Aug 4 (DM) COVID-19 has changed our lives introducing new norms at least for the next decade. During good old days, when we went to school and mingled with friends has now become a dream for our children. They are confined to their studies and to a computer or phone screen. Physical activities have become bear minimum and the average health conditions are deteriorating and shortening the lifespan of the people. Thus the Lock down mentality has created new forms of psychological more..

Aug 4 (ST) More new laws are being drafted to protect underaged children from potential abuse following the death of a 16-year-old domestic helper who had worked at former minister Rishad Bathiudeen�s Colombo residence. Last week, Commissioner General of Labour, said that an amendment to the labour law of 1956 would be introduced to add 20 more occupations to the list of work considered hazardous to children. more..

Aug 4 (GV) The Covid-19 pandemic that has been impacting Sri Lanka for the past one and a half years has had wide ranging economic & social repercussions for people from all walks of life from the loss of livelihood and education to domestic violence and child abuse. Women and children have been disproportionately affected on multiple fronts. In July alone, four cases of extreme violence against children were reported: a 13 year old girl from Nawalapitiya had been allegedly sexually more..

Aug 4 (CT) SL is in line to receive an IMF disbursement of US$ 780 million on 23 Aug. This is because the IMF, due to COVID-19 Pandemic, on Monday approved a general allocation of US$ 650 billion to its member countries. Allocation is based on membership quota. SL�s quota with the IMF is 0.12%. On that basis the disbursement allocated to SL on 23 Aug will be $ 780 million. However, the tenure of this allocation nor of the interest charged on this facility is not known as yet. more..

Aug 4 (TM) Sri Lanka is a humid tropical island, lying in the South Asian region to the southwest of the Indian peninsula in the Indian Ocean. When considering the geography and topography of SL, three height levels or erosion levels are recognised by their height and slope features. SL has always been well known for its high level of biodiversity and wildlife. It is rated as one of the world�s 34 biodiversity hotspots, more..

Aug 4 (TM) The truth is, SL is going through a difficult time, even though the Government has claimed that the country is stable and has the potential to return to the pre-Covid-19 era in no time. To make matters worse, on top of the pandemic, the country is forced to deal with protests and demands by various parties including teachers and healthcare workers. However, amidst all the so-called crises, the country has to move forward, without any disruption to the most essential activities more..

Aug 4 (Island) What is this world coming to when female legislators complain of sexual harassment in Parliament itself? SJB MP Rohini Wijeratne yesterday complained to Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena that SJB MP Thalatha Athukorale had suffered verbal sexual abuse at the hands of some govt MPs during the recent debate on the no-faith motion against Minister Udaya Gammanpila. She alleged that the Chair had done nothing to rein in the unruly SLPP MPs, who went scot-free. more..

Aug 4 (CT) The 3rd of Aug 1990. A day that shook the nation. A day in which survivors, families, friends, and many others across the country recall their losses and mourn over the heinous atrocities that were committed. A day that foreshadows great sorrow, as memories of the horrific scenes engulf the minds of loved ones and that of the Kattankudy community. On this very day, 31 years ago, the LTTE opened fire at Muslim worshippers, cold blooded, and brutal, leaving many dead more..

Aug 4 (Island) The theme is Social Communications and Youth. I take social communication to mean the exchange of ideas between different segments of society. For representative govt, there has to be communication between the rulers and the ruled. For rural development, there has to be communication between planners and the peasants. Domestic harmony postulates communication between the older and younger members of a family. Communication between the teacher and more..

Aug 4 (TM) Lanka Private Bus Owners� Association (LPBOA) has called on the National Transport Commission (NTC) to grant immediate approval to charge 25% more than the normal bus fare for passengers over 30 years of age who have not received a single dose of a Covid-19 vaccine, claiming that there would otherwise be a higher risk of the virus spreading through public transport facilities. more..

Aug 4 (FT) The Govt yesterday claimed there was no shortage of oxygen supply in the country and the health sector had the ability to cope with the COVID-19 pandemic at present. �There are sufficient reserves of oxygen for the use of the health sector,� Minister Dr. Ramesh Pathirana said responding to a query posed at the post-Cabinet meeting media briefing. However, the Minister acknowledged the increase in daily COVID-19 cases and hospitals were reaching maximum capacity. more..

Aug 4 (Island) After Duncan White won the nation�s first Olympic medal in London, it took SL 52 years to win their second Olympic medal in Sydney. If you believe in law of averages, our next medal should come somewhere in 2052. If you are over the age of 40 now, there is a good chance that you would be dead by the time the nation wins the next medal in Olympics. But then, there�s also something called if there�s a will there�s a way. Perhaps, you don�t have to wait for as many as 52 years to win more..

Aug 4 (ST) Sri Lanka�s apparel industry � which accounts for 47% of the nation�s exports and 15% of industrial employment � is critical to our national economic health and well-being. Therefore, ensuring that the industry remains strong and resilient should be very high on our list of national priorities. Given this backdrop, managing Sri Lanka�s relationships with key trading partners becomes highly significant, especially the few more..

