Mar 29 (TM) Energy Minister Gamini Lokuge said last night that the Cabinet of Ministers had decided to pay a special allowance of Rs. 5,000 to low-income earning families for two months for the festive season. He said that 3.1 million identified low-income families will receive this allowance. Responding to a question, he said that it will be provided as a bonus for the upcoming Sinhala and Tamil New Year and that close to 3.1 million families are estimated to receive this. more..

Mar 29 (CT) SLPP, while challenging the recently ousted MPs Wimal Weerawansa and Udaya Gammanpila to make the Govt lose its majority in Parliament, as they claimed they would, also squash speculation that UNP Leader, Ranil Wickremesinghe would soon be appointed as PM of a soon-to-be-formed National Govt. Minister Rohitha Abeygunawardena said when Gammanpila and Weerawansa have time and again said more..

Mar 29 (FT) The abolition of the Executive Presidency is again an issue high in the constitutional reform agenda after the abject failure of the Gotabaya Rajapaksa Presidency. Whether it could be done by a two-thirds majority in Parliament, without the approval of the People at a referendum is bound to be raised. In other words, is the prez form of govt entrenched? It has been generally taken for granted, albeit without serious discussion, that the abolition of presidential form of govt more..

Mar 29 (FT) To put simply, SL has been buying more goods and services from the rest of the world, compared to what it sells to the rest of the world. Around $ 2 billion every year (the average over the last 5 and 10 years), which is effectively financed through foreign debt. Figure 1 and Figure 2 present tables reproduced from our articles Understanding the fate of the Rupee in 2018 and Why foreign earnings could solve the debt problem in 2020 . This has been happening since 1978, more..

Mar 29 (AD) Locomotive Engine Operators� Union says it has decided to withdraw from overtime duties with effect from midnight today. Its secretary Indika Dodangoda said their trade union action comes as a protest against the revision of train ticket fares. The Cabinet of Ministers on Monday (28) gave the go-ahead to Sri Lanka Railways to revise the train fares of several categories. Dodangoda said there had been an attempt over the past few days to arbitrarily increase the train fares. more..

Mar 29 (DM) The operations between SL and Moscow, Russia by SriLankan Airlines was suspended due to an insurance cover issue and flights between the two countries will resume soon, Minister Prasanna Ranatunga said. SriLankan Airlines on Monday announced that the operations between SL and Moscow was suspended due to operational restrictions that were outside the airline�s control. Minister said that discussions were underway to implement an alternative more..

Mar 29 (AD) Cabinet of Ministers has granted the approval to present the IMF�s report on SL to Parliament. This was proposed by Finance Minister Basil Rajapaksa. On Monday (28), Minister Johnston Fernando stated that the govt has decided to hold a debate on the IMF report when the parliament convenes again between April 5 and 8. Meanwhile, Leader of UNP, Ranil Wickremesinghe, had called for an immediate more..

Mar 29 (AJ) Pakistani opposition legislators have launched a no-confidence motion against PM Imran Khan in parliament, hoping to remove Khan�s govt amid accusations he has mismanaged the nation�s economy. The house will begin a debate on the motion on Thursday and a vote is to be held within seven days. Shehbaz Sharif, the opposition leader in the National Assembly or lower house of the parliament, proposed the no-confidence motion against Khan on Monday. more..

Mar 29 (DM) Referring to recently signed maritime security pacts with the Govt of India, Defence Ministry (MoD) clarified that it will neither result in hindrance nor threat to the national security of Sri Lanka, as misinterpreted by several print and electronic media. The statement issued by the MoD is as follows, The receipt of Floating Dock Facility from the Govt of India at no cost has been projected to reduce the annual outlay of Rs. 600 million for outsourced docking repairs and more..

Mar 29 (AD) The Supreme Court today temporarily suspended the Cabinet decision to provide a house at Paget Road in Colombo 07 to former Prez Maithripala Sirisena. The court has also stated that another interim order will be issued to the respondents preventing them from complying with the relevant Cabinet decision. SC stated that the order will take effect four weeks after today while the interim order will remain in effect until more..

Mar 29 (AD) Court of Appeal has rejected the revision application filed by MP Champika Ranawaka preventing the Colombo High Court from hearing of evidence in the alleged 2016 hit-and-run case in Rajagiriya. SJB MP had filed the revision application seeking a court order suspending the hearing of evidence in the case filed before the Colombo High Court accusing him of concealing evidence and fabricating evidence in relation to the 2016 road accident in Rajagiriya, more..

Mar 29 (AD) Indian External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar, upon becoming aware of the suspension of routine surgeries due to drug shortage at the Peradeniya Teaching Hospital yesterday, has given directives to look into how India can assist to resolve the issue. Dr. Jaishankar, who is currently in Sri Lanka on a three-day official visit, tweeted that he is disturbed to see the news. Accordingly, the Indian external affairs minister has instructed the Indian Commissioner to Sri Lanka, more..

