Jan 23 (EN) SL�s remittances through official channels picked up to US$ 476 million in Dec 2022 up from 353 million dollars a year earlier as parallel market premiums disappeared money printing reduced, while Pakistan is seeing a fall. Pakistan is seeing an external meltdown as foreign reserves are spent and money is printed to stop interbank rates from going up (sterilized forex sales). Severe pressure from liquidity injections which fire domestic credit, imports as well as capital flight more..

Jan 23 (FT) �A slight dip in the rate of inflation fails to inspire businesspeople, as gloom pervades the private sector,� leading business magazine LMD said, in its January edition. NielsenIQ�s Director � Consumer Insights Therica Miyanadeniya noted in LMD: �Year 2022, one of the most controversial and difficult in the history of Sri Lanka, is coming to an end. As one looks back, the country has weathered turbulent times with untold hardships faced by businesses and people alike.� more..

Jan 23 (ST) The Finance Ministry has issued a fresh circular, directing ministries to further slash their budgets by 6%. It was earlier announced that Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe had directed ministries to reduce their budgetary allocations by five percent. The Treasury, however, has now directed this cut to be increased to 6%. The objective of the cut is to save the Treasury Rs. 300 billion annually, a senior Finance Ministry official said. Under the new instructions issued by the Finance Ministry, more..

Jan 23 (Island) Chairman of the Public Utilities Commission of SL (PUCSL), Janaka Ratnayake, said that Parliament couldn�t, under any circumstances, settle the simmering dispute over the power tariffs, proposed by the CEB, outside the PUCSL Act No 35 of 2002 and the SL Electricity Act No 20 of 2009. The outspoken official, embroiled in a running battle with the Wickremesinghe-Rajapaksa govt, said so when sought his response more..

Jan 23 (AD) Legal action is due to be taken against several vendors who were caught selling eggs at a higher price than that which was listed in the recent Gazette notification. Multiple raids were carried out today (22), during which several such vendors were identified. Commenting on the matter, Chairman of the CAA Shantha Niriella noted that regular grocery stores and markets will be fined between Rs. 100,000 and Rs. 500,000, those registered as companies will be fined between Rs 1m & 5m more..

Jan 23 (DM) The IGP has called for a report from the Senior DIG in charge of the Western Province about the actions of Keselwatta Police for filing a B report before Colombo Chief Magistrate's Court against a group of lawyers. The Keselwatta Police filed a B report against a group of lawyers who organised a protest on Jan 18, condemning the Attorney General's alleged interference with the judiciary. According to the B report, Keselwatta police alleged that a group of lawyers including more..

Jan 23 (FT) NPP has organised a National Economic Forum tomorrow at 5:30 p.m. in the Galadari Hotel. Over 500 corporate leaders representing all sectors, including uni academics, researchers and the foreign investors in SL will be attending this forum. NPP will be presenting their economic policy framework at this high-level meeting, and they wish to have an engagement with the entrepreneurs with a view to establish a business friendly production economy in SL. more..

Jan 23 (Island) Kurunegala Mayor, Thushara Sanjeewa Vitharana (SLPP), facing a corruption inquiry, has been removed from office due to his failure to secure approval for the 2023 Budget. The announcement was made by the Office of the North Western Governor Province Governor Admiral of the Fleet Wasantha Karannagoda. A notification from the NWP Governor�s Office quoted Karannagoda as having said that Kurunegala Mayor was deemed to have resigned, with effect from Dec 31,2022. more..

Jan 23 (FT) Public Utilities Commission (PUCSL) Chairman Janaka Ratnayake charged efforts are underway by the Govt to undermine the regulatory body after it rejected the Cabinet stance on the proposed tariff hike by the CEB. 4-member PUCSL at its meeting on 12 Jan took an unanimous decision to reject the Cabinet�s stance & the same was communicated in writing to Cabinet Secy W.M.D.J. Fernando on 13 Jan. more..

Jan 23 (DN) A student of the Thurstan college who was in the bus that was involved in Friday�s accident in Nanu Oya where seven people were killed said that the driver of the bus was driving at high speed while ignoring pleas from the students to reduce speed. �We shouted and pleaded with him to go slow, but he continued to drive at high speed,� he said. The student said as he was in one of the the front rows of the bus and he did not see it colliding with the van and the trishaw, but his friends more..

Jan 23 (DM) PUCSL requested electricity consumers and public and private institutions to take measures to reduce the electricity demand during the exam schedule and not cut off the electricity during the exam period and at night. PUCSL Chairman Janaka Rathnayaka said Examinations Commissioner General had informed the commission to take action not to impose power cuts during the exam period and at night as the candidates would face inconvenience, more..

Jan 23 (TM) The GCE A/L examination, at which a total of 331,709 school and private applicants will be assessed, is scheduled to be held from today to 17 Feb at 2,200 exam centres islandwide. Commissioner General of Examinations Amith Jayasundara said that as of yesterday, question papers sufficient for six days have been issued to all examination co-ordination centres, and that Dept of Police will provide more..