Aug 4 (Island) Spin icon Muttiah Muralitharan is a fiercest competitor in cricket, but he is also known for his friendly nature. He is hugely popular among both team mates and opponents. You would hardly come across someone who has something nasty to say about Murali; it�s like finding a needle in haystack. Indian all-rounder Hardik Pandya gifting a bat to his SL counterpart Chamika Karunaratne made headlines both here and across the Palk Strait. However, much before this, more..

Aug 4 (Island) Dr. Titus Suranga Fernando, who is in Tokyo as the Chairperson Medical Commission of National Olympic Committee of Zambia says that Sri Lanka can take a leaf out of Zambia�s sports development plan to improve standards in Olympic sports. Dr Fernando said that Zambia�s Podium Performance Programme could be an ideal development model for SL. �Zambia is in corporation with a number of other Southern African countries and promote competitions in selected sports more..

Aug 4 (EN) Cabinet of ministers have decided not to give in to a salary increase demand of teachers� trade unions due to the current economic conditions. The cabinet decision comes as a strike by teachers and principals have crippled online education of govt schools for 23 days running. A request by the Education Ministry Secretary for teachers and supporting staff to report to work from Monday (02) has been largely neglected more..

Aug 4 (EN) Sri Lanka has decided to launch an all-island educational radio station for primary, secondary, and tertiary education amid reports of school children climbing roofs, rocks and trees to access mobile signals to study online. �The Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Mass Media and Information have planned to establish an island-wide radio education station to address the educational disparities caused by the COVID-19 pandemic,� a statement from the cabinet office said. more..

Aug 4 (CT) Prez Rajapaksa visited the vaccination centre at Viharamahadevi Open Air Theatre in Colombo on Monday night. The Army operated vaccine centre is open 24 hours a day. A large number of people visited the vaccination centre to receive the second dose of the AstraZeneca vaccine. Prez spoke cordially with the public at the venue. A total of 244,251 people have received the second dose of AstraZeneca in two days and the first dose was given to more..

Aug 4 (TM) SJB MP Kumara Welgama has said that plans are underway to bring to power an educated youth from a well-known political family through a broad political alliance, but refused to confirm if the youth is Vimukthi Kumaratunga, the son of former Prez Chandrika Kumaratunga. He noted that the said alliance would be formed against the present Govt and that it is likely to be named Api Sri Lanka. more..

Aug 4 (DN) SL�s last hope at the 2020 Olympic Games faded away as Mathilda Karlsson was eliminated from the equestrian competition, failing to clear the eighth hurdle at the Equestrian Park in Setagaya-ku in Tokyo here today. Germany-based Karlsson came on her horse Chopin VA as the 13th competitor in the jumping individual qualifying round but her action lasted for only until the eighth barrier. The misfortune first struck her in the sixth jump as her horse Chopin VA failed to clear it first. more..

Aug 4 (DN) South Asia�s fastest man Yupun Abeykoon will be SL�s flag-bearer at the XXX11nd Olympic Games closing ceremony to be held at the Olympic Stadium here in the Japanese capital on Aug 8. Judoka Chamara Dharawardana and gymnast Milka Gehani, as the Men�s and Women�s Captains of the SL contingents, functioned as the flag-bearers of SL at the July 23 opening ceremony. But sprinter Abeykoon will now get the rare opportunity of carrying the Lion flag more..

Aug 4 (FT) Govt said it had instructed the Central Bank to ensure financial institutions did not charge exorbitant interest rates on customer borrowings. �Prez Rajapaksa has directed Central Bank to impose the financial moratoriums and regulate,� Minister Ramesh Pathirana said yesterday. He was responding to a question posed regarding some financial institutions charging high rates, despite Govt claims of their being a low interest rate environment. more..

Aug 4 (FT) 422,472 persons received the first or second dose of a COVD-19 vaccine on Monday. Doses of AstraZeneca, Sinopharm, Pfizer and Moderna were administered on Monday and a total of 10,309,855 persons have received the first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine and 2,448,361 persons have received the second dose as well. Of the population over the age of 30, 89.7% have received the first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine and 21.3% have received both doses. more..

Aug 4 (FT) Sri Lanka�s COVID-19 detections rose to 316,219 with 2,450 persons testing positive for COVID-19 yesterday. The patients detected yesterday include 2,423 persons from the New Year cluster. 211,494 persons from the New Year cluster, 82,785 persons from the Peliyagoda cluster, 7,851 persons from the Prisons cluster, and 3,059 persons form the Divulapitiya cluster have been detected to date. more..

Aug 4 (FT) A rise in COVID-19 deaths confirmed within a day was seen on Monday, when the Health Services Director General confirmed 74 COVID-19 deaths. A total of 4,645 COVID-19 fatalities have been confirmed to date, of which 2,709 are male and 1,936 are female. This includes the deaths confirmed on Monday, of which 48 were male and 26 were female. The majority of COVID-19 fatalities are in the above 60 age category. 56 persons above age 60, 17 persons between ages 30 and 59, more..

