Aug 25 (AD) A leading activist of Aragalaya protest movement, Senadhi Guruge, who was arrested in connection with an assault on two intelligence officers, has been remanded until Sept 2. When Guruge was produced before Colombo Fort Magistrate Thilina Gamage earlier today, the police made a request to refer him to an identification parade. Accordingly, he will be referred to an identification parade on September 02. Guruge was taken into custody on Thursday more..

Aug 25 (Island) British SL Cardiologist with double doctorate awarded prestigious National Institute for Health & Care Research (NIHR) Clinical Lectureship in UK. Dr Yanushi Wijeyeratne has been awarded the highly competitive NIHR Clinical Lectureship in Cardiology at St George�s, Uni of London. Dr Wijeyeratne is a Cardiology Specialty Registrar and Fellow in Cardiac Electrophysiology and Implantable Cardiac Devices at London�s St George�s Hospital, one of the largest specialist tertiary cardiac more..

Aug 25 (DM) As of today, the Muslim community is targeted by global forces, using a well-structured approach called Islamophobia, both locally and internationally. It is the responsibility of the present govt to ensure any initiatives it makes on behalf of the Muslim community is not fallen on the agenda of those who get benefited by spreading Islamophobia. Also, the govt must make sure those initiatives do not diminish any privileges more..

Aug 25 (ANI) Citing the arrest of Indian fishermen by SL Navy, Former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and AIADMK Coordinator O Panneerselvam urged the External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar to take steps for the release of fishermen. In a letter to Jaishankar, Panneerselvam said, "I am writing this letter with a deep sense of worry about the safety and wellbeing of the fishermen of TN who are now being apprehended frequently by the SL Navy while they pursue their traditional occupation of fishing." more..

Aug 25 (Island) Chairman of the Election Commission of SL (ECSL) Nimal Punchihewa and its members K.P.P. Pathirana, M.M. Mohamed, and S.B. Divarathne, Commissioner General of Elections Saman Sri Rathnayaka and Additional Commissioner of Elections Chinthaka Kularathne met govt officials, members of civil society organisations, election monitors and members of the public in Hambantota on Monday to discuss the proposals presented to Parliament more..

Aug 25 (ANI) At a time when SL is facing a severe economic crisis and a steep currency depreciation, India urged its nationals living in Sri Lanka to exercise caution and examine the currency convertibility and fuel situation in the island nation carefully. During a weekly presser, Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said, "We have been following these developments for some time but our understating is that India is still the largest source of tourists for SL." more..

Aug 25 (DM) Health experts today urged people to obtain the booster dose of the COVID-19 vaccine without delay as the current stocks of vaccines are set to expire by Oct 31. Dr. Samitha Ginige said that a little over eight million people above 20 years have obtained the booster dose out of the total population of 14.4 million above 20 years so far. He said there are ample stocks of vaccines in the country right now as the total requirement of the booster doses for people over 20 years had been procured. more..

Aug 25 (EN) Imprisoned former MP Ranjan Ramanayake is likely to be released either on Friday (26) or Monday (29) on a presidential pardon, Minister Harin Fernando said. Fernando tweeted that he and his colleague Minister Manusha Nanayakkara who requested Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe to pardon Ramanayake are ecstatic over the news. He also thanked Justice Minister Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe for more..

Aug 25 (SLN) SL Navy brought ashore a fisherman who fell ill while at sea and rushed him to the hospital for treatment on 23rd Aug. The fisherman who was aboard a local multiday fishing trawler, in seas about 47 nautical miles (about 87 km) northeast of the Foul Point, Trincomalee, had suddenly fallen ill and was in need of medical attention. The multiday fishing trawler Manuki was on a fishing voyage leaving the Cod Bay Fishery Harbour, Trinco on 8th Aug, with 6 fishermen. more..

Aug 25 (TM) Domestic Workers� Union (DWU) raised concerns about the death of an underage girl who had been working as a domestic worker in the Gampaha District last week. The girl in question, suspected to be about 17 years of age, had been employed as a domestic worker at a house in Gampaha. It is learnt that CCTV camera footage shows that she had drowned in the residence�s swimming pool after she had stepped into the pool, fully clothed, when she had been alone more..

Aug 25 (DM) A few hundreds of staff members of the country�s national television SL Rupavahini Corporation (SLRC) went on strike this morning for several hours, when they did not receive their August salary till this evening. All six trade unions of the SLRC backed by over 200 staff members in various categories from the production to the labourer resorted to a work stoppage around 10am today as they had not received their salaries, more..

Aug 25 (TM) Minister Kanchana Wijesekera says there was a delay in unloading the Super Diesel cargo yesterday due to bank clearances. Accordingly, the unloading of 30,000 metric tonnes of super diesel shipment commenced an hour ago. In the meantime, the Auto Diesel cargo, which is expected to arrive in the country tonight, will commence unloading tomorrow, the lawmaker said in a post on his official Twitter handle. Fuel distribution by CPSTL will continue at night more..

