May 3 (AD) Actress Damitha Abeyratne has filed a complaint with the Human Rights Commission of SL (HRCSL), alleging that her human rights were violated during an unlawful arrest. On April 4, Damitha Abeyratne and her husband were arrested by the CID, in relation to their involvement in an alleged financial scam. They were later granted bail on April 24, following an order issued by the Colombo Fort Magistrate�s Court. Computer Crimes Division of the CID initiated an investigation more..

May 3 (FT) Mounted on the wall behind where Attorney-at-law Milani Salpitikorala is seated is a framed hanging with the well-known saying, �It�s nice to be important, but it�s more important to be nice.� It�s the same saying that was once prominently displayed in her late lawyer father�s office. These words have been a guiding principle in Milani in life and brought humility and empathy in her approach to work as a lawyer which more..

May 3 (AD) Minister Harin Fernando says that Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe has appointed a committee to look into the preparation of the national visa policy. Minister said he suspects that the on-arrival visa issuance delay at the BIA on Thursday (2) could be an act of sabotage. Furthermore, he expressed that the officials of Dept of Immigration and Emigration have failed to provide necessary facilities for the private company to which visa-issuance operations were handed over. more..

May 3 (FT) SJB MP Dr. Harsha de Silva stressed the urgent need for the Govt to enact and operationalise the long-awaited casino regulator before the opening of the integrated City of Dreams Sri Lanka resort by John Keells Holdings and Melco. Dr. de Silva underscored the necessity of Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe, in his capacity as Finance Minister, ensuring the establishment of the regulator before the resort�s opening to ensure that true revenue accrues to the Treasury. more..

May 3 (SCMP) When Sri Lanka announced in July 2017 that the underperforming Chinese-built Hambantota port was to be leased for 99 years to a Chinese govt-linked company, Western and Indian media outlets went into overdrive by labelling the deal a classic example of Beijing�s debt trap. Washington was quick to spread the narrative, with members of the Trump administration pointing to Hambantota as more..

May 3 (EN) The USA and ADB have assured their fullest support in SL�s debt restructuring process, State Minister of Finance Shehan Semasinghe said. Semasinghe met with Robert Kaproth, Deputy Assistant Secretary of the US Treasury at the ADB annual meeting in Tbilisi, Georgia. �The progress achieved in debt restructuring process was discussed at length. Robert Kaproth once again assured fullest support of USA to SL and pointed out the importance of continuation with reforms more..

May 3 (TM) Those who keep demanding solutions to the issues surrounding the 2019 Easter Sunday attacks are seeking action not only to penalise those who are responsible for the attacks, but also to prevent the possibility of a similar catastrophe occurring in the future, SJB, said. SJB MP Dr. Kavinda Jayawardhana, during a press briefing, said that therefore, those who insult Colombo Archbishop Malcolm Cardinal Ranjith should stop that, because he and the Catholic community are asking more..

May 4 (GV) World Press Freedom Day is observed on May 3 to remind the world that freedom of the press and freedom of expression are fundamental human rights. Many journalists have died or are in jail for daring to speak the truth. World Press Freedom Day was established by the General Assembly of the UN in Dec 1993 after a seminar in Namibia led to the adoption of the Windhoek Declaration that called to establish, maintain and foster an independent, pluralistic, free press. more..

May 4 (DM) If one goes through the social media posts and some of the statements made by the politicians in the mainstream media for the past few days about the dark period of 1988/89, he would definitely be at a loss to imagine the UNP govts under Presidents J.R. Jayewardene and R. Premadasa to have suppressed an armed insurrection in the late eighties, without killing a single person. These social media posts and politicians explain how the JVP more..

May 4 (TM) Any delay in reaching an agreement on Sri Lanka�s external debt restructuring will be a killer for the country, which will have to sacrifice all the hard-earned gains so far relating to pushing the country back to normalcy, warned independent economic analyst Dr. W.A. Wijewardena. �The ideal outcome should entail a massive haircut of about 51% of the bilateral and commercial borrowings of SL,� he added. more..

May 4 (DM) May Day was at one time a significant event of the workers, for the workers and by the workers. It is not so nowadays where the working class has been relegated to the back seat. The political class has taken over. The rhetoric however echoes and re-echoes on May Day but the reality is different. The May Day events have been turned into a political exercise where competing political parties engage in a show of strength by mobilising huge crowds. more..

May 4 (FT) With the word aragalaya (struggle, rebellion?) very much in our political lexicon these days, we are reminded of other and older aragalayas which have occurred in SL periodically. One very interesting but somewhat little known struggle being the rebellion of 1848; a distant time, about 30 years after the British had occupied this country. The paucity of literature on the subject handicaps our attempts to decipher the background; the various forces involved, more..

