Sep 12 (DM) Archbishop of Colombo Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith over the weekend stressed that the perpetrators behind the Easter Sunday bomb attacks can be forgiven if they accept responsibility and repent. "We are ready to forgive the perpetrators of the Easter Sunday attacks if they accept responsibility and repent. Following the Truth and Reconciliation Commission in South Africa, those who were involved in racial riots came and repented their wrong doings. more..

Sep 12 (DM) CID has released a photograph of a police constable to locate him for allegedly aiding notorious underworld figure Nadun Chinthaka alias Harak Kata to snatch a firearm of a Sub-inspector of the STF while in the custody of the CID. Police said Harak Kata, attempted to escape by snatching the firearm of a Sub-Inspector during questioning by the CID. However, the Sub-Inspector managed to prevent the attempt more..

Sep 12 (FT) From Alexander the Great, Abraham Lincoln, Parakramabahu 1, Winston Churchill, Martin Luther King Jr., Mahatma Gandhi, Bill Gates, Lee Kwan Yew to Mark Zuckerberg, Mother Theresa, Nelson Mandela, Fred Smith, Jack Ma and Jeff Bezos, to name just a handful, history abounds with stories of great leaders who enabled, and brought about, paradigm shifts from the status quo by liberating the aspirations and inner desires of their constituents through an inspired shared more..

Sep 12 (FT) Every company, whether it’s a multi-national corporation, NGO or a small or medium enterprise, relies on its reputation to thrive. Reputation is not something that can be acquired overnight but rather a long-term process that must be nurtured over time. A strong reputation establishes trust among stakeholders and the public, playing a significant role in shaping a company’s trajectory. In today’s world, where information is readily available, companies are more more..

Sep 12 (EN) Cabinet approved a proposal by the Board of Management of the UDA to transfer a 0.2761-hectare land with a housing complex on it to the University of Colombo. “Minister of Urban Developments, Prassana Ranatunga, has submitted a proposal to Cabinet to donate a housing complex of 144 flats situated at Kalinga Mawatha, Narahenpita,” Minister Bandula Gunawardena, said. The land gifted to the Uni of Colombo is 110 perches and would be given to uni free of charge. more..

Sep 12 (AD) At least 20 scheduled train services were cancelled this morning due to the strike launched by SL Railways Locomotive Operating Engineers’ Union, according to SL Railways. The Locomotive Operating Engineers’ Union had launched the strike from midnight yesterday over several key demands, including amendments to the recruitment process and promotions, which they say have been delayed for nearly five years despite their constant requests in this regard. more..

Sep 12 (DM) Following the death of the Moratuwa engineering student, Transport Minister, Bandula Gunawardana, said that he is to request the Prez to issue a gazette notification declaring the Railway Dept as an essential service from midnight today. He said that the arbitrary railway trade union action and the 84 engine drivers who refrained from reporting for duties and launched this sudden train strike should be more..

Sep 12 (DM) The Railways Department must bear the responsibility for the sudden death of the Moratuwa University student, SL Railway Station Masters' Union (SLRSMU) president Sumedha Somaratne said. He told the media today that the executive officers of the department had opportunities to streamline the railway services. The Railways Department has the ability to update the railway services and the executive officers are capable of assigning more trains. more..

Sep 12 (TM) Nearly 20 civil organisations are scheduled to launch a continuous satyagraha protest campaign in front of the Ministry of Health tomorrow (13) condemning MPs who voted against a no-confidence motion (NCM) targeting Health Minister Keheliya Rambukwella and demanding solutions to issues in the health sector. Representatives of several civil organisations, such as the Electricity Consumers Association (ECA), the Magen Ratata Organisation, and more..

Sep 12 (DM) At least 12,000 people die in accidents in Sri Lanka annually, with a quarter of these deaths, which is around 3,000 being attributed to road accidents, Police said. DIG Indika Hapugoda said the statistics indicate an average of 7-8 fatalities daily due to road accidents. Data from the Police Traffic Hq reveals that from January 1st to August 31st, 2023, there have been 1,427 fatal road accidents resulting in the loss of 1,500 lives. more..

Sep 12 (AD) The Court of Appeal today issued an interim order preventing the Sports Minister from taking further steps to amend the constitution of Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC). This was conveyed when a petition filed by the officials of the cricket governing body was taken up for consideration this morning. In December 2022, Sports Minister Roshan Ranasinghe informed the Appeals Court that measures would be taken to prepare a new constitution for the SLC. more..

Sep 12 (FT) Mothers, fathers and teachers were engaged in serious discussion. Their happiness eclipsed the acute economic problems they faced. They were filled with gratitude. They were filled with hope. They were convinced at last that their dreams for their precious children could be realised! The object of their discussion and centre of their focus was a school bus. It was a brand-new bus. It made a world of difference to them. In schools in Sri Lanka where the majority of students more..

