Jan 15 (FT) For a people in the throes of multiple existential crises, Geneva no longer seems as urgently gripping nor evocative of either patriotic protestation or demands for justice and reparation. War crimes, accountability and the like seems like yesterday�s news for a nation standing in queues for its staples. While food insecurity, breakdown in the provision of gas and electricity and US dollar-related anxieties preoccupy the masses, there�s nothing like the same interest with which the sessions more..

Jan 15 (FT) Sovereign debt restructuring can be pre-emptive or post-default. A default is inherently costly as it can result in a sustained loss of access to capital markets. That leaves pre-emptive restructuring when a country deems itself unable to service outstanding debt. The complex creditor landscape of today though makes govts reluctant to entertain sovereign debt restructuring. The landscape of sovereign borrowing has evolved from a small group made up of multilateral more..

Jan 15 (EN) Canada on Friday warned its nationals visiting and living in SL of a looming economic crisis that could lead to shortages in food, medicine and fuel and also contribute to deterioration in the security environment. Canadian govt in its travel advisory issued via its official Twitter account also warned of possible poor delivery of public services including healthcare due to the economic crisis. SL is facing an unprecedented economic crisis due to heavy debt & bad policies in the past. more..

Jan 15 (CT) Chairman of the National Environmental Council (NEC), Dr. Jagath Gunawardana expressed concerns over the failure to take action against those who allegedly held a team of forest officers hostage when they went to arrest seven persons involved in deforestation in the Wattegama-Kebiliththa Forest Reserve in Moneragala District on 11 January. The act of individuals who illegally entered the Wattegama-Kebiliththa Forest Reserve on Tuesday, destroying the forest reserve, more..

Jan 15 (AD) Sri Lanka has detected 160 new cases of the Omicron variant of SARS-CoV-2 (B.1.1.529), says Dr. Chandima Jeewandara. This brings the total number of Omicron cases confirmed by the J�pura University�s lab so far to 205. Sri Lanka confirmed its first Omicron case on Dec 3, 2021, in a SL national who had returned from a West African country. Three more cases were later confirmed by J�pura Uni lab more..

Jan 15 (Island) JVP MP Dr. Harini Amarasuriya, yesterday, said investors were discouraged by the continuous downgrading of the country�s credit ratings. MP said import costs had increased as the country was going through a forex crisis. The President�s agricultural policy had been a disaster and that in the coming months, the govt would have to import large volumes of food. Amarasuriya added that SL�s relations with other nations had deteriorated and that too would have more..

Jan 15 (CT) While claiming there was no clause which mentioned leasing out the Trincomalee Oil Tanks to India for 99 years in the Malik-Sushma MoU, former Minister Malik Samarawickrema said it was a business plan to develop the Upper Tank Farm and the MoU states they were to be jointly developed. He said this in reference to our Sunday story last week, titled, �Trinco oil tanks agreement to Cabinet on Monday,� quoting a Ministry of Energy statement, wherein it was stated more..

Jan 15 (CT) MPs Mano Ganesan, Palani Digambaram, S. Radhakrishnan and SLMC Leader, MP Rauff Hakeem, had backed out of the discussion and signing of the letter proposing the implementation of the 13th Amendment, which was to be delivered to the Indian PM shortly, because most of the demands made by the ITAK had nothing to do with their demands. Several political parties representing Tamil-speaking minorities more..

Jan 15 (SLN) SL Navy commenced an inoculation drive to administer the COVID-19 vaccine to the general public at the Keththarama Maha Viharaya, Colombo and Nawaloka Ground, Welisara from this morning (14). Supporting the COVID-19 vaccination programme carried out by the Armed Forces focusing on the general public to control the transmission of the pandemic, the Navy joined hands with the vaccination efforts. Accordingly, the Navy vaccination centre at more..

Jan 15 (DM) The SLFP says it has no immediate plan to withdraw from the Govt but will continue to raise critical questions. SLFP MP and former Northern Province Governor Dr. Suren Raghavan insisted that there was no crisis between the SLFP and SLPP. He said that while there are differences of opinion between both parties, it has not yet led to a situation where the SLFP will leave the Govt. He said that he had sent an SMS message to SLPP General Secretary Sagara Kariyawasam more..

Jan 15 (AD) Ethugalpura Gateway, the second phase of the Central Expressway from Mirigama to Kurunegala was declared open for the general public today. The event was held under the patronage of Prez Rajapaksa and PM Rajapaksa. Stretching over 40.91 km, the road features four lanes and five interchanges at Mirigama, Nakalagamuwa, Dambokka, Kurunegala and Yaggapitiya. more..

Jan 15 (Island) The Bar Association of SL (BASL) has said that it is gravely concerned about the signs of a looming economic crisis in Sri Lanka and its possible impact on the rule of law and democracy and on the living conditions of the people. Secretary to the BASL, Rajeev Amarasuriya has said that the spiraling inflation, shortages of essential goods including cooking gas, the unavailability of foreign currency, people�s inability to remit monies overseas, the downgrading of SL�s ratings more..

