May 7 (FT) NPP party Executive Council member K.D. Lalkantha’s declaration to devolve legislative and judicial authority to local levels, has stirred significant debate within political circles. The statement by Lalkantha, which has sparked widespread controversy, was made during the party’s May Day rally held in Anuradhapura. In his address, Lalkantha declared that under a future NPP Govt, villages would be empowered with the ability to create and enforce their own laws. more..

May 7 (CT) Sajeev de Silva, highest ranked SL archer at present, has surpassed the required performance score for participation in the 2024 Olympic Games at the 7th Kartini Int'l Archery Championship held in Jakarta, Indonesia, from 24 to 28 April. More than 120 athletes representing Malaysia, Bangladesh, Indonesia, UAE, and other countries participated in this tournament. Sajeev de Silva secured second place in the qualifying competition of the 70m open singles more..

May 7 (FT) Cabinet of Ministers reverted to the previous single entry 30-day visa arrangement signalling moral victory for Tourism Minister Harin Fernando and the industry. The Prez’s Media Division confirmed that it was decided at the Cabinet meeting yesterday to maintain the existing $ 50 fee for single entry 30-day visa for foreigners visiting Sri Lanka. The $ 50 visa fee is all inclusive with $ 40 visa fee and $ 10 as service fee. more..

May 7 (AD) Underworld criminal gang leader Ramesh Priyajanaka, also known as Manna Ramesh, who was arrested in Dubai has been brought back to SL this morning by a team of CID officers. DIG Nihal Thalduwa said the special team of CID officers accompanying the wanted underworld figure had reached the BIA in Katunayake this morning. On March 06, it was reported that SL security forces had been informed that notorious underworld figure Manna Ramesh, more..

May 7 (DN) SL ‘A’ team already won the series 3-1 but they want to finish with a 4-1 lead while Afghanistan ‘A’ team led by Ikram Alikhil won their last game (4th ODI) on Sunday recording a thrilling four wicket win with 2 balls to spare. Riaz Hassan was the match winner getting his second ton of the series while top order batters were in good form to put up a challenge against Sri Lanka bowlers. In fact Qais Ahmed the experienced spinner was the most successful Afghan spinner more..

May 7 (ST) Since last month, SL’s tourism industry has been fighting a three-pronged battle with the govt: the outsourcing of visas to private companies that has resulted in visa fees soaring; the scrapping of an electronic travel authorisation (ETA) system that had worked just fine; and the mysterious disappearance of the 30-day—most convenient and cheapest—visa category for tourists. This week, all three issues were thrust to the surface more..

May 7 (DM) Colombo will be among the first set of destinations to be served by Emirates’ A350 aircraft entering service in Sept 2024, the airline announced. Emirates’ fourth daily service to Colombo, EK654/655, will be served by A350 from Jan 1, 2025. With 10 new A350s expected to join the Emirates fleet by March 31, 2025, the airline plans to deploy its latest aircraft type to nine destinations in the coming months, offering the customers its latest signature cabin experiences. more..

May 7 (ST) The Order of the Rising Sun was conferred by the Govt of Japan on two Sri Lankans in recognition of their contributions to enhancing the Japan-Sri Lanka relationship. One of them is Kosala Rohana Wickramanayake, former President of the Lanka-Japan Friendship Society and former President of the Federation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry of SL, who contributed to promoting friendly relations and mutual understanding and economic exchange more..

May 7 (FT) Concluding a two-day visit, IFC Vice President for Asia Pacific Riccardo Puliti signalled IFC’s commitment to supporting SL’s ongoing reforms and growth agenda, while emphasising the importance of private sector-led development for inclusive economic growth. The visit served as an opportunity for Puliti to engage with key stakeholders, including meeting Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe, Minister Kanchana Wijesekera, CB Governor Dr. Nandalal Weerasinghe, more..

May 7 (ST) The chess arena witnessed moments of brilliance and strategic prowess as International Master Ranindu Liyanage and Devindya Oshini Gunawardhana emerged victorious in the SL National Chess Championships 2024. The annual prestigious event, organised by the Chess Federation of SL, reached its culmination last week, at the elegant Taj Samudra Hotel in Colombo, marking a significant milestone in the SL National Cycle. A total prize purse of Rs. One Million more..

