Mar 12 (AD) GMOA has decided to launch an island-wide 24-hour token strike tomorrow in protest over the sexual assault on a female doctor at the Anuradhapura Teaching Hospital. The token strike is to commence from 8 a.m. today as decided during the executive committee meeting of the GMOA. Doctors and staff at the A'pura Teaching Hospital commenced a strike this morning demanding immediate arrest of the individual more..

Mar 12 (FT) In today’s fast-moving digital world, convenience is king. Consumers want freedom, flexibility, and the ability to switch to better products and services at will. Mobile Number Portability seems like a step in that direction giving users the ability to change telecom providers while keeping their number. On the surface, it sounds empowering. No more being tied to a single provider just because of a long-held number. No more hesitation about switching due to hassle of updating contacts. more..

Mar 12 (FT) Much research has been done by numerous experts on the future of the plantation industry involving tea, rubber and coconut. While very valuable strategic options have been provided and focus shifted to existing and emerging technology as a futuristic vision, critical grassroots activities have not been adequately addressed. Who will pluck the tea, tap the rubber and pluck coconuts in say 20 years’ time. How will they do it? A major, but yet unmet challenge exists with the tea, more..

Mar 12 (AD) Election Commission has issued a special notice to govt officials, security officers, and postal vote certifying officers who wish to cast postal votes and are qualified to do so. Accordingly, the deadline for submitting postal vote applications for the Local Government elections, originally set for midnight on March 12, has been extended to midnight on March 17. This extension was granted due to possible postal delays and requests made to the commission, it said. more..

Mar 12 (DM) The passenger who was arrested for allegedly attempting to sexually harass two SriLankan Airlines flight attendants, was released on two sureties of Rs. 100,000 each by Colombo Chief Magistrate Tanuja Lakmali today. The court also imposed a travel ban on the suspect. The passenger, who had travelled on a flight from Mumbai, India, to Katunayake, was taken into custody early this morning at the BIA by SriLankan Airlines security officers in coordination more..

Mar 12 (RNZ) An aspiring SL politician - who was sidelined because she was a woman - found her house surrounded by gunmen, and was also a victim of sextortion, a tribunal has heard. The 32-year-old has been granted refugee status in New Zealand. She said a prominent MP's associates suggested she should have sex with him to further her career and now held a grudge against her, after a friend posted on social media more..

Mar 12 (AD) An overseas travel ban has been imposed on a teacher at a private tuition class who is accused of forcing students to kneel and assaulting them. National Child Protection Authority (NCPA) has stated that although the suspected teacher was summoned to appear before the NCPA yesterday for an inquiry, he had disregarded the notice and failed to appear. Accordingly, after informing the court, NCPA has taken steps to obtain an overseas travel ban against more..

Mar 12 (EN) The significance of the shipping and logistics sector in driving economic growth and trade efficiency between SL and Viet Nam was discussed at a forum held recently. “Both countries acknowledged the need for enhanced logistics and maritime connectivity, streamlined trade processes, and more robust engagement to maximize mutual benefits,” Export Development Board (EDB), which conducted the webinar, said. “The main objective of the program is to promote capabilities and more..

Mar 12 (AD) Police urges all school students, parents and old boys to enjoy the school Big Match season in a safe and honourable way. ASP F.U. Wootler stated that the police are very much concerned about the safety risks of high-speeding and drunken driving that leads to deaths and severe property damage during Big Match. vehicle parades. “We all know that vehicle processions are a very common tradition more..

Mar 12 (DM) Chinese govt announced today that it will support the establishment and development of sports, including Tai Chi and Dragon Boat racing, in Sri Lanka. This decision was announced during a meeting between Chinese Ambassador Qi Zhenhong and Youth Affairs and Sports Minister Sunil Kumar Gamage at the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports. Additionally, the Chinese govt pledged its support for SL’s sports and youth development, according to Ambassador Qi Zhenhong. more..

Mar 12 (EN) Newer types of gender discrimination and harassment of women are happening due to biased algorithms in online spaces, UN representative in SL Marc André Franche has said. “Newer threats, such as biased algorithms and programming inequalities, into online spaces are opening new arenas for harassment and abuse,” Marc André Franche said. Algorithms can be trained to reflect past narratives and social agendas. “At the current rate, it would take 134 years to more..

Mar 12 (AD) Officers of the CID have conducted a search at the office premises of former MP Sagala Ratnayaka at Morawaka in Matara, as part of their efforts to locate former IGP Deshabandu Tennakoon. The search follows an open arrest warrant issued by the Matara Magistrate’s Court yesterday, directing authorities to immediately arrest Tennakoon wherever he is found and to produce him before the court. Meanwhile, a petition filed by Tennakoon before the Court of Appeal, more..

