May 24 (DM) National Transport Commission (NTC) today announced a fare increase of 19.5% with effect from tonight, NTC Director General Commander (Rtd) Nilan Miranda said. He said the minimum fare, which was at Rs. 27, would be increased to Rs.32. The NTC issued the revised bus fare list with 350 cases today. The maximum bus fare has been increased from Rs. 2,022 to Rs. 2,417, the Minister said. He said that the bus fare revision was made solely to account for more..

May 24 (DM) WHO Representative to SL, Dr. Alaka Singh called on PM Ranil Wickremesinghe today (24) at the PM's Office in Colombo and assured him of the organization’s full support to overcome SL's medical crisis. Dr. Singh said that she was confident SL would be able to resolve the medicine shortage by July, August under the new health programme implemented by the current Govt. She stressed that the WHO is committed to improving the nutritional needs of infants and pregnant mothers. more..

May 24 (AD) The chairperson of Sri Lanka Tourism, Kimarli Fernando has tendered her resignation to Tourism Minister Harin Fernando. In her letter of resignation, Kimarli Fernando said she expects the newly-appointed Tourism Minister would want to appoint his own chairpersons and boards of directors. Harin Fernando was sworn in as the Minister of Tourism and Lands on the 20th of May. “I accepted this role on an honorary more..

May 24 (AD) The Examinations Department today released the cut-off marks for the enrolment of students into Grade six next year, based on the Grade 5 Scholarship Examination. The results could be obtained from www.doenets.lk or www.results.exams.gov.lk. Also, the students are requested to enter their correct examination number to obtain the results. A total of 331, 741 candidates had applied for the examination and 345,242 candidates had faced the examination. more..

May 24 (DM) With the increase of the CPC fuel prices from early this morning, the All-Island Three-Wheeler Drivers' Union (AITWDU) lamented that there will be an increase in the three-wheeler fare. AITWDU President Lalith Dharmasekera said that they did not increase the three-wheeler fare during the past two instances where fuel prices had gone up. At that time, we requested the three-wheeler operators to determine the fare after discussing with the passenger. more..

May 24 (TM) Public Security Ministry Secretary Maj. Gen. (Retd.) Jagath Alwis refuted reports that he had tendered his resignation to Prez Rajapaksa yesterday, shortly after providing a nearly four-hour statement to the CID regarding the incidents of peaceful protestors in front of Temple Trees in Kollupitiya and at Galle Face and the Galle Face Green being attacked by a group of SLPP supporters on 9 May. more..

May 24 (EN) As SL’s economy free-falls and thousands wait in queues for increasingly scarce cooking gas, enterprising Sri Lankans have found an innovative shortcut to make wood-fire cooking easier: by using a computer cooling fan to fan the flame. Shanaka Perera, a 48-year-old entrepreneur who was fed up with waiting in line for gas cylinder, decided to take matters into his own hands. With a little help from YouTube, Kesbewa resident built a do-it-yourself contraption using a flower pot. more..

May (SLN) A special operation conducted in Sallisampaltivu and seas off Trincomalee on the night of 23rd May 2022, led to the apprehension of 67 individuals who attempted to illegally migrate to a foreign country via sea. Accordingly, a group of naval personnel from the Naval Dockyard, Trincomalee in coordination with the Nilaveli Police nabbed 12 male suspects from 30 to 40 years of age, during a search operation mounted in Sallisampaltivu on the night of 23rd May. more..

May (TM) The Govt is re-victimising the victims of the attacks by SLPP supporters on the protest sites of MynaGoGama in front of Temple Trees in Kollupitiya and GotaGoGama in Galle Face and the Galle Face Green, claimed peaceful anti-Govt protestors at GotaGoGama. Reverend Amila Jeewantha Peiris, who is an active member of the GotaGoGama said that CID had sought & obtained a court order against some of the protestors barring them from travelling abroad. more..

May (TM) Despite the request by the Ceylon Petroleum Private Tanker Owners’ Association (CPPTOA) from IGP Chandana D. Wickramaratne to provide security to themselves and their bowsers transporting fuel, the Police said that such security could only be provided when necessary, as separate Police officers could not be deployed for the safety of private tankers and bowsers. Police Media Spokesman SSP said: “The CPPTOA has made a request to IGP Wickramaratne. more..

May 24 (TM) SL students and those travelling overseas on visit visas who have evidence of possessing strong financial capacity, have no issue with migrating, according to registered migration agents. Attorney-at-Law (AAL) Sahan Mawanane Hewa, who is a registered migration agent for Australia, stated that a prospective student must have financial evidence showing that they or a sponsor have sufficient funds to cover tuition and more..

May 24 (TM) Paddy and banana cultivations in Sooriyawewa are heavily affected by the current crisis, area farmers claimed. Farmers of Sooriyawewa said that the shortages of seeds, fuel, and fertiliser, and issues related to the human-elephant conflict are making their daily lives miserable. According to the farmers, they are unable to continue their farming with these shortages and warned that they will not be able to provide food for the country if the shortages continue. more..

