Jul 3 (DM) Colombo Crimes Division (CCD) today informed the court that they were yet to receive Attorney General’s advice regarding investigations against six members attached to the Ceylon Thawheed Jamaath including its Secretary Abdul Razik for allegedly making derogatory remarks on Buddha and hurting the sentiments of the Sinhala-Buddhist community in the country. The CCD conducting investigation into the incident informed Colombo Chief Magistrate Lanka Jayaratne more..

Jul 3 (PMD) Prez Gotabaya Rajapaksa says that agriculture will be country’s priority after resolving number of persisting issues and shortcomings affecting it. Issues such as shortage of water supply and fertilizer for agriculture are being addressed by the govt. Failure to make payments due to suppliers on time has resulted in delay in the importation of fertilizers. The absence of a proper market and a price for their produce has more..

Jul 3 (FT) Senkadagala Finance Plc has secured its biggest long-term funding worth $ 25 million from FMO, the Dutch Development Bank. The five-year facility obtained at favourable terms will be exclusively used to boost Senkadagala Finance’s support for green vehicle business. This is Senkadagala Finance’s third foreign funding with the previous two being from the Int'l Finance Corporation (IFC) worth $ 7 million in 2014 and $ 15 million in 2018. more..

Jul 3 (NR) Another individual has tested positive for the coronavirus today increasing the number of infections to 2,067. Individual is a returnee from Madagascar and was housed at the Pelwehera quarantine centre. 36 individuals meanwhile recovered from COVID-19 and were discharged during the past 24 hours. Number of recoveries rose to 1,863. 193 COVID-19 patients are presently being treated at 10 hospitals. Among the coronavirus cases are 775 SL overseas returnees. more..

Jul 3 (Island) Retired Appeals Court judge, Abdul Gafoor and several Muslim leaders met former Ministers Mangala Samaraweera and Sagala Rathnayake in 2016 and informed them of a young man who pledged support to ISIS and his associates, the was PCoI informed. Gafoor said that, in 2016, one of his former school teachers had called him and said that her son Aashik had pledged support to ISIS and threatened to kill her when she asked him more..

Jul 4 (CT) A monoculture is one single genetically identical crop planted over a large cleared area. In a broader sense it means a species of plants or animals dominating a region. Our planet is essentially a monoculture of humans. This species marginalized all the other animals in occupying the biosphere. Humans have also promoted monocultures of plants and domesticated animals, eliminating varieties naturally present in the habitat. They are largely selective in choosing food more..

Jul 4 (CT) A coronavirus was subsequently identified as the pathogen and was temporarily named the 2019 new coronavirus. The pandemic is moving like a wave-one that may yet crash on those least able to cope. This new virus and disease were unknown before the outbreak began in Wuhan, China in December 2019. According to the World Health Organization, this virus can be characterized as a pandemic and it originates in Wuhan as an epidemic and dramatically converted into a pandemic. more..

Jul 4 (CT) General Secretary of SLPP, Sagara Kariyawasam, a lawyer by profession says that the Govt is seeking the 2/3rds mandate from the people and were confident about it. Son of former Benthara politician, Albert Kariyawasam, from Elipitiya said that when it comes to the economy, with all the obstacles, Govt has been successful in assisting the economy and entrepreneurs. more..

Jul 4 (CT) SL Police, on the directive of Prez Rajapaksa, is currently on a mission to rid the country of narcotics dealing and trafficking. Apart from the detection of massive drug hauls and underworld gangs operating drug rings from prisons, the most alarming outcome of these operations is the discovery of the involvement of a large number of officers attached to the Police Narcotics Bureau (PNB) in drug trafficking and dealing. Last week, a coordinated Police operation apprehended more..

Jul 4 (DM) Wilpattu National Park (WNP) was declared as a national park in 1938. It is the oldest and the largest national park in Sri Lanka. WNP consists of a unique and sensitive ecosystem forming one of the Villu ecosystems present in the North Western region. A total of 284 faunal species belonging to 101 families have been recorded within the WNP, with 21 endemic and 30 nationally threatened species among them. With the onset of the terrorist movement by LTTE, more..

