Jul 4 (CT) Against the backdrop of the upcoming Prez Election, the Muslim community is eagerly waiting to elect a leader who treats every citizen equally, particularly minority communities, by rooting out marginalisation and discrimination. Ceylon Today spoke to Muslims in Eastern Province to learn more about Muslim political representatives. Their collective allegation was that the advent of Muslim political parties has distanced more..

Jul 4 (CT) Politics, often perceived as a complex and inaccessible domain, reveals a dichotomy between public perception and the lived reality of those engaged within it. At its surface, politics may appear as a labyrinthine pursuit of power and self-promotion. Yet, to reduce it solely to these facets is to overlook the nuanced dynamics that shape governance and public life. The common narrative portrays politics as a realm where individuals maneuver solely for personal gain or more..

Jul 4 (Island) Election Commission (EC) has issued a media statement, reminding political parties and politicians that although the LG polls have been postponed, election laws governing them are in effect. Therefore, the EC has warned that at present nobody must promote any specific candidate, political party, or independent group. It has also informed all heads of public institutions, through a circular and a gazette extraordinary, that no state property must be utilised for this purpose. more..

Jul 4 (TM) Protests based on work-related demands are not a new phenomenon to SL, and the public sector protests seeking salary hikes have become a common sight in the context of the economic crisis. Govt has employed salary hikes, promises and discussions, and also force, to deal with these protests. However, when it comes to the public sector, it appears that more protests are likely to take place in the future because more..

Jul 4 (TM) The tug of war between the Govt and the teachers and principals trade unions are hurting the education of children. The latest round of trade union action and mass sick leave by educators, shuttered nearly 10,000 schools across the island. This follows the closure of schools in the wake of Covid-19, disrupting education for nearly two years in the recent past. The current generation of school goers are likely the nation’s only group of students who have had their education process disrupted more..

Jul 4 (CT) It is common knowledge that SL had to endure immense hardship due to political instability and the consequent economic crisis during the past few years. The nation, once known for its vibrant tourism industry and promising economic growth, was plunged into turmoil as political mismanagement and corruption eroded public trust and fiscal stability. The collapse of key financial institutions, rampant inflation and the sharp decline in foreign reserves left citizens grappling with severe shortages of more..

Jul 4 (ST) Many MPs, including current Cabinet Ministers, have, during their political careers, used parliamentary privileges to set up foundations, some of them untraceable. In this 9th parliament (Sept 2020 to present) 16 such foundations with political patronage and parliamentary approval had been formed without registering with a relevant authority while one had registered. Typically, charities and foundations are created by registration under the Companies Act more..

Jul 4 (DM) World Population Day falls on July 11, and population is a vital issue in socio-economic and political affairs. Data given by the UN will help us analyse the situation. According to the UN, it took hundreds of thousands of years for the world population to grow to 1 billion–then in just another 200 years or so, it grew sevenfold. By 2011, the global population reached the 7 billion mark; it stood at almost 7.9 billion in 2021, and it’s expected to grow to around 8.5 billion by 2030, more..

Jul 4 (FT) The Joint Chambers of Commerce yesterday urged the Customs Officers to call off the ongoing work to rule, and the strike planned for 4 and 5 July. “The current work-to-rule action has caused significant delays in clearing import cargo, resulting in supply chain disruption, and delays in production and delivery,” said nine leading chambers of commerce and industry in a joint statement. more..

Jul 4 (FT) Export Development Board (EDB) yesterday entered into a strategic agreement with the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs of Switzerland (SECO) to implement the second phase of the Global Program on Textile and Clothing (GTEX2), aimed at enhancing the apparel sector. The five-year program, running from 2024 to 2027, is funded by the Swiss Govt and organised in collaboration with Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDCA) more..

Jul 4 (TM) SJB MP Rohini Kavirathna criticised the Govt for its alleged lack of support in advancing her Private Member Bill aimed at banning conversion therapy in SL which seeks to ban the practice of attempting to change an individual's sexual orientation or gender identity. MP Kavirathna expressed concern that many MPs and the general public have misinterpreted the nature of sexual orientation, stating that even the WHO has acknowledged that it is not a mental illness. more..

Jul 4 (FT) Treasury Secretary Mahinda Siriwardana yesterday set the record straight with regard to perceived increase in the country’s debt stock at the end of March 2024 as well as some undermining the agreements reached on External Debt Restructuring (EDR) with official creditors. Speaking at the Awareness Building Workshop on proposed Trade National Single Window System Project, yesterday in Colombo, Siriwardana said the Central Govt debt, which was Rs. 28,696 billion as at end 2023, more..

Jul 4 (FT) State Minister Dilum Amunugama yesterday said although Sri Lanka’s apparel and textile industry stands as a robust and ethical sector poised to meet global demands, it must navigate a complex landscape of challenges and opportunities. Speaking at the launch event of the second phase of the Global Program on Textile and Clothing (GTEX2), he outlined that strategic support and investment are essential to leverage the sector’s strengths and drive sustainable growth. more..

