May 19 (DM) A 42-year old man has been arrested by the CID in connection with setting ablaze a bus during the Mirihana incident on March 31. Police said the suspect, from Gangodawila, Nugegoda was arrested today in the Deraniyagala area. Investigations revealed that the suspect was involved in setting fire to an Army bus. Earlier, the police circulated a portrait sketch of the suspect seeking public assistance to arrest him. The suspect was arrested based on information provided by the public. more..

May 19 (DM) Three admins of social media platform including a 39-year-old TV presenter have been arrested by the CID for instigating and aiding and abetting recent violent activities through the social media. Police said the CID, police stations across the country and special police units are conducting investigations to identify social media groups and its admins over instigating violent activities following the incidents at Kollupitiya and Galle Face Green on May 9. more..

May 19 (Island) NFF leader Wimal Weerawansa, MP, says a Parliamentary Select Committee (PSC) should be appointed to investigate the role played by IGP C.D. Wickremaratne and Public Security Ministry Secretary Maj. Gen. (retd.) Jagath Alwis in the recent SLPP hothead attack on those demanding the resignation of Prez Rajapaksa and the Cabinet of Ministers, including Mahinda Rajapaksa. Weerawansa yesterday said that Parliament should inquire into the unprovoked attack that triggered more..

May 19 (Island) Talks between the TNA and FSP to explore ways and means of working together to bring about solutions to the national crisis had been successful as the two parties could agree on several key standpoints, Education Secretary of FSP Pubudu Jagoda said. Jagoda said the talks had been held at TNA MP MA Sumanthiran’s residence at Wellawatte with the participation of TNA Batticaloa District MP Shanikyan Rasamanaiccam. FSP was represented by Jagoda and its leader Kumar Gunaratnam. more..

May 19 (TM) Responding to SJB Leader Sajith Premadasa’s proposal to appoint members of the Opposition to lead the parliamentary committees yesterday, PM Ranil Wickremesinghe said that the Opposition “should get positions” and that the Government and the Opposition must discuss who should be the chairpersons of these committees. “Certainly, the Opposition must get positions, and not just the SJB, but also the TNA, JVP-led NPP, and others. We must sit together and discuss this,” more..

May 19 (TM) PM Ranil Wickremesinghe has said that he can only attend to the public’s demands for Prez Rajapaksa’s resignation following the passage of the 21st Amendment and after holding discussions with all party leaders. “In response to the demands of the people asking Prez Rajapaksa to step down from his presidency, I have to attend to this matter once the debate pertaining to the 21st Amendment is debated in Parliament, and upon discussion with the party leaders. more..

May 19 (Island) SL Sustainable Energy Authority (SLSEA) issued instructions to establishments, both govt and private, to refrain from using electricity supplied by the national grid to illuminate signboards, neon and LED signage, digital and printed hoardings until further notice. SLSEA also requested them to refrain from using power from the national grid to illuminate building facades and all other forms of aesthetic illumination. “We earnestly request you to save electricity during more..

May 19 (NDTV) Rahul Gandhi today compared India to crisis-hit Sri Lanka in a tweet attacking the govt over the economy and shared what appeared to be similar graphs for the two countries for unemployment, fuel prices and communal violence. "Distracting people won't change the facts. India looks a lot like Sri Lanka," the Congress leader posted, sharing a set of six graphics, three each for India and SL. The graphs show unemployment rising from 2017 in both countries, peaking around 2020- more..

May 19 (EN) PM Ranil Wickremesinghe told parliament that the military has not been given shoot-on-sight orders to quell violent protestors but police can act at their discretion under existing laws. There is a lot of questions on the shoot on sight order that was supposed to have been given. No shoot on sight order was given. There is nothing in writing because we didn’t want people to shoot. We wanted to prevent them from shooting. “Some of the MPs’ houses got damaged and destroyed, but more..

May 19 (DM) Former PM Mahinda Rajapaksa's office, today rejected social media reports claiming that Rajapaksa was flown in for the parliamentary sessions on Wednesday, saying Rajapaksa traveled by road and not by chopper. Former Coordinating Secretary to Rajapaksa, Geethanath Cassilingam said Rajapaksa is in Colombo and arrived in Parliament by road and not by helicopter as claimed on social media. He will continue to attend parliamentary sittings with MP Namal Rajapaksa saying more..

