Latest News
Land belonging to the people should rightfully remain with them – President at the Jaffna DCC Meeting
President Anura Kumara Disanayake stated that land belonging to the people should rightfully remain with them. He further emphasized that the issue of land disputes in the Northern Province is under review and that steps are being taken to expedite the process of returning land to its rightful owners.
The President highlighted that while the government has the authority to acquire land anywhere in the country for development projects or security purposes, it is imperative that alternative land is provided to those affected.
President Disanayake made these remarks during the Jaffna District Coordination Committee (DCC) Meeting held on Friday (31) at the Jaffna District Secretariat.
He also stressed that the Jaffna President’s House will be fully repurposed for a project of greater significance to the people of the region. He urged officials to submit suitable proposals for this initiative.
The President instructed officials to investigate and take swift action regarding reports that families displaced by the war are still residing in the Northern Province.
He also noted that a committee, led by the Secretary to the Prime Minister, has identified approximately 30,000 vacancies in state institutions. He assured that these vacancies would be filled in accordance with the established recruitment process, ensuring opportunities for university graduates as well.
Additionally, the President announced that Tamil-speaking youth will be given greater opportunities to apply for vacancies in the Police Department and encouraged them to come forward for recruitment.
The government has also planned to implement a comprehensive strategy to strengthen the transportation system in the Northern Province. This includes launching a joint bus operation project between the Sri Lanka Transport Board (SLTB) and private bus operators. Furthermore, attention has been directed toward increasing the frequency of train services in the region.
The President stated that three new industrial zones will be established in Paranthan, Mankulam, and Kankesanthurai to improve the living standards of the people in the Northern Province. He also extended an invitation to Sri Lankans who left the country due to the war to invest in these projects.
The government is prioritizing the Northern Province in its development plans, ensuring targeted initiatives for the region, the President emphasized.
He further revealed that with an estimated 2.5 million tourists expected to visit Sri Lanka next year, the government will identify and promote new tourist attractions in the Northern Province to boost tourism in the region.
Additionally, the President assured that new recruitments for the state sector in the Northern Province will be carried out without political interference, while efforts will be made to further strengthen public service in the region.
President Anura Kumara Disanayake stated that the government would engage in maximum diplomatic intervention to resolve the fisheries-related issues affecting the region.
Additionally, he highlighted that the Northern Province has been identified as the region with the lowest consumption of piped drinking water in the country. In response, he emphasized the need to accelerate the on-going water supply projects in the area. Furthermore, he announced that funds have been allocated in the upcoming budget for the implementation of new water supply projects to improve access to clean drinking water in the province.
President Anura Kumara Disanayake acknowledged the numerous challenges faced by the people in the Northern Province and emphasized the government’s commitment to strengthening the education, healthcare, transportation and agricultural sectors, along with the overall public service in the region. He further stated that both political authority and state mechanisms must work together to uplift the living standards of the people.
The Jaffna District Coordinating Committee meeting was attended by several key figures, including Minister of Fisheries, Aquatic and Ocean Resources, and Chairman of the Jaffna District Coordinating Committee Ramalijngam Chandrasekar, Minister of Transport, Highways, Ports, and Civil Aviation Bimal Rathnayake, Members of Parliament (NPP), Ilankumaran Karunanandan, Dr. Saravanabhavanandan Shanmuganathan, Rajivan Jayachandramurthy, Ramanathan Archuna, Member of Parliament (ITAK) Sivagnanam Sridharan, Member of Parliament (AITC) Gajendrakumar Ponnambalam, Governor of the Northern Province Nagalingam Vedanayagam, Chief Secretary of the Northern Province L. Ilangovan, Jaffna District Secretary M. Pradeepan, Acting Inspector General of Police Priyantha Weerasooriya and Senior military officials overseeing the Northern region, along with other government officials.
[PMD]
Australia brushed aside any concern over Galle’s fickle weather by steamrolling through Sri Lanka’s listless batting order across two innings on day four to complete a near-flawless performance in the first Test.
After two sessions on day three were washed out, Australia’s push for a straightforward victory appeared under some threat with wet weather also forecast for later on the fourth day.
But the rain held off and Australia resumed their domination by remarkably claiming 15 wickets to seal a massive innings and 242-run victory in a match that effectively only lasted nine sessions. Such was the gulf between the sides, Australia batted 154 overs in their sole innings compared to Sri Lanka’s 106.5 overs spread over two innings.
It was a brilliant performance from a new-look Australia without skipper Pat Cummins and boasting a spin-heavy attack. Everything went to plan for stand-in captain Steven Smith after he won a favourable toss and Australia capitalised on a slow surface to post their highest ever total in Asia.
Australia’s decision to reshuffle their batting order proved a masterstroke with Josh Inglis scoring a rapid century on debut. So too selecting three spinners with left-armer Matthew Kuhnemann underlining his value in the subcontinent with nine wickets for the match having made a speedy recovery from a thumb injury sustained in a BBL game on January 16.
Australia were well prepared and executed their plans with bat and ball superbly, but they came up against an inept Sri Lanka. Matches between the teams traditionally have been highly competitive in this terrain, but Sri Lanka were completely outclassed and will need to regroup quickly before the second Test at the same venue starting on February 6.
The result means Australia have retained the Warne-Muralidaran Trophy.
Brief scores:
Australia 654 for 6 dec beat Sri Lanka 165 and 247 (Jeffrey Vandersay 53*, Angelo Mathews 41, Nathan Lyon 4-78, Matthew Kuhnemann 4-86) by an innings and 242 runs
US President Donald Trump will impose tariffs of 25% on Mexico, 25% on Canada and 10% on China today [01], says the White House.
But Trump said on Friday that Canadian oil would be hit with lower tariffs of 10%, which could take effect later, on 18 February.
