Aug 11 (Island) It is all about the present situation of COVID-19 in our country. You have probably heard about most of it by now. You may have even read many an account of it in the newspapers. For sure, you have even seen the tell-tale evidence of the prevalent situation over television channels. There is no doubt about it at all. We are definitely in a soup; quite a nasty one at that. Make no mistake, we are in the vice-like grip of this virus that has caused the pandemic and it has now got us by the throat. more..

Aug 11 (CT) After a two-month international break, Super League is back in action when Upcountry Lions and Defenders FC lock horns in the first outing of the Inaugural tourney (second phase) schedule to kick start at the Sugathadasa Stadium today. This fixture was originally slated to kick off on 2 May, but after few COVID-19 positive cases were detected from the Defenders FC camp, the Organizing Committee were forced to postpone this fixture to a future date. more..

Aug 11 (ST) Almost half the crops in areas of the north have been destroyed by pests and weeds, and many farmers blaming the pesticides ban for their losses have returned or cancelled permits for leased paddy lands. The biggest menace is from stem borers, which are widespread in the region. The insects bore into plant stems and can destroy 50% of the harvest. For farmers in Ooriyaan, an agrarian colony in Kilinochchi, more..

Aug 11 (FT) The Commercial Bank of Ceylon said yesterday it had secured a $ 50 million loan from the CDC Group, the UK�s development finance institution and impact investor, to facilitate lending to Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) and support climate projects in SL. CDC�s investment will enable Commercial Bank to further strengthen financial support to local SMEs most in need of funding, enabling them to access necessary working capital to strengthen their operations, more..

Aug 11 (FT) The Cabinet of Ministers has decided to extend the concessionary 4% interest rate bearing working capital loans through the Central Bank-backed Saubagya scheme to public sector ventures as well. �These ventures have confronted difficulties to source working capital required for day-to-day operations. Therefore, it was decided to extend the �Saubagya� facility for these public ventures,� Minister Dr. Ramesh Pathirana said at the post-Cabinet meeting media briefing yesterday. more..

Aug 11 (TM) Following the calling off of their street protest campaign, teachers� and principals� trade unions, which have withdrawn from teaching and examination duties owing to the teacher-principal salary anomaly issue, are to shift their protests on to the digital space. Ceylon Teachers� Union (CTU) President Priyantha Fernando said that the trade unions have also decided to organise digital protests as more..

Aug 11 (CT) Sri Lanka registered its highest ever COVID-19 death toll on Monday (9), registering a fatality rate of 118, State owned Health Promotion Bureau (HPB) data showed. HPB records also showed that the total number of COVID-19 deaths on Monday stood at 5,340. Meanwhile, the WHO has placed the total COVID-19 death toll in SL at a higher figure of 5,054 as at 7.07 p.m. EST (3.37 p.m. SL time) on Monday. SL recorded its first COVID-19 case on 27 Jan 2020-a Chinese woman more..

Aug 11 (DN) The National Olympic Committee of SL (NOCSL) top officials have secured a number of high-performance scholarships as well as playing opportunities in top class competitions during a number of meetings which they had on the sidelines of the XXX11nd Olympic Games here. Prior to leaving Tokyo here today, they met prospective officials to woo support for Sri Lanka to train its elite sportsmen and women, and also to obtain competition opportunities. more..

Aug 11 (FT) The first or second dose of a COVID-19 vaccine was administered to 490,805 persons on Monday, raising the number of persons to receive the first dose of a vaccine to 11,260,795 and the number of persons to have received both doses to 3,249,670. Persons vaccinated on Monday include 153,958 persons who received the first dose of Sinopharm and 307,267 persons who received the second dose of Sinopharm. In total, the first dose of vaccine has been administered to 8,948,551 more..

