Apr 7 (DM) The Asia Rugby (AR) Men�s 15-A-Side Division 1 Championship 2024 will commence on April 30 at the Racecourse Grounds in Colombo. Host SL, Qatar, Kazakhstan and India will participate in this four-nation tournament. Originally, this year�s AR Men�s Division 1 Tournament was to be contested between Sri Lanka, Qatar and Pakistan. However, Pakistan withdrew from this year�s competition. At the same time, the AR Men�s Division 2 competition also ended up with more..

Apr 7 (AD) Sri Lankans will have the opportunity to witness a rare celestial spectacle of the Devil�s Comet, scientifically named 12P/Pons-Brooks, which passes by the Earth once in 71 years. Devil�s Comet will be positioned near the Jupiter, making it visible to the naked eye during the total solar eclipse on April 08. A rare and massive comet, known for its �horned� shape and has a 71-year orbit, was observed for the first time in 1300 Anno Domini by a group of Chinese astronomers. more..

Apr 7 (TM) Further information regarding the goods supposed to be unloaded at Colombo Port by the controversial ship Dali is currently being gathered by the Merchant Shipping Secretariat and other relevant shipping companies, according to the SLPA. The ship collided with the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore in the US while en route to Colombo last month. When contacted, SLPA Additional Managing Director (Operations) more..

Apr 7 (ST) With the rupee set to appreciate further against the US dollar, the Trade Ministry has been directed to formulate measures to ensure that the benefits are passed on to consumers of imported goods, including food items. A senior Treasury official said that within the next two months, they expected the foreign exchange rate to appreciate to Rs 280 for a US dollar. He said if the traders fail to reduce the price of imported goods with the proposed new measures, the govt may have more..

Apr 7 (ST) Given the current favourable macroeconomic headwinds and economic resurgence, Sri Lanka is optimistic about finalising debt-restructuring talks in London with international creditors and entering into an agreement on the US$12 billion debt re-work proposal, a senior Finance Ministry official said. The talks ended this week with Treasury Secretary Mahinda Siriwardena and Central Bank Governor Nandalal Weerasinghe leading the SL negotiating team. more..

Apr 7 (CT) Former skipper and all-rounder Angelo Mathews praised high the fast bowlers and said they played a crucial role in winning the Test series against Bangladesh in their own backyard. �Boys played their hearts out, especially the fast bowlers. They did a tremendous job under testing conditions in Bangladesh, especially in Chittagong. Pacers played a crucial part in winning this series,� said Angelo Mathews upon arrival after a successful Test series where SL whitewashed the hosts 2-0. more..

Apr 7 (TM) Central Bank of SL (CBSL) lacks access to information regarding the expenditure incurred by Sri Lanka for the services rendered by financial advisers Lazard and legal adviser Clifford Chance in the country�s debt restructuring process, according to an official of the CBSL�s Communications Department. When contacted CBSL official said that the information regarding the amount the country had spent on Lazard and Clifford Chance as well as on legal proceedings against more..

Apr 7 (BN) Global investors and SL officials expect to hold a second round of talks aimed at restructuring $12 billion in defaulted global bonds later this month, according to people familiar with the matter. A group of bondholders, known as a steering committee, and government representatives came away from a first round of negotiations in Europe in late March without a deal. They plan to continue the discussions around IMF�s spring meetings more..

Apr 7 (ST) The spat between SL hoteliers and tour operators is about to reach its climax next month when a judgment from the Supreme Court is expected in the case against the imposition of a minimum room rate (MRR) for Colombo city hotels that could now spill to all parts of the country and be extended for more than its scheduled term. The case against the MRR filed in the Supreme Court was brought up on April 3 and written submissions expected to be made on April 29 and May 7; more..

Apr 7 (EN) Sri Lankans migrating for foreign employment dropped 4.2% to 297,664 in 2023 from 310,955 in 2022, data from SL Foreign Employment Bureau shows. Remittances for 2024 end are targeted to increase by 17%, from the recorded 5969 million dollars of 2023 to 7000 million dollars, the Bureau Publicity Manager Manjula Kularatne told Economy Next. Sri Lanka�s workers leaving for work abroad dropped to around 203,087 by 2019, with economic growth low or through still positive. more..

Apr 7 (ST) The SLPP will let President Ranil Wickremesinghe decide whether the presidential election or parliamentary elections should come first, its founder and chief strategist, Basil Rajapaksa said yesterday. �We have explained to him our position that it would be better to have the parliamentary elections first. That is over, let him decide,� he said. He asserted that the party would not put pressure on him in any way. more..

Apr 8 (DM) Ex-President Sirisena is once again in the news for all the wrong reasons. Hardly had the ink dried on news stories of his sudden firing of three senior Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) members, we learned that a court order has barred him from performing duties as chairman of that party. The court order was based on a complaint to the court by Chandrika Kumaratunga for the removal of Sirisena from the post of SLFP Chairman, on the grounds he was unsuitable for the role. more..

