Sep 28 (EN) Residents blamed drug addicts for fire that gutted at least 60 houses in suburb area of SL capital on Tuesday despite dozens of fire trucks were deployed to control the fire spreading, area residents and officials said. The fire in Kajimawatta slum area with 300 mostly wooden houses is the worst disaster in the last three years, the residents said. �There was a house where usually drug addicts use. That house has been used by several drug addicts and the fire started from this house,� more..

Sep 28 (TM) Given the prevailing shortage of pharmaceutical drugs and medical equipment, a number of surgeries and medical examinations carried out at the National Hospital of SL (NHSL) in Colombo have been affected, while there is also a significant shortage of antibiotics given to patients. NHSL sources said that three out of the five computerised tomography (CT) scan machines at the Hospital�s Accident Ward and more..

Sep 28 (CT) Seven Sri Lankans have been picked to play in the Abu Dhabi T10 League 2022 which will run from 23 November to 4 December. The player draft for the sixth season was conducted on Monday (26). Two Sri Lankans, Dushmantha Chameera and Chamika Karunaratne, were picked by the Northern Warriors and Morrisville SAMP Army respectively. Since the franchises were allowed to retain and sign players ahead of the player draft, five other Sri Lankans, namely Wanindu Hasaranga, more..

Sep 28 (Island) On 23rd Sept, the Korean Film Festival 2022 organised by the Korean Embassy in SL together with the Korea Film Council (Kofic) was inaugurated at the BMICH in Colombo. This Festival held annually, was re-launched after a hiatus of two years due to the COVID-19 global pandemic. The Korean Film Festival 2022 featured four Korean movies for three days from the 23rd to 25th of Sept 2022. In conjunction with the 45th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Korea, SL this yr more..

Sep 28 (TM) PUCSL Chairman Janaka Ratnayake stated that he eagerly awaits any legal action from the Ministry of Power and Energy, or CPC, in relation to his allegations on the quality of imported crude oil as, he stated the only then will the truth surface. He said: �I am waiting until they sue me. I�d like to see that. Only then will the truth come to the surface, as in from where they purchased the crude oil, its quantity, composition, more..

Sep 28 (FT) The book launch of Rana Bimaka Panhinda (Notes from the battlefield) written by former Lankadeepa journalist Ratnapala Gamage took place at the J.R. Jayewardene centre in Colombo on 13 September. The Lankadeepa�s ex- defence correspondent now domiciled in Switzerland has in the book recounted many of his experiences while reporting on the long war between the Sri Lankan armed forces and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil l Eelam (LTTE). more..

Sep 28 (SLN) SL Navy apprehended 06 persons who were suspected to be attempting to illegally migrate to a foreign country by sea, during a search operation carried out in seas off Sand Banks, Talaimannar on 27th Sept. SL Navy has been conducting regular search operations and patrols covering the sea and coastal areas around the island with the aim of suppressing illegal activities. During a special operation mounted by SLNS Thammanna in the North Central Naval more..

Sep 28 (AD) State Minister Ranjith Siyambalapitiya has requested the heads of state banks to consider the possibility of granting financial relief for the entrepreneurs who have obtained loans while safeguarding the financial status of the banks. During a discussion held with the heads of state banks last evening, the minister has expressed that the country�s entrepreneurs have been affected as a result of the increase of interest rates of the state banks in order to secure their liquidity. more..

Sep 28 (FT) We are all being buffeted by multiple varietals of fraud. There are just different iterations of them. For years we were told, don�t worry about opioid addiction. You can keep printing money and no bubbles will form in the housing market. You can eliminate an airborne virus that has been in circulation already by locking up the healthy along with the sick. And untested mRNA injections with incomplete animal trials and no testing of vulnerable populations will keep you healthy and safe. more..

Sep 28 (TM) The Gender Equality Policy is to be submitted to Cabinet by the end of October. Accordingly, the Gender Equality and Women�s Empowerment Act is expected to be drafted based on the main features of the said policy. Dr. Ramani Jayasundere, who is currently drafting the Policy on Gender Equality, confirmed that the final draft would be handed over to Cabinet by the end of October. more..

Sep 28 (IT) Two criminals who were wanted in connection with various cases in Sri Lanka were arrested by Tamil Nadu police and lodged in Puzhal Jail. They were wanted for murder, robbery and human trafficking. Due to the economic crisis in SL, since March 22, SL Tamils from various parts of the island nation have reached Tamil Nadu as refugees via Dhanushkodi and are being accommodated in the Mandapam refugee camp. In this case, on Aug 21, after receiving information that more..

Sep 28 (EN) Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe has allowed electrical vehicles to imported on a permit issued for foreign employed persons, in a gazette notice issued under the country�s import control law. Minister of Foreign Employment Manusha Nanayakkara has said migrant workers who remit money through official channels from May 22 to December 2022 will be allowed to import an electric vehicle. Electric vehicles of HS code numbers 8702.40.19, 8702.40.39, 8702.40.59, more..

