Feb 11 (DM) The never-ending war in Ukraine -like the now concluded war in Afghanistan- continues. Just days ago in a surprise to the UK Volodmyer Zelenskiy, president of Ukraine in a speech to the House of Commons called on British parliamentarians to supply him with British jet fighters. Former British premier Boris Johnson, called on premier Rishi Sunak to provide Ukraine “...the extra equipment it needed to defeat (Russian prez) Putin and bring peace to Ukraine...” more..

Feb 11 (DM) Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe seems to be using all four Upayas (strategies) namely Sama, Dana, Bheda and Danda applied by the ancient Indian scholar Kautilya who lived between 375- 283 BC to solve problems. Prez is using Sama (negotiation) to tackle the international community while using both Sama and Dana (gift) Upayas to win over the Tamil leaders. On the other hand, he creates Bheda (conflicts) among his southern adversaries. Earlier he used and more..

Feb 11 (DM) 40 years ago on February 13, 1983, a privately owned Lear jet flew out of Malaysia’s Subang Airport at 8.41 p.m. with six on board. It was expected to reach Colombo by 9.45 p.m. that night. 15 minutes after taking off, the plane lost radio contact with the airport. The final message received said the plane was flying at an altitude of 27,000 ft over the straits of Malacca. Learjet never arrived in C'mbo that Sunday as scheduled. more..

Feb 11 (CT) Delivering the Govt’s Policy Statement, at the commencement of the 4th Session of 9th Parliament, Prez Wickremesinghe pledged to introduce an Anti-Corruption Bill, and, together with the World Bank and the United Nations to take steps to include a Stolen Assets Recovery Initiative (StAR) in this Bill. The common consensus among the public is that SL is in the present economic predicament, mostly because of wanton corruption and mismanagement by successive Govts more..

Feb 11 (DM) Commonwealth-Secretary General, Hon Patricia Scotland, pledged the Commonwealth Secretariat’s full support to SL as the country navigates difficult challenges. Speaking during a lecture, She said SL was not alone in facing the fallout from a host of interconnected global pressures like spiralling costs, energy shortages and the effects of climate change. She was in SL at the invitation of the govt to attend celebration events for 75th Independence Day more..

Feb 11 (CT) Prez Wickremesinghe was able to hold an unofficial mini SAARC summit in Colombo when ministers representing India, Bhutan, Bangladesh, Pakistan and Nepal, who visited SL to attend the 75th Independence Day Celebration, called on him at the Presidential Secretariat. India’s State Minister V. Muraleedharan called on the Prez first and during their discussion attention was drawn on the implementation of the 13th Amendment more..

Feb 11 (GV) While the country was on a celebrative mood, I turned the pages of a dictionary that defines independence as the “Freedom to make laws or decisions without being governed or controlled by another country, organization, etc. Wikipedia, as if reading Sri Lankans’ minds, elaborates, “Independence is a condition of a person, nation, country, or state, in which residents and population, or some portion thereof, exercise self-government, and usually sovereignty, over its territory. more..

Feb 11 (ST) Aldoris came down the lane in his music-blaring tuk-tuk. While residents frown on loud music or noise from vendors, they tolerate Aldoris and generally welcome the distraction as he is a lovable character who loves to chat while selling his breakfast food. It was Thursday morning, two days before our beloved country celebrates 75 years of independence. By the way, there was an interesting Facebook post where one person said it was wrong to use the word celebration when more..

Feb 11 (CT) I thank the Chairperson for giving me this opportunity to speak on the Policy Statement made by the Prez two days ago. Though there is nothing new to be found with regard to the solving of the ethnic question which is paramount to us Tamils, I was pleasantly surprised to find that the Prez has quite rightly identified the maladies that have stultified progress in the economic field in SL and the fundamental changes that need to be brought about in ourselves to grapple with the situation. more..

Feb 11 (ST) With the hope of getting a good catch, a group of fisherfolk gathered at Nawakkadu beach in Puttalam on Monday. They laid a large ma dela (seine fishing net) in the morning and began pulling on the ropes after some time. The ma dela felt heavier than the other days, and this brought smiles to their faces, but their joy fell short after they discovered a large whale shark that was entangled in the net, making it heavier. Whale shark meat does not have commercial demand, and more..

Feb 11 (EN) SL’s current crisis in the power sector and the battle between the govt and regulator raising prices is taking place despite the existence of a well thought out tariff methodology for more than a decade. The cost-based tariff methodology was devised following chronic losses, coming partly from delays or deliberate scuttling of lower cost plants, initially large hydros and later coal plants. Unlike in countries with monetary stability and more..

