May 13 (FT) The newly elected committee of the SL Schools Rugby Football Association (SLSRFA) is persistent with its proposed changes to the League format, despite numerous requests and pleas extended by several Schools, and various distinguished personalities in the local Rugby circles. The primary reason for this persistence appears to be due to the heist that has been planned on the gate collections at the Super Round encounters! To elaborate, SLSRFA has decided to conduct more..

May 13 (AD) Minister of Education Susil Premajayantha announced plans to recruit sports coaches, previously appointed to non-academic positions in schools from National Colleges of Education (NIEs), into the teaching service. �Sports teachers were usually selected from the National Colleges of Education. Previously, approximately 3,000 individuals were recruited to serve as sports coaches. However, rather than being placed in teaching roles, they were assigned to more..

May 13 (CI) While the ongoing IPL may be a certifiable run-fest, the current school of thought surrounding the upcoming T20 World Cup is that conditions in the USA and Caribbean might be a little less batter-friendly. At least, that's the working assumption SL's selectors were going on when they named their 15-man squad for the tournament. "If you look at the conditions in America and the West Indies, most of it is pointing more..

May 13 (FT) In response to the growing demand for flexible workspaces, WORX Coworking has announced the inauguration of its latest coworking facility situated at No. 14 Gower Street, Colombo 05. As a frontrunner in providing innovative workspace solutions, WORX Coworking continues to redefine the professional landscape by expanding its footprint in the city. Strategically situated in a convenient Colombo neighbourhood, the Gower Street location marks WORX Coworking�s 4th property, more..

May 13 (DM) Patients have been highly inconvenienced due to the health strike launched by health professionals in all govt hospitals at provincial level. Strike which commenced on May 09 targeting seven provinces has crippled healthcare services at respective hospitals. Today, strike was launched at Central Province from 8am to 12 noon while the strike will affect hospitals in the Sabaragamuwa Province tomorrow. Health Trade Union Alliance confirmed its intention to spread the strike more..

May 13 (AD) Supreme Court has instructed the Attorney General to submit a report pertaining to the progress of investigations into Pastor Jerome Fernando, the self-styled prophet who came under fire over his controversial comments on other religions. This order was issued when a Fundamental Rights (FR) petition filed against Pastor Jerome Fernando was taken up before a 3-member SC judge bench led by more..

May 13 (CT) Kochi Rajagiri College of Social Sciences, India and University of Sri J'pura signed a MoU at Hilton Colombo Residencies on 6 May. It was held under the directorship of Country Director, Zaheer Marzook. UGC Chairman, Senior Professor Sampath Amaratunge, Principal of Rajagiri College, Fr. Dr. Saju MD, Indian Foreign Service Venu Rajamony, Associate Director of Rajagiri College, Dr. Binoy Joseph and Dean HR of Rajagiri College, Dr. Manoj Mathew addressed the gathering. more..

May 13 (DM) A foreigner sustained injuries while experiencing the Base Jump event at the Lotus Tower a short while ago. An eyewitness reported that the foreigner delayed opening his parachute after jumping from the tower. The injured foreigner was promptly taken to the General Hospital for treatment. The injured foreigner is a national of the USA and is currently undergoing treatment. He has reportedly sustained internal head injuries and has reported numbness of his legs and hand. more..

May 13 (AD) Information has been uncovered regarding a large-scale racket of illegally importing shoes manufactured in foreign countries and selling them within SL. It is reported the racket has been carried out with the involvement of certain Customs officers and without paying the due taxes. A tax of minimum Rs. 2,000 is levied for a pair of shoes imported into SL from a foreign country. Meanwhile, it is reported that these illegally imported foreign-manufactured footwear are released to more..

May 13 (FT) For millennia, nations have recognised that for a country to ensure its national security, it should have enough wealth in surplus. That is the wealth that does not help it to use for current production or enhancement of future production capacity directly. Hence, it does not contribute to an immediate improvement of the welfare of the people. But it is essential to have national security as a precondition for undertaking all economic activities, namely, production, distribution & consumption. more..

May 13 (DM) Despite the cost of living sizzling at red hot levels and the country being cash- strapped, House Committee of Parliament has endorsed the proposal to offer concessionary vehicle permits for MPs as requested by them. The source familiar with the decision said the committee which looks into the requirements of the MPs positively considered the request by them for such permits in line with the similar facilities offered to more..

May 13 (AD) U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs, Donald Lu, has commenced his official visit to Sri Lanka today. Accordingly, he is set to engage with officials from across the political spectrum and civil society to deepen the US partnership with Sri Lanka. Mr. Donald Lu�s Sri Lanka visit came as part of his broader tour of the region from May 10th to 15th, which included India and Bangladesh. US State Dept stated last week that in his meetings, more..

