May 29 (EN) Shares closed lower on Monday as selling pressure increased following lack of improvement and obscure direction on domestic debt restructuring and optimization, an analyst said. “The market is down on the lack of direction in domestic debt restructuring and debt optimization,” an analyst said. The main All Share Price Index (ASPI) was down 1.4% or 121.96 points at 8,575.11, while the most liquid index, S&P SL20, was down 2.09% or 51.84 points at 2,428.92. more..

May 29 (AD) Ven. Rajangane Saddharathana Thero has been arrested by police in Anuradhapura for allegedly making statements that could disrupt religious harmony. He was reportedly arrested by the CID last night in the Srawasthipura area in Anuradhapura. Ven. Saddharathana Thero has been arrested in connection with the investigations carried out on a complaint made by Ven. Pahiyangala Ananda Sagara Thero regarding certain statements made harmful to religious harmony. more..

May 29 (FT) To receive a bailout package of $ 3 billion from IMF, formally known as an Extended Fund Facility (EFF), over the next four and a half years, SL as a debtor has agreed to implement a policy package which is normally prescribed by IMF to all its borrowers. This package was approved by SL’s Parliament as demanded by Prez and Finance Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe so that it is the Legislature that will take ownership of and accountability for the policy package more..

May 29 (EN) Sri Lanka will bring laws to mandate firms to collect plastic containers after sale so that they could be recycled as part of efforts to reduce plastic use, Secretary of the Ministry of Environment Anil Jasinghe said. Sri Lanka is now formulating 42 amendments to the country’s environment law, one of which will be on extended producer responsibility or making producers responsible for collecting and dealing with containers after sales. more..

May 29 (FT) Hemas Holdings has seen a healthy 62% rise in Operating Profit to Rs. 11 billion in FY23 on the back of a 44.5% gain in revenue to Rs. 114 billion but earnings remained flat at Rs. 4.3 billion due to higher finance costs and taxation. Net finance cost rose to Rs. 3.2 billion from Rs. 135 million in FY22 whilst pre-tax profit amounted to Rs. 7.7 billion as against Rs. 6.6 billion. Post-tax profit grew to Rs. 5 billion from Rs. 4.8 billion in FY22. more..

May 29 (MB) In Lewis Carroll’s popular children’s book Alice in Wonderland, Alice finds a magical mushroom that could make her bigger or smaller. There are many references to wild mushrooms in many a fairytale, and these beautiful organisms have often been associated with magic. However, some recent discoveries of mushrooms in SL were not the outcome of magic but the result of scientists at work. Being open to working with amateurs more..

May 29 (EN) SJB MP Eran Wickramaratne has submitted a private member’s bill in parliament to amend an asset declaration law so that its provisions become applicable to the president. Wickramaratne presented the bill in parliament to amend the Declaration of Assets and Liabilities Law No 1 of 1975 to make its provisions applicable to the executive president. The law, as it exists now, does not require the president to declare his assets and, if the bill is passed and enacted, more..

May 29 (APO) Ambassador of SL to Ethiopia Theshantha Kumarasiri presented his credentials to President of Ethiopia, Her Excellency Sahle-Work Zewde on 27 April 2023 at the Presidential Palace in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Following the presentation of credentials, Ambassador Kumarasiri was received in the audience by President Zewde, during which Ambassador Kumarasiri conveyed to Prez Zewde the sincere greetings of Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe, under whose directives more..

May 29 (PMD) A special commemorative stamp and first day cover were issued at the Presidential Secretariat today, in commemoration of former Minister, Leader and General Secretary of the Ceylon Workers Congress (CWC), late Mr. Arumugam Thondaman. Minister Bandula Gunawardena, presented the stamp and first day cover to Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe. Meanwhile, the commemorative stamp and first day cover were presented to PM Dinesh Gunawardena, Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena, more..

May 29 (DM) A man broke into a Sri Lankan Buddhist temple in Adelaide and stole some of the money donated by worshipers. This was the second time the same thief struck at two different Buddhist temples in South Australia. CCTV footage showed the man walk into the Adelaide Sri Lanka Buddhist Vihara and walk out after committing the crime. President of the Management Committee of the temple, Duminda Kottahachchi, said the incident took place last Friday. more..

May 29 (AD) Sri Lankans living abroad will be able to apply for a new passport or can renew their passport with effect from June 1, 2023. This was stated at a meeting of the Sectoral Oversight Committee on International Relations. It was revealed by the officials of the Immigration and Emigration Department who participated in the sectoral oversight committee on international relations, held recently under the chairmanship of its chairman, Namal Rajapaksa. more..

May 29 (FT) Finance State Minister Ranjith Siyambalapitiya yesterday said it has been proposed to set up a new court to hear cases relating to taxes. The State Minister said legal cases relating to taxes and related fraud have been languishing in the legal system creating a severe backlog. “The lack of a separate court to hear the cases have caused severe delays,” he said adding that therefore the Government will now look to set up a separate court for the purpose. more..

