Aug 26 (TM) Policy makers should care about science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education for girls and women for many reasons. Societies that understand STEM related topics such as climate change, clean water, and sustainability, are better able to respond to global challenges. Inclusive economic growth makes countries more likely to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). To realise their potential, countries must make available more..

Aug 26 (Island) The Kurundi Viharaya archaeological site in Mullaitivu has become a powder keg with some fringe groups trying to advance their extremist agendas. The government is hiding its head in the sand, ostrich-style, presumably in the hope that the issue would resolve itself with the passage of time. It is apparently making the same mistake as the Yahapalana government, which let the grass grow under its feet despite warnings of trouble, and invited disaster. more..

Aug 26 (TM) In Sri Lanka, about one in every five households has been reducing the number of meals consumed in a day and about one-third have been limiting portion sizes. Overall, the level of food-based coping strategies reduced slightly between May of last year (2022) and March of this year (2023), except for borrowing food or relying on help from friends and relatives, a strategy that is employed by a similar percentage of households compared to last year. more..

Aug 26 (FT) United Nations Development Program (UNDP) handed over the Taxation Framework for Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to Govt. SDGs Taxation Framework (STF) provides recommendations to the Govt on realigning and leveraging taxes to achieve SDGs in SL. UNDP said taxation is intricately linked to gender equality and is a fundamental foundation to address intersectional inequality challenges. UNDP is supporting govts to establish gender-responsive tax systems, more..

Aug 26 (ST) 59-year-old R. Venu has walked 248 kilometres in 15 days. His knees are swollen, his skin has been burnt by a harsh, unforgiving sun and he made the long journey in a simple pair of slippers. When we meet, he has changed into a milky white veshti with a golden yellow ponnadai � a traditional silk weave given to honour dignitaries � draped on his shoulders to honour him and the others for long walk they have just completed. more..

Aug 26 (ST) St. Benedict�s College athletes came up with a stunning allround performance at the all-important Colombo Zonal Schools Athletics Championship held at the Sugathadasa Stadium last month. With a massive tally of 132 points and a winning margin of 60 points over the second placed Royal College, they stamped their class and superiority over the rest of the field. The Benedictines won a total of 13 gold,15 silver, 10 bronze medals and three merit awards more..

Aug 26 (FT) Asian Development Bank (ADB) reaffirmed its unwavering commitment to bolster the recovery of stressed small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and praised Sri Lanka�s steadfast dedication to rebound from the economic crisis. The assurance was extended by ADB Country Director Takafumi Kadano yesterday during a meeting with State Minister of Finance Shehan Semasinghe. Kadano shared insights into forthcoming projects in SL, particularly in the power sector. more..

Aug 26 (CT) Ranindu Dilshan Liyanage, one of SL�s top chess players, was conferred the esteemed title of International Master at the conclusion of the 29th Abu Dhabi Int'l Chess Festival � Masters event, held in the UAE. With unwavering dedication and exceptional skill, Ranindu has emerged as an ELO 2400+ player, marking his ascent to the ranks of Int'l Masters. Notably, his performance in this event also earned him his maiden Grand Master Norm, testament to his remarkable capabilities. more..

Aug 26 (Island) Field Marshal Sarath Fonseka, MP, recently declared his intention to chart a new political course amidst continuing turmoil in the Opposition. The war-winning Army Chief, 72, on 11 Aug, launched a campaign of his own, at the expense of the SJB, as further differences emerged in the breakaway UNP faction. How could Gampaha District SJB lawmaker Fonseka, the current Chairman of the party, initiate a protest campaign, dubbed People�s Revolution, targeting waste, more..

Aug 25 (ST) �If humans had limited access to food and water and their movement was restricted, they would rebel; this is what the elephants are doing,� said Prabash Karunatilake, president of the Collective of Wildlife Officers. Sri Lanka had recorded 266 elephant deaths as of Aug 11, 2023. Of this, Auradhapura wildlife region reported 53 deaths, while the Eastern and Polonnaruwa regions had 52 and 51 deaths, respectively. more..

Aug 26 (DM) A Chinese national who was caught distributing illegal Chinese-branded cigarettes in Colombo was imposed a fine of Rs.1 million by the Fort Magistrate yesterday. Fort Magistrate imposed this fine when Kollupitiya Police produced the foreigner arrested for distributing a stock of Chinese branded cigarettes, which the sale and consumption is entirely prohibited in SL. Two officials attached to the Kollupitiya Police on information arrested the Chinese national & found 6,400 cigarettes, more..

Aug 26 (PMD) State Minister Geetha Kumarasinghe emphasized that steps will be taken to provide formal training for pre-school teachers in order to boost early childhood development. The state minister also pointed out that the govt has focused on providing a salary for pre-school teachers as well. These statements were made by the State Minister, during her participation in a press conference at the Prez Media Centre (PMC) under the theme Collective Path to a stable country. more..

