Feb 27 (SO) The 26th edition of the SLT Mobitel Speedup 2022 ended last Sunday on a grand scale with over 100 drivers and over 90 riders competing for supremacy in hill climbing which was also the first event conducted for the National Championship 2022. Driver Ushan Perera and rider Sangeeth Suriyage were the most outstanding performers on this day. Ushan recorded the best time for car events clocking 32.943 secs which was also the best time of the day for car events. more..

Feb 27 (ST) After numerous requests by MPs, the Presidential Secretariat on Tuesday handed over to Parliament previously withheld volumes of evidence in the final report of the Presidential Commission appointed to investigate the Easter Sunday attacks on April 21 2019. The 88 volumes containing evidence recorded from witnesses were handed over to Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena by Harigupta more..

Feb 27 (Island) Ceylinco Life has retained its market leadership in SL�s life insurance sector for the 18th consecutive year with gross written premium income growing by 15.8% to Rs 25.565 billion for the 12 months ending 31st Dec 2021. �With investment and other income of Rs 15.129 billion for the year, Company ended 2021 with consolidated income of Rs 40.694 billion, an improvement of 10% over 2020. Ceylinco Life�s investment portfolio grew by Rs 20.748 billion or 15.52% over 12 months more..

Feb 27 (ST) The local subsidiary of an Indian multinational IT company has been granted �Strategic Development Project� (SDP) status with multiple tax breaks in exchange for an investment of US$ 10.25mn and jobs for up to 5,325 Sri Lankans in ten years. The promised outlay is just above the minimum of US$ 10mn required to qualify for SDP status. HCL Technologies Lanka (Pvt) Ltd is owned by HCL Technologies in Noida, Uttar Pradesh. It kicked off operations in September 2020. more..

Feb 27 (Island) It�s been a tough couple of weeks for the national cricket team. They were thoroughly outplayed in Australia while the Indians have given them a hiding in the opening encounter of the three match series in Lucknow. The manner in which young Indian players walk into the senior side and punish the bowling has stunned many. There�s nothing to be surprised as India�s domestic structure is one of the best more..

Feb 27 (ST) With Europe ablaze with yet another war, the ripple effect on the rest of the world will be felt if it is to continue for much longer in rising prices of gas, petrol, wheat, freight and the disruption of the supply chain of goods from that continent. Sri Lanka is already grinding to a halt, literally. The fuel shortage has crippled public and private transportation. The war in Ukraine is going to hurt further as world market prices begin to soar amidst a chronic foreign exchange (forex) crisis. more..

Feb 27 (ST) Colombo Stock Exchange (CSE) has initiated discussions with companies with low public float to engage them to be in line with the market operator�s rules. �We are discussing with them to either increase their public float or to delist from the CSE boards,� a CSE official said. He said that most of them will be divesting but the number of companies is yet to be finalised. �As all the companies are listed, they need to go back to the shareholders and make a decision. more..

Feb 27 (ST) Come Friday, would mark the first of the last two matches for senior seamer Suranga Lakmal in national colours as his side lock horns against an insurmountable India, in a two-match test series getting underway in Mohali. The former test skipper will bid farewell at the conclusion of the series as the best longest format bowler in the last decade for the team. Lakmal, turning 35 during the series, will go into the game with 168 scalps. Farewell aside, the Mohali match would also be a red-letter day more..

Feb 27 (ST) National Test discard Roshen Silva was seen fighting a lone battle in an unbeaten 147 and stranded from his and his team�s score and still 246 behind of Jaffna�s gigantic 555 at stumps in the other opening match. Colombo, in reply to the northern team�s larger-than-life first innings total, saw it�s batters recklessly abandoning the ship in their game played at Hambantota. At one point, they were tottering at five down for 59, when SL U19 captain Dunith Wellalage found his second victim. more..

Feb 27 (CI) Shreyas Iyer's unbeaten 74 off 44 balls trumped Pathum Nissanka's 75 off 53, while Ravindra Jadeja's 45 not out off 18 outshone Dasun Shanaka's 47 not out off 19 as India chased down SL's 183 for 5 with seven wickets and 17 balls to spare in the second T20I in Dharamsala. The win, India's 11th on the trot in T20Is, gave the hosts an unassailable 2-0 lead in the series. After being put in, SL were only 111 for 4 after 16 overs more..

Feb 27 (SO) As rugby league hots up and the race for the title gathers momentum, match officials come under heavy scrutiny: SL Rugby (SLR) has appointed retired Major General Nimal Krishnaratne to probe the post-match incident involving Police head coach Asanga Rodrigo during their �A� division league rugby championship match at Police Park on February 20. Former Police and SL forward Hafeel Marso who is chairman of the SLR disciplinary committee had voluntarily stepped down more..

Feb 27 (ST) A century from Pabasara Waduge (128) and a late and an unfinished 60 from Suminda Lakshan propelled the home team Galle of cutting down the deficit inside 100, when an early stumps was drawn yesterday due to rain, at the end of day three in one of the two opening games of the National Super League four-dayer. Hosts starting their innings lost Sangeeth Cooray after a good start. He was separated after an opening wicket partnership of 64 with Pabasara Waduge. more..

