Feb 20 (DM) Association of Veterinarians for Humane Management of Animal Population claims that most stray dogs in the Sigiriya tourism area have been sterilised and vaccinated to create a safer, healthier environment for both the animals and visitors who cherish this beautiful destination. Association Chairman Dr. Chamith Nanayakkara said that the programme was launched with the goal of promoting animal-friendly tourism in the country. "Rabies vaccines are provided to all stray more..

Feb 20 (AD) Cabinet has granted approval to appoint a committee headed by President’s Counsel Rienzie Arsekularatne to present eligible resolutions to further develop amendments to amend the draft bill on prevention of terrorism. Speaking during today’s Cabinet press conference, Minister Nalinda Jayatissa stated that the Prevention of Terrorism Act No. 48 of 1979 has been imposed to confront the threats then existed related to the national security and public peace. more..

Feb 20 (EN) Cabinet has decided to implement a proposed 50 MW solar power plant in the Eastern port district of Trincomalee through Indian partnered Trincomalee Power Company Ltd. Govts of both Indian and SL agreed to build a 500 MW power plant in Trincomalee in 2006, but have been long dragged due to a legal case before the Supreme Court cancelled the deal. The solar power project will be implemented instead of more..

Feb 20 (AD) A police officer attached to the Negombo Police Station has been arrested over his alleged links with the female suspect wanted in connection with the murder of notorious underworld figure and drug trafficker Sanjeewa Samararatne, also known as Ganemulla Sanjeewa, at the Aluthkade Courts Complex yesterday. The policeman in question is said to be a Trainee Police Constable assigned to court duty under the Negombo Police Crimes Unit and has been more..

Feb 20 (DM) Police released a photograph of a female suspect connected to the murder of Ganemulla Sanjeewa at the Hulftsdorp Court Complex. They request for public help in locating her. The suspect, identified as 25-year-old Pinpura Dewage Ishara Sewwandi resides at 243/01, Jaya Mawatha, Negombo Road, Katuwellegama. Her National Identity Card number is 995892480V. Investigations have revealed that Sewwandi, who posed as a lawyer, brought the revolver more..

Feb 20 (DM) Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) has imposed a fine of USD 10,000 on former captain Dasun Shanaka for breaching his contractual obligations after leaving a first-class match in Colombo early on Feb 2, 2025, to play for the Dubai Capitals in the UAE that same evening. Earlier, SLC said that an inquiry will be launched against Shanaka for allegedly faking a concussion to skip a domestic match in favor of participating in more..

Feb 20 (NW) Bar Association of SL (BASL) states the LAW ID carried by the suspect involved in the murder of underworld kingpin Ganemulla Sanjeewa inside a Colombo court complex, was fake. BASL said the LAW ID seized by the Police following the shooting incident had been examined by its representatives. Upon cross-checking with the Association’s data, it was found that the individual named in the LAW ID was not a member of the BASL, and the ID had been made using more..

Feb 20 (DM) The suspect who was arrested over the shooting incident at the Hulfsdorp Court complex has been identified as Samindu Dilshan Kandanaarachchi from Maharagama, Minister Ananda Wijepala said today. He said that investigations revealed that the suspect is involved in several killings which were reported over the last few weeks. Minister said investigations are continuing into the incident and that investigations have been launched into a suspect woman more..

Feb 20 (AD) In response to the prevailing extreme heat weather conditions, Ministry of Education has released a set of guidelines aimed at ensuring the protection of school children from potential adverse effects. The set of guidelines has been directed to all Provincial Education Directors by the Secretary of Education as advised by the Ministry of Health. The guidelines, aimed at addressing the challenges posed by the elevated temperatures, encompass a range of measures more..

Feb 20 (DM) Minister Nalinda Jayatissa today expressed regrets over the remarks made by Deputy Minister Sunil Watagala, who referred to his driver as Buruwa (donkey). Deputy Minister Watagala, who was at the Hulftsdorp Court complex yesterday after the shooting incident, was overheard calling his driver Buruwa while summoning his vehicle. When questioned by journalists at the weekly media briefing to announce Cabinet decisions about the comment, which was seen as an insult to more..