Aug 26 (DN) Olympian Javelin thrower Nadeeka Lakmali finished her career with a gold medal when she was placed first in the women�s Javelin Throw event of the 47 th National Sports Games held at Sugathadasa Stadium yesterday. The 43 year old Nadeeka representing Southern Province had a distance of 51.84 m to be placed first while H.P.P.H Maduwanthi of Uva Province finished second with 50.39 m and 3rd place won by D.M.I Hasanthi more..

Aug 26 (Island) Successive govts had not followed national disaster guidelines formulated after the 2004 tsunami disaster, Minister of Justice Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe told Parliament.The Minister said so, making a statement on the status of litigation on the X-Press Pearl disaster and a report on the disaster by the Sectoral Oversight Committee on Environment, Natural Resources and Sustainable Development. Commenting on the report, Rajapakshe said sectoral oversight more..

Aug 26 (FT) In a world grappling with pollution and energy scarcity, a mere 1% of the sun�s radiance holds the key to mitigating these global challenges. Imagine this potential harnessed in a sun-soaked haven like SL, where solar power becomes an oasis of hope, especially amid escalating energy costs. When choosing a service provider, make a thoughtful decision by opting for a financially secure and dependable company. Look for a business that boasts a well-established presence in market, more..

Aug 25 (DN) In a remarkable display of skill and determination, Zahira College�s MF Muhammad shattered a longstanding record in the Boys Under-16 100m Breaststroke category at the 48th SL Schools� Aquatic Sports Championships. 5-day event saw its third day of exhilarating competitions at the Sugathadasa Stadium Swimming Pool Complex, concluding yesterday. Muhammad�s exceptional performance was timed at 1:11.13, obliterating the previous record of 1:12.03, more..

Aug 26 (CT) August 2023 seems to be on the path to achieving more than 150,000 tourist arrivals to the country, with the first 23 days of the month drawing nearly 110,000 tourists, which is almost triple that of what it achieved during the same month of last year. According to the SL Tourism Development Authority, Sri Lanka has managed to welcome more than 109,954 tourists during the first 23 days of this month, 191 per cent higher than what it saw for the whole of August last year. more..

Aug 26 (FT) The roadmap for offshore wind for SL was unveiled by the World Bank Group to guide the country to benefit from this vast natural resource. Roadmap provides strategic analysis of the offshore wind development potential in SL, considering the opportunities and challenges under different offshore wind growth scenarios. It is intended to provide evidence to support the Govt in establishing policy, regulations, processes, more..

Aug 25 (ST) The children of Sri Lanka are in trouble. The statistics with regard to the brain drain from niche paediatric specialties are chilling. Taking the specialty of Paediatric Cardiology, the Sunday Times found that the projected cadre requirement for 2024/2025 (the next two years) is 18. But the ground situation right now is that in August 2023, Sri Lanka has only 4 Paediatric Cardiologists. An analysis of the dire situation in Sri Lanka has found that: Of 4 Paediatric Cardiologists [board-certified by more..

Aug 26 (AD) Court of Appeal has issued an interim order suspending an Extraordinary Gazette which halted the operations of the SL Automobile Sports (SLAS). The interim order was issued on Tuesday. Accordingly, as per the relevant interim order, the temporary seven-member committee which was appointed by way of the said gazette is no longer legally valid. Thus, with this order, the previous SLAS council will be back on duty, while SLAS itself will continue to remain as governing body more..

Aug 26 (DM) In a major development for SL's healthcare sector, the govt has unveiled Swastha an information management system, creating a platform for people to access the availability of drugs they wish to purchase. Health Ministry Additional Secretary Dr. Saman Rathnayake said, �This comprehensive system will ensure that pharmaceuticals, surgical items and consumables are readily available to healthcare providers, enabling them to deliver high-quality care more..

Aug 25 (ST) Lack of domesticated elephants has trumpeted a debate over the lack of domesticated elephants for what is regarded as one of the most spectacular pageants in Asia, Kandy Esala perahera and other peraheras. Sri Dalada Maligawa�s Diyawadana Nilame Pradeep Nilanga Dela said only 94 elephants in the whole country were allowed to participate in perahera processions, and about 60 of those elephants were more than the age of 50 or 60. He said this was critical issue as it was more..

Aug 26 (ST) Moves to award the tender to develop Sri Lanka�s digital national identity (ID) card project system to a foreign company have raised concerns over the protection of citizens� personal data. The Sri Lanka Unique Digital Identity Project (SL-UDI) has been touted by the Presidential Secretariat as a crucial milestone in the country�s digitisation drive and has been given high priority by the govt. more..

