Feb 28 (Island) A 17-member SL Test squad left for NZ Sunday night for a six-week long multi format tour that includes 3 Tests, 3 ODIs and 3 T20Is. There�s a lot at stake during the tour and much has been done to help the team get acclimatized to the conditions but the cold, wind and the moving ball will be quite a challenge to the Sri Lankans. Tourists will arrive in south island of NZ and will be based there for ten days before more..

Feb 28 (DM) A new alliance will be formed with the priority of the UNP and SJB members in 2-3 weeks, Minister Harin Fernando said. He said Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe or himself did not want to split the SJB. "When I first joined the govt, I had the opportunity to bring many members from the SJB, but Mr. Wickremesinghe told me not to. However, when I recently met him in Hikkaduwa, I told him that it is time to give an opportunity to the members who want to crossover from the SJB," he said. more..

Feb 28 (TM) Minister Harin Fernando anticipates that following the opening of China's borders, the number of Chinese tourists who arrive in the country would generate revenue equivalent to the sum of the expected Extended Fund Facility (EFF) that is to be granted by the IMF. �When China opens its borders in the month of April, if 500,000 tourists arrive in Sri Lanka at a $ 5, 000 revenue generated per tourist, the sum would be equivalent to the amount that is to be granted by the IMF,� said Minister more..

Feb 28 (DN) Former SL all-rounder Farveez Maharoof has withdrawn from the Constitutional Committee appointed to create a new constitution for Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC). Last week, Sports Minister Roshan Ranasinghe appointed a 10-member committee to submit a draft of the proposed new constitution for Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC). The committee comprised of Dr. Duminda Hulangamuwa, Dr. Ariththa Wickramanayake, Harsha Amarasekera PC, more..

Feb 28 (FT) Uber, one of SL�s leading ridesharing apps, yesterday announced a pilot with Sling Mobility, a global provider of platform as a service (PaaS) for building a smart EV ecosystem. As part of this pilot, Uber will on-board an electric two-wheeler fleet that is run and operated by Sling Mobility on its platform. Sling will also offer easy financial solutions including a unique battery subscription model to reduce the EV adoption cost for existing and new driver partners on the Uber platform. more..

Feb 28 (FT) To support SL amid an ongoing economic crisis, International Finance Corporation (IFC) is providing a cross-currency swap facility to three of the country�s leading national banks that deal with over 30% of SL�s remittances and exports. It will support the private sector with critical financing, contributing to the country�s urgent need to stabilise the economy. SL has been facing its worst economic crisis in decades. more..

Feb 28 (Island) Executive Director of Institute for Democratic Reforms and Electoral Studies Manjula Gajanayake says that with the postponement of the LG elections, all 3 types of local authorities will be under administrators appointed by the govt after 20 Mar 2023, when the one-year extension of term declared by Minister of PCs and LG would expire. The law does not permit the Minister to extend the term limit of the local authorities any further and all local authorities would be deemed dissolved more..

Feb 28 (ST) Supreme Court on Friday unanimously refused leave to proceed, and dismissed the fundamental rights applications filed on behalf of 10 petitioners against their arrest by Police during the protest at the entrance to Parliament on May 4, 2022. The applications were taken up for consideration before a three-judge bench headed by Chief Justice Jayantha Jayasuriya, PC, comprising Justices Shiran Gooneratne and Janak De Silva. The matter was resumed from previous day more..

Feb 28 (EN) Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe has made ports and airports essential services ahead of a planned strike against progressive taxes planned by a number of trade unions. According to a gazette notice following services were made essential 1. Public transports services for passengers or goods. 2. the discharge, carriage, landing, storage, delivery and removal of articles of food or drink, or of coal, oil or fuel from vessels within any port as defined for the purposes of the Customs Ordinance more..

Feb 28 (TM) Nearly 15 trade unions representing the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) protested in front of the CEB Head Office yesterday (27) against the restructuring and privatisation of the CEB, the unfair increase in electricity tariffs, and the newly imposed taxes, among several other issues. Speaking to the media during the protest, the CEB Billing Officers� Union Chairman Priyantha Wickramasinghe said that CEB employees islandwide were in protest against the same. more..

Feb 28 (TM) Police stated yesterday that the CID is yet to commence investigations into former Army Commander and incumbent Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) Gen. Shavendra Silva as recommended by the committee led by former Navy Commander Admiral of the Fleet Wasantha Karannagoda, which was appointed to look into any lapses by the State Intelligence, Police, and armed forces during mass anti-govt protests more..

Feb 28 (DM) UNP Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe had proposed to wind up the party following its humiliating loss at the last elections, former Minister Navin Dissanayake revealed. He said that Wickremesinghe had several discussions with party seniors and questioned the relevance of the UNP after it lost the elections. However, some UNP members wanted the party to continue, especially since some UNP supporters did not vote at the last General Election. more..

