Aug 10 (DM) SL's High Commissioner in New Delhi, Milinda Moragoda, is poised to conclude his term and return to Sri Lanka during the first week of October, informed sources said. The envoy's decision to step down from his position was reportedly communicated to President Ranil Wickremesinghe. Mr. Moragoda, a non-career diplomat, undertook a critical role in New Delhi after being appointed to the post by former Prez Gotabaya Rajapaksa. more..

Aug 10 (FT) The eagerly awaited Colombo Arbitration Week 2023 commenced on a high note, as legal professionals and enthusiasts of Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) gathered in the vibrant city of Colombo. The event�s inaugural session on Sunday saw the convergence of minds and ideas, marking the beginning of a week-long exploration into the world of arbitration. The event�s curtain raiser was none other than Colombo Arbitration Week Convenor Sulaiman Rameez. more..

Aug 10 (DM) A crucial meeting aimed at addressing concerns and explore potential solutions regarding the division of police powers in the 13th Amendment was held among a group of MPs of the TNA and Minister Tiran Alles and the IGP. During the discussion, Minister inquired about the reasons behind the TNA's request for Police powers. In response, TNA MPs highlighted that even in developed countries like England and India, more..

Aug 10 (Hindu) More than two years after SL cancelled a joint India-Japan MoU for the East Container Terminal (ECT) project in Colombo, the three countries are studying ways of restarting trilateral cooperation, said envoys at a conference in Delhi on Thursday. The cancellation of MoU, worth about $500 million as well as the suspension of the Japanese-funded light rail transit (LRT) project by the previous Gotabaya Rajapaksa govt, had led to a freeze in ties between Tokyo and Colombo. more..

Aug 10 (TD) French President Emmanuel Macron made a short but historic visit to Sri Lanka on July 28-29, the first by a French president to the Indian Ocean island nation. The timing was auspicious: 2023 marks 75 years of bilateral relations between France and Sri Lanka. Following Macron�s visit, SL President�s Office noted in a statement, �The main objective was to enhance and elevate the existing relations between SL and France, especially considering the 75th anniversary more..

Aug 10 (ET) More than $1 billion debt owed to India by Sri Lanka will undergo restructuring as part of the IMF-led debt restructuring programme for the crisis hit South Asian country. The debt is part of the Line of Credit that the Government of India has extended to Sri Lanka over the years for undertaking various projects, primarily related to infrastructure building associated with roads, energy, water, housing projects, among others. more..

Aug 10 (DM) The total damages caused to Galle Face Colombo by the Aragalaya protests last year have been estimated at Rs. 5.9 million, Parliament was informed. According to the answer given by Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva, the damages to park tables and chairs has been estimated at Rs. 1.48 million while the damages to benches are estimated at Rs. 162,000, damages to sinks are Rs 91,000, damages to window panes Rs. 45,000, door locks Rs. 80,000, window locks Rs. 16,000, more..

Aug 10 (AD) Every summer, Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) deploys a fleet of ships across the Indo-Pacific region to conduct joint training, visit ports and invite locals aboard. This year, that engagement deepened. One of the destroyers from the fleet, JS Samidare, has been making port calls that signal a greater commitment to the region. They include maintenance work at a SL shipyard, the first time the JMSDF has serviced one of its vessels at an overseas port, more..

Aug 11 (DM) Sports in SL must be protected and nurtured at all costs. This is because sports have given this blessed country and its sportsmen and women numerous opportunities to showcase their talents to the outside world. Sadly, however, there has come a time when sports in SL must be protected from a sports minister for whom sports is like rocket science. The present Sports Minister is none other than Roshan Ranasinghe who is often in the news for controversial issues rather than more..

Aug 11 (DM) To rekindle the devolution-debate fire in a country that has still not come out of the economic bankruptcy may appear to be out of sync. Since devolution of power is linked to political stability, which in turn is linked to economic revival, the topic requires urgent attention with a view to finding a solution that has eluded SL for seven long decades. On Wednesday, Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe made a special address to Parliament, calling for a step-by-step process to effect more..

Aug 11 (TM) As an accomplished young filmmaker and a wordsmith with a flair for versatility, Yasodhara Kariyawasam�s extraordinary achievements have taken the SL film industry by storm. Her masterpiece, Ekthara Adara Kathawak, not only clinched the prestigious Best Short Film Award at the 2020 Agenda 14 Short Film Festival, but also garnered accolades for best editing, best script, and an impressive two best more..

Aug 11 (TM) While the crisis in the healthcare sector is no secret, thus far, the discussion on the fate of the healthcare system was largely based on the lack of medicines and medical equipment and doctors leaving the country in droves. Despite the Govt�s attempts to remedy those situations, with the recent spate of incidents where responsibility, accountability and competency on the part of the health authorities and healthcare sector professionals were questioned, more..

