Author: Buzzer Editorial

The Los Angeles wildfires are on track to be among the costliest in US history, with losses already expected to exceed $135bn (£109.7bn).In a preliminary estimate, private forecaster Accuweather said it expected losses of between $135bn-$150bn as the blazes rip through an area that is home to some of the most expensive property in the US.The insurance industry is also bracing for a major hit, with analysts from firms such as Morningstar and JP Morgan forecasting insured losses of more than $8bn.Fire authorities say more than 5,300 structures have been destroyed by the Palisades blaze, while more than 5,000 structures…

The Airport and Aviation Services (Sri Lanka) has announced that luxury buses operating on the Fort-Katunayake route (No. 187) will be granted access to the departure terminal of Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) starting today (10). This decision, aimed at enhancing convenience for air passengers, marks the resumption of this service after nearly six years. While the buses will now be permitted to enter the road to the departure terminal, they will not be allowed to remain parked at the airport to operate the service. The suspension of access to the Fort-Katunayake bus service was implemented following the 2019 Easter Sunday attacks, based on…

The Container Transport Vehicle Owners Association reports that between 800 to 1,000 container transport vehicles are currently stranded at the Colombo Port due to significant delays in the clearance of imported containers. Addressing the media on January 09, Chairman of the association Sanath Manjula highlighted that inefficiencies in the management of the Ports Authority and Sri Lanka Customs are primarily responsible for the bottleneck. “The delays have caused drivers to remain at the port for nearly a week, leading to severe congestion and operational challenges,” said Mr. Manjula. The impact of these delays extends beyond logistics. The Wharf Workers’ Association has raised concerns…

An investigation revealed that a type of rice, closely resembling Basmati rice, is being imported at low cost and sold in the market under the guise of genuine Basmati rice, profiting at the expense of consumers.  Sri Lanka permits the import of Basmati rice year-round, subject to a tax exceeding Rs. 300 per kilogram. However, traders are importing a similar variety of rice, which can be purchased at Rs. 220–250 per kilogram, paying a significantly reduced tax of Rs. 65 per kilogram. These imports are then marketed at higher prices as Basmati rice, misleading buyers. When contacted for comments, Additional Director General…

Sri Lanka’s Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya stated that no government institution has so far granted authorization for the construction of Israeli religious centers or any similar places.She made this comment in response to a question raised by SJB Member of Parliament Mujibur Rahman in Parliament today (08).“So far, neither the Ministry of Buddhasasana, Religious and Cultural Affairs, nor any of its departments have granted permission for the construction of religious centers or similar places by Israeli nationals. However, we are aware that such centers are being maintained. We have received information about them and have observed the situation. These…

The Government’s ‘Clean Sri Lanka’ national initiative is to be taken up for debate in Parliament on January 21 and 22, Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya said in the Parliament today (08).Prime Minister further explained that the purpose of this debate is to help the public better understand the ‘Clean Sri Lanka’ initiative amidst the current dialogue.

The Fort Magistrate’s Court has issued an order preventing the Convenor of the Inter University Students’ Federation (IUSF), Madushan Chandrajith and others from entering the Presidential Secretariat, President’s House, Finance Ministry premises etc. during a planned protest in Colombo today.Additionally, the court order restricts them from causing any inconvenience to pedestrians or vehicular traffic on several roads in Colombo, from 1.00 p.m. to 6.00 p.m. today (08).Accordingly, this order has been issued to the convener of the IUSF, Madushan Chandrajith; the convener of the Inter-University Bhikkhu Federation (IUBF); the convener of the Medical Faculty Students’ Action Committee, Rashmika Chamod Ranasinghe;…

Alumex PLC was honoured with the Bronze Award in the highly coveted ‘Export Brand of the Year 2024’ category at the SLIM Brand Excellence Awards recently for the first time. This prestigious accolade celebrates Alumex’s exceptional achievements in building a powerful and globally recognised export brand.The award highlights the company’s unwavering commitment to producing high-quality aluminum extrusions and engineering products, driving its remarkable success in global markets. Alumex stands as a pioneer in the Sri Lankan aluminum industry, having created and developed the category from the ground up.The company has since successfully expanded its footprint beyond Sri Lanka, establishing a…

The Chairman of the Committee on Public Finance, MP Dr. Harsha de Silva stated that both the Undial system and the Hawala system are not illegal in Sri Lanka.He made this statement while presenting several proposals in Parliament today (08). Further commenting on the matter, he added, “The Hawala and Undial systems are not illegal in our country, but they are not regulated in any way. Therefore, a proposal has been made requiring those who conduct international transactions through these systems to register within the 12-month period from June 2024 to May 2025.”Dr. Harsha also stated that the committee had requested…