Jul 31 (DM) In most countries indigenous people are marginalized if not outcast though they have a rich culture of their own. For instance, in the United States of America we refer to the native people as red Indians though they are not really Indians. Christopher Columbus when he discovered America some centuries ago presumed it was part of India and that is how they came to be known as red Indians. This land was rich in gold and other minerals including silicon which we widely more..

Jul 31 (ST) There are some nations – I believe, they are a few in the world -, which consolidate their positions in the midst of the crisis in order to prosper when the time is right. At the same time, many seem to have taken the crises as unavoidable stages of the world economy so that it’s better to stay with belts tightened until they pass through it. Of course, there are others too, who struggle to keep the nose above water not knowing where the next meal comes from. more..

Jul 31 (DM) Amidst strong protests to protect the environmentally sensitive Thalangama Environmental Protection Area, the authorities have taken a bold (or rather ignorant) step to include the construction of the Four Lane Elevated Highway from New Kelani Bridge to Athurugiriya via the gazetted Protected Area. The importance of wetlands has been highlighted in many instances and disrupting these ecosystems would give rise to floods and more..

Jul 31 (CT) Dr. P.B. Jayasundera is destroying the govt. So said and reiterated many times by Ve Muruththetuwe Ananda in recent past. I was reluctant to believe it, given his experience and more over due to his qualification as a senior economist. After reading his recent interview published on July 25th in the Sunday Times, I was convinced that how true the Venerable Ananda’s assertion is. SL is in a dire economic crisis. Technically SL is facing a serious Balance-of-Payment (BOP) crisis. more..

Jul 31 (CT) A recent event shows how close to anarchy Jaffna is, fueled by rowdy militants claiming to have turned to the path of democracy. Details are sketchy because the Police in Jaffna want to keep a lid on things. The matter in Jaffna’s Kannaapuram revolved around two dove rearing households about two weeks ago. What is known is that some doves from one household, said to be to, went and settled in the neighbour’s house. The dispute was as to ownership and whether the doves went on more..

Jul 31 (DM) Sivaji Ganesan, M.G. Ramachandran (MGR) and Gemini Ganesan comprised the triumvirate that dominated Tamil cinema in India from the fifties to the seventies of the 20th century. The most senior of the trio was M.G. Ramachandran who was born in 1917. MGR passed away in 1987. Gemini Ganesan born in 1920 breathed his last in 2005. Youngest of the three was Sivaji Ganesan, born in 1928 & died in 2001. more..

Jul 31 (CT) On Friday, this newspaper, in its lead story titled, Over 17,000 Child Porn Videos, Pics Uploaded Online, said that over 17,000 videos and photographs connected to child pornography were uploaded to the internet from Sri Lanka via various devices between 17 June and 28 July. The article quoting Police Spokesman SDIG Ajith Rohana said that modern technology has been used to identify the person or parties that post child pornographic video clips and images. more..

Jul 31 (CT) Everyone in SL, from children to grown-ups, know about cricket. Though volleyball is known as SL's national game, cricket took its place due to its popularity. There was a time when even Kussi Ammas were engrossed in the game whenever cricket matches appeared on TV screens. When players such as Duleep Mendis, Kumar Sangakkara, Roshan Mahanama, Bandula Warnapura, Sanath Jayasuriya, Brenden Kuruppu or Arjuna Ranatunge batted, crowds were enthusiastic. more..

Jul 31 (DM) On 15 Aug 2009, the bodies of two girls were found floating in the Torrington canal at Baudhaloka Mawatha, Colombo 07. How many of us remember this incident now? They were 13- year-old Maduveeran Jeewarani and 16-year-old Lakshamahan Sumadhi from Maskelliya, and they had worked as domestic helpers in the houses of two businessmen at Baudhaloka Mawatha. Some reports said that they had been working in the same house. more..

