Apr 26 (AD) The Court of Appeal has deferred the verdict on the bail request made by the Director of Medical Supplies Division (MSD) Dr. Kapila Wickramanayake. Thereby, the decision on the bail request, which was slated to be delivered today by Appeals Court judge D.N. Samarakoon, is expected on 30 April. Wickramanayake is currently held in remand custody over the alleged substandard immunoglobulin imports case. He had filed the petition through his lawyers, seeking more..

Apr 26 (AD) Colombo High Court on Friday (26) fixed a date for the hearing of the case filed against the notorious criminal figure and drug trafficker Nadun Chinthaka alias Harak Kata over his failed escape attempt from the CID. Accordingly, the case filed against Harak Kata and two others will be taken up on 15 May, on the orders of High Court Judge Damith Thotawatta. The accused is being held at the old prison complex in Tangalle, which currently operates as a detention centre. more..

Apr 26 (ST) All major political parties are set to hold grand May Day rallies, ahead of launching election campaigns. Several parties have selected Colombo as their venue, and NPP will have four events in important cities, including the north and the south. Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe is due at the United National Party rally. Organisers say they plan to attract more than 100,000. UNP General Secretary Palitha Range Bandara said more..

Apr 26 (DM) Five individuals, including Ven. Ulapane Sumangala Thero, who were held in remand custody for allegedly defying a court order, was today ordered to be released on bail by the Colombo Chief Magistrate’s Court. Each suspect was ordered to be released on two sureties of Rs.100,000 by Colombo Additional Magistrate Pasan Amarasena. It was alleged that the suspects had obstructed and defied a court order issued to remove slums located at Dabare Mawatha in Narahenpita. more..

Apr 26 (Island) Well known philanthropist, Business Leader, donor of the Thurstan College Swimming Pool Complex and Chairman of Hands International Group, Lion Greatian Gunawardhana passed away on Wednesday (24). He, being a distinguished old boy of Thurstan College, had a close relationship with the school and the Thurstan Community until his death. In the year 2000, to mark the 50th Anniversary of Thurstan College he donated a modern Swimming pool complex more..

Apr 26 (ST) “Sorry for unauthorised access to your website but your website has some security flaws,” read a message, purportedly from an A/ Level student who hacked the Education Ministry website earlier this month. The embarrassing incursion that drew attention to cyber security concerns revealed only the tip of the iceberg. The govt, encouraged by the IMF and other agencies, has adopted a policy of digitisation. more..

Apr 26 (TM) Philippe Lazzarini, the Commissioner General of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA), expressed gratitude to President Ranil Wickremesinghe and the Govt of Sri Lanka (GoSL) for its substantial financial support towards addressing the urgent crisis in the Gaza Strip. In his letter, Lazzarini highlighted the dire situation faced by over two million Palestinians in Gaza, the majority of whom are Palestine Refugees under UNRWA's mandate. more..

Apr 26 (AD) A special meeting of the MPs representing the ruling party led by Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe has been held at the Presidential Secretariat last night. During the discussion, special attention of the MPs has reportedly been drawn to the govt’s future course of actions, implementation of development projects and preparation of developmental plans covering all electorates. Sources said that it also focused on the decisions to be taken by political parties and more..

Apr 26 (CT) Medical and Civil Rights Professional Association of Doctors (MCPA) called for a comprehensive inquiry into the allocations made to the Health Ministry (HM), under the Indian Loan Scheme (ILS) and the fate of patients who received substandard medicines. MCPA President, Dr. Chamal Sanjeeva, in a letter to the Prez, also copied to the Director of the CID yesterday said, it had been revealed in open Court, during the controversial Immunoglobulin case, that is currently more..

Apr 26 (CT) SJB General Secretary, MP Ranjith Maddumabandara, asserted yesterday that the Party is considering the steps to be taken regarding the SJB MPs who have been allocated funds for their development projects through the Govt’s Decentralised Budget Programme 2024, if they accept the funds. His statement comes in response to reports that Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe has allocated over Rs 320 million to six members of the SJB for development projects through more..

Apr 26 (CT) Following the implementation of the new visa system, Dept of Immigration and Emigration has received numerous complaints regarding scam websites targeting online visa applicants. These fraudulent platforms deceive applicants into making payments, prompting the dept to urge the public not to fall victim to such scams. Dept advises online visa applicants to make payments only through its official website, more..

