Mar 28 (FT) SL Agripreneurs’ Forum (SLAF) in collaboration with Hatton National Bank (HNB), MBA Alumni Association of Uni of Colombo (MBAAA), and Daily FT will hold the first-ever conference for agripreneurship in Sri Lanka on 30 March from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Hector Kobbekaduwa Agrarian Research & Training Institute (HARTI), 114 Wijerama Mawatha, Colombo 7. The Agripreneur Conference 2023 theme will be empowering agripreneurs for a world of abundance. more..

Mar 28 (TM) Election Commission (EC) is unlikely to initiate legal action against Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe and Treasury Secretary Mahinda Siriwardana over the non-release of funds required to hold the LG election. In the wake of certain Opposition political parties having expressed their willingness to provide legal assistance to the EC to take legal action against the non-release of required funds for the LG election, the EC stated that more..

Mar 28 (DN) SL under 19 team led by Shevon Daniel recorded their second consecutive defeat when they lost to Bangladesh under 19’s by five wickets in their tri-nation cricket fixture played at Abu Dhabi on Sunday. The deciding game between SL and Afghanistan will be played today at the same venue. SL under19’s scored 215 all out in 48 overs while Bangladesh under 19’s reached their target in 47.5 overs with five wickets in hand. SL who lost to Afghanistan by 62 in their previous game more..

Mar 28 (FT) London College of Fashion (LCF), University of the Arts London (UAL) students recently presented their ground-breaking use of blockchain technology in a handloom craft showcase in collaboration with Selyn, Sri Lanka’s pioneer in fair trade handloom manufacture. The launch event, held at the exclusive SOOK 42 South Molton Street in London, aimed to celebrate the immense potential of global crafts and the innovative role of future creatives. more..

Mar 28 (AD) Two employees of the Colombo Municipal Council (CMC) have reportedly died after being admitted to Colombo National Hospital due to collapsing while trying to connect a newly constructed sewerage line at Kotahena. Two out of three workers who were engaged in maintenance work of the sewage line system near the Hettiyawatte Junction in Kotahena police area this afternoon (27), had fallen into the sewage pit and were rushed to hospital in critical condition. more..

Mar 28 (DM) Questions have been raised over a number of individuals employed by Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) at District and Provincial level, who simultaneously hold positions of officer-bearers at Provincial Cricket Associations, District Cricket Associations and Clubs which have voting rights at SLC elections. Some of the individuals include those from the Hambantota, Galle, Matara, Kandy, Monaragala and Matale District Cricket Associations. The individuals is question receive salaries more..

Mar 28 (TM) While requesting Speaker of the Parliament to pave the way for strict action against Secretary to Finance, Economic Stabilisation and National Policies Ministry, Mahinda Siriwardana over the non-release of funds allocated for the LG elections through the 2023 Budget, Opposition MP G.L. Peiris said that the same would preserve not only Parliamentary privileges, but also its fundamental powers. more..

Mar 28 (Island) Silvijan Dalima was crowned men’s singles champion while S. Sowmiya clinched a triple crown at the Northern Badminton Championship 2023 in Kilinochchi during the weekend. At the Provincial Indoor Stadium in Kilinochchi, Silvijan met K Thusan in the final clash in which the latter retired in the second set with scores reading 21-14, 16-11 in favour of the champion. L Hentry and K Kajan were the losing semi-finalists. Meanwhile, S. Sowmiya won all three of her open events, more..

Mar 28 (FT) Former PM Mahinda Rajapaksa hinted that an election will be held prior to the month of December this year. Rajapaksa during a visit to the Abhayarama Temple yesterday said he believes an election will be held by December when he was asked about the continued postponements of elections by media personnel at the event. Responding to a journalist on the need for an election at this juncture Rajapaksa said politicians are always favourable to elections. more..

Mar 28 (ST) Experts arriving in the country for nuclear-power-related matters will be entitled to obtain the services of the AG’s Department. The Cabinet provided approval to a proposal by the Foreign Affairs Minister and Power and Energy Minister to sign an agreement with privileges and immunities for members of the Int'l Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) this week. SL Atomic Energy Board Secretary Sakurani Wijerathne said that experts would be receiving protection from the State more..

Mar 28 (DM) SLC refuted media reports suggesting its cricketers could potentially be banned from future Indian Premier League (IPL) player auctions as a consequence of not being made available for the opening matches of this year's IPL. Three of the four SL cricketers contracted to play in the IPL this year, all-rounder Wanindu Hasaranga, spinner Maheesh Theekshana and fast bowler Matheesha Pathirana, are currently in New Zealand with the national team for the limited overs series, more..

Mar 28 (DM) Sri Lanka is likely to go for another IMF programme after the end of the current four-year programme, to continue with the structural and institutional reforms. “I think there will be another programme definitely but it will be to support the continuation of reforms, not to support another debt restructuring,” former CB Governor and senior economist Dr. Indrajit Coomaraswamy told a virtual forum organised by the Central Bank. more..

