Jun 3 (CI) An imperious top-order batting performance from Sidra Ameen and Muneeba Ali, backed up by a four-wicket haul by Fatima Sana, helped Pakistan to another rout of SL by 73 runs, and a wrap of the ODI series with a game to spare. The victory was spearheaded by a sensational 123 by Ameen - her second ODI century - as part of a record 158-run opening stand with Muneeba. Ameen's 150-ball knock was complemented by a more sedate 100-ball 56 from her partner, more..

Jun 3 (AD) Telecom levy will be increased with effect from midnight today (3), Telecommunications Regulatory Commission (TRCSL). Thereby, the tax will go up from 11.25% to 15%, resulting in a hike in call charges as well. TRCSL also stated that the telephone tariffs will move up by approximately 8% due to the increase in the VAT from 8% to 12%. The revenue from the telecom tax dropped to Rs. 13.1 billion in 2022 from Rs. 18.3 billion in 2019 as a result of tax cut introduced on Dec 1, 2019. more..

Jun 3 (NR) Leader of the Opposition Sajith Premadasa says promoting exports in the Information Technology sector is the best method to generate foreign exchange. The Opposition Leader said the government and the country are bankrupt at present. MP Premadasa said the opposition is committed to serving the country even if the govt goes bankrupt. He said IT sector exports at present are still at USD 1 billion adding it must be increased to USD 5 billion. more..

Jun 3 (TM) A group of three Uni Professors including the Acting Vice Chancellor of the Open Uni, have filed a Fundamental Rights (FR) petition before the Supreme Court (SC) over the depletion of SL�s dollar reserves. Accordingly, the petitioners have named Mahinda Rajapaksa, Basil Rajapaksa, PB Jayasundara, Ajith Nivard Cabraal, SR Attygalle, W D Lakshman, the AG and several other Ministers and MPs as respondents. more..

Jun 3 (FT) In a bid to assist needy school children with a mid-day meal during this unprecedented economic crunch compounded by the threat of a food crisis, Rise Up School Meal Program is soon to be launched in 15 selected schools from Ampara, Kegalle and Hambantota Districts. A CSR initiative of Avaaya Research Sri Lanka, Rise Up is also collaborated by Ministry of Education former Secretary Dr. Tara De Mel. Dr. De Mel said that the current unprecedented economic crisis more..

Jun 3 (TM) Against the backdrop of an impending fertiliser crisis over the upcoming Yala season, the private sector of SL has introduced a novel breakthrough organic fertiliser product which has the potential to pull the country out of a fast approaching calamity. GreenMan Natural says its product compares at half the cost of urea based fertilisers, making it an affordable solution to farmers with the promise of delivering the expected yields. The cost to fertilise one acre of land per season more..

Jun 3 (Island) In spite of repeated warnings of impending food shortages issued by Prez Rajapaksa, PM Wickremesinghe, Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena, the incumbent dispensation hadn�t taken tangible measures to provide required fungicide, pesticide, and weedicide, former Governor of Uva, Southern and Central Provinces, Rajith Keerthi Tennakoon said. Civil society activist Tennakoon said more..

Jun 3 (N18) Australia�s cricketers hope to bring some joy to SL, white-ball captain Aaron Finch said on Friday, as the island nation prepares for a seven-week tour while wrestling with an unprecedented economic crisis. The squad arrived Wednesday for their first all-format series against SL in six years, at a time when fuel shortages, rolling blackouts and political turmoil have made life a misery for many. The tour has raised security concerns in the Australian camp after deadly unrest in SL more..

Jun 3 (AD) A special discussion is to be held between the party leaders today regarding the 21st Amendment. It is reported that the discussion is scheduled to take place this evening and that the leaders of all political parties have been invited to attend. Minister of Justice, Prison Affairs and Constitutional Reforms Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe stated that a final agreement will be reached with the leaders of all parties before the 21st Amendment is presented to the Cabinet on Monday. more..

Jun 4 (DM) A common agreement has been developed among all those who are politically conscious, at least for some extent that an immediate economic solution has to be found for the current economic mess that has engulfed the country while the political crisis which is a direct upshot of the economic mess has also to be addressed politically. Also the economic disaster that has befallen the country now has compelled the country including those who detest the IMF more..

Jun 4 (DM) Tomorrow the United Nations marks World Environment Day 2022 and the issues, precepts and principles are so important that we should effectively and actively participate in the battle against climate change. Literally it is a do-or-die crisis because if it is not tackled on a worldwide scale, the generations to come will be forced to breathe poison and suffer the physical and mental consequences. Beautiful and wonderful nature itself will be distorted while the delicate biodiversity more..

Jun 4 (CT) PM Wickremesinghe, from the day he assumed office, has been working overtime to find out ways to address the country�s economic crisis and the imminent food shortage. He has been communicating with the int'l community, including the IMF and other monetary agencies, in this regard as well. It was at this time that Wickremesinghe received a phone call from his British counterpart Boris Johnson. more..

