Mar 21 (ST) Victory and defeat are a part and parcel of sporting events. So, there was no grave reason to cry about the result of the last test series in India. What produces tears however, was the abject manner in which the SL team folded up within a space of 3 days. Captain Dimuth Karunaratne captured the ethos when he stuttered and muttered at the post-match interview, finally murmuring that our batters did not know when to attack or defend, rotate the strike and navigate the course of more..

Mar 21 (Island) Prez Rajapaksa addressed the nation last Wednesday, yet again in his just over two-year long presidency. The nation was briefly spared of power cuts for the nationally televised state-of-the-country speech. The speech was 15 minutes long, shorter than his earlier ones, and was also short of worthwhile specifics. There was nothing consequential in the speech except his decision to seek IMF’s help to tide over the economic and debt hurdles that is daunting the country. more..

Mar 21 (FT) Describing the current situation in the country as unprecedented in SL’s history, top business leader Dhammika Perera said it could be resolved quicker if Prez Rajapaksa invites credible and practical proposals from all political parties. “The multiple crises in the country caused by global and domestic issues have damaged SL’s nation brand and the reputation. This has far-reaching repercussions in terms of more..

Mar 21 (MFA) Minister of Foreign Affairs, Prof. G.L Peiris held discussions with the Ambassador of China in SL, Qi Zhenhong at the Ministry on 18 March. During the meeting, a first day cover issued by the Chinese authorities to commemorate the 65th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and SL and the 70th anniversary of the signing of the Rubber-Rice Pact between the two countries in 1952, was handed over to Foreign Minister by Chinese Ambassador. more..

Mar 21 (SO) Veteran leg spin bowler Malinda Pushpakumara reached a milestone of taking 800 wickets in first class cricket when he claimed the wicket of Lasith Croosepulle during his team’s match against Kandy which began last Thursday at the Pallekele Stadium. Playing for Dambulla, Pushpakumara captured 7 for 120 in the first innings which is also the best bowling figures in the current National Super League four-day cricket tournament. Pushpakumara started his first class career in more..

Mar 21 (SO) Turkey will extend its fullest support to boost bilateral trade with SL which is below potential to a higher level in the coming years, said Turkish Ambassador to SL, Demet Sekercioglu. She was speaking from Ankara via zoom during a bilateral business forum in Colombo organised by the National Chamber of Commerce last week. Turkey expects bilateral trade and economic cooperation with SL to be further strengthened with mutual help to boost the economies through trade more..

Mar 21 (FT) COVID-19 detections over the weekend totalled 474, with daily COVID-19 detections dropping below 300. 236 persons tested positive for COVID-19 yesterday. The previous day, 238 COVID-19 patients were detected. 3,144 PCR tests and 1,154 rapid antigen tests were conducted on Saturday. Total of 70,394 COVID-19 patients have been detected since 1 Jan and SL’s local cases also include 483,090 persons from the New Year cluster, 82,785 persons from Peliyagoda cluster, more..

Mar 21 (Island) Colombo Archbishop Malcolm Cardinal Ranjith says that the Church awaits answers as the victims continue to carry the scars of the Easter Sunday bombings that killed 269 people and injured more than 400 in 2019. Speaking at a press conference hosted by Aid to the ACN, the Cardinal said that from the very beginning there have been doubts that this was just “the product of a group of misguided youths bent on terrorism. more..

Mar 21 (EN) Power cuts of 5 hours minutes for some areas in SL and 4 hours and 30 minutes for other areas were approved in two blocks for March 21 Monday, PUCSL Chairman Janaka Ratnayake said as a forex crisis creates power shortages in the dry season. Areas ABCDEFGHIJKL will have power cuts of 3 hours and 20 minutes from 800am to 600pm and 1 hour and 40 minutes from 600pm to 1100pm. Areas PQRSTUVW will have power cuts of 2 hours and 40 minutes from 900am to 500pm and more..

