Mar 26 (ST) Sri Lanka is losing orders and confidence among foreign buyers as the recent Customs union strike action at the Colombo Port had crippled import export operations. The work to rule campaign initiated by the Customs Dept for the past two weeks and the stoppage of work since last Friday at the Colombo Port by Customs officers has caused a serious loss of confidence in SL by foreign buyers and loss of orders as well, Shippers� Council Chairman Sean van Dort said. more..

Mar 26 (FT) Plaintiff Hamilton Reserve Bank (HRB), countering the defendant SL�s motion for a five-month stay, has requested the New York Southern District Court to extend the stay till the end of April 2024 on the condition that timely and specific information about the status of restructuring be submitted by 16 April. Complete details about any restructuring proposal Sri Lanka made or received and the progress are the key contents of more..

Mar 26 (FT) Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) leader Mahinda Rajapaksa yesterday expressed confidence in the party�s ability to secure victory in any forthcoming election. Speaking to the media after an SLPP meeting at the party headquarters, Rajapaksa refuted claims of a split within the party regarding support for Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe as a Presidential candidate, dismissing them as mere rumours. �I am not aware of any such split. These are mere rumours,� he clarified. more..

Mar 26 (TM) Ministry of Urban Development and Housing stated that if a complaint is received regarding an unsafe construction in any area, the Urban Development Authority (UDA) will take necessary steps to remove them. Colombo Municipal Commissioner Bhadranie Jayawardhana had recently said that nearly 150 unsafe constructions had been identified within the Colombo City limits. When queried about the measures that are being taken regarding such constructions, subject Minister Prasanna Ranatunga said more..

Mar 26 (FT) SJB MP S.M. Marikkar yesterday voiced scepticism regarding the recent statement made by former Prez Maithripala Sirisena regarding the Easter Sunday terror attacks, suggesting it might be a mere political manoeuvre. Marikkar raised doubts about the timing of the statement, especially with parliamentary elections on the horizon. On 22 March, Sirisena expressed his readiness to disclose the true masterminds behind the Easter Sunday terror attack of 2019 if directed by the Court. more..

Mar 26 (FT) State Minister of Finance Ranjith Siyambalapitiya assured that the Govt is committed to ensuring timely salary payments for all public sector employees and implementing relief measures for low-income families. �The increased sum of Rs. 10,000 for public servants will be incorporated into their April salaries as outlined in the 2024 Budget proposals,� he told Journalists in Ruwanwella. He said measures are underway to make the payment before 10 April. more..

Mar 26 (FT) Justice Minister Dr. Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe has reassured the public that the election amendment bills presented to Parliament are not expected to lead to any postponement of elections. Minister highlighted the Govt�s commitment to combat corruption and reform the electoral system. He noted that Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe has already submitted amendments aimed at tackling corruption more..

Mar 26 (TM) SJB and NPP, have decided not to nominate their MPs to the COPE and have decided to boycott its meetings further in protest of the appointment of its Chairperson, ruling SLPP MP Rohitha Abeygunawardana. SJB MP Tissa Attanayake said that the SJB has taken a decision to boycott the COPE meetings further until a new Chairperson is appointed. He also noted that an Opposition MP should be appointed as the COPE Chairperson to ensure the transparency more..

Mar 26 (TM) All key members of the SLFP at the national and regional levels have been called to the SLFP Headquarters (HQ) in Colombo on 30 March to discuss the upcoming elections. Senior Vice President of the SLFP, Prof. Rohana Luxman Piyadasa said that the members of the Party's Central and Executive Committees, the constituency and District Organisers, and other regional organisers and all the officials of the organisations affiliated to the Party had been called for more..

Mar 26 (TM) FUTA urged the Govt to hold extensive stakeholder discussions regarding the proposed National Higher Education Development Commission Bill which aims to make crucial changes to SL�s higher education system. When contacted, FUTA media spokesperson Charudaththe Ilangasinghe said that they have not been consulted by the Govt regarding the said Bill, which is reportedly to be tabled to the Parliament shortly, even though they participated in discussions more..

Mar 26 (EN) SL has a civic population that has the capacity to take to the streets if the govt violates the constitution to postpone the prez elections, Chairman of the PAFFREL Rohana Hettiarachchi said. �Elections don�t belong to political parties, govts or political leaders. Elections belong to the people,� Hettiarachchi said. �The prez election must definitely be held between Sept 17 and Oct 17. The president cannot change that, nor can the cabinet, nor Basil Rajapaksa,� he said. more..

Mar 26 (Island) Dissident SLPP MP Prof. G. L Peiris said the onus was on the Election Commission (EC) to announce the prez election on July 17, 2024, even if the govt advanced the parliamentary election. He said that the country expected the EC to act in terms of the prez election law. Therefore, there couldn�t be any ambiguity regarding the EC having to conduct prez elections between Sept 19 and Oct 17, 2024, more..

