Sep 16 (CI) SL have shown faith with the group of players that won the Asia Cup, with the inclusions of fast bowlers Dushmantha Chameera and Lahiru Kumara - who missed that tournament due to injury - the only change, as they named their 15-man squad for the upcoming T20 World Cup in Australia. From the squad that toured the UAE, batters Dinesh Chandimal, Ashen Bandara and Nuwanidu Fernando, & left-arm spinner more..

Sep 16 (CT) Russian registered private airline Azur Air has agreed to make a comeback carrying Russian tourists to Sri Lanka after a lapse of nearly three years, but has urged Sri Lanka to ensure that there would be no fuel shortage which could impact their operations. In their discussions with SL officials, Azur Air stated that they would keep an eye on the fuel supply on 22 Sept, that would, according to the government, provide 100 per cent of refueling for aircraft at the BIA. more..

Sep 16 (DM) A few more Cabinet ministers are expected to be sworn in shortly, a Minister said. Minister Prasanna Ranatunga said it would happen either this week or next week. Minister who is also the Chief Govt Whip said MP Namal Rajapaksa might also get a portfolio. Earlier, 37 MPS, mostly from SLPP and SLFP, were appointed state ministers. Prez can appoint 30 Cabinet ministers in keeping with the Constitution. State Minister of Defence Pramitha Bandara Tennakoon, more..

Sep 16 (Island) The govt had acted irresponsibly by increasing the number of ministers while country was undergoing an unprecedented economic crisis, SJB national organizer Tissa Attanayake said, addressing the media in Colombo. Attanayake said that for the first time the UNHRC was looking into economic crimes in SL. “For the first time the UNHRC is trying to identify the economic hitmen who have destroyed the SL economy. People of the country have never suffered in this manner,” more..

Sep 16 (TM) Auditor General’s (AG) report on the allegations related to the procurement of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) – specifically pertaining to the basis for cancelling the term tender and the reason why the Oman Gas Company, which had quoted $ 129 per metric tonne (MT) of LPG, was notified of the spot tender 12 days prior to the Siam Gas Trading Company, which had quoted a much lower rate of $ 112 – is under preparation, and will be ready over the course of next week, more..

Sep 16 (Island) Those who claimed that privatisation was the panacea for SL’s economic ills had to present information about privatise institutions first, JVP leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake said at a conference on privatisation of state assets. He said that the SLPP had campaigned in 2019 and 2020 on a platform of protecting and developing state assets. Therefore, if it embarked on a path of privatizing state assets, more..

Sep 16 (SLN) Navy apprehended 26 persons along with a dinghy and a local multiday fishing trawler, during a patrol and search operation conducted off Veththalakerni in northern waters on 15th and 16th Sept. The group of individuals are suspected to be on an illegal migration attempt to a foreign country via sea, when they were apprehended by the Navy. SL Navy conducts regular search operations and patrols in coastal as well as sea areas around the island to thwart illegal activities stemming more..

Sep 16 (LP) A melting pot of Indian, Southeast Asian, and Arabic flavors as well as colonial influences, SL cooking is a feast for the senses, drawing on incredibly fresh herbs and spices and the bounty of the land and sea. Eating out in Sri Lanka is a delight, whether you tuck into authentic rice and curry at a roadside cafe, dive into a plate of kottu (chopped roti flatbread with vegetables and meat) at a downtown hole-in-the-wall or sample surf-fresh seafood at a swish oceanfront restaurant. more..

Sep 16 (TM) State Ministry of Tourism is currently discussing a programme with tourism sector stakeholders and other parties to increase tourist arrivals through several entertainment avenues proposed to be implemented in all major cities by December, involving night clubs, food festivals, concerts, exhibitions, relaxed liquor sales held round the clock, and particularly at night. Newly appointed State Minister of Tourism more..

Sep 16 (ANI) SL's economic crisis has become a wake-up call for the international community as the country has emerged as a straightforward example of falling prey to China's debt trap diplomacy as the unprecedented economic and social crisis in the country has shown how the BRI debt trap can totally ruin a country. Due to the country's dependence on imports and borrowings for economically unviable infrastructure projects offered by China through its Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), more..

Sep 16 (DM) In a move to formalise and regularise the country’s casino industry, the govt has published new rules to issue casino licenses upto 20-years along with a regulatory framework, which is expected to officially allow John Keells Holdings’ (JKH) flagship Cinnamon Life to move ahead with its plans to operate a casino within the premises. President Ranil Wickremesinghe on August 31 signed the relevant gazette notifications issuing regulations to regulate the casino industry more..

Sep 16 (TM) ITAK, main party in the TNA, MP Selvam Adaikkalanathan welcomed the resolution introduced by a group of US Senators calling for a widespread international mechanism addressing the current political and economic crisis, and challenges in SL caused by poor economic policies and governance under the family rule of former Prez Rajapaksa. Adaikkalanathan claimed that only the concern of the international community regarding the SL issue can bring about a lasting solution more..

