May 12 (NR) Curfew currently imposed in the island will be lifted at 6am tomorrow (13). Curfew will once again be re-imposed at 2pm tomorrow (13). Meanwhile, curfew will once again be lifted at 6am on Saturday (14). Curfew was first imposed island wide on Monday (9) according to provisions of the Article 16 of the Public Security Ordinance following Monday’s unrest. Accordingly, no one will be permitted to remain on public roads, railway lines, parks, playgrounds, or public beaches, more..

May 12 (ET) Export financing institution India Exim Bank is looking at restructuring its $ 1.3 billion exposure to crisis-ridden Sri Lanka. It however does not have any exposure to Ukraine or any direct exposure to Russia. Besides, it will foray into services to assist MSME exporters with easier risk protection and is set to launch factoring and other trade finance products to promote exports from this sector. more..

May 12 (Island) Communist Party of SL (CPSL) has said that all parties must come together to form an all-party interim govt, under a new PM, that will win the confidence of the people and resolve some of the most pressing issues facing the country in a short period of time, and go to the polls. “The objectives of forming an interim govt should be; ensuring adequate and continuous supply of agricultural and industrial raw materials, including medicines, essential foods, petroleum, more..

May 12 (CT) Cheap, clean and low-cost renewable energy (RE) for the first time for the year provided more than 50% of SL’s total electricity needs in a phenomenon that took place on 10 May, CEB data released yesterday showed. Yesterday’s RE figure was 54.48% (13.39 GWh) and second was the environmentally pollutive and more expensive imported coal 38.37% (12.96 GWh). Total number of electricity units consumed on Tuesday was 33.78 GWh. In related developments, coal and more..

May 12 (TM) The FSP said yesterday that a temporary consensus govt must be formed in order to achieve some of the primary demands of the people’s struggle. “Our proposals are centred around two things: One is that the public struggle must continue until its demands are met. Many groups are involved in the struggle regardless of party affiliations. As the FSP, we are active in this struggle and we will also continue in it until more..

May 12 (DM) Minutes after the appointment of Ranil Wickremesinghe as the PM, US Ambassador Julie Chung in a Twitter message said that she is looking forward to working with the new Prime Minster. “Look forward to working w/ @RW_UNP .His appointment as PM & the quick formation of an inclusive govt, are first steps to addressing the crisis & promoting stability. We encourage meaningful progress at IMF & long-term solutions that meet the needs of all Sri Lankans,” she stated. more..

May 12 (DM) All govt school principals were instructed to conduct schools as usual after the curfew, which will be lifted at 6 am tomorrow. The decision was announced by the zonal education directors. Accordingly, the Kandy zonal education director said the decision on conducting schools tomorrow, given to govt school principals. However, all govt schools in the Western Province will be closed tomorrow. Meanwhile, the education directors stated that it is very difficult to find more..

May 13 (DM) We have seen leaders come and go; like Mahinda Rajapaksa. In the political front leaders are made or put forward to suit the occasion. When the war was on Mahinda emerged as a hero and was even compared to King Dutugemunu. But this leader was forced to quit; especially because pressure came from youth who are camped at the Galle Face Green. If these youth wish to pick anything from the former Premier it’s the leadership qualities he once had. more..

May 13 (DM) Prior to the attack on the protestors in Galle Face by the supporters of the then PM Mahinda Rajapaksa on Monday, nobody was able to get an idea on the length and width of the countrywide support base of those protestors. Now the country knows it thanks to Mr. Rajapaksa. Tens of thousands of people sprang on to the streets across the country with the word spreading that the Galle Face protest site had been attacked by the Prime Minister’s supporters on Monday. more..

May 13 (TM) Undergraduates’ experience with autopsies should be enhanced by increasing exposure to autopsies, allowing students to assist in autopsies, including forensic pathologists encouraging medical officers to perform autopsies if needed, and drawing the attention of students to the emotional aspect during the experience, a group of local academics in forensic medicine recommended. These suggestions were made more..

May 13 (DM) SL’s silent revolution was dazzling with hope, bringing in its wake the early blooms of a socio-political spring that the country has not seen before. The silent revolution’s unspoken words were louder than the sounds of cannons. At the night vigil, the dim yet resolute flames of the candles symbolised non-violence. The moral force of the silent revolution was more powerful than the all-powerful executive presidency, the armed forces the president has at his command and more..

May 13 (DM) Yesterday, 12th May, the Permanent People’s Tribunal in The Hague (Netherlands) commenced hearings into the murder of SL journalist and editor Lasantha Wickrematunge, based on an indictment presented by a coalition of international press freedom organisations. The hearing is focusing on the overall context of crimes against journalists and impunity in SL. 44 names of journalists and media workers killed or disappeared between 2004-2010, vast majority of whom more..

May 13 (TM) The majority of children living in border villages report different exposures related to the civil war that could cause considerable and long-lasting psychological impact, due to them having a significantly higher risk of showing borderline abnormal values on most of the scales and total difficulty scores of the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ), compared to children not from border villages, more..

