May 14 (DM) Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) are on standby to deploy aircraft and related personnel to provide relief and rescue operations in the event of possible floods and landslides in several parts of the country due to the adverse weather conditions. SLAF Spokesman Group Capt. Dushan Wijesinghe said according to the Meteorological Department, the NBRO has issued warnings that there is a risk of floods and landslides in several parts of the country due to adverse weather conditions. more..

May 14 (AD) A group of protesters has blocked the road towards Colombo Fort in front of the Slave Island police station. The demonstration is organized seeking domestic LP gas supplies. Meanwhile, the High-Level Road was blocked at Nawinna Junction this morning by a group of protesters demanding LP gas supplies. The vehicular movement on the road was interrupted for at least two hours as a result. Later, army personnel had arrived at the scene to disperse the protesters blocking the road. more..

May 14 (EN) UK has advised against non-essential travel to SL as the worst currency crisis in the history of the island’s central bank triggered social unrest and violence killing at least nine and angry mobs torched property of ruling party officials. “Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) advises against all but essential travel to SL, due to ongoing political and economic instability,” UK citizens were told on May 13. “This advice does not apply to airside transit through SL’s more..

May 14 (EN) SJB will not join a new govt under newly appointed PM Ranil Wickremesinghe but will support correct decisions taken with regard to the economic crisis, Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa said. Responding to a letter by Wickremesinghe Saturday afternoon, Premadasa wrote that there has been no change in the SJB’s position regarding an all-party govt. “In considering the political solutions demanded by more..

May 14 (ST) An appeal to donors for help to provide assistance to purchase medicines for Lady Ridgeway Hospital in Colombo has drawn many responses, but they have called to focus more on the essential items. Deputy Director of Lady Ridgeway Hospital, Dr Santhusitha Senapathi said that they need more vital items such as specific medicines for heart ailments, surgical sutures and vitamin tablets. “Surgical supplies, such as operation suture materials, needles are expensive, more..

May 14 (ANI) The anti-govt protestors in SL established a new protest site at the temple trees near the residence of the PM of the country to rally against the alleged political deal made between Prez Rajapaksa and newly appointed premier Ranil Wickremesinghe. Protests in Sri Lanka have continued virtually unabated even as Mahinda Rajapaksa resigned on Monday, followed by the appointment of Ranil Wickremesinghe as the new PM of economically devastated SL on Thur. more..

May 14 (ANI) With the SL economy overburdened with Chinese loans, as per the experts, other countries in the region also need to call upon their own govts to draw the necessary lessons from the Island nation. Dr Rasul professor in the Dept of Economics at Int'l Uni of Business Agriculture and Technology (IUBAT) cautioned against overdependence on foreign loans, which he felt could make countries vulnerable, reported EFSAS (European foundation for south asian studies). more..

May 14 (AD) CAA says the law will be strictly enforced against traders who sell rice at rates higher than the stipulated maximum retail prices. A sole proprietorship will be fined Rs. 100,000 up to a maximum of Rs. 500,000 for engaging in such misconduct. Meanwhile, a private company that sells rice higher than the maximum retail prices will be fined Rs. 500,000 up to a maximum of Rs. 5 million. The CAA also noted that lawsuits would be filed before the court against such traders. more..

May 14 (PTI) India has assured Sri Lanka to immediately supply 65,000 metric tonnes of urea to avoid any disruption in paddy cultivation in this country, as it faces the worst economic crisis in its post-independence history. High Commissioner of SL in New Delhi Milinda Moragoda met with the Secretary of the Department of Fertilisers Rajesh Kumar Chaturvedi in New Delhi on Thursday to discuss the supply of urea required for more..

May 14 (DM) PM Ranil Wickremesinghe will not form a UNP govt but an interim govt which comprises all parties in Parliament, to save the nation, UNP Deputy Leader Ruwan Wijewardene said. “We hope all parties would join the govt and resolve the economic crisis faced by the people. SL’s economy is in a grave situation with foreign reserves having gone down to the lowest in history, while people are suffering without essential goods. It is essential to resolve this crisis and more..

May 14 (ST) SL’s construction contractors involved in public infrastructure and building projects are now in a difficult situation with the Finance Ministry’s decision to suspend almost all such projects in bid to curtail capital expenditure, several leading contractors complained, adding that many are still to receive their due payments from the Treasury for completed and ongoing projects running up to billions of rupees. Unpaid claims of road contractors & contractors of other development projects more..

May 14 (FT) SJB yesterday challenged the new PM Ranil Wickremesinghe to show a majority in the house, claiming that no Member of Parliament from the party will join him to form a Govt. SJP MP Dr. Rajitha Senarathna charged that a Govt formed under a PM rejected by the people is a joke before the world, and until a stable Govt is formed, no international agency or country would lend its support to SL. more..

