Apr 7 (ST) Given the current favourable macroeconomic headwinds and economic resurgence, Sri Lanka is optimistic about finalising debt-restructuring talks in London with international creditors and entering into an agreement on the US$12 billion debt re-work proposal, a senior Finance Ministry official said. The talks ended this week with Treasury Secretary Mahinda Siriwardena and Central Bank Governor Nandalal Weerasinghe leading the SL negotiating team. more..

Apr 7 (ST) With the rupee set to appreciate further against the US dollar, the Trade Ministry has been directed to formulate measures to ensure that the benefits are passed on to consumers of imported goods, including food items. A senior Treasury official said that within the next two months, they expected the foreign exchange rate to appreciate to Rs 280 for a US dollar. He said if the traders fail to reduce the price of imported goods with the proposed new measures, the govt may have more..

Apr 7 (TM) Further information regarding the goods supposed to be unloaded at Colombo Port by the controversial ship Dali is currently being gathered by the Merchant Shipping Secretariat and other relevant shipping companies, according to the SLPA. The ship collided with the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore in the US while en route to Colombo last month. When contacted, SLPA Additional Managing Director (Operations) more..

Apr 7 (AD) Sri Lankans will have the opportunity to witness a rare celestial spectacle of the Devil’s Comet, scientifically named 12P/Pons-Brooks, which passes by the Earth once in 71 years. Devil’s Comet will be positioned near the Jupiter, making it visible to the naked eye during the total solar eclipse on April 08. A rare and massive comet, known for its “horned” shape and has a 71-year orbit, was observed for the first time in 1300 Anno Domini by a group of Chinese astronomers. more..

Apr 7 (DM) The Asia Rugby (AR) Men’s 15-A-Side Division 1 Championship 2024 will commence on April 30 at the Racecourse Grounds in Colombo. Host SL, Qatar, Kazakhstan and India will participate in this four-nation tournament. Originally, this year’s AR Men’s Division 1 Tournament was to be contested between Sri Lanka, Qatar and Pakistan. However, Pakistan withdrew from this year’s competition. At the same time, the AR Men’s Division 2 competition also ended up with more..

Apr 7 (ST) Sri Lanka’s budget for the first time in history is set for a complete overhaul, covering the entire government sector to ensure full transparency of fiscal planning and other policy interventions, Finance Ministry sources said. All the previous budgets provided incomplete information on the use of public funds, fiscal policy setting and equally incomplete transparency regarding public revenue and spending, a recent analytical report of the ministry highlighted. more..

Apr 7 (Island) This year marks the 25th anniversary of the appointment of the first ever Cricket Interim Committee. Ironically, the man who was chosen to Chair that committee, although a keen follower of the game, had little experience in its administration. Rienzie T. Wijetilleke is his name. Orders to appoint Wijetilleke, then Chairman of HNB came directly from the Country‘s President, Chandrika Kumaratunga who was well acquainted with his no nonsense approach to discipline & accountability. more..

Apr 7 (ST) After Sri Lanka’s women cricketers secured a historic 2-1 victory against South Africa in the Women’s T20I series last week, team captain Chamari Athapaththu posted a photo holding the trophy with Head Coach Rumesh Ratnayake, captioned ‘Champions, Bilateral Series against South Africa, Final duty for my country’. However, Coach Ratnayake believes that all-rounder Athapaththu’s statement may not have been what she truly intended, more..

Apr 7 (ST) Former SL first class cricketer, Ramesh Subasinghe has been appointed as the new Head Coach of West Indies Men’s Academy, a role he will officially take over from May 1. A former alumni of St. Peter’s College, Subasinghe turned out for Air Force and Kurunegala Youth Sports Club, before switching to NCC, where he functioned as a right-arm fast bowler and a left hand batter. His best figures in bowling, 6 for 73, came against Tamil Union among the tally of 28 wickets more..

Apr 7 (ST) Dilana Damsara’s impressive knock of 67 runs set the stage for St. Peter’s College to secure a comfortable 3-wicket triumph over traditional rivals St. Joseph’s College in their 50th Battle of the Saints Limited Overs encounter played at the SSC ground yesterday. The clash began with St. Joseph’s College taking to the crease, fueled by the determined batting efforts of Hirun Kapurubandara and Hiran Jayasundara who orchestrated a formidable 124-run partnership for 3rd wicket, more..