Feb 20 (TM) The COPE disclosed that a sum of approximately Rs. 188 million has been issued in cheques for the Smart Youth Exhibition and Musical Concert, signed by the former Chairperson of the National Youth Services Council on the day before the 2024 Presidential Election. It was further disclosed that the former Chair had signed these cheques without the approval of the Council Board of Directors, exerting pressure on officials. more..

Feb 20 (NW) SL Automobile Association in Japan (SLAAJ) has raised concerns over alleged violations of vehicle import regulations and has urged authorities to take strict action against non-compliant imports. In a letter to the Controller General of the Dept of Imports and Exports Control, SLAAJ highlighted discrepancies in the application of Operating Instructions No: IECD/6/4/002/2024 regarding vehicle manufacturing dates. Association said that pre-shipment inspection (PSI) more..

Feb 20 (AD) A motion has been filed with the Colombo Magistrate’s Court stating that the name of the main suspect arrested in connection with the murder of the notorious criminal Ganemulla Sanjeewa was wrongfully made public as Mohamed Azam Sherifdeen, causing discredit to an individual bearing that same name and his family members. This motion was filed by a brother of an individual with the actual given name of Mohamed Azam Sherifdeen, who was said to be aggrieved more..

Feb 20 (AD) President Anura Kumara Dissanayake has emphasized in Parliament that investigations have disclosed that underworld activities have infiltrated certain individuals within official institutions responsible for public security. He further stated that all necessary measures will be taken to completely eradicate the underworld in the future, while also acknowledging that this process will take some time. more..

Feb 20 (DM) Claiming that the security of the country is at stake, Opposition MP Dayasiri Jayasekara said the Speaker of Parliament must take the responsibility if any of the MPs is murdered. Speaking during the budget debate, MP said the Speaker of Parliament is the guardian of the MPs and that he must take the responsibility if anything happens to an MP. "The security of the country is at stake. Speaker is the guardian of the MPs. He must take the responsibility if something happens more..

Feb 20 (FT) Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake presented his Govt’s maiden Budget in Parliament on Monday (17). The proposals relating to trade and competitiveness demonstrated remarkable consistency with Budgets of previous years, under different administrations. This is rather unique by SL standards, where Budget speeches of a new Govt often tend to upend earlier initiatives, with little continuity for good initiatives pursued in the past. It was notable that, more..

Feb 20 (FT) Federation of Information Technology Industry SL (FITIS) welcomed the Budget 2025 presented by President and Finance Minister Anura Kumara Dissanayake and commended the strategy of delivering digital economy revolution with SME growth and cashless payments. In a statement, FITIS said Prez Dissanayake’s 2025 Budget marks a transformative step in SL’s economic recovery, placing the digital economy at the core of the nation’s growth strategy. more..

Feb 20 (FT) Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake’s (AKD) recent visit to the Northern Province of Sri Lanka is just the beginning of a transformative shift in the socio-political dynamics of SL and the potential to finally create positive change. It has been 15 years since the end of the SL civil war. Unfortunately, up until now, SL has been struggling under a very repressive system of impunity. Impunity refers to the situation where perpetrators of serious human rights violations more..

Feb 20 (TM) The state of Law and Order in the country has been brought into the public spotlight, following a shooting inside the Number Five Magistrate’s Court (MC) in the Aluthkade Courts Complex last morning where a suspected drug trafficker and organised criminal Sanjeewa Samararatne alias Ganemulla Sanjeewa, who was shot dead near the witness stand by an assailant who was disguised as a lawyer. more..

Feb 20 (AD) Attorney-at-Law Rajeev Amarasuriya has been elected as the new President of the Bar Association of SL (BASL). Amarasuriya previously served as the Secretary of BASL and has an extensive appellate court practice, specializing in public law and various branches of civil litigation, including contractual, commercial, property, taxation, and banking law. He holds multiple prominent positions across state and private sector institutions, including serving as more..

Feb 20 (Island) Those who planned the assassination of underworld leader Ganemulle Sanjeewa, inside Court No. 5 of the Hulftsdorp court complex, had taken advantage of the fact that the police did not conduct checks on lawyers, and the first response of the police was to secure the judges, SSP) Buddhika Manatunga said. When journalists pointed out that the attack had been carried out inside the court complex, swarming with police and STF personnel, and there had been a serious more..

