Jun 20 (AD) Colombo Magistrate�s Court today ordered the CID to take measures to expedite the investigations into the death of famed businessmen Dinesh Schaffter. Accordingly, Colombo Additional Magistrate Rajindra Jayasuriya today ordered the CID to obtain all relevant reports from the govt analyst pertaining to the samples sent for testing, highlighting that reports on blood samples and other materials sent in relation to the investigation are yet to be received. more..

Jun 20 (TM) Following Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe�s remarks on recognising the English language as a national language, the Dept of Official Languages stressed the need of providing Sri Lankans with the required facilities to learn English ahead of implementing the said decision. Commissioner General of Official Languages Prince Senadeera also said that the department welcomes the Prez�s proposal as a progressive measure to enhance the range of opportunities for Sri Lankans. more..

Jun 20 (DM) Motor Traffic Department (DMT) has decided to extend the validity period of driving licenses for two years. DMT Commissioner General Nishantha Weerasingha said that the process of extending the validity period for driving licenses was initiated last week. He said the decision was taken considering the difficulties faced by people when renewing their expired driving licenses. The gazette notification related to extending the validity period would be issued by this week, more..

Jun 20 (MFA) The attention of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has been drawn to misleading information circulating in the public domain that Minister of Foreign Affairs Ali Sabry has spent a substantial amount of public funds while undertaking official visits overseas in the recent past. Ministry wishes to clarify that i. Minister of Foreign Affairs undertakes official visits to represent SL at important multilateral, regional and bilateral engagements overseas, as and when required; more..

Jun 20 (TM) The failure of the Ministry of Health to properly vaccinate those leaving for Mecca for the Hajj and Umrah pilgrimages this year against meningococcal meningitis may result in several adverse consequences to the country�s health sector as well as diplomatic relations between the Govts of SL and Saudi Arabia. Meningococcal meningitis refers to any illness caused by bacteria Neisseria meningitidis. more..

Jun 20 (CT) The health authorities should take the responsibility for a possible spread of brain fever, throughout the country, during the Hajj Pilgrimage, due to the absence of the brain fever vaccine for adults, the Medical and Civil Rights Professional Association of Doctors (MCPA) said. MCPA President, Dr. Chamal Sanjeeva yesterday warned that the unavailability of the Meningitis vaccine, Meningococcal meningitis vaccine, given to prevent bacterial encephalitis condition, more..

Jun 20 (Island) Unknown persons on Sunday night caused extensive damages to State Minister Prasanna Ranaweera�s house in Pamunuwila. At the time of the attack only a watcher had been present. The attackers smashed the windows of the ground floor. According to the watcher, the group entered the house demanding to know the whereabouts of the Minister�s son, Venuka. State Minister Ranaweeera said he had left home around 9 pm to go to his mother�s house in Malabe. more..

Jun 20 (CI) Dilshan Madushanka, Dunith Wellalage and Sahan Arachchige are set to link up with the senior squad on June 23, after SLC announced that the trio would be flown in to Zimbabwe for the World Cup Qualifiers as standby options. The inclusion of Madushanka, a left-armer able to swing the ball at pace, follows impressive recent outings against SA A, where he picked up nine wickets across three 50-over games and more..

Jun 20 (CT) Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) is set to introduce its e-Billing system in three specific areas of the country in July, the CEB announced. CEB recently posted a video message on Twitter, announcing that electronic bills, or e-bills, will be implemented starting from 1 July, in Dehiwala, Kelaniya, and Sri J'pura Kotte. To facilitate this transition, the CEB urged residents in these areas to register for e-bill delivery through either SMS or email. more..

Jun 20 (DM) A 48-hour no-sleep animal clinic will be launched at the Anuradhapura Municipality as the first step of the pilot project to eradicate rabies from the country by humane means. Dr. Chamith Nanayakkara, advisor to the board of the Association of Veterinarians for Humane Management of Animal Population, said the 48-hour free animal clinic will be launched this Sunday (25). During the programme the veterinary doctors will provide sterility surgery facilities, anti-rabies vaccines more..

Jun 20 (EN) Shares closed lower on Monday due to profit taking after market gained for six consecutive sessions on lowered policy cuts and falling inflation, which lowered the fears of investors on debt optimization, an analyst said. �The positive week in the market stimulated some selling interest and profit taking,� an analyst said. ASPI was down 0.24% or 21.69 points to 9,159.53, while the most liquid index S&P SL20 was down 0.10% or 2.72 points to 2,606.15. more..

Jun 20 (AD) Five army personnel were injured early this morning in a tragic road accident in Radawadunna on the Colombo-Kandy main road. A fuel bowser had collided head-on with a vehicle transporting army personnel from Polhengoda camp to Giritale camp. Five of the six army personnel who were inside the vehicle at the time of the accident were rushed to the Wathupitiwala Hospital for medical attention. However, one of them was later transferred to Colombo National Hospital more..

