Jun 2 (CT) With the aim of improving digital literacy by enabling access to technology, especially in rural schools in the country, CDB presented three smart computer labs to schools in the Eastern Province, the CDB stated yesterday. These were Mihindupura Vidyalaya in Trincomalee, Rethithenna Iqrah Vidyalaya in Batticaloa, and Veppayadi Kalaimagal Vidyalayam in Ampara. These three labs now move towards the target of a total of twenty pledged for CDB’s Silver Jubilee. more..

Jun 2 (DM) A group of Opposition MPs requested the Election Commission to prevent the govt from using certain projects to gain advantages for future elections. A written request signed by MPs Ranjith Madduma Bandara, Mano Ganesan, Rauff Hakeem, V. Radhakrishnan, Tissa Attanayake, Gayantha Karunatilaka, Mujibur Rahman, Lakshman Kiriella, Rohini Wijeratne, G.L. Peiris, Rohana Bandara, Nalin Bandara, Buddhika Pathirana, Hector Appuharmy, Nalaka Godahewa, more..

Jun 2 (AD) This order was issued by the two-member Appeals Court bench comprising President of the Court of Appeal Nissanka Bandula Karunaratne and Justice Shashi Mahendran following an extensive consideration of the facts presented related to the petition today. Accordingly, the judge bench also ordered the related parties to file written submissions related to the case, if any, before July 15, 2024. When this petition was taken up for consideration today, more..

Jun 2 (FT) DP Education celebrated the milestone of empowering 30,000 students with Rs. 21 billion worth of IT knowledge and skills with the addition of 5,000 youth in Jaffna district. Students in Jaffna join the IT-skilled pool of existing 25,000 youth in five other districts of Kandy, Hambantota, Matara, Kurunegala & Monaragala. Certificates on completing different stages of coding software knowledge (worth Rs. 4 b) were distributed to parents of the students at a packed more..

Jun 2 (Island) PM Dinesh Gunawardena said that arrangements had been made for the remains of TNA leader R Sampanthan to be brought to the Parliament’s Ceremonial Hall from 2 pm to 4 pm tomorrow (3). PM said the final rites of Sampanthan would be held in Trincomalee. Sampanthan passed away at the age of 91 while receiving treatment at a private hospital in Colombo on Sunday night. Born in 1933, more..

Jun 2 (TM) Govt has infused Rs. 5 billion worth of equity to the national carrier SriLankan Airlines to relieve the working capital issues in the first four months of 2024. Accordingly, in order to safeguard the airlines, Govt offered assistance by issuing a Rs. 5 billion equity contribution to support the airline's ongoing cash flow problems in the first four months of 2024. “Despite the challenging external and internal funding constraints, SriLankan Airlines has earned a total revenue of Rs. 333.6 b more..

Jun 2 (DM) Galle Marvels prevailed in a thrilling last ball win by five wickets over Jaffna Kings in the second match of the LPL tournament encounter played at the Pallekele Stadium. Galle Marvels despite being given a sound start of 66 runs by openers’ skipper Niroshan Dickwella and Alex Hales underwent some anxious moments as they lost wickets at regular intervals which saw them left with nine runs to make in six balls which they achieved with a last ball boundary by Sahan more..

Jun 2 (FT) Members of the People’s Struggle Alliance (PSA) yesterday held a discussion with the Election Commission of SL (ECSL) to address growing apprehensions regarding potential efforts by the Govt to postpone upcoming elections. Represented by activists Wasantha Mudalige, Lahiru Weerasekara, Dharmasiri Lankapeli, and others, the PSA expressed deep concerns to the ECSL about what they perceive as a Govt conspiracy more..

Jun 2 (FT) Sweden and Sri Lanka this year celebrate 75 years of diplomatic relations, which saw the Swedish Ambassador to SL, Jan Thesleff leading a high-level business delegation to SL and celebrating the Sweden-SL Jubilee Year with a grand reception in Colombo on the occasion of Sweden’s National Day on 6 June. As emphasised by Foreign Minister Ali Sabry at the Jubilee Cocktail, Sweden and SL share many mutual values, paving the way for close partnerships in various sectors. more..

Jun 2 (DM) National Medicines Regulatory Authority (NMRA) has introduced a new pricing mechanism aimed at determining the maximum retail price (MRP) for specific dosages and strengths of medicines. This regulatory initiative, outlined in a Gazette under the National Medicines Regulatory Authority Act, No. 5 of 2015, reflects extensive consultation with the Pricing Committee, Consumer Affairs Authority, and various stakeholders. The formulation of these regulations meticulously considered more..

Jun 3 (DM) Former Prez Mahinda Rajapaksa last week visited China on a four-day visit during which, as local media reported, he was expected to discuss Sri Lanka’s debt restructuring with Chinese Premier Li Qiang and Foreign Minister Wang Yi. The discussions were also expected to cover potential development projects beneficial to Sri Lanka and convey gratitude for China’s support. In which capacity Rajapaksa would negotiate on behalf of Sri Lanka has been a moot point: more..

