Apr 3 (Island) SL Under-19 cricketer Navod Paranavithana was scheduled to skipper Mahinda College in the season�s climax, the Lovers� Quarrel Big Match against arch rivals Richmond on Friday (3). It�s every school cricketer�s dream to captain the College team at the Big Match. Now with the entire world grappling to come to terms with a pandemic, which the head of the United Nations has called the humanity's worst crisis since World War II, the Big Match in Galle has suddenly turn out to more..

Apr 3 (Island) During the early hours of Monday (30), four migrant domestic workers, including a Sri Lankan, died in a house fire in Al Khor City, Qatar. The other three women were Filipinas. The victims shared a bedroom on the third floor of a large house, along with two other domestic workers. A suspected electrical fire broke out on a lower floor and, while the two others managed to escape, the other four became too frightened to leave, according to people familiar with the incident. more..

Apr 3 (SLN) SL Navy commenced to put up a location for examining blood and saliva of suspected persons to coronavirus affection and installing a CCTV system at the ward for the suspected pregnant mothers to coronavirus affection, in Nevil Fernando hospital, today (2). Considering the prevailing situation caused by the coronavirus in the country, required facilities to examine the blood and saliva of suspected persons to coronavirus more..

Apr 3 (FT) Ministry of Health yesterday issued guidelines to the media on reporting on the novel coronavirus COVID-19, warning that stigmatising people with the illness could make them hide their condition. While thanking media organisations for the assistance given in communicating messages from the health authorities on COVID-19 to the public, Ministry said adherence to the guidelines when reporting would further strengthen the COVID-19 preventive program. more..

Apr 3 (SLN) The first group of foreigners, that underwent quarantine at the centre established by the Navy, at Boosa, left the facility on Wednesday after successfully completing the process. Under the directives of the Commander of Navy, Vice Admiral Piyal De Silva, and as part of their bid to assist the govt�s coordinated mechanism to control the spread of the coronavirus, in the country, the Navy�s four storeyed building, at the Boosa Naval Base, was transformed into a quarantine centre. more..

Apr 3 (FT) Govt will immediately commence a program to give a grant of Rs. 5,000 to around four million Sri Lankans who make up the vulnerable sections of the population, including senior citizens, people with disabilities, kidney patients, and Samurdhi recipients. Cabinet approval was given for the proposal by Prez on Wednesday. The proposal is aimed at helping those in low income groups who are the worst affected more..

Apr 3 (AD) The police have opened fire at a speeding car which had failed to heed orders to stop at the roadblock near the new bridge in Egoda Uyana, Panadura. The police officers at the previous roadblock had signalled the car heading towards Panadura to stop, however, it had sped up disregarding the orders. They had informed the fellow police officers stationed at the new bridge of the car in question, As the car failed to heed the orders again, police officers have opened fire more..

Apr 3 (DN) Current global situation poses a significant risk to SL economy with the inability to raise funds in the international market amidst the current volatility and the lack of interest in emerging and frontier market bonds, says First Capital in their report. �Thereby, SL may have to focus on bilateral loans, similar to the recent Chinese loan. In addition with the budget deficit estimated to touch 9-10% in 2020, rupee borrowing requirement is likely to significantly increase towards 3Q-4Q, 2020.� more..

Apr 3 (EN) Sri Lanka is aiming to keep Coronavirus infections below 500 in April with restrictions on the movement of people and brining in wider testing of high risk groups and the wider population. �What we are trying to do is take steps to keep infections below 500 in April,� Anil Jasinghe, head of Health Service said. Statistical projections had indicated a 130 patients by Apr 4, but the number had already been exceeded, more..

Apr 3 (FT) I�ve been consulting for leaders around the world for just under 30 years, and for 10 rewarding yet challenging years in Sri Lanka from 1993 to 2003, and intermittently since then. The current hysteria industry which has had us in Lanka panic-stricken into a virtually unique (among 195 countries), multi-week, 24-hours-a-day curfew in key economic epicentres is without parallel from what I know of SL�s recent history. This indeed was clearly affirmed as such in the Prez�s own statement more..

Apr 3 (FT) Working from home has always made more sense since the rise of technology made it more than possible but still companies continue to have employees commute for hours to and from office for work which could have been done from home. Only a small spark is needed to light a great fire. A virus called COVID-19 originating from China was the spark that has started the remote working revolution. With a study in the UK saying social distancing may need to last for up to 18 mo more..

Apr 3 (AI) Sri Lanka�s authorities must respect the right of religious minorities to carry out the final rites of their relatives in accordance with their own traditions unless they can show that restrictions are needed to prevent the spread of COVID-19, Amnesty International said today. Two of the early COVID-19-related deaths in Sri Lanka have been those of Muslims who were forcibly cremated on the instructions of the authorities and more..

Apr 3 (DM) Election Commission has requested for making a reference to the Supreme Court on the next election date. The Commission has requested Secretary to the President Dr. P.B. Jayasundara in this regard. Prez Rajapaksa is constitutionally authorized to make such references to the Supreme Court. The Election has been postponed at the moment. There is legal ambiguity in terms of the Parliamentary Elections Act and the Constitution regarding the declaration of the next date more..

