Jul 9 (TM) SJB MP Kumara Welgama claimed that no force could stop the members of the SLFP, SLPP, and all anti-Govt leftist forces who have now become helpless due to the conduct of the Govt, from joining the New Lanka Freedom Party (NLFP) led by him. SLFP on 7 July filed a petition with the Election Commission (EC) alleging that SLFP and SJB members were being misled by a political party that is going to be registered under the Leadership of Welgama misusing the SLFP name. more..

Jul 9 (FT) Amidst internal and external challenges, seasoned political campaigner and results-oriented Basil Rajapaksa yesterday assumed the key portfolio of Finance Minister, promising to deliver economic growth and prosperity to people. After much speculation and reservations among some, the all-important Ministry of Finance was handed over to Basil by Prez Gotabaya Rajapaksa, a subject most of the time held by more..

Jul 9 (FT) Any review of the issues which have been widely debated in SL since the advent of the modern era followed by the emergence of a literate society will reveal that most of them have been detrimental to the national progress instead of producing benevolent results. The most debated topic in this context has been as to who the real owners of this country are. Usually a country under colonial rule tends to agitate first for securing religious reforms before attempting to win political reforms. more..

Jul 9 (Island) Minister Sarath Weerasekera told Parliament that it was unfair to blame the entire police force for the sins of a few errant cops. Minister said that he would stand by police personnel and assured the House that all necessary action had been taken to maintain discipline in the Police Department. He said that the motion moved in the House said that the general public had lost their trust in the police after some policemen were found to be involved in illegal activities. more..

Jul 9 (SLN) Commander of the Navy, Vice Admiral Nishantha Ulugetenne declared open the Navy�s first ever Ship in a Box (SIAB) training facility at the Special Boat Squadron (SBS) Headquarters on 07th July 2021. The facility remains to be the Navy�s first ever fully-fledged training model of that calibre with world-class facilities. The Rs. 25 million worth project was sponsored by the United Nations Office on Drugs & Crime (UNODC) under the Global Maritime Crime Programme (GMCP). more..

Jul 9 (DM) The govt has decided to administer Pfizer vaccines to nearly 1,000 students going overseas for higher education, Army Commander Shavendra Silva said. �There were requests from a large number of students going overseas for higher education that they be vaccinated with Pfizer as some countries are not allowing entry without administrating Pfizer vaccines,� commander said. �Because of that, we have decided to administrate Pfizer vaccines to some 987 students,� more..

Jul 9 (AD) Prez Rajapaksa has put forward a comprehensive mechanism to vaccinate a majority of the country�s population against the COVID-19 virus before September. The number of vaccines that are being received in July will be made available to the public, giving priority to the districts identified as high risk areas for Covid-19 spread. Accordingly, the President said that 200,000 doses out of the total 2 mil Sinopharm vaccines more..

Jul 9 (Island) Mullaitivu police, on Wednesday, night arrested six persons for destroying a businessman�s car at Selvapuram. The gang burnt the vehicle on 28 June as the businessmen had refused to pay protection money. The businessman runs a foreign employment company. Police analysed the CCTV footage of the businessman�s house and arrested six persons from Nawali and Pudur, Jaffna. Two motorcycles used in the attack too were taken into custody. Suspects would be produced before more..

Jul 9 (DN) Forty seven tanks in Weli Oya of the Mahaweli L Zone are being rehabilitated under the Prosperity of Irrigation � Varisaubahgya National Programme. Nearly Rs.120 million will be spent on the Project. Farmers in the Zone cultivate only during the Maha season and they will cultivate in the Yala Season, too, once the project is completed, Mahaweli Irrigation Engineers said. Paddy and additional crops will be cultivated in nearly 5,000 acres after the project, he said. more..

Jul 9 (EN) SL�s banks which are rationing letters of credit to importers on a case-by-case basis will not usually deny the facility to importers who bring intermediate goods, Deputy CB Governor Dhammika Nanayakkara said. �As far as we know we have not been informed of any instance where the importer of an intermediate good has difficulties with LCs,� Nanayakkara said. �Sometimes bank can say they cannot open the LCs on more..

Jul 9 (FT) SL, being an island situated near the equator, is blessed with a significant amount of solar radiation or sunlight, to be put in plain terms, throughout the country, year around. Looking at this fact and the rapid developments in solar technology, many individuals claim that solar power generation would be SL�s best option in achieving its goals in low carbon electricity generation and providing low-cost electricity to the people, in light of the pressing need to meet the growing demand. more..

Jul 9 (DM) Revised Gazette Notification has been issued on the Corporate and Legal Framework under the Ministry of Economic Policy and Plan Implementation and the Ministry of Finance. PM Rajapaksa yesterday was sworn-in as the Minister of Economic Policies and Plan Implementation in parliament. As per the new gazette, several institutions, including the Central Cultural Fund, which were allocated to Minister Basil Rajapaksa yesterday have now been moved to PM more..

