Apr 7 (DM) There is always a possibility of emerging new COVID clusters in the country and thus, the risk of the virus spreading in society still exists, Chief Epidemiologist Dr. Sudath Samaraweera emphasized. SL reports around 100 COVID cases daily and added the number could always spike due to the negligence of people. �As we are approaching the Sinhala & Tamil New Year celebration, COVID-19 could spread in the areas where people gather in large numbers and places where more..

Apr 7 (DM) The COPE has instructed Secretary to the Ministry of Sports Anuradha Wijekoon to take legal action if any of the former members of the Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) Executive Committee were found guilty. The COPE chairman pointed out that the reason for the massive collapse of cricket in the country was not the fault of the players but the weaknesses of the cricket administration. more..

Apr 7 (DM) The Meeting of the Padukka Development Committee came to an abrupt halt due to a clash between the Committee Chairman Parliamentarian Jagath Kumara and the members of the committee. The tense atmosphere compelled the chairman to suspend the meeting and leave. Members of the Seethawaka Pradehiya Sabha accused the chairman of making arbitrary decisions without consulting the representatives of the committee and the officials. more..

Apr 7 (Island) Kandy District MP Lakshman Kiriella yesterday, in Parliament, accused the govt of trying to postpone the debate on the report of the PCoI on political victimisation as a part of a sinister plot to strip 10 leading Opposition politicians of their civic rights. Raising a point of order, the MP said it had been previously agreed to take up the PCoI report on Thursday and Friday. It was the report of the PCoI, headed by retired Supreme Court Justice Upali Abeyratne. more..

Apr 7 (AD) The Attorney General has authorized the proscription of 11 Islamic organizations linked to extremist activities, his Coordinating Officer State Counsel Nishara Jayaratne said today. Relevant organizations are as follows: United Thowheed Jamaath (UTJ); Ceylon Thowheed Jamaath (CTJ); SL Thowheed Jamaath (SLTJ); All Ceylon Thowheed Jamaath (ACTJ); Jamiyyathul Ansaari Sunnaththul Mohomadiya (JASM); more..

Apr 7 (FT) Lanka Education And Research Network, also known as LEARN, is the National Research and Education Network (NREN) of SL, which interconnects educational and research institutions across the country and provides network-related services to them. LEARN currently interconnects all UGC-funded state universities, many public universities under other ministries, UGC, Ministry of Higher Education, and a number of national research institutions, including the NSF. more..

Apr 7 (Island) SL undergraduates recently participated in the Cloud Skills Challenge (CSC) as part of their professional development. The CSC impacted their professional development while opening the door for them to explore new skills, platforms, and career opportunities. The CSC is a training experience where learners can follow pre-determined course paths that link Microsoft Learn modules based on their topics, like Azure fundamentals, machine learning, or more..

Apr 7 (DM) The winner of Mrs Sri Lanka for Mrs. World Pushpika De Silva said that she may enter politics in the future. This may be possible now that Pushpika has received widespread publicity following the brawl on Sunday evening, with her even landing in tears in front of cameras yesterday. While answering a question raised by a journalist during a media briefing at the Shangri-La Hotel yesterday, Pushpika, more..

Apr 7 (CT) Former Secretary to the National Integration and Reconciliation Ministry and a member of the PCoI on Human Rights, Velayuthan Sivagnanasothy passed away on 5 April after suddenly taking ill. Sivagnanasothy, a distinguished officer of the SL Administrative Service, was Secretary in several Ministries including Tourism Development & Christian Religious Affairs Ministry. He also served as the secretary to the Presidential Task Force, Ministries of Prison Reform, more..

Apr 7 (CT) Whatever controversy that erupts in the country, my name automatically gets dragged into it, SJB MP Rishad Bathiudeen claimed. He took maximum measures to protect consumers during his tenure as Minister of Industries and Commerce and ensured the distribution of pure essential commodities to the market. He said baseless allegations were being levelled against him in the Media and on social media linking him with the recent cancerous coconut oil issue as well. more..

