Jul 30 (FT) President’s Office yesterday expressed confidence that all above the age of 30, numbering 11.5 million, will be vaccinated by the end of August or latest by early September, up from 72% or 8.28 million at present. The success of rapid vaccination so far and roll out of future initiatives were shared by National COVID-19 Vaccination Task Force Chairman and Principal Advisor to the President Lalith Weeratunga and more..

Jul 30 (CT) A total of 16,497 dengue cases have been recorded from 1 January to 29 July 2021, a Health Ministry official said. The dengue death toll within this period was 7. He said in June a total of 2,997 cases were recorded, while from the beginning of July till yesterday (29) a total of 3,029 dengue patients were recorded. The official said from January till end July 2020 a total of 25,258 cases were recorded owing to the outbreak of dengue in the country. more..

Jul 30 (EN) Sri Lanka has failed to sell 31% of a bond 120 billion rupees Treasury bond auction, and a tap issue has been opened for part of the balance, data from the state debt office showed. 30 billion rupees of 1 Dec 2024 bonds were sold at 6.87% after calling bids for 30 billion. 21.23 billion rupees of 01 February 2026 bonds were sold at 7.47%, after calling bids for 35 billion. 11.4 billion rupees of 1 May 2028 bonds were sold at 8.17% after calling bids for 35 billion. more..

Jul 30 (ST) Central Environmental Authority (CEA) has amended a 2007 gazette declaring the ecologically-rich Thalangama wetland as an Environmentally Protected Area (EPA) to allow the elevated highway from New Kelani Bridge to Athurugiriya to cross the land. Gazette 223/07 dated July 19 issued by the CEA is now listed on the website of the Dept of Govt Printing although the text is yet to be released. more..

Jul 30 (Island) A limited number of SL Transport Board (SLTB) and National Transport Commission (NTC) buses and trains would maintain limited inter- provincial operation from 1 Aug, State Minister of Transport, Dilum Amunugma said. He said that certified documents issued by the respective depot superintendents and the letters of approval by the NTC were mandatory, he added. “The buses and trains will be permitted to operate only in the morning & in the evening for office workers” more..

Jul 30 (CT) Steps have been taken to provide rice below the controlled price set by the Govt at Lanka Sathosa, Minister of Trade Dr. Bandula Gunawardena said. He added that with the election of the incumbent Govt, the controlled price of paddy increased from Rs 30 to Rs 50, to benefit farmers and provide rice to consumers below Rs 100 per kg. Accordingly, red kakulu has been priced at Rs 88 per kg, white kakulu at Rs 92 per kg, naadu at Rs 97 per kg, at Lanka Sathosa from yesterday. more..

Jul 30 (FT) SL’s daily COVID-19 detections exceeded 2,000 for the first time since 23 June, with health officials confirming the detection of 2,370 COVID-19 patients yesterday. The increase in COVID-19 patients has been attributed, at least in part, to the spread of the Delta variant in the country. A slight increase can also be seen in testing and the Health Promotion Bureau states that 14,147 PCR tests were carried out yesterday, more..

Jul 30 (FT) The first or second dose of a COVID-19 vaccine was administered to 417,815 persons on Wednesday and 75.8% of the country’s population over the age of 30 has received the first dose of a vaccine while 17.3% have received both doses. 100% of persons over the age of 30 in the Colombo and Matale Districts have received the first dose of a vaccine and the second dose has been administered to 32% of Colombo’s population over 30 and 11.1% of Matale’s population over 30. more..

Jul 30 (EN) SL’s Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) has removed a passenger limit for flights carrying fully vaccinated travellers and passengers arriving via a Sri Lanka Tourism bio bubble. However, existing limitations on unvaccinated passengers will remain, the CAA said in a circular released Thursday. A maximum of 75 passengers per flight are permitted for passengers not arriving via the Sri Lanka Tourism bio-bubble and who have not been vaccinated or only partially vaccinated, the CAA said. more..