Jul 9 (EN) As of Friday (9), 1,130 Sri Lankans expecting to go abroad for studies have registered for the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine, Army Commander Gen Shavendra Silva said. An unspecified number of fisherfolk in Mannar and other targeted groups in the area who are thought to interact with Indian fishermen will also receive the US manufactured vaccine, he said. SL imported 26,000 doses of Pfizer Tuesday (6) to more..

Jul 9 (FT) N-able Ltd., SL�s premier Information and Communications Technology services provider, yesterday (8) announced key appointments within its leadership team, as it gears up for the next phase of growth in a post-pandemic world. Asanka Rajasinghe will assume duties as the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of N-able, while Rajitha Wickramasinghe will take on the role of Chief Technology Officer (CTO), and Prasad Kularatne will be appointed as Chief Technical Advocate. more..

Jul 9 (DM) At a backdrop where the GMOA has criticised the move to allow armed Forces to vaccinate people, Sri Lanka Medical Association (SLMA) said there was no issue in allowing military personnel to inoculate people. SLMA President Dr. Padma Gunaratne said the need of the hour is to accelerate the vaccination drive in the country by means of all possible ways. �Accordingly, the private sector, the military personnel and Govt medical officers could be utilized for this endeavour,� more..

Jul 9 (EN) SL�s main opposition the SJB has filed three fundamental rights petitions in the Supreme Court challenging arrests made under quarantine regulations. The privately owned NewsFirst network reported that the petitions, filed by SJB MPs Ranjith Madduma Bandara, Harshana Rajapakurna and Mayantha Dissanayake, have named the Inspector General of Police, the Director General of Health Services, more..

Jul 9 (SLN) Tareq Md Ariful Islam, new High Commissioner of Bangladesh to SL paid a courtesy call on Commander of the Navy, Vice Admiral Nishantha Ulugetenne at the Navy Headquarters today. This turned out to be the first official meeting between Tareq Md Ariful Islam and Vice Admiral Nishantha Ulugetenne, after the former assumed his office as High Commissioner of Bangladesh to SL. In a congratulatory remark, Commander of the Navy expressed his best wishes to more..

Jul 9 (FT) For the fourth consecutive year, the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA), the Int'l Chamber of Commerce SL (ICCSL) and Daily FT have launched SL�s Most Admired Companies Awards 2021. The awards are recognised as being the only one of its kind in SL, and are for companies that are a cut above the rest in terms of not just their financial performance but also on the value they create in a sustainable and ethical way for their employees, customers, more..

Jul 9 (Island) China had never sought to impose its own political views on the world, PM Mahinda Rajapaksa said on Tuesday addressing a virtual conference conducted to mark the 100th anniversary of the Communist Party of China (CPC). China has also never felt the need to manipulate the affairs of other countries and it had always helped the other countries, treating them as equals, PM said. more..

Jul 9 (CT) Energy Minister Udaya Gammanpila, yesterday, said in Parliament that he has only two superiors, and that they are President Gotabaya Rajapaksa and PM Mahinda Rajapaksa. �I was appointed as the Minister of Energy by President Gotabaya Rajapaksa based on PM Mahinda Rajapaksa�s recommendation. They are the only superiors of mine. They never tried to interfere with the activities of my ministry. They have only given instructions and guidance,� he said. more..

Jul 9 (CI) SL men's team analyst GT Niroshan has tested positive for Covid-19, one day after batting coach Grant Flower had also tested positive, forcing Sri Lanka Cricket to consider the option of fielding a second-string side against India. Both Flower and Niroshan have been moved to intermediate care facilities. What is especially worrying for the team's doctors is that both men have contracted the Delta variant of the virus, which is particularly contagious as well as dangerous. more..

Jul 9 (AD) The cardiologist, Deptuy Chairman of Mihintale Pradesiya Sabha & the two gem businessmen, who were arrested for sexual exploitation of a 15-year-old girl, were granted bail today. They were produced before Colombo Magistrate�s Court. Taking into account the submissions presented by the defense attorneys, Additional Magistrate Lochani Abeywickrama said it is unwarranted to keep the suspects more..

Jul 9 (CT) The UN Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP) and the SL authorities have drafted a strategy identifying seven focus areas that include increasing role of railway transport, improving intermodal freight transport, transforming SL into a global maritime hub, building resilience of transport to climate change impacts, enhancing sustainability of road transport, addressing urban freight transport challenges, and expanding the role of women more..

Jul 9 (ADB) The Asian Development Bank (ADB) today approved a loan of $150 million for Sri Lanka to purchase vaccines against the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) and improve vaccination information, delivery, and monitoring systems. The project is part of ADB�s $9 billion Asia Pacific Vaccine Access Facility (APVAX) launched in December 2020 to offer rapid and equitable vaccine-related support to ADB developing member countries. more..

Jul 9 (CI) India's limited-overs series against Sri Lanka is likely to have a delayed start as a response to the Covid-19 cases that have broken out in the host camp. It was scheduled to begin with the ODI leg, on July 13. but is now likely to begin only on July 17. According to the new schedule proposal, seen by ESPNcricinfo, the second and third ODI will take place on July 19 and 21 respectively. The T20I series is likely to begin from July 24. more..

