Aug 10 (FT) The Trade Union Coordinating Centre (TUCC) issued a Citizen’s Edict against the current Govt at the end of yesterday’s protest march at Independence Square in Colombo. The Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) aligned TUCC led by its Convenor Wasantha Samarasinghe held a protest march from the Viharamaha Devi Park to the Independence Square yesterday, calling for the Govt to end repression and to provide relief measures to the people. more..

Aug 10 (Island) The National Peace Council called on the govt to restore political stability. “The immediate need is to restore political stability. The route to follow is not Emergency rule, by cracking down on the protesters and their leaders, but to find ways and means of engaging with them in a nonviolent manner and address the root causes that brought tens of thousands of citizens, young and old, to the streets, countrywide,” the NPC said in a statement. more..

Aug 10 (Island) Agriculture Ministry says it will secure 3,020 bowserloads of diesel to be distributed among the farmers’ association during the Yala harvesting season. Minister has taken this decision following Agriculture Minister Mahinda Amaraweera’s discussions with farmers’ associations. Ministry Secretary Rohana Pushpakumara also participated in the discussion. For the paddy harvesting machinery about 20.27 million litres or 3,0020 bowserloads of diesel are required. more..

Aug 10 (CT) Driven by record high inflation, SL’s official poverty line (OPL) accelerated for the fifth consecutive month to June, increasing by 10.92% (Rs 1,225) month on month to June to Rs 12,444; CSD data released on Monday showed. In the previous month May, this figure (OPL) was Rs 11,219. The OPL means the minimum monthly earnings needed by an individual in the country to be considered as being non-poor, i.e., needed to buy the bare necessities of life for a month. more..

Aug 10 (TM) A series of protests against Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe and the current Govt, organised by the National Trade Union Centre (NTUC) and several other political and civil organisations, was held across the country yesterday under the theme of Bow down to the people’s struggle – Allow the real social transformation that is the people’s expectation. The main demonstration was held in Colombo, more..

Aug 10 (EN) Cabinet of ministers has greenlit a proposal to train prospective foreign employees in Japanese and English language skills and other soft skills targeting job opportunities in Japan. This will be carried out through technical subjects offered in the school curriculum, and soft skills in nursing, hospitality, building cleaning, agricultural activities, motor mechanics, electronics and electrical engineering and others will also be developed under the programme, the govt said. more..

Aug 10 (FT) The Cabinet of Ministers at its meeting on Monday approved a proposal to introduce a cost-based pricing formula for liquid petroleum (LP) gas prices which will be received once a month. The proposal, made by President Ranil Wickremesinghe in his capacity as the Finance Minister, will see gas prices revised on the fifth of every month as per the new formula, reflecting cost. The aim the decision is to ensure an interrupted supply of domestic gas. Meanwhile, the Cabinet of Ministers more..

Aug 10 (AD) Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe stated that the nation must pay tribute to the members of the military, who safeguarded democracy by protecting the Legislature from violent protestors who sought to suppress the Executive. Prez made these remarks addressing the military personnel during his first official visit to Army Headquarters Complex Akuregoda in Battaramulla, today (9). more..

Aug 10 (DM) Following the suspension of financing of road development projects by foreign development agencies and current fiscal constraints, the govet is struggling to settle the arrears of about Rs.100 billion owed to contractors and their sub-contractors. “The govt doesn’t have funds to settle these arrears. The foreign-funded projects have come to a halt, as these foreign funding agencies temporarily stopped financing after the country’s pre-emptive default on foreign debt,” more..

Aug 10 (FT) Cabinet will set up two sub-committees to make suitable recommendations on specific areas or issues aimed at fast-tracking decision making within the Govt. The proposal to this effect submitted by Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe in his capacity as the Finance, Economic Stability, and National Policies Minister was approved by the Cabinet of Ministers on Monday. Cabinet Sub-Committee on Public Expenditure Management will be chaired by Prez to submit policy recommendations to more..

Aug 10 (TM) Despite Govt of SL (GoSL) requesting China to defer the visit of the Chinese space and satellite tracking research vessel Yuan Wang 5 at the Hambantota Port, multiple reports indicated that the vessel was still heading towards Hambantota to reach the port tomorrow, while Cabinet Spokesman Bandula Gunawardena said that Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe, PM Dinesh Gunawardena, and Foreign Minister Ali Sabry are managing more..

Aug 10 (FT) Most of the parliamentary Opposition having met with Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe over the last week, a week that saw escalating repression of the Aragalaya protesters, some have applauded the All/Multi-Party Governance arrangement that the President has proffered to engage them in the task of economic stabilisation, reform and recovery. The main Opposition the SJB’s requests at the meeting for the revocation of the recently imposed Emergency regulations & a halt to arrests, more..