Apr 7 (ST) Prez Secretariat has ordered a full investigation to determine whether disciplinary action should be taken over the conduct of certain Western Province graduate teachers during the ceremony held on Wednesday at Temple Trees to award letters of appointment to them. The order had come following several complaints regarding what was deemed disrespectful behaviour by some of the graduate teachers. more..

Apr 7 (DM) Former President Maithripala Sirisena who is at the centre of controversy over his latest remarks that he is aware of the mastermind behind the Easter Sunday carnage will be forced to place all his cards on the table when Parliament takes up a fresh debate on the matter during the next sitting week. Parliament will take up a three-day debate when it meets for the first time after New Year on April 24, as agreed upon at the party leaders’ meeting conducted yesterday. more..

Apr 7 (ST) It was a matter of time before the upcoming general election campaign rhetoric in India was to spill over to SL. This time it was no less a persona than its PM who obliged with his choir of senior ministers in the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) joining in singing from the same hymn sheet. It was a marked departure from the usual. Normally, it is the Tamil Nadu politicians who use the Sri Lanka card for electioneering. This time it has come from the Centre itself. more..

Apr 7 (ST) Gnanasara hamuduruwaney, I am not sure where I should direct this letter hamuduruwaney, whether it is to the prison, to the prison hospital or even whether it should be to your temple, but I thought I must write to you after hearing that you have been sent to prison for a second time. Again, it was for something you said. When the news that you have been sent to prison hit the headlines, most people wondered why you were making a habit of this. more..

Apr 7 (Island) Few Lankans would have been surprised that Indian PM Narendra Modi, now campaigning to lead his Bharatiya Janatha Party to ‘threpeat’ its election victories for the third consecutive time, has raked up a long dead Kachchativu issue to win votes in Tamil Nadu where the BJP fared badly at the last two elections. Both Modi and his suave External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, a retired career diplomat, have waded into this issue, more..

Apr 7 (TM) As the country enters into holiday mode with the Govt also in slow motion and all activities at a snail’s pace until the following week starting 15 April, the political stage was a hive of activity last week dominated mainly by the internal clashes that finally cracked open the core of the SLFP and the formation of a SJB-led alliance with a group of dissident SLPP MPs. The fact that the country has entered into holiday mode more..

Apr 7 (SO) A 15-year old SL girl has gone viral after she was captured bowling against England and Australia in an U-19 home series sending down deliveries that brought back memories of a South African bowler Paul Adams who played with a similar action. The Press nicknamed the bowling action of Adams as a frog in the blender, Shashini Gimhani is a left arm wrist spinner who hails from Devapathiraja College in Ratgama Galle and she played in four matches in the tri-nation series more..

Apr 7 (TM) SL and Indonesia aim to hold the second round of talks in June for the proposed Preferential Trade Agreement (PTA) between the two nations, following the conclusion of the first round of talks last week. Int'l Trade Office (ITO) Chief Negotiator K.J. Weerasinghe revealed that the first round of talks in the negotiation for the proposed PTA between SL and Indonesia had concluded last week. He said that the first round of talks on PTA negotiations had been carried out digitally on 3 and 4 April. more..

Apr 7 (TM) The Colombo bourse observed a sharp surge in trading activity last week characterised by high turnover, led largely by banking counters – part of an extended bull run in the CSE since February. First Capital Holdings Chief Research and Strategy Officer Dimantha Mathew revealed that the current bull run in the market was largely led by activity in banking counters. According to him, there is significant interest in banking counters as they are currently trading at discounted prices. more..

Apr 7 (SO) International and local maritime trade unions this week expressed serious concern on the well-being of the 21 seafarers on board the Singaporean-flagged Dali that crashed on to the Francis Scott Key Bridge over the Patapsco River in Baltimore-USA on March 26 and called on the authorities to closely monitor the developments both at home and overseas. Int'l Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) Colombo Office representative Ranjan Perera said that the current focus more..

Apr 7 (TM) Proposed constitutional amendments relating to electoral reforms will not be implemented during the current Parliament, said Minister Dr. Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe, in an interview. “Until such time there will be a dialogue and conversation on them [proposed amendments] and any candidate or party can also tell the people about their stances on changing the Constitution in their manifestos,” more..

