IRD targeting High Wealth Individuals

As part of its efforts to restore fairness and confidence in Sri Lanka’s tax administration, the Inland Revenue Department (IRD) will intensify scrutiny of tax compliance among high-net-worth individuals in the country, IRD Commissioner General W.A. Sepalika Chandrasekara said. She said the programme aims to ensure that the affluent contribute their fair share and fulfil their tax obligations accurately. “The IRD has established a High Wealth Ind

Deshabandu’s appointment as IGP challenged in Supreme Court

A Fundamental Rights petition has been filed in the Supreme Court seeking an order preventing Deshabandu Tennakoon from functioning as the Inspector General of Police. The Anti Corruption Movement affiliated to the Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) filed this petition further seeking a declaration that newly appointed IGP Deshabandu Tennakoon is unfit to hold public office including any post in the Sri Lanka Police Force. Convener of Anti Corrupti

Shavendra and Kamal villainsc in GR’s new book

Former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa has acknowledged his shortcomings in appointing key defence personnel, including General Shavendra Silva and General (Retd.) Kamal Gunaratne in his tell-all memoir “The Conspiracy to Oust Me” launched yesterday (March 7). Rajapaksa recounts the dramatic circumstances which led to his ousting in 2022, describing it as a first-hand experience of an internationally-sponsored regime change operation. Rajapaks

President, and opposition to discuss debt restructuring process on Monday

President Ranil Wickremesinghe yesterday announced that he will meet the opposition parties on Monday to discuss Sri Lanka’s engagement with the IMF and the creators on the debt restructuring process. “I have heeded the request made by Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) MP Harsha de Silva who has made a very good proposal. He requested that I get the opposition involved in the negotiations with regard to debt restructuring. Therefore I will meet op

Ottawa: Four children among six found dead in house

BBC News, Toronto - Canadian police are treating the deaths of four children and two adults at a house in Ottawa as homicides. Officers were responding to an emergency call placed at approximately 22:52 local time (03:52 GMT) on Wednesday when they found the six people. Ottawa police chief Eric Stubbs has described the incident as a ’’mass shooting’’.

Prez, MR, Basil talks end with no decision on alliance

The meeting among President Ranil Wickremesinghe, Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) leaders Mahinda Rajapaksa and Basil Rajapaksa ended with no final decision on the formation of an alliance ahead of the pending national elections, Daily Mirror learns . The three leaders met yesterday to discuss outstanding political matters ahead of the presidential elections slated to be conducted later this year . Daily Mirror learns that the two SLPP lea

Sri Lanka sees uptick in HIV/AIDS cases in 2023

Sri Lanka has experienced a significant surge in HIV/AIDS cases in 2023 recording close to 700 cases. According to the National STD/AIDS Control Programme, Sri Lanka has logged 694 cases reflecting a 13 per cent increase compared to the year 2022, which saw 607 cases. Out of the cases reported in 2023, 91 males and five females fall within the age range of 15-24, while the remaining cases are individuals above 25 years old. The male-to-female ra

Police fire water cannon at IUSU protestors in Borella

The Inter University Students Union yesterday held a protest marching from Borella where police fired water cannon at them. The students then got into the premises of National Hospital Colombo carrying out their picketing.

Empowering Women! ‘The Road to Rights’ Event for International Women’s Day 2024

Empowering Women! ‘The Road to Rights’ Hosts Inspiring Event for International Women’s Day 2024 at One Galle Face In commemoration of International Women’s Day 2024, ‘The Road to Rights,’ a prominent youth organization dedicated to advancing human rights, social justice and sustainable development is gearing up for a momentous event at One Galle Face Mall, Shangri-La. This year’s theme, “Invest in Women: Accelerate Progress,” underscores the

