Apr 12 (TM) Minister of Prison Affairs and Justice, President’s Counsel Dr. Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe stated that it is the Govt’s responsibility to take care of the welfare of imprisoned inmates, regardless of the severity of the offences that they have committed. Speaking at an event, he added that the relevant inspection committees should take measures to provide additional welfare facilities for prison inmates, apart from the facilities provided by the Govt. more..

Apr 12 (TM) SSP Nihal Thalduwa yesterday stated that all the relevant Police stations have been informed to deal with the unclaimed bodies piled up at the Colombo South Teaching Hospital in Kalubowila as soon as possible. He said this when he was contacted by The Daily Morning to inquire about the steps taken by the Police regarding the fact that the administration of the said Hospital has decided not to accept any unclaimed dead bodies until the piled up corpses are cleared. more..

Apr 12 (AD) Until a satisfactory conclusion is reached, the decision on the participation of uni academics in the GCE A/L exam paper evaluation will be deferred, FUTA says. In a statement, the association said the decision was taken at a special meeting of its Board of Representatives on Tuesday. FUTA temporarily called off its continuous trade union action, launched against the govt’s tax policy, and more..

Apr 12 (CT) State hospitals receive the highest number of accident victims during the period from 8 to 16 April, Consultant Community Physician Samitha Sirithunga said. He lamented that the highest number of accident victim deaths, while receiving treatment in hospital, is also reported during this period. Starting from 8 April till about the 16 this a time that hospitals receive the highest number of accident victims and record the highest number that die while receiving treatment more..

Apr 12 (FT) Freedom People's Congress member Prof. Charitha Herath has called for a new political and economic reforms system to be implemented in SL. “The current Govt is an interim one. This is a successive period that we are currently facing,” he said adding that the Govt has not been able to find solutions for the country’s economic issues. “We have only been able to secure funding from the IMF. Some say Ranil is good. Others are saying Ranil isn't. An internal split is visible,” he said. more..

Apr 12 (TM) Police have initiated an investigation into the disappearance of Rs. 5 million from a safe at the Central Bank. Probes were launched after a complaint filed by respective authorities of the Central Bank with the Colombo Fort police station. Bundles of cash placed inside a safe with high-security systems at the Central Bank have gone missing. Therefore, Colombo Fort police officers are investigating the matter, while the CB is conducting an internal probe. more..

Apr 12 (SLN) The govt of SL launched a project for a passenger ferry service between the port of Kankasanthurai, SL and Pondicherry, India to provide a more affordable and convenient mode of transportation. In support of this project, SL Navy has commenced facility expansion of the Kankasanthurai harbour, with a view to accommodate more traffic and provide better infrastructure. Navy is committed to nurturing a stable ocean region for the safe conduct more..

Apr 12 (AD) Federation of University Teachers’ Association (FUTA) has temporarily called off its strike action, which had been commenced in protest of the govt’s tax policy. Accordingly, university lecturers will rejoin academic activities from April 17. FUTA, said it has decided in a special Board of Representatives meeting to temporarily suspend the continuous strike from April 17, 2023, and resume work. more..

Apr 12 (Nikkei) Japan is set to take the lead in establishing a meeting of creditor nations to promote the restructuring of Sri Lanka's debt, Nikkei has learned. Japan, India, France and other lenders are expected to announce the plan on Thursday. China, Sri Lanka's largest bilateral lender, will be invited. The setup could serve as a precedent for solving middle-income nations' debt problems, exacerbated in part by higher interest rates in the U.S. and Europe. more..

Apr 12 (MFA) Govt of SL donated a consignment of 4.6 tons of apparel to the victims of the recent earthquake in Türkiye. Minister of Foreign Affairs Ali Sabry handed over the consignment to the Ambassador of Türkiye to SL Rakibe Demet Sekercioglu on 12 April 2023 at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Minister Sabry conveyed the solidarity of the Govt and the people of SL with the people of Türkiye, while highlighting the deep-rooted relations between the two countries. more..

Apr 12 (PTI) A technical committee appointed by the minister of sports will be probing the reasons behind SL’s failure to win automatic qualification for the ODI World Cup to be held in India later this year. SL failed to directly qualify for the ICC ODI World Cup following its loss to NZ in the third ODI at Hamilton last month. Sports minister Roshan Ranasinghe last week appointed a technical committee headed by Sanath Jayasuriya. more..

Apr 12 (AD) Dept of Examinations has urged university lecturers to take part in the evaluation of the 2022 GCE A/L exam papers. In a media release, Commissioner General of Examinations Amith Jayasundara said the paper marking activities can be commenced with the participation of the exam markers who have already applied for the task. The paper marking process has been delayed by 54 days, the exams chief said, adding that the students who sat for the A/L exam are now afflicted more..