Jul 30 (Island) The GMOA Executive Committee had unanimously decided that the Kotelawala National Defence University bill would have a disastrous impact on education and social stability, GMOA Secretary Dr. Senal Fernando said. Dr. Fernando said that the GMOA had also prepared a report on the KNDU highlighting the flaws in the Bill. “We have no problem with a military university and the current act that governs the KDU is enough for that. more..

Jul 30 (FT) I am not an economist or a financial expert, but as a political analyst and a critic who has carefully followed the dynamics of the State of Sri Lanka and its socio-political system, three years ago, I was able to predict that Sri Lanka was heading towards bankruptcy. In several interviews and discussions, I warned my audience that they should not be surprised if, all of a sudden, they hear when they wake up in the morning after a goodnight sleep that the country has gone bankrupt. more..

Jul 30 (FT) Finance Ministry last week publicly refuted the rationale for and the timing of the warning given by Moody’s Investors Services that it may further downgrade the island’s sovereign rating, a full week before an ISB settlement on 27 July. Finance Ministry said it was ill-judged as funds were lined up to repay foreign debt including the sovereign bond maturing on 27 July. Finance Ministry went further by saying the review for downgrade of SL’s rating which was more..

Jul 30 (CI) Senior legspinner Yuzvendra Chahal and spin-bowling allrounder K Gowtham have both tested positive for Covid-19 while on tour in Sri Lanka. The two were part of the group of eight players who had earlier been identified as immediate contacts of allrounder Krunal Pandya, who had tested positive on July 27. Chahal and Gowtham, along with Krunal, will have to stay back in Colombo for the time being, while four out of the other six players - Krunal's brother Hardik, more..

Jul 30 (EN) Sri Lanka has spent 53 billion rupees as direct expenses for COVID-19 in the first half of 2021 and another 110 million US dollars on COVID-19 vaccines, though some came as grants. By the month of June, 53 billion were spent as direct expenses for COVID apart from the vaccines,” Treasury Secretary S.R. Attygalle said on July 30. “For Vaccines, we have received them as grants from various govts. But we also had to pay and purchase them, for that about US$ 110 million more..

Jul 30 (DM) SJB MP- Rajitha Senaratne said he will cross over to another party if he feels necessary. Dr Senaratne told a press conference that what mattered to a politician were the policies rather than the political party to which he or she belonged to. “Remember that what is most important is the policies of a politician and not the party he belongs to. I can even cross over to another party if I feel it is necessary,” he said in response to a question more..

Jul 30 (CI) Bat long and take the game deep. These were the things Dhananjaya de Silva was telling himself during his match-winning 40 not out off 34 balls on Wednesday when he helped deliver Sri Lanka's first T20I victory in six matches. Not known for his hitting capability, the match situation was perhaps made for de Silva, who struck only two boundaries - a six and a four - and focused instead on running singles and twos. With a severely depleted India making only 132, more..

Jul 30 (TM) Former Deputy Minister Sarana Gunawardena has been released from all bribery cases filed against him. Following the cases which were taken up before the Colombo Chief Magistrate Buddhika Ragala this morning, the court acquitted Gunawardena from all eight cases. Assistant Director-General of the CIABOC Asitha Anthony, presenting submissions, told the court that the written approval of the three commissioners of the bribery commission had not been obtained more..

Jul 30 (EN) Sri Lanka’s inflation in the capital Colombo was measured at 5.7% in the 12-month to July 2021, up from 5.2% in June, while prices jumped 0.5% during the month. SL’s inflation measured by the widely watched Colombo Consumer Price Index in the past 12 months is now higher than the ceiling policy rate of 5.5%. In June the inflation reached the 12-month Treasury bill yield of 5.2%, which is also operating at more..

Jul 30 (Island) Health officials were concerned that a significant number of people had not received COVID-19 vaccines despite a significant increase in the pandemic death toll, Chief Epidemiologist Dr. Samitha Ginige said. Dr. Ginige said that most of those who were hesitant to take the jab were those above 60. “Vaccination can reduce the number of deaths. It can also reduce transmission. However, some senior citizens are not interested in receiving the vaccine. This is not good because more..

