Jul 8 (FT) Govt Medical Professionals Association (GMPA) warned that catastrophic health disaster is imminent in the country. Following is the full statement issued by GMPA President Dr. Lakshman Edirisinghe. We, the Govt Medical Professionals Association, are shocked and dismayed to acknowledge that the entire health system of Sri Lanka is about to collapse within a few days. In spite of valiant efforts by every individual in all walks of health care within govt health sector more..

Jul 8 (DM) Former MP Hirunika said she would have dragged Prez Rajapaksa out of his official residence if she was able to run inside Janadipathi Mandiraya on Wednesday. “I would have held the Prez by his ear or by his hand and pulled him out of his official residence if I managed to get inside,” she told journalists. “Prez actually wanted to talk to me at that time and send a word. I responded by saying he should then come out and that I will go live on social media when conferring with him. more..

Jul 8 (EN) SL’s influential Buddhist monks from three chapters started a starve-to-death protest in Colombo on Thursday, demanding the govt and Prez Gotabaya Rajapaksa step down after a series of failures. The protest started two days before the main protest where a major social media campaign is currently underway asking the general public to join the protest site at historic Galle Face near the president’s official residence. more..

Jul 8 (TM) CB Governor Dr. Nandalal Weerasinghe said that Sri Lanka uses internationally accepted standards in measuring its GDP and inflation numbers, refuting claims by economist and John Hopkins Uni Professor of Applied Economics Steve Hanke that the country’s inflation numbers are wrong. “Individuals can measure inflation in different ways; I don’t think the way in which Prof. Hanke measures inflation is accepted by many, because method he uses is not explicitly mentioned” more..

Jul 8 (TM) Due to the current economic crisis, three-quarters of the people in Sri Lanka are below the poverty line, University of Sri J'pura Department of Sociology and Anthropology Professor of Anthropology Yasanjali Jayatilleke claimed. Speaking to the media, she claimed that people are not even able to recognise their real enemy due to the crisis. “They might fight with the person next to them in the future without any reason. Sometimes, jealousy might be the only reason. more..

Jul 8 (CT) Govt of SL’s (GoSL) demand pull inflationary face value money printing (FVMP) debt increased by Rs 4,326 million on Wednesday, due to a perennial lack of revenue. Consequently, GoSL’s FVMP debt as a whole increased by 1.06% (Rs 31,755.04 m) to Rs 3,025,057.15 million (Rs 3.0251 t) on Wednesday, being only the second time that GoSL’s FVMP debt has crossed the three trillion-rupee mark. First time it crossed 3 trillion rupees was on 28 June, with a figure of Rs 3.16 t. more..

Jul 8 (FT) “When 99% of business leaders fear for the investment climate and the national coffers are as empty as a starving person’s belly, and when the very bare necessities of life are not available and people are looking deprivation in the eye, we are reduced to the very least of ourselves,” says leading business magazine LMD. “LMD-NielsenIQ Business Confidence Index (BCI) has certainly stepped on a banana peel. It slipped 50 basis points to a dismal 49 in June – from 99 in May. more..

Jul 8 (TM) At the COPE meeting with Litro Gas Lanka Ltd. held on Tuesday, it was revealed that Litro had obtained the approval of the Minister for the procurement of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) for the month of June at $ 129 per metric tonne (MT), overlooking an alternative proposal of $ 112 per MT. Litro Chairman Muditha Peiris stated that the suppliers that had quoted the lowest rates and were hence selected by Litro were more..

Jul 8 (CT) Doubts were raised when it was revealed at the COPA that although USD 1.05 million was spent on the SL Railways Master Plan in 2017 based on the financial grants of the ADB, the same was not included in the ministry’s budget or financial statements. Accordingly, a report on this was instructed to be given to COPA. It was also revealed at COPA that the purchase of tyres and other spare parts for SLTB buses is in a problematic situation in the present competitive market due to price more..

Jul 8 (TM) With the death of a three-wheeler driver who was waiting in a fuel queue outside a filling station in Payagala yesterday taking the death toll at queues to around 15, consultant psychiatrist at the Karapitiya Teaching Hospital, Dr. Rumi Ruban said that psychological stress and the lack of nutrition, hydration, and medication are the main reasons for deaths – including those due to heart attacks – reported from queues. He said that when people stand in the queues for hours or maybe days, more..

Jul 8 (DN) The 92nd Battle of the Maroons, between the two leading Buddhist schools Ananda and Nalanda will be held on the 10th and 11th of July at the SSC grounds without spectator participation due to the current situation in the country. It will be powered by Dialog Axiata once again while the two Principals Thilak Watthuhewa (Nalanda) who is also the Present SL Schools Cricket Association President & Ananda Principal Lal Dissanayake have made arrangements to make it a success. more..