May 13 (EAF) SL is in the grips of its worst economic crisis since independence. Behind recent headlines, the COVID-19 pandemic has exposed structural problems that were decades in the making. The origins of today’s foreign exchange crisis are rooted in the colonial plantation sector, failed industrial policy and the façade of stability afforded by migrant remittances. There are numerous immediate causes for the sovereign debt crisis, some of which are certainly attributable more..

May 13 (CT) UNP Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe was sworn in as PM for a record sixth time, before Prez Rajapaksa, at President’s House Colombo yesterday. Ranil Wickremesinghe is the 31st Premier of the 74-year-old independent SL. His predecessors being D.S. Senanayake, his son Dudley (four times), Sir John Kotelawala, S.W.R.D. Bandaranaike, W. Dahanayake, Sirima Bandaranaike (four times), J.R. Jayewardene, R. Premadasa (twice), D.B. Wijetunga (twice), more..

May 13 (CI) Allan Donald will have his work cut out this week as he prepares one of Bangladesh's least experienced pace attacks for the Chattogram Test against SL. The home side are missing their important spin duo in Shakib Al Hasan and Mehidy Hasan Miraz, apart from Taskin Ahmed, their most in-form fast bowler. The South African great, who joined Bangladesh's coaching staff as the fast bowling coach in March, is focused on what is in front of him in his first home series. more..

May 13 (Island) In a most disturbing development, it has been brought to the notice of the nation that the Suwaseriya 1990 Ambulance Service is in imminent danger of having to restrict its services due to a severe curtailment of the financial facilities extended to it by the govt. We have it on reasonable evidence that the service is even likely to keel over in the not-too-distant future. This life-saving initiative, which commenced operations around six years ago, amidst all kinds of problems and more..

May 13 (ST) Sri Lankans are being warned of a dengue epidemic, with prevention work in disarray due to the dollar crisis and fuel shortages, officials said. “The present dollar crisis and fuel shortages have severely affected dengue-control programmes conducted at local govt level. Medical officers of health do not have sufficient fuel for vehicles and fogging equipment while the import of chemicals used for fogging has been stalled,” more..

May 13 (Island) OK. It was a mob who emerged from Temple Trees at around 12 noon on Monday that destroyed Mynagama and then proceeded to Gotagogama, where they vandalised tents and even burnt down the temporary library there. Completely peaceful, harmless background to a peaceful protest of decent people, until this group of beasts bent on maximum mayhem descended on Colombo, supposedly brought in about 25 buses whose number plates are being circulated. more..

May 13 (Island) UNP Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe should consider having Houdini as his middle name, given his adeptness at political escapology. His critics thought it was curtains for him when he and his party suffered an ignominious defeat at the 2020 general election, but a few months later he appeared in Parliament, grinning from ear to ear as if nothing had happened. Now, he is back at Temple Trees! The appointment of Wickremesinghe as the Prime Minister is indicative of Prez Rajapaksa’s more..

May 13 (DN) SL cricket team led by Dimuth Karunaratne are geared to take on Bangladesh in the first test which will commence on May 15 in Chittagong. Team had only one two day practice game which was washed out last Wednesday. Only 18.2 overs were possible in the practice game in which SL scored 50 for 1 wicket with Opener Oshada Fernando and Kusal Mendis were unbeaten on 20' s adding 44 runs an unbroken more..

May 13 (ST) Many newlyweds are putting off their hopes of having children because baby products have become unaffordable and unavailable. Import restrictions are partly responsible for the shortage of items. Baby soap, cotton balls, disposable nappies, and diapers are among items that have become prohibitively expensive. Those who are preparing for the big day are no longer waiting until the third trimester to buy the essentials and instead are buying what is needed every month. more..

May 13 (FT) Former MP Navin Dissanayake alleged that the UNP Working Committee was not consulted on the decision by leader Ranil Wickremesinghe to accept the Premiership and form a new Govt. “I am apprehensive and concerned about @RW_UNP been appointed as PM. I wish the working committee of the party was consulted about this move, it wasn’t. I hope for the sake of the country and our party @officialunp that the new PM will succeed” more..

May 13 (CB) Bangladesh spin bowling coach Rangana Herath will not be available for the upcoming tour of West Indies. The Sri Lankan confirmed to Cricbuzz on Thursday (May 12) that he has applied for leave to be with his family. Bangladesh team director Khaled Mahmud also confirmed to Cricbuzz that the legendary Sri Lankan spinner will not be part of the touring party. "Herath will not be available in the West Indies tour as he will be with his family,," Mahmud confirmed. more..

May 13 (TOI) Even though Chennai Super Kings have had a disappointing outing this IPL 2022 with the playoffs hopes hanging by a thread, spinner Maheesh Theekshana of Sri Lanka has certainly made heads turn and has been a revelation for CSK this season. The youngster was picked for ₹70 lakh during the IPL 2022 auction and has proven to be a solid buy with his performance. Theekshana has the ability to keep the scoring rate down and has helped CSK take crucial wickets in the middle overs. more..

