Jul 31 (DN) New laws will be introduced to make Parliamentary approval mandatory for future agreements on state property or other vital matters of the country, PM Mahinda Rajapaksa said. Addressing a meeting with professionals in Colombo on Wednesday, he said this would be a priority task of the new Govt formed after the General Election. �The Yahapalana Govt sent a negative message to investors by halting Chinese funded projects, especially the Colombo Port City project. more..

Jul 31 (MB) Surveys carried out in the early 1980s in the many reservoirs in Sri Lanka�s dry zone showed abundant populations of the red-fin labeo (Labeo lankae), an endemic species of frewshwater fish. Reports indicated the fish was also available at local fish markets. But decades later, it has disappeared from the reservoirs it was known to inhabit, a fate it shares with many other freshwater fish across Sri Lanka. more..

Jul 31 (AD) The Director General of Health Services Dr Anil Jasinghe today officially handed over the Healthcare Guidelines prepared for the Parliament by the Ministry of Health. The guidelines, also applicable for the MPs of the new Parliament, were handed over to the Secretary General of Parliament Dhammika Dasanayake. The set of guidelines will be essential for the conduct of sessions in a safe environment post General Election, as measure of facing the challenges of COVID-19, he said. more..

Jul 31 (TM) Ministry of Education has decided to add 15 extra minutes to the time duration given for students to answer the first question paper of the Grade Five Scholarship examination this year. The time set to answer the first question paper will be extended from the current 45 minutes to an hour. Minister Dullas Alahapperuma said that this measure was taken to provide some relief for the students who were unable to attend school for over four months due to the Covid-19 outbreak. more..

Jul 31 (AD) Former Director of the CID Shani Abeysekara has been arrested by the Colombo Crimes Division (CCD) on charges of allegedly fabricating evidence over a firearms case. Abeysekara was taken into custody at around 7.05 am this morning at his residence in Matha Road, Colombo 08. Eight suspects including the former Police DIG Vaas Gunawardena, his wife, and son, identified as suspects in the murder of businessman more..

Jul 31 (FT) The criminality in politics can be considered an atrocious cancer that engulfed Sri Lanka as well as India, our closest neighbour. While there is enough data to establish the reality of the problem in India, Sri Lanka does not possess any such data to comprehend the extent of it. The lack of interest among sociologists, parliamentarians and election officials in Sri Lanka on this issue can be seen as an important factor contributing to the problem of not having sufficient data. more..

Jul 31 (EN) Japan has donated 388 tonnes of canned worth 300 million yen (519 million rupees) for Sri Lanka�s school meals scheme for the next two years, which is supported by the World Food Program. The canned fish came from areas Sri Lanka had supported during an earthquake and tsunami. Kitamura Toshihiro, Charge d�Affaires ad interim of Japan to Sri Lanka recalled Sri Lanka�s donation of cash and tea during the Great East Japan Earthquake & Tsunami in Mar 2011. more..

Jul 31 (EN) An interim order has been issued suspending the trial before Colombo High Court regarding the bribery case against Avant-Garde Chairman Nissanka Yapa Senadhipathi and former Chairman of Rakna Lanka, Major Gen (Retired) Palitha Fernando. The order was delivered by the Appeals Court�s judge bench when the revision application filed by Senadhipathi and Fernando was taken up this morning. more..

Jul 31 (Island) The fourth unit of the Lakvijaya Power Plant Complex in Norochcholai would annually save more than Rs. 27 billion, CEB, Chairman Vijitha Herath said, speaking on the sidelines of a press briefing yesterday. Herath said that the estimated cost of the fourth unit was around USD 300 million and it would produce 1.8 billion units annually. The unit cost would be around Rs. 8.50 plus. He said it would be a huge saving compared to any other energy source with exception of hydro power. more..

Jul 31 (TM) Colombo Magistrate�s Court has issued a conditional order on the case filed by the Centre for Environmental Justice (CEJ) against the dumping of hazardous waste from a factory at the Seethawaka Industrial Estate in Avissawella, into the sea near the Madampitiya Pumping Station. Magistrate�s Court on Monday had issued a conditional order in this regard. The Court had accepted that the gully bowser containing the chemical waste was dangerous to human life more..

Jul 31 (DM) The National Peoples Power (NPP) today urged the govt to reveal its stance on the MCC agreement, Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA), Trincomalee oil tanks, Colombo Port's Eastern Terminal andMattala Airport before the general election. NPP Kalutara District candidate Nalinda Jayatissa told a news conference that Prez Gotabaya Rajapaksa should reveal his stance on these matters without his media stunts more..

Jul 31 (AD) Travel restrictions imposed in Rajanganaya area due to COVID-19 outbreak will be lifted completely from today. It was recently announced that travel bans in Rajanganaya MOH Division would be eased under two phases. From July 27, the restrictions in Kaludegama, Sirimapura, part of Yaya 1 area and Yaya 2 area were relaxed. However, from today onwards, travel bans in the rest of the Yaya 1 area as well as in Yaya 3, 4, 5 and 6 areas will also be eased. more..