May 4 (SO) Yet, the irony is that while it offers numerous benefits, the use of social media also presents critical challenges. Some of them can have a direct, harmful impact on society. Facilitation of child abuse and exploitation is one such negative area that must be addressed promptly, accurately, and intensely. At this point in time, online sexual exploitation of children has become a global emergency that has drawn more..

May 4 (CT) They say, in less than seven moons we will have elections; an election to elect our next Prez. There will be many a sunset and many a sunrise before that time arrives. How is the electorate going to decide? Is it straining to protect the status quo or is it willing to challenge that status quo and usher in a new beginning? One would not know. Many surveys and polls have been conducted, as reports reveal. But all such surveys and polls do not seem to have any scientific foundation. more..

May 4 (CT) May day, the annual celebration of the achievements of the working class, was celebrated recently. As usual, the political parties, which held May Day rallies and parades separately, patted themselves on the back for fights they have won for the working class in the past and made promises to in future to make further commitments for the benefit of the working people. One such promise was made by the Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe during his address at the May Day rally of the CWC more..

May 4 (DM) Sri Lanka and Japan signed in March this year the Exchange of Notes pertaining to the grant assistance amounting to Japanese Yen 1,600 million (approximately LKR 3.3 billion) to be provided under the Japanese Economic and Social Development Programme. The Exchange of Notes were signed by the Secretary to the Ministry of Finance, Economic Stabilization, and National Policies K.M. Mahinda Siriwardana, and the Ambassador of Japan Mizukoshi Hideaki. more..

May 4 (TM) Hotel management is a multifaceted discipline that encompasses various aspects of operations, marketing, and revenue generation to ensure the success and profitability of hospitality establishments. From guest services to financial management, effective hotel management requires a blend of strategic thinking, customer-centric approaches, and adaptability to industry trends. When Sri Lanka�s hospitality industry is considered, hotel management plays a pivotal role more..

May 4 (CT) The 138th International Workers� Day, this year, was all about showing political power by all main political parties in Sri Lanka and having nothing or less to deal with the working class. UNP�s main May Day rally was held in Colombo, at the P.D. Sirisena Ground, where Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe addressed a massive crowd amidst fireworks and crackers. Wickremesinghe, urged the JVP and SJB, to collaborate in shaping a robust nation, more..

May 4 (Island) The BIA has always been a metaphor for chaos. It has earned notoriety for flight delays, lethargy, lack of facilities, inefficiency and various irregularities. It should be given a radical shake-up. But instead of making an effort to bring order out of chaos there, the govt has rendered BIA even more chaotic by involving a foreign company in the issuance of on-arrival visas. On Wednesday night, the personnel of the foreign company withdrew from the on-arrival visa counters more..

May 4 (ST) There is a path now open for SL to realise its 57-year old dream to join the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN), and benefit economically. It is an indirect path through a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP). As we discussed last week, SL had a direct route to ASEAN to become one of its founding members in 1967. At its inaugural meeting the founding members were expecting to admit SL, more..

May 4 (Island) TV news, much of newspapers, conversations at gatherings; even at invited dinner or lunch tables, very soon lead and land in the quagmire of SL politics. This in spite of a likely change in the bigger picture being so many months hence � Oct 2024 the earliest -when an election will be held, most probably presidential. Cass watches/listens to News First on MTV Channel. Their introductory opening to news relays on the forthcoming elections and politics is a chorus more..

May 4 (FT) Minister Pavitra Vanniarachchi recently began distributing Suhuru Technology (Smart Agriculture Package) product sets to develop the livelihood of Mahaweli farmers in Ratnapura district under a $ 10 million funding from the ADB. Ministry said efforts are underway to award 465 household technology equipment sets to an equal number of Mahaweli farmer families in Ratnapura district. The launch of the program saw 100 farmer families in Embilipitiya Chandrika Veva division more..

May 4 (Island) Sri Lanka health officials have detected about 1,700 new HIV cases between 2020 and 2023, Dr. Janaka Weragoda, Consultant Community Physician, said. There are about 4,200 Sri Lankans infected with HIV by the end of 2023. However, only about 2,900 are receiving treatment, he said. �Some might ask us how did you come up with the 4,200 figure only if 2,900 have sought treatment?� more..

May 4 (DN) SL�s test rugby team is preparing for a crucial final against Kazakhstan in the Asian Division I Rugby Tournament. For SL, this match represents a significant opportunity to ascend to the next level of Asian Rugby competition. The clash with Kazakhstan, slated for today at 7 p m under floodlights at the Racecourse Stadium in Colombo, marks a pivotal moment for SL, as they aim to secure their first test rugby final victory since their suspension from the sport a few years ago. more..

