Feb 3 (Island) Japan has established a Japanese Language Laboratory at the Department of Languages, Faculty of Social Science and Humanities, Rajarata University of SL to mark the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Japan and Sri Lanka. A spokesperson for the Japanese Embassy said that the project was meant to further enhance relations. The following is the text of the Japanese Embassy statement: more..

Feb 3 (TM) The Govt of SL has written to the IMF requesting technical assistance and a mission from the IMF will visit Sri Lanka in the near future to assess the country’s economic situation and provide a set of proposals for the way forward. This was disclosed by Finance Minister Basil Rajapaksa at a press conference yesterday, in response to repeated questions by journalists on whether the GoSL has sought IMF assistance more..

Feb 3 (FT) Central Bank Governor Nivard Cabraal on Tuesday declared that the onus to boost foreign reserves and the economy lies with all and not solely on the Central Bank. He made this remark during his address as the Chief Guest at the ceremonial launch of the Real Time Gross Settlement System (RTGS) status of National Savings Bank (NSB). “For Sri Lanka to overcome the foreign exchange challenge, all relevant economic parties have to take responsibility,” Cabraal said. more..

Feb 3 (DM) Govt has commenced groundwork to secure US$ 200 mil credit line extended by the Govt of Pakistan while a US$1 bil credit line from India is expected to materialise next week. The discussions on the US$ 200 mil credit line was taken up during Minister Bandula Gunawardana’s recent official visit to Pakistan. Secretary to the Treasury Sajith Attygalle revealed that the two countries have agreed US$ 200 million in principle while the details of the credit line is yet to be worked out. more..

Feb 3 (AD) The son of State Minister Arundika Fernando has been arrested over the assault on medical faculty students after he surrendered to the police. Avinda Fernando, aged 23, had surrendered to the Ragama Police last night through a lawyer. The BMW used by the assailants was meanwhile taken into custody in the area of Kalubowila, the police said. A total of seven suspects involved in the incident are currently more..

Feb 3 (DM) The prevailing power crisis is not a true power crisis but an orchestrated attempt to sell the Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC) to a foreign country in the future, a CPC trade union leader said in response to the sudden shutdown of the Kelanitissa Power House and another in Matugama last night, claiming it was due to a fuel shortage. CPC Jathika Sevaka Sangamaya wing (JSS) Secretary Ananda Palitha said last night the crisis began as a result of not maintaining existing more..

Feb 3 (CT) Jathika Jana Balawegaya (JJB) lodged a complaint, yesterday, with the IGP emphasising that investigations into the egg attack on the Kalagedihena JJB Convention on 30 January were taking a different turn. Speaking to Ceylon Today, JJB National Executive Member, Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa said the Nittambuwa Police has not produced the suspects before a Magistrate, though the Wathupitiwala Hospital has released the JMO report regarding the suspects. more..

Feb 3 (CT) Minister Vasudeva Nanayakkara will submit a list of Ministers and MPs who have failed to pay water bills of their official and private residences with a total outstanding amount calculated as Rs10 million, to the Cabinet next Monday (7). He said he has requested a report on the ministers, ministries, and MPs who have not paid their water bills and will seek the views of Cabinet on how to recover the money. more..

Feb 3 (FT) Provincial Councils Abolished! screamed the headline of a mainstream, long-established, Sinhala-language Sunday newspaper (30 Jan) sympathetic to the Sinhala nationalist cause. The byline of the story is that of a relatively young, intelligent journalist of ultranationalist orientation with excellent sources in the camp of the hawks that grew into Prez Rajapaksa’s inner-circle. The reporter claims that the draft of the new Constitution which is to be presented to the Prez next month more..

Feb 3 (FT) This is a sequel to what I published last week titled, Economic Misery and Majoritarian Tyranny. No country’s sovereignty is sacrosanct in today’s borderless world. Endless cross border flows of people and information keep practically every corner of the world abreast of happenings elsewhere. Therefore, all national governments are compelled by necessity to take cognisance of not only how domestic public opinion reacts to their policies and practices but more..

Feb 3 (SLN) In a special operation carried out by Sri Lanka Navy (SLN) in coordination with Sri Lanka Police and intelligence agencies, another drug-carrying foreign vessel was intercepted in international waters south of SL on 26th Jan 2022. This foreign multiday fishing trawler, remaining on high seas with a view to transfer the consignment to a local fishing vessel, had jettisoned about 200kg of heroin into sea, when it was approached by the Navy. During further search of the vessel, more..

Feb 3 (DN) The mass media has an enormous responsibility of furnishing true and correct information to the people, Minister of Media Dullas Alahapperuma said. He was speaking as Chief Guest at a workshop held for Matara District journalists at the Matara District Auditorium. Minister said the COVID-19 virus has been spreading fast all over the world. "Misinformation is also being spread in the world in a similar vein. Due to the untiring endeavours of both Prez Rajapaksa and more..