Jul 31 (TM) The Player Manager curse that has been hampering the progress of Sri Lanka’s cricket is to be over soon as sanity seems to have prevailed, at least belatedly. “Now we are seriously looking at various strategies to counter the Player Manager issue. We are thinking of offering our (Sri Lanka Cricket’s) services to the national players so that they don’t have to go behind the Player Managers,” a senior SLC official told the Morning Sports on Wednesday (28). more..

Jul 31 (CT) Many in political circles were keeping an eye on the meeting between the Prez and the SLFP Parliamentary Group led by former Prez Sirisena as tension between the two parties was brewing for weeks. A special discussion between Prez Rajapaksa and representatives of the SLFP was held at the Presidential Secretariat on Monday. A request had been made previously to give the opportunity for the party Chairman, more..

Jul 31 (DN) South Asia’s fastest man Yupun Abeykoon is determined to improve on his record further when he runs in the Men’s 100m first-round heats of the 2020 Olympic Games here tomorrow. There are seven Men’s 100m first-round heats to be worked off from 7.45 p.m. Japan ST (4.15 p.m. Sri Lanka time) on Saturday. But before that, there are three Men’s 100m qualifying events on the same day commencing from 11.35 a.m. Japan ST (8.05 a.m. SL time). There are 27 sprinters taking part more..

Jul 31 (Island) Police have had to go into overdrive to investigate Ishalini’s tragic end. The victim’s body was exhumed yesterday for a second postmortem by a team of forensic medical experts, and the public is eagerly awaiting their report. Investigators must pull out all the stops and get to the bottom of what actually happened to the girl. A separate investigation is called for to find out why the police did not launch a thorough investigation immediately after Ishalini’s admission to hospital. more..

Jul 31 (CI) Danushka Gunathilaka, Kusal Mendis, and Niroshan Dickwella have all been suspended from int'l cricket for a year for breaking SL's bio-bubble on a night out in Durham last month. They have each also been fined 10 million rupees (USD 50,000 approx), and will not be allowed to play domestic cricket for six months, which rules them out for much of the next season. In addition, they will be in probation for two further years, more..

Jul 31 (ST) The Amateur Rowing Association of SL (ARASL) is of the strong belief that Sri Lanka can win a definite gold medal at the next year’s Asian Games to be held in China in September. SL has never won a gold in rowing at Asian Games apart from its best performance to win a silver and bronze at the previous edition of Asia’s mega sports event held in 2019. The president of the ARASL, Dimuth Gunawardena expressed his views of medal prospects after revamping the whole system more..

Jul 31 (DN) Sri Lanka middle distance runner Nimali Liyanaarachchi could only produce her worst ever performance in recent times to finish last in women’s 800m first round at the 2020 Olympic Games here today. Liyanaarachchi’s timing of two minutes and 10.23 in finishing last in women’s 800m first round heat 4 is her worst performance in recent times. It is also way behind Sriyani Dhammika Menike recorded in the same event at the Olympics some 29 years ago in Barcelona, 1992 - 2:03.85. more..

Jul 31 (FT) Finance Minister Basil Rajapaksa yesterday assured support for the tourism industry for a quicker revival despite the COVID pandemic. The expression of assistance was conveyed when he met all stakeholders of the tourism industry, including hoteliers, tour operators, travel agents, aviation and airline representatives, along with officials. In what was the first meeting since Basil assumed duties as more..

Jul 31 (FT) The LMD-NielsenIQ Business Confidence Index (BCI) registered 87 for the second consecutive month in July, remaining below 90 basis points for three successive months. In addition to representing a deterioration compared to the corresponding month of last year when the index stood at 97, this also places the index more than 20 points below its 12 month average. Elaborating on the latest survey results, NielsenIQ’s Director – Consumer Insights Therica Miyanadeniya more..

Jul 31 (ST) He was a natural record breaker in all facets of his 55-year sporting and journalistic career; still at the crease and batting until two Sundays ago when his column appeared with a prescient and forthright epitaph to the potential demise of Sri Lanka cricket. To drive home the point, he asked that the team wear masks to hide their faces after the drubbing they inflicted on themselves. He hoped that discipline will prevail to bring order and regain hard won international recognition more..

