Nov 6 (ST) Polluted air from north Indian regions, emissions from faulty overused vehicles, and poor quality of fuel will have a major impact on the country’s air quality in the coming months, experts warn. “From Nov to March, polluted air flows into the country (transboundary air pollution) mainly from northern regions of India and possibly from Bangladesh and China as well. For the past two years, pollution levels were low due to the pandemic-led lockdowns. more..

Nov 6 (AD) An Extraordinary Gazette has been issued by the President’s Secretary stating that four ministries will remain under the purview of President Ranil Wickremesinghe. Accordingly, the gazette issued by the Secretary to the President Saman Ekanayake states that the Ministries of Finance, Technology, Investments Promotion, Women’s Affairs and Social Empowerment will remain under the Prez. Gazette notifies that the Prez, having consulted with the PM under Article 44(3) more..

Nov 6 (TM) The CEB is preparing to procure around 120 MW in emergency power to prevent possible supply shortages due to the expected capacity shortage next year. It is also learnt that the 120 MW will be fulfilled by one of the firm energy resources available. In a letter dated 25 Oct 2022, CEB Chairman N.S. Ilangakoon has informed CEB General Manager Dr. D.C.R. Abeysekera that a total capacity shortage more..

Nov 6 (HT) Sri Lanka cricketer Danushka Gunathilaka has been reportedly taken into custody by the Sydney police amid the 2022 edition of the ICC World T20 2022 on Sunday. Charged by the local police in the aftermath of an alleged sexual assault incident, the Sri Lankan batter was arrested in the wee hours from the team hotel in Sydney. As per the latest developments, Gunathilaka has been arrested after a 29-year-old woman was sexually assaulted at a residence in Rose Bay. more..

Nov 6 (TM) An oil tanker carrying 99,000 MT of Eastern Siberia Pacific Ocean (ESPO) crude oil valued at approximately $ 80 million remains off the west coast of SL for nearly 45 days, awaiting payment to unload its cargo. Last month The Sunday Morning reported the risk of the dormant vessel racking up millions of dollars in demurrage. Trade Union Leader Ananda Palitha from the JSS of the CPC claimed that such tanker vessels normally charged $150,000 per day in demurrage. more..

Nov 6 (ST) Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe has embarked on the preliminaries for a multi-pronged programme of ethnic reconciliation. The first initiative in this direction is the appointment of a ministerial team to put together the broad outlines of what such a project should encompass. That will later form the basis of discussions with all stakeholders. Team that will function under his leadership will include PM, Foreign Minister more..

Nov 7 (DM) Has the Aragalaya died or is it rising from the ashes? Protests in the country are springing up by the day in one part of the country or the other. Since govt’s defaulted debt payment in May this year, it has been unable to import necessities like fuel. Inflation has spiked, with food inflation rising to around 90% and near daily power cuts. Latest statistics published by the OCHA of the UN, at least 5.7 million persons or 26% of our population requires humanitarian assistance, more..

Nov 7 (DM) Sri Lanka’s economy is collapsing with people pushed to the brink of starvation. There is mounting anger towardsthe Government with the possibility of more waves of protests. The Ranil-Rajapaksa regime’s response is aggressive repression against protestors. Those measures include large scale arrests of protestors and draconian legal measures – using both the law books and by seeking new legal powers for repression – amounting to a concerted attack more..

Nov 7 (TM) The vehicles used in the recent controversial incident at the Yala National Park should be confiscated by court and held, Minister Mahinda Amaraweera said, adding that he planned to enforce a policy that a vehicle without a registered wildlife tracker could not enter the reserve. “Several suspects have been produced before courts and the judicial process is ongoing. The law must be applied,” more..

Nov 7 (TM) Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe left for Egypt yesterday to participate in the UN Climate Change Conference (COP27), as well as the UN Food Security and World Leaders Summits. At the COP27, the President is expected to deliver a speech, and as a nation, we can only hope that his speech includes a persuasive request to the int'l community to support SL’s endeavours aimed at protecting its environment. Prez is attending this conference at a time when SL is struggling to more..

Nov 7 (CT) As a country with over 100 rivers and thousands of man-made tanks, SL, on paper, shouldn’t really have any issue regarding water security for consumption and agriculture. The two seasonal rains annually give us more water than we can handle and it is only a matter of storing this precious resource to be used during dry seasons. Our ancient kings saw the importance of storing water for agriculture and built thousands of tanks. It is estimated that the kings have built more..

Nov 7 (TM) SJB has to rethink its strategies if it is to launch struggles against the Govt, says SJB MP Rajitha Senaratne, who however warns against playing politics at a time when the country has hit rock bottom. “First you have to feed the people,” he asserted. As for opposing Prez Wickremesinghe and his Govt, he said: “We have to actually oppose his other anti-people actions only, not the economic programme. more..