Jun 20 (DM) It was recently reported that the UDA has taken steps to demolish the ancient buildings of the Bogambara Prison, which has been designated as an archaeological monument as well as a world heritage site. Anyone can see it when entering the Bogambara prison grounds. The UDA maintains that permission has been received from the Department of Archeology to demolish these buildings, which critics point out more..

Jun 20 (KN) Pakistan will be commencing their World Test Championship 2023-25 campaign with a two-test tour of SL. Pakistan will be touring SL next month in July and play two tests in Galle and SCC Colombo. The first test match will begin on 16th July in Galle and the second test will be played in SSC in Colombo from 24th to 28th July. Pakistan will also be playing a two-day practice game before commencement their WTC 2023-25 cycle from the 11th to the 12th of July in Galle. more..

Jun 20 (CT) The Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) United Trade Union Alliance said that the CEB employees will gather in Colombo tomorrow (21) for a massive protest against the proposed legislation that is allegedly aimed at selling the CEB under the guise of restructuring. Convener of the union Ranjan Jayalal expressed the need for the govt to refrain from interfering with the protest. He cautioned that the response from the unions could be severe if any such interference occurs. more..

Jun 20 (EN) Sri Lanka is expecting to give welfare benefits up to 15,000 rupees to about 2.3 million persons under a World Bank backed program where recipients will be reviewed periodically, officials said. About 3.7 million persons had applied for the scheme SL�s Welfare Benefits Board had vetted 3.3 million so far. Payments will begin directly to recipient�s bank accounts from July 01, State Minister Shehan Semasinghe said. more..

Jun 20 (PMD) A comprehensive program has been established to conduct regular inspections of institutions and premises for dengue control in the Western Province. The program, recommended by the Dengue Control Western Provincial Sub-Committee, aims to mitigate the spread of dengue fever and was appointed by Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe. Under this initiative, specific inspection days have been assigned for different types of establishments. Private schools, more..

Jun 20 (TL) When Roy Ratnavel was 17 years old, he was imprisoned by the SL army for his Tamil ethnicity. For months, he was tortured and subjected to brutal conditions, until a fateful meeting led to his release. In 1988, he left for Canada on his own. Soon after arriving in Toronto, he convinced a small investment firm to give him a job in the mailroom. 34 years later, he is the head of distribution at the same company�now known as CI Global Asset Management�and executive vice-prez more..

Jun 21 (DM) Rarely do we get access to how this dark art works and the impact. Recently we did. The public vindication of Dr. Shafi Sihabdeen had been profound and emphatic. There is a backstory to how the media played chorus to vicious racists who attacked him without any justification. This is the big elephant in every SL media outfit that we don�t want to acknowledge. Big or small, online or offline, start-up or legacy, it really does not matter. Like we all know where where the best spots more..

Jun 21 (CT) The present stability in the country is taken as an indication that the situation is improving. The law and order, drop in inflation, and absence of visible shortages, such as in front of petrol stations, signifies a vast change as compared to the situation a year ago. But shortages continue, an example being Jeevanee (oral rehydration salt drink) which is necessary for those who are undergoing medical treatment for illnesses such as dengue or doing sports. more..

Jun 21 (DM) Ceylon Tea is one product that has continued to place SL on the world map. In positioning Ceylon Tea as a global product, the sustainability of the industry from responsible sourcing to worker welfare to product quality becomes critical for global audiences. International Tea Day 2023 placed special emphasis on smallholder tea growers who make up to 70% of the SL tea industry. SL Tea Board Chairman Niraj De Mel spoke about more..

Jun 21 (DM) Up to Dec 2022, our external debt stood at US$ $49.7 billion. By April 2023 we suspended debt repayment, announced ourselves bankrupt and applied to the IMF for a US$2.9 billion restructuring bailout. Subsequently the IMF approved the bailout. Approval of IMF US$2.9 billion bailout and made the country credit-worthy in the eyes of int'l lenders. Our president has rejoiced, the bailout gave us an opportunity to raise around US$8 to 9 billion more from international financiers. more..

Jun 21 (GV) My exchange with friend and colleague Ben Selwyn came out of sharing union statements on illicit transfer of capital out of SL�s corporate world. These numerous statements have a bearing on resolving the debt crisis itself but also on the welfare of the apparel industry too. Selwyn�s correspondence underlines how labour scholars have primarily focused on workers structural and associational power at the point of production. However, capital is highly malleable and more..

Jun 21 (DM) Perhaps you readers may be getting ready to enjoy this piece with a hot cuppa of Ceylon tea in your hand. But what you are about to read is as bitter as a strong black tea without sugar. *R. Sundaram (78) was born at Drayton Estate, located at the heart of Kotagala town in Hatton, one of the main tea-producing regions in the Nuwara Eliya district. He lives in a tiny abode (more like a cell which his family refers more..

