IMF says sustaining Sri Lanka’s reform momentum ‘critical’

The International Monetary Fund late on Friday said Sri Lanka continues to make important progress on fiscal consolidation but needs to keep up the reform momentum to boost economic growth.



FOUR SC JUDGES DECLINE TO HEAR GOTA’s PLEA

Four Supreme Court Judges have declined to sit on the Bench to hear the Fundamental Rights petition filed by former Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa, citing personal reasons.



CDB bags Sri Lanka mandate

China Development Bank has knocked out commercial lenders on a US$ 1 billion loan for the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, underscoring China’s ability to support the Belt and Road initiative with cheap financing.



AG’s advice sought to release full bond commission report – President’s Secretary

President’s Secretary Austin Fernando says that he has sought the Attorney General’s advice to release the full report of the Commission of Inquiry appointed to investigate the Central Bank treasury bond scam.



‘Anyone in the Judicial sector to go behind politicians is bad’, President emphasized

President Maithripala Sirisena says it is not suitable to create an environment where anyone in the Judicial sector to go behind the politicians when the government is implementing the policy of upholding the rule of law.He made these remarks participating in an event to open the new court complex in Waththala, yesterday (May31th).



Loans of drought affected to be cancelled

The Government is taking measures to cancel the loans taken by the poor from the micro finance companies in the drought affected areas, Finance and Mass Media Minister Mangala Samaraweera said yesterday.



Sri Lanka Cricket Chief Hits Back At Arjuna Ranatunga

Sri Lanka’s cricket chief on Thursday lambasted former skipper Arjuna Ranatunga for casting a corruption shadow over the country’s 2011 World Cup defeat and in turn questioned Ranatunga’s actions as a player.



Field Marshal ready to contest next prez poll

KANDY – Minister Field Marshal Sarath Fonseka has said in Kandy that he will contest the 2020 presidential election if his party gave him nomination.



China’s free trade talks with Sri Lanka hit major hurdles

Talks between China and Sri Lanka for a free trade agreement have hit major hurdles, mainly because Beijing will not agree to Colombo’s demand for a review of the deal after 10 years, Sri Lanka’s top negotiator said.



JO decides to oppose 20A

The hierarchy of the joint opposition unanimously decided yesterday to oppose the 20th Amendment to the Constitution proposed by the JVP to abolish the Executive Presidency, an official said.



President loses his cool

President Maithripala Sirisena said, the late Ven. Maduluwawe Sobhitha Thera never intended to choose a common candidate, for the Presidential Election, with the aim of stealing from the Central Bank.



Sri Lanka signs deal with Schlumberger subsidiary for $50 million seismic study

Sri Lanka on Wednesday signed an agreement with a subsidiary of U.S. firm Schlumberger for a $50 million seismic study off the country’s east coast to evaluate any prospective oil resources, a senior government official said.



Railways goes to CID over sabotage

The Railway Department has registered a complaint with the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) that the railway workers on strike have caused damages train engines and compartments, Additional General Manager (Operations) Vijaya Samarasinghe said.



New Sri Lanka Map launch tomorrow

New Map of Sri Lanka which consists additional two square kilometer land due to image of Port City produced by the Survey Department will be launched tomorrow (31st May)



118 people benefited from the Bond Scam – Dayasiri Jayasekara

It seems that are many individuals who had benefitted from the Bond Scam. Former Minister Dayasiri Jayasekera is the latest name to become embroiled in this incident after details came to light regarding a bank cheque



GMOA calls for more vaccines as flu death toll rises

Although a batch of flu vaccines is on the way, the Karapitiya Teaching Hospital in Galle is still under-equipped and underfunded to deal with the current flu epidemic, GMOA Co-Secretary Kanchika Samararatne said on Tuesday.