May 13 (EN) US and India congratulated SL’s new PM Ranil Wickremesinghe who was appointed on Thursday to accomplish a tough task of bailing out the sovereign-defaulted country from the ongoing economic crisis. The new PM’s appointment came at a time when both India and the U.S. are looking for more engagement with SL amid concerns that SL could drift towards China because of Beijing’s large volume of loans. more..

May 13 (Island) GotaGoGama protest has been on for 32 days to oust Prez Rajapaksa and the Rajapaksa Clan, from domestic politics, and achieve national progress. It was a civilized civilian event. Exactly on the 30th day of the protest, a meeting was held at Temple Trees in support of the PM, canvassing his continuation in office. The numbers cursing and demanding the departure from offices of both, are in the region of millions, compared to about 3,000 persons who attended Temple Tress more..

May 13 (FT) Sri Lanka is staring at a possible hard default as opposed to pre-emptive negotiated avoidance as the International Sovereign Bonds (ISB) Coupon payment is due in five days from today. Analysts said ISB Coupon worth $ 78 million fell due on 18 April and those coupons have 30 days to repay if defaulted. That deadline is 18 May. The Govt in mid-April announced a pre-emptive negotiated default of all outstanding debt as of 12 April. more..

May 13 (FT) Prez Rajapaksa said that his first choice for the post of PM was SJB leader Sajith Premadasa but as he had rejected the offer to take over the Govt, he had decided to appoint UNP leader Ranil Wickremesinghe. Prez disclosed this in a letter he sent Premadasa yesterday in response to the letter sent to him by the SJB leader saying is willing to take over as PM subject to four conditions. Prez said that after the Cabinet decided more..

May 13 (TM) Central Bank of SL (CBSL) has launched the SL Green Finance Taxonomy (SLGFT), a classification system that defines and categorises economic activities that are environmentally sustainable, which is a key action item outlined in the Roadmap for Sustainable Finance of SL that was introduced by the CBSL in 2019. In a statement, CBSL said that the Taxonomy has been prepared in line with the international best practices, while harmonised to the local context, and more..

May 13 (EN) A former ruling party legislator who died in violent clash in Sri Lanka was beaten to death by a mob and it was not a suicide as claimed earlier, Police Spokesman Nihal Thalduwa said on Thursday. Amarakeerthi Athukorala, an MP in former PM Rajapaksa-led SLPP administration died on Monday in the country’s Western town of Nittambuwa after a clash with an angry mob. Earlier it was claimed that the 57-year legislator from district of Polannaruwa committed suicide by more..

May 13 (FT) UNP Chairman Vajira Abeywardena yesterday said that the party and its leader Ranil Wickremesinghe have always saved Sri Lanka from difficult situations. “On every occasion the country has found itself on the edge of an economic precipice, it is Ranil Wickremesinghe and the UNP that has been at the forefront of forging solutions and Wickremesinghe as the new Prime Minister has once again taken up the responsibility to secure the future of the nation,” Abeywardena said. more..

May 13 (DM) The SL rupee has depreciated by an unprecedented 44.3% against the US dollar as of yesterday, following the sudden decision taken by the previous Central Bank administration to float the currency on March 7. The CB noted that rupee which was kept fixed around Rs.202-203 per US dollar till early March had recorded a substantial decline following the decision to let it go by former CB Governor Ajith Nivard Cabraal. “The subsequent market adjustment due to heightened more..

May 13 (FT) Several MPs including Prez Rajapaksa, former PM Rajapaksa and foreign envoys extended congratulatory wishes to newly appointed sixth PM Ranil Wickremesinghe, whilst few others expressed their displeasure. Prez Rajapaksa congratulated Wickremesinghe for taking up the challenging task to overcome the multiple crises. “My best wishes to newly appointed PM of #LKA, @RW_UNP, more..

May 13 (FT) Saman Ekanayake has been appointed as the new Secretary to the newly appointed PM Ranil Wickremesinghe. Ekanayake received his letter of appointment from the Secretary to the Prez Gamini Senarath at the President’s House. Ekanayake is a Special Grade Retired Officer of SL Administrative Service. He has served as the Secretary to PM Wickremesinghe on 3 occasions during the period 2015-2019 and has been appointed to the post for the fourth time. more..

May 13 (EN) Power cuts up to 5 hours have been approved in Sri Lanka for May 13 and 14, PUCSL Chairman Janaka Ratnayake said as money printing by the central bank triggered forex shortages have disrupted fuel imports. All areas (ABCDEFGHIJKLPQRSTUVW) will have power cuts of 3 hours and 20 minute from 8.00 am to 3.10 pm and 1 hour and 40 minutes from 6.00 pm and 9.50 pm. Between 6.00 am and 9.00 am, the Colombo City centre could face a power cut of 3 hours. more..