Jun 21 (CT) The increase in fatal traffic accidents is a rather concerning phenomenon, especially considering the fact that the primary contributory factor to these accidents has been identified as drunk driving. As reported in this paper yesterday (20), a total of 8,875 road accidents were reported in the past six months, resulting in the loss of 1,043 lives, while in the last six months, there were 902 fatal accidents, 1,856 critical injuries, and 3,951 minor injuries. more..

Jun 21 (Island) Rice Mafia has emerged so powerful over the years that it is now running a parallel govt of sorts. Wealthy rice millers resort to market manipulations, determine paddy and rice prices and exploit farmers and consumers alike, with impunity. This country is not short of political leaders who talk tough and order crackdowns on protesting workers and students at the drop of a hat, but they unashamedly tug at their forelocks before the powerful rice millers, who have huge slush more..

Jun 21 (TM) Govt is planning to embark on a mission to recognise and promote the English language as a national language. Recently, Prez Wickremesinghe remarked on this, which, as per the Department of Official Languages, reflects the intentions to make English a main working language within the State, while the Sinhala & Tamil languages also continue to remain national languages. According to Commissioner General of Official Languages, no formal discussion has been more..

Jun 21 (FT) The inaugural flight of Air Seychelles� twice-weekly service to Colombo arrived in early hours of Wednesday, a significant development being the first new carrier to launch in SL post-pandemic. The four-hour flight from the airline�s home base Mahe, Seychelles is every Tuesdays and Saturdays and departure from Colombo is every Wednesdays and Sundays from 07:35 hours. Flights will be served by the airline�s Airbus A320 Neo aircraft in 12 business class, 156 economy more..

Jun 21 (FT) Tea industry is bracing for a cautious second half with improvement in crop but downward pressure on prices as well as exports. Sri Lanka Tea Board Chairman Niraj de Mel told journalists that production which sank to lowest in 26 years last year, has picked up from April onwards with application of fertiliser kicking in. By the end of May this year, the tea crop was 111.09 million kilos down by 1.73 million kilos from a year ago. more..

Jun 21 (FT) The fourth Annual General Meeting of the All Island Dairy Association (AIDA) was recently held at the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce premises in Colombo. AIDA which is affiliated with the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce, and plays a pivotal role in representing the local dairy industry by fostering agreements, aligning goals, and mobilising the industry. Additionally, the AIDA advocates with policymakers on crucial matters, while also working on streamlining objectives. more..

Jun 21 (Island) A frontpage headline in the Daily Mirror of June 16, said: Canada informs Sri Lanka that no genocide took in Sri Lanka. Two other sub headers state: Canada�s Foreign Ministry informs Ssri Lanka that no finding on genocide in SL and However, the Canadian PM renewed the narrative of genocide on May 18, 2023. Continuing the report states: �In what appeared to be a clash of narratives among Canada�s leaders, Canada�s Foreign Affairs Ministry has informed the SL govt that more..

Jun 21 (FT) In a seemingly buoyant discussion, foreign envoys from five different countries shared their observations on ways and efforts to rebuild SL�s tourism industry. Themed Resilient, innovative and sustainable tourism industry for Sri Lanka, insights were shared by New Zealand High Commissioner Michael Edward Appleton, Australia Deputy High Commissioner Lalita Kapur, Thailand Ambassador Poj Harnpol, more..

Jun 21 (FT) Link Samahan, the flagship brand of Link Natural which is a subsidiary of CIC Holdings, and a leading manufacturer of herbal products, has gained momentum and a remarkable achievement with listing on the online marketplace of Walmart, and Amazon UK. Over the last few years, e-commerce has become an indispensable part of global retail. As global internet access and adoption rapidly grows, the number of people making purchases online is ever-increasing. more..

Jun 21 (FT) SL will for the first time host the Entrepreneurs� Organisation�s (EO) South Asia Leadership Conference (SALC) on 25 June. With close to 300 participants representing EO chapter boards in the South Asian region, the conference promises to be a platform for regional collaboration, knowledge sharing, and the exploration of SL�s unique attractions. Prestigious event will be hosted at the Cinnamon Grand, with the hotel already at full occupancy over the conference. more..

Jun 21 (TM) Releasing a statement, Ceylon Biscuits Ltd (CBL) announced the sponsorship of the Ritzbury Sir John Tarbat Athletic Championship which begins with the Relay Carnival to be held on Saturday (24) at the Sugathadasa Stadium. Youth Asian double gold medallist Tharushi Karunaratne will be the chief guest at this year�s Ritzbury relay Carnival, the statement further noted. The championship is being held for the 11th consecutive year, making it one of the longest-running more..