Oct 6 (AD) Court of Appeal has ordered a writ application filed by former Prez Maithripala Sirisena to be taken into consideration on October 10. Former Prez Sirisena had filed the writ application seeking the dismissal of a notice issued by the Colombo Fort Magistrate on him to appear before courts on Oct 14, after considering a private plaint seeking to name him as an accused of Easter Sunday attacks. He was named as a suspect in the private plaint filed over his alleged negligence more..

Oct 6 (DM) The owner of Thico Group Private Ltd Thilini Priyamali was today ordered to be remanded till Oct 19 after being produced before Colombo Fort Magistrate’s court over allegedly misappropriating Rs.226 million, USD 60,000, and Australian $100,000 while operating a luxurious office at World Trade Center in Colombo. Producing the suspect before Court, the CID alleged that the suspect who befriended several businessmen running their business operations adjacent to her office. more..

Oct 6 (EN) The latest resolution that promotes reconciliation in SL was passed by 20 votes against 7 at the UNHRC on Thursday with many countries which have been close to the island nation’s ruling elite voted against the island nation’s wish. The new resolution also has focused on how human rights impact of the economic crisis. Twenty countries including India, Japan, Indonesia, Qatar Malaysia, and the UAE abstained from voting more..

Oct 6 (TM) Sri Lanka will increase the minimum deposit amount for its 10-year Golden Paradise Visa Scheme to $ 200,000, according to the recommendation of Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe, as the programme has started gaining attention among investors, said State Minister Dilum Amunugama. He said that the programme will be relaunched with the new minimum deposit requirement of $ 200,000 next week, as Sri Lanka is already receiving a great number of inquiries about the programme. more..

Oct 6 (EN) Dialog Axiata said it had partnered with Sampath Bank to launch a US dollar pre-paid fuel card to tourists which can top up to a maximum of 300 US dollars and use to pump fuel as the country grapples with a severe currency crisis. SL is suffering the worst bout of monetary instability in the history of the island’s intermediate regime CB whose rupee collapsed from 200 to 360 to the US dollar in a botched float after two years of money printing. Forex shortages had led to fuel shortages. more..

Oct 7 (DM) Much is spoken of students and their achievements, but seldom are teachers highlighted for their contributions made to the field of education. We all know that teachers draw paltry salaries. However, much is expected of them inside the classrooms; out of which individuals with many skills step into the job market. Sri Lanka’s education institutes like schools have toiled for years to make teaching at these academic institutes an attractive occupation, but with little success. more..

Oct 7 (CT) During the month, Sri Lanka govt made some progress in the measures it had initiated earlier for economic recovery. After holding the staff level meetings with the IMF, the govt is hopeful signs of $2.9 bn loan materialising. However, some other measures it has taken like the formation of a bloated cabinet for political reasons, declaring focus areas of Aragalaya protests as high security zones (HSZ) and the use of draconian PTA to arrest some of the protest leaders have drawn flak more..

Oct 7 (LP) For many visitors, Sri Lanka is all about blissful, blonde beaches, but another world – perfect for hikers – awaits in the rugged, mountainous interior. It was only when railways were built through the highlands that vehicles replaced hiking as the main way of getting around this stunning tropical island. Modern-day trekkers can enter a wonderland of rugged ruins, sacred sites, epic viewpoints and more..

Oct 7 (Island) Three films that Lester James Peries directed for Ceylon Theatres – Golu Hadawatha (1968), Akkara Paha (1969), and Nidhanaya (1970) – stand out among the finest ever made in this country. They are an affirmation of life, sweeping epic-like fables that seem to tell us about ourselves, who we are and how we live. When Ceylon Theatres commissioned Peries to take on these projects, it was allegedly on the verge of bankruptcy. As he recalled for A.J. Gunawardena more..

Oct 7 (GV) The 21st century has seen a rapid expansion of globalisation at unprecedented speed. So much so that no country is an island anymore, not even SL. This phenomenon, which has brought the world closer, comes with numerous benefits but also some detriments – one is in the form of foreign influence. SL, with its strategic location to the south of India, placed at the crossroads of major shipping routes to South Asia, Far East, Europe & America, is no stranger to such influential efforts, more..

Oct 7 (TM) Legal and academic experts on medical negligence have highlighted that there is a tendency among hospital administrations to suppress information with regard to medical negligence-related claims. The law applicable in relation to medical negligence locally is a mixture of English Law and Roman-Dutch Law. Previously, legal practitioner and author of Medical Negligence Claims in SL (the latter based on findings more..

Oct 7 (Island) Sanity has prevailed; the parliamentary debate on the 22nd Amendment (22-A) to the Constitution Bill has been postponed. The government seems to have got cold feet due to stiff resistance offered by the Opposition and even a section of the ruling SLPP to the controversial Bill. The process of tinkering with the 1978 Constitution to effect changes to the executive presidency has taken a zigzag course. The first successful attempt to reduce the executive powers of the Prez more..

