Sri Lanka will introduce new central bank legislation aimed at bolstering the bank s independence, accountability and also price stability in the country via a new inflation target, its governor Nandalal Weerasinghe said on Thursday.

Aljazeera reported that Montenegrin President Milo Djukanovic has issued a decree to dissolve parliament, days before a presidential election. The move on Thursday came as a three-month legal deadline expired for former top diplomat and prime minister-designate Miodrag Lekic to form a government. According to the country’s constitution, an election should be called a day […]

The on-going information survey and verification process for the verification of 1.1 million welfare benefit applications has been completed, according to State Minister of Finance Shehan Semasinghe. The highest verification rate of the 1.1 million welfare benefit applications is in the Kalutara District at 46%, followed by the Badulla District at 34% and the Galle […]

Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena said that he did not believe that the governments should control media. However, media should ensure ethical standards, he said while addressing the gathering at the felicitation of Mr. Kumar Nadesan for being conferred with the Pravasi Bharatiya award – the highest recognition given to a non-Indian by the Government of […]

Weather forecast issued at 05.30 a.m. on 17 March 2023 by the Department of Meteorology Showers or thundershowers will occur at a few places in Western, Sabaragamuwa and North-western provinces and in Galle and Matara districts during the afternoon or night. Several spells of light showers may occur in the coastal areas of the Batticaloa, […]

Aljazeera reported that the largest banks in the United States have moved to shore up First Republic Bank in an effort to ease fears that the regional lender could be the next domino to fall after the second-largest banking collapse in US history. A group of 11 private US banks, including Bank of America, Citigroup […]

In a significant development, the United States and its main Western allies have recognised the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) as a serious threat to both their own security and that of Pakistan, reported The Express Tribune. Several Western countries supported Islamabad’s assertion that the outlawed terrorist organisation was conducting operations from Afghanistan during a meeting of […]

The Ukraine crisis appears to be strengthening the cooperation between the US and its partners in the Asia Pacific more than ever, amid fears that China is inching closer toward forcefully reuniting Taiwan with the mainland. In the recent few months, Japan has decided to double its defense spending and purchase long-range weapons from the […]

House Committee to take up issue next week By Shamindra Ferdinando Over a week after the Opposition accused the government of deploying troops armed with wooden poles and iron bars at a protest launched by Inter University Students’ Federation (IUSF) in Colombo on March 07, Army headquarters said that the contingent of men in question […]

Fifties from Ash Gardner and Laura Wolvaardt followed by a disciplined bowling effort gave Gujarat Giants a much-needed win in the WPL on Thursday (March 16) over Delhi Capitals. A win for DC would have helped them secure a berth in the playoffs but they have now been forced to wait following a batting collapse […]

Pivithuru Hela Urumaya (PHU) leader Udaya Gammanpila in terms of the Right to Information (RTI) Act has asked the Immigration and Emigration Department whether the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) Director William Joseph Burns arrived in Sri Lanka through the Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA). The former Power and Energy Minister’s Office told The Island that the […]

 by PRIYAN DE SILVA  Executive Director of the Institute of Democratic Reforms and Electoral Studies Manjula Gajanayake says political parties are bent on preventing the election of women local councils.Gajanayake said the sitting female councillors were not allowed to contest their wards and they were placed on the additional list or made to contest other […]

By Rathindra Kuruwita Government Printer Gangani Kalpana Liyanage yesterday informed the Elections Commission (EC) that the Treasury had not responded to a request to provide the necessary funds for printing ballot papers for the local government elections. Liyanage told the media that she had written to the Treasury on Tuesday asking for funds following the […]

The first ODI between South Africa and West Indies in East London was washed out without a toss. The venue, that was set to host its first men’s international game since the pandemic, witnessed intermittent rain through the day. Play was eventually called off at 4.35pm local, almost four hours after the original start time […]

By Rathindra Kuruwita  Head of the Public Health Inspectors Union (PHIU) Upul Rohana yesterday urged Sri Lankans to be vigilant about food safety as four people who climbed Sri Pada died due to food poisoning. Ten other victims have been hospitalise. “When you buy food from a shop, make sure if it is properly cooked […]

Police have arrested an army deserter over the recent theft of a T-56 assault rifle from a sentry point at the Panagoda Army Cantonment. Police have taken into custody an Army Sergeant.Police headquarters said that the deserter was a resident of Middeniya and the Sergeant was from Veyangoda. Homagama police received a complaint from the […]

144th Battle of the Blues by Reemus Fernando   Skipper Dasis Manchanayake and Ramiru Perera staged a dramatic fight back after Thomian pacemen rattled the top four wickets for Royal to post 326 for eight wickets at stumps on day one of the 144th Battle of the Blues at the SSC on Thursday. The pair […]

Experienced umpire Aleem Dar has stepped down from the ICC Elite Panel of Umpires, bringing to an end a distinguished career in top-level umpiring. The 54-year old Dar, who was on the Elite Panel for 19 years, stood in a record 435 men’s international games, including the finals of the 2007 and 2011 50-over World […]

Pakistan on Thursday dismissed the claims that it had shown a willingness to the United States for allowing a “regional drone hub” on its soil as part of its continuing dialogue on counterterrorism. “There was no discussion on the topic (regional drone hub). It was not on the agenda and it was not discussed and, […]

At least three policemen have been suspended for using force against Aurat March participants and for hitting them with baton, following a scuffle between the two sides, a Pakistani newspaper has reported. After Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah took notice of the ncident, summoned, and reprimanded Islamabad Police Chief, the low-ranking officers were suspended hours later, […]

Showers or thundershowers will occur at a few places in Western, Sabaragamuwa and North-western provinces and in Galle and Matara districts during the afternoon or night, the Department of Meteorology says in its weather forecast.