Jun 3 (TM) SL’s recent economic crisis, the worst the island nation has faced since Independence from Britain in 1948, was the result of poor policy making, pandering to populist ideals, lack of transparency, and accountability in governance of the resource rich island. SL has sought the assistance of the IMF seventeen times before, when it was in trouble and needed a bailout. It is clear that SL kept repeating the same mistakes over and over again, if not one or two IMF bailout programmes more..

Jun 3 (DM) Fifteen years after the death of the entire family of Velupillai Prabhakaran, the leader of the LTTE, the elder brother of Prabakaran and the family relations of the deceased rebel leader have urged the Tamil people in the world not to be deceived by fraudsters belonging to sections of the Tamil diaspora who are said to be minting money by selling the brand name Velupillai Prabhakaran and the names of his family members. more..

Jun 3 (DM) Word is out that a party, The Thamil Thesiya Kootani, has been formed to put forward a common Tamil candidate as Prez. It is an unmitigated disaster, a plague on the Tamil people. The Federal Party has wisely dissociated itself from the move. I say this because we Tamils have been reduced to nobodies in SL through persistent discrimination and state violence amounting to genocide. But now suddenly the conversation is different as all three likely Prez Candidates more..

Jun 3 (CT) As a developing island nation Sri Lanka is facing numerous security challenges. Organized crimes also can be identified as a pressing issue among them. Organized crimes such as drug trafficking, human trafficking, terrorist financing, pyramid scheming, Ponzi scheming, gun violence, trading illegal weapons, and money laundering have become a significant problem in Sri Lanka, especially by undermining the Rule of Law, democracy, peace, and stability of SL. more..

Jun 3 (TM) Concerning the issue of Buddhist child ordination in Sri Lanka, setting a minimum age for ordination, streamlining the registration process, and introducing and legally enforcing a probationary period, all measures so as to protect children's rights while supporting the norms and traditions of the priesthood, have been suggested in order to prevent the abuse and exploitation of samanera child monks. more..

Jun 3 (Island) The SJB parliamentary group yesterday unanimously resolved that it would not join a national govt under Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe’s leadership. What prompted it to make such a resolution suddenly is not clear. Perhaps, it has only reiterated its response to an invitation Prez extended about two years ago. One cannot but agree that there is absolutely no need for a national govt, for such an arrangement does not benefit the public in a half-baked democracy like SL, more..

Jun 3 (ST) Washington’s voluble ambassador, Julie Chung, was the first to shoot out of the blocks, so to say, congratulating the govt for signing the debt restructuring agreement with its bilateral creditors. She was all ga-ga, as though Sri Lanka had just landed on the dark side of the moon, from where its excited citizens could not see the victory the Wickremesinghe panjandrums claimed it had won, but Julie Chung and her neoliberal cheerleaders were well aware of what was coming. more..

Jun 3 (GV) R. Sampanthan MP passed away on June 30, 2024. He was 91. Sampanthan was a venerable statesman, and veteran Tamil politician. His passing marks the end of an era. As journalist Meera Srinivasan wrote in The Hindu obiturary, “A parliamentarian for nearly half a century, Mr. Sampanthan was a bold and relentless voice in the House. Since the end of the civil war in 2009, he tirelessly demanded equal rights for Tamils, within a ‘united, undivided, indivisible’ country. more..

Jun 3 (Island) With less than a month before prez elections are called, Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe has highlighted the success of his presidency as rescuing SL from its international bankruptcy status that prevents it from doing business with the rest of the world. The signing of the agreement on international debt restructuring for USD 5.8 billion with the Official Creditor Committee consisting of several foreign govts that have given bilateral loans to SL was celebrated in numerous ways. more..

Jun 3 (TM) GMOA stated that although the number of doctors leaving the country has decreased slightly in the first half of this year, it is expected to increase again in the coming months due to the slow resolution of the issues faced by medical professionals. GMOA Spokesperson Dr. Chamil Wijesinghe noted a significant reduction in the number of doctors leaving the country following the recent increase in the DAT allowance more..

Jun 3 (CT) The recent landslide in Uduwaka, Getahetta, which buried eight houses and forced the relocation of over 43 families, highlights an urgent and growing crisis in Sri Lanka: environmental refugees. As extreme weather events become increasingly frequent and severe due to climate change, changing environmental patterns in SL, we have to confront the reality of our vulnerable populations being uprooted and displaced. Fortunately, NBRO identified the Uduwaka more..

Jun 3 (DM) SL’s outstanding credit card balance slipped in May after rising in April in a sign that people are still reluctant to use credit card debt due to exponentially high rates which are long overdue for correction. The outstanding credit card balance has declined by Rs.1,894 million to a total outstanding of Rs.149.7 billion. In April, this balance rose by a relatively robust Rs.2,891 million as people swiped their cards more often during the month of festivities and extended holidays. more..

