Sri Lanka will see more economic reforms after June this year: President

Sri Lanka will see more economic reforms after June this year and thereby begin cultivating new export crops, President Ranil Wickremesinghe said over the weekend. Speaking to the youth in Polonnaruwa, he said economic reforms will come into effect after the debt restructuring process comes to an end by June this year. “IMF has agreed with our proposals pertaining to debt restructuring. We now have to sign up agreements with our debtors. Pri

No plan to postpone elections in the guise of electoral reforms, Prez tells Basil

Basil says people have been denied the opportunity to exercise their franchise over the indefinite postponement of LG polls

Rainfall above 75mm on the cards as hot spell begins to loosen

As the hot weather gradually relinquishes its hold, residents across the Western, Sabaragamuwa, Central and North-Western Provinces are urged to brace for heavy showers above 75 mm during next 36 hours, according to the bulleti

General Election will be held if the MPs want: Presidential Advisor

Says only a Presidential Election could be held within this year legally

More military held lands released to original owners

Transfer of land occupied by the security forces in Jaffna, to the owners under the “Urumaya” programme took place yesterday at Ottagapulam i

Women MPs call for withdrawal of bill seeking to reduce age of consent to 14

The Women Parliamentarians’ Caucus has requested Minister of Justice, Prison Affairs and Constitutional Reforms Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe to withdraw the bill which, if enacted, will provide for the reduction of the age of consent to 14, a pre

Indictment served on eight accused in X-Press Pearl case

The indictment was served on the accused after the High Court and Court of Appeal dismissed the preliminary objections raised by the accused against the indictment

12 per cent of elders toothless in Sri Lanka: Minister

says the importance of dental health should be taught at school level

Keheliya’s application for bail to be heard on Monday

The Maligakanda Magistrate’s Court on March 14 remanded Keheliya and ten others till March 28

General Election must be held first to maintain fairness: MR

Says the proposal was conveyed to President

I know who is behind Easter Sunday attack, ready to reveal: Maithripala Sirisena

In what appeared to be a controversial statement, former President Maithripala Sirisena said yesterday that he is aware of who is behind the Easter Sunday terrorist bombings and ready to divulge all details in case a court order is given.

Sri Lanka remains alert : Will Canada repeat genocide allegation while having another standard on Gaza?

Sri Lanka remains alert whether the Canadian government leaders will repeat what it calls ‘unsubstantiated genocid

Asia’s future in a challenging world

Every year,with the coming of spring opens the annual conference of the Boao Forum for Asia (BFA) in China’s island province Hainan. The theme for this year, “Asia and the World: Common Challenges, Shared Responsibilities”, is a hig

Army Engineers’ Assn. holds 76th AGM on Saturday

The 76th AGM of the Sri Lanka Army Engineers Association will be held on Saturday (March 23) at 9 am at ‘Leisure Bay’ Army Camp, Mattegoda. The Army Engineers’ Association consists of retired all ranks of the Engineer Regiments in the Sri Lanka Army. Major General Channa Gunathilake will preside over AGM events and the fellowship lunch that will follow. Army Engineers have a long history and have contributed to safeguard the motherland i

Operation to crackdown underworld criminals One suspected criminal killed, 19 others arrested

A suspected underworld gunman was killed and 19 other underworld members have been arrested during the special Police operation conducted to curb underworld activities in Sri Lanka. Police said the gunman, an accomplice of underworld figure Mangula Prasad Hemantha alias ‘Patta Manju’ was killed following a shootout with Police Special Task Force (STF) personnel at Ganemulla on Wednesday night. Police said the suspect in question had opened

Massive rise in scams as public struggle from financial crisis

Amid the country’s high cost of living, there’s an increased risk of individuals falling prey to ongoing scams and cyber frauds as more people are desperately resorting to earning quick money, the Sri Lanka Computer Emergency Readiness Team (SLCERT) said. Senior Information Security Engineer Charuka Damunupola of SLCERT told the Daily Mirror that several incidents relating to social media platforms, such as Facebook, now known as Meta, Messeng

Approval of Sri Lankan government falls to 7% in February

The approval rating of the government fell from 9% in October 2023 to 7%

As predicted, rainfall covers most parts of island

As forecasted by the National Meteorological Centre’s forecasting division, many areas across the island experienced showers following a change in the prevailing dry weather. Duty Meteorologist Chaminda de Silva, attached to the Meteorological Centre, told the Daily Mirror that showers were experienced in most areas of the island, including the South-western, Eastern, Uva, Northern, North-eastern, and North-central provinces.

Sri Lankan authorities making good progress in implementing reform agenda: IMF

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) yesterday said the Sri Lankan authorities are making good progress in implementing an ambitious reform agenda under the Extended Fund Facility (EFF), and the outcomes are commendable. The positive outcomes includes rapid disinflation, robust reserve accumulation, and initial signs of economic growth while preserving the stability of the financial system. Noting that public finances have strengthened foll

Basil says talks with Ranil positive,will General Election come first ?