Apr 7 (TM) With election heat rising in anticipation of SL’s most-anticipated Prez Poll that is likely to take place in around six months’ time, it would be unusual if the political theatre in this drama-filled land had not gotten into a frenzy by now. As if on cue, there are already tell-tale signs of that phenomenon unfolding these days, with internal clashes within parties, jostling for nominations, governing types going on distribution sprees at taxpayers’ expense, legal interventions and prohibitions, and more..

Apr 7 (CT) During the month of March, political parties continued with what they do best: politicking over electing the next president. Basil Rajapaksa, chief of the SLPP, flew home from the US in time to muddy the political waters by proposing a parliamentary poll before the prez election. Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe appeared firm on holding the prez election on time as the parliamentary election could be held only after the IMF economic recovery plan is completed, hopefully by July. more..

Apr 7 (CT) An arbitrary and mischievous decision by party Chairman, former Prez Maithripala Sirisena to reshuffle three key positions at a special meeting on Saturday (30) has deepened the internal crisis of the SLFP. During the meeting, Sirisena announced the removal of MP Duminda Dissanayake from the position of SLFP National Organiser, State Minister Lasantha Alagiyawanna from the position of Treasurer more..

Apr 7 (CT) As the Prez Election nears, political arena is getting warmer by the day and coincidentally, mostly by the actions and reactions of former Presidents. Among them is the former Prez Maithripala Sirisena who hasn’t failed to make many headlines, one after the other, for his brave controversial statements and contradictory actions. While it looks as if the former Prez is setting the stage and preparing the pitch for him to act and play a leading part in upcoming Prez Election, more..

Apr 7 (SO) Nationalisation was in vogue in the 1950s and 1960s, not only in Sri Lanka but also in developed Western countries. The premise behind nationalisation is that the State should be in control of main utilities and services to provide a better service to the public. This was socialism or communism in action, even though many Western countries such as the UK and Germany also followed this doctrine at that time. Today, the tables have turned and even some of the most more..

Apr 6 (DM) A patient who was subjected to permanent loss of sight due to the use of Prednisolone Acetatean, eye drop used after cataract surgeries at a govt hospital, has sent a Letter of Demand claiming a compensation Rs.100 million from Minister Keheliya Rambukwella and eight others for the damage caused to his eyes and possible threats to his life. The victim, Makkari Rajaratnam, a resident of Kandapola sent more..

Apr 6 (EN) The SJB has welcomed some of the most prominent members of the former SLPP govt headed by ousted ex president Gotabaya Rajapaksa, with the SJB general secretary particularly heaping praise on MP G L Peiris. SJB MP Ranjith Madduma Bandara speaking at a ceremony to mark the alliance between his party and the FPC headed by Peiris said the latter’s partnership was a great strength to the SJB. “G L Peiris and the team have become a great strength to us today. more..

Apr 6 (FT) The Sri Lanka Blue Green Alliance, this week called for an end to coal power plants in a bid to promote sustainable energy and community welfare. General Secretary Rajitha Abeygunasekera said, “Oil and coal claim more than 60% of the country’s electricity generation input mix, despite the country not lacking in Renewable Energy potentials, which impacts on national energy security heavily and is a major strain on the country’s trade budget with negative economic impact. more..

Apr 6 (NW) The IMF says there is a strong expectation that agreements with commercial creditors consistent with program parameters will be reached by the completion of Sri Lanka’s second review. Director of the Communications Dept Julie Kozak said the next steps on the debt restructuring are to conclude the negotiations with external commercial creditors and to implement agreements in principle with official creditors. more..

Apr 6 (DM) Colombo District Court Judge Sandun Vithana today made an order suspending an enjoining order obtained against the office-bearers of the Sri Lanka Schools Cricket Association (SLSCA). The order of the Court suspending the enjoining order was made in response to an urgent application filed by motion by the Attorneys-at-Law representing the President and Secretary of the SLSCA. The Plaintiffs had obtained the order on March 25, preventing the SLSCA from conducting more..

Apr 6 (DN) Youth for Renewable Energy Organisation Convener Indunil Bandara emphasized the need for swift approval of renewable energy projects that have been delayed. Bandara is of the view that these projects have the potential to enhance the country’s economy and benefit taxpayers. “The surge in electricity bills is adversely impacting businesses and entrepreneurs, hindering economic growth and innovation. He reiterated that though the Govt and the subject Minister more..