Jul 1 (DM) Last week one of SL’s navy personnel was killed as a result of aggressive manoeuvers of an Indian trawler, resisting seizure for illegally poaching in Lankan waters. Indian vessel was however taken into custody and together with the fishermen manning the vessel were handed over to the police for prosecution. These Indian fisherfolk seem to believe they have a right to enter our waters, and do what they please, even to the extent of damaging boats and equipment of more..

Jul 1 (DM) During my formative years, when I took up long distance running, I became fascinated with the seemingly effortless rhythm of the Kenyan runners that I watched on TV. Never to achieve my dream of running like those agile Kenyan women and men, in my later years I read of the anti-colonial Mau Mau rebellion in the 1950s and the brutal British counter-insurgency that presaged the independence of Kenya. Those earlier images in my mind were brought alive by the formidable protests more..

Jul 1 (TM) In the early hours of 25 June, SL Navy conducted a high-stakes operation off Kankesanthurai in the Jaffna District, resulting in the tragic death of a senior sailor from the Navy Special Boat Squadron. The incident occurred during the seizure of an Indian fishing trawler found poaching in SL waters, a recurring issue that has strained relations between the two nations for decades. Aggressive manoeuvres of the Indian trawler more..

Jul 1 (CT) Bankruptcy, according to one definition, is a legal proceeding when a person or business cannot repay outstanding debts or obligations. It offers a fresh start for people who can no longer afford to pay their bills. What is true for an individual is also true for a country. When SL was in the grip of a historic economic crisis and when the treasury was running out of foreign exchange to fund imports and service foreign debt, talk of an impending bankruptcy or near-bankruptcy more..

Jul 1 (ST) When Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe asked the nation a few days ago whether Sri Lankans would join with him or align with those who still cannot grasp the issues and are grappling in the dark, one counter question should be aimed sharply right back at him. While not detracting from the acknowledgement due to the Govt in steering bilateral debt restructuring agreements with the Paris Club, India and China announced jubilantly with fanfare & crackers in the corridors of power, more..

Jul 1 (CT) In a quiet neighbourhood, far away from Colombo, the lives of many unfolded behind closed doors. Among them was *Kelum, a 21-year-old gay man, whose story remained hidden in the shadows for a long time. He had just finished his A/L Exam amidst the Covid-19 pandemic and was awaiting results. It all began in 2022, when Kelum, seeking connection on Grindr, a social networking app for the LGBTQ+ community, more..

Jun 1 (CT) When the political authority of a State reaches a monopoly, almost every aspect of the said State’s socioeconomic structure is expected to be heavily politicised – even the most unbiased institutions such as the Judiciary. Although the fingers aren’t pointed directly towards the Judiciary for being politically influenced – or in other words, corrupt – because being found guilty of contempt of Court is a rather hefty price to pay. The common conception at grassroots levels about more..

Jul 1 (TM) The tragic deaths of five SL fishermen who succumbed to illness after consuming an unknown liquid found in a bottle floating in the sea have sent shockwaves through the country – especially the fisheries community. Many have questioned what the authorities are going to do about the surviving fisherman and the families of the deceased. What is more, the social media discourse about the incident questions as to whether any steps would be taken with regard to the group with more..

Jul 1 (DM) Ranil Wickremesinghe was appointed PM on 12 May, 2022 by the then president Gotabaya Rajapaksa. Sri Lanka was in the grip of a debilitating economic crisis then. The Aragalaya (struggle) protest movement was raging. The new premier addressed the nation through a special statement on 16 May, 2022. In that Wickremesinghe referred to Bertolt Brecht’s play The Caucasian Chalk Circle. This is what he said then – “I am undertaking a dangerous challenge. more..

Jun 1 (Island) The law finally caught up with former MP Hirunika Premachandra on Friday. Having been found guilty of the abduction, wrongful detention and assault of a youth in December 2015, and sentenced to three-year RI, she is languishing behind bars. She is expected to appeal against her conviction. As a lawyer, Hirunika should have known better than to take the law into her own hands. What possessed her to commit the crime that has landed her in prison? more..

Jun 1 (SO) Resignations by Consultant Mahela Jayawardena and team coach Chris Silverwood have further exposed the rot taking place at Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) whose tainted officials are well entrenched with political cover after a second successive disaster by way of results at two World Cups within the span of seven months. Jayawardena and Silverwood had very little to justify their continued presence with the SL team but more..

Jun 1 (SO) Nearly four months after the tragedy at the Foxhill races that claimed the lives of eight spectators, the brakes have been applied on the parent body governing motor sports known as SL Automobile Sports (SLAS) that no competitors or any of their relations will be allowed to hold any post in the many clubs and associations involved in the sport. The order to clean up the rot taking place in motor sports associations, has been issued by the Sports Ministry’s Director General of Sports more..

