Mar 22 (ST) Sri Lanka aims for zero rabies by 2025, but requires more effective, evidence-based strategies for its elimination. The estimated dog population in SL is 2.1 million, and the annual canine vaccination coverage has ranged from 34% to 56%. Rural and suburban areas have a high proportion of free-roaming dogs with unrestricted access to wild animal habitats. Sri Lanka is the only country that gives anti-rabies medicines for free. more..

Mar 22 (SO) Lance Corporal H.H. Pasindu, a distinguished member of the SL Army Special Forces, entered his name into the annals through an act of extraordinary bravery. His valorous actions involved saving a woman on the verge of attempting suicide by jumping into the daunting 60-feet deep Kotmale Reservoir. In recognition of his exceptional courage, Lance Corporal H.H. Pasindu was honoured with the prestigious Army Commander�s Commendation Badge at the SL Army HQ. more..

Mar 22 (ST) While graphite in its raw form is used in the manufacture of electric vehicle (EV) batteries globally, Sri Lanka�s graphite has a huge potential to export to countries that manufacture EVs. Last year, the US alone manufactured one million EVs while 85 million EVs were rolled out globally. In 2019, Sri Lanka was the 11th largest supplier to the world with exports worth US$ 4.6 million and 2570 metric tons in volume accounting for only 0.9% of the world market share. more..

Mar 22 (FT) The Court of Appeal, yesterday on an application preferred by Spectrum Pharmatech Lanka Ltd., the Zone Developer in the Suwa Siri Pura Pharmaceutical Production Zone in Oyamaduwa, Anuradhapura, granted an Injunction against the Minister of Health and State Minister of State Ministry of Production, Supply and Regulation of Pharmaceuticals. The injunction restrains them from taking any steps to act in contravention to the Development and Management Agreement more..

Mar 22 (Island) The govt was cock-a-hoop yesterday evening, having defeated the Opposition�s motion of no confidence against Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena. There were 75 votes for the motion and 117 votes against it. The SLPP has retained a parliamentary majority by engineering crossovers from the Opposition, despite its growing unpopularity in the country, and therefore when the no-faith motion was put to the vote, nobody expected the ayes to have it. more..

Mar 22 (FT) IMF said yesterday a staff-level agreement on economic policies to conclude the second review of the 4-year EFF-supported program has been reached with SL enhancing the prospect to receive a fresh $ 337 million in financing bringing the total to $ 1 billion since March last year. Completion of the review by the IMF�s Executive Board requires: (i) implementation by the authorities of prior actions; and (ii) completion of more..

Mar 22 (FT) Expolanka Holdings, a titan in the SL business landscape, has witnessed an extraordinary journey from its humble origins to becoming the largest market capitalised company in the country. At the heart of this remarkable stride stands Hanif Yusoof, the c0-founder and CEO and more recently Global President, who has been widely credited for orchestrating Expo�s phenomenal success over the years. Through his bold vision, unwavering determination & relentless pursuit of more..

Mar 22 (FT) New European Union (EU) regulations on deforestation-free products (EUDR) are applicable for SL�s exports, the Foreign Ministry announced. Foreign Secretary Aruni Wijewardane chaired a meeting at the Foreign Ministry with the participation of the EU Ambassador Carmen Moreno to brief key industry stakeholders on the new EUDR. As a direct beneficiary of the EU GSP+ concessions, SL�s rubber exports to the EU market will have to adopt due diligence to prove more..

Mar 22 (TM) Following certain allegations being made by the Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa that the Govt is to issue 200 new liquor store licences aimed at the upcoming elections, Excise Dept denied the allegations, claiming that all the licences have been issued under the prescribed terms and conditions. SJB Leader Premadasa alleged that the Govt is planning to issue licences to open 200 wine stores under more..

Mar 22 (TM) Opposition MP, Udaya Gammanpila said that MPs who criticise the salary hike at the Central Bank of SL (CBSL) should put their words into action by endorsing his Private Member Bill, which seeks the repeal of the CBSL's decision. In a context where the CBSL�s decision has sparked controversy within the country�s Legislature, taking the question of whether the CBSL has the autonomy to make such a decision without the approval of the Parliament, MP Gammanpila presented more..

Mar 22 (DM) Dr. Cornelius Boersch, a top German tech investor, has reaffirmed commitment and future investments in SL. Having invested in the tech sector for 30 years across frontier markets spanning South America to Asia, Dr. Boersch maintains that all markets exhibit similar dynamics. With this perspective, he first visited SL in October 2021, emerging as one of the earliest global tech investors to commit to post-COVID recovery through Mountain Lion Ventures, more..

Mar 22 (Island) Formidable opponents St. Joseph�s and St. Peter�s will be out to produce a close contest when they take the field in the 90th Battle of the Saints Big Match starting at the SSC ground today. With a couple of SL Under 19 players bracing key positions, the two teams are expected to produce a thrilling contest. Two teams have peaked at the right moment to do so. St. Peter�s, captained by SL Under 19 cap Vishen Helambage, are just one win away from securing a place in the Tier A category more..

