Apr 25 (DM) Sri Lanka�s latest news in the international scene is generated with its dealings with Iran, a nation considered as a super power in tactical ballistic missiles and UAVs. Iran�s Prez Dr. Ebrahim Raisi was in the island on Wednesday (24) to declare open the Uma Oya Multipurpose Development Project along with Ranil Wickremesinghe, Prez of SL. Now, the people of this country are wondering why the first citizen of Iran was invited here for this opening ceremony. more..

Apr 25 (TM) The motor vehicle industry in SL has not seen proper regulation in terms of importing suitable vehicles and roadworthiness, and after four years of an import ban on motor vehicles, country�s ageing vehicle fleet is facing serious issues regarding roadworthiness, which have resulted in avoidable deaths. The most famous incident involving faulty items was reported in Feb 2023, when a scientist from SLINTEC more..

Apr 25 (DM) The SLASSCOM FIT HIT 2024 initiative wrapped up recently, after a comprehensive two-month endeavour dedicated to promoting health and wellness in the IT/BPM industry. With over 300 participants from 25 plus companies, the event featured a variety of activities aimed at encouraging healthier habits and lifestyles in the tech industry. At the heart of FIT HIT 2024 were four dynamic webinars with a focus on nutrition, exercise, lifestyle, and overall well-being. more..

Apr 25 (ST) India�s new high commissioner to Colombo Santosh Jha is no stranger to Sri Lanka. He served here during the last years of the anti-LTTE war and a while after it ended. So High Commissioner Jha knows this country well enough, though he might need to catch up on the rather confusing state of Sri Lankan politics after then-president Gotabaya Rajapaksa�s rather hurried exit and the rather strange power structure and governance -style that followed. more..

Apr 25 (FT) Chamber of Marine Industries of SL (CMISL) signed a MoU with the Singapore Boating Industry Association (SBIA) on 22 April 2024, with a view to working together to promote the boating and yachting industries. The initial negotiations between the two associations were facilitated by the High Commission of SL in Singapore. The signing was done by Marine Industries Chamber of SL Chairman and SL Singapore Business Council Vice President Indhra Rajapaksa and more..

Apr 25 (ST) The Sri Lanka Badminton�s (SLB) Regional Development Committee, kicked off the second edition of the Shuttle Time programme, an island-wide initiative to promote the sport among school children. The Shuttle Time programme, overseen by Sri Lanka Badminton and the Ministry of Sports, successfully launched its first activities of the year at two underprivileged schools in the Kantale area of the Trincomalee District, and in Tawalama of Galle District. more..

Apr 25 (ST) The koha�s song, renowned for being the melody of Avurudu, traditionally heralds the arrival of the Sinhala and Tamil New Year. However, there�s a growing concern that this iconic trill is now less frequently heard during the season. Could this be attributed to a decrease in the koha population, a shift in its singing season? Or is it our modern habits of spending more time indoors, engrossed in electronic devices, that cause more..

Apr 25 (CT) Picture yourself somewhere you wish to be; not a Utopian plane where milk and honey is the daily beverage; not a fairyland where you are up in the clouds disturbed by none other than those lovely angels: an ordinary setting, your own middle-class house, under a tiled roof and amongst your family members watching television in the evening just before retiring to bed with your loving wife after setting the bed for the two sons whose homework has already been concluded and more..

Apr 25 (FT) The World Bank recently held a press briefing to discuss the future of SL's economy. World Bank Country Director for Maldives, Nepal, and SL Faris Hadad-Zervos stated: "SL's economy is on the road to recovery, but sustained efforts to mitigate the impact of the economic crisis on the poor and vulnerable are critical, alongside a continuation of the path of robust and credible structural reforms." Currently, SL's overall recovery path is becoming clearer, especially through more..

Apr 25 (DN) �We are determined to do our best in the T-20 World Cup qualifying tournaments, which will start with our game against Thailand today,� said SL Women�s Cricket Team Skipper Chamari Athapaththu in a Zoom meeting yesterday from Dubai. Sri Lanka will meet Thailand in their first qualifying match today from 4.30 pm onwards in Dubai. The SL team had good preparation before this tournament and also recorded back-to-back wins in their warm-up games against more..

Apr 25 (DN) M.F. Muhammad of Zahira College made a splash at the 48th National Age Group Swimming Championship, hosted by SL Aquatic Sports Union (SLASU). On the opening day at the Sugathadasa Swimming Pool Complex, Muhammad, competing in the U-17 category, not only shattered an eight-year-old meet record but also clocked the best men�s 50m Breaststroke time of the entire tournament. 15-year-old sensation raced to victory in the boys 50m Breaststroke, setting a new more..