Jul 8 (CT) A 60-year-old man, who was in a fuel queue in Payagala, died after suddenly falling ill at around 2:30 am, Payagala Police said yesterday. This is the 15th fuel queue death. He was pronounced dead after being rushed to the District General Hospital in Kalutara. The deceased, Hillary Fernando, a three-wheeler driver by occupation, is a resident of Moratuwa. He was attached to a well-known private firm. They added that the victim had remained in the queue for over three days more..

Jul 8 (DM) Sri Lanka’s top five state enterprises have lost 931 billion rupees in the first four months of 2022, official data shows, with a collapse of a soft-peg due to aggressive open market operations of the central bank contributing to most losses. The Ceylon Petroleum Corporation lost 628 billion rupees, with 541 billion rupees of the gap coming from a foreign exchange loss as a soft-peg operated by the CB collapsed steeply more..

Jul 8 (TM) The FSP alleged that Prez Rajapaksa and former Minister Basil Rajapaksa are to blame for the sudden cancellation of the long-term tender with Oman’s OQ company in Feb 2022, which has now resulted in the liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) shortage in the market. “A long-term tender was signed in 2020 with the OQ company to supply LPG till 2023. However, on 6 Oct 2021, Basil Rajapaksa held a discussion with all the relevant officials to cancel the agreement in Feb 2022. more..

Jul 8 (DM) Prez Rajapaksa has issued a Gazette Extraordinary bringing the Rakna Arakshaka Lanka Limited (RALL) and two other institutions under the purview of the Ministry of Investment Promotion. Newly appointed SLPP MP Dhammika Perera is the Minister of Investment Promotion. Accordingly, Selendiva Investments Ltd and Hotel Developers (Lanka) Pvt Ltd are the two other institutions brought under the Ministry of Investment Promotion. Previously, Rakna Arakshaka Lanka was more..

Jul 8 (TM) Several parties, including interfaith clergy, political parties, civil and professional organisations, trade unions (TUs), and activists have expressed their support for the massive protest to be held in Colombo tomorrow (9) demanding Prez Gotabaya Rajapaksa resign, while the protest was greenlit by the judicial authorities after a court rejected a Police request yesterday (7) to ban protestors from entering the vicinity of more..

Jul 8 (FT) Mao Zedong said that a fall into a pit, a gain in your wit. But the downfall that has occurred in SL has not resulted in making a special gain in SL wit. In the context of the present crisis, the ideological plane of the country is overwhelmed almost completely by anarchic ideas. This particular mentality has weakened to a greater extent, the country’s ability to recover from the deep abyss it has fallen into. SL has fallen to the first level of an immeasurably deep abyss of two levels. more..

Jul 8 (FT) SL’s elite has missed many opportunities to reduce the severity of the present economic crisis. It ignored calls to invest in food production and self-sufficiency, even as the crisis became more and more apparent. It frittered away precious time to drastically reform the balance between imports and exports, which, because of the delay, reduced the country’s bargaining power with external creditors to zero. Meanwhile, it has swung between either ignoring the problem or claiming that austerity more..

Jul 8 (NBC) Former Japanese leader Shinzo Abe died on Friday after being shot at a campaign event, in an attack that shocked a country where gun violence is virtually nonexistent. Abe, 67, was a towering political presence even after he stepped down as Japan’s longest-serving prime minister, and he was campaigning ahead of elections scheduled for Sunday. He had just begun a speech in the western city of Nara, near Kyoto, when gunfire was heard around 11:30 a.m. local time more..

Jul 8 (NDTV) As SL continues to reel under the effects of its worst economic crisis since independence and the subsequent fuel shortage, the Indian govt-owned oil and gas explorer and producer, Bharat Petroleum has stepped up to refuel the country's aircrafts. In an update released on social media, Bharat Petroleum has shared that as many as 100 flights from SL have been refuelled so far at Trivandrum, Chennai and Kochi airports. Along with an image of refuelling process underway, more..

Jul 8 (AD) Minister Kanchana Wijesekara urged the COPE to inquire into the allegations levelled by the Chairman of PUCSL with regard to the fuel prices and procurement process. In a tweet, the lawmaker asked the committee’s chairman Prof. Charitha Herath to summon the CPC officials and him before the COPE to look into the allegations. Minister stressed that an inquiry should be conducted to determine whether more..

Jul 8 (ANI) With the war in Ukraine dragging on, countries already under pressure from the knock-off effect of the COVID-19 pandemic, risk seeing the same economic crisis as SL, UN said as it advised the int'l community to introduce radical financial measures to help countries saddled with debt. "We're witnessing a tragic series of events that are unfolding in SL right now that should be a warning to anyone who thinks that, you know, it is up to countries themselves to figure out how to more..

Jul 8 (DM) Ahead of the planned series of protests in Colombo and other areas tomorrow, US ambassador Julie Chung has requested protesters to engage with protests peacefully. “Violence is not an answer, If you are going to protest, please do so peacefully,” she tweeted. She also reminded the military & police to grant peaceful protesters the space & security to do so. "Violence is not an answer, If you are going to protest, please do so peacefully. And reminding the military more..

