Mar 29 (Island) SL�s basketball team created a major upset when they beat one of sport�s powerhouses � Korea � in the FIBA 3�3 Asia Cup played in Singapore yesterday. The young SL team were total outsiders against Korea, who are a strong side in the region. Koreans outmatched the Sri Lankans with their height and were off to a blistering start taking an early lead. However, the Sri Lankans hung in there, shot and drove to the basket with determination and more importantly more..

Mar 29 (ST) The Bureau of the Commissioner of Rehabilitation has decided that only addicts who are medically certified as drug-dependent will hereafter be taken into its centres�including Kandakadu�for treatment after an explosion in numbers during the past few months led to discipline and control issues. Hundreds of people arrested through the govt�s Yukthiya programme were sent to State-run facilities in recent months, most commonly the Kandakadu rehabilitation centre. more..

Mar 29 (AD) Amidst growing pressure to amend its travel advice to SL which was deemed overly harsh, UK has defended its decision and said it would continue to keep the island nation�s travel advise under close review. UK�s Minister of State for the Middle East, South Asia, Commonwealth Lord Tariq Ahmad of Wimbledon made this remark in the UK Parliament responding to a question raised on plans to update the travel advice to SL to reflect the security situation in the country. more..

Mar 29 (AD) The Maligakanda Magistrate�s Court has ordered former Prez Maithripala Sirisena to make a statement in court on 04 April on his recent comments over the Easter Sunday bomb attacks. The order was issued today (28) after the CID had reported the relevant facts to the court, on the instructions of the Attorney General. Sirisena had recorded a statement for around five-hours with the CID on Monday (05) over his recent comments regarding the Easter Sunday bomb attacks. more..

Mar 29 (DM) Lady Ridgeway Hospital (LRH) Consultant Pediatrician Dr. Deepal Perera said that there is an increase in the spread of hand-foot-and-mouth disease (HFMD) among schoolchildren these days. He said this disease spreads every year, especially between March and April. If children have symptoms like small, oval, red or white blisters on the palms and soles of the feet, as well as in the mouth, more..

Mar 29 (DM) A British tourist, who allegedly made a false complaint about cash and belongings being stolen, is said to have fled from the hotel upon realizing that the police suspected the authenticity of the complaint. The tourist, staying at a hotel in Rittandeniya, Alawathugoda reported to the Alawathugoda police that Rs. 477,884 in cash, two wrist watches and two cameras were stolen while he was dining on Wednesday night. He claimed that the thief had broken the door lock to gain entry. more..

Mar 29 (FT) China-SL Joint Research and Demonstration Centre for Water Technology, the largest water research institute in South Asia, was inaugurated at the University of Peradeniya on Tuesday. The opening ceremony was attended by Chinese Academy of Science Deputy President Yaping Zhang and Peradeniya Uni Vice Chancellor Prof. D. M. Lamahewa. This state-of-the-art institute is furnished with advanced technology and machinery to detect harmful substances more..

Mar 29 (AD) The Development Lotteries Board (DLB) has recorded its highest-ever profit of Rs. 3.6 billion in 2023 and a significant portion of Rs. 3.6 billion goes to the President�s Fund. In 2023, Development Lotteries Board (DLB) achieved it�s highest-ever profit in its 40-year history. This marked a significant milestone as the DLB recorded a profit margin of 32% for the fiscal year 2022-2023, double the previous year�s figure, the PMD said a statement. more..

Mar 29 (TM) The ruling SLPP founder Basil Rajapaksa has informed the Party's Executive Committee that it was his personal opinion that he informed to Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe that it is best to hold the Parliamentary Election before the Prez Election, and for the Party to reach a firm decision on the matter following further discussions. The Executive Committee of the SLPP met at former Prez and incumbent Govt MP, Mahinda Rajapaksa's official residence in Colombo on Wed. more..

Mar 29 (TM) Consumer Affairs Authority (CAA) urged the public not to use any cosmetic product manufactured and distributed by various unregistered companies as those products could be hazardous to one�s health and said that strict action will be taken against the parties who are engaged in such businesses, according to the existing legal framework. CAA is specifically raiding cosmetic stores that illegally imported more..

Mar 29 (Island) A large number of health sector unions have decided to go on strike from next Tuesday in protest against what they call the government�s failure to grant their demand for the same DAT (Disturband, Attendance and Transport) allowance as doctors. President of the Joint Council of Professions Supplementary to Medicine, Ravi Kumudesh said that 72 health sector unions had resorted to trade union action 3 times since January after the govt increased DAT from more..

Mar 29 (PMD) The launch of an online platform enabling the swift removal of websites, photos, and videos containing or potentially containing instances of child sexual abuse took place today (28) at the Presidential secretariat under the patronage of Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe. Recognizing the urgency of addressing child abuse in cyberspace, this initiative targets the dissemination of nude photos and indecent videos of children through internet and social media channels. more..