Aug 25 (ST) The issue of food security in the country is leaving a mark on students� nutrition, affecting their health and well-being, and leading to learning loss, say education and nutrition experts. Principals� Union of Sri Lanka Secretary Mohan Parakrama Weerasinghe said: �Child malnutrition is currently at 50%. Food that school children bring are low in nutrients. Their school attendance and participation in extracurricular activities has decreased.� �While the school meals are still provided more..

Aug 26 (FT) Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe announced the swift implementation of a comprehensive plan to elevate the Arugam Bay tourist zone into a highly desirable destination for both local and international tourists, with the potential to generate substantial revenue. Prez emphasised the importance of meticulous planning in identifying areas that necessitate development, with the intention of executing these initiatives systematically. Prez further highlighted the prospect of more..

Aug 25 (FT) There may be around 3,000 items of interest for researchers in museum vaults in the Netherlands, which were collected during the colonial period and as a part of the recent policy of the Dutch Govt, to return the stolen artefacts to their rightful owners, the researchers from the former colonies will be granted access to those collections, Ambassador of The Netherlands in Sri Lanka, Bonnie Horbach said. more..

Aug 27 (SO) One of the first steps that the previous Govt took in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic was completely curtailing vehicle imports to save foreign exchange. This was a prudent decision at that time, as vehicle imports alone cost a massive US$ 1.5 billion on average per year. This is a substantial saving, given that our foreign reserves had dwindled to an all-time low. But with the passage of almost five years and the economy recovering to a great extent, there is once again a pent-up demand more..

Aug 27 (TM) An environment where the regime in power speaks exclusively about an economic crisis but not what caused it is problematic for the simple reason that this crisis has been long enough in the making that no one in the current political set-up can escape responsibility for it. Let�s go back to 2015 and the slogan of that newly-appointed regime � good governance. Why was there a need for such a slogan and why did the people overwhelmingly vote yes for it back then? more..

Aug 27 (TM) The balancing act of the Ranil Wickremesinghe Govt, which it has been carrying out for over a year, will be subjected to a litmus test in the next few months as tensions have started to rise even within the Govt. While Prez Wickremesinghe�s main focus has been on pushing the economic recovery programme and addressing geopolitical concerns amidst the lack of a clear foreign policy, the growing displeasure of his main ally, the ruling SLPP, has resulted in cracks appearing within the Govt. more..

Aug 27 (FT) Prez Wickremesinghe�s initiative to implement the 13th Amendment stamped by India in 1987 has created a heat wave of controversy threatening to derail the move and enliven some bitter memories. Political Buddhism is leading the anti-13A campaign, and Mahanayakas, ultranationalist Sinhala politicians and surprisingly even a few intellectuals have joined the chorus to stop its implementation. Muslim leaders too have joined the bandwagon. Some critics are quite diplomatic and more..

Aug 27 (FT) Was Zahran, the muttonhead, a mere pawn in a broad game of geo-regional-racial politics? A panel of cutting-edge researchers asked the question, �Did the �Islamic State� spring full-blown into spontaneous being as the fanatical scourge of the Middle East, or was it helped along by state sponsors?� (Read: ISIS is US: The Shocking Truth: Behind the Army of Terror). �Branding� in marketing parlance �is the process of creating a strong, positive perception of products in the customer�s mind more..

Aug 27 (SO) Minister Nimal Siripala De Silva, reaches into the heart of controversies and aspirations within SL�s aviation and port sectors. Amidst allegations of obstruction and claims of corruption, Minister De Silva addresses these contentious matters head-on, shedding light on the ongoing investigations and his stance. But the conversation doesn�t stop there. From the ambitious expansion of the BIA to the audacious proposition of a new international airport, more..

Aug 27 (ST) SL�s second hurdle to be cleared in the gruelling economic stability steeplechase comes up next month with an IMF team arriving to go through the country�s report card since the first tranche of the USD 2.9 billion bailout package was granted. In a recent appraisal report on the IMF�s April EFF, SL�s external reserve assets are projected to grow from a meagre USD 1.7 billion in 2022 when the country declared itself bankrupt, to a record USD 14 billion by 2027 despite continuous current account deficits more..

Aug 27 (ST) My dear Diyawadana Nilamey, I never thought I would be writing to you this week but I feel I must. That is because the �Esala Perahera� is the talk of the town these days, after some elephants went berserk the other day, trying to get into the Queens Hotel and causing a state of general chaos and anxiety in the streets of Kandy. In most other nations such an incident would be assessed for what it is, steps will be taken to prevent it happening again and people will quickly move on to other issues. more..

Aug 27 (Island) Thursday�s parliamentary debate of the state of affairs at Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) will surely resonate with all lovers of cricket. There is no need to labour over the fact that few things are right, and most things are wrong at SLC. That obviously affects the morale of the players as well as the national psyche. Sports Minister Roshan Ranasinghe�s declaration that many covetous (political) eyes are being cast on his portfolio because of the big bucks SLC commands needs no elaboration. more..