Jun 2 (CI) A superb innings of 174 by Nottinghamshire's Freddie McCann put England Men U19s on course for a stirring 30-run victory against Sri Lanka at Hove to level the three-match ODI series at 1-1. In the first match, at Chelmsford on Friday, SL won by 65 runs. After a measured start, the left-handed McCann cut loose in the second half of his innings to present SL with a formidable total. And when Pulindu Perera and Gayana Weerasinghe put SL well ahead of more..

Jun 2 (DN) Dasun Shanaka (46) and Angelo Mathews (37) used their maximum effort during newly introduced super blast two overs by adding 44 runs as Kandy Falcons recorded 6 wickets win with 16 balls to spare against Dambulla Sixes in the opening game of the Lanka Premier League (LPL) cricket tournament played at Pallekele International Cricket Stadium yesterday. Kandy Falcons chasing a target of 180 opener Dinesh Chandimal made good start scoring 40-ball 65 with 6 fours & 3 sixes more..

Jun 2 (TM) South Asia�s fastest man Yupun Abeykoon and 400m sprinter Aruna Darshana will be locked in a wildcard duel to see which one of them books their ticket to the 2024 Paris Olympics, President of SLA Palitha Fernando said. He said Abeykoon is still on the fence with regard to booking his berth at the Summer Games, as another elite local athlete 400m sprinter Aruna Darshana is also in the fray, as both of them had failed to gain direct qualification more..

Jun 2 (FT) Colombo Dockyard PLC (CDPLC) made history on 28 June by achieving three important milestones in shipbuilding on the same day, in the construction of 5000DWT Eco Bulk Carriers for Misje Eco Bulk AS Norway. On this historic day, CDPLC laid the keel marking the commencement of construction of the 8th vessel, launched the 6th vessel, and delivered the 5th vessel of the Eco Bulk series, demonstrating its resilience and commitment to excellence despite economic & more..

Jun 2 (FT) SL Animal Production Association Prez Ajith Gunasekara called on the Govt to reconsider the imposition of 20.5% taxes on eggs, a perishable item, to address the escalating food prices in the country. He highlighted that the 18% VAT and 2.5% Social Security Levy have led to a significant increase in egg prices. �Currently, supermarket eggs are priced between Rs. 64-68, while loose eggs are sold at Rs. 55 each. A 10-pack egg carton now ranges from Rs 643-667, depending on size� more..

Jun 2 (TM) As per the Election Commission's (EC) directions, District Deputy and Assistant Election Commissioners have commenced preliminary tasks for the upcoming Presz Election, including conducting censuses on the Govt officials and vehicles needed for the Election, and gathering information about polling stations. With the Prez Election scheduled in a few months, many parties have directed more..

Jun 2 (DM) In a step closer to the introduction of Starlink satellite internet service in Sri Lanka, the Committee on Public Finance has approved SL Telecom (Amendment) Bill subjected to amendments to ensure consumers are ensured the benefits from advanced telecommunication technology. The current law is amended in this manner for the first time in 28 years, providing for the regulation of the industry in keeping with advanced technology. State Minister Kanaka Herath said this bill, more..

Jun 2 (FT) Air India, the national carrier of India, yesterday commenced operations of its 787 Boeing Dreamliner to SL, marking the first time this aircraft has been used for flights between the two countries. The introduction of the 787 Dreamliner is seen as a significant step in enhancing connectivity and boosting tourism between India and SL, promising improved travel experiences for passengers. The inaugural flight received a ceremonial water salute upon its arrival at BIA. more..

Jun 2 (DM) Amid the intensified govt efforts to capitalise on trade liberalisation through new preferential agreements, international trade experts stress the need for structural changes in SL�s production sector before pursuing new pacts. Despite decades of efforts, country�s production sector, particularly the small and medium-sized enterprise ventures, remains inadequately prepared to meet the modern trade requirements and is yet to fully leverage benefits of global networks, more..

Jun 2 (TM) The country�s foremost rugby referee Ishanka Abeykoon vowed that he will not officiate in any inter-school rugby match in the foreseeable future unless his protection could be guaranteed by the organisers of the Schools League to his utmost satisfaction. He said he has taken this decision in the wake of the post-match mayhem that ensued in the game between Science and S. Thomas� which was won by the latter 30-26 at the Air Force grounds Ratmalana on Sunday (30). more..

Jun 2 (Island) Top Opposition spokesman Prof. G.L. Peiris asked the Wickremesinghe-Rajapaksa govt to explain how it intended to work out an agreement with external private commercial creditors. Of SL�s total debt, 39.5 % were owed to external private commercial creditors, with ISBs amounting to a staggering 33.6%,former External Affairs Minister said, urging the govt to come clean on the issue at hand more..

