Jul 12 (EN) SL�s new consolidated welfare system Aswesuma aims to create a poverty-free SL by 2048 with a view to creating an entrepreneurial state instead of a welfare state, an official said, amid criticism of deserving candidates allegedly being left behind. State Minister Anupa Pasqual said that the govt launched the Awesuma programme in response to allegations that the existing welfare scheme system was too politicised, with criticism specifically levelled at the Samurdhi scheme. more..

Jul 12 (CT) The FIFA ban imposed on Sri Lanka Football is likely to be lifted soon after a productive meeting between Sports Minister Roshan Ranasinghe and top-level officials from the Ministry and officials from FIFA and the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) took place via zoom on Monday. During the meeting, current repercussions on football due the international ban had been discussed, as well as many other salient points. It is reported the discussions had been fruitful more..

Jul 12 (DN) CID�s Illegal Assets Investigation Division has uncovered that Pastor Jerome Fernando conducts a business counselling service and a religious sermon online once a week for about 300 business persons from eight countries including SL. Investigations have revealed that this programme is conducted online and business persons join it by crediting US$ 210 to a bank account in Sri Lanka. more..

Jul 12 (Island) CSE witnessed mild profit- takings with improved turnover levels yesterday amid positive market conditions, stock market analysts said. While banking and treasury sector shares experienced profit-takings, there was a notable resurgence of investor engagement in undervalued mid-cap stocks throughout the day. Moreover, there was a surge in investor interest in hotel sector counters after the CBSL revealed that tourism earnings in the first quarter of the year more..

Jul 12 (FT) OCTAVE, the John Keells Group�s Data and Advanced Analytics Centre of Excellence has announced its collaboration with the Dept of Computer Science and Engineering of the esteemed Uni of Moratuwa. This MoU solidifies the mutual commitment to foster a symbiotic relationship that will accelerate the growth of data and advanced analytics capabilities and cultivate a pool of skilled professionals in the field. As a leading institution dedicated to advancing data analytics more..

Jul 12 (DM) In a bid to appease some senior MPs of SLPP who insist on Cabinet portfolios, govt has proposed to set up a separate body called high post committee comprising them and assign responsibilities to them along with perks such as vehicles and allowances. However, the SLPP MPs remain adamant that they won�t settle for anything less than Cabinet portfolios. An MP who insisted on anonymity said that these MPs were called for meetings of proposed high post committee more..

Jul 12 (FT) In a significant development towards State Owned Enterprise (SOE) reforms, Cabinet of Ministers at its meeting on Monday approved the recommended transaction advisors for seven identified entities. �The decision is in line with the policy directive set by the govt and aims to ensure effective and transparent divestiture of key entities,� said State Owned Enterprises Restructuring Unit (SRU) Director General Suresh Shah. Under the leadership of Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe more..

Jul 12 (FT) In a major breakthrough to boost foreign direct investments, the incentives and tax exemptions for investors intending to start ventures in the Colombo Port City have been published by the Govt via Extraordinary Gazettes dated 7 July. Two prospective groups of investors have been identified who will be able to avail themselves of these incentives and tax exemptions. Businesses that invest $ 100 million per plot of land or more..

Jul 12 (DM) Another attempt to smuggle a stock of gold gel worth over Rs.160 million by five local traders concealed in their baggage bound for India was thwarted by the SL Customs stationed at the BIA this afternoon. Customs Narcotic Control Unit officials at the BIA Departure Terminal on a tip off searched five male passengers who were about to travel to Chennai on Indigo Airlines flight 6E 1171 at 1.55pm yesterday and seized the contraband. The officials found 23 plastic capsules containing more..

Jul 12 (AD) Former Prez Maithripala Sirisena has paid Rs. 15 million, as part of Rs. 100 million compensation he was ordered to pay to the victims of the Easter Sunday terror attacks in 2019. Accordingly, ahead of the deadline on 12 July, Sirisena had paid Rs. 15 million as compensation on 28 June, on the orders of the Supreme Court, and filed a motion requesting that he be allowed to pay the remaining sum in 10 installments of Rs. 8.5 million from 30 June 2024 to 20 June 2033. more..

Jul 12 (TM) The SJB, is to boycott the special Parliamentary Select Committee (PSC) set up to probe the country�s financial bankruptcy and all its SJB members are to resign from the Committee. Earlier, NPP MP Vijitha Herath, on Monday, stepped down as a member of the said Committee. In a letter to the Speaker, Herath said that expecting a Committee primarily composed of individuals who contributed to SL�s financial bankruptcy to more..

Jul 12 (FT) Sri Lanka is in the middle of a dire economic crisis. We are witness to the new depths of misery that the people have been plunged into. Working people are the hardest hit, who have had to grapple with precarious wages, job insecurity and the devastation of an economic depression. Despite this perilous situation, Govt is proposing labour reforms that threaten to render the situation of the working classes even more precarious. In his Budget 2023 speech in Nov 2022, more..

