Sri Lanka seeking RED NOTICE for ‘Harak Kata’

COLOMBO (News 1st) – MP Ranjith Siyambalapitiya has been appointed the Acting Minister of Finance.The MP has been appointed to this position due to the departure of President Ranil Wickremesinghe, who is also the Minister of Finance, to attend the funeral of late Queen Elizabeth II.MP Siyambalapitiya, who entered the Parliament representing the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna national list, is currently also the State Minister of Finance.

COLOMBO (News 1st) – A suspect who distributes drugs procured from organized criminal Nadun Chinthaka alias Harak Kata, who is currently in Dubai, has been arrested in Piliyandala.The police said that during a raid in Bokundara, the suspect was arrested along with 10 grams and 150 milligrams of heroin as well as cash earned from drug trafficking.The suspect has previously been identified as a suspect in connection with drugs and homicide cases still pending at the Balapitiya and Matara Courts.He is scheduled to be presented before the Kesbewa Magistrate Court today.

COLOMBO (News 1st) – Ukrainian President Voldomyr Zelensky says that seven Sri Lankan students have been rescued from 'torture chambers' where civilians were abused by Russian soldiers in areas of the Kharkiv region in Ukraine.  Zelensky said those rescued included foreigners and made particular reference to the Sri Lankan students whom he said had been kept in a basement since March. He did not mention any other nationalities.  The Kharkiv region, near the border with Russia, was recently recaptured from Russian occupation by Ukrainian forces.  According to the Ukrainian President, torture chambers were found in which civilians of the occupied cities and towns were abused.

COLOMBO (News 1st) – Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe says that a majority of the country wants him to solve the crisis.Speaking to ABC Australia's Foreign Correspondent program Ranil Wickremesinghe said "I'm the one who said the correct thing, go to the IMF. That's why there is confidence backing me.

COLOMBO (News 1st) – Shanakiyan Rajaputhiran Rasamanickam, a TNA Member of Parliament questioned the role of Foreign Minister Ali Sabry at the UN Human Rights Council Sessions in Geneva.' So my question today is, Minister Ali Sabry as Foreign Minister, is he representing Sri Lanka at the UN Human Rights Council or he is representing his client Gotabaya Rajapaksa as the UN Human Rights Council," he told reporters.He said that Minister Sabry had told the UNHRC that economic crimes have not been committed in Sri Lanka, however, there is ample evidence to prove that economic crimes have been committed and Minister Ali Sabry is also responsible for these economic crimes because he was the Justice Minister who brought in the 20th Amendment to the Constitution at the time and spoke highly of the 20th Amendment. "Through the 20th Amendment, the President was given so much power that the President was able to single-handedly destroy this country's economy. Therefore economic crimes have been committed," he stressed."Our Dollar Reserves have been depleted completely.

COLOMBO (News 1st) – Shanakiyan Rajaputhiran Rasamanickam, a TNA Member of Parliament questioned the role of Foreign Minister Ali Sabry at the UN Human Rights Council Sessions in Geneva.' So my question today is, Minister Ali Sabry as Foreign Minister, is he representing Sri Lanka at the UN Human Rights Council or he is representing his client Gotabaya Rajapaksa as the UN Human Rights Council," he told reporters.He said that Minister Sabry had told the UNHRC that economic crimes have not been committed in Sri Lanka, however, there is ample evidence to prove that economic crimes have been committed and Minister Ali Sabry is also responsible for these economic crimes because he was the Justice Minister who brought in the 20th Amendment to the Constitution at the time and spoke highly of the 20th Amendment. "Through the 20th Amendment, the President was given so much power that the President was able to single-handedly destroy this country's economy. Therefore economic crimes have been committed," he stressed."Our Dollar Reserves have been depleted completely.

COLOMBO (News 1st); The President's Media Division states that each netball player of the victorious Sri Lankan team had received Rs. 2 million by Sri Lanka Cricket.Moreover, the PMD stated that athletes who won the silver medals at the Commonwealth games will be awarded Rs.