Nov 7 (Island) The Supreme Court’s determination on the constitutionality of the Bureau of Rehabilitation Bill was met with relief last week. While the determination affirms many fundamental principles and constitutional protections, it provides only a temporary reprieve. Human rights activists and legislators who are concerned about the state’s attempts to restrict human rights through laws and institutions should maintain vigilance with regard to this proposed law. more..

Nov 7 (Island) Teachers’ trade unions and the government have locked horns over a non-issue. The former has urged the latter to respect female teachers’ right to choose what to wear during school hours. The govt has refused to consider their demand, and the male trade union leaders have seen red. Interestingly, lady teachers do not seem to have evinced any interest in the matter! They have other issues to contend with. Life has become a struggle for most Sri Lankan mothers, more..

Nov 7 (ST) Lankan constitution of 1978 was amended again last month, making it the 21st time it has been amended in its 44-year history: an average of once every two years. It had been in the making for the past five months, shuttled to and fro between the govt and the opposition but when it hobbled to the crunch at voting time, it was the govt’s ranks that showed dissension. Defying the party line, clearly spelt out by the SLPP’s General Secretary Sagala Kariyawasam, majority of the SLPP’s rank more..

Nov 7 (ST) The Sri Lanka Govt may be preening itself on taking the sting away from a combined political protest against state repression this Wednesday in Colombo. But let it be warned that its rejoicing comes too soon. Bristling lines of heavily helmeted and gas-mask wearing police officers may hold politically motivated protest marches off. But there is nothing that the tri-services and the police can do if the people collectively take matters into their own hands. more..

Nov 7 (CT) Covid-19 virus is possibly still lurking not just globally but also in SL infecting isolated cases compared to the large clusters that broke out during the past two years. So, with the waning of the many phases of the SARS Cov-2 virus in the country, a large consignment of Pfizer-BioNT vaccines has passed its extended shelf life on 31 Oct 2022. Dr. Hemantha Herath noted that the Health Ministry is yet to decide as to what more..

Nov 7 (CT) Suryakumar Yadav's astonishing death-overs hitting launched India to a commanding 186 for 5 - Suryakumar's share being 61 not out off 25. India's quicks then shut the game down quickly, reducing Zimbabwe to 28 for 3 by the end of the powerplay, then 36 for 5 soon after. There were patches of Zimbabwe resistance. In India's innings, Sean Williams and Sikandar Raza combined to take a wicket in each of the 12th, 13th and 14th overs. Then Raza and Ryan Burl put on 60 off 35 more..

Nov 7 (CI) A team under pressure. A captain refusing to give up. The odds piling up against them. And then one fine day, the stars align. Pakistan cranked up the deja vu in Adelaide on Sunday as they sailed into the T20 World Cup semi-finals. If anyone is still working on time travel, please follow this cricket team. They've made it 1992 again. This game wouldn't even have played out this way if not for Netherlands shocking South Africa. Some people might call that destiny. more..

Nov 7 (CI) That sinking feeling! The all-too-familiar 'c' thing, which will reverberate - again - for a while to come. And the despondency, knocked out of yet another World Cup despite having everything under their control… South Africa will have to deal with all of that and more after their horror run in Adelaide culminated in yet another heartbreak, this one perhaps bigger than anything they have endured in recent times on the cricket field. But Netherlands, they will celebrate long and hard more..

Nov 7 (Island) Although SL failed to progress beyond the Super 12 stage of the ICC T-20 World Cup, there were quite a few positives for Dasun Shanaka’s team. SL’s campaign ended in Sydney following their four wicket loss to England on Saturday. Although a win wouldn’t have been sufficient for the team to go through to semis, had SL won, England would have got knocked out and hosts and defending champions Australia gone through. Head Coach Chris Silverwood was pleased with more..

Nov 7 (TM) The queues observed outside many fuelling stations over the past few days were due to the CPC penalising fuelling station owners that had not made the relevant payments due on 1 Nov by not issuing them fuel. Petroleum Dealers’ Association Co-Secretary Kapila Naotunna stated that issues in the dispensing of fuel at fuelling stations had been resolved to a great extent. Whilst acknowledging that many distributors had not more..

Nov 7 (DM) In response to the article that appeared in the Daily Mirror, titled Shehan rubbishes Rajpal’s plagiarism claims, journalist Rajpal Abeynayake has sent the following statement. “Shehan’s claim is that this matter should not be brought up at a celebratory moment for the country’s writers, is symptomatic of the sense of entitlement of a person who has no respect for the rights of others. It’s rich he has the audacity to say it. It’s like a drunk driver running over a man, & when told he’d be arrested replying more..