Jul 12 (FT) The financial sector globally has seen four major banks collapse this year while Sri Lanka navigates through its debt restructuring process � a historical and significant juncture in Sri Lanka�s economic history. Sri Lanka�s legacy of living beyond our means since independence � where except for four years, we have had primary balance deficit (govt revenue less govt expenditure without interest) which led to the accumulation of debt and snowballing of interest. more..

Jul 12 (PMD) Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe strongly condemned the burning of the Holy Quran in Sweden. He urged Western nations to uphold the value system of the Global South and refrain from allowing disturbances under the pretext of freedom of expression. The construction of this court complex began on Sept 10, 2018, following a Cabinet decision made by Prez Wickremesinghe during his tenure as PM. Its purpose is to provide the people of Ratnapura district with a centralized location more..

Jul 12 (AD) Medical Faculty Students� Action Committee alleges that there is a severe shortage of lecturers in every medical faculty in the country. Convenor of the association Naveen Tharaka stated that final-year professorial units for the newly-established medical faculties in Moratuwa, Sabaragamuwa and North Western universities are yet to be formed. �The final-year students in those medical faculties are supposed start to their academic year this year. more..

Jul 12 (FT) All changed, changed utterly is a powerful line from Easter, 1916, the famous poem of William Butler Yeats. The poem by W.B. Yeats was about the Irish Easter uprising in 1916, its cruel suppression and how all changed utterly in Ireland. In SL all changed and changed utterly for the Tamil people 40 years ago. The catastrophic events of July 1983 drastically altered the lives of large numbers of Tamils in SL. more..

Jul 12 (MFA) Foreign Minister Ali Sabry will travel to Jakarta, Indonesia to take part in the forthcoming 30th ASEAN Regional Forum Ministerial Meeting (ARF) on 14 July. ARF is an Asia-Pacific region centric security dialogue mechanism inaugurated in 1994 in Thailand which seeks to promote regional development and prosperity collectively through open and inclusive dialogue benefiting all stakeholders while recognizing the challenges to regional peace, security and prosperity. more..

Jul 12 (AD) A 21-year-old female has reportedly died after being administered a medication, via a cannula, while receiving treatment at the Peradeniya Teaching Hospital. The deceased, identified as Chamodi Sandeepani, had been receiving treatment at the Kotaligoda District Hospital for indigestion issues, after which she was transferred to the Peradeniya Teaching Hospital for further treatment. Mother of the deceased explained that Chamodi�s body had turned blue more..

Jul 12 (EN) Of the 968,000 appeals received on SL�s new consolidated welfare scheme Aswesuma, 635,000 are requests to change the candidate�s category, State Minister of Finance Shehan Semasinghe said. �Currently about 72,000 receive a disability relief payment with about 23,000 on a waiting list. About 39,000 receive a kidney disease dole, with around 10,000 in waiting,� said Semasinghe more..

Jul 12 (DM) Gayanthika Abeyrathne and Dilhani Lekamge won bronze medals on the opening day of the Asian Athletics Championships 2023, which began in Bangkok, Thailand today. Abeyrathne came third in the Women's 1500m event with a time of 4 minutes 14.39 seconds, while Lekamge threw for a distance of 60.93 metres to win bronze in the Women's Javelin. Earlier, Aruna Darshana and Rajitha Rajakaruna qualified for the finals of the Men's 400m event, with times of 45.70secs more..

Jul 12 (DM) Dept of Motor Traffic (DMT) today granted permission allowing three-wheelers to have certain appliances fitted to trishaws, such as decorations, etc., DMT Commissioner General Nishantha Anurudda Weerasinghe said. The permission was granted based on continuous discussions with three-wheeler associations and according to the Motor Traffic Act. The permission came into effect on Monday. Accordingly, DMT allows the modification of three-wheelers more..

Jul 12 (Kyodo) The family of a SL woman who died in 2021 while detained at a Japan immigration center on Wednesday urged prosecutors who had previously dropped the case to indict officials on charges of professional negligence resulting in death. The family of Wishma Sandamali made the appeal following a December ruling by an independent judicial committee that found the prosecutors' decision was unjust, paving the way for the case to be reinvestigated. more..

Jul 12 (CT) Consultant Paediatrician, Dr. Deepal Perera appealed to children and parents to change their style of living before cancer and diabetes claim them. Dr. Perera lamented yesterday that at least 900 million children were diagnosed with cancer and another 100 with diabetes annually. �If we consider the child population up to 19 years, many of them are vulnerable to these two deadly diseases,� he lamented, noting that this had not been the case 10 to 15 years earlier. more..