COLOMBO (News 1st); The Parliamentary Caucus for Children, which was established to address the issues concerning children of Sri Lanka, is due to meet on 21st September for the first time.The caucus was created during the Seventh Parliament under the Chairmanship of the Dr.

COLOMBO (News 1st); Sri Lanka's Public Security Ministry said on Friday (16) that steps are being taken to extradite 13 wanted underworld criminals who are overseas and evading prosecution.Public Security Secretary S.

COLOMBO (News 1st); President Ranil Wickremesinghe said that Sri Lanka – India Free Trade Agreement would be revived and upgraded into a comprehensive economic and technological partnership.The President noted that he would establish an international trade office which will deal with all the international trade negotiations.He pointed out Sri Lanka and India gradually have to wean themselves out of the barriers to investment and the non-tariff barriers to trade specially in relation to Sri Lanka Indo economic relations.He made these observations addressing the Sri Lanka India Society (SLIS) get together held at the in Colombo on Thursday (15) evening to mark the 75th anniversary of independence of India."We will revive and upgrade the Free Trade Agreement into a comprehensive economic and technological partnership. We started that in 2018 and 2019. Then I found recently that it has been stuck somewhere in the department of Commerce with a large number of committees.

COLOMBO (News 1st); A Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna Urban Council member for Ambalangoda was arrested for the possession of two firearms and a sword.

COLOMBO (News 1st) – The Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) both Men’s and Women’s Volleyball Teams who claimed top honors at the Super League Volleyball Championship on 28 August 2022, the two SLAF Netball superwomen who clinched the Asian Championship title, Squadron Leader Chathurangi Jayasooriya and Leading Aircraftwoman Rashmi Perera, SLAF Muscleman, Leading Aircraftman Chaminda Peris who won the Sri Lanka title and the other victorious teams who gained Championships in National Level in the sports disciplines of SLAF Men’s Shooting, Men’s and Women’s Lifesaving and SLAF Women’s Wrestling were felicitated by the Commander of the Air Force, Air Marshal Sudarshana Pathirana at a ceremony held at Air Force Headquarters on 14 September 2022.The Commander participated in a group photograph with the victorious teams and also presented the SLAF Sportsmen and women with special appreciation in recognition of their untiring effort and dedication displayed to hoist the National and SLAF flags flying high. Additionally, the Commander of the Air Force, Air Marshal Sudarshana Pathirana promoted the National Netball player Leading Aircraftwoman Rashmi Perera to the next rank of Corporal in appreciation of her performance to achieve the 12th Asian Netball Championship.

COLOMBO (News 1st) – The Minister of Power and Energy held a discussion with the Resident Coordinator of the United Nations of Sri Lanka Hanna Singer yesterday (15).Discussions were carried out considering the current fuel requirements for the Food Security Relief programs & Humanitarian programs.Further, the Ministry of Power and Energy will provide the necessary assistance for the programs to be implemented.

COLOMBO (News 1st) – Two newly appointed Ambassadors to Sri Lanka handed over their credentials to President Ranil Wickremesinghe at the Presidential Secretariat today (16).Her Excellency Mrs. Bonnie Horbach, the Dutch Ambassador to Sri Lanka and His Excellency Mr.

COLOMBO (News 1st) – The importers of Special and specific fertilizers have made requests to release US Dollars to import products to Sri Lanka.The Secretary of the Special and Specific Fertilizers Importers Association Sujeewa Valisundara points out that if the products are not available in Sri Lanka, it would have a serious negative impact on cultivations.If it is not possible to provide dollars for letters of credit, the association requests that they be allowed to use open accounts.Agriculture Secretary Rohana Pushpakumara said that the Central Bank and the President's Secretariat have been requested on many occasions to provide the necessary dollars for the importation of special fertilizers.He further said that if the concerned association requests the open accounts, the request will also be forwarded to the relevant institutions.