Jul 4 (DM) In an interview Propaganda Secretary of the Frontline Socialist Party (FSP) Pubudu Jagoda discussed politics and democracy in SL and ragging at universities among other burning issues. Q: What is the background for re-joining of JVP and FSP? Why did you have to go in different ways and why have you rejoined? A: There is a misunderstanding among many as to why we wanted to rejoin. more..

Jul 4 (CT) “In response to the escalating violence and growing human rights problems, the U.S. has taken a number of steps to signal our displeasure. In Dec 2007, the Board of the Millennium Challenge Corporation removed SL as a country eligible for MCC lending for 2008,” the US Embassy Colombo informed Washington. “In Dec 2007, the President signed into law section 699g of the Foreign Operations bill, which prohibits all licensed defense exports to SL with the exception of more..

Jul 4 (DM) Today, though it is better known as the American Independence Day with the Unites States facing its worst health and economic crisis in its history, is also the United Nations Int'l Day of Co-operatives with the world body this year inviting the people to cooperate to fight for climate action. Since the Second World War and especially the Ronald Reagan era when the US became the epicenter of the globalised capitalist market economic system, the world’s most powerful country—or more..

Jul 4 (Island) On the scale of election excitement, the upcoming August 5 elections is more like the July 1960 election than any other past election. In 1960, following a hard-fought March election six months after the assassination of PM SWRD Bandaranaike, the people were tired of going to the polls for a second time in four months. Today there is more political fatigue than election excitement. There is also abundance of caution on account of the coronavirus. more..

Jul 4 (Island) That Mervyn Silva was able to get UNP nomination for the forthcoming parliamentary election is much more than the proverbial spot of dung in the pot of milk. It’s a whole gob of the smelly stuff and there is no need to elaborate why. The public are too well aware of the reasons. Of course the in-coming Parliament, like its predecessor, will be no pot of milk – far from it. The quality of our legislature has deteriorated with succeeding elections and neither the political parties and more..

Jul 4 (DM) 2020 has been a testing and trying year for many people across the globe. A raging pandemic that has incapacitated major cities worldwide has put a pause to the significant threat towards a growing environmental crisis. A 2019 UN report noted that nature’s dangerous decline is unprecedented in human history, and the extinction rates of species is only accelerating. In Sri Lanka, the first half of 2020 has been brutal to some more..

Jul 4 (Island) The moan is common enough that many MPs are venal, not particularly well educated and unworthy of esteem – not everyone but a sufficiently large number to tar the reputation of the institution. It was not always so; parliaments of Ceylon/Lanka did seat men of the calibre of NM, SWRD, Colvin, Pieter and Suntheralingam. Their contributions were of intellectual merit. Not only were they of impeccable personal integrity immune from any trace of pecuniary misconduct, more..

Jul 4 (DN) The Esala Poya is in the month of Esala according to the Sinhala calendar and the Gregorian calendar in which it is called July. Several important incidents took place on the Esala Poya or Esala Full Moon Day. * The conception of Prince Siddhartha (Bodhisattva) in Queen Mahamaya’s womb occurred on this day. Prince Siddhartha & Princess Yashodhara’s son, Prince Rahula was born on an Esala Poya Day. On the same day, Prince Siddhartha gave up his lay life, more..

Jul 4 (Roar) Not all is well in paradise. The 2019-20 financial year dealt two heavy blows to Sri Lanka’s tourism industry. The tragic Easter Sunday attacks came first, and just as the industry was starting to make a recovery, along came COVID19. With the country under curfew for a greater part of the past few months the entire tourism sector, among others, came to a screeching halt. more..

Jul 4 (SO) SL’s internationally ranked wheelchair tennis players Lance Bombardier DSR Dharmasena (ITF Rank 62), Corporal Dissanayake Gamini (ITF Rank 82) and Corporal Suresh Ranaweera (ITF Rank 101) after receiving their new chairs from CICT General Manager Catriona Jayasundera along with officials from the SLTA and officers from the Army. SL’s internationally-ranked wheelchair tennis players received a further boost with a donation of custom-made wheelchairs by more..