Sep 16 (DM) In a recently published islandwide survey, 3 out of 4 people said they do not support punishing or criminalizing LGBT people. The survey, completed last year by the Westminster Forum for Democracy and recently published, covered all 25 districts of SL. It meets int'l requirements of a survey of this kind, which is capable of accurately predicting public opinions and sentiments. 51.4% of those surveyed also supported laws that would enhance the rights of LGBT persons more..

Sep 16 (PTI) Free Trade Agreement (FTA) between India and SL was the first-ever bilateral trade agreement for both countries, signed in 1998 and enforced in 2000. The pact is aimed at further boosting the economic ties between the two countries by liberalising trade norms. SL is keen to upgrade the Indo-Lanka Free Trade Agreement into a comprehensive economic and technological partnership, Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe said more..

Sep 16 (EN) The Colombo International Book Fair (CIBF), one of Sri Lanka’s most widely attended literary events, commenced on September 16 at the BMICH. First held in 1999 at the Colombo National Art Gallery with 28 book stalls, the event is being held for the 23rd consecutive year with over 400 local and international stalls. Organised by the Sri Lanka Book Publishers Association, this year’s fair will be held for nine days from September 16 to 25 from 9.00 am to 7.00 pm, organisers said. more..

Sep 16 (EN) Sri Lanka Port Authority (SLPA) has been directed to bear the damages caused to the Galle Face Green promenade by SL’s mass protests, which the authority claims amounts to 6.5 million rupees. Minister of Aviation and Shipping Nimal Siripala De Silva told the media recently that the SLPA has to pay for the alleged damage. De Silva said that structures such as walls, shops and benches in the vicinity have been damaged as a result of the months-long protest campaign. more..

Sep 16 (TM) Secretary to the Ministry of Education stated that the proposal to increase the fund allocated to provide school meals for approximately 1,100,000 children, to Rs. 100 from Rs. 60, has been submitted to Cabinet for approval. “Needful has been done by Education Ministry to address malnutrition among schoolchildren to the best of its capacity. We have sent a Cabinet proposal to increase the amount more..

Sep 16 (USE) Building on the USAID Administrator Samantha Powers’s recent visit, US Ambassador to SL Julie Chung announced today that the US, through USAID, will provide an additional estimated $65 million in assistance to SL over a five-year period. The assistance falls under the Development Objectives Assistance Agreement (DOAG) signed by Mr. Gabriel Grau, Mission Director for USAID SL and Maldives and Mahinda Siriwardena, Secretary, Ministry of Finance, Economic Stabilization more..

Sep 16 (EN) SL started unloading a petrol and crude oil consignment on Sept 16, following days of delay as the country’s state-run fuel retailer had to raise the money to make payments in US dollars. SL is still struggling to import fuel as it had lost the credit facility from its suppliers after the island nation declared sovereign debt default in April this year. An official from the Ministry of Power and Energy said out of four shipments including one crude, two are now being unloaded after the delay. more..

Sep 17 (DM) In most countries including SL, older people are often marginalised and their views are not taken seriously. We need to remember the truth that it is a deep spiritual virtue to care for parents and grandparents who have done so much for us in providing meals, education, healthcare and other vital factors for life. We also need to remember that people who grow old also become more mature. Their advise and guidance are important for us to play a responsible and productive role as more..

Sep 17 (DM) Four int'l human rights organizations - Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International, Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA) and International Commission of Jurists – have urged the permanent representatives of member and observer countries of the UNHRC on Monday to adopt a strong resolution on human rights in SL during the ongoing session of the council. The 51st regular session of the UN human rights body commenced on Sept 12 more..

Sep 17 (CT) President Ranil Wickremesinghe planned to spend the weekend in Kataragama last weekend and against the advice of many for him to go by air, he hopped into his official vehicle, as air travel would only add burden on the public. President’s Chief of Staff Sagala Ratnayake and State Minister Shasheendra Rajapaksa joined President Wickremesinghe in Kataragama. When the President went to worship the Kiri Vehera, more..

Sep 17 (CT) This is an addition to the expose by this author on Colombo Telegraph dated Aug 20, and a Tamil version of the same on jaffnafashion.com about the intellectual, immoral, and unethical frauds committed by the incumbent Vice-Chancellor (VC) of Uni of Jaffna, namely Sivakolundu Srisatkunarajah. A Senior Lecturer in Botany at the Uni of Jaffna (UoJ), by a letter dated Sept 25, 2018, addressed to the then VC, voluntarily resigned from her job with effect from Dec 26, 2018, citing ill-health. more..

Sep 17 (CT) The Indian Ocean Region (IOR) and its geopolitical significance has been the subject of many discussions over the past several decades. It is no secret that emerging world powers such as India and China, as well as the United States, which is vying to gain a foothold in the region, are making overt attempts at wresting control in the IOR for both commercial and military purposes. Smacked right in the middle of all this geopolitical wrangling is our small island nation. more..