COLOMBO (News 1st)  – The Navy apprehended 26 persons along with a dinghy and a local multiday fishing trawler, during a patrol and search operation conducted off Veththalakerni in northern waters yesterday (15) and today (16).The group of individuals is suspected to be on an illegal migration attempt to a foreign country via sea when they were apprehended by the Navy.Sri Lanka Navy conducts regular search operations and patrols in coastal as well as sea areas around the island to thwart illegal activities stemming from sea routes. As an extension of these efforts, the Inshore Petrol Craft P 166 and P 178 attached to the Northern Naval Command made this apprehension off Veththalakerni. Having spotted a dinghy in this sea area, P 166 patrolling the waters searched the dinghy on suspicion, on the night of 15th September. The search made way for the apprehension of 21 individuals who are suspected to be on an illegal migration attempt to a foreign country by sea. Among the apprehended persons were 12 males including the boat operator and 04 females over 18 years and 05 more individuals who are below 18 years of age. Further, the Navy also took hold of the dinghy used by them for this illegal act.Meanwhile, P 178 engaged in further search in the sea area and intercepted a local multiday fishing trawler with 05 operators of the trawler, off Veththalakerni this morning. It is suspected that the trawler has remained in the sea area to take the above group of individuals by illegal means to a foreign country.The 26 persons held in this search operation are residents of Pooneryn, Uduththurei, Ottamawadu, and Valaichchenai areas, and the individuals together with the dinghy and multiday fishing trawler will be handed over to the

COLOMBO (News 1st) – India does not plan to provide fresh financial support to Sri Lanka on top of the nearly $4 billion it has extended this year, two sources told Reuters, as the island's battered economy starts to stabilize after a preliminary loan agreement with the IMF.India has been the biggest provider of aid this year to its southern neighbor, which is fighting its worst economic crisis in more than seven decades and struggling to pay for imports, although the situation now is less severe than it was between May and July.

COLOMBO (News 1st) – Sri Lankan authorities have arrested three women for illegally carrying gold and mobile phones into Sri Lanka at the Bandaranaike International Airport.The suspects are residents of the Giriulla, Marawila, and Hambantota areas, aged 35, 40, and 48.Police said that over 719g of gold, three gold chains, 163 smart mobile phones, 695 other mobile phones, and 810 batteries used for mobile phones were seized from their possession.

COLOMBO (News 1st) – The Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC) noted that payments have been made for three vessels that were anchored in the Port of Colombo.The CPC announced that the unloading of fuel from the relevant vessels will commence today (16).Accordingly, the respective vessels include 37,000 MT of Diesel, 100,000 Crude oil, and 20,000 MT of Petrol.Meanwhile, on average 4,000 MT of Diesel and 3,000 MT of Petrol are distributed throughout the country, the CPC said.

COLOMBO (News 1st) – Lanka Coal (Pvt) Limited said that its supplier has expressed the availability to supply coal to Sri Lanka. A senior official at Lanka Coal (Pvt) Ltd speaking to News 1st said that the existing dollar crisis is an obstacle to importing coal to the country. Lanka Coal (Pvt) Ltd.

COLOMBO (News 1st) – The Auditor General's Department has launched a special Audit into the recent allegations made concerning the malpractices involved in the importation of coal to Sri Lanka. Auditor General P. C.

COLOMBO (News 1st); Today’s exchange rates from the Central Bank of Sri Lanka:USD Buy 358.9306 Sell 369.7126GBP Buy 411.4020 Sell 428.0228EUR Buy 355.5312 Sell 370.5038JPY Buy 2.4882 Sell 2.5906AUD Buy 240.7368 Sell 252.0049

COLOMBO (News 1st) – The Vice Sangha Raja of Myanmar Sitagu Sayadaw Most. Ven.