Victims of plane crash commemorated

Indonesian Ambassador in Sri Lanka Dewi Gustina Tobing on Tuesday evening (05) visited the Seven Virgin hill range in Norton Bridge and commemorated the victims of the plane crash on December 04, 1974 which claimed the lives of 191 passengers. The DC 08 Martinair aircraft with 191 passengers including the crew on board flying from Indonesia crashed into the Seven Virgins mountain range at the dead of night killing all of them. The bodies recov

Rs.188,827 salary for CB’s lowest ranking employee

By Ajith Siriwardana The gross salary of the lowest ranking employee of the Central Bank, that of an Office Assistant - Grade 1, has been increased by 29.53 per cent up to Rs. 188,827 Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardane said today. Responding to a question by SJB MP S.M. Marikkar, he told Parliament that the gross salary of the Deputy Governor has been increased by 76.97 per cent upto Rs.1,728,419. The Prime Minister said the Central Bank employe

Prez, MR, Basil to discuss possible alliance for Polls

Basil Rajapaksa who spearheads the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) , along with former President Mahinda Rajapaksa will meet President Ranil Wickremesinghe this evening to discuss the future political arrangements between the two sides ahead of the presidential and parliamentary elections. Basil Rajapaksa, who was in the United States, arrived in the country on Tuesday. The meeting takes place at a time when electoral alliances are being form

UK’s misinformation on SL raised in UK Parliament

British Conservative peer Lord Michael Naseby on Tuesday called on the British government to assist Sri Lanka by way of updating Britain’s Travel Advisory on Sri Lanka to provide more accurate information, in order to better assist the country. “It is the UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) comments on that country (Sri Lanka) that currently cause me concern because they refer to the fact that protests are going on when t

First Lady calls for humanized foreign ties

At a time where it is repeatedly stressed that Sri Lanka needs to work closely with other nations, First lady Maithree Wickremesinghe called for diplomatic ties which would become connections of hearts, minds and souls.

13 year old school girl falls dead

A female student of Meepagama Jayanthi Vidyalaya in Kalawana had a fall accidentally in school last morning and died. The victim Dissanayake Mudiyanselage Imalka Sathsarani (13) from Kukulegama in Kalawana was a grade eight student. She had been admitted in a unconscious state to Kalawana Base Hospital only to be pronounced already dead. Police said the cause of death could be established after the postmortem emanation which was to be held

Gota to release a book ‘The conspiracy to oust me from the Presidency’

Former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa who was ousted from power will release his book today titled ‘The conspiracy to oust me from the Presidency’. “This book explains the first hand experience of an internationally sponsored regime change operation,” the former President said. In a statement to the press, he said,” I wish to announce the publication of my book titled “The conspiracy to oust me from the Presidency”. Foreign intervention has wei

Govt. aims to obtain relief from debt defaults from 2023 to 2027: President

Claiming that the discussions on the restructuring of domestic and foreign loans would reach a successful resolution soon, President Ranil Wickremesinghe said yesterday the government’s goal is to obtain temporary relief from debt defaults from 2023 to 2027. Making a special statement in Parliament, he said the government’s plan is to diligently work towards repaying the loans in the period from 2027 to 2042. “There are critics who question th

Have your own pic on postal stamps for Rs.2000

The Sri Lanka Postal Department is offering citizens the chance to design postal stamps featuring their own photographs or events, with a creation cost of Rs.2000, said Postmaster General Ruwan Sathkumara. Addressing an event organized in Colombo to unveil a stamp for Hatton National Bank (HNB), he announced that individuals can now acquire a sheet of stamps with 20 stamps tailored for special occasions like weddings, gatherings, and parties or

Exam at Excise Dept. illegal: Mujibur Rahman

The examination which appointed and promoted those up to the present rank of Assistant Excise Commissioner is illegitimate, a former SJB MP said yesterday. Samagi Jana Balawegaya Deputy General Secretary Mujibur Rahman told the media that even the Public Service Commission appeals inquiry authority has admitted that the examination was not legitimate and some of the excise officers have already gone to court against this matter. Rahman said the P