Apr 12 (NR) The Select Committee of Parliament appointed to make suitable recommendations for the expansion of higher education opportunities in Sri Lanka has emphasized that opportunities for higher education should be expanded to match the labor market. During a Select Committee meeting chaired by MP Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe, several Members of Parliament expressed their views regarding the expansion of higher education opportunities in the country. more..

Apr 13 (DM) On March 20, 2023, the IMF Board approved SL’s 17th IMF programme, under the Extended Fund Facility (EFF) arrangement, aimed at addressing the significant economic challenges faced by the country. This approval comes at a critical time for SL, as it continues to grapple with a severe contraction, high inflation and public debt levels, fiscal imbalances, and vulnerabilities in the financial sector. Through the EFF, SL will receive a total disbursement of US$ 3 billion, more..

Apr 13 (ST) Everybody loves dollars, but not anymore. Some countries are interested in replacing the US dollar with the Chinese Yuan for either economic or political reasons. They also like to promote their own national currencies for international trade. It is, however, a fact that Chinese Yuan is gaining momentum as an int'l currency, while some have already acknowledged and welcomed the change. There is another development that took place last week, when the Malaysian PM more..

Apr 13 (TM) Following several years of muted celebrations, SL is once again getting into the swing of celebrating the Sinhala and Tamil New Year. Although hampered by the state of the economy and escalating cost of living leading to tightened budgets many are continuing to plan for Avurudu festivities. While official statistics show that the prices of ingredients typically used to make Avurudu sweetmeats have increased more..

Apr 13 (CT) Currently, the proposed Anti-Terrorism Act dominates the headlines. After all, with the aragalaya and the subsequent ousting of Rajapaksa govt, isn’t this the type of crackdown SL was hoping to move away from? However, amidst this proposed bill and other authoritarian actions taken by the Govt, it is imperative that we get an understanding of the situation – in order to develop there will inevitably be trade-offs, and in SL’s case the trade-off for development may be individual liberties. more..

Apr 13 (DM) For a state or private company, small or medium-scale industry to succeed, there needs to be consensus, cooperation and consultation on the basis that the management and employees work together for a common good and for the country’s benefit. It is on this foundation that the UN on April 28 marks the World Day for Safety and Health at Work. UN says throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, we have seen that having a strong Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) system, more..

Apr 13 (DN) Get ready to celebrate the Sinhala New Year or Aluth Avurudu because the month of Bak is here! It’s the time when the sun shifts from Pisces to Aries in the celestial sphere and brings prosperity to the Sinhalese calendar. Plus, it’s the perfect time to mark the end of the harvest season and bask in the glory of the sun shining directly over Sri Lanka. We dare not miss out on this festive occasion! more..

Apr 13 (Island) Cassandra is conscious that her Friday chat this year is bang within the nonagathe period of the Sinhala and Tamil New Year. This is a neutral period in which people are expected to lay off from all work and do nothing except devote time to prayers, temple going and generally prepare for the start of the New Year. The sun, meanwhile, would have set off on its ritual journey from Meena Rashiya – House of Pisces – to Mesha Rashiya which is the House of Aries. more..

Apr 13 (CT) The New Year is a time of celebration for all. Apart from observing customs and preparing traditional food items, another highlight of the season is shopping for the family and loved ones. The last few years were tough for most Sri Lankans. First the Covid-19 pandemic then the economic crisis hit, which made it impossible for a vast number of Sri Lankans to set aside hard-earned money for any kind of celebration. The scarcity of many consumer items, including fuel, and more..

Apr 13 (Island) Dept of Sports of the Ministry of Education has made amendments to its sports programmes that will pave the way for a couple of new long distance events to be included in track and field competitions from the upcoming season. Under 18 age category will have the 3,000 metres as its longest track event from this season after the secretary of the Ministry of Education M.N. Ranasinghe signed the new circular yesterday. The grueling event has been competed around more..

Apr 13 (TM) With the economic crisis having dealt a severe blow to almost all aspects of the public’s lives, whether this year’s Sinhala and Tamil New Year could actually be celebrated as was done in the past is highly debatable. While a large share of the population is struggling to find even their daily meals, many are barely able to make ends meet. Regardless, the public seems to be all set to use the New Year to have some level of relief amidst the economic crisis. more..

Apr 13 (TM) We write to you regarding the proposed Anti-Terrorism Act proposed by the Govt of SL. The proposed Act was published in the official Govt Gazette on 17 March 2023, and issued on 22 March. Indications are that it may be tabled in Parliament in late April 2023, after which it could be enacted as Law in May 2023, if approved by Parliament. We categorically state that proposed Act, which is intended to replace more..