May 24 (DM) Former Maldives President Mohammed Nasheed who is presently in Sri Lanka, said former PM Mahinda Rajapaksa had not sought a safe haven in the Maldives and he had not met Rajapaksa during his current visit in the country. Nasheed said reports stating that Mahinda had asked him for a safe haven for himself and his family members in the Maldoves, considering the present political climate in Sri Lanka, was false and he had not even met the former Sri Lankan PM. more..

May 24 (EN) Sri Lanka plans to advertise plots for studies on oil exploration in the Mannar Basin following research conducted in the area last year, Minister of Power and Energy Kanchana Wijesekera said on Tuesday. Wijesekara made this announcement at the weekly cabinet media briefing Tuesday morning. A natural gas field was reportedly discovered for the first time in Sri Lanka from the Mannar Basin in 2011, but the country has yet to capitalize on this purported resource. more..

May 24 (FT) It is presumptuous for a second-term MP to congratulate a fourth-term PM, but I am emboldened by Ranil Wickremesinghe’s own graciousness and generosity to me. At one level, it can be claimed that nothing could be easier than speaking about India-SL relations. After all, SL is India’s closest neighbour, and the relationship between our two countries is more than 2,500 years old. Indeed, both sides have built, and built upon, a long legacy of intellectual, cultural, religious more..

May 24 (DM) The Maldives Journal has learned that the speaker of the Maldivian Parliament, President Mohamed Nasheed is presently brokering safe passage for beleaguered former PM of SL, Mahinda Rajapaksa, and his family. Nasheed is currently in SL, meeting heads of political parties. Nasheed went to SL last week, and volunteered to coordinate international relief efforts for SL, despite lacking any experience in that field. more..

May 24 (CR) Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) have taken disciplinary action against Kamil Mishara who has been asked to return home immediately due to breach of discipline. Mishara was included in Sri Lanka’s 18-member squad for the ongoing tour but did not get a chance to feature in either of the Test matches. As per reports, he will be immediately flown back. SL are currently locking horns with Bangladesh in the series-deciding second Test match at Shere Bangla Stadium in Dhaka. more..

May 24 (TM) SL Foreign Service Association has welcomed the appointment of Ambassador Aruni Wijewardane, a member of the SL Foreign Service, as the new Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. This was made known via a media release by the SLFSA today. “The SLFSA is delighted to congratulate Ambassador Wijewardane on her new leadership role, which represents great responsibility, especially at this challenging time. Ambassador Wijewardane brings to more..

May 24 (CI) SL made steady headway on day two of the second Test in Mirpur, first through Kasun Rajitha, who completed a 5-wicket haul, in the first hour, then later through Dimuth Karunaratne and Oshada Fernando, who hit half-centuries in response to Bangladesh's 365. By stumps, SL were 222 runs behind, eight wickets in hand, and Karunaratne still going strong on 70 not out. Although Bangladesh could yet take control more..

May 24 (CI) Legspinner Tuba Hassan enjoyed a fairtytale debut as she spearheaded Pakistan to a straightforward six-wicket win in the first T20I against Sri Lanka in Karachi. Brought on in the tenth over, her four-over stint blew through the SL middle order, as she conceded just eight runs, bowling a maiden along the way and taking three wickets. A slightly conservative Sri Lanka were kept to 106 for 8. Pakistan started slowly and lost three early wickets of their own, but a 51-run stand more..

May 24 (Island) The CIABOC has prepared five indictments against former Minister and SLPP MP for the Kurunegala District Johnston Fernando. These indictments will be filed in the High Court of Colombo shortly. Besides, indictments will be filed against SLPP MPs, Keheliya Rambukwella and Rohitha Abeygunawardena. A case is being heard in the High Court of Colombo against SLPP MP Mahindananda Alutgamage. Commission comprises Retired SC Justice Eva Wanasundera more..

May 24 (FT) Hemas Holdings has accomplished a solid performance for the financial year 2021/2022 despite a challenging environment, to record a cumulative Group revenue of Rs. 78.8 billion, an increase of 22.2% over the prior year. The overall cumulative operating profits of Rs. 6.8 billion reflected a growth of 11.9% over previous year, whilst the Group earnings of Rs. 4.2 billion is an increase of 30.6%. Hemas Holdings Group CEO Kasturi Wilson said the first half performance more..

May 24 (AD) Committee on Public Accounts (COPA) has disclosed that pharmaceutical drugs worth Rs. 6,259 million have faced a quality failure from 2011 to 2020 due to improper storage of the said drugs. COPA report further discloses that 99% of the drugs were already given to the patients when the condition was brought to attention. In this situation, it is not possible to recover the cost of quality failed drugs from the suppliers. Therefore, Committee on Public Accounts has directed more..

