Nov 19 (DM) The G20 (Group of Twenty) -initially an informal gathering of 20 of the world’s largest economies- was formed in 1999, in the wake of the Asian financial crisis. An attempt to co-ordinate global policy on trade, health, climate, and other issues. Members of this exclusive club, comprise Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Republic of Korea, Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Turkey, UK, US, and EU. more..

Nov 19 (DM) Although six convicts of the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case were released by the Indian Supreme Court on Nov 12, four of them have been again detained as they are Sri Lankans who had entered India without proper travel documents. They are being lodged in a special camp in Tiruchi, TN. Some media reports indicate that the Indian authorities are in a quandary as to what action could be taken regarding them as they do not have documents to prove their country of origin. more..

Nov 19 (CT) Last Thursday (17) President Ranil Wickremesinghe attended a special birthday celebration. That was the birthday of his South African counterpart Cyril Ramaphosa. The plane carrying the South African leader was on its way home after taking part at the G20 Summit in Indonesia and it landed at the BIA to refuel. Ramaphosa had informed Wickremesinghe that he will be spending a few hours at the BIA more..

Nov 19 (CT) The world population recently reached a milestone on 15 Nov when the world’s 8 billionth baby was born in Manila, Philippines. The unprecedented growth of population is a result of, Longer lifespans, reductions in poverty, and declining maternal and childhood mortality, according to UNFPA chief Natalia Kanem. This means as a species existing on Earth, humans are doing rather well in terms of adapting to the changes of the environment more..

Nov 19 (CT) The President cum Finance Minister, Ranil Wickremesinghe’s 2023 budget is more than a statement of revenue and expenditure, which hopes to lay the foundation for an open market economy of social protection, whatever that implies. On a previous occasion he picked 2048, the centenary year, as the one which would celebrate SL’s total transformation into a technologically driven First World Nation with an export-oriented economy motored by renewable energy. more..

Nov 19 (TM) Discriminatory Buddhist practices, in a context where the divisions of nikayas (sects) and monastic orders/fraternities in Buddhism are primarily formed and continued based on caste differences, have been found to perpetuate instances where people reject monks from low-caste backgrounds. The role of property ownership in the monastic order, where many monks get their elderly relatives into the priesthood in order to gain more..

Nov 19 (ST) The contours of the 2023 Budget to be presented to Parliament tomorrow are well known. Few surprises are expected as the main tax measures have already been presented to Parliament. Nevertheless, many low income earners hope there will be modifications in taxation to reduce the tax burdens they cope with. There is a likelihood that Prez Wickremesinghe would announce some relief measures in re-sponse to the widespread criticism, in Parliament and outside, more..

Nov 19 (CT) As forex became tight, leading to disruptions in the supply of essentials and other imports, people began to take to the streets. The queues became longer and so did the crescendo of the anti-govt protests. In a bid to control the situation, the Gotabaya Administration did a sudden U-turn in its policies. Changing the stance on seeking assistance from the IMF was one such reversal as we commenced discussions for a bailout in mid March. more..

Nov 19 (SO) The reimplementation of the capital punishment had been discussed, debated ad argued by various interested and relevant parties sometime ago due to the increasing crime rate in the country. However, it is doubtful whether they arrived at a concrete solution with regard to the strict implementation of the capital punishment. The recent spate of killings reported in the country, especially in the Western Province and the South requires the immediate attention of more..

Nov 19 (TM) As Greek philosopher Plato said, one of the penalties for refusing to participate in politics is to end up being governed by one’s inferiors, and in relation to that, Sri Lankans are now in a situation where they should take responsibility for their inaction, or the lack of participation, in politics. However, to bring about the change that Sri Lankans are seeking, this political participation should be organised and resilient. This was stressed during an online discussion titled more..

Nov 19 (EN) SL is targeting $1 billion monthly foreign inflow from worker remittance by end-2023 with more people leaving the island nation for offshore jobs after an unprecedented economic crisis, Minister Manusha Nanayakkara said. Worker’s remittances have fallen 40.2% to $2.9 billion in the first 10 months of this year mainly as most SL expatriate workers sought informal methods like Undiyal or Hawala to send the money more..

Nov 19 (FT) The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) handed over 780.1 MT of urea procured through the UN Central Emergency Relief Fund (UN-CERF) to the Ministry of Agriculture on Tuesday. FAO said 15,619 farmers cultivating paddy on landholdings of half an acre or less will receive 50 kg of urea each, in four of the more poverty-stricken districts of Jaffna, Mullaitivu, Kilinochchi, and Badulla. Urea will be provided to the farmers free of cost and its distribution more..