May 14 (DM) The ongoing political crisis in SL, which has over 2,000 trade unions on strike, is having spillover effects in the region, especially in Bangladesh. The apparel sector in Bangladesh is currently witnessing an unexpected hit, as it is unable to get the shipments to its markets since the cargoes are stuck at Port of Colombo. Bangladesh media reported this week that the apparel manufacturers have expressed grave concerns about their shipments reaching their more..

May 14 (CT) Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) had announced its 12-month schedule for both the men’s and women’s teams last month. While the men’s team will be hosting the 2019 World Cup finalists in England and NZ, they would also be touring for away bilateral series and one of them is the SL tour scheduled for July-August this year. SL is currently facing its worst-ever economic crisis which has caused a lot of unrest in the country as the public has resorted to violent protests on more..

May 14 (ST) New laws will be introduced to fast-track the approval process for setting up renewable energy projects which will change the game for SL, Minister Ali Sabry said. “Ministry of Power and Energy is working on laws to expedite renewable energy investments,” he said on Thursday. He added that there are massive business opportunities in the renewable energy sector and now is the best time for businesses to exploit them and identify the opportunities in the current economic crisis. more..

May 14 (TM) China’s currency swap of Chinese Yuan (CNY) 10 billion ($ 1.5 bi) cannot be used even to fund Chinese imports to SL, said CB Governor Dr. Nandalal Weerasinghe. In his address to the media on Wednesday, the Governor said that the Chinese swap cannot be used for anything at the moment due to the conditions of the swap laid out by the People’s Bank of China. He added that although the swap has been added to the foreign reserves of the CBSL, it cannot be used due to more..

May 14 (Hindu) Intelligence agencies have warned of erstwhile cadre of the banned LTTE regrouping to launch attacks in SL, as the country is embroiled in a deep economic and political crisis. As the island nation has declared emergency twice amid escalating violent protests, some sections of the SL Tamil diaspora, with multinational links, were trying to make their presence felt in the ongoing clashes between protesters & security forces, more..

May 14 (CT) Frontline Socialist Party (FSP) urged PM Ranil Wickremesinghe to arrest Secretary to the Defence Ministry Kamal Gunaratne for issuing shooting orders to the tri-forces. Addressing a media briefing held yesterday (13), said the Education Secretary of FSP, Pubudu Jagoda noted that the Cabinet of Ministers also dissolved after former PM Mahinda Rajapaksa resigned from his position on 9 May. “In addition, the secretaries of ministries will cease after the dissolution of Cabinet, more..

May 14 (DS) SL captain Dimuth Karunaratne said his team was not fazed by the return of Bangladesh's star all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan ahead of the first Test starting Sunday in Chittagong. Shakib, Bangladesh's leading wicket-taker in Tests, was initially ruled out of the game because of a Covid-19 infection -- but was cleared Friday to play after testing negative. "When we came here, we knew the Bangladesh squad. So Shakib was there, and we were preparing for him as well. more..

May 14 (TM) In response to the appointment of Ranil Wickremesinghe as the PM, Bar Association of SL (BASL) said that the appointment of the PM and the Cabinet of Ministers are important steps to restore economic and political stability in SL. As such it is necessary that such appointments are made in a manner which will establish public confidence. It also noted that on the 23rd of April, BASL submitted its Proposals more..

May 14 (CT) The No-Confidence Motion (NCM) against Prez Gotabaya Rajapaksa will be debated in Parliament on next Tuesday (17). The motion was presented by SJB. This was decided at Party Leaders’ meeting held last afternoon (12), chaired by Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena. The previous Parliamentary session held 6 May was abruptly adjourned after a heated argument broke out over Police firing tear gas and water cannons at the Horu Go Gama protest in Diyatha Uyana, more..

May 14 (AD) Sri Lanka Telecom Group (SLT Group), National ICT Solutions Provider, recorded a consolidated revenue growth of 5.4% to Rs 26 Bn in Q1 2022, in comparison to the corresponding period in the previous year. Group Profit After Tax (PAT) in the same period was recorded at Rs. 2.7 Bn, demonstrating the SLT Group’s resilience despite challenging economic conditions. Beginning the new year, Group continued its focus on digital transformation agenda, more..

May 15 (CT) The final attempt has been made by President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, on May 12, 2022, to resuscitate despotism, which has been condemned to death by a vast majority of people in Sri Lanka. President seems to have hatched another conspiracy to install a man equally unpopular with the voters as the 26th PM of the country. Ranil Wickremesinghe is a well-known schemer in SL politics, he mastered this family trait while Studying in The University of Ceylon, more..

