Sharmaine Arnaiz passes vet licensure exam at 52

Actress Sharmila Velasco Pribhdas-Shahani, better known as Sharmaine Arnaiz-Ochoa, is on her way to being a full-fledged veterinarian after passing the vet license exam.

Arnaiz is one of over a thousand passers of the Veterinarians Computer-Based Licensure Examination that took place last week, just a few days after the actress celebrated her 52nd birthday.

The Professional Regulation Commission released the exam results last November 9, Monday.

It’s been quite the journey for Arnaiz who finished her degree in Veterinary Medicine at the De La Salle Araneta University back in 2007, nearly two decades ago.

At the time she was pregnant with her second child Miguel with husband Ernesto “Che” Ochoa. The couple are also parents to Gab and Amisha.

She actually took the exam last year but just missed the passing marks with a 74.60 score. Arnaiz admitted to local entertainment outlet Pep not expecting to pass this time around, crying in disbelief when everyone began contacting her.

Arnaiz dedicated the milestone to her late manager Bibsy Carballo, who passed away in 2016 but had convinced Arnaiz to finish her studies.

“All my kids will be in college next year… It’s my turn to follow my dreams,” the actress said. “I’ve given everything to my children. I told them, I will resign as [their] driver next year.”

Eldest child Gab passed his nursing board exams earlier this year and just received his license. Miguel is taking up a business degree while Misha is about to begin university.

The oathtaking for vet license exam passers will be in December where Arnaiz and her colleagues will officially become licensed veterinarians.

Alanis Morissette, 52, comes out as pansexual

Rock singer Alanis Morissette admitted to identifying as pansexual while promoting her first holiday album “Good Weather for Immaculate Conception.”

The singer appeared as the first in-person guest of the “Handsome” podcast hosted by Tig Notaro, Fortune Feimster and Mae Martin – all of whom identify as queer.

Feimster said toward the end of the episode, with Alanis her apologies for the men that hurt the singer, but not for the “pretty amazing” songs that resulted from it, then asked Alanis if such encounters made her want to become a lesbian.

“I’m pansexual, so yeah,” Alanis answered. “I get everything.” Pansexuals are defined as individuals capable of attraction to any person regardless of their gender identity.

Alanis reiterated her response upon Notaro seeking confirmation, later joking the episode should have begun with that piece of information. “You know, I like to leave it for the epilogue. I like to confuse people on the way out. Is it confusing?” the singer quipped.

The artist is married to fellow singer Mario “Souleye” Treadway, with whom she has three children.

She is best known for her hit songs “Ironic,” “You Oughta Know,” “You Learn,” “Hand in My Pocket,” “Head Over Feet” and “Thank U.”

“Good Weather for Immaculate Conception” features covers of “Silent Night,” “Last Christmas,” “O Holy Night,” “Little Drummer Boy,” and “What Child is This?” as well as collaborations with Brandi Carlile, Steve Martin and Martin Short.

Congo’s Ebola outbreak surpasses 11,000 cases, with more than 5,300 deaths

The number of confirmed Ebola cases in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has risen to 11,042, with 5,387 deaths recorded, as authorities struggle to contain an outbreak that has become one of the deadliest in history.

Government data released on Tuesday show that the outbreak, caused by the rare Bundibugyo strain of the Ebola virus, has spread across eight of the country’s 26 provinces since it was declared in mid-May.

The outbreak is now the second-largest and second-deadliest Ebola epidemic on record, surpassed only by the 2014-2016 West African outbreak, which infected more than 28,600 people and claimed over 11,000 lives.

Health authorities face significant challenges in containing the virus, with delayed detection, ongoing conflict and overstretched health services contributing to its rapid spread.

Many deaths have occurred in communities outside treatment centres, highlighting difficulties in identifying infections early and ensuring patients receive timely medical attention.

The Bundibugyo strain presents an additional challenge because there are currently no approved vaccines or specific treatments for it, limiting available options for controlling the outbreak.

The epidemic has also spread beyond the DRC, with cases reported in East, Central and West Africa, marking the widest geographical spread of an Ebola outbreak on the continent to date.

