Jan 12 (EN) Central Bank is watching inflation trends and has not changed a borrowing program with the expectation that a post-budget relief package will be accommodated within announced spending limits, Governor Nivard Cabraal said. A relief package pushed up state wages, firmly cementing the inflation already created in goods and services into the cost structure of the economy while raising fears that expenses will be financed by the central bank creating more inflation and more..

Jan 12 (CGTN) 2022 marks the 65th anniversary of diplomatic relations between China and SL. To know more about the development of that relationship, CGTN reporter Su Yuting sat down with SL's Ambassador to China Palitha Kohona. Kohona said the relationship between China and SL is very warm and is built on a solid foundation, adding that it is a relationship that has lasted over 2,000 years. SL and China have moved closer to each other in recent times, and the two countries have supported more..

Jan 12 (EN) At 9 a.m. on Dec 11, 2021, at the National Art Gallery of SL, a portrait of Ananda Samarakoon, who famously composed the national anthem, was lifted off its frame to reveal a perfectly preserved painting of an enigmatic woman dressed in a red saree. Who she was, why she was painted and why she was eventually covered up, remains a mystery. The painting, unearthed during a conservation project of more..

Jan 12 (EN) Cabinet of ministers have approved a proposal to relocate 42 families affected by the recent overflowing of the Buthgamuwa canal in J'pura Kotte, to new residences in govt housing schemes provided for lower-income earners. A statement from the cabinet office said on Tuesday that Prez Rajapaksa, in his capacity as Minister of Defence, has made the proposal. �The need has been identified to resettle 42 families affected by the frequent floods during the monsoon season more..

Jan 12 (AA) The former chief of Jamaat-e-Islami SL was released on bail by a Colombo court on Wednesday. �Our lawyers had challenged the detention of Usthadh Rasheed Hajjul Akbar as illegal under fundamental rights violation in the Supreme Court of Sri Lanka,� sources close to the case said. Akbar, 61, was arrested last year in March by the counterterrorism and investigation division of the SL police. �The top court set the case for hearing on Dec. 17 where the govt�s top counsel more..

Jan 12 (EN) Standard and Poor�s has downgraded Sri Lanka to �CCC� from an earlier �CCC+� with the outlook negative at the lower level as the currency continued to be under pressure from liquidity injections though reserves were boosted in December with a swap from China. Sri Lanka is now making liquidity injections mostly to sterilize interventions with bond markets operating after price controls were lifted. more..

Jan 12 (EN) SL-based Colombo Commercial Fertilizer Company (CCFC) Ltd. will purchase organic fertilizer from disputed China�s Qingdao Seawin Biotech, CCFC chairman said, days after the dispute over a contaminated fertilizer consignment ended with Colombo paying 6.9 million US dollars demanded by the Chinese firm. Qingdao Seawin Biotech sued SL�s National Plant Quarantine Service in November for US$ 8 million and Qingdao Seawin Biotech Group Co Ltd demanding US$ 8 mil more..

Jan 12 (NR) Police say it has been confirmed that the chief suspect in the incident in which a grenade was found at the All Saints Church in Borella yesterday, is a 56-year-old individual who has been associated with the church for around 16 years. Police Media Spokesman SSP Nihal Thalduwa said the suspect had been working in the church for around nine months, while staying at the church permanently. Four suspects were arrested yesterday, after the incident was reported. more..

Jan 12 (AD) Colombo High Court Trial-at-Bar today sentenced to death former Prisons Commissioner Emil Ranjan Lamahewa over the Welikada Prison riot in 2012 while also acquitting the first defendant in the case, former Inspector of Police (IP) Neomal Rangajeewa from all charges in the case. A judge bench comprising Justices Gihan Kulatunga, Pradeep Hettiarachchi and Manjula Thilakaratne today delivered the verdict more..

Jan 12 (NR) The Sri Lanka Railway Station Masters� Association has launched a trade union action against the decision by the management of Sri Lanka Railways to cancel several long-distance train journeys without prior notice. Accordingly, the Association has announced that Station Masters� will not accept advance booking requests. They claim the decision to cancel train journeys have severely inconvenienced the public as well as station masters. more..

Jan 12 (PTI) Sri Lanka is negotiating a USD one billion loan from India to import goods from the country, governor of the CB Ajith Nivard Cabraal said on Wednesday, amidst a shortage of almost all essential commodities. Cabraal also said that SL is negotiating another loan from China as part of an attempt to restructure its debt repayment. The loan amount has not been decided. He said that SL is negotiating a USD 1 billion facility with India to import goods from the country. more..

Jan 12 (TM) Construction on the Colombo East Container Terminal (ECT), which has been at a standstill since 2015, will recommence today, announced the Sri Lanka Ports Authority (SLPA) and Minister of Ports and Shipping yesterday at a govt press conference. SLPA Chairman Capt. Nihal Keppetipola stated that construction on civil work will commence today and that the total investment for the ECT would be $ 600-700 million more..