Jul 31 (Island) The cash-strapped govt hasn’t been able to recover tax revenue running into billions of rupees, in spite of sporadic interventions made by the Parliamentary Watchdog, the Committee on Public Accounts (COPA). According to a report submitted to Parliament on July 20 by COPA, the situation has been further complicated by the Customs receiving substantial amounts, as rewards, from fines imposed more..

Jul 31 (FT) As a result of prioritising the vaccination drive for all employees in all 14 export processing zones (EPZ) across the country, the BOI has witnessed a sharp increase in total employee attendance of up to 80% as of July, since the beginning of this year. Supplementing this, the vaccination drive has also been extended to reach adjacent ecosystems, such as supply chain facilities that EPZs depend on, providing additional muscle for the business continuity of manufacturing more..

Jul 31 (AD) AG’s Department today (30) briefed the Colombo Magistrate’s Court on the death toll of the sea animals killed by the X-Press Pearl disaster. According to the department’s tally, this marine calamity a total of 417 turtles, 08 whales and 48 dolphins have died and washed ashore to date. The revelation was made by Deputy Solicitor General Madhawa Tennakoon, who appeared on behalf of the CID, when the case was taken up before Colombo Additional Magistrate Lochani more..

Jul 31 (Island) The GMOA told the Director General of Health Services, Dr. Asela Gunawardena, that all healthcare staff and other frontline workers needed a third dose of COVID-19 vaccine. In a lettter to Dr. Gunawardena, Secretary of the GMOA, Dr. Senal Fernando has said several of the GMOA branch unions have informed them that there is an increase of COVID positive patients duirng the last few weeks. more..

Jul 31 (CI) South Africa have confirmed their tour to Sri Lanka for three ODIs and as many T20Is during September. All six matches will be played at the R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo, with the series starting with the first ODI on Sept 2 and ending with the third T20I on Sept 14. "We are delighted to have another tour confirmed for the Proteas men's team with the ICC T20 World Cup just around the corner," CSA's acting CEO Pholetsi Moseki said. "Playing against quality opposition in the sub-continent more..

Jul 31 (Island) The KNDU Bill is designed to single-handedly change the face of education in SL. Since the ‘90s, successive govts have tried to roll back the gains of the Free Education Poliicy of 1945. The history of free education is not linear, nor is it without contradictions. It is implicated in the hierarchies of class, ethnicity, gender and the multiple vectors of violence of state and civil society. Despite and because of these very contradictions Free Education has come to represent more..

Jul 31 (NYT) A tale making the rounds in Sri Lanka this week had all the gleaming ingredients needed to rivet a pandemic-weary nation that had been caught in a cycle of debt even before the coronavirus ravaged the economy. The world’s largest cluster of sapphires, said to be worth up to $ 100 million (S$ 135 m), had been accidentally discovered by workers digging a well in a gem trader’s backyard, news reports said. more..

Jul 31 (DN) Depositors of the Ceylinco-owned F&G Property Developers are calling to transfer the control of F&G Property Developers to appoint a party capable of running the company free of corruption and fraud and to re-examine ZRA Holdings. Ceylinco-owned F&G Property Developers following the collapse of Ceylinco Limited and Fingara Town and Country Club, was run by a committee on a directive of the Supreme Court subsequent to a fundamental rights case filed more..

Jul 31 (FT) Afghanistan Ambassador to SL Ashraf Haidari called on Sri Lanka’s newly-appointed Minister of Finance Basil Rajapaksa this week the Afghan Embassy in Colombo said. Minister was accompanied by his senior staff and Additional Secretary Ambassador Pakeer Amza of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The two sides had a wide-ranging discussion on the status of growing bilateral relations between Afghanistan and SL, potential areas of cooperation between the two sides’ more..