Mar 12 (CT) The Cabinet has approved the appointment of a committee to study the impact of bus decorations and modifications on the safety of passengers travelling in passenger buses, and to submit a report with recommendations for appropriate action in this regard. Changes in vehicle design and modifications can be made with the prior approval of the Commissioner General of Motor Traffic, in accordance with orders issued under the provisions of the Motor Vehicles Act. more..

Mar 12 (DM) Credible information as to how public funds have been misappropriated from the entire Mahinda Rajapaksa official residence renovation project has now reached this newspaper, following the Right to Information Commission’s stern order to the contractor- Lanka Building Materials Corporation- to release the requested details to the Daily Mirror. As per the documents Rs. 421.93 million, out of tax payers’ monies, more..

Mar 12 (NW) Former Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe was seen attempting to defuse tensions at an event involving a group of UNP members. Video footage of the event shows the UNP members attempting to share their grievances with the party leader. However, Ranil Wickremesinghe was seen asking them to remain quiet and seated, which prompted some UNP members to leave the event. Party sources said the matter was settled by party leader Ranil Wickremesinghe who intervened and more..

Mar 12 (AD) The health condition of veteran actress Malini Fonseka, widely regarded as the Queen of SL cinema, is showing signs of improvement, hospital sources confirmed. Fonseka was admitted to a private hospital in Colombo a few weeks ago due to an illness. However, her family members stated this morning that she is recovering well. Meanwhile, her family strongly refuted rumors circulating on social media regarding her health, urging the public not to believe or share false information more..

Mar 12 (DM) The Fort Magistrate ordered the Bribery Commission to file a report before court on their investigations on March 26 over the Krrish Real Estate Funds misappropriation by Namal Rajapaksa. Magistrate Nilupuli Lankapura made this order to the CIABOC in the case in which Namal Rajapaksa was allegedly charged for receiving funds from Indian real estate company Krrish Group, purportedly for the development of Rugby more..

Mar 12 (Island) Badulla District NPP MP Dinindu Saman alleged in Parliament that a project carried out in the Bogahapelessa Forest Reserve, located in the Mahalanda GN Division of Haldummulla had caused massive environmental destruction. MP alleged that the project had been carried out by a former Governor of the Uva Province. Responding to MP, Energy Minister Kumara Jayakodi said that an investigation was underway into illegal operation in the Bogahapelessa Forest Reserve. more..

Mar 12 (AD) The Committee on Public Accounts (COPA) has expressed strong dissatisfaction towards the Department of Motor Traffic (DMT) for appearing before the committee without prior preparation. Accordingly, the officials who were present were sent back with instructions to appear on a future date, after being duly informed and adequately prepared. This occurred during a meeting of the COPA held recently at the Parliament under the Chairmanship of MP Aravinda more..

Mar 12 (AD) The token strike initiated by the GMOA in protest of the recent sexual assault on a female doctor will continue until 8 a.m. tomorrow, despite the main suspect of the incident being arrested. Secretary of the GMOA Sugath Sugathadasa confirmed the strike’s continuation after a discussion with the Minister of Health. “We are conducting this token strike from 8 a.m. today until 8 a.m. tomorrow. The strike will conclude tomorrow morning. We, as the GMOA, are resolute more..

Mar 12 (PMD) A meeting between President Anura Kumara Disanayake and officials of the Urban Development Authority (UDA) held today (12) at the Presidential Secretariat. The discussion focused on reviewing the UDA’s ongoing development projects and ensuring the effective utilization of budget allocations, with an emphasis on key priorities. This discussion extensively focused on strengthening the national economy through systematic urban development. more..

Mar 12 (NW) The suspect arrested in connection to the rape of a female doctor at the A'pura Teaching Hospital is an individual who had been recently released from prison over another case. The suspect is a 34-year-old resident of Galnewa and had been living as a monk, after having deserted the military in the past. He was arrested in Galnewa this morning by a special team of the Galnewa Police Station. more..

Mar 12 (AD) An officer of SL Customs and two others have been arrested by officers of the Police Narcotics Bureau (PNB) for attempting to smuggle a stock of illegal cigarettes into the country. The suspects were apprehended at BIA while trying to smuggle in foreign-manufactured cigarettes worth Rs. 9 million. A businessman and his assistant, who had transported the consignment, arrived at BIA from Dubai. Customs officer, using his official identity card, attempted to remove the cigarettes more..

Mar 12 (DM) National Dangerous Drugs Control Board has expressed growing concern over the escalating drug addiction issue among youth in SL. Specialist Dr. Indika Wanninayake said that the use of prescription medications is on the rise, with around 150 different types of drugs being used as substitutes for illegal substances. These medications, including painkillers prescribed for cancer patients and other medical conditions, are increasingly being misused by addicts. more..

