Jul 25 (CT) This column will argue today that the opposition to the current regime � political parties, trade unions, religious institutions and NGOs � should collaborate in a unified action plan to stall, pushback and defeat the authoritarian project, and it will dispute efforts to foster or formulate common-programmes for an alternative (future) govt, yet. Let�s focus on the first and eschew the latter; that�s my refrain. Before getting my teeth into this I wish to suggest that the regime seems to have more..

Jul 25 (TM) With economic activity in the country returning to some semblance of normalcy following the debilitating third wave of the Covid-19 pandemic, an ominous reminder that SL is far from being safe from the virus is the deadly milestone of having reached 4,000-plus Covid deaths over the weekend. Despite calls from the medical community for heightened caution, especially in light of the dreaded Delta variant, the public at large seems to have thrown caution to the wind, taking a cue from more..

Jul 25 (SO) It has been almost a year since the new Consul General to Sydney, Australia Lakshman Hulugalle assumed duties. Even though the time spent in Sydney is short, many are the achievements for SL during his first year, even in the midst of a pandemic. Being in the financial hub of Australia, Hulugalle�s task is to promote tourism, investment and trade between the two countries. As such, Australia SL Business Council more..

Jul 25 (SO) Another futile attempt by the main Opposition Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) to move a No Confidence Motion (NCM) against Energy Minister Udaya Gammanpila was defeated by a two-thirds majority in Parliament on Tuesday (20). One-hundred-and-fifty-two MPs voted against the motion with all constituent parties of the Govt casting their votes to defeat the motion. Only 61 Opposition MPs including the majority of the SJB, TNA, NPP and the UNP voted in favour of the motion. more..

Jul 25 (GV) SL has lost a fearless and compassionate human rights defender in Manouri Muttetuwegama, who devoted her life to ease the suffering of those in pain. Born into a political family as the daughter of Colvin R. de Silva, Manouri went on to marry a champion of the left, Sarath Muttetuwegama. Despite the personal tragedies of losing her husband and later her son, Manouri � called Aunty Manouri by people of all generations � continued her passionate fight until the end more..

Jul 25 (TM) Former SL Captain Dinesh Chandimal has been asked to perform first in the national domestic circuit, including the forthcoming Inter Provincial tournament, if he is to be considered for selection in the limited-over formats in future. Chandimal met the national cricket selectors and officials of SLC early last week. Meeting had been arranged following Chandimal�s written request from SLC and its technical committee the previous week clarity about his future in the national team. more..

Jul 25 (SO) SL�s Milka Gehani de Silva had her final workout today as she prepared for her artistic gymnastics women�s event of the XXX11 Olympic Games scheduled to be worked off at Ariake Arena at 11.55 am Japan ST (8.25 am SLT) tomorrow (25). De Silva, fresh after a two-year stint in Japan, is considered to be a brightest medal prospect for SL at next year�s Asian Games in China. She looked confident on the eve of her decisive event. �I have been working hard for the event and more..

Jul 25 (ST) Niluka Karunaratne�s late set heroics could not produce the end result with the three-time Olympian losing in straight sets to Tzu-Wei Wang in their Men�s Badminton Group Play match at the Musashino Forest Sports Plaza in Tokyo, Japan yesterday. Karunaratne, ranked 107 places below Wang, slipped to a 10-2 deficit in the first set before stepping into gear and pushing his opponent before going down 21-12 more..

Jul 25 (ST) The advent of a new Finance Minister heralds what many believe is the dawn of a new era. While this may be an exaggeration, it implies a desperate attempt at mid-course correction by the Govt before the country is shipwrecked in the stormy seas of economic and financial mismanagement. The Govt has been preparing for this change for some time. The PM opting to take a tactical step back from active public life and slow down his hectic schedule comes as no surprise. more..

