Sep 25 (SO) Minister Ali Sabry said, �We are realistic about our chances at the UNHRC vote on Oct 7 but whether we win or lose we cannot agree on something which is imposed on us from outside that will violate our Constitution. Minister who is in New York to attend the 77th session of the UNGA said that irrespective of the results of the vote on the draft resolution, we will tell them the so-called evidence gathering mechanism on SL more..

Sep 25 (Island) SL is still living with the consequences of Gotabaya Rajapaksa�s presidency, partly because his govt has not left and partly because resistance to it, though repressed, is still alive. Under Ranil Wickremesinghe the State has asserted its will and imposed it on those who disagree with it. It has arrested protesters without as much as a blink of an eye from those who walked to Gotagogama. Today their (mostly middle-class) supporters have relapsed into silence, more..

Sep 25 (Island) Though Basil Rajapaksa, Mahinda Rajapaksa and Gotabaya Rajapaksa have resigned in that order, the Rajapaksa clan on the back of which much of SL�s present woes are laid, remains alive and kicking and is very much a part of the country�s political equation. When then PM Ranil Wickremesinghe appointed his first cabinet following GR�s stunning elevation of a one man show as the head of his govt, there were no Rajapaksas in the new line up with several old faces dropped. more..

Sep 25 (ST) A National Council (NC) with a key responsibility of guiding short, medium, and long-term national policies and representing all recognised political parties in Parliament was passed this week without a vote. Opposition parties though, were critical that the govt had diluted the NC and that its original purpose has been lost. PM Dinesh Gunawardena presented the motion to Parliament on Tuesday, noting that it was being presented after reaching agreement with more..

Sep 25 (Island) There�s a feeling that the national cricket team has turned things around in white ball cricket after some humiliating experiences in the last seven years where there were whitewashes in plenty and failure to earn automatic qualifications for ICC events. SL�s come from behind win in the Asia Cup in UAE is definite indication that the team has certainly made a leap forward. A few people were quick to take credit for the team�s success. As they say, victory has thousand fathers but defeat more..

Sep 25 (ST) The appointment of 39 state ministers has been questioned by many as the cost of maintaining them has turned out to be an issue while the country continues its efforts to come out from an economic crisis. It is up to the state ministers themselves also to efficiently manage the available resources. However, that seems to be not the case among the state ministries coming under purview of Minister Bandula Gunawardena. more..

Sep 25 (Island) At the informal consultations held on Sept 16, it is reported that the got had objected strongly to the Resolution now being drafted on SL in Geneva, while however, proposing amendments to dilute it. This latter move indicates that its reading of the balance of support at the Council is that the resolution could be adopted at a vote, despite GoSL�s rigorous objections. The draft resolution now in the public domain includes many references to SL�s on-going economic crisis and more..

Sep 25 (ST) SL�s World Cup squad will travel to Kandy today to begin a four-day residential training camp on Monday at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium in preparation for the ICC T20 World Cup in Australia next month. The newly crowned Asia Cup champions will leave to Australia on Sunday (2), two weeks before their opening World Cup first round fixture against Namibia on Oct 16. Sri Lanka will use the two-week period to acclimatise to the fast and bouncy conditions more..

Sep 25 (ST) Even though the Football Federation of SL (FFSL) have set a date for its elective AGM, Sports Ministry says former�s decision is null and void as the term of office of current members lapsed on Sept 15. FFSL held a Special General Meeting (SGM) on Thursday at a hotel in Wattala, with the presence of three foreign delegates. However, a Special Gazette Notification issued on Sept 17 has now made more..

Sep 28 (TM) The Ministry of Tourism has offered Sri Lanka as an alternative destination to accommodate football fans visiting Qatar for the 2022 FIFA World Cup, considering the extended gap between games, the lack of adequate lodging facilities in Qatar, and the strict restrictions on alcohol. Tourism Minister Harin Fernando revealed this on Tuesday (20) at the public launch of the Save the Sri Lankan Smile white-label tourism promotional campaign at the Ramada Hotel. more..

Sep 25 (SO) Dunith Wellalage of St. Joseph�s College, Colombo and Chushadi Kaushalya of Dharmapala College Pannipitiya emerged Observer SLT Mobitel Most Popular School Cricketers of the Year 2022. When the voting for the most popular contests concluded last week, Wellalage and Kaushalya headed the respective Observer SLT Mobitel Most Popular Schoolboy and Schoolgirl Cricketers of the Year 2022 with convincing margins. SL U-19 skipper Wellalage polled 44,564 more..

Sep 25 (EN) International Finance Corporation (IFC), a member of the World Bank group and Sri Lankam conglomerate Hemas Holdings have partnered to provide an affordable and quality health-care through digital technology supported by local management consultancy, L.E.K Consulting, the IFC said in a statement. �Sri Lanka will be the first country to benefit from an IFC global initiative designed to boost access to affordable and quality health-care,� the IFC said in a statement. more..

