May 13 (DM) An 18-year-old girl, the girlfriend of the youth from Kuliyapitiya who was allegedly murdered while visiting the girl's house in Kuliyapitiya, has been arrested. Police said the suspect has been arrested on charges of aiding and abetting the murder and concealing the crime. The body of the youth, who had gone missing while visiting his girlfriend’s house, was recovered in the Panirendawa area of Madampe last week. On April 22, police launched investigations based on more..

May 13 (DM) As a move to counter the controversial issue of substandard and dangerous medicines entering Sri Lanka through unregistered importers like the human immunoglobulin racket, the National Medicines Regulatory Authority (NMRA) will introduce a security sticker in future. The NMRA has decided to introduce a security sticker to all the medicines registration certificates, thus preventing any instances of forging the certificate by unlawful importers. more..

May 13 (TM) A total of 111,074 suspects have been arrested while 4,472 among them are under detention orders for questioning since the beginning of Operation Yukthiya to date, DIG Nihal Thalduwa said . Commenting on the police anti-organised crime drive and its impact, DIG Thalduwa stated that 41 kilograms of heroin, 43 kilograms of Ice and 300,000 narcotic pills have been taken into custody thus far during more..

May 13 (DM) The govt should explore the option of assigning the management of the Mattala Rajapaksa Int'l Airport (MRIA) to a company that not only specializes in management but also owns airplanes and has the capability to attract and facilitate aircraft operations, former SL Ambassador to Russia Udayanga Weeratunga said. He said that the govt had handed over the management of the MRIA to Shaurya Aeronautics Pvt. Ltd. of India and Airports of Regions Management Company of Russia, more..

May 13 (AD) U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs, Donald Lu, has commenced his official visit to Sri Lanka today. Accordingly, he is set to engage with officials from across the political spectrum and civil society to deepen the US partnership with Sri Lanka. Mr. Donald Lu’s Sri Lanka visit came as part of his broader tour of the region from May 10th to 15th, which included India and Bangladesh. US State Dept stated last week that in his meetings, more..

May 13 (DM) Despite the cost of living sizzling at red hot levels and the country being cash- strapped, House Committee of Parliament has endorsed the proposal to offer concessionary vehicle permits for MPs as requested by them. The source familiar with the decision said the committee which looks into the requirements of the MPs positively considered the request by them for such permits in line with the similar facilities offered to more..

May 13 (FT) For millennia, nations have recognised that for a country to ensure its national security, it should have enough wealth in surplus. That is the wealth that does not help it to use for current production or enhancement of future production capacity directly. Hence, it does not contribute to an immediate improvement of the welfare of the people. But it is essential to have national security as a precondition for undertaking all economic activities, namely, production, distribution & consumption. more..

May 13 (AD) Information has been uncovered regarding a large-scale racket of illegally importing shoes manufactured in foreign countries and selling them within SL. It is reported the racket has been carried out with the involvement of certain Customs officers and without paying the due taxes. A tax of minimum Rs. 2,000 is levied for a pair of shoes imported into SL from a foreign country. Meanwhile, it is reported that these illegally imported foreign-manufactured footwear are released to more..

May 13 (DM) A foreigner sustained injuries while experiencing the Base Jump event at the Lotus Tower a short while ago. An eyewitness reported that the foreigner delayed opening his parachute after jumping from the tower. The injured foreigner was promptly taken to the General Hospital for treatment. The injured foreigner is a national of the USA and is currently undergoing treatment. He has reportedly sustained internal head injuries and has reported numbness of his legs and hand. more..

May 13 (CT) Kochi Rajagiri College of Social Sciences, India and University of Sri J'pura signed a MoU at Hilton Colombo Residencies on 6 May. It was held under the directorship of Country Director, Zaheer Marzook. UGC Chairman, Senior Professor Sampath Amaratunge, Principal of Rajagiri College, Fr. Dr. Saju MD, Indian Foreign Service Venu Rajamony, Associate Director of Rajagiri College, Dr. Binoy Joseph and Dean HR of Rajagiri College, Dr. Manoj Mathew addressed the gathering. more..

May 13 (AD) Supreme Court has instructed the Attorney General to submit a report pertaining to the progress of investigations into Pastor Jerome Fernando, the self-styled prophet who came under fire over his controversial comments on other religions. This order was issued when a Fundamental Rights (FR) petition filed against Pastor Jerome Fernando was taken up before a 3-member SC judge bench led by more..