COLOMBO (News 1st) – Two players from the Sri Lanka Navy, namely Woman Leading Seaman, Deepika Abeykoon (WVS 66974) and Woman Able Seaman Hasitha Mendis (WV 76519) represented the victorious Sri Lanka team that went on to win the Asian Netball Championship title. In recognition of their stellar performances, which ultimately brought much glory to the Navy and the Nation, Commander of the Navy, Vice Admiral Nishantha Ulugetenne felicitated the players and advanced them to the next respective rates during a brief ceremony held in this regard at the Navy Headquarters yesterday (15). In addition, the 02 players were also presented with cash rewards worth Rs. 250,000.00 each, motivating them to bring out the best from the sportspersons in the Navy.Sri Lanka won the Championship undefeated on 11th September 2022 by edging out the host Singapore 63-53 in the finals of the 12th Asian Netball Championship held in Singapore, with the participation of 11 Asian countries.After the arrival of the champion team on the island, the 02 Navy players called on Commander of the Navy, Vice Admiral Nishantha Ulugetenne at the Navy Headquarters yesterday (15). During the brief interaction, the Commander of the Navy congratulated the 02 athletes on this significant feat, which brought much credit to the Navy and pride to the Nation. Fittingly, Vice Admiral Nishantha Ulugetenne advanced the two athletes to their subsequent rates in service and presented them with cash incentives worth Rs.

COLOMBO (News 1st) – Sri Lanka Police on Thursday (15) arrested a 24-year-old woman for aiding in the murder of a 7-year-old girl child.Police said they recovered the body of the victim on the 11th of September from an abandoned mine deep inside Delwala, located in the Kalawana Police Division in the Ratnapura District.Police said the hunt is on for the woman's husband, who is the key suspect in the murder.The woman was arrested while hiding in the Pothupituya Police Division.

COLOMBO (News 1st) – Sri Lanka's Immigration and Emigration Department said it will be open on 19th September ONLY to cater to those who have made appointments to obtain passports under the One-Day and Normal services.The announcement came as the Sri Lankan Government announced a special public holiday for the 19th of September, over the passing of Queen Elizabeth II. The press notice from the department said that services will NOT be provided to anyone with NO prior appointment on that day, under any circumstances.

Shamshera, Laal Singh Chaddha and Samrat Prithviraj—led to the unkind diagnosis of Bollywood brain fog. Otherwise, too, the film industry is under siege. An unhinged campaign against the film world after the death of actor Sushant Singh Rajput has given way to organized boycott campaigns that seek to rally “true Hindus" against the film industry’s Muslim stars and its syncretic Amar-Akbar-Anthony nationalism.

COLOMBO (News 1st); The UN Special Rapporteur on contemporary forms of slavery delivering his report to the UN Human Rights Council raised concern about the living conditions of Sri Lankan workers, especially in tea plantations.Tomoya Obokata, the UN Special Rapporteur on contemporary forms of slavery speaking to the 51st Regular Session of Human Rights Council said one of the main concerns in Sri Lanka was the living conditions of Sri Lankan workers."In a tea plantation, for example, I was disturbed to learn that women generally have to work twice as long as men and under the same salary due to the low wages of plucking tea leaves," he added.The UN Special Rapporteur said that he also found that cast-based discrimination persists in some areas of the country where workers experience similar obstacles, in addition to identified indicators of forced labor in the garment industry and domestic work, among others. "A major issue of concern is sexual harassment and violence against female workers which are not often reported due to fear of reprisals and a lack of trust in existing complaints mechanisms," he said adding that many workers are also exploited by microfinancing companies as their low wages do not align with the rising cost of living in Sri Lanka. The UN Special Rapporteur stressed that furthermore needs to be done to protect Sri Lankan nationals who travel abroad to work."I discovered that Sri Lanka diplomatic commissions are not always well equipped to protect Sri Lankan migrant workers who have been exploited and there is scope to improve reintegration and support programs," said the UN Special Rapporteur.Sri Lanka also responded to the concerns raised by the UN Special Rapporteur on contemporary forms of

COLOMBO (News 1st) – Vanithabimana 2022 – an awards program to empower the women of Sri Lanka and recognize their efforts, was launched on Thursday (15) for the third time by News 1st & NDB Bank.The 2022 edition of Vanithabimana was launced after successfully completing the 2020 and 2021 programs. Women will be recognized under eight separate categories at provincial level.The agreement for Vanithabhimana 2022 was signed in Colombo on Thursday (15) evening.Dimantha Senevirathne Director and Chief Executive Officer of NDB Bank and several other officials were present at the event representing NDB Bank.Suranga B. M.

