Aug 19 (EN) SL’s planned relief to personal income tax payers could cost 0.08% of gross domestic product in lost revenues and would be compensated by additional tax measures, Treasury Secretary Mahinda Siriwardana has said. Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe said last week that SL and IMF has been discussing giving income tax relief by widening tax slabs. “The Treasury began negotiating such an amendment with the IMF as far back as Sept 2023,” Siriwardana told a public forum. more..

Aug 19 (CI) Half-centuries from Amy Hunter, Leah Paul and Rebecca Stokell laid the foundations and Arlene Kelly applied the finishing touches with a three-wicket haul as Ireland took an unassailable 2-0 lead over Sri Lanka with a 15-run win in the second ODI in Belfast. As in Friday's first ODI, however, SL made the hosts earn their win. An impressive all-round display from Kavisha Dilhari and a maiden ODI century from the in-form Harshitha Samarawickrama put Sri Lanka in a position more..

Aug 19 (TM) Following concerns raised by several MPs about their personal security, Ministry of Defence has moved to inform them that they can now obtain two licensed repeater shotguns for their protection. This is in addition to the semi-automatic pistol which MPs are entitled to obtain for personal protection. It is learnt that the shotguns obtained through this facility can be retained even after the licensee exits Parliament, more..

Aug 19 (DM) A group of election observers from the European Union and the Commonwealth have arrived in Sri Lanka to monitor the Sept 21 presidential election. They are here at the invitation of SL’s Election Commission. The EU has previously done election monitoring in SL six times with the last being at the presidential election of 2019. “The deployment of the Election Observation Mission in SL this year confirms our long-standing commitment to supporting credible, transparent, more..

Aug 19 (AD) Despite 13 SL athletes being qualified for the 2024 World Junior Athletics Championship to be held in Peru, their participation is now in doubt due to the lack of financial support from the Ministry of Sports. Scheduled to take place from Aug 27 to 31 in Lima, Peru, the World Junior Athletics C'ship represents a critical opportunity for young athletes to showcase their talents on the global stage. However, despite their qualifications, SL athletes have reportedly faced an uncertain future as more..

Aug 19 (AD) Grama Niladhari Officers’ Alliance says that it will temporarily suspend its ongoing trade union action, effective from midnight today (18). The decision comes as their trade union aims to ensure the maximum contribution of its members in the upcoming Prez Election, recognizing the vital role that Grama Niladhari officers play as election officers, co-chairman of the alliance Nandana Ranasinghe said. Grama Niladhari Officers’ unions launched trade union action on May 04, 2024, more..

Aug 19 (DM) Acting Assistant Secretary of State for Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs Jennifer R. Littlejohn will travel to Sri Lanka from Aug 17 to Aug 31, US Department of States said. She will also visit India and Maldives. "During her visit, she will discuss nature and marine conservation, plastic and air pollution, the climate crisis, deforestation, nature crimes, civil and commercial space activities, promoting women and girls in STEM, and more..

Aug 19 (Island) TMTK leader C. V. Wigneswaran said they had fielded Pakkiyaselvam Ariyanethiran as an independent candidate at the forthcoming Prez Election to draw attention of Sri Lankans, and int'l community, to the problems faced by the Tamils. Wigneswaran, a former SC judge, emphasised that a substantial number of votes for former Batticaloa District MP Ariyanethiran would help further the Tamil cause. more..

Aug 19 (PMD) President Ranil Wickremesinghe emphasized the importance of strengthening economic cooperation and regional integration from Japan to India, with a special focus on deepening ties with India. The President made these remarks while addressing the Head of State Session of the 3rd Voice of Global South Summit, held under the theme “An Empowered Global South for a Sustainable Future.” Speaking from the President’s House in A'pura virtually yesterday (17), more..

Aug 19 (ST) Around 27, 000 people belonging to 8,522 families have been impacted by the heavy rainfall received in the past 48 hours. People in areas of Ratnapura, Kilinochchi, Jaffna, Ampara, Galle, and Badulla were facing hardships, while one person is reported missing from the Ampara district. Met Dept warned that the prevailing showery conditions are expected to continue until today in the south-western part of the island due to low-level atmospheric disturbances in the vicinity of SL. more..

Aug 19 (ST) The main contenders contesting to be elected as the ninth executive prez intensified their campaign activities hours after nominations were handed over on Thursday. 39 candidates handed over nominations on Thursday—22 political party candidates and 17 independents. With 33 days remaining for the election on Sept 21, the candidates have started their campaign rallies. SJB candidate Sajith Premadasa more..

Aug 20 (DM) To all intents and purposes, it looks as though the prez elections will definitely be held on 21 Sept this year. Forty candidates paid their deposits. One was rejected. None of the candidates are female. On election morn, we will receive a long list of 39 candidates, thirty-five of whom will probably lose their deposits. Many of these worthies will not even physically visit all districts or provinces of the country. Most of them will lose their deposits. So why are they contesting the election? more..

