Dec 12 (DM) Archbishop of Colombo Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith urged all religious leaders including the Maha Sanga to take the lead in preventing night life activities which have been proposed and thereby safeguard SL�s culture. Cardinal Ranjith who was speaking during a public gathering in Kurana Negombo, SL�s culture which is nurtured by Buddhism should not be allowed to be destroyed by night life activities. �Some parangiyas who have come to SL after being abroad have more..

Dec 13 (DM) Against the backdrop of the leaders of the country having declared the country as having become bankrupt after ruining its economy for the past several decades, President of the Bar Association of SL (BASL), President�s Counsel Saliya Peiris had raised a valid point on Saturday. During a seminar organized by Trade Unions and Civil Society Organizations Collective to mark the Human Rights Day, he had advised the people not to pin their hope on saviours during elections. more..

Dec 13 (DM) This is the second part of my analysis, interrupted last week as a comment on the cricketing scandal was needed, of why we are still stagnating in this economic quagmire. We are not stagnating because we haven�t got any IMF money yet. We are getting sucked in deeper to what looks like a bottomless pit because the govt is unable, or unwilling, to carry out the most obvious cuts to reduce state expenditure. The most glaring part of this burden is our military spending. more..

Dec 13 (CT) Since the Russians began bombarding Ukraine earlier this year, the global fuel supply chain has been severely impacted. However, for Sri Lanka, it is not only the high cost of fuel and scarcity of fuel that has resulted in the crisis, but some Russian and Ukrainian tourists who are presently in the country are unable to return due to fear of being forcefully enlisted into their military, and therefore they also want to survive and more..

Dec 13 (CT) State Minister of Finance Ranjith Siyambalapitiya recently said in Parliament that the Opposition, for all their talk, has no proper solution for the economic crisis at hand and their claims and speeches in the Parliament are contradictory. Basically, you can�t have it in both ways. The Govt needs to increase its income and the swift solution is to increase taxes and this cannot go hand-in-hand with the benefits, reliefs, and salary increments the Opposition is suggesting to relieve people. more..

Dec 13 (TM) In a context where the country�s youth remain extremely sceptical about their future, Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe recently stated that SL should look into solutions that suit the next 25 years, to create a digitally developed future that will benefit the younger generation. Moreover, he emphasised the importance of youth participation in finding meaningful solutions to the prevailing crisis in the country. It goes without saying that a country's youth play an extremely important and more..

Dec 13 (DM) At a time when sri lanka is seeking international support for a critical agreement with the IMF, New Zealand says it will support the proposed agreement which will ensure that SL will not only gets funding but also ensures that the reforms programme moves forward. High Commissioner of New Zealand, Michael Appleton said that discouraging support for SL over the human rights issue will be counterproductive. more..

Dec 13 (GV) There have been dark times in Sri Lanka in 2022. Economic anxiety and disruption of existing supply chains for the essential services of food, gasoline, petrol and electricity led to profound distress and disquiet in the country. People still recovering from the terrorism that stalled the country�s progress for decades and then stricken by the Covid outbreak and the shutdowns of the global pandemic have been faced with the cumulative challenges of economic chaos. more..

Dec 13 (Island) SL universities, more often than not, are in the news for the wrong reason. Uni of Peradeniya has grabbed the headlines again. A mob of undergraduates stormed the official residence of former Vice Chancellor, Senior Prof Athula Senaratne, and assaulted him and his son besides inflicting considerable damage on his property, over the weekend. What sparked this bestial violence, according to media reports, was an incident where two motorcycles toppled over when more..

Dec 13 (GV) Diminishing crop yields, high inflation, along with disruptions to global supply chains, and bans on imported items have left SL grappling with serious and worrying levels of food insecurity. For those based in Colombo, the risk of food insecurity is much greater compared to rural areas, considering they bear a higher degree of expenditure on non-food items such as rent and transport, leaving only a little to be spent on food. This, combined with the higher prices of food more..

Dec 13 (FT) SL has recently proposed to set up a group of Eminent Persons with a view to helping galvanise greater political will and to create further int'l awareness among states on the importance of combating terrorist financing, at the recently concluded 3rd No Money For Terror (NMFT) Ministerial Conference in New Delhi. SL�s High Commissioner to India Milinda Moragoda, who led the delegation of SL to the Ministerial Conference made this proposal in his statement more..

Dec 13 (FT) MP Harsha de Silva is calling on the Govt to further revise the Inland Revenue bill on behalf of all professionals and to resolve the intensified brain-drain of late. �Many professionals and associations representing various fields including healthcare, IT, engineering, architects, and professors have written to us asking to cease the proposed tax burden on them, especially considering the economic crisis. Higher taxes as much as 36% more..