Jul 30 (TM) Catholic Bishops’ Conference in SL urged authorities to reopen schools and take drastic measures to stop the adverse effects of the Covid-19 pandemic on the poor. “The children will be able to learn not only the sciences but also achieve emotional, psychological and spiritual health, interact with their teachers, their fellow students and friends, and engage in extracurricular and sports activities with their peers in order to achieve a sense of emotional balance,” more..

Jul 30 (EN) Sri Lanka will resume usual govt services with Covid-19 health guideline from Aug 2, President’s said, amid strong warning by doctors of Delta variant spreading and rising daily deaths. “Since the majority of public servants have also been vaccinated, the priority should be given to restore normalcy to the public service,” Prez’s office said in a statement. P.B. Jayasundera, the secretary to the President has also asked more..

Jul 30 (AD) The body of the 16-year-old girl, who died of severe injuries she had suffered while working as a domestic aide at MP Rishad Bathiudeen’s private residence, has been exhumed today. The body, exhumed at the Dayagama Cemetery, will be taken to the Peradeniya Teaching Hospital for the second post-mortem. The second autopsy will be carried out by a three-member specialist medical team appointed by the Director-General of Health on the recommendations more..

Jul 30 (Island) Chair of the Parliamentary Select Committee appointed to identify appropriate reforms of the election laws and the electoral system, Leader of the House and Foreign Minister Dinesh Gunawardena said that Senior Professor and Vice Chancellor of the University of Sri J'pura Prof. Sudantha Liyanage had been appointed as the Chairman of the Expert Committee appointed for the purpose of analysing proposals for Reforming Election Structure and Electoral Law. more..

Jul 30 (EN) A collective of SL actors and celebrities submitted a signed petition to Prez Rajapaksa on Friday seeking a presidential pardon for actor-turned-politician Ranjan Ramanayake who is serving a four-year prison sentence. The petition was handed to the president’s private secretary Sugeeshwara Bandara. “We think the president will consider our request and grant a pardon to our fellow artist,” actor Arjuna Kamalanath said more..

Jul 30 (DM) Thalangama Police launched investigation after a 36-year-old man has died while being treated at a Spa at Thalawathugoda in Thalangama yesterday. Police said the deceased was a resident of Homagama. Police recorded statements from the witnesses at the Spa and from the spouse of the deceased and it was learnt that the deceased was a drug addict. SDIG Ajith Rohana said that magisterial inquest into the death was conducted yesterday while more..

Jul 30 (AD) A blue sapphire cluster weighing 80kg has been discovered in Rakwana, Ratnapura. Reportedly, the stone, which was in possession of a businessman from Colombo, has been handed over to the Gem & Jewellery Authority for valuation. The authorities have promised to submit the blue sapphire cluster for an international auction in November following the valuation process. Earlier this week, several workmen digging a well at a gem trader’s backyard had stumbled upon more..

Jul 30 (DM) A young mother of three from Bope, Padukka has appealed to the Prez and IGP seeking justice over an alleged incident of sexual harassment she experienced when she visited the Padukka Police station to file a complaint. However, Police Media Unit said the Mirihana Police Division Crime Investigation Unit is conducting further investigations on the complaints filed by the family. “The complaints are on obscene more..

Jul 30 (AD) SL on Thursday recorded the highest number of vaccinations rolled out in a single day, says the State Minister of Production, Supply and Regulation of Pharmaceuticals. Thereby, 515,830 coronavirus jabs in total have been rolled out within the day, Prof. Channa Jayasumana stated. As many as 418,494 have people received the first shot of China-developed Sinopharm vaccine. Meanwhile, 56,738 completed the vaccine course as they were administered second dose of the same jab. more..