Mar 21 (AD) The low-pressure area over Southeast Bay of Bengal has concentrated into a depression and lay centered at 08.30 a.m. today over Southeast Bay of Bengal and adjoining south Andaman Sea near latitude 10.1N and Longitude 92.6E (10.1N 92.6E). It is likely to move nearly northwards and intensify into a deep depression by 05.30 a.m. tomorrow (21) and into a cyclonic storm on the same day. There can be very heavy showers or thundershowers, strong winds 45-55 kmph more..

Mar 21 (Island) The dissident SLPP group will be represented by Ven. Athureliye Rathana, MP and Prof. Tissa Vitharana, MP, at the All-Party Conference (APC), to be held 23 March to discuss ways and means of overcoming the current crisis. A senior spokesperson for the dissidents said that following talks among the group a decision had been taken to send AJBP MP Ven. Rathana and Prof. Vitharana of LSSP, on behalf of the group. more..

Mar 21 (EN) Defence Attachés from several embassies in Colombo had visited SL’s China-backed port in Hambantota International Port, its operating firm said. The visiting group represented the USA, Maldives, France, Germany, Kenya, Republic of Korea, Mexico, Netherlands, Poland and Switzerland. “Some of them showed interest in directing their country’s naval vessels to Hambantota Int'l Port (HIP) for replenishment and for husbandry services while operating in the region,” more..

Mar 21 (DM) Former MP Ranjan Ramanayake, who was receiving treatment at the Welikada Prison Hospital was admitted to the Colombo National Hospital today. He was taken to the Orthopaedic Clinic of the National Hospital from the Prison Hospital and was admitted for further treatment. Earlier, Mr. Ramanayake had also undergone treatment at the Karapitiya General Hospital for a knee injury and the doctors at the hospital directed Mr. Ramanayake to be admitted to more..

Mar 21 (TM) With the Sapugaskanda Oil Refinery being unable to provide naphtha oil to the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) following its closure, the CEB finds itself in a tight spot as it is yet to receive a response from the Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC) to its request for 24,000 MT of naphtha oil made one week ago. “We asked for naphtha from the CPC but we do not know whether they are in a position to supply this to us. more..

Mar 21 (DM) A second senior citizen died Sunday while waiting in line for fuel in cash-strapped SL, police said, barely 24 hours after the death of a 71-year-old man under similar circumstances. The victim, a 70-year-old resident of Makola, Gamapaha, had collapsed while standing in a queue at a filling station in Kadawatha. Thalduwa said the man, a threewheeler driver by profession, had only been standing in the queue for 15 minutes and had had a history of high blood sugar and medication more..

Mar 21 (AD) Laugfs Gas PLC, one of the main liquefied petroleum gas suppliers in SL, announced a staggering hike in the rates of its products today (20). Thereby, the price of a 12.5kg domestic LP gas cylinder soared to Rs. 4,199. Meanwhile, the price of a 5kg cylinder increased to Rs. 1,680 while the price of a 2kg cylinder rose to Rs. 672. A spokesperson of the CAA said LP gas companies are allowed to revise the prices at their discretion after the price control on LP gas was lifted. more..

Mar 21 (EN) China has pushed Sri Lanka to complete a Free Trade Agreement saying the deal would immensely benefit the island as India is strategically wrapping up energy deals while offering credit lines to the nations strapped for dollars due to money printed to keep rates low. Free trade talks between China and SL hit a hurdle in 2018 under the last administration because Beijing disagreed with Colombo’s demand for a review of the FTA more..

Mar 21 (TM) The JVP-led NPP has decided to boycott the all-party conference to be held on Wednesday (23), claiming it has been convened to resolve the conflict between the SLPP and SLFP, and not to discuss the current economic crisis in the country. “We emphasised the need for such a conference one-and-a-half years ago. Now that the crisis has escalated, there is no point in inviting us to this conference,” JVP Leader and NPP MP Anura Kumara Dissanayake announced yesterday. more..