Feb 11 (ST) Tanzania was due to celebrate its 61st Independence Day on 9 Dec 2022 at a cost of US$445,000. A few days prior to that, the President of Tanzania, Samia Suluhu Hassan cancelled the celebrations and directed the funds to build dormitories for children with special needs. This is not the first time that Tanzania cancelled the Independence Day celebrations, due to some other prioritised urgent needs. It did the same in 2020 and diverted funds to buy medical supplies, more..

Feb 11 (Island) Prez Wickremesinghe, presenting the govt’s policy statement in Parliament, waxed eloquent on the need for what has come to be dubbed a system change, and promised the youth a secure future. He is not alone in doing so. There are other govt and Opposition politicians who have endorsed the ongoing campaign for overhauling all existing systems to bring about national progress. But their calls for an overall system change smack of vapid sloganeering. more..

Feb 11 (Island) Positioning women’s business leadership at the forefront of SL’s economic recovery, Women in Management (WIM) in collaboration with Women in Work, a partnership between the International Finance Corporation (IFC) and the govt of Australia, launched the Top50 Women Global Economic Forum and Top50 Global Professional & Career Women Awards 2023. The 3-day event, which is to be held from 15-17th June 2023 in Colombo, aims to open global more..

Feb 11 (DN) Sri Lanka A cricket team led by Nipun Dhananjaya took major honours at the second four-day unofficial Test match which ended in a draw at the Galle International Cricket Stadium yesterday. England chasing a target of 284 runs in 52 overs were stalled by bad light which stopped play with 13 overs to spare when the umpires Gamini Dissanayake and Ravindra Kottachchi called off the game at 5.35 pm. The final day started with a 75-minute delay at 11 a.m due to wet outfield more..

Feb 11 (FT) SL’s first locally assembled Hyundai Grand i10 1.2l Auto was ceremonially unveiled by Prez Wickremesinghe, at the Hyundai Showroom, Colombo City Centre yesterday. The launch was graced by Ambassador of the Republic of Korea to SL Santhush Woonjin Jeong and Minister Ramesh Pathirana and gave the invitees a first-hand experience of the all-new Hyundai Grand i10’s sleek design, innovative technology, more..

Feb 11 (AD) Defence Ministry has declared a grace period from February 06 to March 15 to hand over unlicensed firearms to the govt authorities. This was announced in a special gazette notification issued by Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe, in his capacity as the Defence Minister, on Feb 06 (Monday). The communiqué was published by virtue of the powers vested in the Head of State under Section 30(1) of the Firearms Ordinance No. 33 of 1916 and Article 44(3) of the Constitution. more..

Feb 11 (FT) Colombo stock market ended the week with sharp losses amidst lacklustre activity by bearish locals though foreigners remained net buyers. During the week the ASPI and the S&P SL20 lost 2.6% and 3.7% respectively whilst recording an average daily turnover of Rs. 1.67 billion. This is in contrast to the previous week when ASPI and the S&P SL20 gained 2.5% and 1.7% respectively whilst recording an average daily turnover of Rs. 2.18 billion. more..

Feb 11 (CI) South Africa's highly anticipated home Women's T20 World Cup got underway in the most dramatic fashion with SL securing a big upset against the hosts, winning by three runs before a record crowd in Cape Town. This match had it all. A thrilling contest set up by SL captain Chamari Athapaththu's half-century before her fellow old guard of Inoka Ranaweera, Sugandika Kumari and Oshadi Ranasinghe kept their cool more..

Feb 11 (Island) According to a Crop and Food Security Assessment Mission report by UN’s World Food Programme (WFP) and the Food and Agriculture Organisation, nearly 30% of the SL population is currently facing food insecurity. Through ongoing initiatives, as well as new funding and food shipments, US is working with the Govt of SL, the WFP, and other partners, to address these needs. An initial shipment of 600 metric tons of fortified rice, funded by USAID, arrived in SL, more..

Feb 11 (FT) International Labour Organisation (ILO) said yesterday it is supporting 3,725 vulnerable women and men in the Mannar, Kilinochchi, Vavuniya and Mullaitivu districts to earn an income as well as sustain their livelihood through several short-term relief mechanisms. These include temporary employment in infrastructure developments related to improving irrigation for farming, clearing farm access paths, and renovating fisheries landing sites, more..

Feb 11 (SLN) Colombo Naval Exercise (CONEX) 2023 organised by the SL Navy for the fifth time commenced on 6th Feb. The naval exercise will be held off the western coast until 13th Feb. The training exercise is conducted annually with the aim of maintaining the operational efficiency of the SL Navy. CONEX – 2023 comprises both harbour and sea phases and its harbour phase commenced on 6th Feb. During the harbour phase, members of the Navy and Air Force, who are taking part more..

