prison Officers� Union has decided to engage in trade union action by reporting sick leave from today (20) until May 22, based on several demands including an increase in wages. It is reported that officers of the Prisons Dept across the island have joined the trade union action, which has been launched demanding an increase in wages by Rs. 25,000. Meanwhile, the trade union action initiated by the university non-academic staff further continues. more..

May 20 (SCMP) India is set to wield greater influence in SL as its companies flock to sign deals with the heavily indebted island nation in sectors ranging from energy to maritime logistics, even as some analysts question their commercial viability. Among the recent high-profile deals involving Indian companies was a 20-year power purchase agreement with Adani Green Energy, a subsidiary of India�s Adani Group, announced by SL Prez more..

May 20 (PMD) Senior Advisor to the President on National Security and Chief of Presidential Staff Mr. Sagala Ratnayaka, urged relevant officials to take immediate action to mitigate the risk of dengue in Colombo, particularly with the onset of the rainy season. He also advised the preparation of a special awareness program to educate school children and parents through the Ministry of Education during the Dengue Prevention Week, which will run from May 26 to June 1. more..

May 20 (EN) World Bank will help SL restructure the 800 million dollar debt in its water sector, Minister of Water Supply Jeevan Thondaman has said. �With the World Bank�s help, SL will restructure its $800 million of debt in the water sector, have access to credit enhancement schemes that will make new water projects transparent and affordable and put us on a secured path to achieve SDG6,� Thondaman said. The minister met with the Global Director for Water for the World Bank more..

May 20 (DM) Claiming that 82 MPs have requested vehicle permits, NPP leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake said they would take possible steps to stop the move. He said adressing the pensioners national convention at the National Youth Centre in Maharagama yesterday that the NPP will not obtain the vehicle permits. He said they will request the Speaker to reveal the list of MPs who have requested for vehicle permits when more..

May 20 (Island) SJB MP Dr Harsha de Silva has called upon the govt to digitalse the Excise Department functions to prevent department officials from engaging in corrupt practices, including skimping collection of taxes from liquor producing companies. �As of now the companies owe over seven billion rupees to the government. There are irregularities in excise officers collecting these taxes. To prevent these malpractices we have to digitalize the Excise Department�s work,� more..

May 20 (CT) A 42-year-old man was arrested in connection with the murder of three members of the same family in Maladeniya, Nalla, Gampaha. The victims were identified as a 42-year-old man, his 80-year-old father, and 77-year-old mother. The arrested suspect is a resident of Bangadeniya in Chilaw. He was taken into custody by the Nalla Police. Acting on suspicion, a team of officers from the Nalla Police Station intercepted and inspected a suspicious individual riding a bicycle. more..

May 20 (CT) SJB MP Dr. Harsha de Silva revealed that the tax arrears owed to the State by the Dept of Excise amount to approximately seven billion rupees. He emphasised that if the Excise Dept strictly implements the law, the Govt can collect this tax money without any issues. However, due to their failure to do so, the State stands to lose this revenue. Dr. de Silva suggested that introducing a digital system for the Excise Dept would help streamline tax collection from alcohol more..

May 20 (AD) Former Health Minister Keheliya Rambukwella and seven others have been further remanded until June 03 by the Maligakanda Magistrate�s Court. They are facing charges related to the import of substandard human immunoglobulin vials. This order was issued when the relevant case was taken up before the Maligakanda Magistrate�s Court today. CID arrested Rambukwella on 02 February in connection with the procurement of substandard IVIG, when he arrived there, more..

May 20 (TM) Over 650 employees at the Sapugaskanda Refinery, the country�s sole oil refinery, are at risk of losing their jobs due to its transformation into a State-Owned Enterprise (SOE). Reliable sources indicate that the Govt plans to recruit only about 200 of the current employees for the new SOE. The remaining workers will be placed in a pool from which the new SOE will select the necessary personnel to maintain operations, more..

May 20 (DM) Responding to speculations made on the political platform that a general election will precede a Prez election, SJB MP Harshana Rajakaruna today urged the authorities to hold the Prez and General elections simultaneously. �There is wide speculation in the political circle that a General Election may precede a Prez election. We are ready for any election, be it a Prez or a General election. We have a candidate in the form of Sajith Premadasa who will be backed by many at more..

