Fitch Ratings upgraded Sri Lanka’s Long-Term Local-Currency Issuer Default Rating (IDR) to ‘CCC-‘ from ‘RD’ (Restricted Default), in its latest report.Fitch typically does not assign Outlooks to sovereigns with a rating of ‘CCC+’ or below. The Long-Term Foreign-Currency IDR has been affirmed at ‘RD’ and the Country Ceiling at ‘B-‘. ...

China will continue to firmly support Sri Lanka in pursuing a development path that suits its own national conditions, getting rid of the “poverty trap” and the “trap of non-development”, and safeguarding its independence, sovereignty, territorial integrity and national dignity, Ambassador Qi Zhenhong said at the 74th National Day Reception of the People’s Republic of [R...

Indian authorities are exploiting the recommendations of a global terrorism financing and money laundering watchdog to target civil society groups and activists and deliberately hinder their work, said Amnesty International in a new briefing released today. “Weaponizing counter-terrorism: India’s exploitation of terrorism financing assessments to target civil society” reveals how the r...

Sri Lanka’s High Commissioner to India Milinda Moragoda who is to complete his tenure in Delhi shortly, paid a farewell call on the Minister of Finance and Corporate Affairs of India Smt. Nirmala Sitharaman today (27) at the Finance Ministry in New Delhi. During the call, the High Commissioner expressed his appreciation to Minister Sitharaman […]

President Ranil Wickremesinghe delivering the opening speech at the ‘Berlin Global’ Dialogue in Berlin, Germany, today (28), expressed the need for a comprehensive dialogue between Western nations and China, the United States of America and China and the European Union and China, as a critical component of a robust international plan capable of addressing the […]

by SALIYA WEERAKOON and Prof. ALEX LIN CHEE LOK In 1914, Cambridge-educated D. R Wijewardena, arguably one of the most recognised entrepreneurs in the country, bought the Sinhala daily Dinamina. History also records that he purchased the English daily, Ceylon Daily News, in 1917. Consequently, Wijewardena is known as the press baron of the pre-independence of Ceylon. He […]

The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) handed over a consignment of 4,700 MT of soya beans and maize to Sri Lanka Thriposha Ltd, to support the continuation of the Thriposha fortified food programme. The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) facilitated the handover at a special event held at the Thriposha factory. This […]

The International Monetary Fund is concerned about a shortfall in revenue collection by Sri Lanka s government this year, though that is unlikely to derail a $2.9 billion loan programme for the crisis-hit country, two Sri Lankan sources told Reuters.

By Udari Abeyasinghe One of the principles of free education is to provide opportunities in higher education. In 2020, then-President Gotabaya Rajapaksa issued directives to the University Grants Commission (UGC) to increase university admissions by an additional 12,000 students, in line with his election manifesto. Subsequently, student enrollments were increased with inadequate resources allocat...

Dr. Gunadasa Amerasekera’s latest book, Mahagedera, has been launched. It is now available at leading bookshops, and the Colombo International Book Fair, which is currently on at the BMICH. Mahagedera is based on the current socio-political situation in Sri Lanka.

By Shamindra Ferdinando Governor of the Central Bank Dr. Nandalal Weerasinghe yesterday (25) questioned the conduct of some MPs who sought to direct public anger at officials over the economic crisis. Alleging that such an attempt had been made last year in the wake of attacks on politicians’ properties, Dr. Weerasinghe said that problems couldn’t […]

By Prageeth Janaka Colombo Archbishop Malcolm Cardinal Ranjith has called on the government to ensure a credible, transparent investigation into the Easter Sunday terror attacks. He has said the need for an international probe could be avoided if the inquiry is carried out with integrity and devoid of political influence. Addressing the media during the […]

The fifth Asia Pacific Forum of Ministers and Environment Authorities, the largest regional environmental event in the Asia Pacific region will convene in Colombo from October 3rd to October 6th. This forum is jointly organized by the Ministry of Environment and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). During an awareness press briefing held today (25) […]

asks govt. to implement PCoI recommendations now by Shamindra Ferdinando In the wake of State Defence Minister Pramitha Bandara Tennakoon’s declaration in Parliament that the State Intelligence Service (SIS) had successfully infiltrated the extremist group which carried out near simultaneous suicide attacks on 2019 Easter Sunday, the Catholic Church would like to know whether the Yahapalana govern...

Monday 25th September, 2023 Channel 4’s recent programme on the Easter Sunday attacks may have made the Rajapaksas squirm and landed President Ranil Wickremesinghe in an awkward position, but former President Maithripala Sirisena has become an unintended beneficiary thereof. It could not have come at a better time for him; he has had to pay […]

by Shihar Aneez State revenue has seen a shortfall of Rs. 100 billion as of now compared to the revenue target agreed with the International Monetary Fund (IMF), State Finance Minister Ranjith Siyambalapitiya said.Tax cuts for political reasons in December 2019 has resulted in a sharp fall in Sri Lanka’s tax revenue to GDP ratio, […]