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SL’s request to join BRICS on hold as group decides not to expand for the moment -Vijitha

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Foreign Minister Vijitha Herath

Foreign Minister Vijitha Herath yesterday told The Island that a section of the media had misinterpreted a decision taken by the current membership of BRICS not to expand the organisation for the moment as rejection of Sri Lanka’s application to join the organisation.

However, the grouping has accepted Sri Lanka’s request to become a member of their New Development Bank (NDB), Herath who is also the Cabinet spokesman said.

Established in 2015 by BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa), the NDB is a multilateral development bank aimed at mobilising resources for infrastructure and sustainable development projects in BRICS and other emerging markets and developing countries (EMDCs).

By providing such alternatives, BRICS countries challenge the influence of the U.S. and the West in global finance.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has issued the following statement regarding Sri Lanka’s application for BRICS membership: “As approved by the Cabinet on 7 October 2024, Sri Lanka applied for membership in BRICS and the New Development Bank (NDB). The Minister of Foreign Affairs Vijitha Herath wrote to his counterparts in BRICS member countries informing of Sri Lanka’s interest to join. President Anura Kumara Dissanayake also wrote to his Russian counterpart in this regard.

At the BRICS Outreach Summit held in Kazan, Russia 22-24 October 2024, Foreign Secretary Aruni Wijewardane, as leader of the Sri Lanka delegation announced Sri Lanka’s interest. At the Summit, the BRICS Member States also endorsed a new category of Partner Countries, whilst ‘welcoming the considerable interest by countries of the Global South in BRICS’ (Kazan Declaration).

Pending requests for BRICS membership from many countries including Sri Lanka will be considered by BRICS member countries in due course.

Sri Lanka’s intention to join the New Development Bank was welcomed by the President of the New Development Bank. The Foreign Ministry together with relevant Government agencies will review the procedures and timing in this regard.

There is no truth in the statement carried in certain local media that “Sri Lanka’s BRICS application has been rejected”. It is regrettable that the points made by the Minister of Foreign Affairs at the post-cabinet media conference on 6 November 2024 have been misrepresented.”



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Two (02) Indian trawlers poaching in Sri Lankan waters intercepted

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The Sri Lanka Navy and Coast Guard intercepted 02 Indian trawlers poaching in Sri Lankan waters and apprehended eight  Indian fishermen, during a special operation conducted off the Delft Island  today (08th December 2024.)

The Navy continues to conduct regular patrols and operations in Sri Lankan waters to curb illegal fishing practices of foreign fishing trawlers, taking into account the impact of those practices on the livelihood of local fishermen.

 

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Cummins takes five to lead Australia to thumping victory

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Pat Cummins celebrates a five-wicket haul [Cricinfo]

Pat Cummins’ five-wicket haul capped Australia’s dominance in the pink-ball Test at the Adelaide Oval as they leveled the series on the third afternoon with a statement win. The end was nigh for India when Mitchell Starc struck in the first over of the day with a perfectly pitched delivery to have Rishabh Pant nicking behind for his overnight score of 28. India folded for 175, a little over an hour into the first session. Needing 19, Usman Khawaja and Nathan McSweeney knocked off the runs within four overs.

India were in danger of conceding an innings win when Cummins was banging one bouncer after another. Ravichandran  Ashwin, Harshit Rana and Nitish Kumar Reddy all fell to short balls from the Australia captain. Much to the delight of the Adelaide crowd, their hero Travis Head pulled off a tumbling catch to dismiss No. 11 Mohammed Siraj, who had become public enemy No. 1 after giving Head a send off on day two.

Australia, though, didn’t need Head with the bat in their second innings as Khawaja and McSweeney applied the finishing touches for them.

Australia’s 25 run drubbing in Perth drew some hot takes, which surprised some of their players, but they produced a near-perfect response in Adelaide to achieve parity and set things up beautifully for the rest of the series.

