Mar 25 (Island) A special mechanism was being set up to make rice available at reasonable prices during the upcoming Sinhala and Tamil New Year season, Agriculture Minister Mahindananda Aluthgamage told Parliament. In response to a question by Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa on food crisis in the country, Aluthgamage said there would not be any food crunch here as claimed by Premadasa. �That is completely false news. There will not be any food crisis in the country. more..

Mar 25 (TM) The 11 parties which unveiled its own manifesto recently, despite being the coalition partners of the incumbent SLPP-led Govt, have claimed that they would soon collectively take away the parliamentary majority enjoyed by the Govt. This warning was issued by the representatives of 11 parties including the NFF, PHU and SLFP, which are part of the coalition govt ruling alliance led by the SLPP, when they met more..

Mar 25 (CT) The benchmark spot strengthened by Rs 3 (0 -10%) in two way quotes to be trading at Rs 290/297 to the US dollar in the interbank foreign exchange (FX) market yesterday, led by positivisms after Wednesday�s inaugural All Party Conference (APC), market sources said. However, on the previous day Wednesday, the spot had closed weaker at Rs 290/300 to the dollar in two way quotes. Nonetheless, a year ago the market exchange rate in interbank FX trading fetched more..

Mar 25 (FT) SL�s COVID-19 case count rose to 660,399 following the detection of 248 COVID-19 positive persons yesterday. According Minister Keheliya Rambukwella, people are now more mindful of COVID-19 symptoms and get tested immediately. �What has happened is that complacency has set in, which is bad. Of course, we also add to that, because we also relaxed a lot of regulations because the economy has to go on,� he, however, said, adding that health officials more..

Mar 25 (FT) Sri Lanka has sufficient stocks of critical medicine for a month, Health Minister Keheliya Rambukwella said, adding that the country�s fuel shortage will be solved within the next three weeks. Addressing the media to shed light on the proceedings at the All-Party Conference held on Wednesday, Rambukwella said, in terms of medicines, a more long-term approach is being taken by assessing needs of next 6 months, more..

Mar 25 (EN) Forex-starved energy crisis continues with power outages of six hours and 20 minutes scheduled for several areas and five-hour cuts scheduled for other areas today. The CEB said the outages will occur in two blocks. Areas A, B, C,D, E, F, G, H, I, J, K, and L will have power cuts of 3 hours and 20 minutes 8am to 6pm and 1 hour and 40 minutes from 6pm to 11pm. Areas P, Q, R, S, T, U, V, and W will have power cuts of 4 hours and 30 minutes from 8.30am to 5.30pm and more..

Mar 25 (Island) LNG Power Plant, which is being built at Kerawalapitiya, would add 200 MWs to the national grid by next year, Minister Pavithra Wanniarachi said inspecting the progress of its construction. The 350 MW Sobadanavi Dual Cycle Power Plant is currently under construction. Work began in 2020. �The power plant was proposed many years ago, but it was delayed due to various reasons. Now the work is underway and we will complete its first phase next year, more..

Mar 25 (Island) Amidst A deepening financial crisis that prompted Prez Rajapaksa to summon an All Party Conference (APC) on Wednesday to discuss ways and means of addressing the issues at hand, the Monetary Board has skipped a meeting called by the Committee on Public Finance (CoPF) yesterday to inquire into current developments. The CoPF alleged that the meeting previously scheduled to be held last Monday (21) had been re-fixed for Thursday more..

Mar 25 (FT) I have penned this article with the view to enlightening the political leaders of the country and those who express ideological views and are interested in the subject, the need for having an objective and pragmatic program for overcoming the crisis facing SL and rescuing the country from falling into a state of anarchy. As a political critic who has foreseen this crisis beforehand and written extensively about it before it burst out, I feel that I am obliged to explain the reality of situation more..

Mar 25 (AD) A discussion between President Gotabaya Rajapaksa and the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) got underway this morning. The meeting is taking place at the Presidential Secretariat. Reportedly, the discussion is focusing on a number of issues including the formulation of a new constitution. The President, during a meeting with US Under-Secretary of State for Political Affairs Victoria Nuland earlier this week, said a discussion has been scheduled with the TNA. more..

Mar 25 (FT) It is clear that the Gover-nment does not have a clue apart from the presidential injunctions for more discipline, sacrifice and unity on the one hand and the Panglossian view that everything will be alright in the end, on the other. The hope that tourism will improve and that India and China will chip in to bail us out is proving to be grossly insufficient to ward off the inevitable. Missing in the pathetic mix of incompetence, mismanagement and the gross lack of empathy or sympathy for public suffering more..

Mar 25 (DM) Due to the increase in the prices of essential ingredients used to make lunch packets by 500% in the local market, the selling prices of lunch packets have been increased, All Island Canteen Owners' Association Chief Asela Sampath said. He said that the prices of ingredients have increased in the local market on daily basis. He said there are several groups that are behind increasing prices of essential commodities daily in view to gain higher profits without paying any taxes to govt. more..