Apr 3 (AD) The four individuals arrested earlier today, after police opened fire at a speeding car that had disregarded the signal to stop, have been remanded until April 08, Police Media said. The police opened fire at a speeding car which had failed to heed orders to stop at the roadblock near the new bridge in Egoda Uyana, Panadura this morning. Police officers at the previous roadblock had signalled the car heading towards Panadura to stop, however, it had sped up disregarding orders. more..

Apr 3 (MFA) Ministry of Foreign Relations, sensitive to the concerns of the OSLs amidst the rapid spread of the COVID-19 and the inability to return to Sri Lanka, has held consultations over the past 2 days with its Heads of Missions based in 67 cities across the world, to facilitate the wellbeing and safety of Overseas Sri Lankans, while preparing for any exigencies they could have to meet in the coming days. more..

Apr 3 (AD) Google has outlined data gathered from smartphones offering insights into the changes in public movement in response to work-from-home, shelter in place and other policies aimed at flattening the curve of COVID-19 outbreak. The tech giant said the COVID-19 Community Mobility Reports, covering 131 counties and regions including Sri Lanka, were prepared to help understand the responses to social distance guidance related to the pandemic. more..

Apr 3 (NR) The TRC has informed service providers to refrain from suspending services as payments cannot be made owing to the curfew imposed in the country. The TRC has accordingly informed all services providers of mobile connections and landline connections to refrain from suspending services due to non-payment. The TRC requested that the concessionary period be extended till the end of April. The TRC said prepaid accounts should be introduced a daily emergency loan limit for more..

Apr 3 (EN) Sri Lanka�s 151 confirmed Coronavirus cases have been linked to patients directly or indirectly linked to patients found in 19 locations, police said urging anyone who showed symptoms to come forward early and reveal where they had been and who they had met. Sri Lanka�s intelligence service and public health inspectors have been tracing contacts and the military had been quarantining or self-quarantining them. more..

Apr 3 (Island) SLPP National List nominee Mohammed Muzammil said whatever the religious dictates and sentiments, SL Muslim community should adhere to specific instructions issued by the govt as regards the cremation of Covid-19 victims. Muzammil emphasized that as the country battles to overcome the unprecedented threat, posed by Covid-19, the Muslim community had no option but to follow govt guidelines, the former UPFA MP said in response to a query by The Island. more..

Apr 3 (DM) International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) delegation in Sri Lanka has stepped in to support the national authorities in their efforts to protect the public and the detainee population against the spread of COVID-19, ICRC said. In coordination with the Ministry of Health, the ICRC has proposed a response plan that includes recommendations shared with the Ministry of Justice, Department of Prisons and the IGP and other relevant authorities. more..

Apr 3 (AD) International Development Association (IDA) and the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) of the World Bank Group agreed to provide financing assistance amounting to United States Dollars (USD) 128.6 million to the Sri Lankan effort to battle against Covid 19 outbreak. These funds will be mobilized through the Govt Budget during the period from 2020 to 2023, more..

Apr 3 (DM) 33 Sri Lankans, 4 Americans, 9 British and 6 Chinese nationals were among the 960 foreign Tablighi Jamaat activists who were blacklisted and their tourist visas cancelled by the Indian Union Home Ministry, officials said on Friday. The foreign Jamaat members, who are currently in different parts of the country, some of whom have tested positive for COVID-19, also include 379 Indonesians, 110 Bangladeshi, 63 Myanmarese and 33 Sri Lankan citizens. more..

Apr 3 (AD) SL�s former Ambassador to Russia Udayanga Weeratunga has been granted bail by the Fort Magistrate�s Court. Weeratunga had been remanded by the Fort Magistrate after being arrested at the BIA by officers of CID on Feb 14, 2020. The former ambassador was wanted for the alleged embezzlement of public funds to the tune of 7.833 million US dollars with regard to procurement of MiG aircraft and money laundering. However, he had been evading the arrest warrant issued more..

Apr 3 (NR) The govt says businessmen need not create any unnecessary fears over the decision announced yesterday to temporarily suspend and restrict imports of nonessential goods. Minister Bandula Gunawardana said the govt�s decision yesterday has been misinterpreted, adding that as a result a congestion was reported at the Pettah market today. He said the importation of food items, medicine, fuel, raw material for factories, more..

Apr 3 (EN) SL has cut its policy corridor by 25 basis points taking the rate at which liquidity is injected to 7% and the rate at which excess liquidity is taken out to 6% percent as the rupee fell to new historic low. �This decision will complement the measures taken thus far to ease market conditions, and enable the domestic financial market to provide further relief to businesses and individuals affected by the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic and restrictions placed to contain its spread within country� more..

Apr 3 (AD) Police said that 289 individuals have been arrested for violating the curfew within six hours ending at 12 noon today (03). A total of 70 vehicles have also been taken into custody during this time period. Police Media Unit said that the total arrests made so far for curfew violations stands at 11,019 and that 2,727 vehicles have also been taken into custody. Police had previously warned of strict legal action against people caught violating the countrywide curfew. more..

