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Consumer Rights Protection Initiative launched under “Clean Sri Lanka” programme on World Consumer Rights Day

Coinciding with World Consumer Rights Day on March 15, a new initiative under the “Clean Sri Lanka” Programme is set to be implemented to promote awareness and attitudinal change regarding consumer rights protection within society.
A discussion on this initiative was held at the Presidential Secretariat under the patronage of Dr. Nandika Sanath Kumanayake, Secretary to the President, with the participation of officials from the Ministries of Health and Agriculture.
Secretary to the President Dr. Nandika Sanath Kumanayake emphasized the need for the practical implementation of existing policies and plans of the Ministry of Health to ensure that citizens have access to safe and high-quality food.
Extensive discussions were held on ensuring consumers’ right to access high-quality and safe food. The dialogue focused on creating an environment that supports compliance with health standards, enhancing consumer confidence and exploring measures to involve both the public and private sectors in achieving these objectives.
Attention was also drawn to the practical implementation of existing policies and plans related to food standards and quality assurance through the “Clean Sri Lanka” Programme, exploring possible measures to achieve these objectives effectively.
Discussions also focused on integrating the “Clean Sri Lanka” Programme with the Ministry of Agriculture’s National Policy framework, particularly in ensuring the safety and proper storage of agricultural produce. Additionally, attention was given to the implementation of existing regulations related to restaurant certification, street vendor regulation, registration of street food establishments & food trucks and registration of personnel training.
The meeting was attended by Senior Additional Secretary to the President, G.M.R.D. Apponsu, Additional Secretary to the President, S.P.C. Sugiswara, along with senior officials from various ministries and institutions, including the Ministry of Public Administration, Provincial Councils, and Local Government, Ministry of Health and Mass Media, Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, Land and Irrigation, Ministry of Trade, Commerce, Food Security and Cooperative Development, Department of Food Commissioner, Department of Agriculture, Department of Health Services, Consumer Affairs Authority, Sri Lanka Standards Institution, National Medicines Regulatory Authority, Industrial Technology Institute, Central Environmental Authority, National Food Promotion Board, and Department of Measurement Units, Standards, and Services.
[PMD]
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Court of Appeal dismisses Ex-IGP’s writ petition

The Court of Appeal this [17] morning dismissed the writ petition filed by former Inspector General of Police (IGP) Deshabandu Tennakoon, seeking an interim injunction to prevent the execution of the arrest order issued by the Matara Magistrate’s Court against him.
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Trump moves to close down Voice of America

US President Donald Trump has signed an order to strip back federally funded news organisation Voice of America, accusing it of being “anti-Trump” and “radical”.
A White House statement said the order would “ensure taxpayers are no longer on the hook for radical propaganda”, and included quotes from politicians and right-wing media criticising the broadcaster.
VOA, still primarily a radio service, was set up during World War Two to counter Nazi propaganda. It says it currently reaches hundreds of millions of people globally each week.
Mike Abramowitz, VOA’s director, said he and virtually his entire staff of 1,300 people had been put on paid leave.
Abramowitz said that the order left VOA unable to carry out its “vital mission… especially critical today, when America’s adversaries, like Iran, China, and Russia, are sinking billions of dollars into creating false narratives to discredit the United States”.
The National Press Club, a leading representative group for US journalists, said the order “undermines America’s long-standing commitment to a free and independent press”.
It added: “If an entire newsroom can be sidelined overnight, what does that say about the state of press freedom?
“An entire institution is being dismantled piece by piece. This isn’t just a staffing decision – it’s a fundamental shift that endangers the future of independent journalism at VOA.”
The president’s order targets VOA’s parent company US Agency for Global Media (USAGM), which also funds non-profit entities such as Radio Free Europe and Radio Free Asia, which were originally set up to counter communism.
It tells managers to “reduce performance… to the minimum presence and function required by law”.
CBS, the BBC’s US news partner, said that VOA employees were notified in an email by Crystal Thomas, the USAGM human resources director.
A source told CBS that all freelance workers and international contractors were told there was now no money to pay them.
Emails obtained by CBS notified the bosses of Radio Free Asia and Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty that their federal grants had been terminated.
VOA and other stations under USAGM say they serve more than 400 million listeners. They are broadly equivalent to the BBC World Service, which is part-funded by the British government.
The Czech Republic’s Foreign Minister, Jan Lipavský, said he hoped the European Union could help keep Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty running in Prague.
He said he would ask European foreign ministers at a meeting on Monday to find ways to at least partially maintain the broadcaster’s operations.
Elon Musk, the billionaire and top adviser to Trump who has been overseeing sweeping cuts to the US government, has used his social media platform X to call for VOA to be shut down.
The US president also cut funding to several other federal agencies – including those responsible for preventing homelessness, and funding museums and libraries.
Trump was highly critical of VOA in his first term. He has recently appointed staunch loyalist Kari Lake to be a special adviser for the USAGM.
The president regularly states that mainstream media outlets are biased against him. He called CNN and MSNBC “corrupt” during a speech at the justice department.
Voice of America launched in 1942 with a mandate to combat Nazi and Japanese propaganda. Its first broadcast – made on a transmitter loaned to the US by the BBC – stated a modest purpose.
Gerald Ford, a former president, signed VOA’s public charter in 1976 to safeguard its editorial independence.
By 1994, the Broadcast Board of Governors, with oversight over non-military broadcasting, was established.
In 2013, a shift in legislation allowed VOA and affiliates to begin broadcasting in the US.
[BBC]
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Corbin Bosch served legal notice by PCB after late shift to IPL

Corbin Bosch has been served legal notice by the PCB, alleging breach of contractual obligations, after the South Africa allrounder signed for Mumbai Indians for IPL 2025, thus pulling out of PSL 2025.
This season is the first in which the PSL will be played concurrently with the IPL: The IPL will run from March 22 to May 25, and the PSL from April 11 to May 18. Bosch had been picked by Peshawar Zalmi, in the diamond category, at the PSL draft that was held in January. But on March 8, it was announced by Mumbai Indians that he would be replacing the injured Lizaad Williams in their squad.
The PSL franchises have been keen to take some sort of action on Bosch, as they are worried it could set a precedent for players signing up with the PSL but then switching to the IPL. The idea of an outright ban on such players has also been floated in informal discussions.
A PCB statement said: “The legal notice was served through his agent, and the player has been asked to justify his actions of withdrawing from his professional and contractual commitments. The PCB management has also outlined the repercussions of his departure from the league and expects his response within the stipulated time frame. The PCB will not make any further comments on the matter.”
The statement did not specify what the time frame was for Bosch to respond.
The PCB had shifted the PSL window with a view to improve the quality and availability of overseas players whom the league would be able to sign. When the PSL was in the February-March window, it also had to compete with the SA20, ILT20 and the BPL for players. ESPN Cricinfo had reported last year when the window was changed that holding the PSL draft after the IPL auction had also been discussed, to have greater clarity about the availability of overseas players for the league. Leading into this season, the IPL auction was held in November 2024 and the PSL draft in January 2025.
The PSL draft duly attracted a large number of high-profile players, including David Warner, Daryl Mitchell, Jason Holder, Rassie van der Dussen and Kane Williamson.
[Cricinfo]
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