Mar 25 (AD) The Bar Association of SL (BASL) today filed two fundamental rights (FR) applications with the Supreme Court on the ongoing economic crisis. The FR applications, filed by BASL President Saliya Peiris PC, Deputy President Anura Meddegoda PC, Secretary Rajeev Amarasuriya, Treasurer Rajindh Perera and Assistant Secretary Pasindu Silva, seek a court order directing the Cabinet of Ministers to more..

Mar 25 (EN) SL should set up a currency board to stop further currency falls, US economist Steve Hanke has said as the island�s currency collapsed from 203 to 290 to the US dollar in an attempt to float the currency which has not yet succeeded. �Since January 1st 2022, the SL rupee has depreciated ~26% against the USD. #SriLanka�s severe balance of payments crisis and recent fuel price hikes are sinking LKA,� Hanke, who is professor of Applied Economics at more..

Mar 25 (Island) Controlling behaviour by men has been identified as the most common form of reported violence against women in SL by a recent national survey conducted by the Dept of Census and Statistics with the technical assistance from the UNFPA and its regional kNOwVAWdata Initiative (supported by the Australian Dept of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) and funding from the Govt of Canada. National Survey on Violence against Women has found that controlling behaviour more..

Mar 25 (AD) Former MP Ranjan Ramanayake has pleaded guilty to the second case filed against him over contempt of court. Case was taken up before SC judges Buwaneka Aluwihare, L.T.B. Dehideniya and Gamini Amarasekara today. Ramanayake, who is currently serving 4-year rigorous imprisonment over another contempt of court charge, was escorted to the court premises by the prison officials. more..

Mar 25 (EN) SL�s transport ministry has temporarily blocked a proposed train fare hike after media reports emerged of a sudden increase effective midnight Thursday, Transport Minister Dilum Amunugama said. Amunugama told reporters Thursday that the SL Railway Department had announced the proposed fares to the media before they were approved by the ministry. Therefore the price revision was not valid, he said, noting that a final decision would be taken next week. more..

Mar 25 (DM) The Ceylon Workers Congress (CWC) led by State Minister Jeevan Thondaman has lost confidence in Prez Rajapaksa, party officials said. CWC was irked over the prez�s decision taken last year to ban the import of chemical fertilizer despite strong objections raised by the party. CWC sources said that one of the main reasons the CWC boycotted the All Party Conference held this week, was because of the impact the fertilizer ban had on the estate community. more..

Mar 25 (CT) In a backdrop where people are cursing Parliament, a pirith-chanting ceremony is planned to mark the 40th Anniversary of the new Parliament building and bless the country to overcome the present economic crisis, SJB MP Chaminda Wijesiri said. Wijesiri, raising a Point of Order during the Oral Question Round in Parliament said, �A pirith chanting ceremony is planned to mark the 40th anniversary of the new Parliament building. Several other objectives are listed for holding more..

Mar 25 (DM) SL abstained on the resolution adopted by the UNGA on the humanitarian consequences of the aggression against Ukraine by Russia. The resolution that was adopted in the 193-member Assembly was passed with 140 members in favour, five against and 38 abstentions, including Sri Lanka. The 193-member General Assembly resumed its 11th Emergency Special Session on Ukraine and voted on a draft resolution Humanitarian consequences of the aggression against more..

Mar 25 (DM) It is reported that plans are afoot to give three elephants to temples and Dewalayas and augment the adjacent lands which have issues with the Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage (PEO), that belongs to several close associates of the Wildlife Minister, Ministry sources said. They said the Ministry had requested the names of three elephants from the PEO to hand them over to temples and Dewalayas. more..

Mar 25 (EN) SL�s rupee was bid at 295 to the US dollar late Friday, with not offers and bond markets were inactive, dealers said. Rupee was quoted at 290/320 to the US dollar in intra-day trading. Rupee was quoted as weak a 290/320 to the US dollar but there is no active trading in the spot market. In the kerb market the US dollar was offered at 335 rupees on Friday. Commercial Banks were offering to sell dollars for telegraphic transfers at 292.5 to 297 rupees and was buying at 272.5 to 287 rs more..

Mar 25 (DM) SL Air Force has denied claims that a Land Rover Defender has been imported for the personal use of Air Force Commander, Air Marshal Sudarshana Pathirana. Documents were leaked on social media indicating that the Air Force had imported the jeep and that it was to be used by the Air Force Commander. While confirming that the jeep was imported, the Air Force however insisted that it was to be used by the Sri Lankan peacekeeping unit in Africa. more..

Mar 25 (DM) Due to the increase in the prices of essential ingredients used to make lunch packets by 500% in the local market, the selling prices of lunch packets have been increased, AICOA Chief Asela Sampath said. He said that the prices of ingredients have increased in the local market on daily basis. He said there are several groups that are behind increasing prices of essential commodities daily in view to gain higher more..