Aug 11 (FT) The 3-day 12th Edition of Intex � the Sri Lanka edition began on Wednesday at the BMICH, Colombo 7 amidst great anticipation by the industry. Intex is South Asia�s leading international textile sourcing show for fibres, yarns, fabric, denim, trims, dyes and more for the apparel industry. The show was inaugurated in the presence of Chief Guest Acting High Commissioner of India Dr. Satyanjal Pandey and Guest of Honour Export Development Board Chairman Dr. Kingsley Bernard. more..

Aug 11 (TM) Over a decade has passed since the end of the conflict, many issues still remain unresolved. Among them is the significant number of mass graves that have been discovered in the country. In 2014, a report from the Asian Human Rights Commission listed the existence of 28 mass graves, and four more have been discovered since then. However, only a few official investigations have taken place, and yet, more..

Aug 11 (Island) Looks like the controversy over pronouncing the significant word in the National Anthem as Matha or Mahatha has died down. But lots were caught in it. A dinner for a nephew, niece and friend had the argument raising its head. In fact, it was Cass who brought in the issue to enquire as to the guests� opinions. The nephew said Umara dragged the �a� sound but the visitor, who is a musician, opined there definitely was the introduction of the �h� which meant the singer more..

Aug 11 (ST) Last month, SL�s inflation rate dropped to 6.3% with a steady decline from its historical highest rate of 69.8% reported last September. SL�s low-inflationary regime ended towards the end of 2021.Then, it reached double digit level after April 2022 and showed an increase to hyper-inflation levels in 2022. Accordingly, the annual average rate of inflation was reported as 46.4% in 2022. �They keep telling us that inflation is going down, but every week we find that prices are going up. more..

Aug 11 (CT) Many a book, many a sermon and many a demonstration has been written, pontificated and staged by the forces of the two sociopolitical extremes in Ceylon. They claimed to have represented the true meaning of patriotism and devotion to their racial sect. In actual fact, it was a tribal mindset that was released by man�s primordial instincts. Religion and ethnicity, time and time again, played their respective demonic role and turned once-a-cohesive society into one more more..

Aug 11 (Island) Signs are that the dark forces which hijacked Aragalaya in a bid to compass their sinister ends and almost succeeded in capturing Parliament, last year, are working overtime to make a comeback. Regrettably, the govt is helping advance their anarchical agenda, albeit unwittingly, by refusing to heed public opinion and address the people�s burning problems expeditiously. It should have taken prompt action to nip the Embilipitiya water issue in the bud when hundreds of irate farmers more..

Aug 11 (TM) Two weeks ago, the Department of Agriculture announced that SL would not need to import rice, green gram, black gram, kurakkan (finger millet), cowpea, and groundnut in 2023 and that SL had reached self-sufficiency in rice due to the reintroduction of chemical fertiliser following the former Govt�s chemical fertiliser ban. However, this past week, Minister Mahinda Amaraweera backtracked on the claims of more..

Aug 11 (ST) The Wesley College Old Boys Union, under the leadership of its President, Capt. Navin de Silva, has embarked upon an ambitious project to restore the Wesley College Pavilion to its former glory. This initiative is part of the school�s sesquicentennial commemoration, scheduled for the March 2, 2024. The restoration aims to transform the existing pavilion into a monumental sports facility while preserving its splendid architectural heritage at Campbell Park. more..

Aug 11 (DN) In a bid to resuscitate the dwindling state of football in Sri Lanka, the Sri Lanka Soccer Masters Association has called for a change in the leadership of the beleaguered Football Federation of SL. A press conference convened on Wednesday shed light on the pressing need for a rejuvenated approach towards soccer management in the nation. Over the past 27 years, the Football Federation of Sri Lanka has found itself entangled in a web of undeperforming, more..

Aug 11 (GV) Neo-liberalism is not a solution, but the principal cause of the problem. I would like to offer some personal insights here from my working life with regard to the manner a non performing entity can be made more efficient and responsive without resorting to the sort of tactics the neo-liberals are obsessed with. Neo-liberal tactics of austerity make the working people more oppressed at the expense of tackling key structural issues the country is faced with, which are at more..

Aug 11 (DM) SL Customs destroyed a large stock of smuggled counterfeit cigarettes worth over Rs.748 million at the crushing machines of the CTC compound in Kotahena. Officials of the Customs RTF seized a 40 foot container carrying the stock of illegally imported cigarettes from Dubai on June 22, 2022. Consignment had been sent to a consignee in Ragama under false documents and had contained 9,940,000 sticks of a foreign brand of cigarettes Matador. more..

