Dec 24 (FT) In a bid to cater to spiralling demand during the festive season, Abans ramps up the manufacture of its revolutionary, yet economical GreenPro supersaver refrigerator line. Built to last a lifetime, with an affordable price tag to boot, it offers the best value for money in terms of energy efficiency, elegant finish and large capacity. Manufactured at Abans’ new state-of-the-art manufacturing facility in Bandaragama, the Abans GreenPro supersaver refrigerator’s more..

Dec 24 (ST) In the rural Horiwila area in Palugaswewa in the Anuradhapura District, corn farmers are once again facing a fall armyworm infestation. They lament that more than 1,500 acres of corn cultivation have been attacked by the fall armyworm (locally called sena dalambuwa). Government officials are yet to visit the sites and provide support, they say. Farmers complain that pesticides are not effective and they are trying their best to stop the pest from spreading further. more..

Dec 24 (NR) Entry to the Dehiwala Zoological Garden will be free of charge for senior citizens today. The Department of National Zoological Gardens said children were allowed to enter the Dehiwala Zoo free of charge yesterday. Department of National Zoological Gardens said under the theme Animals are our friends, a number of programs have been organized. Department and the Central Environment Authority have jointly organized a special environmental education exhibition. more..

Dec 24 (NF) Convener of the Inter-University Students' Federation Wasantha Mudalige, who is currently in remand custody was hospitalized on Friday (23). This was confirmed the Prisons Spokesperson. Wasantha Mudalige is to remain in remand custody until the 17th of Jan 2023. Mudalige was arrested by the police on 19th August 2022 and the Ministry of Defense authorized the police to detain and interrogate him for 90 days under the PTA. Thereafter, he was remanded. more..

Dec 24 (AD) The nine-year-old boy from Eppawala, who was reported missing several days ago, was found with the welding mechanic suspected of accompanying him. They were found at an estate in Rikillagaskada early this morning. The suspect has been placed under arrest. Earlier this week, Eppawala Police initiated an investigation in search of a man suspected to have kidnapped the nine-year-old from Kiralogama, Getadiwula more..

Dec 24 (Island) The PAFFREL will go to Court if the govt attempts to postpone polls, its Executive Director, Rohana Hettiarachchi says. Hettiarachchi yesterday said that the Elections Commission had to announce a day for the Local Council elections by the end of the first week of January. “According to the election laws, and the Constitution, the Commission has to hold elections and gazette the names of those who were elected to the local councils, by 19 March,” he said. more..

Dec 24 (Island) The monthly income of the govt was not enough to pay the salaries of its employees, pensions, etc., Secretary to the Ministry of Finance, Mahinda Siriwardana, said. Siriwardana said so at a meeting held at the Ministry about the new taxes that come into effect on 01 January. “Right now, we make 145 billion rupees a month. We spend 93 billion to pay salaries. 27 billion for pensions and six billion for Samurdhi. We spend a few billion on other welfare activities. more..

Dec 24 (Island) President Ranil Wickremesinghe, who also holds the Defence portfolio, has given a one-year extension to Commander of the Army, Lt. Gen. Vikum Liyanage. Liyanage, of the Gajaba Regiment, was to retire at the end of this month. Liyanage succeeded Gen. Shavendra Silva, on June 1, in the wake of countrywide violence, triggered by the May 9 attacks on those protesting at Galle Face, and opposite Temple Trees, demanding the resignation of Prez Rajapaksa’s govt. more..

Dec 24 (Island) CEB Technological Engineers’ and Superintendents’ Union President A.G.U. Nishantha urged the govt to provide adequate naphtha to Kelanitissa Combined Cycle Power Station to minimise power cuts. Nishantha said Kelanitissa could produce 165 megawatts of power. It was also cheaper than procuring emergency power from the private sector, he said. “The plant has been offline from 2019 Oct to 2021 April. SL lost 21.5 billion rupees as a result, a committee appointed to more..

Dec24 (FT) The Govt said it was ready to be flexible with suggestions and alternative ideas from taxpayers over the key challenge of boosting State revenue. “The new tax policies introduced by the Govt are implemented with the objective of saving the country from the worst financial crisis. However, these are policies and not like unchangeable inscriptions,” State Finance Minister Dr. Ranjith Siyambalapitiya said, inaugurating more..

Dec24 (FT) SJB said it will launch large-scale protests in January against the current Govt. Deputy National Organiser of the party MP S.M. Marikkar said the first month in 2023 will be crucial to the SL public. “The people’s earnings will dwindle due to Ranil Wickremesinghe’s blood-sucking tax policy while parents are already struggling to purchase school items necessary for the new school year. Meanwhile, Minister of Power is attempting to further burden people by increasing electricity tariffs more..