May 15 (GV) “Country is facing one of the most difficult and challenging economic, political and socially decisive times in its history…Govt has erred by banning use of chemical fertilizer and not going for a program with IMF earlier.” These are not my words; they are the sentiments echoing at GotaGoGama but spoken by Prez Rajapaksa when addressing the cabinet on April 18. GotaGoGama residents say that Prez has failed and he should go. Prez says he has failed but will not go. more..

May 15 (TM) Medical experts last week warned the govt to take immediate action to ensure an uninterrupted supply of essential medicines to prevent a possible medical calamity. According to them, there is a shortage of 300 essential drugs in the country, including drugs that are needed to treat cancer patients and heart patients. Experts also fear that the drugs which are currently in short supply will run out towards more..

May 15 (SO) Last week, the country experienced some of the ugliest scenes in politics and society in living memory. It all began with an ill-timed and totally unnecessary meeting convened by former PM Rajapaksa apparently to get the nod for continuing in office from local level politicians and supporters of the SLPP. By the time the meeting dispersed after incendiary speeches by some former Ministers, most of the attendees, now armed with poles and clubs, set upon the protestors at both more..

May 15 (TM) The dramatic events of last week appear to have effectively completed the chain of events that first began on 21 April 2019. Exactly three years and three weeks to the day since the Easter attacks took place, the Prez who rode to power on the back of it had to swear in the very same PM he sent home because of it. The irony of ironies is that 6.9 million voted for Gotabaya Rajapaksa to save the country from Ranil Wickremesinghe, and now Wickremesinghe more..

May 15 (SO) Namo Tassa Bhagavato Arahato Sammàsambuddhassa! Devas in numerous realms and universal devotees sang numerous devotional songs to emphasise the Vesak full moon day. Vesak Poya day signifies three glorious events, the birth of Prince Siddhartha, Enlightenment of the Tathagata Gautama, and the reclining of the Buddha within a life span of 80 years. more..

May 15 (ST) Vesak 2566 is being marked today in this blood-spattered Dhammadvipa (the island of the Dhamma – the Buddha’s teachings) anger and vengeance oozing, the very antithesis of non-violence and ahimsa pervading and the people on the verge of starvation. Constitution – fundamental law of the land is under stress, tested to the limits by politicians unable to unite in the face of one of the worst economic crises in modern times, and fangs were bared when a once peaceful protest more..

May 15 (Island) New PM Ranil Wickremesinghe told a British journalist at the Walukaramaya temple where he had gone to obtain blessings after being sworn as PM for the sixth time in his 73 years that Churchill became Britain’s PM in 1939 with only four MPs. He’s become Sri Lanka’s with one! This was typical Wickremesinghe parrying questions with debating flair. He knows European history, perhaps a little better than he knows SL’s. But there too he is no neophyte. more..

May 15 (ST) My dear Green Man, I know I should congratulate you on being appointed PM again, but I really don’t know what to do: whether to hang my head in shame or heave a sigh of relief, knowing that you will be better than lazy Nimal, deal Wijey or dodgy Dullas so I will close my eyes, hold my nose and say congratulations! Some say you were appointed for a record sixth time. Records are not new to you. In 1994, when you took over the Green party from DB, the party had 44% of the vote. more..

May 15 (Island) There are a lot of similarities between Sir Don Bradman and Ranil Wickremesinghe. Both men were immensely gifted. Breaking world records was child’s play for the finest batsman the world has seen, while the smartest politician the nation has seen is on the verge of equalling a world record after becoming the PM for the sixth time. The record is held by the former leader of the Christian Democratic Party, Giulio Andreotti, who was Italy’s PM on 7 occasions. more..

May 15 (ST) Tackling hard-nosed questions with witty responses is not something new for the new PM Ranil Wickremesinghe who assumed duties on Thursday, though he did not have a single seat in Parliament and had to be nominated as an MP. Many times he deflects hard questions by cracking jokes. Shortly after he assumed duties on Thursday and visited religious places for blessings, he had a casual chat with journalists. more..

May 15 (CI) A new PM in the country, a new cricket coach and a host of newcomers in the Test side. SL, on and off the field, are making a new start, of sorts. They take on a Bangladesh side that is keen to restore some parity in 2022, where they have blown hot and cold, so far. It will be Chris Silverwood's first Test as SL coach, and they have gone with a new approach by bringing in a host of youngsters. Kamil Mishara, Kamindu Mendis, Dilshan Madushanka and Suminda Lakshan are among 8 changes more..

May 15 (Island) The Constitution of SL empowers the Prez to appoint as PM any MP who he feels musters the confidence of the parliament. Thus Maithripala Sirisena, instead of retaining an MP from the UPFA or SLFP, chose Ranil Wickremesinghe as his PM in 2015, even though the UNP had less than 90 seats in the House. When the UNP won a majority in the general elections that year, the confidence Wickremesinghe mustered in the country’s legislature was as symbolic as more..