Feb 27 (ST) SL is facing multiple impacts from Thursday�s Russian invasion of Ukraine with the immediate crisis being the hit on tourism, tea and the cascading effect on global fuel prices. With fuel prices set to increase in the aftermath of the war in Ukraine, SL�s tea industry�s key export market Russia and both these countries currently generating high tourist arrivals are clearly set to create a major setback. more..

Feb 27 (Island) In the face of illicit deforestation, degradation of wetlands, and illegal wildlife poaching and trade, SL has seen increased community involvement and engagement, despite the ongoing pandemic. While current official mechanisms for citizens to lodge complaints have room for improvements in transparency to the public, there is also an absence of an integrated govt-mandated platform that could expand civic space to allowing for meaningful community engagement and more..

Feb 27 (Island) Sri Lankan high commissioner in India Milinda Moragoda has met with Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat and discussed a range of issues, including the possibility of establishing a dialogue between Buddhism and Hinduism. HC Moragoda met with Bhagwat at the RSS headquarters in Nagpur on Thursday, according to a statement from the Sri Lankan high commission. Senior RSS officials were also present at the meeting. more..

Feb 27 (ST) CEB issued a circular this week to implement energy conservation among electricity consumers owing to dwindling reserves in hydro reservoirs, limitations in supplying fuel to thermal power stations and increasing demand. Among measures to be taken is to increase solar penetration with a mechanism to be introduced in due course to reward areas with the highest percentage of renewable energy penetration from Feb 22 onwards. more..

Feb 27 (CT) During the first eleven months of 2021, revenue and grants received by the Govt increased 5%, according to data released by the Central Bank of SL, while State expenditure lending widened seven per cent leading to the budget deficit expanding 9%. The Central Bank pointed out that during the period under review last year revenue and grants received by the Govt had reached Rs 1,324.1 billion, up 5% compared to Rs 1262.1 billion recorded during the same period of 2019. more..

Feb 27 (ST) Finance Minister Basil Rajapaksa is to visit the IMF and the World Bank in April when the two lending institutions hold their annual Spring sessions. The Sunday Times learns from high-ranking sources that the Govt has initiated contact with both the IMF and the World Bank for the Finance Minister to visit Washington D.C. to start a dialogue on the feasibility of seeking their support to ride over Sri Lanka�s current economic crisis. more..

Feb 27 (ST) Govt is to consider providing financial relief to over one thousand Ukranian tourists now in SL on holiday and unable to go back to their war-torn country. Tourism Ministry was to recommend to Prez Rajapaksa to make use of funds from either the SLTDA or the Ministry to assist tourists who do not have enough funds for an extended period. The Ministry was also to discuss with hoteliers associations to see if hotel discounts & other forms of relief could be provided to these tourists. more..

Feb 27 (SO) Higher commodity prices stemming from the Russian invasion of Ukraine will impact SL�s macro outlook further putting pressure on the Balance of Payments and currency, said CCC Chief Economist Shiran Fernando. He said the potential impact on tourism inflows to SL would be high as Russia is ranked among the top source markets for SL. SL has seen an increase in the inflow of tourists from Russia and Ukraine, both ranked in the top 5 source markets in Dec 2021 & Jan 2020, more..

Feb 27 (Island) Public Utilities Commission of SL (PUCSL) and CEB made contradictory statements yesterday with regard to the need for an electricity price revision. PUCSL denied reports that the CEB had submitted a request to the regulator for an electricity tariff increase aimed at bridging the cost-income gap created when using thermal power generation. CEB had handed over a request for a tariff revision to PUCSL. more..

Feb 27 (ST) SL�s longest-running and world�s only second-oldest big match between � Royal College and St. Thomas� College � will be played only in July this year, in stark contrast to its usual period in the month of March, an authoritative source told the Sunday Times. This year�s encounter, the 143rd Battle of the Blues, to be held in July at the SSC, outside the usual period, would be the second straight occasion the match is pushed to the second half of the year after last year�s match more..

Feb 27 (ST) Central Bank has once again rejected proposals by govt experts to float the rupee against the US dollar rate and allow it to stabilise at market demanded rates instead of managing its fluctuations. With such a refusal by the banking regulator Finance Ministry would have to pursue other internal options to mitigate the impact of the forex crisis, according several official economic advisers. Senior advisors had conveyed to Finance Minister Basil Rajapaksa the need to float more..

Feb 27 (ST) A meme about the lifestyles of a Sri Lankan, circulated regularly in the social media, said it succinctly. The man lamented that there was an (LPG) gas shortage and bought an electric cooker. Now that there are power disruptions, he could not use it. He then bought a power generator. Now there is no fuel to run it. That encapsulates the dilemma of most people. On top of that, a nation historically known as more..

Feb 28 (DM) After months of growing tension between NATO countries and Russia over a build up of Russian troops on the borders of Ukraine, war has finally broken out. The war Europe feared, has begun, but there was in fact, no need for war. Sadly rather than commencing negotiations and a process of de-escalation of the crisis, the NATO alliance led by the US chose belligerency in response to fears voiced by Russia over Ukraine�s attempt to join the NATO bloc. more..