Mar 29 (TM) Despite Prez Wickremesinghe instructing the Prez's Secretary Saman Ekanayake to look into the matter of the AG Dept not attending sessions of the Parliamentary Sectoral Oversight Committee (SOC) on Environment, Natural Resources and Sustainable Development regarding the recovery of compensation for the damage caused by the MV X-Press Pearl maritime disaster, the latter is still not attending, more..

Mar 30 (DM) Cabinet on March 18 approved a proposal to reform the electoral system that will see a hybrid system for parliamentary representation where 160 members would be appointed by the First Past-The-Post system while 65 members would be elected under the Proportional Representation (PR) system. A statement issued by the Govt Information Dept said that the proposal made by the Minister of Justice, Prison Affairs and Constitutional Reforms to instruct the Legal Draftsman to draft more..

Mar 30 (DM) Yesterday, Police spokesman Nihal Thalduwa informed the media that in the police divisions of Negombo, Kochchikade and Seeduwa, police raided 53 spas. 145 suspects including 137 women and eight men were taken into custody. If this statement is correct, it would appear that many men do not frequent these establishments of alleged ill-fame. Only eight men were found in the 53 spas which were raided. It also makes the lords and ladies who run these establishments philanthropists for more..

Mar 30 (TM) Although the Cabinet on Monday once again approved a proposal by the Ministry of Justice, Prison Affairs, and Constitutional Reforms to amend existing election laws, Election Commission (EC) says that it has not been informed of the move while Opposition and minor parties emphasise that such attempts must not affect the crucial upcoming election cycle of the country. A Cabinet decision on Monday noted that the need of revising the current electoral system more..

Mar 30 (DM) The course of war between the LTTE and SL armed forces was drastically altered by the 2004 Eastern revolt headed by former tiger commander of the Batticaloa and Amparai districts Vinayagamoorthy Muralidharan alias �Col� Karuna. The LTTE was split vertically and horizontally as a result and gradually weakened. By 2007 the LTTE ceased having territorial control in the Eastern province. This article is the third in a series about the intra-tiger split of 2004 more..

Mar 30 (CT) Pre-1971 JVP saw a presence of women cadres that could be considered modest. Before the April 1971 uprising there were full-time and part-time women cadres active within the movement. Among them were comrades such as Nandaseeli from Ragama, Seelawathi (comrade Osmund�s mother) from Wanathamulla, Kusuma Buddhikorala from Akuressa, Karuna (comrade Gamanayake�s wife) from Rambukkana, Kamani and Sampathi from Ambalangoda, Vitleen and Sujatha (Handagama) from the Uni of Peradeniya and more..

Mar 30 (CT) Central Govt of India has imposed a ban on the import, sale and breeding of 23 dog breeds that can be considered a threat to human life, following a surge of attacks on children and the elderly. The decision was announced on Wednesday (13), following an in-depth review by a joint panel of legal experts and animal welfare organisations who were ordered by the Delhi High Court to submit a report after consulting all stakeholders. more..

Mar 30 (CT) Three in a row is too much even for SL, prone to conspiracy theories and rumours of the kind. But that is the reality of the times, as the nation is caught in the Govt-created confusion over the precedence that the Prez and Parliamentary Polls get over each other. Already, there are those who claim that the conspiracy theories too are govt-generated, after former Prez Gotabaya Rajapaksa�s Book by the same title, Conspiracy, to claim internal and external plots behind his ouster in 2022. more..

Mar 30 (ST) It was the 5th Convocation of the SANASA Campus in Kegalle, held on March 1st. I too travelled there with Dr. Howard Nicholas who delivered the convocation speech. We had been invited to join for lunch with the Chancellor and the Chairman of the SANASA Campus Dr. P.A. Kiriwandeniya and the former Vice Chancellor of the Campus Prof. W.D. Lakshman. I recalled the event to refer to the focus of Howard�s convocation speech on the link between money and inflation. more..

Mar 30 (FT) SL�s biggest marketing event of the year, SLIM Dialog Brand Week 2024 concluded in style recently, amidst active participation from across industries, with all sessions being sold out. The 3-day symposium, held from 13 to 15 March at Waters Edge, SLIM Dialog Brand Week 2024 was no doubt the most anticipated marketing event in SL�s marketing calendar. This flagship event, organised by the SL Institute of Marketing (SLIM) in collaboration with Dialog Axiata, more..

Mar 30 (Island) A police sergeant has been sentenced to four years of rigorous imprisonment and fined Rs. 20,000 for taking a bribe of Rs. 500 from a trishaw driver for not instituting legal action against the latter over a traffic violation. The case, filed by the CIABOC against the errant cop, was heard before the Colombo Chief Magistrate Prasanna Alwis. The sergeant, found guilty on four rounds, has been ordered to serve the sentences concurrently in one year. more..