In the wake of calls for a snap general election , Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) stalwart Basil Rajapaksa who held a one on one meeting with President Ranil Wickremesinghe yesterday said talks ended on a positive note and they decided to consult their respective parties before reaching any finality . Asked whether they decided to have the parliamentary elections first , Mr. Rajapaksa declined to give a direct answer but said the outcome wa

I was pressured to take over the presidency, violating the constitution during Aragalaya: Speaker

Both international and local forces influenced me to take over the presidency and form a new government even through violating the constitution during ‘Aragalaya’ back in 2022, Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena revealed yesterday. “Some prominent religious leader even threatened to surround my house and harm me if I failed to take over the presidency and form a government; he said making a special statement after the no faith motion against him

‘If I am fit to become MP, why can’t I function as COPE Chair?’ Rohitha asks

COPE Chairman MP Rohitha Abeygunawardena yesterday said if he was fit to be elected as a Member of Parliament, why can’t he function as the Chairman of the Committee on Public Enterprises (COPE). Abeygunawardena told Parliament that Standing Orders must include qualifications required to hold the Chairmanship of Parliamentary Committees such as COPE and COPA. The MP said he was elected the COPE Chair with a majority vote by the members of the

UK urges SL on HR obligations amid British MPs charging SL for HR violations

The British government reiterated its commitment to encouraging Sri Lanka to uphold its human rights obligations, fulfill promises regarding transitional justice and legislative reform, and enhance trust in its institutions, despite the predominant stance of Labour and Conservative speakers in Westminster Hall in UK Parliament charging Sri Lanka with alleged human rights violations. Minister of State-Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Offic

Friday March 22 at 7pm in Kandy En-route to illuminate Kandy with a jazz night celebrating the Great American Songbook

Atelier Kandy, renowned for its cultural vibrancy, is poised to host an unforgettable Friday evening of jazz as En-route, the esteemed jazz ensemble, prepares to take the stage in a celebration of the Great American Songbook. On the eve of this highly anticipated event, anticipation is building among music aficionados and enthusiasts alike for an evening of soulful melodies and timeless classics. Atelier Kandy, the esteemed cultural hub nestled

298 elephants electrocuted since 2018: Wildlife Dept.

The Wildlife Conservation Department has reported a total of 298 elephants falling victim to electrocution since 2018. They attributed the elephant deaths to the installation of various obstacles and traps, including substandard electric fences intended to restrict the movement of wild animals or target wild elephants and other wildlife for lethal purposes. Reports indicate that 72 elephants were killed in 2023, followed by 50 in 2022, 66 in

SLAF best Airmen and Airwomen

The Sri Lanka Air Force Excellence Awards 2023 was held at the Eagles’ Lagoon View Banquet Hall, Katunayake under the patronage of the Commander of the Air Force, Air Marshal Udeni Rajapaksa. Outstanding performances of the Airmen and Airwomen within the Air Force were recognized and appreciated in order to motivate them to strive for continued excellence through dedication. This year, Flight Sergeant Kumara AMDSR (Operations Ground Special) and

COPF recommends CB to defer salary hike

The Committee on Public Finance (COPF) yesterday recommended in its report that the Central Bank must defer the salary increase of its employees until a fair solution is found. COPF Chairman Dr. Harsha De Silva while presenting the report in Parliament said an independent remuneration committee should be appointed by the Finance Minister with the concurrence of the Central Bank Governor to review the salary increase. He said the committee recog

Ban on chemical farming Leader should take responsibility- Basil

Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) stalwart Basil Rajapaksa, in response to a query about the former President’s decision to ban chemical farming, said a leader should take final responsibility for any decision taken by him. “I don’t know. A leader may consult others when making a decision. Once a decision is made, he should take the responsibility,” Basil Rajapaksa said in an interview with Daily Mirror. Asked why he, as a responsible memb

Health Ministry’s claims on return of migrated doctors

Running counter to the statement by the Health Ministry regarding the return of migrated doctors to Sri Lanka, recent statistics paint a different picture, revealing only a meagre five specialists have returned to the country this year. The assertion initially made by Deputy Director General (Medical Services) Dr. G. Wijesuriya failed to produce the statistics and thus met with skepticism, especially considering the stark reality depicted by t

German vessel to visit SL No research activities, only replenishment

Sri Lanka has barred research activities for German vessel ‘Sonne’ in keeping with the one-year moratorium on such activities involving foreign ships in its Exclusive Economic Zone, but it will be allowed for replenishment in the Colombo port, Daily Mirror learns. The government has declared a moratorium on foreign research ships entering its waters for a year amid concerns from India over Chinese research vessels docking in its neighbourhood.