May 9 (TM) Election Commission (EC) has informed President's Secretary Saman Ekanayake and the other relevant authorities that it is better to hold the LG elections than establishing community advisory committees to oversee development projects under LG bodies. Govt recently announced plans to establish these committees, with the alleged intent of having them oversee development projects within LG bodies. more..

May 9 (TM) The Election Commission (EC) is to accommodate requests made by several international organisations such as the European Union (EU) to observe the upcoming elections including the Prez Election, in a timely manner. Local election monitoring body, the People’s Action for Free and Fair Elections, had recently requested the EC in writing to urgently make necessary arrangements to invite a delegation of election observers representing int'l community. more..

May 9 (DN) Former National Medicines Regulatory Authority (NMRA) Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Dr. Vijith Gunasekara has been arrested by the CID yesterday evening (8) over the controversial scandal of the alleged importation of substandard immunoglobulin. Dr. Gunasekara was summoned to the CID yesterday to record a statement pertaining to the importation of a batch of substandard human intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) vials into Sri Lanka. more..

May 9 (FT) Opposition MP Dayasiri Jayasekara levelled accusations against the Govt, alleging that a Govt MP was given a plot of land at the BIA to establish a jet fuel storage facility. When prompted by Govt MPs to identify the MP in Parliament, Jayasekara declined to disclose his name, asserting that the Govt was evidently already aware of his identity. Furthermore, he hinted at the person’s potential candidacy for Presidency. more..

May 9 (DN) Health Secretary Dr. Palitha Mahipala said that 46% of women and 10% of school children in Sri Lanka are suffering from obesity. He also stated that the life expectancy of women, which was limited to 80 years a few years ago, has increased to 83 years. He also stated that today, 89% of deaths in this country are caused by non-communicable diseases such as cancer, heart disease, lung disease and diabetes. A majority of deaths occur due to heart disease and stroke. more..

May 9 (Island) Former President of Sri Lanka Cricket and Asian Cricket Council Thilanga Sumathipala launched a book last week in Colombo. Titled, Wave Maker the book deals on inner dynamics of Sri Lanka’s Cricket Legacy. Thilanga in 1998 became the youngest SLC President ever at the age of 33. He oversaw some testing periods for cricket in the country that included the chucking controversy in Australia. Under Thilanga’s dynamic leadership, SLC were able to clear Murali after more..

May 9 (AD) Two retired officers of the Sri Lanka Army have been arrested for illegally recruiting Sri Lankan army soldiers to be employed in the Russian military. Accordingly, a retired Major General and a retired Sergeant were apprehended by the CID in Kurunegala on Wednesday (08). Earlier on Wednesday, the Ministry of Defence announced the launch of an operation to arrest the suspects implicated in directing retired SL Army soldiers to join Russian or Ukrainian forces by illegal means. more..

May 9 (DN) Sri Lanka should focus on entering more Free Trade Agreements (FTA) and those should be negotiated in favour of the country, said Chairman, Exporters’ Association of SL (EASL) Ranil Goonetilleke. Through more FTA’s SL should be able to grow exports, he said at a joint press briefing organized by National Chamber of Exporters of SL (NCE) on Tuesday. Goonetilleke stated that small and medium entrepreneurs are getting lack of support from the govt. more..

May 9 (EN) Hundreds of SL ex-soldiers recruited by multiple teams were dying in their hundreds in the killing fields of the Russia-Ukraine border amid drone warfare, according to a fighter who escaped the region. Over 200 SL ex-soldiers are believed to have died and a similar number are being treated in hospitals in regions like Donetsk, he said. The retired soldier said he went to Russia after paying 1.6 million to recruiting more..

May 9 (Island) After their first attempt to improve Road to Paris 24 rankings went awry last week, three of SL’s top athletes will compete against odds to reach Olympic qualifying standards when they compete in Osaka, Japan. Asian Games medallists Tharushi Karunaratne, Nadeesha Ramanayake and Kalinga Kumarage left for Osaka yesterday, three days ahead of the competition where they will vie to improve their rankings. Last week Ramanayake produced a below par performance more..

May 9 (DN) Former skipper Dasun Shanaka led SLC Team Red to victory over SLC Team Yellow in the fourth match of the SLC T20 World Cup Preparation Tournament played yesterday. Shanaka’s unbeaten 63 off 38 balls, peppered with 4 fours and 5 sixes, was the highlight of the match, and helped his team set a commanding total of 192 for 8 wickets in 20 overs. Alongside Shanaka, Kamindu Mendis (30) and Avishka Fernando (25) also contributed to their team’s score with some impressive batting. more..