Dec 24 (AD) Ministry of Finance Economic Stabilization & National Policies elaborated on how income tax will be levied from Jan 1, 2023, pursuant to the new tax amendment. At a special media briefing in Colombo today, Director-General of the Fiscal Policy Dept of the Ministry, Kapila Senanayake pointed out that at a time the economy is at the bottom of the barrel, this is the best time to bring about reforms. Accordingly, personal income tax will be effective from next year more..

Dec 24 (DM) A video recording of Prof. Ashu Marasinghe, former advisor to Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe, allegedly showing him sexually abusing a dog has gone viral after it was released by SJB member Hirunika Premachandra to the media today. Prof. Ashu Marasinghe, former Advisor to the Prez and former MP, resigned earlier today, just a few hours ahead of Premachandran's press briefing, citing personal reasons. more..

Dec 25 (CT) I have wondered why though I am an agnostic Christmas has always been meaningful to me. The merrymaking, the family gatherings, eating and drinking in excess and getting Aunty Rose pissed as a coot on sweet sherry was part of it. Though even for those from middle-class Ceylonese Christian homes it seemed it was only unwrapping gifts, running around like urchins in the neighbourhood and the arrival of Santa in a rickshaw, accompanied by Chinnama’s tall more..

Dec 25 (ST) Today is Christmas, a special day for Christians all around the world as they celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ. As church bells ring out and Christmas masses are held – this year without Covid restrictions, families will gather to enjoy a festive meal amidst the sobering reality that a large percentage of the population faces an uncertain future as did Mary, Joseph and the baby Jesus that first Christmas. The birth of the promised Messiah foretold in the Bible took place more..

Dec 25 (ST) The arrest of Indian fishermen for engaging in bottom trawling in SL waters and their subsequent release after brief detention in SL prisons were raised earlier this week in the Indian Parliament–the Lok Sabha. Responding to a question raised by DMK representative Dr. Sumathy Thangapandian who alleged step motherly treatment of Indian Tamil fishermen by the Indian govt compared to more..

Dec 25 (GV) The process of ethnic assimilation, common in the pre-British era, largely ceased under colonial rule when communal identities were fostered and emphasized. It can arguably be said modern Sinhala nationalism emerged in the nineteenth century as a counter colonial movement that used Buddhist identity to mobilize popular support. Buddhism was portrayed as under threat, first from Christian missionaries and later from British capitalist interests, especially more..

Dec 25 (ST) My Dear Santa Claus, I thought of writing to you this week as you prepare your annual journey to Paradise, bringing gifts for all of us. Your journey should cost you much less this time, as you will get more value for your currency from the North Pole after the depreciation of our rupee in recent months! Most average citizens in Paradise don’t want much from you this year, Santa. All they will ask for is food at affordable prices, being able to switch on the lights without thinking of more..

Dec 25 (SO) As the Christmas approach, there seems to be a new spirit in the air. A spirit of hope that things are getting better and that there is finally a light at the end of the tunnel. With the holidays now right up ahead, people are eager to get back together with their loved ones, in an atmosphere of mutual enjoyment and celebration. Multiple generations will gather under the same roof and Christmas will bring delight to all, more..

Dec 25 (TM) Anyone passing the environs of Galle Face Green in Colombo these days will be given to wonder if they are actually in SL – a country that is officially bankrupt with half of its people in need of humanitarian assistance. That being the reality, the show that is being put up, presumably to impress visitors to the country, epitomises the Sinhalese saying which in a nutshell illustrates the mentality of the majority of our people; nava gilunath, band choon – the party goes on even when more..

Dec 25 (SO) Christmas comes but once a year. In celebrating the birth of a great man who changed the world forever, we celebrate life itself. Jesus Christ may have been born in a manger in Bethlehem all those years ago, but he changed the lives of the rich and the poor alike all over the world. He shaped modern history in an unprecedented way – in fact, some say that history is his story. Christianity came to SL much later than other great religions – Buddhism, Hinduism & Islam – more..

Dec 25 (Island) The SL junior national sailing team successfully completed seven days of the IODA Asian and Oceanian championship in Mumbai, India, on Tuesday. Sri Lanka’s reigning national sailing champ, Yusef Hazari of Royal College, clinched seventh place in the Silver fleet, coming in second in the final race. “It was my first experience at an international sailing event on seas outside SL, and it was fantastic,” said Yusef. “I hope to win a podium place next year,” he said. more..

Dec 25 (SO) There are many instances of women making successful comebacks to sports after motherhood. Bismah Maroof, Serena Williams, Allyson Felix, Shelly-Anne Fraser-Pryce are just a few of a long list of women who are proving they can do it all. A SL fencing champion Niranjala Weeraratne scored one for the ages when she made a remarkable comeback post-motherhood and Covid-19 pandemic to clinch her fifth national title. 39-year-old edged out Piyumi Krishanthi more..

