Jul 17 (FT) Despite challenges with shipping, SL�s tea exports in the first half of this year have risen by 6% to 119.1 million kilos in comparison to the corresponding period of 2023. The growth is despite exports in June being marginally down by 2% to 20.9 million kilos, Asia Siyaka Commodities Plc said. The country has earned $ 687 million in the first half of 2024 as against $ 637 million a year ago. The approximate FOB price per kilogramme is $ 5.77 compared with $ 5.68 last year. more..

Jul 17 (CT) Central Bank of SL (CBSL) plans to request global rating agencies to upgrade the SL�s current Default grade rating status based on the current progress of the debt restructuring process, CBSL sources said. �We are about to concluded the entire debt restructuring process, and we hope it can be officially finalised within the coming days. Therefore, depending on the current progress, we are considering requesting global rating agencies to upgrade the current default rating,� they said. more..

Jul 17 (ST) Scheme to grant permits for the import of electric vehicles by Lankans employed abroad launched in 2022 is riddled with irregularities and suspiciously favoured two importers. A total of 913 permits had been issued to eligible individuals after the scheme began in Sept 2022. Of this 68% of permits issued had been facilitated by 2 importers, while 30 other importers, who are also registered to import electric vehicles, got only 30% more..

Jul 17 (DN) With the greater relaxation of import restrictions in October, we have witnessed a resurgence of positive sentiments in trade and economic activities. This has brought a much-needed boost to our industry.This was opined by new Chairman of Import Section of Ceylon Chamber of commerce, Thulitha Mendis at their 89th annual general meeting last week. �However, high tariffs and the imposition of VAT on previously exempted products have placed a significant burden more..

Jul 17 (Island) NPP leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake stated that the upcoming prez polls are set to break records, as the govt is employing all possible means against opposition parties. Addressing a national summit of paramedics, he emphasised that the forthcoming polls would go down in the record books as the largest media operation in the country�s electoral history. �The govt is attempting to delay the elections while the people eagerly await their right to vote,� more..

Jul 17 (EN) Sri Lanka will gradually reduce the 26,000 approved cadre in the state-run CEB through Voluntary Retirement Scheme (VRS) and by not filling retired cadre position unless it is necessary while restructuring CEB, Minister Kanchana Wjesekera said. Wijesekera in the past has said the CEB could be managed with only 5,000 cadres instead of the current approved 26,000. �I still believe we can do with reducing the cadres by a large number,� Wjesekera told reporters more..

Jul 17 (Island) Sixty Lankan Tamil refugees, including at least 16 children, claim to have been unlawfully detained on Diego Garcia since 2021, said a report published by The Week of the UK. It said: A paradise island in the Indian Ocean has become the centre of a complex legal dispute, a battle for control � and a prison for stranded migrants. In 2021, SL Tamils fleeing persecution attempted to sail to Canada to claim asylum, when their fishing boat suffered a leak. more..

Jul 17 (DM) Former Prez Mahinda Rajapaksa made 978 flights using Air Force helicopters under presidential privilege for domestic flights between 2005 and 2015, while former Prez Maithripala Sirisena flew 557 times during his five-year tenure, information obtained under RTI act has revealed. This data was disclosed in response to an appeal made by to the Right to Information Commission after Air Force HQ initially failed to provide more..

Jul 17 (CT) Although it was reported that the verdict regarding the Fundamental Rights petition filed in 2013 concerning the inhumane assault of a suspect detained by the Mirihana Police in 2011 was based on an affidavit of a third party, it has been revealed that no such affidavit exists, Romesh de Silva, PC informed the Supreme Court on Monday. He informed the Supreme Court that the verdict issued against the current IGP, Deshabandu Tennakoon, who was the ASP in Nugegoda at the time, more..

Jul 17 (CT) Teachers and principals have decided to launch a work-to-rule campaign for two weeks, starting next Monday (22). Until 2 August, they will focus exclusively on their core teaching duties, suspending all administrative tasks which they are engaging in during and after school hours, CTU General Secretary Joseph Stalin said. The decision to take this trade union action is driven by several concerns, including salary disparities, the practice of collecting money from parents for more..

Jul 17 (Island) Chairman of the Elections Commission R.M.A.L. Rathnayake yesterday said that the EC couldn�t interfere with the right of those representing the legal profession or any other from seeking to thwart the scheduled prez elections. Rathnayake said so in response to The Island query whether the EC would seek a dialogue with those seeking to sabotage the presidential election at the behest of some individuals & political parties. more..

Jul 17 (FT) It was during the rough and tumble of the difficult environment which prevailed in the country as a whole, I had to perform my responsibilities in a branch far away from my residence, most importantly away from my family. It was this routine and without any exaggeration to say my commitment and dedication to my responsibilities which took me to Nawalapitiya on that fateful day of Black July of Monday 25 July, 1983 which remains as Sri Lanka�s darkest era. more..