Cummins, who didn’t look sharp enough with the ball in the first Test, was back to his best in the second. After having hit the top of Rohit’s off stump with the pink new ball under lights on Saturday, Cummins dragged his lengths further back with the older ball, which wasn’t swinging or seaming as much under natural light. He had Ashwin gloving behind and Rana popping up a catch to gully with a nastier bouncer.

Reddy stood up to Cummins and hooked a throat-high lifter over square leg for six, despite two men out on the leg-side boundary. But when Cummins angled one across him from around the wicket next ball, Reddy ramped it straight to fine third.

Reddy finished with 42 off 47 balls – it was the third time in four innings that he had top-scored for India in his maiden Test series. The hosts ended up facing only 81 overs across both innings, which contributed to the shortest pink ball Test in Australia and also the shortest between the two teams.

The Adelaide crowd of 33,184 had more reasons to cheer about when their adopted son McSweeney creamed a brace of fours in the slim chase and then when their favourite son Head bagged the Player-of-the-Match award.

Brief scores:
Australia 337 (Travis Head 140, Marnus Labuschagne 64, Jasprit Bumrah 4-61, Mohammed Siraj 4-98) and 19 for 0 beat India 180 (Nitish Kumar Reddy 42; Mitchell Starc 6-48, Pat Cummins 2-41) and 175 (Nitish Kumar Reddy 42;  Pat Cummins 5-57, Scott Boland 3-51) by ten wickets

[Cricinfo]

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Nadu Rice Prices Set: wholesale Rs. 225, retail Rs. 230

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President Anura Kumara Dissanayake has directed rice traders to sell Nadu rice to consumers at a wholesale price of Rs. 225 per kilo and a retail price of Rs. 230 per kilo.

The President also instructed the officials of the Consumer Affairs Authority to closely monitor the situation over the next ten days and strictly enforce the law against rice mill owners who fail to comply with the fixed prices.

President Dissanayake made these remarks during a meeting with officials from the Ministry of Trade, Commerce, Food Security and Cooperative Development, along with rice traders, at the Presidential Secretariat on Saturday (07).

The President highlighted that the largest investments in the country are allocated to the Ministry of Highways, followed by the Irrigation and Agriculture sectors, with substantial subsidies provided to farmers.

The President further pointed out that low-interest bank loans have been provided to traders for the purchase of paddy and urged rice traders not to undermine the public’s right to access affordable rice.

As a result, the following rice prices will be implemented
• Wholesale price of a kilo of Nadu rice: Rs. 225, Retail price: Rs. 230
• Wholesale price of a kilo of white rice: Rs. 215, Retail price: Rs. 220
• Retail price of a kilo of imported Nadu rice: Rs. 220
• Wholesale price of a kilo of Samba rice: Rs. 235, Retail price: Rs. 240
• Wholesale price of a kilo of Keeri Samba: Rs. 255, Retail price: Rs. 260

The President also strongly criticized rice mill owners for frequently changing rice prices on a daily basis and instructed the Consumer Affairs Authority to monitor the daily rice production and distribution by mills.

Furthermore, President Dissanayake urged the rice traders to collaborate with the government in resolving the rice-related issues in an amicable manner.

The meeting was attended by Minister of Trade, Commerce, Food Security and Cooperative Development Wasantha Samarasinghe, Secretary to the President Dr. Nandika Sanath Kumanayake, Secretary to the Ministry of Trade, Commerce, Food Security and Cooperative Development A. Wimalenthirajah, Secretary to the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, Lands and Irrigation D.P. Wickramasinghe, Director General of the Department of Development Finance Malarmathy Gangatharan, Acting Director General of the Department of Agriculture Dr. S.K. Wasala, Chairman of the Consumer Affairs Authority Hemantha Samarakoon, Chairman of the Paddy Marketing Board A.M.U. Pinnalanda, Director of the Hector Kobbekaduwa Agricultural Research and Training Institute A.L. Chandika, among other officials.

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