Dec 20 (EN) SL cannot make a final decision on a proposed wind power plant by India’s Adani group as there was an ongoing court case, Foreign Minister Vijitha Herath said. “That case is before courts,” Herath told reporters Friday. “The court has not given a decision yet.” SL cannot make a final decision until the court decision comes, he said. Activists petitioned courts saying the wind plant caused environmental harm. The wind farm in Mannar in particular had come under fire after more..

Dec 20 (AD) Foreign Minister, Vijitha Herath, clarified that no agreement had been reached regarding the construction of Indian oil pipelines in SL, during President Anura Kumara Dissanayake’s recent visit to India. He made this statement at a special press briefing this morning (20) to provide insights into President Anura Kumara’s recent visit to India. However, the Foreign Minister stated the construction of oil pipelines between India, Sri Lanka, and UAE had been proposed. more..

Dec 20 (AD) Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake has highlighted the critical challenge of transforming SL’s public service into an efficient state mechanism. He pointed out that the newly appointed committee tasked with reviewing state institutions would make decisions without being influenced by political pressures. Prez shared these views while addressing the District Secretaries and Divisional Secretaries conference today more..

Dec 20 (AFP) SL's disaster agency told AFP no tornado was recorded in Nov 2024, contrary to claims that surfaced on social media as deadly rains battered the island nation. A clip of a waterspout shared in the false posts dates back to news reports from Oct 2022. "Another threat to SL, impact of a Tornado," read a Sinhala-language Facebook post shared on Nov 29, 2024. It included a video which shows water mist and air swirling upwards from a body of water. more..

Dec 20 (CT) Consultant Emergency Physician, National Hospital, Colombo, Dr. Indika de Lanerolle said that 75% of those who had been registered as Emergency Physicians had left SL for better prospects. Dr. De Lanerolle said that within the last five to six years, 53 medical practitioners had been registered as Consultant Emergency Physicians. However, 75% of them have left the island in search of better prospects, as there is a high demand in developed countries for Emergency more..

Dec 20 (FT) Central Bank yesterday announced that it has intensified efforts to combat the alarming rise in prohibited financial schemes, which poses risks to the financial system stability and protection of the general public from such scams. As part of these measures, CBSL is conducting investigations under Section 83C(3) of the Banking Act to determine whether individuals or entities have contravened or are likely to contravene more..

Dec 20 (EN) Sri Lanka will not allow any Indian projects that will be harmful either to the island nation’s economy or the country, Foreign Minister Vijitha Herath said. Explaining Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake this week’s Indian visit, he said only two memorandum of understandings (MOUs) were signed while most of the other projects were discussed. “We would not arrive at any decision that would be harmful for our economy or our country,” Herath told reporters. more..

Dec 20 (CT) Former Fisheries Minister Douglas Devananda has questioned Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake on what exactly is meant by the humanitarian approach to resolving the fishermen’s issue, as suggested by the Indian Govt during the Prez’s recent visit to India. At a press conference, held yesterday, at the headquarters of the EPDP in Jaffna, Devananda, who also serves as the party’s General Secretary, urged the govt to clarify the meaning of this approach. more..

Dec 20 (CT) Govt would set up waste paper collection centres across the country in its bid to promote the paper manufacturing process at the Valaichchenai Paper Mill, said Minister Sunil Handunnetti in Parliament. He said the govt plans to enhance paper production by rejuvenating the paper mills that are to be closed. “Then the govt could provide the school exercise books at a lower rate and definitely the prices of exercise books would be reduced by a considerable price next year” more..

Dec 20 (AD) Former Director of the Colombo Crimes Division (CCD), ASP Neville Silva, who was remanded in custody following his arrest, has been further remanded until Dec 30. ASP Silva was arrested by the CID at the Police Field Force HQ on December 9 and produced before court on December 10. The CID had launched an investigation based on a complaint that ASP Silva had allegedly acted in a biased manner toward a complainant when investigating a case filed more..

Dec 20 (DM) If hybrid vehicle imports are taxed based on their engine capacity, it will satisfy both consumers and the govt, while reducing the prices of existing vehicles in the country, President of the SL Business Council of Japan Jagath Ramanayake said. He said that there is an increasing global trend in the use of hybrid vehicles. The foreign exchange required to import hybrid vehicles is significantly lower more..