Jul 4 (Island) The Cargills Foundation has implemented an Early Childhood Education (ECE) Program to provide preschool-aged children with an opportunity to learn English whilst developing their foundational skills and being introduced to basic concepts of Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Mathematics (STEAM). Cargills believes that children having an early start to learn English and acquire STEAM skills, would equip the next generation of Sri Lankans to lead and more..

Jul 4 (Island) Former Sports Minister Mahindananda Aluthgamage has been under fire from all corners for his sensational match fixing allegations and he will be lucky to escape a jail term. SL became the first Asian nation last year to pass legislation against corruption in sports. A section of the new legislation deals with false match fixing allegations and if found guilty an individual faces a jail term up to three years. more..

Jul 4 (ST) While the COVID-19 situation is continuing to have its adverse impact on employment, livelihoods, earnings and savings of the working people of Sri Lanka, their life savings have come under renewed threat from vested interests to add to their woes, a union complained. Ceylon Federation of Labour (CFL), said that Securities Exchange Commlssion (SEC) is making frantic moves in harmony with the Fund’s custodian, Central Bank (CB) to mobilise part of EPF, more..

Jul 4 (ST) Unilever Sri Lanka announced this week the next step in the evolution of its skin care portfolio, with the rebranding of its flagship brand Fair & Lovely. Taking forward the brand’s journey towards a more inclusive vision of beauty, the company will stop using the word Fair in the brand name Fair & Lovely. The new name is awaiting regulatory approvals and the company expects to change the name in the next few months, the company said on Thursday. more..

Jul 4 (FT) Renewing pledges to eradicate drug trafficking in the country, SLPP said the Govt will investigate corrupt officials and take tough legal action against anyone involved in the illegal narcotics trade. A group of 12 Police Narcotic Bureau (PNB) officers were arrested for allegedly drug trafficking and Court on Thursday ordered the CID to detain them till 8 July, for questioning. Former MP Rohitha Abeygunawardena said more..

Jul 4 (DN) EFL 3PL, a member of the leading global logistics conglomerate Expolanka Holdings PLC, unveiled a first-of-its-kind Quality Inspection Center for a leading apparel manufacturer and global brand recently. The deployment of modern technology and process re-engineering has enabled this operation to improve its efficiencies by over 40% and physical stock verifications (PSV) have been improved from 12 hours to less than 30 minutes whilst maintaining 100% accuracy throughout entire operation. more..

Jul 4 (FT) The Motor Traffic Department yesterday said that as the country’s situation has gradually returned to normal it was returning to its standard services from this month. “Considering the current situation of the country, the services provided by our department were subject to certain limitations owing to the risk of the spread of COVID-19, but it has now been decided to normalise all services from 1 July,” Department stated. Dept said that since normal services have been resumed more..

Jul 4 (FT) Prez Rajapaksa yesterday appointed a 5-member committee to examine and report on how to develop both the State-run Jaya Container Terminal (JCT) and the new ECT of the Colombo Port. The committee is headed by Ministry of Ports and Shipping Secretary M.M.P.K. Mayadunne, Ministry of Industrial Export and Investment Promotion Secretary Mapa Pathirana, Ministry of Roads and Highways Secretary more..

Jul 4 (Island) Merrill J. Fernando Charitable Foundation launched disABILITY, an English, Sinhala and Tamil, YouTube channel that will share information, access to therapy and practical guidance for the care of children with disabilities. Disability channel aims to support families, caregivers and medical practitioners in rural SL and South India, a company news release said. "The disABILITY channel offers free, on demand content for parents and caregivers of children with more..

