Jun 23 (CI) Knowing what's coming is one thing, playing it is something else entirely. There were some smiles from David Warner as he watched deliveries rip past his edge during the 99 he made in Colombo on Tuesday, but Australia's collapse that decided the ODI series has brought into sharp focus what they will need to combat for the rest of the tour. Warner talked a good game afterwards, despite the series defeat, more..

Jun 23 (FT) One of SL’s leading naturalists and a taxonomist on freshwater fish of SL Dr. Rohan Pethiyagoda has been appointed as Senior Policy Advisor to Opposition and SJB Leader Sajith Premadasa. Following the appoint Premadasa said: “Climate change is a real concern and for any policy its ecological impact has to be well understood, we believe his expertise will matter greatly in making balanced decisions.” Dr. Pethiyagoda last month was awarded the Linnean Medal more..

Jun 23 (NR) The GMOA has submitted a five-point proposal to minimise the impact of malnutrition and ensure that future generations don’t fall victim to malnutrition. GMOA said a majority are resorting to reducing the food intake or compromising on the quality of food owing to the food shortage and increase in prices of food items. GMOA citing this as a critical situation submitted a five-point proposal to avoid malnutrition. First proposal includes conducting a scientific follow-up on present more..

Jun 23 (CT) Doctors urged the Govt to fast-track the process of leave approval for medical practitioners and other health employees to take up foreign employment during this crisis. President of Medical and Civil Rights Professional Association of Doctors (MCRPAD), Dr. Chamal Sanjeewa said, young doctors were opting to leave the island for greener pastures, without going through the three-year probation period as post interns. Those who pass examinations conducted either by more..

Jun 23 (EN) Stocks closed higher for a third straight session on Thursday, led by Expolanka shares and new buying interest in some banking shares, but witnessed the worst foreign outflow in three weeks. Foreign investors sold a net of 163 million rupees worth of shares on Thursday, its worst since June 2. Market has witnessed a total foreign outflow of more than 1.2 billion rupees so far this year. ASPI closed 0.58 or 43.94 points higher at 7,556.09. It has gained 1.8% in the last three sessions. more..

Jun 23 (EN) Employees Provident Fund (EPF), a pension fund of private sector workers has suffered an estimated US$ 6.5 billion hair cut after the collapse of a soft-peg after two years of money printing to mis-target interest rates. Sri Lanka operates soft-pegged monetary rate regime made respectable by the label flexible exchange rate which frequently runs into money and exchange policy conflicts and collapses steeply. more..

Jun 23 (Island) It was revealed at the Committee on Public Finance (COPF) that the demand for liquor had decreased by about 30% due to the recent increase in the price of liquor and the decrease in the income of the people. This was revealed at a meeting of the Committee on Public Finance chaired by Anura Priyadarshana Yapa, MP, recently. Officials representing several institutions were contacted online to discuss plans to increase govt revenue. Accordingly, officials representing more..

Jun 23 (EN) Private passenger bus services in SL have been hit by fuel hoarding and rising costs of tyres, with 75% of buses running with fewer passengers, Private Bus Owners’ Association (SLPOA) Chairman Gemunu Wijeratne said. Since June 6, the SLPOA had more than halved the number of buses that used to operate before the prevailing unavailability of fuel, but now increased operations after govt permitted private bus operators to purchase fuel from state-run SLTB depots. more..

Jun 23 (DM) A 63-year old man who had been waiting in a fuel queue at a filling station at Batagoda in Anguruwatota has died, police said. It was reported that the victim was waiting in the queue near the fuel station to get diesel for his vehicle for at least five days. He was found dead inside his tipper truck. The death toll in queues now stands at least ten and all the victims were men between the ages of 43 and 84 years. Majority of death reported in queues were due to cardiac arrests. more..

Jun 23 (EN) SL’s commercial banks were offering US dollars for telegraphic transfer at around 368 to 370 dollars for small transactions as the country is facing severe forex shortages from a broken peg. Banks offered to buy inward remittances at 357.90 rupees. A guidance rate for interbank transactions announced by the central bank was also was unchanged at 360.90 on Thursday. On Wednesday the guidance rate was strengthened 95 cents despite severe forex shortages for imports. more..

Jun 23 (EN) Hundreds of Sri Lankans, battered by the country’s worst ever forex crisis, took to Twitter to vent their frustration at Prez Rajapaksa this week when he tweeted a congratulatory message to the national cricket team which won a five-match cricket series against Australia. A young SL cricket team won the fourth game held in Colombo by just four runs to secure a series win after conquering the five-time more..