Jun 2 (DN) President has decided to offer the freehold rights or at least to offer 99 years lease for the grounds owned by the CMC for the clubs which are more than 100 years in existence said Minister Harin Fernando at the groundbreaking ceremony for new floodlights system at CR and FC Grounds Colombo yesterday. The Minister also said that a cabinet paper has been drafted and CR & FC will also be included in the list of clubs to have the freehold right. more..

Jun 2 (FT) Trincomalee district politician Kathiravelu Shanmugam Kugathasan is set to replace the late R. Sampanthan in Parliament. Kugathasan, who contested under the TNA ticket, received 16,770 preferential votes in the last Parliamentary election, making him the first in line among the list of non-elected candidates. Kugathasan currently serves as the General Secretary of the ITAK. He was also a former Coordinator for Eastern Province Development Affairs under more..

Jun 2 (TM) SJB stated that the most appropriate response to SJB Chairperson and MP, Field Marshal Sarath Fonseka, who criticises the Party (SJB) and its leadership while praising President and UNP Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe, is to regard him as a Party defector. Fonseka's public criticisms of SJB and Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa, and his engagement with President Wickremesinghe, have created significant discussions in the recent past. When queried by more..

Jun 2 (Island) School transport providers and three-wheeler unions yesterday (01), said that they would not reduce fares although petroleum distributors reduced prices of several types of fuel from Sunday (30). The price of auto diesel remains unchanged while Octane 92 petrol was reduced by Rs 11. �The price of Octane 95 petrol was reduced by 41 rupees. Super diesel prices dropped by 22 rupees. Buses, vans and three-wheelers don�t use these. We can�t reduce prices,� more..

Jun 2 (FT) The SJB MP and CoPF Chairman Dr. Harsha de Silva announced plans yesterday to deliver a special statement before Parliament convenes today. This follows the postponement of a crucial debate on Sri Lanka�s debt restructuring agreement with creditor nations. Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe is schedulded to make a special statement on the breakthrough with official creditors announced last week. more..

Jun 2 (DM) SL is upbeat about firming up talks with the bondholders, which will assist the island nation to come out of the selective default status faster. Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe shared that finalisations can be reached as early as next week. �Following the agreement, discussions with the bondholders� representatives are progressing well. Initially estimated to take about a month, these negotiations are proceeding smoothly and we anticipate completing them successfully by next week� more..

Jun 2 (EN) SL has signed only two out of three bilateral debt agreements, chief opposition whip Laksham Kiriella claimed. He said there would be no point debating the agreement since it was incomplete. He was responding to questions on why a debate scheduled for Tuesday July 02 on the debt deal was postponed. �They said agreements signed by the govt would not be presented tomorrow. We noted that though the govt said they had signed those agreements, they actually hadn�t. more..

Jun 2 (CT) Managing Director of Adani Power & Adani Energy Solutions, Anil Sardana, who also oversees the SL wind projects, said the tariff Adani has offered to SL should be looked at from the point that it is fixed for the next 20 years, instead of one which may initially appear low but will eventually cost the consumers more in the long run. Adani Renewable Energy project, which has proposed to set up two wind projects more..

Jul 2 (FT) In the late 1970s, during the rising tide of neoliberal globalisation, many countries in the Global South opened up their economies to foreign capital in order to build a so-called export-oriented economy. The ethos that drove such reforms can be divided into two camps: In China, pragmatism prevailed, with Chairman Deng Xiaoping stating, �To cross the river, feel for the stones.� In SL, there was an ideological faith in markets and foreign capital, with then Prez J.R. Jayewardene stating, more..

Jun2 (FT) As someone who has been trying for many years to get Sri Lankans to think more intelligently about the economy, these past days have been quite disappointing. The economic illiteracy of the masses can be understood. But what about the elites who are ranting about the wealth tax? The latest complaint is that the bilateral debt was postponed, not forgiven partially. Over the past two years, it was explained many times that debt restructuring can take many forms: more..

Jun 2 (AD) Election Commission states that despite the deferral of the 2023 LG elections, the local govt election law remains in effect as the polls have not been completed. It highlighted that accordingly, the local govt election law is still effective as per the Article 104 (a) of the Constitution. Thus, the Election Commission warned that during this period, it is not permitted for anybody to act in a way that promotes any specific political party, candidate, or political group. more..

Jun 2 (DN) The govt has taken measures to empower women in the micro, small and medium business sector. Accordingly. The Cabinet of Ministers approved the proposal presented by President Ranil Wickremasinghe to implement a special loan scheme to remove obstacles for women to engage in economic activities by using two billion rupees out of the twenty billion previously allocated to implement an investment scheme to re-strengthen the enterprise sector. more..