The president also said he planned to impose tariffs on the European Union in the future, saying the bloc had not treated the US well.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said the Canada and Mexico duties were in response to “the illegal fentanyl that they have sourced and allowed to distribute into our country, which has killed tens of millions of Americans”.
Trump has also repeatedly said the move was to address the large amounts of undocumented migrants that have come across US borders as well as trade deficits with its neighbours.
Ms Leavitt told a news briefing at the White House on Friday: “These are promises made and promises kept by the President.”
During the election campaign, Trump threatened to hit Chinese-made products with tariffs of up to 60%, but held off on any immediate action on his first day back in the White House, instead ordering his administration to study the issue.
US goods imports from China have flattened since 2018, a statistic that economists have attributed in part to a series of escalating tariffs that Trump imposed during his first term.
Earlier this month, a top Chinese official warned against protectionism as Trump’s return to the presidency renews the threat of a trade war between the world’s two biggest economies – but did not mention the US by name.
Addressing the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, Ding Xuexiang, Vice Premier of China, said his country was looking for a “win-win” solution to trade tensions and wanted to expand its imports.
China, Canada and Mexico are the top US trading partners, accounting for 40% of the goods imported into the US last year, and fears are rising that the new steep levies could kick off a major trade war as well as push up prices in the US.
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said on Friday: “It’s not what we want, but if he moves forward, we will also act.”
Canada and Mexico have already said that they would respond to US tariffs with measures of their own, while also seeking to assure Washington that they were taking action to address concerns about their US borders.
The BBC has reached out to the Chinese embassy in the US for comment.
If US imports of oil from Canada and Mexico are hit with levies it risks undermining Trump’s promise to bring down the cost of living.
Tariffs are an import tax on goods that are produced abroad.
In theory, taxing items coming into a country means people are less likely to buy them as they become more expensive.
The intention is that they buy cheaper local products instead – boosting a country’s economy.
But the cost of tariffs on imported energy could be passed on to businesses and consumers, which may increase the prices of everything from petrol to groceries.
Around 40% of the crude that runs through US oil refineries is imported, and the vast majority of it comes from Canada.
On Friday, Trump agreed tariff costs are sometimes passed along to consumers and that his plans may cause disruption in the short-term.
Mark Carney, the former head of Canada’s and England’s central banks, told BBC Newsnight on Friday that the tariffs will hit economic growth and drive up inflation.
“They’re going to damage the US’s reputation around the world,” said Carney, who is also in the running to replace Prime Minister Trudeau as leader of Canada’s Liberal Party.
[BBC]
Australia’s mood brightened considerably under clear skies in Galle as they resumed their complete dominance of the first Test with spinners Matthew Kunhnemann and Nathan Lyon running through a hapless Sri Lanka early on day four.
Sri Lanka lost 5 for 9 to be bowled out for 165 in their first innings just 45 minutes into the day’s play. With a lead of 489 runs and with his bowlers well rested, stand-in captain Steven Smith as expected decided to enforce the follow-on.
Kuhnemann celebrated his first Test match in almost two years with three wickets in the morning session to finish with 5 for 63, while Lyon took 3-57.
Sri Lanka’s dismal performance in this match continued with only Dinesh Chandimal offering resistance with a classy 72 and they will have to muster a much-improved effort in their second-innings to save the Test.
After the final two sessions on day three were washed out, Australia’s nerves were heightened with rain forecast in the afternoon.
Resuming at 136 for 5, Sri Lanka found themselves with unexpected hope of surviving with a draw due to the wet weather. But they desperately needed Chandimal to kick on having compiled an attractive half-century on day three.
The pressure was on Chandimal and wicketkeeper Kusal Mendis as the last recognised batters before the tail.
Smith deployed spinners Kuhnemann and Lyon from the get-go as Chandimal unfurled the reverse sweep which he had used to good effect on the truncated day three.
It was a cautious start from Sri Lanka’s batters with Kuhnemann extracting awkward bounce that occasionally reared off the surface. Mendis went to his favoured sweep shot against Kuhnemann and he whacked a boundary to raise Sri Lanka’s 150.
But Australia were well prepared with their tactics and baited Mendis into the sweep shot with two fielders positioned deep square of the wicket. Mendis couldn’t contain himself and top-edged a sweep to be well caught by a running Todd Murphy at square leg.
The burden fell to Chandimal, who had been unable to recapture his fluency from earlier in the innings. His rearguard finally ended when he missed a reverse sweep to fall lbw to Lyon as he reviewed in vain.
Sri Lanka’s tail folded quickly with Kuhnemann claiming his second five-wicket haul of his Test career.
Brief scores:
Sri Lanka 165 in 52.2 overs (Dinesh Chandimal 72, de Silva 22, Kusal Mendis 21; Matthew Kuhnemann 5-63, Nathan Lyon 3-57, Mitchell Starc 2-13) trail Australia 654 for 6 dec by 489 runs
[Cricinfo]
Kuhnemann, Lyon consign Sri Lanka to their biggest defeat
Trump to hit Canada, Mexico and China with tariffs
Land belonging to the people should rightfully remain with them – President at the Jaffna DCC Meeting
-
Opinion5 days agoCost of ‘Sinhala Only’
-
Features5 days agoA conversation that cannot be delayed
-
Sports5 days agoAussies brought the best out of me – Aravinda
-
Features6 days agoNihal Fernando: Journey and Legacy
-
Opinion6 days agoNalini S. Kariyawasam – A personification of charming magnanimous lady
-
Life style6 days agoThe Hidden City in United Kingdom
-
Features6 days agoChaos and Pattern – Memoirs of Godfrey Goonetilleke
-
Editorial5 days agoOnly delivery can save govts.