Jun 1 (FT) Speaking strictly for myself, let me pre-emptively answer the blunt question directed at anyone who objects to the harsh treatment of Nathasa Edirisooriya, namely: what would you say if such disrespect was displayed towards your religion? It was on Vatican Radio, while travelling in Europe, that I first heard the whole of the Jesus Christ Superstar double-album with its brilliantly irreverent, borderline blasphemous opening questions more..

Jun 1 (DM) Ven. Ajahn Brahmawanso Thera, who arrived at the BIA, to leave for Bangkok had been kept waiting at the airport for 12 hours as PM Dinesh Gunawardane was also set to leave for Thailand on the same flight. It was reported that the Thera had arrived at the BIA at around 10 pm on Tuesday to take a Singapore Airlines flight to Bangkok, Thailand and was seated at the VIP lounge to board the flight. In the meantime, PM and a group of Ministers had also arrived more..

Jun 1 (EN) Sri Lanka’s central bank does not have a pre-determined level to stop rupee appreciation, Central Bank Governor Nandalal Weerasinghe said, as the monetary authority continued to build reserves. The central bank will not go against the market but was intervening to stop excessive volatility Weerasinghe told reporters Thursday. The rupee can go up as well as down, under a flexible exchange rate, he said. more..

Jun 1 (DM) The price of a 50kg bag of urea fertilizer sold to farmers by the two state-owned fertilizer companies will be priced at Rs. 9,000 from June 15. Decision was taken during a discussion held by Agriculture Minister Mahinda Amaraweera on reducing the price of urea. Another 31,500 metric tons of urea is scheduled to arrive between June 10-12. The minister mentioned that this step was taken to give the farmers the advantage of the rupee gained strength against more..

Jun 1 (AD) An interlocutory application has been filed before the Supreme Court seeking to dismiss the Fundamental Rights (FR) petition filed by Pastor Jerome Fernando without taking it up for hearing. Pastor Jerome Fernando had filed the relevant FR petition requesting an order to be issued preventing his arrest. Accordingly, the interlocutory application was filed by a group including Ven. Elle Gunawansa Thero, against Jerome Fernando’s fundamental rights petition. more..

Jun 1 (DM) The production trial of SL's first Potato Chips factory has been a great success, Agriculture Ministry said. They said the project was jointly initiated by the Agriculture Ministry's Small Scale Agri-business Participation Program (SAPP) and Janatha Govi Samagama, Bandarawela. Minister mentioned that Potato Chips, which has been built at a cost of Rs.100 million, is a project that is being implemented with more..

Jun 1 (Island) High Commissioner Prof. Sudharshan Seneviratne said historical linkages and cultural similarities of SL and Bangladesh could be used as instruments to promote the tourism industry for the benefit of both countries. Prof. Seneviratne said so at a special tourism promotion briefing organised by the High Commission of SL in Dhaka for travel agents and media personnel in Bangladesh on 29 May, in collaboration with the Association of Travel Agents of Bangladesh (ATAB) and more..

Jun 1 (EN) SL army plans to manufacture live ammunition for light weapons in the future, in hopes of retaining the outflow of forex in the country as the island nation struggles to increase its foreign reserves, State Minister of Defence Bandara Tennakoon said. Currently, uniform materials, body armors, and combat helmets are being produced for troops in the army-owned manufacturing facilities in Veyangoda. “The govt hopes to develop this facility going forward, and in the future, more..

Jun 1 (EN) The arrest of a SL standup comedian under provisions of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) Act was a move to stifle freedom of speech, Centre for Policy Alternatives (CPA) said. Natasha Edirisooriya, who had made a controversial remark on the young Bodhisatva at a recent performance, was taken into custody on May 28 for allegedly insulting Buddhism, Sri Lanka’s most widely practised faith. CPA said in a statement that Edirisooriya’s arrest is the more..

Jun 1 (AD) Chief of Defence Staff, General Shavendra Silva has sent a letter of demand to MP Wimal Weerawansa alleging the parliamentarian of bringing him into disrepute. General Silva says MP Weerawansa, during a recent book launch, has made defamatory remarks, accusing him being complicit in a conspiracy to overthrow the govt. Weerawansa is said to have made the accusations in question during the launch of his book Nine; The Hidden Story in April. more..

Jun 1 (EN) SL’s doctors, accountants, bankers, architects, quantity surveyors, lawyers of the supreme court have to be registered with the Dept of Inland Revenue by June 01, according to a gazette issued under the country’s income tax law. Persons who have registered a business at Divisional Secretariats, persons who own a vehicle other than a three-wheeler, motor bike or hand tractor also have to register with Inland Revenue. more..

Jun 1 (DM) In an intervention petition, Ven. Elle Gunawansa Thera has urged the SC to dismiss the Fundamental Rights petition filed by Pastor Jerome Fernando who sought order against his imminent arrest by police. The Intervenient-Petitioner Elle Gunawansa Thero is further seeking an order to refuse the grant of interim reliefs to Pastor Jerome. In his Fundamental Rights petition, Pastor Gerome Fernando stated that the sermon he delivered on April 30, 2023 does not constitute any offence more..

