Jul 7 (CT) The promise of five million anti-COVID-19 vaccine doses by the World Bank (WB) under concessional credit by the year end, receipt of a million doses gratis by the WHO by the weekend, another 264,000 doses also gratis by the WHO by the month end, already donated 264,000 jabs from WHO, the already procured 3.1 million Chinese vaccines and 80,000 Russian doses may completely inoculate 4,986,000 (22.66%) of the country’s total population of 22 mil at 2 doses per person. more..

Jul 7 (TM) In the midst of the third wave of the Covid-19 pandemic, a worsening economic crisis, and the country facing the wrath of the international community, politician Basil Rajapaksa is about to make his comeback. What Rajapaksa’s comeback would mean to the country’s unstable situation still remains unknown; however, speculation is rife that he is to be appointed as a minister tasked with developing the country’s economy, which is unarguably a need of the hour. more..

Jul 7 (DM) How distant the claims of concern for human rights, fair play and religiosity are from the reality of day-to-day life. Claim to be the heirs to ancient civilizations and cultures give way in the face of avarice and greed for power. The US, the self-styled flag-bearer of human rights, Britain and France the fathers/mothers of parliamentary democracy and liberty, continue their interference in lands away from their homeland often claiming a commitment to defend these virtues. more..

Jul 7 (HT) "We are just here to have some fun, enjoy this series and take a lot of positives from here,” Suryakumar Yadav said when asked about the team management’s reaction to Ranatunga’s comment. In what can be termed as the first response from the Indian team in Sri Lanka to the 1996 World Cup-winning captain Arjuna Ranatunga’s second-string side comment on the Shikhar Dhawan-led team, batsman Suryakumar Yadav said the players are not really thinking about that and instead more..

Jul 7 (CT) The highly transmissible COVID-19 Delta variant has now spread to over 95 countries. It was first identified in the state of Maharashtra in late 2020, and has spread throughout India, displacing the Alpha variant and other pre-existing lineages. Currently, it is the predominant variant in the UK, is widespread in the US (where it has been detected in all 50 states) and has also been detected in Sri Lanka. more..

Jul 7 (Island) Pipi gena aa malak paravee, suwanda loketa nodee nesuna: This line from a song my wife sang in the ’60s over Radio Ceylon, which translates as A flower about to bloom withered, dying without releasing its fragrance to the world, keeps going round and round in my head these days. I wrote it, grieved by the sudden death of my best friend from school, Susantha de Silva, who was on his way on a scooter, to a temple in the Eastern Province, to get a talisman from a Bhikkhu, more..

Jul 7 (Island) The govt has decided to reopen the state-run schools on a staggered basis after inoculating all teachers and school workers against Covid-19. The schools with fewer than 100 students each on roll will be reopened first, and they number 2,962, Education Ministry has said. Teachers’ trade unions inform us that there are 10,165 govt schools in the country, and of them 373 are the so-called national schools under the govt; the others are under the Provincial Councils. more..

Jul 7 (CT) Nilani Rathnayaka, the 3000m Steeplechase runner who was within the Olympic qualifying quota ever since the qualification system was introduced, slipped just one place out of the cut-off mark at the eleventh hour, as SL’s Olympic team was confirmed as nine athletes from eight sports. Only 100m runner Yupun Abeykoon qualified from World ranking, while show jumper Mathilda Karlsson and gymnast more..

Jul 7 (CT) Sri Lankan player Bhanuka Rajapaksa was included in the bio bubble to play the India series even though he has been fined USD 5000 for breach of contract, and is essentially on probation for two years, having been handed a one-year ban as a suspended sentence. SLC dealt out these punishments for breaching the obligations of Player Contract 2019-2020 while appearing in social and other media interviews,, according to an media release by SLC. more..