Jul 17 (DM) Medical experts have noticed a notable surge in pediatric cases exhibiting wheezing symptoms following a viral infection akin to an influenza-like illness. Lady Ridgeway Hospital's Consultant Pediatrician, Dr. Deepal Perera urged parents to be vigilant on their children's respiratory health. "Wheezing can be a concerning symptom indicating narrowing of the airways, which may lead to difficulty in breathing," he noted. Furthermore, he emphasized the importance of preventive more..

Jul 17 (AD) Aranayaka Police stated that four female suspects have been arrested in connection with an incident of inhumane assault and cruelty towards a child. A video of the incident in question recently went viral on social media and following an investigation launched into the matter, the relevant suspects were arrested. Child�s two grandmothers were arrested for assaulting the child while his mother along with another woman have been arrested on the charges of aiding and more..

Jul 17 (FT) Vallipuram Vasanthan alias Captain Miller the first suicide bomber of the LTTE is the focus of this two-part article. A brief description of the pioneering Black Tiger or Karumpuli and events leading to the first Black Tiger operation on 5 July 1987 was outlined in the first part published last week. Details of the LTTE attack on the military camp at the Nelliaddy MMV school premises would be related in this second and concluding part. more..

Jul 17 (EN) Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe has submitted a cabinet paper proposing security measures for presidential candidates and former presidents, following the recent attack on former US Prez Donald Trump during a campaign rally in the USA. �This proposal suggests the appointment of a committee to conduct threat assessments and provide necessary security for Prez candidates as well as former Presidents,� more..

Jul 17 (EN) UNP has requested SL�s Election Commission to hold the 2024 presidential as early as possible, a party official, adding that President Ranil Wickremesinghe will contest as an independent candidate. UNP General Secretary Palitha Range Bandara told reporters outside the Election Commission premises that UNP anticipates a landslide victory for Prez Wickremesinghe. �We asked the election commission to have the election in the shortest time possible,� more..

Jul 17 (DM) The present system of governance which is based on the Executive Presidency should be changed even if Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa emerges victorious at this year's Executive Presidency, SJB MP Eran Wickramaratne said today. MP came up with this remark in response to a question raised by journalists at a media briefing as to whether the SJB will scrap the Executive Presidency if its leader emerges victorious at this year's Presidential election. more..

Jul 17 (FPJ) Former U19 captain Dhammika Niroshana was shot dead in front of his wife and kids at his home on Tuesday (16) night. He was 41. The shocking incident reportedly took place in Niroshana's residence in Ambalangoda. He was standing in front of his house when he was shot at. Local reports suggested that Dhammika Niroshana's wife and kids were present at home when the crime took place. more..

Jul 17 (CT) Airport and Aviation Services (SL) (Pvt) Ltd (AASL) held a meeting with representatives from the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) to explore the possibilities of recommencing the BIA Terminal 2 construction project. The AASL stated they are ready to commence the proposed BIA Terminal 2 project. The new terminal will be able to handle 9 million passengers annually, increasing BIA�s total passenger handling capacity to over 15 million. more..

Jul 17 (Island) Parliament has called for a comprehensive report from the Health Ministry regarding recovery of dues from doctors who have gone overseas. A subcommittee of the COPA (Committee on Public Accounts), headed by Maj. Pradeep Undugoda, MP, has taken up this issue with the Health Ministry. A statement issued by Parliament quoted Health Ministry officials as having said that action was being taken and progress being made in this regard. more..

Jul 17 (Island) Election Commission yesterday commended the Governors of the Uva, Northern, Wayamba, Sabaragamuwa and North Central Provinces for not following illegal orders in respect of appointments granted on the orders of the Secretary to the President Saman Ekanayake to those who handed over their nominations to contest the Local Govt polls. EC Chairman R.M.A.L. Rathnayake said that when they had asked the govt not to grant them appointments as members of community more..

Jul 17 (DM) Expulsion petition filed by former State Minister Diana Gamage challenging the SJB's decision to expel her from party membership was today withdrawn by her before the Supreme Court. Diana Gamage�s lawyers sought the court's permission to withdraw the application, citing that their client does not intend to proceed with it. Accordingly, SC permitted the petitioner to withdraw her expulsion application. SC in another application held that Diana Gamage is disqualified more..

Jul 17 (CT) With seven out of 44 Computed Tomography (CT) scanners in govt hospitals down and transportation costs of patients awaiting scans exceeding Rs 12 million per month, it is apparent that the Govt would have to bear even more expenses should the entire health service be privatised, GRTA lamented. GRTA President, Chanaka Dharmawickrama, observed that although some parties were proposing the privatisation more..