Apr 26 (FT) With about six months to go for a Prez election, Cardinal Ranjith who was criticised some time ago for discretely running a campaign to support ex-Prez Gotabaya Rajapaksa, came out all guns blazing to blast both ex-Prez Gotabaya and current Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe. They were taken to the cleaners by Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith in a hard hitting homily to mark the fifth anniversary of the Easter Sunday bombings that killed more than 250 worshippers on 21 April 2019. more..

Apr 26 (AD) Cabinet has approved the proposal presented by the Minister of Power and Energy to appoint a committee to study the matter and make recommendations to prepare a necessary legal framework for the introduction of a regulatory body for energy sector. The proposed panel will be headed by the Secretary of the Ministry of Power and Energy. In a statement, govt said that although the import, refining, distribution and sale of petroleum products including petrol, more..

Apr 26 (AD) Cabinet of Ministers has green-lighted the proposal to hand over the management of Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport (MRIA) to a selected private sector company which has submitted Expressions of Interest (EOI) for the purpose. Accordingly, Cabinet approval has been received to hand over the management of MRIA to Shaurya Aeronautics Pvt. Ltd of India and Airports of Regions Management Company of Russia or more..

Apr 26 (AD) Alexis Taylor, Under Secretary for Trade and Foreign Agricultural Affairs at the U.S. Dept of Agriculture (USDA) on Friday (26) called on Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe and other senior govt officials to discuss USDA support for SL’s agricultural sector. She was accompanied by the U.S. Ambassador to SL, Julie Chung. Under Secretary Taylor’s visit underscored the American peoples’ ongoing commitment to supporting the agricultural development and economic growth of SL, more..

Apr 26 (FT) Benjarong Ltd, a leader in SL Thai cuisine, yesterday held the grand opening of its latest venture, a new flagship restaurant in Colombo 7. The new restaurant will be open to the public from today. Driven by a vision for culinary excellence and customer satisfaction, Benjarong Ltd. has solidified its position as a trendsetter in the industry. The new branch, located at No. 98, Horton Place, Colombo 7, boasts a spacious seating capacity of 196 and promises to more..

Apr 26 (FT) Ceylon Tea Traders Association (CTTA) Chairman Sanjaya Herath said the appreciation of the rupee has emerged a pressing concern for the industry, highlighting its significance and implications for the sector. “It is a very critical issue for the industry right now and it is a topic that is being spoken out loud at every forum,” he said in response to questions posed at the media conference held to announce the upcoming Colombo International Tea Convention yesterday. more..

Apr 26 (FT) In life, he was a controversial character who was mostly in the news for the wrong reasons. He was a MP who brandished a knife against a fellow MP during a brawl in the House. He had a notorious reputation for getting things done in the way he wanted by engaging in pressure tactics often resorting to fisticuffs. He even attempted suicide once by hanging himself on a ceiling fan. Generally people outside his home district perceived him as a thug and bully who tried to browbeat others. more..

Apr 26 (DM) Ahead of the presidential election scheduled for October this year, the foreign powers have ramped up their efforts in the assessment of ground political developments as was in the case of vital elections in the past. The political situation is likely to heat up after May Day events in which the respective parties will try to show their political might as a launching pad for electioneering. more..

Apr 26 (TM) Following continuous demands raised by the upcountry plantation workers regarding the increase of their daily wage up to Rs. 1,700, Ministry of Labour is to issue a gazette authorising the Commissioner General of the Labour Dept to make a suitable decision regarding the matter. When contacted, Acting Secretary to the Ministry Lal Samarasekara said that the Ministry is very sensitive to the matter and taking measures to reach a consensus between the stakeholders to more..

Apr 26 (PMD) Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe expressed his dedication to fostering an economic landscape in the nation that would prevent future struggles among its citizens. Emphasizing the swift reconstruction of the economy within a mere two-year span, he underscored his resolve to elevate the standard of living by fortifying the economy’s resilience. These remarks were made today (25) during the Ceremonial Opening of the ITC Ratnadipa Hotel. Located in the Galle Face Green, more..

