May 5 (DN) Buddhists of the world commemorate three events of significance to Buddhists on Vesak Day, which is shared among all traditions and sects. They are—Birth, Enlightenment and the Parinibbana (passing away) of the Buddha. The UN resolved in 1999, to internationally observe the day at its headquarters in the US. The Sanskrit vaisakha or Pali term vesakha is the name given to the lunar month in the Hindu calendar which more..

May 5 (Island) The Vesak Full Moon Poya Day falls today. It is usually celebrated on a grand scale in this country, but this time around there has been a noticeable decline in festivity owing to the prevailing economic crisis. Pandols and danselas, where food and beverages are given away, are few and far between unlike in the past. Exorbitant electricity tariffs and the very high prices of decorative materials have made this Vesak less colourful, but decorations, etc., are only mundane frills that more..

May 5 (FT) So, three years in, the bell has rung, and the lies are rife, and they have destabilised the world overall, and many of the composite worlds that constitute that world. The Covidian mafia and vaccine fanatics chasing each Omicron scariant they can rustle up may never apologise. But proclamations of renewed masquerade hysteria in India and whatnot aside (India’s recent wave has already flattened after the silly hue and cry), the implication that more..

May 5 (DM) As the UN joins Buddhists the world over to celebrate the thrice-blessed Vesak today, there is much energy in the Buddha’s message for the world body to reinvigorate its commitment to maintaining global peace and establishing global justice. UN charter’s key objectives go with Buddhist precepts. Peaceful conflict resolution, eschewing violence, a morality-based approach to global issues, justice, humanitarianism, and the protection of the environment are part of more..

May 5 (Island) With the team selections for the Asian Junior Athletics Championships almost done, spotlight will fall on the Under 18 age category once again as Junior National Athletics Championships starting on Sunday will be the final trial for this year’s Commonwealth Youth Games. A couple of athletes have almost secured their places in the team for the Commonwealth Youth Games after producing outstanding performances at the Asian Youth Championships held in Uzbekistan last week. more..

May 5 (FT) Foreign Minister Ali Sabry yesterday expressed confidence that SL will be able to improve its fiscal performance with much-needed structural and economic reforms. Speaking at the Board of Governors Business Session of the 56th ADB Annual Meeting in Incheon, Republic of Korea yesterday, Minister said SL is looking forward with a glimmer of hope after navigating its way out of the abyss of more..

May 5 (Island) Prince Siddhartha, son of King Suddhodana and Queen Maya, had a wonderful childhood. He excelled at schooling and finished all his studies at age 16. Prince Siddhartha married Yasodara (Badda Kachchayana) and at that time, King Suddhodana decided to step aside and assign his son as king. When he was 29 years old, King Siddhartha relinquished his title and left the palace. This remarkable move was known by very few: his wife, Yasodara, his closest supporters, more..

May 5 (FT) Colombo stock market yesterday managed to sustain a gain from its three-month low but turnover slumped to an abysmal low of Rs. 252 million. Volume of shares traded was 12.68 million. That and low turnover could be linked to shortened trading till noon due to a market holiday. The active S&P SL20 gained by 1% and ASPI by 0.3%. Asia Securities said the market ended the week on a positive note as the indices remained in positive territory on Thur on the back of price gains more..

May 5 (FT) Cargills (Ceylon) PLC is marking a new milestone by opening Lanka IOC fuel stations at its Cargills Retail outlets. The first Lanka IOC fuel station was opened at the Cargills Food City – Wattala outlet on Wednesday, offering unprecedented convenience to customers. Cargills (Ceylon) PLC Deputy Chairman Ranjit Page said: “We are delighted to inaugurate the first Lanka IOC fuel station at Cargills FoodCity – Wattala outlet to offer customers a complete retail experience. more..

May 5 (FT) High Commission of India, Colombo has organised a special exhibition on India’s rich Buddhist heritage as a part of the Buddha Rashmi National Vesak Festival at Seemamalakaya, Gangaramaya Temple in Colombo. Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe, accompanied by Indian HC Gopal Baglay, senior ministers and other dignitaries visited the exhibition at the soft opening of the Vesak Festival, jointly organised by Prez’s Secretariat, PM’s Office & Gangaramaya on 3 May. more..

May 5 (TM) National Child Protection Authority, citing the increased incidence of assaults, physical, verbal and sexual abuse and harassment, against novice monks (samaneras) within temples, informed that it is the responsibility of the relevant clergy to take measures within the institution of the temples and their respective orders, to prevent such. Chairman of the NCPA, Udayakumara Amarasinghe said that more..