LONDON - As thousands of mourners wait for their chance to view the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II at Parliament’s Westminster Hall, the U.K. government has launched a live "queue tracker" to show people just how long the line stretches. The live tracker, which is being livestreamed on YouTube by the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport, said the queue was approximately 4.2 miles long, as of Thursday afternoon local time.

COLOMBO (News 1st) The Sri Lankan Government has decided to grant a Special Holiday to all Government, and Government approved private school on 19th September.The day was declared a Day of Mourning over the passiong of Queen Elizabeth II.

COLOMBO (News 1st); A workshop on “Coral Species Identification and Reef Restoration” intending to broaden the scope of Navy divers, was successfully held at the Command Diving & Salvage Unit (East) in Naval Dockyard Trincomalee and Sandy Bay on 13th and 14th September 2022.The workshop which covered practical and theoretical aspects was conducted by prominent marine biologists and coral restoration experts.The coral ecosystem makes a huge contribution to preserving the biodiversity of the marine environment. Sri Lanka Navy has commenced a Coral Conservation Project and various other initiatives to reduce the damage to this precious coral ecosystem due to natural causes and human activities. Under that, the Navy is expected to restore and conserve the coral ecosystem by creating artificial concrete reefs and growing corals on them, providing breeding sites for fish.The corals that were placed on the artificial concrete reefs previously, under the Navy Coral Conservation Project are currently growing successfully. In the future, opportunities will be open for local and foreign divers to engage in recreational diving at those sites and that will also be a major boost for the promotion of the tourism sector in due course.Ten officers and forty sailors attached to the Sri Lanka Navy’s Diving Unit participated in the workshop, picking the brain of experts on identification and restoration procedures of coral species.

COLOMBO (News 1st) – As Sri Lanka faces its current economic crisis, it is a time for all citizens to come together in support of your nation’s recovery, said US Ambassador Julie Chung on Wednesday (14), adding that the United States remains a friend and partner to Sri Lanka, especially during this challenging period, in a true spirit of partnership.  "Our support includes financial assistance and support for Sri Lankan people achieve their aspirations for a democratic and unified nation, inclusive of minority communities.

COLOMBO (News 1st) – The resolution on the Parliamentary Committee proposed to be established in the Parliament will be called "National Assembly" on the 20th in the morning.The proposal on "National Assembly" has been included in the supplement related to the theory book released on September 9th.The Parliament is scheduled to meet from the 20th to the 23rd, and every day except the 23rd Friday.According to a proposal to adjourn the council brought by the government on "the need to increase the government's income" on the 21st.It was also decided to hold the debate till 5.30.On September 22nd from 10.30 AM to 12.30 PM Sri Lanka Television Corporation (Amendment) Bill (Second Reading) and orders under the Civil Aviation Act are to be adopted after debate. The recommendations related to amending the Standing Orders of the Parliament are scheduled to be debated until 4.30 PM.It has also been decided to hold the debate as per the proposal during the adjournment of the House brought by the opposition till 5.30.Friday, September 23rd has decided to submit condolences for the death of Queen Elizabeth II, From 1.00 p.m. It has also been decided here to offer condolences for the death of former Member of Parliament the late Amarakirthi Athukorala until 5.30.In the meantime, the veteran has drawn the committee's attention to the need to relax the restrictions on visiting Parliament due to the covid situation and security reasons. Thus, as a preliminary step, it was also agreed to permit the parties who request to visit the Parliament, including school students, on days when there are no parliamentary meetings.