Jun 3 (FT) In a sensational twist to the game Colombo Strikers hit hard at defending champions Kandy Falcons capturing six wickets for seven runs off 12 balls to win their opening match of the Lanka Premier League by 51 runs, in the second double-header played at the Pallekele Cricket Stadium yesterday. At one stage Kandy seemed to have the game in the bag chasing 199 at 140-4 in the 14th over with Angelo Mathews and Wanindu Hasaranga going great guns in a stand of 60 in 31 more..

Jun 3 (ST) In a move aimed at transforming Sri Lanka’s sporting landscape, the Ministry of Sports under the leadership of Director General of Sports Dr. Shamal Fernando has launched a comprehensive four-year plan targeting the 2028 Olympic Games. This initiative marks a significant departure from previous practices, focusing on enhancing athlete support, infrastructure development, and regulatory reforms across various sports federations. more..

Jun 3 (DM) SL’s State-Owned Enterprises (SOEs) that come under harsh criticism for their financial inefficiencies have reported robust performance in the first four months of 2024, according to the Ministry of Finance. The surge in profitability is attributed to the appreciation of the rupee and comprehensive SOE reforms. These reforms include the introduction of cost-reflective electricity tariff adjustments in 2022, more..

Jun 3 (DN) My aim is to enter the National team as a bowling all rounder said 21 year old former National under 19 player Chamindu Wickrmasinghe. Getting chance to play for National team is every cricketers dream and I have to go step by step to reach that level. The left hand middle order batsman and right arm medium paceman Chamindu has showed his potential in the opening LPL match at Pallekele and his contribution for Dambulla Sixes paved the way to build up their innings against Kandy Falcons. more..

Jun 3 (FT) The Commercial Bank of Ceylon’s and SL’s largest ever debenture issue by a private bank closed after oversubscription on its opening day, Tuesday (2), raising Rs. 20 billion for Sri Lanka’s biggest private sector bank, and demonstrating investor confidence in the institution. Announcing the oversubscription, the Bank said it had received applications for over three times the Rs. 10 billion initial issue amount, and has raised Rs. 20 billion by exercising all options. more..

Jun 3 (FT) Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe yesterday in a special address to Parliament made public a few of the salient features of the deal with official creditors holding $ 10 billion in external debt of SL agreed upon last week. As per the MoU signed with the Official Creditor Committee co-chaired by India, Japan & France, as well as the EXIM Bank of China, regarding debt restructuring, Prez said SL has secured a grace period more..

Jun 3 (ST) Sri Lanka is set to unlock loans amounting to more than US$1.5 billion from the China Export and Import Bank for projects held back due to the debt crisis. The facilities became available after SL this week entered into an agreement with China’s EXIM Bank on debt restructuring and simultaneously an MoU with the Paris Club-led official creditor committee co-chaired by France, India and Japan. A senior Treasury official said that among the loans available would be funds more..

Jun 3 (FT) Jetwing Kaduruketha, a pioneering agro-eco luxury hotel that mirrors a traditional Sri Lankan village, has proudly earned a place on the Wanderlust Travel Green List 2024. This prestigious accolade underscores the resort’s steadfast commitment to sustainability and environmental conservation, establishing its position among the world’s foremost green destinations. The Wanderlust Travel Green List 2024 is an annual recognition of exceptional sustainable travel efforts. more..

Jun 3 (TM) While the Govt is working to expand the number of countries eligible for free visa facilities, the Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority (SLTDA) stated that the process is expected to be finalised by the end of this month. When contacted, SLTDA Chairperson Priantha Fernando told The Daily Morning yesterday (2) that the Ministry of Tourism has submitted a joint Cabinet paper with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to seek Govt approval for this expansion. more..

Jun 3 (FT) The Cabinet on Monday approved the tabling of several orders issued under Section 53 of the Port City Economic Commission Act No. 11 of 2021 in Parliament for approval. The orders published in the Extraordinary Gazettes include: Gazette No. 2378/35 dated 05.04.2024; Gazette No. 2380/36 dated 19.04.2024; Gazette No. 2380/33 dated 19.04.2024; Gazette No. 2380/35 dated 19.04.2024 and Gazette No. 2380/34 dated 19.04.2024. In line with the Cabinet decisions more..

Jun 3 (Island) SJB leader Sajith Premadasa told Parliament that the govt had failed to secure the optimal deal in the debt restructuring process. Soon after the Prez made a special statement to the House, Premadasa said that the govt had failed to secure the best possible deal in the debt restructuring process. The globe-trotting Prez could have made use of his visits to secure the best possible deal to Sri Lanka. more..

Jun 3 (FT) FPC member Charitha Herath has called for SL to appoint a leader capable of managing the country’s economy, not merely its debt. Herath addressed the current economic situation and the forthcoming political changes. Herath highlighted that the broad economic crisis has now evolved into a debt crisis. He criticised the prevailing focus on debt management, which he believes has led to a misconception that the ideal Prez candidate is one who excels in debt management. more..