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Inflation cools on rupee strength rising interest rates

Published

3 years ago

2023/04/30

The Department of Census and Statistics said on Friday that the country’s key inflation rate eased to 35.3% in April from 50.3% in March.The Colombo Consumer Price Index (LKCCPI=ECI) (CCPI) reflected a reduction in food inflation to 30.6% in April from 47.6% in March, while non-food inflation reached 37.6, the Census and Statistics Department said in a statement.

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The contribution made by Victor Rathnayake to Sri Lanka’s musical landscape is immeasurable – PM

Published

5 mins ago

2026/02/25

Priyan

A special ceremony honoring Victor Rathnayake was organized by the Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation under the title “Subhawita Githaye Situvarayano…Abhinandabhishekaya of Dr. Victor Rathnayake”. The event was held on February 24 under the patronage of Prime Minister Harini Amarasuriya at the Kumaratunga Munidasa Auditorium of the Broadcasting Corporation.

The objective of the program was to honour the invaluable service rendered by Dr. Victor Rathnayake over more than six decades to Sri Lanka’s music sector and to the Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation. As a mark of appreciation, a portrait of Dr. Victor Rathnayake was also unveiled within the premises of the Broadcasting Corporation.

Addressing the gathering, Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya stated:

“I am an admirer of Dr. Victor Rathnayake. Therefore this very moment is special to me. I never imagined that I would one day have the opportunity to pay tribute to you so closely. This is a deeply joyful, and historic moment for me.

For more than sixty years, you have rendered a service to Sri Lanka’s music sphere that cannot be expressed in words. The first concert I watched during my childhood was your solo concert ’Sa’, which also holds the record as the most frequently staged solo musical concert in the country.

It was your songs that nurtured my love for the Sinhala language. Songs such as ’Kurullanta Gee Gayanna Obe Kata Handa Denna’ and ’Sangava Ganu Mena Sonduriya’ presented the aspect of love with subtlety and rare beauty. It is through these music that I have understood that music and the richness of language have the power to take us into a completely different world.

The concepts of harmony embedded within these songs are something we must speak about more. Through the musical composition and rendition of songs such as ’Oba Yana Gamane Mavatha Ahura’ created for the film ’Sarungale’, you naturally introduced us to the beauty of diverse cultures.

Truly, as a nation, we are extremely fortunate to have received a priceless treasure like you”.

The Prime Minister further noted that the special moments of people’s lives in this country are closely intertwined with the creations of Victor Rathnayake.

Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya also extended her best wishes for good health and long life to Dr. Victor Rathnayake, who celebrated his 84th birthday on February 18. She expressed her gratitude to the Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation for organizing such an event and stated that, despite the many challenges faced by the institution amid growing competition in the media sector, she firmly believes the Corporation possesses the strength to overcome them and move forward.

The Prime Minister also specially appreciated the Broadcasting Corporation’s efforts to honor living legends of Sri Lanka’s arts and culture.

The event was attended by the Minister of Buddhasasana, Religious and Cultural Affairs Dr. Hiniduma Sunil Senavi; Deputy Minister of Mass Media Dr. Kaushalya Ariyarathne; Dr. Rathna Sri Wijesinghe; Chairman of the Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation Senior Professor Uditha Gayashan Gunasekara; family members of Dr. Victor Rathnayake; his fans; and many other distinguished guests.

[Prime Minister’s Media Division]

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Navy seize an Indian fishing boat poaching in Mannar seas

Published

19 hours ago

2026/02/24

Priyan

During an operation conducted in the dark hours of 22 Feb 26, the Sri Lanka Navy seized an Indian fishing boat and apprehended twelve (12) Indian fishermen while they were poaching in Sri Lankan waters, in the sea area south of Mannar.

The seized boat and the Indian fishermen were handed over to the Fisheries Inspector of Dikovita for onward legal proceedings.

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Families of those sentenced to death for killing MP Atukorale seek AKD’s intervention

Published

24 hours ago

2026/02/24

Sahan Weerasooriya

FSL assures legal backing for them

Families of those sentenced to death by the Three-member Gampaha High Trial-at-Bar, over the killing of SLPP MP Amarakeerthi Atukorale, and his police bodyguard, met a senior official of the Presidential Secretariat, yesterday (23), to seek backing for their move to appeal against the verdict.

Having made representations, they addressed the media, outside the Presidential Secretariat, where they declared their intention to move the higher court against the decision.

The SLPP MP and his security officer were killed by an Aragalaya mob on 09 May, 2022, at Nittambuwa. The same day Aragalaya mobs unleashed violence against the then government MPs across the country, torching dozens of their properties.

The Frontline Socialist Party (FSP) yesterday said that they would help the families of those sentenced to death to move court against the Gampaha High Court Trial-at-Bar decision. Responding to The Island queries, FSP spokesman Pubudu Jayagoda said that their representatives had already met the families and necessary work was being done to move the Supreme Court. Twenty three persons were acquitted and four handed six-month prison terms, suspended for five years

Jayagoda said that one of the HC judges differed in the ruling. Asked whether they received backing from any other political party and groups that had been involved in the 2022 protest campaign to defend those who had been found guilty, Jayagoda said such support was lacking.

The JVP/NPP played a significant role in the violent protest campaign that forced President Gotabaya Rajapaksa to step down. Pointing out that the Attorney General, too, was appealing against the court decision on the basis that the number of persons sentenced to death should be much higher, Jayagoda said that the Nittambuwa incident couldn’t be examined in isolation without taking into consideration the SLPP goon attack on Galle Face protesters on 09 May, 2022. (SF)