May 19 (EN) Sri Lanka and the IMF has discussed the macro-fiscal framework for the next two years and but a Finance Minister is needed to sign-off on key policy measures, Central Bank Governor Nandalal Weerasinghe said. An IMF mission has been talking with Sri Lanka’s Central Bank and Finance Ministry on policy adjustments needed to arrest the worst balance of payment crisis triggered by intermediate regime monetary authority in is 72 year history. more..

May 19 (EN) PM Ranil Wickremesinghe has requested the parliament’s COPE to summon officials of state-run Litro Gas Lanka Ltd to explain why cooking gas was not distributed on Wednesday as promised. “Despite assurance being provided by Litro Gas that gas would be unloaded yesterday via lorries, it has not happened. I have instructed the Chairman to provide an immediate explanation. I have also requested that COPE summons Litro officials as well,” Wickremesinghe tweeted today. more..

May 19 (CT) Officer-in-Charge for UN Women Asia and the Pacific Sarah Knibbs during her official visit to SL recently, met key partners to reaffirm UN Women’s commitment to ensure that women and girls are not left behind amidst recovery from the ongoing economic crisis. As SL experiences an unprecedented economic crisis – including spiralling inflation and a shortage of basic necessities – women are among the most vulnerable to its impacts. This is particularly true of UN Women’s key stakeholder groups more..

May 19 (DM) CPC Trade Unions denied reports which claimed that fuel was sold at a subsidized rate of Rs.121 per liter to MPs and VIPs and said if any MP needed to fill their vehicle tanks, they would have to stay in the queue. Trade Union officials said that following the allegations on social media that fuel was sold at subsidized rates, they had inquired from the filling station closer to the Narahenpita police Transport Division, and checked the bills, more..

May 19 (EN) Sri Lanka will use instruments at its disposal including liquidity injections to stabilize interest rates, which has overshot in the opinion of the central bank Governor Nandalal Weerasinghe said. Market interest rates have moved about double the policy rate hike from 7.50 to 14.50 percent, he said. “That is why we think there is an overshooting,” Governor Weerasinghe said. “That is where we think we have to stabilize the interest rates. We have made some interventions. more..

May 19 (DM) Former Maldives Prez and Speaker of Parliament, Mohammed Nasheed as been appointed by Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe to coordinate the relief efforts for SL, globally after discussions were held between Nasheed and Wickremesinghe in Colombo today. During the discussions, Nasheed had generously offered to assist SL in securing relief for the country from foreign nations. PM accepted the former President's offer and appointed him to coordinate the relief efforts. more..

May 19 (TM) Further to allegations made by SLPP MP Arundika Fernando, stating that the JVP was behind the violence that took place on the 9th of May 2022 at Temple Trees and Galle Face Green, JVP MP Vijitha Herath denied all accusations and appealed to the IGP C D Wickremaratne to investigate into the accusations. This was made known via a letter by JVP MP Vijitha Herath to the IGP today. “The statement made by these 150 people that they are members of the JVP is extremely serious as no formal investigation more..

May 19 (AD) The CID has arrested two more suspects for their involvement in the brazen attack on the GotaGoGama at the Galle Face Green and the protesters camped outside the Temple Trees on the 9th of May. One of the arrestees was identified as the chairman of Hanwella Multipurpose Co-Operative Societies, aged 53. He is a resident of Thummodara area in Hanwella. The other suspect is a female member of Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia MC. She was taken into custody while in hiding in the area of Polgahawela. more..

May 19 (DM) The post shared on social media regarding the MPs have been allowed subsidised fuel rates is false, Minister Kanchana Wijesekera said. He stated that no MPs from either party or anyone else was allowed to be pumped fuel at subsidised rates - lower than the current market prices that is sold to the public. The shared social media image shows the price of Rs.121.19 per litre of fuel at the fuel station closer to the Narahenpita police Transport Division. more..

May 19 (AD) All grades of govt schools and government-approved private schools will be closed tomorrow (20), Ministry of Education says. The decision was reached after taking into account the unavailability of means of transport due to the prevailing fuel shortage, the ministry explained in a press release. Accordingly, the first phase of the first term of all grades of govt schools and govt-approved private schools ends today. The schools will resume academic activities from the 6th of June (Monday). more..

May 19 (DM) Former PM Rajapaksa should have retired from politics when his second term as the executive Prez ended, MP Chamal Rajapaksa told Parliament today. "One should be prepared to give up positions," the MP said. "Rajapaksas who have been in SL politics for 90 years have mortgaged many of their properties. We are still to release some properties," he added. Refering to the incident on May 9 the MP said the IGP and Defence Secretary had failed to stop those who attacked the protesters at Gallle Face more..

