Aug 10 (FT) Aitken Spence PLC has successfully rejuvenated two apparel factories that had been forced to shut down amid challenging global market conditions. The move comes as a beacon of hope for over 2,500 workers who had lost their livelihoods and adds momentum to SL’s efforts to bolster its economy. BoI in a statement described it as a remarkable initiative aimed at revitalising SL’s apparel industry. These two garment factories, which were exclusively exporting to American more..

Aug 10 (DM) A malicious attempt is underway to prevent me from becoming the Chief Judicial Medical Officer (JMO) and conducting my duty correctly, as only a higher court of law could suspend my duties, Colombo JMO Dr. Ruhul Haq said. Responding for the first time against the recent media reports against him, senior JMO Dr. Ruhul Haq said that nobody could prevent him from acting as a state witness for dozens of medico legal more..

Aug 10 (ST) While many foreign investors are eyeing Sri Lanka’s rich mineral deposits that are available in its natural habitat, there is a lot of red tape that dampens the industry. With the advancement of technology, minerals can be value added and exported. Any local mineral mining company goes through eight govt institutions to renew the permit license every year. The govt of Sri Lanka must create a conducive environment for potential investors, industry experts stressed. more..

Aug 10 (DN) Sajeev de Silva, the lone SL archer competing at the Hyundai World Archer C'ships held in Berlin 2023, showcased his mettle in the Recurve event, securing an impressive 57th position out of a fiercely competitive field of 168 archers. Participating in a knockout-based tournament, de Silva engaged in a gripping showdown against Spain’s adept archer ACHA Pablo. The intense battle culminated in a nail-biting victory for the Spanish contender, with a final score of 6-5 in favor of Pablo. more..

Aug 10 (FT) Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe assured Parliament he would not engage in actions that threaten the country›s sovereignty or unity and called on MPs to support reconciliation and development putting people’s interest first. He also stressed that external entities or foreign countries cannot resolve challenges on SL’s behalf but a UN must independently address issues and steer SL towards rapid economic & social progress. more..

Aug 10 (FT) The report by the Sectoral Oversight Committee on Environment, Natural Resources and Sustainable Development on the X-Press Pearl disaster and the compensation process has raised serious concerns about the actions of the Attorney General in relation to the case. The committee in the report said it cannot comprehend the reasoning behind the AG’s choice to engage in legal proceedings in Singapore instead of opting for SL, which would have been more appropriate. more..

Aug 10 (Island) Japanese Ambassador to SL, Mizukoshi Hideaki, on Tuesday, held a reception to send-off JDS (Japanese Grant Aid for Human Resources Development Scholarship) scholarship fellows, and extended his heartfelt congratulations on the new 17 JDS fellows, who are heading to Japan, this month, as scholarship students. JDS programme is one of the Official Development Assistance (ODA) programmes to promote high-quality growth of a country through more..

Aug 10 (Roar) Which of your most basic needs do you worry about fulfilling most? For most people, it’s food, water, and a roof over their head — and they’re not wrong. But few, if any, prioritise clean, breathable air the same way, and it shows. In Dec 2022, SL experienced a sudden drop in air quality levels. Around the country, a visible smog had developed. Air Quality Index (AQI) across many SL cities was found to be between 150 and 200 — unanimously considered an unhealthy level. more..

Aug 10 (AD) The dry spell that is being experienced in the country now is a seasonal phenomenon and nobody should attempt to take political mileage out of it, said State Minister of Defence Premitha Bandara Tennakoon. He revealed that 166,904 people from 50,535 families in 13 districts are affected by the drought. Disaster Management Centre (DMC) has taken measures to provide drinking water to affected people in coordination with respective District & Divisional Secretariats, more..

Aug 10 (EN) Sri Lanka wants to bring local casino players from 40% now to zero by charging an ever rising tax, State Minister Ranjith Siyambalapitiya said. “From Feb to May, 9037 gamblers had entered casinos,” Minister Siyambalapitiya said, in a debate on amending SL’s Betting Gaming Levy Act. Of that 5381, or close 60% were foreigners Based on the numbers, locals were 40% of the total number of gamblers more..

Aug 10 (DN) SL’s tax collections in the first half of 2023 grew +93% year on year to Rs.697 billion. The income from personal and withholding taxes grew by more than 100% YoY during the period. The new SSCL tax brought in an additional Rs.80 billion in revenue during 1H-2023. July 2023 CT CLSA SECURITIES in their monthly report also said that the Colombo Bourse closed positive in July, with the ASPI rising +20.6% MoM to 11,387 points (an increase of 1,944 index points MoM). more..

Aug 10 (TM) Describing Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe’s discussions with MPs representing the Tamil and Muslim communities regarding the 13th Amendment as a shameful act, Opposition MP Gevindu Cumaratunga said that at least all MPs representing the Northern and Eastern Provinces should be made to participate in the related discussions. Wickremesinghe, who came to power following the resignation of former Prez Gotabaya Rajapaksa, pledged that more..