Aug 25 (EN) SL�s condominium developers said they have halted new projects and building materials were skyrocketing with the collapsing rupee and import protection given to building material producers triggering a crisis in partially built apartments. �At present no Developers are embarking on new Projects as budgeting even in the short term is impossible, Condominium Association of SL said in a statement. �The stark reality though is that Developers with partially constructed more..

Aug 26 (DM) SL is a country which begins the day with Buddhist hymns being aired on all televisions early in the morning. When the newly elected Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe was targeted in parliament by NPP Leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake the former advised the latter to read the Dhamma Padaya (A much read book on Buddhism). We hear of Buddhist monks once again being recognised and presented with awards. Monks who have contributed to uplift Buddhism and also serve the society more..

Aug 26 (CT) Having spent a couple of decades as an investigative journalist, I have an intimate and extensive knowledge of all aspects of law enforcement � lawmakers, police, military, lawyers, judges, detectives, prison officials. But what�s more, I have interviewed large numbers of so-called terrorists, including those involved in the southern People�s Liberation Front (known by its Sinhalese acronym JVP), and also the northern LTTE, both at the senior levels and ordinary members. more..

Aug 26 (TM) Every day, there is fresh news about arrests of or court hearings concerning aragalaya activists, and the law enforcement authorities are putting a great deal of effort into tracking down certain activists. While the Govt and the authorities cite various legal justifications for these legal actions, in the eyes of the general public, what is happening amounts to a political witch-hunt against anti-Govt/anti-President activists. more..

Aug 26 (DM) While an IMF delegation is in SL to hold further talks on a staff-level agreement, a preliminary step towards the final deal for the disbursement of a few billion dollars the govt is desperate to obtain, war-torn Ukraine appears to have little difficulty in receiving IMF assistance running into tens of billions of dollars. Despite the war which entered its sixth month yesterday, Ukraine was confident it could strike a deal for a US$15-20 billion programme over the next 3 to 4 years. more..

Aug 26 (TM) Last July, soon after the 50th session of the UNHRC was over, I wrote the following: �In the opinion of some analysts, Ranil Wickremesinghe as the PM with a fox�s cunningness; Prof. G.L. Peiris as the Foreign Minister; and Aruni Wijewardane, who is currently serving as the Secretary to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, may be able to avert the impending difficulties in the 51 session. Let�s wait until September.� Since then, the situation in Sri Lanka has been changing rapidly. more..

Aug 26 (FT) Starting a career in the hospitality industry by accident, Ilias Vamvakas� journey since can be described as a true inspiration. He started working at a very young age by washing the dishes in a small Greek resort in Germany on weekends. In his over 35-year career, Vamvakas has worked in almost every position within the industry before excelling as a General Manager at several renowned hotels more..

Aug 26 (CT) Govt of SL (GoSL) for the first time in history imposed a price control on eggs. This took place last Friday, when the GoSL imposed a maximum retail price (MRP) of Rs 43 on a white egg and Rs 45 on a brown egg. Consequently, there is an egg shortage in the market. Eggs are rich in proteins and vitamins. Therefore, an egg shortage hits infants, children, the aged and the sick in particular, the most. However, at a meeting that egg producers had with the CAA, more..

Aug 26 (Island) Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC) is testing people�s patience. It has found an easy way to recover its losses and keep its highly-paid workers happy instead of frugally managing its resources at least during the current crisis. It passes its losses on to consumers, who are not in any way responsible for them. When it asks the public to stand and deliver, so to speak, they are left with no alternative but to comply. Rising petroleum prices continue to squeeze the people hard. more..

Aug 26 (TM) Before people could come to terms with the almost 300% price increase of kerosene oil, Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe, in his capacity as the Minister of Finance, temporarily suspended the importation of over 300 items with effect from Tuesday (23). This decision raised concerns about the future of several economic crisis-hit industries and is expected to worsen the local market in the coming few months, as the list of the 300 items includes a number of goods used in everyday more..

Aug 26 (DN) �We have to make proper system to upgrade the coaches and make good system to focus on international meets that pave the way to get more medals, said Sports Ministry Secretary Dr Amal Harsha de Silva at the Commonwealth Games medal winners felicitation ceremony held at the National Olympic Committee (NOC) Auditorium yesterday. �National Olympic Committee and Sports Ministry have made duty to make a system and we all have to give support to build up the sports. more..

Aug 26 (EN) South African President Matamela Cyril Ramaphosa has said he wants to enhance long-standing ties with Sri Lanka, a statement from Sri Laka�s Foreign Ministry said. Extending his congratulations and best wishes to Sri Lanka�s President Ranil Wickremesinghe on his recent appointment, Ramaphosa noted that South Africa attaches great importance to its relationship with Sri Lanka, which is underscored by strong bonds of solidarity, friendship & mutual understanding. more..