May 19 (SLN) SL Navy managed to apprehend 40 individuals who attempted to illegally migrate to a foreign country by sea, during a patrol conducted in seas off Batticaloa and in a special operation in the beach area of Kalawanchikudi, Batticaloa on 18th May 2022. Accordingly, SLNS Ranarisi attached to the Eastern Naval Command and Fast Attack Craft P 4443 of the 4th Fast Attack Flotilla detected a local multiday fishing vessel while patrolling Batticaloa waters on 18th May. more..

May 19 (AD) The Colombo Fort Magistrate Court has issued an order preventing the members of IUSF from entering several roads in Colombo today. The IUSF commenced a protest march this afternoon near the Nelum Pokuna Theatre in Colombo. Accordingly, the protesting university students are barred from entering the York Street, Chaithya Road, Bank Street, Chatham Street and Janadhipathi Mawatha. The court order further stated that the protesters are not allowed to forcibly enter or more..

May 19 (CI) Dinesh Chandimal and Niroshan Dickwella dug deep with the Chattogram surface staying true to its nature of being a batting paradise as the first Test between Bangladesh and Sri Lanka ended in a draw. Things, however, could have been different if not for the pair's dogged 99-run stand for the seventh wicket on the final day. Having started the morning on a brisk note, SL lost two wickets each on either side of the lunch interval to stumble to 161 for 6. more..

May 19 (NR) The Mayor of Moratuwa Saman Lal Fernando, the Chairman of the Seethawaka PS Jayantha Rohana, Kelaniya PS member Manjula Prasanna, Dan Priyasad, and four others have been remanded till the 25th of May in relation to a group of peaceful protesters being assaulted opposite Temple Trees and at Galle Face on the 9th of May. The order was issued by the Colombo Fort Magistrate Thilina Gamage this afternoon. The suspects were arrested by the CID yesterday. They are part of the group of 22 persons more..

May 19 (EN) SL will lower the limit on foreign currency note holdings of public to 10,000 US dollars from 15,000 and crack down on anyone holding them for over 3 months, CB Governor Nandalal Weerasinghe said. Holders of currency notes will be given a grace period and they will then be expected to deposit the money in the banking system. Under SL’s foreign exchange law, currency notes which are held against contravening the rules will be seized, he said. Recently two seizures had taken place. more..

May 19 (EN) Some lawmakers in SL had asked for hotel accommodation near the parliament complex, Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena said on Thursday after an uproar ensued in the House over reports that MPs were being sold fuel at a subsidised rate at the Narahenpita police garage, a claim hotly denied by the minister in charge. “A few members wanted [to go back home] soon. So they wanted some fuel. Otherwise they asked me to book a hotel for them to stay here,” said the Speaker. more..

May 19 (AD) Public sector employees, except those in essential services, are not required to report to work tomorrow due to the prevailing fuel crisis, PM Ranil Wickremesinghe said in parliament this morning. Delivering a speech in the House, the Premier also urged the general public to limit non-essential travels tomorrow. Meanwhile, Minister Kanchana Wijesekara who addressed the parliament, appealed to the general public not to stand in queues for petrol today, as supplies are unavailable. more..

May 19 (EN) Sri Lanka’s commercial banks quoted the rupee at 364 against telegraphic transfers on Thursday (19) while the central bank set a daily guidance rate for interbank spot trade for 359.55 plus or minus 2.50. Commercial banks were quoting 354/364 for telegraphic transfer dollars on Thursday, remaining unchanged from Wednesday. On Wednesday, the spot was quoted at 359.65. Banks could quote 2.50 rupees plus or minus under the new direction and the rate is set below the market rates. more..

May 19 (FT) Talk about disappearances. Like a conjurer, PM Ranil Wickremesinghe, with his rhetoric, re-definitions and re-direction, has made the Gota Go Home slogan submerge. He replaces the Gota Go Home Aragalaya (Struggle) with economic imperatives and thereby displaces the epicentre of the struggle. Some Opposition parties and some within Opposition parties are following the PM’s cue like children following the Pied Piper of Hamelin. His construct is a diversion away from more..

May 19 (FT) Sri Lanka’s current economic crisis is nothing short of an economic tsunami. The former Deputy Governor of the Central Bank Dr. W.A. Wijewardena, said in a newspaper interview recently “In every respect, Sri Lanka is a bankrupt country,” adding that the challenge of the new interim govt was to make it solvent. “If Wickramasinghe fails, Sri Lanka will also fail, not in the next few years but for the rest of the period Sri Lanka will be nonentity as a nation,” he warned. more..