Apr 13 (Island) Govt politicians are blindly supporting the proposed anti-terrorism Bill (ATB), which has been put on hold. It is doubtful whether most of them have ever seen the ATB, much less read it. But Foreign Minister and former Justice Minister Ali Sabry, a senior lawyer, has struck a slight discordant note. He has taken exception to some sections of the ATB; DIGs should not be empowered to issue detention orders, he has said. One could not agree with him more on this score, more..

Apr 13 (ST) Celebrate the Sinhala and Tamil New Year without suffering injuries and causing grief to others. The police say 85% of accidents during this cultural festival is usually the result of negligence. SSP Nihal Thalduwa said people should try to prevent accidents. Security will be tightened by the armed forces throughout the New Year period. “Those going on pilgrimages and excursions tend to forget about their safety. Avoid speeding. Accidents may occur in the highlands. more..

Apr 13 (DM) US District Court in the Southern District of New York has set dates to hear the lawsuit filed by Hamilton Reserve Bank seeking payment of defaulted Int'l Sovereign Bonds (ISBs) on April 20, following a failed attempt to get the case dismissed by the SL govt. Commenting on the rejection to dismiss the case by the court, the Finance, Economic Stabilisation and National Policies Ministry in a statement this week stressed that there has been no judgement on the merits of the claim. more..

Apr 13 (DN) Selection Committee of Netball headed by Dhamayanthi Jayatilleka has announced the final 12-member squad for the Senior Netball World Cup which is scheduled to be held in South Africa next August. Gayanjali Amarawansa and Dulangi Wannithilleka the captain and vice-captain of the last Asia Cup champions team will retain their places with former skippers Gayani Dissanayake, Chathurangi Jayasuriya, Semini Alwis, and six-footer Thisala Algama the goal shooter more..

Apr 13 (CI) SL have left out wicketkeeper-batter Niroshan Dickwella from their 15-member squad for the two-match Test series against Ireland, which begins in Galle on April 16. They have named Nishan Madushka and Sadeera Samarawickrama as their wicketkeeping options. Among the players who were part of SL's most recent Test assignment, the two-match series in NZ, fast bowlers Kasun Rajitha & Lahiru Kumara more..

Apr 13 (DM) With the development of the public transport sector, the benefits must be passed to the commuters, Lanka Private Bus Owners' Association (LPBOA) Gemunu Wijerathne said. “Prez must take immediate action for the development of the transport sector in the country,” he said. "The development steps should be taken soon after the New Year's season. "We hope to import 50 luxury low-floor buses from China. We cannot import electric buses as there are many issues," more..

Apr 13 (NIP) Days after a fisherman here complained of his mechanised boat, which was impounded by the SL Navy in November last year on charges of poaching, having sunk, fisherfolk on Monday submitted a petition with the Karaikal collector seeking the govt’s urgent intervention before other similar vessels are also reduced of their seaworthiness from neglect. According to sources, a group of 14 fishermen, including ten from Karaikal, on Nov 16, 2022, put out to sea more..

Apr 13 (ST) Dozens of Chinese online fraud suspects nabbed in Aluthgama may be linked to Chinese internet and telecom fraudsters operating across the world scamming people using the internet, social media, and smartphones, the police say. On April 1, police in SL arrested 39 Chinese for alleged cybercrime in a villa at Kaluwamodara in Aluthgama. They had in their possession 40 laptops, 150 phones, more..

Apr 13 (DN) India’s Apollo Proton Cancer Centre on announced the availability of Proton Therapy treatment for SL-based patients at its state-of-the-art facility in Chennai. During a press conference, representatives of Apollo Proton Cancer Centre (APCC) the first and only Proton Therapy Centre in South Asia and the Middle East shed lights on the importance of Proton Therapy for improving outcomes of cancer treatmentand quality survivorship. more..

Apr 13 (TM) SJB MP Rajitha Senaratne claimed that there is no opposition from the ruling SLPP MPs against him as has been claimed by some of the SJB MPs, as Govt Party MPs are willing to take him to the Govt. He said this when he was contacted to inquire about the rumours that some SLPP MPs have opposed his alleged crossover. “I cannot understand why these SJB MPs propagate such false news. Members of the SLPP have expressed their willingness to my crossover. more..

Apr 13 (TM) Minister Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe said that any party who criticises the Anti-Terrorism Bill can file a petition in the Supreme Court (SC) or submit their amendments. He said this in response to a statement made by SLPP General Secretary Sagara Kariyawasam, that the SLPP will not agree with some sections in the proposed Bill. “I did not draft this Bill alone. It was made with the help of the Ministry of Defence, Legal Draftsman’s Dept, Dept of Police and Bar Association of SL, together. more..