Sep 25 (TM) Indian companies are interested in investing in SL wind energy projects in the country�s northwestern region, Deputy High Commissioner of India to SL Vinod K. Jacob reveals. Deputy High Commissioner made this revelation at the strategic forum titled SL�s Turnaround Strategies and the Role of the Int'l Community organised by the Postgraduate Institute of Management Alumni (PIMA) on 20 September 2022. Although he noted that there were several Indian companies more..

Sep 28 (TM) With the cancellation of the recently-awarded tender to purchase coal on credit, uncertainty looms over the securing of sufficient coal stocks to run the Lakvijaya Coal Power Plant in Norochcholai. From the end of next October, Govt will need to source at least $ 100 million to make payments for five expedited coal shipments which were listed under a long-term procurement plan in 2021; scheduled to commence from Dec2022 more..

Sep 25 (ST) When young Vijitha from the outback of Mullativu returned to the island having clinched gold at a Mixed Boxing Championship in India, it was left for a few villagers to fete the lass and welcome her home. Even the much heralded Boxing Association seems to have missed out on the recognition she was due. There will of course be myriad reasons why this could not be. Such is the reality of our lives and even in the firmament of sports, glory is as selective as a dream come true. more..

Sep 25 (EN) Prez Wickremesinghe has written to the Buddhist leaders to go for solar panels to cut down the electricity cost amid protests by some religious leaders over the govt�s tariff hike. In his response to the letter by the chief prelates of Malwathu, Asgiri, Amarapura & Ramanya Chapters said the panels could be provided to religious places at cost or with the required funds to import. SL is in an unprecedented economic crisis and forced to cut down all the subsidies given in the past. more..

Sep 25 (ST) SL companies are taking their A game to other countries � partly because they are good at it and mostly to mitigate the macroeconomic risks in Sri Lanka. A top investment banker said that companies are progressively seeing risks in operating in SL. He pointed out that restrictions in importing raw materials, power cuts, and the exchange rate crisis have pushed more and more companies into eyeing overseas markets. �This is especially true for manufacturing companies. more..

Sep 25 (ST) The apparel industry is facing a 15-20 per cent drop in orders and revenue this season as a result of the economic downturn in its main exporting markets and with a possible outbreak of a war the future remains bleak. Joint Apparel Association Forum (JAAF) Spokesman Yohan Lawrence said that they expect a 15-20% loss in revenue as orders too have dropped by that same amount for this season. This will be a significant drop for the SL apparel industry more..

Sep 25 (EN) Sri Lanka govt and govt guaranteed domestic currency debt broadly considered in debt review has shrunk by a US$ 19.6 billion equivalent as the economy inflated in the worst currency crisis in the history of the island�s intermediate regime central bank. Sri Lanka�s central govt rupee debt fell to the equivalent of US$ 32.4 billion from US$ 50.5 billion, a phenomenon labelled High Inflation and Financial Repression (IFR). more..

Sep 25 (ST) Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe is to discuss the revival of the Light Railway Transit project and 12 other Japanese-funded projects shelved or abandoned by the Gotabaya Rajapaksa Govt. He will do so during his forthcoming visit to Japan to take part in the state funeral of former PM Shinzo Abe on Tuesday when he calls on the incumbent Premier Fumio Kishida, relevant Cabinet Ministers, Prez of the JICA and representatives of the private sector. more..

Sep 25 (EN) SL will open the second phase of the Hambantota Ridiyagama Safari Park next month, expecting it to attract more tourists with the start of winter tourism season which brings more high spending foreign visitors to Sri Lanka. Minister Mahinda Amaraweera in a statement said that the National Zoology Dept hopes to open the second phase of the park on Oct 4, 2022. The new section of the park will consist of three sectors including a wilderness for its small herbivore animals more..

Sep 25 (EN) Sri Lanka police arrested 84 people including three monks and four women on Saturday in capital Colombo for what law implementing body said was illegal and without any permission a day after Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe declared several war-time high security zones in Colombo. Saturday�s protest by Socialist Youth Union, a youth movement of Marxists JVP was not held within a high security and the police fired tear gas and water cannons before the arrests. more..

Sep 28 (DM) Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi met with Minister Ali Sabry on the sidelines of the general debate of the UNGA 77 in New York on Sept 23. Wang Yi said that China and SL established the relations of strategic partnership of cooperation, and the two countries have always shared weal and woe and treated each other with all sincerity. This year marks the 65th anniversary of the establishment of China-SL diplomatic relations and the 70th anniversary of the signing of more..

