Sep 8 (FT) Maldivians are voting to select the next Prez tomorrow (90. With the election tightly contested- much tighter than in recent past, what do the tea leaves foretell? While the campaign has definitely been boisterous and indeed high spirited to say it modestly, the voices of the different campaigns are all monotonous- all about who dares to offer the biggest bag of freebies to the populace. It is a race to occupy the extreme far-left of a spectrum, where the centre is only a theoretical construct, more..

Sep 8 (DM) British High Commissioner Andrew Patrick met with PM Dinesh Gunawardena at Temple Trees to discuss bilateral ties and development cooperation between SL and UK. During the meeting, the High Commissioner expressed his unwavering commitment to enhancing the relationship and development cooperation between the two countries. PM Gunawardena urged the UK to explore new investment opportunities, particularly in sectors such as education, banking and more..

Sep 8 (DM) The SL govt is actively exploring options for the privatisation of SriLankan Airlines and is engaging in talks with various private entities and airlines, according to a report by ch-aviation. Among the potential investors are well-known names such as Emirates, Tata Sons, and the Adani Group. Veeraperumal Ravindran, the carrier's regional manager for India, Bangladesh, and Nepal, revealed this information during an interview, more..

Sep 8 (EN) Shares close up on Friday with interest in the tourism sector as favorable results are obtained in the island. ASPI was up 0.96% or 108.62 points to 11,466.07, while S&P SL20 was up 1.21% or 38.76 points to 3,252.22. SL welcomed 22,896 tourists in the first week of September and had welcomed 136,405 tourists in Aug 2023, sharply up from last year’s 37,760 during a currency crisis, but was lower than July, data from the state tourism promotion office shows. more..

Sep 8 (PTI) A Democratic Party official of Indian and Sri Lankan descent has been attacked by unknown gunmen in her driveway in front of her children in the US state of Minnesota. Shivanthi Sathanandan, second vice chairwoman of the Minnesota Democrat-Farmer-Labour Party, said she suffered a broken leg, bruises, cuts, and deep lacerations on her head in the attack by a group of armed men who carjacked her in the driveway of her Folwell neighbourhood home on Tuesday evening. more..

Sep 8 (TM) Ruling SLPP has stated that it would be difficult to convince SLPP MPs to vote against a possible no-confidence motion against Minister Tiran Alles. Opposition MP Lalith Ellawala, who was earlier an SLPP MP, recently warned of an NCM against Alles if the latter fails to take the required measures to address the rising crime rate and crack down on underworld activities. In addition to Opposition MPs, he claimed that many more..

Sep 8 (CI) Sri Lanka are one win away from ODI eminence. If they beat Bangladesh in their Asia Cup Super Four game on Saturday, they will become the team with the second-longest winning streak in the format. Only the Australians of 2003 achieved a longer streak (21), while SL are currently tied with Pakistan (12 wins in 2007-08) and South Africa (12 wins in 2005, and again in 2016-17). As is bound to be the case in such situations, Sri Lanka have found the fight in tricky situations. more..

Sep 8 (DM) In the wake of the incident where the only consultant anaesthetist at the Embilipitiya District General Hospital had left the hospital without prior notice, the Health Ministry said stringent actions will be taken against doctors who travel overseas without prior notice. This was revealed by Deputy Director General (Medical Services) Dr. G. Wijesuriya. According to Dr. Wijesuriya, doctors are not allowed to leave the country without prior permission from the health authorities. more..

Sep 8 (ANI) The venues for the Bangladesh tour will span four cities: Benoni, Kimberley, East London and Potchefstroom. The assignment against Bangladesh comprises three T20Is followed by as many ODIs in December. Both ODI series will form a part of the ICC Women’s Championship 2022-25 (IWC). Both tours will feature a 50-over warm-up match ahead of the respective IWC One-Dayers, with a South Africa XI taking on their Bangladeshi and Sri Lankan counterparts. more..

Sep 8 (EN) SL has launched a campaign to prevent people falling into financial scams through public awareness on increasing payments related frauds with the growth in digital transactions over the last few years. The island nation’s National Payment Network LankaPay has partnered with SL Banks’ Association, SL CERT, FinCSIRT and the entire financial sector on this latest campaign to counter social engineering attacks and financial scams with a national level public awareness campaign. more..

Sep 8 (AD) The Sri Lanka Port Authority (SLPA) had been called before the COPE on Tuesday, where many administrative weaknesses and irregularities of the authority were revealed. The committee chaired by MP Ranjith Bandara has asked SLPA officials that a proposal be submitted to the COPE within 03 months regarding increasing revenue, cost management and increasing efficiency of the SLPA. more..