May 4 (DN) The Galle team, led by Ramesh Mendis, emerged as champions when they beat Kandy by seven wickets in the National Super League (NSL) final played at the Pallekele Cricket Stadium. Chasing a winning target of 176 on the fourth and final day, Galle opener Oshada Fernando hit an unbeaten 77 in 84 balls with 11 fours. He was well-supported by Lakshan Edirisinghe who scored 56 in 57 balls with 8 fours and a six, adding 93 runs for the second wicket stand to win the game with more..

May 4 (FT) Tourism industry expressed concerns over the challenges posed by regulatory measures noting that it has hindered its competitiveness and growth. Speaking to journalists, they highlight the complexities of implementing regulations such as minimum room rates (MRR), breakfast price controls and abrupt transition from the Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) visa system. Tangerine Group more..

May 4 (DM) Minister Harin Fernando attempted to play down the controversy surrounding the high visa charges incurred by tourists arriving at the BIA earlier this week, adding that a fresh gazette with revised fees will be issued next week. The controversy stemmed from a video that circulated on social media earlier this week, where it alleged that an additional cost was being charged by a private service provider, VFS Global, to whom the issuing of on-arrival visas had been outsourced to. more..

May 4 (FT) Inter-University Students� Federation (IUSF) has condemned the repression and arrest of University students across the US who are calling for an end to the US-backed, Israeli onslaught against Palestine. IUSF handed over a letter to the US Ambassador to SL Julie Chung yesterday, expressing their opposition to the actions of US law enforcement. IUSF also called on US universities to divest from direct investments in companies doing business in, or with Israel. more..

May 4 (DN) Pasindu Sooriyabandara stroked a brilliant unbeaten knock of 84 in 109 balls as Sri Lanka �A� recorded a four wicket win over Afghanistan �A� in their third unofficial ODI played at Mahinda Rajapaksa Int'l cricket stadium yesterday. It was a superb win by SL 'A� led by Nishan Madushka for the first time to get back to back third win to record series victory with two matches to spare while former Royal skipper Pasindu Sooriyabandara played his first match of the series more..

May 4 (DM) Reporters Without Borders (RFS) unveiled its annual World Press Freedom Index on Friday, revealing a concerning trend for Sri Lanka as it plummeted to the 150th position. This marks a significant decline from its 135th position in the previous year's index. The index, which evaluates 180 countries based on the freedom of journalists to work and report independently, highlighted a worrying trend not just for Sri Lanka but for the entire Asia-Pacific region. more..

May 4 (ST) SL Customs and Wildlife authorities have warned that SL is becoming a transit point for wildlife and exotic animals. India has become a hub for exotic animal sales, and more detections are being made at Indian airports, officials said. Smugglers have devised ways to use SL as a transit point for smuggling to cater to India�s demand, they said. A senior official at Customs said he suspects that the exotic more..

May 4 (DN) Sports Minister Harin Fernando in a move to depoliticise sport in Sri Lanka signed a landmark regulation identified as Regulation No. 1 yesterday at the Sports Ministry. Minister further said several occasions there were complaints about political influence in sports and we wanted to depoliticise Sport in Sri Lanka and want to develop sports with transparency. With this new regulation none of the officials involved in Politics will be allowed to serve in sports bodies more..

May 4 (FT) Tourism Minister Harin Fernando announced revealed that Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe has established an Inter-Ministerial Secretaries Committee tasked with implementing a National Visa Policy. The development follows intense criticism faced by the Govt over the outsourcing of the visa system to a foreign entity which earlier operated under the supervision of the Department of Immigration and Emigration. Fernando disclosed the committee, led by more..

May 4 (FT) Transparency International SL (TISL) is extending an invitation to the public to review and provide specific feedback on the proposed law regarding Proceeds of Crime Act. TISL said is concerned that the published Report was drafted without any public consultation, demonstrating SL Govt�s flagrant disregard for public and civil society consultation in the formulation of a key anti-corruption legislation such as the POCA. POCA, designed to recover & manage stolen assets, more..

May 4 (DM) When the country has an accepted legal system in place, it is shameful and dangerous for a senior minister to say to eliminate the criminals and to threaten the lawyers not to appear for them, a lawyers� collective said today. Expressing its strong disapproval of a recent statement made by the Public Security Minister Tiran Alles, the Young Lawyers Association told the media that no criminal should be punished until proven guilty in a court of law. more..