Aug 26 (FT) Condominium Developers Association of SL (CDASL) made a compelling case for effective support given formidable country and industry challenges owing to a multitude of issues. The CDASL alleged that condominium developers are being held to ransom by suppliers of key inputs whilst noting that the industry is frequently overlooked in terms of national importance and also impacted by certain misconceptions. more..

Aug 26 (DN) Micro and small sector industries have been neglected for the past two decades and every successive govt that came to power failed to contribute to the micro sector, although it is the largest employer in the country, and the backbone of the economy. This was opined by founder President of the Confederation of Micro, Small and Medium Industries (COSMI) Nawaz Rajabdeen, making the keynote speech at the Hambantota District Chamber (HDCC) event following its AGM. more..

Aug 26 (DN) The tourism sector as well as the Minister of Tourism were not happy with the manner in which the debt moratoria is being implemented and this aspect should be relooked. Minister of Lands and Tourism, Harin Fernando opined this at the Institute of Hospitality SL AGM held at Ramada Colombo on Wednesday. Minister Fernando said that this is a major issue for industry stakeholders as banks keep adding interest even when the industry was suffering due to low arrivals. more..

Aug 26 (TM) Lanka Private Bus Owners� Association (LPBOA) has filed complaints with the EU Office, and UN Office of High Commissioner for Human Rights (UNOHCHR) in SL regarding the incidents of torching and damaging buses that occurred after a group of SLPP supporters attacked peaceful protestors in Colombo on 9 May. LPBOA President Gemunu Wijeratne said that there is a problem with the investigations carried out more..

Aug 26 (TM) Lanka Private Bus Owners� Association (LPBOA) has stated that due to the lack of sufficient fuel, the operation of private buses may decrease by more than 50% from today. LPBOA President Gemunu Wijeratne said that a fuel crisis is again emerging in the country. He claimed that although there is a programme for issuing the fuel required by private buses through depots belonging to the SLTB, most of the private buses have not received enough fuel in the last three days. more..

Aug 26 (Island) As SL navigates its worst economic crisis since Independence, the John Keells Group is committed to supporting and empowering affected communities to overcome the challenges in the immediate term and be better equipped to be self-reliant for the future. �The current socio-economic crisis is by all accounts unprecedented,� said Carmeline Jayasuriya, Head of CSR of John Keells Holdings. �Concurrent challenges relating to the unavailability, inaccessibility & unaffordability more..

Aug 26 (FT) PM Dinesh Gunawardena urged Daraz Group Chief Executive Officer Bjarke Mikkelson to expand the Saubhagya Production Bureau and Saubhagya Production Villages through Daraz Connect, which is being carried out in partnership with the Divisional Secretariats. During a discussion with a delegation headed by Mikkelson at the PM�s Office on Tuesday, he said the Daraz Connect program would be useful for rural skills development. more..

Aug 26 (FT) Govt is stepping up efforts to boost electric mobility, whilst reducing fossil fuel usage to encourage renewable energy going forward. In tandem with the Govt�s push to encourage and facilitate electric mobility, Dept of Motor Traffic has called for local and int'l companies to present their knowhow on converting fuel-run three-wheelers into electric ones. �We have called for all reputed companies to exhibit more..

Aug 26 (Island) Former Prez Rajapaksa is reportedly seeking his once-renounced Lawful Permanent Residency (LPR) restored in the US. According to U.S. federal laws, foreign nationals � in this case Rajapaksa as a SL citizen � have to apply for an immigrant visa at a U.S. Dept of State consular office in Colombo after receiving an approved petition or application. Without his petition or application approved � according to stated federal law � he is unable to even apply to get more..

Aug 26 (TM) Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe, in a gazette notification issued on Tuesday (23), permitted the import of electric bikes, which were among the items banned in 2021, from Aug 2022 onwards. In the gazette notification issued on Tuesday, Prez Wickremesinghe allowed the import of electrical bikes, subject to import licences. For electric motorcycles, Rs. 4,000 would be the import control licence fee, while the same for bicycles would be Rs. 1,000. more..

Aug 26 (FT) Solar Industries Association called on govt to introduce a justifiable tariff scheme for solar powered schemes, as buying prices must improve to attract new investors and consumers. The existing Net Plus system where the CEB pays for the total electricity generated with roof-mounted solar systems is not moving forward, the Association says, as the existing price system is not representative whilst CEB has also ceased more..

Aug 26 (DN) The govt of Switzerland announced this week the relaxation of the travel advice to SL, a move that could help the island nation welcome more visitors from that country for the upcoming winter season.​​ The previous warning against visiting the island nation has been eased for Swiss travellers with the improvement in the ground situation witnessed in recent weeks. Mid-July the govt of Switzerland advised its citizens to avoid all unnecessary trips to SL, other than air transit more..