May 29 (EN) Food security in Sri Lanka is improving across all provinces, a UN report said noting that food insecurity has dropped by nearly 40% from July 2022. A Crop and Food Security Assessment Mission (CFSAM) report jointly carried out in Feb-March 2023 by the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organisation of United Nations (FAO) and the World Food Programme (WFP) said an estimated 3.9 million people or 17% of the population is in moderate acute food insecurity as at May 2023. more..

May 29 (ADB) The Asian Development Bank (ADB) today approved a $350 million special policy-based loan to provide budget support to SL for economic stabilization. The program is part of a broader package of financial assistance anchored by the IMF’s Extended Fund Facility for the country, which aims to stabilize the economy and lay the foundation for economic recovery and sustained growth. Sri Lanka is facing a severe and unprecedented economic crisis. more..

May 29 (DM) TDisaster Management Centre (DMC) today warned of undue health conditions as a result of the increasing Heat Index, which is the temperature felt on the human body. A warning from the DMC said the Heat Index has increased to a Caution level at some places in the Northern, North-Central, North-Western and Eastern Provinces and the Moneragala and Hambantota districts. The Heat Index Forecast is calculated by using relative humidity and maximum temperature, and this is the condition more..

May 29 (AD) Attorney General (AG) today informed the Court of Appeal that the Chinese national who was apprehended by the Immigration and Emigration Department in an attempt to enter SL with two passports is a suspect wanted in China with a pending arrest warrant over a drug charge. Appearing for the AG, the Additional Solicitor General Janaka Bandara made this announcement when a writ petition filed by the Chinese national in question, Lee Pan was called before the Court of Appeal. more..

May 29 (CB) Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) said it is prepared to host the Asia Cup, should the Asian Cricket Council decide to allot the championship to the island nation. The assertion comes just days ahead of the ACC meeting expected to take a call on the six-nation continental championship. "SLC is prepared to host the Asia Cup at a short notice. The decision now is up to the ACC," a top SLC official said on Monday after it emerged that the informal deliberations over the contentious event more..

May 29 (DM) The CID is conducting investigations to identify and record statements from those who were present at Nathasha Edirisooriya's stand-up comedy show held in Colombo, where certain disrespectful remarks were made on Buddhism. Police spokesman SSP Nihal Thalduwa said the Cyber Crimes Investigation Unit of the CID is conducting further investigations into the incident. He said the police will record statements from some of the attendees as well. more..

May 29 (FT) The Hotels Association of Sri Lanka (THASL) President and Colombo City Tourist Hotels Association (CCTHA) former President M. Shanthikumar stressed the need for fair competitive market rates for city hotels amidst price wars and low occupancy. “There is an excess supply in Colombo. The city has the highest inventory in the country amounting to over 7500 rooms. The Colombo hotel occupancy at present is below 30%,” revealed Shanthikumar. more..

May 29 (DM) The Lanka Premier League will conduct its first ever player auction on June 14, ahead of the fourth season of the league. Franchise will be able to competitively bid for players in the auction, where in previous editions teams would take turns picking players through the player draft. Each franchise has already made four direct signings -- two international and two local players -- with the rest of the players being included into the auction. more..

May 29 (AD) Police have found the body of a male, who had died under suspicious circumstances, inside a room of a two-storey house in the Pahangama area of Wekada, Panadura this evening. The deceased person was staying in the room on rental basis, while the owner of the house stayed on the ground floor of the house. Panadura – South Police has searched the room in question based on a complaint that a foul smell was emanating from the room where the concerned person was staying. more..

May 29 (TM) After procrastinating for over four months, a team headed by the Officer in Charge of the Crimes Investigation Unit of the Women's and Child Protection Bureau of SL visited the Royal College MAS boxing arena (scene of the crime), after the victim Thampu Nelka Shiromala a SL Chief Police Inspector and the country's first reputed Olympic female boxing referee and judge, had lodged a sexual (mental) harassment complaint under more..

May 29 (AD) Chair of the Parliamentary Caucus for Children MP Rohini Kumari Wijerathna has emphasized that many social problems have arisen due to the exposure of child victims and the child accused, through the media and therefore immediate measures should be taken to prevent it. This was mentioned at the Parliamentary Caucus for Children which convened in Parliament recently, Communications Dept of Parliament reported today. Ministry of Women, Child Affairs and Social Empowerment and more..

May 29 (PMD) Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe presented a momentous proclamation to the Mahavihara Vamsika Shyamopali Maha Nikaya Asgiri Vihara Senior Karaka Sangha Sabhika, Most Venerable Urulewatte Sri Dhammarakkhitha Thera, designating the historic Mahiyangana sacred site as an officially recognized place of worship. As the first Executive President of independent Sri Lanka to have visited the Mahiyangana sacred site, Prez participate in its restoration work last afternoon (28), more..