Sep 28 (DM) An Amendment has been proposed by a commitee in Parliament to the Children and Young Persons Ordinance to consider the age of a person who shall be a child will be raised from 16 to 18 years, Communications Department of Parliament said. The proposal has been made at the Select Committee of Parliament to look into and report to Parliament its recommendations to ensure gender equity more..

Sep 28 (DM) Colombo High Court today served indictments on civil activist, Shehan Malaka Gamage in respect of a statement he had made on the Easter Sunday bomb attacks. Meanwhile, Shehan Malaka was ordered to be released on a cash bail of Rs.50,000 with two sureties of Rs.500,000 each after he appeared before Colombo HC Judge Amal Ranaraja. Attorney General filed indictments against the civil activist under Penal Code offences for allegedly exciting or attempting to excite more..

Sep 28 (Island) The responsibility of providing food to the people of the country has been assigned to the Ministry of Agriculture and, therefore, there is a need to expand agricultural research that can achieve higher yields, said Minister Mahinda Amaraweera. However, he expressed concern that the Dept of Agriculture has been able to supply only 20% of the required quality paddy seeds for cultivation. �To increase the rice yield in SL, that percentage needs to be increased further. more..

Sep 28 (AD) The Bribery Commission served the indictments on Health Minister Keheliya Rambukwella and another suspect, who are accused of incurring a loss to the government. The indictments were served at the Colombo High Court today (28). Subsequently, the Colombo High Court ordered the release of the two defendants including the minister under bail conditions. The High Court judge then ordered to take up the case again for hearing on November 03. more..

Sep 28 (DM) Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe and Indian PM Narendra Modi discussed Sri Lanka's debt restructuring when the two held informal discussions in Tokyo last evening, on the sidelines of the funeral of former Japanese PM Shinzo Abe. Sources present at the discussion said that during the meeting which lasted for around 10 minutes, the Indian Prime Minister congratulated Wickremesinghe on his presidency and also discussed SL's present economic crisis. more..

Sep 28 (EN) US is helping boost agriculture co-operating with the Food & Agriculture Organization, US Permanent Representative to the UN Agencies in Rome Cindy McCain said in a visit to SL. US is funding small farmers, working with school children and is also giving food aid to vulnerable groups after SL�s rupee collapsed from 180 to 360 after two years of money printing, putting food out of reach of low income groups. more..

Sep 28 (EN) Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe is set to arrive in Manila, Philippines, Wednesday (28) evening, where he will chair a meeting of the Asian Development Bank (ADB)�s board of governors, an aide said. Director of International Affairs at the prez�s office Dinouk Colombage tweeted that Prez will be departing Tokyo later that afternoon, concluding an official visit to Japan. Treasury Secretary Mahinda Siriwardena is expected to join the president at the ADB meeting. more..

Sep 28 (CT) The inaugural meeting of the National Council is scheduled to be held at 10.30 a.m. tomorrow, under the patronage of Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena, in Parliament. Establishing a National Council is a proposal of PM Dinesh Guanwardena. The body would comprise MPs from the respective political parties. Speaker Abeywardena, on 23 Sept, announced the names of MPs who have been nominated to the National Council. more..

Sep 28 (TM) The signature campaign initiated by the Justice For All Association against the Prevention of Terrorism Act, No. 48 of 1979 (PTA), which is considered draconian and oppressive to the people, is to be continued until 5 Oct. ITAK MP Shanakiyan Rasamanickam said that Association Convenor, ITAK MP, and TNA Spokesman M.A. Sumanthiran PC and the ITAK youth front are the chief parties organising islandwide mobile more..

Sep 28 (TM) A direct container shipping service is to be launched between Chattogram, Bangladesh and Dubai avoiding the Colombo Port, a Bangladeshi media report said Imports from Dubai now come to Chattogram via SL�s Colombo port. The consignments are unloaded from the mother vessel and then loaded into smaller feeder vessels in Colombo. Export consignments are also sent to Dubai via Colombo. Saif Powertec Ltd is set to launch a direct container shipping service more..

Sep 28 (F2F) SL's Joint Apparel Association Forum (JAAF) has pledged support to the ILO�s Better Work initiative demonstrating the industry�s deep commitment to prioritising people and their well-being. The ILO recently launched Better Work (BW) with the objective of strengthening the resilience of industry using Better Work�s extensive experience, tools and partnerships exemplifying a human-centered recovery and growth. Recognising that the apparel sector in SL starts from a relatively more..

Sep 28 (AD) The Special Operations Unit of SL Bureau of Foreign Employment (SLBFE) has arrested two suspects on the charges of defrauding money from people by promising employment opportunities in Japan and South Korea. The investigations were initiated based on information received by the Minister Manusha Nanayakkara. Accordingly, the investigation officers raided a popular location in Kurunegala where the suspects in question gathered youths in the area and more..