May 24 (DW) Dozens of poor families from Sri Lanka have fled to southern India over the past few weeks amid an acute economic and political crisis gripping the Indian Ocean island nation. The country of 22 million people has been battling severe shortages of essential items, including food, fuel and medicine, as foreign reserves run dangerously low. The resulting public fury targeting the govt triggered mass street protests and political upheaval. more..

May 24 (DM) All Island Canteen Owners' Association (AICOA) and All Ceylon Bakery Owners' Association (ACBOA) said that their industries have come to a standstill with the increase in price of fuel. AICOA Chairman Asela Sampath said that they have decided to face the current situation only to survive. "We cannot increase the prices of lunch packets every time the fuel prices goes up," he said. Meanwhile, ACBOA Chairman N.K. Jayawardana said that they have come to a situation where they cannot continue with the business. more..

May 24 (EN) Former Minister Johnston Fernando arrived at the CID Tuesday morning to give a statement on the violence unleashed on peaceful protestors by govt supporters on May 9, police said. On May 17, the Attorney General issued a court order summoning 22 people including Fernando and SLPP MPs Sanath Nishantha and Sanjeewa Edirimanna as well as SDIG Deshabandu Thennakoon. According to videos circulated online, several SLPP MPs who were present at even at organised at Temple Trees, more..

May 24 (Island) Transparency International of SL has presented a set of 15-point recommendations for anti-corruption law reforms. TISL said in a statement: 2022 has so far been a tumultuous year for SL. With the country teetering dangerously close to defaulting, economists have noted that the situation will only get worse before it can get better. TISL says the prevailing crisis has been caused by decades of misuse and more..

May 24 (Island) Minister Kanchana Wijesekera kept on saying that adequate stocks of petrol and diesel were being released to the market, but the country continues to experience serious shortages of fuel. There are long queues for both petrol and diesel in Colombo, its suburbs as well as in the Provinces. Opposition trade union leader Ananda Palitha alleged that although the CPC and IOC had sufficient stocks of diesel and petrol, adequate quantities were not released as the govt was more..

May 24 (AD) New secretaries have been appointed to 23 ministries, the President’s Media Division (PMD) says. The new officials received their letters of appointment from Prez Gotabaya Rajapaksa at the President’s House in Colombo this evening (May 24). 1. R.W.R. Pemasiri - Ministry of Transport and Highways; 2. M.M.P.K. Mayadunne - Ministry of Public Administration, Home Affairs, Provincial Councils and Local Govt; 3. K.D.S. Ruwanchandra - Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Aviation more..

May 25 (DM) The SL economy is in free-fall. Food prices are out of reach of a majority of the population. Medicines, cooking gas, fuel and most essentials are in short supply. The country’s gross official reserves had dropped to US$90 million from US$1,827 million in April 2022. Immediate past Finance Minister Ali Sabry told parliament earlier this month that the country’s useful reserves were down to US$50 million. Driven to desperation, protests have broken out all over the country more..

May 25 (DM) Sri Lankan PM Ranil Wickremesinghe has sounded an extremely grim warning of a food crisis in the island beginning in August and stretching to March 2023. It will be aggravated by the fact that it could coincide with an expected global food crisis during this period. But all is not lost. Studies reveal that by re-orienting the country’s agricultural policies and adopting modern technologies, the worst can be averted and a firm foundation laid for lasting food security. more..

May 25 (DM) Minister and SJB MP Harin Fernando has come out strong on his decision to go against the SJB policies by accepting a portfolio in the Gotabaya Rajapaksa administration saying he did not want to waste his time only in criticisms but wanted to help the nation come out of the crisis. Fernando said he will continue to push for Gotabaya Rajapaksa to resign but in the meantime would be the voice of the people in cabinet. more..

May 25 (DM) A damning revelation by the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) states that Sri Lanka and Afghanistan will be two countries that will have no food during the global food crisis. In terms of Sri Lanka, this was anticipated by farmers, scientists and academics when the Gotabaya Rajapaksa regime decided to ban the import of chemical fertilisers. Coupled with the ongoing economic crisis, Sri Lanka is unable to secure imports of essential items as well. more..

May 25 (GV) The lion flag is waved for a historic first time on a mass scale in the Galle Face urban youth protest but the violent anti-protester attackers coming from Temple Trees also burnt those same lion flags. Meanwhile, there are instances in this anti-regime agitation when police checkpoints giving access to Fort from Galle Face refused to allow people to carry the national flag into the country’s centre of economy and power. Is there an actual contest between power blocs over the use of more..

May 25 (DM) In the backdrop of former Minister Ali Sabry’s proposed plan to increase fiscal revenue to bring the country’s economy back on track, questions were raised why he had failed to implement the recommendation made by the Govt Audit Office to recover the lost tax revenue from the much controversial sugar scam. Although it was estimated that the loss to the country due to the reduction of the special commodity levy more..