Sep 8 (DM) SL women's cricket team's historical series win in England on Wednesday (6) has to go down as one of country's greatest ever achievements in sports. Heather Knight led an English team consisted of so many superstars and with SL's defeat on the opening match, it looked like it was going to be another one-sided series, but then the iron women of Sri Lanka Cricket goes by the name of Chamari Atapattu decided to rewrite the history in front a brilliant crowd in London. more..

Sep 8 (CT) Govt Nursing Officers’ Association (GNOA) urged the Jaffna Police to provide security for the nursing staff of a ward at the Jaffna Teaching Hospital, where an alleged case of medical negligence occurred, in which the lower part (below the wrist) of an 8-year-old’s right hand was amputated. GNOA Secretary, Ajith Ratnayake alleged the nurses of the ward, in which the eight-year-old was being treated, had received death threats while a few people had even more..

Sep 8 (CT) Despite the Dept of Wildlife Conservation spending Rs 1.2 billion on the construction of electric fences and Rs 1.03 billion for their maintenance in 2021 and 2022, there has been no reduction in the human-elephant conflict. By 31 Dec 2022, a total of 4,756 km of electric fences was erected in an effort to mitigate Human-Elephant Conflict. Regrettably, there has been an alarming increase in elephant fatalities, more..

Sep 8 (TM) Refuting the findings of a report compiled by the Centre for Environmental Justice (CEJ) that 40 types of highly hazardous and internationally banned agrochemicals including insecticides, pesticides and herbicides are being used in SL, Ministry of Agriculture stated that only three of those agrochemicals are found to be highly hazardous as per the criteria considered by the Registrar of Pesticides. A recent report prepared by the CEJ had claimed that about 40 types of more..

Sep 8 (DM) The removal of MP Dayasiri Jayasekara from his post as SLFP General Secretary appears to be a strategic move aimed at eliminating potential obstacles to the party's support for Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe in the upcoming presidential election, according to sources. Mr. Jayasekara has been opposed to the idea of backing the Prez at the next election. Instead, he has advocated the position that SLFP should participate in the elections without being part of an alliance more..

Sep 8 (EN) Sri Lanka’s economy has stabilized faster than some other countries that went into crisis recently, State Minister for Finance Shehan Semasinghe said. “Our economy is on a progressive trajectory,” Semasinghe told parliament in a debate to pass a tax linked to domestic debt restructuring. “Compared to other countries’ whose economies collapsed we have been able to in the shortest time stabilize the economy. “Other countries are commending our progress.” more..

Sep 8 (AD) Court of Appeal today fixed a date to announce the verdict on whether an interim order would be issued preventing the extension of detention orders imposed on the notorious underworld figure Nadun Chinthaka alias Harak Kata. Accordingly, the verdict will be delivered on Sept 15, 2023. This order was issued when a writ application filed by the criminal figure, who is currently detained in the custody of the CID, was taken up into consideration today, more..

Sep 8 (AD) The vote on the no-confidence motion against Health Minister Keheliya Rambukwella, was defeated in the Parliament today, following a 3-day debate. The health minister survived the no-confidence motion, moved by the opposition, by a majority of 40 votes. A total of 113 lawmakers had voted against the motion while 73 voted in favour. Accordingly, Rambukwella will continue to function as Min. of Health further. more..

Sep 8 (CT) Although a 1,285-hectare piece of land, belonging to the Muthurajawela Wetland Conservation Area and Sanctuary, had been gazetted as a sanctuary through Gazette No. 947/13 of 1996, the Wildlife Conservation Department had failed to physically demarcate the boundary, the National Audit Office revealed. A case has been filed, by Centre for Environmental Justice (CEJ) at the Court of Appeal, regarding the failure of the authorities to act in accordance with more..

Sep 8 (Island) Three tonnes of vegetables had been thrown away by the traders of the Manning Market on Wednesday (6), Deputy Chairman of the market’s traders association H.T.N. Samaratunga said. The traders of the Manning Market had thrown away eight to ten tonnes of vegetables from Monday to Wednesday, he added. “We are throwing away large quantities of vegetables. This is a tragedy. The price of vegetables have dropped significantly, but there are fewer buyers. more..

Sep 8 (CT) Supreme Court (SC) yesterday instructed Attorney General Sanjay Rajaratnam and the respondent parties, to forthwith grant the retirement privileges that retired Air Vice Marshal (AVM) Sampath Thuyacontha had been deprived of. Retired Air Force official’s due retirement privileges, as per his position, had been withdrawn due to him having attended a few political rallies of Jathika Jana Balawegaya (JJB). more..

Sep 8 (DM) Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa urged Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe to hand over the investigations into the Easter Sunday attacks to former Director of CID Shani Abeysekara. He told Parliament that Shani Abeysekara was successfully carrying out investigations into the attacks before he was removed from the investigations. "He is an honest official whom even Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe trusted," he said. Premadasa said they were demanding an int'l probe more..