Jun 1 (AD) Minister of Trade Nalin Fernando says that measures will be taken to reduce the prices of several commodities, in comparison with the appreciation of the Sri Lankan Rupee. Speaking at a press briefing today (1), Minister Fernando emphasized that the general public should receive the benefit of the lowering inflation. “If there was a system to decrease the commodity prices as fast as it increases, we wouldn’t have to struggle with this matter,” he said. more..

Jun 1 (CI) Afghanistan men's side are going to the big show, but SL are yet to qualify. There is nuance to this. In the ODI World Cup Super League, Afghanistan's oppositions were Ireland, Netherlands, Bangladesh, Zimbabwe and SL. But then, they barely played ODIs, despite having won 11 out of those 15 games. SL played 24 matches, and won only seven, which is why they finished tenth on the Super League table. more..

Jun 1 (FT) Citrus Leisure PLC yesterday disclosed that it has been awarded the Tender to engage in the management of certain spaces in The Colombo Lotus Tower subject to the execution of a formal agreement embodying the terms to be agreed between the parties by Colombo Lotus Tower Management Company Ltd. This was in response to a bid submitted by Citrus Leisure, to an invitation for Expression of Interest, by way of a notice published in the newspapers. more..

Jun 1 (EN) Shares closed higher in trade on Thursday, over as Sri Lanka cuts policy rates 250 basis points lowering the rate at which liquidity is injected to markets to 14% to from 16.5%, saying inflation was falling faster than expected, an analyst said. “The overall sentiment is positive, because it was a higher than expected rate cut,” an analyst said. ASPI was up 1.59% or 136.44 points to 8,668.40, this is the most points the index has gained since 7 March, while more..

Jun 1 (AD) Bruno Divakara, the owner of the YouTube channel SL VLOG who was arrested on Wednesday, is remanded until June 07 on the orders of Colombo Fort Magistrate Thilina Gamage. The CID arrested the SL VLOG owner on Wednesday evening, after grilling him for more than 08 hours over the recent controversial comments by stand-up comedian Nathasha Edirisooriya. Divakara was brought in for questioning as the video of concern, which had gone viral across social media more..

Jun 1 (DM) More Gazette notifications similar to the one issued on Wednesday night under which several institutions were brought under the President's purview will be published in the future as more of the institutions have to be converted to profit-making entities, UNP MP Vajira Abeywardena said. “More institutions will have to be moved out of govt control and converted into institutions which are more profitable. More state institutions will have to be made more efficient. more..

Jun 1 (TM) Even though Sri Lanka is at present stepping towards making a new agenda for power and energy sector reforms with the participation of the relevant political authorities, experts and the academia, Chief of the Energy Sector Group at ADB, Prof. Priyantha Wijethunga said that the developing world lags far behind the developed world in introducing new reforms to this sector. Speaking at the National Symposium on Power and more..

Jun 1 (AD) A young man was brutally murdered in the Wekada area of Panadura last night (31). The victim, who was first attacked with a sword in front of a garment factory, had run into the garment factory premises with injuries. A CCTV camera installed at the garment factory shows how the sword-wielding perpetrator proceeded to attack the victim after following him into the factory premises. However, the victim, who sustained several critical cut wounds to his head, died on the spot. more..

Jun 1 (AD) The govt has made it mandatory to test imported dried fish, sprats and fruits for heavy metals such as lead and arsenic with effect from today (1). The decision was taken after a survey conducted by the Food Control Administration Unit of the Health Ministry between 2021 and 2022 discovered that certain consignments of imported dried fish, sprats and fruits contain heavy metals, especially lead and arsenic, in large quantities. According to the survey, some imported more..

Jun 1 (SCMP) China pledged to support Sri Lanka through difficult times while renewing its commitment to developing the island country’s largest trading ports through the Belt and Road Initiative as Colombo continues to battle a crippling economic crisis. In a meeting between visiting Chinese vice-minister for foreign affairs Sun Weidong and SL Foreign Secretary Aruni Wijewardane, the two sides reaffirmed more..

Jun 1 (DM) Harbour Police launched an investigation after the chief engineer of a cargo ship owned by Abu Dhabi, which was anchored at the Galle port, died after he fell into the sea today. The deceased has been identified as Aleksejev Vitalli, a Lithuanian national. The cargo ship Sea Parrot belonging to Abu Dhabi arrived at the Galle port on 29 May due to adverse weather conditions and remained at anchor until the weather improved. During the morning hours today, while engaged in work more..

Jun 1 (DM) LSSP has decided to take action against Prof. Tissa Vitharana for misleading the public by making statements in the Parliament, thus creating disputes within the party. The party addressing a press conference said the recent remarks by Prof. Vitharana in the Parliament had misled both the general public as well as the House leading to confusion and disputes within the party. LSSP General Secretary W. Abeysena said Prof. Vitharana had made a statement in the House more..