Mar 29 (EN) SL�s rupee was traded at 325 to 330 to the US dollar on Wednesday, market participants said as the rupee failed to establish a float, amid a low policy rate and a surrender requirement that took money out of the economy. The rupee was quoted around 325/340 to the US dollar in late trading, but offers petered off later, dealers aid. SL attempted to float the currency but with a low policy rate and a surrender requirement. The policy rate is only 7.5% but inflation topped 15% by Feb. more..

Mar 29 (Island) President of Association of Private Hospitals and Nursing Homes (APHNH) Dr. Ananda Kuruppuarachchi said private hospitals were experiencing difficulties owing to the prevailing medicine shortages. He said, �The situation has led to acute shortages of many registered medicines. The medicine distribution network that catered to the private hospitals has been hit hard and as a result sometimes we have to wait for days to obtain medicine needed for out-patients.� more..

Mar 29 (Island) CEB says that the People�s Bank has declined to provide it funds and that would lead to more stumbling blocks to clear while also extending power cuts. However, a CEB official said following discussions with Minister Pavithra Wanniarchchi, the matter was supposed to have been cleared by the Bank Monday evening. The overdraft of Rs, 12 billion had jumped to Rs. 28 billion and the Bank officials had instructed more..

Mar 29 (FT) Thirty-two highly skilled software engineers from SL recruited on work permit by the new generation technology company iGreenData to work in Australia, visited the Consulate General of SL in Melbourne recently. Commenced business in 2018 and headquartered in Melbourne, iGreenData is a company with a focus on Cloud, Data and Digital first solutions with specific focus in banking and financial services domain. The batch of 32 software engineers recruited within a short more..

Mar 29 (CT) No permanent Directors and permanent Superintendents have been appointed to nearly 50 State hospitals in the last five-year period, Ceylon Today reliably learns. Hospital administration has been affected as Directors and Superintendents appointed on a temporary basis were currently overseeing administration. These hospitals include Karapitiya and Kandy Teaching Hospitals, Gampaha, Hambantota and Kurunegala General Hospitals and a number of leading State hospitals in SL. more..

Mar 29 (EN) SL�s recently sacked minister Udaya Gammanpila said he and other govt dissidents will present to parliament a draft 22nd amendment to the constitution in April to prevent dual citizens holding high political office. Gammanpila addressed opposition allegations that he and the band of dissidents were party to a conspiracy to divert the disillusioned Rajajapaksa vote bank to the account of current more..

Mar 29 (CT) Minister Johnston Fernando has demanded Rs 1 billion in damages from former JVP MP Wasantha Samarasinghe, due to an allegation made by the latter that a fraud amounting to Rs 164.4 billion has taken place during the construction of the second phase of the Central Expressway. Fernando, in a Letter of Demand, refuted the said allegations made by Samarasinghe at a press conference while adding that the same false, malicious and defamatory allegations more..

Mar 29 (CT) Nurses protested outside the Health Ministry against the recent promotions given to midwives. Chief of the PSUNU Ven. Muruththettuwe Ananda Thera said, there was no competition between nurses and midwives and they were not against promotions given to midwives, however, there should be a method. Thera said, qualified persons should be given suitable promotions. He further said, nurses were given more than four years training whereas midwives had only more..

Mar 29 (Island) Kesbewa Magistrate on 26 March directed the police to intensify the investigation pertaining to the stoning and throwing of faeces at the Piliyandala residence of Chamuditha Samarawickrama the Hiru Television news presenter. President�s Counsel Kuvera de Zoysa said that he had pointed out to the Magistrate that no arrests had been made yet. Counsel explained that the Court wanted the CCTV cameras operative in the vicinity of the house to be submitted more..

Mar 29 (NR) The farmers� rally organized by the JVP under the theme of සාගතයද ජීවිතයද was held in Polonnaruwa today. The protest commenced adjacent to the Polonnaruwa Kidney Hospital at 3pm. A large number of farmers attended the rally. Addressing the rally, Leader of the National People�s Power MP Anura Kumara Dissanayake said a govet that puts an end to fraud and corruption and brings individuals involved in such activities before the law must be established. more..

Mar 29 (EN) A Saudi Arabian delegation will visit Sri Lanka to look into investment opportunities in renewable energy and other projects, outgoing Saudi envoy has told Prez Gotabaya Rajapaksa on Tuesday. �A high-level Saudi delegation will soon visit Sri Lanka to explore the investment opportunities in the renewable energy sector and other sectors,� Prez�s Media Division (PMD) said quoting more..

Mar 29 (CT) General Secretary of Lanka Jathika Estate Workers� Union, Vadivel Suresh said the Ministry of Plantation Industries cannot send eviction notices to residential areas which have been registered on or before 27 Oct 1989. �At present, plantation companies and the Ministry of Plantation Industries are planning to invade lands of upcountry people where they have cultivated and lived for a long period of time. The upcountry people are being cheated on a daily basis by given fake more..