Jun 2 (EN) Seeking concessions on foreign loans without making any commitments is neither practical nor feasible, Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe said, noting that bilateral creditors never reduce the principal on a loan. �What we can obtain are concessions such as extended loan repayment periods, grace periods, and reduced interest rates,� Prez said addressing parliament today. Claiming that there are untruths and more..

Jun 2 (FT) SL has pledged its commitment to bolstering global security efforts by offering the expertise of SL police officers to combat rising security threats, announced Public Security Minister Tiran Alles at the UN Chiefs of Police Summit (UNCOPS 2024) held at the UN Headquarters in New York. Representing SL at the conference themed Prevention of Conflict and Violence and Maintenance of Peace, Minister Tiran Alles underscored the increasingly complex more..

Jun 2 (AD) Findings and Preliminary Recommendations Report from the recently concluded National Symposium on Catalysing Change: Making Local Governance Future Fit carried out by United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) has been handed over this morning to PM Dinesh Gunawardena. The report was officially handed over by Ms. Azusa Kubota, Resident Representative, UNDP in SL and Johann Hesse, Head of Cooperation at the EU more..

Jun 2 (DM) 89% of funds allocated to the budget proposal shows no progress, pointed out Verit� Research; providing a strategic analysis of Asia in economics, politics, law & media. The budget speech of 2023 had an allocation of LKR 49.3 billion. But LKR 43.9 billion was allocated to this proposal, in which the govt provided no information on the progress. In 2022 the same incident took place. 93% of the funds were allocated to more..

Jun 2 (FT) Digital public infrastructure (DPI) is a critical enabler of digital transformation, fostering economic growth, improving service delivery, and enhancing social inclusion. With its commitment to fostering and further strengthening the country�s DPI, Govt of SL, through the Technology Ministry, is currently working with multiple stakeholders to advance the digital transformation agenda. One of the most promising ways to dramatically improve a country�s ability to achieve more..

Jun 2 (DM) If the govt does not understand their situation and ignores the trade union action, they will have to extend their actions to the schools. In that case, the govt will be responsible for disrupting the education of schoolchildren, CTU General Secretary Joseph Stalin said. He told the media that several trade union actions have been taken since February after school hours (after 2p.m). "We informed the govt that we will not resort to any trade union actions dutring school hours," more..

Jun 2 (EN) Sri Lanka�s total foreign debt is US$ 37 billion and it did not increase from US$ 71 billion to US$ 100 billion over his incumbency as claimed by affiliates of opposition MP Anura Kumara Dissanayake, Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe said. Prez refuted a social media post attributed to an affiliate of Dissanayake, the leader of the National People�s Power (NPP). �Some political groups are spreading false information about our foreign debt on social media. more..

Jun 2 (Island) Executive Director of Lakshman Kadirgamar Institute of International Relations and Strategic Studies (LKI) Ambassador Ravinatha Aryasinha underscored the critical need for SAARC to maintain the discourse on South Asia in a meaningful manner. During a roundtable discussion featuring Md. Golam Sarwar, SAARC Secretary General in Colombo recently hosted by the LKI during his inaugural visit to SL, Amb. Aryasinha referred to the significant role played by more..

Jun 2 (DM) The Cabinet of Ministers has approved new tariff rates for rooftop solar and other renewable energy projects. The decision was announced by Power and Energy Minister Kanchana Wijesekera in a recent post on X. The revision, effective from July 1, 2024, is based on a formula adopted in 2022, which considers the USD rate, interest rates, and other economic factors. This formula ensures the tariff rates are reflective more..

Jun 2 (DM) A group of Indian nationals suspected to be involved in cyber crimes was arrested and equipment used by them was seized during a raid on a house at Halloluwa in Kandy by the Kandy Crime Investigations Unit last night. Police said they carried out the raid on information received by Senior DIG Central Province Lalith Pathinayake and arrested the organised group of 12 Indian nationals suspected to be responsible for cyber crimes. During the raid, the police seized 22 desktop computers, more..

Jun 2 (DM) SL faces a stark reality as suicides emerge as the leading cause of intentional injury-related deaths, claiming over 3,000 lives each year. This statistic was highlighted by the Ministry of Health during the National Injury Prevention Week to be observed from July 1 to July 5, 2024. Health officials emphasised that suicides constitute a significant public health challenge, stressing the urgent need for enhanced mental health support services, community awareness more..

Jun 2 (CT) The continuing intermittent showers being experienced have increased the number of dengue cases in the country. By the end of June, the number had reached 28,000. By midnight 30 June 2024 a total 3319 cases had been recorded during the month of June. The total number of dengue cases in the country during the first six months of this year (from 1 Jan to 30 June 2024) amounted to 28,239. The number of deaths within more..