Feb 11 (Island) A series of countrywide protests will commence soon if the govt does not address the issues faced by uni students, says IUSF convener, Wasantha Mudalige. The govt had deliberately undermined the university system and the issues faced by uni students have intensified in recent times, he told The Island yesterday. “We have informed the Ministry of Education and the govt of the issues in the university system. However, nothing has been done about it,” he said. more..

Feb 11 (Island) SL needs a new Constitution that protects the rights of all citizens, and implementing 13A or 13+ is not a solution to the problems faced by the people, NPP leader Anura Kumara Dissanayaka, addressing Parliament, has said. A referendum should be held, on the new Constitution to be made, so that the people would be able to decide its fate, he said. “We propose a new Constitution to solve people’s issues but more..

Feb 11 (FT) The contents of the second report of the Sub Committee on identifying the short- and medium-term programs related to the Economic Stabilisation of the National Council were made known to a number of groups, including social media activists, journalists and youth leaders. The said parties were informed at a meeting presided over by MP Champika Ranawaka on Thursday. The report’s specifics were brought up in conversation with the various parties in attendance by more..

Feb 11 (FT) Commenting on SC’s decision to give the upcoming LG elections the go-ahead, SJB General Secretary Ranjith Madduma Bandara said it is a victory for the people. Noting that the Election Commission (EC) agreed to hold the polls as scheduled, Madduma Bandara said the petitioners, including himself, commend the independent EC on the steps taken by it. “It was SJB that fought for elections from the beginning. We filed a case regarding it while others stayed silent,” more..

Feb 11 (DN) Eight countries are expected to take part in the 4th CISM World Military Beach Volleyball Championship with SL set to host this year and will be held from Feb 13 to 17 at Negombo Beach. This year, the SL Military, hosts the Championship under the supervision of the President of the Defense Services Sports Board and SL Air Force Sports Council, Commander of the Air Force, Air Marshal Sudarshana Pathirana, and also with the overwhelming support of Commander more..

Feb 11 (DN) “We already have a good cricket structure and we are in good shape to go forward said SLC consultant and former SL skipper Mahela Jayawardena in an interview with Daily News. we had a good system and our selection and coaching system are well organised. I have given my fullest support to build up Sri Lanka Cricket and always offer my services for my country. We discussed with SLC officials two days before and they already offered me to get my service for another year. more..

Feb 11 (Island) The SL health sector would face a serious crisis within a few weeks, if shortages of medicines, surgical equipment, and chemicals used in labs, are not addressed now, President of the College of Anaesthesiologists and Intensivists of SL (CAISL), Dr. Anoma Perera, said on Thursday evening, addressing a press conference. She said that most of the essential drugs used by anesthesiologists had run out. more..

Feb 11 (Island) SJB MP Harsha de Silva, who headed the Committee on Public Finance (COPF), is not among members reappointed to the committee in the Fourth session of the Ninth Parliament. The previous COPF was dissolved when Prez prorogued the Parliament, last month. Speaker on Friday, announced, in Parliament, the list of members nominated by the Committee of Selection to serve in the Committee on Public Finance in the Fourth session of the Ninth Parliament. more..

Feb 11 (FT) Central Bank Governor Dr. Nandalal Weerasinghe said the inflation is likely to come down below 10% by the end of 2023, which would also help to gradually bring down the interest rates. Outlining the rationale for not bringing down the interest rates immediately, he explained to the COPF meeting recently that it was difficult to reduce rates immediately as the impact of previous measures in 2021 was reflecting adversely on the economy last year. more..

Feb 11 (FT) Ending weeks of speculation, Supreme Court yesterday gave the upcoming LG elections the all-clear by saying there are no obstacles for the Election Commission of SL to hold the poll as scheduled. Taking up two petitions requesting the courts to issue a writ of mandamus to the EC directing it to take necessary steps to hold the election, SC Justice S. Thurairaja said the court need not issue such an order more..

Feb 12 (CT) Prez’s national reconciliation initiative seems to be spectacularly backfiring on all cylinders. This is terribly unfortunate, not so much for Mr. Wickremesinghe’s presidential future, but for what it might entail for the immediate future of inter-community relationships. On Wednesday, before the Prez’s Throne Speech, a group of Buddhist Monks staged a protest near parliament and even set fire to a copy of the 13th Amendment in front of the media and police barricades. more..

Feb 12 (Island) The week that is behind us saw developments that signposts what the country is facing in the short term. The most ominous of these is the threat of a general strike. Professionals and other groups that have never paid income tax have come together in a powerful united front to resist the new taxes recently announced. The former say that they are not against paying taxes but demand that these be fair, especially in the context of today’s rocketing cost of living. more..

Feb 12 (SO) Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva said Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe in his policy statement made in Parliament on Wednesday spoke the truth and analysed the political and economic situation in the country correctly departing from traditional politics. Minister said it is a new vision for SL & new political culture that has been established by the Prez in the political arena. more..