Mar 29 (TD) India has signed an agreement to set up power plants in northern SL months after China suspended its plans for similar projects. India signed an agreement to set up hybrid power projects on northern SL islands Tuesday in a deal seen as a strategic victory in its competition with China for influence in the Indian Ocean. India�s External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, who was visiting Colombo, witnessed the signing along with SL Foreign Minister Gamini Peiris, more..

Mar 29 (AD) Sri Lanka�s merchandise exports increased by 9.91% to US$ 1,046 Million in Feb 2022 compared to Feb 2021 as per the data released by the Sri Lanka Customs. Further, it is a 5.8% increase when compared to Feb 2020. Export Development Board (EDB) Chairman Suresh D de Mel said; �Sri Lanka�s Merchandize Exports maintained the above $ 1 billion mark continuously from the beginning of this year, more..

Mar 29 (CT) Hindu devotees in the Polonnaruwa District Secretariat area said that illegal religious conversions were rampant in the area and legislation should be enacted immediately to prevent such happenings. Ven Kantale RahulaThera, Ven Medirigiriye Seevali Thera, Ven Aluthwewe Pemarathana Thera, Ven Dompe Shanthi Vihari Thera and Ven Dimbulagala Rahula Thera along with a group of people, including Gnanaratnam Kurukkal, who represented Hindu devotees, more..

Mar 29 (AD) Minister of Health Keheliya Rambukwella stated that they will continue to educate and motivate the public to get the COVID-19 vaccine booster dose. Minister stated this at the meeting of the Ministerial Consultative Committee on Health held in Parliament recently, commenting on a proposal made by MP Upul Galappaththi. Speaking further, the Minister said that the Ministry of Health has been conducting public awareness campaigns for the booster vaccine. more..

Mar 30 (DM) After over a month of the war, Ukrainian Prez Volodymyr Zelensky on March 27, announced that Ukraine was ready to discuss adopting a neutral status. In other words, Ukraine would not be seeking NATO membership. A few hours later, Kremlin announced that peace talks between Russia and Ukraine could commence on Tuesday (30) in Turkey. BBC reported the UN High Commissioner for Refugees saying between Mar 9 and 16, ten million people had fled their more..

Mar 30 (DM) Even vegetarians consume milk and eggs because these are the most cost-effective sources of nutrients. They are versatile foods that can be used in a variety of ways. As a result, they are in high demand, and as in any market economy, market forces determine their prices. We have the option and capability to manufacture most of our food needs here in our country. Yes, we export eggs, but 60% of the dairy needs are imported. Today�s import prices are determined by an increase more..

Mar 30 (DM) NFF Leader Wimal Weerawansa recently claimed that he would ensure that the government would soon lose its majority. He made this statement weeks after the Gotabaya Rajapaksa govt sacked him and Udaya Gammanpila for criticising Minister Basil Rajapaksa as the main reason behind the prevailing crisis in the country and while even going to the extent of calling him the ugly American. more..

Mar 30 (CT) Yesterday this newspaper carried an article under the heading President seeks US support in reaching out to IMF. To quote excerpts, it said, �Prez Gotabaya Rajapaksa said yesterday, that he�s looking forward to the support of the US in reaching out to the IMF. He made this remark when US Ambassador Julie Chung called on him at the Presidential Secretariat, Colombo. Chung praised the Govt�s decision to go to the IMF and said, it was important for the future of Sri Lanka.� more..

Mar 30 (CT) Rajavarothiam is an honourable gentleman and Abraham is bright, maybe one of the best in Hulftsdorp though competition in recent decades is crummy. I know both personally and I like them. But the FP and its many subsequent avatars survived for years in lockdown mode and today�s TNA is in the pits! What necromancy, what death-wish persuaded it to grovel to Prez Gotabaya�s All-Party Confabulation (APC) and to bring humiliation on the heads of the Tamils? more..

Mar 30 (CT) It�s the first time since 1977, where Sri Lankans have been forced to stand in queues for kerosene and gas; flanked by lines of vehicles outside fuel and gas stations creating traffic jams. Amidst the chaos rises the fearful thought that the fuel and gas crisis would worm its way to affect even the healthcare system of the country. With the ongoing power cuts set to extend to 10 hours by next week and no end to more..

Mar 30 (CT) The second phase of the #No.=� National Campaign to End Violence Against Children is all set to start on 1 April in Galle with SL�s first of its kind Lama Surakum Yathra (Child Protection Tour)�. The campaign spearheaded by the Stop Child Cruelty Trust (SCCT) and the Child Protection Alliance (CPA) will culminate on 2 April at the Independence Square in Colombo having travelled along the coast. On 1 April, twelve coffins will be carried in memory of the 12 children who more..

Mar 30 (TM) Govt led by Prez Rajapaksa and PM Rajapaksa is continuing to search for solutions to the snowballing economic crisis in the country by seeking assistance from the IMF and the international community, especially India and China, but also Australia. Finance Minister Basil Rajapaksa, who is to hold discussions with the IMF in Washington DC next month, is to also meet with officials from the World Bank in search of support on the sidelines of the annual spring meeting of more..