Jul 12 (CT) Following advice received from Minister Prasanna Ranatunga, SL Land Development Corporation (SLLDC) has launched a project aimed at renovating all canals, rivers, anicuts and bridges in the Colombo District with the concerted intention of controlling floods in the metropolis and its suburbs. As part of this planned project among the canals and rivers due to be renovated are Thalawathugoda River, Diyawanna Oya, Nagahamulla River, Kimbulawala River and more..

Jul 12 (EN) There are claims being made that SL’s central bank will be made magically accountable under the new central bank law after robbing the economic freedoms and livelihoods of the people. Countries that go through severe crises due to bad money, have fixed themselves in the past. But in Latin America and in SL and in Africa, countries go through crises after crisis, but the central bank is not tamed. Whether inflation is pushed up to drive workers to strikes in the West, more..

Jul 13 (CT) Addressing a meeting of company directors, Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe said: I hope that by September [2023] Sri Lanka will be able to shed its bankruptcy status. What does this statement of the president really mean? Does it give the impression that Sri Lanka is back on the right path under the direction of his regime? Or does it simply imply that SL will re-start the repayment of foreign loans that were put on hold (so-called debt standstill) in July 2022? more..

Jul 13 (DM) Our country is gradually pulling itself out of the financial crisis of yester-year. Even though the foreign debt restructing process is not complete, govt has pushed ahead with the domestic debt restructuring process as a means of speeding up the process of restoring the country’s creditworthiness. As millions of words have already been written on the pros and cons on that subject we will not add to them. What is clear is that since we face a shortage of foreign currency, more..

Jul 13 (DM) An enduring feature of tourism in SL has been the Westerners’ fascination with the Sri Lanka Railways (SLR). Foreigners go into raptures over SLR’s old-world carriages, its quaint British-era stations and its scenic routes. The journey into the past, which is what a journey on SLR is, kindles nostalgia among seniors and is an altogether new experience for young backpackers. Indeed, there is much that is charming more..

Jul 13 (DM) According to reports, several amendments are to be suggested and made at the Committee stage in Parliament on the 19th July, 2023. We, the public are unaware of these amendments. Under the Right to Information Act, I asked for information of all cases filed by the CIABOC against all MPs from 1994 to date, i.e. 4th May 2023. In its reply dated 12th June 2023, it discloses that there have been 19 cases filed in the Magistrate’s Court and 12 in the High Court. more..

Jul 13 (GV) The advent of the internet and Information Communication Technology (ICT) has opened up ways for children and young people worldwide to gain self-learning and social development opportunities. A study in 2016 notes that children under 18 account for one in three internet users in the world. The study also acknowledges that this will continue to increase in terms of the number of children accessing the internet and the time they spend online. more..

Jul 13 (IPS) In response to the economic crisis, SL implemented import controls that expanded significantly by the end of 2022, accounting for approximately 30% of the country’s total import value. The controls affected various categories, including consumption goods (46%), intermediate goods (31%), and capital goods (24%). As SL gradually eases these controls, questions arise about the necessity of more..

Jul 13 (TM) On many occasions during the past few months, the effectiveness and underlying motives of the Govt’s approach to dealing with the ongoing economic crisis was questioned, and the conclusion that many of these discussions reached was that the Govt is ready to do the best it can but that the priority will always be to retain its powers, current position in politics and its future prospects. The newest discussion on the genuineness of the Govt’s efforts in dealing with more..

Jul 13 (Island) SL is no stranger to disappearances. Some of the present-day rulers used to display their adeptness at causing enforced disappearances while they were in power, years ago. Thankfully, they have refrained from demonstrating their abduction skills for some time, but old habits are said to die hard; they have caused a big tree, of all things, to disappear. A rare, endemic tree, SL Legume or Crudia Zeylanica, described as the only tree of its kind, sitting on a block of land more..

Jul 13 (CT) The recent removal of the SL Legume (Crudia zeylanica), in a manner shrouded in secrecy and controversy, has sent shockwaves through the environmental community. This hasty act, carried out to facilitate the construction of a four-lane expressway, raises serious questions about the priorities of SL authorities and their disregard for the preservation of endangered species and natural ecosystems. SL Legume was thought to be extinct until its unexpected rediscovery in 2019. more..

Jul 13 (ST) Govt Treasury cash flow management has ensured the availability of adequate funds to operationalise govt fiscal policy during the first quarter 2023 through implementing agencies efficiently and effectively. Ministry’s total receipts to the Treasury in the form of revenue and other sources amounted to Rs. 650 billion in the first quarter 2023 with the tax revenue realisation of Rs. 578 billion, an increase of 56% from Rs. 370 billion in the same period last year. more..