Mar 28 (DM) Urban Development Authority (UDA) is to conduct a feasibility study with a view of revisiting the project undertaken by former President Chandrika Kumaratunga to relocate the President’s House to Sri Jayewardenepura Kotte, an official said. UDA Director General Prasad Ranaweera told Daily Mirror that a feasibility study will be done shortly to relocate the President’s House or Janadipathi Mandiraya to a place near the Parliamentary complex in Sri J'pura Kotte. more..

Mar 28 (AD) Chairman of the PUCSL Janaka Ratnayake confirms that he has received notice of proposed grounds for his removal as Chairman. He also said that a reply denying all allegations will be sent to Minister of Finance, Economic Stabilization and National Policies, today (28). In January, Minister Kanchana Wijesekara had stated that a charge sheet has been drafted and legal measures will be taken by the govt to remove the PUCSL Chairman, Janaka Ratnayake. more..

Mar 28 (EN) Sri Lanka will adopt a competitive bidding process for asset sales and will shortly call for expressions of interest from transaction advisors to support the divestment program, the head of the state enterprise re-structuring unit Suresh Shah said. All assets will be sold through a competitive bidding process and no unsolicited bids will be accepted. The first step will be to select transaction advisors. more..

Mar 28 (FT) The increasing popularity of National People’s Power (NPP) with an uncompromising stand on system change, a demand originated from the Aragalaya youth, seems to have sent jitters within the ruling coalition and their parliamentary opponents who are now united to destroy this colossus. One member from SJB had even called for a merger between his party and the UNP-SLPP coalition just to defeat the NPP at the polls. It is the threat of the NPP sweeping the polls that also more..

Mar 28 (EN) Sri Lanka is in talks with India to build an oil pipeline to transport fuel to the Eastern Port of Trincomalee, Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe had told energy investors, according to a statement from his media office. There were on-going discussions on bringing an oil pipeline from India to Trincomalee, Prez had said. Trincomalee has a a World War II-era 99 tank farm. A part of the tank farm is under the control of LIOC. The rest is under joint control of LIOC and CPC. more..

Mar 28 (DM) With the appreciation of the SL Rupee against the US Dollar, the Government could reduce the prices of all fuel varieties by a minimum of Rs. 120, Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) affiliated Samagi United Trade Union Force (SUTUF) convener and spokesman Ananda Palitha said. He said that the retail price of a litre of 95-octane 95 petrol could be reduced by at least Rs. 125. A liter of naptha, furnace oil, and kerosene would be reduced by Rs. 110 without any issue, he said. more..

Mar 28 (FT) On 17 March 2023, Govt published its proposed 97-page Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA). The ATA is the latest attempt by SL govts to respond to domestic and international criticism over the last 40 years that the Prevention of Terrorism Act of 1979 (PTA) has wreaked havoc in the lives of Sri Lankans. As a result of the overbroad provisions of the PTA, countless human rights violations were perpetrated. The most horrific and routine torture and the decades of detention without concluding trials more..

Mar 28 (AD) Veteran singer and musician Professor Sangeeth Nipun Sanath Nandasiri has passed away at the age of 81. One of the iconic singers in Sri Lankan music, Nandasiri is also a music director and composer who has received several awards for his compositions in a career spanning more than six decades. He also served as the Chancellor of the University of Visual and Performing Arts in Sri Lanka. more..

Mar 28 (PMD) United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) congratulated SL on its achievements in developing robust national evaluation capacities, at the policy, institutional, and professional levels. This was stated when President Ranil Wickremesinghe met with a delegation of UNFPA officials, including Mr Marco Segone, Director of the Evaluation Office of the UNFPA, at the Presidential Secretariat yesterday. The UNFPA delegation commended Prez Wickremesinghe’s leadership in promoting more..

Mar 28 (AD) Court of Appeal today ordered the extension of the interim order issued pertaining to the hearing of a petition filed against SDIG of the Western Province, Deshabandu Tennakoon. Accordingly, the relevant interim order was extended until 19 May 2023 by the Appellate Court, when a writ petition filed by the SDIG against the said petition, seeking its dismissal, was taken up in court this morning. A private complaint was filed before the Colombo Fort Magistrate’s Court against more..

Mar 28 (PMD) SL will become the first country in the region to adopt a green economy, as Ministry of environment, Ministry of power & energy, and Climate change office work together to introduce a green economic policy focused on renewable energy within the next two months, according to Prez. Prez expressed his aim to place SL at the forefront of green economic policy, much like its success in tea exports. more..