Nov 19 (HRW) Since taking office in July amid an unprecedented economic and political crisis, SL’s President Ranil Wickremesinghe has suppressed anti-govt protests and hounded alleged protest organizers. Among his most egregious actions has been to use the notorious Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA) to detain student activists. On Thursday, a magistrate in Colombo, the capital, ruled to keep 2 student organizers behind bars after they already spent 90 days in detention without charge. more..

Nov 19 (ABC) When S. Shakthidharan first told his mum that he wanted to look into their family history, she quickly shut him down, telling him: "That is a very stupid idea." She then refused to talk to him about it again. Anandavalli, a Tamil dancer, fled Sri Lanka in 1983 at the outbreak of the civil war, settling with her family in Western Sydney. It was 2008 and, faced with a wall of silence from his mum, Shakthidharan (also known as Shakthi) secretly turned to a grand-aunt in London. more..

Nov 19 (FT) Keells Food Products (KFP) recently entered into an agreement with the SL Institute of Marketing (SLIM), the national body for marketing, signing an MOU for an exclusive training programme to enhance the skills of KFP sales professionals. Tailor-made package named as Sales Warriors Programme is intended to up-skill KFP sales staff towards exceptional performance. “A skilled sales force is an asset to an organisation ─ especially for a market leader. more..

Nov 19 (TM) PHU Leader and independent Opposition MP Udaya Gammanpila claimed in Parliament that CB Governor Dr. Nandalal Weerasinghe is addicted to printing money, is on course to set a new record in printing money, and therefore needs to be sent for rehabilitation to the Kandakadu Treatment and Rehabilitation Centre. “Like drug addicts who never give up on drugs even though they know the consequences, more..

Nov 19 (TM) Although there had been a sudden shortage of reagents to carry out full blood count (FBC) tests on expectant mothers at the Castle Street Hospital for Women on Wednesday (16) morning, the issue had been resolved by the afternoon of the same day. The hospital’s Director Dr. Ajith Danthanarayana noted that the hospital had faced a shortage of the particular reagents due to a delay by the supplier. “There was a sudden shortage on Wednesday due to supplier’s delay. more..

Nov 19 (DN) Five new national records were established at the National Weightlifting Championship, which was held at the National Sports Complex, Polonnaruwa over the weekend. This National championship was a big boost to the local weightlifters before the World weigh lifting championship which is scheduled to be held from December 5 to 16 in Colombia. Lifters from around the island competed at the Polonnaruwa Gallela Public grounds Indoor Stadium including more..

Nov 19 (TM) SJB MP Champika Ranawaka warned of Governmental attempts to cover up a Budget deficit through the Budget 2023 presented by Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe on Monday. According to Ranawaka, Govt has neglected the fact that the country is in a state of sovereign default. “This Budget was drafted disregarding the current economic status and the sovereign default status of the nation. more..

Nov 19 (FT) Minister Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe called a special review meeting yesterday on those who have been imprisoned for wrongs committed under the PTA. The meeting was also attended by Foreign Minister Ali Sabry and Public Security Minister Tiran Alles. Ministry of Justice said the group discussed the investigations carried out in relation to the prisoners while information such as their incarceration time period and steps taken for their release were also reviewed. more..

Nov 19 (TM) Activist monk, Ven. Dr. Omalpe Sobitha Thera who has opposed the proposed move to legalise the cultivation of cannabis for export purposes, which was proposed by Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe in his capacity as the Minister of Finance in the Budget 2023, has informed the Mahanayakes (chief prelates) of all three sects about the catastrophic events which would likely take place if this proposed move is initiated. In a letter addressed to the chief prelates more..

Nov 19 (DM) Sri Lanka Embassy in Beijing, consistent with its efforts to continuously promote Sri Lankan tourism in the Chinese market, is targeting one million Chinese tourists to visit Sri Lanka after the China travel restrictions are relaxed, a statement from the mission said. Ambassador Dr. Palitha Kohona met with the General Manager of Beijing Spring Travel Service Co., Ltd, Mr. Yang Yang, on Nov 16, 2022, in order to further bilateral cooperation in the tourism industry. more..

Nov 19 (DM) Norwegian pasenger liner Vikingmas carrying 700 tourists and 450 crew members berthed at Colombo port this afternoon, Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva said. He said the ship of this kind sailed into our waters for the first time after the Covid pandemic that lasted for over two and-a-half years. Minister Harin Fernando and several others converged at the port to greet the ship. The ministry emphasizes that the ship sailed from Goa, India, will be anchored at Colombo port for 24 hrs. more..

