Dec 23 (AD) A protest was held before the Borella General Cemetery today against the cremation of COVID-19 victims under the theme of Respect Religious Rights. The protest was joined by Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa and several SJB members including Mujibur Rahman, Manusha Nanayakkara, Vadivel Suresh, and S.M. Marikkar. Speaking at the protest Sajith Premadasa stated that the government is pursuing myths instead of science and thereby violating more..

Dec 23 (MoD) Operations to curb illegal drug ring in the island would be further strengthened during next year (2021), said Defence Secretary Maj. Gen. (Retd) Kamal Gunaratne today (22). �Nabbing of many drug-dealing incidents was effective following tipped-off by the general public and the recent drop of drug availability in the country has also resulted in notable price hikes�, he also said. Responding to a question from the media he said, �All the operations led to combat underworld and illegal drug more..

Dec 23 (DM) Nuwara Eliya District Corona Prevention Committee today requested the public not to engage in pilgrimage to Sri Pada (Adam's Peak) during January, Nuwara Eliya District Secretary M.B.R Pushpakumara said. He said the request was made considering the prevailing COVID-19 pandemic situation in some estates in the Hatton area. Travel restrictions were also imposed in some areas by the respective area health officials and other authorities, he said. more..

Dec 23 (DM) Constitutional protection should be afforded to SL�s flora if the ecosystem is to be protected, His Eminence Malcolm Cardinal Ranjith said. He added that by safeguarding country's ecosystem, water resources will become a major source of income for SL in the future. Cardinal expressed these views during a courtesy call by Minister Dinesh Gunawardena at the Cardinal�s official residence today. more..

Dec 23 (Island) Australia has provided the SL Police with urgently required medical supplies to assist in combating the COVID-19 spread among its personnel. The equipment was handed over by Australian Federal Police Senior Officer Detective Superintendent Rob Wilson to the Senior Deputy Inspector General Lalith Pathinayake at the SL Police Hospital in Narahenpita. Australian HC in Colombo said the provided medical equipment seeks to reduce the risk of further spread of more..

Dec 23 (FT) When global investors who are interested in SL�s sovereign bonds had two conference calls facilitated by international banks on 23 and 24 Nov with SL authorities, the investors on the calls asked the plans about debt repayment in the next four years. These investors, according to two sources who are aware of the calls, are worried about Sri Lanka being pushed to sovereign default with the past rating downgrades. However, a top official who represented the SL authorities more..

Dec 23 (DM) The parents of the 20 day year old infant who was cremated filed a Fundamental Rights application through their Attorney Sanjeewa Kaluarachchi today. The parents detailing their ordeal state that authorities at the Lady Ridgeway hospital cremated the body of the infant in an undue hurry. They state that they pleaded from the hospital authorities to permit a second PCR test on the child, after his death but they were not more..

Dec 23 (AD) A committee headed by the Commissioner of Labor has been appointed to draft legislation to extend the retirement age of private-sector employees to 60 years. Minister of Labor Nimal Siripala de Silva said that the employers� union and the trade union leaders should come to a resolution on the matter within a week. He said that he had discussed the issue of extending the retirement age before the National Labor Advisory Council and that the trade union leaders more..

Dec 23 (Island) For SL to benefit from the budget proposals the Western Province should have zero new COVID-19 cases by Jan 2021, Basil Rajapaksa the head of Presidential Task Force in charge of Economic Revival and Poverty Eradication said yesterday addressing a meeting at Temple Trees. The meeting was attended by state and political officers in the Western Province. Western Province was the hub of economic development and it should be operating at optimal strength for more..

Dec 23 (NIA) Sri Lanka would want certain key socially relevant economic rights to be included in the agendas of foreign grants for human rights promotion in the country, a top govt source said. He was commenting on the proposed US grant of US$ 1.75 million to US$ 2 million for promoting freedom of association and freedom of assembly in Sri Lanka, announced by the US Department of State Bureau of Democracy, more..