Aug 11 (CI) A wait of more than a century could come to an end in the 2028 Olympics with the ICC confirming that they have set up a working group to bid for cricket's inclusion in the games to be held in Los Angeles. The last time cricket was a part of the Olympics was in 1900, when Great Britain played France. But it could become a permanent fixture in the games with the ICC hoping to see it included in Brisbane 2032 as well and beyond. "Our sport is united behind this bid," ICC chair said more..

Aug 11 (TM) Claiming that the people are unnecessarily worried about the continued availability of the gas supply due to the declaration of bankruptcy by a certain gas supplying company, Govt has announced that the country has enough gas reserves and that the state-owned Litro Gas SL Ltd is in a capacity to fulfill the entire gas requirement of the country. Minister Ramesh Pathirana said that people should not be worried more..

Aug 11 (Island) NZ is having labour pains. Midwives are on the warpath there. They struck work, the other day, demanding better pay, and some of them even took to the streets. Their trade union struggle is not likely to end until their demands are met, according to media reports. They have rejected out of hand a revised pay offer, claiming that it is not adequate. No country should be complacent when coronavirus makes a retreat, for the elusive enemy is capable of making a comeback at will. more..

Aug 11 (TM) A stock of nearly 1,400 metric tonnes (MT) of plastic pellets from the wreckage of the MV X-Press Pearl has been collected by the Central Environment Authority (CEA), noted Minister of Environment Mahinda Amaraweera. Speaking at a virtual progress review meeting on the damage caused by the X-press Pearl, he noted that the above stock was deposited in about 40 containers for storage in a yard in the Hendala area, until receiving the recommendations of the AG more..

Aug 11 (FT) US Ambassador to SL Alaina Teplitz recently remarked US investments in SL over the past five years have remained disappointingly constant and frankly disappointingly small. She expressed the above views whilst addressing the fifth AGM of the SL�USA Business Council of the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce, held in Colombo. Ambassador Teplitz lamented the level of interest from investors in SL has recently halved, more..

Aug 11 (CT) Several unions have questioned the motive behind the appointment of a Ministerial Committee in an attempt to resolve the issues concerning the salary anomalies of teachers and principals. "This is not an answer, and it will only further delay the matter. This is the third or fourth Sub-Committee appointed in relation to this matter, and nothing fruitful has happened as yet. The Govt should provide us with a proper conclusive solution, as opposed to appointing committees," more..

Aug 11 (TM) Sea Horse Yachts (Pvt) Ltd. recently entered into an agreement with Hambantota Int'l Port Group (HIPG) to set up a state-of-the-art yacht-building facility at the port. The initial investment for the facility, which will be located within the Hambantota International Port, is set at $ 58 million and production is set to commence by early 2022. The project is expected to generate over 200 direct employment opportunities and an additional 300 indirect employment opportunities. more..

Aug 11 (Island) Transparency International SL (TISL) has called for the appointment of the new commissioners for the Right to Information (RTI) Commission in line with the procedures set out in the Right to Information Act No 12 of 2016. A statement issued by the TISL said: The tenure of the RTI Commission which is the central oversight and appellate body established under the Right to Information Act of SL more..

Aug 11 (FT) Over 100 COVID-19 fatalities were confirmed for the second consecutive day, with the Director-General of Health Services confirming 118 COVID-19 deaths on Monday. The previous day, 111 COVID-19 deaths were confirmed. This raises Sri Lanka�s COVID-19 death toll to 5,340, of which 3,104 are male and 2,236 are female. Of the fatalities confirmed on Monday, 79 were male and 39 were female. 101 of the fatalities confirmed on Monday were over the age of 60, more..

Aug 11 (AD) Former SL batsman Thilan Samaraweera has been named in the New Zealand team�s coaching staff for the tours to Bangladesh and Pakistan next month. NZ on Monday announced the squad for the Pakistan tour, which will kick start with an ODI match slated to take place on Sept 17 in Rawalpindi. Rawalpindi�s Pindi Cricket Stadium will be the venue of the 17, 19 and 21 Sept ODIs, while the iconic Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore will stage the five T20Is from Sept 25 to Oct 3, more..