Sep 12 (EN) Marine Environment Protection Authority (MEPA) signed a MoU with French satellite group Collecte Localisation Satellites (CLS) today to deploy satellites to detect oil spills into the sea around SL. The satellite based oil spill monitoring system is a pilot project by CLS, and will be funded by 600,000 euro from the French govt. “The ocean regulates our climate and supports sectors like tourism, fishing and int'l shipping,” French Ambassador Jean-François Pactet said. more..

Sep 12 (TM) In the wake of 43,776 liquor bottles taken into custody being confirmed to contain fake security stickers, Dept of Excise said that they do not have any authority to call fresh tenders for a new security feature for liquor bottles. It was reported recently that the Parliamentary Ways and Means Committee has recommended the Dept to call a fresh tender for a new security feature for liquor bottles following widespread issues over the current security sticker supplied by an Indian comp more..

Sep 12 (DM) Former Prez Gotabaya Rajapaksa who has maintained a stark silence since his resignation in July last year is now eyeing to recapture and strengthen his failed image through a new political party which is now led by one of his close aide's and media owner who declared his entry into politics yesterday. TGotabaya Rajapaksa who has been given all the privileges and facilities as a former Prez despite being forced out more..

Sep 12 (TM) Sri Lanka’s sprint sensation and most promising athlete of the recent past, Yupun Abeykoon has announced his withdrawal from the Asian Games set to begin in China on 23 September. This decision comes as a result of an injury he sustained during a recent race in Italy, which has hindered his full recovery. Yupun Abeykoon, who has been a shining star in SL athletics, was poised to represent the nation with great pride & dedication at Asian Games. more..

Sep 12 (EN) Cabinet of ministers have approved two proposals by Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe in his capacity as Minister of Women’s Affairs to pass new legislation to ensure equality in gender socialisation and to establish a national women’s commission. A statement from the Govt Information Department said that the Ministry of Women, Child Affairs and Social Empowerment, headed by Wickremesinghe, is taking measures to minimise a gender imbalance in socialisation. more..

Sep 12 (TM) IUSF blamed the Govt for seeking to degrade the quality of medical education in SL by giving approval for the establishment of private sector medical universities. IUSF Convenor Madushan Chandrajith said that Govt of Prez Wickremesinghe is willing to establish private medical faculties under the guise of expanding new opportunities in the medical sector. He said that starting private medical faculties and more..

Sep 12 (DN) Athula Senaratne, a former senior professor at Geology Dept of the Uni of Peradeniya, warns that more large earthquakes may occur in the Indo-Australian tectonic plate where SL is located. The professor made this statement while commenting on the magnitude 4.65 earthquake that occurred yesterday at around 1.30 am in the Northeast deep sea at a distance of 310 km off Batticaloa. He said that in the first 10 hours since the first earthquake was reported, 8 earthquakes more..

Sep 12 (CT) A set of Directors and a group of depositors of the Edirisinghe Trust Investment Finance Ltd, yesterday opposed the request made to the Colombo Commercial High Court, by the Central Bank Sri Lanka (CBSL), to issue an order for the financial institution in question, to settle its financial arrears and close down, while another set of its depositors moved Court, to issue an order to ETI, to settle their financial arrears and shut down. Additional Solicitor General Viraj Dayaratne more..

Sep 12 (DN) Anunayaka of Malwathu Chapter Ven. Dimbulkumbure Wimaladhamma Thera said that the time has come to move away from the traditional political system and come together to build the country in harmony. He said that the country has been pushed to such a dangerous crisis presently because of the politicians who thought about themselves before the country. Thera said this when MP Imtiaz Bakeer Markar went to Malwathu Maha Viharaya to present the book titled Sithamu more..

Sep 12 (EN) Shares closed down on Monday on profit taking as investors await a wait and see approach on the IMF review, an analyst said. The main All Share Price Index was down 0.34% or 38.48 points to 11,348.25, while S&P SL20 was down 0.43% or 13.70 points to 3,208.13. Losers during trade were Cargills, Richard Pieris and Company and Melstacorp. “There was also profit taking the consumer services sector and the food and beverage sector, an analyst said. more..

Sep 12 (DN) National Livestock Development Board (NLDB) started the first phase of the programme to provide fresh milk to households in Colombo City and suburbs from yesterday. In order to eliminate malnutrition among schoolchildren, the NLDB has taken steps to start a programme of providing fresh milk to households in Colombo and its suburbs in the morning and evening. The inauguration of the first phase more..

Sep 12 (DN) Former Mrs. Sri Lanka Pushpika de Silva giving evidence yesterday (11) before the Colombo Chief Magistrate said that she was shamed in front of the world the crown she won was forcibly removed from her head, at the Mrs. Sri Lanka beauty pageant. Pushpika de Silva was announced the winner of the Mrs. SL 2021 pageant held at the Nelum Pokuna Theatre. However, when De Silva was about to take centre stage, reigning Mrs. World Caroline Jurie stripped crown off the winner more..