May 30 (CT) Pastor Jeromy Fernando is alleged to have caused a Quake with his recent utterances ….despite the Lord Buddha claiming to be enlightened, even lord Buddha was not indeed enlightened. Further, he mentioned, that Buddhists needed Jesus, not Lord Buddha if they are to be enlightened. (As stated in the Morning newspaper.) These statements were apparently made in his church and not at Galle Face Green or elsewhere. Of course, the press went to town with it. more..

May 30 (DM) I have written on these pages that when the fuel queues disappear and a semblance of old times dawns, Sri Lankans themselves will return to their old habits. The usual charlatans would crawl back from their hiding spots, promising to protect the country and Buddha Sasana from an imaginary enemy. Conspiracy theorists would start afresh. In their default mode, the majority of Sri Lankans tend to be mesmerized by conspiracy theories, racist dog-whistling and miracles of the sort of more..

May 30 (SO) The death of prominent businessman Dinesh Schaffter is still a mystery. Is Dinesh Schaffter’s death a suicide? Or is it murder? Dinesh Schaffter’s death occured on Dec 15 last year. Initial investigations into Dinesh Schaffter’s death revealed it was a homicide. Later, it suddenly turned into a suicide. The family members of Dinesh Schaffter have sought legal redress. President’s Counsel Anuja Premaratne more..

May 30 (DM) The arrest of MP Ali Sabri Raheem on his way from Dubai by the customs officials at the BIA with gold and mobile phones worth around Rs. 80 million and the events that followed clearly mirror the nature of the political culture of the country. Going by the media discussion on the matter, very few seem to believe that Raheem was the first politician to smuggle gold or any other contraband into the country after UNP MP and Deputy Minister Anura Daniel caught with gold bars more..

May 30 (TM) Half of the country is in a debate over whether the criticism of religious beliefs constitutes an insult that warrants legal or other action over certain critical statements made by Pastor Jerome Fernando and stand-up comedian Nathasha Edirisooriya about several religions including Buddhism. While these incidents are now matters that concern ongoing legal actions, many Sri Lankans urge that all religious or similar beliefs be respected and accepted, and that more..

May 30 (TM) Although labour law reforms are a need of the hour, whether the ongoing labour law reform plans truly address the existing issues in the labour market and uplift the working conditions and job security of the employees remains a question. On the one hand, it is due to the lack of consensus in identifying certain issues faced by employees and also the solutions to them, while on the other hand, it is due to the lack of more..

May 30 (Island) Prisons are gloomy places devoid of hope, and hardly anything uplifting emanates from behind their tall walls. In this country, they are veritable hellholes. In the developed world, the structure of prison life is re-engineered as a parallel universe, as it were; prisoners are trained to behave responsibly like the members of society at large, as part of their rehabilitation programmes. This novel approach is reported to have yielded very encouraging results, but more..

May 30 (CT) Blasphemy, this time from the mouth of a stand-up comedian, has sent waves of irritation and on cue riled up the pious party in the country who are firm on the belief that religion, is not a matter to be joked about. On the basis that the comedian, Nathasha Edirisooriya insulted Buddhism, she was arrested after a formal complaint was lodged by the Commissioner General of Buddhist Affairs. The stand-up piece that has gone viral for being blasphemous has everyone debating more..

May 30 (ST) Puttalam MP Sabri Raheem who was arrested by Customs officials on Tuesday for attempting to smuggle 3.5 kilos of gold bars, was back in Parliament on Wednesday to nonchalantly attend to the business of the House as if nothing untoward had happened to him the previous day when he had arrived at the airport from Dubai. Not that MP Ali Sabri Raheem, 60, of the ACMC had to mention his airport mishap to anyone. The news of him being caught red-handed by Customs more..

May 30 (FT) State owned Enterprises (SOEs) are set to undergo reforms and other public enterprises engaged in commercial activities face performance optimisation more efficiently and effectively under public private ownership, a former Finance Minister disclosed. These 527 SOEs and 52 of them are identified as strategically important and will be operated with private sector investment, generate revenues for the State, reduce the administrative burden on the State, and distribute ownership more..

May 30 (CT) At the conclusion of SL’s 30-year war in 2009, approximately 1.6 million landmines remained buried in the ground, unmarked & largely unrecorded, causing extensive internal displacement in the Northern Province and other areas. On 12 May 2023, Japanese Ambassador to SL, Mizukoshi Hideaki, organised a commendation ceremony to honour two organisations for their dedicated efforts in demining activities in the North and East. more..

May 30 (CT) Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva appointed Prabath J. Malavige as Sri Lanka Ports Authority (SLPA) MD on 29 May. With over 18 years of industry experience, Malavige’s leadership has earned him the accolade of being the youngest Managing Director in SLPA history. Malavige studied at Rahula College Matara, where he laid the foundation for his achievements. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Estate Management and Valuation from the Uni of Sri J'pura. more..