Jun 23 (CI) SL have never beaten India in a T20I at home. They last won a T20I against them in 2014, which was just one of their three wins in 19 encounters against India in the format. India ensured this record stayed intact by beating the hosts by 34 runs in the first of 3-match series in Dambulla. Jemimah Rodrigues at No. 5 made a crucial 36* first to help India get to 138 for 6, before the spinners applied the brakes on the SL batters. India didn't get desired start after opting to bat. more..

Jun 23 (Hindu) The second ship, carrying over 15,000 tonnes of relief materials donated by the Tamil Nadu govt, sailed from the VOC Port here to Colombo Harbour on Wednesday. Minister for the Welfare of Minorities and Non-Resident Tamils Gingee K.S. Masthan; Food Minister R. Sakkarapani; Minister for Fisheries and Animal Husbandry Anita R. Radhakrishnan; and Minister for Social Welfare P. Geetha Jeevan flagged off the merchant vessel VTC Sun that carried more..

Jun 23 (EN) The higher level Indian delegation led by Foreign Secretary Vinay Kwatra met Prez Rajapaksa and PM Wickremasinghe held discussion on Thursday in which importance of promoting bilateral investment in the fields of infrastructure, connectivity, renewable energy and deepening economic linkages. The talks come as SL has sought more loans for its neighbour to face the ongoing economic crisis that has led to more..

Jun 23 (EN) 21st amendment proposed to SL’s constitution, if passed, will come into effect only after the current and ninth parliament and thus the president’s executive powers and the status quo will stay in tact till then, opposition leader Sajth Premadasa said. Responding to an allegation by PM Wickremesinghe that an opposition boycott of parliament was delaying the 21st amendment, Premadasa tweeted that the proposed amendment will be of no consequence to our current more..

Jun 23 (AD) SL Customs says that five luxury cars have been seized from a warehouse in Orugodawatte which had been brought into the country declared as vehicle spare parts from the UK. The detection had been carried out today by officials of RTF-Personal Baggage Examination Unit of SL Customs. He said that on information received, the officials detected the used cars inside a container consigned from the UK. The vehicles seized include Mercedes-Maybach, Audi A1 and a Fiat car. more..

Jun 23 (AD) The shipment of 40,000 metric tons of petrol which was scheduled to arrive in Sri Lanka this morning (June 23) is delayed by one day, Minister of Power and Energy Kanchana Wijesekara says. Taking to his Twitter account, the lawmaker announced that limited volumes of petrol and super diesel will be distributed in the country today and tomorrow. However, auto diesel stocks are distributed at full capacity island-wide, he added. more..

Jun 23 (DM) A policeman attached to the Warakapola police came under physical attack by an army officer at the Dummaladeniya filling station in Warakapola last night, Police said. They said the injured policeman was admitted to the Warakapola base hospital. The attack had taken place following a verbal feud between the Army lieutenant and the policeman who were providing security to the filling station. According to the Warakapola police, the policeman was critically injured in the attack. more..

Jun 23 (Island) Justice for 2019 Easter Sunday victims and their families remains a high priority for Archbishop of Colombo Rt. Rev. Malcolm Cardinal Ranjith. In spite of the incumbent dispensation dragging its feet, on the issue much to the disappointment and ire of the Catholic Church, the prelate is determined to continue his struggle. Malcolm Cardinal Ranjith, emphasized his resolve and that of the Catholic Church to bring more..

Jun 23 (FT) Given the dire struggle for fuel and gas worsening by the day across the country and the serious multi-facetted ominous impact on food supplies cum transport caused by the woefully irregular and paltry supply of fuel, the question arises as to why PM Wickremesinghe had not directly broached SL’s humanitarian crisis with the Saudi govt or any of the other oil exporting Gulf states for assistance to obtain essential fuel on humanitarian terms or credit basis, more..

Jun 23 (PMD) The final report of the Presidential Commission of Inquiry into Sri Lanka Customs was handed over to President Gotabaya Rajapaksa by Chairman of the Commission Supreme Court Judge Shiran Gunaratne at the President’s House, in Colombo this morning. A six-member Presidential Commission of Inquiry was appointed by an Extraordinary Gazette Notification on Feb 24, 2021 to investigate, and report on various allegations and alleged irregularities in the Customs. more..