Jun 4 (TM) Minister of Justice Dr. Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe PC, just a week after being sworn into his new role among the latest Cabinet of Ministers, claimed proudly that the Draft Amendment to the Constitution � that is the 21st Amendment to the Constitution Draft Bill � would be presented to the Cabinet on 23 May. The purpose of this, essentially, is to remove the undemocratic powers of the President and return the said powers to a Parliament headed by the PM and the Cabinet. more..

Jun 4 (CT) On Friday, this newspaper reported that State Pharmaceuticals Corporation (SPC) has wasted Rs 644 million on procuring software that doesn�t work. It further said, the contract was granted to a local company, with the software being developed from 2008, and implemented seven years later in 2015. SPC has been paying this local company a monthly maintenance fee of Rs 5 million, even though the software was malfunctioning. Uni of Colombo School of Computing (UCSC) more..

Jun 4 (CT) The lack of fertiliser, fuel compounded with the high cost of living has transformed the Goviya into a Pathal Karuwa, and transformed paddy fields into mining fields. Farmers islandwide have turned to gem mining in their paddy fields to earn dollars to support their families. In Kantale, a group of farmers who are now sick of farming have given serious thought to gem mining instead. However, farmers in Potan Katuwa, more..

Jun 4 (ST) I am not surprised about today�s economic crisis in Sri Lanka, but I am very sad about it. This could have been avoided. I am sad about it, because we had enough time to make corrections and change directions to avoid it; but we didn�t, as our priorities were different. There is something I have learnt about economic crises: Crises build up slowly, but the collapse is instant. I started learning about the crises since the time of the US financial crisis in 2008. more..

Jun 4 (Island) Another suspect has been arrested in connection with the lynching of SLPP MP Amarakeerthi Athukorale during a wave of anti-govt violence, caused by an SLPP goon attack on the Gotago Gama protest at the Galle Face Green on 09 May. Some SLPP politicians have been taken in and remanded over the Galle Face attack. The wheels of justice seem to be turning, at last, albeit at a frustratingly slow pace. However, some action is better than no action at all. more..

Jun 4 (DM) The first part of my article on Ranil�s return was published in the Daily Mirror of May 21st 2022. In that I made a brief reference to the song Que Sera Sera sung by the American singer com actress Doris Day. This was in the context of speculation about Ranil Wickremesinghe�s political future. This is what I wrote then � �However as Doris Day sang in The man who knew too much movie- Que Sera, Sera, Whatever will be, will be. When I wrote those lines I had assumed that more..

Jun 4 (Island) Triple jumper Chamal Kumarasiri will get an opportunity to improve his rankings to qualify for the World Championships when Sri Lanka Athletics field a team of eleven athletes for the 61st Indian National Inter State Senior Championship which commences in Chennai next week. Kumarasiri is currently placed 47th in the Road to Oregon 2022 list which determines the participants for the World Athletics showpiece event, the World Championships which will be held in July. more..

Jun 4 (ST) The monsoon is here and with it comes the spread of influenza (flu). �A slight rise in the cases of influenza has been recorded in May,� says Dr. Jude Jayamaha of MRI. The dominant type doing the rounds in the past three weeks is Influenza A and sub-type H3N2 and to a lesser extent Influenza B, MRI�s National Influenza Laboratory has found. From Jan to May 20, this year, 397 samples have been tested from hospitals all over SL more..

Jun 4 (FT) Daily FT and Int'l Chamber of Commerce SL together with the SL Institute of Directors, Chartered Institute of Management Accountants UK have organised a webinar on Options for Debt Restructuring in SL aired live today from 4 p.m. onwards. This webinar will be broadcast live via the Facebook pages of ICC SL, CIMA, and Daily FT. It will host a number of eminent foreign as well as SL experts who are conversant in the subject of Debt Restructuring which is very relevant to SL more..

Jun 4 (ST) From accidental ingestion of fuel to dehydration and driving after little sleep � experts have highlighted several health concerns arising from shortages of fuel and gas and waiting in long queues. �There are a concerning number of cases of accidental ingestion of fuel (hydrocarbon poisoning) due to people using saline/rubber tubes to suck petrol out from vehicles,� former Head of the Toxicology and National Poisons Information Centre Dr. Waruna Gunatilake said. more..

Jun 4 (FT) SL�s tourist arrivals fell by 52% in May in comparison to April, recording the lowest inflow for the year so far, shattering industry hopes for a robust post-pandemic upturn. The provisional data by SLTDA, shows a total of 30,207 tourists arrived in May, largely due to political and social unrest. With latest data, year-to-date (YTD) tourist arrivals amounted to 378,521 � a development thanks to the relatively peaceful period of more..