Jan 15 (DM) Colombo Fort Magistrate was concerned over the lethargic investigations carried out by CID from Nov 2019 into a case in which a woman was alleged to have defrauded over Rs 130 million to businessmen promising to sell gold. At the onset of the inquiry before Fort Magistrate Priyantha Liyanage the aggrieved complainant�s Counsel M.M. Zuhair PC complained to the Magistrate that the court had ordered the CID to conduct investigations into three matters, to find out more..

Jan 15 (EN) India reaffirmed its assistance to Sri Lanka at a high level virtual meeting between Indian External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and Sri Lankan Finance Minister Basil Rajapaksa on Saturday (15). The virtual meeting comes six days after Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi�s official visit to Colombo where Sri Lanka leader Gotabaya Rajapaksa made an appeal for debt restructuring. more..

Jan 15 (ST) There will be strict implementation of mandatory meter regulation in the Western Province starting Jan 15, then countrywide over the next few months. All taxis are legally required to have a functioning meter installed by July 15. Southern Province taxis must have their meters installed by Feb 15. �This has been the rule for a long time even though it wasn�t enforced,� said Lalith Dharmasekara, Three-Wheeler Drivers� Union Chairman. more..

Jan 15 (AD) As a result of the dollar shortage in SL, it is reported that close to 1,700 containers of imported essential commodities are stranded at the Colombo Port for nearly two months. The Essential Food Commodities Importers & Traders Association attributed the situation to the delay in issuing dollars to the banks by the Central Bank of SL. Although several rounds of discussions were held with the related ministers and public officials on the matter, a proper solution is yet to be reached, more..

Jan 15 (ST) The Sunday Times collaborated with Watchdog Investigations (WI), which conducted a survey on our behalf, to map and analyse what had gone wrong. Disgruntled users vented about surge prices and the general unavailability of taxis. �The surge is unbelievable!� said one response to a question we posted on Twitter. Multiple other respondents claimed hire prices had doubled during these so-called more..

Jan 15 (ST) Some in N�Eliya turn to electricity due to cooking gas shortage, but poorer residents unable to make the switch due to high cost The prevailing gas shortage has caused immense hardship for people in the country. For those in Nuwara Eliya however, the situation is worse than other places. The climate in Nuwara Eliya these days is bitterly cold, requiring many households to use hot water for day-to-day activities. Many residents here have been using gas to heat their water for years. more..

Jan 15 (TM) Popular political youtuber Sudaththa Ranasinghe has arrived at the CID today to lodge his statement regarding a controversial statement he had mentioned on his YouTube page, The Morning learns. He was summoned to the CID last week, and sources say it was due to his outspoken controversial comments made on his YouTube page, Sudaa Creations, against the Govt. Ranasinghe gained global popularity for his YouTube channel, in which he interviews politicians from more..

Jan 15 (CT) Ten companies have come forward to place orders to import chemical fertiliser for the upcoming Yala season, while the next organic fertiliser shipment from Qingdao Seawin has left China�s shores and is on its way to SL. Even before the gazette was revoked on 30 Nov 2021, Minister of Plantation had obtained Cabinet approval to order 98,000 MT of Ammonium Sulfate, of which only 30,000 MT has been imported more..

Jan 15 (CT) The officials of the Mahaweli Water Security Investment Programme (MWSIP) said the first of the two giant tunnel-boring machines (TBM) manufactured by China Railway Construction Heavy Industry Corporation, Changsha, would arrive in April. The second is scheduled to arrive in July 2022, the officials told Ceylon Today. The TBM with a diameter of 7.6 metres will be brought by the Chinese contractors who are currently handling the projects. more..

Jan 15 (AD) Railway station masters say trains are up and running as per at scheduled times from today after their trade union action was called off last evening. SL Railway Station Masters� Union had resumed its strike yesterday, hours after they called off their 24-hour token strike on the day before. The chairman of the union, Sumedha Somrathna said the station masters would resort to another trade union action without inconveniencing the passengers, if the administration does not more..

Jan 15 (AP) Conservationists and veterinarians are warning that plastic waste in an open landfill in eastern Sri Lanka is killing elephants in the region, after two more were found dead over the weekend. Around 20 elephants have died over the last eight years after consuming plastic trash in the dump in Pallakkadu village in Ampara district, about 210 km (130 miles) east of Colombo. Examinations of the dead animals showed they had more..

Jan 15 (ST) The green beauty with the lovely eyes on the cover beckons even those not too fond of its kind to take a closer look. The Leaf-nesting Shrub Frog heralds the publication of A Photographic Field Guide to the Amphibians of Sri Lanka by Dr. Anslem de Silva, Dr. Kanishka Ukuwela and Dr. Dilan Chaturanga. Dr. de Silva is Co-Chairman, Amphibian Specialist Group, IUCN/SSC (International Union for Conservation of Nature/Species Survival Commission), SL & Past Chairperson, more..

