Apr 21 (FT) Celebrating the internet is important because it has become a feature of our lives that we could otherwise take for granted, not wholly comprehending what it can do to improve our lives. That is why the bold step taken by the Digital Services Chapter of FITIS in gathering up different stakeholders to create the Sri Lanka Internet Day 2021 is a fitting end to a year, according to the traditional Sri Lankan calendar which began around April 2020. more..

Apr 21 (FT) Five years ago, a group of individuals who believed that nothing was impossible banded together to scale the length of the island from the northernmost point of the country, Point Pedro to Southernmost point, Dondra Head. A repeat of the first, successful Trail Sri Lanka walk in 2011, the aim was to raise funds to build a cancer treatment facility as part of an extension of the Karapitiya Teaching Hospital in Galle. As we walked the 670 kilometres linking the north and the south, more..

Apr 21 (DM) Installation of CCTV cameras in the Welikada, Magazine, Remand prisons, Welikada Female Ward and Prison Hospital commenced yesterday, Prisons Spokesman Chandana Ekanayake said. CCTV cameras would be operational in Kalutara, Mahara and Negombo prions as well. �This is to ensure the safety of prisoners and thwart violence, criminal and illegal activities that take place inside and outside prisons,� Spokesman said. more..

Apr 21 (DN) Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa yesterday raised concerns in Parliament over the issue of the victims of micro finance debt traps. Premadasa questioned if the govt is to provide a different financial facility other than micro financing, for low income earners to improve their livelihood. Premadasa made these observations raising a question under the Standing Order 27 (2). Premadasa observed, �Although well-regulated microfinance programmes have been more..

Apr 21 (AD) Sri Lanka is marking one of its darkest days in history today (21), with the second commemoration of the deadly Easter Sunday terror attacks which claimed the lives of more than 250 and injured at least 500 others. The country was left devastated on the 21st of April 2019 after a group of suicide attackers of the now-outlawed local Islamic extremist organization National Thowheed Jamaat (NTJ) carried out more..

Apr 21 (DM) The SLPP is not heading for a split, SLPP MP and Minister Keheliya Rambukwella said. He said that there is a solid understanding among the alliance members of the SLPP. �There are 12 political parties in the umbrella organisation of the SLPP, and we are working very cordially,� he said. Rambukwella said that while there may be some misunderstandings and disagreements eventually an agreement is reached. �There are no misunderstandings running into the extent of more..

Apr 21 (DM) It has been reported that increasing incidents of chain-snatching targeting women and four such theft cases in this regard was reported, police spokesman DIG Ajith Rohana said. He said the incidents were reported from Yakkala, Wellawa, Walasmulla and Kalmunai police areas during the past 24-hours. All the victims affected were women, he said. "All the perpetrators were the riders and pillion riders of motorcycles and women are becoming victims of crimes of this nature. more..

Apr 21 (DM) A ship with radioactive materiel entered the Hambantota Port on Tuesday night but has now been told to move into the outer port immediately. The ship had reportedly entered the Hambantota Port after it faced technical difficulties. SL Atomic Energy Board said that the ship was on its way to China when it faced technical difficulties and entered the Hambantota Port. The port authorities were unaware of the material more..

Apr 21 (AD) The govt and the opposition MPs observed a minute of silence today at the request of the Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa in remembrance of those whose lives were lost in the terrorist attacks on Easter Sunday two years ago. Following the special statement by the PM at the commencement of Parliament on the Easter Sunday terrorist attack, the Prime Minister then requested Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena to permit a minute of silence in memory of the victims. more..

Apr 21 (AD) A tense situation has ensued in the Parliament over the debate on final report of the PCoI on political victimization. The adjournment motion is scheduled to be taken up for debate in Parliament tomorrow and the day after. Heated exchange of words ensued after Chief Opposition Whip MP Lakshman Kiriella said it was the Opposition that requested for a debate on the relevant PCoI report. He urged the Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena to allow more..

Apr 21 (CI) Bangladesh's right mix of aggression and caution allowed them to run away with the advantage on the first day of their first Test against Sri Lanka in Pallekele. Najmul Hossain Shanto's maiden Test hundred headlined Bangladesh's batting effort, while Tamim Iqbal and Mominul Haque added meat to the day's total with two very different half-centuries. Shanto, under fire after low scores against West Indies more..

Apr 21 (CT) The National Aquatic Resources and Development Agency (NARA) yesterday (20) signed an agreement with the Institute of Marine Research (IMR), Norway to conduct fisheries research in Sri Lanka. Prof. A. Navaratnarajah, Chairman NARA, signed the agreement with Norwegian Ambassador Trine Jorani Eskedai, at an event held at the Fisheries Ministry. The signing is a symbol of successful cooperation between NARA and IMR since 2017 and will be engaged in research more..

Apr 21 (FT) Cabinet has given approval to amend the Fiscal Management (Responsibility) Act No.3 of 2003, which sets fiscal goals for the Govt, including debt and budget deficit targets for better public finance administration. Cabinet of Ministers gave the green light for PM Mahinda Rajapaksa to gazette the draft Bill and present the same to Parliament. Cabinet approval to change the Fiscal Management (Responsibility) Act was given on 21 Dec 2020 and Attorney General approval more..