Jul 25 (ST) My dear Gota maamey, I thought I must write to you when I heard you saying you would be in charge for the next 8 years. In these days when nothing is certain but death, taxes and the increasing number of Covid-19 patients every day, it is good to know that we are certain about who will lead us until 2029. I was a bit puzzled, though, at the manner in which the news reached us. You didn�t announce this in one of those Gama samaga pilisandara that you have from time to time. more..

Jul 25 (ST) The govt is to ease import restrictions on several product categories required to manufacture value-added and export-based products for the export market while retaining the ban on vehicle and non-essential imports, according to a high-level decision. Necessary guidelines have been issued and the CB should facilitate the import of essential commodities like fuel, food items and other categories needed for the manufacture more..

Jul 25 (Island) Cricket selectors in Australia are ruthless. In certain other parts of the world they are toothless. Steve Waugh had won the World Cup in 1999 and the Ashes two times in 2001 and 2003 when Trevor Hohns, (who had played only seven Tests by the way), called up Waugh and told him that his time was up. Waugh, with a massive fan following, resisted but Hohns made sure that Australia�s most successful captain was neither there for the World Cup defence in 2003 nor more..

Jul 25 (Island) The so-called Black July riots of July 23, 1983, marked the culmination of a slow build- up of inter-communal violence over the years. Starting in 1956, going on to 1958 and growing in intensity by 1978, it saw the climax of this process in 1983. Apart from the areas which were predominantly inhabited by the Tamil Community, almost the rest of the island was overwhelmed by the conflagration. A'pura District stood out as the one region that did not succumb to communal violence. more..

Jul 25 (ST) The ongoing construction of a four-lane elevated expressway connecting the Athurugiriya interchange and Kelani Bridge is more costlier when compared to the Japanese funded Light Railway Transport (LRT) project scrapped by the govt citing the reason as financial constraints. China Harbour Engineering Corporation (CHEC), which is already carrying out several mega projects in the country, more..

Jul 25 (ST) After widespread criticism following on and off-field dramas by national cricketers, the win on Friday against India was like manna from heaven�regardless of how depleted the Indians were going into the third and final ODI. India made six changes to the playing XI, introducing as many as five debutants to test their bench strength only to end on the losing side. Sri Lanka surrendered the series 2-1 but the spirit with which they fought the match earned them much praise. more..

Jul 25 (SO) An Indian Premier League (IPL) show will take place in SL when the touring Indians will be hosted to three T20Is at the Premadasa Stadium in Colombo starting today. SL will move into the series with some momentum after beating India by three wickets in the third and final ODI on Friday although losing the series 2-1. Nearly all the Indian players currently touring SL, including skipper Shikhar Dhawan have come through the high profile IPL and will at the same time be under more..

Jul 25 (TM) The Urban Development Authority (UDA) is currently in the process of evaluating potential investors to lease out the Colombo Racecourse Mall, similar to the recent lease of the Arcade Independence Square, to Softlogic Holdings. Speaking to us, UDA Director General N.P.K. Ranaweera stated that they are in a callout for potential investors who would be interested in a public-private partnership more..

Jul 25 (ST) SL�s hotel workers are struggling to survive as they have been thrown into a pitiful state with a meagre salary and no extra payments to sustain them as the pandemic continues. With rising cost of loans, absence of service charges and tips, and no extra jobs to sustain their livelihoods, hotel workers are urging the authorities to provide them a standard payment as some claim they are the lowest paid workers in the country today. In this respect, workers took to streets starting in Aluthgama more..

Jul 25 (ST) Few consumer goods industries have experienced the type of explosive growth like Spa Ceylon which is aggressively embracing its global expansion, counting 105 branded stores and shop-in-shop outlets in Europe, Asia, and Africa while plans are on to branch out to the US in two years. �We have noticed that all over the world people are more interested in holistic living than two years ago. They realise the value of wellbeing when compared to before the pandemic. more..

Jul 25 (TM) The Covid-19 pandemic dealt a severe blow to the country�s education system, with schools being unable to function properly for nearly 16 months. Although there were some short-term phases of functioning, the students are still struggling to cope with their studies after the introduction of e-learning as a distance education model. The online education system spotlighted the inequalities, especially the lack of resources, more..

