Latest News
President’s Fund initiates two new Scholarship Programs
As per the instructions of President Ranil Wickremesinghe, the President’s Fund has initiated two additional scholarship programs alongside the on-going scholarship initiatives.
These scholarships will be extended to monks, nuns, and lay students enrolled in Piriven and Seelamatha Educational Institutions, as well as those pursuing Information and Communication Technology (ICT) at G.C.E. (Advanced Level), effective from May 2024.
The scholarship distribution will cover all 822 Piriven and Seelamatha Educational Institutions across the country. A total of 06 scholarships will be granted to each institution. The selection of scholarship recipients from the respective departments/Seelamatha Educational Institutions will be the responsibility of the Parivenadhipathi Thero/Institution Director.
Scholarships will be granted in two categories, with an anticipated 5000 scholarships set aside for lay scholars. Under the first category, scholarships will amount to Rs. 3000 per month for 12 months, beginning in May 2024. The second category will offer scholarships at Rs. 6000 per month for a duration of 24 months.
Further details and the application form will be made available on the official website of the President’s Fund, www.presidentsfund.gov.lk, as well as on the official Facebook page, www.facebook.com/president.fund. Additionally, the application and instructions will be published in the Government Gazette on 10th May 2024.
Candidates interested in this scholarship program must submit duly completed application forms to the Parivenadhipathi/Head of Institute by 22nd May 2024. The selected scholarship recipients’ names, chosen by the Parivenadhipathi/Head of Institution, will be forwarded to the Director of (Piriwen) at the Ministry of Education via the Regional Assistant Director of Education (Piriwen).
Under the guidance of the President, a scholarship program has commenced with operational backing from the President’s Fund, utilizing funds provided by the Telecommunications Regulatory Commission of Sri Lanka for the students who are following Information and Communication Technology (ICT) as a subject for G.C.E. (Advanced Level) Examination.
This scholarship program aims to cover all education zones across the country, with a minimum provision of 50 scholarships per zone. Eligible students will receive a monthly scholarship of Rs. 6000 for up to 24 months starting from May 2024 until they sit for the G.E.C (Advanced Level) Examination.
For information on qualifications and application details, applicants can refer to the official Facebook account of the President’s Fund (www.facebook.com/president.fund ) and the website www.presidentsfund.gov.lk. Additionally, details will be available on the official website of the Ministry of Education: www.moe.gov.lk.
Information regarding this initiative has also been posted on the official website of the Telecommunications Regulatory Commission.
Eligible students interested in applying for these scholarships are required to submit their completed applications directly to the President’s Fund via registered post by 22nd May 2024. Furthermore, the application form and instructions are scheduled to be published in the Government Gazette on 10th May 2024.
In line with the President’s manifesto presented to Parliament on 07th February 2024, the President’s Fund has initiated several scholarship programs for school students in 2024, which are presently underway and progressing smoothly.
The scholarship program to support the students with financial difficulties, who have passed G.C.E. (Ordinary Level) Examination in the academic year 2022/2023, was initiated in the 100 education zones across the country while selecting 60 students from each educational zone. This program offers a monthly scholarship of Rs. 6000 to aid students until they sit for the GCE (Advanced Level) Examination.
Currently, 6000 scholarship recipients have been selected under this program, and their details have been published on the official Facebook page and website of the President’s Fund. The disbursement of scholarships to these recipients is scheduled to commence from April 2024, along with the clearance of any pending arrears.
In the meantime, the President’s Fund has launched a scholarship initiative targeting 100,000 students in grades 1 to 11 facing financial difficulties in accessing education. Covering all 10,126 schools in the country, the program aims to distribute scholarships of Rs.3, 000 per month to eligible students. Each school is set to receive a minimum of 04 scholarships and a maximum of 22 scholarships. Presently, the selection process for these scholarships is in progress, with the distribution scheduled to take place soon.