Mar 26 (DM) Kamindu Mendis made a grand comeback to the longest format smashing twin centuries against Bangladesh in the First Test concluded in Sylhet on Monday becoming the first batman to do so batting at number 7 or lower position. Despite scoring a fifty on his Test debut against Australia in 2022, Kamindu was not given an opportunity until the first Test against Bangladesh. The former Richmond College star had to regain his spot in the XI the harder way by scoring more..

Mar 26 (SO) Given the prevailing high temperatures across the nation, medical professionals strongly urge people to limit sun exposure and maintain adequate hydration by regularly consuming fluids. They said the importance of prioritising natural beverages like water and coconut water over artificial drinks. During such hot conditions, there may be a rise in skin ailments such as sweat blisters and eczema among children who are not adequately cooled. more..

Mar 26 (DM) Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe has informed his close associates and hinted to his cabinet that the Prez Election will be held as scheduled, indicating Basil Rajapaksa's failure in convincing the Prez to hold the Parliamentary Polls first. Senior political source said that Wickremesinghe had in the past two cabinet meetings discussed the elections and indicated that Prez Election would be held as scheduled. more..

Mar 26 (FT) After concluding its review on SL�s economic progress during last year and commending the regime for its unwavering commitment to the program�s implementation, the IMF review commission has recommended the release of the next tranche of $ 337 million to bring it to a total $ 1 billion since March 2023, but with a reminder that �sustaining the reform momentum and addressing governance weaknesses and corruption vulnerabilities are critical to put the economy more..

Mar 26 (CT) Doctors warned they would stage a token strike today, in all hospitals belonging to the Kalmunai Regional Health Service Directorate, from 8.00 a.m. demanding the Police take action against those who attacked the Base Hospital in Tirukkovil following the death of a student during a marathon race. Secretary of the GMOA Dr. Haritha Aluthge said that Base Hospital Tirukkovil had been attacked while hospital staff and doctors had been threatened following a 17-year-old student, more..

Mar 26 (FT) The Alcohol and Drug Information Centre (ADIC) in a statement recently called on the Govt to ban cigarette filters citing movements to conserve the environment. Whilst efforts to protect the environment must be lauded, however, the statement added the European Union had agreed on a ban, with Belgium and Netherlands already putting the ban in place. This is a complete misrepresentation of the truth. It once again spotlights organisations lobbying Govt for more..

Mar 26 (AD) SL Police is organizing a special security plan to be set in place at churches across the country in view of the upcoming Good Friday and Easter Sunday, as per the instructions of IGP Deshabandu Tennakoon. Accordingly, the police chief has given directives to all officers including the SDIGs, DIGs and OICs of police divisions. The OICs are instructed to meet with the priests and boards of trustees of churches to prepare security plans tailored to each church while more..

Mar 26 (DM) Governor of Central Bank, Dr. Nandalal Weerasinghe today that he will not step down from the post of Governor due to the issues caused by the salary increase. He said the crisis situation was caused by the amount of the salary increase at the CBSL. He also said that he will reconsider the salary increase for the employees working under him. Governor also said that he will leave his position only if he fails to fulfill more..

Mar 26 (TM) SL musical talents, Windy Goonatillake and Sanuka Wickramasinghe have triumphed at the prestigious Edison Awards held in India, winning the coveted title of Sensational Song of the Year for 2023. The duo soared to global fame with their captivating track Iyyo Saami, released in 2022. With their unique blend of talent and creativity, Windy and Sanuka have made significant waves in the music industry, captivating audiences worldwide with their melodious compositions & soulful more..

Mar 26 (EN) SL�s banks will be directed to formally set up business revival units that will help re-structure companies whose loans have gone bad, the central bank said. Business revival units were required to be set up initially during the covid pandemic, but now they will be made a permanent service of banks. �We hope to issue a directive next month, for banks to set up BRUs which will help guide and strengthen small and medium enterprises,� Governor Weerasinghe said. more..

Mar 26 (AD) Committee on Public Accounts (COPA) has instructed the officials of the Ministry of Finance to immediately report the matter of the importation of 102 spoiled fish containers into the country to the CID as it appears to be a criminal matter. Furthermore, high officials of the CID who were present at the Committee meeting held were informed to expedite the investigation in this regard. This was notified when COPA met recently more..

Mar 26 (AD) Cabinet has given its approval to amend the National Minimum Wage of Workers Act No. 03 of 2016 to increase the minimum monthly wage and daily wage of all workers in any industry. This was recommended by the tertiary sub-committee of trade unions and employers representing Small- and Medium-Sized Enterprises (SMEs) appointed by the National Labour Advisory Council. The relevant proposal was presented to the Cabinet meeting held on Monday (25) more..