Jul 25 (SO) Sri Lanka Tourism should pay greater attention to supporting the SME tourism sector which accounts for a major share of employment currently in jeopardy for the past two years, said social scientist and tourism expert Dr. Dietmar Doering. He said Europe continues to be the largest source of tourist traffic to Sri Lanka recording a share of 55.4% while Asia Pacific is the second major source market with a share of 35.7%. Registered accommodation establishments more..

Jul 25 (ST) Trade Ministry is to seek cabinet approval to obtain a bank guarantee of US$ 10 million from the Treasury to get into the business of importing essential items including building material to end the monopoly of the private sector. The objective of the ministry is to set up a govt arm in importing goods and thereby releasing stocks to the markets while competing with private sector prices. For this purpose, Minister Bandula Gunawardna will seek cabinet approval to revive more..

Jul 25 (AFP) SL's head coach Mickey Arthur ordered the national squad off social media on Saturday after disgruntled fans launched a campaign to boycott players following a string of defeats overseas. He said players were getting absolutely hammered and it was affecting their judgement and mood as they prepare for the T20 World Cup later this year. "Some of the stuff listed there is beyond comprehensible," Arthur said more..

Jul 25 (EN) Sri Lanka�s tea and oil palm farming companies are likely to be hit from a fertilizer ban Fitch Ratings said though prices may rise to compensate, Fitch Ratings said as imports were curtailed after money printing created forex shortages. �Fitch views the current ban on the importation of chemical fertilisers as a credit negative for rated corporates such as Kotagala Plantations PLC and Sunshine, given their exposure to palm oil plantations,� rating agency said. more..

Jul 25 (SO) Minister of Mass Media Keheliya Rambukwella said he hopes to formalise the licensing process for TV channels and the registration process for all news websites in operation. He told the Ministerial Consultative Committee on Mass Media that his Ministry is focusing on amending the Press Council Act to make the Media Board Act applicable to all media, adding that his Ministry was fulfilling its responsibilities on behalf of 22 million people. more..

Jul 25 (ST) Sri Lanka has no immediate plan to seek financing from the IMF, Presidential Secretary P.B. Jayasundera has said. �Right now, it is not a question of whether we want the IMF or not,� the former Finance Ministry Secretary said. �The IMF coming won�t bring tourism here. The IMF coming won�t bring exports back.� Any borrowing, including an IMF programme, was �good if you have prospects to improve quickly and more..

Jul 25 (SO) National Child Protection Authority (NCPA) has proposed a revision of labour laws to classify domestic servant as a dangerous profession for children up to 18 years. NCPA will also expand the list of dangerous professions for children between 16-18 years from 52 to 76 under the proposed amendment. �This new piece of legislation is currently before the Legal Draftsman,� NCPA Chairman Prof. Muditha Vidanapathirana said. The proposed law will make it an offence to more..

Jul 25 (ST) A sharp rise has been seen in the number of COVID-19 patients seeking treatment at the National Hospital of Sri Lanka (NHSL) this week and many warned that it may be an early signal of what to expect from other parts of the country. This week, the NHSL saw more than 200 COVID-19 patients seeking treatment daily, said an NHSL source, pointing out that it may be an indication of a spike in illness in the Colombo district as well as the Western Province. more..

Jul 25 (TM) Despite concerns about the presence of a newly mutated variant of Covid-19 in Sri Lanka in addition to the presently spreading B.1.1.7 Alpha variant of UK origin and the B.1.617.2 Delta variant of Indian origin, The Sunday Morning learnt that there is no truth to such rumours. Sri J'pura University�s Allergy, Immunology, and Cell Biology Unit Director Dr. Chandima Jeewandara dismissed such statements, more..