Apr 25 (TM) Election Commission (EC) stated that several recognised political parties have had to be set aside from the relevant list due to internal crises within the said parties. According to the official website of the EC, there are 84 recognised political parties. EC Chairperson R.M.A.L. Rathnayake said that there have been internal crises due to various issues such as problems in appointing the secretary of several recognised political parties. more..

Apr 25 (FT) Federation of Information Technology Industry SL (FITIS) welcomed the launch of National Digital Economy Strategy. FITIS said the National Economy Strategy for SL � 2030 was approved by the Cabinet of Ministers at the Cabinet Meeting held on 25 March 2024. Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe, in his capacity as the Minister of Technology, presented the proposal to the Cabinet of Ministers for approval. Coordinated by the Ministry of Technology and supported by the World Bank, more..

Apr 25 (FT) The SLASSCOM applauded the launch of National Economy Strategy and expressed confidence it will pave the way for inclusive growth. It said SL, a nation poised at the cusp of digital transformation, has taken a monumental step forward with the introduction of its National Digital Economy Strategy. Crafted through a collaborative effort between Government bodies, academia, industry stakeholders, and supported by the World Bank, this strategic blueprint stands more..

Apr 25 (FT) The latest 2023 Country Report on Human Rights Practices released by US Department of State has highlighted the SL Govt�s failure to take action against officials who have committed human rights abuses. The report released this week said the SL Govt took minimal steps to identify and punish officials who may have committed human rights abuses. �Impunity remained a significant problem more..

Apr 25 (DN) SL General Insurance will go out of their way to honour the claims that will arise in the aftermath of the 7 deaths of the Fox Hill Supercross on April 21, organized by the SL Military Academy, Diyatalawa and SL Association of Motor Sports (SLAS) held last Sunday. The accident is the worst ever in the history of motor racing history. In the 1960 Nuwara Eliya Races and in 1990�s Galle races one spectator each died. COO, SL General Insurance, Priyantha Perera said that more..

Apr 25 (ST) Police Dept will track incidents of foreign tourist harassment recorded on social media and take action against local perpetrators, just days after two Sri Lankans were arrested�one for cheating, the other on three charges including verbal abuse�and released on hefty bails. �The police are going to take some action, whatever we can do,� DIG Nihal Thalduwa said. �It is because we have to control this situation�always cheating, cheating, cheating. There are so many complaints.� more..

Apr 25 (Island) What Washington asked Sri Lanka not to do in the name of democracy, during Aragalaya in 2022, is being done in the US! There have been police crackdowns on US university students engaged in protests against Israel�s war in Gaza. Hundreds of undergrads have so far been arrested and their encampments in university premises broken up. Columbia University has cancelled in-person classes in view of student protests. more..

Apr 25 (Island) Weerasena Gamage was sworn in as a member of the Ninth Parliament yesterday before Speaker. After taking the official oath/affirmation before the Speaker, he then signed the Members� roll kept before the Secretary General of the Parliament Mrs. Kushani Rohanadeera. Gamage filled the vacancy created by the death of H. Nandasena, a MP representing the SLPP from the Anuradhapura district. Born in 1945, Gamage completed his education at more..

Apr 25 (Island) Parliament was yesterday informed that two Indians were recruiting ex-Sri Lankan servicemen to fight in the Russia-Ukraine war. SLFP MP Dayasiri Jayasekera said the leading operator had identified himself as a lawyer while his brother called himself a doctor. They were in touch with ex-servicemen of Sri Lanka and offering them jobs as general camp helpers for either Ukraine or Russia, he said. more..

Apr 25 (FT) Despite the temporary setback in tea production in the first quarter, due to the dry weather and low fertiliser application by smallholders in Q1, the Sri Lanka Tea Board (SLTB) Chairman Niraj de Mel was optimistic that the tea output could still reach 260 million kilos and generating around $ 1.3 billion in revenue for 2024. �We were hopeful of a positive year, but the good work of January and February was wiped out in March with the first quarter ending up in a negative manner. more..

Apr 25 (DM) Govt Medical Officers' Association (GMOA) has requested the govt to suspend the recent Cabinet decision which approved local students to gain admission to the General Sir John Kotelawala Defence University's medical degree programme. Under the endorsed proposal, which received the nod from the Cabinet, aspiring medical students from Sri Lanka will have the opportunity to commence their studies at the renowned institution from the upcoming academic year. more..

Apr 25 (DM) In light of the numerous complaints received, the Railways department has stated that riding on the footboards of express trains is strictly prohibited. They have made it clear that they will not assume responsibility for any accidents involving both locals and foreign tourists. A senior official from the department noted that several incidents have been reported where both locals and foreign tourists were observed riding on footboards, particularly on upcountry trains. more..

Apr 25 (DM) The chief local facilitator behind the organised child smuggling syndicate between SL and Malaysia, which rocked the country with 17 child smuggling cases last year, was arrested by the Dept of Immigration and Emigration at the BIA, when he was deported from Malaysia today. Making a breakthrough in a year-long probe by the SL border agency, the chief local facilitator was caught in the act of transporting a 14-year-old boy with his father by the Malaysian Immigration Dept more..