Aug 10 (TM) One of the two railway tracks on the Main Line has now been reopened for train services which were disrupted owing to the collision involving a container truck and the Fauzi office train near Mirigama. General Manager of Railways M.J. Indipolage stated that since 12 trains which were scheduled to operate following the office train which was involved in the collision have been parked on the tracks, they will be made to operate one by one on the single track. more..

Aug 10 (TM) A group of monks has pointed out to the Parliamentary Sectoral Oversight Committee on An Open and Accountable Govt, the need to take legal measures to act on alleged hate speech brewing against monks, the latter with a view to fulfilling various needs of non-religious organisations. The said Committee met in the Parliament recently under the Chairmanship of Jagath Sumithraarachchi. The monks in question presented their views and suggestions more..

Aug 10 (Island) SJB MP Buddhika Pathriana told Parliament that a rich person would soon be able to buy an honorary doctorate even for his or her pet dog if the business of selling degrees and honorary titles continued, without the govt taking preventive measures. MP Pathirana said there were many institutions conferring honorary titles, such as Professor, Doctor, Kala Nidi, Vidya Keerthi, Vidya Jothi, Desha Bandu, more..

Aug 10 (TM) The Director and CEO of the BMICH, which is the first and largest multi-purpose built conference centre in South Asia, has resigned over allegations related to corruption and malpractices in the administration process. Sources within the BMICH said that the BMICH’s Board of Directors is to appoint a special committee to investigate the internal issues within the BMICH, such as allegations on corruption and malpractices in the Reservation Department. more..

Aug 10 (FT) The Public Service Commission of SL has reportedly decided to clear the former Bribery Commission Director General Dilrukshi Dias Wickramasinghe from all charges against her. Wickramasinghe was interdicted in Sept 2019 subsequent to the public disclosure of a recorded telephone conversation between her and the Chairman of Avant-Garde Maritime Services, Nissanka Senadhipathi. Telephone exchange had occurred between Wickramasinghe and more..

Aug 10 (TM) While Minister Kanchana Wijesekera has said that the CEB would have to resort to emergency power purchases in order to maintain a 24-hour uninterrupted power supply, Electricity Consumers Association (ECA) alleged that the proposed purchases would cost about Rs. 40 billion (Bn). ECA General Secretary, Sanjeewa Dhammika claimed: "There are reports that emergency power purchases will cost more..

Aug 10 (FT) SJB the largest Opposition party/alliance in the current Parliament has cleared the outstanding electricity bill of the Mihintale Sacred City amounting to Rs. 4.1 million. According to a report, the funding to settle the bill has been secured from party members and well-wishers. This painstaking act of piety of a political party is also an act of purposeful politics. That the leader of the SJB Sajith Premadasa is a devout Sinhala Buddhist is no secret. more..

Aug 10 (FT) Like Barbenheimer, but nowhere as brilliant, it is GotaRanil. Apart from his overweening insensitivity to the peasantry, the working people and the citizenry in general, Prez Wickremesinghe shares another endearing quality with his predecessor Gotabaya Rajapaksa: misplaced arrogance. Innocent citizens died of exploding gas cylinders on Gotabaya’s watch. Innocent citizens are dying of substandard medications on Ranil’s watch. (Dr. Chamal Sanjeewa exposes serious fraud more..

Aug 10 (EN) Shares close up on Thursday, with the banking and diversified counters leading with positivity on economic stabilization, an analyst said. ASPI was down 0.15% or 18.02 points to 11,649.99, while S&P SL20 was up 0.02% or 0.63 points to 3,448.59. “The economy has channeled some stability and some recovery, resulting in buying power for the banking sector and blue chip counters,” an analyst said. Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe has said debt restructuring more..

Aug 10 (CT) St. Thomas’ College, Matale, the premier boys’ school in the Matale District is celebrating its 150th anniversary today (10). The formal celebration ceremony will be held on Sunday (13), at 10 a.m. at the school premises. Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe is the Chief Guest and Susil Premajayantha, Minister of Education will also be in attendance. Established in 1873 the inaugural class included 75 boys and 12 girls. In 1876, Rev. Fr. Aloysius Marrer divided the school more..

Aug 10 (PMD) Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe revealed that Sri Lanka’s intention to join the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) is poised to materialize following the conclusion of credit optimization initiatives. Additionally, the Prez announced plans to initiate negotiations for the establishment of free trade agreements with corresponding ASEAN member countries. more..

Aug 10 (Island) The inaugural session of the Green Roadtrip, a project to mobilise communities for environmental justice across the country, was successfully held in Colombo recently. This series of events will be implemented by the Centre for Environmental Law and Policy of the Uni of Colombo, through the Support to Justice Sector Project (JURE), funded by the European Union and jointly implemented by the UNDP and UNICEF SL, facilitated by the Ministry of Justice. more..

