May 17 (Island) Opposition spokesperson Prof. G.L. Peiris has alleged that two new laws that dealt with terrorism and corruption were meant to consolidate Wickremesinghe-Rajapaksa regime. The former External Affairs Minister discussed the govt�s agenda pertaining to the proposed Anti-Terrorism Bill and Anti-Corruption Bill. He said the Anti-Corruption Bill was actually meant to protect those who had robbed the country, and more..

May 17 (FT) Sampath Bank said yesterday it continued to reinforce its commitment to all stakeholders notwithstanding the ongoing economic challenges. Sampath Bank registered a Profit Before Tax (PBT) of Rs. 4.5 billion and a Profit After Tax (PAT) of Rs. 2.6 billion for the three months ended 31 March, indicating a decline of 30.5% and 44.3% respectively from the figures reported in 1Q 2022. This decline was mainly attributed to the exchange losses recorded during the quarter more..

May 17 (DM) Considering the exorbitant prices of booze and a sharp drop in demand for consumption, the top liquor manufacturers in the country have recently made a request from the govt to allow an affordable drink for the common man, sources said. This has been transpired at a special meeting held between a group of leading liquor manufacturers and the senior officials of the Ministry of Finance last week with the participation of the officials of the Department of Excise. more..

May 17 (DM) Prophet Jerome Fernando, the man in the middle of controversy over his statement on other religions including Buddhism, is reported to have left the country. It is learnt that Fernando has gone to Singapore and he is planning to travel to Malaysia. However a spokesman for Glorious Church led by Jerome Fernando denied that the prophet left Sri Lanka. �He never fled the country but went to attend an event. more..

May 17 (DM) Tourist arrivals to the island nation continue to slow down with the number of weekly international travellers entering Sri Lanka dropping further. The second week of May welcomed a total of 17,699 visitors, which are the lowest weekly arrivals recorded so far for this year. A brief analysis of tourist arrivals of previous years (pre-Covid and Easter Sunday attack) showed that May typically records the lowest influx of international visitors in a calendar year. more..

May 17 (Island) The European Union has raised the issue with Foreign Secretary Aruni Wijewardane. According to a joint EU and SL press communiqu� issued by the latter, following the 25th session of the Joint Commission, held in Colombo, the Sri Lankan delegation has briefed the EU of the cases before the Supreme Court in this regard. Paola Pampaloni, Deputy Managing Director for Asia and the Pacific at the European External Action Service of the EU, led their delegation. more..

May 18 (CT) The discussions that Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe has commenced with the Tamil parties in the north and east are being seen as a possible precursor to elections in those two provinces. The talks are scheduled over three days. Prez has an interest in holding some form of elections as the govt�s moral legitimacy has been undermined by its refusal to conduct the LG elections on schedule. Prez would be conscious that the manner of his election, by parliament and more..

May 18 (ST) The more I read of or listen to, excerpts of Justice Minister Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe�s parliamentary interventions shrouded in mystery the more I am tempted to empathise with those who say that he is in the wrong vocation. Just last week I read Justice Minister Rajapakshe�s tale to parliament of a secret plan to burn 100 houses of MPs and political leaders including those of the opposition. That was to have been on May 10 last year, the day after the arson attacks on the houses more..

May 18 (CT) Anoma, who allegedly committed died by suicide in Kuwait, 18 days ago, has left many wondering how a woman who had packed all her belongings to return to SL, ended up taking her own life in her room in Kuwait. The lack of clarity surrounding the circumstances of her death has created increasing suspicion in the minds of her family in Matale. They claim that the SL Embassy in Kuwait has accepted the host country�s more..

May 18 (CT) The draconian Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA) in SL has been a subject of controversy and criticism for several years. PTA was initially introduced in 1979 as a temporary measure to address terrorism during the separatist war between the Govt and the LTTE. The Act has remained in effect for an extended period and has been used to deal with various security threats. Balancing national security with the protection of human rights is a challenge that many countries face more..

May 18 (TM) According to the health authorities, dengue seems to be becoming a bigger health threat, and therefore, greater vigilance and proactive participation is expected from the public to stop the spread of the disease. If dengue continues to spread at the current rate, they warn that it would become a national level threat. Past few weeks saw a considerable increase in the number of dengue cases in SL, with the country recording 22 dengue related fatalities & 33,742 dengue cases more..

May 18 (TM) Sex work in SL is often perceived as a public health concern, with sex worker population estimates being extrapolated based on available data in the context of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and diseases (STDs) prevention. This public health approach does not provide adequate insight into the life experiences of sex workers in the country, and more..

