Jul 13 (FT) Someone in SL, right now as I write, is distraught because a child, a parent or a loved one has died, is dying or is seriously ill due to lack of medicine and medical care. Some die because doctors just cannot handle the overwhelming number of patients, or they simply cannot afford the eyewatering private hospital charges. In a world of increasingly glaring disparities, we could dismiss such situations as inevitable, especially in a time of unprecedented economic stress, more..

Jul 13 (SLN) SL Navy successfully dismantled a smuggling racket in the wee hours of today (12), seizing about 08kg and 450g of gold, attempted to be smuggled via sea, during a special operation mounted in Wannimundalama lagoon area, Kalpitiya. The operation also led to the apprehension of 2 suspects and a dinghy used for this illegal act. The Navy carries out regular search operations and patrols in the coastal and sea areas around the island, with a view to preventing an more..

Jul 13 (AD) SL�s Samitha Dulan Kodithuwakku bagged a bronze medal at the World Para Athletics World Championship 2023 in Paris, France. The 33-year-old took third place in the finals of the Men�s Javelin Throw - F46 event throwing a distance of 64.06 meters. Making his maiden paralympic appearance, Kodithuwakku won a bronze medal at the 2020 Tokyo Paralympics with a personal best of 65.61 meters. Kodithuwakku, who is a Corporal attached to the Military Police of the SL Army, more..

Jul 13 (AD) SL sprinter Nadeesha Ramanayake won the gold in the Women�s 400m event at the Asian Athletics Championship 2023 in Bangkok, Thailand. 28-year-old clocked a time of 52.61 seconds to finish first place in the finals of the sprinting event. On Wednesday, Ramanayake shone in the Women�s 400m Heats finishing first with a timing of 53.06 seconds. Meanwhile, Sri Lanka�s Gayanthika Abeyratne more..

Jul 13 (EN) Sri Lanka�s sovereign local currency rating is likely to be upgraded after a restructuring of domestic debt, Fitch Ratings said, while lifting the outlook on state-run CEB to positive from stable. Fitch downgraded SL�s local currency issuer default rating from �CC� to �C� after a domestic debt exchange on selective bonds was announced. Fitch confirmed a �B(lka)� rating of state-run CEB which has been de-linked of the govt, along with lifting of the outlook. more..

Jul 13 (DM) Kandy Magistrate who held the magisterial inquiry into the mysterious death of a 21-year-old girl at the Peradeniya Teaching Hospital issued an open verdict. In the open verdict, Magistrate issued an order to refer the specimens of the girl's body to the Govt Analyst for a report. Chamodi Jayaratne (21) who was admitted to the Peradeniya Teaching Hospital on Wednesday to obtain treatment for a stomach ailment reportedly died after being administered a medication more..

Jul 13 (AD) The decision to grant a presidential pardon to the Royal Park murder convict, Jude Jayamaha was not an arbitrary move, Prez Maithripala Sirisena told the Supreme Court today. Shramantha Jayamaha was convicted of murdering 19-year-old Swedish national, Yvonne Jonsson on July 1, 2005, and was sentenced to 12 years in prison by the Colombo High Court. In 2012, Appeals Court overturned the sentence on more..

Jul 13 (FT) Sri Lankans will have a unique opportunity to witness the remarkable journey of the Muslim Choral Ensemble (MCE) with the first Sama International Choral Festival in July. Six years down the line this ensemble celebrating the culture and heritage of the Muslims is preparing for its biggest event. These voices, once untrained and fresh, have grown immensely over the past six years, capturing the attention of audiences worldwide. Their journey began humbly in Haadia Galely�s apartment, more..

Jul 13 (AD) The renovated stretch of railway track between Anuradhapura and Omanthai on the Northern Line was officially launched for public transport today, Highways Minister Bandula Gunawardena says. Air-conditioned luxury carriages were added for the test run with a speed of 100kmph, the lawmaker mentioned while inspecting the renovated railway tracks. As renovations began, the Anuradhapura-Omanthai stretch of the railway line remained closed since January. more..

Jul 13 (FT) SL has a tremendous opportunity to promote culinary tourism as the country�s culinary fraternity commences its journey towards the prestigious Bocuse d�Or 2025. Recognised as the Olympics of Cooking, and taking place biannually, the Bocuse d�Or brings together culinary excellence to compete on the world stage in Lyon, France. As SL launched its bid in preparation for the next global competition, the Bocuse d�Or SL team gave an in-depth overview of the activity line-up, more..

Jul 13 (Island) Former Health Minister and Kalutara District SJB MP Dr Rajitha Senaratne says that the Health Ministry is controlled by a Mafia. He said: �When a registered Danish company offered to provide Insulin at a price of USD 1.55 the ministry selected an unregistered Ukrainian company, which offered the same drug at USD 4. They have purchased Ephedrine at Rs 136.50 when it is available at Rs 45,� Dr Senaratne said, producing the copies of documents of tenders. more..

