Sep 1 (CT) SLPP MPs who sat in the Opposition as an Independent Group in Parliament yesterday, will be ousted from any positions held within the party, SLPP MP Rohitha Abeygunawardena said. He added that such MPs became independent a long time ago and were against the Govt, while stating that they have acted against the party policies and will thereby be ousted from their relevant positions in the party. SLPP Chairman Professor. G.L. Peiris and MPs Dullas Alahapperuma, Dilan Perera, Dr. Nalaka Godahewa, more..

Sep 1 (EN) Ministry of agriculture has appointed a committee to determine steps to be taken about US$ 6.9 million the cash-strapped nation was compelled to a pay Chinese fertilizer company last year over a deal that had gone awry. Minister Mahinda Amaraweera told parliament that the committee is headed by the secretary to the ministry and that the AG has also advised on a course of action. Amaraweera said that, so far, efforts to obtain a refund or a consignment of chemical fertilizer more..

Sep 1 (AD) China says it has been always encouraging the IMF and other international financial institutions to continue to play a positive role in supporting SL�s response to current difficulties and efforts to ease debt burden and realize sustainable development. �As a traditional friendly neighbour of SL and a major shareholder of the IMF, China has been always encouraging the IMF and other int'l financial institutions to continue to play a positive role in supporting SL�s response more..

Sep 1 (EN) Sri Lanka stocks gained on Thursday for the third session to end at five-month high after the IMF confirmed a 48-month, $2.9 billion Extended Fund Facility (EFF) for the island nation to come out of the economic crisis, brokers said. The main All Share Price Index (ASPI) shot up 2.02% or 183.49 points to 9,925.81, its highest since March 30. The market generated 4 billion rupees in turnover, higher than this year�s average daily turnover of 3.14 billion rupees. more..

Sep 1 (AD) Former Prez Gotabaya Rajapaksa, who flew to Thailand following an uprising against this administration over SL�s worst-ever economic crisis, is set to return to the country on Saturday (3), according to sources. Rajapaksa fled the country after months-long mass public demonstrations demanding his immediate resignation gained momentum in July after protesters stormed the Prez�s House in Colombo and several other state buildings in the capital. more..

Sep 1 (Island) Air Force Seva Vanitha Unit recently felicitated children of its personnel, who had performed extremely well at the Grade 5 Scholarship Exam at its Headquarters Auditorium with the participation of the Commander of the Air Force, Air Marshal Sudarshana Pathirana, as the Chief Guest. The event was hosted by the Chairperson of the SLAF Seva Vanitha Unit, Mrs. Charmini Pathirana. This is in keeping with the concept of recognising children of SL Air Force personnel and more..

Sep 1 (FT) W15 Collection has announced the launch of its latest property � W15 Lake Gregory in Nuwara Eliya. It is an exquisitely designed space that is an ode to the past and a uniquely luxurious getaway. The W15 Lake Gregory Boutique Bungalow offers guests a magnificent setting to indulge in luxurious tranquillity and privacy while surrounded by idyllic surroundings. Perched on the scenic hills of Nuwara Eliya, W15 Lake Gregory aims to provide individualised service in a sophisticated setting, more..

Sep 1 (EN) A woman was found dead in SJB�s Kegalle district office, police said. The body was found inside a room at the SJB office in Kalugalla Mawatha, Kegalle, Thursday September 1 morning. Police has yet to determine whether the woman was murdered or whether she had taken her own life. The deceased was a 36-year-old employee working at the party office. Sri Lanka has seen an apparent spike in reportings of shootings in recent weeks, with cases reported almost daily in August. more..

Sep 1 (ANI) Enforcement Directorate on Thursday attached three immovable properties belonging to SL nationals worth Rs 33.7 lakh in Thiruvannamalai of Tamil Nadu in connection with a money laundering case. As per the ED, it has attached one bungalow on East Coast Road (ECR) and two agricultural lands which were owned by SL nationals Gunasekaran alias Perama Kumar and his son Dileep alias Thileep. "ED has attached three immovable properties - 1 Bungalow on ECR and 2 Agricultural Lands in Thiruvannamalai District more..

Sep 1 (EN) Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe ought to form a stable administration with the 134 ruling party MPs who elected him rather than pin his hopes on an all-party govt, according to SLPP Namal Rajapaksa. Rajapaksa told reporters that the very parties that had demanded an all-party govt now appear to have abandoned their call. �Rather than approach all 225 members, what Prez Wickremesinghe ought to do now is realise that there are 134 MPs who voted for him more..

Sep 1 (TM) The SriLankan Airlines is awaiting Cabinet of Ministers approval in order to proceed with the decision announced by Aviation Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva to sell a 49% stake in the SriLankan Catering Ltd. and SriLankan Cargo Ground Handling operations. SriLankan Airlines Chairman Ashok Pathirage said that the airline is waiting for the relevant Cabinet decision, and therefore cannot predict a time period for the transition at the moment. more..