Mar 22 (DM) As forecasted by the National Meteorological Centre's forecasting division, many areas across the island experienced showers following a change in the prevailing dry weather. Duty Meteorologist Chaminda de Silva, attached to the Meteorological Centre, said that showers were experienced in most areas of the island, including the South-western, Eastern, Uva, Northern, North-eastern, and North-central provinces. Areas not mentioned above may have also received more..

Mar 22 (Island) Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena yesterday revealed in Parliament that he had been asked by some foreign powers to take over the executive presidency while the country was in crisis owing to the Aragalaya protests. �The objective of those who made that request was to create another Libya or Afghanistan here. They did not want to resolve the crisis or restore law & order to protect this country,� more..

Mar 22 (DM) In the wake of the incident where SriLankan Airlines Flight UL 470, scheduled for Incheon, South Korea, faced an unexpected delay on March 19, the Airlines has issued a statement regarding the incident. The statement said the delay, attributed to a technical issue, lasted approximately 13 hours from the originally planned departure time. However, the Airlines ensured the comfort and convenience of all 217 passengers on board. �Out of the 217 passengers, more..

Mar 22 (DM) Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe has been able to make up the economy of the country to a certain extent with the assistance of the IMF, Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva said. While officially declaring March 21 as National Seafarers' Day in Sri Lanka today, the minister said that the IMF bill is a good cure for the economy, but it is very painful. It is very painful, especially for the lower middle-class people and the poorest of the poor in the country. If not, we cannot survive the bill, more..

Mar 22 (AD) Governor of the Central Bank of SL (CBSL) has informed the COPF today (21) that they accepted all recommendations from COPF report on salary revisions, the Chairman of the COPF, MP Dr. Harsha de Silva said. He also mentioned that President Ranil Wickremesinghe will appoint a committee to review salaries as soon as possible, until which salary increases will be deferred from next month. more..

Mar 22 (AD) The famous dictum made by John Acton, a British jurist (1887) that absolute corruption corrupts absolutely comes to my mind when I read the unilateral decision taken by the Central Bank of SL (CBSL) in granting an obnoxious salary revision (70%) to its employees across the board, behind the cover of the unfettered autonomy and independent status given to the CBSL by Act No. 16 of 2023. One could argue whether the CBSL�s sense of morality has lessened to such a low ebb more..

Mar 22 (FT) Sri Lanka is now clearly emerging from an unprecedented economic crisis that imposed significant hardships on its people, especially the most vulnerable. There are now some clear signs of recovery. The IMF has projected that the economy will expand in 2024 and that growth will accelerate. Tight borrowing conditions and reduced disposable income still holds back domestic consumption whilst the reform momentum is hurting the poor in some ways. more..

Mar 22 (AD) Attorney General has informed the Supreme Court that he would not represent former Minister of Health Keheliya Rambukwella and several other respondents named in a Fundamental Rights (FR) petition. The petition seeks a ruling determining that fundamental human rights have been violated through the decision taken to purchase medicines from two unregistered Indian companies under the Indian credit line. Appearing on behalf of the Attorney General, Deputy Solicitor General more..

Mar 22 (DM) There are discussions to gazette all the performance items, including dance elements presented during the annual Esala Perahera festival by the Sri Dalada Maligawa and the Satara Maha Devalayas, Diyawadana Nilame Pradeep Nilanga Dela said. The discussions were held with the President's Secretary, Saman Ekanayake, today. The Diyawadana Nilame pointed out that by gazetting all the items, including the dance elements, they will not be distorted in the future. more..

Mar 22 (CI) A day that started with SL's top five being skittled for just 57 ended with Bangladesh three down and trailing by 248 runs. In between, there were centuries for Dhananjaya de Silva and Kamindu Mendis amid a 202-run sixth-wicket stand, as SL fought back from a horror start to end day one of the first Test in Sylhet in control of proceedings. By stumps, Vishwa Fernando and Kasun Rajitha had accounted for three of Bangladesh's top four, more..

Mar 22 (DM) A total of 157 cutting-edge Intensive Care Unit (ICU) beds worth over Rs. 470 million were donated to the SL govt by a Sri Lankan family living in Canada. This generous contribution has been made at the behest of Rev. Fr. Darrel Coonghe, the Director and Founder of Supuwath Arana in Seeduwa. The donation ceremony took place at the Colombo Logistics Terminals (Pvt) Ltd in Welisara today (21). Health Ministry said these 157 beds are set to be distributed across 34 hospitals more..