Feb 3 (AD) State Minister Arundika Fernando says that he is resigning from his ministerial position. The decision to step down comes in the backdrop of the SLPP parliamentarian’s son surrendering to police in connection with the incident of attacking medical faculty students in Ragama. Arundika Fernando’s son, a 23-year-old named Avinda Fernando, was arrested after he surrendered to Ragama Police last night through a lawyer. more..

Feb 3 (NR) 197 inmates will be released on Presidential pardon tomorrow to mark the 74th Independence Day. Prez Rajapaksa will grant Presidential pardons to prisoners in accordance with the powers vested in him by Article 34 of the Constitution. Prison Headquarters said accordingly 20 inmates from the Mahara Prison, 18 from the Kegalle Prison, 17 inmates from the Welikada Prison, 13 inmates from the Kalutara Prison, 11 each from the Bogambara and Batticaloa Prisons more..

Feb 3 (NR) SL’s overnight liquidity injections to the banking system topped 600 billion rupees on Feb 2, from around 424 billion rupees a month earlier, amid continued reserves losses for imports and debt repayment. The overnight liquidity short is 476 billion rupees, from 366.2 billion rupees on Dec 31. SL officially disclosed Treasury bills stock of the central bank went up to 1,566 billion rupees on Feb 2 from 1,416 billion rupees on Dec 31, when reserve money also expands amid festival demand. more..

Feb 3 (EN) Finance Minister Basil Rajapaksa said all debt maturing this year will be paid and the the country is projecting US$ 30 billion external flows to involving foreign debts and imports. Sri Lanka is facing one of its worst economic and in its history with the largest volume of money printed to maintain steeply negative real rates creating excess demand and forex shortages, making it difficult to repay debt with current inflows. more..

Feb 3 (FT) “The site gives the most powerful push to a design along with the brief. Without seeing the site, I cannot work. It is essential to be there. After two hours on the site, I have a mental picture of what will be there and how the site will change and the picture does not change,” said Geoffrey Bawa in 1998 in an interview with Channa Daswatte, the chairperson, Geoffrey Bawa Trust, at present. The world-famous SL architect Geoffrey Bawa is regarded as having been one of the most more..

Feb 3 (DM) Fundamental Rights petitions filed challenging the legality of the agreements on Yugadanavi power plant were today re-fixed for February 7 by Supreme Court. The petitions are to be taken up before Supreme Court five-judge-bench comprising Chief Justice Jayantha Jayasuriya, Justices Buwaneka Aluwihare, Justice Priyantha Jayawardena, Justice Vijith Malalgoda and Justice L.T.B. Dehideniya. Chief Justice yesterday announced that these petitions will be taken more..

Feb 3 (EN) Stock market nosedived on Wednesday (02) with the main index dropping to a five-week low and posting its worst performance since Nov. 19 as panicked investors dumped risky assets amid economic woes, brokers said. The main All Share Price Index (ASPI) closed 2.6% or 338.10 points lower to close at 12,584.02 points. It was the worst fall since November 19 and the index hit its lowest since Dec. 29. Wednesday’s fall was the sixth slip in the last seven session. more..

Feb 3 (DM) About 750 children are being reported with cancer annually from the country compared to the 500 recorded four or five years ago, Consultant Paediatrician Dr Deepal Perera said. The Consultant Paediatrician at Lady Ridgeway Hospital for Children (LRH) said that the majority of childhood cancers could be cured if diagnosed and treated early rather than undergoing alternative treatments. “Most of the recorded childhood cancers were recorded as leukaemia,” he said. more..

Feb 3 (Island) One-time President of the Bar Association Upul Jayasuriya, PC, says the country lost about USD 2 bn a year due to the failure on the part of successive govts to allow the setting up of foreign universities here. Referring to the GMOA, Jayasuriya, who once headed the BoI said that foreign universities attracted SL students at a tremendous expense to the national economy. At any given time, there were more than more..

Feb 3 (AD) The three senior students of Kelaniya University’s Faculty of Medicine, who were arrested over alleged assault on a junior, have been granted bail. They were produced before Wattala Magistrate’s Court today. Three students studying in their fourth academic year at the Kelaniya University’s Faculty of Medicine have been arrested for allegedly assaulting a third-year student yesterday, Police Spokesman says. It was reported yesterday that 10-15 people had forcibly more..

Feb 3 (Island) The UNP says that in terms of insensitivity there was no big difference between the govt and a person affected with leprosy. Speaking at a ceremony held at Sirikota in Colombo, UNP Deputy Leader Ruwan Wijewardene said that the govt acts as a leper in the face of mounting problems and people’s suffering and woes. “Majority of people are starving and they have no ability to get three meals. Construction workers have lost their jobs due to shortage of cement. more..

Feb 3 (TM) Marking a moment of historical significance, Sri Lanka received its first-ever Geographical Indication (GI) certification when the European Union (EU) Commission on Feb 2, 2022 granted GI status to Ceylon cinnamon. The outcome was a result of a painstaking, decade-long, arduous endeavour led by the SL Export Development Board (EDB) under the Ministry of Trade with the support of more..