Mar 21 (FT) Sri Lanka last week repaid $ 130 million of debt repayment due to China. Prior to the payment, the Govt had explored the willingness on the part of China to accommodate a deferment. However, this had been ruled out by China on the basis that others too would seek a deferment thereby triggering complications. The repayment is among nearly $ 7 billion of foreign debt liability this year. $ 130 million due to China was another test that international financiers had placed more..

Mar 21 (ST) A legal amendment that allows rural families to mortgage grant lands without State oversight will lead to mass-scale dispossession, with properties everywhere being seized by financial institutions when their impoverished owners are unable to pay their dues, community organisations have overwhelmingly warned. The Land Development Ordinance (LDO) (Amendment) Bill got through second reading more..

Mar 21 (DM) Garbage collection in some parts of the Colombo City has been halted once again due to fuel scarcity, a senior member of the Colombo Municipal Council (CMC) Mahendra de Silva said. De Silva who is a member of CMC standing Committee on solid waste management said garbage collection in Gangarama area, Narahenpita, Borella and Dematagoda areas have come to a standstill as the garbage collection trucks have run out of fuel. more..

Mar 21 (CT) Ministry of Foreign Affairs has taken steps to temporarily close three embassies, due to the country’s financial crisis. As a result, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs intends to temporarily close Sri Lanka’s Embassies in Baghdad, Republic of Iraq, Oslo, Norway and the Commonwealth Consulate General in Sydney, Australia, effective from 31 March. Prof. G. L. Peiris, Minister of Foreign Affairs, has submitted a Cabinet Paper on the subject. The Minister has stated in his Cabinet Paper that more..

Mar 21 (AFP) SL cancelled exams for millions of school students as the country ran out of printing paper with Colombo short on dollars to finance imports. Education authorities said the term tests, scheduled a week from Monday, were postponed indefinitely due to an acute paper shortage as SL contends with its worst financial crisis since independence in 1948. "School principals cannot hold the tests as printers are unable to more..

Mar 21 (FT) In his address to the nation, Prez Rajapaksa (GR), was reported to have disowned responsibility for the current crisis (FT), although according to another source, he accepted responsibility for his actions and was determined to take tough decisions (TM). PM Mahinda Rajapaksa (MR) too claimed no responsibility for the crisis. Whether they accepted responsibility or not, the fact remains that in the all-powerful executive presidency created by the 20th Amendment, more..

Mar 2` (EN) US dollar was quoted at 280/290 to the US dollar in late afternoon trade Monday, dealers said with a float of the currency yet to take hold. Commercial Banks were selling dollars to customers at 285 for telegraphic transfers and buying at 270 to the US dollar. In the secondary market, a bond maturing on 01.08.2024 closed at 14.30/40 percent on Monday, up from 14.18/28 a day earlier. The 3 months’ bill closed at 11.15/11.30% on Monday. Data shows that liquidity is still being injected. more..

Mar 2` (AD) A motorcyclist has been stabbed and killed by a three-wheeler driver following an argument at a petrol filling station at Horagolla in Nittambuwa last night. The motorcyclist and the three-wheeler driver were involved in an argument while waiting in line to obtain fuel at the filling station. Three-wheeler driver had moved forward after obtaining fuel while he had then proceeded to attack the motorcyclist involved in the argument with a sharp object as the latter was preparing more..

Mar 21 (FT) SL rupee has collapsed in the foreign exchange market in the first week of March. Before that, the CB has published data every day in its website that the buying and selling rates of the dollars by commercial banks as Rs. 197 and Rs. 203, respectively, though dollars were not available at those rates in the banking system. If anybody wanted dollars in a hurry, he had to look for them in the parallel black market at which dollars were bought and sold freely at rates ranging more..

Mar 2` (DM) In response to reports being circulated on social media claming that Prez Rajapaksa is pondering his resignation, President’s Spokesman Kingsly Rathnayake said that such reports contain no truth and are baseless. Several reports are being circulated on social media platforms that Prez Gotabaya is considering his resignation. “The President is not a man who flees during time of crises of this nature but more..