Apr 7 (TM) The regulations in the Firearms Ordinance as amended are to be drastically revised to suit present times. Firearms Ordinance, No. 33 of 1916, was last amended by the Firearms (Amendment) Act, No. 22 of 1996. Sources said that the Firearms Ordinance would undergo a number of amendments pertaining to several areas, so as to update the Ordinance to address requirements that have arisen in current times. more..

Apr 7 (CT) The lesson we learnt from the 1971 insurrection is that people should be ready to change society to achieve results, said General Secretary of the JVP Tilvin Silva. �Even if we must sacrifice our lives, we are ready to fight,� he added. JVP organised a Heroes Commemoration on 5 April, in line with the 50th anniversary of the 1971 JVP insurrection. At the Tangalle event, Tilvin Silva spoke at length about the history of the JVP and what he termed as failings of the present Govt. more..

Apr 7 (DM) Parliament went into an uproar this morning when the SJB stormed into the Speaker�s Chair against the latter�s decision to inform the Commission of Elections that MP Ranjan Ramanayake has ceased to be an MP. The uproar began when the Leader of Opposition Sajith Premadasa objected to the decision. �You did not allow us to move the Leave Motion of MP Ramanyake in March this year. Also, you did not allow us to move it on Tuesday when more..

Apr 7 (CT) About 90% of CEB employees will not report for duty on 8 April; taking sick leave to protest the delay in salary increments due in January 2021, warned General Secretary of the CEB Employees� Union, Ranjan Jayalal. He said that more than 25,000 CEB employees out of the total 28,000 workforce will not report for duty on 8 April. A protest is also planned to be held in front of the CEB Head Office more..

Apr 7 (Island) mCash, the mobile money arm of SLT-MOBITEL has partnered with Visa to enable mCash merchants to process Visa payments via LankaQR. This joint endeavour will empower mCash merchants across SL to conveniently use the Visa solution to receive QR payments from customers. Visa�s QR payment solution, is a mobile push-payment platform that allows customers to send merchants payments directly from their Visa prepaid, debit or credit card accounts by scanning more..

Apr 7 (DM) The sun is expected to be directly over Sri Lanka from Monday (5) up to April 14, as a result of its apparent northward relative motion, Department of Meteorology said. Accordingly, the nearest areas where the sun is overhead today are Colombo, Malwana, Kosgama, Sitawaka, Maldeniya, Rozella, Talawakele, Sita-Eliya, Ettampitiya, Passara, Warralanda and Paladi Kalapuwa around 12:13 noon. Meanwhile, Meteorology Dept said showers or thundershowers would occur more..

Apr 7 (EN) SL�s bakery industry is not doomed as claimed by some but a license raj on import controls will be extended to rescue bakers and biscuits makers, Trade Minister Bandula Gunewardene said. �When Prez Rajapaksa banned the cultivation of Palm trees and the import of palm oil, an opinion is going around that the bakery and biscuit industry is doomed (vinasha vena-war kiyala),� he told parliament. more..

Apr 8 (DM) The conduct of elections to the provincial councils is in the interests of the top brass of the govt but fresh political hurdles now stand in the way of it. The govt has taken a policy decision to conduct the elections, already delayed over a legal glitch, under a fresh criterion for the elections of members. The Cabinet nod has been given to amend the law for the introduction of this system which is a mix of proportional representation and the First Past the Post method. more..

Apr 8 (TM) We are living in an era where even the simplest of human functions such as breathing cannot be performed freely, and interacting with other humans has also been restricted, due to the Covid-19 pandemic. In a time when millions have succumbed to this deadly virus, the importance of a healthy life and health services cannot be stressed enough, and it is almost impossible to think that a more apt time would come in our lifetime to discuss importance of ensuring equal & fair access more..

Apr 8 (TM) National Authority on Tobacco and Alcohol (NATA) Chair Dr. Samadhi Rajapaksa speaks of the perils of passive second hand smoke, taxation, and loopholes exploited by the industry, and the new kid on the old block, the controversial cinnamon cigarette. The much-hyped cinnamon cigarette product, introduced under the aegis of Minister Wimal Weerawansa, was criticised by several parties before it could reach market, more..