Dec 25 (TM) The mysterious murder of well-known businessman Dinesh Schaffter sent shockwaves among the Colombo business community last week, with calls for law enforcement agencies to act quickly to bring the culprits to book. Dinesh Schaffter had a background in finance, with substantial expertise in the sector over a span of 25 years. He also served as the Managing Director of First Capital Holdings and its subsidiaries. more..

Dec 25 (Island) Televised cricket games tend to make cricket fans pandits in the sport. After Colombo Stars knocked out tournament favourites Kandy Falcons from the finals of the Lanka Premier League, the talk of the town was whether it is time for Angelo Mathews to make a comeback for the limited overs side. Stone faced selectors have refused to budge going ahead with their youth policy, but it’s only a matter of time before they put their pride aside and make the call. more..

Dec 25 (Island) The forthcoming local government elections, widely considered a litmus test on the popularity, or the lack thereof of the government, weighs on the minds of the people or at least some of them. As many, or a greater number, cannot care less. As far as they are concerned, the means of surviving the day trumps all else. For the large majority, there is no lesser evil among the political contenders. In their view, all of them are as bad as the alternatives. more..

Dec 25 (ST) On the request of Minister Roshan Ranasinghe, the IGP has transferred all but the Director of the Special Investigation Unit (SIU) set up under the Prevention of Offences related Sports Act, rendering the office toothless. The unit was set up in 2019 after the Prevention of Offences related Sports Act was passed in Parliament to deal with increasing cases of corruption in sports in SL. Since then, it has completed 74 investigations and 10 cases have been referred to the AG’s Dept more..

Dec 25 (Island) Prez has announced his intent to resolve the long-standing North-East Tamil national question. This perhaps he is doing at the behest of India. However, he has ignored the problem of problems of the N&E Muslims which are indivisibly intertwined in any solution to the Tamil problem. Muslims are a minority within the Tamil minority. Any attempt to ignore the Muslim problem would belie any comprehensive solution to the N&E where two major minorities reside in Sri Lanka. more..

Dec 25 (ST) A week after Ministry of Sports introduced a series of intrusive and restrictive regulations compromising the autonomy and independence of registered national sports bodies in the country, Football Federation of SL (FFSL) has received a red notice from global body (FIFA) and regional body, Asian Football Confederation (AFC). Under the new regulations, no one over the age of 70 is eligible to contest elections. more..

Dec 25 (ST) There is no doubt that our sports firmament needs to be overhauled by the bootlaces given the travails in most of the premier sports organisations in the country. Some regulations are therefore worthwhile and may be well meaning, but as this govt wants to do, there appears to be a tendency to impose a political will over the people, come what may. We cannot forget how a fertiliser ban on hapless farmers boomeranged, eventually bringing down a President. more..

Dec 25 (TM) SL has so far only received 80 drugs out of 467 approved orders under the Indian Line of Credit (LOC), according to SPC. SPC expects approved orders to be delivered in Jan and Feb next year. SPC General Manager Dinusha Dasanayake said: “We are getting stocks gradually, but the situation is not that good because when we receive some items, some other items go out of stock. As of today (23), we have already received 80 pharmaceutical items under Indian credit line. more..

Dec 25 (EN) Packaging of a dozen SL firms making 18 consumer goods brands made up over 53% of marine waste washing on the island’s shores, a survey by a conservation organization has found. About 15% of the waste in the survey could not be identified by name and some of it could be from abroad. About 3% of the waste was identified as being transboundary material coming from South Asia & East Asia. more..

Dec 25 (DM) Ashu Marasinghe, former advisor to President Ranil Wickremesinghe today lodged a complaint with the CID alleging that a doctored video regarding him had been released and was circulating on social media. He said it was a fabricated matter and that it was in the hands of the courts now. His lawyer Attorney-at-law Pravi Karunaratne said Prof. Marasinghe had lodged a complaint with the CID prior to this incident over a threat involving a business matter. more..

Dec 25 (EN) Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe has called for the Christmas to be made into an opportunity to help those in need as the island suffers the effects of the worst currency crisis of its central bank. “In the country’s current unprecedented economic crisis, it is important for the people to extend compassion to one another, and assist each other,” Prez Wickremesinghe said in his Christmas message. “This would be a salutation to the testaments of Jesus Christ. more..

Dec 25 (AD) The depression over Southwest Bay of Bengal, which located 350km to the northeast of Trinco, is likely to cross SL by today (25). The wind speed is likely to increase up to 55-65 kmph at times and showers or thundershowers can be expected in Central and South West Bay of Bengal and Eastern and Northern sea areas of SL. The naval and fishing communities are advised not to venture into the deep and shallow sea areas off the coast extending from Mannar to Pottuvil via Kankesanturai, more..