Jul 4 (Island) Condemning the recent statement by V. Muralitharan alias Karuna Amman that he massacred thousands of soldiers during the war, PM Mahinda Rajapaksa said the claim by the former LTTE Eastern Province commander was "wrong and unacceptable". The premier was responding to a question by a group of Tamil journalists at Temple Trees last week. "You should ask him (Karuna) about his statement", Rajapaksa said, and added that the CID is now probing the matter. more..

Jul 4 (FT) Department of Census and Statistics yesterday launched an islandwide web-based survey to measure the impact of COVID-19 on the country’s economy. The survey is open to both the formal and informal sectors and large and medium-scale businesses, Director General of Census and Statistics Dr. I.R. Bandara said. “The country needs accurate and timely information on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic to more..

Jul 4 (SO) The Covid-19 outbreak has given Sri Lanka the opportunity to rethink its strategy to woo international tourists as the country opens for visitors from Aug 1. In an organised event in line with healthcare guidelines, the SL Association of Inbound Tour Operators (SLAITO) embarked on a journey at the Ramada Hotel recently to bridge the gap between traditional travellers and the emerging young traveller market. SLAITO Youth was launched in Colombo to infuse young blood more..

Jul 4 (DM) The Colombo Municipal Council (CMC) will carry out an investigation into the findings of condoms inside the blocked drains of the Municipal workshop, a CMC member Saman Abeygoonaratne said. He said he had raised this matter during the council sessions on July 2 and added that the condoms were found when the blocked drains were being cleaned up. “Unwarranted things are known to be taking place at the workshop such as the abuse of women,” Mr. Abeygoonaratne said. more..

Jul 4 (CT) SLPP, Colombo District Candidate Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe, PC, said under a new SLPP regime helmed by the incumbent Prez and PM, politicians responsible for the CB Bonds scam and politicians who had allegedly provided shelter to extremists behind the 21 April 2019 Easter Sunday terror attacks, will be prosecuted. He charged that when a case had been filed concerning last year’s Easter Sunday carnage more..

Jul 4 (HT) A Briton who converted to Islam and later plotted to bomb three busy places in London of the kind carried out in a Sri Lanka church in 2019, was on Friday sentenced to life imprisonment, Scotland Yard said following a judgement in the widely-followed case. Safiyya Shaikh (born Michelle Ramsden), 37, will serve a minimum of 14 years before she is considered for parole for the plot to carry out terror attacks at a London train station, a hotel and the St Paul’s Cathedral, besides more..

Jul 4 (Island) In the backdrop of allegations that some Police Narcotics Bureau (PNB) sleuths sold stocks of seized heroin to a clandestine underworld distribution network, the DIG in charge of the specialized unit was transferred to the Police Welfare Division last week. DIG S. C. Medawatte was replaced by Acting DIG G.K.J. Aponsu, who was moved out of Police Headquarters to head the PNB. SSP Sujith Wedamulla has been appointed PNB Director. In total 3 DIGs, 9 Acting DIGs, more..

Jul 4 (ST) President’s Office has directed the Central Bank to issue instructions to commercial banks to grant loans at four percent interest to construction companies in lieu of settling nearly Rs 40bn worth of unpaid bills owed to them by the Govt. Prez’s Office also said the Ruwanpura Expressway from Kahatuduwa to Pelmadulla would be awarded to local contractors after they complained bitterly that they were routinely edged out of more..

Jul 4 (DM) Former sports minister Mahindananda Aluthgamage runs the risk of being be tried under the Prevention of Offences Relating to Sports Act if he the allegations he had made are found to be false with regard to the 2011 Cricket World Cup final, former sports minister Harin Fernando said today. According to the Act any person making false allegations under Section 16, knowing the allegations to be false, commits an offence and shall, on conviction by a Magistrate, be liable more..

Jul 4 (Hindu) Sri Lanka has raised surveillance along its northern coast, following reports of some SL refugees in India attempting to return by boats following the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. However, authorities in Tamil Nadu denied any large-scale attempts by refugees to leave the country illegally. “We have alerted the Navy, coastal police, grama sevakas [local administrators]and fisher folk to be alert,” P.S.M. Charles, Governor of the Northern Province, said on July 2. more..