The Olympic games gets underway.

The 2016 Olympic Games officially got underway in Rio with the opening ceremony at the Maracana Stadium.
Athletes from 206 nations and a refugee team are in Brazil to compete in 28 sports and be watched by a global audience of billions.

The government of Japan provides 12 waste collection trucks to Colombo Municipal Council.

The government of Japan provides 12 waste collection trucks to Colombo Municipal Council. Ambassador of Japan Kenechi Suganuma handed over these vehicles to the Colombo Municipal Council at a ceremony held at the Council premises in the presence of Chief Minister Isura Devapriya. These vehicles were helped to enhance the cleanliness and hygienic environment of the city of Colombo and suburbs. This contribution is viewed as momentous in the upgrading of Solid Waste Management Units in Colombo.

Cyprus government is to setup an inter ministerial committee to look into the possibilities of salary increases for Sri Lankan workers.

Cyprus government is to setup an inter-ministerial committee to look into the possibilities of salary increases for Sri Lankan workers working at present in Cypress. This decision has been taken following a request made by Minister Thalatha Athukorala from the Minister of Labour and Social Welfare Mrs. Sheta Emilianidou.

Read more...

Stranded Syrian refugees get first aid in weeks

The UN says it has for the first time in weeks delivered aid to thousands of Syrian refugees stranded on the border with Jordan. A group of relief agencies said they had completed delivery of a month's worth of food and hygiene supplies. More than 75,000 people had been without aid since June when Jordan sealed the border after a deadly attack there by so-called Islamic State. Conditions in the Rukban and Hadalat camps are said to be desperate. (BBC)

Rangana Herath became the oldest bowler to take a Test hat-trick.

Rangana Herath became the oldest bowler to take a Test hat-trick as Australia were dismissed for 106 in the second Test in Galle. The left-arm spinner, who is 38 years and 139 days old, is the second Sri Lankan to take a Test hat-trick. Adam Voges, Peter Nevill and Mitchell Starc - after a third-umpire review - fell to Herath in the 25th over. Herath finished with figures of 4-35 as Australia were bowled out for their lowest Test score against Sri Lanka.

Read more...

The foreign aid received by the country is being successfully utilized in development activities.

The Ministry of Finance says the foreign aid received by the country is being successfully utilized for the development work of the country.  Foreign aid worth 312 million US dollars were used for the development activities during the first four months of this year.

Read more...

Authority to take disciplinary action in the SLFP has been vested upon the General Secretary of the party.

State Minister Lakshman Yapa Abeywardena says the authority to take disciplinary action in the SLFP has been vested upon the general secretary of the party through the central committee meeting. 

Read more...

The Health ministry says new 2,500 oral cancer patients have been identified annually.

The Ministry of Health says according to a new cancer data research 2,500 cancer patients are being identified annually.  Accordingly six new oral cancer patients per day are being recognized.  It has been revealed that 1,888 male and 534 female cancer patients are among the those detected .

Read more...

A national electricity plan has been prepared.

A national electricity plan has been prepared. A national electricity plan has been prepared.  Parliamentarian Ashu Marasinghe says obtaining proposals and public views in this regard have commenced.

Read more...

A hat-trick by Rangana Herath at the test match against Australia.

A hat-trick by Rangana Herath at the test match against Australia. Sri Lanka cricket team scored 31 runs for three wickets for the second innings of the second test match against Australia when the match halted for lunch in Galle.

Read more...

Central Bank releases summary trading statistics on Government Securities

As a further policy measure to develop the government securities market, the Central Bank from
today has commenced releasing summary trading statistics on actual trading of government
securities in the secondary market. From August 1, 2016, all primary dealers have been required to
undertake inter-primary dealer trades in the trading platform arranged by the Central Bank through
the Bloomberg which is a major international financial trading and information electronic platform.
Further, all primary dealers will report all outright sales of government securities of value in excess
of Rs. 50 mn to investors to this platform within 30 minutes of each transaction.

Read more...

Nepal new Prime Minister issues a four-point directive to concerned ministries

The Newly appointed Nepal Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal has issued a four-point directive to concerned ministries and government bodies.

Read more...

Olympic Games gets underway tonight in Rio, Brazil.

The Olympic Games gets underway tonight with a spectacular opening ceremony at the Olympic Stadium in Rio, Brazil. About 11,000 sportsmen and women from 206 countries will take part in this festival. The opening ceremony will be held at the Maracana stadium in Rio de Janeiro. Nine sportsmen and women from Sri Lanka will take part in this ceremony.

Carrying Sri Lanka’s lion flag at the opening ceremony will be veteran marathon runner Anuradha Indrajith Cooray. The long distance runner will be competing in his third Olympic Games, having done so in Athens 2004 and London 2012 Games.

Egypt 'kills head of Islamic State's Sinai branch'.

The Egyptian military says it has killed the head of the Sinai branch of so-called Islamic State, along with dozens of its fighters. It said Abu Duaa al-Ansari was killed in a series of air strikes on fighters of the Sinai Province - or Ansar Beit al-Maqdis - group. The air strikes targeted jihadist strongholds near the town of El-Arish. Sinai Province is Egypt's most active insurgent group and has been linked to deadly attacks in Sinai and Cairo.

Indian parliament backs key tax bill

India's parliament has passed the much-awaited Goods and Services Tax  bill.  The tax reform has been labelled a landmark and India's biggest tax reform since independence.

The changes aim to streamline India's fragmented tax system with a single levy. Indian businesses have been lobbying for the single tax rate as it would reduce costs, particularly for shipping goods across state borders.

The Olympic torch arrives in Rio de Janeiro

The Olympic torch has arrived in Rio de Janeiro by boat after a three-month tour of Brazilian cities.
The mayor of Rio, Eduardo Paes, carried the torch on its first few laps through the city centre.

The torch arrived in Rio by boat accompanied by Brazilian Olympic gold medallist yachtsmen, Lars Grael (L)
In order to prevent traffic chaos during the Olympic torch relay, Rio's Mayor Eduardo Paes announced Thursday will be a holiday.

One dead and several injured in London kniife attack.

A woman has died and five others were injured in a knife attack in Russell Square, central London. Police and ambulance crews were called around 10.30 pm yesterday local time, to reports of a man in possession of a knife and injuring people. Up to six injured people were found at the scene; one woman was pronounced dead a short time later. The man was arrested after a taser was discharged by one of the arresting officers. The Metropolitan Police say Terrorism is one possible motive being explored. (BBC)

Australia awaits another trial by spin in the 2nd test against SL.

The 2nd Test between Sri Lanka and Australia will begin at Galle today. Australia enters the match 1-nil down in the three-match series and a losing campaign would likely result in them slipping from number one on the rankings. They could even fall as far as third. Meanwhile, Sri Lanka will be keen to continue its winning streak with its new heroes

Read more...

Sri Lanka holds an international conference on Asian Food Production.

Sri Lanka holds an international conference on food production in the next decade in Asia.

Around 60 delegates of 12 countries attend the conference. The gathering, which commenced yesterday at Negambo, continues until Friday.

Additional secretary of the ministry of agriculture Dr. Suba Heenkenda told that Sri Lanka has been chosen to host the conference for its popularity in growing vegetables, fruits and paddy.

Read more...

A national policy to control alcohol.

The national policy on alcohol control will be unveiled tomorrow. It will be officially declared at the 2016 national alcohol conference scheduled to commence in Colombo tomorrow. The national policy includes measures to prevent all forms of activities that promote liquor production and to safeguard all people from alcohol at the residences and places of work.

Read more...