Mar 25 (NR) The Public Utilities Commission of Sri Lanka says no decision has been reached to increase the duration of the scheduled power cuts for next week. PUSCSL Chairman Janaka Ratnayake said such a decision was taken after the Ceylon Petroleum Corporation promised to provide the CEB with adequate fuel stocks to generate electivity. The Chairman also rejected reports on social media, which claimed that scheduled power cuts may increase up to 10 hours next week. more..

Mar 25 (SLA) Security Force HQ - Jaffna (SFHQ-J) showing its compassion towards the well-being of one more former woman combatant of the LTTE, now living in abject poverty with her two children and the husband, built a new house for her in Point Pedro area and formally warmed it on Monday (21) during a simple ceremony. The house construction project, carried out by 16 Sri Lanka Light Infantry troops and SFHQ troops was made possible due to financial sponsorship, provided by more..

Mar 25 (CT) A missing person�s life cannot be measured by a sum of Rs 100,000 and a certificate. Justice must be served, and the Justice Minister should take the necessary steps, according to TNA MP S. Sritharan. During a public event in Pachilaipalli, he said Justice Minister Ali Sabry should not accept everything the Govt says nor should he be overly supportive of the Govt. Sritharan stated that Justice Minister recently presented a proposal to the Cabinet which approved more..

Mar 25 (CT) The establishment of centres towards the recording of video evidence of children who were sexually and mentally abused commenced at provincial level after a lapse of 21 years. The establishment of these centres had been undertaken by the National Child Protection Authority (NCPA) to submit video evidence to Court. The first centre was set up at the Colombo North Teaching Hospital in Ragama under the aegis of State Minister Piyal Nishantha on 23 March. more..

Mar 25 (CI) Australia will visit SL for an all-format series in June-July this year. The tour, Australia's first to Sri Lanka since mid-2016, will feature two Tests, five ODIs and three T20Is, to be played from June 8 to July 12, with the match slotted in Colombo, Kandy and Galle. The series will start with the T20Is and end with the Tests. "We played some very competitive T20Is against SL at home earlier this year and we are excited to tour there more..

Mar 25 (TM) CT CLSA in their report Sri Lanka Debt Sustainability and IMF published yesterday (25) stated that an external debt restructuring is likely to take place, prior to IMF providing funding support to Sri Lanka. Explaining further CT CLSA stated that within this external debt restructuring framework, external commercial debt and bilateral debt could be considered as the key areas to be restructured with possible hair-cuts introduced on ISBs and SLDBs. However, given the significance more..

Mar 25 (EN) SL has allowed the IMF to release a staff report prepared following annual Article IV consultations after protests in parliament by the opposition and by ex-PM Ranil Wickremesinghe. �The 2021 Article IV consultation with SL concluded with the Executive Board Meeting on Feb 25,� SL mission chief Masahiro Nozaki said. �The authorities consented yesterday to the publication of the Article IV staff report. In preparing the staff report, we followed the IMF�s Transparency Policy, more..

Mar 25 (IT) With the price of essential commodities skyrocketing, SL refugees have begun to flock to TN. On Tuesday (22), a family of six SL Tamils, including four children were found by the Indian Coast Guard near Fourth Island, Rameswaram and were handed over to the Coastal Security Group. On Wednesday, another ten people, including five children, reached Indian shores. Sivasankari, one of the refugees, stated more..

Mar 25 (ENS) The 22 fishermen from Tamil Nadu and Karaikal, who were arrested by the SL Navy on Feb 23, were released on Wednesday. Among the 22 fishermen, 12 were from Nagapattinam district, five from Mayiladuthurai district, and five from Karaikal district. They were aboard two trawler boats that had left Nagapattinam and Karaikal fishing harbours on Feb 22. As the fishermen were south of Kodiyakarai, the Lankan Navy had arrested them for allegedly crossing the IMBL. more..

Mar 25 (DM) Prez Rajapaksa at a discussion with the TNA has called for unity to build the country. Prez stated that as the leader of the entire nation, he will pay his attention to all the citizens equally. Prez made these remarks when he met with TNA memebrs at the Presidential Secretariat, today. Prez further said that the govt is working on a number of issues, including the release of suspects held in long-term detention, taking further actions regarding suspects who have not been charged or more..

Mar 26 (DM) Finally, the main Opposition broke its silence. The mega rally organised by SJB on March 15 witnessed the participation of a massive crowd, blocking streets in Colombo, holding effigies of ruling party politicians and voicing their discontent against the govt. Some even went to the extent of throwing coffins inside the Presidential Secretariat. The crowd was mainly the elderly from rural backdrops, some of them wearing T-shirts sponsored by respective politicians. more..

Mar 26 (ST) Amidst the multiple crisis currently faced by the people of the country in their day to day lives, one of the most critical issues in governance debated and discussed by concerned citizens in the past seems to have gone off the radar. The criticisms of the Executive Presidency has been a part of the national conversation since 2012 with the late Maduluwawe Sobitha Thero and his national movement for social justice taking the lead in the campaign for its abolishment. more..