Dec 13 (Island) The passage of the budget by a comfortable majority confirms that the govt�s parliamentary majority is holding in the face of adverse circumstances. The ruling party has lost over twenty of its members who no longer follow the party line. But the rest of them appear to be staying together despite the lack of a clear and public leadership. Prof. G L Peiris who gives leadership to one of the breakaway groups has assailed the ruling party members for having betrayed more..

Dec 13 (FT) Think tank Verit� Research has unveiled a new website � AirQuality.lk to underscore the importance of quality air for people and for the economy. �AirQualiity.lk was created with the aim of serving two purposes; to inform the public about the quality of air in a comprehensible manner so that they may take action to protect their health and to help countries develop and assess policies for better air quality,� think tank said. Initiated by Verit� Research, this platform is supported by more..

Dec 13 (Island) St. Joseph�s College, Darley Road and Visakha Vidyalaya, Colombo clinched the overall boys� and girls� titles respectively at the 47th Sri Lanka Schools Swimming Championships concluded at the Sugathadasa Stadium swimming complex in Colombo on Sunday. The Josephians aggregated 613 points to clinch their 17th consecutive title. Their arch-rivals St. Peter�s were in second place with a total of 402 points. Ananda were placed third with a total of 300 points. more..

Dec 13 (ST) Senaka Weeraratna, who is claiming ownership of the widely used Decision Review System (DRS), had written to the ICC Chairman Greg Barclay through Carroll and O�Dea, a Sydney based law firm, requesting the ICC to accept his claim. The letter seeks the acknowledgment of the ownership of the concept of DRS as the basic idea of underlying DRS namely Player Referral was claimed to have been conceived by Weeraratne as far back as 1997 and the elements of more..

Dec 13 (ST) A pall of gloom hangs over Sri Lanka and many people are speculating whether it is caused by dark rain clouds. No, they are not rain clouds but the impact of air pollution conditions, it is learnt. Confirming that it is a haze not mist as mistakenly referred to by many, Research Associate of Verite Research, Ashani Basnayake, explains that two factors are contributory causes for this air pollution. First is meteorological conditions more..

Dec 13 (DN) A 56-run seventh wicket partnership in 4.1 overs between Kandy Falcons pair Chamika Karunaratne and Ashen Bandara went in vain as Galle Gladiators recorded 12 runs thrilling victory in their LPL cricket tournament fixture played at Pallekele yesterday. This was Kandy Falcons� first defeat of the tournament. It was really interesting game as both teams fought back strongly to get a victory but Galle Gladiators led by Kusal Mendis well controlled the game especially after more..

Dec 13 (ST) SL�s rubber industry�s global venture Global Rubber Industries (GRI) has today moved into the green tyre manufacturing sector taking the country into a new market space in line with a growing demand that is seeing only a few taking strides in this area. Sustainability is ingrained in the company and the technology used to ensure greening the tyres is relevant to the company�s future prospects, GRI CEO Mahesha Ranasoma said at the company�s HQ in Colombo. more..

Dec 13 (FT) SJB MP Eran Wickramaratne yesterday called on the Govt to hold Local Govt polls on time without depriving the people of their right to franchise. The MP made these comments at a press conference held in Colombo. The MP noted that the SJB also took steps to adopt a resolution at its party�s annual convention held over the weekend that elections should be held on time as it is the sovereign right of the people. more..

Dec 13 (DM) The driver of the Mercedes car, a 24-year-old businessman Mohammad Ryzul Rizzaq, who was involved in a fatal accident in Kollupitiya on Saturday morning while returning from a night club, had left for Dubai hours after the accident, police said. SSP Nihal Thalduwa said the suspect had reportedly left for Dubai at around 9.55 a.m on Saturday, hours after the fatal accident. Investigations revealed that the suspect has three Mercedes cars under his name in SL more..

Dec 13 (Island) As the whole world is enthralled in football fever with the ongoing FIFA World Cup 2022 Qatar, two schools from Kurunegala and Vavuniya were given an opportunity to watch the FIFA World Cup Japan vs. Costa Rica match live and play a few friendly games amongst each other in an initiative jointly organised by Dialog Axiata and JICA, recently. The girls� and boys� football teams of Saraswathy Vidyalayam in Suntharapuram, Vavuniya and football players of Sputnik Int'l Edu Center more..

Dec 13 (FT) 23rd edition of the annual Journalism Awards for Excellence program culminating with the Awards Night will be held in the Empire Ballroom of the Mount Lavinia Hotel today. The program is organised by The Editors� Guild of SL in partnership with the SL Press Institute and its affiliated unions, Newspaper Society of SL, Free Media Movement and the SL Working Journalists Association. The annual program is to recognise professionalism in journalism; reward those who have excelled. more..