May 5 (ST) Residents forced to relocate or rent houses due to damage complain that compensation payments have been delayed for six years. One of those who suffered, Lalith Wijesundara, 60, a businessman from Udaperuwa, Bandarawela said that he had rented a house for six years as his house was deemed unsafe when cracks appeared in 2017. But, authorities only paid rent for four of the six years. Mr Wijesundera who is also engaged in farming, apart from business, more..

May 5 (FT) India regained status as highest monthly tourist source for SL in April after Russia held the top slot for six months. SL saw 19,915 Indian tourists (19% of total) in April as against 14,656 (14%) from Russia. India last held the top slot in October last year with 8,862 tourists whilst Russia was number two at 6,189 visitors. However Russia remained the biggest source market on a cumulative basis in the first four months. Arrivals from Russia in April decelerated from 25,553 in March more..

May 5 (TM) In a context where the draft of the National Agriculture Policy has been given to all PMs to seek their ideas and proposals, but only two MPs have submitted such, Agriculture Minister Mahinda Amaraweera has expressed his regret over the MPs' lack of interest in the said Policy. The final discussion on the said Policy, which was prepared by the Agriculture Ministry and the other relevant authorities, was held on Wed more..

May 5 (PMD) This thrice blessed day of Vesak being most important in the Buddhist calendar, dawns with sacred significance. While commemorating the Buddha’s birth, enlightenment and passing away, it is a revered occasion, to venerate his Teachings based on the concept of compassion, by participating in activities of piety and giving of alms, through devotion to service of humanity. At this juncture of the country’s unprecedented economic crisis, the timeless philosophy of the Buddha more..

May 5 (FT) A senior delegation of the Shanghai Corporation Organisation’s Trade and Economic Multi-Functional Platform called on PM Dinesh Gunawardena at the Temple Trees on Wednesday to discuss ways and means of establishing cooperation. PM urged the delegation to support Sri Lanka to upgrade suburban transport services in the country using modern technical knowhow. He also requested to facilitate e-commerce modules for SL to enter into online trade with more..

May 5 (EN) SL’s foreign reserves grew 2.2% to US$ 2,755 million in April 2023 from US$ 2,694 million in March. SL’s rupee appreciated from around 360 to the US dollar to 320 and has since been at that level. SL has to increase net int'l reserves by US$ 710 million by June 2023 under an IMF deal. By April gross reserves have risen by around US$ 859 million. To buy reserves from inflows (central bank has to take in deposits in dollars against rupee) SL has to keep interest rates high enough more..

May 5 (FT) “The IMF’s US$ 3 billion Extended Fund Facility (EFF), which was approved on 20 March, has surely been instrumental in bolstering business confidence. And efforts to restructure SL’s mountain of debt has since taken a positive turn with three key sovereign creditors – India, Japan and the Paris Club of nations – announcing on 13 April that formal talks are underway,” business magazine LMD reports in its May edition. LMD adds: “The hype surrounding the long awaited IMF facility more..

May 5 (TM) The COPE gives deadlines to various institutions to implement its recommendations, and on constant follow up, said COPE Chairman, Prof. Ranjith Bandara. Various parties including political parties have been alleging over the past that although Committees such as the COPE summon State institutions before them and make recommendations for issues investigated, most of them are not implemented. more..

May 5 (Island) More than 350 doctors had left the country for foreign jobs during the past nine months without obtaining leave, Dr. Priyantha Atapattu said. “352 doctors have left without informing us. We have issued the vacation of post notices and sent them to those doctors through our diplomatic missions,” he said. Over 50 of these doctors are specialists and a number of young doctors who completed expensive foreign training too have left the country within a few months of their return. more..

May 5 (ST) As the controversial Uma Oya project nears completion, residents of Badulla District and suburbs say compensation for the damage to their homes and land have been delayed for long, while a part of the project aimed at irrigating agricultural land downstream continues. Some say they have not been adequately compensated in the past six years for damage to their homes, the wells that dried up, loss of drinking water and agricultural land that dried up as well. more..

May 5 (TM) The FUTA acknowledged the need for new legal provisions to prevent the titles of doctor of philosophy (doctorate) and professor from being misused by certain individuals. FUTA Chairman, Prof. Shyama Banneheka said that there is a need to introduce new legal provisions to prevent the said titles from being misused. "It is mostly the others who call someone as Dr. or Prof. So, the holders of these titles cannot change the way that they are being called. more..

May 5 (ET) Terrorist Iqbal alias Bali Khayara, who was a member of Al-Qaeda and Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) Khayara group, was killed in a police encounter near Fateh Moor in Dera Ismail Khan. Iqbal was one of the most wanted terrorists, and the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and Punjab police had announced a reward of Rs10.5 million for his capture, dead or alive. IGP Akhtar Hayat Khan, while speaking to a private TV channel on Thursday, said police retaliated after an attack carried out more..

