Dec 16 (Island) The govt would join hands with the private sector to launch a reforestation programme tomorrow covering about 250 acres in the upper catchment area of the Castlereigh Reservoir. Bogawantalawa Plantations yesterday joined the Ministry of Environment in conserving the 250 acres of watershed areas feeding five waterfalls in the central hills by signing an agreement for the purpose. Environment Minister Mahinda Amaraweera said that Bogawantalawa more..

Dec 16 (Island) The govt, MG Sugar and Singapore based SLI are about to finalize an agreement on the discarded Kantale sugar factory land. The nominated representative of MG Sugar Anura Fernando said that the USD 300 mn Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) would be a big boost against the backdrop of the economic slowdown caused by the rampaging coronavirus. Having entered into an agreement with the BoI recently, MG Sugar and SLI were expecting to conclude the contract more..

Dec 16 (DM) The journey to becoming a graduate is certainly not easy in a country like Sri Lanka. If you pass the GCE A/L exam with a high Z-score, you can pursue a degree at a State University. But there are also occasions where even a high Z-score cannot guarantee admission to the programme of your choice due to the limited number of scholarships available. The secondary and often less desired option is to pursue a degree more..

Dec 16 (CT) France�s Ambassador to SL, Eric Lavertu, visited the Mundeni Aru River Basin on 3 Dec, to view an irrigation project site, for which the French Development Agency (AFD) plans to mobilise a � 150 million loan to the Govt of SL (GoSL) as well as a � 12 million grant from the European Union for which GoSL approval is pending, the Embassy said on 14 December. The project aims to improve sustainably in the livelihoods of the population of Mundeni Aru River Basin more..

Dec 16 (AD) Wattala Magistrate�s Court today ordered to cremate the bodies of four inmates who died during the recent prison riot. The post-mortem reports of the four deceased inmates were submitted to the Wattala Magistrate�s Court by the experts� committee appointed in this regard. A total of 11 inmates were killed in the prison riot which broke out on the 29th of Nov and 8 of them were posthumously tested positive for Covid-19. As per the post-mortem reports, gunshot wounds more..

Dec 16 (DN) Colombo Archbishop Malcolm Cardinal Ranjith has invited Catholics to look for the Child of Bethlehem among those afflicted by the COVID-19 in the country. Issuing his Pastoral letter instructing Catholics on how they should celebrate Christmas this year under the trying conditions of the devastating Coronavirus pandemic, the Cardinal said: �We cannot celebrate Christmas with joy when lots of our fellow more..

Dec 16 (CT) The Ministry of Sports should reconsider the decision on legalising spear fishing to save marine species, as the legalisation of spear fishing can cause harm to the ocean environment, said the Co-coordinator of Pearl Protectors Sri Lanka, Muditha Katuwawala. He said according to a recent report, spear fishing is to be legalised. The hunting of endangered and endemic species will create a huge impact and some tour operators will promote this activity illegally, he added. more..

Dec 16 (FT) In an effort to standardise and maintain the quality of Ceylon Tea, the Sri Lanka Tea Board has made it mandatory for tea factories to obtain Good Manufacturing Policy (GMP) certification for next year. The GMP certification provides minimum requirements that a manufacturer must meet to assure that their products are consistently high in quality, from batch to batch, for their intended use. The rules that govern each industry may differ significantly; however, more..

Dec 16 (AD) Govt has decided to provide low-interest loans for every family in view of the upcoming festive season. Loans are expected to be provided with an interest rate of 0.625% under three categories. Thereby, people with a monthly income of Rs 50,000 or beyond will be able to obtain a loan of Rs 50,000. People who earn a monthly income between Rs 25,000 and Rs 50,000 will be provided a loan worth Rs 25,000. more..

Dec 16 (CT) The primary responsibility of the Geological Survey and Mines Bureau (GSMB) is to manage the mineral resources of lands in a proper manner and to provide them without any shortage for development projects implemented by the Govt, said Minister Mahinda Amaraweera. He was speaking at the presentation of gold awards to officers who have served the GSMB for more than 20 years. He said that the Govt has started developing 100,000 km of rural roads more..