Apr 3 (AD) The four youths, who were arrested after police opened fire at a speeding car that had disregarded the signal to stop, have been remanded until April 8. Police had opened fire at a speeding car which had failed to heed orders to stop at the checkpoint near the new bridge in Egoda Uyana, Panadura at around 10.20 pm last night. Police officers at the previous checkpoint had signalled the car heading towards Panadura more..

Apr 3 (AD) A new low-cost easily scalable medical ventilator is designed and developed by Vega Innovations, a subsidiary of CodeGen Group. This is now been tested in SL under the supervision of Dr Chandana Karunarathna, Consultant in Anesthesiology, Intensive Care and Pain Medicine at Ministry of Health. As the Coronavirus infected patient count rises daily, engineering teams from around the globe are called to action to build emergency medical ventilators to treat more..

Apr 3 (EN) The govt is warning the media and those posting on social media that creating a negative opinion about those infected with the COVID 19 virus is driving those who should be tested underground and hampering the fight against the virus. In a statement sent out by the Ministry of Health and signed by the Director-General of Health Services Dr. Anil Jasinghe, the Ministry laid out guidelines for the media. Primarily Jasinghe asked the media not to create prejudice against more..

Apr 3 (AD) DIG Ajith Rohana has appealed to the people to remember the individuals they come into contact with when they are at a public place. He stated this in a special statement on the spread of COVID-19 in the country. �If you proceed to a certain public place, especially in the Western Province, Puttalam, Kandy & Jaffna districts, please be aware of those who you come across.� DIG Rohana also requested the public not to more..

Apr 4 (CT) The COVID-19 pandemic has derailed Prez Gotabaya Rajapaksa�s carefully crafted plan to hold the parliamentary elections on April 25 to win two-thirds majority in parliament elections to repeal 19th Amendment (19A) to the Constitution which curbed presidential powers. In the face of the pandemic threat, Election Commission (EC) was left with no other option but to indefinitely postpone the election, though it took the decision only on March 19 after deadline for filing nominations ended. more..

Apr 4 (CT) As it was amply demonstrated the effervescent Chathura de Alwis was caught plumb and there was no need whatsoever for the usual spontaneous and stentorian appeal as is the case in a game of cricket. Chathura thought he was stage-managing, engineering, and orchestrating something big for his infamous employer. His great idea being pitting one community with another, the hallmark signature of Ada Derana and another news station. He even wanted the egregious piece taken more..

Apr 4 (TM) While most Lankans are inside their homes as the coronavirus pandemic shadows the country, there has been a rising concern for the unseen victims of nationally imposed curfews � persons in abusive homes. For those in abusive relationships, this is a worst-case scenario. Their risk is palpable as they are home with the abuser who has increased access to them, while they have decreased access to help. more..

Apr 4 (DM) Going by some of the malicious comments posted by a section of society on social media over the spread of COVID-19, they seem to believe rashness is a legacy of a particular community. If one compiles a list of causes of the rapid worldwide spread of the pandemic, recklessness on part of the people in every country might be the first among them. No country or community could be cited as an exception. The famous Atapattama programme on ITN more..

Apr 4 (DM) Psychologists and social analysts say the world will not be the same again in the aftermath of the Covid-19 pandemic which by noon yesterday had afflicted more than 1,017,000 people with the death toll being more than 53,200 and with the positive factor being that more than 213,200 people have recovered. Virtually, the whole world is involved in this apocalyptic war against an invisible enemy and most analysts believe the next few weeks will be crucial. more..

Apr 4 (ST) The world is in the grip of a pandemic caused by a new virus. It began when a large number of cases of unexplained pneumonia (lung infection) were detected in Wuhan, in China�s Hubei province. China first reported it to the WHO, on Dec 31, 2019. The new virus belonged to the Coronavirus (CoV) family. This virus proved to be very contagious and quickly spread to other countries. By the end of Jan 2020, more..

Apr 4 (DN) After two decades of steadily diminishing casualty numbers, people being killed or injured by explosive hazards has leapt to a reported high of 8600 per year. As the world marked the Int'l Mine Awareness Day on Wednesday, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres urged govts to provide political and financial support to keep up the vital work of mine action wherever it is needed. In June 2014, over 1,000 state and non-governmental representatives of int'l community gathered more..

Apr 4 (DN) COVID-19 is a new illness that can affect the lungs of person which has now spread in 205 countries in different intensities. The number of total cases vary from 215,300 in USA to one in Papua New Guinea. Sri Lanka ranks at 105. COVID19 is caused by a virus known as coronavirus. There is still no vaccine or cure for it. In this article a few analyses are carried out on COVID19 data in Sri Lanka which can be used for some policy decisions. Based on the data on 01 April, more..

Apr 4 (Island) Over centuries over the life of our beloved Mother Earth, there have been all kinds of upheavals, natural disasters, man-made catastrophes as well as pandemics. All these have taken a terrible toll on the inhabitants of planet earth. Amongst them, pandemics are especially formidable, as far as human suffering and deaths are concerned. These contagions have wiped out thousands, hundreds of thousands and even millions of people, from time to time. more..