Jul 8 (CI) Significant centuries, but for different reasons, from Marnus Labuschagne and Steven Smith gave Australia control on the opening day of the second Test in Galle. Labuschagne made his first Test hundred overseas and Smith just his second in 32 innings overall, going back to 2019, to form the centrepieces of a measured display by their team. On a surface that started much truer than the one used for the opening Test - but more..

Jul 8 (AD) Seven people, including the two main suspects, were arrested in connection with the killing of a youth who was assaulted at a filling station in Megalle, the police say. The deceased is a 25-year-old who was residing in Wanchawala area in Yatagala. The victim, along with his brother and sister-in-law, had visited one of his friends who had been waiting in the fuel queue for over several days. They had gone to a restaurant leaving the car in the queue and a dispute ensued after they, more..

Jul 8 (ANI) Under the National Security Council Secretariat of India, the member states of the Colombo Security Conclave comprising India, Maldives, Mauritius and SL, successfully concluded the 6th Deputy National Security Advisor level meeting held on Thursday in Kochi. "Their excellencies, Shri Vikram Misri, Deputy National Security Advisor, Republic of India, Ahmed Latheef, Foreign Secretary of the Republic of Maldives; Yoidhisteer Thecka, Principal Coordinator more..

Jul 8 (CI) Spectators have been barred completely from the ramparts of the Galle Fort, which overlooks the cricket stadium where the second Test between SL and Australia is being played. This, after anti-govt protesters had been forcibly removed from the area during the first Test between these teams. Police officers guarding access to the ramparts told ESPNcricinfo that even the ICC has asked for spectators be kept away. However, not only has the ICC never previously spoken against more..

Jul 8 (TM) Association of Medical specialists (AMS) has decided to refrain from private medical practice on the 9th of July 2022 while maintaining services at govt hospitals. However, it added that AMS members will attend genuine emergencies such as accidents and other surgical and medical emergencies, as well as inward care for already admitted patients in the private sector. “This decision is in accordance with the earlier decision of the AMS to support island wide peaceful protest more..

Jul 8 (DM) Bar Association of SL (BASL) announced that the 22nd Amendment to the Constitution Bill in the present form does not meet the aspirations of the people who are agitating for a change in the system. BASL President Saliya Pieris PC said at a press conference that the Executive Committee of the BASL is of the view that the said Bill would not create a climate of confidence both within the country and outside the country of more..

Jul 8 (Island) International Mathematical Olympiad (IMO) is the oldest and the most prestigious of the science Olympiads. Contestants should be both under 20 and pre-university. IMO started in 1959 with Romania hosting seven countries from Eastern Europe. IMO grew in size through the decades and invites over 100 countries nowadays. Each country is allowed to send six contestants alongside a Leader and a Deputy Leader. Approximately half of the contestants are awarded medals, more..

Jul 8 (DM) A lawyer yesterday lodged a complaint with the Institute of Chartered Accountants of SL (CA Sri Lanka) against former Central Bank Governor Ajith Nivard Cabraal urging the accountancy body to disenrol Cabraal from its membership in terms of section 16 of the Institute of Chartered Accountants Act No 23 of 1959. In his complaint, Attorney-at-law Mahesh Parakrama requested CA Sri Lanka to hold a suitable inquiry into the conduct of Ajith Nivard Cabraal immediately. more..

Jul 8 (AD) Sri Lanka Transport Board (SLTB) workers will withdraw from duties if they are not provided with the required amount of fuel to report to work, the General Secretary to the All-Ceylon Transport Employees’ Association, Sepal Liyanage says. If the authorities fail to introduce a mechanism this morning to provide fuel for SLTB employees to report for work, they will resort to their trade union action after 12.00 noon today (08), he added. Meanwhile, Gemunu Wijeratne, more..

Jul 8 (TM) SLPP independent MP Wimal Weerawansa alleged that the temporary resignation of ex-Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva is a result of a complaint made by an ambassador with Prez Rajapaksa over asking for a bribe from a foreign company in SL. Weerawansa made this statement during a press conference of the Forum of the Independent MPs, bringing up the temporary resignation of Siripala de Silva from the position of Minister of Ports, Shipping, and Aviation more..

Jul 8 (TM) Church of Ceylon in a statement has noted with deep concern the deterioration of the state of SL’s economy and the sheer sense of apathy with which those in power are approaching the plethora of problems faced by the people of our land. “It has been nearly two months since a new PM was sworn in, much against the wishes of the people and ignoring the advice of Religious Leaders and civil society. more..

Jul 8 (EN) SL’s economic and political crises are worsening with the currency having collapsed steeply and continued money printing for various purposes creating yet more forex shortages. The country, which after a 26-year war was expected to follow the development trajectory of Singapore or Dubai due to its geographical location, but with a money printing central bank with aggressive open market operations instead of a currency board like agencies like in Singapore or Dubai, more..