Sep 3 (DM) SJB MP Mujibur Rahman ruled out a possible political marriage between Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe and Leader of Opposition Sajith Premadasa before the Prez election. "Some say that SJB will go for a political marriage between SJB and Prez Wickremesinghe. This is far from the truth. There is no necessity for such a marriage as our candidate is ahead," MP Rahman said. "Prez Wickremesinghe is being influenced by certain individuals, even to the point of altering his appearance,� he said. more..

Sep 3 (CI) It's got to that point in the series. You see it often now, when SL tour England, Australia, India, and sometimes, New Zealand as well (when they roll out the grassy pitches). We're at that stage where the home side seems, almost from day one, to be breezing so effortlessly to victory, their internal narrative dilemmas become more conspicuous than the contest between the two teams. Sports need to create drama, and well, this is the all the drama we've got. more..

Sep 3 (AD) The Cabinet of Ministers has granted approval to train 7,500 teachers in the area of robotics and Artificial Intelligence (AI). Cabinet Spokesman, Minister Bandula Gunawardena said that the digital transformation has been identified as a very important aspect by the national education policy framework, and for this purpose, collaboration between the public and private sectors has been encouraged for the use of artificial intelligence and new technologies. more..

Sep 3 (DM) SJB MP S.M. Marikkar said that the viral video clip showing him having a discussion with Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe has been released by associates of the Prez himself. �They have circulated this video over social media as Wickremesinghe is about to get politically bankrupt,� MP Marikar said. �I met Mr. Wickremesinghe at a funeral in Piliyandala recently and he was talking about car permits. I said he could sign approvals for such permits as his capacity of being the finance minister. more..

Sep 3 (NW) SJB MP Kavinda Jayawardena has requested Parliament to address the issue of visa issuance at the BIA after video footage was shared on social media by a foreign tourist on the long queues at visa counters. In the video, tourist points out the lack of a proper system for visa issuance, the lack of prior information online, the failure of officials at counters to conduct the visa issuance systematically, and the lack of comfortable waiting space at the airport. more..

Sep 3 (DN) SL athletes who represented the 2024 Paris Olympics, Aruna Darshana, Kyle Abeysinghe, Dilhani Lekamge, Ganga Seneviratne and Viren Netthasinghe were welcomed and presented with the OLY honorary letter by World Olympians Association and were handed over certificates by Sri Lanka Olympians in their 7th General Assembly Meeting and get together which was held recently at Sports Ministry Auditorium, Colombo. The Paris Olympic athletes also received gold pound each presented by more..

Sep 3 (EN) SL will call for nominations anew for the overdue local govt elections, minister Bandula Gunawardena said. Although every eligible citizen who has completed 18 years and included their name in the electoral register should be able to vote, only voters registered until January 2023 are eligible to vote at the LG election, as the nominations for that election have been called and concluded, he pointed out. �More than 900,000 newly included voters in the electoral list revised in the year 2024 more..

Sep 3 (CT) Prez Candidate of the People�s Struggle Alliance (PSA) Nuwan Bopage, lambasted incumbent Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe�s manifesto Puluwan Sri Lanka (Sri Lanka Can), labelling it as self-serving and dismissive of the people�s needs. Bopage condemned Wickremesinghe�s Puluwan SL for focusing on the Prez�s personal achievements rather than addressing public concerns. He argued that the programme�s claims of progress, such as increased national production and loan repayments, more..

Sep 3 (DN) Commissioner General of Elections, Saman Sri Ratnayake has warned against publishing Presidential Election surveys by various groups and individuals on social media, which can be detrimental to the outcome in the voting, as they could influence the independent views of voters, stating that it is a punishable offense by Law. Saman Sri Ratnayake in a message to the media said that any persons involved in Presidential Election surveys could be arrested. more..

Sep 3 (DM) SLPP Prez candidate Namal Rajapaksa, who stepped surprisingly into the Prez race, said that although he comes with the �Rajapaksa� tag, his thinking is new and different and that he would try to win back their voters who had been hurt during the Gotabaya Rajapaksa era. Namal, during an interview, said that his campaign was for a modern SL and if he had done wrong to the people, he would not be back contesting at the race for Presidency. more..

Sep 3 (AD) The new paediatric ward complex at the Apeksha Hospital in Maharagama, funded by donations from the devotees of Ruhunu Maha Kataragama Dewalaya, was officially declared open today. The construction of the ward complex was carried out with the support of the SL Air Force (SLAF) as part of their Husma project within 10 months along with the contribution of armed force personnel. The amount spent for the project is approximately Rs. 160 million and more..

Sep 3 (AD) Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe has expressed agreement to integrate school development officers into the teaching service. Minister of Education Susil Premajayantha stated that the Prez has informed for the development officers currently serving in govt schools to be recruited as teacher trainees and to integrate them into the teaching service. Minister further elaborated: Prez agreed that he would accept the inclusion of these 16,000 school development officers as trainees more..