Aug 10 (EN) SL will not experience power cuts on Wednesday Aug 11 and Sunday Aug 14, while a one-hour power cut will be imposed on Thursday August 12 and Friday Aug 13, PUCSL Chairman Janaka Ratnayake said. All Groups (A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I, J, K, L, P, Q, R, S, T, U, V, and W) will experience an hour-long power cut between 6pm and 9pm on Thursday and Friday. “On holidays, power consumption goes down by almost 10%. That benefit is being passed down to the people” more..

Aug 10 (FT) When 75% of the GDP of the country is generated by the SME sector and IMF estimates that the country’s economy will contract by -7% one can imagine the impact to this sector. Some speculate that already almost a million SMEs are in trouble, especially the tourism industry, construction and the cottage industry of SL. If one were to capture the reality, SMEs are struggling to service the loans at high interest rates whilst on the other side they cannot pay the capital repayments. more..

Aug 10 (AD) Supreme Court today extended the travel ban imposed on former PM Mahinda Rajapaksa and former Finance Minister Basil Rajapaksa until Sept 5, as they are named as respondents in a case filed over the country’s economic crisis. A motion was filed on July 13, seeking an order prohibiting former PM Rajapaksa, former Minister Basil Rajapaksa, former CB Governor Ajith Nivard Cabraal and several others from leaving the country. more..

Aug 10 (AD) The 22nd Amendment to the Constitution will be presented to the Parliament by Minister Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe this morning. Parliamentary session commenced at 10.00 a.m. today and will continue until 4.30 p.m. The amendment, which had been referred to as the 21st Amendment so far, will in fact be the 22nd Amendment, as another draft 21st Amendment has already been gazetted. more..

Aug 10 (DM) Following the discussion between the National Transport Commission (NTC) officials and the private bus owners regarding the revision of bus fares, the bus owners behaved violently and threatened the NTC officials with death. The police said death threats have been made at the NTC officials following talks on the revision of bus fares. It was reported that the bus owners had threatened to kill and verbally abused the NTC staff over the phone. more..

Aug 10 (AD) Three fundamental rights (FR) petitions filed against the state of emergency imposed by the Prez, pursuant to the Public Security Ordinance, have been fixed for consideration on August 12. The FR petitions were called before Supreme Court judges Yasantha Kodagoda and Arjuna Obeysekera earlier today. During the court proceedings, Senior State Counsel Rajiv Goonetilleke, appearing on behalf of the respondents named in the petitions, expressed his intention to file objections. more..

Aug 10 (Reuters) SL's ousted prez, Gotabaya Rajapaksa, is expected to arrive in Thailand on Thursday, seeking temporary shelter in a second Southeast Asian country after fleeing his island nation last month amid mass protests, two sources said. Rajapaksa fled to Singapore on Jul 14, via the Maldives, following unprecedented unrest triggered by SL's worst economic crisis in seven decades and days after thousands of more..

Aug 10 (DM) Due to an unfair increase in the electricity tariff, the All Ceylon Communication Owners' Association (ACCOA) has decided to increase photocopy and printout rates by Rs.5. ACCOA chairman Indrajith Perera said that they are in a critical situation providing the service with the recent power cuts. The price of a bundle of photocopying paper has gone up to a staggering Rs. 3,200 from as low as Rs. 580. But we made photocopies for the minimum amount. more..

Aug 10 (AD) Court of Appeal has ordered to dismiss a writ petition filed to revoke the Gazette notification issued by the Minister of Labour recently, declaring that the minimum daily wage of tea and rubber plantation labourers should be increased to Rs. 1,000. The writ petition was filed by 20 plantation companies including Agarapathana Plantations Ltd., mentioning that plantation companies may undergo severe crises, if they have to pay a minimum wage of Rs.1,000 to the labourers per day. more..

Aug 10 (ANI) In response to the SL govt's move to suspend the visit of a Chinese ship to Hambantota port, Chinese social media platform TikTok has barred a promotional campaign by the SL embassy on Douyin - the TikTok application for China - media reports said citing sources. Additionally, many social media sites in China are swarmed with negative comments on Sri Lanka. It is also learned that some Chinese supermarkets have delayed the purchase of Sri Lankan goods, reported Daily Mirror. more..

Aug 10 (AD) Former MP Arjuna Ranatunga has been appointed as the chairperson of the 15-member National Sports Council to advise the sports minister on subject-related policy matters. The letters of appointment of the council members were handed over by Minister of Sports Roshan Ranasinghe today. The council was previously headed by former SL skipper Mahela Jayawardena, however, its members resigned after former Sports Minister Namal Rajapaksa stepped down more..

