Jun 22 (DM) Tudor Rajapaksa’s vegetable plot is now a centre of attraction at GotaGoGama. A variety of plants from red spinach to curry leaves, lime, pandan leaves have already been planted on his plot. This is his way of showing the masses how SL could transform into a toxin-free nation. While Rajapaksa is busy educating people on how to setup a home garden with organic components, several community kitchens have been setup to feed children and adults in vulnerable segments more..

Jun 22 (Island) SJB, and JVP-led NPP yesterday staged a walkout in Parliament, which they will boycott for one week to pressure the govt to sort out the economic crisis and grant relief to the public. Their right to protest cannot be questioned, but one questions their wisdom of cranking up pressure on the govt in this manner. On the one hand, they call the govt an abject failure, and on the other, they ask it to deliver! How could anyone with an iota of intelligence expect a failed govt to reveal, more..

Jun 22 (CI) Australia seemed to be flying towards their target at one point, but were ambushed by SL's spinners with 70 to get. They limped their way through the late overs, and fought valiantly to take this twisting match to the last ball. But SL held on by their fingertips to send a raucous Khettarama into raptures. Having let what seemed like a comfortable final over become dire by conceding three fours to Australia's No. 10 more..

Jun 22 (CT) Sri Lanka is moving into an uncharted territory and a dangerous one with negative economic growth and critical shortages in consumer essentials. Economic crisis has now turned into humanitarian crisis and unless supply shortages are eased and consumer queues are shortened the situation may soon develop into a law-and-order crisis. The nation is confronting the effects of a double whammy. A self-inflicted catastrophe at home is coinciding with adverse market reaction more..

Jun 22 (AN) A more proactive role in SL is looming for the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (Quad). The discussion forum between the United States, Japan, Australia and India is poised to provide aid to the country, grappling with the worst political-economic crisis in the post-independence era. Economic and political analysts told AsiaNews that Japanese PM Fumio Kishida and Indian PM Narendra Modi have agreed to work together to assist the island nation. Japan's initiative comes despite more..

Jun 22 (TM) Against the backdrop of schools in main cities, including Colombo, being directed to carry out teaching activities online given the prevailing fuel shortage, teachers’ trade unions have pointed out that online teaching has proven to be a complete failure. CTSU General Secretary Mahinda Jayasinghe said: “We continued to point out that online teaching activities conducted during the Covid-19 pandemic period, were a failure. more..

Jun 22 (Island) In a brief span of two months, we have seen a massive overturning of our political perceptions. Anger at the Rajapaksa regime was building over a long time, but it was the shortages and the long queues, the failed crops after the fertilizer ban, and prior to that women protesting micro finance loans, lock down protests against layoffs, that was the tipping point. People poured into the streets, even as property became the street. Protests had as their baseline, a simple call more..

Jun 22 (DM) The COPE decided to take an oath at the commencement of the statements made by the officials when summoned before the Committee. The decision was taken at a special COPE meeting held today (21) chaired by COPE Chairman Charitha Herath. Accordingly, officials who will be appearing before COPE in future, will have to take an oath at the beginning of the Committee meeting that their statements are accurate and truthful. Chairman of COPE also tabled the statement withdrawal more..

Jun 22 (Island) With another outstanding solo run at the hastily arranged athletic event held at Diyagama over the weekend, Nilani Ratnayake has once again exhibited her prowess in the demanding endurance event of 3,000 metres steeplechase. But will the near record-breaking feat be enough for her to maintain her current position in the Road to Oregon World Championship rankings before the qualifying period for the major athletics event expires this week? With the qualifying period for more..

Jun 22 (DN) Nipun Dhananjaya (92), Lahiru Udara (63) and Sahan Arachchige (61) made useful contributions as Sri Lanka 'A' scored 330 for 9 wickets at close of the first day in their second four day game against Australia 'A' played at Mahinda Rajapaksa International cricket stadium yesterday. The 21 year old former National under 19 Skipper Nipun Dhananjaya made a fluent knock of 92 in 130 balls with 4 fours unfortunately missed his third first class century while opener Lahiru Udara 63 more..

Jun 22 (TM) Unless the designation of a separate location in each Divisional Secretariat (DS) or any other means is not arranged for the issuance of fuel to public servants within the course of next week, at least 300,000 public servants would engage in a continuous trade union action from the first week of July, SL Govt Officers’ Trade Union Association (SLGOTUA) warned. SLGOTUA National Organiser Pradeep Basnayake said: more..

Jun 22 (EN) Central Bank’s own Treasuries holding has topped 2 trillion rupees with 48 billion rupees in permanent money injected after the latest Treasury bill auction. CB’s Treasury bill and bond stock reached 2,045 billion rupees on June 17 from 1,997 billion rupees a day earlier. CB had additionally injected 746 billion rupees against Treasury securities overnight into money markets allowing banks to give loans without raising deposits and trigger balance of payments deficits and more..

