Mar 7 (EN) SL tea prices which hit a record national average of 725 rupees in February, but has is seeing pressure after Russia invaded Ukraine, despite lower volumes offered, auction results show. In January Russia was the second largest buyer of Ceylon Tea tea. �Undoubtedly trading conditions are likely to be strained and additional war risk surcharges would further escalate the high logistics rates, which have already adversely impacted on tea prices,� Forbes and Walker said. more..

Mar 7 (Island) State-of-the-art cement manufacturing facility of Lanwa Sanstha Cement Corporation , will be inaugurated by Prez Rajapaksa today. The opening ceremony will also be participated by the PM Rajapaksa, Minister Basil Rajapaksa, Minister Chamal Rajapaksa and Minister Namal Rajapaksa. A BOI venture, the Lanwa Sanstha facility spread across 63 acres is located in Hambantota�s Mirijjawila Export Processing Zone. Total capacity of the plant would be 4mn MT per annum. more..

Mar 7 (TM) Electricity Users� Association said that it will take legal action to ensure that an electricity tariff hike does not occur, as it claimed was being planned by the CEB and the Central Bank of SL (CBSL). �We have heard that the CEB is attempting to hike electricity prices. CBSL, in its proposals to the Cabinet, has also called for a hike in electricity tariffs. This means that the average electricity bill of a samurdhi income earner more..

Mar 7 (AD) Minister Vasudeva Nanayakkara says that he will write a letter to Prez Rajapaksa informing that he will not be participating in the weekly meeting of the Cabinet of Ministers. He said that the Prez would be informed of this decision within tomorrow (7). Minister of Water Supply said that the central committee of the DLF approved the decision for him not to attend the Cabinet meetings and that, however the central committee did not approve his withdrawal from ministerial duties. more..

Mar 7 (DM) Public protests continued on Sunday evening as several people gathered with candles in Kohuwala and Rajagiriya to protest against the severe day to day hardships caused by the economic failure of the govt. Citizens lined up on the streets holding placards calling on the govt to go home and urging politicians to stop playing with the lives of the people. One protestor said that it was pure mismanagement by the govt that had led to the economic crisis while another said that more..

Mar 7 (Island) The Colombo High Court Trial-at-Bar had dismissed some of the charges filed against former Finance Minister Ravi Karunanayake, fugitive ex-Central Bank Governor Arjuna Mahendran and nine others in respect of Treasury bond scam perpetrated on 29 March 2016, due to the flawed indictments, legal sources told The Island yesterday (5). Former President of the Bar Association of Sri Lanka (BASL), more..

Mar 7 (Island) Highways Minister Johnston Fernando says that Prez Rajapaksa�s govt, too, has the same saloon-door policy as the Mahinda Rajapaksa administration and anyone could leave or enter if he or she so desires. Speaking at a ceremony to declare the opening of a new building complex, for the Narammala Pradeshiya Sabha by PM Mahinda Rajapaksa, the Minister said that all those within the govt should understand that they were duty bound to protect it. more..

Mar 7 (FT) Power cuts make life miserable. If you rely on a desktop computer as I do for news, Netflix, MS Word, and Windows, power cuts make misery into something painful called melancholy. In such a state of mind I called a friend on 25 Feb who lives in Bambalapitiya. He told me that his electricity was not interrupted through the week. Another friend living in Kollupitiya confirmed that residents in Colombo 3 also shared this good fortune. In the not so mainstream but must-read weekend paper more..

Mar 7 (DM) Former Chief of CID Senior DIG Ravi Seneviratne has filed a Fundamental Rights petition in Supreme Court seeking an order preventing CID from arresting him in respect of the allegations mentioned at the Kuliyapitiya Magistrate's Court. Former CID Chief also seeking an order restraining Prez Rajapakse from issuing a detention order in terms of section 9(1) of the PTA in his capacity as the Minister of Defence in respect of the allegations set out in a B-Repor at Kuliyapitiya MC. more..

Mar 7 (EN) Sri Lanka�s bond yields rose marginally in dull trade on Monday (07), dealers said while the central bank�s indicative spot rate too moved up. �The market is dull. We can see whether the investors are active or not in the next auction� a Colombo Based dealer said. In debt markets, a bond maturing on 01/08/2025 closed at 12.95/13.10 percent, up from 12.90/13.00 percent on Friday. The three months� bill closed at 9.75/10.00 per cent up from 9.70/9.80 percent on Friday. more..

Mar 7 (AD) Prez Rajapaksa today declared Nadungamuwa Raja a national treasure following the passing of the ceremonial tusker. Nadungamuwa Raja the tusker which had carried the sacred relic casket of the Kandy Esala Perahera the most number of times, died this morning at the age of 69 years. The Head of State has given directives to the Secretary to the Ministry of Buddhasasana, Religion and Cultural Affairs more..

Mar 7 (AD) A tense situation has been reported at the Consular Affairs Division of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Colombo Fort. It is reported that the unrest has arisen due to the inconvenience caused to the persons who had come to the division to obtain services, due to a power outage. When contacted with regard to this, a spokesman for the Foreign Ministry said that the power outage was caused by a problem in the relevant private-owned building where Consular Affairs Division more..

