May 7 (SO) Netball has become the latest sport in the country to be associated with nepotism, corruption and closed door irregularities as a group of parents protested against the sinister practices outside the Sports Ministry last month seeking justice and fair-play. The outrage follows the omission of some of the country�s promising young players who they say were not selected for the upcoming Junior Asian championships to be held in South Korea. more..

May 7 (ST) The world body for football, FIFA and its regional member, AFC have unanimously asked Sri Lanka to comply with its conditions if Sri Lanka wishes to get the football suspension lifted. FIFA suspended the Football Federation of SL (FFSL) on January 21, 2023 due to govt interference and wanted three conditions be met to lift it. A joint letter, signed by Kenny Jean-Marie, the Chief Member Associations Officer of FIFA and Vahid Kardany, the Deputy General Secretary more..

May 7 (DM) SL born Dr. Hareen De Silva, a recipient of the British Empire Medal is among the invitees at the coronation of Britain's King Charles III to be held today (6). Dr. Hareen de Silva was honoured with a British Empire Medal at the Queen�s Birthday Honours last year for his work as a Nightingale doctor on the frontline of the Coronavirus response. In this context, the Royal Family recently announced on its official website that British Empire Medal recipients will be among the guests more..

May 7 (ST) Imran Khwaja, the Deputy Chair of the ICC, will arrive in Colombo this week on a two-day fact finding mission on alleged political interference in cricket administration. He is expected here on Tuesday and will hold talks with govt officials, including the Minister of Sports, SLC officials and other stakeholders to understand the situation. Following repeated complaints from SLC over political interference, more..

May 7 (SO) Sri Lanka women�s cricket team has the psychological advantage over their rivals from Bangladesh when they meet in the third and final ODI at the SSC ground Maitland Place today. With Sri Lanka leading the series 1-0 they are expected to be able to repeat their last performance in the second ODI which they won by a convincing 58 runs. SL�s skipper Chamari Atapattu will have to bear in mind that she would have to bat wisely to keep SL�s chances of winning. more..

May 7 (ST) SL�s Central Bank appears to have suspended the issue of Treasury Bonds (T-bonds) since January this year owing to multiple reasons including ongoing negotiations relating to debt restructure under IMF�s Extended Fund Facility (EFF) of US$2.9 billion. No official announcement has been made of any suspension however the Business Times was alerted to this development this week when the latest calendar of Treasury Bills (T-bills) for issue in April-May 2023 was issued. more..

May 7 (AD) The adverse weather situation has affected at least 9,000 individuals belonging to 2,000 families in 11 districts across the island. Many parts across the country have been receiving heavy rainfall in recent days. During the 24 hours ending 8 a.m. today, highest rainfall of 31.2 mm was recorded from the Negombo area. Meanwhile, yesterday (5), incidents of flash floods were reported from several areas in more..

May 7 (AD) Ten more refugees, including three children and four women from Mullaitivu, reached India�s Dhanushkodi islet on a vessel, in the early hours, Indian Marine Police said on Saturday. After receiving this information, the police personnel rushed to the islet and spotted the refugees waiting on the Indian shores. They were brought to the Mandapam station at around 7 a.m. for an interrogation. Preliminary inquiries revealed that the 10 people from Mullaitivu had decided to more..

May 7 (TM) Mahela Indeewara, the first and only Sri Lankan to play in a European league, etched his name in history books recently by guiding his club Volley Sch�nenwerd to its first-ever title in the Swiss Major Volleyball Club League 2023. Indeewara is currently only playing in Switzerland, but there are offers on the table for him to play in other countries as well � there�s no denying the fact that 23-year-old Indeewara is making a name for himself in Europe. Sunday Morning Sports sat down more..

May 7 (AD) Police have arrested a group of 6 individuals, including a hospital employee, who had been involved in a large-scale racket of stealing oxygen cylinders from Polonnaruwa General Hospital and selling them for a long time. Arrests were made this morning (6), following a lengthy investigation carried out by the officers of the Polonnaruwa Crimes Unit, based on a complaint made by the Deputy Director of the hospital. Racket has reportedly been carried out since 2020, more..

May 7 (AD) India and SL stepped up their talks to proceed with trade in Indian Rupee as New Delhi and Colombo look set to expand their bilateral cooperation in power and energy sector as well as aspects relating to Rupee trade. Dr Pramod Mishra, a cabinet rank official in India�s PM Narendra Modi�s administration, met with SL High Commissioner Milinda Moragoda in New Delhi on Friday to continue the bilateral dialogue between two South Asian neighbours on a number of issues, more..

May 7 (AD) A meeting of the heads of state of the Commonwealth of Nations was convened in London on Friday (5), with the presence of King Charles III and Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe. During the event, Prez extended his congratulations to King Charles III and engaged in a cordial conversation. First Lady Prof. Maithree Wickremesinghe was also in attendance. During the gathering, Prez Wickremesinghe emphasized the importance more..