COLOMBO (News 1st); The Chairman of the National Election Commission of Sri Lanka Attorney-at-Law Nimal Punchihewa says that he expects to hold the Provincial Council Election before March 20th, 2023.Attorney-At-Law Nimal Punchihewa says that he expects to confirm the electoral list for 2022 before October 31st.

The Ministry of Health has released long COVID guidelines for health professionals, individuals and those caring for people with long COVID, adding to the growing number of resources around the condition.

COLOMBO (News 1st); The Lotus Tower in Colombo, the tallest in South Asia, will be opened to the public today (15).The 350-metre (1,155-feet) Lotus Tower, green and purple in colour, visible from all over Sri Lanka's capital Colombo and on Thursday (15), the first phase of the opening will take place.The Colombo Lotus Tower Management Company (Pvt) Limited says the tower will be open to the public from 2.00 PM to 10.00 PM on weekdays and from 12.00 PM to 10.00 PM on weekends. Tickets will be priced at Rs. 2000 and Rs. 500 to enter the tower.Director and Chief Executive Officer of the Lotus Tower Management Company Major General (Rtd.) Prasad Samarasinghe told News 1st that the tower will also be open for school students at a special rate of Rs.

COLOMBO (News 1st); Today’s exchange rates from the Central Bank of Sri Lanka:USD Buy 358.9306 Sell 369.7126GBP Buy 410.7955 Sell 427.0202EUR Buy 355.9563 Sell 370.9375JPY Buy 2.4688 Sell 2.5713AUD Buy 239.7721 Sell 251.0159

COLOMBO (News 1st); A two-day Sri Lanka Cultural Festival titled “Explore Sri Lanka”- Qatar MENASA 2022, Years of Culture was celebrated recently at the Education City in Doha-Qatar. The Embassy of Sri Lanka in Doha in collaboration with the Sri Lankan community organizations organized the event.This event presented an important opportunity for Sri Lanka to showcase Sri Lankan culture, arts, handicrafts, history, religion, Ceylon tea culture, the Sri Lankan way of life and skills, etc. to the people of the State of Qatar and the expatriate community.Traditional Sri Lankan dances and the drum performances by the students of the Stafford Sri Lanka School Doha and Dinu Dance Academy in Doha added glamour to the event and captivated the audience- foreigners and locals alike, with the various types of enchanting performances like Kandyan, Prashashthi, Awrudu, Folk, etc.

COLOMBO (News 1st); A two-day Sri Lanka Cultural Festival titled “Explore Sri Lanka”- Qatar MENASA 2022, Years of Culture was celebrated recently at the Education City in Doha-Qatar. The Embassy of Sri Lanka in Doha in collaboration with the Sri Lankan community organizations organized the event.This event presented an important opportunity for Sri Lanka to showcase Sri Lankan culture, arts, handicrafts, history, religion, Ceylon tea culture, the Sri Lankan way of life and skills, etc. to the people of the State of Qatar and the expatriate community.Traditional Sri Lankan dances and the drum performances by the students of the Stafford Sri Lanka School Doha and Dinu Dance Academy in Doha added glamour to the event and captivated the audience- foreigners and locals alike, with the various types of enchanting performances like Kandyan, Prashashthi, Awrudu, Folk, etc.

COLOMBO (News 1st) – Sri Lanka will NOT participate in any military alliance, and certainly does not want the problems of the pacific coming in to the Indian Ocean, said President Ranil Wickremesinghe in Colombo on Wednesday (14).Wickremesinghe speaking on Sri Lanka's position in the geo-political stage said the country's importance has appreciated and depreciated.However, he said that the geo-politics of the Indian ocean has unfortunately made Sri Lanka the punching bag for Hambantota. "It is not a military port. Though we are a commercial port it shows our strategic importance that many people come to conclusions which are unwarranted," he said.The President said that he hopes the next agreement Sri Lanka come to with China will not cause such speculation and such agreements will only be about debt reduction for Sri Lanka. "We don't participate in military alliance, and we certainly do not want the problems of the pacific coming in to the Indian Ocean.