The scale and geographical reach of the outbreak have raised concerns among health authorities about the challenges of containing the virus, particularly in areas affected by insecurity and limited healthcare infrastructure.

One wish for Budget 2027

We don’t expect any Budget to solve a country’s problems. Resources are finite and wants are not, so economics is the business of choosing. Our wish for Budget 2027 is narrow: that the Government avoid fiscal loosening, at a moment when the world has slid into uncertainty.

Tariff disputes, volatile capital flows and weaker demand abroad leave little room for error at home. A Budget that spends to calm anxiety will spend into a shortfall, kicking the pain down the road.

Astute analysts have already factored in fiscal profligacy as a thing of the past. That judgement is fair. Loose fiscal policy alongside money printing was normalised under the Rajapaksa administration; the Yahapalana Government kept the habit through its 100-day programme, and the bill arrived in 2022 as default, queues and a currency in free fall. The country has since paid for that experiment in living costs that will not recover soon.

This Government, by contrast, pursues reforms that would ordinarily cost it votes. Opposition MP Dr. Harsha de Silva conceded as much last week, when the Committee on Public Finance he chairs hosted Central Bank officials. Party labels did not matter, he said, and backed the agenda. ‘For a long time in this country, reforms were rejected. I’m really glad that everybody is on the same page,’ Dr. de Silva said. By ‘everybody’ he meant the committee members and Central Bank officials who had called for reforms in trade, labour and the investment environment to lift the country’s growth potential, and who wanted Parliament behind them, a point aimed at other committee members pressing for more State intervention.

Firms will have to compete to succeed, no longer relying on Government interventions; there is no other route, and some market research houses are telling institutional clients exactly that.

They also hope the Government will confine concessions to a higher PAYE threshold. They do not expect a stimulus Budget, not only because the IMF waits on the Budget before deciding whether to release the next tranche, but because this Government has said, and repeatedly shown, that it will hold the fiscal line. Both reasons point the same way. A stimulus that arrives before consolidation has taken root only restores the deficit the country spent four years closing. A higher PAYE threshold, by contrast, is a correction rather than a giveaway: it returns money to wage earners without changing the structure of expenditure.

Loosening rarely announces itself. It enters through revived subsidies, through State enterprise losses absorbed by the Treasury, and through exemptions granted one industry at a time until the tax base is full of holes. Each looks affordable alone; together they rebuild the deficit. None of this is painless. Inequality is widening; the recovery has been uneven, and its gains have not reached every household. But deep-rooted defects do not yield to gentle treatment, and half-measures tend to be repeated. Trust matters as much as the arithmetic. It has to be built inside the public service, above all in the revenue-collecting agencies and the police, where the gap between rules on paper and behaviour on the ground is widest. Internal affairs units should be run at full stretch, and their findings published.

Henry David Thoreau’s essay on civil disobedience is worth reading now. He refused to pay a war tax and spent a night in jail for the refusal, regarding both as duties. The point for Sri Lanka is not the tax but the habit: obligations are met even when they are inconvenient.

If the country decides it does not want reforms that hurt before they help, the remedy is the same and simpler: vote differently at the next election a couple of years from now. The parties that governed for decades, and left the economy in the condition it reached in 2022, remain on the ballot and are promising easier terms. That, after all, is democracy.

Alliance Finance and LeMS partner to make electric 3-wheeler conversions more accessible

Alliance Finance Company PLC (AFC) has entered a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Lanka E-Mobility Solutions Ltd., (LeMS) to make the conversion of petrol-powered three-wheelers to electric more accessible to owners across Sri Lanka.

Through this partnership, AFC will offer preferential leasing facilities to customers seeking to convert their existing three-wheelers to electric, while LeMS will undertake the conversions and provide batteries on a rental basis. By combining financing solutions with an alternative to purchasing a battery outright, the initiative aims to reduce the financial barriers to adopting electric mobility.

For most three-wheeler owners in Sri Lanka, their vehicle is more than a mode of transport; it is their primary source of income. With daily operating expenses, particularly fuel and maintenance, putting pressure on their earnings, the transition to electric mobility presents an opportunity to minimise costs while continuing to earn a livelihood.