Feb 3 (CI) India are set to play a day-night Test in Bengaluru against SL, and will now also play the T20I leg of the tour first - a reversal of what had been originally scheduled. The dates are still being tweaked, but the BCCI appears to have agreed to SLC's request to play the shorter format first, to allow a smoother bubble-to-bubble transfer of their T20I squad, who will have just concluded a series in Australia. This tweak also mean Virat Kohli will not play his 100th Test in Bengaluru, more..

Feb 3 (DM) Archbishop of Colombo His Eminence Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith is to boycott independence day celebrations tomorrow as a protest against the shortcomings in the investigations carried out on the Borella Church hand grenade case and the Easter Sunday bomb attack, member of Colombo Archdiocese Communication Unit Rev. Fr. Cyril Gamini Fernando said today. Fr. Fernando said Cardinal Ranjith has decided to cancel the service he usually holds on Independence Day. more..

Feb 3 (AD) Minister of Environment Mahinda Amaraweera has tested positive for Covid-19. Last month, it was revealed a total of 08 MPs including Minister of Public Security Sarath Weerasekara, State Ministers Jayantha Samaraweera and Dilum Amunugama, SLPP lawmakers Sarathi Dushmantha, Nalaka Bandara Kottegoda and Amarakeerthi Athukorala, SJB MP Rohini Kumari Wijerathna and TNA MP Shanakiyan Rasamanickam too have tested positive for the virus. more..

Feb 3 (DM) CB Governor Ajith Nivard Cabraal was quick to set the record straight with regard to SL’s intention to reach out to the IMF for assistance. Referring to the comments made by the Finance Minister Basil Rajapaksa last evening where he shared that the govt had sought advice from the IMF in tackling the current economic crisis, Cabraal said it is about a routine technical assistance programme and nothing more. “Finance Minister's comment yesterday regarding SL informing the IMF more..

Feb 3 (TM) Against the backdrop of the lead up to the 49th session of the UNHRC, where the situation in Sri Lanka is to be evaluated after the written update by the High Commissioner for Human Rights in keeping with the provisions of Resolution 46/1, TNA Leader R. Sampanthan has written to the Heads of Missions of the member states of the UNHRC claiming that SL has not taken any meaningful steps to address more..

Feb 3 (CT) Govt yesterday indicated that it would go for an election at the earliest possible date within a year. This was disclosed by Finance Minister Basil Rajapaksa last evening during a press gathering to brief about govt’s Weda Lakshayaka Wiyapruthiya that would be launched today. Responding to questions posed by journalists, Minister said he is ready to face any election even tomorrow. Nevertheless, he indicated the possibility of the Govt holding an election within course of the year. more..

Feb 3 (NR) MP Champika Ranawaka claims the attack on the students of the Medical Faculty of the Uni of Kelaniya and the incident in which eggs were thrown at the vehicle of the Leader of the JVP MP Anura Kumara Dissanayake are acts of thuggery by the govt that is losing power. MP Ranawaka said the public cannot be intimidated by such actions. The Parliamentarian said there are two points in which such actions occur, one being when the govt is at its peak while the opposition is at its weakest, more..

Feb 3 (TM) A range of areas for further cooperation was discussed when the new heads of missions from Gambia, Indonesia and Israel called on PM Rajapaksa last morning at Temple Trees. During the discussion with the non-resident Ambassador of Gambia Mustapha Jawara, the two delegations discussed enhancing cooperation between SL and Africa overall. PM recalled how he promoted relations with the African continent more..

Feb 3 (TM) The UNP has requested that the Cabinet of Ministers issue a clarification regarding the IMF. UNP Working Committee Member, Dinouk Colombage told the media that this past week there have been three statements regarding the Govt seeking assistance from the IMF. “On the 1st of Feb the Cabinet Spokesman, Dr. Ramesh Pathirana, stated that the Govt was open to an IMF program to restructure the debt of the country. On the 2nd of Feb the Finance Minister, Basil Rajapaksa, more..

Feb 3 (AD) The Court of Appeal today rejected a petition filed by a civil activist seeking a court order suspending the time table issued for the G.C.E. A/L examination, which is scheduled to commence from February 07, 2022. The writ petition had been filed by the by the General Secretary of Vinivida Peramuna, Attorney-at-Law Nagananda Kodithuwakku. However, Appeals Court Judge Sobitha Rajakaruna decided to reject the petition without taking it up for consideration. more..

Feb 4 (DM) Military personnel were practising their moves for the 74th year Independence Day celebrations while a CMC worker was carrying on with his work regardless of what he saw. That was yesterday; just a few hours ahead of that memorable day which we celebrate by hoisting the national flag at homes and our offices. But like that labourer engaged in keeping the city clean there are so many citizens, who consider themselves as not so privileged, who ponder about what they can more..

Feb 4 (DM) SL celebrates the 74th Independence Day this week under the most precarious conditions in its independent history. This is by far the economically weakest hour in recent memory, and the countries options to dig it out of the hole are narrowing with every passing day of political vacillation. Rather than lamenting the spilt milk, or ravishing the good old days- which never existed- these turbulent times should be the moment to take stocks of the past and plan for the future. more..