COLOMBO (News 1st); Food Security and malnutrition is serious situation in Sri Lanka, today.In response to this, the College of General Practitioners of Sri Lanka and Gammadda aimed to help those who need it the most.For many years, Gammadda's focus has been helping those who need it the most. And over the past year, that has included supporting families with food security.Gammadda has been able to serve communities across Sri Lanka with the help of General Sri Lankans both here and overseasToday, the College of General Practitioners of Sri Lanka came forward to partner up with Gammadda, to support selected families get through these hard times.Dr.

COLOMBO (News 1st); The 'Lawyers of the Aragalaya' said that two more names need to be added to the list of "Economy Killers", and emphasized that they were the reason for the economy for the country to arrive at its current position.The convener of the organization, Attorney-at-Law Manoj Nanayakkara said that the implementation of unsustainable projects in Sri Lanka led to its current situation, in addition to the political leadership, which should be held accountable for the country's current fate.Pointing out that 5 names have come up in this regard; Former Finance Minister Basil Rajapaksa, forme CBSL Governors Ajith Nivard Cabraal and W.D. Lakshman, and former President's Secretaries P.B.

COLOMBO (News 1st); Sakvithi Ranasinghe, who was known for running an illegal finance company without the approval of the Central Bank of Sri Lanka was sentenced to 22 years in prison, suspended for five years.The verdict was delivered by Colombo High Court Judge Amal Ranarajah after Sakvithi Ranasinghe pleaded guilty to 11 counts of obtaining millions of rupees from various people promising them a greater return on investments by operating an illegal finance company.Ranasinghe was also fined Rs. 25,000/- for each of the 11 counts, and if he fails to pay the fine an additional six months will be added to each count.His wife who pleaded guilty to aiding and abetting was sentenced to 2 years in prison, suspended for 5 years.She was fined Rs.

COLOMBO (News 1st) – Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe engaged in discussions to reach a bilateral agreement between Nepal and Sri Lanka on the development of Sri Lanka’s tourism sector and the expansion of university education opportunities.Bashu Dev Mishra, Ambassador of Nepal to Sri Lanka, attended the meeting held at the President's Office in Colombo on Tuesday (14).During the discussion, an agreement was reached to implement a youth exchange program enabling the youth of both the countries to join university education and tourism sector opportunities.The administrative measures to make the agreement a reality is to be done by the Minister of Foreign Affairs in Sri Lanka and the Government of Nepal.

COLOMBO (News 1st) – Sri Lanka's Health Minister instructed officials to place orders for medicines targeting a period of three months, instead of one month, which is the usual process.Health Minister Keheliya Rambukwella noted that adopting such a process would pave the way to mitigate any shortage of medicines and medical supplies.The medicine, and medical supplies procurement program is to be implemented under the Indian Credit Line, and the Health Minister has urged to implement the program to make maximum benefit from the ICL.The Health Ministry in a statement said that the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank and the United Nations Office for Project Services are expected to provide medicines and medical supplies to Sri Lanka for the next six months.

COLOMBO (News 1st); A preliminary round of discussions were held between President Ranil Wickremesinghe and Australian High Commissioner Paul Stephens to explore the opportunities for investment in  renewable energy sector in Sri Lanka.The discussion was held at the Presidential Secretariat on Wednesday (14) with the participation of a group of Australian investors.President Wickremesinghe has emphasized priority for encouraging new investments in the renewable energy sector as a solution to the current electricity crisis and to ensure uninterrupted power supply.

COLOMBO (News 1st); A Sri Lankan Lawyer who was charged with tuning his car horn to the tune of the famous song & Aragalaya theme 'Kaputu Kaak Kaak Kaak", was released by the court on Wednesday (14).The lawyer was charged for installing the horn with the said tune on his car during a memorial held at Galle Face Green to remember the lives lost, and those who were injured during the Aragalaya people's struggle.Colombo Additional Magistrate M. S.