Apr 8 (CT) Coconut oil has been used in Sri Lanka replacing sesame oil after the population drifted to the South-West following the invasion of Raja Rata by Kalinga Magha in 1215. Initially it was made in homes using fresh scraped coconut. This practice was continued well into the latter half of the last century. It is the fungus contained, in not properly dried coconut kernel called copra used for the extraction of coconut oil on a mass-scale in oil mills which contains the carcinogenic aflatoxin. more..

Apr 8 (DM) A news item, which is bound to alarm most Sri Lankans was that the Health Ministry had from March 31, temporarily halted its COVID-19 vaccination programme due to the delay in obtaining a sufficient quantity of AstraZeneca vaccines from the Serum Institute of India (SII). Sri Lanka launched its inoculation programme on January 29 after India gifted 500,000 vials of the vaccine. Daily Mirror quoted State Minister Sudarshini Fernandopulle as saying more..

Apr 8 (DM) Last year, in November, local teachers of a leading int'l school in Colombo sent a petition to Prez over alleged discriminatory treatment being meted out to them. Petition included complaints of discriminatory acts such as hiring underqualified expat teachers, harassing local teachers and not paying due incentives to local teachers. In this background, Daily Mirror learned this was not an isolated incident. more..

Apr 8 (CT) The morning after Geneva, no more Mr. Nice Guy. The devolution of power, framed for separatism, is on a death-list for disappearance and elimination. Here�s the (triangulated) evidence. Prez Rajapaksa has finally articulated a stand on devolution of power that places him on a collision course with his giant neighbour. �He stressed the sovereignty of Sri Lanka will not be betrayed by allowing these countries to achieve their geopolitical needs by introducing more..

Apr 8 (ST) Five years ago, I met some activists who were organising local people and protesting against the location of a power plant in Sampur. I wanted to know why they were against the power plant, because I was involved in a related project of the govt. The govt had decided to shift the proposed electricity generation plant in Sampur from coal power to liquified natural gas (LNG) power. And, I was serving as the Chairman of an Experts Committee investigating the potential more..

Apr 8 (SO) Nine members of the US Congress have urged the US Secretary of State to focus on human rights in its diplomatic engagement with SL and promote an international accountability process for the country. Among the Congressmen is the Democratic member for Chicago, Illinois Danny K. Davis who was investigated by the FBI for his links with the LTTE in 2006. In a letter dated March 18, the Congress members called on the US Secretary of State Antony Blinken to seek support from more..

Apr 8 (Island) The various thuds, groans and gasps begged the question, were the participants insured? Apparently not, according to the AHEAD project team, lead by University of Visual and Performing Arts, Faculty of Dance and Drama, Professor in Theatre and Drama, Dr. Saumya Liyanage. The training takes place three days per week and make no mistake, Angampora is harder than it looks. But it is not life threatening if trained by a professional Master, assured Liyanage. more..

Apr 8 (CT) Controversial SJB National List MP Diana Gamage who shamelessly crossed over to the SLPP ranks; is being charged of several serious offences that might eventually see lose her seat, Colombo Telegraph can confirm. Pursuant to a complaint made by UNP Colombo District Candidate Oshala Herath to the CID, the OIC of the Anti-Human Smuggling Investigation Bureau (ASIB) � Chief Inspector Sugath Amarasinghe, more..

Apr 8 (FT) The year 2020 marked 20 years since the adoption of the UNSC Resolution 1325 on Women, Peace and Security � a ground-breaking resolution that enshrined the essential role of women in securing and maintaining peace. In SL, women�s role in society altered significantly as more women became heads of households during the three-decade long conflict, and women�s role and inclusion in peacebuilding efforts became more vital than ever as they worked against tremendous odds more..