Aug 20 (DM) Victims of torture can include those who survived torture, were killed and also their family members; survivors of torture suffer from effects of torture for prolonged periods, often for the rest of their lives, physically, mentally, socially and financially; education of child victims of torture is negatively affected and is one of the cases mentioned below. Sri Lankan High Courts have convicted several individuals, mostly policemen, for torture based on the more..

Aug 20 (TM) The Sri Lanka Ports Authority (SLPA) is charting a path forward to improve Sri Lanka’s maritime ambitions, with plans in place to nearly double the capacity at the Port of Colombo from around 8 million Twenty-foot Equivalent Units (TEUs) to 15 million in the next few years. Port of Colombo was recently recognised as the best-performing port globally for the first quarter of 2024 by Alphaliner. more..

Aug 20 (CT) As Sri Lanka inches closer to the Prez election on Sept 21, 2024, the usual buzz around political campaigns is in full swing. But there’s a strong contender that might just tip the scales in unexpected ways—social engineering! And no, we’re not talking about hackers sneaking into databases. Instead, it’s the strategic manipulation of public sentiment and behavior, a practice that’s gaining unprecedented traction in the democratic world, especially among SL voters, more..

Aug 20 (TM) Over the last week, with the Prez Elections campaigns of candidates commencing, there has been a noticeable return to the use of populist slogans to gain votes, with clear disregard for the ground realities the governance of Sri Lanka faces, and the state of the national economy. This is not to say that Sri Lankans who have suffered significant economic hardships over the last four years, do not deserve relief. However, the ease with candidates, and key ones at that, more..

Aug 20 (TM) With the nearly threefold increase in Sri Lanka’s official poverty line within the span of a decade, the expanding vulnerable population appears to be at odds with the country’s purported recovery. According to recent data, SL’s official poverty line, defined as the minimum expenditure per person per month to fulfil basic needs, has risen from Rs. 5,223 in 2012/’13 to Rs. 17,014 by January this year. more..

Aug 20 (TM) A total of 39 candidates are contesting in SL’s ninth Prez Election scheduled to be held on 21 Sept. This is a record number of candidates contesting in an election in the history of Presidential Elections of the country. Until now, the Prez Election has been a direct contest between candidates of two main political parties or alliances led by them. But this time the election will be a three-way contest between incumbent Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe, SJB Leader Sajith Premadasa, and more..

Aug 20 (Island) Well-known SL scholar Prof. Sasanka Perera has left the South Asian University (SAU) in protest against a charge sheet issued to him over the inclusion of Prof. Noam Chomsky’s criticism of PM Narendra Modi, in a PhD research proposal supervised by him, and the mistreatment the student concerned had to undergo owing to the quotation at issue. Prof. Chomsky’s remark which the SAU authorities have taken exception to is that PM Narendra Modi hails from a radical more..

Aug 20 (ST) The one queue not even Ranil Wickremesinghe could get rid of, came to an end on Thursday when nominations closed at the Election Commission’s office. Forty had paid their deposits but one – perhaps, citing ‘personal reasons’ – had got the last-minute jitters and had dropped out. With thirty-nine inside the stalls, some of them mule and some donkeys, the bets were on the four leading contenders of the contest, namely, Sajith, Ranil, Anura and Namal. more..

Aug 20 (Island) The govt’s decision to provide every MP with two weapons is an indication of concern about an escalation of violence that might target MPs as the election approaches. A defence ministry letter to the parliamentary secretariat states that in view of the violence of the Aragalaya period, a decision has been made to provide every MP with two repeater weapons for which they need to make payment. This is in addition to the semi-automatic pistol which MPs are entitled to obtain for more..

Aug 20 (FT) Sri Lanka Tourism officials on Friday expressed confidence of 2024 achieving the targeted 2.3 million arrivals based on robust year to date performance and provided favourable conditions prevail in the forthcoming winter season. Last week, year to date tourist arrivals crossed the 1.2 million mark and SLTPB Chairman Chalaka Gajabahu predicted that by the end of August arrivals will reach 1.3 million. more..

Aug 20 (Island) Sri Lankans will always love Old Trafford. This is where they played their first ever international game. Invited to play the inaugural ICC World Cup in 1975, Sri Lankans found themselves pitted against eventual world champions West Indies in their opening encounter. It was indeed a baptism by fire as Sri Lanka were shot out for 86 by the West Indies brutal pace attack. Four years later though at the same Old Trafford, they were making merry. Taking on an Indian side that more..

Aug 20 (ST) When SL played their first Test in England 40 years ago, they had seven warm-up games to find form and prepare. Cricket has changed dramatically in the decades since. The birth of franchise leagues and the growth of the white-ball game means that this time around, SL must make do with a single tour match. How they might pine for the good old days. The signs from that game at Worcester were inauspicious. Faced with a raw England Lions attack, SL folded to 139 all out more..