May 20 (AD) The Colombo District Court has issued an interim order preventing Justice Minister Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe from functioning as the Chairman of the SLFP and Keerthi Udawatta as Acting General Secretary of the party. This order was issued today by Colombo District Judge Sandun Withana after considering a plaint submitted by MP Duminda Dissanayake. On May 16, the Colombo District Court had rejected the petition filed by Dissanayake seeking an interim injunction more..

May 20 (TM) CEB is closely monitoring current hydropower generation levels to determine whether it should proceed with pending maintenance work on the Norochcholai Power Plant. A senior CEB official said that a decision regarding the resumption of maintenance activities would be made soon, based on the status of reservoirs and hydropower capacities. The CEB anticipates an increase in hydropower more..

May 20 (DM) None of the rivers have reached flood level so far due to the heavy rains yesterday, according to the data collected by the Irrigation Dept, Irrigation Director S.P.C. Sugeeshwara Bandara said. However, water levels of certain rivers in Western and North-Western Provinces, and the Galle and Matara districts have risen to a considerable level. Attanagalu Oya, Kelani Ganga, Kalu Ganga, Ging Ganga and Nilwala Ganga have recorded a higher water level. more..

May 20 (AD) Leader of the NPP Anura Kumara Dissanayake has accepted the date of June 06 from the dates proposed by the SJB for the debate with its leader Sajith Premadasa. This was revealed by NPP executive committee member Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa, who is also the party�s coordinator for the proposed Anura-Sajith debate. Accordingly, Dr. Jayatissa further stated that he will discuss the other details such as the place, time and scope of the debate with SJP MP Nalin Bandara, more..

May 20 (DM) Elon Musk has accepted an invitation by Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe to visit SL this year to launch his Starlink satellite internet service. Prez Wickremesinghe, accompanied by his advisor on climate affairs Ruwan Wijewardene, met Elon in Bali, Indonesia yesterday and discussed a host of topics including renewable energy, Artificial Intelligence (AI) and world politics. However, the exact dates of Elon's visit to SL more..

May 20 (DM) Recognising the efforts of BBS General Secretary Ven. Galaboda Atte Gnanasara Thera in promoting national unity and social support, the Chief Prelates of the Malwathu, Asgiri, Ramanna Nikaya, and the Amarapura Maha Sangha Sabha have appealed to the President to grant Ven. Gnanasara Thera a pardon on Vesak Poya day. In a letter to the President, the Chief Prelates noted that Ven. Galaboda Atte Gnanasara Thera was sentenced to 4 yrs in prison on Mar28, 2024, more..

May 20 (CT) The Buddharasmi Vesak festival, organised by the Colombo Gangarama Temple, Presidential Secretariat, PM�s Office and Maha Karuna Buddhist Association of Singapore, will take place on 23, 24, 25 and 26 May at the Presidential Secretariat premises, Shangri-La Green Ground and Gangarama Temple. Under the theme Attano wa avekkhyeya kathani akatani cha (Let�s be aware of what we have done, not what others have done), this Vesak festival will feature a Giant Vesak more..

May 21 (TM) SL is blessed with a catalogue of natural resources, positioning, networking and various terrain that support an abundance of fauna and flora. However, each year, SL faces several cycles of drought and torrential rains, which disrupt day to day life and often ruins seasonal crops which many Sri Lankans are dependent on as a livelihood and as food. With climate change becoming a hot topic, and with the realisation that moving forward the frequency of climate-related disruptions more..

May 21 (DM) The elections in SL are said to be conducted in a free and fair manner and according to the law. However, some laws have been promulgated in a manner that ruling parties can manipulate the law in their favour. SL Constitution states The Prez of the Republic shall be elected by the people and shall hold office for a term of five years. It again says The poll for the election of the Prez shall be taken not less than one month and not more than two months before expiration more..

May 21 (TM) Parliamentary Committee on Ways and Means has recently conducted extensive investigations into the country's administrative and economic affairs, unveiling numerous findings and proposing several recommendations to pertinent institutions. Committee has brought to light various irregularities and areas for improvement within the country's crucial revenue generating institutions such as Inland Revenue Dept more..

