Sep 19 (TM) Claiming that there should be 22,000 researchers considering the population of the country, but that the number of researchers in the country is only about 5,000, Minister Susil Premajayantha said that it is therefore very important to carry out educational reforms to suit the modern world. He said that many people, including the majority of MPs, accept the need for educational reforms, and that a process to bring about such reforms will be implemented from 1 Jan 2023. more..

Sep 19 (TM) SL Embassy in Tehran, Iran is working with the Azerbaijan authorities to sort out the detention of four SL Nationals by the Azerbaijan Border Guards. The four SL citizens were detained by Azerbaijan Border Guards on 15 Sept when they illegally entered their territory, while crossing the country’s border with Iran. Ministry of Foreign Affairs Director General Sithara Khan said the SL Embassy in Tehran is dealing with the Azerbaijan authorities inquiring into the detention more..

Sep 19 (EN) The general secretary of JVP appeared to be stoking doubts about SL’s deal with the IMF, when he made a questionable claim on Sunday that the multilateral lender’s proposed US$ 2.9 billion bailout package will amount to pittance. Tilvin Silva, general secretary of the Marxist-Leninist party said speaking at a rally on Sunday that SL cannot resolve its ongoing debt crisis with more debt. more..

Sep 19 (TM) A group of IUSF and other civil activists had planned to celebrate the birthday of IUSF Convener Wasantha Mudalige, who was arrested during a protest held in Colombo in August and is currently detained under the PTA, near the TID in Colombo. An IUSF activist said that a special programme had been planned to be held near the TID in Colombo to commemorate the completion of one month of Mudalige’s arrest, and celebrate his birthday which fell yesterday. more..

Sep 19 (Island) Ambassador of Japan to SL, Mizukoshi Hideaki attended the send-off ceremony on Sept 16 held by SL Bureau of Foreign Employment to give words of encouragement for 26 trainees, who will be visiting Japan under Technical Intern Training programme, an embassy release. The core purpose of the Technical Intern Training programme is to develop human resources in developing countries, so that trainees can acquire advanced skills, technology and knowledge more..

Sep 19 (Island) The Global Tamil Forum (GTF) has called for a strong resolution on SL at the UNHRC in Geneva. The GTF said that for the Tamil people who have suffered enormously during the war, and indeed for the victims of human rights violations from all communities who are denied accountability and justice in SL, the UNHRC has consistently provided much needed hope. Role played by OHCHR is crucial in this regard. more..

Sep 19 (TM) MP Champika Ranawaka says that a new political force will be formed in the future with the support of all parties. Speaking during an event, the MP expressed that it is time that the SLPP sees their mistakes and reorganise, and those who do not accomplish it, will be politically wiped out in the future. “Rajapaksas are attempting to take over power again by using the power of Parliament. That is a serious mistake they are going to make. Now it is time for them to leave politics.” more..

Sep 19 (CT) CEB’s bottom line was dented by at least 36.97% (Rs 69.33 million) on Saturday (17) alone, thereby reducing its generation profits to Rs 187.55 million due to the malfunctioning 3X300 mW Norochcholai Coal Fired Power Plant (NCFPP) on Saturday. If NCFPP was fully functional, it has the capacity to meet 40% of SL’s electricity generation needs. But because of this particular malfunction, which has been the bane of CEB at least since 27 June, NCFPP provided only 33.9% of SL’s more..

Sep 19 (EN) SL’s tax revenues have surged 25% to 798.5 billion rupees up to June 2022 amid high inflation and non-tax revenues also brought in US$ 119 billion, up 63% from a year ago. SL’s economy is expected to inflate to around 23.8 trillion rupees in 2022 from 16.8 trillion in 2021 as the currency depreciated and prices soared in an inflationary blow off which is technically known as High Inflation Financial Repression (IFR). In the first half of 2022 nominal GDP was already 10.7 trillion rupees, more..

Sep 19 (EN) SL is looking to attract longer-stay tourists during the winter season as the island nation sees some stability as the commodity queues ease and high energy prices from the worst commodity bubble fired by reserve currency in decades keep energy prices up. US Federal Reserve under Jerome Powell and the ECB under Christine Large printed money to create jobs claiming that inflation was non-monetary and due to supply chain shocks triggering the worst inflation in 40 years. more..

Sep 19 (AD) A Ukrainian journalist and the Kharkiv region’s police have disclosed appalling details about the torture 7 Sri Lankans endured while they were in captivity of Russian soldiers in the Kharkiv region near the Russian border. Maria Romanenko, a journalist Kyiv, said the seven Sri Lankans who were in Ukraine for work and studies, were kidnapped by Russian, beaten and had their nails torn off & were forced to work for free. more..