Jul 7 (DN) National Paralympic Committee (NPC) has named a five-member contingent, which will represent the country at the Paralympic Games, scheduled for August/September in Tokyo, Japan. “The paralympic athletes’ qualification period is already over but we are still waiting for a confirmation from World Athletics (WA),” NPC President, Lt. Colonel Deepal Herath said. “We have already submitted our list of athletes who have qualified and they have informed us that more..

Jul 7 (EN) Cabinet of ministers had cleared the granting of tax relief to factories in an industrial zone in Eravur in the East under Strategic Development Project law which may go up to 10 years based on the number of employees and investment. The tax breaks will be presented to parliament after being granted. Broad tax reliefs had already been listed. Firms investing up to US$ 10 million and employing 150 persons will more..

Jul 7 (Island) Steeplechase is not for the faint-hearted. The unique track event combines endurance, speed, and agility into a terrific athletic competition. When veteran coach Sajith Jayalal first saw Nilani Ratnayake, he found that she possessed those qualities and the strength, courage and determination that are required to be a champion steeplechaser. They worked hard for years and it paid dividends. She became the country’s highest ranked athlete (35th in world rankings) more..

Jul 7 (SO) Newly elected president of Sri Lanka Football (SLF) Jaswar Umar is determined to change the landscape of the sport in the country and herald a new dawn to lift its dwindling popularity and slump in the world rankings to rock bottom, after winning the top post by a slender margin of six votes. “I am proud and humbled by the choice of the people,” proclaimed the 47-year-old former secretary who won one of the most closely contested elections in its history to become 13th prez of the FSL. more..

Jul 7 (FT) Despite excessive stocks, the Gover-nment has decided to import more sugar, which it plans to retail via State agencies in a bid to stabilise prices. During the past six months the country has imported 600,000 tons of sugar, a quantity sufficient for one year’s worth of consumption. As a result, the country now has an excess of 120,000 tons of sugar. SL’s average sugar consumption per yr is 350,000-400,000 tons. more..

Jul 7 (FT) Colombo Stock Exchange (CSE) has taken the initiative to introduce a new over the counter (OTC) platform to carry out repo transactions on debt securities. This new mechanism has been introduced as a significant initiative in the product expansion line-up of CSE, projected towards establishing a vibrant repo market for debt securities listed on the CSE. The new OTC platform will create a further regularised opportunity for investors, trading members and more..

Jul 7 (FT) Tourist arrivals in June increased by 7% to 1,614 from May, despite the travel restrictions in place as a result of the ongoing third wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. The increase was largely influenced by the tour of French naval personnel and officers, under strict bio-secure travel bubble conditions. Arrivals in the first six months amounted to 16,808, a welcome development since the reopening of borders on 21 January but down by 97% from last year’s first half. more..

Jul 7 (FT) The entry of Basil Rajapaksa to Parliament will not offer relief or provide solutions for the problems the public have to endure, SJB MP J.C. Alawathuwala said. He argued that promoting nepotism and not being sensitive to the problems faces by the masses were a clear indication of the Govt’s priorities. “Govt is trying to make the public believe that all problems they are faced with will be solved if Basil Rajapaksa comes to P'ment. more..

Jul 7 (FT) The Bill containing the new tax amnesty will be out soon and presented to Parliament to give legal effect, the Govt announced yesterday. Cabinet of Ministers gave its consent to this move at its meeting on Monday. Gazette follows the Cabinet in February giving the go ahead to draft the legislation known as the Finance Act 2021. In the 2021 Budget, PM Mahinda Rajapaksa who is also the Finance Minister proposed a tax amnesty on the condition of a 1% Tax on Voluntary Disclosure. more..

Jul 7 (TM) At last one legend comes forward to the rescue of SL’s cricket, at least in the national Under-19 level. One of the greatest Captains, smartest cricket brains, and finest batsmen produced by the island nation in her recent cricket history, Mahela Jayawardene, has reportedly shown his interest in principal to take over as consultant of SL Under-19 team from October this year. One of the brightest things to happen for SL’s cricket Jayawardene, if is ready to take over the position more..