Sep 1 (Island) SLMC leader Rauff Hakeem, in Parliament yesterday, called on Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe to ensure that national interest took precedence over the interests of the Rajapaksa family. Participating in the debate on the interim Budget proposals, presented to the House by Prez, the SLMC leader said that the Prez had shown an interest in using cricketing idioms to explain the predicament in the country and the latter�s reactions to the developments of the political process. more..

Sep 1 (AD) On the instructions of Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe, eight task forces consisting of heads of the public and private sectors have been established at the Prez�s Office today in order to create good investment opportunities and secure investors. These task forces were empowered under the leadership of President�s Secretary Mr. Saman Ekanayake. �These task forces are enforced to cover all the procedures regulations and actions implemented by govt agencies that more..

Sep 1 (TM) The National Chamber of Exports (NCE) of Sri Lanka applauded Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe�s stance on making SL�s economy an export-oriented one, at a time when the country is experiencing an economic crisis due to its depleted foreign reserves. NCE President Ravi Jaywardena made this statement on Wednesday (30) during his opening remarks at the press conference held in view of the 30th anniversary of the NCE Annual Export Awards at Jetwing Hotel, Colombo 07. more..

Sep 1 (TM) The corporate website of the Commercial Bank of Ceylon has been recognised as the top Banking and Finance website in the country at BestWeb.lk 2022 competition hosted by the LK Domain Registry. The Bank won the silver award � the highest presented in its category � at the 12th edition of the BestWeb.lk annual awards ceremony held recently at the Cinnamon Grand, Colombo. Commercial Bank was presented the same award in 2020, and won a bronze award at the 2017 BestWeb.lk competition. more..

Sep 1 (DM) Whilst stating that there is nothing wrong in getting assistance from foreign countries and international organizations to provide free meals to school children, the Minister of Education Susil Premajayantha today and he also said the opposition members should come forward to meet foreign diplomats and seek assistance for the nation. Minister Premajayantha was referring to the reports which said he had even begged for assistance from the USA to feed the school children. more..

Sep 1 (Island) A large number of gas stations had been closed despite assurances from the CPC that adequate amounts of fuel would be dispatched, Shantha Silva, joint Secretary, SL Petroleum Private Tanker Owners� Association (SLPPTOA), said. Earlier, Minister Kanchana Wijesekera said that the CPC had rectified distribution lapses that led to queues near gas stations. �The CPSTL will continue to distribute 4,000 tonnes of diesel and 3,000 tonnes of petrol daily. more..

Sep 1 (AD) Reacting to SL�s staff-level agreement with the IMF for a loan of about $2.9 billion, Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe said the agreement is a testimony of the govt�s commitment to carry out the necessary reforms to offer a better life to SL citizens. He said it paves the way for the provision of financial support from the IMF and other development partners that should help the country to address current external imbalances and to restart SL�s growth engine. more..

Sep 1 (CT) A sum of Rs 20 million has been provided to SLPP MP Sanath Nishantha as compensation for his home that was torched on 9 May. The MP stated that he had received the said amount for his losses and the damages caused as he had paid his insurance as a businessman. Nishantha added that as a big-time businessman in the Puttalam District and that having estimated the value of his house and land, a sum of Rs 22 million had been provided to him as compensation. more..

Sep 1 (FT) Digital Marketing Association of SL (DMASL) has partnered with the Ministry of Tourism to provide consultation and insight on digital marketing to promote tourism in Sri Lanka. The partnership aims to assist the Tourism Ministry to revitalise and enhance the tourism industry by maximising its reach and results through digital marketing, which in turn is expected to help alleviate the prevailing forex crisis. The partnership comes as part of the DMASL�s continuous efforts to drive and more..

Sep 1 (DM) 2022 has been the year of cutting back. Cutting back on the little joys life has to offer. For many young people, SL�s severe economic crisis meant that they had to forego casual meet-ups with friends and cut back on their comfort food deliveries. Why? Everything is double the price! Over the last few months, however, one of SL�s traditional ways of packing meals with a banana leaf, better known by its native name Kesel Kole Bath, has been making regular appearances more..

Sep 1 (AD) The Information and Communication Technology Agency (ICTA), announces that Professor Malik Ranasinghe has assumed duties as Chairman, ICTA. Prof Ranasinghe is a Senior Professor in Civil Engineering at the University of Moratuwa (UoM) He is a Chartered Engineer, Int'l Professional Engineer and Fellow of the Institution of Engineers, SL, Fellow of the National Academy of Sciences, SL, Fellow of the Institute of Project Managers, SL and Graduate Member of SL Institute of Directors. more..

Sep 1 (AD) SL�s 2023 Budget needs to be consistent with the economic reforms program and macroeconomic framework under the IMF program, says Peter Breuer, Chief of the Debt Capital Markets Division, Monetary and Capital Market Department. IMF staff and the SL authorities announced this morning that they have reached a staff-level agreement to support the island nation�s economic policies with a 48-month arrangement under the Extended Fund Facility (EFF) of about USD 2.9 billion. more..

