Apr 1 (DM) Muthuvel Karunanidhi Stalin (MK Stalin) the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu State in India, unveiled the name board of a road with a new name on March 24 2023. The Municipal Administration of Tamil Nadu’s capital city, Chennai had officially changed the name of the West Circular Road in Mandavelipakkam, ward number 126, Zone 9 as the T.M. Soundararajan Road (Saalai). T.M. Soundararajan known popularly as TMS, was a renowned playback singer in Tamil films more..

Apr 1 (ST) Packed, sealed and delivered. That’s one description of the nearly US$3 billion bailout package of IMF to alleviate SL’s economic ills. There was a lot of euphoria over this deal with firecrackers being lit on Tuesday by residents in some parts of the country, prompted probably by the ruling political authorities as a win-win for SL. The business community was scrambling to understand the nuances of the IMF announcement and this week was tuned into a plethora of discussions, more..

Apr 1 (CT) Plantation workers, primarily SL Tamils of Indian Origin, have yet to acquire land rights and the ability to own a home. Politicians occasionally issue land deeds to workers on political stages in the upcountry, but this practice is void because land ownership in plantations must receive Cabinet approval before it is gazetted and tabled in Parliament. It is widely known that following the privatisation of more..

Apr 1 (DM) War mongering and brinkmanship are escalating in the European theatre, where the US and NATO are fighting a proxy war with Russia in Ukraine. On March 14, a US MQ-9 Reaper drone was brought down over the Black Sea by Russian fighter jets, after the drone allegedly violated Russian airspace and carried out its flight with transponders turned off. The US and sections of the Western media made a huge hue and cry claiming the Russian fighters engaged in reckless more..

Apr 1 (GV) The ruthless repression of dissent, the growing crisis of refugees, an unchecked climate crisis and double standards of the West on human rights violations were some of the issues facing South Asia and highlighted in Amnesty International’s Annual Report 2022/23: The State of the World’s Human Rights launched in Colombo. Speaking at the launch Senior Director of AI, Deprose Muchena, said that AI would hold the West accountable for its double standards more..

Apr 1 (TM) The timely maintenance of and planning concerning laboratory equipment will also help reduce the cost of laboratory investigations. These recommendations were made in an article on the Cost study of three selected laboratory investigations at different levels of health care institutions in the Western Province which was authored by H.M.P. Perera and P.G.P.S. Karunarathna (both attached to Colombo East Base Hospital in Mulleriyawa) more..

Apr 1 (ST) This week the IMF Board approved its long-awaited programme for crisis-ridden SL with an Extended Fund Facility (EFF) of about US$3 billion to support SL’s economic policies and reforms. While the IMF will disburse its first tranche of US$ 330 million immediately, the balance of the EFF will be issued over a period of 48 months with periodic assessments of the progress. Whatever it is, the IMF approval was welcomed by SL with the sounds of firecrackers in some parts of the country. more..

Apr 1 (Island) The Anuradhapura Teaching Hospital (ATH) has been compelled to close its paediatric ward because all four paediatricians who worked there have left the country, according to media reports. This, we believe, is just the beginning of trouble in the health sector. The situation is bound to take a turn for the worse with other hospitals, too, having to downsize for want of doctors and other health professionals. The health service is not alone in this predicament. more..

Apr 1 (FT) Ever since Sri Lanka became a signatory to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights proclaimed by the UN in 1948, our political and civil democrats including pundits and academics joined the rest of the world adding two adjectives to the word elections and constantly agitated for free and fair elections whenever elections are called. This phrase was based on Article 21 (3) of the Declaration which reads as follows: “The will of the people shall be the basis of authority of Govt; more..

Apr 1 (Island) In a concerted effort to ensure healthcare equity for all Sri Lankans, the country’s foremost trusted private healthcare provider Hemas Hospitals introduced Upakara, an unmatched timely initiative which offers free monthly dialysis cycles to a selected number of Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) patients from low-income backgrounds, through Hemas Hospitals. Hemas Hospitals’ Upakara is a one-of-a-kind initiative, contributing to the health and wellbeing of individuals from underprivileged more..

Apr 1 (CT) Though this country has received a relief package from the IMF, the economic crisis shows no signs of abating anytime soon. Relief has been obtained to privatise certain State institutions and if the country’s economy is to be put back on the rails then several measures have to be taken to that extent. President Ranil Wickremesinghe is burning midnight oil these days to implement a system whereby more..

Apr 1 (FT) SL’s most valuable company, Expolanka Holdings PLC, has signalled its aggressive expansion by acquiring a Canadian logistics giant LEI Group for a staggering Rs. 22 billion. The company said fully owned subsidiary EFL Global Logistics Ltd. (EFL Singapore) has acquired 100% equity interest of LEI Group for a purchase consideration of CA $ 90 million (around Rs. 22 billion) on a cash free debt free basis on 30 March. “As part of the company’s North America more..