Jun 23 (FT) SL’s premier private sector bank HNB PLC renewed its partnership with Bileeta Ltd, a dominant player in the local ERP space, to provide state-of-the-art ERP solutions to its SME customers at affordable rates. The exclusive collaboration between the two pioneers enables the Bank’s SME customers to streamline various functions of their business operations, such as sales and invoicing, inventory more..

Jun 23 (AD) SL’s premier private sector bank HNB PLC renewed its partnership with Bileeta Ltd., a dominant player in the local ERP space, to provide state-of-the-art ERP solutions to its SME customers at affordable rates. The exclusive collaboration between the two pioneers enables the Bank’s SME customers to streamline various functions of their business operations, such as sales and invoicing, inventory management, finance, procurement, service management, fixed asset more..

Jun 23 (MFA) A bilateral meeting took place between Minister of Foreign Affairs G.L. Peiris and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Local Govt of New Zealand Nanaia Mahuta, 22 June on the sidelines of the CHOGM Summit in Kigali, Rwanda. Peiris briefed his NZ counterpart about the staff level discussions currently taking place with the IMF in Colombo and the support which the country is receiving from bilateral donors as well as multilateral institutions in respect of supplies of food, fuel & medicines. more..

Jun 23 (DM) According to CPC sources, the fuel price increase will take effect tomorrow. The article published on Daily Mirror on June 16 predicted that the fuel price revision would take place on June 24. Accordingly, there is a possibility of increasing the price of every fuel variety by more than Rs. 60. The power and energy ministry earlier claimed that the fuel price increase should take effect on the 24th of each month according to the dollar price in the world market. more..

Jun 23 (FT) Sri Lanka’s external relations are a part of its history, often replete with myth and legend as well. Foreign relations of Sri Lanka in the modern era are mostly a function of post-independence developments in the country. Nevertheless, the impact of historical narratives on the psyche of Sri Lankans has been a factor when they react and respond to modern external developments that relate to their needs and aspirations as well as perceived values and beliefs. more..

Jun 23 (TM) PM Ranil Wickremesinghe today said that officials from the US Department of Treasury and India will visit Sri Lanka to discuss the economic situation in the country. Making a special statement in Parliament, the Prime Minister said that a top level delegation from India is to arrive here tomorrow. “Next Monday, a team of representatives from the U.S. Department of the Treasury will also arrive in SL,” he said. more..

Jun 23 (TM) A heated situation arose between the Police and protestors during a protest organised by members of the Samagi Vanitha Balawegaya (SVB), the women’s wing of SJB, including SVB National Organiser Hirunika Premachandra, in front of PM Ranil Wickremesinghe’s private residence at Fifth Lane, Colombo 3, yesterday. Around 9 a.m. yesterday, a group of females representing the SVB, including Premachandra, had gathered near the entrance road to the Premier’s residence. more..

Jun 23 (DM) A cabinet proposal to be presented requesting permission to import electric vehicles for the migrant workers who send money to SL through legal channels, Minister Manusha Nanayakkara said. He said the facility will be granted for the migrant workers depending on the amount of money they send to the country. As vehicle imports are banned at present, the licence to import these electric vehicles will be issued only to migrant workers who send money using legal more..

Jun 23 (TM) Former CB Governor Ajith Nivard Cabraal vehemently denied any involvement in the lawsuit filed by Hamilton Reserve Bank (HRB) against SL, which took the nation by surprise last morning when the bank demanded full payment for the country’s International Sovereign Bonds (ISBs) it held. Cabraal, who reportedly helped Hamilton Reserve Bank’s expansion into SL, said the following to The Morning Business when more..

Jun 23 (CT) Colombo Fort Magistrate, Thilina Gamage, yesterday ordered former Minister and MP Johnston Fernando who has been named as the 28th suspect in the 9 May mayhem case, to be enlarged on fresh bail of two sureties in Rs 10 million each. He also ordered IGP C.D. Wickremaratne to take action against an ASP of the CID, on charges of failing to arrest the real suspects and then making submissions to Court in a biased and partial manner, during the mayhem more..

Jun 23 (TM) PM Ranil Wickremesinghe has urged the main Parliamentary Opposition, SJB, and NPP, also of the Opposition, to cease their protests, support the 21st Amendment and participate in the discussions with the IMF. During a special statement made in Parliament yesterday, Wickremesinghe said that international assistance will only be received if the country shows a commitment to come out of the crisis, and urged the parties to carefully consider and be vigilant of their actions at all times, more..