By Rathindra Kuruwita Brain drain is the worst manifestation of the country’s economic crisis, Freedom People’s Congress (FPC) member and MP, Prof. G.L Peiris, said on Thursday.Prof. Peiris said that a large number of academics had left state universities. In recent years, the number of students

Japan has asked Sri Lanka to secure a debt restructure deal with China before any discussion on reviving the Light Rail Transit (LRT) project scrapped by former president Gotabaya Rajapaksa, diplomatic sources said. Foreign minister Yoshimasa Hayashi made it clear during his brief visit to Colombo last week for talks with President Ranil Wickremesinghe that […]

Joining China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) project four years ago was a “hasty and disastrous” decision. This statement is from the Minister of Defense of Italy. An interview with Italian Defense Minister Guido Crosetto was published on Sunday, in which he said China’s involvement in the project was a “disastrous decision.” He also explained […]

The developing Indo-Lanka relations, particularly the process since early 2022 should be examined taking into consideration the significant role played by Sri Lanka’s High Commissioner in New Delhi Milinda Moragoda, who received the Cabinet rank. At the time President Gotabaya Rajapaksa sent the former UNP Minister, one -time close associate of UNP leader Ranil Wickremesinghe, […]

Land connectivity is essential for the growth of ties between India and its neighbouring country, Sri Lankan high commissioner to India Milinda Moragoda has said in an interview with The Hindu posted online on July 31, pitching for connectivity projects resembling the “Channel tunnel” from the U.K. to Europe as a possible future initiative if […]

Monday 31st July, 2023 French President Emmanuel Macron, who was here briefly, a few days ago, has reportedly pledged his country’s support for Sri Lanka’s debt restructuring process. Other creditor nations, too, have offered to help this country come out of the present economic crisis

In a veiled attack on China, National Security Adviser Ajit Doval said BRICS could work together on listing terrorists and their proxies under the UN counter-terrorism sanctions regime but emphasised that the process should be free from “politics and double standards.” Ajit Doval made the remarks during the meeting of the National Security Advisers of […]

Thursday 27th July, 2023 There have been umpteen all-party conferences (APCs) to explore ways and means of resolving Sri Lanka’s ethnic issues, and the latest one was held yesterday. The Opposition would have the public believe that President Ranil Wickremesinghe has undertaken to devolve more powers to the provinces in a bid to woo the […]

By Shamindra Ferdinando Thilini Kahandawaarachchi, on behalf of the Norwegian Embassy, on July 06, 2023, reminded the media of the closing down of the mission on July 31, 2023. In her capacity as the Senior Political Advisor at the mission, Kahandawaarachchi, stated that with effect from August 1, 2023, the Norwegian Embassy in New Delhi […]

Jawaharlal Nehru University facilitates talk on ‘structural genocide’ By Shamindra Ferdinando SLPP MP retired Rear Admiral Sarath Weerasekera yesterday (24) accused Canadian High Commissioner Eric Walsh of backing those propagating separatist sentiments. The former Public Security Minister, who is also the Chairman of the Parliamentary Oversight Committee on National Security, claimed that the HC’...

Monday 24th July, 2023 President Ranil Wickremesinghe has returned from New Delhi with a to-do list given by the Modi government. He will have Big Brother breathing down his neck hereafter. It has been reported that the SLPP-UNP government is planning to hold an all-party conference on the ethnic issue. Some of India’s dictates have […]

Sri Lanka is considering the possibility of allowing the use of the Indian rupee for local transactions, as the island nation struggles to build its depleted foreign reserves and to emerge from last year s unprecedented economic crisis.

(Excerpted from volume ii of the Sarath Amunugama autobiography) During one of my visits to Colombo I got a call to see the President at ‘Breamar’. Gamini Dissanayake had told him of my friendship with Parathasarathy and he wanted me to help him repair the damage done to their friendship due to the abuse heaped […]

In response to a severe debt crisis, the Sri Lankan government is taking prompt action to address the situation. One of the key measures being taken is the expediting of Free Trade Agreement (FTA) negotiations with China. Alongside this, Sri Lanka has expressed a strong interest in joining

Sri Lanka has notified the Indian rupee as a designated currency, Indian External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said on Thursday (July 20). “In terms of trading in our national currencies, Sri Lanka has already notified India Rupee as designated foreign currency in their system,” Bachi said during a weekly media interaction in New Delhi. […]