Aug 11 (FT) A total of 2,922 persons tested positive for COVID-19 yesterday, raising the country�s COVID-19 detections to 339,092. According to State Minister Dr. Sudarshini Fernandopulle, a 30% increase in the number of patients and a 48.8% increase in the number of COVID-19 fatalities was seen last week compared to the week before. The patients detected yesterday include 2,904 patients from New Year cluster, more..

Aug 11 (CT) The Government, yesterday (10), denied there is a sugar shortage in the country, claiming there are sufficient stocks to meet sugar demand for the next four months. Co-Cabinet Spokesman Dr. Ramesh Pathirana said so, while denying claims of sugar shortages. He also ridiculed politicians who have inflamed public anxiety. He said the Government assured two months before that Sri Lanka has enough sugar stocks to meet the demand of the country for the next four months. more..

Aug 11 (DM) Former MP Duminda Silva, who was released on a special presidential pardon over the killing of Bharatha Lakshman Premachandra, assumed duties as the Chairman of the National Housing Development Authority. He was appointed to the new post last month and assumed duties this morning during a simple ceremony. Duminda Silva was jailed to life in prison from 2016 after the Colombo High Court found him guilty for the murder of former MP Bharatha Premachandra. more..

Aug 11 (FT) Govt yesterday announced several tough and difficult measures aimed at keeping the cost of living under check from a sharper rise amidst mounting pressure. A host of measures to deal with the shortage of milk powder and LPG caused by the Govt's reluctance to adjust prices upwards in line with global spikes were made by the Cabinet of Ministers at its meeting on Monday. Minister Keheliya Rambukwella said more..

Aug 11 (FT) The Govt yesterday expressed confidence in facing the 48th session of the UNHRC in Geneva next month. �The Foreign Affairs Ministry, together with the Ambassadors, have held discussions in this regard. We remain steadfast as a country,� Minister Keheliya Rambukwella said, responding to a query posed during the post-Cabinet meeting media briefing yesterday. The draft program of work shows Sri Lanka is on the agenda of the opening day of the 48th UNHRC Session. more..

Aug 11 (TM) The FUTA alleged that the recent actions of the Govt in response to their protests against the proposed General Sir John Kotelawala National Defence University (KNDU) Bill were the worst that they had experienced since 2008. �In July 2008, the then-Education Minister threatened us. In 2012, during our 99 days of protest, we faced a major threat as well. The Education Minister at the time threateningly told the then-FUTA President that he would like to meet him. more..

Aug 11 (FT) President Gotabhaya Rajapaksa is to reshuffle the Cabinet with changes likely to key Ministries, including Foreign Affairs and Health. The others set to undergo portfolio changes include Education, Tourism, Power, and Media. Education Minister G.L. Peiris is slated to be the new Foreign Minister while Dinesh Gunawardena, who currently holds the post, is tipped to be made the Minister of Higher Education. more..

Aug 11 (FT) There is a debate about the nefarious effects of polygyny; but the debate is not within the community, rather it is imposed on us. Often, our society weighs in on many social issues: prostitution, gay marriage, capital punishment, unfaithfulness in relationships or some other social issues. My aim is to enlighten the reader on the reasons that polygyny is allowed in Islam. Those opposing polygyny do not represent the majority of the Muslim population in Sri Lanka. more..

Aug 11 (AD) IUSF convenor Wasantha Kumara Mudalige and three others arrested in connection with the damaging of public property during a recent protest, have been further remanded until Aug 17. Kaduwela Acting Magistrate Sandya Thalduwa today ordered to further remand the suspects including IUSF Wasantha Mudalige, President of the Sri J'pura University Students� Federation Amila Sandeepa, FSP Administrative Secretary Chameera Koswatte & party activist Koshila Hansamali. more..