Jul 13 (EN) After two major marine disasters, cabinet has approved a French funded move to establish a satellite system to detect data on oil spills caused by ships within SL waters. SL has witnessed two worst marine disasters within nine months since 2020 September: MT New Diamond, a very large crude carrier and X-press Pearl MV with large amounts of chemicals. The new move will be funded by over 600,000 euro from French more..

Jul 13 (AD) SL�Pakistan Business Council (SLPBC) of The Ceylon Chamber of Commerce is proud to announce the hosting of a prestigious Business Forum and a series of exclusive B2B meetings with a distinguished business delegation from Pakistan on 19th July, at the Cinnamon Grand Hotel, Colombo. The event will provide a platform to explore and expand opportunities for bilateral trade and investment. The delegation from Pakistan has expressed keen interest in importing more..

Jul 13 (CT) CID informed the Colombo Chief Magistrate that they are presently probing the accounts of six officials from the Director Board of Onmax DT after they had allegedly withdrawn a sum of Rs 790 million and had deposited it into their accounts. CID prosecuting told Court that the six suspects had withdrawn the aforesaid sum which had been maintained as a pyramid system surreptitiously and that they will produce further submissions following investigations. more..

Jul 13 (CT) With over 700 medical practitioners leaving the State health service to migrate to foreign countries last year, doctors have proposed solutions to the issue especially by calling for a provision of a unique salary structure for medical practitioners based on their performance and market value. GMOA Media Spokesman, Dr. Chamil Wijesinghe said with the dilemma regarding the National Wage Policy which had been more..

Jul 13 (EN) SJB will present an amendment to the Employees� Provident Fund (EPF) Act to ensure an equitable treatment in restructuring domestic debt. MP Harsha de Silva told reporters on Wednesday July 12 that the party will propose an amendment that, if passed, will see a minimum benefit paid to EPF members or pay the same interest rate paid to other players in the market, or a rate that reflects inflation. Amendment will be proposed with 2.6 million active EPF accounts more..

Jul 13 (DM) Tourism Minister Harin Fernando and former cricketer Sanath Jayasuriya, who are currently in Australia for a tourism promotion event, met Danushka Gunatilleke in Sydney. In a Facebook post, Gunatilleke expressed his gratitude to the Minister and Sanath for their visit. The 32-year-old cricketer is accused of sexually assaulting a woman while on tour in Sydney for the T20 World Cup. He is facing one count of sexual intercourse without consent, more..

Jul 13 (DM) The Instructions relating to the admission of students to Grade One for the Year 2024 in State schools had been released today, the Education Ministry said. �A specimen application form was published in the website www.moe.gov.lk,� it said. Ministry said parents or legal guardians, who wished to enroll their children into Grade One of Govt schools in year 2024, should submit their applications prepared as per the specimen form and instructions and send it to the relevant more..

Jul 13 (AD) Govt expects to spend Rs. 206 billion annually on the Aswesuma program despite only Rs. 144 billion being spent on welfare benefits in 2022, State Minister Shehan Semasinghe says. As per the agreements with the IMF and World Bank, SL had agreed to spend a minimum of Rs. 187 billion annually to uplift the poor and vulnerable in the country, however, govt has gone above and beyond earmarking Rs. 62 billion on welfare benefits this year in comparison to 2022. more..

Jul 13 (TM) Fifteen civil society organisations have expressed concern regarding the Govt's proposal to establish a national unity and reconciliation commission and stated that they will not support the said mechanism. The proposed commission, they claim, is being introduced in the absence of a judicial mechanism with a special counsel, alleging that the failure to do so has denied victims the opportunity to seek justice through more..

Jul 13 (TM) The CID has not stopped or halted the investigation on Jerome Fernando and the investigation will continue, says Minister of Public Security Tiran Alles. He made this statement, when inquired about social media posts claiming that Jerome Fernando is free from all allegations. "I don't know about social media, but I can assure you that the investigation is still ongoing. The investigation is still in the initial stages and there is still more to go. So because of that, more..

Jul 13 (Island) Rebel SLPP lawmaker and former Chairman of COPE Prof. Charitha Herath, on Tuesday (11) declared that he would lead a thorough inquiry into the economic crisis, regardless of the probe announced by SJB leader Sajith Premadasa. Pointing out that the Parliamentary Select Committee (PSC), headed by SLPP General Secretary Sagara Kariyawasam that had been appointed by Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena to investigate the crisis didn�t find favour more..

Jul 13 (AD) The IMF says it has not discussed any plans for a digital services tax with the SL authorities in the current program. In a statement, a spokesperson for the global lender further clarified that it has not provided any recommendation on whether or not Sri Lanka should sign on to the OECD/G20 inclusive framework agreement for international corporate taxation. OECD more..

