Jan 23 (FT) Parliament will take up for debate the contentious Online Safety Bill today. The debate is scheduled to continue tomorrow, culminating in a vote on the proposed legislation. According to sources, several amendments are expected to be incorporated into the bill during its deliberation. Minister Tiran Alles recently introduced the bill for its initial reading in Parliament. The bill has come under intense fire by Sri Lanka�s opposition parties, civil society groups and activists. more..

Jan 23 (DN) SL under 19 team led by Sineth Jayawardena started world cup campaign on a winning note when they defeated Zimbabwe by 39 runs (DLS) in a rain-affected 22-over Group �C� match in South Africa on Sunday at Kimberley. With Zimbabwe�s target reduced from 204 to 129, they were bowled out for 89 runs. The Lankan bowling attack led by leg spinner Malsha Tharupathi who had a splendid bowling performance taking 4 for 17, supported by Vishwa Lahiru (2/12) and, more..

Jan 23 (FT) Apparel exports appear to be showing signs of rebound with December marking the highest ever performance in a year though the industry ended 2023 with negative growth. Exports in December amounted to $ 415.6 million as per provisional data from Joint Apparel Association (JAAF). Dec 2023 figure is the highest since Dec 2022�s tally of $ 451 million. In 2022, apparel exports averaged over $ 500 million between more..

Jan 23 (CT) Govt Ayurvedic Medical Officers staged a protest outside the Health Ministry making several demands, including the Rs 35,000 Disturbance, Availability and Transport (DAT) allowance given to Western Medical Practitioners. Health Minister Dr. Ramesh Pathirana yesterday held discussions with representatives of the Joint committee of the Ayurvedic Medical Officers� Unions regarding their demands. Accordingly, the representatives who came to a special discussion with the minister more..

Jan 23 (FT) A meeting between the Justice Minister President�s Counsel, Dr. Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe and the German Ambassador to Sri Lanka Dr. Felix Neumann was held at the Justice Ministry yesterday. The Justice Minister said the Office for National Unity and Reconciliation, the Office on Missing Persons and the Office for Reparations have been established in order to build harmony among the races in the country and that the Truth-finding Commission is to be set up soon. more..

Jan 23 (DN) Governance and transparency is a vital important component for the economy to emerge out of the crisis and to be once again on stable, inclusive growth and is one of the core pillars of the program along with many otherthings such as physical stability, debt sustainability, financial stability and so forth, IMF Senior Mission Chief Peter Breuer said on Sunday. �It is also important for the credibility of the economic program that the authorities have embarked on. more..

Jan 23 (DM) Durdanto Dhaka's SL opener Danushka Gunathilaka left the field retired hurt after getting struck on the with the ball early on in the innings in their ongoing Bangladesh Premier League match against the Chattogram Challengers at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in Dhaka today. Dhaka sent in another SL Lasith Croospulle as his concussion substitute. However, this substitution has led to controversy as Croospulle was not part of 15 man squad Dhaka had submitted for match. more..

Jan 23 (DM) National Medicines Regulatory Authority (NMRA) and CID who visited the controversial plant involved in the human immunoglobulin scam today for the second day, searched the entire premises prior to taking several computers and samples of medicines into custody for further inquiries, the police said. NMRA and CID officials following a court order visited the plant belonging to Isolez Biotech Pharma AG more..

Jan 23 (FT) SL is off to a promising start in 2024 as it welcomes over 142,000 visitors during the first three weeks. During the first 21 days of January, a total of 142,162 visitors have chosen SL as their destination, marking a significant milestone in the country�s efforts to leapfrog its tourism sector in 2024. The latest figures reveal a considerable increase compared to the past three years. In Jan 2021, the country received 1,682 tourists, while the numbers rose to 82,327 in 2022 more..

Jan 23 (DM) Filing a special determination petition before the Supreme Court, SJB General Secretary alleged that the proposed Anti-Terrorism Bill will create a separate legal regime to other penal statutes in respect of similar conduct. Filing this petition challenging the constitutionality of the Anti-Terrorism Bill, Ranjith Madduma Bandara is seeking a declaration that the bill requires the approval by the people at a Referendum in addition to the two-thirds approval in Parliament. more..

Jan 23 (OHCHR) UN experts* expressed alarm at the heavy security-driven approach of SL�s drug response. They called on authorities to immediately suspend and review so-called Operation Yukthiya and to focus on policies based on health and human rights. �Drug users have human rights,� the experts said. �They deserve to live a life with dignity without facing further discrimination and stigmatisation.� more..

Jan 23 (FT) Darling Sinna, Thank you Sinna for your message via the toothpaste service Signal. I am not qualified to pronounce on this but those in the know say it�s so secure that the Moneypenny�s, Sallay�s, M�s, of this world have a hard time tracking you when it�s on the toothpaste variety known as Signal. Presidential visit to the unfortunate area known as the former conflict areas surely must denote that electioneering has started in earnest. No matter what anyone says especially more..