Jun 22 (DM) Sri Lankan govt would make every effort to reclaim the US$ 6.9 million paid to the Chinese fertiliser company, Quingdao Seawin Biotech group in 2021, Agriculture Minister Mahinda Amaraweera said. He said that the Agriculture Ministry held a discussion with the local agent of the Chinese fertiliser company last week to find a way how Sri Lanka could reclaim the US$ 6.9 million or obtain a consignment of safe carbonic fertiliser to the value of the payment. more..

Jun 22 (EN) John Keells Holdings (JKH) will borrow US$ 75 million (Rs. 27.1 bil) from a Canadian financial institution through privately placed debentures to fund dollar based investments such as West Container Terminal in Colombo, firm said in a disclosure to the stock market. Canada-based Fairfax Financial Holdings Ltd will lend the required dollar amid the crisis-hit and sovereign debt defaulted economy is desperately looking for dollars to fund its essentials including fuel & gas. more..

Jun 22 (AD) Colombo Additional Magistrate ordered the release of youth activist Anuruddha Bandara, who was arrested on suspicion of publishing of various posts and articles on social media in a manner that allegedly causes unrest among the public. Saliya Pieris, PC, who appeared on behalf of the defendant, had earlier stated in court that it is not possible to pursue the relevant charges against his client. Accordingly, tSaliya Pieris had requested the court to release him from the case. more..

Jun 22 (EN) SL’s health sector priority is to make drugs available than making them at affordable price, Minister Keheliya Rambukwella said as the island nation’s economic crisis has hit the availability of drugs including some key essential and life-saving medicines. The US dollar shortage has resulted in lower drug imports and Prez Rajapaksa’s govt has requested from bilateral donors and multilateral finding more..

Jun 22 (EN) Minister of Justice Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe has called for wide support for his version of a 21st amendment to the constitution after the Supreme Court determined that the provisions of a competing draft by the main opposition required a referendum. Rajapakshe told parliament on Tuesday June 21 that the Supreme Court had determined that virtually none of the provisions in the main opposition SJB’s draft 21st amendment could be passed in parliament without a referendum. more..

Jun 22 (AD) Supreme Court has rejected granting leave to proceed with the five fundamental rights (FR) petitions challenging the appointment of business magnate Dhammika Perera as a MP. The petitions were taken up by a three-judge bench comprising Justices Priyantha Jayawardena, Yasantha Kodagoda and Arjuna Obeysekera. Delivering the verdict, Justice Priyantha Jayawardena, who leads the three-judge bench, said that it would not grant leave to proceed more..

Jun 22 (AD) Business tycoon Dhammika Perera is expected to take oath as a MP today. His name was proposed to the Election Commission to fill the National List parliamentary seat vacated by the resignation of former Finance Minister Basil Rajapaksa. Accordingly, Dhammika Perera’s name was gazetted by the election body on June 10, as a MP from SLPP. Dhammika Perera meanwhile obtained the membership of SLPP from the party’s general secretary after officially submitting more..

Jun 22 (ANI) PM Ranil Wickremesinghe celebrated the 8th International Yoga Day on Tuesday along with his Ministers and Parliamentarians. The Sri Lankan PM termed yoga as an invaluable Indian tradition to attain physical, mental and social well-being. The High Commission of India in Colombo in a tweet said, "8th #InternationalDayofYoga celebrations in #Colombo were held today morning in the gracious presence of H.E PM @RW_UNP, Hon'ble Ministers and Parliamentarians. more..

Jun 22 (Island) Supreme Court has determined that some sections of the draft bill by the SJB, titled 21st Amendment to the Constitution, are inconsistent with the Constitution, and they are required to be passed by the people at a referendum if they are to become law. Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena, announcing the SC determination on the draft bill had said that several sections thereof were inconsistent with the Constitution. more..

Jun 22 (EN) Minister of Labour and Foreign Employment Manusha Nanyaakkara lambasted Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa and SJB for boycotting parliament just as highly anticipated constitutional reforms were about to take place. Nanayakkara told parliament that the SJB, the party he had controversially walked out on with fellow SJB MP Harin Fernando to join the govt, could not stand the fact that, contrary to their dire warnings, the draft 21st amendment to the constitution was more..

Jun 22 (AD) The overall rate of inflation as measured by the National Consumer Price Index on Year-on-Year basis is 45.3% in May 2022. The NCPI for all items for the month of May 2022 is 208.7 and it records an increase of 18.4 in index points compared to the April 2022. Overall rate of inflation as measured by NCPI on Year-on-Year basis has increased to 45.3% in May 2022 from 33.8% in April 2022. The moving average inflation for the month of May 2022 is 16.3%. more..