Oct 7 (ST) Earlier this week a rental car driver related a tale of woe on how he had a small tourism business but had to close it and now works as a cab driver. “I was doing very well and on one occasion secured an income of Rs.100,000 for one round trip – driving tourists around the island. All that was lost due to the lopsided policies of the govt as and when tourism was affected by the economic crisis,” he said, sadly. He now drives around, working for one of the two main rent-a-vehicle companies but more..

Oct 7 (TM) As the country’s human rights record has evolved into a decisive factor in not only SL’s reputation in the international context, but also in attempts to obtain international assistance to deal with the recent economic downturn, the SL Govt recently announced its plans to set up, before next March, a truth-seeking mechanism based on the final report of the Presidential Commission of Inquiry (CoI) for the Appraisal of the Findings of Previous Commissions and Committees and more..

Oct 7 (CT) In the backdrop of the country gradually recovering from the fuel crisis that it had fallen into, the illegal actions of a certain faction of the people may result in a double jeopardy for consumers. The fuel crisis affected all industries and the health sector, pushing the public into severe inconvenience and to add to the tragedy, a number of fuel queue deaths were also reported. The fuel crisis also affected the power supply that the country is still facing. more..

Oct 7 (TM) Against the backdrop of several parties calling for the elimination of ragging in universities and higher education institutions, clashes and issues related to ragging are being reported from several universities and higher education institutions such as the Universities of Peradeniya, Sri J'pura, and Kelaniya, Open Uni and Institute of Technology of Uni of Moratuwa. After an incident where a group of pro-ragging more..

Oct 7 (Island) SL’s success in T-20 World Cups is tremendous. Since the new format was introduced in 2005, there have been seven T-20 World Cups and SL have reached the finals on three occasions while on another occasion they were losing semi-finalists. No other team has featured in three finals with West Indies, India, Pakistan, Australia and England appearing in two finals each. One of the team’s key figures during the early success was former captain Sanath Jayasuriya, who played in more..

Oct 7 (FT) The Colombo stock market reverted to negative territory yesterday despite reassurances from the President as well as the Central Bank on the recovery of the economy. The active S&P SL20 dipped by 2.33% and the benchmark ASPI by 1.5%. Turnover was Rs. 2.86 billion involving 111 million shares. After losing over Rs. 300 billion in value in the first two market days of October, the Colombo bourse staged a half-hearted recovery on Wednesday to close marginally up. more..

Oct 7 (Island) A Brisbane-based company that invented a smartphone app it says can diagnose COVID-19 and other respiratory illnesses by listening to someone cough has been purchased by Pfizer for nearly $180 million.ResApp Health Limited uses diagnostic technology developed by Associate Professor Udantha Abeyratne and his research team at the University of Queensland (UQ) to record and analyse a patient’s coughs on a smartphone. The app also considers the self-reporting of more..

Oct 7 (FT) The AmCham SL recently held its 30th Annual General Meeting (AGM) and election of Directors. Despite the challenges of the socio-economic and political conditions faced by the business community over the past year, significantly curtailing usual Chamber activities, the Chamber recorded its highest net surplus yet, for the third consecutive year. Lakshan Madurasinghe who was re-elected President for his second year, addressing the gathering comprising over 100 member more..

Oct 7 (AD) Japan has not yet reached an agreement to co-chair a debt summit with SL’s creditors, a govt official in Tokyo said, as the island nation struggles to find a way out of a crippling economic crisis. SL has to renegotiate around $30 billion of foreign debt, including with bilateral creditors such as China, Japan and India, with one of them likely to co-chair the talks. “We have not reached such an agreement. more..

Oct 7 (TM) College of Medical Laboratory Science (CMLS) has stated that it is suspicious that a company supplying reagents had provided reagents to the National Hospital of SL (NHSL) in Colombo, just a few hours before an investigation took place by Ministry of Health Deputy Director General (DDG) of Laboratory Services, regarding the non-conduct of a number of medical tests at the NHSL due to the lack of reagents. CMLS President Ravi Kumudesh claimed: “A few hours before the DDG of more..

Oct 7 (DN) Visakha Vidyalaya, Colombo shot into the limelight as they snatched the lead from overnight leaders Killer Whale Aquatic Club at the National and Junior National Swimming Championships, now in progress at the Sugathadasa Swimming Pool Complex in Colombo. Visakha, who were trailing overnight by a solitary point, produced a series of victories as they collected a total of 133 points to push their rivals Killer Whale AC (108 points) into 2nd place more..

Oct 7 (EN) Steeply rising prices is a bigger threat to businesses than high interest rates which will have to be maintained for a time until inflation start to ease, CB Governor Nandalal Weerasinghe said. SL was now experiencing the result of past money printing and if rates are cut now, runaway inflation could be the result, he said. “Higher interest rates is a cost to business, but inflation drives up all costs,” more..