However, the initial investment required to convert a conventional three-wheeler to electric, together with the cost of a battery, can be a significant obstacle for many owners.

The AFC-LeMS partnership seeks to address these challenges through a combination of preferential leasing and a battery rental model, making the transition more financially accessible.

LeMS converts existing petrol-powered three-wheelers to electric by replacing the conventional engine with an electric drivetrain. Under its battery rental model, customers pay the conversion cost upfront, while LeMS provides the battery on a rental basis over an agreed period, typically three to five years, subject to the applicable terms and warranty.

This approach removes the need for customers to purchase the battery outright, helping spread the associated cost over time. AFC’s preferential leasing facilities will further support customers in financing the conversion, creating a more accessible pathway to electric mobility.

According to LeMS estimates, owners could save up to Rs. 40,000 per month through reduced fuel and maintenance expenses, depending on their daily mileage, operating conditions and applicable conversion and battery rental costs. These potential savings could help ease operating expenses and improve the financial sustainability of their livelihoods.

Alliance Finance Company PLC Deputy Chairman and Managing Director Romani de Silva said: ‘At Alliance Finance, we believe sustainable finance should create meaningful change in people’s everyday lives. This partnership is about more than financing electric vehicles. Further, this partnership directly contributes to one of AFC’s strategic goals – ‘drive towards sustainable mobility solutions’. Converting fossil fuel Tuk Tuks to electric, we promote mobility decarbonisation and aligns with environmental sustainability goals while meeting the growing demand for efficient, green transportation options. It is also about supporting livelihoods, helping customers move towards cleaner and potentially more economical transportation, and contributing to a more sustainable Sri Lanka. It reflects our purpose of, making the world a better place through sustainable finance.’

Lanka E-Mobility Solutions Director Natasha Silva said: ‘For many three-wheeler owners, their vehicle is their livelihood. Our goal is to make the transition to electric mobility practical and accessible. By combining our conversion technology and battery solutions with Alliance Finance’s financing expertise and branch network, we hope to help more Sri Lankans experience the benefits of electric transportation.’

The transport sector remains an important area for Sri Lanka’s efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, improve urban air quality and strengthen energy sustainability. Initiatives that make cleaner transport options more accessible can contribute to these broader objectives while creating practical benefits for vehicle owners. Through this collaboration, Alliance Finance and LeMS aim to encourage the adoption of electric three-wheelers by addressing key financial and practical barriers to conversion. The partnership reflects a shared commitment to supporting livelihoods, promoting responsible mobility, and creating positive outcomes for customers, communities, and the environment.

Lankans face daunting challenge against hosts

Sri Lanka faces a daunting challenge when they take on hosts Bangladesh in a crucial Group-stage encounter of the 15th SAFF Championship at the National Stadium in Dhaka tonight at 8:00 p.m., with a place in the semi-finals at stake.

Following their disappointing 2-2 draw against Bhutan last Sunday, the Lankans are under enormous pressure to deliver. Having looked set for victory, Sri Lanka let the opportunity slip through their fingers following costly goalkeeping errors by veteran custodian Sujan Perera, who was unable to prevent two goals that could arguably have been saved. However, Coach Abdulla Al Mutairi remains confident despite the setback.

The equation is now clear for the Lankan camp, with qualification hanging in the balance. A victory or a draw will guarantee them a place in the semi-finals. Even a narrow defeat could keep their hopes alive, depending on the final goal difference and disciplinary record.

The Sri Lankan camp is optimistic about its chances, with the team expected to be at full strength with the return of four players who were on the bench against Bhutan.

‘The last game is behind us. We were not at our best, and several factors denied us what could have been a deserved victory. Tonight is virtually a final for us, and the boys are determined to deliver for the country,’ said Al Mutairi.

‘We know Bangladesh have a well-balanced side with several players capable of changing the game. We have done our homework and will give everything to secure our semi-final berth,’ he added.