Mar 2` (Island) Hiru anchor Chamuditha Samarawickrema says Media Minister Dallas Alahapperuma should take up with Public Security Minister Rear Admiral (retd.) Sarath Weerasekera and IGP C. D. Wickremeratne the inordinate delay in making a breakthrough in investigations into the attack on his residence in the early hours of 14 Feb. Samarawickrema said that after an unidentified group had thrown rocks and faeces at his residence at the Cambridge Court, Piliyandala, more..

Mar 2` (AD) The police have arrested two individuals involved in a burglary during which a woman was tied up inside her house in Thalahena, Malabe and her ailing husband was murdered. The suspects had stolen gold jewellery worth approximately Rs. 1.5 million. In the early hours of March 16, the two individuals, who entered a residence, had tied up a woman and murdered her husband before making off with their gold jewellery, including a necklace, bracelet, three rings and two earrings. more..

Mar 2` (EN) Leaders of only two out of 11 parties in Sri Lanka’s ruling coalition will attend an all party conference called for March 23 to discuss the country’s prevailing economic crisis, with the opposition NPP also boycotting the event. Former Energy Minister and Leader of the PHU Udaya Gammanpila, who along with Industries Minister Wimal Weerawansa was recently dismissed by Prez Gotabaya Rajapaksa, more..

Mar 2` (Island) Mediation Boards Commission (MBC) of SL, together with the Ministry of Justice, has launched a convenient dispute intake system for the public by introducing a dispute intake box at the Divisional Secretariat level. This is expanding the Community Mediation Boards’ (CMB) Chairperson’s jurisdiction and making it easier for CMBs to receive complaints from the public. The handing over of the first set of boxes took place with participation of Ali Sabry, Minister of Justice, Thorsten more..

Mar 2` (EN) The death of a 76-year-old at a fuel queue in crisis-riddled SL has brought the fuel line death toll to four in under 48 hours, police reports confirm. The incident took place at 7.30 am on Monday (21) at a petrol station in Mirigama, in western province. The victim, a resident of Nawana, was loading filled petrol barrels into his threewheeler when he collapsed. Police have yet to determine the official cause of death. This is the fourth death that occurred at a fuel queue in under 48 hours. more..

Mar 21 (CT) Minister Johnston Fernando ordered his officials to fast track the work on the Port Access Elevated Highway from Ingurukade Junction to the Colombo Port City, so, it can be commissioned for public use next year. Speaking to officials during a progress review meeting held at the Ministry, Fernando observed that there had been an undue delay in construction work during the project’s first two years. The project had recorded only a seven per cent progress during that period, more..

Mar 21 (DM) In the wake of Dollar value going up day by day against the rupee, prices of all types of face masks have been increased by 30%, local manufactures said. President of Mask Manufacturers’ Association of SL Vidura Algama said the price increase will come into effect from today. “At the inception of the COVID-19 pandemic, the price of a face mask stood at Rs. 100. However, we were able to bring it down by 80% creating more job opportunities for thousands of entrepreneurs more..

Mar 21 (CT) PM Rajapaksa pledged to resume development activities halted after 2015 in the Northern Province as well as rebuild people’s lives. He said that when the govt took over in 2019, it intended to rebuild a country that had regressed due to poor governance. “However, the pandemic hit us hard. At the time, the people wanted us to protect them as a responsible govt, and we did so. We were able to protect both the people more..

Mar 21 (EN) Japan is giving US$ 89,000 US dollars to build a health centre in an isolated village in Ampara, the country’s embassy in Colombo said. The primary health centre in Ampara will sever people residing in Aligambai isolated village and other surrounding villages. “Currently there is no facility for primary health care in those villages, and the villagers are obliged to travel long distances to the nearest govt hospital,” Chamila Kodagoda, Chairman of Child Rehabilitation Centre more..