Routine eye checks compulsory for those over 50

The Health Ministry urged individuals aged 50 and above to undergo regular eye checks to keep glaucoma at bay. This was said by Dr. Palitha Mahipala, Secretary of the Ministry of Health during a special press conference held at the National Eye Hospital last morning. Stressing the significance of early detection, Dr. Mahipala highlighted that it is imperative, particularly for those with a family history of glaucoma, to prioritize eye health

UK calls for all political parties in SL to honour IMF programme

British High Commissioner Andrew Patrick emphasized the need for the main three parties, if not all the major parties, to recognize the agreement with the International Monetary Fund (IMF). In an interview with Daily Mirror, he said, “I know it’s a debated issue here, whether the government should have entered into an IMF deal and what the future of the IMF deal is. The High Commissioner made such remarks in the wake of the main parties making

CB Salary hike cost an extra Rs 232Mn monthly

The salary hike for Central Bank officials cost an extra sum of Rs 232 million monthly, it was revealed at the party leaders meeting yesterday. The party leaders have been of the opinion that the salary hike was illegal The party leaders have informed the Central Bank officials that it is unfair for them to increase their salaries at a time when ordinary citizens are undergoing various hardships. “Party leaders have also been of the opini

Some SJB MPs have failed to sign no faith motion against Speaker

The no confidence motion against Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena that was handed over to Deputy Secretary General of Parliament Chaminda Kularatne yesterday has not been signed by some Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) MPs. SJB MPs Rajitha Senaratne, Field Marshal Sarath Fonseka and Eran Wickramaratne are some of the MPs who have not signed the motion. MP Dullas Alahapperuma’s signature was also missing. A total number of 44 MPs have signed t

All South Asian countries have surpassed Sri Lanka: Imthiaz

While saying that Sri Lanka is currently at an impasse, SJB MP Imthiaz Bakeer Markar called upon leaders and citizens to transcend political differences and unite for the collective betterment of the island nation. He made these sentiments in the thanksgiving address at the launch of his autobiography “Mage Kathawa” held at the Ananda College auditorium yesterday (05). The event saw the participation of a plethora of dignitaries incl

Aware of multidimensional complexity, won’t sell a dummy for short-term gain: SJB

Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) said it is a responsible opposition and understands the complexity of the multidimensional crisis, and therefore will not sell a dummy for short-term gain.

Alleged assault on woman Police not informed of Muzammil’s son’s surrender

Despite Uva Province Governor A.J.M. Muzammil’s remarks that his son had informed the police of his intention to surrender over investigations into the alleged assault of a woman, police clarified today that neither the suspect nor the Governor has directly communicated with them regarding such a surrender. Police further said that they have not received any such communication and are conducting investigations to arrest the suspect. Accordin

Will not deviate from IMF programme, but will renegotiate terms and conditions: NPP

The National People’s Power (NPP) said it would not derail the IMF programme if it won the presidency but would renegotiate its terms and conditions on implementations since the current austerity measures had burdened people and the attempts of the government to sell off public assets would bring severe economic consequences to the country. NPP economic council member Prof. Anil Jayantha said his party would also seek speedy actions on the deb

Halt excessive scrutiny of nations - SL tells Human Rights Council

Sri Lanka has called for the UN Human Rights Council to halt its excessive scrutiny of nations in the global south through intrusive mechanisms while ignoring violations elsewhere to regain credibility. Sri Lanka also expressed disappointment that the Council’s persistent and disproportionate attention on Sri Lanka is not beneficial to the nation. Speaking at the 55th Session of the Human Rights Council in Geneva, the Permanent Representat

Electricity now a luxury for a cluster of villages in Anuradhapura

Electricity connection to a cluster of villages in Thantirimale, Anuradhapura has been disconnected leaving consumers in the lurch.

Airport worker nabbed trying to smuggle in Rs.200Mn worth gold

The suspect had received the bag of gold from a transit passenger