Jul 17 (ICC) England, SL and Pakistan will tour New Zealand this summer, while the Kiwis' women's side will take on Australia and SL on home soil. NZ have confirmed they will host white-ball series against SL and Pakistan this summer alongside their previously announced ICC World Test Championship series against England at the end of this year. The Kiwis' men's and women's team revealed their summer schedule on Wednesday, with the sides set to host international matches from end of Nov more..

Jul 17 (DM) State Fertilizer Company was advised to reduce the prices of fertilizers used for plantation crops such as cinnamon, tea and coconut. Minister gave these instructions following a discussion today at the Ministry regarding the reduction of fertilizer prices. Accordingly, State Fertilizer Company chairman, Dr. Jagath Perera said the prices of the five types of fertilizers produced by the State Fertilizer Company and used for cinnamon, tea and coconut, will be reduced by more..

Jul 17 (EN) Sri Lanka is planning the second stage of testing intra-uterine devices on red-faced monkeys as a means of controlling their population, as cries from farmers who want to cull them as crop destroying pests grow louder. Agriculture Ministry has identified toque macaques, wild boars, peacocks, giant squirrels among key pests damaging crops. Farmers are calling for air guns to protect crops. more..

Jul 17 (DM) Sri Lanka top order batsman Kusal Mendis is set to be dropped from the white ball cricket according to the reports. It is also said that middle order batsman Charith Asalanka is set to take over the captaincy in both ODIs and T20s following the resignation of Wanindu Hasaranga as the skipper in the shortest format. Kusal Mendis was viewed as the best batsman of Sri Lanka for a longer period. Many ex-cricketers were also of the opinion that Mendis is a generational talent. more..

Jul 17 (CT) The All Ceylon Canteen and Restaurant Owners� Association (ACCROA) said it had decided to drop the prices of several food items and bakery products by midnight yesterday. ACCROA President, Harshana Rukshan, said accordingly, the price of rice and curry would be slashed by Rs 25 while the price of fried rice and kottu would also be reduced by Rs 25. The price of short eats will be reduced by Rs 10 while the price of parata and egg roti will also be slashed by Rs 10. more..

Jul 17 (GNA) Sixteen crew members including three Sri Lankans, were missing after their Comorian-flagged oil tanker capsized off the coast of Oman, the sultanate�s Maritime Security Centre (MSC) said Tuesday. The MSC, which is run by the Omani Defence Ministry, said in a post on X that a �Comoros-flagged oil tanker capsized� south-east of Ras Madrakah in the country�s centre. Search and rescue operations were underway, the MSC said without providing further details. more..

Jul 17 (DM) The govt will increase the amount paid under the President's Fund for heart and kidney patients by 100% and will pay within a week of receiving the application, Finance State Minister Ranjith Siyambalapitiya said. He noted that previously, the Prez's Fund covered 50% for these patients, but there was a backlog of nearly 8,000 applications by August 2022 for these surgeries. While addressing an event in Kegalle recently, he said that under the current govt, more..

Jul 17 (DM) With reference to an illegal recording and uploading his film Sinhabahu on social media, Film Director and President of Film Directors Guild of SL Somaratne Dissanayake called for the banning of brining mobile phones into cinemas. �We have to do what we can to avoid unnecessary situations. What we can do is to ban mobile phones in cinemas. Such a ban is imposed in cinemas in countries such as Australia. more..

Jul 17 (DM) The Immigration and Emigration Dept today announced the launch of a new, efficient and safe e-passport for Sri Lankans, with effect from January 1, 2025. In a media release, the Department's Additional Controller General announced that a new passport will be issued according to a new methodology designed to ease the application process for passport applicants. Accordingly, prior registration links are required on https://www.immigration.gov.lk when applying more..

Jul 17 (CT) The Health Ministry should take urgent measures to create public awareness that there was a change in policy with regard to Sri Jayewardenepura General Hospital (SJGH) over the past 10 to 15 years, the Govt Medical Officers� Forum (GMOF) said. A GMOF spokesperson noted yesterday (16) that unlike earlier, the hospital had shed its semi-government policy, to appear more of a private sector health institution, where ICU care alone costs over Rs 200,000. more..

Jul 17 (EN) Sri Lanka will see a definite reduction in water tariff possibly towards end of this week after several variables in the water pricing formula including electricity cost have fallen, Minister Jeevan Thondaman said. Public Utilities Commission on Monday cut electricity tariffs by an average of 22.5%. The move comes ahead of a prez poll between Sept 17 and Oct 16. Prez Ranil Wickremesighe is expected to contest more..

Jul 17 (CT) Cabinet has approved the 22nd Amendment to the Constitution Bill, the legal effect of which would be that a Bill that seeks to extend the term of office of the President or the duration of Parliament to over five years would require a two-thirds majority in Parliament and the approval of the People at a Referendum. The Bill seeks to amend present Article 83(b), according to which the maximum period to which such term or duration can be extended without a Referendum is 6 yrs. more..