May 7 (TM) SL Banks' Association (SLBA), LankaPay and FinCSIRT Issuing a joint statement said that they have been alerted regarding several incidents of financial fraud, both globally and in SL, disguised as attractive online offers, leading to mobile device users inadvertently clicking on unknown links and downloading malicious apps and files. The statement further said: “This action grants scammers complete access to mobile device, more..

May 7 (Island) The visit of Japan’s foreign minister Yoko Kamikawa to SL is an indication that the relationship between the two countries is on the mend. The manner in which Japan was ousted from the special status it had once held by the previous govt headed by Prez Gotabaya Rajapaksa would have caused much heartburn. Japan was, for several decades, SL’s biggest economic benefactor providing both outright grants and subsidised loans for a range of infrastructure and more..

May 7 (ST) A storm broke out this week over a statement made by JVP senior member Nalin Hewage on national TV last Thursday night. In a live discussion on Hiru TV Balaya, attended by SJB MP Asoka Abeysinghe, SLPP MPs Tissa Kuttiarachchi and D. Weerasinghe, and JVP’s former Provincial Council MP Hewage, Hewage declared with a smirk: The JVP killed only rapists, rogues and kassippu karayas. The callous remark said with a mocking contemptuous smile on his face more..

May 7 (Island) The BIA visa controversy has taken a dramatic turn with the Opposition accusing Minister Tiran Alles of having misled Parliament. The outsourcing of on-arrival visa processing to a foreign company has provoked a public outcry. The company reportedly charges about USD 20 or more as visa handling fee per person; this has caused visa costs to soar, and tourism industry stakeholders are up in arms; they complain that other Asian countries are keeping their visa fees low to more..

May 7 (TM) Govt of SL has once again endorsed the broadly held view that questioning the State or senior state officials will get you in trouble. The recent scandal regarding the issuance of Visa at the BIA, SL’s premier gateway for visitors, has once again shone a spotlight on the governance culture of being unable to take any form of criticism without trying to punish or repress it. A debate flared up last week after video clips circulated on social media platforms showing an incoming passenger more..

May 7 (TM) Whether the proposed debate between NPP and SJB would actually take place, and even if it did, whether it would result in anything of real value, are frequently asked questions these days. Recently, the NPP claimed that it had given the SJB an ultimatum until 20 May to propose a date for the debate. However, given the nature of SL’s politics, the public think that they cannot trust it to take place until it does take place. more..

May 7 (CT) Sri Lanka, in the recent past, seems to have not been able to bake the cake and eat it when it comes to a high-functioning healthcare system. It’s like we know we have baked this beautiful cake of healthcare infrastructure, but when it’s time to dig in, we realise we forgot to turn on the oven. The last few years have been hard on our healthcare sector, which has taken blow after blow after blow. From dealing with overworked healthcare professionals and over-crowded hospitals, more..

May 7 (GV) World audiences remain riveted to phone, computer and television screens, shocked as we all are by the bloody carnality of the war in Palestine, the graphic horror gripping attention by its lurid crudities. The media visuals, being constant and so true and very real, keep the global public convulsed in distaste and angry revolt as great powers ignore the continuous massacres and continuous, wholesale devastation of the urban and natural environment. more..

May 7 (CT) Maga Neguma Road Construction Equipment Company (MNRCE) was shut down following a govt decision citing financial losses, despite the Company not incurring any losses, alleged MNRCE workers. They claim that Cabinet approval to close the Company was sought by presenting erroneous data indicating financial losses. Minister Bandula Gunawardena, presented a proposal to merge the 3 road transport more..

May 7 (DM) Sri Lanka ranked 150 out of 180 countries in the 2024 Edition of the Press Freedom Index, published annually by Reporters Without Borders (Reporters Sans Frontiers - RSF) is a remarkable drop of 15 positions from 135 to 150 when compared to 2023. However, Sri Lanka has been ranked higher than India, Pakistan and Bangladesh. India is ranked 159th, Pakistan 152nd and Bangladesh 165th. Norway is ranked in the top position and Eritrea in the last position. more..

May 6 (Island) Sri Lanka Director of the National Mine Action Centre (NMAC) and the Secretary to the Ministry of Urban Development and Housing W. S. Sathyananda has assured the international community that the ongoing mine clearing operations will reach a successful conclusion within three years. The assurance has been given at the recently concluded 27th International Meeting of Mine Action National Directors and United Nations Advisers (NDM-UN27) held in Geneva more..

