By Shamindra Ferdinando SLPP rebel group spokesman Prof. G. L. Peiris yesterday (26) said that it would be a costly initiative to engage former British Premier David Cameron to promote Colombo Port City and the enactment of the Online Safety Law meant to suppress political dissent were contradictory. The former External Affairs Minister said that […]

Wednesday 27th September, 2023 It is heartening that justice has finally caught up with a retired top cop, albeit after a lapse of more than eight years. The Ratnapura High Court, on Monday, sentenced former Senior DIG Lalith Jayasinghe to a five-year jail term for having ordered the OIC of the Kahawatte police station not […]

The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) handed over a consignment of 4,700 MT of soya beans and maize to Sri Lanka Thriposha Ltd, to support the continuation of the Thriposha fortified food programme. The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) facilitated the handover at a special event held at the Thriposha factory. This […]

About 40 Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) contracts suspended due to the economic crisis would be re-contracted as foreign investors had expressed their willingness to do so, Investment Promotion State Minister Dilum Amunugama said on Monday (25) in Kandy. Amunugama said the government expected to attract about 2 billion US dollars this year as FDIs. The […]

The International Monetary Fund is concerned about a shortfall in revenue collection by Sri Lanka s government this year, though that is unlikely to derail a $2.9 billion loan programme for the crisis-hit country, two Sri Lankan sources told Reuters.

Zambia’s former President Edgar Lungu has been warned against jogging in public, as police describe his weekly workouts as “political activism”. His Saturday runs with ordinary members of the public and supporters of his Patriotic Front (PF) party have been attracting a lot of attention. Lungu has been told to seek police approval for future […]

By Shamindra Ferdinando Opposition MP Harshana Rajakaruna yesterday (25) said those who had defeated the no-confidence motion (NCM) against Health Minister Keheliya Rambukwella should peruse the latest State audit report on the Health Ministry. The Gampaha District SJB MP said the Committee on Public Accounts (COPA) at a recent meeting chaired by State Minister Lasantha Alagiyawanna had strongly [...

By Udari Abeyasinghe One of the principles of free education is to provide opportunities in higher education. In 2020, then-President Gotabaya Rajapaksa issued directives to the University Grants Commission (UGC) to increase university admissions by an additional 12,000 students, in line with his election manifesto. Subsequently, student enrollments were increased with inadequate resources allocat...

Dr. Gunadasa Amerasekera’s latest book, Mahagedera, has been launched. It is now available at leading bookshops, and the Colombo International Book Fair, which is currently on at the BMICH. Mahagedera is based on the current socio-political situation in Sri Lanka.

By Shamindra Ferdinando Governor of the Central Bank Dr. Nandalal Weerasinghe yesterday (25) questioned the conduct of some MPs who sought to direct public anger at officials over the economic crisis. Alleging that such an attempt had been made last year in the wake of attacks on politicians’ properties, Dr. Weerasinghe said that problems couldn’t […]

By Prageeth Janaka Colombo Archbishop Malcolm Cardinal Ranjith has called on the government to ensure a credible, transparent investigation into the Easter Sunday terror attacks. He has said the need for an international probe could be avoided if the inquiry is carried out with integrity and devoid of political influence. Addressing the media during the […]

The fifth Asia Pacific Forum of Ministers and Environment Authorities, the largest regional environmental event in the Asia Pacific region will convene in Colombo from October 3rd to October 6th. This forum is jointly organized by the Ministry of Environment and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). During an awareness press briefing held today (25) […]

The People’s Action for Free and Fair Elections (PAFFREL) says a ministerial consultative committee’s decision to cancel the local government polls nominations will cause a loss of more than one billion rupees to the state coffers. PAFFREL Executive Director Rohana Hettiarachchi told the media that the decision to cancel the nominations in the backdrop of […]

asks govt. to implement PCoI recommendations now by Shamindra Ferdinando In the wake of State Defence Minister Pramitha Bandara Tennakoon’s declaration in Parliament that the State Intelligence Service (SIS) had successfully infiltrated the extremist group which carried out near simultaneous suicide attacks on 2019 Easter Sunday, the Catholic Church would like to know whether the Yahapalana govern...

Monday 25th September, 2023 Channel 4’s recent programme on the Easter Sunday attacks may have made the Rajapaksas squirm and landed President Ranil Wickremesinghe in an awkward position, but former President Maithripala Sirisena has become an unintended beneficiary thereof. It could not have come at a better time for him; he has had to pay […]

Recent address by Dr. Sarath Gamini De Silva to the Galle Medical Association It is indeed my privilege and pleasure to be given this opportunity to address the members of the Galle Medical Association (GMA). I am grateful to the President and the Council of the GMA for inviting me as the guest of honour […]

University teachers are scheduled to stage a protest opposite the University Grants Commission at Ward Place, Colombo, today (25) against what the Federation of University Teachers’ Associations (FUTA) calls the government’s irrational policy on education and unfair taxation. FUTA General Secretary Dr. Athulasiri Samarakoon said that the university teachers also opposed the government’s inability ...

The Lawyers’ Collective condemns the latest version of the Anti-Terrorism Bill and the Online Safety Bill gazetted in September 2023. The Government of Sri Lanka has failed to respond to the serious and fundamental concerns raised about the Anti-Terrorism Bill gazetted in March this year. The government also failed to adopt any transparent and accountable […]