Jan 30 (ST) The influential medical community’s battle against Health Ministry (MoH) moves to import drugs from locally-unregistered Indian suppliers—and to seek sweeping waivers of registration (WoR) from the National Medicines Regulatory Authority for hundreds of them—was escalated to the level of the Prez this week. The Councils of the Ceylon College of Physicians (CCP), College of Surgeons of SL (CSSL), more..

Jan 30 (ST) Four international companies — with an estimated US$ 2bn (Rs 729bn) worth of wind energy projects stuck in limbo for over two years — have sought an urgent meeting with Prez to break the impasse. In a letter to the Prez, the local representatives of Mingyang Smart Energy Group, Envision Energy, Jade Power/Hydrostor and China Machinery Engineering Corporation pointed out that their projects were under consideration for more than 2 years by BOI more..

Jan 30 (CT) India produced a dominant performance against England to triumph in the first-ever ICC U-19 Women’s T20 World Cup. A brilliant new-ball performance was followed by a calm run-chase as India cruised to victory over England in the final, sealing their triumph with seven wickets in hand and six overs to spare. Having won the toss and decided to put England in to bat, India’s bowlers more than justified the decision with a ruthless display. Opening bowlers Titas Sadhu & Archana Devi ripped more..

Jan 30 (FT) SJB mayoral candidate Mujibur Rahman yesterday accused the President’s Media Division (PMD) of spreading misinformation by planting news items relating to the Election Commission of SL and the upcoming Local Govt polls. Rahman during a media briefing accused the Govt of threatening the members of the EC in order to delay the election. He said while the resignation letter of EC member P.S.M. Charles was publicised on 25 Jan, PMD has now claimed the Prez has not accepted it yet. more..

Jan 30 (TM) Following death threats received by Election Commission (EC) member M.M. Mohammed over a phone call last Friday, EC Chairman Nimal Punchihewa noted that he wrote to Prez Wickremesinghe requesting that the Prez ensures an environment for free and fair elections in the country by intervening in the issue of alleged threats against three members of the EC. Punchihewa said: “We have on 28 January sent a letter to Prez appealing that he intervenes more..

Jan 30 (TM) While Minister Kanchana Wijesekera stated that the Attorney General (AG) Sanjay Rajaratnam had responded to the Public Utilities Commission of SL (PUCSL) regarding the legality of the interim increase in electricity tariffs with retrospective effect from 1 Jan, PUCSL Chairman Janaka Ratnayake noted that no official documentation had been received from Rajaratnam regarding the same. more..

Jan 30 (AD) Constitutional Council (CC) is scheduled to hold its second meeting today, with decisions expected to be reached on the appointment of new members for independent commissions. It is reported that the CC is scheduled to meet this morning at the Parliament complex under the chairmanship of Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena. The CC met for the first time on the 25th of January and only 9 members representing said council had participated in that meeting. more..

Jan 30 (DM) A former member of the Horana PS was arrested for allegedly sexually abusing a 39-year-old female teacher. Police said the former PS member who came in a lorry, got out of it and hugged her and tried to sexually assault her while she was on her way to a shop in Moragahahena. Then she escaped from the suspect's grip and ran towards a nearby house. Police said the suspect was later arrested following a complaint made to the 119 emergency hotline. more..

Jan 30 (EN) Sri Lanka’s economy may shrink 3.5% in 2023, and as much 4% if global conditions weaken, Prez Wickremesinghe has said. In 2022 SL’s economy could have shrunk as much as 11%, he said. However the economy is expected to recover by 2024, he said. Economy has a tendency to recover about 18 months after a currency crisis, as inflation flattens out and interest rates easing giving a breathing space for people to consume and invest as budget deficits come down. more..

Jan 30 (Island) Today’s Church does not need sacristy Catholics but a laity who fight for justice, says Colombo Archbishop Malcolm Cardinal Ranjith. Addressing a gathering at a ceremony to mark the 40th Anniversary of the Deva Dharma Nikethanaya, at Archbishop’s House auditorium, at Borella, last week, the Cardinal said that turning every layperson into a mature Christian, fit for leadership, should be the foremost duty of the Catholic Church. “Once the Catholic Church functioned as more..

Jan 30 (TM) Following the Presidential Secretariat agreement to release the final report of the special 3-member committee headed by SC Judge Justice Vijith Malalgoda appointed by then-Prez and incumbent MP Maithripala Sirisena to investigate the Easter Sunday terror attacks of 2019, RTI Commission directed the Presidential Secretariat to release the report with a copy to Commission before 9 Feb 2023. more..