At present, the President’s Fund is collecting information on scholarship applicants from the zonal education offices. Once all necessary details are computerized, the scholarship distribution process will commence, with funds directly deposited into individual bank accounts on a monthly basis. Recipients will receive confirmation via SMS upon receiving the scholarship.
(PMD)
New Zealand won the toss and elected to bowl first in the first semi-final at Eden Gardens
New Zealand: Tim Seifert (wk), Finn Allen, Rachin Ravindra, Glenn Phillips, Daryl Mitchell, Mark Chapman, Mitchell Santner (capt), James Neesham, Cole McConchie, Matt Henry, 11 Lockie Ferguson
South Africa: Aiden Markram (capt), Quinton de Kock (wk), Ryan Rickelton, Dewald Brevis, David Miller, Tristan Stubbs, Marco Jansen, Corbin Bosch, Kagiso Rabada, Keshav Maharaj, Lungi Ngidi
Around 140 people are missing after an Iranian navy ship sank off the coast of Sri Lanka.
The Sri Lankan navy says around 180 people were on board, with 32 rescued. A spokesman tells the BBC the cause of the sinking is not known
Sri Lanka’s navy has confirmed that it’s rescued 32 people after it received a distress call from Iranian navy ship ‘IRIS Dena’ early this morning.
Budhika Sampath, the spokesman of Sri Lanka’s navy says: “Though it was beyond our waters, it was within our search and rescue region. So we were obliged to respond as per international obligations.”
He adds: “We found people floating on the water, rescued them, and later when we inquired we found that those people are from an Iranian ship.”
He also says that according to the documentation of the ship 180 people are believed to have been on board, although the exact number of missing is unknown.
The spokesman says at the time of launching the rescue operations they did not see the vessel but saw oil patches on the water and floating life rafts.
He also tells the BBC that he rejects the reports of a submarine attack causing the sinking, and that the cause is unknown.
Earlier the secretary of the country’s defence ministry Air Vice Marshal Sampath Thuiyakontha told BBC Sinhala that around 140 people are thought to be missing.
So far, Sri Lanka’s military has not been able to confirm what might have caused the ship to sink.
[BBC]
The good thing about South Africa – New Zealand semi-finals is it gives neutrals at least one team to cheer for in the final. Two generally likeable sides who have – somehow – yet to lift an ICC white-ball trophy between them since 2000 vie for yet one more crack at it, as they look to edge each other out. South Afria’s heartache c in these tournaments is well-documented, but New Zealand make semi finals more consistently than any other side over the past two decades, and are yet to string the two matches together from this stage onwards that would propel them to glory.
There is, often, little to choose between these two but, this time around, a clear favourite has emerged. South Africa are unbeaten this tournament, and that includes a trouncing, of New Zealand in the group stages. They have played all their games in India, which has allowed them to make full use of their fast bowlers without needing to turn to spin in any extensive way, which plays into their strengths.
With 268 runs at a strike rate of 175, captain Aiden Markram has been arguably the best opener in the tournament, while a middle- and lower-order comprising Dewald Brevis, David Miller, Tristan Stubbs and Marco Jansen is the envy of any side in the competition. In Jansen, Corbin Bosch, Kagiso Rabada and Lungi Ngidi – the highest wicket-taker remaining in the tournament – they have high pace as well as great variety, with Keshav Maharaj getting through the spin overs. It is hard to imagine how South Africa could have covered all bases more comprehensively.
New Zealand’s campaign has proved much less straightforward, and it is harder to gauge the true nature of their quality and their ability to contend for this title. They beat Afghanistan, Canada and the UAE through the group stages, before a washout against Pakistan and defeat to England left them relying on an external result to qualify. They owe their place in the last four to a commanding win over Sri Lanka, one which had its own hiccups along the way.
They have had to adjust, though, playing their group matches in India before going off to Sri Lanka for the Super Eight. They are back in India again, with Kolkata the venue for the semi-final, which will likely see them pull back their use of spin and turn to the quicker bowlers again. Their strength is a gun top-order, with Finn Allen and Tim Seifert in consistently explosive form, and great flexibility with the ball thanks to a surfeit of allrounders, a deep batting order, and fast bowlers than can neatly blend back into the side for spinners without disrupting the balance of the line-up.