Feb 20 (TM) Emphasising that the Govt takes the deadly shooting inside the Number Five Magistrate’s Court (MC) at the Aluthkade Courts Complex last morning seriously, Ministry of Justice stated that it would engage with the relevant stakeholders to ensure the security of judges, lawyers, and citizens. Organised crime and drug trafficking suspect Ganemulla Sanjeewa was shot dead inside the Court by a person who more..

Feb 20 (AD) The Batticaloa-Colombo train, Meenagaya, has collided with a herd of elephants at Gal Oya this morning (20), resulting in the tragic death of five elephants, SL Railways said. Meanwhile, the collision has caused the train to derail, obstructing services on the line, the dept said. Accordingly, train operations on the Batticaloa railway line have been limited, and the Pulathisi train scheduled to operate from Batticaloa to Colombo has been cancelled, more..

Feb 20 (NW) The gunman in the Hulftsdorp court shooting has been identified as 34-year-old Asman Sherifdeen. Suspect has been identified as a former member of the SL Army Commando Regiment. He was arrested in the Palaviya area in Puttalam today, after gunning down underworld kingpin Ganemulla Sanjeewa and fleeing the scene earlier this morning. The man had disguised himself as a lawyer and had smuggled in the weapon used to carry out the shooting concealed inside a Code of more..

Feb 20 (DM) SL’s Budget 2025 signals a strong push to boost fiscal revenues but risks to the country’s financial stability remain significant, Fitch Ratings warned. Commenting on Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake’s maiden budget, presented on Monday, the rating agency noted that if the proposed revenue measures are executed as planned, they could help address a long-standing weakness in the country’s credit profile. However, Fitch cautioned that the govt’s decision to slow the pace of more..

Feb 20 (AD) The suspect in the killing of notorious drug trafficker and criminal gang leader Sanjeewa Samararathne alias Ganemulla Sanjeewa this morning is believed to be the same gunman responsible for the recent double murder at Watarappala, Dehiwala. Furthermore, it has been revealed that the woman who had brought the weapon used in the shooting is a suspected drug dealer from Negombo. In addition to prison officials, 12 STF personnel had been deployed to more..

Feb 20 (AD) The suspected gunman who shot and killed notorious drug trafficker and criminal gang leader Sanjeewa Kumara Samararathne, also known as Ganemulla Sanjeewa, inside the Hulftsdorp Court Complex this morning (19) has been arrested. He has been arrested in the Palaviya area in Puttalam by STF personnel while fleeing in a van. Arrested suspect has been identified as 34-year-old Azman Sheriffdeen. more..

Feb 20 (FT) Vidullanka PLC said yesterday it has topped its numbers, recording a Profit After Tax (PAT) of Rs. 1.34 billion from a revenue of Rs. 4.7 billion, as per its recently published interim financials for the nine months ended 31 Dec 2024. The statements report a robust increase in profits by 27% compared to the same period in the previous financial year. According to the financial statements, the Group experienced a 29% downturn in finance costs at Rs. 266 million. more..

Feb 20 (TM) Three persons including a man, his 6-year-old daughter and 9-year-old son have been killed following a shooting incident near the Kadewatta Junction in Middeniya. Police said that a group of unidentified individuals had opened fire at a 39-year-old resident of Galpotta who was travelling on a motorcycle with his son and daughter at around 10.15 p.m. on Tuesday (18). The motorcycle rider was killed on the spot while his son and daughter were admitted to District General Hospital, more..

Feb 20 (FT) Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has given Softlogic Holdings more time to address the going concern emphasis by the independent Auditor’s Report for FY22. In a filing to the Colombo Stock Exchange, Softlogic said that the SEC has granted a deferment for the suspension of trading of shares that was due to take place with effect from 3 March 2025. The company’s shares were transferred to the Watch List on 28 Nov 2024 due to the emphasis of matter on going more..

Feb 20 (CT) Former Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe stressed the historical significance of the Indian Ocean in global trade and exploration and said “Europeans rose to power because they sought control over the Indies. In the process, some had to navigate via the Atlantic and eventually discovered the Americas and if I think like President Trump, the two American continents should pay a fee to Asia annually. If not for us, they would not have been discovered.” Speaking at the Indian Ocean more..