Jun 29 (CT) Colombo Chief Magistrate’s Court granted permission to the Terrorism Investigation Division (TID), yesterday, to investigate 19 bank accounts belonging to Ven. Galwewa Siridhamma Thera, who is out on bail after being arrested under the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA). The TID had requested the Court’s permission to investigate the bank accounts. Former IUSF Convener Wasantha Mudalige was the first accused in this case. The Court released him citing lack of evidence. more..

Jun 29 (Island) JVP asked the govt why it had closed the banks for five days and summoned Parliament without an Order Paper if it was confident that the domestic debt restructuring would have no detrimental impact on the people. JVP’s Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa said that the govt had a responsibility to tell the people what it was planning to do. “The JVP has not tried to cause panic contrary to claims made by some govt ministers, and the problem was that the govt had always been very vague about more..

Jun 29 (DN) Medical Specialists told the Court of Appeal through their lawyers yesterday (28) that they are satisfied with the decision taken by the Health Ministry to extend the retirement age of medical specialists in the govt service up to 63 years. This was informed when the writ petitions filed by 176 doctors against the decision by the Cabinet to make the retirement age of the medical specialists 60 years were called by the Court of Appeal. Court of Appeal President more..

Jun 29 (FT) Govt appears to have opted to a soft Domestic Debt Optimisation (DDO) exercise sparing the Treasury Bond heavy banking sector but restructuring other liabilities. PMD in a brief announcement said the “Proposed domestic debt restructuring program proposed by the Finance Ministry has been approved by the special cabinet meeting unanimously which concluded this evening and all Govt MPs were notified more..

Jun 29 (AD) Air Marshal Udeni Rajapaksa is tipped to be appointed as the new Commander of the SL Air Force (SLAF). Accordingly, Rajapaksa is set to assume duties as the 19th Commander of the SL Air Force. Born in Colombo in Western Province in 1969, Air Vice Marshal Udeni Rajapaksa is a past pupil of Bandaranayake College, Gampaha and Ananda College, Colombo. He joined the Kotelawala Defence Academy, Ratmalana as an Officer Cadet in Oct 1988 in the 6th Officer Cadets’ Intake. more..

Jun 29 (TM) Two State banks, Bank of Ceylon (BOC) and Peoples’ Bank have invested in 25% of the Treasury Bonds issued by the govt by the end of 2022 while Commercial Bank is the largest investor in bonds among the private banks, Senkadagala Finance Securities. BOC has invested Rs.1,239 billion in Treasury Bonds as of the end of 2022 and Peoples’ Bank has invested Rs.903 billion. Together, the two state banks own 25% of the total Treasury Bonds issued by the govt by the end of 2022. more..

Jun 29 (EN) Banks have been excluded from domestic debt bond re-structuring plan which will be limited to pension funds, according to sources with knowledge of the matter. SL’s provident funds will get bonds with coupons which will reduce from 12 to 9% over their tenor. Legislator Gamini Lokuge who attended a meeting of govt parliamentary groups told reporters that officials have assured that returns paid to more..

Jun 29 (FT) There has been a significant increase in Sustainability reporting disclosure requirements in multiple jurisdictions over the past year. Some key developments are; Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) and European Financial Reporting Advisory Group (EFRAG) are on the cusp of releasing the European Sustainability Reporting Standards (ESRS); Int'l Sustainability Standards Board (ISSB) set to release the IFRS S1 and IFRS S2 Standards by mid-2023 more..

Jun 29 (FT) Prez Wickremesinghe’s domestic debt restructuring ‘shock therapy’ which in all probability will impact negatively downstream on the EPF and ETF i.e., people’s savings, is not due so much to the IMF agreement or Paris Club pressure. It is to appease the foreign private creditors, chiefly the ISB holders. The bulk of foreign private debt was incurred by PM Wickremesinghe and his UNP economic team in 2015-2019. Wickremesinghe is not a popularly elected leader more..

Jun 29 (DM) Former State Minister Vijeyakala Maheshvaran had met with a road accident at Mangalaeliya in Mundalama on the Colombo-Puttlam road in the early hours of this morning. She was admitted to the Mundalama district hospital and transferred to the Chilaw general hospital. However, she was out of danger. Police said the van she was travelling in had veered off the road and toppled causing her injuries. The driver and another on board too were injured & admitted to hospital. more..

Jun 29 (SM) Sri Lankan flight which departed from the BIA, Katunayake to Japan’s Narita Int'l Airport, had turned back due to a technical fault. The A330-300 Airbus left the BIA for Narita, Japan last night at 8.20 p.m. However, due to a technical failure, the pilot turned the flight back to the BIA after two hours and 25 minutes of airtime. No passenger or crew member has been affected. Later, the passengers were sent to Japan on another flight, the BIA Duty Manager said. more..

Jun 29 (DM) Country's health sector is facing a dire situation now where some 300 out of 1,400 medical graduates who had completed the internship in April this year, have not obtained appointments as doctors, former NPP MP Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa said. He said addressing a seminar in Colombo that Sri Lanka Medical Council (SLMC) registration could be obtained only after completing the internship. more..