Sep 19 (AD) The 7 Sri Lankans in Ukraine who were allegedly captured and tortured by Russian soldiers in the Kharkiv region are not medical students, State Minister Tharaka Balasuriya confirmed. Earlier today, a journalist from Kyiv and Kharkiv region’s police disclosed appalling details about the torture the seven victims had to endure while in captivity of the Russian soldiers. Minister explained that the group of Sri Lankans in question were in an attempt to travel to Europe illegally. more..

Sep 19 (DM) Peradeniya Police have initiated investigation into a complaint over the disappearance of a fourth year student of the University of Peradeniya. Police said a 24-year-old student, a resident of Yakkala who is studying in the fourth year in Art Faculty of the University has been missing since a few days ago. A letter suspected to have been written by the missing undergraduate was found last Friday in the boarding room where he was staying. more..

Sep 19 (TM) Several hospitals have begun to introduce alternative protein-rich food to their patients due to a shortage of fish, as suppliers shun Health Ministry procurement due to delays in payments and soaring costs. Ministry of Health had started to provide alternatives such as eggs to improve the protein intake of patients at some of the affected hospitals, while some hospitals have established public and corporate assistance more..

Sep 19 (DM) Total cement usage in the country has plunged 19% in the six months to June 2022 reflecting the depth of the contraction in construction activities and thereby the impact on the country’s total economic output. Cement usage consisting of both domestic production and imports is a close proxy for the construction and economic activities in the country as construction accounts for a tenth of the country’s GDP. SL’s economy contracted 8.4% in the second quarter of 2022. more..

Sep 19 (AD) UN Resident Coordinator for SL, Hanaa Singer-Hamdy has appealed to SL’s friends to show solidarity and donate to provide food security and medical supplies for vulnerable Sri Lankans, saying the country’s gains in health care, education and poverty alleviation are threatened by the current crisis. In a video message posted on her twitter account, she stated that the effects of the economic crisis are far reaching, and is impacting food security, health and education in SL. more..

Sep 20 (CT) Minister Ali Sabry, addressing the UNHRC last week said in no uncertain terms that any reference to economic crimes was beyond the UNHRC’s mandate: “It is observed that the UN Acting High Commissioner for Human Rights has tabled a report on SL that makes extensive reference to economic crimes. Apart from the ambiguity of the term, it is a matter of concern that such a reference exceeds the mandate of Office of UN HC for Human Rights (OHCHR).” more..

Sep 20 (GV) In June 2022, Sri Lanka was thrust into the international spotlight during the tour of the Australian cricket team which coincided with the recent political and economic crisis in the country. The public’s reaction to the tournament was mixed; some criticized the shift in focus towards a sporting event while citizens were experiencing extreme difficulties in their daily lives, while several others focused on the tournament’s potential positive impacts. more..

Sep 20 (DM) SL Ambassador to China Dr. Palitha Kohona in an email interview responded to queries about the current status of bilateral ties between Sri Lanka and China; particularly in the wake of the controversial ship visit. Q: What is your reading on the current status of bilateral ties between Sri Lanka and China? A: I believe that the bilateral ties between the two countries are on a solid foundation. more..

Sep 20 (DM) Last week, four US Senators, led by Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin and Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee Bob Menendez tabled a Senate resolution calling for a comprehensive international approach to address SL’s current political and economic crises, including credible allegations of corruption under the Rajapaksa family’s rule. “GoSL under rule of Prez Rajapaksa - devoted state resources for personal political purposes with little transparency; more..

Sep 20 (TM) In a context where numerous claims have been made that child malnutrition is on the rise and that children are one of the at risk groups in the economic crisis, Minister of Health Keheliya Rambukwella has stated that discussions are underway regarding malnutrition among children and for the provision of meals to schoolchildren. He further opined that rather than avoiding the problem at hand, these matters should be addressed promptly. more..

Sep 20 (TM) Three out of five people have experienced some form of workplace violence or harassment. Nearly one out of five people have felt unsafe at work. Sexual harassment and online violence seem to be the most underreported forms of workplace violence. These are the findings of a survey conducted by the International Finance Corporation (IFC) over the last two years, titled The Business Case for more..

Sep 20 (DM) Nearly 500 Sri Lankan doctors including specialists have left the country within the last eight months of this year, some informing and others without informing the Health Ministry, the Govt Medical Officers’ Association (GMOA) says. They further pointed out that 52 doctors including young specialists have been served letters of vacation of post within the last two months, as they have left the country without informing the higher authorities. more..

Sep 20 (Island) Two Cabinet ministers have crossed swords over rice imports. Trade Minister Nalin Fernando has sought to rubbish Agriculture Minister Mahinda Amaraweera’s recent claim that imported rice should be fed to farm animals as it is unfit for human consumption. Why Fernando has seen red is understandable; the Agriculture Minister’s statement serves as a damning indictment of the Trade Ministry, which is responsible for importing rice. Amaraweera would have the public believe more..