Jan 30 (AD) A total of 285 suspects have been arrested during a 7-hour joint operation carried out by STF, Police, Army & Air Force in the Western and Southern provinces. A cache of narcotics has also been seized, including 01 kilogram of heroin and 1 kilogram of cannabis during the operation carried out at several locations in the two provinces. The operation was launched according to a strategy planned a few weeks ago, and that Air Force, STF & Army were also involved. more..

Jan 30 (Island) Chairman of Election Commission of SL, Nimal Punchihewa, asked to comment on a special news release, purportedly issued by Director General of Dept of Govt Information, said that preparations for the 9 March local govt elections were going ahead, as planned, and that the media statement at issue was misleading. The media statement says: “The gazette notice with signatures of the Chairman and other members of the Election Commission required for the commencement more..

Jan 30 (FT) A shocking and ugly power play is flaring up between key organs of the State over the request for temporary uninterrupted supply of electricity due to the on-going G.C.E. A/L exams and the failure to comply as authorities fired charges against each other. Power and Energy Minister Kanchana Wijesekera yesterday said that a charge sheet has been drafted and legal action will be taken by the Govt to oust the PUCSL Chairman. more..

Jan 30 (FT) Comedian Hasalaka Thushara, known as Hasa, in a recent performance has made an incising comment on SL’s contemporary society. He has said that the present SL societal model is characterised by the shameful mentality of people who believe that others should provide for them for a living. Take for example education. Everyone demands that education should be provided to them free of charge. Govt in fulfilment of this desire of people taxes all of them and provides more..

Jan 30 (TM) The SJB will not take disciplinary action against MP Rajitha Senaratne for attending the All-Party Conference (APC) on 26 Jan at the Presidential Secretariat, when the SJB as a party had not participated in the same. SJB General Secretary Ranjith Madduma Bandara said that Dr. Senaratne did not attend the APC as SJB’s representative but noted that there won’t be any disciplinary action against him. When asked if Dr. Senaratne participated as SJB’s more..

Jan 30 (AD) Colombo Magistrate’s Court today ordered to further remand of the university student who was arrested and remanded in custody for allegedly killing his girlfriend, also a university student, with a sharp weapon at the Colombo Race Course Ground. The preliminary magisterial inquiry regarding the student’s death was held today before Colombo Chief Magistrate Prasanna Alwis. The magistrate then ordered that the suspect be further remanded until the 13th of Feb. more..

Jan 30 (EN) Shares closed down on Monday amid concerns over rising protests agains tax hikes, which is also expected to hit corporate earnings in the face of reduced consumption, analysts said. Earnings of Expolanka Holdings dragged the market down after SL based logistics unit of SG Holdings of Japan reported an 87% fall in Dec 2022 quarterly earning. Investors expected the company to perform better in the December quarter earnings. ASPI edged down on 0.77% or 69.12 points to 8,889.67. more..

Jan 30 (AD) Human Rights Commission of SL (HRCSL) says it has filed a case of Contempt of Court before the Supreme Court against the Secretary to the Ministry of Energy & Power, Chairman of CEB and Chairman of CPC. The HRCSL said it has determined that the aforementioned parties have failed to abide by the settlement arrived at before the commission with regard to the continuous supply of power more..

Jan 30 (EN) Popular SL culinary YouTube channel Apé Amma is the country’s highest-earning channel on the platform, according to a US survey. CashnetUSA.com reported that the channel has earned an estimated 962,386 US dollars since its inception. The accuracy of the data could not be independently verified. With over 2.7 million subscribers, Apé Amma cooking videos tend to generate hundreds of thousands of views on average, with crossing the 3 million and more..

Jan 30 (Island) Protests against the implementation of the 13th Amendment to the Constitution are being used to arouse communal feelings among people ahead of an election, says the SJB. Chief Opposition Whip, SJB MP Lakshman Kiriella, said: “This country has witnessed many instances in the past. This time, too, the same old slogan of the country being divided is heard again. “The 13th Amendment is part of the Constitution. All parties have contested elections under the 13th Amendment. more..

Jan 30 (EN) SL power regulator said there will not be any power cuts on both Jan 30 and 31 with steps taken to boost hydro power generation. According to a request made by the regulator, Public Utilities Commission of SL (PUCSL), Mahaweli Authority has agreed to release a total of additional 15.78 million cubic meters of water from Rantambe and Kotmale reservoirs for CEB to generate an additional 1.14 GW per hour on Monday. more..

Jan 30 (FT) I’ve spent the better part of three years trying to figure out a central question. Why did so many individuals and institutions fail to protect our rights and liberties and thus set countries and the entire developed world on the path to decline, fact free hysteria, stamping down on civil liberties over a viral strain? The failure was grave and existential. The betrayals were for the ages. The blinkers were terrifying and virtually all encompassing. And as 2023 gets underway, more..

