Sep 23 (NG) Carving a path through cloud-swathed villages and centuries-old tea estates, the new long-distance Pekoe Trail gives hikers a chance to explore SL’s quiet central highlands. When I reach Galaha in SL’s central highlands, the sun is high in the sky and the streets are clouded with dust. Tuk-tuks rattle around women in red saris flecked with gold, narrowly missing the one-eyed dog sleeping in the road. Amid the honking and coconut selling, more..

Sep 23 (CI) In South Africa this January, Titas Sadhu was named Player of the Match in the final as India beat England to be crowned champions of the inaugural Under-19 women's T20 World Cup. Nine months later, in Hangzhou, Titas not only realised her childhood dream of debuting for the senior team, she also bowled a memorable spell (4-2-6-3) in the final, this time to help India clinch the Asian Games gold. That victory was sealed by someone all of 18, especially with victory far more..

Sep 23 (CT) A group who arrived in a van, intercepted a SLTB bus en route from Mawela to Kandy and abducted a 46-year-old bus driver in Gampola last (24) morning, Police said. Four people forcibly boarded the bus and assaulted one of the passengers with a sharp weapon. They subsequently abducted the victim, forcing him into their waiting van. The victim has been identified as 46-year-old Hemantha Rajapaksa, employed as a bus driver at the Gampola SLTB Bus Depot. more..

Sep 23 (CT) Minister Ali Sabry issued a statement, on ‘X’ social media platform, addressing concerns surrounding his son’s participation in several official meetings held on the sidelines of the UNGA in New York. A photograph depicting Foreign Minister Ali Sabry alongside his son during an event at the UNGA recently gained significant attention on social media. The image prompted questions about the reasons for Sabry’s son being part of the official delegation, more..

Sep 23 (DM) Former MP Nalinda Jayatissa questioned the rationale behind MP Mahindananda Aluthgamage visiting the United States, accompanying Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe on official duty. "Mahindananda Aluthgamage was the one who said that he cannot sleep until Ranil is imprisoned for the Central Bank bond scam. Perhaps he was taken to the US because he was unable to sleep," Jayatissa said. "Although the Opposition seems to be against the govt, the real deal is now apparent. more..

Sep 23 (Island) SL risks facing more Easter Sunday style attacks, state minister for defence disclosed in parliament during a two-day debate on the country’s worst single terror attack against civilians in April 2019. Pramitha Bandara Tennakoon warned the legislature not to undermine intelligence services as their services were required to prevent the next attack. “Don’t think that the Easter Sunday attack was the last. In the future too there could be more attacks,” more..

Sep 25 (EN) The ruling SLPP is split between supporting Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe and a candidate of the party’s own at the next presidential election, opposition MP Nalin Bandara said. Bandara said the SJB that he represents is in dialogue with a number of opposition parties to form a broad alliance by the end of the year. “We can’t tell if the SLPP’s candidate will be Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe or a member of the Rajapaksa family or some business tycoon. more..

Sep 25 (DM) Warning that another Easter Sunday type bomb attack could take place prior to the next Presidential election in 2024, SJB MP Niroshan Perera said those who engineered the attack in 2019 should be apprehended. “All who were behind the Easter Sunday bomb attacks in 2019 should be apprehended as soon as possible if there are any who are on the loose. They could create another mayhem targeting the 2024 Presidential election if they are allowed to move freely. more..

Sep 25 (DM) Colombo Additional Magistrate Rajindra Jayasuriya informed that the five-member expert medical panel appointed to perform a fresh post-mortem examination into the death of businessman Dinesh Schaffter have concluded their task and its analytical report is to be submitted to court within two weeks. Accordingly, the Additional Magistrate ordered the CID that the body of the deceased be released to his family members as the post-mortem examination more..

Sep 25 (DM) Minister of Health Keheliya Rambukwella said only 13 percent of the Pfizer vaccines imported to the country to immunize against Corona had been used and the rest was destroyed after their expiry dates. He said the misconception that immunizing against Covid when the pandemic was under control would cause other ailments due to side effects distanced the people from the immunizing programme and it had resulted in the wastage of a large stock of vaccines. more..