Dec 16 (NR) Another 326 new COVID-19 cases have been detected today in the country, raising the number of confirmed infections to 34,447. All new cases have been identified as contacts of the Minuwangoda-Peliyagoda COVID-19 cluster. Accordingly, Minuwangoda-Peliyagoda COVID-19 cluster has increased to 30,785. The Ministry of Health said 8,638 persons including seven foreign nationals are currently receiving treatment for coronavirus at 63 facilities across the country. more..

Dec 16 (DE) Board of Directors of the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) has withdrawn the five-year US$ 480 million grant offered to the govt of SL in April 2019, after three years of negotiations, highly placed sources in the SL govt revealed on Wednesday. However, a formal announcement is yet to be made on the withdrawal. The grant, which was meant for a land and a transport project, became highly controversial more..

Dec 17 (CT) Two seasonal monsoons control Sri Lanka�s destiny. The Northeast from May to August and the Southwest from September to April. Today the given durations do not apply. Environmental degradation has stepped on its climatic stage with monsoons arriving and departing unannounced. Only the directions remain unchanged. The causes are blamed on ozone depletion, greenhouse effects and global warming. Monsoon changes affect the economy in numerous ways. more..

Dec 17 (DM) On Dec 1, 2020, Presidential Secretary P.B. Jayasundera wrote to Treasury Secretary S.R. Attygalle to close down the Public Utilities Commission (PUC). This, Jayasundera wrote, was necessary to create an efficient work environment to implement the power generation plan which has been lagging behind for some time. Jayasundera observed that the PUC Act could be eventually incorporated into the Consumer Affairs Authority and Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) Act. more..

Dec 17 (DM) Speaking to, Pakistani High Commissioner to SL, Maj. Gen. (Retd) Muhammad Saad Khattak spelled out the status of bilateral relations from his country�s perspective and shed light on the potential areas for further growth in trade and cooperation. Q: In what direction are Pakistan-SL relations heading at the moment? A: Since the establishment of diplomatic relations between Pakistan and Sri Lanka in 1948, more..

Dec 17 (DM) The mysterious death of Ajhan Jinawamsa Thera from the Netherlands gives us a reminder that things could go wrong even on a remote hermitage which most people think is the ideal place for mental progression. Ajhan Jinawamsa Thera came to SL eight years ago and seemed to have ended his search of true Buddhism when he landed at Polgasowita Island Monastery. He has received good reviews from his peers and teacher monks after his death, but stories that more..

Dec 17 (DM) The talk of the town these days is all about an Ayurvedic paniya or syrup, supposedly prepared by using some secret ingredients in addition to nutmegs and bees honey, being sought by desperate Sri Lankans, who appear to have lost faith in the govt�s ability to control or curb the rapidly spreading viral infection. We saw last week in the print and electronic media, pictures of hundreds of men and women rushing to the village of Hettimulla in Kegalle and gathering outside more..

Dec 17 (CT) A front page lead story, in the Mawbima newspaper, which revealed that Veddah Chief Uruwarige Wannila Eththo would take legal action against the Mahaweli Authority, roused the interest of the Govt and environment lovers. The Veddah Chief and environmental organisations have made serious allegations against the Govt claiming that the Mahaweli Authority has allocated lands from the Pollebedda, Galwalayaya forest reserve more..

Dec 17 (ST) In the early 1990s, there was an enterprising group of Sri Lankans who helped install small solar power units in the homes of farmers, paving the way for their children to study at night. The group was also involved in a solar project financially backed by a multilateral agency to help dozens of farmers to whom this low-cost, subsidized power unit sticking out of their rooftops, was an out-of-this world development. The group later sold its interests to the multinational, Shell Company. more..

Dec 17 (DN) What are crutches? Crutches are a type of walking aid that serve to increase the size of an individual�s base of support. It transfers weight from the legs to the upper body and is often used by people who cannot use their legs to support their weight (i.e. due to short-term injuries or lifelong disabilities). If you have had surgery or visited an orthopedist with an injury or complaint, your hospital or doctor will usually issue you a pair of crutches � typically underarm crutches. more..