Dec 13 (FT) Colombo stock market yesterday commenced the week on a positive note as retail favourites continued to strengthen over improved sentiment. The active S&P SL20 index gained by 0.1%, and the benchmark ASPI by 0.2% yesterday. Turnover was Rs. 1.63 billion involving 67.5 million shares. On Friday the market closed on a negative due to profit taking after a nine-day winning streak. Foreigners recorded a net outflow of Rs. 6.9 million with Richard Pieris seeing most net selling more..

Dec 13 (TM) Following a meeting held on 9 December between representatives of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and questioning (LGBTQ) community, high-ranking officers of the Police, and representatives of the Ministry of Women, Child Affairs, and Social Empowerment to discuss solutions to the grievances faced by the LGBTQ community, LGBTQ representatives told The Morning that more..

Dec 13 (EN) SL�s central bank has warned against phishing scams where personal data is stolen on the pretext of offering foreign jobs or import parcels. Many Sri Lankans are seeking foreign jobs after a currency collapse following two years of interest rates mis-targeting and import controls have led to friends and relatives sending parcels of food like in the 1970s closed economy era. �In recent times, a rapid increase in the number of complaints filed by aggrieved parties has been observed more..

Dec 13 (CT) Court of Appeal yesterday, fixed 26 Jan 2023 for argument of the Writ application, seeking an order disqualifying State Minister Diana Gamage from holding office as a MP, after the Petitioners moved Court that the case was one of serious urgency. This was when the Writ application filed by Oshala Herath was taken before CA Judges Sobitha Rajakaruna and Dhammika Ganepola. Court also ordered the AG to file documents requested by the Petitioner on the next date. more..

Dec 13 (DM) The 26-year old driver of the Mercedes car, Mohammad Ryzul Rizzaq, who fled the scene after the fatal accident in Kollupitiya on Saturday morning was arrested last night at the Katunayake airport when he returned from Dubai, SSP Nihal Thalduwa said. He said the suspect was arrested at the BIA, since a travel ban was imposed on the suspect. The suspect was handed over to the Kollupitiya Police. The suspect fled to Dubai, a few hours after the Mercedes Benz car more..

Dec 13 (DM) The Election Commission (EC) will issue the gazette notification calling nominations to elect 8,327 members for 24 Municipal Councils, 41 Urban Councils and 276 Pradeshiya Sabhas within 5 working days of the final week of December, its Commissioner General S.G. Punchihewa said today. �The Election Commission after a lengthy discussion last week decided to call nominations for Local Govt polls between 26th � 30th of Dec this year,� Mr. Punchihewa said. more..

Dec 13 (FT) A group of MPs from the opposition have filed two writ petitions before the Supreme Court seeking a court order directing the Election Commission of SL to hold Local Govt elections. One petition was filed by MP Ranjith Maddumabandara, the general secretary of the SJB and MP Prof. G.L Peiris, of the Freedom Peoples Congress, while another petition was filed by opposition MPs Dayasiri Jayasekara, more..

Dec 13 (CT) All Ceylon General Employees� Union declared that they would resist the sale of the East Container Terminal (ECT) to Japan, in the same way that they had fought to free the terminal from Indian control. They also recalled that the former Prez had attempted to sell the ECT, but they had defeated him. In a letter to Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe, the union urged him to change his mind or back off from offering the ECT to Japan, otherwise they would take massive trade union action. more..

Dec 13 (TM) The Colombo Magistrate�s Court yesterday (12) further remanded IUSF Convenor Wasantha Mudalige, who was in remand custody under the PTA, until the Attorney General's (AG's) instructions with regard to granting bail to Mudalige are received today (13). Mudalige was produced before Colombo Additional Magistrate Tharanga Mahawatte yesterday. The Additional Magistrate ordered that Mudalige be further remanded until today, until AG's instructions are received. more..

Dec 13 (TM) Stating that a relationship has been established between the ruling SLPP and UNP, following the SLPP's support to elect UNP Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe as Prez, SLPP General Secretary and MP Sagara Kariyawasam said that the SLPP is ready to work with the UNP in a way that does not harm the policies of the two parties. He said that the SLPP has given all forms of support in Parliament to elect more..

Dec 13 (FT) The now reversed provisions of the 20th Amendment gave the Prez the sole prerogative to appoint persons to critically important positions in the upper levels of the state. It was almost a miracle that these pernicious powers were taken away within two years by the passing of the 21st Amendment by the same Parliament that approved the 20th. But simply passing a law does not undo the damage done by the former Prez�s capricious and partisan appointments. more..

Dec 13 (FT) As a preamble to this year�s Annual Sessions of the SL Economic Association themed Managing Economic Crisis in Sri Lanka, this keynote address elaborates how institutional failures gave rise to the present economic crisis. The ad hoc policy decisions taken by successive govts undermining economic imperatives are a major factor that caused the crisis. This aspect of poor governance manifested by political dominance has not been adequately addressed more..