Aug 9 (AD) Attorney General informed the Supreme Court today, that he has strong objections with regard to the Fundamental Rights (FR) petition filed by Rev. Fr. Jeewantha Peiris. Rev. Fr. Jeewantha Peiris, who is an activist of the Aragalaya protest movement, had previously filed an FR petition with the Supreme Court seeking an order to prevent his arrest. Senior State Counsel Mr. Shaveendra Wickrema, appearing for the AG, more..

Aug 9 (DM) All Island Canteen Owners' Association (AICOA) has decided to reduce the price of a lunch packet and a cup of plain tea from tonight. AICOA Chief Asela Sampath said that the decision was taken due to price reduction of LITRO gas and the prices of certain food stuff. Profit gained after reducing the price of essential items should be given to the consumers as they are in a very critical situation. Accordingly, the price of a lunch packet will be reduced by 10% and a cup of plain tea more..

Aug 9 (TM) Shares of all local banks at the Colombo Stock Exchange (CSE) were down at the closure of trading on Monday, following Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe�s statement that the Govt�s financial advisors are also looking into restructure domestic debt, despite the stock market seeing gains for the eighth consecutive session. The share price of Nations Trust Bank was down by 18.28% (Rs. 10.98), Seylan Bank by 4.46% (Rs. 0.70), Pan Asia Banking Corp by 3.16% (Rs. 0.30), more..

Aug 9 (TM) China said yesterday (8) that it was senseless and unreasonable to pressure Sri Lanka to defer the planned docking of Chinese space and satellite tracking research vessel Yuan Wang 5 at the Hambantota Port citing security concerns, in a thinly veiled reference to India, which has expressed strong objection to Sri Lanka over the planned docking. Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesman Wang Wenbin, at a media briefing in Beijing, more..

Aug 9 (EN) Cabinet has approved a proposal to allocate land from 13 industrial zones for 25 SME sector investors, Minister Bandula Gunawardena said. Land allocation will be carried out under a Regional Industrial Zones Development Programme, he said, with the aim of promoting the industries at regional level. The proposal had been made by Minister Ramesh Pathirana. �The govt has allocated land in industrial zones for investors unable to purchase lands, build factories on their own� more..

Aug 9 (CT) Eighteen community and industry organisations signed a MoU with the Faculty of Business Studies, Uni of Vavuniya. The purposes of this intervention are to speed up the resumption, successful recovery and development of the MSM enterprises and household livelihood ventures through effective management of the recovery phase. The approach proposed in achieving the purpose is service facilitation and focused knowledge base management. more..

Aug 9 (EN) Cabinet of ministers has approved a proposal to revise water and sewage charges to reflect the Water Supply and Drainage Board�s recurring operational costs and working capital loan obligations. A statement from the govt information department said on Tuesday Aug 9 that a tariff revision was deemed necessary to ensure an interrupted supply of water. Minister Bandula Gunawardena called it a cost-reflective price formula. The proposal had been made by more..

Aug 9 (CT) Japan�s Ambassador to SL Hideaki Mizukoshi yesterday handed over essential pharmaceuticals for women and youth worth Rs 26 million to Health Minister Keheliya Rambukwella. This emergency response was implemented under the partnership with UNFPA as part of the Project for the Improvement of Access to Information and Services of Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights and Gender-based Violence for Women and Young People (PROMISES). more..

Aug 9 (CI) Lanka Premier League has been officially rescheduled to take place in Dec 2022. The third season of the LPL was initially slated to be held in August, but the economic crisis engulfing the country had forced a postponement last month. "It's my pleasure to announce that the LPL will be held from 6th to 23rd Dec," LPL tournament organiser Samantha Dodanwela said. The news was also confirmed by IPG, more..

Aug 9 (CT) National Building Research Organisation (NBRO) Nuwara Eliya geologists inspected several other buildings, including the four-storey building that has begun to lean to a side in MR Road, Dikoya, Hatton, and the surrounding area. Geologist Buddhika Wijekoon said, after inspecting some of the buildings, it was discovered that they are in danger of collapsing if there are any changes in the ground. It was observed that a four-storey building at that location was beginning to lean to more..

Aug 9 (FT) The 10th World Construction Symposium 2022 on Sustainability and Resilience in the Built Environment: Changed Perspectives was successfully held recently. This symposium, indexed by SCOPUS since 2019, provides a special forum for researchers and practitioners in the area of sustainable construction worldwide to share their knowledge, experience and research findings. Ceylon Institute of Builders (CIOB) and Building Economics & Management Research Unit more..

Aug 9 (Nikkei) Serpentine lines of motorists awaiting fuel rations have become a common sight in SL's commercial capital of Colombo, as the country grapples with an unprecedented economic crisis. Some queues stretch for miles, with auto-rickshaw drivers and car owners baking in the sun to get their hands on a few precious liters. Several people are reported to have died while waiting. But not everyone waits. more..