Jun 4 (Island) Australia captain Aaron Finch denied suggestions that his team will start as favourites in the three match T-20 series against SL that gets underway next week at RPS. Australia are the reigning World Champions in T-20 cricket while SL are ranked lowly ninth. However, Finch said that the opposition is a dangerous unit since they have match winners like Wanindu Hasaranga. Leg-spinner Hasaranga finished last year as world�s highest wicket taker in T-20 cricket and more..

Jun 4 (Island) Proponents of constitutional economic reforms are struggling to prioritize solutions for the current socio-economic-politico imbroglio. Pohottuwa General Secretary Sagara Kariyawasam has said the economic crisis should be resolved first and then an environment created for constitutional amendments. Prez Rajapaksa banks on the Romesh de Silva Committee for the drafting of a new Constitution. JVP, TNA & SJB have prioritized enhanced wider constitutional reforms. more..

Jun 4 (Roar) �I was born into computers. My mum is an ICT teacher and my dad is a former coder, so I�ve never known a life without technology.� Poornima Meegammana was recognised by Forbes as part of their 30 Under 30 Asia 2022 list of social entrepreneurs for her work on the Nextgen Girls in Technology programme at the Shilpa Sayura Foundation, an organisation that trains and mentors SL youth. Her career as an educator, animator and filmmaker has focused on empowering more..

Jun 4 (TM) Looking back at the year 2021, it could be said without doubt that it has been a year of extraordinary success for the securities market of the country. Let me begin by saying that the All Share Price Index (ASPI) witnessed a significant growth of over 80% in comparison to the year 2020. The growth signified by the ASPI has been the highest growth rate witnessed since 2011. The same could be said about the S&P SL 20 index which indicated a growth rate of over 60%. more..

Jun 4 (Island) Two former ministers, a senior policeman, a prominent monk and several others are involved in clearing Kotiyagala Forest Reserve in Kebilitta illegally. Over 60,000 acres of forest land have already been cleared, environmentalists complain. The forest reserve is located at Siyambalanduwa Pradesheeya sabha in Moneragala and the land cleared in this area is 20 times bigger that the clearings close to more..

Jun 4 (Island) Sri Lanka Ambassador in Beijing Dr. Palitha Kohona has requested the China Asia Economic Development Association Urban Cooperation Committee (CAEDAUCC) to establish Sri Lanka national pavilions, both online and offline, as part of the overall efforts to promote Sri Lanka products. Declaring Sri Lanka should make every effort to increase exports to China, Ambassador Kohona said increase of SL exports to China could help Sri Lanka overcome the current crisis. more..

Jun 4 (Island) The increasing number of educated youth leaving the countr would have the same adverse impact on the country as the deaths of 60,000 educated patriotic youth in 88-89, Secretary of GMOA, Dr. Senal Fernando said. �Because of the carnage of the late 80s, a bunch of corrupt politicians managed to rule the country for decades and we are suffering the consequences. Again, a large number of young people, who were initially optimistic about SL, are leaving in droves. more..

Jun 4 (CT) Over 10 MPs who hold dual citizenship have launched an attempt to defeat the 21st Amendment to the Constitution in Parliament, as it will include clauses that prevent people with dual citizenship from holding parliamentary seats, informed sources said. This group of MPs are from main and minority parties in Parliament. However, election monitoring bodies said, Sri Lanka lacks a mechanism to find out which MP holds dual citizenship, & this helps them go undetected. more..

Jun 4 (FT) �There are no pleasant surprises as business confidence stays on its slippery course, sliding perilously into the unknown � and taking a nation�s hopes along on an unbidden ride,� business magazine LMD reported in its June edition. LMD said: �So there are no surprises as the LMD-NielsenIQ Business Confidence Index (BCI) stays on its slippery course, sliding a perilous 17 basis points to 99 in May from its lowest level this year of 116 in April.� The magazine noted, however, more..

Jun 4 (DN) Justice Minister Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe and PM Ranil Wickremesinghe will meet today to discuss the proposals and views so far submitted to the 21st Amendment by the political parties in Parliament, Mahanayake Theras and Civil Society with a focus to prepare what would be a Constitutional Amendment Bill to whittle down the powers of the Executive President. Sources close to Dr. Rajapakshe and PM Wickremesinghe more..

Jun 4 (DM) Cabinet nod was granted this week to lease two vessels owned by Ceylon Shipping Corporation to Singapore-based Wallem Shipping Pte. during this South Western monsoon period (from June to Sept). Ports, Shipping and Aviation Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva sought the approval of the Cabinet of Ministers to award the contract for operating of Ceylon Breeze and Ceylon Princess vessels under the commercial management methodology to Wallem Shipping Pte Ltd, more..

Jun 4 (EN) State-run SriLankan Airlines� Engineering unit completed a Maintenance, Repair and Operations (MRO) project to Salam Air, the budget airline of Oman, the local carrier said on Friday. �The heavy maintenance C check was performed on a Salam Air A320 neo aircraft at SriLankan Engineering�s dedicated European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) approved A320 hangar, as part of a series of C checks that has been awarded to SriLankan Engineering,� SriLankan said. more..