Jan 24 (CT) Cancer patients will be able to access the services of the new Linear Accelerator machines within eight months, said Minister Nalinda Jayatissa in Parliament. He stated that cancer is a significant cause of death among women in Sri Lanka and is a serious issue in the country. Therefore, having only one or two centres to treat such patients is insufficient to address the social problems arising from this issue. The govt has expedited the second phase of introducing more..

Jan 24 (CI) Sonal Dinusha, a 24-year-old left-arm spinning allrounder, has been named in Sri Lanka's Test squad for the two-match series against Australia, which begins in Galle on January 29. Opening batter Lahiru Udara has also been been included, potentially as cover for Pathum Nissanka, who is racing to be fit for the first Test, after picking up a groin strain while batting during the third ODI against NZ in Auckland on January 11. more..

Jan 24 (DM) In a fresh blow to household budgets, the price of green chili has skyrocketed to unprecedented levels, reaching as high as Rs. 1780 to Rs. 1800 per kilogram. The sudden surge in prices has left many consumers struggling to cope with the growing cost of essential food items. According to the Narahenpita Economic Centre, wholesale price of green chili has surged to Rs. 1,780 per kg, while the price in local markets has hit Rs. 1,800. The sharp price hike is putting more..

Jan 24 (NW) ACMC Leader MP Rishad Bathiudeen has underscored the importance of collaboration and strategic planning to leverage SL’s assets for economic recovery. MP warned that without prudent decision-making, Sri Lanka risks falling into a deeper economic crisis despite its abundant resources. MP stressed the significance of India as a key partner for SL, particularly in terms of economic support and connectivity, noting the absence of discussions regarding road connectivity more..

Jan 24 (AD) The two individuals including former member of WPC Salochana Gamage, who were arrested while allegedly accepting a bribe, have been granted bail after being produced before the Colombo Magistrate’s Court today. Accordingly, the two suspects were ordered to be released on two surety bails of Rs. 500,000 each and cash bails of Rs. 25,000 each. Furthermore, the Colombo Chief Magistrate Thanuja Lakmali, who ordered that the guarantors must be close relatives of more..

Jan 24 (AD) Incumbent Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) President Shammi Silva is set to be re-elected to the top post for his third successive two-year term during the Board’s Annual General Meeting (AGM) to be held on March 31. In the list of nominations declared by SLC’s election committee for the election of office bearers for 2025-27 term, Silva will only face friendly fire from his own camp. Therefore, he is assured of re-election at the AGM on March 31, according to analysts. more..

Jan 24 (DM) The highest score achieved in the 2024 Grade 5 Scholarship Exam was 188, according to Examinations Commissioner General Amith Jayasundara. Speaking to the media, he stated that 16.05% of students who sat for the exam had achieved marks above the cutoff. As per the results released last evening and can be accessed via the dept’s official website: www.doenets.lk. more..

Jan 24 (DM) Air quality levels across most cities in Sri Lanka were reported to be good on yesterday Thursday, with moderate levels observed in Colombo, Jaffna, Kurunegala, Kandy, Galle, Badulla, Trincomalee, Mullaitheevu, and Polonnaruwa, according to the Vehicular Emission Test Trust Fund of the Dept of Motor Traffic. Good air quality was recorded in areas including Vavuniya, Kegalle, Nuwara Eliya, Ratnapura, Embilipitiya, Batticaloa, Kalutara, Polonnaruwa, and Monaragala. more..

Jan 24 (TM) Sri Lanka’s leading state bank, Bank of Ceylon (BOC) is expected to reach a total asset base of Rs. 4.9 trillion by the end of the 2024 fiscal year with return on assets (ROA) expected to surpass 2%, Economic Development Deputy Minister Anil Jayantha Fernando. Fernando said the bank’s total asset base which stood at Rs. 4.4 trillion by the end of 2023 climbed to Rs. 4.6 trillion by the end of September 2024 and is forecasted to reach Rs. 4.9 trillion by the end of 2024. more..

Jan 24 (NW) In a significant milestone for SL, the country’s airports, including the main gateway, Bandaranaike Int'l Airport (BIA), Jaffna Int'l Airport (JIA), and Mattala Rajapaksa Int'l Airport (MRIA), have recorded an increase in passenger arrival and departure movements in 2024, surpassing the 8.8 million mark. This achievement highlights the vital role that SL’s aviation infrastructure plays in connecting more..

Jan 24 (DM) SL Bureau of Foreign Employment (SLBFE) said that 311,000 Sri Lankans were able to secure overseas employment opportunities in 2024, marking a significant contribution to the nation’s foreign workforce. SLBFE Chairman Kosala Wickramasinghe revealed plans to boost this number to 340,000 in 2025, a 12% increase. He said that the bureau was aiming to achieve this target by streamlining recruitment processes and cracking down on fraudulent activities. more..