Jul 7 (FT) SL’s COVID-19 detections rose to 267,433 yesterday with 934 persons testing positive for COVID-19. However, Data shows that only 5,631 PCR tests were carried out yesterday. Health officials have explained the drop in testing and detections were a result of trade union action that affected COVID-19 control measures. The drop in detections can in no way be used as a reason to further relax movement restrictions more..

Jul 7 (FT) The administration of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine commenced today, with the vaccine being given to residents of Colombo-1 to Colombo-15 over the age of 55 years awaiting the second dose of AstraZeneca. The first dose of AstraZeneca has been administered to 925,242 persons, of which only 384,227 persons have received the second dose as well. This includes 180 persons vaccinated on Monday. The country requires approximately 550,000 doses of AstraZeneca to fully more..

Jul 7 (Island) Supreme Court recently issued notice on IGP, Attorney General and Director CID to be present before Court on July 9. The notice is pertaining to the alleged illegal detention of Selva Kanthi, a Tamil woman aged 36, at a Tangalle detention camp. The CID arrested her in Batticaloa. She had been arrested on Jan 28, 2021, and not produced before a Court of Law. Prez’s Counsel Razeek Zarook told the SC that her relatives and not even lawyers had been allowed to see her. more..

Jul 7 (Island) SJB lawmaker Kabir Hashim alleges that the Finance Ministry report for 2020 is meant to deceive both the Parliament and the public. The former UNPer insists the cash-strapped SLPP govt cannot overcome the rapidly developing financial crisis by suppressing the truth or printing money. Finance Ministry was making a desperate bid to hide the actual situation by painting a wrong picture, says SJB MP. more..

Jul 7 (DM) A cardiologist attached to Welisara Navy Camp who was arrested over the allegations that he committed a statutory rape after having sexual intercourse with a 15-year-old girl was today ordered to be remanded till July 19 by the Colombo Chief Magistrate's Court. Producing the suspect before Court, Police Children and Women's Bureau stated that the suspect, a medical practitioner by profession had met the girl at the Liberty Plaza building in Kollupitiya and taken her to a hotel in Mount more..

Jul 7 (DM) The 1,000 rupee commemorative coin issued to mark the 65th Anniversary of diplomatic relations between the Government of Sri Lanka and the People's Republic of China, and the 100th Anniversary of the Communist Party of China was presented to President Gotabaya Rajapaksa this afternoon, President’s Media Division said. Central Bank Governor Professor W. D. Lakshman has presented the coin to the President at the Presidential Secretariat this afternoon (06). more..

Jul 7 (CT) Govt doctors warned they would be forced to resort to trade union action themselves if the Govt failed to reveal its position regarding the current demand, made by several health service trade unions, on salaries which would affect the national wages policy. Secretary of the GMOA, Dr. Senal Fernando accused the striking health sector unions of trying to disrupt the National Policy to throw the entire Govt service into jeopardy more..

Jul 7 (PHC) As part of the Govt of Pakistan’s relief assistance to the flood affectees of torrential rains, landslides and Covid-19 pandemic in Sri Lanka, H.E. Major General (R) Muhammad Saad Khattak, High Commissioner of Pakistan to Sri Lanka visited Anuradhapura, Kilinochchi, Arugam Bay and distributed dry food items among the affected families. In Anuradhapura, distribution of food items ceremony was held in Mirisawatiya Temple on 29 June 2021. more..

Jul 7 (Island) A parliamentary committee that inquired into incidents in Parliament on April 21, 2021, has proposed a series of measures to prevent recurrence of similar incidents. The Committee handed over its report to Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena yesterday (6). Chairperson of the Committee Deputy Speaker Ranjith Siyambalapitiya said that short-term and long-term measures that could be taken to prevent such incidents in the future had also been included in the report. more..

Jul 7 (FT) Supreme Court has determined that several clauses in the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (Temporary Provisions) Bill are inconsistent with the Constitution, and will require a special majority in Parliament, as well as approval of the people through a referendum, before it is passed into law, Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena announced. Speaker announced that the two-judge Bench had held that clauses 2,3,4,6,7 & 10, more..