Apr 1 (FT) Chamber of Young Lankan Entrepreneurs (COYLE) has urged the Govt to engage business leaders in policy making process to ensure fair, sustainable and economically sound decisions. This call was made during its 24th Anniversary Celebrations held recently. The event was attended by the Chief Guest, PM Dinesh Gunawardena; the Guest of Honour, US Ambassador Julie Chung, former Prez Maithripala Sirisena, Chief of the Defence Staff General Shavendra Silva, more..

Apr 1 (EN) SL’s consumer prices jumped 2.5% in March 2023, though 12-month inflation eased slightly to 50.3% from 50.6% a month earlier. A re-based Colombo Consumer Price Index went up from 189.5 pints to 195.0 points partly driven by a large power tariff hike. A rise in the price of one item tends to reduce demand for other goods over time, unless it is monetarily accommodated by printing money to mis-target rates, which is why individual changes in prices cannot push up overall prices. more..

Apr 1 (FT) Continuing to support the agricultural sector despite the challenges faced today, SL’s leading private sector bank HNB PLC partnered with Lanka Commercial Trading (LCT) to offer farmers convenient leasing solutions and exclusive benefits on Yanmar and Solis tractors. “The ongoing multidimensional crisis is an enormous threat to national food production and security. The increased costs of agricultural inputs and the rising cost of living also continue to adversely impact more..

Apr 1 (TA) One of the world’s biggest tea companies, Dilmah Tea, has threatened to pull its products from Australian supermarket shelves unless the major retail chains agree to pay more for its handcrafted brands of Ceylon teas and cease their demands for discounts. Dilmah Tea CEO Dilhan Fernando, said the company had been losing money in Australia for more than a decade and its market share continued to fall as it refused more..

Apr 1 (Island) Recent articles in the local press have publicised the govt plans for introduction of nuclear power plants to SL with Russian support. A similar decision was taken way back in 2010, by the then President to bring nuclear power plants to SL from South Korea. At the time, the APSL-UK responded to both GOSL and the IAEA Geneva, showing the unsuitability of installing nuclear power in SL. This letter is a follow up to that communication from the APSL-UK highlighting the scientific, economic more..

Apr 1 (CT) Delivering the keynote address at the Economic Dialogue – IMF & Beyond panel discussion recently, Prez Wickremesinghe said Sri Lanka has a final opportunity to progress and it is imperative for everyone to collaborate in creating a prosperous community for future generations, without resorting to finger-pointing. Prez also said the Govt should surpass the IMF programme and concentrate on establishing a thriving community for upcoming generations, emphasising more..

Apr 1 (EN) SL’s import expenditure recorded a notable decline compared to reduction in export earnings in February (year-on-year) while workers’ remittances and earnings from tourism continued to improve, Central Bank said. Gross official reserves strengthened further by end Feb 2023, compared to recent months, the central bank said in its external sector performance report for the month. more..

Apr 1 (MFA) A meeting chaired by State Minister Tharaka Balasuriya was held at the Ministry on 30 March on strengthening of relations between SL and ASEAN Countries, with the participation of the Heads of Mission of the ASEAN countries based in SL namely Head of Missions of Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Thailand, Viet Nam and senior officials of the Ministry. Mugunuwela Anuruddha Thero, Secretary of All Island Buddhasasana Council also took part at the discussion on the invitation more..

Apr 1 (Island) An impressive sub 46 seconds feat in the men’s 400 metres by sprinter Aruna Dharshana and a national record feat in the men’s triple jump by Shreshan Dhananjaya were among the highlights on day three of SL Army Athletics Championship at Diyagama on Friday. Dharshana piped Pabasara Niku during the last few metres to clinch the title of the men’s 400 metres. He returned a time of 45.83 seconds. With his seasonal best performance Dharshana has now produced sub-46 sec more..

Apr 1 (CT) After succumbing to a defeat against NZ in the third ODI at Hamilton, SL assistant coach Naveed Nawaz stressed that than losing the series, the way SL lost is a worry. “To be honest than losing the series the way we lost is a huge disappointment. We are a team with full of talent, but unfortunately players failed to play to their potential”, said a dejected Naveed Nawaz at the post match conference. The defeat also saw SL fail to snatch 8th spot in Men’s WC Super League table. more..

Apr 1 (ST) Rich in biodiversity, Thalawathugoda area is now under threat from discarded beer cans, plastic bottles, polythene, empty food containers, and leftovers that are thrown into drains, the pavements and natural waterways by those arriving to wine and dine on the streets and at leisure spots. Residents and nature enthusiasts are concerned that the natural beauty of Thalawathugoda wetlands and surrounding area will be spoiled causing irreparable damage to flora and fauna. more..

Apr 1 (FT) Sri Lankans continue to have deeply unfavourable views of most politicians a year after the economic and political collapse in early 2022, and despite progress in recent months in stabilising the economy and in negotiations with the IMF. In polling during Sept 2022 to Mar 2023, almost all politicians tracked by SLOTS had negative favourability ratings, and most had ratings below -30, which make most Sri Lankan politicians more..