Apr 25 (Island) SJB leader Sajith Premadasa yesterday confirmed that an abortive attempt was made on his life at Galle Face on the afternoon of May 09, 2022 in the wake of the attack by SLPP goons on those who had barricaded themselves outside the Presidential Secretariat. MP Premadasa said so in response to The Island query. We sought the Opposition Leader�s reaction to SLPP MP Johnston Fernando�s declaration that more..

Apr 25 (DN) United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in SL's mobile interactive gender exhibition, A Journey of Transformation and Women�s Empowerment, reached its final stop in Batticaloa and was opened by Julie Chung, US Ambassador to SL together with Azusa Kubota, Resident Representative, UNDP in SL, along with the participation of other local govt officials, development partners and CSO partners. The pioneering initiative aimed at more..

Apr 25 (AD) Iran and SL on Wednesday signed five MoUs, aimed at bolstering bilateral relations between the two countries. Signed in the presence of Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe and Prez Dr. Ebrahim Raisi, the five agreements will cover cooperation between the two countries in the fields of film, media, tourism, cooperatives, libraries, and cultural, scientific, technical, and sports: 1. MoU on cooperation between National Library of SL and the National Library and Archives of Iran more..

Apr 25 (FT) In an internationally widely observed and landmark visit to SL, the Iranian President Dr. Ibrahim Raisi yesterday renewed his country�s further support to the progress of the Indian ocean nation. In a whistle stop but highly secure tour to SL, President Raisi inaugurated the $ 514 million worth Uma Diya Janani multi-purpose development project which boosts the critical electricity and irrigation sectors of the country. more..

Apr 25 (FT) SJB presidential campaign manager Sujeewa Senasinghe and live-wire SM Marikkar accuse Prez Wickremesinghe of refusing the SJB its request of venue for May 1st and switching that preferred location to the JVP-NPP instead. Meanwhile, six SJB MPs including shadow Finance Minister Dr Harsha de Silva accept decentralized funds from Prez Wickremesinghe allegedly without obtaining party permission. Is Ranil already a shareholder of the SJB, while simultaneously undermining it? more..

Apr 25 (FT) The Gender Equality Bill has been gazetted. It requires every public institution and private institution to appoint a senior official to be responsible for gender mainstreaming and gender equality (Gender Focal Point). That person is legally required to prepare a plan of activities targeting their areas of responsibility and report directly to the Council on a quarterly basis with a copy to Women Parliamentarians Caucus in Parliament (section 17). more..

Apr 25 (AD) Foreign Minister Ali Sabry is scheduled to leave for Riyadh, Saudi Arabia to attend the World Economic Forum�s Special Meeting on Global Cooperation, Growth and Energy for Development which will be held in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia from 28-29 April. Convened by the World Economic Forum, the Special Meeting in Riyadh is expected to bring together leaders from diverse sectors and industries to inspire a comprehensive dialogue on the most urgent and complex issues of the day. more..

Apr 25 (EN) Sri Lanka is planning to lift withholding tax on interest income below 100,000 a month to help older citizens who depend on interest income as interest rates fall, State Minister Ranjith Siyambalapitiya said. With deposit rates falling to around 9% from an earlier 16%, elderly persons who depend on interest get less income, he said. �We are now planning to put in place a mechanism to lift withholding tax from retirees who earn interest below 1,000 rupees a month,� more..

Apr 25 (DM) In a scathing rebuttal of allegations by Malcom Cardinal Ranjith regarding the Easter Sunday attacks, former Prez Gotabaya Rajapaksa said Cardinal Ranjith either glosses over the responsibility of, or expressly absolves the two parties actually involved in the terrorist strikes. Cardinal Ranjith made the following allegations against former Prez Gotabaya Rajapaksa at a recent media conference: That the day after the report of the PCoI more..

Apr 25 (AD) A final decision has yet to be taken regarding reducing the prices of imported milk powder, the importers say. An official meeting on the matter has not been held as of yet. In March, the importers slashed the price of a 1-kilogram milk powder packet by Rs. 150 and a 400-gram packet by Rs. 60. It is understood that following the price drop, imported milk packets are being sold at various rates in the local market. Against this backdrop, a company that imports milk powder from NZ more..

Apr 25 (TM) The most significant drug-related problem in the country is the trafficking of heroin from India, claimed SJB MP Eran Wickramaratne. It is debated that some powerful politicians are behind it and involved in drug trafficking which has handicapped drug control, claimed Wickramaratne further. �SL has actually become a transshipment centre for narcotics. In 2005, the UN South Asian regional profile report said that for the past decades, SL has been used as the transshipment point more..