May 7 (ST) In view of the fiscal burden, SriLankan Airlines (SLA) and its subsidiary companies are to be restructured by handing over a considerable number of shares and management of the company to selected investors, through a transparent procurement process, according to official sources. Accordingly, the State Owned Enterprises Restructuring Unit of the Ministry of Finance has taken key initiatives to provide recommendations on restructuring SLA. more..

May 7 (TM) Construction work on two flyovers in Kohuwala and Getambe that was temporarily put on hold has resumed following the receipt of the $ 2.9 billion assistance by the IMF in March. It is learnt that the construction work on the two flyovers has once again been resumed by local contractors in full capacity and the funds are being released by the Govt of Hungary. Around 80% of the construction work of the Kohuwala flyover had already been completed by the time it was suspended more..

May 7 (Island) Commemorating Vesak this year has been hard hit by electricity costs and soaring prices hikes resulting in pruning down the number of Vesak pandals and decorations as well as Dansals in Colombo, organizers said. Most of the decorations to be seen were organized by the police and security forces as private parties were not willing to erect Vesak pandals at sites they are normally seen in Colombo, they said. Several programmes planned in the Metropolis beginning more..

May 7 (ST) Sri Lanka�s ongoing economic crisis is estimated to have doubled the poverty rate from 13.1% to 25% and it is projected to remain above 25% for the next few years due to the multiple risks to households� livelihoods, the World Bank said in its twice-a-year update on Sri Lanka this week. �The crisis reversed years of gains in poverty reduction and human capital development,� the update said, noting that the crisis had added an additional 2.5 million poor people. more..

May 7 (TM) The introduction of the mobile number portability facility, which was expected to come into effect last year, will be further delayed as the consortium named Lanka Portability formed by the mobile companies in the country has been unable to finalise a suitable technical partner to implement the facility. It is learnt that a tender had been called by the consortium last year and several proposals had been received, but due to more..

May 7 (TM) A marginal increase in wheat flour prices of approximately Rs. 10 or less can be expected due to a rise in import duty. EFITA Spokesperson Nihal Seneviratne said that a small increase in retail prices would occur. �There will be a small increment in the retail price of a kilo of wheat flour. It will be minimal � between Rs. 5-10 per kilo.� He explained that this was a result of the duty waiver being rescinded, but added that other external factors would ensure that the increase would not be felt too much more..

May 7 (ST) President�s Office has directed four provincial governors to step down following complaints received by MPs representing the provinces. Accordingly, the decision has been conveyed to Eastern Province Governor Anuradha Yahampath, North Western Province Governor Admiral Wasantha Karannagoda, Uva Province Governor A.J.M. Muzammil and Sabaragamuwa Governor Tikiri Kobbekaduwa. New governors will be named soon after Prez Wickremesinghe more..

May 7 (ST) The prospects of a presidential election by year-end, possibly Nov or Dec, are on the cards. The move is to be preceded by the introduction of constitutional amendments to facilitate the task. Chapter VII (The Executive) 3 (a) says, notwithstanding anything to the contrary in the preceding provisions of this Chapter, President May (at any time after the expiration of four years from commencement of his first term of office) more..

May 8 (CT) Following the Covid-19 pandemic and the economic crisis, SL is experiencing an alarmingly high rate of brain drain, especially among experts. Economic crisis & political instability have convinced many middle-class professionals in SL that the best course of action is to seek employment opportunities in other parts of the world. It is reported that during the period from January to March this year, another 73,000 people have left the country, most of them for employment opportunities. more..

May 8 (TM) Consumer Affairs Authority (CAA) issued a statement on Saturday (6) cautioning the public not to accept as true, any rumours that the gazetted prices of certain types of rice has been amended, and also announced that the Authority would inform rice millers and rice sellers of the same. The CAA further sought the public�s support by stating that the CAA�s hotline 1977 could be used to inform those who sell rice at exorbitant prices above the declared maximum retail prices (MRPs). more..

May 8 (SO) In the 1970s the Russel Ingram and Eunice Peiris murder cases shook SL to its core. The main suspect, Father Mathew Peiris an Anglican priest was found guilty of using an overdose of insulin to murder his wife Eunice Peiris and Russel Ingram whose wife Darlene Ingram he was having an affair with. Film According to Matthew by Chandran Ratnam was based on this riveting tale. Now over 45 years later Dr Adam more..

May 8 (DM) Devoting the first Saturday article in each month to a film, film personality or film-related topic is a practice being followed by this column. As such this week�s column focuses on a Sri Lankan actor who made a name for himself in radio plays, stage dramas and movies. The actor known popularly as Marikkar Ramdas was a household name in Tamil speaking homes of the island during the last quarter of the 20th century. Sathyavaageeswara Iyer Ramdas was more..