Aug 11 (FT) We are experiencing today the worst-ever public finance crisis in the history of the country. National debt has skyrocketed as a consequence of grossly undisciplined public finance policies of the Govt. The mega projects of 2005-2015 era, financed through short-term high-interest rate commercial debt, with no economic returns at all or no revenue generation capacity for debt servicing, are at the core of the problem, as I have been continually pointing out. more..

Aug 11 (DM) A patient tested negative in the Antigen test at the OPD in the Karapitiya Teaching Hospital has died of COVID-19 within hours. The 45- year- old victim was a resident of Pelpolahena and a mason in a construction site in Colombo and about four days ago he had called over at the OPD complaining of cough and fever. He had been found negative in the Antigen test and discharged after providing OPD treatment for fever. However, the PHI of the area had advised him to use more..

Aug 11 (EN) Over 7,000 asymptomatic COVID-19 patients in Sri Lanka�s Gampaha district who do not have adequate isolation facilities in their homes have yet to be directed to a hospital or treatment centre in line with a govt directive. A spokesperson for the Gampaha COVID Prevention Committee said told reporters on Tuesday (10) that only 4,046 patients out of 12,555 detected in the area from August 1 to 9 have been sent to more..

Aug 11 (DM) Former President Chandrika Kumaratunge's son Vimukthi Kumaratunge said he had no intention whatsoever of engaging in Sri Lankan Politics and refuted recent media reports of him entering the local political arena. He said in a statement that he appealed to everyone to disregard any statement alleging his aspirations to become a SL politician. "I love my country of birth. I hope to raise awareness and champion, in my personal capacity, many causes in SL that I hold dear. more..

Aug 11 (AD) The Defence Secretary, General (Rtd.) Kamal Guanratne has dismissed the claims that SL Army has assigned untrained personnel for COVID vaccination programs. �I�m stating very responsibly that we did not assign army personnel from the artillery regiment for vaccination programs. We have assigned highly trained practitioners of the Army Medical Corps for the process,� he said, addressing a media briefing held at the Defence Ministry. People should not have undue fears about receiving more..

Aug 11 (EN) Coronavirus PCR tests are being done at prices as low as 5,000 in some hospitals while others were doing them at higher prices as much as 9,550, State Minister Lasantha Alagiyawanna said. The ministry apparently could not tolerate differential pricing. Instead of making the prices publicly available allowing customers to go the cheapest place, the ministry wants to place price controls. �After an analysis done by more..

Aug 11 (EN) Cabinet ministers on Tuesday approved a proposal to recognise divorce, marriage annulment or judicial separation of Sri Lankans abroad that took place in residing countries. Family Law Advisory Committee appointed by the Minister of Justice has recommended that legal provisions be made to accept divorce, annulment and judicial separation taken place abroad, the cabinet office said in a statement on Tuesday (10). At present SL does not accept marital cases of Sri Lankans filed in more..

Aug 11 (Island) The SL Institute of Directors has been accepted as a member of the internationally renowned Global Network of Director Institutes (GNDI) recently. Comprising a network of 21 international Institutes of Directors who are each recognised as the leading institute for directors and governance in their respective country, SLID members can now stay abreast of emerging global governance issues and collaborate to strengthen the voice of directors in advocating for more..

Aug 11 (EN) Govt is contemplating legislation that will target websites whose posts it deems defamatory and have no visible ownership, amid concerns of a clamp down on freedom of expression. The govt will first focus on websites without owners names and addresses. The ministries of justice and media are developing a mechanism to control websites carrying allegedly defamatory content, Media Minister more..

Aug 11 (DM) UNP Deputy Leader Ruwan Wijewardene today urged the govt to impose a lock down and introduce a convenient system for the people to obtain their essentials. �Govt should accept the responsibility for the consequences if it fails to impose a lock down and dismiss the suggestion made by the medical experts,� he said in a statement. �Advice of medical experts are continuously dismissed,� he said. �People are laid along corridors in hospitals. more..