Mar 4 (AD) Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe has appointed both a political Cabinet and a special committee, for the upcoming prez election. Accordingly, a political Cabinet is believed to have been appointed by the Head of State for his presidential campaign for the upcoming election, while a special committee was also appointed to overlook and manage the planning process of the elections. Chief of Presidential Staff Sagala Rathnayaka and MP Mahindananda more..

Mar 4 (DM) UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk expressed deep concern over SL's proposed legislative measures, at the 55th Session of the Human Rights Council, warning of their potential impact on fundamental rights and freedoms. Türk highlighted the introduction of several new laws, including the Online Safety Act, Anti-Terrorism Bill, Electronic Media Broadcasting Authority Bill and more..

Mar 4 (PMD) A significant meeting took place this afternoon (3), between the spiritual leader of the Dawoodi Bohras, His Holiness Dr. Syedna Mufaddal Saifuddin Saheb and Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe at the official residence of the Prez on Paget Road. Dawoodi Bohra community, numbering approximately one million worldwide, resides across various countries including India, Pakistan, USA, UK, Canada, SL and Australia. Dr. Syedna Mufaddal Saifuddin Saheb engaged in a warm and more..

Mar 4 (FT) Health Ministry Additional Secretary Dr. Saman Rathnayake, who was arrested and remanded over the import of the immunoglobulin scandal, is set to provide a confidential statement today regarding the case. Dr. Rathnayake expressed his willingness to provide a confidential statement during a court session on Saturday, where the case over the procurement, supply, and distribution of the controversial medicine was taken up. CID arrested Dr. Rathnayake on Friday evening after more..

Mar 4 (TM) SL Navy is making preparations to continue its patrol of the troubled Western Indian Ocean waters off the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, in Yemen. SL’s first deployment for the Red Sea patrol, which was conducted in great secrecy by SLNS Gajabahu (ex-USCG cutter) resulted in the navy thwarting a suspected narcotic trafficking attempt by an Arabian Dhow. Gajabahu and her crew quietly slipped back into Trinco bay more..

Mar 4 (FT) Ronnie de Mel, best known as a former finance minister, is no more with us. During his long life, short by one year for a century, he had been to many trades. Throughout his life, he had been a student of history, having completed a first-class honours degree in history at the Uni of Ceylon in 1947. Had he remained at the university as an academic, he would have been one of the most respected historians of our time. But fate drove him elsewhere. In 1948, he chose the prestigious more..

Mar 4 (DM) All activities related to the supply of electricity and petroleum products have been declared as essential services through a Gazette Extraordinary. Accordingly, all services connected to the supply of electricity and the supply or distribution of petroleum products and fuel are deemed to be essential services. The notification, issued by Secretary to the President Saman Ekanayake on the orders of Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe, designates these services as Essential Public Services. more..

Mar 4 (DM) Claiming that they have plans to raise state revenue, NPP leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake said they had discussions with the Inland Revenue Dept on ways to increase state revenue. Speaking at the Ratnapura District Women's Convention, he said that state revenue could be increased through the Customs Dept and Excise Dept as well. He said the revenue generated through the Inland Revenue Dept could be doubled if the efficiency of the IRD staff was increased more..

Mar 4 (FT) It is rare for an opinion piece published more than a year ago to draw a response. I know that the published Sinhala version was sent to Anura Kumara Dissanayake (AKD). I would have been happier to get a direct response. But some engagement, even a year late, is better than none. The speech that I was responding to is still available for anyone to view. I was specifically referring to the JVP’s firm resolve to prohibit foreign investment in the generation of electricity based on wind more..

Mar 4 (FT) SJB MP Dr. Harsha de Silva, yesterday called for greater transparency in external debt restructuring discussions, and said the deliberations must be an inclusive process during an election year. He warned against SL painting itself into a corner and being forced into a second default that would bring grave consequences, and noted the SJB is against linking new bonds issued to debtors to GDP, instead called for detachable warrants. more..

Mar 4 (AD) Dept of Meteorology has issued a Heat Index Advisory cautioning the general public of rising temperatures in Western, Southern provinces and in the Rathnapura District tomorrow (5). “Heat index, the temperature felt on human body is expected to increase up to Caution level at some places in Western, Southern provinces and in Rathnapura District”, it warned. As per the advisory, under this level of temperature, fatigue is possible with prolonged exposure and activity more..

Mar 4 (DM) Eight SL nationals who were forcibly detained at an illegal cyber center camp in Myanmar have been rescued, Sri Lanka's Ambassador to Myanmar, Janak Bandara confirmed. The rescue operation was conducted under the intervention of the Myanmar govt. Speaking to the Daily Mirror, Ambassador Janak Bandara said the detainees are currently held at the Myawaddy Central Police Station in Myanmar. “Steps are being taken to repatriate the rescued individuals,” he added. more..