Jul 31 (Island) Co-convener of CMEV Dr. Paikiyasothy Saravanamuttu said that funding political parties tantamounts to buying favours. He said that there would be a payback time when the party concerned got elected and it would be the basis on which decision making and governance of the country would be done. Dr. Saravanamuttu said that SL democracy would be much richer if political parties disclosed their accounts to the public and revealed the sources of funding. more..

Jul 31 (Island) The Department of Wildlife has warned upcountry estate management and officials to be extra cautious when it came to cat species, as particularly leopard and fishing cat deaths in increasing numbers were being reported there due to human actions. A senior official told The Island that they had been informed of the fact cat species were killed by an organised group, suspected to having connections with those involved in illegal trade in China. more..

Jul 31 (CT) Pregnant mothers who have contracted COVID-19 or who are suspected to be carriers of the virus are encouraged to breastfeed their babies in the first hour of delivery, Paediatrician at the Colombo East Base Hospital, Mulleriyawa, Dr. Darshika Ranasinghe said. In addition, she also stated that unlike in several other viral infections, there was still no proof that this virus was passed on from the mother to the foetus. �Maybe the situation would change in the future. more..

Jul 31 (AD) Attorney General has filed indictments in the Colombo High Court against former minister Dr Rajitha Senaratne and former Chairman of State Pharmaceutical Corporation (SPC) Mohamed Rumi, in connection with the controversial press conference on white van abductions. AG Dappula De Livera has also filed Discharge Orders with the Colombo Magistrate�s Court on the other two suspects more..

Jul 31 (Island) China said that it was only watching the forthcoming general election in SL as a true friend and would not get involved in it any manner. Speaking on the sidelines of the launch of the translation of the book Prevention and Control of COVID-19, from Chinese to Sinhala, Hu Wei, Charge d�affaires of the Chinese Embassy said "We don�t wait until SL comes to us with a request. We just help. As for the general election, we are only observing as a true friend should do, more..

Jul 31 (PD) The Cloud Open Day for the Port City Colombo project, a key project in the Belt and Road Initiative, was launched on July 30 in Sri Lanka. Indeewari Amuwatte, a well-known SL hostess, led the audience on an online walk into the City of the Future by the Indian Ocean, showing the project�s construction and development from multiple angles. According to Kassapa, who is in charge of public relations on the project, the first phase of Colombo Port City saw an investment more..

Jul 31 (Island) The National Thowheed Jamaat (NTJ) had received the assistance of Ameer Ali in 2017 and the State Intelligence Service (SIS) had recommended that Kattankudy police should impartially and swiftly investigate the clash there between NTJ and Sunnath Wal Jamaat on March 10, 2017, former SIS Director and SDIG of Eastern Province, Nilantha Jayawardena said before PCoI. Sunnath Wal Jamaat had been backed more..

Jul 31 (CT) National Christian Council of SL (NCCSL) while acknowledging the importance of the citizens� right to vote called upon all voters to exercise their rights with due deliberation and responsibility. The NCCSL, in an official statement, urged those who will be elected to ensure responsible governance and secure the rights and aspirations of all people to live in dignity and equality. �Considering the multi-ethnic and multi-religious character of our nation, more..

Jul 31 (DM) Former LTTE fighter and leader of TMVP, S. Chandrakanthan alias Pillayan has been assured a Ministerial post if he wins the Parliamentary election. Pillayan, who is currently in remand prison, is contesting the polls in the East on the TMVP ticket in some areas and under the SLPP is some areas. Sources said that he has been assured a Ministerial post by the SLPP if he is elected to Parliament. However, SLPP has informed him that he will receive the post only if more..

Jul 31 (DM) National Child Protection Authority (NCPA) has decided to introduce strict guidelines on the use of children for television reality shows, commercials, and voicing of TV commercials. Chairman of NCPA Prof Muditha Vidanapathirana said that a Gazette notification will be issued in future prohibiting the use of children under the age of 13 for television reality shows. Vidanapathirana said that all TV channels more..

Jul 31 (CT) Samagi Jana Balawegaya Jaffna District Chief Candidate, Ganeswaran Velayutham, yesterday (30) stated that the Tamil Makkal Thesiya Koottani (TMTK), led by C.V. Wigneswaran, must be defeated at the 5 August General Election. While addressing a public gathering in Jaffna, Velayutham stated that during his tenure as the Chief Minister of the Northern Province for five years, Wigneswaran had abused his power instead of serving the war-affected Northern community. more..

Jul 31 (AD) Former MP Ranjan Ramanayake has filed a case before the Colombo District Court challenging the UNP�s decision to suspend his party membership. Leader of the party Ranil Wickremesinghe, Deputy Leader Ravi Karunanayake and the UNP�s General Secretary Akila Viraj Kariyawasam have been cited as the respondents of the case. Ramanayake claims that SJB is an alliance established following a decision reached by the Working Committee of UNP. more..

Jul 31 (AD) SLPP candidate and former MP Premalal Jayasekara and two others have been sentenced to death over the fatal shooting incident in Kahawatte during the Presidential Election in 2015. Former Sabaragamuwa PC member Nilantha Jayakody and former Kahawatta PS chairman Vajira Darshana have also been sentenced to death over the case. Verdict in the case was delivered today by the Ratnapura High Court. more..