Nov 19 (TM) The information request made under the Right to Information (RTI) Act by the polls monitor, PAFFREL to the Department of Immigration and Emigration requesting to identify MPs holding dual citizenships has been rejected on the grounds that the department is not in a position to provide information that falls under the personal and private category. PAFFREL had also received a reply from Parliament Secretary General more..

Nov 19 (TM) Our Power of People Party Opposition MP Ven. Athuraliye Rathana Thera opined that while in the near future, people will have to wait in queues for food due to shortages as they had waited for fuel and gas, the Budget 2023, presented this week by Prez and Finance Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, does not provide solutions for such issues. “This Budget is an inflated Budget. This Budget cannot solve the current economic crisis. This has no solutions whatsoever to develop economy. more..

Nov 19 (TM) The second meeting of the National Joint Mechanism for Food Security and Nutrition, during which matters such as increasing the production of milk, eggs, and vegetables, regularising the mid-day meal programme run by the Ministry of Education on foreign aid, and getting the participation of civil society organisations to provide food to schoolchildren, was held on Wednesday. During the meeting, the programme’s senior advisor, former Prez Chandrika Kumaratunga more..

Nov 19 (EN) SL’s fashion industry is facing lack of young professionals since 2019 as many aspired individuals are moving away due to challenges faced by them following the Easter Sunday attack, the pandemic, and an unprecedented economic crisis, an expert said. The industry has been in the process to improve globally lucrative venture in the last decade, but the challenges have reversed the gains, the expert said. Colombo Fashion Week’s Luxury Edition, which started on Thursday, more..

Nov 19 (FT) The National Council Sub-Committee for Identifying short and medium term programs related to Economic Stabilisation chaired by MP Champika Ranawaka said the proposals to ensure law reforms related to economic stabilisation in the country will be presented at the end of December. The Sub-Committee convened recently to discuss the new laws related to economic stabilisation. MP Ranawaka said it is important to discuss whether there are shortcomings in the law among more..

Nov 19 (FT) Despite many having pessimistic views about economic revival, Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe yesterday sounded confident the country would overcome the crisis aided by strong policy reforms and implementation underscored in 2023 Budget. Speaking in first in-person public forum on Budget since presenting the reforms and relief oriented 2023 Budget as Finance Minister in Parliament on Monday, he delivered more..

Nov 19 (ANI) China is investing in the sea cucumber farms in SL, that has the capability of boosting exercise performance and have anti-fatigue effects. China want to facilitate the export of the species from SL to China. The Chinese joint venture company, Gui Lan (Pvt) Ltd had already established an artificial breeding production facility (hatchery) in Jaffna's coastal village of Ariyalai as far back as 2016 to provide juvenile cucumber stock to support further production, reported Geo-politik. more..

Nov 19 (FT) The Govt and World Bank on Thursday held a meeting to discuss future development plans. Govt was represented by Senior Advisor to the Prez Sagala Ratnayake, State Ministers Shehan Semasinghe and Dilum Amunugama whilst the World Bank was represented by its Country Director for SL and South Asia Faris Hadad-Zervos. The discussions focused on improving fiscal oversight and debt management, improving tax administration, reducing sovereign financial sector nexus more..

Nov 19 (AD) CID has dug up more information about a large-scale human trafficking syndicate that auctions Sri Lankan women who were taken to Oman on the promise of jobs in the Arabian country. Foreign Affairs Ministry in SL had directed to the CID the complaints it had received about the unfortunate situation of SL female domestic workers in Oman. Initiating a probe in this regard, a 3-member team of the CID, more..

Nov 20 (FT) It is tempting to keep writing about SL’s challenges, but we mustn’t forget the global realities against which everything is afoot and unfolding. And this is the central economic story of our time. The 2008 instigated era of cheap money and credit has now come to an end and the global implosion is coming. And every country has to adapt, and dysfunction and bloated bureaucracies and lack of human capital competitiveness, and cumbersome legislation will be even more unsustainable more..

Nov 20 (SO) Presenting a Budget is not an easy task at any time, but this year it proved to be a particularly gruelling task given the country’s precarious economic situation which actually led to the ouster of a Prez. One does not have to be a genius to comprehend that Sri Lankans will have to undergo some painful reforms before the economy can be turned around. This cannot be done overnight as our overall foreign debt exceeds US$ 51 b, with almost no foreign reserves more..

Nov 20 (TM) The 2023 Budget presented by Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe in Parliament last week, which is said to be one aimed at the future, is faced with the great challenge of securing the number needed for its passage in the House. The passage of the 2023 Budget is fast becoming a challenge for the Wickremesinghe Govt with his ally – the ruling SLPP – once again facing a split on its support for the Budget, more..