Mar 4 (AD) The electricity tariffs will be reduced by 21.9% with effect from midnight today, PUCSL announced. PUCSL chairman Prof. Manjula Fernando revealed this during a press briefing today to deliver its decision on the electricity tariff reduction proposal. He explained that the overall average tariff reduction is about 21.9%. “Then accordingly there are consumer groups. There are two categories for the domestic customers, more..

Mar 4 (FT) CFA Society SL announced Team A of University of Colombo as winners of the 17th edition of the annual CFA Institute Research Challenge SL competition; a platform that nurtures the talents of aspiring financial professionals. In this year’s finals, four outstanding student teams comprising teams from Uni of Colombo, University of Sri Jayewardenepura and two teams from Uni of Kelaniya showcased their prowess in financial analysis, vying for the prestigious title. more..

Mar 4 (CT) Due to the significant rise in coconut prices, an essential ingredient for preparing sweets for the upcoming Sinhala and Tamil New Year festival, All-Ceylon Restaurant Owners’ Association (ACROA) has forecasted a substantial increase in the price of coconut oil. ACROA President Harshana Rukshan emphasised the need to adjust food packet prices due to the rapid surge in coconut prices. He highlighted the current cost of a normal-sized coconut has skyrocketed from Rs 60 to 80 more..

Mar 4 (AD) Colombo High Court has sentenced to death two former police officers who were attached to Peliyagoda Police, after they were found guilty of assaulting to death a suspect while in custody at the Peliyagoda police station in 2005. Colombo High Court Judge Navaratne Marasinghe delivered the verdict today following a trial that lasted over 18 years. In July 2005, a person who was working in the residence of a police officer attached to the police fingerprint division more..

Mar 4 (ICC) The International Cricket Council (ICC) today revealed the shortlists of nominees for the ICC Men’s and Women’s Player of the Month awards for February 2024. Several high stakes battles took place last month in the ICC World Test Championship (WTC), and among the contenders for the ICC Men’s Player of the Month prize are two premier run-scorers in the longest format, plus a record-breaking ODI batter from Sri Lanka. In the women’s game, three promising young more..

Mar 4 (Island) Gevindu Cumaratunga, MP, has sought PM Dinesh Gunawardena’s intervention to ensure State Finance Minister Shehan Semasinghe on behalf of Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe, who holds the Finance portfolio, provided a satisfactory answer to several queries he raised regarding the status of the EPF as at 31 Dec., 2022. In a letter dated February 28, 2024, addressed to Premier Gunawardena, who is also the leader more..

Mar 4 (EN) The national organiser of the ruling SLPP will take a decision on whether to contest the 2024 prez election on its own or support a candidate fielded by an alliance party is part of, a spokesman said. SLPP legislator Piyal said that Rajapaksa is set to arrive in the country on Tuesday (5). “The SLPP has no wish to count its eggs before they’re hatched. Our national organiser is a very creative leader that steered the party to victory in a very short period of time,” said Nishantha. more..

Mar 4 (CT) Minister Pavithra Wanniarachchi has ordered an immediate and comprehensive probe into the illegal aloe vera cultivation project conducted by a company named Aura Lanka in the Wilpattu buffer zone in Rajanganaya. She instructed Wildlife Conservation Dept to institute legal action against this unauthorised development. This directive came during the water control committee meeting held on Saturdayto determine the water release date for the Yala season in Mahaweli development zones. more..

Mar 4 (TM) Steps are to be taken to enhance the existing list of Maximum Retail Price (MRP)-declared medicines by incorporating new varieties of commonly-used essential medicines, National Medicines Regulatory Authority (NMRA) said. NMRA Chairman Dr. Ananda Wijewickrama said: “The final decision has been taken regarding MRP on commonly-used essential medicines. For individual products, we haven’t finalised yet. more..

Mar 4 (IE) Ministry of Mines hosted two meetings with industry stakeholders in January to discuss opportunities for the mining of critical minerals by Indian companies in SL and Australia. These meetings were organised in line with the ministry’s broader push to strengthen India’s critical minerals supply chain through the acquisition of overseas mineral assets. The ministry met with representatives from companies including Ola Electric, Hindalco Industries, more..

Mar 4 (CT) Investigations into the leaking of question papers prepared for school term tests in the Western Province have been entrusted to the CID. Consequently, the school term tests in the Western Province were suspended, while those in the Sabaragamuwa Province were rescheduled for the same reason. CTU has demanded an impartial investigation into the leaking of question papers for school term tests in the Western and Sabaragamuwa Provinces via social media. more..

Mar 4 (PTI) The fishermen issue is a contentious one in the ties between India and Sri Lanka, with Sri Lanka Navy personnel even firing at Indian fishermen in the Palk Strait and seizing their boats in several alleged incidents of illegally entering Sri Lanka territorial waters. Hundreds of SL fishermen on Sunday protested against their Indian counterparts for their alleged poaching in the island nation’s waters by sailing to International Maritime Boundary Line (IMBL) in their trawlers. more..