Mar 7 (EN) PM Rajapaksa has requested all local govt leaders that represent the ruling SLPP to turn off street lamps until March 31 to help conserve electricity as the island nation goes deeper into a power crisis. Writing to all heads of local govt bodies, group leaders and opposition leaders on Sunday, PM Rajapaksa called for their assistance in what he called the national duty of conserving electricity. SL is in the midst of one of the worst energy crises in the country�s history, more..

Mar 7 (AD) Prez Rajapaksa and PM Rajapaksa today inaugurated the cement manufacturing facility of Lanwa Sanstha Cement Corporation, the largest cement factory in the country, located in the Magampura Lanka Industrial Zone. Prez and PM who arrived at the venue also laid the foundation stone for the proposed new steel factory. Investment for the new steel plant, which will be built on 250 acres of land, is US $ 400 m. more..

Mar 7 (FT) Indian PM Narendra Modi is due to visit SL in a few days. If not cancelled due to the frightening events that are taking place in Europe consequent on Russia�s invasion of Ukraine, this will be a reality. Though SL is located some 42 km to the south of India, the latter�s Head of State does not visit this southernly neighbour frequently. The visits are made infrequently only if they are absolutely necessary. Otherwise, it is Sri Lanka�s heads of the state who should visit India, more..

Mar 7 (DM) A case filed against NFF leader Wimal Weerawansa and six other party activists for allegedly providing leadership to a protest which blocks the main roads at Bauddhaloka Mawatha, causing disturbance to the people and the normal flow of traffic was today fixed for trial by Colombo Chief Magistrate�s Court. Additional Magistrate Chandima Liyanage fixed the case to be heard on May 30. The prosecution witnesses were directed to appear before Court next trial date. more..

Mar 7 (CT) Serjeant-at-Arms Narendra Fernando said, with the removal of Wimal Weerawansa and Udaya Gammanpila from their ministerial portfolios, arrangements have been made to move their seats from the first to the fourth row of Parliament. Weerawansa and Gammanpila served as Ministers of Industries and Energy respectively. As a result, Weerawansa has been assigned the 73rd seat in the fourth row, and Gammanpila has been assigned the 78th seat in the same row. more..

Mar 7 (CT) The Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) called on the Govt to remove the Minister of Finance from his portfolio, if he is serving the interests of the United States of America. SJB MP Hector Appuhamy said former Minister Wimal Weerawansa claimed that Minister of Finance Basil Rajapaksa was working for the US. �The present administration should remove any individual from the Govt, if they are found to be working for the US, if it does not want to betray the country. more..

Mar 7 (EN) Calling for international support, opposition MP Harin Fernando briefed the 49th session of the UNHRC in Geneva on Monday on, among other matters, the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA), the 2019 Easter bombings and the continued incarnation of his former parliamentary colleague Ranjan Ramanayake. In a short address at the council session this afternoon, Fernando said Prez Rajapksa has ignored requests more..

Mar 7 (EN) Sri Lankan Airlines has partnered with Maldives-based Manta Air to connect travelers from Gan Island to Koodhdhoo City in the Maldives to meet the diverse needs of the luxury travel segment, the national carrier said. "The Maldives has always been a very important market to Sri Lankan Airlines, so the airline has continuously sought to enhance its portfolio of flights to the Maldives with a view to connect global travelers to this highly coveted holiday destination,� more..

Mar 7 (EN) Ministry of Foreign Relations has advised SL students in Belarus who wish to temporarily return to SL to travel via Moscow and contact the SL embassy in Moscow. As the conflict between Ukraine and Russia escalates with time, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in coordination with the SL embassy in Moscow which is concurrently accredited to Belarus, continues to monitor the situation in Belarus in the context of recent developments in Ukraine, govt info dept said more..

Mar 7 (AD) Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith today told the UNHRC in Geneva that although the first impression of the Easter Sunday attacks was that it was purely the work of a few Islamic extremists, subsequent investigations indicate that this massacre was part of a grand political plot. The Archbishop of Colombo made these observations while delivering a statement at the 49th Session of the UNHRC on Monday (7), more..

Mar 7 (TM) SL tea exporters are now making arrangements to receive their payments in lieu of tea exported to Russia, through banks which have not been sanctioned as of yet, as a consequence of the decision by the European Union (EU) to exclude seven Russian banks from the Belgium-based Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication (SWIFT) system, SL Tea Board Chairman Jayampathy Molligoda said. According to Molligoda, the invasion of Ukraine by Russia, more..

Mar 7 (TM) The Illegal Assets and Property Investigation Division, a newly added division to the SL Police, has so far banned property worth over Rs. 780 million, and is investigating more than 1,100 individuals for illegally acquiring assets and properties. Police Spokesman SDIG Ajith Rohana said: �Investigations are currently being carried out on more than 1,100 persons on charges of illegal acquisition of assets and property, out of which about 21 suspects have been arrested so far. more..