Dec 17 (Island) Those provincial boundaries have remained almost unchanged during the past 131 years, in disregard of ecological, demographic, economic and political transformations. What prevails now is an archaic and outmoded design that catered to different needs and bureaucratic circumstances. The provincial administrative system had only nominal contact and control over many functions of govt. Those that were under the direct control of the govt such as administration more..

Dec 17 (Island) Situated amidst palm-lined golden shores and azure blue seas in Ahangama, Mosvold Villa which is the flagship property of Mosvold Boutique Hotels (MBH), was recently named Best Luxury Boutique Hotel at the 14th World Luxury Hotel Awards. This comes as a second consecutive win for the Boutique hotel, having being titled Luxury Beachfront Villa- Asia Continent in 2018. Amidst the scenic nature SL is known for, Mosvold Villa lets the guests enjoy a truly SL experiential holiday more..

Dec 17 (TM) One hundred and eleven and counting. That is how many times SL revised its local fuel prices since March 1990. Under the fuel price formula alone, which was abandoned by the present Govt, local fuel prices were revised about 19 times. The price of fuel is a sensational topic in SL which is almost always included in all prez election manifestos. It could be explained by the fact that local fuel prices affect the public more..

Dec 17 (Island) Attorney General�s Department gives the witnesses who appear before the PCoI, a really hard time by throwing them curveballs and eliciting information which they would otherwise not divulge. Now, it has been left with egg on its face; it stands accused of a serious lapse, which stood the National Thowheed Jamaath (NTJ) and its leader Zahran Hashim in good stead. The PCoI has been informed that the AG�s Department sat on a file submitted by the police on the NTJ leader, in June 2017, more..

Dec 17 (CT) In a move aimed at empowering economically challenged communities across the country, Litro Gas Lanka Ltd, recently, signed an MOU with the Department of Samurdhi Development - Prajamula Bank Division. Signing the agreement were Chairman and CEO of Litro Gas Lanka Ltd, Anil Koswatte and Director General, Department of Samurdhi Development - Prajamula Bank Division R.P.B. Thilakasiri. Senior officials of both organisations were also in attendance. more..

Dec 17 (TM) In the past decade technological innovation has taken over the traditional ride-hailing services, and has given rise to a slew of smartphone apps around the world. The SL market has been no exception, with the inclusion of international ride-hailing apps like Uber, and the introduction of local apps like PickMe; and on 24 Nov, the country welcomed a new addition to its ride-hailing sector. Bolt, a leading European more..

Dec 17 (FT) The International Chamber of Commerce SL with Daily FT will host a free webinar to discuss Investment Climate and Strategies to attract FDI into Sri Lanka on 17 Dec at 4 p.m. Opening remarks will be delivered by ICC Global CEO John Denton and the keynote address will be given by State Minister Ajith Nivard Cabraal. Other panellists include Ambassador of Bangladesh to the Netherlands Riaz Hamidullah, BoI Chairman Sanjaya Mohottala, Unilever SL Chairperson more..

Dec 17 (MoD) Defence Secretary Maj. Gen. (Retd) Kamal Gunaratne reviewed the progress of the Deegawapi Stupa restoration while convening a meeting with the Presidential Task Force (PTF) members and the stakeholder institutions at the Defence Ministry today (16). The Defence Secretary and Chairperson of Archaeological Heritage Management PTF for Eastern Province Maj. Gen. Gunaratne chaired the meeting. Stressing into a few key features of his concern at the meeting, more..

Dec 17 (CI) A strong opening stand, a cool-headed 69-run partnership between Shoaib Malik and Dhananjaya de Silva, finishing fireworks from Thisara Perera and an utterly dominant bowling effort - Jaffna Stallions were by a distance the best team in the final; a winning margin of 53 runs was an apt reflection. The only nervous passage of play for Stallions were the early middle overs, after they lost the top three for 26 runs, more..