May 18 (DM) The family is the foundation of society. That means a good family will help build a good society that is largely free of dishonesty, deceit, and bribery or corruption on a big scale or small. A fair and balanced analysis of SL society will show that especially among political leaders and business tycoons, bribery and corruption are rampant while there is little by way of honesty, integrity and sincere desire to serve the people or set an example in servant-leadership. more..

May 18 (DM) When Patali Champika Ranawaka, along with 14 others were arrested in a temple in February that year and detained for three weeks, Bar Association of SL (BASL) accepted a request to represent the group. A fundamental rights case was filed in the Supreme Court. The case, Channa Pieris and Others v Attorney General and Others is also referred to as the Ratawesi Peramuna Case (SC Applications 145/92 to 154/92 and 155/92). A bench that included Justice Dr. A R B Amarasinghe more..

May 18 (Island) The general practice of govts of most nation states is to treat Economic policies and Foreign policy as two separate components of their national interest. Consequently, while the field of economics is littered with economic specialists, the field of foreign relations is confined to a relatively few. Perhaps, the tendency to do so is because of the popular understanding that economics is driven by market forces, while foreign policy is driven by a different paradigm, more..

May 18 (Island) Sanity seems to have prevailed at long last. President Ranil Wickremesinghe and a delegation of university teachers are scheduled to meet today, according to some media reports. The FUTA is expected to discuss with the President a range of issues its members are facing due to the unprecedented tax hikes, etc. The scheduled powwow between the President and the warring dons is long overdue, and we fervently hope that it will take place. more..

May 18 (FT) The SJB, said the IMF program will help stabilise the economy, but the Govt must have a plan to grow the economy or else it would once again face dire circumstances. MP Dr. Harsha de Silva said IMF projects economy to grow at about 3% by 2027 and 2028, and stated this simply wasn�t enough and the economy must grow by 6% to 9% by that time. For this to happen, reforms are critical and these reforms must more..

May 18 (FT) Social innovation is the process of developing and implementing innovative ideas, products, and services to address social and environmental challenges, and is important in development as it provides new and creative solutions to complex social problems, such as poverty, inequality, and environmental degradation. With the increase in complexity and scale of social challenges, there is a growing need for more inclusive, collaborative, and innovative more..

May 18 (FT) Posts revenue of Rs. 84 billion for full year; Rs. 17.3 billion in Q4. SL�s first multinational textile manufacturer Teejay Lanka PLC has ended 2022-23 with noteworthy revenue and gross profit growth demonstrating its resilience in the face of external challenges and higher taxation that pressured profits in the second half of the year. The Group reported revenue of Rs. 84 billion for the 12 months ending 31 March 2023, reflecting healthy growth of 70%. more..

May 18 (ST) It should be white but it was a mutai pink, bringing with it double jeopardy! An analysis of the pink pigment gave a chilling insight � it was due to Rhodamine B, a toxic textile dye, which is banned against use as a food colouring agent. The pink hunu (slaked lime or Calcium carbonate) from the Jaffna peninsula had puzzled a research team from the Sri J'pura University�s Faculties of Medical Sciences; Applied Sciences; and Allied Health Sciences, as they pored over samples more..

May 18 (DN) Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) AGM and elections for 2023-2025 are scheduled to be held on May 20 at JAIC Hilton Colombo. The same SLC Administration team led by President Shammi Silva will be re-elected for the next two years. Mohan de Silva the incumbent Secretary, and the two Vice Presidents, Dr. Jayantha Dharmadasa and Ravin Wickramaratne also will serve in the same posts as the election shall be held as a one-sided affair. SLC Election Committee received nominations for more..

May 18 (TM) Govt is concerned with preparing appropriate guidelines and recommendations to regularise the quality of the private tuition education and the safety of students attending these classes, said State Minister of Education, Aravindh Kumar. He said: "Govt is in the process of introducing reforms to the education sector. We are very seriously working on it and there will be new systems wherever changes are required. more..

May 18 (DN) SL Emerging team has defeated Japan by 45 runs in the fourth game to make it four in a row while fifth and final T-20 cricket match on Tuesday was washed out at the Sano Int'l Cricket Ground in Japan. SL emerging team came back home yesterday. SL Emerging team led by Dellon Pieris scored 131 off 19.5 overs after winning the toss at the fourth game and dismissed the host nation for 86 in 18.4 overs with Theesan Vithushan the leg spinner of Moors SC claiming 3 for 18. more..

