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Glastonbury’s 2022 lineup just may bring our divided world together

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Glastonbury’s 2022 lineup just may bring our divided world together

The world is a divided, contentious place right now but Britain’s biggest music bash appears poised to try to bring people together — if ever so briefly — this weekend.

After a two-year break due to the pandemic, massive crowds will return to the fields of the English countryside for the Glastonbury Festival. The diverse lineup of artists performing this year span musical genres and generations.

Billie Eilish, Kendrick Lamar and Paul McCartney will headline the event, while Diana Ross will take the stage for the Sunday Legends slot.

Other artists scheduled to perform include Megan Thee Stallion, Olivia Rodrigo, Pet Shop Boys, St. Vincent, Lorde, The Libertines, Kacey Musgraves, Leon Bridges, Herbie Hancock and dozens more.
A rundown of the performances and times can be found here.

Inside the UK, the festival will broadcast on BBC One, Two, Three and Four. Elsewhere in the world, look for highlights on BBC Music’s YouTube channel.

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Sri Lanka seeks EU assistance in tackling the  economic crisis

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Sri Lanka seeks EU assistance in tackling the  economic crisis

Sri Lanka has sought the assistance of the European Union in the economic recovery process.

As part of the ongoing engagement with 94 concurrently accredited Diplomatic Missions to Sri Lanka from New Delhi, High Commissioner of Sri Lanka to India Milinda Moragoda hosted a group of European Heads of Mission on 21 June 2022 and briefed them on the present developments in Sri Lanka. The meeting was held at the official residence of the High Commissioner.

The group included 14 Ambassadors and one High Commissioner who are concurrently accredited or designated to Sri Lanka from New Delhi. This was the third time that High Commissioner Moragoda interacted with concurrently accredited Heads of Mission in this manner since assuming office in New Delhi.

Ambassadors of Austria, Belarus, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Ireland, Luxembourg, North Macedonia, Portugal, Serbia, Slovenia, Ukraine and the High Commissioner of Malta attended this meeting.

Welcoming the Heads of Mission, High Commissioner Moragoda expressed his keenness in further strengthening Sri Lanka’s relations with their respective countries and pledged all possible support of his Office to them in carrying out their duties.

He briefed the Heads of Mission on the current economic and political developments in Sri Lanka, in particular the plans for the stabilization and recovery of the Sri Lankan economy. 

The High Commissioner stressed the importance of bridging finance until the IMF programme would be in place, and requested the assistance of the Heads of Mission in the recovery process. A detailed discussion followed, with the Heads of Mission posing several questions to High Commissioner Moragoda.

High Commissioner Moragoda also stated that he is coordinating with the relevant authorities in Colombo to organize a credentials ceremony for the concurrently accredited Heads of Mission- designate to present their Letters of Credence at the earliest.

The High Commission of Sri Lanka in New Delhi functions as the main coordinating point between the concurrently accredited 94 Foreign Missions and the Foreign Ministry of Sri Lanka.

All correspondence between these Missions and the Foreign Ministry passes through the High Commission, while it actively engages with the Missions covering an entire gamut of bilateral relations, which include political, economic, consular as well as cultural activities. 

In particular, Sri Lanka seeks support for its candidatures and resolutions at multilateral fora, through the Heads of Mission of relevant Member States based in New Delhi.

  SL Cauvery and Mannar Basins petroleum resource data  revealed

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  SL Cauvery and Mannar Basins petroleum resource data  revealed

Bell Geospace, the world leaders in gravity gradiometry, has conducted the first aerial mapping of petroleum resources in Sri Lanka in Q4 of 2021, and will be presenting these insights – together with Wintermoon Geophysics- at the prestigious SEAPEX (South East Asia Petroleum Exploration Society) Asia Pacific Conference in London on Thursday the 30th of June.

The mapping project was conducted during the last quarter of 2021 as part of a collaboration between Bell Geospace and the Government of Sri Lanka, with the aim to explore offshore oil and gas potential in the seas off the North and Northwest of the island., official sources said. 

This entailed the acquisition, processing and interpretation of data from Airborne 3D Full Tensor Gravity Gradiometry (FTG), Gravity Gradiometry, and Magnetic Surveys that were employed to gather data on hydrocarbon potential below the surfaces around the Cauvery Basin off the Northern peninsula and the Mannar Basin off the West coast.

Data and interpretation from this survey has revealed new insights into the structure, tectonic history, and hydrocarbon potential of Sri Lanka’s Mannar Basin M1, M2, and the Cauvery Basin C1 blocks.

With Sri Lanka outlaying US$ 6-7 billion annually to purchase fuel, and the domestic hydrocarbon potential estimated at several billion barrels of oil and 9 trillion cubic feet of gas, this is a potential multibillion-dollar revenue stream for the Government of Sri Lanka. 

Especially taking into consideration that Cairn India, which explored the Mannar M2 block, invested US$200 million in the region 10 years ago.

Additionally, with Bell Geospace’s modern geophysical data and interpretation, the publicity created at a major Oil and Gas conference such as SEAPEX in London holds the potential for Sri Lanka to attract a new round of foreign investors bringing in US$ to the country.

US-based Bell Geospace is the leading provider of high quality airborne Full Tensor Gravity Gradiometry (FTG) data for the mining industry. 

This data is used to map geology and thus define the shape and scale of existing mineral deposits as well as highlight potential new areas of exploration.

Wintermoon Geophysics is a premier consulting firm for integrated exploration applications of Gravity, Magnetics, GIS, and Remote Sensing.