Apr 26 (EN) Sri Lanka will require 40 billion rupees a year to bring the interest rate offered to senior citizens for their savings and the govt is closely studying the matter with the country’s fiscal situation in mind, an official said. State Minister of Finance Ranjith Siyambalapitiya told parliament that the Treasury will take a decision with great care. Siyambalapitiya was responding to a question raised by opposition leader Sajith Premadasa. more..

Apr 26 (FT) Power and Energy Minister Kanchana Wijesekera presented the much-anticipated SL electricity bill to the Parliament yesterday. The bill which published in the Govt gazette on 17 April, lays out comprehensive reforms designed to modernise and streamline the country’s electricity industry. A key aspect of the proposed legislation is the establishment of the National Electricity Advisory Council, aimed at providing strategic guidance and oversight for the sector. more..

Apr 26 (DM) Veterinary Faculty at Peradeniya Uni has introduced a novel small-sized loop designed for implantation into the uterus of female monkeys to effectively prevent pregnancy. A one-and-half-year-old female monkey that had given birth once was used for this test. Senior Prof Ashoka Dangolla from the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine at Peradeniya Uni reported that during the X-ray examination conducted after the surgery, it was observed that the implanted loop was successfully in place. more..

Apr 26 (Island) The police Special Task Force yesterday found seven placards and posters condemning the govt for its attempts to shield the masterminds of the Easter Sunday terror attacks, hidden under the desks of some Opposition MPs in the Parliament chamber. The detection of the posters was made prior to the commencement of yesterday’s parliamentary sitting. The placards were handed over to the Parliament police for further investigation. more..

Apr 26 (EN) Trade unions representing state-run CEB have threatened to defeat a new electricity reform bill even if it is passed in parliament. Trade unions held a demonstration against the bill Thursday (25) near the parliament complex. Parallel protests were also organised in Galle, Tangalle and Hambantota. General Secretary of the Ceylon Electrical Workers Union Ranjan Jayalal told reporters at the demonstration that “This is bill that offers no benefits to CEB workers or more..

Apr 26 (TM) The medical fraternity has requested that the recruitment of local students for the MBBS medical degree programme at the General John Kotelawala Defence University (KDU) on the basis of payment be done only on the students' GCE A/L Exam results together with the relevant Z score. It was recently reported that the Cabinet of Ministers had granted approval for the admission of local students for the said degree programme more..

Apr 26 (DN) Ten male boxers and six female boxers are expected to compete at the inaugural Lanka Fight League (LFL) event, scheduled to be held tomorrow at the Royal MAS Arena in Colombo from 5:30 pm onwards. LFL, in collaboration with the Boxing Association of SL (BASL), has organised this first-ever LFL Boxing League tournament. It promises to be highly competitive, with the best boxers from each weight category participating. Cash awards and prizes will be given to more..

Apr 26 (FT) Colombo stock market gathered further momentum yesterday bolstering the main index to two year high. ASPI gained by 1.4% or 170 points to close at 12,075 points, highest since February 2022. The active S&P SL20 gained by 2.8% or nearly 100 points. Turnover was Rs. 3 billion involving 142 million shares. Asia Securities said Thursday witnessed an early downturn in the market, which was later reversed and closing on a high note. ASPI surged by 170 points by the day’s close. more..

Apr 26 (FT) Capital A Bhd’s unit AirAsia Consulting Sdn Bhd is the entity that is bidding to acquire SriLankan Airlines, and if it materialises, will raise its own capital for the acquisition, according to Chief Executive Officer Tony Fernandes. “Just to clear that up for everyone, AirAsia is not buying SriLankan Airlines. AirAsia Consulting, which will set up its own fund, is looking at buying SriLankan Airlines. So, it’s not AirAsia,” he told reporters here at a briefing on Wednesday more..

Apr 26 (DN) MF Muhammad, a talented swimmer from Zahira College, showed how good he is at the 48th National Age Group Swimming Championship. The championship, put together by the SL Aquatic Sports Union at the Sugathadasa Swimming Pool Complex, had Muhammad stand out on the second day. He surprised everyone with his amazing swim in the 200m Breaststroke, breaking the record by improving his time by five seconds yesterday. The 15-yr-old sensation, who had already more..