Apr 8 (AD) The final report on the settlement of compensation for the damages caused by the MT New Diamond crude oil tanker is set to be handed over to Attorney General Dappula de Livera today. On a previous occasion, a report on the environmental damages caused by the tanker which engulfed in fire on the seas off Sri Lanka was submitted to the Attorney General. Subsequently, a discussion regarding this was carried out between the Attorney General & several other parties more..

Apr 8 (FT) Impacted by the double whammy of the Easter Sunday attack and the COVID-19 pandemic, the tourism industry appears to have received a fresh jolt following this week�s Cabinet approval to formulate a new Act for the sector. Based on a proposal in the Budget 2021, Tourism Minister Prasanna Ranatunga on Monday got Cabinet approval to amalgamate three institutions more..

Apr 8 (FT) Advocata�s latest policy product tracks the average retail prices of a basket of goods and provides an indication of how much prices have changed over time. With the use of such tools, anyone, including policymakers and politicians alike, can track price fluctuations. This could enable anyone to see if policies have direct or indirect effects on food, which is an essential item and can have a direct impact on the food consumed by households. more..

Apr 8 (FT) The Colombo stock market yesterday saw old lustre as turnover topped Rs. 5 billion mark. The All Share Price Index gained by 30 points or 0.4% and S&PSL20 improved by over 20 points or 0.7%. Turnover at Rs. 5.16 billion was a two-month high. First Capital said the Bourse sustained its drive in the positive direction for the fifth consecutive session while recording a one-month high. �Index experienced a rapid upward movement during the early hours of trading, thereafter recorded more..

Apr 8 (Island) The Public Utilities Commission of SL (PUCSL) responsible for protecting the rights of electricity consumers in the country, together with the electricity service providers affirmed a unique right for electricity consumers. PUCSL Chairman Janaka Ratnayake said that the regulator PUCSL together with Electricity Utility Provider, Lanka Electricity Company Private Limited (LECO) had launched more..

Apr 8 (FT) Reinforcing its confidence in renewable energy, Aitken Spence announced the acquisition of mini-hydro power firm Waltrim Energy for Rs. 900 million. It said it entered into an agreement with shareholders of Waltrim, a subsidiary of Sunshine Holdings, owning 60% stake, and Mouldex owning the balance. Waltrim operates three hydropower generation plants in Nuwara Eliya with a total capacity of 6.6 MW under separate wholly-owned subsidiaries � Waltrim Hydropower, more..

Apr 8 (Island) Steeplechase athlete Nilani Ratnayake is the closest to Olympic entry standards in the female category. Sugathadasa Stadium is the only venue in Sri Lanka where her pet event can be held as the facility at Diyagama is in a dilapidated state. Ratnayake trains at high altitudes where there are no actual barriers and water pits for proper training. She came to Colombo yesterday with the hope of producing a sub nine minutes 50 seconds at the first Selection Trial as she prepares to more..

Apr 8 (CT) South Asian Games� triple Gold medalist Dilshi Kumarasinghe turned tables over Nadeesha Ramanayake in a thrilling 400m tape finish at the National Athletics Trials 2021, which commenced at the Sugathadasa Stadium yesterday. Dilshi equaled her personal best in the event clocking 53.43 seconds to beat the defending National champ Nadeesha (53.48 sec) in the 400m women�s final. more..

Apr 8 (Island) Such was the popularity of Dayasiri Jayasekara when he was named Chief Ministerial candidate of Wayamba a few years ago, there were posters that read, Wayambata siri, Dayasiri. The popular politician has a history of shooting from the hip, and some of his supporters have changed the slogan to Ammatasiri Dayasiri. A lawyer by profession, during his interactions with the media as Sports Minister, he appeared to be quite knowledgeable, broadminded and fair. more..

Apr 8 (TM) Among the significant matters that were revealed in yesterday�s media briefing by the SLC newly-appointed Management Committee, headed by Prof. Arjuna de Silva, was the news that SL cricket legends, including most of the 1996 World Cup winning heroes, are to meet current SL team in a fund-raiser match in Pallekele on 5 May. The match will be telecasted live on TV. The briefing was held yesterday to Introduce the new management committee of SLC & explain the way forward, more..