Sep 2 (DM) State employees in general need to lift their performance as workers. This is the general thinking of people who visit state establishments to obtain services. The warning that Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe issued, a few days ago, that state workers who supposedly don�t perform should immediately leave the service doesn�t need to come as a surprise. It�s a reminder that Sri Lankans in general need to work harder; regardless of whether they are employed by the state or more..

Sep 2 (DM) The protests that started in mid-March and culminated in the storming of the Prez�s House and Presidential Secretariat on July 9 leading to the subsequent resignation of the president, have been praised by many commentators as a triumph of democracy and a resounding affirmation of the rights of the people. However, there is another perspective that one must consider at least for the sake of argument, namely, that the events in question demonstrate the supplanting of the rule of law more..

Sep 2 (SO) IMF is not the only option but it will carry some positive results because it comes with around three or four billion dollars of financial assistance with a program so that we have a commitment to follow it although we have a history of honouring those IMF programs. There is an improvement in international perception about the Sri Lankan economy and its future. Positive things are coming with the IMF program. more..

Sep 2 (TM) One of the most hackneyed slogans in SL�s politics has been this is the last chance to save the country, but the current Govt is now facing this scenario in very real terms. This last chance is none other than the long-awaited IMF assistance. Yesterday, it was announced that IMF andSL Govt have reached an IMF staff-level agreement, through which SL would receive an EFF of $ 2.9 billion. This agreement is, however, yet to receive approval from the IMF Management and Executive Board. more..

Sep 2 (CT) IMF Staff yesterday approved an extended fund facility (EFF) of US$ 2.9 billion to Sri Lanka. However, IMF�s Senior Mission Chief to SL, Peter Breuer, speaking to the media in Colombo yesterday, warned that to obtain IMF Board approval for its disbursement would be conditional to creditor agreement to restructure Sri Lanka�s debt. IMF has deemed that such debt is unsustainable. The island declared itself bankrupt in April. Currently, China is reluctant to restructure Sri Lanka�s debt. more..

Sep 2 (TM) The impacts of the economic crisis are diverse. It is becoming apparent that they are not confined to mere monetary aspects of the economy and society, but that they can affect the general public in a multitude of ways. The fact that most of these by-products of the economic crisis start to be more visible only when they worsen, is concerning. The impacts of the economic hardships have driven some people to engage in more..

Sep 2 (CT) Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe in the capacity of the Minister of Finance presented the interim budget 2022 to the parliament recently. According to this budget proposals the economic direction of the country would be transformed in the sense the govt would reduce its involvement in economic activities and would focus more on regulation. The govts of SL have, from time to time, changed the economic direction of the country and in some instances, it was a 180-degree more..

Sep 2 (GV) Over the last two months, six unidentified bodies have washed up on the shores of the Western Province creating fear and suspicion of a new trend of targeted violence. The lack of information from the relevant authorities on the status of investigations regarding the cause of death or the identity of the victims has intensified public speculation, especially since this has taken place against the backdrop of a spate of killings and a crackdown on the Aragalaya. more..

Sep 2 (Island) The govt is cock-a-hoop that it has been able to reach a staff-level agreement with the IMF for a 2.9-billion-dollar loan to be released over a period of four years. Something is certainly better than nothing, but SL needs much more to be able to straighten up its ailing economy. Most of all, it has to get its macroeconomic fundamentals right while curtailing waste and corruption. While the govt is crowing about its agreement with the IMF, it is coming under increasing pressure to hold more..

Sep 2 (TM) SL is mired in a profound food crisis, which international scrutiny has tended to reduce to a single cause. But it�s the result of a perfect storm building for years, underpinned by an economic and political crisis. And SL is just the tip of the iceberg � a cautionary tale for other debt-ridden countries. Rajapaksa regime is at the centre of this story � its arrogant mismanagement of the economy, its authoritarian populism, and its overnight fertiliser ban are viewed by many unfamiliar more..

Sep 2 (CI) The sound of the no-ball siren was sweet music in Sri Lanka's ears in Dubai. As soon as Asitha Fernando and Maheesh Theekshana ran two off the third ball of the last over, the TV umpire adjudged that offspinner Mahedi Hasan had overstepped, fatally, for the second time in the match. SL had beaten Bangladesh by two wickets, to advance to the Super 4 stage of the Asia Cup. It sparked huge celebrations in SL dressing more..

Sep 2 (CI) Kusal Mendis was the hero of the run-chase for Sri Lanka with a 37-ball 60, but he could have been dismissed a lot earlier had it not been for huge slice of luck going his way. Mendis had four clear chances, and thanks to ESPNcricinfo's Luck Index, we can quantify the impact of those chances, in terms of the runs they cost Bangladesh. The most expensive of those lives was the first one, which came in the second over of the innings, when Mendis had scored just 2 off 3 balls. more..

Sep 2 (ST) Even under normal circumstances sexual and gender-based violence occurs as there is a connection between them. But in a crisis and in a disaster situation it increases rapidly. When a person suffers from gender- based violence it can be assumed that his or her human rights have been violated, said Dr. Neththanjali Mapitigama -Consultant Community physician. She was speaking at the launch of the Hand book on Gender, Sexual and Gender Based Violence in Disasters more..