Jan 23 (DM) A meeting of the Constitutional Council will be held next Wednesday at 9.30 am, Chief of Staff and Deputy General Secretary of the Parliament Kushani Rohanadeera said. Meanwhile, the Prez appointed the non-members of Parliament as members of the Constitutional Council based on the nominations submitted by the Speaker with the agreement of Speaker, PM and Leader of the Opposition in Parliament. Accordingly, Dr. Pratap Ramanujam, Dr. Anula Wijesundere, more..

Jan 23 (FT) The Daily FT of 10 Jan published the shared wisdom of 182 academics and activists. This concerned collective included some renowned economists and assorted academics of distinction � International academics speak out on dealing with SL debt. The incisive and fervent perspective of these eminent minds has failed to resonate with the cognoscenti tracking our progress with the IMF. This statement refers to the Odious Debt. The key observation where term appears is as more..

Jan 23 (FT) Postgraduate Institute of Archaeology Don Raj Somadeva of Neth FM Unlimited History fame has released his latest book on SL�s history through archaeological evidence in Sinhala under the title of Yakhshi with the subtitle Connecting the Horizons of History. This is his 17th publication. Somadewa has presented SL�s history as revealed in chronicles and archaeological discoveries in simple language to laymen on Neth FM Radio with Nuwan Liyanage as the radio host. more..

Jan 23 (EN) SL�s shares jumped to more than three-month high on Monday (23), on overall positive sentiment following assurances from India and China on debt restructuring, boosting overall market sentiment, dealers said. ASPI closed at 3.13% or 272.64 points higher at 8,990.94, its highest close since October 14, last year. Shares had seen a broad base pick up after assurances from India and China over the ending of the week, prompting the market to move on green, an analyst said. more..

Jan 23 (TM) The Police has initiated investigations into threats received by the two commission members of the Public Utilities Commission of SL (PUCSL) last Friday, namely PUCSL Deputy Chairman Udeni Wickramasinghe and commission member Mohan Samaranayake. When contacted yesterday, Public Security Minister Tiran Alles said that the PUCSL members had lodged a complaint with the Police with regard to the threats more..

Jan 23 (Xinhua) SL's Biodiversity Secretariat said that 81 of the country's bird species are threatened with extinction. Director of the Biodiversity Secretariat under the Ministry of Environment R.H.M.P. Abeykoon said that Sri Lanka is a biodiversity hotspot with 435 species of birds, and this has been found during a nationwide survey on the Red Data Book of 2022. The birds are faced with the threat of extinction owing to the damage caused to their habitats by humans, she said. more..

Jan 23 (Island) JVP leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake said that many crimes remained unsolved not due to the failure of the police but due to political interference. Addressing a rally, in support of the JVP-led NPP at Maligawatte, Dissanayake said that Sri Lanka had a Police Dept that could solve any crime if it was given a free hand. �Yet, the killings of Lasantha Wickrametunga, Wasim Thajudeen, Rohana Kumara and assaulting of Keith Noyahr remain unsolved crimes. more..

Jan 23 (EN) Upcoming LG polls will definitely be held on March 9 despite alleged govt machinations to delay it and parliament, too, will have to be dissolved to reflect the new mandate, MP G L Peiris said. Prof Peiris, a legal scholar, claimed without citing any polling data that the ruling SLPP commands only about 15% of popular support at present and therefore a defeat at the upcoming local govt polls is all but guaranteed. more..

Jan 23 (TM) Covid-19 related guidelines on tourists entering Sri Lanka would remain unchanged for the time being, despite a rapidly spreading wave of the virus in China, one of SL�s largest tourism markets. SLTDA Chairman Priantha Fernando said that the Covid-19 guidelines would remain the same as those issued by Ministry of Health. �There was a discussion last week among officials of the Ministry of Health and the tourism industry. It was decided that guidelines would remain unchanged,� more..

Jan 23 (SLN) SL Navy apprehended 2 suspects with over 54kg of Kerala cannabis, during separate search operations conducted in Norochcholai and New Town of A'pura on 22nd Jan. A team of Navy Marines attached to SLNS Vijaya searched a suspicious lorry at Pulachchena Junction, Norochcholai on the night of 22nd Jan and apprehended about 45kg and 280g of Kerala cannabis (25 packages) being transferred. The stock of Kerala cannabis, the lorry and more..

Jan 23 (Island) Funeral of 5 members of the same family who died in the Nanu Oya-Radella bus-van collision recently was held with the participation of a large number of mourners, on Saturday at Dik Oya Jumma Mosque Cemetery. Victims were Abdul Rahim (54 � father), A. Aysha (42 � mother), Mohamed Zaim (14 � son), A. Mariyam (11 � daughter) and A. Habeena (7 � daughter). The funerals of the driver of the van and the driver of the 3-wheeler, who are residents of Nanu Oya, more..