Aug 20 (FT) SLT-MOBITEL, has reported moderate revenue growth for the first half of 2024, while demonstrating savings through cost management initiatives. 1H 2024 performance establishes SLT-Mobitel’s resilience and adaptability in a challenging market environment. The moderate revenue growth, coupled with successful cost-saving initiatives, has led to notable improvements, the company said in a statement. Group’s revenue for 1H 2024 reached Rs. 53.5 billion, marking a 1.6% increase more..

Aug 20 (FT) Tourism Advisory Committee has expressed deep concern over the deteriorating state of the industry, attributing the decline in tourist arrivals to issues surrounding the controversial new e-visa system. In a letter dated 15 Aug to Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe, industry leaders warned that the situation is pushing the tourism industry toward a standstill, despite the best efforts of stakeholders and authorities. Tourism Advisory Committee criticised Dept of Immigration & Emigration more..

Aug 20 (DN) Sri Lanka Sports Fiesta 2024 concluded on a high note, establishing a new benchmark in the country’s sporting legacy. This 3-day extravaganza, organised by the Ministry of Sports and Youth Affairs in collaboration with Ministry of Tourism and Lands, aimed to inspire the next generation of athletes and provide them with a prestigious platform to showcase their talents. The event saw joint efforts from several major sports bodies, including more..

Aug 20 (FT) People’s Action for Free and Fair Elections (PAFFREL) has expressed serious concerns regarding Govt’s alleged violations of election laws. The organisation has formally informed the Election Commission about these issues, focusing particularly on the recent appointment of two Presidential advisors by Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe. PAFFREL Executive Director Rohana Hettiarachchi stated that these appointments represent a clear violation of more..

Aug 20 (Island) It is no easy task reaching qualifying standards for a global event conducted by World Athletics. World Athletics qualifying standard for the just concluded Paris Olympics was so high that no SL could reach direct qualifying standards. The three athletes who represented SL accomplished the task by improving their world rankings. This year SL juniors created history as 12 athletes – highest number ever- reached entry standards for the World Junior Championships to be held in Peru. more..

Aug 20 (FT) SJB MP Dr. Harsha de Silva over the weekend said that grassroot members of SLPP are now joining the SJB in large numbers. Dr. de Silva noted that these SLPP members believe that the SJB is the only party capable of rebuilding SL’s economy. “As a responsible party, we are pleased. We have long recognised the challenges faced by the country and have engaged in discussions on possible solutions. more..

Aug 20 (DN) Royal College and Visakha Vidyalaya displayed their supremacy at the National Age Group Water Polo League Tournament, organized by SL Aquatic Sports Union, held at the Air Force Swimming Pool Complex in Ratmalana. Two-day tournament saw thrilling competition as Royal College emerged as triple champions, clinching titles in the U-19, U-15, and U-13 boys’ categories. Visakha Vidyalaya also established their authority, winning both the U-19 and U-13 girls’ titles. more..

Aug 20 (FT) Minister Bandula Gunawardena clarified several misconceptions during a special media briefing held on Sunday, addressing the misinterpretation of decisions made during the most recent post-Cabinet meeting. The briefing aimed to clarify the Government’s position on the IMF agreement and the Budget process, ensuring that the public understands the financial constraints and commitments that the country must navigate in the coming years. more..

Aug 20 (TM) Net Foreign Assets (NFA) in banking sector turned positive for the first time since April 2020, reaching Rs. 636.3 billion in 1H24 due to the buildup of foreign assets. According to the Monetary Policy report, NFAs of licensed commercial banks improved due to the build-up of foreign assets while settling foreign currency exposures to non-residents. Moreover, it said that NFAs of the Central Bank was built up through the net purchase of foreign exchange from domestic foreign exchange more..

Aug 20 (EN) Sri Lanka’s state-owned enterprises are a major source of corruption, and are beset by bad governance and some are operating with special privileges and monopoly power, a think tank said. “State-owned enterprises are a major source of corruption vulnerabilities in SL,” Rehana Thowfeek, research consultant at Advocata Institute said. “I don’t think there’s anyone who can deny that. They distort markets.” In SL, SOEs dominate key sectors like banking, energy, telecom; more..

Aug 20 (ST) Attorney General will file a motion in the Supreme Court requesting a date to explain matters that hinder the Dept of Immigration and Emigration (DIE) from reverting to the SLTMobitel-run electronic travel authorisation (ETA) system that was in operation before a disputed e-visa mechanism was introduced on April 16, said Minister Tiran Alles. Meanwhile, major travel and tourism associations have cautioned Prez more..

Aug 20 (EN) Sri Lanka’s manufacturing and service sectors continued to expand in July registering index values over 50 in July 2024, with new hires seen in the apparel sector. Manufacturing PMI was 59.5 in July, after recording 56.6 in June with new orders seen in apparel and growth on manufacture of food and beverages, textile and apparel. “Employment turned positive in July, which was mainly attributable to the manufacture of textiles & apparel sector,” the statement said. more..