May 9 (FT) Foreign Affairs Minister Ali Sabry yesterday insisted on the necessity of diverting the attention from visa fees controversy to establish Sri Lanka as a top-tier tourist destination. “We must shift our focus away from visa fees. Instead, we should look at providing complimentary visas to citizens of over 50 countries,” he told journalists. Minister said such a move could ignite excitement within the tourism sector and boost visitor numbers. Sabry’s proposal aims to reinvigorate tourism sector more..

May 9 (DN) Nuwanidu Fernando, 24-year-old all-rounder from SSC, recently shared his thoughts on playing for his country. “When I get the chance to play in the National side, I never think about my batting position or which position I am keen to bat,” he said. “What matters most to me is the success of the team, and I always work hard towards it. Personal milestones are not my priority.” Nuwanidu Fernando, recently shared his experience of playing against Afghanistan ‘A’ team. more..

May 9 (DN) Skipper Chamari Athapaththu’s outstanding performance of 102 off 63 balls helped Sri Lanka win the final of the Women’s T20 World Cup Qualifier against Scotland in Abu Dhabi on Wednesday. As a result, SL will now slot into Group A alongside Australia, India, NZ and Pakistan, while Scotland will be part of Group B alongside South Africa, England, WI & Bangladesh at the World Cup scheduled for October. more..

May 9 (PMD) Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe emphasized on-going efforts to enact unified legislation addressing environmental protection and climate change. He highlighted the govt’s commitment to crafting economic policies geared not only towards fostering export-oriented competitiveness but also towards transitioning to a green economy, aiming to achieve net-zero by 2050. Acknowledging the recent prolonged spells of extreme climate conditions as indicative of more..

May 9 (ST) The passenger boat service between Wellawatte and Diyatha Uyana in Battaramulla, which began amid much fanfare on March 11, 2020, has now ground to a complete halt. The boat service was launched as a solution to the traffic congestion in Colombo and the suburbs including Nugegoda, Rajagiriya, Kotte, Dehiwala, Mt. Lavinia, Sri J'pura and Kalubowila. Nearly 10 boats were deployed for the service, ferrying passengers between Wellawatte and the administrative centre of Battaramulla. more..

May 9 (FT) Foreign Affairs Minister Ali Sabry announced the Govt’s expectation to finalise the foreign debt restructuring process next month aiming to slash the country’s outstanding payment by about $ 17 billion. He said the primary focus is on navigating the challenge of debt restructuring. “We aim to diligently negotiate and finalise the negotiations with private investors associated with sovereign bonds. more..

May 9 (EN) Govt will no longer earn US$ 50 from a tourist visa but 20% would to VFS Global, a private contractor hired without tender to run an electronic visa website, MP S M Marikkar charged. SL jacked up the price of a standard visa, which was double entry, to US$ 75 from US$ 50 with the advent of the VFS deal, and the firm’s own charges pushed up the cost to US$ 100.77 shocking tourists. Following intervention by Minister Harin Fernando, a new single-entry visa was promised for US$ 50. more..

May 9 (FT) Litro Gas yesterday ceremonially commissioned its state-of-the-art refurbished and upgraded storage and bottling facility at Mabima, Sapugaskande. Ceremony was presided over by Prez’s Chief of Staff Sagala Rathnayaka. Recognised as one of the largest in the region, the Mabima facility reinforces Litro Gas’s commitment to operational excellence and national energy security. Commissioned in 1984 by Colombo Water and Gas Company, Mabima Filling Plant has been more..

May 9 (Island) Overturning an Appeal Court ruling, the Supreme Court (SC) has determined that State Minister Diana Gamage, a National List MP of the SJB, is not eligible to be a member of Parliament. She has lost her parliamentary seat, as a result. Thus, a protracted legal battle over the issue of Gamage’s citizenship status has come to an end. If Osala Herath, a social and political activist, had not resorted to legal action against Gamage, insisting that she was a British citizen, more..

May 9 (Island) In response to The Island query, Prof. Rajiva Wijesinha, Secy General of SCOPP, sent us the following response: ” It was most entertaining to see Erik Solheim back in SL, celebrating his dinner with his old friends Ranil and Maithree Wickremesinghe. Needless to say he reiterated what Mahinda Rajapaksa has been trumpeting, that Ranil did not run away when there was a crisis. Of course Ranil did not run away, because he was prepared to swallow anything to revive his political career, more..