May 13 (DM) The govt should explore the option of assigning the management of the Mattala Rajapaksa Int'l Airport (MRIA) to a company that not only specializes in management but also owns airplanes and has the capability to attract and facilitate aircraft operations, former SL Ambassador to Russia Udayanga Weeratunga said. He said that the govt had handed over the management of the MRIA to Shaurya Aeronautics Pvt. Ltd. of India and Airports of Regions Management Company of Russia, more..

May 13 (TM) A total of 111,074 suspects have been arrested while 4,472 among them are under detention orders for questioning since the beginning of Operation Yukthiya to date, DIG Nihal Thalduwa said . Commenting on the police anti-organised crime drive and its impact, DIG Thalduwa stated that 41 kilograms of heroin, 43 kilograms of Ice and 300,000 narcotic pills have been taken into custody thus far during more..

May 13 (DM) As a move to counter the controversial issue of substandard and dangerous medicines entering Sri Lanka through unregistered importers like the human immunoglobulin racket, the National Medicines Regulatory Authority (NMRA) will introduce a security sticker in future. The NMRA has decided to introduce a security sticker to all the medicines registration certificates, thus preventing any instances of forging the certificate by unlawful importers. more..

May 13 (DM) An 18-year-old girl, the girlfriend of the youth from Kuliyapitiya who was allegedly murdered while visiting the girl's house in Kuliyapitiya, has been arrested. Police said the suspect has been arrested on charges of aiding and abetting the murder and concealing the crime. The body of the youth, who had gone missing while visiting his girlfriend�s house, was recovered in the Panirendawa area of Madampe last week. On April 22, police launched investigations based on more..

May 14 (DM) Election fever is in the air. Yet elections have not been announced. It�s Fun-O-Rama time for politicians who are having a ball. Past President Mahinda Rajapaksa during his time was a past master at splitting political parties that opposed him. This time around, the ex-president�s party-the SLPP- is one of the political outfits that is faced with several splits. The former chairman of the SLPP with 13 SLPP MPs defected and formed the Freedom People�s Congress. more..

May 14 (DM) This is the fourth article in a series focusing on Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe and his evolving strategy to contest the forthcoming 2024 Prez Elections. In a political climate where deliberate attempts are being made to mislead people about Wickremesinghe�s Presidential Election plans and prospects, the objective of this series is to analyse in detail the game plan and stratagems adopted by Wickremesinghe to face the 2024 Presidential hustings. more..

May 14 (CT) Education and health are interconnected. In order to ensure success in education, students must maintain good health. Nutrition is one of the key pillars of good health and therefore, ensuring a sound nutrition intake via a balanced meal is essential for students to not just be healthy but also to succeed in education. The Free Meals for Primary Students initiative by Health and Nutrition Branch of the Ministry of Education more..

May 14 (ST) This theatre of the absurd that is called politics in SL is becoming even more absurd and indeed highly controversial as the elections draw near. As though this Wickremesinghe-Pohottuwa govt has not already soiled its escutcheon with the kind of antics that seemed to throw the country�s constitution into the garbage while professing democracy and the rule of law, its last-ditch efforts to freely distribute the nation�s wealth and make appointments by the thousands more..

May 14 (GV) In February this year SL received an UN award in recognition of its efforts to rebuild and restore its mangrove ecosystems, highlighting best practices and methodologies that could serve as a framework for future success across the world. Just 3 months later, the Minister of Wildlife and Forest Resources Conservation Pavithra Wanniarachchi issued an extraordinary gazette degazetting at least 1,000 hectares of an important and unique mangrove system on the Mannar coast. more..

May 14 (TM) Former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa was assisted to flee SL on 13 July 2022 during the height of the people�s movement (Aragalaya) to prevent the possibility of a SL President from being lynched and killed, undermining the island�s long-preserved democratic credentials, says one-time Maldivian PreZ and Speaker of the People�s Majlis Mohamed Nasheed, who facilitated Rajapaksa and his wife to more..

May 14 (Island) Former Prez Mahinda Rajapaksa has sought to dissociate himself from the incumbent govt�s divestiture drive by taking exception thereto, in a media statement. He has bragged that he ruled the country from 2005 to 2015 without ever selling a single state-owned enterprise (SOE). Mahinda is the leader of the SLPP, which elevated Ranil Wickremesinghe, who stands accused of being in overdrive to divest SOEs and dispose of state assets at fire-sale prices, to executive presidency. more..