Nov 7 (AD) Litro Gas company has increased the prices of LP gas cylinders with immediate effect. The price of a 12.5 kg domestic cylinder of Litro LP gas has been increased by Rs. 80, 5 kg by Rs. 30 and 2.3 kg by Rs. 15 with immediate effect. Accordingly, new price of a 12.5 kg domestic cylinder of Litro LP gas will be Rs. 4,360 while the 05 kg cylinder of Litro LP gas will be priced at Rs. 1,750. The price of 2.3kg cylinder of Litro gas will be increased up to Rs. 815 with the new price revisions. more..

Nov 7 (TM) Contrary to the statements made earlier by several parties, including the SL Army, that LTTE fighters had surrendered to the Army during the last stage of the war, Army Designated Officer under the RTI Act told the RTICSL last week that no LTTE fighters had surrendered in this manner. Journalist Nirosh Kumar had made a request under the RTI Act seeking information pertaining to the number of LTTE more..

Nov 7 (MFA) High-level industry and corporate leaders of SL origin from Canada visited SL in order to engage in economic and commercial activity, establish people-to-people contacts and to contribute to the economy of Sri Lanka. The visit was coordinated by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Office of the Speaker in close association with the High Commission of SL in Canada and Consulate General of Toronto. The 18-member delegation consists of two MPs of Canada, more..

Nov 7 (Island) Intrepid Colombo, a fully owned subsidiary Intrepid Travel, the largest adventure travel company in the world, recently celebrated 10 years of operations in SL, during which time the business has grown its team by 3,300%, or an average of 330% per year, and established itself as a significant employer. The company’s formal celebrations included a glittering event held at Waters Edge, Colombo on 21st Oct. Intrepid Travel is a global tour operator, providing more..

Nov 7 (Island) SJB MP Champika Ranawaka has called on former President Mahinda Rajapaksa to retire from politics. Ranawaka said: “I request Mahinda Rajapaksa not to enter politics again or at least say he will do so. Many people have already left the country. We have a social capital that has been created by years of hard work. That is one of the remaining assets we have. Now that social capital is being drained. Each time they see the Rajapaksas trying to make a comeback, more..

Nov 7 (GDI) Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe met the United Nations Secretary-General, António Guterres, upon his arrival in Egypt, Cairo. Prez briefed the Secretary-General on the Govt's plans on the National Environmental Policy. Secretary General recalled memories of his first visit to SL in 1978. The President left the island this morning (06) for Egypt to attend the UN Climate Change Conference COP 27. He was accompanied by Minister of Environment, Naseer Ahamed, more..

Nov 7 (Island) SJB alleged that the cash-strapped CPC had declined to answer questions it posed in keeping with the RTI Act. SJB MP Mujibur Rahuman said that the CPC move was meant to suppress continuing waste, corruption, irregularities and mismanagement at every level. Pointing out that the RTI Act had come into effect on 3 Feb, 2017, the former UNPer accused Minister Kanchana Wijesekera and the top management of CPC more..

Nov 7 (AD) Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe has instructed the implementation of a trade adjustment program for local industrialists to match the competitiveness of international trade by setting policy priorities in relation to international trade, PMD reported. The Prez emphasized on the need to gradually liberalize the service sector to attract Foreign Direct Investment into the country and to take steps to gain membership in the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership. more..

Nov 7 (ANI) After the SL navy apprehended Indian fishermen and boats, Rameswaram fishermen associations decided to hold a three-day strike to condemn inaction by state and central govts, said Fishermen Association District Secretary Jesuraj. The fishermen have condemned the Central and State Govts for not taking any action to stop the ongoing transgressive activities of SL Navy, added the District Secretary. In this regard, in an emergency meeting of fishermans more..

Nov 7 (AD) At least five inmates have been injured during the clash between two groups at the Kandakadu Treatment and Rehabilitation Centre. The Commissioner General of Rehabilitation Darshana Hettiarachchi said a tense situation continues at the center and that the police and army have been called in for assistance. It was reported yesterday that around 50 inmates had escaped following a clash between two groups at the Kandakadu Treatment & Rehab Centre more..

Nov 7 (DM) Petroleum Dealers’ Association (PDA) said that they requested Power & Energy Minister to annul the fuel price revision announcement dates, which were fixed by the Ministry. Co-secretary of the association, Kapila Naotunna said the dealers become confused when placing orders for fuel on the 1st and 15th of each month. According to amendments made to fuel pricing formula, fuel price revision is expected to take place on the 1st and 15th of every month as per the fluctuation of more..

Nov 7 (TM) Teachers’ trade unions are divided over the matter of making it non-mandatory for teachers (female) to wear sarees, with the Ceylon Teachers’ Union (CTU) saying it will launch a programme to get the Govt to allow them to attend school in comfortable attire, and the Ceylon Teachers’ Services Union (CTSU) saying that there is a fair need to make the saree non-mandatory for teachers, but that the main struggle is to more..