Jan 12 (AD) The restrictions imposed on the import of vehicles and other non-essential items to Sri Lanka will only be lifted when there is an inflow of foreign exchange from other sources, says the Governor of the Central Bank of SL. Mr. Ajith Nivard Cabraal was asked for a timeframe for when the central bank would lift the temporary ban on non-essential imports including vehicles. He asserted that other than vehicles, all the other non-essential items are being imported heavily. more..

Jan 12 (EN) Sri Lanka may negotiate a new loan which can be used to make loan repayments to due to China after President Gotabaya Rajapaksa asked visiting foreign minister for debt assistance, Central Bank Governor Nivard Cabraal said. �We have an understanding that they would assist us in making the repayments in that form,� Governor Cabraal told reporters. �So maybe there is a possibility that we would have a new loan coming in order to cushion our debt repayments to China itself. more..

Jan 13 (CT) The govt has been under especial scrutiny on issues of human rights in relation to the post-war reconciliation process following its election in 2019 and subsequent withdrawal from the UN mandated reconciliation process epitomized by Resolution 30/1 of 2015 of the UNHRC that was co-sponsored by the previous govt. The appointment of Prof G L Peiris last year as Foreign Minister with a mandate to deal with this issue has been a positive step to consolidate and build on efforts to more..

Jan 13 (CT) In a letter addressed by Sate Minister Prof. Channa Jayasumana to Justice Minister Ali Sabry, a copy of which was also handed over to the Head of One Country One Law Task Force (OCOLTF), Ven. Gnanasara Thera, the professor minister resurrected a so-called fatwa issued by ACJU 42 years ago pertaining to certain unorthodox views on Islamic tenets expressed by Moulavi Rauf from Kattankudy, the largest Muslim enclave in Sri Lanka, more..

Jan 13 (TM) The prevailing economic situation has prompted Sri Lanka to seek more and more external financial support, especially in the form of loans and currency swaps, and during the past few months, external financial support has helped SL immensely. Despite the fact that there are more disputes than consensus with regard to the advantages and disadvantages of these agreements as well as the bodies and countries more..

Jan 13 (TM) The video of a Police officer receiving instructions from his superior officer, who is an Officer In Charge (OIC), to release a person who was driving a vehicle under the influence of alcohol, as he was a friend of the OIC, went viral on media during the last few days, and the people started demanding prompt and strict action against the OIC. However, as more and more details about the incident came to light, people came to know that it is actually too late to demand prompt action more..

Jan 13 (SO) In three simple sentences Prof. S. Arasaratnam, the historian, has summed up the overarching force that governed Jaffna. He stated: �The Vellahlas (sic) were thus the key caste in the Tamil social system. They dominated the villages and ran its affairs. The numerous other castes served the Vellahlas.� (p. 110 � Ceylon, Prentice- Hall Inc. 1964). This defines the omnipresent, Vellalar-dominated hierarchy that penetrated every nook and corner of the peninsula and more..

Jan 13 (TM) �Cooking gas cylinder prices have almost doubled and we cannot afford it anymore,� said Niluka Dilrukshi. The 31 year-old mother-of-four has always cooked with gas to prepare food for her family, but now says firewood is her only option. �I used to provide fish and vegetables daily to my children. Now we are giving them one vegetable with rice,� she said. �Earlier we used to have 3 meals a day, now sometimes we can afford only two.� more..

Jan 13 (ST) The familiar sounds of choon-paan karaya Aldoris�s trishaw could be heard in the neighbourhood but this time he was late, arriving close to 9 a.m. �Mokada ada parakku (Why are you late today?),� asked Kussi Amma Sera. �Aney Miss, mata kiri-piti ganna polime inna wuna (Aney Miss, I had to wait in one of the queues to get milk powder),� he replied. �Oyage bakery kema ganan wedi wunada hema ekama ganan wedi wena nisa (Have your bakery products gone up in price more..

Jan 13 (CT) Yesterday, Census and Statistics Department (CSD) data showed that SL�s poverty line, be-devilled by inflation, rose by 50.7% (Rs 1,891) to Rs 5,621 over an eight-year period to last November (2021). That means that for a person to make ends meet and to be considered as being not poor according to the official definition will have to earn Rs 5,621 per mensem. Meanwhile, in the 11-month period to end Nov 2021, the increase in the poverty line alone was 9.21% to Rs 5,621. more..

Jan 13 (CT) Two farming communities in Veheragala in the Rambewa DS and Dachchidamana in Medawachchiya were the beneficiaries of the most recent leg of Tokyo Cement Group�s Fountain of Life purified drinking water project. Over a thousand villagers belonging to 268 families in Veheragala, a village situated Northwest of Rambewa, nearly 200 individuals belonging to 48 families in Dachchidamana off Medawachchiya, who for a very long time were living under shadow of CKDu, more..

Jan 13 (Island) Desperation has been a central theme for much of Sri Lanka�s citizenry long before the pandemic. Although it may seem far removed from the present multitude of issues, Yahapalana/Mahinda Rajapaksa Constitutional crisis of 2018 set in motion a series of events that have contributed significantly to the current tragicomedy of the Sri Lankan State. At the time the Unity Govt of Prez Maithripala Sirisena and PM Ranil Wickremesinghe was struggling along, more..