Jun 29 (DM) Former Royal Scrum half, Royal Head coach, SL Rugby Football Union (SLRFU) President and present Trustee of Kandy Sports Club, Malik Samarawickrema stepped down from his position after a service of more than 3 decades. Malik moved into Central Hills and setup his business in the region giving employment for many rugby players. The initial lot moved from Colombo to Kandy included some top class players such as Inthi Marikar, L V Ekanayake, Shiyam Sideek and more..

Jun 29 (EN) Sri Lanka’s banks have already provided for up to losses up to 35% on their international sovereign bond holdings, and haircuts agreed with sovereign bond holders are not expected to impact the banks further, Central Bank Governor Nandalal Weerasinghe said. About four or five Sri Lankan banks had sovereign bond holdings and they had been instructed to provide for losses up to 35%. “They had already provided up to 35%,” Governor Weerasinghe said. more..

Jun 29 (Reuters) Sri Lanka is asking foreign investors in its international sovereign bonds to take a 30% haircut and is seeking similar concessions from holders of its other dollar-denominated bonds as it seeks to restructure its massive debt, its CB governor said. Govt will also exchange treasury bills into long-term bonds as part of a domestic debt restructuring programme, Nandalal Weerasinghe said as he unveiled more..

Jun 29 (AD) Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe appointed members to both the Election Commission and the Human Rights Commission (HRCSL) today. Thereby, Justice L.T.B. Dehideniya, a retired SC judge, has been selected as the chairman of HRCSL. The newly appointed members of the Human Rights Commission are Mr. Nimalasena Pundihewa, Mr. Thaiyamuttu Thanaraj, Prof. Fathima Hanifa, and Dr. Gehan Gunatillake. Meanwhile, former Additional Commissioner more..

Jun 29 (SLN) A special operation conducted by the SL Navy about 573 nautical miles (about 1061km) off Dondra, south of SL, led to the interception of a foreign trawler with over 900g of heroin on 22nd June 2023. During the operation, carried by SLNS Sayura, 08 foreign nationals who were aboard the drug-carrying trawler were also apprehended. The trawler and suspects were brought to the port of Colombo on the morning of 28th June 2023 for onward legal proceedings. more..

Jun 29 (Island) The first group of women para jumpers of the SL Navy, consisting of 2 lady officers and 3 women sailors, successfully completed their basic parachute course at the SL Air Force Parachute Training School, Ampara. Lt Iresha Madushani, Lt Prasadi Nadeeshani, Woman Able Physical Training Instructor Ayesha Wijayarathna, Woman Ordinary Seaman Maheesha Ranasinghe and Woman Ordinary Seaman Kaushi Thisera who successfully completed basic parachute course more..

Jun 29 (EN) Sri Lanka will guarantee a 9% return on the Employment Provident Fund after a restructure of its bond portfolio, to make govt debt sustainable, CB Governor Nandalal Weerasinghe said. SL Treasury is proposing to restructure portfolios of provident funds with new bonds which will pay 12% until 2025 going down to 9% thereafter. Current member balances would be unaffected by the restructure. Returns below 9 percent would be topped up by the govt if necessary. more..

Jun 28 (TM) The Supreme Court (SC) has approved the five-year rigorous imprisonment (RI) sentence handed down by the Ratnapura High Court (HC) to six accused who had been charged with complicity in the violence that erupted following the murder of Parliamentarian Nalanda Ellawala in 1997. The verdict was given by the SC judge bench consisting of President’s Counsel (PC) and Justice Murdu Fernando, S. Thurairaja PC, and Achala Wengappuli yesterday (27). more..

Jun 29 (TM) Lanka Sathosa Ltd. was called before the COPE on 22 June, during which it was discussed that by importing and selling goods, Lanka Sathosa had forfeited the opportunity to sell goods at a lower price to customers and subsequently gain more profit by buying and selling goods from Pettah. Furthermore, the officials explained losses due to delays in receiving money although the goods are imported more..

Jun 29 (CI) After the riveting league phase, the men's ODI World Cup qualifier has reached the Super Six, where Zimbabwe, Netherlands, WI, SL, Scotland and Oman will contest for two spots at the main event in India later this year. The cut-throat nature of the qualifier has already left West Indies, who were pre-tournament favourites along with SL, on the brink of elimination. Unless the stars align in their favour in a big way, they - champions in the first two editions in 1975 and 1979 more..

Jun 29 (DM) Lanka Private Bus Owners' Associaion (LPBOA) said that there is no need for an annual bus fare revision for this year at this time. LPBOA Chairman Gemunu Wijerathne said they have decided to contine with the existing bus fare without imposing a revision. He also said he has informed this decision to National Transport Commission (NTC) as well. The annual bus fare revision will take place on June 1 every year. The bus fare will be calculated according to the special formula more..