Mar 22 (CI) Glass half-full or glass half-empty? It was a day when Bangladesh pinned SL on the ropes, but then allowed them to wriggle free and, with the ball in hand, throw some heavy punches of their own. Whichever way you saw it however, Bangladesh's fast bowlers were in the thick of the action. On a rare green-tinged pitch in Sylhet, Khaled Ahmed gave them a blazing start before Sri Lanka counter-attacked and took control of the middle session. Then the fast bowlers struck again. more..

Mar 22 (AD) Former Prez Maithripala Sirisena claims he is aware of the true mastermind of the 2019 Easter Sunday terror attacks and that he is prepared to disclose the information to the judiciary if inquired from him or issues an order regarding the matter. Commenting to the media in Kandy today, Sirisena highlighted that he is ready to disclose the relevant information and that at the same time, it is the responsibility of the judges to keep the information strictly confidential. more..

Mar 22 (AD) The SL Navy has apprehended 32 Indian fishermen along with 05 trawlers poaching in SL waters off Talaimannar and near the Delft Island in two separate operations conducted on Wednesday night. The Navy continues to conduct regular patrols and operations in Sri Lankan waters to curb illegal fishing practices of foreign fishing trawlers, taking into account the impact of those practices on the livelihood of local fishermen. As an extension of these operations, more..

Mar 22 (FT) IMF staff mission team led by Peter Breuer, Katsiaryna Svirydzenka and Sarwat Jahan called on Opposition leader Sajith Premadasa at the Parliament complex on Wednesday. The purpose of the meeting was to engage in a discussion concerning the ongoing progress of the agreement reached between the IMF and the Govt. The high-level gathering saw an extensive exchange of views on a wide array of economic, social, and political matters. During their discussion it was pointed out more..

Mar 22 (PMD) The Japanese Ambassador to SL MIZUKOSHI Hideaki, expressed Japan�s support for the current program aimed at rebuilding the Sri Lankan economy. Drawing parallels between Japan�s historical journey and SL�s current economic challenges, the Ambassador highlighted Japan�s resilience and economic resurgence as a model for SL. These remarks were made during his keynote address at a panel discussion on �Economic Development and Modernization with Lessons from Japan,� more..

Mar 22 (DM) Leader of the SLPP, Mahinda Rajapaksa, said that a general election should be held first and then the prez election to maintain a fair process in the country. Rajapaksa said that Basil Rajapaksa had conveyed this proposal to Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe on behalf of the SLPP when Basil met the Prez recently. Mahinda Rajapaksa also maintained that if this proposal is not followed, whichever party wins the prez election will have a massive victory in the parliamentary election, more..

Mar 22 (AD) SL Police have decided to offer cash prizes to individuals who provide information about illegal firearms used by organized criminal gang members. In parallel to the ongoing Yukthiya exercise to eradicate drug distribution initiated in late Dec 2023, the police launched a special police operation on March 19 in a bid to crack down on organized crimes. Accordingly, 20 special police teams � each consisting of nine personnel including one Crimes OIC, more..

Mar 22 (AD) Colombo High Court on Friday (22) decided to consider the revision application filed by former Minister Keheliya Rambukwella seeking to be released on bail. Accordingly, the revision application has been fixed for consideration on Monday (25) by HC Judge Sujeewa Nissanka. During the court proceedings, Deputy Solicitor General Lakmini Girihagama, representing the AG, told the court that the prosecution has yet to receive the documents pertaining to the revision application. more..

Mar 22 (DM) Women Parliamentarians� Caucus has requested Justice Minister Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe to take steps to withdraw the bill gazetted to amend Chapter 19 of the Penal Code which seeks to reduce the consent age for sex to 14. "According to the amendments made to the Penal Code in 1995, even if a girl under 16 years of age has sexual relations of her own free will, it is considered rape and the proposed amendment to the Penal Code by Minister of Justice will lower the age limit to 14 years," more..

Mar 22 (AD) SL is close to finalising a debt treatment plan with India and the Paris Club, sources familiar with the negotiations said, pointing to a likely moratorium of up to six years and a reduced interest rate during the repayment period. �The discussions are at an advanced stage. A formal agreement on the terms can be expected very soon,� the Colombo-based source said, after a recent discussion among members of the Official Creditor Committee [OCC]. more..

Mar 22 (SLN) Navy apprehended 09 persons who engaged in illegal night diving in Mamunai and Nagar Kovil sea areas in Jaffna, during search operations conducted on 20th March. The operations also led to the seizure of 03 dinghies, diving gear and fishing equipment used for this illegal activity. The Navy carries out regular operations in the coastal and sea areas around the island, with a view to prevent illegal fishing practices of a handful of individuals who disregard the sustainability more..

Mar 22 (PMD) Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe has instructed officials to ensure the completion of the national Urumaya freehold deeds program by June. Prez emphasized that it is the dream of every citizen to attain legal ownership of land, regardless of their background. He firmly believes that everyone should have this fundamental right. Prez made these remarks while attending the Urumaya Freehold Deeds program held in the Ottagapulam, in Jaffna this morning (22). more..