May 9 (FT) Several leading export associations on Tuesday made a clarion call for urgent action to revitalise SL’s stagnant merchandise exports. Holding a joint media conference, organised by National Chamber of Exporters (NCE), SL Shippers Council (SLSC), Joint Apparel Association Forum of SL (JAAF), Tea Exporters Association (TEA), SL Association of Manufacturers & Exporters of Rubber Products more..

May 9 (TM) Sri Lanka is not happy with overall Singapore investments that have come in the past few years in return for the trade liberalisation under the Singapore-SL Free Trade Agreement (FTA), said Chief Negotiator, K.J. Weerasinghe. Speaking at the COPF on Tuesday, he said that since 99% of the tariffs in Singapore have zero rates of duty, SL has agreed on 80% tariff liberalisation over a period of 15 years while expecting Singapore investments to address the imbalance in trade. more..

May 9 (SO) “Can we question the existence of a world beyond ourselves? It’s evident that the world preceded the birth of those younger than me and persisted after the passing of those who came before me. If the world doesn’t materialise or vanish solely based on individual births and deaths, then my own experiences are not unique. The world existed before my arrival and will endure beyond my departure,” That’s how the renowned intellectual Dr. Nalin de Silva began the core text of more..

May 9 (TM) The recent incidents where an ulundu (a bean) wade and a plain tea were sold at Rs. 800 and a kottu was offered at Rs. 1,900 to foreign tourists in SL raised many eyebrows. Based on these two incidents, of which the videos went viral on social media, prompt legal action was taken against the respective vendors, and the Govt vowed to take strict action against the overcharging of tourists. However, overcharging and scamming foreign tourists is not at all a new trend in Sri Lanka more..

May 9 (ST) At a tourism panel discussion, some years back when Sri Lanka reached its highest arrivals figure in 2018, the question was raised as to whether SL would have to import food to feed its 22 million people plus 2.4 million tourists? What impact would there be on prices of essential commodities when hotels order the bulk of the produce in the village, sending up prices for local communities? Will rentals rise for locals? It is early days for SL as it aims for 4 million arrivals more..

May 9 (TM) Motorcycle owners are calling on the Govt to amend the Motor Traffic Act, permitting the registration of locally-assembled high-capacity motorcycles above 450cc without incurring penalties. They argue that many owners of these motorcycles are young individuals who cannot afford the substantial penalties required for registering their bikes to ride legally on the roads. High-capacity motorcycles are usually characterised by more..

May 9 (GV) In times of calamity women are affected disproportionately, and SL’s ethnic and religious conflicts are no exception to the rule. In the post-war context, Tamil women were left to look for many family members who were disappeared by the state or militants. They were forced to do this while returning to mostly demolished homes in a heavily militarised environment. They had to rebuild entire communities with limited govt support. In a similar vein, following 2019 Easter Sunday attacks, more..

May 9 (CT) The viral video, captured by Chinese tourists, depicts a youth from a disadvantaged background desperately trying to sell flowers, running for miles barefoot behind a tourist bus filled with Chinese tourists. The youth, panting and sweating, with pleading eyes, bravely endeavors to market his wares despite the challenging conditions. Is this the fate of our youth from the hills? Isn’t it a matter of shame that tourists from developed nations visit our country more..

May 9 (DM) The Sinharaja Forest reserve, located in the southwest of the Central Highlands of SL, spans over 11,250 hectares. Bordering the Galle, Matara, and Ratnapura districts, Sinharaja Forest has attracted global attention and has been designated as a Biosphere Reserve and World Heritage Site by UNESCO. Being a portion of the Lowland Rainforest Eco-zone, this hilly virgin rainforest has been naturally shielded more..

May 9 (TM) Supreme Court (SC) concluded that State Minister Diana Gamage has ceased to be a citizen of SL upon acquiring British citizenship and has also failed to prove that she has resumed the status of a citizen of SL. As per the Constitutional provisions pertaining to Parliamentarians’ citizenship, she can no longer serve as a MP. It should be noted first and foremost, and it cannot be stressed enough, that this matter should not have turned into such a dragged out more..

May 9 (DM) SL is getting ready for presidential elections, but there is one thing that voters must realise and that is the fact that politicians will hide their dirty traits under the spotless white attires they wear. You can see this happening right now despite so many lessons being learned over the years. This fact is true with all politicians regardless of what party they belong to. So what’s the alternative? The alternative is to choose an individual who has the least political traits in him. more..