Jan 30 (Island) The Inter Company Employees Union affiliated to the JVP has urged the govt to stop wasting public funds on the Independence Day celebrations. Addressing the media on Saturday, ICEU President Wasantha Samarasinghe said: “Rs 1.8 million has been allocated for singing the national anthem. The cost of a garland that the Prez is to put on the DS Senanayake statue costs Rs 97,000. The govt is incurring this kind of wasteful expenditure while many people are starving.” more..

Jan 30 (AD) Epidemiology Unit has observed a rapid increase in the number of dengue cases reported within this year. Accordingly, a total of 4,387 cases have been reported thus far, of which 1,426 were reported within the Western Province. For the month of Jan 2023, 741 cases were reported in Colombo, 491 were reported in Gampaha and 194 cases were reported in Kalutara. Meanwhile, a surge in the number of dengue cases was also seen in Puttalam, Jaffna, Kandy, Galle, Matara, Ratnapura more..

Jan 30 (DM) The case against former MP Hirunika Premachandra, for her alleged involvement in the abduction of a youth using a Defender, was today fixed for Feb 28 by Colombo High Court. Case was to be taken up for trial today. However, the State Counsel appeared on behalf of the Attorney General sought a further date to lead prosecution evidence. On a previous occasion, except Hirunika Premachandra and a schoolboy, seven other accused who pleaded guilty for their more..

Jan 30 (DM) The Attorney General has recommended the Minister of Sports to suspend SL cricketer Danushka Gunathilaka from domestic and int'l cricket with immediate effect until a verdict is reached in the court case against the cricketer in Australia. Minister of Sports and Youth Affairs Roshan Ranasinghe said that he has received the AG's recommendation following the report submitted by a 5-member committee. more..

Jan 30 (AD) The TNA has decided to boycott the Independence Day celebrations this year. The Tamil party stated that the decision was taken due to the fact that the Tamil people have not yet received their freedom in a proper manner. Commenting in this regard, TNA MP and spokesperson M.A. Sumanthiran said they plan to declare the 4th of February as a Black Day and to commence a movement towards achieving that true freedom. “Immediately after independence, more..

Jan 30 (Island) Public Security Minister Tiran Alles says disciplinary inquiry would be held against the former head of State Intelligence Service, Senior DIG Nilantha Jayawardena, who failed to prevent the terrorist attack on Easter Sunday in 2019, and submit the report to the Supreme Court. Addressing the media, Minister said that the court decision required a disciplinary inquiry to be conducted against Jayawardena and a report submitted to the Supreme Court within six months. more..

Jan 30 (Island) Hundreds of internationally renowned scientists have come together to petition the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), against its decision to suspend Lankan origin award winning ecologist, Priyanga Amarasekare. A report published by the Nature, said that UCLA’s suspension of ecologist Amarasekare, without salary or benefits, for one year, and will cut her salary by 20% for 2 more years, more..

Jan 30 (TM) Recalling that none of the former Presidents had fully implemented the 13th Amendment, NFF Leader Wimal Weerawansa claimed that Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe – who was rejected by the people, entered the Parliament through the National List, and then became the Prez – has no right to fully implement the said Amendment. Speaking at a meeting, he said that Wickremesinghe, who became the Prez by claiming that he would save the country more..

Jan 30 (DM) Some Election Commission members' houses and vehicles have been photographed and forwarded to the person who is threatening them through WhatsApp from overseas, PAFFREL Executive Director Rohana Hettiarachchi said. In a letter sent to IGP C.D Wickremeratne, the PAFFREL Executive Director said though the police are investigating the death threats on some Election Commission members, even though almost 12 days have passed since these incidents, more..

Jan30 (CT) Minister Mahinda Amaraweera said the Govt has set aside Rs 16 billion to purchase organic fertiliser for the 2022/23 Maha season. Despite the economic crisis, Prez has expressed his support to the proposal and has apprised Cabinet of his decision. Amaraweera said the Govt has worked hard to provide all possible assistance to farmers to make the season a success. Minister recently met union representatives to discuss the problems of agricultural research & production assistants. more..

Jan30 (AD) Several members of SJB visited the AG’s Dept this morning, demanding that the masterminds behind the Easter Sunday Attacks of 2019 be punished. Accordingly, the party’s legal counsel requested the AG’s Dept that suitable action be taken in accordance with the criminal law against those involved, including persons of political authority, based on the facts presented in this regard by the CID. “It is a big issue to us as to who hid the mastermind behind the Easter Attacks. more..

Jan 30 (EN) The SJB, which boycotted a recent all-party conference (APC) on the ethnic issue, says it supports devolution of power, but the party has yet to articulate its position on the full implementation of the 13th amendment to the constitution. SJB general secretary MP Ranjith Madduma Bandara said that Prez Wickremesinghe, who convened the APC, must first present the govt’s proposals on devolution of power. more..