Jul 13 (EN) SL must ensure adequate nutrition for all pregnant and breastfeeding women amid the ongoing financial crisis, Amnesty International said. In a research briefing titled Foregoing Meals to Make-Do on the impact of the crisis on access to nutrition for pregnant and breastfeeding women, Amnesty International has found that falling incomes, loss of livelihoods and inflation have reduced women�s purchasing power while govt-funded programmes aimed at increasing more..

Jul 13 (DM) Three contempt of court cases filed against State Minister Sanath Nishantha in connection with the alleged contemptuous statement, were yesterday fixed for Sept 27 by the Court of Appeal. Judicial Service Association of SL (JSASL), the organization representing all the District Court Judges and Magistrates in the country and two lawyers had filed the contempt of court applications seeking an order to punish State Minister for the offence of Contempt of Court more..

Jul 14 (DM) A few weeks ago UNESCO inscribed the Mahavamsa onto its �Memory of the World (MoW) International Register for 2023. It was not exactly a declaration of the extensive chronicle as a world heritage, although some history buffs and, let�s say, Mahavama-fixated social media enthusiasts announced it as such. Responsible students of history, who were aware of the relevant distinctions and took the trouble to examine the UNESCO announcement corrected this misconception. more..

Jul 14 (ST) The financial and stock markets cheered, the business community applauded while sections of the working class looked on with dismay when the latest buzz word � DDO or Domestic Debt Optimisation (also known as Domestic Debt Restructuring � DDR) � hit the headlines last week. To make it simple (helluva effort here), according to expert opinion, Domestic Debt (DD) is the accumulated borrowings of the Treasury from domestic sources � Central Bank, more..

Jul 14 (GV) Unequal types and processes for divorce constitute one of the most problematic aspects of the current Muslim Marriage and Divorce Act (MMDA) 1951 of SL. In June 2021, a govt appointed Advisory Committee on MMDA reforms consisting of lawyers, experts and Islamic scholars, submitted their recommendations to the Ministry of Justice, including making the divorce regime under the MMDA more equal and fair for women and men. A Bill was drafted accordingly by more..

Jul 14 (TM) M. Safeer is a theatre director, playwright, publisher and author, the chairman of Inter Act Art, a theatre and performing arts group, and the festival director of the Colombo International Theatre Festival (CITF). His name is not unfamiliar or unknown in SL�s theatre industry, not just for his work on and off stage, but also with establishing SL�s first international theatre festival. CITF 2023 will be held 25-30 Aug, more..

Jul 14 (TM) In its rather emotional quest to combat religious disharmony, religious insults, and religious hatred, SL appears to have found itself in a situation where it has to struggle to deal with social issues through legal actions and assign biased meanings to vague statements to take such actions. It has become evident in the cases of stand-up comedienne Nathasha Edirisooriya and Pr. Jerome Fernando, whose religion-based statements placed them under severe criticism more..

Jul 14 (DM) Astonishing revelations have come to the fore as to how Geological Surveys and Mines Bureau (GSMB) has unheeded cabinet decisions and the subsequent court ruling that ban the exporting of raw vein quarts without any value addition. Disregarding these regulations, the GSMB has allowed a private exporter in Wattala to export raw vein quartz lumps to China on May 9, 2023. It has also revealed how the GSMB, which is under the strict scrutiny of COPE over its more..

Jul 14 (TM) The tourism industry of Sri Lanka has faced numerous challenges in recent times, particularly due to the global recession and the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic. To gain insights into the current state of the industry and on the business, we interviewed JourneyScapes (Pvt) Ltd. Managing Director and SL Association of Inbound Tour Operators (SLAITO) Past President Devindre Senaratne. In conversation with more..

Jul 14 (ST) Brayan Perera, representing SL and the Ceylon Motor Sports Club, qualified for the finals in the Olympic Esport Series 2023, scheduled to be conducted by the International Olympic Committee, the Federation Internationale de Automobile, and GranTurismo. Brayan has been racing since 2007. He started out in karts and moved on to compete in the Formula McLarens 1300 LGB and the following year he won the Formula EFI C'ship and later moved on to winning the Formula Junior C'ship more..

Jul 14 (Island) Time was when even critically ill patients who were rushed to the state-run hospitals, in wheelchairs and on stretchers, were confident that they would be able to walk back home. Today, even the patients who walk into govt hospitals, seeking treatment for minor ailments, run the risk of being wheeled into the mortuary. This unfortunate situation has come about not due to lapses on the part of the much-maligned health workers but owing to corrupt practices among politicians more..

Jul 14 (DM) Sri Lanka is likely to see a drop in the prime lending rate in the coming months, a move that will help businesses to gain access to capital, SL Banks� Association (SLBA) said. According to SLBA Chairman and Standard Chartered Bank CEO Bingumal Thewarathanthri, lending rates are expected to drop to the levels of 16 to 17% by this August, and by the end of the year to 11 to 12%. �Otherwise it will be very difficult to steer through the economy. It has to come down to that level,� more..