Jan 15 (DM) Defence Secretary Kamal Gunaratne said it is not fair to criticize the police investigation into the incident in which a grenade was found at the Borella All Saints' Church, less than 24 hours after it was reported. He made this remarks responding to the statement made by Archbishop His Eminence Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith regarding the investigation into the incident. Speaking to media, he assured that all those involved in the incident will be brought to justice. more..

Jan 16 (SO) SL, like all other countries, has been battered by the Covid-19 pandemic, now in its 22nd month. Repeated lockdowns have severely curtailed economic activity. The pandemic has practically decimated its tourism industry. Expatriate remittances are also down. This has created an economic tsunami that has been devastating for all Sri Lankans. Thus the next few weeks and months will be very challenging for SL from an economic point of view. A US$ 500 million ISB more..

Jan 16 (CT) An apocryphal youth inquired from the Prez �why a referendum couldn�t be conducted to ascertain whether the electorate (would approve) extending his term by two years�, says the front page of the Island of Monday 10 January. Presidents don�t float kites like this unless they have intrigue up their sleeve. Soon you will hear a chorus of Ministers and government MPs cheering �Hallelujah! Gotabaya for ever, two years, five years whatever!� Those who decried JR�s referendum to more..

Jan 16 (SO) State Minister D.V. Chanaka said whoever doesn�t want to work together, it is a good time for them to quit the Govt and let others act in unison for the betterment of the country. He said Govt ministers should work together as a team because all the ministries are connected and none of the Ministry can fulfill its task alone. Therefore, every development work has to be done as a team with collective responsibility and more..

Jan 16 (GV) In 2021, the Covid-19 pandemic devastated the world and under its malevolent cloak, SL�s environment, wildlife and wilderness had to face some of the greatest threats they have ever had. Not a day went by without the media highlighting some environmental catastrophe � a forest illegally cleared, a pristine beach desecrated or an elephant or leopard killed. Sadly, conservation management decisions seem now to be made at the political level. Politicians only look to the next election more..

Jan 16 (CT) Having read many opinions over the issue about what should be done with regard to the debt crisis in SL, I think even a scary task of summarising the argument of a book of 384 pages in 1,000 to 1,200 words column would be a useful endeavour. In my previous columns, although I referred to this book entitled �Why Not Default: the Political� Economy of Sovereign Debt by Jerome Roos, a Fellow in Int'l Political Economy at Dept of Int'l Dev. of London School of Economics, more..

Jan 16 (SO) Sri Lanka is world renowned for its elephant population and many foreign tourists arrive in SL just to see the majestic creatures up close. They are listed as endangered species and dwindling in population mainly due to deforestation and the human-elephant conflict. While SL elephants draw international attention, the public at times fall prey to misleading information that benefit unscrupulous more..

Jan 16 (ST) With the official gazetting of the postponement of elections to local councils, the national pastime of holding elections, postponing elections and arguing about them is on the cards while at the same time questions arise as to what earthly use they eventually serve given who ends up elected. The fact that the wheels are coming off the ruling coalition that roared to power and place in late 2019 is plain to see. Dissent is gathering momentum. more..

Jan 16 (ST) My dear SWRD, I thought of writing to you this week though it has been many decades since you left us for the Land of Never Return. That is because your birth anniversary was commemorated last week � and you would be turning in your final resting place, the Horagolla Samadhi, if you knew what happened then. To begin with, there is a curious coincidence regarding your birthday. It was on the same day, 7 years ago, that Aiyo Sirisena defeated Mahinda maama more..

Jan 16 (Island) The booming Colombo Stock Exchange (CSE) last week, after a two-year Covid-impelled silence, hosted its first news conference to share with the media what its chairman, Mr. Dumith Fernando, called a fantastic story. He was not exaggerating even slightly. The CSE�s performance last year was more that extraordinary by any standard with several historical highs established in all the indicators that matter. These included the heights reached by both the broader ASPI more..

Jan 16 (Island) SL�s Central Bank will be settling a USD 500 million bond the day after tomorrow. Earlier this month, Ajith Nivard Cabraal tweeted that the Bank had set aside the required amount from its foreign reserves, reiterating the country�s commitment to honouring its debt obligations. Perhaps in response to this development, bondholders appear to have regained confidence about our prospects: latest figures show that bond market prices are converging with face value more..

Jan 16 (ST) As the Govt is determined to revive the COVID-19-hit tourism industry despite fresh Omicron variant challenges, there seem to be more challenges along the recovery period. This time � it is due to the mismanagement of the economy resulting in soaring inflation and forex shortage for imports. Issuing a revised Global Travel Advisory for SL under the subsection of Economic situation on Friday, more..

Jan 16 (CI) Where not so long ago, bilateral ODI series in T20 World Cup years lacked context, the ODI Super League has helped bring some importance to these fixtures. Neither SL nor Zimbabwe are particularly well-placed on the table. SL have 42 points, which puts them at seventh and could easily be pushed out of the top eight, where they will need to be to automatically qualify for the next ODI World Cup. Their position is especially precarious because they have played 15 more..