Jun 1 (Island) If I had made this statement a few years ago, I would have been labeled insane. The ground reality at that time would have clearly supported that view. But much has changed since then. The basic resources available are natural renewable resources such as sunshine, wind, water. Of particular interest are the solar energy technologies, which have now made it possible for electricity consumers to become Prosumers. The electricity tariff reduction has come as some more..

Jul 1 (FT) Women mean Business: A Coalition for Action was launched recently to address multiple issues faced by micro, small and medium women entrepreneurs and usher greater inclusive growth in Sri Lanka. The coalition comprising entrepreneur networks, manufacturing organisations, business development service providers, trade unions, relevant ministries, Central Bank of SL, financial institutions (Banks and Non-Banks), CSOs/NGOs, development partners, research & academia, more..

Jul 1 (FT) In its forthcoming July edition, LMD reports that business confidence has spiked for a fourth consecutive month and breached the 100 mark, to a 12-month high. LMD adds: “LMD-PepperCube Business Confidence Index (BCI) has shown steady but tepid growth, reaching the 101 point threshold in May (vs. 96 in April).” “This marks the barometer’s return to above 100 after a year, following its post-aragalaya peak of 108 in April 2023 when ironically, IMF’s EFF was approved. more..

Jul 1 (FT) SL’s external sector saw improvement in May as per the latest data released by CBSL. CBSL said in May 2024, external sector was supported by a narrowed trade deficit, higher inflows to the services account and higher workers’ remittances. Merchandise trade deficit on Y-o-Y basis narrowed in May 2024, although widened during Jan-May 2024. Services sector inflows (excluding tourist earnings) amounted to more..

Jul 1 (FT) The Sustainability in Packaging Asia 2024 conference was held in Singapore from 4 to 6 June. The high-profile conference showcased the latest sustainable packaging solutions from leading suppliers and other professionals in the industry while enabling packaging professionals to avail of an unparalleled mix of actionable insights, collaborative case studies, leading panel discussions, latest trends and emerging developments in the sustainable packaging marketplace. more..

Jul 1 (DM) MAS Holdings has received Cabinet approval to establish the MAS Athlete Training Academy, the nation’s first and largest Public-Private Partnership (PPP) aimed at fostering next-generation Olympians. Officially launching on July 8, the academy represents an investment of over Rs. 550 million spread across eight years, aimed at nurturing and supporting young athletes to represent SL at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics and the 2032 Brisbane Olympics. more..

Jul 1 (ST) Plea bargaining or plea arrangement provisions are to be introduced to the Criminal Procedure Code (CPC) with the aim of resolving criminal cases expeditiously, Justice Ministry has announced. Cabinet approval was given earlier this month to present the amendments in Parliament. The Justice Ministry said plea agreements would help minimise the backlogs of cases by reducing delays in court proceedings and more..

Jul 1 (ST) Justice Ministry has submitted to the Education Ministry an expert committee report on proposals to improve the protection of children. The decision comes despite Cabinet approval given in April to draft laws and gazette them by June. A senior official said they had decided to submit the proposals to seek the views of the Education Ministry, as most of them deal with schoolchildren & teachers. Among the proposals is a move to ban corporal punishment for children. more..

Jul 1 (Island) Asian Games medallist Tharushi Karunaratne and thrower Dilhani Lekamge improved their Road to Paris 24 Olympic ranking scores at the National Stage II competition at Diyagama on Sunday.Karunaratne improved her ranking score to nearly 1222 points with a 1:26.99 seconds finish in the 600 metres. With that she is set to overtake Lorena Martin who is currently ranked 42 in the women’s 800 metres. The former Ratnayake Central athlete needs to be among top 45 athletes more..

Jul 1 (Island) The SLFP-New Alliance combine on Saturday (29) said that regardless of boastful claims made by various political parties it would be the deciding factor at the forthcoming presidential election.It held a meeting at Wellawaya over the weekend. Minister Mahinda Amaraweera said so addressing the Wellawaya rally, the first meeting since Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva and Duminda Dissanayake received confirmation as Chairman and General Secretary of SLFP, respectively. more..

Jul 1 (FT) Reaching an important milestone of promoting the destination across the globe, Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau, in collaboration with Airport Aviation Services and SriLankan Airlines, welcomed the one millionth tourist arrival to Sri Lanka on Saturday. The lucky couple to complete this much anticipated visit of the year was Paul and Patricia Roe from Ireland who travelled to Sri Lanka via UL 504 from London. Being solo travelers, this is considered as their first visit to SL. more..

Jul 1 (DN) Lanka Premier League (LPL) returns for its fifth edition, commencing today at Pallekele International Cricket Stadium. Defending champions Kandy Falcons will meet Dambulla Sixes at 7:30 pm. The tournament will consist of 24 matches, including two qualifiers, one eliminator, and a final. The first stage of the tournament will be held at Pallekele from today until July 3, then it will move to Dambulla from July 6 to July 10, more..