Apr 8 (TM) The upcoming Prez and General Elections are crucial in deciding the country�s economic trajectory. As such the new Prez and the new Govt who will likely be appointed by the end of the year will have to take decisive steps to tiller the troubled nation in a path to recovery and good governance. Despite the fact that no election has been declared thus far, in a context where election laws require the holding of these elections in the coming few months, main political parties more..

Apr 8 (CT) The SLFP finds itself embroiled in a storm of Court cases, grappling with leadership disputes that add further complexity to the political landscape. Over the past couple of weeks, the SLFP has been in the political spotlight due to several Court cases challenging Sirisena and the party�s executive committee. Sirisena announced the removal of MP Duminda Dissanayake from the position of SLFP National Organiser, more..

Apr 8 (DM) Despite former President Maithripala Sirisena seeming to have landed in hot water over his recent statement on the Easter Sunday terrorist attacks, so long as his motive is not clear one should not jump the gun to call him a fool. Sirisena while talking to media in Kandy claimed on March 22 that he knew who really carried out the 2019 Easter Sunday attacks and that he was prepared to disclose the information if the judiciary ordered him to do so. more..

Apr 8 (ST) NPP presidential candidate Anura Kumara Dissanayake�s pronouncement in Jaffna earlier this week that he did not come to bargain for votes by assuring that he would give �13 plus� or a �federal solution� begs the crucial question as to what exactly is the NPP�s public position in regard to these and other thorny issues including the militarisation of the SL State? To be clear, these core dysfunctions have monstrously perverted constitutional democracy in this country, more..

Apr 8 (TM) With Sri Lanka seeing a 14% increase in new HIV cases in 2023, questions are being aimed at sex workers operating from �spas�. However, health officials maintain that they cannot point fingers at any particular industry for the rise in HIV cases. In 2023, a total of 694 new cases of HIV were reported � a 14% increase from the numbers in 2022. At the end of March, a news media report said that Negombo Police had made 120 arrests more..

Apr 8 (Island) SLFP is no stranger to debilitating intraparty crises. Its history is replete with instances of factionalism and the resultant internecine clashes, which are legion. Its latest internal dispute could not have come at a worse time for it. With only a few months to go for the next Prez election, SLFP�s latest internal dispute has spun out of control. Last Saturday, former Prez Maithripala Sirisena flexed his muscles vis-�-vis his rivals� attempt to strip him of the chairmanship of the SLFP. more..

Apr 8 (FP) Most South Asian govts tend to have nonaligned foreign policies, balancing their relations with major powers. This maximizes their diplomatic flexibility and ability to operate independently on the world stage, also known as strategic autonomy. India and Pakistan are two prominent examples: They both balance their relations with the United States and at least one of its core rivals (Russia and China, respectively). Such communications are normally reported in the press with catchy headlines to more..

Apr 8 (FT) A general perception among many is that banking and financial institutions earn their incomes by overcharging their customers. The announcements made by banks themselves from time to time have contributed to ingrain this perception in the minds of the public. It is not uncommon for banks, when their quarterly, half-yearly or annual financial accounts are released, to highlight what they believe to be an extraordinary financial performance through press more..

Apr 8 (DM) During the Sinhala Avurudda, also known as the Sinhala and Hindu New Year, people adhere to various religious rituals and cultural practices meticulously following auspicious times known as nekath provided by astrologers. In response to past controversies surrounding nekath, the govt appointed a team of astrologers in 1992 to determine the official auspicious times, which were widely accepted. However, professional rivalry or jealousy often leads astrologers outside more..

Apr 8 (ST) Govt has promised tax exemptions of seven to 25 years to any investor that sets up factories in the BOI's dedicated textile manufacturing zone in Eravur, Batticaloa. The March 28, 2024, gazette amends an earlier one issued in July 2021�both under the 2008 Strategic Development Projects (SDP) Act�which offered the same concessions but for different durations. The 400-acre zone was declared to be a strategic development more..

Apr 8 (SO) Sri Lanka netball, despite its rich talent pool and commendable achievements, faces a myriad of challenges that hinder its growth and success on the world stage. The challenges stem from a combination of factors, including a potential lack of funds and administrative shortcomings according to Thilaka Jinadasa, a double international in athletics and netball who is a renowned int'l netball coach. �Financial constraints and administrative inefficiencies have plagued more..

Apr 8 (CI) Sunrisers Hyderabad legspinner Wanindu Hasaranga has been ruled out of IPL 2024 because of chronic heel pain in his left foot. Hasaranga had not yet joined the Sunrisers squad and ESPNcricinfo has learned that SLC informed BCCI of his unavailability for the season. There's been no confirmation on a replacement for Hasaranga but it is understood Sunrisers are on the lookout. Hasaranaga, who last played during SL's limited-overs series in Bangladesh in March, more..