Aug 11 (FT) The country�s crucial yet struggling city hotels will get a lifeline with the return of Minimum Room Rate (MRR) regime from 1 October 2023 a move which industry officials yesterday identified as positive but comes with strict penalties if found to be violating. The announcement by officials comes amidst divisions within the tourism industry with a MRR championed by The Hotels Association of SL (THASL) and more..

Aug 11 (FT) Tourism Ministry Secretary Buwaneka Herath said the investigations into the alleged tampering of bid documents by officials over two key multi-million rupee procurement exercises is still ongoing. �As the investigations are ongoing, I cannot comment on the matter further,� he said. The matter has now forced SL Tourism Promotion Bureau (SLTPB) to float fresh tenders. The initial inquiry has revealed a deliberate effort by the accused officials to alter a bid by substituting documents more..

Aug 11 (PMD) Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe on Wednesday emphasised the importance of capital, particularly financial and human, for driving growth. He noted that Sri Lanka�s historical capital formation efforts had been disrupted over the years, leading to current financial struggles. Speaking at the 36th Annual Conference of the Organisation of Professional Associations (OPA), the Prez pointed out that while the country had accumulated capital up to 2019, subsequent events such as more..

Aug 11 (DM) Ayomal Akalanka of Ambagamuwa Central created history when he clinched a silver medal in boys 400m hurdles event while Dikwella Central high jumper Nilupul Thejana won high jump bronze medal at the Commonwealth Youth Games held in Trinidad and Tobago on Wednesday. This was a very good achievement by SL youth athletes where three boys and two girls competed at this C'wealth Youth Games more..

Aug 11 (FT) Hemas Holdings PLC has delivered a healthy performance for the first three months of the financial year 2023/24, effectively navigating the macroeconomic headwinds as the country moves towards an economic stabilisation phase. The Group posted a revenue of Rs. 29.1 billion, a 17.2% growth over previous year while the operating profits witnessed a growth of 6% to Rs. 2.2 billion. Amidst the increased finance cost, the Group's earnings growth was limited, witnessing more..

Aug 11 (ST) At the Tabbowa irrigation tank, a malfunctioning sluicegate is resulting in a loss of large volumes of water, despite a renovation of the tank at a cost of millions of rupees. With the Puttalam district facing severe drought conditions, the Tabbowa tank is a major source of water for the region. Therefore, the loss of water is a serious setback for the farmers and residents of the Anamaduwa area. They have complained that the sluice gate fitted to the left bank of the tank more..

Aug 11 (FT) Macksons Group has announced the grand inauguration of its latest venture, Macksons Tea Exports. Steeped in history and heritage, this new addition to the Macksons family embraces the captivating world of Ceylon tea, celebrated globally for its unrivalled flavours and quality. Nestled in the heart of Sri Lanka�s lush Ceylon tea gardens, Macksons Tea Exports brings to the forefront a delightful collection of the finest teas nurtured with utmost care and dedication. more..

Aug 11 (DM) Continuing his attacks on Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC), SJB MP Hesha Withnage alleged that SLC has tried to mislead the public by creating a wrong picture of its financial position by manipulating its accounts for 2022. �The claim made by SLC in its accounts that its surplus was Rs 6.3 billion is far from the truth,� the MP alleged. �The surplus is inflated with the devaluation of the rupee. Rupee value of the US dollars held by SLC has increased by the devaluation of the SL rupee. more..

Aug 11 (TM) Following a complaint made against State Minister Chamara Sampath Dasanayake regarding the alleged theft of 22 million iron ore from the Kankesanthurai (KKS) cement factory within a period of two months and recognising the necessity for an immediate investigation regarding the same, Dasanayake told the Parliament that he is willing to surrender if he is implicated in the iron-selling scheme more..

Aug 11 (ST) A multimillion dollar Aloe Vera cultivation project for the export market is now entangled in legal and environmental-breaching issues following allegations against the local investor of the project for issuing death threats on a police officer at a gala musical show organised by his entertainment firm in Rajanganaya area, Anuradhapura recently. Aura Lanka Entertainment, a subsidiary of Aura Lanka group is holding a series of a series musical festivals in Auradhapura, Rajangana more..

Aug 11 (Island) International Center for Academics (ICA) opening a new chapter in the local education sector commenced providing total online education for students. �We have observed that there is a demand for total online education for students and ICA going beyond traditional learning, came up with this innovative educational concept of providing education online,� said founder ICA, Damitha Wickramsignhe, He is also the former Chairman of the Vocational Training Authority more..