Mar 4 (DM) Irrigation Dept has advised the public to exercise caution and use water sparingly. Director General of Irrigation A. Gunasekara said that this call comes in the light of the dwindling water levels observed in rivers, which serve as crucial sources for pipe borne drinking water across the region. “The current capacity of the water tanks stands at 50-60%, a level projected to further diminish with a prolonged absence of rainfall for the next two months,” he pointed out. more..

Mar 4 (Island) Justice Minister Dr. Wijeyadasa Rajapakse, PC, said that contrary to the Constitution, Parliament didn’t exercise full control over public finance. The former Prez of the Bar Association said a new law was required to subject all state enterprises to parliamentary control to prevent further deterioration of public finances. The ongoing controversy over the Governing Board of the Central Bank, more..

Mar 4 (DM) Indicating the problem faced by the SLPP in facing the forthcoming Prez election, Minister Prasanna Ranatunga told yesterday that his party, the SLPP would have to find a better candidate than Prez Ranil Wickremesnghe if it wants to field a candidate of its own. He said that former minister Basil Rajapaksa will not contest while time is not ripe for Namal Rajapaksa to contest. "I will support Basil if he contests for the presidency, but he will not contest" he stated. more..

Mar 4 (FT) The 21st edition of Colombo Fashion Week (CFW) is to be held from 6 to 9 March across three Colombo hotels, bringing global attention to the city and its culture from multiple locations. This year, too, CFW that is presented by Mastercard will have a focus on sustainability in fashion and supporting local and international designers and emerging designers. But this time, hosting the fashion week at three different locations; Cinnamon Grand, Taj Samudra and Galle Face Hotel, more..

Mar 4 (EN) An India-funded unique ID card project, which has raised concerns over personal data security, has faced delay in SL with the second call for bids has not been invited for two months as planned earlier. SL govt last year has disqualified the two Indian bidders Madras Security Printers (MSP) and Protein Technologies which won the tenders in the previous bidding process for the project which has raised concern over possible breach of more..

Mar 4 (TM) The Minister of Education Minister Susil Premajayantha announced that the current number of subjects for the GCE Ordinary Level (O/L) exam will be reduced to seven subjects. Minister Premajayantha stated that the remaining three subjects will be taken to evaluate the industry and environmental knowledge that can be provided to the students locally. He also stated that this decision was taken in such a way that no child fails in the O/L and the A/L examinations. more..

Mar 4 (AD) SJB has stated before the courts that it will file objections requesting to invalidate the injunction issued preventing the suspension of Field Marshal Sarath Fonseka’s party membership and positions held in the party, and from taking disciplinary action against him. Appearing for the Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa, President’s Counsel Romesh de Silva communicated this to the Colombo District Court when a petition filed by SJB Chairman Field Marshal Sarath Fonseka more..

Mar 5 (TM) One of Sri Lanka’s forgotten crises, and one of the island’s contemporary security challenges is the continued practice of Indian trawlers engaging in Illegal, Unregulated and Unreported (IUU) fishing in SL waters. The ongoing issue, which increased exponentially following the end of the internal conflict in 2009, has devastated the livelihoods of SL fisher communities in the north of the island. The northern fishermen have been battling the colossal Indian trawler flotilla more..

Mar 5 (GV) On World Wildlife Day, it is important to remember both the triumphs and the tragedies of conservation in Sri Lanka. One of these is the Uda Walawe National Park, which was established on June 30, 1972 after consistent lobbying by members of the Wildlife & Nature Protection Society (WNPS), led by its president, Thilo Hoffmann. They had noticed the large number of elephants that visited this place and who needed protection. The Director of Wildlife, the legendary Lyn de Alwis, more..

Mar 5 (DM) It has reached a state where MPs in the SJB have begun to admit that there are divisions within the party. One of the MPs who accept that there are disputes in the party is MP for Gampaha District Dr. Kavinda Jayawardhana. MP called for unity within the party. He stated that unity is of paramount importance when facing challenges posed by other parties during upcoming elections. He said, “It is time for SJB to put itself out of disarray more..

Mar 5 (DM) In Jan 2016, in a rare show of accountability, the General Secretary of the Govt and Provincial Council Public Service Trade Union Federation, Ajith Thilakarathne had taken up an issue of time squandered by public sector employees with the then Prez Maithripala Sirisena and PM Ranil Wickremesinghe. No trade union leader had dared before to complain against his own members. In a letter addressed to both the leaders, Thilakarathne had pointed out that 60% of more..

Mar 5 (DM) In 2024, democratic rule faces a significant test with an estimated 4 billion people in over 60 nations heading to the polling booths to elect their leaders. The outcomes of many of these elections are expected to have a global impact, as almost half of the world’s population participate in national elections. Bangladesh kicked off the year with Sheikh Hasina securing a fourth consecutive term, followed by Pakistan. The results of these elections are likely to shape global politics more..