Jun 22 (TM) Announcing that they would be boycotting Parliament for the rest of the week, SJB Leader Sajith Premadasa and NPP Leader Anura Kumara Dissanayaka said that Parliament has been unable to provide solutions to the current problems faced by the people. At the Parliament session held yesterday, both party leaders, along with the members of their parties, declared their decision to boycott Parliamentary sessions more..

Jun 22 (FT) “If you put bananas and money in front of monkeys, monkeys will choose bananas because monkeys do not know that money can buy a lot of bananas.” This was a part of a quote attributed to Jack Ma, co-founder of Alibaba Group. Monkeys are nothing more than an evolutionary prototype of humans. Thus if we assume the same bug continued its way to humans, they also may behave the same way. Take Sri Lankans, for example. If we were offered, by a supreme God or any of the more..

Jun 22 (FT) SL is going through a bad patch with various issues and public unrest all over due to the shortages of essential food, commodities and political grievances. The Govt is trying its best to win the hearts of the public but the success ratio is very low. Today the whole world is talking about our country situation because we are strategically located – and top-notch countries always keep a close eye on SL. The issues are at very critical and crucial points such as economic downturn, more..

Jun 22 (MFA) Minister of Foreign Affairs G.L. Peiris will represent Prez Rajapaksa at the Commonwealth Heads of Govt Meeting (CHOGM) which will take place in Kigali, Rwanda from 21 to 25 June. CHOGM in Rwanda will be attended by the 54 Member States of the Commonwealth. CHOGM will be declared open by the Prez of Rwanda Paul Kagame on 24 June with the presence of His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales, the latter representing the Head of the Commonwealth more..

Jun 22 (AD) The members of SJB today staged a protest against PM Ranil Wickremesinghe. It has obstructed the vehicular movement on the High-Level Road near Thurstan College in Colombo. Led by former MP Hirunika Premachandra, several representatives of women’s organizations have also joined the protest. Demonstration kicked off near the private residence of the prime minister and later moved towards the Thurstan College. Reportedly, special measures have also been taken to more..

Jun 22 (AD) Business magnate Dhammika Perera took oath as a Member of Parliament before Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena today. The parliamentary session commenced at 10.00 a.m. this morning. Perera’s name was proposed to the Election Commission to fill the National List parliamentary seat vacated by the resignation of former Finance Minister Basil Rajapaksa. more..

Jun 22 (EN) Stocks closed marginally higher on Wednesday, gaining for a second straight session but the trading volume slumped over 16 months low as investors awaited cues for positive sentiment amid concerns over political and economic crisis with brokers expecting the slowing trend to continue. PM Ranil Wickremesinghe during the market hours said Sri Lanka aims to reach a staff-level agreement with the IMF and also have a framework in place for debt restructuring by the end of July. more..

Jun 22 (DM) MP Wimal Weerawansa today revealed that a move to remove Galle Face protesters by police trucks sometime ago had to be withdrawn due to the intervention of the US Ambassador. He told Parliament that the US Ambassador had told a certain minister that if the Galle Face protesters were removed, it would negatively affect IMF discussions. "One day, during the early days of the Galle Face protest, a heavy fleet of police trucks had arrived at the Galle Face protesting site. more..

Jun 22 (TM) SL will soon implement the National Single Window portal, after many years of delay, according to the Trade Facilitation Agreement (TFA) signed with the World Trade Organisation (WTO) in 2017. Cabinet approved the proposal presented by PM Wickremesinghe in his capacity as Finance Minister to implement the project in three phases at an estimated cost of approximately $ 15 million, while it is expected to secure more..

Jun 22 (AD) Seven individuals including social activist and YouTuber Rathindu Senaratne alias ‘Ratta’ and the national organizer of ‘Youth for Change’ Lahiru Weerasekara, who are wanted over the unrest in early June, surrendered to Maradana Police today (22). On June 17, the Colombo Fort Magistrate ordered the police to arrest 09 suspects for their unruly and violent behaviour at Colombo Fort and Thalangama on the 9th and 10th of June and to produce them before the court. more..

Jun 22 (CT) Cabinet has approved the transfer of a 10-acre land in Muthurajawela to CEB in order to construct a 300 MW LNG Power Plant. The Board of Directors of the Land Development Corporation has approved the transfer of ten acres of land adjacent to the Yugadanavi Power Station at Muthurajawela to the CEB. CEB Board of Directors has also approved the purchase of the land. Meanwhile, the Cabinet also gave greenlight to update the National Environmental Policy and Strategies more..