Jan 24 (DM) Adani Green Energy's share price fell as reports emerged of SL cancelling the conglomerate's over $400 million project, India Today reported. Adani Green Energy shares opened the day at Rs 1039.45 after having closed at Rs 1021.45. Stock gained initially and reached a day's high of Rs 1065.45. However, Adani Green Energy shares fell after the news of SL cancelling the power purchase deal to hit the day's low of Rs 1,008, crashing over 6% from the day's high. more..

Jan 25 (DM) A plethora of changes are taking place in our land since the prez election of September 2024 and general election which followed in Nov 2024. Yet, some things remain unchanged. Our country’s External Debt reached USD 56.6 billion in Sept 2024, compared with 55.9 USD billion in the previous quarter. This debt has to be paid off. The projected repayments in the period 2021 - 2025 is expected to be USD 4.432 billion. In other words we have to find new avenues to repay the debt more..

Jan 25 (DM) Prez Anura Kumara’s warning last Sunday that the security provided for former Prez Mahinda Rajapaksa would be removed if the latter grumbled further about his security was unbecoming to his stature and his professed promise to bring in a new political culture. Prez while addressing a public meeting stated that sufficient security has been provided for former Presidents and their widows, according to the threat assessments, but if former Prez grumbles further more..

Jan 25 (CT) Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake, who had been busy with foreign travels and other official work, appeared to have had a warmup session for forthcoming LG Elections at Kalutara where he launched a scathing attack on former Prez Mahinda Rajapaksa by revealing how much of public funds are spent on providing him an official residence. This was an apparent strategic move by Dissanayake whose govt was increasingly being criticised more..

Jan 25 (GV) Walter Benjamin, the German philosopher, introduced the concept of translatability, framing it not as an exploration of identity but as the translator’s ability to capture the essence of a text. His question, Does a text render itself translatable? opens a discourse on whether meaning can truly transcend linguistic boundaries. While Benjamin’s work focuses on literary translation, this idea extends far beyond literature – it permeates human identity, particularly for more..

Jan 25 (CT) Going in through the other’s door and coming out through one’s own. This is the strategy of Anura Kumara Dissanayake and the NPP. When they took over the reins of govt, obviously they took over all the liabilities and few assets of the previous govt. They accepted to work with the IMF, with debt restructuring, with bi-lateral agreements and conditions the previous govt had with other countries and companies, with all the tainted, inimical or otherwise administrative officers. more..

Jan 25 (TM) Sri Lanka faces a growing challenge as ships are being turned away due to the shortage of berths at the Colombo Port, resulting in income losses from unreceived anticipated revenue. Sri Lanka Malaysia Business Council (SLMBC) Executive Council Member Tuan Ghouse Arfin said that ships being turned away had become a problem not only to SL importers, but also to the Sri Lanka Ports Authority (SLPA). more..

Jan 25 (DM) In 2019, Dept of Wildlife Conservation published its policy statement in the newspapers seeking public opinion. Since the long-term proposals that the writer submitted to the dept, to terminate the long drawn Human Elephant-Conflict (HEC) did not receive much response, several articles, updating the facts and proposals contained therein, were published in Sinhala and English newspapers from time to time until 2022, to mobilise the public and the relevant authorities more..

Jan 25 (CT) A new user-friendly and upgraded software system was introduced recently to the Police CCTV Division to enforce the law more effectively against drivers who do not adhere to the traffic rules. Since the implementation of the monitoring system in February last year, the CCTV Division has been able to identify 12,918 traffic violations and take necessary action against them, which indeed is a commendable action when considering the high number of lives lost more..

Jan 25 (Island) Inordinate delays in the Customs clearance of imported freight containers have angered importers and container truck operators beyond measure. About 30 ships have already skipped the Colombo Port owing to congestion. There seems to be no end in sight to the protracted delays and the resultant long queues of container trucks in areas like Orgugodawatte. Prez sought to remedy the situation by ordering the Customs to work 24/7, but to no avail. more..

Jan 25 (CT) Kudos to President Anura Kumara Dissanayake for becoming bold to take the nation into confidence on whispered rumours of missing weapons from some Army camp(s). This should at once also end lowly-whispered speculation about threats to his govt from within, to the nation’s security and the nation as a whole. “I will tell you the terrible situation this country is in,” Dissanayake said at a public event recently. “Weapons from military camps have come outside. more..

Jan 25 (TM) SL’s export earnings from apparel in 2024 reached $ 4.7 billion, recording a year-on-year (y-o-y) growth of nearly 5%, according to the JAAF. Adding the country’s direct exports of textiles takes the overall export value to just over $ 5 billion. This underscores the resilience of the country’s textile and apparel industry amidst both local and global challenges. These positive reports have been welcoming news for stakeholders more..