Government loses Rs.94bn from concessionary vehicle permits per annum

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Government loses Rs.94bn from concessionary vehicle permits per annum

Sri Lanka is losing around Rs.94 billion annually from the concessionary vehicle permits, which is nearly equivalent to the amount the government collects from taxing vehicle imports, making a mockery of the government’s vehicle taxation policy. 

According to the data presented by Moratuwa University Senior Professor for Transport and Logistics Amal Kumarage, Sri Lanka has made its taxation and transport policy completely lopsided over the decades by not taxing luxury vehicles and vehicles with higher engine capacity through the concessionary vehicle permit system. 

He said Sri Lanka annually offers up to 10,000 concessionary vehicle permits, most of which are used to import vehicles, which are either luxury or with higher engine capacity, losing the government a thumping Rs.94 billion per annum. 

This is almost equivalent to the Rs.97 billion the Treasury earns from the private vehicle imports in a year. “Stop concessionary vehicle permits, which is a loss to the country,” Prof. Kumarage insisted. 

“The taxation process is pointless because the amount earned from imports is nearly equal to the loss from concessionary imports,” he told a webinar on how Sri Lanka could make its transport a sustainable affair. 

Speaking further, he asked how Sri Lanka could ever shift people from private transport to more sustainable and decent quality public transport when the government openly and actively promotes private vehicle imports without even charging the relevant duties. 

Making it further anomalous, Prof. Kumarage said Sri Lanka does not spend close to what the government earns from taxing vehicle imports on public transport. 

Summons issued for 3 including Johnston

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Summons issued for 3 including Johnston

Former Minister Johnston Fernando and three others have been summoned to appear before the Colombo High Court today (24).

The summons was issued in connection with the alleged dismissal of 150 CWE employees and their involvement in political activities during the period 2010-2015.

The Bribery Commission filed five cases on May 30 in this regard and the Colombo High Court has issued summons in one of these cases.

CBSL to print another 63bn?

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CBSL to print another 63bn?

The Central Bank was able to accept only 31bn from yesterday’s (23.06.2022) treasury bill auction at the previous week’s rates. Therefore, they were short of 63bn out of the 93bn that was offered to the market.

Most probably, that shortfall will have to be newly “printed” by the Central Bank and released to the Government.

Last week also, the amount printed was 48bn, and that brought the total printed by Governor Nandalal Weerasinghe’s “independent” Central Bank to 316bn.

However, when the IMF programme starts, the Government and Central Bank will have to stop this “money printing” business. It would then be interesting to see how the Government would pay the salaries of public servants, pensions, fuel, etc.

Discussion to provide more benefits to foreign workers who send money through the banking system (PHOTOS)

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Discussion to provide more benefits to foreign workers who send money through the banking system (PHOTOS)

Minister of External Affairs Manusha Nanayakkara has held discussions with the top management of government and private banks regarding the possibility of giving more benefits to migrant workers when sending money legally through the banking system.

The Minister requested for additional benefits in addition to the current benefits of sending money through the banking system and it is said that a positive response has been received from the bank representatives.

Accordingly, more attention has been paid to providing low-interest housing loans to migrant workers.

It is reported that the Minister of Mass Media and Transport Bandula Gunawardena has also participated in this occasion and his proposals have also been submitted to the bank representatives.

The case of Eknaligoda: Military officers released on bail

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The case of Eknaligoda: Military officers released on bail

A three-judge bench of the Colombo High Court yesterday (23) ordered the release on bail of nine Army intelligence officers accused in the case of the disappearance of journalist Prageeth Eknaligoda.

Suresh, a former LTTE cadre, was also a witness in the case. The court also ordered that the member be remanded until the 27th. This is due to giving false evidence before the court.

The case was taken up before a three-judge bench comprising Sanjeewa Moraes (Chairman), Damith Thotawatte and Mahen Weeraman.

PM approves President’s request to extend the tenure of the CBSL Governor

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PM approves President’s request to extend the tenure of the CBSL Governor

It is reported that the Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe has agreed to the request of the President Gotabhaya Rajapaksa to extend the tenure of the Governor of the Central Bank of Sri Lanka Nandalal Weerasinghe.

The Secretary to the President had telephoned the Secretary to the Prime Minister yesterday (23) and inquired as to why the letter regarding the extension of Nandalal Weerasinghe’s service had not been sent yet. The Secretary to the Prime Minister immediately discussed with the Prime Minister and informed the Secretary to the President within an hour that the letter of extension would be sent today (24).

Accordingly, Nandalal Weerasinghe is to be re-appointed as the Governor of the Central Bank for a period of 6 years from July 2022.

All Ceylon Peasents’ Federation reveals new information on the rice mafia (VIDEO)

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All Ceylon Peasents’ Federation reveals new information on the rice mafia (VIDEO)

Large-scale rice mill owners have been making huge profits of Rs. 33-53 per kilo of rice in recent days, said the National Organizer of the All Ceylon Agrarian Federation, Namal Karunaratne.

“Yesterday the owners of large-scale mills shouted that they all got paddy for Rs. 117. It means they have bought a bundle of paddy for Rs. 7500. If so, when you buy a bundle of paddy at 7500, a kilo of paddy is only 117. After buying a kilo of paddy at 117, the cost of making a kilo of rice is adjusted according to this formula, and it would be Rs. 207. The kilo of rice that can be given for Rs. 207 is what one mill owner sells for Rs. 270 and the other for Rs. 250. How can that happen? This is the reality. ”

Namal Karunaratne stated this addressing a media briefing held yesterday (23).

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