May 14 (DM) It would be an absolute surprise for someone walking into a local ministry to find everything crystal clear. Rather it could be just the opposite with the operation all over the place. SL�s system of govt has a history of assigning unrelated subjects to a single ministry, thereby including multiple departments and institutions under one roof. The latest blueprint document for rational govt by Verit� Research reveals that the compositions of ministries had undergone changes 111 times more..

May 14 (ST) A team of six sailors representing SL, including two from Royal College and four SL Navy, will leave the island tomorrow, to participate at the 4th Chief of Air Staff (CAS) International Open Sailing Championship, to be held in Karachi, Pakistan, from May 14 to 19. Two 15-year-old students from Royal College and four sailors from the Navy make up this year�s team of six after qualifying at selections held by the national sailing body, the Yachting Association of SL. more..

May 14 (DN) Leg spinner Wanuja Sahan had a fine figures of 5 for 58 as Afghanistan �A� were bundled out for 198 in the first innings and their follow on they were 108 for 2 wickets at close of third day�s play against SL �A� in their four day cricket fixture played at P. Sara Oval Stadium yesterday. Afghans were trailed by 129 runs with 8 wickets in hand while Sri Lanka �A� led by Pasindu Sooriyabandara is expected to put more pressure today the final day to get victory. more..

May 14 (FT) International Finance Corporation�s (IFC) Asia Pacific Vice President Riccardo Puliti last week expressed readiness to enhance investments in Sri Lanka in tandem with improved outlook. This optimism follows the IFC, announcing its first equity investment of $ 10 million in Sunshine Holdings� healthcare subsidiary to increase its pharmaceutical manufacturing capacity and expand the pharmaceutical retail footprint. more..

May 14 (Island) Elections provide a unique situation where people become equal regardless of their class or ethnic and religious identity. This offers space to rival politicians to address their unmet needs. The govt has commenced several development initiatives that will take resources to the community level in a targeted manner. These initiatives would be beneficial to the govt in mustering support for it at the grassroots level. Those who wield governmental power have the ability to more..

May 14 (CT) With this year being nominated as an election year and the presidential election on the horizon, many eyes are on the candidates and their popularity. While the previous presidential elections held in the country were largely two-sided, with only two main candidates leading the votes for the hot seat, the coming presidential election is believed to change that age-old dynamic of SL�s prez elections. With the younger generations of voters being tech-savvy, the securing of votes more..

May 14 (CT) SL climber Jayanthi Kuru-Utumpala was presented with the IOC Gender Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Champions Award for Asia at the 43rd OCA General Assembly in Bangkok on Saturday. Jayanthi is a women�s rights activist with 20 years of experience and a rock climber/mountaineer for nearly as long. She has worked at national, regional and global levels as a technical adviser, advocate, trainer, researcher and programme manager on issues relating to more..

May 14 (FT) A panel discussion titled Sri Lanka�s economic crisis and beyond, organised by the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS) of the University of London, will be held today in London, UK, chaired by Professor Jonathan Goodhand. The main presentation at the event will be made by Verit� Research Executive Director Dr. Nishan de Mel, and the discussant will be Prof. Mushtaq Khan. The discussion will delve into the root causes of the economic crisis, assess the effectiveness of more..

May 14 (TM) Amidst various concerns being raised by Opposition politicians and certain economic experts regarding the renegotiation of the IMF agreement by a future Govt, the Govt is to draft a comprehensive economic reforms law including both the IMF parameters and other economic reforms implemented by them (the Govt), to carry on the progress and stability achieved in the economy thus far. more..

May 14 (ST) The hotel industry needs to assess if it�s ready to welcome more tourists with improved quality and a unique experience with the added products and services in comparison with partners in the region. Hotel Show Colombo 2024 Chairman Trevine Gomez said that while the hotel industry has gone through tough times, however, they need to be ready to provide travellers with an improved experience by selling the product with high quality. It is in this respect that Hotel Show is important more..

May 14 (Island) Commander of the SL Air Force Air Marshal Udeni Rajapaksa recently discussed the planned acquisition of Beechcraft King Air 350 from Australia during his recently concluded visit Down Under. Air Marshal Udeni Rajapaksa, participated in the recently concluded Air and Space Power Conference 2024 in Australia. The conference, themed Building readiness and resilience in National Air and Space Power, gathered high-ranking defence leaders, policymakers and more..

May 14 (Island) The ongoing controversy over external involvement in the issuance of on-arrival visas at the BIA has taken a dramatic turn with FSP spokesman Pubudu Jagoda alleging that a private company was being paid USD 10 per single entry visa out of USD 50 received by the govt. Jagoda has said the beneficiary is the VFS Global-led group. Dept of Immigration and Emigration recently finalised a tripartite agreement with more..