Aug 9 (Hindu) SL's newly-appointed tourism brand Ambassador and cricket legend Sanath Jayasuriya on Tuesday said his country will concentrate on promoting the Ramayana trail to Indian tourists, as the crisis-hit island nation seeks to boost tourism for economic recovery. Mr. Jayasuriya, a former SL cricket captain, met India's High Commissioner in Colombo, Gopal Baglay, on Monday. "Sri Lanka's newly-appointed tourism brand Ambassador, cricket legend @Sanath07 met HC today. more..

Aug 9 (DM) Three MPs namely Wasantha Yapa Bandara, Tilak Rajapaksa and Chaminda Wijesiri today alleged that they had received death threats whilst the latter questioned the legitimacy of the recent election of a new President in Parliament. �It seems that votes have been gathered for certain candidates who ran for the presidency by inflicting death threats on MPs. Therefore, one has to question the legitimacy of the recent polls held in Parliament to elect a new President,� more..

Aug 10 (DM) Our country, is in a state of near bankruptcy. We are unable to make payment for even interest payments on debts to international creditors and debts total to over US$52 billion. We have also run out of essentials - fuel, food, and medicines - to keep the country physically and economically alive. Yet, until the dollar crunch hit us at the beginning of this year, the populace - both rich and poor - continued to enjoy subsidies and welfare state measures on a variety of goods more..

Aug 10 (DM) The iconic GotaGoGama is winding down. The crowds have thinned out. The WhatsApp messages that used to flood the inbox have dried out. The foreign journalists who were so much of a concerned feature of the Aragalaya coverage have left. The short-term fixing gigs have slowed down. You wake up and suddenly the overlay of working intensity has dialled down a bit but the uncertainty of what lies next as a citizen of Sri Lanka has not. Since the protests started in late March more..

Aug 10 (CT) Since Hambantota Port was given to China among many other development project contracts, the world�s superpowers have been focusing on the activities SL is meddling with. Again a warship, with a full strategic military application platform, is in the SL�s geopolitical discourse. After the submarine Changzheng-2 and cruiser Chang Xing Dao arrived in Colombo in 2014 causing a major ruckus between India and Sri Lanka, more..

Aug 10 (GV) Illegal arrests and illegal detentions do not only harm individuals � they also cause irreparable damage to the legal system as a whole. The recent wave of arrests of those who participated in peaceful demonstrations has not only caused harm to the life and liberty of these individuals but it has also diminished the entire legal system of Sri Lanka. This damage will continue to make its impact felt on the system long after the incidents have been forgotten. more..

Aug 10 (CT) President Ranil Wickremesinghe, speaking at Army Headquarters, Akuregoda, Battaramulla, yesterday thanked the Army for protecting Parliament during last month�s mayhem. He also thanked the Army for not allowing a single life to be lost during those incidents, which also included the storming of the Presidential Secretariat, President�s House, Colombo, Prime Minister�s Office and the burning of his private residence by angry masses led by the youth of the country. more..

Aug 10 (TM) One of the key strategies towards reviving SL�s collapsing economy is by attracting investors, especially foreign investors, to start businesses in SL, thereby providing jobs and bringing in foreign currency, among other benefits. However, despite having massive projects designed for investors, such as the Colombo Port City, and also incentives such as huge tax cuts, the country has not been able to more..

Aug 10 (TM) The importance of adopting new and more effective practices, policies, and laws, and also doing away with outdated ones, is one of the most important things that the Covid-19 pandemic and the prevailing economic crisis taught Sri Lanka. As a result of these crises, many aspects of the country�s society and how it handled its day-to-day affairs changed. Even though this change, or improvement, is happening at snail�s pace, as a country with many outdated practices and laws, more..

Aug 10 (CT) The lighthouse has lost its glimmer. It�s not guiding ships anymore. The green, though dust-laden, seems swept by a million feet, nevertheless is missing its green. A great many number of protesters have gone home; they are more preoccupied with their homely chores. Stalls have been torn down paving the way for pedestrians who find a fresh yet battered green to walk on. The total landscape has changed and its transformation is visible and ominous on another front. more..

Aug 10 (Island) The JVP has refused to join the proposed all-party govt, calling it a ruse to perpetuate the Rajapaksa rule, in all but name, with Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe being at the beck and call of the SLPP leadership. What the country needs is an interim govt pending an early general election because the SLPP�s popular mandates have expired, the JVP says. This is an interesting argument. Mid-term elections are the best way to ascertain public opinion about govt in power, more..

Aug 10 (Island) The post-independence legislature of SL consisted of two houses � the House of Representatives (parliament) and the Senate. This bicameral system, established in 1947, which replaced the State Council of Ceylon, provided some checks and balances in the system of governance. Under this system, the House of Representatives had 101 members (95 elected by the people and 6 appointed by the Governor General) and the Senate had 30 members (15 elected by the House more..

