Two million schoolchildren to get mid-day meal from next term: Minister

21 Mar 2023

3

A national program that currently provides one mid-day meal for schoolchildren will be increased to 2 million at the start of the next school term, Education Minister Susil Premajayantha said.

Fuel prices will be reduced considerably next month: Kanchana

21 Mar 2023

7

Fuel prices would be reduced by a considerable margin at the routine fuel price revision according to the fuel price formula next month, Power and Energy Minister Kanchana Wijesekara said today.

Revise new tax policy...

21 Mar 2023

4

The Entrepreneurs Struggle Movement today held a protest in front of the Central Bank, demanding the government revise the new tax policy. Pix by Nimalsiri Edirisinghe

Wet zone hill country leopard population is increasing

21 Mar 2023

2

The population of wet zone hill country leopards (Panthera Pardus Kotiya) has been increasing in large proportions, environmentalists say.

Already celebrating…

21 Mar 2023

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Several people are seen in the Maradana area of Colombo celebrating the IMF’s approval of a loan facility. Pix by Pradeep Dilrukshana

Keshara at Ridiyagama Safari Park dies due to pneumonia

21 Mar 2023

1

The male lion named Keshara at the Ridiyagama Safari Park died due to pneumonia, issues with its heart, and a prolonged period of depression, officials said today.

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Teacher transfers to go ahead as scheduled except for O/L, A/L teachers: Susil

21 Mar 2023

1

Refuting allegations that it was an unlawful and arbitrary decision to dissolve Teacher Transfer Boards, Education Minister Susil Premajayantha said today a decision has been taken to make the teacher transfers as approved by the Teacher Transfer Board except for the teachers who are teaching O/L and A/L classes.

Gazette notification to conduct Law College examinations only in English defeated in Parliament

21 Mar 2023

7

The gazette notification, which was issued making it compulsory to conduct Law College examinations only in English, was defeated in Parliament by 113 votes.

Never recommended postponing LG elections - IMF

21 Mar 2023

5

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) today said that it did not interfere in the Local Government election processes and had never recommended postponing those elections in Sri Lanka.

IMF responds after EFF approved for Sri Lanka

20 Mar 2023

1

The Executive Board of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) has approved a 48-month extended arrangement under the Extended Fund Facility (EFF) with an amount of SDR 2.286 billion (395 percent of quota or about US$3 billion), the IMF said a short while ago.

IMF approves funding for Sri Lanka

20 Mar 2023

41

The Executive Board of the IMF has approved Sri Lanka’s USD 2.9bn bailout package, State Minister of Finance, Shehan Semasinghe confirmed to Daily Mirror a short while ago.

Cabinet approves divestment of shares in SLT & Lanka Hospital

20 Mar 2023

4

Treasury Secretary Mahinda Siriwardena has informed the board of directors of the Lanka Hospitals Corporation PLC and Sri Lanka Telecom PLC that the Cabinet have granted approval in principle for the divestment of major shareholding of those institutions.

Sri Lankans happier this year than last year, World Happiness Report finds

20 Mar 2023

10

Finland has been voted the happiest place in the world for the sixth consecutive year while Sri Lanka was ranked 112th, according to the World Happiness Report 2023 released on Monday.

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Importing egg extract could cause spreading of Salmonella bacteria: Poultry Association

20 Mar 2023

11

The All Island Poultry Association (AIPA) said today that the government’s decision to import egg extract will pose a risk of salmonella contamination, President of the All Island Poultry Association, Mathalee Jayasekara said.

Teacher transfer discussions fail

All teacher unions to gather at Fort Station Wednesday: Stalin

20 Mar 2023

10

Following failed discussions with the Education Ministry officials today, all teachers’ trade unions have decided to gather at the Fort Railways Station on Wednesday (22) to take further decisions about their trade union actions, Ceylon Teachers’ Union (CTU) General Secretary Joseph Stalin said.

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IMF bailout: SL expects first tranche of USD 320Mn within two weeks

20 Mar 2023

5

State Minister of Finance Ranjith Siyambalapitiya said that Sri Lanka may receive the first tranche of US$ 320 million of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) bailout package of US$ 2.9 billion within the next two weeks.

Central Bank sues pyramid schemers

20 Mar 2023

3

The Central Bank of Sri Lanka (CBSL) has requested the Attorney General to file criminal cases against three prohibited pyramid schemes as those schemes are acting contrary to the Section 83C of the Banking Act.

Steady inflow of tourist arrivals..

20 Mar 2023

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A group of foreign tourists who came to Sri Lanka were seen walking through Independence Square in Colombo. Sri Lanka is currently witnessing a steady inflow of tourist arrivals for the month of March, with the arrivals crossing the 50,000 mark. Pix by Pradeep Pathirana

AG to raise objections against Harak Kata’s writ petition

20 Mar 2023

2

The Attorney General today informed the Court of Appeal that he is expecting to raise limited objections against the writ petition filed on behalf of Nadun Chinthaka Wickramaratne alias “Harak Kata.

‘Spoken English’ in all National Schools from March 30: Minister

20 Mar 2023

24

Considering the specialty and importance of the English language, the Education Ministry has decided to teach ‘Spoken English’ in all national schools, starting from grade one from March 30.