May 6 (DM) Sri Lanka tourism witnessed a drop in momentum in April with the number of international visitors falling below the 200,000 mark for the first time this year. Tourist arrivals in April totalled 148, 867, provisional data from the SL Tourism Development Authority (SLTDA) showed. Although this is a 41% increase from the corresponding month of the previous year, it is a significant drop from the 209,181 tourist arrivals recorded in the previous month (March). more..

May 6 (EN) Parliament has called for applications to fill vacancies in its Office on Missing Persons (OMP). “Applications from eligible persons have been called to fill the vacancies in the posts of member in the Office on Missing Persons (OMP),” it said in a statement. Applications should be prepared in accordance with the information available on the Parliament website and sent on or before May 27 to; ‘Secretary-General to the Constitutional Council, Constitutional Council – Office, more..

May 6 (Island) The SLPP-UNP govt owes an explanation as to why action hasn’t been instituted against 15 persons, including former Prez Maithripala Sirisena and Yahapalana PM Ranil Wickremesinghe, who is incumbent President, for their failure to prevent the 2019 Easter Sunday suicide attacks, says EJP leader Champika Ranawaka. Pointing out that their failure to avert the attacks had been as serious as the conspiracy itself, former Minister Ranawaka alleged that more..

May 6 (CT) A private investor has come forward with plans to transform Bogambara Prison into a hotel complex, Minister of Urban Development and Housing Prasanna Ranatunga revealed. Ranatunga stated that development projects for the site will be implemented while preserving its antiquity. Bogambara Prison was entrusted to the UDA for development in 2014. Minister Ranatunga emphasized that it will be redeveloped in line with the Strategic Development Plan 2030 and Greater Kandy. more..

May 6 (DM) Two children who were taken hostage by a father in Jalthara, Hanwella were rescued by the STF after a nine-hour operation. The suspect had come with a hand grenade to kill his wife who was living at the Government Servant's Housing Complex in Jalthara last evening and took the children hostage. The STF managed to arrest the suspect with a great effort. The two children were admitted to the Homagama Hospital as the man had injected something to them. more..

May 6 (DM) VFS Global which has been caught in the center of controversy in the on arrival visa issuance at the BIA has raised serious concerns with the Public Security Ministry led by Tiran Alles stating that while they were a reputed global company, they were shocked to be left victimized as the on arrival visa saga took a turn for the worse. The Daily Mirror learns that the govt had handed over the contract of the on arrival visa issuance to GBS-IVS, which is a Singaporean based more..

May 6 (CT) Police launched an investigation into an incident where the Kantale Magistrate was threatened over the phone. The investigation was initiated following a complaint filed by the Magistrate regarding the threat, which he said was made by someone posing off as the principal of Agrabodhi National School, Kantale. A team of officers from the Kantale Police recorded a statement from the Principal of Kantale Agrabodhi National School regarding the incident. more..

May 6 (Island) The SLPP has resumed ratcheting up pressure on Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe to call early parliamentary polls. Political sources say the SLPP had made its move in the wake of the UNP’s failure to engineer a sizeable section of the breakaway SJB parliamentary group to join Prez Wickremesinghe on the UNP’s May Day stage. The UNP refrained from making an official announcement regarding Wickremesinghe’s candidature at the forthcoming presidential poll as its plan went awry. more..

May 6 (DM) Despite widespread accusations of handing over the contract for on-arrival visa issuance to VFS Global, Public Security Minister Tiran Alles said today that VFS Global, the foreign company now responsible for handling on-arrival visas on behalf of Sri Lanka at the BIA, will continue to operate for at least 12 years. Minister Alles held a special press conference regarding the controversy surrounding the matter. He said that the proposal to transfer the new visa system to more..

May 6 (FT) A fundamental rights petition has been filed before the Supreme Court challenging the recent appointment of W.K.D. Wijeratne as the Director General of the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption. The petition was filed by Counsel Jagath Talgaswattage on behalf of petitioner, Energy Expert and Sustainability Specialist Dr. Vidhura Ralapanawe. In the petition, Ralapanawe maintained that the appointment of Wijeratne to the post is a blatant violation of more..