Author: Buzzer Editorial

As the world marks International Women’s Day, Sri Lanka’s Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya has called for urgent and transformative action to address the deep-rooted inequalities that continue to shape the lives of women, particularly those from marginalized communities.In her speech, the Prime Minister emphasized that while progress has been made, structural barriers and misogynistic ideologies still hinder women’s rights and safety. “No woman is safe until every single woman is safe,” she declared, urging collective action to ensure no one is left behind.Dr. Amarasuriya highlighted the disproportionate challenges faced by women in rural areas, war-affected regions, plantations, and the informal…

The Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), Kristalina Georgieva, has congratulated President Anura Kumara Dissanayake on Sri Lanka’s impressive economic progress and emphasized the importance of continuing economic reforms.In her first virtual meeting with Dissanayake, the IMF chief said she highlighted that these reforms are crucial for attracting investments and improving living standards in the country.In a post on ‘X’ (formerly Twitter), Georgieva stated:“First virtual meeting with President Anura Kumara Dissanayake. I congratulated him on Sri Lanka’s impressive achievements and discussed the importance of continuing reforms supported by the IMF arrangement to attract investments and raise living standards.”

International Women’s Day, marked annually on 08 March, raises awareness of the issues impacting women all over the world.This year’s theme, ‘For ALL women and girls: Rights. Equality. Empowerment’, calls for actions to unlock equal rights, power and opportunities for all women and girls, for a future where no one is left behind, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).Empowering youth, particularly young women and adolescent girls is central to this vision. This year also marks the thirtieth anniversary of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action – the most progressive and widely endorsed blueprint for women’s and girls’ rights…

Sri Lanka and Japan are set to formalize key debt restructuring agreements today (07), marking a significant step in the island nation’s ongoing economic recovery efforts.The agreements will be signed at the Ministry of Finance between the Government of Sri Lanka and the Government of Japan, alongside amendments to existing arrangements with the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA). The signing ceremony will take place under the patronage of Japanese Ambassador to Sri Lanka Akio Isomata and Finance Ministry Secretary Mahinda Siriwardena.This development follows Sri Lanka’s broader debt restructuring process as part of its economic stabilization program, with Japan playing a…

Former Sri Lankan President and six-time Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe denied shielding ousted president Gotabaya Rajapaksa from prosecution, during an interview for Al Jazeera English’s ‘Head to Head’ that aired today. He also rebuffed renewed accusations that his own administration failed to credibly investigate alleged government links to deadly terrorist attacks that rocked Sri Lanka in 2019.Wickremesinghe, who was voted out of office in 2024, threatened to leave 8 minutes into the hour-long interview with Mehdi Hasan, but ultimately remained seated for a heated debate that also covered the government’s handling of war crimes investigations following the country’s civil war,…

Fifteenpeople in South Korea were injured, twoof them seriously, after a pair of fighter jetsaccidentally dropped eight bombs in a civilian districton Thursdayduring a live-fire military exercise, local media reported.The incident involving the Air Force KF-16 aircraft, in the city of Pocheon near North Korea, was part of routine drills held by the South to maintain combat readiness against potential attacks from the North.South Korea’s Air Force said that it was investigating the incident and apologised for the damage, adding it would provide compensation to those affected.While shells from live firing exercises sometimes land near civilian residences, they rarely cause…

Two individuals have been arrested for offering a bribe of Rs. 20,000 to a sergeant at the Nikaweratiya Police Station and for aiding and abetting the act.According to the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC), the suspects attempted to bribe the officer to have two individuals—who were wanted by the Unsolved Crimes Investigation Unit of the Nikaweratiya Headquarters Police for a cattle theft case—named as witnesses instead of suspects.The arrested individuals are residents of Dambadeniya and Alawwa, CIABOC said in a statement. They were apprehended by the Bribery Commission at around 4.00 p.m. yesterday (06) at a shop…

Conducting and organizing tuition classes, seminars, workshops and assistance over social or other electronic media etc. aimed at students scheduled to sit for the upcoming 2024 (2025) G.C.E. Ordinary Level (O/L) examination will be prohibited from midnight on 11 March 2025.Accordingly, all tuition and revision classes, as well as seminars and other programs oriented towards the 2024 (2025) O/L exam will be banned from midnight on Tuesday (March 11), the Department of Examinations said. Strict action will be taken against those who violate the rules, the Commissioner General of Examinations noted.The 2024 (2025) Ordinary Level exam is scheduled to begin on…

Sri Lanka Police has transferred eight Senior Superintendents of Police (SSPs) and assigned them new appointments, based on recommendations from the National Police Commission, the Police Media Division stated.Accordingly, the following SSPs have been reassigned to new divisions within Sri Lanka Police with new designations.1. SSP K.G.P.B. Samarapala – In addition to serving as Officer-in-Charge of the Colombo North Division, he has been appointed as Acting Director of the Cavalry Division. 2. SSP P.M.K.D. Paliskara – Transferred from the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) to the position of Director of Financial Crimes Investigation Division (FCID).3. SSP S.M.K.C. Thilakaratne – Transferred from Officer-in-Charge…

The Ministry of Finance says that importers must register at least 25% of the total number of vehicles imported within six months.Failure to comply with this will result in the suspension of the importer’s import permit, according to the Finance Ministry.This measure has been introduced in order to protect foreign exchange reserves, discourage excessive vehicle imports, and prevent the unnecessary accumulation of motor vehicles.However, these conditions do not apply to individuals importing vehicles for personal use, as they are allowed to import only one vehicle, the Finance Ministry says.These regulations were discussed at a recent meeting of the Committee on…