Both sides have been knocking on the door for silverware for long enough. Once more, they chip away at it in the hope that this time, their efforts will be enough to blow the house down.
Rachin Ravindra was the stand out player in Lahore last year, the last time these two sides met in an ICC semi-final at the 2025 Champions Trophy. He scored a century that set New Zealand on its way before keeping things tight with the ball. At this tournament, he played a central two-in-one role for New Zealand in the Super Eight in Colombo where the ball gripped and stopped, but on the flatter strips of Eden Gardens it is with the bat that he will be more important to New Zealand. Ravindra has a phenomenally good ICC record, but at this tournament, his batting hasn’t quite clicked in the same way. All that can be put to rest facing a team against whom he has enjoyed big-match success.
Aiden Markram has towered over almost any other batter at this tournament, and is the highest run-scorer among sides still alive. He saved his best innings for the game against New Zealand in the groups, pulverising an unbeaten 86 off 44 to seal a comfortable win. It is one of three destructive half-centuries he has scored at this World Cup. His clean aerial hitting through the powerplay has proven almost impossible to counter for bowlers when in this kind of form, especially if he cannot be snared early, as India and Zimbabwe recently managed. Markram has also demonstrated his ability to rise to the biggest of occasions, as evidenced by his fourth innings hundred in the World Test Championship final against Australia last year. A semi-final here is unlikely to overawe him.
Matt Henry arrives in Kolkata tonight after returning home for the birth of his second child. He will not train, but is likely to line up in the XI on Wednesday. With New Zealand returning to the less spin-friendly India, Ish Sodhi might make way for Jimmy Neesham.
New Zealand: Tim Seifert (wk), Finn Allen, Rachin Ravindra, Glenn Phillips, Mark Chapman, Daryl Mitchell, Mitchell Santner (capt), Cole McConchie/Jacob Duffy, Jimmy Neesham, Matt Henry, Lockie Ferguson
South Africa’s top seven is set in stone. On a pitch as flat as Kolkata’s, they are unlikely to go with any more than one spinner.
South Africa: Quinton de Kock (wk), Aiden Markram (capt), Ryan Rickelton, Dewald Brevis, David Miller, Tristan Stubbs, Marco Jansen, Corbin Bosch, Kagiso Rabada, Keshav Maharaj, Lungi Ngidi
[Cricinfo]
Cabinet nod to accept Japanese government grant of 08 used low floorboard buses
Payment of the financial subsidy for fertilizer to farmers cultivating paddy lands for the Yala season 2026.
Ministerial Committee appointed to submit recommendations on proposed program to mitigate loss of crops to wild animals
New Zealand elect to bowl first at Eden Gardens
Cabinet approves import of Maize to meet shortfall
Cabinet nod for the removal of Cess tax imposed on imported good
‘Dates have the highest sugar content to fight Coronavirus’
Sunday Island 27 December – Headlines
#SundayIsland 17th December – Headlines
Sunday Island – 28th March
Sunday Island Headlines – 21 March
Sunday Island – 21st February – Headlines
-
Features3 days agoBrilliant Navy officer no more
-
Opinion6 days agoJamming and re-setting the world: What is the role of Donald Trump?
-
Features6 days agoAn innocent bystander or a passive onlooker?
-
Features7 days agoRatmalana Airport: The Truth, The Whole Truth, And Nothing But The Truth
-
Opinion3 days agoSri Lanka – world’s worst facilities for cricket fans
-
Business7 days agoIRCSL transforms Sri Lanka’s insurance industry with first-ever Centralized Insurance Data Repository
-
Business6 days agoAn efficacious strategy to boost exports of Sri Lanka in medium term
-
Features4 days agoOverseas visits to drum up foreign assistance for Sri Lanka