Jul 30 (CT) PM Mahinda Rajapaksa paid a visit to the Kalapaluwawa Thapowana Meditation Centre in Rajagiriya where he met Ven. Aggamaha Panditha Dodampahala Chandra Siri Nayaka Thera - the recently appointed Mahanayaka of the Sri Lanka Amarapura Maha Nikaya. Premier initially came to see Aggamaha Panditha Dodampahala Chandrasiri Nayaka Thera and inquired about his health. The Thera gave a short speech in which he expressed gratitude for the PM’s visit and called his more..

Jul 30 (EN) Sri Lanka is not planning any new import controls at the moment and if possible controls have to be removed, Treasury Secretary Sajith Attygalle said. “We are not going to do new controls,” he told reporters. “We will have to see, but I do not think there will be new controls. “If we can we have to remove. It is not a very good thing to do.” If phones are controlled the online economy will be affected. more..

Jul 30 (AD) A youth, who was in possession of 40kg of heroin, has been arrested in the area of Rerukana in Bandaragama, says Senior DIG Ajith Rohana. The crimes prevention unit of Kalutara Division had taken the suspect into custody this morning (July 30) along with the three-wheeler he had used to transport heroin, the police spokesman added. The 23-year-old, a resident of Gelanigama area in Bandaragama, had reportedly been engaged in buying and selling of motorcycles. more..

Jul 30 (Island) Prevailing foreign exchange scarcity in the country was taking a heavy toll on foreign tuition payment, as many parents and guardians complain of difficulty in paying school fees of their children in foreign universities, UNP leader Ranil Wickremesinghe said. “Thousands of parents now have to buy dollars in the black-market as local banks have no foreign currency” the UNP leader said, addressing the UNP leaders via Zoom. Wickrmesinghe said that there were many more..

Jul 30 (Island) Three thousand five hundred and seventy six (3,576) houses under a project to build 14,000 housing units in the plantation community on a full grant basis by 31 Dec 2020 have been completed, but 2,877 of them could not be handed over to the beneficiaries because there are no funds to supply electricity and water, the Annual Performance Report of the State Ministry of Estate Housing and more..

Jul 30 (TM) UNP today urged for the Parliamentary Consultative Committees of Defence and Education to convene a meeting and agree on the necessary amendments to the Kotalawela Defence Uni Bill to ensure the existing institution is retained and academic freedom maintained. The UNP suggests this instead of concluding the second reading of the debate on the same with a vote. In a statement issued by the Party, some key areas of concern which required changes were highlighted, more..

Jul 30 (FT) The SL Export Development Board (EDB) in association with the SL Accreditation Board (SLAB) under the guidance of the Trade Ministry organised a stakeholder forum on organic agricultural exports, chaired by Trade Minister Bandula Gunawardena this week at NSBM Green University. Addressing the forum, Minister Gunawardena opined SL has a golden opportunity to solve its foreign exchange problems with the special emphasis Prez Rajapaksa has given to more..

Jul 30 (Island) The huge environmental damage caused by the MV X-Press Pearl had been eclipsed by other issues, Sajeewa Chamikara of the Movement for Land and Agricultural Reform (MONLAR) said. The govt was entirely focused on compensation and seems to have no interest in managing the continuing environmental destruction, Chamikara said. “MV X-Press Pearl was carrying a large cargo of more..

Jul 30 (MFA) The new Ambassador of Cuba to SL Andres Marcelo Gonzalez Garrido called on Foreign Minister Dinesh Gunawardena today (29/07) at the Foreign Ministry. Minister Gunawardena welcomed Ambassador Garrido who presented his credentials to Prez Gotabaya Rajapaksa on 22 July, 2021. Foreign Minister Gunawardena conveyed President Rajapaksa’s appreciation to the Cuban govt for the continued support and cooperation extended to SL at multilateral fora, particularly at UNHRC. more..

Jul 30 (DM) A special circular has been issued by the Judicial Service Commission to all the High Court Judges to streamline and expedite child abuse trials in High Courts. Judicial Service Commission, after considering a request from the National Child Protection Authority (NCPA), has decided to introduce a separate coding to make it easier and more accurate to identify child abuse cases pending in the High Courts. The NCPA requested the Commission to fix all child abuse HC trials on more..