Jul 9 (Island) Health and Security officers of Kilinochchi are investigating a funeral procession which was attended by over 500 people in the area. Health officials said that it was a violation of the COVID-19 health guidelines. Recently, a young man died in a road accident. Over 1200 garment factory workers in Kilinochchi and 400 people living in the deceased youth�s village, held a funeral procession through the Kilinochchi town. �Only 15 people can take part in a funeral procession. more..

Jul 9 (DM) There are two views regarding the dates of the GCE A/L Exam and a flexible and more practical decision should be taken following technical advice, Education Minister Prof. G.L. Peiris said. Addressig the media after flagging off the programme for vaccinating the officers attached to Examinations Department today, he said at least 200, 000 school candidates are to sit for the A/L examination for the first time and about 150,000 candidates for the second time. more..

Jul 9 (CI) The Lanka Premier League has been postponed until at least late November, thanks largely to competing cricket tournaments or series being scheduled for the original window. The second edition of the LPL was supposed to run from July 30 to August 22. The announcement of the Kashmir Premier League (set to run from August 6 to 17), the CPL (which requires players to be free from August 12), more..

Jul 9 (DM) JVP Leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake today called on the Government to recall the protesters who were arrested and forcibly sent for quarantine in various parts of the country, claiming it was totally against the law and human rights. He told Parliament that the police are not entrusted with any powers to use physical force to send the protesters who were granted bail by the court. The MP pointed out that several Courts have rejected to issue an order to send the protesters for quarantine more..

Jul 9 (DM) SL's batting coach Grant Flower who tested positive for Covid-19 had refused to be vaccinated against the Covid-19 unless he received the Pfizer vaccine, SLC said. SLC Secretary Mohan de Silva said Flower did not take the first dose of his vaccination when the others had it a few weeks ago. He said Flower refused the Chinese and Russian made vaccines because he claimed he could not travel to his country unless he was vaccinated with a recommend vaccine such as Pfizer. more..

Jul 10 (CT) JJB Leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake, yesterday (7), slammed the Govt, alleging that it has reverted to the old habits of suppressing opponents and anti-govt views. He said the arms of this suppression have reached Media institutions, journalists, and voices of the common people. Dissanayake criticised the arrests of JVP and FSP activists who carried out protests against the shortage of fertiliser, environmental destruction at Muthurajawela Wetlands, and violation of more..

Jul 10 (GV) Rambo, the mature male elephant that has become an icon of the Uda Walawe National Park, was doomed to be captured from within the park and imprisoned in a so-called Elephant Holding Ground at Horowpathana to live the remainder of his life deprived of freedom and, possibly, of food. Why? At political behest because Rambo had begun to venture out of the park and into adjacent cultivations in search of food. Most have heard of Pavlov�s dogs and their classical conditioning using food more..

Jul 10 (Roar) This is the third in a series of photostories illustrating the history and decline of Colombo�s adult film cinemas. The popularity of these cinemas peaked in the 1980s and �90s, as imported pornographic movies proved popular with local audiences and guaranteed profits for film halls. With time, increased social conservatism and the widespread availability of adults�only content online sent these cinemas teetering to the brink of more..

Jul 10 (DM) On July 8 (Thursday) we saw diametrically opposite results because the security forces are apparently being used for the govt�s objectives. In a number of security forces camps around the country vaccination programmes were conducted with the participation of security personnel. With the true to life security forces discipline we saw how well organised the inoculation programmes were. On television we saw an aerial video footages taken from drone cameras, more..

Jul 10 (CT) In May 1997, the Chandrika Kumaratunga Govt launched a military assault named Operation Jayasikurui in a vain bid to link Vavuniya with Jaffna, overland, by attempting to wrest control of the A9 Highway traversing between Vavuniya and Jaffna, from the LTTE. At that time, apart from the Jaffna Peninsula, the furthermost point to the North, where the Govt had control, was Thandikulam, Vavuniya. North of Thandikulam, encompassing the Mullaitivu and Kilinochchi more..

~Jul 10 (DM) Voices of dissent are growing in the country. The latest individuals to take to the streets were the undergraduates of Rajarata Uni. They were protesting against the bill presented to parliament to privatise the Kotalawala Defence Academy. These undergraduates affirm that parents would have to spend more than Rs 10 million for children�s uni education if the bill is passed. The others who are protesting against some of more..

Jul 10 (TM) The number of persons being arrested over allegations of sexually abusing a 15-year-old who was sold via the Internet keeps increasing, and during the past few days, more than 30 people from different walks of life were nabbed by the Police in connection with the said incident. However, social activists are of the opinion that this is merely one of countless such incidents taking place both online and offline, and that this should spur authorities to pay more attention to child sexual abuse more..

Jul 10 (DM) In this hi-tech era young people are playing an increasingly important role in the mission for socio-economic justice including poverty alleviation, the battle against climate change, human rights and equality in educational opportunities. In Sri Lanka the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) did play such a role since 1965 but unfortunately, the party resorted to violence which resulted in a blood bath in the April 1971 insurrection and the 1987-89 reign of terror. more..