Apr 18 (DM) The SLFP and the 11 party alliance were ready to positively consider an invitation from the SJB to support the No Confidence Motion (NCM) against the SLPP govt, General Secretary of the SLFP and the former Minister Dayasiri Jayasekara said. “We need their support. SJB leader Sajith Premadasa and General Secretary of the SJB Ranjith Madduma Bandara spoke about the NCM and the impeachment with former Prez Sirisena and other senior members of the 11 party alliance. more..

Apr 18 (Island) The collective of unions and mass organisations has decided to declare the 20th of this month as a national day of protest and to mobilise the working masses who will continue to strike in the workplace. President of the Federation of Health Professionals, Ravi Kumudesh on behalf of the Collective of Trade Unions and Mass Organizations said all trade unions in Sri Lanka would be working in unison with the collective. He said that the trade unions and the mass organisations more..

Apr 18 (FT) Archbishop of Colombo Malcolm Cardinal Ranjith recently alleged that the political leaders had deceived people over the past 74 years and had only divided the unity among Sri Lankans to fulfil their selfish power games, whilst pronouncing the current situation as a curse of the God and innocent Easter Sunday victims. “I request Sri Lankans to unite to change this corrupt system, whilst urging the authorities to step down by more..

Apr 18 (AD) Human Rights Commission of SL (HRCSL) today called on the govt to immediately implement the recommendation of the Auditor General’s report pertaining to the loss of revenue from the revision of sugar taxes. Human Rights Commission said under suo-motu provision contained in Act No. 21 of 1996, it takes cognizance of the report filed by the AG with regard to the sugar taxes, which was broadcasted/telecasted yesterday. “Consequently, arbitrary and unreasonable more..

Apr 18 (Island) NFF leader Wimal Weerawansa ha emphasised that the 11-party dissident group wouldn’t return to the negotiating table until Prez Rajapaksa sacked newly appointed State Minister Shantha Bandara. The former Industries Minister said so in response to The Island query whether the indefinitely postponed second round of talks with Prez Rajapaksa could be resumed early this year. The dissident group has been engaged in talks with Opposition political parties in support of Prez more..

Apr 18 (DM) A complete political deadlock continues in SL with still no decision taken as of last evening to form a new cabinet even as the nation faces a severe economic crisis and a shortage in its basic essentials, leaving thousands of people protesting for days calling on the Prez to resign. Prez Rajapaksa has been meeting the 11 party alliance members and then govt MPs for days to reach some settlement to form a cabinet, more..

Apr 18 (AD) The parliamentary group of SJB is scheduled to meet later today. It is reported that the discussion will be held at 2.00 p.m. today. Meanwhile, a special discussion was held yesterday between a group of SJB members at the office of the Leader of the Opposition Sajith Premadasa. MP Lakshman Kiriella said, “Negotiations are going well. We especially have high hopes with regard to all the 41 independent MPs. We have handed over the protest to the youth itself. more..

Apr 18 (DM) Former several key cabinet ministers including Johnston Fernando, Rohitha Abeygunawardena, Bandula Gunawardane, Mahindananda Aluthgamage, Dullas Allahapperuma, Gamini Lokuge, Pavithra Wanniarachchi and Keheliya Rambukwella were not included in the new cabinet of ministers who were sworn in today. Also, none of the members of the Rajapaksa family including Chamal Rajapaksa and Namal Rajapaksa who were cabinet ministers previously more..

Apr 18 (AD) Several new State Ministers have been sworn in before Prez Rajapaksa, PMD confirmed. Accordingly, a total of twenty-one state ministers have been appointed by the President today. Meanwhile seventeen Cabinet Ministers had been appointed by the President this morning. Full list of new state ministers: Prof. G.L. Peiris – State Minister of Defence; Rohana Dissanayake – State Minister of PCs and LG; Arundika Fernando – State Minister of Plantation Industries more..

Apr 18 (DM) A group of lawyers led by Prez’s Counsel Maithri Gunaratne today sought an order directing the Controller of Immigration and Emigration to prevent former Finance Minister Basil Rajapaksa and former Treasury Secretary S.R. Attygalle from leaving the country. This application was made in connection with a private plaint filed against former CB Governor Ajith Nivard Cabraal. Mr. Gunaratne submitted to the court that former Minister Basil Rajapaksa and more..

Apr 18 (EN) SL is planning to strengthen public finances and reduce money printing to stabilize the economy Treasury Secretary Mahinda Siriwardene said ahead of discussions with the IMF. Secretary Siriwardene said a circular to cut current spending will be issued immediately. In April, 125 billion rupees was printed taking the central bank’s outright Treasury bill stock to 1,853 billion rupees, from 1727 billion rupees more..