Sep 8 (PMD) SL’s commitment to safeguarding its freedom and sovereignty has been reaffirmed with the release of the Defence Review – 2030 by Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe. The comprehensive document outlines the evolving security landscape in the Indian Ocean region and sets the course for SL’s defence policy in the coming years. Prez proposed the Defence Review – 2030 at the recent Cabinet meeting. The key principles of SL’s defence policy after gaining independence more..

Sep 9 (DM) In SL, we have been fortunate to have a tropical climate, and never really faced droughts of the worst order. Technically, what faced, have been extended periods of dry weather. However, the lack of rainfall often brings both farmers and city dwellers to their knees. In the paddy growing areas especially during the formative period of grain formation, a few rain-free weeks often spells disaster to farmers. Unfortunately despite this long dry spells have kept recurring over the years more..

Sep 9 (FT) The great French novelist Emile Zola who captioned his last novel as Verite observed, When truth is buried underground it grows, it chokes, it gathers such an explosive force that on the day it bursts out, it blows up everything with it. In his Philosophy of History, Hegel remarked that people and govts have never learned anything from history. The observation is crucially relevant to the times we live in. Channel 4 video has succeeded in its purpose. more..

Sep 9 (FT) Distressful memories of the Easter Sunday suicide killer bombing of churches and hotels on 21 April 2019 were revived for many this week when the British TV Channel 4 aired a documentary in its Dispatches program on 5 Sept 2023. For some of us it fanned into poignant flames, the embers of memory, regarding our friend and colleague Lasantha Wickrematunge who was brutally assassinated on 8 January 2009. more..

Sep 9 (GV) Lack of accountability by the powerful undermines the rights of numerous Sri Lankans, according to a hard-hitting report by the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk. Situation of human rights in SL is on the agenda for the opening day of the 54th session of the UNHRC from Sept 11 to Oct 13 when the regime will face tough criticism. Locally and internationally, others too have drawn attention to grave human rights failings and fresh allegations have been made about more..

Sep 9 (CT) A recent report, released by the National Audit Office, revealed that Dept of Wildlife Conservation (DWC) had, in the last two years alone, spent a staggering Rs 2.23 billion on erecting and maintaining electric fences. Considering how the country was crippled by a pandemic and multiple crises during the same time, the total bill for the electric fences might appear a tad hefty to many, but it nonetheless is a necessity, considering how grave a socioeconomic issue more..

Sep 9 (TM) Despite the fact that it has been five years since the Right to Information (RTI) Act was fully operationalised in SL, various aspects pertaining to the proactive disclosure of information by public authorities, Govt openness score has only increased by 8% and stands at 33%, as per an assessment conducted by the local think tank Verité Research. ow Govt openness score demonstrates the need for the Govt to improve more..

Sep 9 (DM) The latest documentary produced by Britain’s controversial Channel 4, SL’s Easter Bombings- Dispatches was fair enough to quote both the whistleblower Asad Moulana and the Head of State Intelligence Service (SIS) Major General Thuan Suresh Sallay on the latter’s purported meeting with the leader of the National Thawheed Jama’ath (NTJ), Zahran Hashim, before the Easter Sunday bomb attacks, which killed 269 innocent people. Maulana in the documentary tells more..

Sep 9 (Island) Govt is cock-a-hoop over its win in Parliament yesterday. It succeeded in defeating the Opposition’s no-faith motion against Minister Keheliya Rambukwella comfortably. Opposition could muster only 73 votes for its motion as opposed to the govt’s 113. The outcome of yesterday’s vote came as no surprise. In a place where souls are for sale, a regime with the wherewithal to grease palms to buy loyalties, can always raise enough numbers to safeguard its interests. more..

Sep 9 (Island) A short video clip of luggage being loaded to SLNS Gajabahu P 626 at the port of Colombo on the afternoon of 9th July, 2022, went viral as the then Prez Gotabaya Rajapaksa gave up resistance to a public protest campaign. Some TV stations, too, carried that video. Print media followed. Until then SLNS Gajabahu hadn’t been in the public domain. Having joined the SLN fleet a decade after the successful conclusion of the war, the vessel never had a real opportunity to more..

Sep 9 (TM) Given recent media reports, mostly Indian, marine science research appears to have become a hot topic yet again. Whilst debates linger over this, it is important to understand these issues from a SL point of view because the SL point of view is often refracted through a Western or an Indian lens. Our voice appears not to be strong enough, and it stands to be ignored. For an island State like us, marine science research remains a vital necessity, which has a direct impact on more..

Sep 9 (CT) Anjali lives in a picturesque mountainous area some 120 kilometres off Hatton town and speaks English fluently. “I came first in the class when I was in Grade 8 and have also come first in running events. I should be in Grade 11 now,” Anjali said, flashing a beautiful smile as she was speaking about her school. Yet, it didn’t take long to realise that she was referring to the past. “Why are you saying you should be in Grade more..