Apr 8 (DN) Former Nalanda and National team Skipper Mahela Jayawardena came forward to donate money for his college�s four storied building for Gymnasium and Indoor stadium which will start construction very soon. This four storied building give facilities for ten sports with facility for Gymnasium and this is a long felt need of Nalanda College. Distinguished Nalanda old boy Mahela Jayawardena who captained the College U-19 team in 1995 is the first old boy to donate money more..

Apr 8 (FT) Leading business magazine LMD reports that �there�s been a sudden turnaround in economic sentiment although the outlook remains gloomy.� It continues, �Businesses continue to wrestle with a sense of uncertainty as in the past few months; and this time around too, there�s a sense of unpredictability in the latest findings of the LMD-PEPPER�CUBE Business Confidence Index (BCI) survey � although the underlying theme is one of a turnaround in economic sentiment.� more..

Apr 8 (FT) SL�s tourism industry has reflected a robust upturn, earning over $ 1 billion during the first quarter. It signifies the remarkable recovery and potential growth in the industry, showcasing its resilience and attractiveness as a tourist destination. The level of performance is particularly noteworthy when compared to the previous year, when reaching such a milestone took the country seven months. more..

Apr 8 (DM) To mark the Sinhala and Tamil New Year, Department of Excise has banned the countrywide sale of liquor on April 12 and 13, except for the star class hotels. Issuing a special notice, the departmental media spokesperson Channa Weerakkody said the Excise Chief has ordered the closure of all wine stores, bars and taverns on Friday 12 and Saturday 13. However, in view of the tourists, all hotels that are registered under the SL Tourism Development Authority (SLTDA) and more..

Apr 8 (FT) Due to Sri Lanka�s current economic advancement, UK has revised its Travel Advisory for SL effective 5 April 2024. This update encompasses various aspects including access to emergency medical services, entry security requirements, road safety, overall security situation, and health facility accessibility. The revised advisory no longer includes previous concerns regarding shortages of food, fuel, and medicine. Additionally, the previously mentioned risks related to limitations more..

Apr 8 (FT) The cost of assorting a traditional kevili table for the Sinhala and Tamil New Year has gone down in 2024 compared to 2023 but remains more than twice as high as it was in 2019. This was revealed in an annual costing of a typical set of Avurudu sweetmeats, published on PublicFinance.lk, SL�s premier economic insights platform. It shows that the cost of ingredients in 2024 is 2% less than it was in 2023. more..

Apr 8 (AD) Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe emphasized that the present SJB lacks the policies of the UNP, with its economic strategy now being overseen by individuals who was expurgated by SLPP. Additionally, Prez highlighted that the SJB, once poised to take control of Sirikotha in 2020 under the UNP banner, has now been influenced by the chairman of the SLPP and other factions. These remarks were made by Prez during a meeting of political party representatives convened more..

Apr 8 (FT) Former Prez and MP Mahinda Rajapaksa yesterday said MP Namal Rajapaksa still has sufficient time to consider a Presidential bid. Responding to the speculation of his son as a Presidential candidate, the former Prez stated that his son is not currently pursuing a presidential bid, but may do so at a later stage when the timing is deemed appropriate. Rajapaksa said the SLPP will name a candidate for the Prez Election after discussions with its active members. more..

Apr 8 (AD) A 53-year-old person was shot dead after police opened fire while attempting to resolve a dispute among a group of persons at Padiyadora in Mawanella. Two policemen have also been injured during the clash. vMawanella Police had received a telephone call last night (06) pertaining to a dispute in the Padiyadora while a team of police personnel were dispatched to the location. However, one person involved in the dispute had allegedly attacked one of the policemen with a sharp more..

Apr 8 (ST) With no upcoming int'l assignments prior to this year�s T20 World Cup, SLC plans to host a 3-team intra-squad tournament to provide the necessary match practice for the team heading to the World Cup. Men�s T20 World Cup 2024 is scheduled to take place from June 2 to 29 in the USA and West Indies. SL, the champions of the 2014 edition, engaged in six T20Is, three against both Afghanistan and Bangladesh, marking the team�s final int'l fixtures before the World Cup. more..

Apr 8 (TM) In the wake of reports that Tamil political parties are going to field a common presidential candidate, the main Tamil political party, ITAK said that it is open to hold discussions with every party regarding the Prez Election despite the political differences they have. ITAK MP, M. A. Sumanthiran, said that ITAK is ready to discuss with any political party or individual regarding the Prez Election before taking a final decision. more..

Apr 8 (DM) The Daily Mirror and Lankadeepa extends an invitation to the three main Presidential candidates - Ranil Wickremesinghe, Anura Kumara Dissanayake and Sajith Premadasa for a LIVE presidential debate on their economic and political policies and their pledges in moving the country forward if they win the upcoming Presidential election scheduled to be held in October. The interview will be aired LIVE on the Daily Mirror, Lankadeepa, Tamil Mirror & Sunday Times more..