Jul 12 (EN) Sri Lanka will relax import restrictions on 300 more essential items, State Minister of Finance Ranjith Siyambalapitiya said. Sri Lanka has been gradually easing import restrictions imposed on a host of items in the wake of the country�s worst currency crisis since independence. On June 9, the govt relaxed import restrictions imposed on 286 items (HS codes) including electronics, food items, more..

Jul 12 (CI) Chamari Athapaththu smashed an unbeaten 80 off just 47 balls as Sri Lanka hunted down 141 in the third T20I against New Zealand with all ten wickets and 33 balls in the bank. It was a consolation victory for the hosts, who had already lost the first two matches of the series. NZ ended the tour by winning with the T20I trophy, after SL had won the ODIs 2-1. Athapaththu, who had reached her half-century off 25 deliveries, smashed 13 fours and two sixes during her knock. more..

Jul 12 (CT) College of Medical Laboratory Science SL (CMLSSL) appealed to the Health Ministry to probe how the National Medicines Regulatory Authority (NMRA) obtained the funds for a grand two-day get-together in Trincomalee in the backdrop of so many unresolved issues related to medicinal drugs. CMLSSL President Ravi Kumudesh yesterday noted there were serious suspicions that the two-day gathering held in Trincomalee had been sponsored by pharmaceutical companies. more..

Jul 12 (AD) The election monitoring organization PAFFREL today filed a petition before the Supreme Court, challenging the private member�s bill presented to the parliament by MP Jayantha Ketagoda in a bid to amend the Municipal Councils Ordinance. The petition was put forward by Rohana Hettiarachchi, Executive Director of PAFFREL, seeking a court order declaring that certain provisions in the said private member�s bill more..

Jul 12 (DM) One-third of the total CT scanning machines in govt hospitals are completely dysfunctional, medical professionals pointed out. According to Govt Radiological Technologists' Association, there are a total of 44 CT scan machines in govt hospitals. Accordingly, twelve CT scan machines in the emergency unit of the National Hospital in Colombo, the others in the Kurunegala, Karapitiya, Trincomalee, Hambantota, Badulla, Ratnapura, Kalutara, Horana, more..

Jul 12 (SLN) SL Navy today (11) rendered assistance to bring ashore a fisherman with burn injuries, sustained following an accident, while aboard a local multiday fishing trawler. The fisherman has experienced this unfortunate incident while at sea approximately 431 nautical miles (about 798km) off the coast of Galle, southwest of SL. The multiday fishing trawler named Sachintha Putha had set sail from the Negombo harbour for fishing on 22nd June, with five (5) crew members. more..

Jul 12 (CT) Cabinet has decided to adopt a draft bill immediately on monks� discourses to deal with disciplinary matters and acts against the Buddhasasana. Minister Bandula Gunawardana said at present, there are many cases of indiscipline and acts against the Buddhasasana regarding monks from different parts of the country and this decision has been taken as a govt intervention in this regard. �Govt will take steps to strictly implement the law regarding incitement of religious hatred more..

Jul 12 (TM) The death of a 23-year-old female was reported from Giritale, Minneriya on Monday (10), after she had taken a prescribed dose of traditional medication for infertility. Accordingly, the deceased had been prescribed medication to aid her infertility by an indigenous medical practitioner in the area. Subsequent to three days of consuming the medication, the deceased had fallen ill and fainted, after which she was taken to the Jayanthipura Divisional Hospital. more..

Jul 12 (AD) Chairman of the Sectoral Oversight Committee on National Economic and Physical Plans, Mahindananda Aluthgamage said that although there are 500,000 personal income tax files in this country, only 31,000 of them are paying tax. During the Sectoral Oversight Committee meeting held recently in parliament, he pointed out that there are 105,000 registered limited companies in the country, but 82% of the tax revenue more..

Jul 12 (DM) Health Ministry has initiated a comprehensive investigation into the seven deaths allegedly caused due to fungal infection at the Kandy Hospital, Dr. Asela Gunawardena said. He said these patients had been treated with peritoneal Dialysis solution, which is an NMRA-approved drug until 2026. �This is the first instance of this nature. The hospital management has informed us that one death had been caused in January and five had happened in June this year,� he said. more..

Jul 12 (CT) The third International Conference on Mathematics and Mathematics Education (ICMME) will take place on 14 and 15 July, at the Postgraduate Institute of Science of the Uni of Peradeniya. In 2019, ICMME was inaugurated following a suggestion made by the Ministry of Education in enhancing mathematical literacy in the country by providing a unique platform for Mathematics Educators, especially to expose school teachers to diverse aspects of research more..

Jul 12 (HM) Early on in Vajra Chandrasekera�s lyrical, secondary-world fantasy The Saint of Bright Doors, the city of Luriat is said to be under the administration of competing Dissolution Orders and Emergency Regulations, effectively governed by executive-run task-forces due to the ongoing failure of Parliament. It is a moment that presents a frisson of recognition to the Southasian reader � floating signifier though that term more..