Aug 4 (CT) The outline map of the Petroleum Resources Exploration Plots for Issuance of Petroleum Resources Exploration and Development Permits and Combined Studies in Sri Lanka was released by the Ministry of Energy. A Gazette dated 22 July was used to make the announcement. Petroleum Resources Development Secretariat prepared these maps, according to Minister Udaya Gammanpila, to cover areas identified and explored for oil and gas resources more..

Aug 4 (TM) The MEPA yesterday said that oil sheen has leaked from the wreck of the MV X-Press Pearl ship and that mechanical dispersion is currently being used to help in its speedy evaporation. �This oil sheen is not a spill of the bunker oil contained in the ship. However, it is leaking from the ship and is continuing for about 1 nautical mile (1.9 km) away from the ship. We are using the mechanical dispersion method to more..

Aug 4 (CT) Minister of Health Pavithra Wanniarachchi agreed to deliver a statement, regarding the COVID-19 situation in the country, on Tuesday in every Parliament week. UNP MP Ranil Wickremesinghe requested the Minister to make a special statement in every Parliament week regarding COVID-19 pandemic in the country. �I would like to request the Leader of the House, while the Minister of Health is also in the Chamber. In the UK Parliament, Minister of Health delivers more..

Aug 4 (CT) Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa queried from the Govt whether it acknowledges that another wave of the COVID-19 pandemic is emerging in the country. He said the Govt should think again about relaxing travel restrictions and fully opening the country when COVID-19 patients and deaths are increasing. �In the past week we saw that number of COVID-19 patients, deaths and critical patients, related to the virus, has sharply increased. Are you prepared to present data related to more..

Aug 4 (TM) Sri Lanka Medical Association (SLMA) yesterday said that there are around five times more Covid-19 positive people in the community than shown in the PCR tests conducted daily. �The data shows that the virus is spreading at an extremely fast rate these days. In most hospitals in the Western Province, especially at the National Hospital of Sri Lanka (NHSL), there are many Covid-19 patients. more..

Aug 4 (TM) Agriculture Minister Mahindananda Aluthgamage yesterday (3) tested positive for Covid-19 following a Rapid Antigen Test. Reports confirmed that the Minister will be subjected to a PCR test today (4). Additionally, Minister Udaya Gammanpila commenced self-isolation yesterday, after several officials at the Ministry of Energy tested positive for Covid-19. In a tweet, Gammanpila stated that the ministry will remain closed until Friday (6) owing to the situation. more..

Aug 4 (CT) Colombo High Court Judge Manjula Thilakaratne yesterday enlarged on bail, the four ex-Directors of Edirisinghe Trust Investments (ETI) Finance Limited, with the four being accused of misappropriating deposits to the tune of Rs 7 billion after serving indictments. Accordingly, Nalaka Edirisinghe, Jeewaka Edirisinghe, Anjaleee Edirisinghe and Asanka Edirisinghe were released on cash bail of Rs 100,000 and two personal bails of Rs 5 million each. more..

Aug 4 (TM) Following the discussion held yesterday between teachers� and principals� trade unions and Minister of Education Prof. G.L. Peiris regarding issues in the education sector, including the teacher-principal salary anomaly issue, ending without resolution, the trade unions have decided to continue all trade union actions that have been initiated so far. A proposal was submitted to the Cabinet of Ministers by Prof. Peiris more..

Aug 4 (FT) Sri Lanka has maintained its painful record so far, of settling international debt obligations by honouring $ 1 billion of its International Sovereign Bonds, which matured a few days ago, leaving another $ 13 billion to be settled between 2022 and 2029. State Minister Nivard Cabraal claimed with some justification that the way the monetary authorities had accomplished this task by carefully balancing foreign reserves with international cashflows, has proved wrong more..

Aug 4 (AD) The man who was arrested for spitting at a spitting at a Public Health Inspector (PHI) attached to Narammala MOH Office has been remanded until the 17th of August. 48-year-old was produced Kuliyapitiya Magistrate�s Court earlier today. The father of a COVID-infected individual was taken into custody for spitting at a PHI on duty who came to check on them at their house in Puskoladeniya, Giriulla on Tuesday. The man in question, obstructing the duties of the relevant PHI, more..

Aug 4 (FT) With the rise of COVID-19, the world is facing its greatest health crisis since the Spanish flu pandemic, which over a century ago killed about 20 to 50 million of the world�s population. Sri Lanka is feeling the brunt of COVID-19 with an unprecedented foreign exchange management challenge that could have an adverse impact on the economy and jobs unless right remedies are adopted to handle the situation. For an extended period of time SL has been experiencing more..

Aug 4 (FT) The Colombo stock market gathered further momentum yesterday with both indices and turnover gaining to new highs and Expolanka Holdings shining yet again though net foreign selling breached another billion mark. The All Share Price Index gained by near 1% or over 74 points and the S&P SL20 rose by 1.26% or over 38 points. Turnover amounted to Rs. 6.6 billion, up 62% from Rs. 4 billion on Monday. Expolanka saw 24.3 million of its shares changing hands via more..