Sep 3 (TM) The NPP announced its intention to take legal action against any party that spreads false allegations about the NPP claiming that it will not violate any laws if elected to power. President's Counsel Upul Kumarapperuma, speaking on behalf of the NPP's Lawyers' Collective, refuted claims that the NPP would impose arbitrary laws affecting people's assets. He claimed that the UNP was responsible for introducing a culture of post-electoral violence in SL and more..

Sep 3 (AD) Three Sri Lankan fishermen are reported missing after a local fishing trawler collided with a passing ship in the early hours of this morning (03), causing it to capsize. The local fishing trawler Nihathamani 01 carrying 07 fishermen has departed from Galle fisheries harbour on 25 August 2024 for a fishing voyage, Sri Lanka Navy said. However, the trawler had tragically capsized after colliding with a passing ship this morning, according to the Navy. more..

Sep 3 (EN) SL Shippers� Council has expressed concern over the death of a container driver waiting in line, and asked the authorities to revisit the Kerawalapitiya Customs Inspection Operation Center project which would provide better services to drivers. The driver was found dead inside his vehicle from a suspected cardiac arrest while waiting in a queue at the Customs exit gate for days. The SLSC says the incident underscores issues within the current inspection process, more..

Sep 4 (DM) The JVP/NPP candidate Anura Kumara Dissanayake rides high on opinion polls, social media posts, Twitter and Facebook likes and the crowd size. While none of them offers a credible measure of popular support, some local pundits take pride in parroting them, which are then regurgitated by foreign media and embassy cables. Funny enough, the election analysis in this country has become yet another echo chamber of a small incestual circle of participants and data. more..

Sep 4 (TM) Desperation to hold on to power makes politicians do some weird things which is not new to Sri Lankans. However, it is disappointing that the leading contenders of the upcoming Prez Election have once again descended to populist policies to buy votes � this time targeting the voter bank of the nearly 1.35 million public employees. Over the last two years, the messaging from the Govt has been a resounding tighten your belts, don�t ask for more, as we need to maintain fiscal discipline, more..

Sep 4 (CT) The alarming deaths of Sri Lanka�s elephants and humans over the years is a serious cause for concern. But despite many plans and suggestions, the situation still remains the same. Former Director General, DWC, Dr. Sumith Pilapitiya talks about his ideas and what should be done, to save the remaining elephant populations in the country. �My topic is living with elephants from conflict to coexistence. more..

Sep 4 (CT) Yesterday, news of the tragic death of another leopard was reported, caught in a snare in Maskeliya, adding another casualty to the expanding list of Sri Lankan leopards perishing at the hands of humans. The Sri Lankan leopard (Panthera pardus kotiya) is a leopard subspecies found only in Sri Lanka, thus unique to our island nation. As the country�s only large predator, it stands at the top of Sri Lanka�s food chain, holding the country�s wildlife ecosystems in balance. more..

Sep 4 (DM) Campaigning at this year�s presidential elections is now in full swing. The candidates who matter have all produced their manifestos of things they will do in the event they do succeed at reaching that all- important 50%+1 votes at the poll. It is also highly unlikely any candidate will be able to reach this magical figure after the first count of ballots. All candidates are making promises of the basket of goodies they will present us, in the aftermath of their victory. more..

Sep 4 (TM) SL�s agriculture sector is increasingly outpaced by global advancements, leading to a growing dependency on imports to fulfil the nation�s food requirements. Farmers across the country are raising serious concerns about the persistence of outdated farming practices and the limited adoption of modern technology. They caution that without a comprehensive strategy and substantial investment in the sector, more..

Sep 4 (Island) Conspiracy theorists are working overtime as the presidential election approaches rapidly. Some of them have warned that there is the possibility of certain ultra-radical elements creating trouble during the interregnum between the end of voting and the announcement of the final result in the event of no candidate succeeding in securing more than 50% of the total number of valid votes to win the presidency straightaway, and preferential votes having to be counted; more..

Sep 4 (ST) At a recent media conference discussing the non-payment of dues by liquor companies, a journalist posed a question why the authorities cannot take stern action to recover billions of rupees in unpaid dues from liquor companies, when they are quick to charge a small-time trader for selling a small item above the regulated price. The official response: �We are taking action to recover these payments.� The journalist asked again: �But why don�t you penalise them and quickly recover more..

Sep 4 (DM) At Sri Lankan presidential elections, the Northern and Eastern provinces where Tamil and Muslim minorities are concentrated matter a lot. The vote base in all seven provinces outside the North and the East is dominated by the majority Sinhalese community. When it�s split, more or less, down the middle at a presidential election, minority constituents from the North and the East virtually determine the winner. It was the case at the 2015 Prez election. more..