Sep 17 (TM) Sri Lankans have, by now, grown accustomed to fresh news of price hikes streaming in every day. From essentials to luxuries, everything has become significantly more expensive. Electricity, water, and fuel prices, which remained unchanged for years, are also on this list of expensive goods and services. With the recent electricity tariff hike, some religious leaders, especially Buddhist monks, protested, more..

Sep 17 (Island) In this, the final part of this article, the writer argues that while the SC’s determination on the 19th Amendment Bill allowed some flexibility in reducing the powers of the President, its determination on the 21st and 22nd Amendment Bills has further strengthened the Executive Presidency. In both its determinations on 21A and 22A, the Court did not consider the important fact that the provisions of Article 30, which made the form of govt in SL presidential, more..

Sep 17 (Island) Hardly a day passes, in this country, without a corrupt deal being reported. Issues crop up at such a pace that nobody can keep track of them, and the crooks who fatten their bank accounts by causing huge losses to the state coffers get off scot-free. Chairman of state-owned Litro Gas Muditha Peiris, and former COPE Prof. Charitha Herath have locked horns over an alleged LPG scam. The latter insists that the severe cooking gas shortage that made consumers languish in long queues more..

Sep 17 (DM) On the fateful morning of 16th Sept 2000, Mohammed Hussein Muhammad Ashraff (MHM Ashraff) boarded a SLAF Mi-17 helicopter at the Police grounds in Bambalapitiya. Time was 9.30 am. The legendary leader of the SLMC was at that time, Cabinet Minister in charge of Shipping, Ports, Reconstruction and Rehabilitation in the Govt of Prez Chandrika Kumaratunga. Altogether there were fifteen persons including Ashraff aboard the copter. Nine SLMC party officials and 3 bodyguards more..

Sep 17 (TM) The mass protests in SL that led to the removal of former Prez Rajapaksa and the appointment of a new president, Ranil Wickremesinghe, in July have now stalled. As Wickremesinghe cracks down on dissent and demonstrators figure out where to go from here, many critics and experts have overlooked the role the country’s Left has played in the protest movement. Leftist parties are not the main players in the country’s aragalaya or struggle, but more..

Sep 17 (FT) The services sector led the rebound of the economy in August whilst manufacturing too improved, albeit slower as per the Purchasing Managers Index (PMI) compiled by the Central Bank. “Services PMI returned to growth territory in August, recording an index value of 51.7 after declining for four consecutive months,” CBSL said. The manufacturing PMI recorded an index value of 49.6 in August, up from July yet more..

Sep 17 (FT) Lanka IOC's Rs. 320 million grease plant in Trincomalee, the first of its kind in SL, began commercial operations yesterday. The construction of the plant began in FY21. LIOC also said that approval from the Board of investment has also been obtained to extend the existing Lube Blending plant of the company’s Trincomalee Terminal in this regard. The opening of the grease plant will help save valuable foreign exchange as at present requirement is met entirely via imports. more..

Sep 17 (EN) Lotus Tower earned 1.6 million rupees on the first day of operations, an official said. On Sept 15, opening day, only tickets retailing at 500 rupees were issued and during its opening hours between 2PM and 10PM, the tower had seen 3,200 visitors, Financial Consultant of Colombo Lotus Tower (Pvt) Ltc Minhar Aziz said. The first day’s turnover has been to the satisfaction of all stakeholders as minimum advertising and marketing was done in the run-up to the launch, more..

Sep 17 (CI) What kind of spinners will enjoy success at the T20 World Cup in Australia? Ask Muthiah Muralidaran, and he backs wristspinners - like the recently crowned Asia Cup Player of the Tournament - Wanindu Hasaranga. Pick Daniel Vettori's brain, and he believes fingerspinners - of the R Ashwin mould - will get more out of those surfaces. Both, however, agree on one thing: use the bounce in Australia to your advantage. Vettori, in particular, stressed on the art of imparting topspin, more..

Sep 17 (AD) The Secretary General of Parliament Dhammika Dasanayake said that steps will be taken to establish a separate budget office in Parliament to monitor the financial affairs by directly obtaining accurate information related to the government’s financial control including income and expenditure. The Secretary General said this at a special public service program jointly organized by the Parliament’s Communications Department and the Sri Lanka Press Institute (SLPI) more..

Sep 17 (TM) As the Employers’ Federation of Ceylon (EFC) has agreed to a 25% salary increment following the Ceylon Estate Staffs’ Union’s (CESU) demand for a 70% pay hike, the CESU stressed that a final decision on whether they will go ahead with the previously forewarned trade union (TU) action pertaining to this issue will be reached tomorrow (17). CESU General Secretary Robert Francis said that there were more..