Apr 18 (DM) The struggle being waged against the President, PM and the govt by the youth without any understanding of the past could lead to another catastrophe in the country, pro-govt lawyers has said during a meeting with PM Rajapaksa. Discussions were held between pro-govt lawyers and PM Rajapaksa at Temple Trees on resolving the problems that have arisen in the country so far and the prejudice caused to the country due to the ongoing struggles against the govt, more..

Apr 18 (EN) SL is looking at relaxing forced sell rules, CSE Chairman Dumith Fernando said following a widely expected economic meltdown and default after two years of money printing. “We are in the process of relaxing some measures with regard to forced selling,” Fernando said after the regulator ordered a 5-day closure of the market following steep losses. On April 12 the govt said it is suspending foreign debt payment, shortly after hiking policy rates to 14.5% from 7.5%. more..

Apr 18 7 (ANI) Amid protests in Sri Lanka over the country's worst economic crisis, an advisor to the Prez Rajapaksa on Saturday said the govt has tried to control drug dealers "who have a lot of money" and that they are very angry. Walpole Piyananda, Advisor to the Prez on International Religious Affairs also said that fundamental Leftist groups were also working against the govt and sections of the minority community in the country were angry with the govt. He indicated that more..

Apr 18 7 (ANI) President of the Asian Buddhist Conference for Peace (ABCP) - SL National Centre, Dr Maitipe Wimalasara Maha Thera blamed the mismanagement of economic policies by the country's leadership for the present turmoil. Dr Maitipe while giving his views on the economic crisis in SL, said, "In the present situation, the present economic crisis in SL over a considerable period of time is due to mismanagement. For the last 75 years, SL was not able to improve its more..

Apr 18 7 (CI) Naveed Nawaz, former SL batter, has been named the SL men's side's assistant coach under new head coach Chris Silverwood. Nawaz had recently been Bangladesh's U-19 coach, and had overseen that side's victory in the 2020 U-19 World Cup. Term of his appointment is two years. Also appointed to SL's coaching staff is former seam bowler Chaminda Vaas, who has been bowling coach in several stints over the past 10 yrs. more..

Apr 18 (Island) Many medical specialists were finding it difficult to report to work due to severe shortage of fuel, President of the Association of Medical Specialists (AMS) Dr. LakKumar Fernando said. He said AMS had sent a letter on the difficult issue to Health Ministry Secretary Dr. S.H. Munasinghe on Saturday. “This is more so in the peripheries where certain cities have not had fuel in their localities for many days. This situation is likely to deteriorate in the coming days,” more..

Apr 18 (ANI) While Sri Lanka faces its worst economic crisis since independence with food and fuel shortages, soaring prices and power cuts, many believe that China's debt-trap diplomacy is behind the crisis, said a media report. Writing in Channel News Asia (CNA), R Ramakumar, a Professor of Economics at Tata Institute of Social Sciences, highlighted that China's debt-trap policy is singularly responsible for the dire economic situation of Sri Lanka. more..

Apr 18 (DM) PM Mahinda Rajapaksa was absent at the swearing in of the new cabinet of ministers, sending strong signals that he is unhappy with the latest political decisions made at this juncture. The Daily Mirror learns that while Prez Gotabaya Rajapaksa had been calling for a new cabinet with younger Ministers taking portfolios, PM Rajapaksa had been insisting for experienced senior MPs to be appointed in key portfolios as the nation is in the midst of a severe economic crisis. more..

Apr 18 (AD) Prez Rajapaksa says he believes that SL should have gone for an IMF programme much earlier and that not providing chemical fertilizer to farmers was a mistake. He stated that the govt will provide chemical fertilizer to the farmers once again. Prez made these remarks today addressing the newly appointed Cabinet Ministers. “The Ministerial post is not a privilege. It is a great responsibility,” Prez said requesting the new Ministers to commit themselves to build honest, efficient and more..

Apr 18 (EN) State Pharmaceuticals Corporation has begun evaluating responses to tenders from suppliers under an Indian credit line ahead of placing orders, General Manager Dinusha Dassanayake said. SPC started calling tenders from March 31, with 200 million US dollars from the Indian credit line being allocated to purchase medicine needed by the health sector amid worsening shortage of drugs coming from more..

Apr 18 (DM) The Colombo Fort Police today filed a facts report pertaining to the public protest which has been continuing in the Galle Face green area. This report (A/21838/22) has been filed under the signature of Fort Police Station OIC reserving their duty to file a fresh B report if the protest turned violence. In its report, the Fort Police said the protest has caused severe traffic congestion near the Galle Face green area and caused disturbance to pedestrians. more..

Apr 18 (DM) The minimum bus fare should be revised to Rs. 40, if the govt does not take steps to stem the stability of the rupee against the dollar, LPBOA Chairman Gemunu Wijeratne said. He said the annual bus fare revision will come into effect in July and the new bus fare will have to be calculated considering the dollar rate and looking at every aspect linked to it. "With the huge depreciation of the rupee against the US$, all the related items related to the bus service, more..