Dec 23 (DM) Eastern Province (EP) Governor Anuradha Yahampath requested the public not to visit the Trincomalee District except for a matter of urgency. She said the decision was taken following the district health sector had identified an alarming surge of COVID-19 spread. The Governor also urged the public to strictly restrict travelling during the upcoming holidays. The above decision was taken at the Provincial Committee meeting where the Governor and other officials gathered more..

Dec 23 (EN) Only one warehouse at the Maliban biscuit factory premises in Ratmalana has been isolated upon the discovery of several COVID-19 cases there, Maliban Biscuit Manufacturers said. Offering a clarification on a report attributed to the national COVID-19 task force yesterday that the factory has been isolated, a spokesman for the company said only one warehouse has been isolated. Standard operations at the factory proper continue under strict health guidelines, more..

Dec 23 (CT) SL Association of Electricians (SLAE) pointed out that due to the closure of the Public Utilities Commission of SL (PUCSL), the National Electrician Licensing Scheme (NELS) implemented under the leadership and coordination of the Commission will also be deactivated. The Electrician Licensing Scheme has been prepared with the approval of the Govt to provide recognition and a career path to more..

Dec 23 (MFA) Ambassador Majintha Jayesinghe presented Credentials to Director General of the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) Li Yong on 22 Dec 2020, at the Vienna International Centre, accrediting as the Permanent Representative of SL to the UNIDO. Director General shared his memories on Sri Lanka and commended the progress achieved under the UNIDO partnered projects specially in the spheres of environment preservation, climate change more..

Dec 23 (CT) The Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) has no intention of leaving the Govt, Minister Mahinda Amaraweera said. Fielding a question posed by the Media, Amaraweera replied that the reports that the SLFP is preparing to leave the Government due to pressure from certain sections of the Party, were false. �We believe that the majority in the United People�s Freedom Alliance are those who have begun their political career in the SLFP and we believe that they will never destroy the SLFP. more..

Dec 23 (EN) A 47-year-old man arrested in Matale for allegedly maintaining baby farms was released on conditional bail and two sureties worth Rs 200,000 each by the Moratuwa Magistrate�s court today. The suspect was produced before the courts this morning on charges of child trafficking. The suspect has been ordered to reappear before the Moratuwa Magistrate�s Court on 4 Jan next year. more..

Dec 23 (DE) Four Tamil MPs are making waves in the legislative body with their debating skills that have captured everyone�s attention. The members represent different political parties from the North, but their impassioned performance has gained substantial traction with the Tamil community and outside, irrespective of electoral perspectives or alliances. Best known among the four is perhaps TNA Jaffna District Member M.A. Sumanthiran who has been a MP for the past 10 years. more..

Dec 23 (FT) Expanding on its longstanding partnership with the SL Tourism Promotion Bureau (SLTPB), Mastercard announced that it has entered into an agreement with the SLTPB to offer Mastercard�s Tourism Insights platform, as well as consulting services at no cost to the Govt to support the revival of the island nation�s tourism sector. This is part of Mastercard�s ongoing efforts to assist the Govt and other stakeholders in accelerating SL�s recovery from global health & economic crisis more..

Dec 23 (Island) Two civil society groups -NMSJ (National Movement for Social Justice) and Purawesi Balaya urged the govt to allow the burial of Muslim victims of Covid-19 in keeping with the WHO guidelines. Former Speaker Karu Jayasuriya and Gamini Viyangoda, on behalf of the NMSJ and Purawesi Balaya respectively, threw their weight behind the ongoing campaign to have the controversial ban on burials lifted. more..

Dec 23 (Island) PM Mahinda Rajapaksa, who is also the Minister of Buddhasasana Religious and Cultural Affairs last Sunday declared open Prof. Senaka Bandaranaike Archaeological Field Training School at Sigiriya. The Field Training School built by the Central Cultural Fund at a cost of Rs. 50 million within the Sigiriya Archaeological Department premises would be the country�s premier training school for archaeologists to carry out practical and theoretical studies with residential facilities, more..