Jun 29 (CT) Health Minister Keheliya Rambukwella and a section of his officials came under severe censure, for having created a bigger quandary for the State health service, by filing an affidavit in the Court of Appeal saying that Health Ministry had no objections to extending the age of retirement of medical officers, specified in the Gazette Notification, bearing No.2310/07 dated 12 Dec 2022, up to 63 years. more..

Jun 29 (DM) Left-arm fast bowler Dilshan Madushanka was called up into the SL squad for the remainder of the World Cup Qualifier matches, after Dushmantha Chameera was ruled out due to injury and sent back home. Chameera was yet to feature in the tournament, having picked up a right pectoral muscle injury ahead of SL’s first match of the tournament, and has now been ruled out of the Super Six stage. SL will play their first Super Six match against the Netherlands tomorrow. more..

Jun 29 (TM) Journalist Tharindu Jayawardhana has filed a revision application before the Colombo High Court (HC), seeking the declaration of an order issued by the Colombo Fort Magistrate's Court (MC) pertaining to an alleged contempt of court charge, null and void, and an order preventing the CID from continuing the related investigations. Journalists Jayawardhana and Tharindu Uduwaragedara, Attorney Lakmali Hemachandra, activists Brito Fernando and Vidarshana Kannangara more..

Jun 29 (ANI) External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Thursday met with the Governor of the Eastern province of Sri Lanka Senthil Thondaman and discussed development partnership and explored possibilities for further cooperation. Taking to his official Twitter handle, Jaishankar noted that Sri Lanka is at the centre of India's Neighbourhood First policy and Sagar outlook. He tweeted, "Good to meet the Governor of Eastern Province of Sri Lanka Senthil Thondaman. more..

Jun 29 (DM) A chief police inspector attached to the Homagama Special Crimes Investigation Division, died after a motorcycle he was riding collided with a bus at Makumbura in Homagama on the Colombo - Avissawella Road. The deceased is a 47-year-old resident of Panadura. His body has been handed over to relatives after the post-mortem and autopsy. Driver of the bus involved in the accident has been arrested, and the Homagama police are conducting further investigations. more..

Jun 29 (FT) British High Commissioner Sarah Hulton, OBE is departing after an eventful and successful nearly four year stint in SL. The Daily FT caught up with her before her departure to get a quick recap from her on the tenure in SL which was momentous with several key developments in terms of bilateral cooperation between the UK and SL and UK's support to Sri Lanka. Incidentally, after assuming duties in Aug 2019 more..

Jun 29 (TM) Workers clad in protective gear clean up an oily substance that washed up ashore on the Sarakkuwa – Pamunugama Beach, in the vicinity of the MV X-Press Pearl wreck site, yesterday. Part of the wreck was salvaged and removed early this year, with the other part being salvaged at present, the latter causing concerns about another oil leak from the wreck. According to locals, a large patch of oil was seen during the early hours, washed ashore, bringing with it a number of dead jellyfish more..

Jun 29 (CT) Nuseir Yassin, the popular Palestinian-Israeli creator of viral video sensation Nas Daily, plans to create three videos to promote Sri Lanka for tourism and investment. In 2020, Yassin created Nas Academy, a school for video creators and Nas Studios, a video production studio. Minister Harin Fernando said Cabinet approval has been received to create social media content with Nas Daily, under Finance Ministry supervision. Yassin will create three videos for Sri Lanka on the themes, more..

Jun 29 (FT) CID told the Colombo Additional Magistrate Rajindra Jayasuriya yesterday that the report of the five-member expert medical panel chaired by Dr. Asela Mendis, a pathologist at the University of Colombo into the death of popular businessman Dinesh Schaffter is yet to be completed. The CID said it would conduct further investigations once the report is submitted to Court following completion. more..

Jun 29 (TM) National Dangerous Drugs Control Board (NDDCB) claimed that no permission has been obtained from them by the relevant authorities concerning the proposed legalisation of cannabis for medical export purposes. NDDCB Chairman Shakya Nanayakkara said that before exporting any relevant drug from SL, permission should be obtained. “Cannabis is proposed to be exported for medical and commercial purposes. However, before the legalisation of cannabis for export, more..

Jun 28 (AD) SL govt has decided to establish a special court to resolve the legal problems pertaining to tax collection, State Minister Ranjith Siyambalapitiya says. The proposed special court is among a series of unique recommendations, aimed at addressing the legal issues in tax collection, which are expected to be submitted for the Prez’s approval. Speaking further, Siyambalapitiya said the plan incorporates several particular topics to address practical challenges linked to tax collection. more..

Jun 30 (DM) SL, it seems, is slowly losing its grip on governing the county in an acceptable manner; concerns coming mostly from how its citizens are suffering because of deteriorating facilities for patients. There is enough disturbing news generated from the health sector with the state not showing an atom of care about the welfare of people. We get to read so many negative pieces in the newspapers about substandard drugs being administered or given to patients and some even losing more..