Sep 25 (Island) The fifth Asia Pacific Forum of Ministers and Environment Authorities, the largest regional environmental event in the Asia Pacific region will convene in Colombo from October 3rd to October 6th. This forum is jointly organized by the Ministry of Environment and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). During an awareness press briefing held today (25) at the President’s Media Centre (PMC), Minister of Environment, Nazeer Ahamed announced that more..

Sep 25 (DM) Homagama police yesterday carried out a raid on a park run by a private institution in Homagama on complaints that underage children were allowed to engage in sexual activities in cubicles at the park and found 24 young couples in the cubicles. Police said they carried out the raid on a search warrant issued by Homagama magistrate in response to complaints received from parents, religious dignitaries. Several couples were behaving in a indecent manner more..

Sep 25 (EN) SL’s tea smallholders are finding fertilizer to be too expensive despite prices falling from last year’s highs, Sri Lanka Tea Board Chairman Niraj de Mel said. As the average price of a bag of fertilizer soared to 40,000 rupees and above by July in 2022, some tea exporters with contacts in Russia and Iran were able to source fertilizer and prices started to fall, he said. “Smallholders still find the bag of fertilizer around 9,000 to 10,000 rupees higher, more..

Sep 25 (AD) Former SL cricketer Sachithra Senanayake, who was remanded over the allegations of match-fixing, has been granted bail by the Colombo Chief Magistrate’s Court. Issuing the order, the magistrate explained that the defendant would be released on bail since the facts have not been uncovered that the accused had influenced any of the witnesses during the investigation period. However, the overseas travel ban imposed on him will continue to remain in effect, on the orders of the Colombo MC. more..

Sep 25 (CT) Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe, during a conversation at the 3rd Annual Indo-Pacific Islands Dialogue in New York, answered some burning questions regarding the Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA) and SL’s relations with the rest of the world. When queried about whether SL’s loyalty lies with China or India, the Prez answered neither, but more importantly, emphasised that it doesn’t necessarily mean that we are a neutral nation but rather pro-Sri Lanka. more..

Sep 25 (FT) Part VIII of the article in this series argued that Sri Lanka should create an innovation economy, and not just a knowledge economy, by using the research think-tanks at universities and research institutions if it is to deliver sustained prosperity to its people. Knowledge creates inventions but inventions alone will not help a nation unless they are used for producing commercially viable goods and services for use by people at home and abroad. more..

Sep 25 (TM) Several trade unions (TUs) representing professionals are to meet the IMF delegation today to discuss several demands including the tax relief, it is learnt. Meanwhile the GMOA said that many trade unions are prepared to take union actions if the Govt fails to reach a proper consensus with the IMF on behalf of the people in SL. However the GMOA also stated that they believe that the Govt will make a suitable decision which does not more..

Sep 25 (Island) University teachers are scheduled to stage a protest opposite the UGC at Ward Place, Colombo, today against what the FUTA calls the govt’s irrational policy on education and unfair taxation. FUTA General Secretary Dr. Athulasiri Samarakoon said that the uni teachers also opposed the govt’s inability to resolve the current crisis in the country’s education sector. A Joint alliance between academic and non-academic uni communities to strengthen the fight against the threats more..

Sep 25 (TM) SLPP MP S.B. Dissanayake yesterday denied reports that several Govt MPs including himself, have warned that they would work against the Govt if Cabinet portfolios are not given to them. It was recently reported that President and National Policies Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe has reiterated that he would not consider an expansion of the Cabinet of Ministers, despite requests having been made by certain Govt MPs to grant them Cabinet portfolios. more..

Sep 25 (Island) Controversy surrounds an alleged suggestion by the US that Parliament name a member from a minority community to represent the Parliamentary Oversight Committee on National Security, as incumbent Chairman of the committee Rear Admiral (retd.) Sarath Weerasekera, MP, cannot be issued a visa in time for him to join a parliamentary delegation visiting Washington later next month. more..

Sep 25 (DM) In a devastating turn of events, newborn twins died at the Kalubowila Teaching Hospital, raising concerns over medical negligence. The parents, residents of Piliyandala, rushed to the Kalubowila Teaching Hospital on the 8th of this month for the delivery of their babies, scheduled for the 23rd. Subsequently, a son and a daughter were born on the 9th, but the boy passed away on the 19th due to complications related to low birth weight. Initially, doctors claimed that more..