Jan 13 (ST) Cricket has always been dubbed as the gentleman�s game. But it�s increasingly becoming a gender-neutral game with terms treating both genders, now in usage. The sport is also seeing more and more women participation at the once-male-dominated game. Locally and globally, there have been only a few and rare women handling the affairs of ground work. In that exclusive club, is one medium-height lady, more..

Jan 13 (Island) Is the govt gaslighting the public? There is reason to believe that it is psychologically manipulating the people into doubting their own reality and even sanity. When they listen to the ruling party politicians and govt propagandists, they wonder whether the things that they see and hear are real or illusory. Power cuts are on at least in some parts of the country. Everybody knows that. The electricity supply is suddenly interrupted at night, and people look for candles and lamps. more..

Jan 13 (FT) COVID-19 vaccines were administered to 99,819 persons on Tuesday, of which 66,605 persons received the booster dose. 4,449,863 persons have received the booster dose, which is 30.5% of the population over 20 years. The first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine has been administered to 16,053,476 persons and 13,863,992 persons have received the second dose. The second dose has been administered to 94.7% of the population over 20 years. more..

Jan 13 (FT) Govt of SL (GOSL) in a statement said it was perturbed over announcement by S&P Global Ratings, at a time when the GOSL has diligently lined up adequate funds to repay its maturing foreign debt liabilities and its repeated assurances over the strong commitment to oblige its debt service payments, including the International Sovereign Bond (ISB) maturing on 18 Jan 2022. �This move demonstrates repetitive nature more..

Jan 13 (DM) On Jan 8, 2022 was marked the 13th anniversary of Lasantha Wickramatunga�s assassination in broad daylight at Ratmalana while on his way to work. He was the founder editor of the popular Sunday Leader newspaper and an outspoken critic of the then Rajapaksa regime. As one of SL�s foremost investigative and interpretative journalists, he never pulled his punches when writing his weekly articles backed by evidence. He kept the people informed of the goings on more..

Jan 13 (TM) SLPP Member and Alawwa Pradeshiya Sabha (PS) Chairperson Padma Weththewa said yesterday (12) that the SLPP is aware of the recent behaviour of certain SLPP Alawwa PS members, and that despite these challenges, she is committed to being responsible towards her duties. Weththewa was appointed as the PS Chairperson, three months ago, following the demise of the former Chairperson. However, news reports on Tuesday (11) show fellow SLPP PS members behaving violently and more..

Jan 13 (Island) SL U-19 skipper Dunith Wellalage believes that the success achieved at the U-19 Asia Cup and two home series and the expertise provided by the coaching staff inclusive of former national captain Mahela Jayawardena will help his team to do well at the ICC Youth World Cup which starts in West Indies on Friday. �We are the runners up at the U-19 Asia Cup. We won both the home series against Bangladesh and England. We have prepared well and the team is excited to be more..

Jan 13 (Island) Passed Pawns Chess Club will meet Mayor Chess Club in the final of the Chess Federation of Sri Lanka Online Women�s Chess Cup on Sunday after they beat their semi-final opponents. The Passed Pawns Chess Club beat the Black Knights Chess Club 4-0 in round one and 2 � � 1 � in the second round of the first semi-final. The four players WIM Shri Savitha from India, WIM Sachini Ranasinghe, WFM Dasuni Mendis and WCM Sanudula Dahamdi outplayed more..

Jan 13 (DN) Sri Lanka Athletics (SLA) already made plans to focus on Asian Games and Asian Junior Athletic C'ship when they will conduct first selection trials on Feb 10, 11, 12 at the Sugatadasa Stadium in Colombo. The National c'ship 2022 which will be held on April 8-10 also consider as the final selection trial for the two major events. The 19th Asian Games will be held from Sept 10 to 25 in Hangzhou, China while Asian Junior Athletic Championship more..

Jan 13 (CT) The public will be allowed to watch the forthcoming Sri Lanka Vs Zimbabwe ODI series subject to COVID-19 guidelines, making it the first time since the virus first hit the island in March 2020. �Tickets to witness the ODI Series, which will commence on the 16th at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium, can be purchased via www.srilankacricket.lk and www.bookmyshow.com said SLC in a media release today. However, only 50% of the maximum capacity at the PICS, more..

Jan 13 (CT) Seven SL players have been drawn in to the Asia team for the Legends Cricket League 2022, which is all set to begin from 20 January at the Oman Cricket Stadium, with some legendary names confirming their participation in the tournament. Sanath Jayasuriya, Muttiah Muralitharan, Chaminda Vaas, Romesh Kaluwitharana, Tillakaratne Dilshan, Nuwan Kulasekara and Upul Tharanga are in the team. However, the tournament will not see Indian legend Sachin Tendulkar, who was a major more..

Jan 13 (ST) The UDA is in the final stage of regulatory approvals for the proposed multimillion dollar 121.6 hectare (ha) beach reclamation from Kollupitiya to Dehiwala, officials said. Coast Conservation and Coastal Resource Management Dept has opened the environment impact assessment (EIA) for Marine City for public comment. Once the EIA is passed, the project will be advertised for investment as a joint venture more..