Much will also depend on experienced goalkeeper Sujan Perera, who will need to put his previous mistakes behind him and produce a composed performance in this all-important encounter.

Meanwhile, Bangladesh are expected to enjoy considerable home advantage, with their overseas-based players adding further strength to an already competitive outfit. Much of the attention will be on Hamza Choudhury and Farhan Ali Wahid, whose experience in English football is expected to boost the hosts’ attacking options.

With passionate home support behind them, Bangladesh will be eager to make their presence felt. The conditions at the National Stadium could also play a significant role, with the prevailing weather likely to influence the pace of the game.

For Bangladesh, the encounter also serves as an important test ahead of Saturday’s semi-finals, where they could potentially meet either India or Pakistan.

Historical statistics favour the hosts. Since their first meeting in 1979, the two nations have faced each other on 18 occasions, with Bangladesh recording 11 victories, Sri Lanka winning five and two matches ending in draws.

With history favouring Bangladesh and the home crowd firmly behind them, Sri Lanka will have to rise to the occasion. For the Lankans, tonight is more than just another match – it is a battle for survival and a golden opportunity to march into the last four of the tournament.

Faculty of Management and Finance launches Professor W. M. Jayaratne Gold Medal

The Faculty of Management and Finance (FMF) of the University of Colombo has taken a significant step towards preserving the legacy of one of the pioneers who helped shape its identity and establish its reputation in management education.

The Faculty Board has formally approved the proposal to establish the Professor W. M. Jayaratne Gold Medal for the Most Outstanding Performance in Organisational Behaviour, an annual distinction intended to recognise exceptional undergraduate achievement in the discipline.

The proposed gold medal will honour Professor W. M. Jayaratne, widely regarded as the founding father of the Faculty of Management and Finance and the pioneer of management education in Sri Lanka. His contribution to the development of the Faculty and its academic culture continues to be reflected in the institution’s standing today.

Dean of the Faculty of Management and Finance Professor Nihal Hennayake described it as one of the Faculty’s most significant initiatives to preserve the memory of Professor Jayaratne and the values he stood for.

‘This is the most important initiative we have taken to remember what Professor W. M. Jayaratne committed himself to, and how he worked to build the FMF brand into a leading business school in the country.’

Professor Jayaratne’s contribution extends beyond the establishment and growth of an academic institution. His vision, commitment to management education and dedication to developing future business leaders helped lay foundations upon which generations of academics and students have built.

In many ways, the success and reputation enjoyed by the Faculty today can be traced back to the commitment of those who envisioned what FMF could become. Professor Jayaratne stands prominently among them. His legacy is therefore not simply one of an academic career, but of institution-building-a contribution that continues to influence the Faculty long after his active years.

The establishment of the gold medal has acquired an added significance through the Faculty’s Leadership with Soul – A Global CEO Engagement program, which featured Intertek Global CEO André Lacroix.

Intertek’s generous contribution towards the program is now being transformed into a lasting academic legacy. Instead of the contribution ending with a single event, the Faculty has chosen to convert it into an enduring initiative that will recognise academic excellence year after year.

The proposed medal will be awarded annually to an undergraduate student who demonstrates the most outstanding performance in Organisational Behaviour, subject to the relevant University regulations and approvals.

The initiative represents a meaningful convergence of past, present and future.

It remembers the contribution of a visionary academic who helped build the Faculty. It reflects the commitment of the present generation to preserve that legacy. And, most importantly, it creates an opportunity to inspire future generations of students to pursue excellence in their academic and professional lives.

A gold medal may be presented to one student each year, but its meaning extends far beyond the individual recipient. It represents scholarship; It represents leadership and it represents professional integrity. And above all, it represents the enduring power of a vision that continues to shape an institution.

Faculty of Management and Finance said Professor W. M. Jayaratne’s greatest achievement may therefore not be found in any single title, position or award. It can be seen in the institution he helped build, in the generations of students who passed through its doors, and in the reputation the Faculty continues to carry.

The establishment of this gold medal is more than a recognition of academic excellence. It is a tribute to a visionary academic, an investment in future generations, and a lasting reminder that those who build institutions with vision and commitment can leave a legacy that lives far beyond their own time.