Dec 17 (CT) Accelerating its focus on homegrown innovation, Nestl� has joined hands with four universities � Uni of Kelaniya, Uni of Sri J'pura, Uni of Colombo and Uni of Moratuwa- to launch an innovation challenge for students. Close to 200 university students were invited to submit their ideas for nutritious products that use local ingredients, and initiatives that can enhance the company�s environmental sustainability footprint. �Innovation has always been at the heart of our company. more..

Dec 17 (WB) As an early childhood education specialist and as a mother of two children, I know how difficult the COVID-19 pandemic has been for parents who are juggling work and family obligations. The lack of affordable and reliable childcare options has left many parents scrambling to find makeshift solutions and has brought the issue of childcare sharply into focus. Here in Sri Lanka, the struggle has been most serious for daily wage earners. more..

Dec 17 (DM) Massive plumes of grey smoke wafted from a fire which broke out at the Hulftsdorp Supreme Court complex in Colombo on Tuesday evening (15). The smoke which engulfed the country�s Apex Court caused public alarm with Police top brass as well as the Attorney General himself visiting the site immediately. However, the fire believed to have originated in the ground floor of the building at around 4.45 pm more..

Dec 17 (CT) Despite not having played international and domestic rugby for nearly nine months due to the pandemic, Sri Lanka Rugby (SLR) is in line to host three Asian tournaments next year following the announcement of Asia Rugby�s 2021 rugby calendar on Tuesday. SL is scheduled to host the Asian XV-a-side Division One men�s championship with the participation of UAE, Philippines and Singapore from 26 to 29 May at Race Course, Asian Sevens (men�s and women�s) third leg on 25 and 26 Sept more..

Dec 17 (Island) Southern Stars were given a rousing start to Li Ning � Lanka Shuttle Challenge 2020 by Sachin Dias and Hasini Ambalangoda as they secured two wins for their team to record 6-1 in the tie against Northern Knights captained by Olympic hopeful Niluka Karunaratne on the opening day of the tourney in Colombo. Sachin and Hasini won their men�s and women�s singles encounters respectively before combining to beat Karunaratne and Thilini Hendahewa 2-0 in the mixed doubles. more..

Dec 17 (FT) Growth rebounded to 1.5% in the 3Q after a severe contraction of 16.3% in 2Q, CSD said, releasing long-awaited data, which also revised slightly down the 1Q growth from -1.6% to -1.7%. Latest data indicates that SL�s growth contracted 5.3% for the first 3 quarters for 2020 and could end the year with further downward growth given the partial curfews imposed due to the second COVID-19 wave in Oct. more..

Dec 17 (ST) Veteran businessman Hubert Jayakody, 84, one of the pioneers of a group of Sri Lankans who made Japan their investment base and second home, passed away on December 2, his family said. His funeral was held in Japan, where he resided for most of his business life. Mr. Jayakody, whose son Rohan is married to Dulanjali � daughter of late President Ranasinghe Premadasa, founded Huejay International in 1974, which began by exporting gems and jewellery from Sri Lanka to more..

Dec 17 (DN) The SL cricket team will leave to South Africa on Dec 18 to take part in the ICC Test Cricket Championship comprising two Tests. The first of the Betway Test Series will commence on Boxing Day (26) at SuperSport Park, Centurion. The National selectors headed by Asantha de Mel opted to retain the 22-member squad that was in a residential camp in Kandy for quite some time before they were released to participate in the LPL. The squad includes seven seam bowlers & 3 spinners more..

Dec 17 (CT) Fishermen in the Northern Province, who are irked over the continuous encroachment of thousands of fishing trawlers from Tamil Nadu, India, for poaching in SL waters using illegal fishing methods, warned that very soon they would confront them physically, which could result in a bloodbath, if the Govt does not halt it with immediate effect. They accused govt of not stepping in to sort it out, due to Indo-SL geopolitics. more..

Dec 17 (NST) Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation (MDEC) has signed a new MoU with the Federation of Information Technology Industry SL (FITIS) to facilitate Malaysian companies to expand into the South Asian market as well as trade and investments in the digital sector between Malaysia and SL. Sri Lanka is an emerging market that many Malaysian companies see potential in as well as a country that is primed for them base themselves before further expanding into SA region. more..