Jun 30 (NR) Prez Rajapaksa has granted permission for teachers to conduct tuition classes for 500 students in two time slots, after reviewing the present situation with health authorities. The decision was reached during a discussion held at Prez Secretariat to find solutions to issues faced by both students and teachers with the recommencing of tuition classes which had to be halted due to COVID–19 pandemic. more..

Jun 30 (FT) Why alley cats, donkeys and chameleons? A reference to alley cats is made to describe who some of our politicians are. An alley cat has no morals and is known for unfettered promiscuity. In context, it would not be out of place to describe some politicians as immoral, unethical individuals who are literally promiscuous in their behaviour and who do not adhere to any values. They are usually available to the highest bidder. SL’s biggest financial scam that defrauded more..

Jun 30 (Island) Trade unions, operating in the Colombo Port, warned of a strike if the govt did not start installing the gantry cranes imported to be used in the Colombo Harbour East Terminal, within 24 hours. Chairman of the SL Nidahas Sewaka Sangamaya (Harbour Branch), Prasanna Kalutharage said that the Ports Authority was not commencing operations in the East Terminal due to the influence of a foreign country. The gantry cranes arrived on the 20th and govt had to pay more..

Jun 30 (AD) Another batch of 150 SL nationals, who were stranded in Malaysia due to the COVID-19 global pandemic, returned to the island today. SriLankan Airlines charter flight UL 319 arriving from Kuala Lumpur reached the BIA at around 8.52 am this morning. Reportedly, students and migrants workers had been among the returning passengers. Upon arrival, they had been subjected to PCR tests at the airport premises and temporarily stationed at hotels nearby BIA until results are released. more..

Jun 30 (FT) We all watched the President admonishing senior officials of the Ministry of Finance and the CBSL; requesting them to bring new thinking and new ideas. There is no doubt that many officials in the public sector are merely time-keeping in their positions and generally speaking, public officials in Sri Lanka need to be cajoled into action, there is no question about that. Nonetheless I must comment on this specific instance with my personal experience in the field. more..

Jun 30 (DM) An ex-MP lashed out at local liquor industry giants saying they are spreading false campaigns that the locally made ethanol had drastically affected the quality of their liquor. Former State Minister Janaka Wakkumbura said that under no means the govt will revert the decision to allow ethanol imports and harm the local sugar industry. He said these liquor companies made a huge fuss since the govt banned ethanol imports since more..

Jun 30 (DN) Minister Prasanna Ranatunga said yesterday that there is no agreement to give any ministerial portfolio to the SLFP candidates once the SLPP wins the forthcoming General election. He further said that the SLPP has entered an agreement only with the SLFP and not with its Chairman, former President Maithripala Sirisena. “We must watch carefully as to how the group led by former President Sirisena behaves after the General election since he can’t be trusted at all,” more..

Jun 30 (AD) Ministry of Health says 33 more individuals, who had tested positive for the COVID-19, recovered from the disease today (30). The latest recoveries are reported from the IDH (9), Welikanda Base Hospital (2), Iranawila Hospital (1), Kattankudy Base Hospital (8), Minuwangoda Base Hospital (1), Hambantota District General Hospital (4) and Theldeniya Base Hospital (8). These health improvements have brought Sri Lanka’s total count of recuperations to 1,711. more..

Jun 30 (WION) China was quick to aid coronavirus-stricken Sri Lanka. Chinese magnanimity and speed in responding to the Indian Ocean island’s request contrasted starkly with Beijing’s more measured response to Africa’s needs, widely expected to be the pandemic’s next hotspot. Geography was, but, one reason why China favoured the strategic island that straddles one of the Indian Ocean’s busiest shipping routes. more..

Jun 30 (EN) Discussions still ongoing with Sri Lanka over a request 400 million US dollar swap line for the central bank and debt relief, India’s High Commission (embassy) in Colombo said. “The matter had been taken up at the leadership level and has been followed up by senior functionaries bilaterally,” the spokesmperson for the High Commission said. “Most recently, the High Commissioner of India to SL held discussions at senior levels in Colombo yesterday & today, more..

Jun 30 (AD) A Fundamental Rights (FR) petition has been filed before the Supreme Court seeking immediate investigations against terrorists responsible for the 1987 Aranathalawa Massacre. The petition has been filed by Ven. Andaulpatha Buddhasara Thero, who survived the attack. The Attorney General, Acting IGP, and Director of State Intelligence Service (SIS) Suresh Sallay have been named respondents of the petition. The petitioner points out that, 31 Buddhist monks and more..

Jun 30 (DM) Another elephant was found lying dead near the Inginimitiya reservoir in Maha Divul Wewa. The post-mortem report confirmed that the bullet has pierced through the elephant’s skull and has reached the brain. According to DWC veterinary surgeon Dr. Isuru Hewakottage the elephant would have been shot four to five days ago. “It was seen near the Inginimitiya reservoir on June 27 more..

Jun 30 (AD) It has been decided by the govt to revise the existing working hours of the private and sector offices. Accordingly, it has been recommended to set state sector office hours from 9.00 am until 4.45 pm and the private sector from 9.45 am until 6.45 pm. The office hours have been revised with the objective of maintaining social distance to prevent the spread of COVID-19 pandemic, avoiding traffic congestion and improving the efficiency of public and private services. more..

Jun 30 (AD) A special date has been declared for all Medical Officers of Health (MOHs), Public Health Inspectors (PHIs) and family health workers to cast their postal votes for the upcoming General Election, Chairman of the EC, Mahinda Deshapriya said. Accordingly, the MOHs, PHIs and family health workers will cast their postal ballots on the 13th of July. Employees of divisional secretariats and security personnel including police officers have been assigned July 16 and 17 to cast their more..