Sathuta Builders’ gets Rs. 1.73 b contract for Kelaniya University building

The Cabinet of Ministers has approved awarding a Rs. 1.73 billion contract (excluding Value Added Tax), to M/s Sathuta Builders Ltd., to construct a 10-storey building for the University of Kelaniya.

The new building will house the university’s Faculty of Commerce and Management Studies, reviving a project that was earlier halted due to the country’s economic crisis.

The procurement process began after the Cabinet granted approval on 3 February 2025, to resume the project through national competitive bidding, which attracted a total of 10 bids.

‘Following the evaluation of the bids, the contract is awarded to the lowest substantially responsive bidder based on recommendations from the procurement committees,’ Cabinet Spokesman and Minister Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa said at the weekly post-Cabinet meeting media briefing yesterday.

The proposal to this effect was submitted by Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya in her capacity as the Education, Higher Education and Vocational Education Minister.

Cabinet approves $ 200 m ADB financing for MSME financial sector development

The Cabinet of Ministers has approved entering into financing agreements with the Asian Development Bank (ADB) to secure $ 200 million for a sector development program aimed at strengthening access to finance for micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs).

The financing comprises a $ 100 million policy-based loan from the ADB’s ordinary capital resources and a further $ 100 million through a financial intermediation loan component.

Addressing the weekly post-Caninet meeting media briefing yesterday, Cabinet Spokesman and Minister Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa said the approval follows the Cabinet decision of 16 March 2026 to conduct loan negotiations with the ADB for a broader $ 620 million policy-based financing package structured under five sub-programs. The package is intended to support Sri Lanka’s reform agenda alongside the International Monetary Fund’s (IMF) program.

He noted that discussions were held to secure the $ 200 million loan under two distinct repayment frameworks. ‘The $ 100 million policy-based component carries a 12-year repayment period with a three-year grace period. The remaining $ 100 million financial intermediation component has a 15-year repayment period alongside a five-year grace,’ he added.

Following that approval, Dr. Jayatissa said the Department of External Resources has concluded formal financing discussions with the ADB on the first sub program, titled the ‘Sector Development Program for Developing a Strong and All-Inclusive Financial Ecosystem for Micro, Small and Medium-sized Enterprises’.

He said the latest Cabinet approval authorises the Government to enter into the relevant financing agreements with the ADB to implement the program.

The proposal to this effect was submitted by President Anura Kumara Dissanayake in his capacity as the Finance, Planning and Development Minister.

Govt. to sign MoU with India to secure 100 new 1990 Suwa Seriya Ambulances

The Cabinet of Ministers has approved entering into an agreement with India to secure a financial grant for the purchase of 100 new ambulances for the 1990 Suwa Seriya emergency service.

Addressing the weekly post-Cabinet media briefing yesterday, Cabinet Spokesman and Health Minister Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa said the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) will be signed during discussions with the Indian Health Minister, who is scheduled to arrive in Sri Lanka today (11).

He said the Government of India agreed to the grant following a special request from Sri Lanka. The ambulances will be fully equipped with medical facilities.

Responding to journalists’ questions on whether the financial assistance involves debt or restricted procurement, Dr. Jayatissa said the funds will arrive as an outright grant of Rs. 1,725.7 million.

‘It is not a loan, it is received as a grant. Accordingly, tenders will be called for this,’ he said.

He noted that suppliers will be selected through competitive bidding rather than direct purchase requirements.

The Cabinet Spokesman also said that the Health Ministry will recruit the necessary personnel and manage all maintenance and operations once the funds are released.

He said the proposal will address wear and tear across the service’s emergency fleet. ‘As these ambulances cover around 9 million kilometers annually, the likelihood of mechanical faults occurring within the existing fleet of 322 ambulances has increased,’ he said.

The 1990 Suwa Seriya free-of-charge service operates 24-hours, in all districts, handling between 1,000 and 1,200 patient transport requests daily. It was launched in 2016 with Indian financial assistance and expanded countrywide in 2018.