Sep 28 (AD) A group of youths including State Minister Prasanna Ranaweera�s son have been arrested by Kiribathgoda Police and released on police bail in connection with an incident of assaulting two schoolboys I the Kiribathgoda area. The car they had arrived in the carry out the attack is registered under the Secretary to the Ministry of Industry and Commerce. The incident had occurred on Monday (26) near a popular private tuition class in the Kiribathgoda area when a group more..

Sep 28 (AFP) Sri Lanka ordered civil servants on Wednesday not to express opinions on social media after some officials claimed schoolchildren were fainting from a lack of food due to the country's dire economic crisis. In a fresh order to 1.5 million state employees, Ministry of Public Administration and Management said a long-established ban on speaking to reporters now extends to social media posts. more..

Sep 28 (DM) Colombo Chief Magistrate's Court today issued a warrant for the arrest of Ven. Uduwe Dhammaloka thera of Alan Mathiniyaramaya Temple in Polhengoda for not appearing in Court over a private plaint filed against him for allegedly using loudspeakers in a manner of causing nuisance. When case came up before Colombo Additional Magistrate, Dhammaloka thera was not present in Court. Further magisterial inquiry put off for Oct 31. On Dec 6, 2016 the Court had issued more..

Sep 28 (DM) The Wildlife Dept has to spend Rs. 2,800 million annually to provide free repellents (crackers) to repel wild elephants to safeguard the villages in the vulnerable areas when the beasts invade the farmlands and villages. The details were revealed by Minister Mahinda Amaraweera following a discussion held with the officials of the Ministry when inquired about the allegations made by the people that they do not receive proper support from the wildlife officials to evict more..

Sep 28 (AJ) My mother is a good cook. My father is just slightly better. That�s how my younger sister would always describe my parents� food. She�s right. My mother cooked delicious curries. But my father cooked the food we hold dear. My father grew up in Nabiriththawewa, a small village in Kurunegala, about 120km from Colombo. Unlike his two older brothers who were more interested in going out with their friends, my father more..

Sep 28 (TM) The Election Commission (EC) is expected to make an official announcement on the declaration of the Local Govt (LG) polls and the date of the polls by early next year. EC Chairman Attorney Nimal Punchihewa said that a declaration regarding the date of the LG Elections will be made by early next year by the EC. He noted that the commission is currently involved in updating the youth voters� registry and is expected to complete it by mid-November. more..

Sep 28 (EN) SL�s tourism sector must move from promoting products and start promoting experience unique to the island�s culture and history with a focus on sustainability, a marketeer said. �We have to package SL in tourism in to a set of niches. We cannot do one-night stand tourism anymore,� Omar Shaqib Khan from Global Leadership Coach and Founder � Sensei Int'l said at an event in Colombo to commemorate World Tourism day. Citing official reports he said the average spend of tourists more..

Sep 29 (DM) Russia�s invasion of Ukraine has now entered its 217th day. Russian troops are present in Ukrainian territory. Its missiles are raining down on Ukraine and the main victims are the civilians, including women and children. Whatever the reason, the entry of foreign troops from one country into the territories of another sovereign state cannot be condoned or justified. The background to the Russo-Ukraine conflict lies in Russia�s fear of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization�s (NATO) more..

Sep 29 (DM) One of the most thorny problems for self-styled liberals in SL is that they use the liberal label as though it�s some kind of impenetrable shield, hiding behind which they take on specific enemies in accordance with preferred outcomes. Scratch them, and you find some grotesque creatures. You would find colonial remnants, elitists who anything said or written in any language other than English has to be inferior, religious zealots rabidly anti-Buddhist, ardent lovers of more..

Sep 29 (DM) The World Food Programme estimates that 6.3 million people in Sri Lanka, which is more than 30% of the country�s total population, are food insecure and in need of humanitarian aid. Of these individuals, around 5.3 million are either cutting down on the number of meals they eat or missing meals entirely, and at least 65,600 are in a state of acute food insecurity. Since its independence in 1948, more..

Sep 29 (CT) Acting Minister of Defence Pramitha Bandara, obviously getting too big for his new shoes, is talking nonsense when he says that Police approval should be obtained six hours before holding a protest, legal luminaries have opined. Bar Association President Saliya Pieris PC points out in a Facebook post that in the 1983 case of Vivienne Goonewardene v. Hector Perera, Justice J.F.A. Soza stated that the absence of a permit did not make the continuance of the procession an offence or more..

Sep 29 (CT) The Ministry of Public Administration and Home Affairs issued a fresh Circular gagging public servants from expressing their opinions on social media. According to the Circular, public sector employees who do not abide by the provisions of Sections 6 and 7, Chapter XLVII, Volume II of the Establishments Code, are committing an offence leading to disciplinary action. The Circular further states that public sector employees shall not exercise political rights on social media. more..