Mar 7 (Island) Over 13 years after the successful conclusion of the war, the Colombo High Court has sentenced an ex-LTTE intelligence wing member, Thangavelu Nimalan, to life imprisonment. The Colombo HC gave the ruling on 28 Feb., amidst ongoing efforts to abolish the PTA. Nimalan, taken into custody, in Kilinochchi, under the PTA, was indicted in the Colombo HC in 2011. At the time of his arrest, Nimalan had two kilos of RDX explosives in his possession. more..

Mar 7 (DM) While raising concerns regarding the continued lack of progress on accountability and regret that there have been setbacks in several emblematic human rights cases, UK called on the Govt of SL to engage constructively with the recommendations in resolution 46/1 and to co-operate with your Office. UK's Global Ambassador for Human Rights, Rita French delivering her statement during the Interactive Dialogue on the OHCHR report on SL, said they welcomed more..

Mar 7 (Reuters) Nearly 1,000 bakeries have closed in Sri Lanka due to a severe shortage of cooking gas, an industry association said on Monday, as the impact of dwindling foreign exchange reserves ricochets through the country's economy. The island nation is facing its worst financial crisis in a decade with foreign exchange reserves shrinking 70% to $2.36 billion in January, leaving the govt struggling to pay for more..

Mar 7 (DM) While holding public inquiry for the first time in the country, Public Utilities Commission of SL (PUCSL) Chairman Janaka Rathnayaka said the cause for the countrywide blackout on Dec 3 will be reveled soon. Addressing media following the public inquiry on the blackout, he said a successfull public investigation was conducted and the details of all those who were responsible were presented yesterday. Today was the second day of the inquiry. All evidences were gathered successfully, more..

Mar 7 (CT) With a looming shortage of medicinal drugs the All Island Private Pharmacy Owners Association (AIPPOA) lamented that they were also facing double trouble due to the current diesel crisis. Chairman AIPPOA, Chandika Gankanda said yesterday (6) that distribution of even available pharmaceuticals had become a challenge due to the diesel shortage. Wholesale distributors were facing difficulty to transport drugs to pharmacies owing to the current diesel crisis in the country. more..

Mar 7 (EN) Eleven constituent parties of SL�s ruling coalition will contest a future election as a new alliance without the ruling SLPP but it will likely not be under leadership of former Prez Chandrika Kumaratunga contrary to some media reports, State Minister Dayasiri Jayasekara said. SLFP gen. secy said that the question of who will lead the alliance is not of concern at present. �We don�t know who the leader will be. more..

Mar 7 (TM) The SJB, said that it will organise a massive protest in Colombo on 15 March, with the participation of supporters from many parts of the country. SJB National Organiser MP Tissa Attanayake said the protest would be against what he termed were the reckless actions taken by the Govt. �Price controls are something that a govt declares to protect the people. By removing them, a serious situation is created. It is inevitable that the people will suffer due to current situation,� more..

Mar 7 (TM) Veteran actor and comedian of SL cinema and television, Berty Gunathilake, passed away yesterday (6). Gunathilake, who was receiving treatment at the Kahawatte Base Hospital, was aged 98 at the time of his demise. Born on 2 August 1924 at Ampitiya in Kandy, Gunathilake was a student of the Ampitiya Primary School, Sri Sangaraja Maha Pirivena in Kandy and the Institute of Indigenous Medicine. He later served as an Assistant Teacher at the Galpola Vidyalaya in Kuliyapitiya. more..

Mar 8 (DM) Trade unions in the health sector have put off their strike last week which they had been continuing for several weeks. They have been making several demands including one to rectify the anomalies in their salary scales. They might have been encouraged to launch a strike at this juncture by the recent successful trade union action by the principals and teachers of state sector schools. Unlike in the case of the agitations by the principals and teachers, the health sector employees more..

Mar 8 (ST) Some of our politicians appear to have a penchant for autocratic rulers. Others are more likely to label these foreign rulers with local admirers dictators and perhaps rightly so. What�s in a name after all, as the Bard said. Never mind if they are leftists, rightists, centrists, or of some other unconscionable type such as the hated Adolf Hitler. Our own politicians are egged on by supporters or their saffron-robed promoters to emulate such despicable leaders as Hitler. more..

Mar 8 (DM) Can the govt share with the public the list of bondholders who were paid in the January repayment of the US$ 500 million International Sovereign Bond, so that the people might peruse it and know how we got there? That bond repayment is the straw that broke the camel�s back of the country�s foreign reserves. The eagerness on the part of the Central Bank governor to pay the bond against all advice was equally striking. more..

Mar 8 (DM) Russian onslaught has sparked massive dislocations, forcing many Ukrainian women to carry their little ones and flee their homes to neighbouring countries. UN Special Representative on Sexual Violence in Conflict, Pramila Patten thinks, it is also putting women at heightened risk of hostility. She continued, �Unless the conflict stops, thousands of families will be compulsorily displaced, dramatically increasing the scale of the already dreadful humanitarian situation, and growing risk of more..