Aug 10 (EN) A protest organised by the IUSF against proposed higher education reforms has drawn ridicule on social media with a poster for the protest becoming a meme overnight. The poster in question was shared on the IUSF’s official Facebook page on Tuesday Aug 8, saying “no” to what the IUSF calls degree shops, in reference to private universities and higher education institutes in Sri Lanka, whose existence the IUSF has historically opposed. Poster received some 14,000 reactions from more..

Aug 10 (AD) Prof. Chandima Jeewandara has clarified on the expert committee report on the recent incidents of drug allergies and their aftereffects. Accordingly, he explained that two patients had died due to an anaphylactic reaction to the medication used. He explained the matter at a special press briefing today, focusing on the recent issues within the health sector, and the expert committee report presented in this regard. more..

Aug 10 (Island) SJB leader Sajith Premadasa demanded to know from the govt for whose benefit it was trying to implement the 13th Amendment. Speaking soon after Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe made a special statement to Parliament, Premadasa said that the Opposition was ready to consider the proposals made by the Prez with regard to the implementation of the 13th Amendment and to extend its support only after a through scrutiny of the merits of those suggestions. more..

Aug 10 (DM) According to the agreement between the foreign ministers of Iran and SL, 9 Iranian sailors imprisoned in SL have been released and will return home soon. Following the consultations a few days ago between the Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian and his SL counterpart Ali Sabry in Tehran and announcing the release of the prisoners of the two countries in the near future on the humanitarian background and through the efforts of the Iranian embassy in Colombo, more..

Aug 10 (DM) SL beverages company Ceylon Beverage Can Pvt Ltd, promoted by Muttiah Muralitharan, will set up a full-fledged plant in Mummigatti off Dharwad in Karnataka, Deccan Herald (DH) reported on Thursday. The company had earlier sent a proposal to the state government for setting up an "aluminium cans and beverages filling plant" in the area. It had asked for 26 acres of land with an investment of Rs 440 crore. It is expected to generate jobs for 500 people. more..

Aug 10 (TM) Sri Lanka is to raise the gross borrowing limit and the expenditure limit for 2023 by Rs. 9,000 billion for namesake to facilitate the technical and accounting processes under the Domestic Debt Optimisation (DDO) under the EFF of the IMF, Committee on Public Finance (COPF) said. Speaking in Parliament, member of COPF MP Patali Champika Ranawaka made these remarks. He added that the COPF gave the approval to the Finance Ministry on Tuesday to table more..

Aug 10 (CT) The Expert Committee chaired by Director of the Medical Research Institute (MRI) Dr. Dedunu Dias to probe recent incidents of drug allergies and their after-effects submitted its report to Health Minister Keheliya Rambukwella at the Health Ministry. The report noted that of the six cases analysed in detail, five had met the anaphylaxis criteria, which is a life-threatening allergic reaction that occurred swiftly. more..

Aug 10 (AD) Police have fired water cannons in an attempt to disperse a protest march staged by the IUSF in Kirulapone. Meanwhile, police also used water cannons to disperse another IUSF protest march near the Viharamahadevi Park in Colombo. Earlier today (10), two court orders were issued preventing IUSF convenor Madushan Chandrajith and eight others from entering several areas in Colombo. The relevant orders were issued by the Colombo Fort & Maligakanda Magistrate’s more..

Aug 10 (CT) Due to the severity of a collision between a train and a container at the Wilwatta railway crossing last morning (9), the container had been thrown some 100 metres away from the scene of the accident while considerable damage had been caused to signal towers, and the gates at the railway crossing. Following the crash traffic flow on the Giriulla-Meerigama road had also been completely stalled and it had only been reopened for traffic after a four-hour delay. more..

Aug 10 (TM) With the aim of reducing the outflow of foreign reserves from importing french fries adjoined to the agriculture Model Village at Kahaththewela in Bandarawela, SL’s first-ever french fries manufacturing plant is set to be open by tomorrow. An officer from the Ministry of Agriculture said: “Under the Smallholder Agribusiness Partnerships Programme (SAPP) implemented by Ministry of Agriculture and more..

Aug 10 (Island) SJB leader Sajith Premadasa told Parliament that the poor and elderly helplessly fall to their death in queues to get their membership of the Aswesuma government welfare scheme that had gone awry because the govt overlooked obtaining five main public sector officials in each Grama Niladhari Division. Making a special statement to the House on Tuesday, Premadasa said that the government put in place for implementation a group of persons who have no experience in more..

Aug 10 (CT) The signing of a MoU between the Uni of Illinois and the Uni of Peradeniya to establish a cooperative exchange programme in the field of education and research took place yesterday under the chairmanship of Minister Susil Premajayantha at the UGC premises. On behalf of SL, Vice-Chancellor of Uni of Peradeniya Prof. M.D. Lamawansha signed the agreement and Peter Constable, Dean of the College of Veterinary Medicine of the Uni of Illinois signed for the US Govt. more..