Apr 1 (Island) Singapore Airlines commenced operation of Boeing B787-10 Dreamliner between Colombo and Singapore on 27 March 2023.Constructed using lightweight composite materials, the 68-metre B787-10 is the longest variant of Boeing’s Dreamliner range. Passengers can look forward to a comfortable journey, experiencing large electronically dimmable windows, low cabin altitude, generous headroom, and a quiet and smooth ride. more..

Apr 1 (DN) SL's two para athletes Dinesh Herath and Samitha Dulan excelled at the Australian Open Athletic Meet when Dinesh won a gold medal in the F46 Javelin throw event with a 63.18m distance while Samitha Dulan won F44 Javelin throw silver medal with a 64.20m distance throw. SL three-member team Dinesh Herath, Samitha Dulan and Palitha Bandara took part in this meet with coach Pradeep Nishantha. Paralympic gold medal winner Dinesh Herath took part in this meet after more..

Apr 1 (AD) The body of a female was recovered from her residence by the Pelmadulla Police this morning (31). The deceased has been identified as Attorney-at-Law Dushmanthi Abeyratne, a 40-year-old resident of Bulathwelgoda, Pelmadulla. The victim’s family believe that she died under suspicious circumstances, adding that her husband was reported missing since last night (30). Further investigations are also underway into a text message which had been sent by more..

Apr 1 (Island) An agreement was signed between the Country Director of the French Development Agency (AFD) M. Reda SOUIRGI and Secretary to the Ministry of Environment Dr. Anil Jasinghe in the presence of the French Ambassador to SL, Jean-François PACTET and Minister of Environment, Naseer Ahamed. They signed a 300,000 EUR grant agreement supporting improved monitoring and reporting of air quality in SL. The CEA and NBRO officials were also present at the event. more..

Apr 1 (ST) The dearth of medical specialists was the focus of a high-level meeting of health administrators on Thursday, with more than 100 participants, both physically and on zoom. The urgent need for the re-deployment of specialists had been discussed at length and included the significant impact of the current economic crisis on the health sector and how the crisis has worsened shortages in resources more..

Apr 1 (DM) An internationally acceptable report must be submitted on the alleged death of Pulasthini Mahendran, alias Sarah Jasmine, the wife of Katuwapitiya church bomber, Rev. Father Cyril Gamini said. Third report from the Govt Analyst Dept is contradictory to their former reports. We cannot accept this," he said. Earlier, police said that the DNA tests revealed that Sarah Jasmine had died during the suicide bomb explosion in a safe house in Sainthamaruthu on April 26, 2019, more..

Apr 1 (AD) A group of Aragalaya activists staged a protest near former Prez Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s private residence this afternoon (31). The protest was organized to mark the one-year anniversary since dozens were arrested when chaotic scenes unfolded after hundreds of protesters held a demonstration in Mirihana, calling for Rajapaksa’s resignation. A heated situation arose this afternoon between protesters and Police, during which a group of persons were taken into Police custody. more..

Apr 1 (TA) Two Sri Lankan asylum seekers who were transferred to Rwanda earlier this month after attempting suicide on the Indian Ocean island of Diego Garcia were approved by UK authorities on Thursday to receive asylum in a third country. Documents notifying the man and woman of the decision, which The New Humanitarian has reviewed, say they will not be returned to SL, where they fear persecution by the govt. more..

Apr 2 (CT) The IMF intervention, at least in the very short run, seems to have altered the political trajectory in Sri Lanka. At the moment, Ranil Wickremesinghe seems to be in seventh heaven. Trying to portray himself as the savior of the nation after obtaining the approval from the International Monetary Board, President Wickremesinghe will resort to any and all means to cushion his position in power with the cunning and wide experience he has gained over the last forty years. more..

Apr 2 (GV) As of now, Ranil Wickremesinghe has three points in his favour. First, there is the IMF deal, which his govt is more or less using as a shield against criticism of the many austerity measures being enforced in its name. Second, there is the SJB-UNP nexus or the many not so subtle commonalities that have linked the main opposition with the president’s party. Third, there is the SJB-JVP-NPP divide that has only fragmented the opposition to the govt’s benefit. more..

Apr 2 (SO) State Minister Kanaka Herath said that we should prioritise whether conducting elections or stability of the country’s economy is so essential at this critical juncture. He said if the elections are held or protests and trade union actions are conducted at this decisive moment, the country will go back to the same status where it was last year. He said at present, we have faced some challenges which we have not faced in past. more..

Apr 2 (TM) A grand jury in the US last week indicted former President Donald Trump over an alleged hush money payment to a porn star before he became President. A few weeks earlier the current Prime Minister of England was fined by Traffic Police for not wearing a seatbelt. Can we in this country ever dream of hearing such news regarding any of our politicians, even though the list of allegations against their names is far more serious and continuously growing? more..