Sep 12 (AD) An Extraordinary Gazette notification has been issued on the directive of President Ranil Wickremesinghe, declaring railway services as essential services. Accordingly, the public transport services for passengers or goods and the provision and maintenance of facilities for transport services by railway lines have been declared as essential service with immediate effect under the Essential Public Service Act. Earlier today, Minister of Transport Bandula Gunawardane more..

Sep 12 (TM) Opposition has raised concerns over Puttalam District MP Ali Sabri Raheem, who was recently arrested and subsequently released after being implicated in smuggling a consignment of gold and mobile phones worth Rs. 70 million into SL, still functioning as a member of the Parliamentary Committee on Ethics and Privileges. Customs officials on duty at the BIA in Katunayake impounded 3.5 kg of undeclared gold more..

Sep 12 (AD) Bar Association of SL (BASL) has submitted a letter to Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardema, outlining their concerns regarding the growing trend of judicial matters being deliberated and references being made to judges in parliament. BASL Management Committee held a constructive discussion in this regard with the Speaker, during which the relevant letter was handed over, and the BASL expressed its apprehensions regarding the potential implications of parliamentary more..

Sep 12 (Island) The Opposition would seek the IMF’s commitment to rein in rampant corruption with the Wickremesinghe-Rajapaksa govt in spite of the country being declared bankrupt over a year ago, former External Affairs Minister Prof. G.L. Peiris said. Senior SLPP rebel group member said that the Opposition intended to furnish transcripts of the three-day debate on the No-Confidence-Motion (NCM) against Health Minister Keheliya Rambukwella to the IMF delegation. more..

Sep 13 (DM) The Channel 4 drama - titled Dispatches is holding our country in thrall. Everybody is talking about it and everybody has a different opinion on it. Our political parties in Opposition, the SJB, and the JVP are calling for an international commission to be set up to inquire into the Channel 4 expose. The leader of the Catholic Church in this country -whose flock was the target of the Easter Sunday bomb blast- was the first to call for an independent int'l commission of inquiry. more..

Sep 13 (ST) What confusion. Govt’s left hand goes one way and its right hand another way. It seems that two ministers who were at the same Cabinet meeting have completely contradictory views on what was said there on a vital issue that would resurrect the tragic story of the Easter Sunday carnage four years ago. Minister Manusha Nanayakkara told parliament that the Cabinet had agreed to appoint a parliamentary select committee to inquire into that Sunday massacre more..

Sep 13 (TM) Asanka Wijewardena, who is currently one of the most popular player managers in SL, has taken the profession to a different level. A product of D.S. Senanayake College, Wijewardena lived in the UK since age 18. He has a master’s degree in management, and is the Director of Field Power Sports at present. He is currently managing many national cricketers, including current white-ball skipper Dasun Shanaka, Kusal Mendis, more..

Sep 13 (DM) Channel 4’s latest documentary on the Easter Sunday attack is way too depressing for any Sri Lankan, more so for the survivors and relatives who live with the memories of the slaughter of innocents. But, after a 47-minute-long documentary, all that emerges is a ghastly piece of clickbait journalism that tries to repackage a hackneyed conspiracy theory, relying on the testimony of a single dubious asylum seeker, and generously mixing the harrowing tales of survivors, more..

Sep 13 (Island) There has been a surge in serious and organised crimes over the past several months, if media reports are any indication. Hardly a day passes without several incidents of violent crimes being reported from different parts of the country, which is awash with illegal firearms and narcotics. Western & Southern Prov are the worst affected areas, according to police. Criminals, including military deserters, strike at will, and the police have their work cut out to bring them to justice. more..

Sep 13 (TM) With the cost of living crisis pushing many people over the edge and the struggles experienced by many families likely to worsen, the recent increase in fuel prices by the Govt is primed to add to the burden. Official figures published for July showed that headline inflation as measured by the Year-on-Year (YoY) change in the National Consumer Price Index was 4.6%. Despite food inflation showing at -2.5% and more..

Sep 13 (TM) It is indeed a shame that, despite being an island nation with a bountiful ocean around us, SL has not adequately invested in marine and ocean sciences over the years. With 75 years of Independence in our back-view mirror, consecutive govts and national leadership have failed to fully grasp SL’s maritime potential. As such, SL today, is at the mercy of regional and extra regional giants to study, map, and review and understand her own maritime domain. more..

Sep 13 (CT) The present President of SL, Ranil Wickremesinghe, is undoubtedly a capable person compared to many other former Presidents in the country. Chandrika Kumaratunga could have been better, but the circumstances of the war prevented her achieving many of the socio-economic targets. In terms of modernizing the country, JR Jayewardene played a pivotal role, but his political orientation led the country into an abysmal failure, particularly in terms of ethnic relations. more..