Jan 25 (ST) A rare migrant bird has been sighted in Sri Lanka just as the island was ready to welcome the new year. Bird observer Moditha Kodikara Arachchi had seen the bird at dusk in Attidiya, Dehiwala, where he lives. Mr. Kodikara Arachchi saw a large owl’s silhouette across the sky. The bird circled a few times, allowing him enough time to grab his camera and capture several shots before it glided towards the coast. He later identified the bird as a Short-eared Owl (Asio flammeus), more..

Jan 25 (FT) The leading business magazine LMD reports that confidence about the economy in corporate circles remains subdued, despite the rise of the LMD-PEPPERCUBE Business Confidence Index (BCI), which perhaps suggests a sense of caution ahead of Budget 2025. According to PepperCube Consultants, the newly elected Govt has been well received by the corporate community, as reflected in how economic sentiment has gained ground since the Prez Election. more..

Jan 25 (ST) Congestion within Colombo port remains despite Prez Anura Dissanayake issuing a directive last week to eliminate delays to cargo container clearance within four days. Delays led to several issues including cargo ships skipping Colombo port due to congestion, importers being forced to pay demurrage charges, extra custom fees due to delays, and a high demand for transport vehicles. more..

Jan 25 (ST) Senarath Paranavithana Research and Teaching Museum will remain closed until a final report from the CID is forwarded to the judiciary over the disappearance of some items. Uni of Peradeniya vice chancellor professor Terrance Madhujith said he seeks the cooperation of the staff and the public until this museum is reopened after an inventory is taken of the exhibits. A complaint had been lodged by an academic that ivory ear picks were found missing from the museum and more..

Jan 25 (ST) Plantation companies are facing financial pressure, including managing lease payments to the govt for the land they operate on. The industry is primarily based on state-owned land, and these companies are required to pay annual lease fees to the govt. These payments are a significant part of their operational costs. A total of 249,843 hectares of land owned by the govt had been transferred to 23 local plantation companies on a lease basis for a period of 53 years in 1992. more..

Jan 25 (FT) Ports Deputy Minister Ruwan Kodithuwakku said that the Govt would assume full responsibility for the recent release of 323 containers from SL Customs without inspection. The decision, he explained, was necessitated by delays and congestion in the clearance process at the Port. Addressing the matter, Deputy Minister stated that releasing containers without inspection is not usual and is conducted under specific criteria to manage operational bottlenecks. more..

Jan 25 (DM) SL could see the end to the current stretch of deflation in the second quarter before reaching the target level of 5% in the third, supported mainly by the accommodative monetary policy stance, which the Central Bank has been pursuing from the middle of 2023, pivoting from the bone-crushingly tight policy that decimated both demand and supply. Releasing the explanatory report on the deviation of the inflation target for two consecutive quarters in the second and more..

Jan 25 (ST) Despite suffering years of domestic violence (DV) at the hands of her husband, a businessman, Kumari (name changed) hid behind a facade of normalcy that was only broken when a family member decided to act and inform the police. When summoned for questioning, however, she denied any wrongdoing by her husband, her fear and loyalty towards him overshadowing her own well-being. But the police, who knew the facts more..

Jan 25 (FT) The apex industry and entrepreneurship leveraging event held annually in the North of Sri Lanka kicked off yesterday at the Muttraweli grounds in Jaffna, as the Jaffna International Trade Fair (JITF) brought together all communities of the country to the common goal of supporting and promoting the business potential of the island. “The JITF is the human connection that links the beautiful Jaffna peninsula with the rest of the country as well as the world,” Aasim Mukthar, CEO of more..

Jan 25 (AD) Colombo High Court today (24) sentenced an owner of a spa who was found guilty of employing three young Indonesian women in prostitution, after bringing them to Sri Lanka on the pretext of offering them jobs as therapists. Accordingly, the convict was sentenced to 15 years of rigorous imprisonment to be served in 5 years. The verdict was delivered by Colombo High Court Judge Adithya Patabendige following an extended hearing of the case. more..

Jan 25 (Island) Campaign finance laws should be amended to allow the automatic disqualification of candidates who fail to submit expense reports on time, without requiring legal action, Executive Director of the PAFFREL, Rohana Hettiarachchi has said. Currently, the Election Commission (EC) must pursue legal action against non-compliant candidates through the Police and the Attorney General’s Dept, a process Hettiarachchi described as cumbersome and inefficient. more..

Jan 25 (FT) In an unprecedented turn of events, a heated confrontation unfolded during the reestablishment of the SL-US Parliamentary Friendship Association, as described by SJB MP Dr. Harsha de Silva in a series of posts via ‘X’. He alleged that NPP Govt MPs forced their way to grab the Chair of the Association. Dr. de Silva who has served in Parliament for 15 years expressed his astonishment at the events. “In my 15 years in @ParliamentLK I have not seen what I saw more..