May 13 (DM) Patients have been highly inconvenienced due to the health strike launched by health professionals in all govt hospitals at provincial level. Strike which commenced on May 09 targeting seven provinces has crippled healthcare services at respective hospitals. Today, strike was launched at Central Province from 8am to 12 noon while the strike will affect hospitals in the Sabaragamuwa Province tomorrow. Health Trade Union Alliance confirmed its intention to spread the strike more..

May 13 (FT) In response to the growing demand for flexible workspaces, WORX Coworking has announced the inauguration of its latest coworking facility situated at No. 14 Gower Street, Colombo 05. As a frontrunner in providing innovative workspace solutions, WORX Coworking continues to redefine the professional landscape by expanding its footprint in the city. Strategically situated in a convenient Colombo neighbourhood, the Gower Street location marks WORX Coworking’s 4th property, more..

May 13 (CI) While the ongoing IPL may be a certifiable run-fest, the current school of thought surrounding the upcoming T20 World Cup is that conditions in the USA and Caribbean might be a little less batter-friendly. At least, that's the working assumption SL's selectors were going on when they named their 15-man squad for the tournament. "If you look at the conditions in America and the West Indies, most of it is pointing more..

May 13 (AD) Minister of Education Susil Premajayantha announced plans to recruit sports coaches, previously appointed to non-academic positions in schools from National Colleges of Education (NIEs), into the teaching service. “Sports teachers were usually selected from the National Colleges of Education. Previously, approximately 3,000 individuals were recruited to serve as sports coaches. However, rather than being placed in teaching roles, they were assigned to more..

May 13 (FT) The newly elected committee of the SL Schools Rugby Football Association (SLSRFA) is persistent with its proposed changes to the League format, despite numerous requests and pleas extended by several Schools, and various distinguished personalities in the local Rugby circles. The primary reason for this persistence appears to be due to the heist that has been planned on the gate collections at the Super Round encounters! To elaborate, SLSRFA has decided to conduct more..

May 13 (AD) In response to the concerns raised surrounding the alleged irregularities pertaining to the 2023 (2024) G.C.E. O/L examination’s English and Science question papers, Minister of Education Susil Premajayantha affirmed that measures will be taken to prevent any injustices to the affected students. Premajayantha further stated a final decision will be made regarding the matter following discussions with the panel responsible for preparing the O/L science paper. more..

May 13 (DM) The cost of climate change will account for a 1.2% loss of the annual GDP of SL by 2050 according to estimates by the World Bank, Senior Presidential Advisor Ruwan Wijewardene said. He said it would be a multi-million dollar loss to the country. Speaking during the Environment Leaders of Tomorrow workshop organized by the National Youth Services Council over the weekend, Mr. Wijewardene said it is SL’s agriculture which is mostly affected by climate change. more..

May 13 (TM) Elections Commission (EC) clarified that the dual citizenship status of individuals involved poses no obstacle during political party registration, indicating that there is no apparent issue regarding the legitimacy of SJB. Former State Minister Diana Gamage and her spouse Senaka de Silva once held ownership of a political party named Ape Jathika Peramuna (AJP) and its ownership was transferred to a faction led by SJB Leader more..

May 13 (Island) Former Prez Maithripala Sirisena should not have handed over the SLFP leadership to Justice Minister Wijeyadasa Rajapakske, on account of the ongoing court cases against them and interim orders, State Minister Lasantha Alagiyawanna said yesterday. He said that they would consult their lawyers and take appropriate measures in this regard. State Minister was responding to The Island query regarding former President Sirisena’s sudden resignation at an Executive Committee more..

May 13 (LSM) five Sri Lankan citizens were detained for transporting persons crossing the country's border illegally, the State Border Guard said in a statement. Border guards in Augšdaugava municipality stopped a Peugeot 307 car driven by a Sri Lankan citizen, while another Sri Lankan citizen was next, both with valid residence permits. But during the check, six people of Asian descent without travel documents, visas, or residence permits were also found in the car's salon, more..