Aug 10 (EN) Sri Lanka plans to resume operations of the Sapugaskanda oil refinery on Aug 15 upon the anticipated arrival of a crude oil shipment on Aug 13, Minister Kanchana Wijesekara said. Even though 30% of the fuel needs of the country can be met with the refinery, crude oil suppliers are hesitating to supply oil with the international rating agencies downgrading the country due to the ongoing economic crisis, more..

Aug 10 (DM) Fr. Jeewantha Peiris who became an active participant in the GotaGoGama protest is to be surrendered before Colombo Fort Magistrate's Court on Friday (12), counsel told court. Attorney-at-law Udara Muhandiramge today filed two motions on behalf of Fr. Jeewantha Peiris in respect of two court cases, enabling his client to surrender before Court. However, Magistrate Thilina Gamage instructed the defence to file this motion on a date accommodated by relevant police stations for more..

Aug 10 (FT) SL Customs called on all travellers to restrain from bringing in any restricted commodities or temporary suspended commodities or commodities in commercial quantities in their accompanied and un-accompanied passenger baggage (UPB) via the airport or the UPB warehouses with immediate effect. It said that there has been an increase in bringing in restricted commodities by air travellers, in their accompanied and UPB in the recent past. more..

Aug 10 (DM) While the PUCSL has partially given in to the repeated demands of the CEB to increase the electricity tariffs, the utility regulator said that the entity must get its act right and deliver positive financial results, else the year-end bonuses should not be paid. “The CEB has got what they wanted. Now they cannot complain. They can and should go forward with their work and ensure a continuous power supply. Failing to do so, we will not allow for their bonuses to be paid,” more..

Aug 10 (Island) A fleet of four electric three wheelers powered by solar energy was deployed for use by the visitors to the BMICH which was donated by the Korean Energy Agency as assistance to SL through the SL Sustainable Energy Authority. The project was designed to utilize the existing solar PV installation at BMICH to operate an electric vehicle charging station. The four E- trikes will be initially used to provide in- compound transport to visitors as the BMICH complex encompasses a large more..

Aug 10 (EN) SL’s Aragalaya (Struggle) protestors have withdrawn four writ petitions filed at the Court of Appeal regarding a court order sought by the Fort Police. Protesters that occupied Galle Face Green have decided to vacate the protest site, which they had been occupying since April. Fort police had previously ordered that the site be vacated by Aug 5, but the attorney general pledged that the unauthorised structures more..

Aug 10 (CT) Centre for Environmental Justice is an institution dedicated to protecting the indigenous peoples’ rights and the indigenous people’s environmental rights. When the importance of preserving one’s tribal identity and culture in the face of heterogeneous social influences and obstacles arising as a by-product of development has become a challenge, CEJ has developed a pictorial dictionary mainly for the use of indigenous children. This is the beginning of giving their language more..

Aug 10 (AD) A person has been arrested on suspicion of aiding and abetting the gunman who murdered a member of the Kotikawatte Mulleriyawa PS. The investigations have revealed that the 23-year-old arrestee had provided accommodation and other facilities for the shooter and the motorcyclist who was involved in the murder of the PS member Sumudu Rukshan. He has also been identified as the money handler of the drug syndicate run by organized crime gang member more..

Aug 10 (NR) Minister Harin Fernando has called on all factions to unite for the country at this time. Speaking in Parliament today, the Minister said pompous talks will not help solve the country’s issues. Minister Fernando said he came forward to work towards assisting the country regardless of whether it was with a group from the SLPP or the SLFP. He said he proposed to the SJB at the time to join efforts to uplift the country to which the party refused. more..

Aug 10 (NR) Ministry of Trade has advised Consumer Affairs Authority to take necessary action over the concerns pertaining to the price of cement, iron, wires, chicken, eggs, and other items. Minister of Trade Nalin Fernando engaged in discussions with officials of the Consumer Affairs Authority. Minister said with an open account system introduced on the 1st of July, the import of 10 goods was approved, ensuring there is no shortage in the market and in order to maintain industries. more..

Aug 10 (FT) There were many in SL and abroad who thought the political life of Ranil Wickremesinghe had been laid to rest after the Aug 2020 parliamentary elections. UNP that had Wickremesinghe at the helm for more than 25 years was routed at the polls. For the first time since its inception, the UNP failed to get even one MP elected. TUNP was able to garner only 249,435 (2.15%) votes throughout the Island. more..

Aug 10 (NR) United States Ambassador to Sri Lanka Julie Chung has held talks with Minister of Public Security Tiran Alles today. The two officials discussed bilateral diplomatic relations between Sri Lanka and America. During the meeting, Ambassador Julie Chung mentioned that it is America’s hope to see Sri Lanka become a developed country in future. The US ambassador also pledged her Nations support for Sri Lanka to obtain funding from the IMF. more..