Dec 23 (CT) Fatima Shifana Omar, the widow of Abdul Latif Jameel Mohamed, who blew himself up at the Tropical Inn Lodge in Dehiwala, after a failed attempt to launch a suicide attack at the Taj Samudra Hotel in Colombo on 21 April 2019, Easter Sunday, testified before the PCoI into the Easter Sunday bombings, yesterday. She is currently being held at the Bogambara Prison and testified via Skype from the Commission's Police Investigation Unit at the BMICH in Colombo. more..

Dec 23 (CT) Taking a cue from the success of the smallholder sector, Sri Lanka�s Regional Plantation Companies (RPCs) handed over fresh proposals aimed at radically expanding worker earnings during a recently concluded meeting with the Minister of Labour and Trade Unions leaders. The newly introduced proposal provides for a hybrid between the daily wage model and the productivity-linked earning systems more..

Dec 24 (DM) Govt weathered internal storms and proceeded with the enactment of the 20th Amendment virtually undoing the 19th Amendment. Again, the Govt is bound to meet with similar internal dissension when it initiates moves to conduct the elections to the provincial councils. The provincial councils, established in consequent to the 1987 Indo-Lanka Accord, now remain defunct due to the legal barrier in calling for elections. In 2017, then Yahapalana Govt enacted a piece of more..

Dec 24 (DM) Is it absolutely safe to bury those who have died of COVID-19? No one can say with absolute certainty. WHO says it�s safe. However, the WHO�s endorsement is not the last word. It is a decent recommendation, nothing more. Note also, the WHO has got a lot of things wrong over the years. With regard to COVID-19, the WHO initially said face masks are unnecessary. Later the WHO said, Wear face masks. That�s symptomatic of all understanding of & responses to pandemic. more..

Dec 24 (TM) In the backdrop of a country struggling to get into the festive mood amidst the Covid-19 pandemic, serious concerns are being raised about the mandatory cremation of deceased Covid patients. While the WHO confirms that cremation is not essential, SL Govt has continued to cremate the Covid dead of all faiths, disregarding the religious practices of the Muslim and Christian communities of the country. more..

Dec 24 (DM) More than two billion Christians the world over will celebrate Christmas tomorrow, the 25th of December. But these celebrations will by compulsion be held on a subdued note this year -- because of the pandemic that has spread across the globe � giving us an opportunity to focus our attention on the spiritual dimension of Christmas instead of the external trimmings that accompany this great feast. There�s no hiding the fact that it has been a tough year. more..

Dec 24 (CT) Quadrilateral Security Dialog aka Quad was initiated to establish an Asian Arc of Democracy, a wide sweeping arc to finally include all Asian Nations but China. Quad�s status today is at antipodes to democracy. Certain Asian Nations view it as a military power aiming to destabilise the Indian Ocean Region (IOR) with the U.S. at its helm. SL the epicentre of the IOR whirlpool views it with much consternation. Shinzo Abe Japan�s PM initiated the forum in 2007 after a dispute with China more..

Dec 24 (CT) Christmas is the season for celebrations and it falls annually marking the birth of Jesus Christ. It is a season of joy for Christians all over the world, but now it has surpassed all religious boundaries to become the symbol of pure joy, love, and peace, among both adults and kids from all religions. Remembering the birth & life�s lessons of Jesus Christ will teach us to practice kindness & love towards each other, help those in need. more..

Dec 24 (ST) This is what the world including SL will experience as the lives of men, women and children are overwhelmed by the new coronavirus which has invaded every nook and cranny, leaving behind death, disease, isolation, loneliness and poverty. The celebration, sometimes even excessive in earlier years, may be muted but many are holding onto the hope that filled the earth 2020 years ago at midnight on Dec 24, from the bare and barren manger where lay the tiny Baby Jesus, more..