Jan 23 (FT) It has taken 75 years of self-destructive communal politics to bankrupt SL economy and leave each of the ethnic and religious minorities to fight for a piece from a shrinking cake. True, corruption, nepotism, wasteful investments, riots, civil war, natural disasters and so on had contributed to this bankruptcy. But at the bottom of all this is the diabolic political ideology of Sinhala Buddhist majoritarianism, which highjacked the British gifted parliamentary democracy, and more..

Jan 23 (EN) Representatives of Elite Academy, a UK-based private security service provider and training institute, met with SL�s Labour and Foreign Employment Minister to discuss establishing a training center in the island, minister said. Talks were held about establishing a training centre �aimed at foreign employment opportunities in the security sector including in the UAE� Nanayakkara said on Meta. Nanayakkara said he would provide state level support towards establishing such a center. more..

Jan 23 (AD) Former captain of Sri Lanka�s Test and ODI teams, Dimuth Karunaratne has secured a spot in the ICC Men�s Test Team of the Year 2023 despite playing just six matches in the year. Meanwhile, the ICC World Test Championship 2021-23 finalists Australia and India have dominated the ICC Men�s Test Team of the Year 2023. Dimuth Karunaratne (Sri Lanka): Despite playing just six matches in the year, SL captain Dimuth Karunaratne secures a spot in the team with memorable outings throughout more..

Jan 23 (AD) The GMOA has decided to launch an indefinite strike starting from tomorrow. Accordingly, govt doctors will commence the strike from 8 a.m. tomorrow, as the govt has temporarily suspended the Disturbance, Availability and Transport (DAT) allowance, GMOA said. GMOA states that the decision was reached following information received that the govt has decided not to provide the Disturbance, DAT allowance which more..

Jan 23 (AD) Govt Dental Surgeons� Association (GDSA) announced that they will also engage in a strike action from 8 a.m. tomorrow, in response to Health Ministry�s decision to withhold payment of the Disturbance, Availability and Transport (DAT) allowance for doctors, which was recently increased by Rs. 35,000. Association mentioned that the duration and specifics of the strike will be decided at an emergency executive committee meeting of the GDSA which is scheduled to be held more..

Jan 23 (DM) Despite criticism from several organisations including the UN regarding potential human rights violations during the ongoing countrywide crackdown on criminals and drug smugglers, Acting IGP Deshabandu Tennakoon said that the operation Yukthiya has ano personal agenda, focusing solely on eradicating the underworld and apprehending drug smugglers. The Yukthiya operation, launched on Dec 17 last year following the appointment of Tennakoon as more..

Jan 23 (AD) Owners of 125 vehicles have been issued warning over traffic offences as a preliminary step in the pilot project launched in Colombo on Monday, where a 24-hour surveillance system wasw implemented to monitor traffic violations. Amongst the violations detected, traffic lane violations and failing to stop at red lights were seen as the most common offences. Police launched a special programme yesterday, through which more..

Jan 23 (DM) Policy rates will be maintained at their current levels, the Central Bank of SL said today, its first monetary policy announcement for the year. Monetary Policy Board has decided to maintain the Standing Deposit Facility Rate (SDFR) and Standing Lending Facility Rate (SLFR) of Central Bank at their current levels of 9% and 10%. The Board arrived at this decision following a comprehensive assessment of domestic and international macroeconomic developments to maintain inflation more..

Jan 23 (AD) The Online Safety Bill is to be taken up for debate in Parliament today after 83 MPs voted in favour of debating the bill, while 50 MPs had voted against it. Accordingly, the Second Reading Debate of the proposed Online Safety Bill will continue in the Parliament today. Although the relevant debate was scheduled to be held in Parliament today, the parliamentary session which commenced at 09.30 a.m. this morning, took a 10-minute adjournment to convene a party leaders more..

Jan 23 (EN) Central Bank said that it was considering legal action against registered limited liability companies that were using personal bank accounts to conduct business for the purpose of tax evasion. The Central Bank issued a warning against the misuse of personal accounts for illegal activities, last week (15). �The reason for that was that we received complaints from banks that clients who had registered a business were conducting transactions not through the account established for more..

Jan 23 (Island) The main opposition SJB says that the Online Safety Bill, scheduled to be taken for debate in Parliament today, and tomorrow, will become a major blow to the people�s freedom of speech, if it becomes the law. SJB MP Eran Wickremeratne said that the govt had stated that the protection of the rights of women and children on social media platforms as one of the objectives of the proposed Bill. �However, the Bill does not even contain the words women and children. more..

Jan 23 (AD) GMOA has decided to call off the planned indefinite strike action which was slated to commence from tomorrow. This decision has been reached after the Director General of Health Services, issuing a written notification to the Directors and Heads of all Health Institutions, a short while ago, canceling with immediate effect the previously issued letter announcing that the payment of the DAT allowance more..