Jul 7 (FT) The Port City Colombo gained legal status to operate and function as a Special Economic Zone (SEZ) as the Speaker placed his signature on the Colombo Port City Economic Commission Act No. 11 of 2021, in Parliament on 27 May. As set out in the Act, the Colombo Port City Economic Commission which includes seven members has now been established to promote the Colombo Port City to be a leading Special Economic Zone in the region and to administer its activities. more..

Jul 7 (TM) Bill to amend the National Minimum Wage for Private Sector Employees in SL was discussed at the Ministerial Consultative Committee on Labour chaired by the Minister of Labour Nimal Siripala de Silva. Accordingly, it is intended to amend Section 03 of the Minimum Wage of Employees Act No. 03 of 2016 to increase the current minimum monthly wage from Rs. 10,000 to Rs. 12,500 and the minimum daily wage from Rs. 400 to Rs. 500. The committee observed that this Bill does not fall under more..

Jul 7 (DM) I do not admire the behavior of the incumbent govt as it is treading in the wrong direction. Therefore, we must join hands to launch the Second War for Independence without politics and racism, National Movement for the Protection of the Nation Chairman Ven. Elle Gunawansa Thera said. He said this after a discussion with the Mawbima Democratic Party Leader Nimalan Vishvanathan in Colombo yesterday. Ven. Gunawansa said we will not get the freedom more..

Jul 7 (AD) Election Commission on Wednesday published the Gazette Extraordinary declaring SLPP’s founder Basil Rajapaksa as a MP. Communiqué was issued by Election Commission’s chairman and it members, in exercise of the powers conferred on the election body by Section 64 (5) of the Parliamentary Elections Act, No. 1 of 1981. Govt Printing Dept has received the documents required to gazette the name of former Minister Basil Rajapaksa as a MP representing SLPP NL. more..

Jul 7 (EN) Tensions rose in parliament today when opposition leader Sajith Premadasa claimed that a conspiracy is underway to cancel the transmission license of the privately owned Sirasa TV network. “Reliable sources have informed us that a top level group in the govt have gathered a team of lawyers to find legal provisions to cancel Sirasa’s license,” he told parliament. “Why is the govt trying to legally suppress Sirasa? more..

Jul 7 (Island) The Joint Council of Professions Supplementary to Medicine (JCPSM) yesterday suspended its strike after Health Minister Pavithra Wanniarachchi agreed to present a Cabinet paper on their demands on 13 July 2021. “She agreed to include our five main demands in the Cabinet paper. We decided to suspend the union action unitl 13 July and thereafter react, based on whether the Minister keeps her word,” President of the JCPSM, Ravi Kumudesh told The Island. more..

Jul 7 (AD) Frontline Socialist Party’s Duminda Nagamuwa and five others have been taken into custody today, says DIG Ajith Rohana. According to the police spokesman, they had conducted a protest at Slave Island in violation of quarantine regulations. Earlier today, five more individuals including former JVP Provincial Councillor Samantha Vidyaratne and national organizer of All Ceylon Farmers’ Federation Namal Karunaratne were also arrested over the same offence. more..

Jul 7 (TM) SLPP MP S M Chandrasena stated that the biggest problem of the Opposition today is Basil Rajapaksa’s return to Parliament. He said that Basil was the one who created the party called the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna. “He organized everything to get our LG election, prez election and parliamentary majority. The Opposition accuses that the man who did all this is unfit to come to Parliament. more..

Jul 7 (AD) SL Navy has suspended the service of the naval surgeon who was arrested over procuration of a 15-year-old girl. The naval surgeon in question had been taken into custody on Tuesday (6). Accordingly, Navy Commander Vice Admiral Nishantha Ulugetenna has ordered to suspend the service of the said officer with effect from today (7). The suspension comes in support of the further investigations and judicial proceedings in connection with this incident, the Navy said. more..