News
US Defence Secy calls President

United State Secretary of Defense Dr. Mark T. Esper
The United State Secretary of Defense Dr. Mark T. Esper had spoken with President Gotabaya Rajapaksa over the phone on Sunday, the U.S. Department of Defense said in a media release.
During the call, Secretary Esper congratulated the President on his successful handling of the COVID-19 pandemic and the recent conclusion of parliamentary elections.
The Secretary has also urged continued progress on reconciliation and human rights in Sri Lanka and discussed enhancing bilateral defense relations.
“Reviewing common bilateral defense priorities, they noted opportunities to enhance military professionalization, counter-terrorism, and maritime security cooperation. Both leaders expressed their commitment to expanding bilateral defense relations and to advancing shared interests,” the release said.
The two leaders have also discussed their shared commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific that ensures the sovereignty of all nations.
Following the call Secretary Esper tweeted that he had a good talk with the President.
“Good talk today with Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa. We discussed our cooperation in responding to COVID 19 & the international security environment. We look to deepen CT & maritime security cooperation, and I encouraged continued progress on human rights & reconciliation in Sri Lanka.”
News
Economic crisis: 100,000 families already starving

Govt. to provide monthly assistance package – official
By Ifham Nizam
Plans are underway to assist an average needy family of four with a monthly package of Rs. 15,000, a senior adviser to President Ranil Wickremesinghe said yesterday, adding that the move was expected to help ameliorate the plight of nearly 65,000 families.
Food Security Committee Chairman Dr. Suren Batagoda told The Island yesterday that at present some 100,000 families across the country were starving.
He said financial assistance would be provided to those families for three months. Within three months, the government would design a package in the form of food stamps, etc.
Dr. Batagoda said the World Food Programme, UNICEF, the World Bank, and state agencies would also team up to strengthen food security, focusing especially on needy pregnant mothers and pre-school children.
News
GR govt. ignored Chinese lenders’ request for debt restructuring

By Rathindra Kuruwita
The Gotabaya Rajapaksa government had ignored suggestions by Chinese lending institutions that Sri Lanka to restructure the debt in 2021, Prof. Samitha Hettige said yesterday.
“The Rajapaksa government started talking of debt restructuring earlier this year. The Opposition had been asking for this before,” he said. By 2021, before the Gotabaya Rajapaksa administration decided on debt restructuring, the Chinese institutions that had given Sri Lanka loans suggested that a restructuring process should start since Sri Lanka would have trouble repaying the loans, the Strategic Studies scholar said.
However, the request had gone unheeded, and if the government had started discussions then, Sri Lanka would not have been in crisis, Prof. Hettige said.
The Sri Lankan foreign policy, in the last few years, had also been misguided, Prof. Hettige said. A number of Indian and Chinese companies faced unnecessary issues by the behaviour of the government, he said.
Prof. Hettige said that the government must focus on establishing free trade ports and reducing negative lists for investments.
News
SJB dissociates itself from SF’s call for protest

By Chaminda Silva
MP Sarath Fonseka’s call for people to join anti-government protests was not a decision taken by the Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB), party MP J.C Alawathuwala said.
The SJB believed that they had to help President Ranil Wickremesinghe stabilise the country, economically and politically, he said.
MP Alawathuwala said the President must be given some time to solve the problems faced by the people and that the SJB was holding discussions with the government to guide it on a people-friendly path.
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