Jul 4 (ST) District Secretaries have been set a July 31 deadline to finish all projects under the decentralised programme, prompting them to speed up work. Govt allocated Rs 12.15 billion in the 2024 budget through District Coordination Committees to resume the decentralised budget programme, which had been on hold for three years due to the economic crisis. Progress report as a whole reveals 16,669 projects (52.02%) more..

Jul 4 (FT) For the first time in history, Sri Lanka Ports Authority (SLPA), signed a Memorandum of Cooperation (MOC) with Virginia Ports Authority (VPA) in the US, where the two sides have agreed to enter into a cooperative agreement for the mutual exchange of expertise and technical collaboration between the two ports. SLPA officials travelled to the US as part of the Port of Colombo Capacity Building Project, supported by the US Embassy in SL and implemented by The Colombo Plan. more..

Jul 4 (DN) Skipper Charith Asalanka (50) and Avishka Fernando (80) added a remarkable 134-run fourth-wicket stand as Jaffna Kings recorded a 4-wicket win over Dambulla Sixes in their LPL cricket fixture at the Pallekele yesterday. Chasing a target of 192 runs, Jaffna Kings were 36 for 3 wickets after 5.2 overs. Asalanka and Fernando built up the innings to secure a dramatic last-ball victory. Asalanka scored 50 off 36 balls with 4 fours and 4 sixes, while Fernando smashed 80 off 34 more..

Jul 4 (Island) SL Athletics has made an appeal to consider providing an Olympic berth to javelin thrower Rumesh Tharanga who has the tenth longest throw in the world this season despite not reaching qualifying standards for the Paris event. The track and field governing body has made the request from International Olympic Committee through the National Olympic Committee. “We made a request to give Rumesh Tharanga the opportunity to participate at Olympics as his best throw more..

Jul 4 (EN) Lanka Indian Oil Company began selling a 100 octane premium petrol product in the Sri Lanka market on Tuesday, Minister of Power and Energy said. The price per liter is 793 rupees. Chairman of Lanka IOC and the senior management met the minister earlier this week. “We discussed the development plans of the retail outlet network of LIOC, tank farm development, lubricant market, fuel pricing formula and the proposed oil pipeline between India and Sri Lanka,” he said on X. more..

Jul 4 (CT) Sri Lanka is poised to send its smallest Olympic team in four decades to the Paris Olympic Games 2024. Currently, only five athletes have secured their tickets. Among them are two track and field athletes: Tharushi Karunarathne and Dilhani Lekamge who secured their tickets achieving qualification through World Ranking. Additionally, Shuttler Viren Nettasinghe has also sealed Olympic qualification through World Ranking. more..

Jul 4 (FT) SL’s only digital company that operates at scale PickMe has completed an outstanding year in FY24 reflecting its maturity and propelling it into its 10th anniversary this year. Reaching a user base of an all-time high by the end of FY24, the gross transaction value facilitated by the App, reflecting economic value the PickMe platform generated for independent third-party drivers and third-party merchants increased by 118% to Rs. 39 billion. The company’s revenue increased by 100% more..

Jul 4 (DN) Skipper Niroshan Dickwella led from the front, hitting a powerful half-century, while all-rounder Isuru Udana scored 52 off 34 balls, guiding Galle Marvels to a hard-fought 7-run win over Colombo Strikers in their LPL match at Pallekele yesterday. Chasing a target of 180, Colombo Strikers were 81 for 4 in 9.3 overs. Young all-rounder Dunith Wellalage played a fighting knock of 45 off 26 balls with 5 fours and 2 sixes, but he was out on the last ball of the innings, more..

Jul 4 (Island) SLPP General Secretary Sagara Kariyawasam indicated that relations between the ruling party and Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe had deteriorated to such an extent the party would consider backing his candidature at the forthcoming Prez Poll only if he quit the UNP and obtained SLPP membership. Kariyawasam said so when the media repeatedly asked him about the SLPP’s stand at the prez election after more..

Jul 4 (Island) Ratnayake Central Walala dominated the 4×800 metres finals winning as many as three golds in the distance on Wednesday to add to the two golds they won on day one at the Schools Relay Championships at the Vincent Dias Stadium, Badulla. The athletics stronghold of Central Province won the Under 16 boys’ (8:34.4 secs), Under 18 boys’ (8:22.3) and Under 20 boys’ (8:13.5 secs) events. Their only disappointment was in the Under 16 girls’ event where more..