Feb 28 (FT) Disgruntled electricity users representing various industries called on the Govt to consider extending concessions to the low-income generating groups who are battered severely by the ongoing economic crisis. All Island Small Industries Association National Organiser Niluka Kumara said daily activities of the small industries are severely impacted by the 66% electricity hike approved by PUCSL. �CEB is now sending the bill along with the red notice. Our members cannot pay more..

Feb 28 (TM) Although the Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardana yesterday pointed out that there are no legal provisions for him to intervene in releasing funds for the LG poll as requested by the Election Commission (EC) in writing last week, he however, stated that the matter should be decided by the party leaders. When queried as to what steps he would take to release the funds to hold the LG poll as requested more..

Feb 28 (FT) If not for the Aragalaya of March 2022, which continued for nearly four months until it was forcibly ended by the current Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe (RW) after pretending to support it, none of the political changes, such as the resignation of the then PM Mahinda Rajapaksa, the appointment of RW as replacement, eviction and short-term exile of Prez Gotabaya Rajapaksa, and the final elevation of RW himself to presidency, would have taken place. more..

Feb 28 (FT) Any tampering with or obstructing elections for people�s representations both technically and politically means, suppressing democracy. In SL, and may be in most countries like SL, how democracy is defined in terms of elections and how the two are socially endorsed, nevertheless is quite ambiguous. BASL issued a very terse statement on 18 Feb (2023) based on the assumption that attempts to delay LG elections scheduled for 9 March is an attempt by more..

Feb 28 (DM) Emergency Operation Center of the DMC today announced that the air quality index (AQI) level concerning PM2.5 indicates an unhealthy level for sensitive groups at Jaffna, Kurunegala, Kandy, and Hambantota and a moderate level in other cities. According to US Air Quality Index (US AQI), DMC said the particulate matter (dust) level in Jaffna was recorded at 126, 103 in Kurunegala, 111 in Kandy, and 106 in Hambantota. AQI concerning PM2.5 for the past 24 hours indicates more..

Feb 28 (AD) SL Police have refuted recent claims that the CID has commenced a probe into an alleged assassination attempt on the Prez. Police stated that earlier today, the website of a renowned radio station posted an article about the CID launching an investigation into a conspiracy to assassinate Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe, based on information they had received in this regard. Issuing a statement on the matter, however, the Police confirmed that no such information more..

Feb 28 (TM) While denying that he had any deals with the Govt or Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe to take up the Chairmanship of the Committee on Public Finance (COPF), SJB MP Mayantha Dissanayake stated yesterday that he had decided to resign from the post. Dissanayake further stated: �I did not have any deals with the Govt or speak to the President to take up the COPF Chairmanship. I accepted this position to reach a consensus more..

Feb 28 (Island) Sri Lankans have been facing a series of traumatic events since 2019, and they have had a serious impact on their mental health, Dr. Kanthi Hettigoda, chartered clinical psychologist says. Asked whether the economic crisis can trigger trauma in individuals, Dr. Hettigoda said that it could occur, depending on their personality as well as the extent of the impact. �Trauma can occur if someone experiences unexpected and significant changes. These changes can be those that affect more..

Feb 28 (AD) A five-member ministerial committee has been appointed to expedite investigations into the goods detained by the SL Customs. The committee was appointed on the President�s instructions, in consideration of the fact that owing to the prolonged investigative procedures by the Customs, the goods detained end up damaged or perished, ultimately effecting the country�s already loss-struck economy adversely. Accordingly the committee will be required to study more..

Feb 28 (EN) Cabinet has given the permission to apply for membership in two International Conventions for Nuclear damage, as the island nation explores possibilities of using nuclear power for Energy generation, Minister Bandula Gunawardana said. �This is a revolutionary change for SL that is needed for a system change," he said. SL is seeking to increase and diversify its power production capacity and is looking at nuclear more..

Feb 28 (AD) Court of Appeal today issued a writ order stating that the charges filed by the Attorney General against former Finance Minister Ravi Karunanayake under the Public Property Act cannot be sustained. The order was issued by an Appellate Court bench comprising of Justices Sobhitha Rajakaruna and Dhammika Ganepola, upon examining the petition filed by the former Minister. Karunanayake was charged with defrauding over Rs. 50 billion during two Treasury Bond more..

Feb 28 (FT) Norfund, Norwegian Govt�s investment fund, with a mission to support sustainably driven business operations in developing countries, recently signed a $ 14 million financing agreement with Hela Apparel Holdings PLC to bolster the development of its manufacturing operations in East Africa. NDB Investment Bank acted as the Financial Advisor for the transaction. The official announcement was made in the presence of Norwegian Ambassador to Kenya more..