May 18 (FT) Dr. Harsha Cabral PC, a veteran legal professional with a wealth of experience and exposure both in the local and international arenas assumed duties as the new Chairperson of National Savings Bank yesterday amidst the well wishes of General Manager and NSB GM/CEO, Senior Management CEO Ajith Peiris and the members of the staff. Dr. Cabral is a President�s Counsel in SL with 35 years� experience in the field of Intellectual Property Law, Company Law, more..

May 18 (DM) Former Prez Mahinda Rajapaksa who is alleged to have links with controversial Pastor Jerome Fernando and Zimbabwean Pastor Uebert Angel said he had no connections with either and had met them only on one instance when Pastor Jerome's office had sought a meeting when Rajapaksa was the PM. Rajapaksa further condemned the recent derogatory remarks made by Pastor Jerome against religions more..

May 18 (FT) Labour and Foreign Employment Minister Manusha Nanayakkara called on all stakeholder inputs to create comprehensive labour law reforms. He extended an open invitation to all trade unions, political party representatives and other stakeholders to participate in the ongoing public consultations organised by the Labour Ministry related to the amendment of labour laws. Nanayakkara made these remarks at the third session of Influx, a public consultation more..

May 18 (FT) Normalising SL is likely to fail to keep the momentum of pre-crisis visitor arrivals in May. However, year-on-year is likely to finish better, but considering the pre-pandemic, the industry is underperforming. The industry however said the low arrivals in the months of May and June are not a new phenomenon and even during pre-COVID times this has been the same trend for tourist arrivals. However, it is noteworthy that the numbers have not recovered to pre-pandemic levels more..

May 18 (Island) PHU leader Udaya Gammanpila, MP, yesterday urged the govt to prevent Pastor Jerome Fernando from conducting prayers at the Miracle Dome, in Katunayake, this coming Sunday (21), or face the consequences. Addressing the media at the PHU office, MP Gammanpila said that having made controversial remarks regarding Buddhism, Islam and Hinduism, Pastor Fernando couldn�t be allowed to continue with his sowing of discord with other religions. more..

May 18 (Island) The Attorney General has filed a claim in the High Court of Singapore over the X-Press Pearl incident, involving six defendants. A case conference hearing took place on May 15 and the next date is scheduled for June. AG�s Department is considering the transfer of the case to the Singapore International Commercial Court (SICC) based on SICC�s rules and litigation being managed by a Singaporean law firm approved by the Cabinet to represent the SL Govt. more..

May 18 (PMD) Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe, during a meeting with Ministry Secretaries and Provincial Chief Secretaries, expressed confidence that the proper implementation of the govt�s policy program would lead to economic prosperity surpassing the goals set by the IMF. He stressed the need for collective effort to address the concerns raised by the youth regarding country�s economy & their future. more..

May 18 (DM) In a stunning turn of events, 3 individuals who had been sentenced to life imprisonment for the possession of 10 kilograms of heroin were acquitted on May 11 in a re-trial at the Puttalam High Court. The defense successfully challenged a crucial piece of evidence - the claim that the raid was conducted under moonlight. The defence's argument centered on the absence of moonlight during the alleged incident, contradicting the Police's testimony. more..

May 18 (SMH) SL cricketer Danushka Gunathilaka has had three of four charges withdrawn relating to the alleged sexual assault of a woman in her home in Sydney�s eastern suburbs. The 32-year-old was arrested at his team�s hotel in Sydney�s CBD last year and charged with four counts of sexual intercourse without consent over the alleged incident on Nov 2. Police say Gunathilaka, who attended Downing Centre Local Court on Thursday wearing a beige jumper and sunglasses, and more..

May 18 (AD) The supply of electricity and all related services, the supply or distribution of petroleum products and fuel, and health services have been declared essential services once again. This was announced in a special gazette notification, issued by Prez Secretary Saman Ekanayake under the directives of Prez Wickremesinghe on Wednesday (17). It was published in accordance with the powers vested in the Prez under Section 2 of the Essential Public Services Act No. 61 of 1979. more..

May 18 (DM) SL has registered a total of 150 COVID-19 infections over the last 20 days with 16 fatalities related to coronavirus, according to the Epidemiology Unit. A majority of the deceased are above 70 years old and some are vaccinated while some are not. Further, all 16 victims had been suffering from chronic diseases. The maximum number of deaths as three was recorded on May 07 while the highest number of single-day cases as 13 were reported on May 06 and 16. more..

May 18 (TM) The administration of the Sir John Kotelawala Defence Uni (KDU) is to send a clarification on the corruption-related allegations against KDU and the Hospital attached to the Uni which was sought by the Ministry of Defence (MoD), as soon as they receive legal advice from the Attorney General (AG). KDU administration is awaiting legal advice from the AG�s Dept to send the clarification to the Ministry on the corruption more..