Jul 4 (GV) The latest estimates from IHP’s SLOTS MRP model shows little changes in voting intention amongst all adults in May 2024. SJB (remains unchanged at 34%) and NPP/JVP (-1%). Both SJB and NPP/JVP are tied with voter support of 34%, followed by SLPP with 13% (-1), UNP with 6% (unchanged) and ITAK with 4% (-1). The May estimates are provisional and are associated with a margin of error of 1-5% for the four leading parties. These estimates are for all adults and more..

Jul 4 (DM) Health officials in SL have raised alarms over a significant increase in kidney disease cases linked to the use of skin whitening creams, surpassing even cancer incidences. Dr. Indira Kahawita, a Consultant Dermatologist, emphasized the alarming trend. "There is a joint program between WHO and Ministry of Health aimed at completely eliminating the use of mercury. The goal is zero mercury usage. However, these harmful substances are being applied across entire more..

Jul 4 (DM) Sri Lanka must intensify efforts to sustain its growth while addressing the climate change challenges, ADB stressed, highlighting the need for the island nation to turn to green bonds to meet its needs. With the public sector funding insufficient for this endeavour, there is a pressing need to mobilise private financing in the capital market. “For this, the sustainable bond market can play an important role in attracting private capital for investing in climate mitigation and adaptation, more..

Jul 4 (DM) The Kompanna Veediya police are investigating the deaths of two 15-year-old students, a male and a female, from the Colombo International School (CIS), to determine whether the tragic incident was a result of suicide or a tragic accident."The police are investigating the incident. According to CCTV footage which showed their facial expressions and movements, it is still uncertain whether this was a suicide," more..

Jul 4 (CT) A former storekeeper at the Hulftsdorp Court complex was arrested by the CCD in connection with the disappearance of foreign liquor bottles valued at approximately Rs 20 million from the Court Production Room. Colombo Chief Magistrate remanded the suspect till 16 July. Minister Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe disclosed this incident recently in Parliament, stating that according to a forensic report, the door of the room was opened using appropriate key prior to theft. more..

Jul 4 (TM) The Police stated that further action will be taken with Acting Attorney General (AG), President’s Counsel Parinda Ranasinghe Junior’s instructions regarding the death of a Naval sailor during an operation to apprehend a group of Indian fishermen for fishing illegally in Sri Lankan waters. A sailor was killed on 25 June in an operation targeting Indian fishermen and their fishing vessel off Kankesanthurai in the Jaffna Peninsula. When queried by The Daily Morning about more..

Jul 4 (EN) Sri Lanka and sovereign bond holders have reached a deal to exchange US$ 14.43 billion in defaulted bonds and overdue interest for new instruments linked to future gross domestic product growth, governance and also standard fixed interest bonds. Bondholders have also agreed to an 11% haircut on US$ 1.889 billion of past due interest, compared to an earlier proposal, according to a London Stock Exchange filing. more..

Jul 4 (FT) SL Tamil political leader Rajavarothiyam Sampanthan, who died on 30 June at age 91, emerged as the most prominent Tamil face in the island nation after the decimation of the Tamil Tigers. But his later moderate voice and readiness to accept a united Sri Lanka were forever marred by the long years he paid homage to the LTTE’s nihilist politics, seriously jeopardising a long and tumultuous political career that began in the 1960s. Elected for the first time to the SL Parliament more..

Jul 4 (FT) Whatever option you pick as your choice for Prez, the process of deliberation leading to that choice must entail the initial methodological step of ruling out. I argue that the candidate we should rule out as a preliminary step is the unelected incumbent Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe. As a political scientist I shall give five fundamental reasons why. But before that, here’s a personal note. I’m in my 60s. We are governed by someone in his 70s. Most of our leaders have been in their 60s or 70s. more..

Jul 4 (EN) SL Shippers’ Council (SLSC) and the apparel sector have said the SL Customs strike, which has now been called off, would have an impact on the SME sector. “The cargo that is stuck is mainly LCL cargo [less than a container load] and that will affect the SMEs,” Secretary General of the Joint Apparel Association Forum SL (JAAFSL) Yohan Lawrence said. “The factories that get hit first are the small SME factories,” he said speaking on the impact of Customs strike on local consumers, more..

Jun 4 (CI) Skipper Luc Benkenstein's century and a disciplined bowling performance helped England Men's U19s clinch their three-match one-day series against SL with a four-run victory under the Duckworth-Lewis method in the decider at Hove. The Essex batter made 102 in England's 268 for 9 in a contest reduced to 45 overs because of rain. In gloomy conditions Gayana Weerasinghe led SL's reply with a polished 80 off 76 balls and Mahith Perera's half-century threatened to take more..

Jul 4 (EN) President Ranil Wickremesinghe has said he believes the president’s term is five years, expressing his support for holding the prez election in 2024 and disavowing a case filed in the Supreme Court seeking a verdict stating that a president’s term is six years. “It has come to my attention that Chamindra Lenawa has filed an application in the Supreme Court, arguing that Article 30(2) should not be considered more..