Feb 28 (CT) The minimum monthly per capita earnings of a Sri Lankan would have had to be increased by at least Rs 138 (2.39%) to Rs 5,908 last month over its December figure of Rs 5,770 if he/she is still to be considered as being non-poor, Census & Statistics Dept (CSD) Data showed. In CSD�s last poverty census, an adjunct of the Household Income & Expenditure Survey (HIEs) 2016, data showed that 843,913 or 4.1% of Sri Lankans were poor. more..

Feb 28 (DM) Northern Province Governor Jeevan Thiagarajah, who has inherited the task of resolving the issues faced by the people in the Province, is making an effort to see that State services in the Province function smoothly amidst a few concerns. Whilst highlighting that there are no efforts for a resurgence of an arms struggle in the Peninsula he said there are insights for Separatism. In the midst of all these, he said that more..

Feb 28 (DM) Scientifically some substances are named as minerals, if it satisfies certain requirements: 1. Naturally Occurring; 2. Inorganic (chemically); 3. Crystalline (having a crystal shape); 4. Having definite composition. For instances, Quartz (SiO2), graphite (C) can be named as a few such materials which are of popular usages worldwide. These minerals can be categorized in common as Rock Forming Minerals, Economic Minerals and Industrial Minerals. more..

Feb 28 (DM) See no evil-- hear no evil-- Speak no evil: UN, the US, and the West [UK/EU] the champions of human rights, who make a huge noise at the drop of a hat in a small country, are Blind, Deaf and Dumb! Russia seems recklessly determined to attack a sovereign state, and achieve its goal, install a puppet regime even if this cause difficulties for the entire world. The monkey imagery originated in primeval Hindu tradition for Mahayanist monks to spread this symbolism in Asia. more..

Feb 28 (CT) As the UNHRC Session is set to start next week in Geneva, Ceylon Today spoke to UN Resident Coordinator in SL and Designated Official of the UN Secretary-General in SL, Hanaa Singer-Hamdy, to hear from her on SL�s current position on the human rights records and the importance of addressing the issues related to the PTA. �The recent reports of arrests, questioning or intimidation of a number of vocal advocates more..

Feb 28 (TM) 49th regular session of the UNHRC in Geneva, Switzerland, is starting today and the country-specific update on SL is due this week on Thursday (3). Therefore, it is imperative that the Govt of SL (GoSL) delegation led by Foreign Minister Prof. G.L. Peiris and the United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (UN OHCHR) led by UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet � both sides warily surveying each antagonist in the midst of more..

Feb 28 (Island) More than 4,000 Ukrainian tourists have been stranded here due to the raging war in their country. They obviously did not bargain for a full-blown military conflict at home when they came here. Now, they are up a creek with their funds running out; they have no way of receiving money from Ukraine, which is in turmoil. Some of them have appealed for shelter. SL is duty bound to look after these men, women and children in trouble. Ukrainians have helped revive SL�s tourism more..

Feb 28 (ST) In the abject manner natives of the British Empire�s far flung islands used to wait for the mothership to arrive bearing the essentials for their survival 200 hundred years ago, the sighting of a fuel ship off Colombo�s coast last Sunday, raised so much excitement that it made the headlines on the national TV�s evening news. With only a few days of stocks remaining, the arrival of the 40,000 oil shipment �this, too, only good for a week, as energy minister said� was glad tidings indeed. more..

Feb 28 (ST) Of what use are Ministers and the panoply of Govt for that matter, if it takes the Executive President clothed in the awful constitutional powers of the Head of State, to advise on minimising of price discrepancies regarding the production of raw milk and direct relevant state institutions to ensure supply of grass needed to feed the cattle. In truth, one is not sure if the handlers of the Prez social media account are aware of how ridiculous they make the Office of the Prez more..

Feb 28 (TM) 49th session of the UNHRC that is to commence tomorrow (28) has been eclipsed in both the international as well as local arenas with the Ukraine crisis overseas and the intensifying crisis situation over forex and its rippling effects locally. Minister Prof. G.L. Peiris is leading the SL delegation to the UNHRC. In a preliminary report released last Friday (25) in advance of the sessions, UN High Commissioner for more..

Feb 28 (FT) COVID-19 vaccines were administered to 67,082 persons on Saturday and over seven million persons have received three vaccine doses in the country. 16,896,733 persons have received the first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine and 14,166,160 persons have received the second dose. The third vaccine dose has been administered to 7,139,133 persons. This includes 52,778 persons who were vaccinated on Saturday. 4,284 persons received the first dose of Pfizer on Saturday more..

Feb 28 (CT) Board of Investment (BOI) is aiming to attract US$ 3 billion in Foreign Direct Investments (FDI) into the country by 2026, and the organisation has finalised a strategic plan for the period of 2022-2026. Sri Lanka managed to surpass US$ 2 billion in FDI inflow in 2018 after the then Govt decided to lease the Hambantota Int'l Port to China. In 2019, the country only managed to attract US$ 1.19 billion as FDI and in 2020 the figure slipped to US$ 670 million as per the CB Annual Report. more..