Jul 25 (CI) Taking six wickets on the first day of a Test after losing the toss and bowling on a slow pitch might not be the worst day's work. But with SL having pushed past 300, scoring at 3.66 runs per over across the day, Pakistan were pushed onto the back foot by the time stumps were called in Galle on the first day of the second Test. Pakistan allrounder Mohammad Nawaz, who picked up two wickets on the day, indicated Pakistan might have got things strategically wrong by choosing to press more..

Jul 25 (Island) Hayleys Solar, the specialised renewable energy solutions arm of Fentons Ltd., recently introduced a state-of-the-art PV�DG solution to the local business sector to help effectively utilize solar energy and minimize fuel costs. The fuel-saving system is specifically meant for businesses that have invested in solar rooftops but continue to face the challenges of increased diesel requirements for generators, amidst today�s drastic shortage and the price hikes. more..

Jul 25 (CI) The openers put on 92 together, Dinesh Chandimal made 80, and Niroshan Dickwella went to stumps on 42 not out, as Sri Lanka strode to 315 for 6 for the day. On a flat Galle surface that will take some days to properly wear, this was neither a commanding total, nor a modest one. While spinners found turn, it wasn't the rapid variety that causes collapses. The quicks found some movement off the surface, but more..

Jul 25 (PTI) Former PM and PTI Chairman Imran Khan warned that Pakistan is not far from a Sri Lanka moment when the public will fill the streets for the Haqeeqi Azadi. Taking to Twitter, Imran Khan lamented that the mafia led by Asif Zardari and the Sharif family has brought the country to its knees politically and economically in just over three months. He added that they did it simply to save their illegally accumulated wealth amassed over 30 years of plundering Pakistan. more..

Jul 25 (FT) Workers� remittances in the first have plunged by 51.6% to $ 1.6 billion from a year ago with June reflecting a sharper dip and reversing the rise in the previous month. In June inflows were $ 274.3 million, down 42.6% from $ 478.4 million a year ago. June performance also reversed the gain experienced in May to $ 304 million from $ 249 in April. Year-on-year dip had worsened in June as well as in May. When May inflows rose the CB said it can mainly be attributed to the stability more..

Jul 25 (FT) Apparel exports in June had reached an all-time high figure for a month of $ 537 million as well as in the first half with $ 2.8 billion, reaffirming the sheer resilience of the private sector driven industry. June 2022 performance had beaten the previous highest for a month of $ 504 million achieved in March 2019. From a year ago, June 2022 achievement reflects a strong 39.45% growth. In May, YoY growth was 30%. Confirming the apparel industry has not only reverted to more..

Jul 25 (DN) Among the first batch of athletes departing for the XXII Commonwealth Games in Birmingham today are two boxing technical officials. They are SL�s one and only Olympic woman boxing referee Nelka Shiromala and former Peradeniya Central College boxing star Susantha Weerasena. An accomplished international boxing official who has won many laurels as a world-class referee, this will be W/Chief Inspector Shiromala�s second Commonwealth Games after creating history more..

Jul 25 (EN) SL�s banks have sharply cut foreign borrowings over the past year, official data show as the country ran out of rating space after seven years of state expansion and monetary indiscipline. State and private commercial bank borrowing heavily to abroad to buy dollar denominated SL Development Bonds, give offshore banking unit loans to the govt after 2015 which expanded from 17 to 20% of GDP over 5 yrs. more..

Jul 25 (EN) Ceylon Tea production is down 22.7% in June 2022 from a year earlier to 18.5 million kg while the total output for the first six months dipped 17.8% from the previous year. In June high grown teas were down 31.6% to 3.7 million kg, medium grown was fell 31.6% to 2.5 million kg and low-grown were down 16.2% to 12.3 million kg. �Elevation-wise analysis shows that for the month of June 2022 High, Medium & Low Growns show a decrease of � 1.87Mn/Kg, -1.55 Mn/Kg more..

Jul 25 (EAF) Among the few rock-solid rules of int'l politics is the principle that when the voters are in the prez swimming pool, it�s time for a change of leadership. After a remarkable popular uprising against a govt blamed for an unnecessary economic catastrophe, former prez Rajapaksa fled the country and resigned on 14 July. The dramatic exit was a prelude to the anticlimactic appointment of a new Prez by parliament, which put its support behind Wikremesinghe, a long-time Rajapaksa ally. more..

Jul 25 (Reuters) A rights group documenting alleged abuses in SL has filed a criminal complaint with Singapore�s attorney general, seeking the arrest of former Prez Rajapaksa for his role in the South Asian nation�s decades-long civil war. International Truth and Justice Project (ITJP) said Rajapaksa committed grave breaches of the Geneva Conventions during the civil war in 2009 when he was country�s defence chief, more..