May 13 (DM) While denying any favoritism during the selection of players for the SL squad in the Men's T20 World Cup 2024, Selection Committee Chairman Upul Tharanga said the SL team is in a good position to challenge any team at the World Cup to be held in the West Indies and US. At a media briefing held to address various concerns regarding the SL T20 squad for the World Cup, Tharanga said there was no favoritism more..

May 13 (AD) The Supreme Court has concluded its hearing of the petitions filed challenging the proposed SL Electricity Bill, which includes proposed reforms for the electricity sector. Accordingly, the court announced that it will inform the determination to the Speaker of Parliament confidentially. The petitions were heard before the three-member Supreme Court bench consisting of Justices Vijith Malalgoda, Shiran Gunaratne and Arjuna Obeysekera for three consecutive days. more..

May 13 (DM) Nahil Wijesuriya, a well-known figure in Sri Lanka's charitable circles, has stepped forward to contribute a sum of Rs 270,000,000 towards the construction of a modern A-Level building at Bishops College, Colombo. The new facility is poised to be a state-of-the-art establishment, equipped with the latest amenities to support academic excellence. This generous gesture from Nahil Wijesuriya follows closely on the heels of his previous philanthropic endeavors. more..

May 13 (FT) Apart from the forced resignation of two Rajapaksas, one a President and the other PM, a potentially epoch-breaking effect of the 2022 Aragalaya was the uncompromising message it sent to SL voters that the multiple crises engulfing the nation and bankrupted the national treasury could not be solved by patchwork measures, but only through a radical overthrow of the socio-political paradigm within which Govts were chosen & economy managed. more..

May 13 (DN) As anticipation builds for the upcoming T20 World Cup, Moose Clothing Company proudly debuted its latest creation: the new T20 jersey design for SL cricket men’s national team. The launch event, held at Moose Clothing Company’s headquarters in Ja Ela, was graced by the national men’s and women’s cricket team, esteemed dignitaries and special guests, adding to the excitement surrounding the occasion. Recognizing cricket’s revered status in SL as a cherished more..

May 13 (EN) SL’s controversial visa deal with IVS-GBS and VFS Global is coming despite the country being required to reduce corruption stemming from an IMF governance assessment, main opposition has said. The main opposition has also slammed the unsolicited deal with VFS Global, a private contractor, as being bigger than a central bank linked bondscam in 2015. “This is three or four times bigger than the bondscam,” more..

May 13 (FT) Ven. Omalpe Sobitha Thera called for the immediate resignation of all parliamentarians holding dual citizenship. He asserted that there are approximately 10 MPs with dual citizenship currently serving in Parliament and emphasised the necessity for them to step down before the upcoming elections. Although the Thera refrained from disclosing the names of the implicated MPs, he warned that if they do not voluntarily resign, legal action may be pursued against them. more..

May 13 (FT) An extraordinary gazette has been issued de-gazetting a section of the Vidataltivu Nature Reserve to set up an aquaculture industrial park. The gazette issued by Minister of Wildlife and Forest Resources Conservation Pavithradevi Wanniarachchi, noted that the area specified in the appendix of the gazette will no longer be designated as part of the Vidataltivu Nature Reserve. However, the appendix of the gazette notification has not been made available to the public. more..

May 13 (TM) SLFP Chairperson Maithripala Sirisena – who was recently prevented from serving in the said post by court – has resigned from the position, leading to the election of Minister Dr. Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe as the new Party Chairperson by the pro-Sirisena faction. Meanwhile, following the appointment of Dr. Rajapakshe to the post, Keerthi Udawatte was appointed as General Secretary of Mithripala fraction of SLFP. more..

May 13 (ST) The decision to outsource online and on-arrival tourist visa processing to three foreign companies was made despite national telecom provider SLT-Mobitel having already partially upgraded the existing electronic travel authorisation (ETA) system at the request of the Immigration Dept at no cost to the govt. The fee charged by SLT-Mobitel was to have been US$ 1 per tourist application. In contrast, under the deal reached with Singapore-registered GBS Technology more..

May 13 (DM) The birth rate in Sri Lanka is on a rapid decline, and currently it has decreased by 30%, Kalubowila Teaching Hospital gynecologist Prof. Ajith Fernando said. The doctor said that the number of births, which was about 360,000, has decreased to about 240,000. The doctor claimed that economic challenges are the primary reason for the declining birth rate in the country. Many families are opting not to have a second child due to these economic difficulties. more..