Dec 20 (AD) Deputy Minister Chathuranga Abeysinghe has met with the World Bank’s Country Manager, Gevorg Sargsyan, and discussed several structural challenges that have hindered the growth of SL industries over the past four decades. He said these include the absence of a national integrated industrial plan, limited access to capital for industrialists, weak institutional support for industrial growth, a lack of anti-dumping policies to protect local industries and the shortage of more..

Dec 20 (AD) The IMF will review SL’s recent tax revisions and a full assessment of these revisions will be included in the staff report, which will follow the Executive Board’s approval of the EFF program for Sri Lanka, a spokesperson said. On Nov 23, IMF staff and the Sri Lankan authorities reached Staff-Level Agreement on the Third Review under the EFF arrangement and once the review is completed or approved by the IMF Executive Board, Sri Lanka will have access to $333 million. more..

Dec 20 (NW) Foreign Minister Vijitha Herath says SL’s former Deputy High Commissioner to Australia Himalee Arunatilaka has not engaged in any financial fraud or corruption, despite an Australian Court charging her over an incident related to unpaid wages to a female domestic help. Minister said as per the SL protocol, those employed in overseas diplomatic missions are allowed a certain number of assistants or domestic workers to help more..

Dec 20 (NW) Colombo High Court today announced that the Supreme Court has upheld its previous ruling confirming the death sentences imposed on former DIG Vass Gunawardena and five other accused over the abduction and murder of businessman Mohamed Siyam in 2013. Colombo High Court informed the decision after the accused, including former DIG Vass Gunawardena and his son Ravindu Gunawardena, a Senior Police Inspector, and three Police Constables, more..

Dec 20 (NW) Foreign Minister Vijitha Herath clarified that discussions on the Economic and Technology Cooperation Agreement (ETCA) with India are ongoing, but no agreement has been signed or implemented. “We have only agreed to take this discussion forward—not to sign or enforce the ETCA,” Herath said. Minister made these comments during a government media briefing. Herath also dismissed allegations made by political opponents. “Certain bankrupt politicians have been more..

Dec 20 (AD) Panadura Magistrate’s Court has granted bail to notorious underworld figure and drug kingpin Salindu Gunaratne, also known as Kudu Salindu, on three sureties of Rs. 1 million each. The order was issued by Panadura Chief Magistrate Saman Kumara when a case filed against him was taken up before the court today. In addition to the three sureties, the suspect was ordered released under strict bail conditions. On March 1, 2023, Nadun Chinthaka Wickremeratne alias more..

Dec 20 (AD) SL Police says a comprehensive security programme has been planned to ensure public safety during the upcoming Christmas and New Year festive season. SSP Buddhika Manathunga stated that over 6,500 officers have been deployed in the Western Province alone to maintain security and order. Additionally, more than 500 police officers dressed in civilian attire will be stationed near religious sites and crowded shopping areas to monitor and identify potential more..

Dec 20 (EN) Foreign Minister Vijitha Herath, clarifying the govt’s decision on one-year temporary ban over foreign research vessels said the moratorium is ending on Dec 31 and it has not relaxed yet. Cabinet Spokesman Nalinda Jayatissa on Thursday said the ban had been relaxed and requests for foreign research vessels will be considered on a case by case basis. SL is under pressure from India not to allow Chinese research vessels citing more..

Dec 20 (DM) MP Dayasiri Jayasekera has rejected allegations that he improperly benefited from the President’s Fund. The remarks follow Minister Jayatissa’s recent parliamentary disclosure of payments from the President’s Fund to politicians between 2005 and 2024. Clarifying the matter, he said that he did receive Rs. 400,000 from the Fund in 2019 for a heart surgery approved by then-Prez Maithripala Sirisena. Presenting hospital bills, he explained that the Fund covered only part of more..

Dec 20 (NW) The owner of the Galle Marvels team in the Lanka T10 Super League, who was arrested over allegations of match-fixing, has been granted bail. The suspect, Prem Thakkar of Indian origin, was released on a cash bail of Rs.500,000 and two sureties of Rs.05 million each. He was arrested by SL’s Sports Police Unit on 12 Dec following allegations of a fixing approach linked to the Lanka T10 Super League and was later remanded by the Colombo Chief Magistrate’s Court. more..