Jul 25 (TM) WikiLeaks, the famous whistleblower platform, has reported that Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe, while serving as Opposition Leader in 2007, had requested Japanese Special Envoy Yasushi Akashi, who visited SL that year, to cease the economic assistance that Japan was providing to SL. WikiLeaks posted a link on its official Twitter account on 23 July to access the relevant post on their website, dated 18 June 2007. The said post revealed that in a briefing to more..

Jul 25 (DM) Three persons who stormed into the President's House at Fort on July 9 during protest, had been arrested with 40 gold-plated brass sockets that were fixed on the walls to hang window curtains. The Welikada Police arrested the suspects while attempting to sell the stolen items. Police launched investigations after a number of items at the President's House was stolen following the protesters took control on the palace on July 9. The arrested three suspects, aged 28, 34 and 37, more..

Jul 25 (FT) Ven. Elle Gunawansa Thero says the Govt must carry out its duties honestly and not hoodwink the country�s people. �We have been subjected to many such experiences in recent times and therefore the Government must not trick the people,� he said. �Emotions are running high and those who love the country are deeply hurt. The country has had to face many difficult obstacles. We as the Maha Sangha are also deeply distressed and saddened by the state of affairs,� he said. more..

Jul 25 (AD) UK�s Minister for South Asia, UN and the Commonwealth, Lord Tariq Ahmad has spoken to newly-appointed Prez Wickremesinghe regarding the concerning security and economic situation in SL. In a tweet, the UK State Minister said he had a constructive call with Prez Wickremesinghe about the concerning security and economic situation in SL. He said the over the phone discussion also focused on the rights to peaceful protest, media freedom, human rights, justice. more..

Jul 25 (Island) A 3-member committee that probed the failure on the part of the then govt to quell the May 09 incidents was planning to hand over its report to Prez Rajapaksa when he was forced to flee the country on 13 July. The committee consisted of Admiral of the Fleet (ret.) Wasantha Karannagoda (Chairman), Marshal of the Air Force (ret.) Roshan Gunatilleke and General (ret.) Daya Ratnayake. more..

Jul 25 (AD) SL Railways Station Masters� Union has decided to call off their 48-hour trade union action after discussions with officials of the National Transport Commission. Railway station masters had launched a 48-hour union action from 6pm yesterday, in protest of the train fares revision, and had refrained from issuing normal railway tickets. Accordingly, a special discussion was held today (24) between representatives of the Sri Lanka Railway Station Masters� Union, more..

Jul 25 (TM) Ministry of Public Administration, Home Affairs, PCs, and LG has issued a new circular extending the restrictions on the calling of officers to Govt offices by another month, as per the decision made at the meeting of the Cabinet of Ministers held last Friday (22). The circular referred to Public Administration Circular 16/2022(I) dated 26 June, which is effective until further notice and Public Administration Circular 16/2022 dated 17 June, which is effective for 2 weeks from 20 June. more..

Jul 25 (TM) President Ranil Wickremesinghe had reaffirmed SL�s commitment to upholding the rights of peaceful, non-violent assembly at a meeting with Colombo-based diplomats held last Friday, the PMD announced. The meeting had been convened to brief the diplomats on the controversial removal of the protestors who had been illegally occupying the Presidential Secretariat in the early hours of Friday. more..

Jul 25 (FT) There is a new Prez � Ranil Wickremesinghe � elected by MPs and a new Cabinet appointed by the Prez. The economic crisis which the new administration faces is so acute and grave that it is necessary for the administration to identify the priorities correctly and implement an appropriate program of action. Time is running out for the administration and the program of action need be introduced forthwith. Any misstep or a delayed correct step will be fatal to both more..

Jul 25 (FT) What an irony. Presidents of other nations receive greetings, good wishes and congratulatory messages upon assuming the Office of Presidency of their country. Deservedly, to an unpopular Prez by default in SL, what he received were messages of condemnations, 24 hours after assuming office. The int'l community was quick to react to the brutal, vicious and merciless assault on peaceful civilians in Gotagogama in Galle Face Green, come dawn 22 July, more..

Jul 25 (EN) Russian President Vladimir Putin writing to his Sri Lankan counterpart Ranil Wickremesinghe has said he is looking to foster bilateral cooperation and strengthen regional stability and security on the latter�s watch. On Monday July 25, Prez Wickremesinghe�s media division released a translation of a letter said to have been sent in by President Putin congratulating him for his victory on July 20. �The Russian-SL relations are of traditionally friendly nature. more..

Jul 25 (DM) Parents can no longer bear the prevalent transport cost to send their children to school and therefore the govt should take immediate action to provide relief for children's education, Ceylon Teachers' Union (CTU) General Secretary Joseph Stalin said. He said the schools were reopened from today and it was a good decision. The education of children shouldn't be destroyed just because the govt is in crisis. "Even though the schools were started today, more..

Jul 25 (FT) Highly respected economists and former CB Governor Dr. Indrajit Coomaraswamy has said the economic recovery will require painful treatment whilst expressing hope that Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe would take all the tough decisions to avoid the disastrous situation. �Prez is economically very literate. He knows what has to be done. At times, it has been difficult for him or any other politician to get it done, given more..