Dec 24 (ST) The ubiquitous jaggery, produced by hundreds of rural families in SL, has finally found its deserving place in the national economy. This week the Cabinet declared kithul as a plantation crop and decided to establish the Kithul Development Board. Jaggery (hakuru) and treacle (pani) are age-old by-products of the kithul palm and on this Thursday morning, Kussi Amma Sera � before joining her friends for their under-the-margosa-tree weekly gossip � brought a mug of steaming tea more..

Dec 24 (Island) Abraham Kovoor and his son, Aries Kovoor, rendered an exemplary service to the nation; it's now largely forgotten & not acknowledged to the extent they deserve. They were unassuming characters whose ideals stand pre-eminently important in the context of retrograde tendencies in the present day society. A resurgence in actions, based on superstitions and myths rather than rational argument seems to be escalating as evident from recent happenings in our society. more..

Dec 24 (Island) As a bank that takes pride in its Sri Lankan roots, Sampath Bank carried out several sustainability initiatives throughout the year aimed at community development, environmental protection and helping individuals and small businesses recover from the negative impacts caused by COVID-19. During this challenging year, the bank was not only able to deliver on its ongoing commitments but even initiated new projects to help revive the nation. more..

Dec 24 (ST) The 30 year long period of delay in the sugar production at the Kantale factory is set to end soon after the handing over of land, property, services, etc (leases) to MG Sugars Lanka Pvt Ltd by the govt, company officials divulged. The final leases for the Factory are to be signed and handed over to MG Sugars to resume sugar production process This process should be completed before Christmas more..

Dec 24 (TM) Dialog Axiata PLC has entered into an agreement to acquire 100% shareholding in H One (Pvt) Ltd, through Dialog Broadband Network (Pvt) Ltd, a fully owned subsidiary of Dialog. �The acquisition of H One by Dialog would supplement Dialog�s expansive suite of enterprise solutions and would facilitate acceleration of the digital transformation of SL�s enterprise sector. The combination of Dialog�s expertise in advanced digital technologies & leading-edge capabilities more..

Dec 24 (Island) The Ayurveda Department has, in what may be described as a surprising move, approved the untested Dhammika peniya or syrup, which is being flaunted as a cure for COVID-19. Cabinet Minister Dr. Ramesh Pathirana has revealed this, according to the lead news item in yesterday�s edition of this newspaper. Opinion on any issue is divided along political lines, in this country. The Dhammika peniya has become so politicised that it can now be called a political syrup as it were. more..

Dec 24 (CT) Four of the top National Athletes, who missed out on competing in the South Asian Games last year due to various unfortunate reasons, will be marking their return to the track during the 98th National Athletics Championship 2020, which will be held from 26 to 29 Dec at the Sugathadasa Stadium, Colombo. All four of them have won medals for SL in the int'l arena while were on top of their events, more..

Dec 24 (DN) Colts Cricket Club (CCC) is the longest standing Ceylonese Cricket Club founded in 1873, held its 147th Annual General Meeting on December 12 at the club pavilion. Nishantha Ranatunga was re-elected as President unanimously while Eastman Narangoda, Chaminda Vaas and K. Shakthidasan as Vice Presidents for the ensuing year 2020/21. Trevor Rajaratnam was re-elected Patron while Jagath Savanadasa was re-elected as Vice Patron and K Mathivavan as Vice Patron. more..

Dec 24 (DN) Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, SL secured over USD 800 million Foreign Direct Investments (FDI) for 2020, said the new Director-General of the BOI, Sanjaya Mohottala. In addition there were commitments to another USD 200 million for the year. Mohottala said that the 2021 outlook looks impressive with several mega development projects in the pipeline. �One area that will bring in around USD 150 million would be in the cement manufacturing and bagging sector with plans more..