Feb 28 (EN) Stocks fell for the second sessions on Tuesday as more selling pressure comes in with the market anticipating a rate cut in the coming monetary policy on Thursday, brokers said. �The market is also waiting for more clarity on the IMF extended loan facility� an analyst said. ASPI fell 0.11%, or 10.15 points, to reach 9,188.48. The loan from the IMF was originally expected in December of last year, but it is now expected in the second quarter. As creditors of the island nation, more..

Feb 28 (EN) Sri Lanka plans to invite private investors to start a public transport service with battery driven buses, Transportation Minister Bandula Gunawardana said. Pilot projects are planned in Colombo and Gampaha districts initially. �Any local or foreign investors can join with this,� Gunawardana said. The bus services will be run as public private partnerships (PPPs) with state-run SLTB, he said. �We invite anyone who is interested to come and join with us in this project,� more..

Feb 28 (EN) Questions are being raised over the practices followed at some tourism oriented turtle hatcheries in Sri Lanka with competition intensifying and egg prices also soaring as the country faces the worst currency crisis in the history of its central bank. The number of hatcheries has considerably increased over last two decades from three in 2000 to close to 50 by 2023 mainly targeting tourism, industry officials say. more..

Feb 28 (AD) Leader of JVP Anura Kumara Dissanayake has pledged to do everything in his capacity on behalf of Nimal Amarasiri, NPP candidate from Nivithigala who died following the protests held on Sunday. Commenting on the force used by the Police against the protesters, Dissanayake accused the govt of inciting violence and turning the event into one of conflict. �If the Police did not launch such an attack, this would not have happened. more..

Feb 28 (IT) The cadres of Pro-Tamil group, May 17 Movement, held a protest against the recent attack on Tamil fishermen and attempted a siege on the SL High Commission. In a span of two weeks, two fishermen party from Tharangampadi and Karaikkal were brutally attacked by Sri Lankans who boarded the boat illegally. The perpetrators attacked the fishermen with metal pipes and robbed them of their GPS equipment, fishing nets and even their catch. Murugan, the owner of a boat, more..

Feb 28 (PMD) Representatives from the World Bank stated that the World Bank will continue to support SL�s development reforms program. They stated that the World Bank will provide technical assistance in the drafting of laws for development policy operations, as well as work to provide additional guidance and support regarding the use of international media and welfare benefits. The delegation including the Vice President more..

Feb 28 (AD) Earnings from merchandise exports declined by 11.3% to USD 978 in January 2023, as opposed to those recorded in January 2022. Meanwhile, the deficit in the merchandise trade account narrowed to USD 410 million in January 2023 from USD 857 million recorded in January 2022, the Central Bank of Sri Lanka (CBSL) reported. However, the merchandise trade deficit in January 2023 widened, compared to the deficit of USD 358 million recorded in December 2022. more..

Feb 28 (CT) CFA Society SL announced the selection of the top four teams for the local finals of the CFA Institute Research Challenge competition. Following an extensive grading process, CFA Society SL said it is pleased to announce that teams from Uni of Kelaniya, Uni of Sri J'pura, and two teams from Uni of Colombo have qualified for the local finals, scheduled for 27 Feb 2023. Each university team consisting of five students, will present their analysis and more..

Feb 28 (DM) The automatic qualifiers for the ICC Women�s T20 World Cup 2024 have been identified after the end of the eighth edition of the tournament that saw Australia win their sixth title at Newlands in Cape Town on Sunday, with Sri Lanka and Ireland failing to get direct qualification for the tournament. Eight teams earn a direct qualification while the remaining two spots are to be identified through a global qualifier, as per the International Cricket Council (ICC). more..

Feb 28 (DM) Civil Society Activist Chirantha Amarasinghe has been arrested by police today evening near the State Intellgence Service Head Quarters in Colombo. Chirantha Amarasinghe's lawyer confirmed that his client was arrested whilst attempting to submit a Right to Information Request concerning a report issued about him. The sources said Amarasinghe has has been thereafter taken to the Cinnamon Gardens Police Station and he is held in Police Custody on unspecified Charges. more..

Feb 28 (DM) In a landmark judgment pertaining to the scope of the Right to Information Act, the Court of Appeal today held that provisions of the RTI Act are also applicable to the MPs in respect of the Declaration of Assets & Liabilities Law. Court of Appeal held that RTI Act should prevail over the provisions of the Declaration of Assets and Liabilities Law, enabling people to know the names of the MPs who have tendered their declaration of assets more..