Sep 20 (CT) The descendants of the legendary Dasa Maha Yodayo (The Ten Giant Warriors), who lived in Sri Lanka during the reign of King Kavantissa, are not accustomed to Hunger. However, due to the country’s worst economic crisis since gaining independence in 1948, more than 60 per cent of Sri Lankans cut back on their dietary intake. Lack of sufficient fertiliser for farming, a scarcity of seeds, a lack of fuel for agricultural equipment, a lack of pesticides, more..

Sep 20 (Island) An unprecedented gathering of heads of state, and people is expected in London, today, for the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II, who made history and became part of it. Millions of people have waited in a long queue for hours on end to file past her coffin during the past several days. Such is their love for her. Queen earned the admiration of people across the globe, and it is only natural that the entire world is mourning her death. While a historic event is unfolding in London, more..

Sep 20 (FT) The soaring cost of living is putting enormous pressure on consumers, whilst the suppliers claim they are compelled to raise prices, given the high fuel, electricity, and costs of production. The ever-increasing cost of living has now turned into a social issue with the Govt and int'l agencies calling on donor help to overcome the situation. UN Resident Coordinator Hanaa Singer-Hamdy also called on world to show solidarity more..

Sep 20 (ST) Foreign Minister Ali Sabry, now operating under still another portfolio, presented a promising riposte to the hard-hitting report on SL from the UN HC for Human Rights. It was indeed promising. In fact, Minister Ali Sabry was full of promises adding to the litany of promises made since the then UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon visited SL a few days after the end of the LTTE insurrectionist war and issued a joint statement following talks with Prez Mahinda Rajapaksa. more..

Sep 20 (FT) Clifford Chance and Lazard are inviting those interested for an update on SL’s debt restructuring on Friday at 5.30 p.m. This will be the first open engagement with creditors of SL since the appointment of Clifford Chance and Lazard as legal and financial advisors respectively to the Govt. To date, it had individual meetings with bilateral creditors. SL in April suspended servicing of $ 47 billion external debt held by bilateral and private creditors as well as Int'l Sovereign Bonds. more..

Sep 20 (ST) Sri Lanka Rugby (SLR) will open doors to teams other than the top division clubs as it makes arrangements to conduct Inter-Club 7s Tournament on Sept 30 and Oct 1 and 2 at the Racecourse ground in Colombo. SLR Club 7s is usually conducted with the participation of the eight Division I teams – namely Kandy SC, CR&FC, CH&FC, Havelocks, Navy SC, Police SC, Army SC and Air Force SC. But this season, the Club 7s will consist teams from Provincial Unions, more..

Sep 20 (DM) Tourist arrivals for the first 15 days of September totaled 14,833, bringing the arrivals for the Jan 1 to Sept 15 period to 511,263. An analysis of the daily arrival numbers, showed that the average arrival per day for the month is 988. The weekly arrivals for the month of September are lower than that of August 2022. For the first two weeks of September, an average of 7,416 tourists arrived in the country, whereas in August, the average arrival was about 9,440 per week. more..

Sep 20 (ST) Low-income households in villages and in urban areas are now skipping meals to get by. H. G. Sugathadasa, 79 and his wife Seelawathie, 75, are among the worst affected. “We have limited our meals to two a day. That, too, is mostly rice and a vegetable dish or a sambol. We cannot even afford dried sprats, or eggs anymore,” said Mr Sugathadasa, a retired driver. The elderly couple, living on the Ella-Passara Road, more..

Sep 20 (DN) A.Puvitharan of SL Army smashed the Sri Lankan record with a jump of 5.15m in the men’s pole vault event of the National Selection trials for the Asian Athletic championship and e Asian Games at the Mahinda Rajapaksa Stadium Diyagama over the weekend. Two-day trials conducted by the Sri Lanka Athletics (SLA) was a good opportunity for the local athletes to regain their form. National Athletic coach Y.K Kularatne said trials focused on next Asian C'ship & Asian Games next year more..

Sep 20 (FT) Litro Gas Lanka Ltd. has introduced a new feature on their Home Delivery App allowing ex-pats to order LPG for their loved ones back home and make payments via dollars. This is a creative addition to their already extensive portfolio of services as well as a creative solution to the current dollar crunch facing SL. Litro Chairman Muditha Peiris said: “As the market leader in SL for LPG with over 80% market share, we are constantly looking for new ways to improve our user experience. more..

Sep 20 (Island) PHU leader Udaya Gammanpila, MP, has warned that the forthcoming resolution at the UNHRC could be tied to financial assistance as the incumbent govt struggled to cope up with the developing political-economic-social crisis. The UNHCR consists of 47 countries, divided into five groups. Asserting that a heavy defeat was inevitable at the vote expected to take place before Oct 7, Gammanpila said that Western powers more..

Sep 20 (EN) Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe has allowed maize and soybean imports on open account terms for poultry feed producers while the time given to import other foods on similar terms was also extended, according to a gazette notice. SL banned open account imports in May despite banks being reluctant to open letters of credit fast due to forex shortages raising fears of food shortages and price spikes. However Prez allowed imports of staple foods more..