Mar 26 (DM) The Asian Cricket Council (ACC) has announced the upcoming Women's Asia Cup 2024, scheduled to take place in Dambulla, SL, from July 19th to July 28th, 2024. This edition of the tournament will feature eight teams, one more than the previous edition in 2022, indicating the growing interest and participation in women's cricket across Asia. Joining the cricketing powerhouses of India, Pakistan, SL, and Bangladesh will be the semi-finalists of the Women's Premier Cup 2024 more..

Mar 26 (DM) Schoolchildren cannot wait, and their growth cannot be halted till we address their issues after resolving our own. They may opt for alternative educational systems in the meantime, Minister Susil Premajayantha said. While addressing the event marking the beginning of the 2024 school meal programme held today at the Sujatha Girls� College in Narahenpita, he said if a suitable education system is not available in school, the children will definitely find alternative systems. more..

Mar 26 (FT) The Harvard Club of Sri Lanka proudly announces, Big Bold Brave 2024, a ground-breaking thought leadership conference set to take place from 3 to 5 April, at the Galle Face Hotel in Colombo, Sri Lanka. The conclave is a collaboration of 15+ Harvard Clubs in the Asia Pacific region, the official Alumni Organisations of the prestigious Harvard University. �Sri Lanka is a 5-hour flight from 4.5 billion people in the APAC region - who are getting richer and living longer. more..

Mar 26 (TM) Govt of SL (GoSL) is taking steps to address sexual violence with proposed amendments to the offense of rape. Under the new Penal Code (Amendment) Bill, GoSL aims to strengthen legal protections for victims and increase accountability for perpetrators. One of the key provisions under review is the age of consent. The current age stands at under eighteen years, but the Bill suggests raising it to under 22 years. more..

Mar 26 (DM) An income of Rs. 3,439 million was earned in February this year by exporting coconut water from SL, Coconut Development Authority (CDA) said. According to the data from the CDA, the amount earned by exporting coconut water in Feb 2023 is Rs. 2,705 million. There has been an increase in export income of Rs. 734 million by the pre-spring months of this year compared to last year, CDA Chairman Professor Roshan Perera said. These facts were revealed during more..

Mar 26 (CI) Shakib Al Hasan has returned to the Bangladesh Test squad after being out of action for a year in the longest format. Former captain Shakib has been picked for the second Test against Sri Lanka in Chattogram, starting March 30. He last played a Test in April 2023 before an eye condition kept him away from Tests although he has played white-ball cricket during this period, including at the ODI World Cup late last year. More recently, he has played in the Bangladesh Premier League more..

Mar 26 (AD) Monetary Policy Board of the Central Bank of SL (CBSL) has decided to reduce the Standing Deposit Facility Rate (SDFR) and the Standing Lending Facility Rate (SLFR) of the Central Bank by 50 basis points (bps) to 8.5% and 9.5%, respectively. Board said it arrived at this decision at its meeting held on 25 March 2024 following a comprehensive assessment of current and expected domestic and international more..

Mar 26 (DM) South Asia Foresight Network (SAFN) in Washington, D.C., has invited Air Chief Marshal Gagan Bulathsinghala to be an honorary Senior Fellow. SAFN functions under the Millennium Project in Washington, DC. It is one of the fastest growing South Asia networks in Washington DC, consisting of individuals, think tanks and other institutions that are active and interested in future research in the South Asian region, including Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, more..

Mar 26 (AD) Public Security Minister Tiran Alles has ordered an immediate investigation into an assassination attempt on Colombo Fort Magistrate Thilina Gamage. Accordingly, IGP Deshabandu Tennakoon has been instructed to initiate an investigation into an attempt by a gunman to assassinate the magistrate using a Type 81 assault rifle grenade launcher. The investigation was launched based on a tip-off provided in writing by a govt informant who revealed that more..

Mar 26 (AD) Veteran Sri Lankan singer Chandra Kumara Kandanarachchi passed away on Tuesday morning (March 26). He was aged 76 at the time of his demise. According to reports, Kandanarachchi has received medical treatment at the Apeksha Hospital in Maharagama for a while. He was well-known for a number of hit songs including �Ege Sinahawa Thahanam�, �Pem Benda Sith Benda�, �Ganga Nadee Theeraye�, and �Hithe Sathuta Jiwithe�. more..

Mar 26 (TM) Govt has decided to distribute rice to as many as 2.8 million low-income families, Finance State Minister Ranjith Siyambalapitiya stated. Accordingly, it is planned to provide 20kg of rice to each family in April and May. Minister also stated that in April, 10kg of rice will be given before the Sinhala and Tamil New Year, and the remaining 10kg within the first week of May. He noted that through this relief program, the govt intends to benefit not only low-income families but more..