Mar 12 (NF) There is a memorial located in Buddhiyagama, in Weeraketiya, Tangalle, located in the south of SL. This, buried under the sands of time, involves a person who was a focal point in the Batakanda Commission Report. He was Attorney-at-Law Wijeyadasa Liyanarachchi. A lawyer, human rights activist, and a skilled orator in the political arena. During the 88/89 period, he appeared in court without charging any fees more..

Mar 12 (DM) Court of Appeal today reserved its order on the writ petition filed by IGP Deshabandu Tennakoon until March 17. In his writ petition, Deshabandu Tennakoon sought an order to stay the arrest warrant issued by the Matara Magistrate. Matara Magistrate had previously ordered Tennakoon’s arrest in connection with the Weligama shooting incident. Two-judge bench of Court of Appeal, comprising Justices Mohamed Laffar and Sarath Dissanayake, heard the case and more..

Mar 12 (DM) Despite initial reluctance and grievances from farmers regarding selling paddy to the govt, the Paddy Marketing Board (PMB) has purchased paddy amounting to 42,124 kg paddy from the farmers. A senior official told Daily Mirror that the paddy was collected from Ampara, Anuradhapura, Gampaha, Hambantota, Kurunegala, Polonnaruwa, Puttalam and Trincomalee. The harvest, which is part of the Maha Season yield, has been gathered since February 10. more..

Mar 13 (DM) Just the other day, this writer read somewhere in the social media a fantastic saying, Earlier weapons were manufactured to fight wars. Now wars are manufactured to sell weapons. A saying like this goes on to underscore the need to have strong advertising and propaganda arms to convince people, when they become voters. It’s amazing how our politicians have influenced the thinking of people. This is why we reiterate time and time again that advertising is acceptable, more..

Mar 13 (DM) There is a war-like situation growing in the Palk Straits. It is a battle for fish and livelihood, especially affecting our Northern fisher communities. The demarcation of the maritime boundary agreements of 1974 and 1976 between India and Sri Lanka made it illegal for fishermen from either side to cross over into each other’s waters to fish. But large Indian trawler vessels keep aggressively entering our sea-space. The bottom trawling methods they use denude fish stocks and more..

Mar 13 (SO) In a ground-breaking shift that could herald a new era for women’s reproductive rights, SL is on the brink of redefining its longstanding abortion laws. Traditionally, abortion in the country has been strictly prohibited except when necessary to save the mother’s life, a stance enshrined in the Penal Code under Sections 303 to 307, which prescribe severe penalties of up to twenty years in prison or hefty fines for any violations. more..

Mar 13 (DM) Two days after gala Int'l Women’s Day events concluded, a dark day dawned in SL when a female doctor was allegedly sexually assaulted at the A'pura Teaching Hospital on Monday (10). The incident was revealed by Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa in Parliament who raised concerns about the safety of females employed in the public service. The fact that a female doctor was threatened with a knife by an outsider before allegedly sexually assaulting her inside her more..

Mar 13 (CT) On 21 August 2024, Ceylon Today’s editorial, titled Lessons for Sri Lankans from the Indian Supreme Court, addressed the horrific rape and murder of a postgraduate doctor at Kolkata’s R.G. Kar Medical College. In that editorial, we warned how similar the working conditions faced by female healthcare workers in Sri Lanka are to those in India and emphasised the need for immediate action to prevent such tragedies in our country. We highlighted how female healthcare workers more..

Mar 13 (TM) The rain poured down heavily, turning narrow roads into muddy streams. Ten-year-old Dineth held his mother’s hand tightly as they watched the water rise near their home in Agalawatta in Kalutara. His schoolbag, packed and ready, lay untouched by the door. No school today, his mother sighed. It was not the first time. Every time the floods came, Dineth and his friends stayed home, missing lessons, exams, and the joy of more..

Mar 13 (TM) Over the last decade, SL has faced droughts, flooding, and food security scares and is struggling to rise from an economic crisis. Water is the lifeblood of all things living on Earth, and SL has long neglected a once-robust network of arteries – ancient irrigation systems and a network of irrigation tanks which once fed and kept many parts of SL fertile and green. Water is at the centre of economic and social development. It influences whether communities are healthy places to live more..

Mar 13 (CT) The behavior of the opposition in the parliament is ludicrous to say the least but actually it is a tragedy. A tragedy because we really do not have a critical, constructive opposition which is a weakness in the democratic governance of a country. What is happening to the opposition? It is good to reflect on it and study it. My thesis is that the NPP govt is making the System Change happen. And they are serious about it. The opposition is unable to adapt itself to the new way of more..