Jul 25 (ST) As the Govt introduced an amendment to bring the Kotelawala National Defence Uni (KNDU) under UGC in the face of ongoing public protests, university has secured Rs 36.54 billion from two state banks under a Treasury guarantee. Following the widespread protests across the country against the KNDU bill, Education Ministry issued a gazette notification on Tuesday amending the Universities Act of 1978 to include universities for a specific purpose within the purview of UGC. more..

Jul 25 (TM) With an alarming number of new cases connected to the highly contagious Indian Delta (B.1.617.2) variant that has reportedly spread across several areas in Sri Lanka, authorities fear that the country is facing a resurgence of the pandemic. The Indian Delta variant has already been detected in five districts in the Western, Northern, and Southern Provinces, and health authorities of the country predict that it would spread throughout the country over the next two to four weeks. more..

Jul 25 (ST) This week delivered a rather paradoxical, if not bizarre, message to Sri Lankans. A govt on the brink of an economic disaster, an on-going national health crisis over COVID- 19, a feared lower yield of food crops caused by a chemical fertiliser import ban, all rolled together have made it most unpopular. That continues. Yet, it is sitting pretty with an air of supreme confidence unruffled, undisturbed, and resolute. more..

Jul 26 (Island) We run today a letter written by the mother of a victim of daylight robbery that is rampant today. She did not direct her signed letter to us, but it was widely circulated and shared and a reader who received it from four different sources sent it on to us. We have withheld the writer�s name out of prudence and also because she did not write directly to us. But given the extent of the problem and its relevance particularly to mainly urban and suburban dwellers, we felt it appropriate to run it more..

Jul 26 (CT) I do not claim to be an expert on children�s issues or criminal law. My forte is political science and conflict resolution. Therefore, I am not writing this essay as an expert but to initiate a dialogue that hopefully will lead to Justice for Ishalini. Ishalini, a child by definition, was brought to Colombo and employed at parliamentarian and former minister Rishad Bathiudeen�s private residence in 2020. She was a Tamil girl from Dayagama, Talawakele. more..

Jul 26 (GV) In Brother Grimm�s Little Briar Rose (Sleeping Beauty), the twelve wise women invited to the birthday feast gift the baby princess with everything in the world that one can wish for. A magical intervention of similar magnitude would be necessary to create the kind of leader who can use with moderation and efficacy and for greater good the enormous powers of SL�s executive presidency. Our titanic presidency is a bad fit for mortals. more..

Jul 26 (CT) Prevention of Terrorism (Temporary Provisions) Act No. 48 of 1979 was an adjunct to the Code of Criminal Procedure Act No. 15 of 1979, containing the procedural law relating to criminal activities, enacted after repealing the Administration of Justice Law No. 15 of 1973 brought in by the 1970 United Front regime that repealed the age old Criminal Procedure Code of 1883 of the British that was soon replaced by Ordinance No. 15 of 1898. The Prevention of Terrorism Act came into more..

Jul 26 (TM) On Saturday (23), SL�s Covid-19 death toll exceeded 4,000 deaths � a milestone the country did not expect to surpass in the initial era of the pandemic, when Sri Lankans were extremely concerned about the gravity of the situation. At this time, community spread of the virus was extremely minimal, because the public fulfilled their responsibility by adhering to safety guidelines. Over the past few months, however, many Sri Lankans have stopped caring, but we must remember more..

Jul 26 (TM) Sri Lankan Govt is engaged in a strategic plan to promote and develop renewable energy power plants in the country. Prez Rajapaksa aims to convert 70% of the country�s energy consumption to renewable energy (RE) by 2030. State Minister of Solar, Wind, and Grid Power Generation Projects Development Duminda Dissanayake shared some insight into the current energy development plan. more..

Jul 26 (ST) If expectations had been raised to fever pitch among farmers that Basil Rajapaksa�s return to Lanka last month to assume the nation�s financial reins would see reversed a presidential ban on chemical fertiliser, they were swiftly flayed when the Govt�s media division announced two weeks ago that the new Minister of Finance had no intention whatsoever to countermand his brother�s decision.The media statement, issued the day after he was sworn in as Finance Minister, more..