May 8 (DM) A cunning plan by Winston Churchill and volunteers smartly defeated the first and only General Strike in Britain in May 1926. Churchill was the then Chancellor of the Exchequer in Stanley Baldwin�s Conservative govt. The General Strike which began at midnight on May 3 was launched by TUC [Trades Union Congress], in solidarity with coal miners who downed tools in protest against their wages being reduced by 13% and an increase in their shifts by one hour, from seven to eight. more..

May 8 (TM) His story is gut wrenching, sorrowful, and awe inspiring. Roy Ratnavel was just 18-years-old when he fled to Canada in search of a new future, having spent months in prison in the aftermath of the Vadamarachchi Operation of 1987. Released from the Boossa Camp where he was imprisoned, Roy�s father realised that the young man�s future was bleak and packed him off to Canada. more..

May 8 (ST) Exactly twelve months ago to the coming Tuesday, state goons led by key Rajapaksa Ministers attacked peaceful protestors at Galle Face Green leading to the incendiary flaming up of what was perhaps, the single most potent peoples� uprising in SL since independence. As Rajapaksa mansions and museums were set alight by once adoring followers in the deep South, the cry of system change was in the air. Former PM Mahinda Rajapaksa & members of his family sought more..

May 8 (ST) Gautama the Buddha was now on the road to Kusinara. The road, he would never return to trod again, lay starkly before him. It would lead to that earthly shore, all his voyages on samsara�s sea had been on an inexorable course to reach. The final port of call at which his ship would drop anchor, from whence his ship would not set sail again. After staying many months at Magadha�s capital, Rajagaha, the Buddha is conscious the year will be his last on earth. more..

May 8 (DM) The Commonwealth of Nations � of which SL has been a loyal member for more than 75 years turned a new page when King Charles III was anointed and crowned on Saturday in Britain�s biggest ceremonial event for seven decades, a display of pomp and pageantry that sought to marry 1,000 years of history with a monarchy fit for a new era. According to Reuters news agency, in front of a congregation including about 100 world leaders and a television audience of millions, more..

May 8 (Island) Prez Wickremesinghe has reportedly asked the Governors of North-Western, Eastern, Sabaragamuwa & Uva Provinces to resign. They are Admiral Wasantha Karannagoda, Anuradha Yahampath, Tikiri Kobbekaduwa and A.J.M. Muzammil respectively. Governors are appointed solely on the basis of their political affiliations, and therefore four of the incumbent Prez�s loyalists are bound to succeed the outgoing Governors, and serve his political interests better. more..

May 8 (Island) Asian Youth C'ship medallist Thushen Silva gave the Junior National Athletics C'ship a strong start as he lived up to his billing to win the pole vault with a record-breaking feat at Diyagama on Sunday. While Thushen excelled in his pet event, Kandy hurdlers Sethumi Kahangama and Samadi Disanayake produced record-breaking performances in sprint hurdles in the afternoon. Maris Stella College Athlete Thushen erased meet record more..

May 8 (FT) Moot Court Bench (MCB) Team from Royal Institute of Colombo created history by winning the 20th Vis East Moot, becoming the first SL team to ever accomplish this feat, after seven days of gruelling competition and back-to-back rounds. Only a select few of the 111 participating teams, chosen for their exceptional performance, made it to the Top 32 round, including MCB Team representing SL Law College. Then, for the Best Oralist, Anish and Nimanga both more..

May 8 (FT) International Chamber of Commerce SL (ICCSL) is promoting trade and investments between Sarawak and SL. ICCSL will promote SL companies to find export markets in Sarawak, in association with Sarawak Business Federation (SBF) and Ministry of International Trade, Industry and Investment Sarawak (MINTRED Sarawak).Malaysian listed company that has business interest in SL and Sarawak, has proposed to promote a Sarawak-SL Business Council more..

May 8 (FT) The SL Banks Association (Guarantee) Ltd. (SLBA) yesterday said it is relieved to note that the Central Bank of SL (CBSL) has assured banks that the regulatory stance in the on-going Domestic Debt Optimisation (DDO) discussions with the diverse stakeholders will be that, the banking sector stability cannot be put at risk. SLBA said the capital and liquidity of the banks need to be maintained sufficient to support the growth of the economy post-debt restructuring, more..

May 8 (FT) Japanese Finance Minister Shunichi Suzuki last week welcomed the launch of a coordinated debt restructuring process of official bilateral creditors of SL, whilst insisting it is crucial that the creditor committees swiftly implement debt restructuring for low-income economies, under the Common Framework and increase the predictability of the process. Speaking at the Board of Governors Business Session at the 56th Asian Development Bank (ADB) Annual Meeting in Incheon, more..