Dec 20 (FT) Ranwala Arachchige Asoka Sapumal Ranwala blazed across the parliamentary skies of Sri Lanka for a brief period. NPP Gampaha district MP served as SL’s Speaker from 21 November to 13 December 2024 for 22 days. As is well known Ranwala was in the eye of a political storm due to the authenticity of his higher educational qualifications being publicly disputed. He was challenged to prove that he had acquired more..

Dec 20 (DN) Attorney General has informed the Supreme Court that investigations have been launched to locate Jude Shramantha Jayamaha who was sentenced to death in connection with the Royal Park murder case. In a landmark judgement, the Supreme Court recently ruled that former Prez Maithripala Sirisena’s decision to grant a Presidential pardon to Royal Park murder convict Don Shramantha Jude Anthony Jayamaha was arbitrary and invalid in law. more..

Dec 20 (NW) Two suspects wanted in connection to beating a dog with a wooden pole have been arrested by the Akmeemana Police. The incident which was widely circulated on social media, shows the suspects arriving in a three-wheeler and assaulting the dog. The owner of the dog had filed a complaint with the Akmeemana Police, claiming that the suspects had attacked her dog on Dec 11 after which the dog had succumbed to injuries. Launching a probe into the incident, the suspects more..

Dec 20 (FT) SL’s new President Anura Kumara Dissanayake is on a State visit to India, his first foreign trip. Dissanayake was given a high ceremonial welcome by his counterpart, Prez Droupadi Murmu, and received with warmth by PM Modi at Rashtraprati Bhavan. In the joint statement released thereafter, India has pledged to supply LNG gas to Sri Lanka, enhance INR-LKR trade settlements between the two countries, boost education and technology exchanges more..

Dec 20 (FT) System change was the magical slogan coined by the Aragalaya youth, and that slogan turned out to be the magnetic vote puller for Anura Kumara Dissanayake (AKD) and his NPP at the Presidential and General Elections respectively. Although in their public campaigns AKD and NPP identified the post-independence political culture of ethnonationalism and its corrupt system of governance as the two crucial areas to be ended or radically reformed through a social revolution more..

Dec 20 (EN) Sri Lanka’s cabinet of ministers have approved and extension of exchange controls in a proposed by the central bank to extend for six months exchange controls which expired on December 19. The cabinet has approved extending the exchange control regulation for another six months. The exchange controls have been revised, a post-cabinet statement said without specifying the changes. more..

Dec 20 (DN) Colombo Chief Magistrate Thilina Gamage issued open warrants yesterday against former CB Governor Arjuna Mahendran and Ajahn Gardiner Punchihewa for failing to appear in Court in connection with a money laundering case related to the 2015 Central Bank bond scam. The warrants were issued during a hearing of the case, where it was revealed that Arjun Aloysius, who is currently in remand custody over allegations of VAT evasion, is also a suspect in this matter. more..

Dec 20 (DM) SL will issue US$ 10.4 billion in macro-linked bonds (MLBs), including US$ 1.6 billion in governance bonds and Rs. 155 billion in rupee bonds today. SL’s dealer manager for ISB exchange, Citigroup said in a statement this week that new bonds for the restructured ISBs will be issued after meeting the minimum thresholds. “Subject to the terms and conditions described in the invitation memorandum, the New Eurobonds, Exchange Fee Bonds and the Local LKR Bonds more..

Dec 20 (CN) Nearly two months after it was written, a letter has been published by SL Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith of Colombo banning girls from serving as altar servers in his archdiocese, on grounds that it is a pathway to the priesthood. In an Oct. 22, 2024, letter to the priests of his diocese, Ranjith said, “It has been brought to my knowledge that several parishes in the Archdiocese of Colombo have appointed girls as altar servers.” more..

Dec 20 (DM) Cabinet Spokesman Minister Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa said today he will release the list of politicians who had obtained money from the President's Fund apart from the list of politicians he revealed in Parliament on Wednesday. The Minister said an investigation is being conducted over the matter and assured to release more details once the investigation is completed. "I presented the list of politicians who had obtained funds from the President's Fund from 2005 to 2024. more..

Dec 20 (FT) Govt has announced a comprehensive review of its non-commercial State statutory institutions, a move aimed at strengthening public service delivery and addressing inefficiencies. The Cabinet of Ministers on Monday approved appointing an official committee, chaired by the PM’s Secretary, to conduct the review and submit a report with actionable recommendations. Minister Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa said the public service infrastructure comprises 86 Depts, 25 District Secretaries, more..