Apr 21 (DM) Archbishop of Colombo Cadinal Malclom Ranjith today urged the Muslim community in SL to rise up against those who try to instrumentalise Islam for their own purposes. �Rise up and defend yourself against those who try to instrumentalise Islam to fulfil their own purposes. Oppose Wahabism and organizations that promote such ideologies. This is my special request from the Muslim,� Cardinal Ranjith said at a program more..

Apr 21 (CT) Attorney-at-Law Moditha Ekanayake yesterday filed three cases at the Colombo District Court, praying the Court to issue an order to 12 respondents, including ex-President Maithripala Sirisena and former PM Ranil Wickremasinghe, to grant compensation to the tune of Rs 500 million for the long lasting mental anguish and physical harm caused to him, through their collective failure to prevent the 2019 Easter Sunday terror attack after being forewarned of the carnage. more..

Apr 21 (AD) SL athletes will receive 100 scholarships within the next two years, says Minister Namal Rajapaksa. The govt expects to enrol these athletes in foreign sports training programs, the Minister said further on Tuesday in a response to a question raised by MP Shantha Bandara. He mentioned that the National Sports Council led by SL cricket great Mahela Jayawardena has presented a National Sports Plan. The Sports Minister also notified that for the first time that contracting more..

Apr 21 (AD) Three individuals who had received the Oxford-AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine in Sri Lanka have died of blood clotting, Minister of Health Pavithra Wanniarachchi told the Parliament today. The Health Minister stated that Sri Lanka has reported a total of six cases of blood clotting among those who were administered the AstraZeneca jabs. Several countries including Norway, Thailand, Austria and Iceland temporarily suspended more..

Apr 21 (DM) PM Mahinda Rajapaksa today said that all those responsible for the heinous Easter Sunday attack on April 21 will be brought to justice. Making a special statement in Parliament, he said that legal documents with regard to the investigations into the attack had already been referred to the Attorney General based on the report and other documents prepared on the information revealed by the PCoI on Easter attacks. �Though we do not wish to intervene in the judicial process, more..

Apr 21 (DM) Turkey�s Govt has expressed its willingness to strengthen cooperation in the defence sector with Sri Lanka. The assurnace was given by the Minister of National Defence of Turkey Hulusi Akar when Ambassador of Sri Lanka to Turkey M. Rizvi Hassen called on him recently in Ankara. "The meeting was constructive and focused further enhancing defence cooperation between SL and Turkey," a statement issued by the Eambassy said. Minister shared with the Ambassador more..

Apr 21 (TM) Following Ven. Theeniyawala Palitha Thero�s serious allegations against State Minister Ajith Nivard Cabraal and the Secretary to the President Dr. P.B. Jayasundara yesterday, The Morning reached the State Minister toda for his response. The Thero alleged that Ajith Nivard Cabraal and the Secretary to the President Dr. P.B. Jayasundara have been involved in acts of fraud, corruption, & misappropriation of public funds more..

Apr 21 (EN) SL�s maize prices have soared and fears of aflatoxin in poultry feed are growing as businesses newly displaced by import controls got into corn speculation without safe storage and prior experience, an industry official said. Prices of maize, a the key ingredient of chicken feed have soared to around 88 to 90 rupees a kilogram as a part of the Maha harvest was bought up by businesses displaced by import controls with maize itself banned to promote import substitution. more..

Apr 21 (Island) SLT-MOBITEL�s revolutionary mobile money platform, mCash, which is transforming the country�s electronic payments landscape has partnered with UnionPay International (UPI) to enhance digital enablement in Sri Lanka. The joint endeavor will further enhance the usability of services of both mCash and UnionPay International by bringing cutting-edge technological advancements to mCash customers and mCash retail merchants island-wide. more..

Apr 21 (CT) Within a period of 18 hours, Police arrested 905 individuals for driving under the influence of liquor, DIG Ajith Rohana said. These arrests were made between 12 noon on 18 April and 6 a.m. on 19 April. DIG Rohana added that these arrests were made in a special traffic operation which commenced on 18 April at 6 a.m. and is still ongoing. The operation was conducted with a primary focus on expressways. In addition, 6,898 other traffic violations were flagged by Police more..

Apr 21 (NR) SLPP MP Dilan Perera claims several files pertaining to investigations into the suspects of the 2019 Easter Sunday attacks have been misplaced during the tenure of the former good governance govt. He claimed when investigating persons who maintained connections with the mastermind behind the attacks, certain members of the opposition may also face charges. MP said Archbishop of Colombo Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith had initially stated the PCoI appointed to more..

Apr 21 (EN) The SL Bureau of Foreign Employment has denied reports that Saudi Arabia has arbitrarily detained 41 migrant workers in a deportation centre, assusing instead that the workers are housed at a welfare centre run by the Saudi govt. A report published by Amnesty International on April 15 claimed at least 41 SL women, a majority of whom are workers who have overstayed their visas or have run away more..