May 5 (TM) National Police Commission (NPC) has already taken steps to implement the transfers of all the seven SDIGs as decided by the Ministry of Public Security, including the transfers of two SDIGs Ajith Rohana and Priyantha Weerasooriya who appealed to the NPC not to implement the said decision. NPC Chairman Chandra Fernando said that no transfer has been halted at the moment and that all the 7 SDIGs more..

May 5 (DM) The members of the newly formed Cricket Technical Consultative Committee met the Sports Minister Roshan Ranasinghe on Thursday, it is learnt. Minister Roshan Ranasinghe had invited all five members, Sanath Jayasuriya (Chairman of the committee), Farveez Maharoof, Charith Senanayake, Asantha de Mel and Kapila Wijegunawardene to the meeting, "The meeting is being held to understand what the newly formed committee has in mind, what their plans more..

May 5 (TM) The Colombo Magistrate's Court yesterday granted permission to the CID to refer the laptops used by deceased businessman Dinesh Schaffter's family members, and former cricket commentator Brian Thomas, to the Govt Analyst's (GA) Department and to obtain the relevant reports. The CID, through a motion, requested the Court to grant permission to refer the laptops used by Schaffter's family members and Thomas to the GA's Department and to obtain reports. more..

May 5 (TM) The security forces, particularly the Police and STF, have already taken several measures to ensure the safety of tourists, while more comprehensive arrangements concerning the same would be in effect by the time of the Kandy Perahera season, said State Minister of Defence, Premitha Bandara Tennakoon. Prez's Chief of Staff Sagala Ratnayaka had recently given instructions to security forces to ensure safety of tourists, more..

May 5 (CT) While commending the editorial of the 5th Goaded by Greed (the Island 5th May 23) which very rightly points to the actors of this malaise that has become the cancer of our nation, it is also useful for us to recognize the facilitators of this malaise. One is the shadowy permanent govt or the bureaucrats. It is these people who stay as the govt whatever the results of the elections are. The politicians come and go with the vote, but the bureaucrat stays on whatever the vote. more..

May 5 (GV) The connection between May Day and labour rights began in the United States. During the 19th century, at the height of the industrial revolution, thousands of men, women and children were dying every year from poor working conditions and long hours. The world was moving out of the millennia long feudal systems, trying to see where the rights of workers and labourers fitted in. From children being used in cotton mills to workers dying from exhaustion in cast iron workshops and more..

May 5 (CT) Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe, on Wednesday with just few hours left to board the flight to London, to attend the Coronation of King Charles III, rushed to the Gangarama Temple to inaugurate the Buddha Rashmi Vesak Zone, which is the National Vesak celebration, organised by the Hunupitiya Gangarama Temple in Colombo. Vesak programme included various events organised at the Galle Face Shangri-la Green and more..

May 5 (DM) How can Sri Lankans find a new sense of belongingness and possibility in a country full of contradictions? At the time of writing even emigrating to a country like Romania is considered a wise option if doors are not open to enter countries like Sweden, Canada, England, Australia and New Zealand. For the record Romania is ranked 45th in the world out of 167 countries in the Legatum Prosperity Index. Some of the facts taken into consideration when given this ranking are; more..

May 5 (CT) With the weather shifting suddenly from the scorching hot April to damp and cold May, various diseases have started spreading across the country. Chief among them is dengue, a battle that Sri Lanka has been failing for many decades to overcome. We have successfully controlled a number of life-threatening diseases such as Polio and Malaria, for which we have received WHO certification. Yet, we still struggle to put an end to the mosquito-borne menace, dengue. more..

May 5 (CT) The health safety of the nation lies with not only the Health Ministry but also its citizens. With signs of Covid -19 making its presence felt again, it would be unwise and unhealthy if Sri Lankans fail to get their act together and come to the assistance of those battling two species of insects; causing dengue and malaria and a long-tailed rodent that infects people with leptospirosis better known as rat fever. more..

May 5 (CT) For the uninitiated, this is the centenary year of the universally understood and acknowledged Mayday distress call, which was first test-tried for aircraft flying between Croydon Airport in London and Le Bourget Airport, Paris. It’s Mayday because London-Paris was the most popular air sector/route at the time and Croydon’s radio officer, one Frederick Stanley Mockford, charged with identifying a universally-acceptable SOS signal of the kind, figured out that more..

May 6 (Island) One of the main reasons for SL’s current economic crisis is that successive govts have invested borrowed money in white elephant projects and enabled their leaders to pocket kickbacks at the expense of the state coffers. The situation took a turn for the worse, on Pre Mahinda Rajapaksa’s watch, with Chinese loans being utilised to build the Hambantota Port and the Mattala airport among other things. These projects worsened the country’s debt crisis, as is public knowledge. more..