Jul 31 (FT) A total of 2,460 COVID-19 patients were detected yesterday as the country’s daily COVID-19 detections rose and health officials warned of movement restrictions being imposed once again. According to Health Ministry Spokesperson Dr. Hemantha Herath, movement restrictions will be necessary if the number of COVID-19 patients continues to rise and the situation cannot be controlled. more..

Jul 31 (FT) Minister Namal Rajapaksa, State Minister Thenuka Vidanagamage and Ambassador Sanjiv Gunasekara met with Japanese Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology Koichi Hagiuda. The Sports Minister had studied the Japanese rugby and sports structure at the club level and mentioned Sri Lanka was following a similar structure under his purview. He also requested more sports scholarships and student exchange program between SL and Japan. more..

Jul 31 (FT) The Heads of Churches of the National Christian Council of SL (NCCSL) issued a statement on the current situation listing a host of issues of concern requiring urgent Govt action. Full statement: Amid a further deterioration of the COVID-19 pandemic situation, the churches affiliated with the NCCSL wish to alert the nation and its political leadership to the burning needs of particularly severely affected social groups as well as certain national challenges that need urgent more..

Jul 31 (AD) President Gotabaya Rajapaksa has directed the health authorities to carry out an island-wide survey of those who have still not been vaccinated against COVID-19. The instructions came during the meeting held with the Special Committee on Prevention of COVID-19 Outbreak on the vaccination drive and future plans. The meeting took place at the Presidential Secretariat this evening (July 30). more..

Jul 31 (Island) TNPF leader Gajendrakumar Ponnambalam said that they would mobilse all Tamils against the govt if it didn’t refrain from taking over private lands in the North. Ponnambalam issued the warning after joining a protest against the expansion of a Navy camp in Mullaitivu. “There is no need to expand this facility at a time when there is no war. Even if there is a valid reason, the govt can easily use state lands. There are plenty of state lands in the North. Why try to take over land more..

Jul 31 (CT) Sri Lanka witnessed 14 maternal deaths, due to COVID-19, in the third wave of the pandemic, the Director of the Family Health Bureau, Dr. Chitramalee de Silva said. She said that the deaths had been due to comorbidity, women with a body mass index of over 30 and were obese or over the age of 35 years. From the beginning of the first COVID-19 wave to date there had been total 2,404 pregnant women infected with the virus. Meanwhile, anyone travelling abroad and requiring more..

Jul 31 (CT) Minister Keheliya Rambukwella said the Israeli Pegasus spyware, created by the NSO Group of Technologies, based in Tel Aviv, had created controversies in many countries and had infringed the lives of journalists, rights activists and even Heads of State. He hinted to Ceylon Today, “It depends on whether the intelligence unit wants this application or not, before it is taken up for discussion.” more..

Jul 31 (FT) For ever so long, militarisation was a dirty word in café society and among the lib-dem elites. There was nothing good it could come to – at coffee mornings or on the cocktail circuit. Despite the existence of a plethora of societal evils, this was liberal Sri Lanka’s favourite whipping-boy. Those ills have had to stand in line to get a look-in with the critics ahead of this traditional bug-bear – from an ailing economy, with no physicians but spin doctors (apparently); more..

Jul 31 (FT) It seems we’re in a trance. We hear proclamations about vaccines, utterly detached from clearly emerging global data. Three hundred policemen apparently double jabbed have contracted C-19. We saw a similar phenomenon in India with 1,700 army officers out of a cadre of 2,000, getting reinfected despite being fully vaccinated. What is now being said in the press is the vaccines don’t stop you from being reinfected, but from becoming seriously ill or dying. more..

Jul 31 (AD) Veteran actress Hyacinth Wijeratne has passed away in a motor accident that took place last night (July 30). The police stated that the van she was travelling in had fallen down a precipice at Lindula in Thalawakele. Reportedly, Wijeratne, who was in Nuwara-Eliya for filming a teledrama, had been on her way back to Colombo at the time of the accident. Lindula Police has arrested the driver of the van over the accident. Wijeratne was 75 years of age at the time of her demise. more..