Jul 25 (EN) BPPL Holdings, a recycled plastic product exporter said profits rose 188% in the June 2022 quarter to 300 million rupees from a year ago amid soft-peg collapse helped by forex gains, price increases and falling freight rates. BPPL Holdings reported earnings of 0.98 rupees per share for the quarter. Sales had increased 57.7% to 1.58 billion rupees in the period, according to interim accounts filed with the stock exchange. However, the cost of sales had increased 38.5% to 966 mil rupees more..

Jul 25 (MFA) Minister of Foreign Affairs Ali Sabry assumed duties at the Ministry today at a simple ceremony. Foreign Secretary Aruni Wijewardane and the senior officials were present. Addressing the officials, Minister stated that he looked forward to delivering on the mandate of the Ministry to steer forward SL's foreign relations, taking the domestic compulsions too into consideration. He commended the outgoing Minister Prof G L Peiris for his leadership provided to min of foreign affairs. more..

Jul 25 (TM) Protestors based at the Galle Face protest zone have warned about the possibility of another attack today, similar to the one that took place in the early hours of last Friday, and have claimed that the military is preventing them from taking supplies to reinforce the protest site. Fr. Amila Jeewantha Pieris, an activist priest actively involved at the Galle Face protest site in Colombo, said that there is news being circulated that more..

Jul 25 (FT) Ceylon Chamber of Commerce has submitted proposals and recommendations on proposed electricity tariffs to the Public Utilities Commission of SL, to ensure the implementation of an effective tariff revision, which sustainably addresses energy requirements. This was formulated by the Energy Sector committee of CCC after careful analysis of the proposed tariffs and recommended feasible courses of action to ensure an effective tariff structure is implemented. more..

Jul 25 (DM) SLPP MP Vasudeva Nanayakkara tomorrow said that he had turned down the request made by the govt to attend a group meeting that was scheduled to be held tomorrow. He said he had received a telephone call yesterday requesting him to participate in the group meeting. The meeting is to be held at the new building auditorium of the Finance Ministry at 3 pm tomorrow. "I had received a call from a lady inviting me to participate in the group meeting. more..

Jul 25 (Island) Complaints against police abusing the Emergency regulation to torture people under custody have increased, says the Committee to Protect the Rights of Prisoners (CPRP). Chairman of CPRP, Attorney-at-Law Senaka Perera said that there were complaints from victims of torture. �It is now a known fact that many who had been taken into custody, following recent protests, were beaten in police custody, or remand custody. In most of the cases, the victims do not come forward more..

Jul 25 (TM) Further to the decision made by the Supreme Court today, extending the travel ban imposed on former CB Governor Ajith Nivard Cabraal, Cabraal stated that he has no intention to leave the country and will resist all charges made by the complainant in Court. A private complaint filed by Rajitha Keerthi Tennekoon against former Governor Ajith Nivard Cabraal in the Colombo Magistrate�s Court was not taken up today due to the restrictions in the number of cases being taken up more..

Jul 25 (DM) With no credible solution in sight to resolve the jet fuel shortage and the fund repatriation issues faced by the country�s aviation industry, several airlines are contemplating on suspending their operations to SL threatening tourism industry�s recovery, which depends on air connectivity. The Cabinet of Ministers last month approved a joint proposal to allow the importation, supply and sale of Jet A-1 aviation fuel by more..

Jul 25 (DM) One of the T-56 firearms that was grabbed from a soldier by the protesters during the massive agitation at Polduwa Junction on July 13, was found in the Diyavanna Lake near Parliament, police said. Earlier, the police said two T-56 assault rifles and ammunition in the possession of soldiers who were on duty near the parliament during recent protest were taken by the protesters after beating them. The Welikada Police launched an investigation following the incident. more..

Jul 25 (DM) The IMF staff level agreement which was to come in August this year has been delayed because of the unrest caused by some protesters whose agitation later turned violent, Minister Manusha Nanayakkara said. He that the staff level agreement with IMF has been delayed because of the protests that later turned violent. �The WFO Chief who was to visit SL last week, put off his visit by a week while Sri Lankans have lost employment opportunities in some countries. more..

Jul 25 (CI) SL made huge strides towards taking control of the Test on the second day, despite having lost their last four wickets for 63 runs in the morning. Asitha Fernando made the crucial breakthrough, removing form batter Abullah Shafique with the second ball of the innings, before the spinners went to work. Prabath Jayasuriya had Babar Azam playing on. Dhananjaya de Silva slipped a full delivery through more..

Jul 25 (DM) Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe briefed the diplomatic community that facilitates within Colombo, such as the Open-Air theatre at Viharamahadevi Park, New Town Hall, Hyde Park and Campbell Park were all being made available for non-violent protests. In his briefing to the diplomatic community last Friday, Prez reaffirmed SL�s commitment to upholding the rights of peaceful, non-violent protests. The meeting had been convened to brief the Diplomats on more..