Mar 28 (AD) Former Speaker of Parliament, Joseph Michael Perera, has passed away at the age of 81. The former Gampaha district Member of Parliament was born on 15 Sept 1941, and served as the 17th Speaker of Parliament from Dec 2001 to February 2004. He served as an elected member of the Ja Ela Urban Council (UC) from 1964 to 1967, after which he was appointed as the Vice Chairman of the UC until 1970. Perera then served as the Chairman of the Ja Ela UC from 1970 to 1971. more..

Mar 28 (DM) Mahela Jayawardena, who is working for Sri Lanka Cricket as the Consultant Coach, has not been tasked with the job of touring with the National Team, SLC said. His functions as the Consultant Coach are to be in charge of the overall cricketing element of the national teams and to provide invaluable strategic support for the players and management teams at the High-Performance Center SLC said. Accordingly, Jayawardena works on coach and player development programs, more..

Mar 28 (AD) The hearing of three petitions filed against State Minister Sanath Nishantha, accusing him of contempt of court, are due to be taken up in court on 27 June. This order was issued by a bench comprising of Court of Appeal President Nissanka Karunaratne and Justice A. Marikkar when the three plaints, filed by Attorneys-at-Law Priyalal Sirisena and Vijitha Kumara and the Judicial Officers’ Association, were taken up in court this morning. Deputy Solicitor General Lakmini Girihagama more..

Mar 28 (TM) Unbowed and Unafraid, biography of slain Journalist and late Editor of The Sunday Leader, Lasantha Wickrematunge, was launched at the SL Foundation Institute yesterday. The biography is authored by the journalist’s ex-wife Raine Wickrematunge and recounts the life of the journalist, providing a personal and inspirational account. It also looks at Wickrematunge’s early life, foray into journalism, family life and political work. The main focus is on Wickrematunge’s more..

Mar 28 (DM) Opening up of the local fuel sales market is a welcome move, SJB official Spokesman S. M. Marikar said, He was referring to Monday’s cabinet decision to allow two more foreign companies to enter into the local fuel market. “Opening up the fuel sales market is a welcome move as the consumers will benefit from it at the end of the day. Competitiveness will increase when there are several players in the market more..

Mar 28 (AD) Dr. Deepal Perera, a paediatrician at the Lady Ridgeway Hospital for Children, has raised concerns over an eye disease that has been observed spreading amongst children as of recently. Dr. Perera explained that soreness or redness of the eyes and collection of rheum (eye discharge) were common symptoms of the disease. “This is a virus, but it can also be a secondary bacterial infection”, he said, adding that coughs, colds and high body temperatures were also noted symptoms. more..

Mar 28 (EN) Cabinet has approved the signing of a tripartite MOU between Korea’ s Saemaul Undong (New Village) Foundation in order to develop the local rural community in the country. MoU will be signed between SL Ministry of Public Admin, Home Affairs, PC and LG, Dept of External Resources and Saemaul Undong (New Village) Foundation. The development programme is to provide infrastructure facilities, livelihoods, subsidiaries and educational development in ruralities across SL. more..

Mar 28 (DM) The initial program to launch STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics) education for the local education sector will be introduced, and the official program will be launched on Friday (31), in the Western Province at the Town Hall, Colombo. The program will commence at 8.30 am and continue until 12.30 pm. In line with the main event, the program will be held at eight centers more..

Mar 28 (EN) Sri Lanka’s stocks closed weaker on Tuesday for the second consecutive session mainly driven by month-end profit-taking by investors, according to brokers. The main All Share Price Index (ASPI) closed down 0.56% or 51.81 points to 9,233.40. The market has been on a downward trend since last week as investors are adopting a wait-and-see approach until more clarity is given regarding local debt restructuring after the IMF approved the extended loan facility. more..

Mar 28 (PMD) The program initiated on the instructions of Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe to identify those eligible for welfare benefit payments has completed the information verification for over 2.2 million applications received during the on-going survey and verification process. Mr. Saman Ekanayake, Secretary to the Prez, has instructed officers to accelerate the eligibility verification process for welfare allowances pertaining to 3.7 million applications received from 340 DS more..

Mar 28 (DM) The govt was plotting to introduce a new Anti-Terrorism-Bill to suppress people and trade unions who were set to rise against the burden of the people through the implementation of IMF conditions, NPP MP Vijitha Herath said today. He told a news conference that the new Anti-Terrorism Bill which was gazetted by the govt was against democratic principles. "The govt is creating an environment where people were struggling with their day-to-day life due to tough IMF mandate. more..

Mar 28 (DM) The 1990 ambulance service has floated a project to raise funds to survive amidst the economic crisis claiming that the Treasury is unable to fully fund its operations which may lead to the service being unsustainable in 2023. In a paper advertisement, Board and management of the ambulance service requested Corporates and Individuals to adopt an Ambulance at a cost of Rs 5 million to save 1990, The advert said “1990 operates 297ambulances covering the whole island more..