Jul 13 (TM) With monkeys, specifically toque macaques, becoming the target of discussion once again amidst plans of exporting them to China, preventing crop damage has become a growing imperative with the frequency of monkeys raiding crops. Minister Mahinda Amaraweera has claimed that as per a HARTI report submitted to the ministry, the toque macaque has been identified as the animal that causes most crop damage, more..

Jul 13 (DN) The local debt restructuring program is something that is very essential for the country as it has not created any major negative impact towards the banking and other sectors, said Group Chairman almas Holdings, a diversified and leading business conglomerate, Imtiaz Buhardeen. He said that though there is a much talked about topic being created that the DDR will have a major negative impact for the EPF this is totally false. “This is something that is politically motivated and more..

Jul 13 (DN) Mercantile Cricket Association (MCA) headed by President Nalin Wickramasinghe is expected to make historical event when Mercantile Cricket Academy two teams, under 15 and under 19 take part in inaugural International Council of Cricket Academies Global Academy Cricket Championship scheduled to be played in Nottingham, England. This UK tour enters SL Cricket Academy history as first SL Academy teams to embark in UK, said MCA chief Nalin Wickramasinghe. more..

Jul 13 (ST) SL’s Oshini Devindya Gunawardhana emerged as the shining star in the Under-12 Girls category of the Western Asia Youth Rapid Chess Championship 2023, held in Kyrgyzstan. With her remarkable performance and flawless score, Oshini clinched the coveted gold medal, adding another glorious chapter to her chess journey. The highly anticipated Western Asia Youth Chess C'ship 2023 commenced in Kyrgyzstan on June 30, and it will continue until July 10. more..

Jul 13 (DN) Boxing Association of SL (BASL) has recently made significant changes to ensure the highest standards in boxing. These changes were made in accordance with the constitution of the International Boxing Association (IBA), global governing body for boxing. BASL has established four new commissions to oversee various aspects of the sport, namely the Referees and Judges Commission, the Coaches Commission, Diversity Commission, and Medical Commission. more..

Jul 13 (Island) Javelin thrower Dilhani Lekamge smashed Olympian Nadeeka Lakmali’s ten year old national record as she joined team captain Gayanthika Abeyratne in winning bronze medals in their respective disciplines on day one of Asian Athletics Championships in Bangkok, Thailand on Wednesday. On a remarkable opening day where sprinters Aruna Dharshana, Rajitha Rajakaruna and Nadeesha Ramanayake all qualified for more..

Jul 13 (FT) Identifying the critical role of air navigation and aviation security in maintaining safe flight operations, the Cabinet of Ministers approved the proposal presented by Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva to present regulations published via Gazette in Parliament for approval. Govt recently published the Civil Aviation Aeronautical Service Provider (Air Navigation and Aviation Security) Licensing Regulations No. 01 of 2023. These regulations, issued by Civil Aviation Act more..

Jul 13 (ST) Residents of Barnes Place, Colombo 7 were startled earlier this week by sounds of a noisy disturbance coming from a house in the area. A closer look revealed that a large group of armed men dressed like ministerial security (MSD) men had forcibly gained entry into an upstair residence in the area. Group, carrying iron rods and poles, reportedly caused damage to the property and shouted at the occupant in abusive language before unceremoniously chucking him out of house more..

Jul 13 (CT) Leader of the PHU Udaya Gammanpila says the country had been devoid of an IGP for 108 days since 26 March. He alleged that granting a second service extension to outgoing IGP C.D. Wickramaratne is unlawful and stressed that it could create a dangerous precedent as well. Speaking further, he said, “The media here reported that the outgoing IGP had been handed a service extension with the consent of both the Prez more..

Jul 13 (HRW) On July 13, 2022, many streets in Colombo erupted into celebration after weeks of peaceful protests forced then-Prez Gotabaya Rajapaksa to flee the country. Rajapaksa, long implicated in war crimes when he was defense secretary, had presided over an economic catastrophe amid allegations of widespread corruption and impunity. But a year later, despite some superficial changes, there is no sustained improvement in country’s economic situation more..

Jul 13 (FT) PM Dinesh Gunawardena emphasised the indispensability of farmers in economic development, highlighting the need to address their concerns and challenges. Speaking at the inauguration of the distribution of local seeds program in Meepe, Mawathagama, PM said that the economic development cannot be achieved if farmers are ignored. PM acknowledged the remarkable progress made in overcoming the recent economic collapse, crediting the hard work more..

Jul 13 (TM) The Police is of the view that it would be difficult to extradite Pastor Jerome Fernando, who allegedly made a statement insulting Buddhism, Hinduism and Islam, as there is a practical problem in establishing an offence of that kind in another country, The Daily Morning learns. Fernando caused controversy by making a statement allegedly insulting Buddhism, Hinduism and Islam, and their founders. While several complaints were lodged with CID against him, more..