Aug 10 (Island) The govt is planning to restructure the national carrier, Sri Lankan Airlines, and privatization is one proposed option due to the current financial crisis, Sri Lankan Airlines CEO Richard Nuttall said. �We are now looking at the privatization option as well because the govt wants to restructure Sri Lankan Airlines, which is now preparing for the in- coming tourist season. So far we have enough bookings, Nuttall said, more..

Aug 10 (ST) SL businesses are experiencing distress investments leading to mergers and acquisitions which will increase in the coming months, industry officials say. There will most definitely be distress investing which is essentially investing in good companies with bad balance sheets � possibly through foreign capital, Murtaza Jafferjee, CEO JB Stockbrokers said. Firms with unstable capital structures where the debt load is too high or difficult to refinance, or because more..

Aug 10 (CT) A collective bowling effort from SLC Blues saw them register a thrilling 32 runs win over SLC Greens in a low scoring game at RPS, Colombo on Monday (8) under lights. Batting first, Blues posted 122-9 in their allotted 20 overs and then bowled out SLC Greens for 90 runs. SLC Blues were off to a horrible start losing both openers Danushka Gunathilake (3) and Sadeera Samarawickrama (1) cheaply. After the early set back, skipper Charith Asalanka (23) more..

Aug 10 (ST) The lack of fuel for the police and them being compelled to oversee law and order at filling stations are among factors contributing to a new wave of criminal activities. Several deadly shootings have prompted the authorities to call for special operations to track down drug dealers and underworld figures. Police and the STF will be assigned, a Govt official said. �With the implementation of the QR code system more..

Aug 10 (Island) Former table tennis National Champion, National Coach N.H Perera probably set a record in the SL school sporting arena when he retired from coaching Ladies� College Colombo in the ping pong ball and racket game after serving this academic institute for 50 years. NH, as he is fondly known in the table tennis circles, started coaching Ladies College back in 1972 following an invitation made to him by the teacher in charge of sports back then Delita Fernando. more..

Aug 10 (FT) Sri Lanka Telecom announced stable growth for the first half of 2022, with revenues increasing by 6% to Rs. 52.9 billion and a 19.8% increase in profit before tax (PBT) at Rs. 7.2 billion against the same period last year, showcasing resilience in its business model amidst complex socioeconomic challenges facing the country. Demonstrating operational efficiency, SLT Group�s EBITDA went up to Rs. 20.9 billion for the first half of 2022, recording a growth of 7.8% more..

Aug 10 (FT) Lanka IOC welcomed the Govt�s decision to allow the Indian giant to expand its fuel retailing footprint. Power and Energy Ministry on Monday said it has granted permission to LIOC to open 50 new filling stations. At present LIOC has 216 outlets. �This is a good development project and we want to serve Sri Lankans to the best of our ability, and I�m sure our penetration with the setting up of these 50 filling stations will definitely improve,� LIOC Managing Director Manoj Gupta said. more..

Aug 10 (FT) Secretary to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Aruni Wijewardane was the Chief Guest at the 55th ASEAN Day on 8 Aug at the Indonesian Embassy in Colombo. The event was hosted by Ambassador of Indonesia Dewi Gustina Tobing and the Heads of Mission of the four other ASEAN Member States in Colombo, High Commissioner of Malaysia Tan Yang Thai, Ambassador of Myanmar Han Thu, Ambassador of Thailand Poj Harnpol, and Ambassador of Viet Nam Ho Thi Thanh Truc. more..

Aug 10 (Island) Former national 100 metres record holder and champion Himasha Eshan has been slapped with a four year ban on recommendations made by the Disciplinary Committee of the SL Anti-Doping Authority following a positive result for a banned substance. South Asian Games medallist was found positive for a banned substance during a random test conducted by SLADA on Oct 26, 2021. SLADA, in a letter addressed to the athlete, more..

Aug 10 (Island) Former Nalanda College skipper Raveen de Silva is likely to captain Sri Lanka Under 19 team which will commence a month long tour in England next week. De Silva, who was the deputy to Dunith Wellalage at the last Youth World Cup, is the most experienced player in the squad sent for the Sports Ministry approval. He was a key member of the Nalanda College team that registered a historic victory over arch rivals Ananda at the annual Battle of the Maroons Big Match last month. more..

Aug 10 (DN) SL�s Palitha Bandara won Silver in the Men�s Discus Throw F42-44/61-64 Para Athletics event at the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games last week. This is the first instance SL has won a medal for Para events at Commonwealth Games. Palitha Bandara and his coach Dhanushka returned home on Monday while Sports Ministry officials, National Paralympic Committee officials and Palitha' s family members gathered at BIA to welcome Palitha and his coach. more..

Aug 10 (FT) The PUCSL yesterday approved the CEB request to increase electricity tariffs by 75% on average for all categories from today, after nine years. The new tariffs are made according to the least cost-based method, subject to several conditions applied for the CEB to cover its costs and become a financially stable institution. �Considering the affordability concerns raised by the stakeholders & reluctance to provide subsidies by the govt more..