Jul 1 (AD) President Ranil Wickremesinghe stressed that, at present unity and prioritizing the nation, over individual interests or party affiliations are crucial for moving forward together. He stated this addressing the first rally in the Victory through Unity (Ekwa Jayagamu) series, organized by Minister of Power and Energy Kanchana Wijesekara and titled Victory through Unity – Matara District (Ekwa Jayagamu – Api Matara) at Matara Fort Ground today (30). Prez highlighted his administration’s more..

Jul 1 (DM) The driver of a Colombo to Kandy train, who was reportedly intoxicated and agitated, abruptly stopped the train at Suduhumpola near the Kandy city and fled the scene. Passengers pursued and apprehended the driver, who was then handed over to the Railway Security Dept. A senior officer of the Railway Security Dept confirmed that the incident was reported to General Manager of Railways by the passengers. Rail Transport Superintendent of Nawalapitiya was also more..

Jul 1 (AD) The Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC) has announced the revision of fuel prices with effect from midnight today (30). Accordingly, the price of Petrol 92 Octane has been reduced by Rs. 11 to Rs. 344 per liter while Petrol 95 Octane has been reduced by Rs. 41 to Rs. 379 per liter. The price of Super Diesel has also been slashed by Rs. 22 with the new price at Rs. 355 per liter. However, the prices of Auto Diesel and Kerosene remains unchanged, the Ceypetco said. more..

Jul 1 (DM) In heated rugby match between Science College and S. Thomas' College, a controversial call led to post-match mayhem. Towards the end of play, a Science player appeared to have scored a try, but the main referee, uncertain of the play, sought the line referee's opinion, and ruled it out. Following the final whistle which saw Science College handed a 30-26 defeat, tensions boiled over as several Science spectators stormed the field to confront the referees about the disallowed try. more..

Jul 1 (AD) Former TNA leader and former Opposition Leader MP R. Sampanthan has passed away at the age of 91. He has reportedly passed away while receiving treatment at a private hospital in Colombo. A veteran Tamil politician and prominent figure in country’s main Tamil alliance - ITAK, his political career spanned six decades, with his first stint in the parliament starting in 1977. more..

Jul 1 (DN) Govt has decided to pay a special monthly allowance of Rs. 25,000 to the officers of the Executive Service category of the govt service, effective from today. It had been decided in the Cabinet of Ministers meeting on June 24 to pay a special monthly allowance of Rs. 25,000 to the above grade officers, irrespective of the length of service, instead of the special allowance which was paid on the basis of service so far. Accordingly, this allowance will also be paid to the officers of more..

Jul 1 (CT) In a tragic turn of events, five fishermen who consumed an unknown liquid from bottles they discovered floating at sea on Saturday (29) have died. The fishermen had believed the bottles contained foreign liquor. Susantha Kahawatta, Director General of the Dept of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources, said the six-member crew of the fishing boat Devon 5, departing from Tangalle Fisheries Harbour, met their fate when they found several bottles containing an unknown liquid. more..

Jul 1 (TM) Teachers’ and Principals’ trade unions (TUs) have warned that they will continue their protest actions, including strikes, to demand the Govt to address the teacher-principal salary anomaly issue. President of the Ceylon Teachers’ Union (CTU) Priyantha Fernando, said that they would return to schools today (1) after a two-day strike on 27 and 28 June. However, he mentioned that they would organise protests in front of more..

Jul 1 (DM) The debate on the agreement which SL has singed with creditor nations on the debt restructuring process which was to begin tomorrow in Parliament has been postponed. Parliament Communications Unit said party leaders decided not to take up the debate on the debt restructure process when they met today. However Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe is expected to make a special statement in the House. Also it has been decided not hold sessions on Wednesday as a mark of more..

Jul 1 (FT) The anticipated victory of the Labour Party in the forthcoming general election in the UK presents a pivotal opportunity for political activists campaigning for a fairer and more sustainable Sri Lanka. This potential shift in power offers a chance to press for significant changes in the global economic order. For Sri Lanka to overcome its external debt crisis and economic difficulties, Labour’s commitment to strengthening and reforming multilateral institutions, more..

Jul 1 (FT) Twelve years ago, ex-Foreign Secretary, H.M.G.S. Palihakkara, chairing the late H.L. de Silva memorial events in Colombo opined that what was prevailing in Sri Lanka was not the cherished Rule of Law but a system that could be branded as the Rule of Men in power. I analysed his bold contention and interested readers can access it. What Palihakkara said was that the diminishing respect for the rule of law diminishes all of us as aspiring to create and live in a just society. more..