Sep 25 (SO) Govt has approved a trade union set up by the LGBT+ community that packs a present membership of some 6,000 persons. A representative of LGBT members recently met the Minister Manusha Nanayakkara to sort out matters in forming the union saying it was important in safeguarding their rights provided under the Constitution for every citizen of this country. The LGBT trade union has been facilitated by the National Union of Seafarers SL (NUSS) that more..

Sep 25 (TM) The Catholic Church yesterday (24) stated that they do not intend to initiate fresh legal action based on the allegations made by the British-based broadcaster Channel 4 regarding the Easter Sunday terror attacks of 2019 in a recent documentary. However, the Church stated that they are resolute in their pursuit of a fresh and transparent investigation into the terror attacks which claimed the lives of 269 persons, and injured hundreds more. more..

Sep 25 (DM) Unlawful migration to greener pastures by producing forged travel papers continued as two leading airlines referred their suspicious passengers with bogus documents to the immigration authorities at the BIA during the weekend. Two Sri Lankan males who tried to migrate to Canada and Italy with suspicious travel documents had been intercepted by their airlines and were referred to the Dept of Immigration and Emigration to learn that the papers were not genuine. more..

Sep 25 (FT) SJB MP Harsha de Silva yesterday slammed former CB Governor Ajith Nivaard Cabraal for his attempts to blame the current Secretary to the Treasury Mahinda Siriwardana for the country’s dire economic situation. De Silva was alluding to statements made by Cabraal recently during his appearance before the Parliamentary Select Committee to Investigate Causes for Financial Bankruptcy. more..

Sep 25 (DN) For the first time in the history of SL women’s cricket, they have a chance of winning a gold medal at the Asian Games. This match will be played today at 11.30 am SL take on India at the Sheijang University Cricket Ground in Hangzhou. In the second semi-final played yesterday, Sri Lanka team defeated the Pakistan women’s team by 6 wickets and entered the gold medal fight, and India, who joined the cricket event for the first time in the history of Asian Games, more..

Sep 25 (SO) SL combat contingent deployed in Mali will return home shortly before Christmas after the Blue Helmets decided to pull out of the West African country owing to the turbulence in the region. The contingent comprising 243 personnel including 20 officers who had been deployed in that country since 2017 and the mission will be terminated on Dec 15, he said. SL contingent is mainly tasked with the movement of cargo containers, movement of bulk fuel and potable water, more..

Sep 25 (DM) Public Health Inspectors' (PHI) Union said they will resort to strict inspections on school canteens as there is an increase in the spread of communicable diseases among children, PHI union President Upul Rohana said. He said that in order to implement the canteen policy in the country and in order to regulate the spread of communicable diseases and children's eating patterns, the PHI Union will inspect school canteens and provide the necessary instructions. more..

Sep 25 (DN) Rising swimming star MF Muhammad, representing Zahira College, made an impressive mark at SL National School Games, setting new records in all three events he participated in. The event was hosted by the SL Schools Swimming Association under the guidance of the Ministry of Education and concluded its second day at the Sugathadasa Stadium Swimming Pool. On Saturday, MF Muhammad showcased his talent by setting two new records in the 50m Breaststroke and more..

Sep 25 (AD) The insurers of the X-Press Pearl ship, which sank off the western coast of SL after being gutted in a massive fire two years ago, have made an interim payment to the SL Govt in order to cover the cost incurred by Maritime Environment Protection Authority (MEPA) for the beach clean-up operations of the country and compensation for the fishermen affected by the maritime disaster, says Minister Wijeyadasa more..

Sep 25 (DM) Sri Lanka and India will explore various business models to lay the transmission line connecting the two national electricity grids once the joint working group (JWG) chaired by the two power secretaries approves the detailed project report, a top source familiar with the project said. The CEB and the Power Grid Corporation of India Ltd have almost finalized the technical details. India sought more details from Sri Lanka last week in addition to what had already been provided. more..

Sep 25 (DM) No suspects have been arrested so far over the killing of State Minister D.V. Chanaka's father-in-law, a textile businessman in Galle. Several police teams have been deployed to apprehend the suspects. The 61-year-old entrepreneur, Lalith Wasantha Mendis, who owned a textile shop in the Galle city, was killed by unidentified gunmen while travelling in a car along Dickson Road in Galle yesterday. He died after being admitted to the Karapitiya Teaching Hospital. more..