Jun 2 (DM) There are words that seem to be very popular among politicians and political groups when it comes to naming a new part or coalition. Jathika or National would top the list. We have the Eksath JATHIKA Pakshaya (United NATIONAL Party). Whenever this party led coalitions, pakshaya was replaced with peramuna or front, but jathika was left intact. There are others. There are 86 parties registered with the Elections Commission at present. Four (4) of that have the word jathika more..

Jun 2 (DM) The possible arrest of a popular preacher, and the arrests of a stand-up comedian, a loquacious monk, and several others in recent days have triggered a debate on freedom of expression in SL. In the past, too, the authorities have arrested a novelist, a poet and even a woman who wore a kaftan that had a picture of a ship’s helm. Such arrests on charges ranging from the sublime to the ridiculous are becoming more frequent in SL, making democracy advocates wonder whether more..

Jun 2 (DM) Nutrition plays a unique role in creating a healthy and productive population. Even though the prevailing economic crisis has considerably affected the fulfilment of Sri Lankans’ nutritional needs, it is crucial to take measures to fulfil those needs with the available resources. However, nutrition is not just a matter of obtaining the necessary nutrients, it is also about limiting the consumption of unhealthy food or more..

Jun 2 (DM) Sri Lankans over the years have seen much religious tension and also loads of violence. Even if the majority of people from all religions have not attained the supreme bliss of enlightenment they must be mature enough to understand when rulers are working from behind the scenes and instigating religions tensions for their survival and benefit. We are in an era where the third generation of people has either embraced another religion after marriage or have decided to become atheists. more..

Jun 2 (CT) Financial frauds aren’t anything new to the folks of Sri Lanka. It has to be said that the people witnessed more than a few such incidents during the past years. The most common form of fraud has always been the Pyramid schemes. It is not just ten or twenty people who get caught up in those frauds in the dream – turning to be a nightmare, later – of earning more wealth and eventually losing even the little they had. Nevertheless, what catches us by surprise more..

Jun 2 (TM) At a time SL is taking the beginner steps on the long pathway for economic recovery along with ongoing discussions for debt restructuring with creditor countries and the State Owned Enterprises (SOEs), gradual increase of economic activity is much anticipated since recovering from the crisis alone is not sufficient but also the economic revival. Therefore, the commencement of halted plans for expansion more..

Jun 2 (TM) What started as a mere joke for a limited audience seems to have blown up out of proportion, making it look like an organised, foreign funded plot to trigger religious disharmony at the national level, among different religious groups, especially between Buddhists and other religions. Stand-up comedian Nathasha Edirisooriya’s statements about Buddhism, which many claim are part of the said alleged plot, are now a matter that concerns legal actions and possible legal reforms more..

Jun 2 (TM) The 2023 global campaign for the World No Tobacco Day, which falls today (31), is launched under the theme, We need food, not tobacco as announced by the WHO. The campaign aims to raise awareness about alternative crop production and marketing opportunities for tobacco farmers worldwide, encouraging them to grow sustainable, nutritious crops. The world is facing a devastating global food crisis at present, induced by a combination of factors such as conflict, more..

Jun 2 (CT) Since the day I took charge of our nation’s economy, I wanted to ensure you that SL’s actual economic situation was made clear and transparent. Over the recent months, I have provided regular updates on SL’s economic state, outlined strategies to overcome our challenges, and emphasized the role each of us must play for the betterment of our nation. We have endured numerous hardships due to a struggling economy, but we are slowly making progress more..

Jun 2 (TM) Dr. Amal Harsha de Silva of the Gampaha District Cycling Association, former secretary of the Ministry of Sports, was elected unopposed as the new president of the Sri Lanka Cycling Federation. This is the third time he has been elected as the president of the Cycling Federation. In last year's official election, he was also elected as the chairman, but in the meantime, he had to leave the post after taking over as the secretary of the Ministry of Sports. more..

Jun 2 (FT) Citing six compelling factors, the Central Bank yesterday announced a sharp 250 basis points cut in policy rates, first time in nearly 3 years and signalled financial institutions to follow suit. The decision to reduce Standing Deposit Facility Rate (SDFR) and Standing Lending Facility Rate (SLFR) of the CB by 250 basis points to 13% & 14%, respectively, was by the Monetary Board of CBSL at its meeting on Wednesday. more..

Jun 2 (ST) For the first time in its history, South Asian Football Federation (SAFF) Championship will proceed without SL, when the regional competition comes alive for the 14th occasion from June 21 to July 4 in Bangalore, India. The remaining countries of the South Asian region – hosts India, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Maldives, Nepal and Pakistan – will be joined by two guest countries, Kuwait and Lebanon from the Middle East region to complete an eight-team battle for the SAFF Cup. more..