Oct 7 (CT) Dr. Chathuranga Ranasinghe was the recipient of the 7th Sheikh Fahad Hiroshima-Asia Sports Medicine and Science Award. The award was presented to him at the General Assembly of the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) held in Phnom Penh, Cambodia on 4 October. The award is bestowed by the Hiroshima City Sports Association, Hiroshima, Japan. Dr. Ranasinghe is a specialist in Sport and Exercise Medicine, and is the Director of Sport Exercise Medicine Unit at Faculty of Medicine more..

Oct 7 (DN) Sri Lanka Athletic (SLA) Centenary Commemorative stamp was issued to mark World Postal Day yesterday at the Postal Headquarters Auditorium in Colombo and Media Minister Bandula Gunawardena was the Chief Guest on this occasion conducted by the SL Posts Philatelic Bureau. SLA President Major General Palitha Fernando said this is a red letter day for SLA, The SLA centenary commemorative Stamp is the only stamp issued by SL Philatelic Bureau to mark world Postal day more..

Oct 7 (CT) Minister Tiran Alles said that he has no influence when it comes to the appointments of Police officers and that all appointments and transfers follow proper procedure. He said MPs from both the Govt and opposition have requested him to transfer or promote specific policemen. Responding to a question raised in Parliament by SJB MP Hesha Withanage, Alles said he receives a number of such requests and that there has even been one from an opposition MP yesterday. more..

Oct 7 (ST) While Sri Lanka is gearing to bounce back from the hard hit tourism industry with fresh promotional campaigns, it is the private sector that is on full throttle to uplift the dying industry, Tissa Jayaweera, a senior advisor to the Chamber of Tourism said. He said, “It is the private sector that does 99% of tourism promotional campaigns while the govt officials are good at visiting foreign countries and making presentations on a screen.” Gone are the days where people saw more..

Oct 7 (FT) President Ranil Wickremesinghe yesterday, making a special statement in Parliament, reiterated that the Govt is ready to overcome the worst economic crisis in history even amidst shocks. He also invited all parties to join the country’s rebuilding program irrespective of their personal grudges of the past. During his speech, Prez unveiled a fourfold strategic plan to recover from the crisis. more..

Oct 7 (DM) Denying allegations that he had defaulted electricity bills amounting to more than Rs. 600, 000, former state minister Dayasiri Jayasekara said today that the utility bills he had received for his residence included outstanding against the previous occupants, former ministers Richard Pathirana and Athauda Senviratne. He told Parliament that he had punctually settled his utility bills on time. He said the electricity bill for his official residence was not even addressed to his name and more..

Oct 7 (DM) The United Nations will be forced to bust over USD 6 million to implement the resolution on Sri Lanka which was adopted by the UNHRC in Geneva. Johannes Huisman, the Director of Programme Planning and Budget Division at the UN said that the adoption of draft resolution A/HRC/51/L.1/Rev.1 would give rise to total requirements of $6,092,300. A/HRC/51/L.1/Rev.1 titled Promoting reconciliation, accountability and human rights in SL was passed by UNHRC. more..

Oct 7 (Island) Ambassador of China to SL, Qi Zhenhong recently welcomed Prof. S. Srisatkunarajah, Vice Chancellor of the University of Jaffna and handed over Chinese Ambassador’s Scholarship of LKR 4.3 million to 82 students from the university. The scholarship, with 5000 rupees per month per person, will help to support these students from underprivileged families for an academic year. Ambassador Qi recalled the 1.6 million doses of Sinopharm vaccines more..

Oct 7 (EN) SL’s banks will be re-capitalized if an ongoing study shows a need, CB Deputy Governor Yvette Fernando said as lenders faced multiple shocks ranging from a Covid crisis, rate spikes, bond losses, bad loans from a slowing economy. SL’s banks gave debt moratoriums to customers during a Coronavirus crises where bad loans did not get classified under the usual rules, and in 2022 the impact of the currency crisis hit customers and interest rates also spiked leading to more..

Oct 7 (DM) Right to Information Commission, which had been hearing an appeal made by journalists requesting information regarding expiry dates of tear gas canisters used by the police to defuse recent protests, yesterday concluded the hearing as the Police Chief had refused to grant further information. RTI Commission, which heard the appeal for the third day yesterday concluded its hearing and more..

Oct 7 (DM) The IMF is waiting for SL to comply with all the applicable IMF policies before further steps can be taken. In an emailed response to Daily Mirror, Peter Breuer, Senior Mission Chief for SL and Masahiro Nozaki, Mission Chief for SL, said that on 1st Sept the IMF reached a staff-level agreement (SLA) with SL on a 48-month arrangement under the Extended Fund Facility of about US$2.9 billion. “The SLA is ad-referendum i.e., subject to IMF Management & IMF Exec Board approval. more..