Sep 25 (AD) The Bar Association of Sri Lanka (BASL) has expressed deep concerns at President Ranil Wickremesinghe�s move to declare certain areas in Colombo District as high-security zones. Prez, in his capacity as the Minister of Defence, declared parts of Colombo District as high-security zones in a Gazette Extraordinary published on Friday (23) under Section 2 of the Official Secrets Act, No. 32 of 1955. more..

Sep 28 (SO) Presidential Secretariat has seized a luxury Land Cruiser used by A'pura District Pohottuwa MP K.P.S. Kumarasiri without returning it to the Secretariat. Kalutara District MP Lalith Ellawala too as failed to return the vehicle Toyota Hilux cab according to Secretariat sources. They said they were considering legal action against them who had failed to return their vehicles. They said they were considering legal action against him and another MP who had failed to return a Toyota more..

Sep 28 (DM) The 92nd National Day of Saudi Arabia was celebrated in Colombo yesterday (23). Minister at the Embassy, Abdulelah Orkobi joined Saudi Arabia�s newly appointed Ambassador to SL Khalid Hamoud Nasser Aldasan Al-Kahtani in receiving the galaxy of guests from the diplomatic corps, Cabinet, Parliament, SL business community, clergy, public and private sectors. The reception was launched with the singing of the national anthems of the Kingdom and SL followed by the traditional more..

Sep 28 (ST) The tendency to spring Friday night surprises on unsuspecting people became a hallmark of Maithripala Sirisena while he was President. The most famous or rather, infamous, such example was the move to sack PM Ranil Wickremesinghe and install Mahinda Rajapaksa in his place on Oct 26, 2018. This Friday (23), Prez Wickremesinghe chose to spring his own surprise by issuing an extraordinary gazette more..

Sep 26 (ST) Whatever the motivations for the Ranil Wickremesinghe Presidency to drag the Official Secrets Act (1955) out of cold storage and employ its provisions to declare certain places as High Security Zones, that decision is both foolish and counter productive. The Wickremesinghe Presidency may, perchance be the first executive Office to use this long discarded law in peacetime Sri Lanka. The message that this conveys is deeply unwise. For the nation�s indefatigable protestors, more..

Sep 26 (DM) It was around 9.45; the morning sun shone brightly in Colombo on Sept 25, 1959. Residents in the vicinity focused their attention in the direction of Tintagel at 65, Rosemead Place, in the heart of the most fashionable residential quarter of the city known as Cinnamon Gardens [CG], from where the report of a few rounds of firearm was heard. Tintagel was the private residence of PM, SWRD Bandaranaike [1956-59], the aristocrat anglophile-turned nationalist. more..

Sep 26 (SO) The UNP, the second oldest democratic political party founded by its leader D.S. Senanayake in 1946, celebrated its 76th anniversary recently with a lot of glamour at the Sugathadasa Stadium presided over by Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe and attended by a huge gathering of party supporters from all corners of the country. UNP had produced 7 PMs and 4 Executive Prez since Independence including incumbent more..

Sep 26 (DM) In our country unfortunately, ragging has morphed from its earliest days as a form of a little fun, to bullying, to extreme levels of violence and even sexual abuse. More unfortunately, it has also taken a malignant form where new entrants are subject to psychological and physical torture as well. Just a few days ago (Sept 4), students of the faculty of Arts at the University of Peradeniya -belonging to a student union subservient to a particular political party - surrounded and more..

Sep 26 (CT) Legal Bills have most constantly been slow in SL history due to several reasons, including the legal draftsman department or due to other procedural mishaps. This has resulted in the delay of passing and implementing some crucial laws. One such bill that has been held up is the Animal Welfare Bill, which has become crucial over the years considering the continued cases of animal abuse reported in SL. The Cabinet approved the proposal put forward by the former Minister more..

Sep 26 (GV) Sri Lanka, unravelled and unravelling, is mesmerised by a new wonder: the Lotus Tower. When that monumental symbol of Rajapaksa folly was opened to the public last week, people thronged to pay the entrance fee, ride to the top and gaze down. A monk enthused that he felt close to the highest of Buddhist heavens. Women thanked Mahinda Rajapaksa for enabling them to have this wondrous experience. more..

Sep 26 (CT) According to the recently appointed State Minister Diana Gamage, SL is avoiding a golden ticket to lift the collapsed economy just by being stuck in a namesake culture that was influenced by British Oppressors centuries ago just to promote and develop their products such as Tobacco and Alcohol. Gamage assures cannabis cultivation and export could be a money spinner given the growing global market for the weed. Further, that it can also be used in Ayurvedic more..

Sep 26 (TM) The news that Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe, in his capacity as Minister of Defence, declared a number of areas in Colombo as high security zones under Section 2 of the Official Secrets Act No. 32 of 1955 came as a shock to the country. To make matters worse, with this announcement came a number of conditions for various activities in these zones, including public gatherings. Many questioned the necessity of Prez�s decision and also the intentions behind it, more..