Jan 23 (SLN) The Sri Lanka Navy conducted a special operation to chase away Indian poaching trawlers from SL waters on the night of 22nd January. The operation resulted in the seizure of 02 Indian trawlers and apprehension of 06 Indian nationals poaching in SL waters north of the Delft Island, Jaffna. Navy conducts regular patrols and operations in SL waters to curb illegal fishing practices by foreign fishing trawlers, taking into account the consequences of these practices more..

Jan 23 (FT) As a group professionals and citizens interested in economic recovery and good governance, the IT Professionals for the People (IT4P) yesterday expressed the grave concerns raised by critics that, by imposing imprisonment and fines against ill-defined prohibited statements, the Online Safety Bill may cripple opposition election campaigns, silence journalists reporting on corruption, and may severely impact the IT industry, which is a key export revenue driver. more..

Jan 23 (EN) Sri Lanka might lose access to international platforms such as Google and Meta with the introduction of the Online Safety Bill, MP Eran Wickremeratne said in parliament. �Once this law is introduced, they will review the offences they would be accused of and most likely close up its access to users in SL. Further, if the SL govt requests for certain information from Google, they will most likely not comply anymore as more..

Jan 23 (Island) In overcoming the worst crisis in Sri Lanka�s history, the country�s neighbor, India, became the leading backer of the IMF relief programme, India�s High Commissioner to SL Santosh Jha said. �Our desire to work closely with the govt and the people of SL manifested most visibly during the Covid-19 pandemic and the economic crisis in SL in 2022. Our response was driven by our neighbourhood-first policy, which is based on a strong sense of solidarity and more..

Jan 23 (AD) Applications for the admission of children to Grade 01 of schools should be submitted in accordance with the circular issued by the Ministry of Education and the admission process will be carried out by holding interviews through school principals, Education Ministry said in a statement. Meanwhile, the statement also mentioned that the admission of students to Grade 05 of schools will only be carried out based on the marks obtained at the Grade 05 Scholarship Exam. more..

Jan 23 (FT) As the National ICT solutions provider, SLT-Mobitel celebrates the 15th anniversary of Upahara, recognising State sector employees and pensioners for their untiring dedication to serve the nation. Introduced in 2008, Upahara was offered in appreciation and as a tribute to public sector employees and pensioners who have devoted their lives in service of the country. To celebrate Upahara�s legacy and cater to evolving needs of customers, SLT-Mobitel has introduced more..

Jan 23 (AD) SL all-rounder and Women�s Team Captain Chamari Athapaththu, who showcased exceptional skills as a player in the ODI format throughout the year, has been named as the captain of the ICC Women�s ODI Team of the Year for 2023. Meanwhile, on Monday, Athapaththu was also honoured with the team captaincy of the ICC Women�s T20I Team of the Year for 2023. The ICC Women�s ODI Team of the Year for 2023 is as follows: Chamari Athapaththu (SL) more..

Jan 23 (CT) Private bus trade unions expressed their displeasure over the newly implemented CCTV system, set up by the Sri Lanka Police, to identify traffic violations. Inter-Provincial Private Bus Association (IPPBA) Secretary Anjana Priyanjith said the Govt should create smart roads before creating a smart driver. Addressing concerns around the latest initiative of the Police, to trace traffic offenders in Colombo using CCTV cameras, more..

Jan 23 (DN) The current economic pressure and the country�s situation is nothing like what it faced 20 years ago when there was a JVP insurrection and LTTE terror, said diversified entrepreneur Dilith Jayaweera at the ICONN/IO Pvt Ltd tech company�s third anniversary yesterday. He said that during this time there was also a major drain and people seem to have forgotten it. �I was selected to the university but had to wait for 3 years since the universities were closed.� more..

Jan 23 (AD) Supreme Court has set a date to consider the Fundamental Rights (FR) petitions filed claiming that the rights of members of both, EPF and ETF are being violated as a result of the govt�s Domestic Debt Restructuring (DDO) programme. Accordingly, FR petitions are due to be taken up for consideration on 30 October 2024, as per a decision made by a 3-member judge bench of the SC comprising of Justices S. Thurairaja, Shiran Gooneratne & Mahinda Samayawardhena more..

Jan 23 (DM) Initial investigations into the manslaughter of five individuals, including the leader of the Ape Jana Bala Party, Saman Perera, who were killed in a shooting in Beliatta, revealed that the underworld gang led by Kosgoda Sujee may have orchestrated the shooting in retaliation for a murder in Tangalle. Acting IGP Deshabandu Tennakoon said that investigations into the shooting, believed to be an act of underworld retaliation, more..

Jan 23 (AD) Supreme Court on Tuesday concluded the hearing of the petition filed by Ministers Manusha Nanayakkara and Harin Fernando, challenging the decision taken by SJB to oust them from the party and disqualify them of their parliamentary seats. The hearing was concluded by a 3-judge bench of the SC comprising of Justices Vijith Malalgoda, Achala Wengappuli and Arjuna Obeysekera, when the case was taken up in court this morning, and it was declared that the verdict would be deferred, more..