Apr 21 (DM) The Health Ministry has decided to increase the daily PCR tests to at least 15,000 considering the possible risk of spreading the virus in the country after the New Year. The decision was taken at a Special Performance Review Committee meeting held today at the Health Ministry attended by Minister Pavithra Wanniarachchi. It was also decided to increase the capacity of ICU beds, and to provide high-flow Oxygen required for COVID patients, strengthen the mechanism of more..

Apr 21 (EN) Kate Schneider from Ireland has been named Mrs World 2020 after Caroline Jurie resigned following a controversial de-crowning of a Mrs Sri Lanka during a pageant in Colombo. �The Mrs World Inc Organization has received the resignation of Mrs Carloine Jurie (sic) as Mrs World 2020,� the organization said in a letter posted on their verified Facebook page. �Her voluntary resignation decision was solely made by Caroline herself. We wish Mrs. Jurie and her family, all the best in their more..

Apr 21 (CT) The renovation work at Zion Church in Batticaloa, one of the targets of the Islamist extremists who carried out the bombings on 21 April, 2019, Easter Sunday, has not been completed even after two years since the attack due to the halt on supplies. The terror attack on the church resulted in the death of 31 people, mostly children, and injured nearly 79 others. Chief Pastor of the church Roshanth Maheshan said the Army had more..

Apr 22 (DM) A heightened public debate is in progress on the Colombo Port City Economic Commission Bill. The debate, which started with the presentation of the bill in Parliament, reached the boiling point after ruling party MP Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe opened up his mind with a sharp criticism of the content of the bill. He joined the bandwagon of critics that otherwise comprise the opposition parties. Colombo Port City is a US $ 1.5 billon real estate project undertaken as more..

Apr 22 (DM) Yesterday, April 21 marked the second anniversary of the barbaric terrorist attacks on three hotels and three churches targeting Christians on one of their holiest day, Easter Sunday. April 21, 2019, was a day of shame not only because the terrorists with Muslim name tags killed more than 260 innocent men, women and children for no crime they had committed, but also due to the fact that authorities- political as well as bureaucratic- empowered and duty-bound to protect more..

Apr 22 (NIA) The opposition SJB has said that the Gotabaya Rajapaksa govt�s bid to nullify court rulings and to impose civil disabilities on key opposition leaders on the recommendations of a Special Presidential Commission on Political Victimization, is tantamount to over-riding the judiciary and therefore unconstitutional. Special Commission had indicted 22 political leaders and individuals associated with the previous govt more..

Apr 22 (CT) A mother searching for her child identifies her daughter from the shoe she was wearing, her body lies covered under a white cloth. A lifeless foreigner being carried away, a body blown out to pieces lying from the breakfast area on the ground floor. These are all life changing scenes that I witnessed on the 21st of April 2019. By an act of fate, I survived along with my family by a delay of about three minutes while walking to have Easter Sunday breakfast. more..

Apr 22 (CT) Sri Lanka will register a record, 3-in-a-row May Day cancellations with the announcement by Army Commander General Shavendra Silva saying, that all May Day rallies and events are cancelled following discussions held between party leaders and the NOCPCO. Health Services Director General Dr. Asela Gunawardena also participated in this discussion, Silva is further quoted to have had said. Last year, too, for similar reasons, i.e. to prevent the spread of the COVID-19 virus, more..

Apr 22 (CT) There is a vivid memory at the back of my mind. It is a Sunday morning; returning from Church, my mother and I visit the local pola. I recall fuchsia covers over piles of onions, lime green over green chillies, and men and women, shouting out prices. The ground of dirt, the multitude of vegetables in chaotic piles over goni cloth, so that they do not touch the dirt. There was the distinct smell of various spices in the air, more..

Apr 22 (ST) This is being written soon after heralding the dawn of the Sinhala and Tamil New Year when people all over the island are wishing each other Subha Aluth Avuruddak. They are wishing that the New Year would be a good year for their family, relations and friends. For most, their happiness is linked with the fortunes of the country; a Subha Aluth Avuruddak for the country. The wellbeing of most Sri Lankans this year is dependent on the country�s economic recovery in the coming months. more..

Apr 22 (DM) Perspective must be backed by solid thinking and without the veil of politics. Unfortunately in Sri Lanka we tend to see everything through the lense of politics. We criticise the Rajapaksas, but we don�t have the patience to see whether some of the projects they started had potential. Good examples are the Mattala Int'l Airport and the Mahinda Rajapaksa Int'l Stadium in Sooriyawewa. At the height of the Mahinda Rajapaksa regime tourists arriving in Sri Lanka via Mattala could land in more..

Apr 22 (Island) The Opposition MPs attended Parliament, wearing black, yesterday, when the second anniversary of the Easter Sunday terror attacks fell; their ruling party counterparts wore black armbands, instead. Did they do so as a sign of sympathy and condolence, or by way of a political statement? Christians traditionally wear black while in mourning, but when aggressive men who resort to fisticuffs, at the drop of a hat, wear black, they look minatory. more..