May 21 (DM) The 2024 Indian parliamentary elections will be remembered for many reasons. They are the longest to date, stretching from April 19 to June 1. They are taking place in the midst of acute unemployment, skyrocketing prices and lack of demand in the market. An unprecedented amount of money is being spent amidst corruption charges. Divisive issues of caste, religion and region are being racked up. Sex scandals are sullying the reputations of some of the high and mighty. more..

May 21 (CT) Today (21) is International Tea Day. Talking about tea, a global cause for concern is the climate change and its effect on tea production. Since tea production is highly sensitive to changes in growing conditions � tea can only be produced in narrowly defined agro-ecological conditions in a very limited number of countries � many tea-producing countries are heavily impacted by climate change. While the SL tea industry isn�t certainly immune to the adverse effects of climate change, more..

May 21 (CT) 15 years have elapsed since the official declaration of the end of the three-decade armed conflict between SL�s military forces and the separatist LTTE. Those who witnessed the dark passages of that time would still recall the fear and uncertainty that prevailed and those who lived in war-torn areas would attest to the atrocities of war. While it is the gospel truth that there will be no real winners of a war when considering more..

May 21 (GV) Amnesty International Secretary General Agnes Callamard made an impassioned plea to the SL authorities to meet its national and international obligations and find answers as to what happened to the thousands of missing and forcibly disappeared people. Having witnessed firsthand the anguish and suffering of mothers, fathers, wives, brothers, sisters and children after her visit to the end of war commemoration at Mullavaikkal and meeting relatives still looking for their more..

May 21 (ST) Never mind that we�re all on a burning rope bridge desperately struggling to cross, with fire in our bellies and burning anguish in our hearts, the yawning gulf between bankruptcy and recovery, behind us come a stream of duty-free luxury vehicles, tooting their horns at us to get out of the way for them to reach the other side before election day. And we, too, part of the endless flow of human misery, with leaner frames and tightened belts slowly crawling on the perilous bridge, more..

May 21 (ST) In a home and home battle of the Under-21 National Snooker Championship played at the Billiards and Snooker Association headquarters tables at Independence Square in Colombo yesterday, defending champion M.R.M. Musharaff of Moors SC prevailed with a thrilling 4-3 win over his club mate Ahamed Raza. The championship was dominated by the cueists of Moors SC who had three of their players battling it out in the two semi-final encounters. more..

May 21 (ST) The govt has no intention of halting the sale of state-owned enterprises, despite the suggestion made by the SLPP Leader and former President Mahinda Rajapaksa this week, official sources said. The SLPP is President Ranil Wickremesinghe�s main coalition partner. The former Prez�s proposal, in view of the upcoming Prez election, to postpone all efforts to sell state-owned assets or enterprises has been firmly rejected by the govt, according to a senior official. more..

May 21 (FT) Ceylon Chamber of Commerce urged all political parties to support the continuity of State Owned Enterprises (SOE) reforms and the reform momentum, building on the economic stability achieved. Chamber stressed that it is vital to prioritise and implement the reforms related to SOEs, energy, and fiscal management, to ensure that the country does not revert to a crisis. It is crucial that all political parties focus on more..

May 21 (ST) The original document containing the confession given to police by Ponnasami Karthigesu Sivaji, who is the main accused in the case filed over the assassination attempt on then Defence Ministry Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa at Pittala Junction in Kollupitiya, has gone missing. The attack killed three soldiers. This was revealed in the Colombo High Court when the case was taken up before HC Judge Nawaratne Marasinghe as the OIC of the CID�s Special Investigation Unit and more..

May 21 (FT) Munchee, the flagship brand of Ceylon Biscuits Ltd. (CBL), has once again triumphed as the nation�s most cherished product brand, as announced by LMD�s Brands Annual Ranking 2024. Garnering the prestigious No. 1 position in the Most Loved Product Brands category, Munchee reaffirms its status as a symbol of SL pride and excellence. Since its inception, Munchee has remained dedicated to delighting consumers with an array of confectionary products that more..

May 21 (DN) Indika Gamage who took part in the T-44 100 metres final clinched a bronze medal at the World Para Athletic Championship held in Kobe, Japan yesterday. In fact with this achievement Indika Gamage also reached Paris Paralympics Games qualifying standard and it was a great feat by Indika Gamage said National Paralympic Committee (NPC) President Deepal Herath. Indika was coached by the National Athletics Coach Y. K. Kularatne. Indika Gamage finished the race with a time of more..