Jun 30 (EN) Health authorities have given the go ahead to for day care centres to run at full capacity from July 06, under guidelines already issued, with officials saying the domestic spread of Coronavirus has been controlled. “Daycare Centers will be permitted to open and operate at full capacity (for the total numbers of children the Daycare Centers are caring for) with effect from July 6, 2020,” head of health service Anil Jasinghe said. more..

Jun 30 (EN) Sri Lanka’s average coconut prices eased 0.54 percent to 55,017 rupees for a 1000 nuts at an auction on June 25, after rising three weeks in a row, while the top price edged up to 60,100 rupees, official data showed. The highest price was 60,100 rupees for 1,000 nuts, and the lowest, 48,000 rupees at the auction conducted by Sri Lanka’s Coconut Development Authority on June 25. Buyers offered 1,018,510 nuts at the auction and sold 773,548 nuts. more..

Jun 30 (DM) A British tourist who assaulted an Italian who fell in love with the former’s SL fiancée and took her to a hotel in Unawatuna area was fined Rs.20,000 and sentenced to a six month light imprisonment suspended for five years, by Galle Chief Magistrate Harshana Kekulawala yesterday. He was sentenced for a further one month light imprisonment in default of the fine. Police told court that the suspect Danniel George Lomas had been in love with a SL young woman from more..

Jun 30 (AD) The Permanent High Court Trial-at-Bar has dismissed the preliminary objections filed by the defence in the Avant-Garde floating armoury case, which claimed that certain charges laid against eight defendants including Avant-Garde Chairman Nissanka Senadhipathi are unlawful. The dismissal order was delivered by a two-judge bench of the Special HC, consisting of Judges Dhammika Ganepola and Aditya Patabendige today. more..

Jun 30 (AD) Three persons have been arrested by the Matale Crimes Division for allegedly murdering a person and burning the body with tires in Dambulla. The suspects have been arrested last night and handed over to the Dambulla Police Station. On June 16, police found an unidentified body burnt with tires in the Gonawewa area in Ihala Arawwala, Dambulla. Upon interrogation of the suspects, the deceased has been identified as a resident of Kahawatta who drove sand Tipper trucks more..

Jun 30 (CT) Comprehensive legislation to regulate campaign finances which should be enacted by Parliament must cover all necessary aspects including candidate declarations of assets and liabilities, donation limits to parties and candidates, restrictions on advertising, and party and candidate expenditure disclosures. In connection with the Parliament approving the Amendments to the Registration of Electors Act, No. 44 of 1980, submitted by the Election Commission, more..

Jun 30 (DM) The GMOA today warned of a risk of a Covid-19 second wave in the country if the situation was not kept under control. The GMOA said that the Ministry of Health has confirmed that the spread of the coronavirus had been completely contained within the country. However, the GMOA urged the Epidemiology Unit of the Ministry of Health to conduct at least 8,000 PCR tests per month to make sure that the virus has been completely more..

Jun 30 (NR) The JVP has accused the SLPP-administration of deceiving the public in a bid to consolidate governing power. Former MP Sunil Handunnetti said those who are part of the govt have been making contradictory statements pertaining to the proposed MCC agreement. He said at the General Election, the govt is appealing for votes claiming that the President alone cannot function. He added during the last Prez Election, the govt claimed that only Gotabaya Rajapaksa more..

Jun 30 (AD) Former cricket captain Aravinda de Silva has arrived at the Ministry of Sports earlier this afternoon (30). This was to record a statement regarding the match-fixing allegations made by former Sports Minister Mahindananda Aluthgamage on the 2011 World Cup finals between Sri Lanka and India. Aluthgamage claimed that the playing squad for the finals match changed at the minute. Aravinda de Silva played the role of the head of the cricket selection committee at the time. more..

Jun 30 (Island) Officers attached to former Prez Maithripala Sirisena’s security had not been aware of intelligence reports on a possible terrorist attack on Easter Sunday, ASP S.G Satharasinghe, who served in the Presidential Security Division (PSD), told the PCoI. The witness said that the PSD usually prepared an evaluation report after its monthly meetings with DIGs and a member from State Intelligence Service. more..

Jun 30 (CT) Tamil United Freedom Party (TUFP) Leader and former LTTE militant V. Muralitharan alias Karuna Amman told a leading Tamil radio that he is firm on working towards the release of Tamils detained under the Prevention of Terrorism (PTA) Act. He told the interviewer that he will talk to the Govt over their release. “After the war, some have been arrested for minor issues and detained for many years and they also should return to normal life since the war has now ended,” he added. more..

Jun 30 (CT) The Colombo Permanent High Court Trial-at-Bar on 26 June issued strict warnings to Inspector of Police Neomal Rangajeewa and former Prisons Commissioner Emil Ranjan Lamahewa, that their bail order would be cancelled and they would be remanded unless they stopped making statements to the Media, which could pose a negative impact on the Welikada Prison riot case and the Judiciary. Rangajeewa and Lamahewa are the first and second suspects in Welikada more..

Jun 30 (EN) SL’s foreign remittances fell 23.3% from a year earlier to US$ 431.8 million in May 2020 but has picked up from a low of US$ 375 million in April amid a Coronavirus pandemic. SL was under strict lockdowns in April with banks only operating a few hours and postal services also not operating. Expatriate family members in the Middle East and elsewhere send money either through bank drafts more..