Jan 23 (DM) Police have launched an investigation into a massive brawl which erupted at the House of Fashion clothing store in Bambalapitiya yesterday between staff members and a customer. According to the police, the brawl erupted when a customer was unable to move his vehicle out of the parking lot as another vehicle was obstructing it. The customer had complained to the staff and multiple announcements were made in the store for the obstructing vehicle to be moved. more..

Jan 23 (TM) During a meeting held last Friday between Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe and TNA representatives, discussions were held regarding the drafting of a law on the National Land Commission to implement the existing provisions in the Constitution relevant to land powers. TNA Spokesman and MP, M.A. Sumanthiran said that the above topic was discussed at the meeting, in relation to more..

Jan 23 (TM) Over 100 nomination papers submitted by major political parties for the upcoming LG election have been rejected across 15 districts. Nominations submitted by UNP to Haldummulla and Mahiyangana PSs in Badulla have been rejected, while those submitted by the CWC to the Hali-Ela Pradheshiya Sabha were also rejected. Nomination papers submitted by the newly-formed Freedom People�s Alliance under the helicopter logo were also rejected in Galnewa, A'pura, Kantale, more..

Jan 23 (FT) Agriculture rich diversified conglomerate CIC Holdings PLC has delivered a phenomenal performance at the end of the third quarter of the financial year 2022/23 to post the highest ever profit after tax of Rs. 8.3 billion up 158% from a year ago. The group also witnessed its turnover reach a record high of Rs. 52 billion at the end of the third quarter, surpassing the Rs. 41.7 billion achieved at the end of financial year 2021/22. In the third quarter, CIC Group revenue rose by 71.7% more..

Jan 23 (EN) Amid some uncertainty over the timely conduct of SL�s local govt polls scheduled for March 9, the UNP, headed by Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe, maintains that now is not the time for an election. UNP MP Vajira Abeywardena, a long-time Wickremesinghe loyalist, told reporters on Monday that the party is disappointed that an election is being held at a time that is not conducive to the conduct of an election. more..

Jan 23 (AD) The bodies of a young woman and a young man have been found at a tourist hotel in Tangalle. Police suspect that the young couple may have committed suicide by hanging themselves. The deceased have been identified as a young man working in the same hotel and a young woman residing in the Ambalantota area. It is suspected that they may have been involved in a romantic relationship and that the incident was a possible double-suicide. more..

Jan 23 (AD) ICC released the Men�s T20I Team of the Year 2022 and the Women�s T20I Team of the Year 2022, which both include one SL player each. The ICC opened the 2022 awards announcement week by revealing the T20I Team of the Year in both women�s and men�s categories. ICC Men�s T20I Team of the Year and the Women�s T20I Team of the Year recognise the outstanding players who have impressed one and all - be it with the bat, the ball or their all-round exploits during 2022, more..

Jan 23 (CT) Former Finance Minister Ravi Karunanayake said the Govt envisioning earning Rs 100 billion from the PAYE tax is impractical and senseless and asked; �What�s the point of having such tax expectation when people can�t actually pay?� He further said; �Today, a person who starts a small and medium business has to pay 30% interest rate. When they allocate 40% for salaries, having electricity tariff increased by 80%, water tariff increased by 40%, their tax which was 14% more..

Jan 23 (TM) The newly formed Democratic Tamil National Alliance (DTNA), representing the two breakaway parties of the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) � Tamil Eelam Liberation Organisation (TELO) and People�s Liberation Organisation of Tamil Eelam (PLOTE) � would take necessary moves to meet Indian PM Narendra Modi post the Local Govt polls, to hold discussions with regard to a suitable political solution and the implementation of 13th Amendment to the Constitution in Sri Lanka. more..

Jan 23 (DM) The cabinet approval has been granted to carry out the procurement activities related to providing free textbooks to school students for the 2023 new school term, Education Ministry said. 45% of the textbooks will be printed by the State Printing Corporation and 55% will be printed by private printing companies. Accordingly, 22 qualified private printing companies have been given printing orders and signed contracts. more..

Jan 23 (Island) Air quality level in Colombo and other major parts, indicating harmful levels has come down to moderate level since December. NBRO says the air quality dropped countrywide. NBRO Chief Scientist Sarath Premasiri said that the recent increase in the spread of dust particles with the northeastern monsoon might have caused the drop in air quality. Health experts, at the CMC, warned that people suffering from respiratory diseases, children under five years old, more..

Jan 23 (AD) State Minister Ranjith Siyambalapitiya has issued a special announcement regarding the salary payments of public sector employees for the month of January. Accordingly, the monthly salaries of non-executive public sector employees will be paid on Jan 25. Meanwhile, executive-level public sector employees will receive their monthly salary on Jan 25 or Jan 26. At its meeting last week, Cabinet green-lighted a proposal to pay the monthly salaries of non-executive govt employees on more..