Apr 19 (DM) Lanka IOC, the Indian Oil Company in SL has increased the fuel prices once again last night. The price of petrol has been raised by Rs. 35 a litre, while diesel has gone up by Rs. 75. The company similarly increased its prices by a huge amount on March 26. The price hike is attributed the sharp depreciation of SL currency and rising crude oil prices in the global market. One doesn’t need to be an economist to understand the chain reaction in the market to the latest fuel price hike more..

Apr 19 (DM) Symbolizing the heart of people’s protests and popular movements, the lyrics of Do You Hear the People Sing? from the celebrated musical and movie Les Misérables echoed across the Galle Face Green on Saturday evening. Les Misérables encapsulates much of the spirit of French history in the late 1700s and 1800s – a volatile period of French history that saw repeated uprisings against an oppressive govt, rampant class divide and social instability. more..

Apr 19 (DM) Gotabaya Rajapaksa, the president who is facing mass protests demanding his and his govt’s resignation, yesterday appointed a new Cabinet, showing scant regard for public mood. That 17-member new Cabinet is a sham, devoid of legitimacy, and would be a source of further political instability. With the elder brother, Mahinda Rajapaksa remaining as the PM, and Gotabaya hanging onto the presidency more..

Apr 19 (CT) I recall a youtube clip where Ali Sabry, Gota‘s personal lawyer making an impassioned speech before TV cameras at Mt Lavinia court premises after filing a defamation action against the World Press Freedom Hero and UN award winner for Integrity the murdered Editor Lasantha Wickrematunge and The Sunday Leader. Full of fire and brimstone it was, with Gota by his side. He even obtained an enjoining order against the newspaper to desist from defaming Gota in the future. more..

Apr 19 (CT) Some of the seemingly unexpected drops in Prez Rajapaksa’s whittled downed 17-member Cabinet, announced yesterday, were loyalists Johnston Fernando, S.B. Dissanayake, R.M.C.B. Rathnayake, Janaka Bandara Tennakoon and S.M. Chandrasena. Fernando was the Chief Govt Whip (CGW) and was also the immediately preceding Highways Minister. That portfolio was given to former State Minister Kanaka Herath at yesterday’s swearing-in of the new Cabinet, more..

Apr 19 (TM) “We spend hours in queues when we are off duty, and in front of protestors, when we are on duty,” said a police officer who had been deployed to manage the ongoing protests, adding that despite facing situations similar to those faced by the protestors as far as economy is concerned, he cannot express his frustration in the same way that the protestors do. Despite the common perception that the law enforcement more..

Apr 19 (TM) Adding 17 more Ministers to the new Cabinet of Ministers, the President yesterday appointed new Ministers for several crucial Ministerial portfolios including Public Administration, Home Affairs, Provincial Councils and Local Govt; Fisheries; Education and Plantation Industries; Public Security and Tourism; Transport and Industries; Highways; Labour; Agriculture and Irrigation; Wildlife and Forest Conservation; Energy and Power; Youth Affairs and Sports; more..

Apr 19 (ST) Who would have thought that one would live to see the day when two of Sri Lanka’s biggest national festivals would be celebrated in such unexpected ways at an unexpected place called Galle Face Green, preceded by a religious event of much significance to the Muslim community. Though an Easter Sunday service may not be held today at the same venue now renamed Gota-go-gama by the present occupiers, there were Christian clergy commemorating Maundy Thursday. more..

Apr 19 (GV) They stand firmly in the baking sun and the torrential rain. They sacrificed their new year holidays. Their determination and courage is steadfast. Their cries are united – go home Prez Rajapaksa and all the Rajapaksas, give us back our stolen money, change the system that allows impunity and corruption. The govt is equally stubborn. Cabinet resigned, only for four of the same people to be re-appointed as ministers. Parliament went on holiday at the height of the crisis more..

Apr 19 (Island) Prez Rajapaksa has appointed a new Cabinet, at last. There are only two members of the ruling family in it, and this is perhaps the only saving grace. The country is facing the worst-ever economic crisis, and badly needs a much better ministerial team. What the Prez has done in his wisdom is like playing Team B together with a few senior national players in the ICC World Cup tournament. Ideally, there should have been an all-party interim govt to bring about more..

Apr 19 (ST) The newly-appointed SL ‘A’ team coach Avishka Gunawardene is hungry and is looking forward to give his guards many match exposures as possible given that the competition in here is the fiercest and there have been only an iota of games for them since 2019. “As for the ‘A’ team, I like to see some more ‘A’ team tours scheduled. With my experience with them, ‘A’ team is fiercely contested, because they know more..