Mar 30 (GV) The Institute for Health Policy�s (IHP) Sri Lanka Opinion Tracker Survey (SLOTS) MRP provisional estimates of presidential election voting intent in February 2024 show no real changes compared to January. NPP/JVP leader A.K. Dissanayake continues to lead with the support of 53% of all adults followed by SJB leader Sajith Premadasa on 34%, President Ranil Wickremesinghe at 6% (-2) and a generic SLPP candidate at 7% (-1). more..

Mar 30 (EN) Sri Lanka�s Cinnamon Grand Colombo is introducing curated eco excursions of Colombo, which seeks to reposition the city as more than just a transit destination to international travellers, and bring in high-spending tourists to the country. �The more discerning traveler is looking for these niche-experiences and they are willing to pay an additional amount for this,� Area Vice President and General Manager of Cinnamon Grand Colombo, Kamal Munasinghe said. more..

Mar 30 (DN) Skipper Gaviru Senhas stroked a brilliant unbeaten double century while Malitha Perera scored 118 as D.S Senanayake College made a mammoth first innings total of 370 for 4 wickets and Mahanama made 94 for 2 wickets at close of the first days play in the 18 th Battle of the Golds big match played at SSC grounds yesterday. It was a record breaking big match on the first day while skipper Senhas gave a fine batting display to score highest individual score with his double century more..

Mar 30 (Island) While the first-ever Good Friday in the Christian Calendar registers the condemnation, crucifixion and the death of Jesus of Nazareth, the carpenter�s son of Galilee, the itinerant preacher and healer, by contrast the first-ever Easter Sunday hails the triumph of the Risen Christ who rose from the darkness of the tomb thus defeating death which is the common lot of every human being and indeed of every living thing in the world. Life and death happen to be the daily drama more..

Mar 30 (CT) While the first-ever Good Friday in the Christian Calendar registers the condemnation, crucifixion and the death of Jesus of Nazareth, the carpenter�s son of Galilee, the itinerant preacher and healer, by contrast the first-ever Easter Sunday hails the triumph of the Risen Christ who rose from the darkness of the tomb thus defeating death which is the common lot of every human being and indeed of every living thing in the world. Life and death happen to be the daily drama more..

Mar 30 (CT) With serious doubts and concerns raised on whether an election will be held this year and if so, whether a General Election or Prez Election should be held first, Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe told his Cabinet of Ministers when they met earlier in the week that the Govt is not in a position to jeopardise the ongoing IMF programme by holding an election before the programme concludes. His announcement comes after a lengthy discussion held with the Shadow Cabinet more..

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Mar 30 (EN) Sri Lanka�s voters watching the evening news on the first day of a National People�s Power (NPP) govt will be overjoyed to the point of dropping their dinner upon hearing the first ever cabinet decision of the new govt, a spokesman said. Former MP and NPP executive member Samatnha Vidyaratne told a crowd of supporters that the first decision taken at an NPP got�s inaugural cabinet meeting will be to suspend pensions and official residences given to former presidents. more..

Mar 30 (EN) Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe must decide between sending the Rajapaksas back to parliament and restructuring debt by June to stabilise the country for the next decade, opposition MP Patali Champika Ranawaka said. Speaking to reporters, Ranawaka said Basil Rajapaksa, the ideologue of the ruling SLPP, is well aware that his party cannot come into power through the presidential due to be held between Sept 17 and Oct 17 this year. more..

Mar 30 (AD) Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe expressed his aspirations for SL to reclaim its position as the champion of cricket, highlighting the govt�s commitment to providing all necessary support to achieve this goal. Speaking at the 125th anniversary celebration of the Sinhalese Sports Club (SSC) at the Shangri-La Hotel Colombo yesterday, the Prez emphasized the importance of maintaining a separation between politics and sports. He suggested that preventing politicians from assuming high positions more..

Mar 30 (FT) State Minister of Finance Ranjith Siyambalapitiya yesterday clarified that the reduction in the Special Commodity Levy on rice was not to allow import of rice but to clear a stock of rice currently held up with the Customs. The clarification follows the Govt�s decision to reduce the Special Commodity Levy on rice from Rs. 65 per kilo to Rs. 1 for a period of one week to so that importers can secure the release of the rice stocks from customs. �In January, a stock of Keeri Samba rice more..

Mar 30 (EN) In South Asia, women face similar hurdles when breaking into the male-dominated political arena, a webinar on Empowering Voices: Exploring the Political Landscape for Women in South Asia heard. Across the region, more often than not, women are nominated to fill a seat falling vacant by the death of a male family member, as the party leadership made up of men is confident of winning on the sympathy vote, or simply to fill a quota, and not for their qualifications and capabilities. more..