Jul 13 (DM) Dr. Shemal Fernando has been appointed as the new Director General of Sports. He has been appointed by the Cabinet on the recommendations of Minister of Sports and Youth Affairs Roshan Ranasinghe. Dr. Fernando’s appointment as the Director General of Sports is significant as he will be responsible for development and implementation of sports programs across the country, working closely with innumerable stakeholders. more..

Jul 13 (TM) SLPP MP Jayantha Ketagoda said that he presented a private Member motion seeking to empower the relevant subject Minister to recall the Local Govt (LG) bodies that have been dissolved, only on the grounds that the LG bodies could not be run without people's representatives, and since candidates who had submitted nominations for the LG Elections have become prisoners due to election laws. more..

Jul 13 (Island) SJB said that the Attorney General had observed that the govt’s attempt to reconvene dissolved local govt bodies through a private member’s bill was unconstitutional. MP Lakshman Kiriella said that the Attorney General had informed the Secretary General of Parliament that the private member’s bill presented to the House through SLPP backbencher Jayantha Ketagoda contained clauses that were inconsistent with the Constitution and some of them would have to be passed by more..

Jul 13 (Island) SL Ambassador to Japan, Rodney M. Perera, recently met Pasindu Mihiran, a talented young inventor from SL, to express his heartfelt congratulations on winning the Platinum and Gold Medals at the Japan Design, Idea, and Invention Expo to bring honour to Sri Lanka, the Foreign Ministry said. This special event took place at the Ariake Garden Convention Centre, in Tokyo, from 7th July to 8th July, 2023, with over 320 participants from 25 different countries. more..

Jul 13 (SG) Five professions, such as plumber, electrician, refrigeration/air conditioning technician, automobile mechanic and automobile electrician, were selected for skill testing in the first phase of the external track of the program, which is being implemented under the Ministry’s Professional Accreditation Program. Ministry has launched the program in Pakistan, India and Bangladesh. It introduced SVP in July 2021 as part of regulating its labor market in the best possible manner. more..

Jul 13 (FT) Japanese Ambassador Mizukoshi Hideaki handed over the Technical Standards prepared by Japan to Minister Bandula Gunawardana in the presence of JICA SL Chief Representative Tetsuya Yamada; Ministry Secretary Anusha Palpita and Additional Secretary E.M.S.B. Jayasundara. Technical Standards prepared by Japan, so called Integrated Services Digital Broadcasting: ISDB-T is designed to provide reliable high-quality video, sound & data broadcasting more..

Jul 13 (FT) SJB reiterated yesterday that Prez Ranil Wickremasinghe and the ruling SLPP Govt lack the mandate from the people to govern, despite Prez Wickremasinghe holding the executive position. SJB’s economist trio, MP Harsha de Silva, emphasised the need for political stability to sustain the achieved relative economic stability, whilst calling for elections to be conducted at the earliest opportunity. more..

Jul 13 (DM) An army corporal was taken into custody on suspicion of sexually harassing a young Turkish woman who was travelling in a bus to Dambulla. The suspect is a resident of the Melpitiya area in Matale. Investigations revealed that a group of three young Turkish women and a young Pakistani man were on their way from Kandy to Dambulla by bus when the suspect caressed the body of one of the women who was sitting next to him. The young Pakistani man with the help of the conductor and more..

Jul 13 (AD) The Committee on Public Enterprises (COPE) has discovered that the online auctioning system for coconut harvests, introduced with the aim of demolishing the monopoly Mafia has been opposed and obstructed as a result of the agenda of the brokers. During the COPE session, the Chairman of the Coconut Development authority Roshan Perera emphasized that the reluctance was noted as a result of their preference to the practical or offline procedure. more..

Jul 13 (FT) The leading environmental activist group, the Center for Environmental Justice (CEJ) said the Cabinet decision to remove a rare SL Legume (Crudia Zeylanica) tree in Daraluwa, Gampaha to make way for the Central Expressway was illegal. Minister Bandula Gunawardane on Tuesday admitted he was instrumental in obtaining Cabinet approval to cut down the rare and endemic tree, more..

Jul 13 (FT) Was the Aragalaya justified? Should Gotabaya Rajapaksa have been overthrown? The Hector Kobbekaduwa Agrarian Research and Training Institute (HKARTI) has calculated that Gotabaya’s fertiliser ban caused a 53% drop in yield. Only 3% of the farmers polled approved of it. It wasn’t just the fertiliser ban. It was the lethally exploding gas canisters. The whitewash. The ruler’s deafness and insufferable arrogance. None of it had to do with the COVID-19 crisis. more..