Sep 4 (DN) SL�s most promising medal contender, Abdur Rahman Zaidh, faced a tough exit at the ASBC Asian Junior Boys and Girls and Schoolboys and Schoolgirls Boxing Championships in the UAE. Competing in the under 35kg weight category, Zaidh, a product of Zahira College, Colombo, was defeated in the quarter-finals by Kazakhstan�s Abylay Dossymbekov, with the referee stopping the contest in the first round. In addition to Zaidh, six other SL boxers were eliminated in quarter-final stage. more..

Sep 4 (DN) SL Javelin thrower Samitha Dulan created history at Paris Paralympic when he won a silver medal with a new world record to bring honour and fame for SL. Competing in the F44-64 Javelin Throw final, Dulan threw a distance of 67.73m to win SL�s first medal at the 2024 Paralympic Games. India�s Sumit Antil (70.59m) and Australia�s Michal Burian (64.89m) won the gold and bronze medals, respectively. Indian Sumit more..

Sep 4 (DN) Dushan Hementha had fine figures of 5 for 48 while Opener Lahiru Udara hit superb knock of 86 as SL �A� recorded 30 run win over South Africa �A� in their second unofficial ODI game to clinch (2-0) series win with one game to spare at at Potchefstroom on Monday. SL A led by Pasindu Sooriyabandara opted to bat first and scored 270 for 7 wickets in their 50 overs while South Africa A were all out for 239 in 41.1 overs and right arm leg spinner Dushan Hementha did most of the damage more..

Sep 4 (Island) In the mid 40�s Sir John Kotelawala spearheaded a team that planned to start an airline in Ceylon. They first purchased three second-hand DC-3 Dakota aeroplanes and recruited flight crew and engineers plus other key people to commence operations for a new airline. They named the fledgling company Air Ceylon and christened the three aeroplanes after Lankan Queens, Viharamaha Devi, Seetha Devi and Sunethra Devi. The initial operation was restricted to charter flights and more..

Sep 4 (GV) With a record number of candidates (38) contesting prez election, voters are yet to witness what new stories (and old stories) these 38 players bring to the table. After all, from rival lookalikes in slanderous advertisements to snakes descending from Naga Loka to offer spiritual support, we have seen it all. While the candidates and political parties are to be blamed for this, the media need to be equally responsible for manipulating the voters for their own personal agendas. more..

Sep 4 (FT) Bullish on growth and clean energy initiatives, SL�s leading integrated power sector conglomerate LTL Holdings Ltd, yesterday announced Rs. 20 billion expansion project, funded through the country�s largest Initial Public Offering (IPO) to date. Founded in the early 1980�s, LTL entered the industry with transformer manufacturing and supply chain initiatives and entered the power generation sector in the mid-1990�s capitalising on opportunities as the Govt opened more..

Sep 4 (FT) The highly beneficial free visa on arrival move championed by Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe appears to have hit a bureaucratic barrier yesterday causing concern and confusion within travel industry who charged some officials were resorting to terrorism instead of promoting tourism. At a meeting chaired by the Secretary to the President Saman Ekanayake yesterday, the implementation of the revised visa policy more..

Sep 4 (Island) There were not many positives for Sri Lanka during their 190 run loss at Lord�s as their unbeaten run in London in Test match cricket that had stretched for 33 years came to an end. The only positive perhaps was the manner in which Asitha Fernando bowled. The fast improving 27-year-old quick finished with eight wickets that included a five wicket haul in the first innings. �It�s a dream come true for me. Any bowler wants his name in the Honours Board. more..

Sep 4 (FT) Hayleys subsidiaries, Hayleys Fentons Ltd, has been awarded to develop 99 MW of ground mounted solar power plants, whilst Hayleys Electronics Ltd, has won 15 MW small solar power plants of 5MW each. The Hayleys Fentons solar power plants are spread at grid substations countrywide and ranges from 2-5 MWs. In addition, Energynet Ltd, has won two 5MW contracts and a 3 MW one, while Solar Forge Siyambalanduwa Ltd has won a 3 MW contract and more..

Sep 4 (Island) Former Commandant of the elite STF retired Senior DIG Nimal Lewke said that those in charge of VIP security should take utmost measures to prevent any untoward incident in the run-up to the Prez Election. Lewke, who served as the STF commandant during the 2002-2007 period, said that with the Prez Election just three weeks away the govt should appraise security of those vulnerable to threats. more..

Sep 4 (ST) The Defence Ministry�s move to issue two repeater shotguns to every MP for use even after they quit their positions has set a poser. The conditions governing the issue stipulate that these weapons can neither be transferred nor used by any other person. Therefore, the question being raised is what purpose the issue of these weapons would serve. Ostensibly, it is said to be for use to protect the MPs. However, the MPs cannot do so. They are already entitled to pistols and revolvers more..

Sep 4 (TM) Sri Lanka is experiencing a rise in wheezing in children following an increase in exposure to passive smoke by their parents and grandparents who smoke in the presence of children. �We see children develop wheezing after being exposed to their fathers and grandfathers smoking around them,� Dr. Deepal Perera said. �There has been an increase in the number of cases of children being treated for wheezing due to being exposed to smoke from family members.� more..