Feb 3 (DM) While rejecting the claims by private bus associations for not granting concessions for their service, Transport State Minister Dilum Amunugama said action will be taken against the bus operators if they resort to strike without any tangible reason. He said that the Ministry had granted all concessions and relief measures to continue their service. "Bus fare was increased 20% to cover the losses and grace period more..

Feb 3 (EN) SL has suspended an order issued by gazette under an import control law which allowed the import of tiles on credit, within a day. Controller General of Import and Export Control Dept had instructed Sri Lanka customs that an earlier order allowing tile imports under credit was suspended. The letter asked commercial banks, which facilitate international trade to suspend the regulation allowing tiles to be imported under credit. SL�s tile producers expected to report historic profits more..

Feb 3 (DN) Prez Rajapaksa will inaugurate the Irrigation Prosperity National Rehabilitation Programme soon. Irrigation Ministry has launched a massive programme to provide irrigation water in line with the Prez�s Vistas of Prosperity and Splendour national policy statement. Irrigation Minister Chamal Rajapaksa has launched a national programme called Irrigation Prosperity for the development of the irrigation sector and the rapid upgrade of rural tanks, more..

Feb 3 (CI) Sri Lanka head coach Mickey Arthur and batsman Lahiru Thirimanne were found to have Covid-19 at the latest round of PCR testing conducted on the provisional squad, which has been preparing for the tour of the West Indies later this month. However, this development might force Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) to try and reschedule the team's travel plans - the tour is slated to begin on Feb 20. more..

Feb 3 (AD) High Commissioner of Bangladesh to SL Tareq Md Ariful Islam and Deputy High Commissioner Mohammad Hazrat Ali Khan have called on PM Mahinda Rajapaksa at his residence in Wijeyrama. Ambassador, thanking the PM for the opportunity to meet, has stated that he looked forward to working together with the SL govt to enhance bilateral relations between the two nations. Congratulating the PM for the 73rd Independence Day, the Ambassador handed over a letter more..

Feb 3 (FT) Health Ministry has extended further support to the resumption of tourism on the back of improved safety guidelines and best practices. Dr. Asela Gunawardena has ruled that tourists who would be flying out of SL before 14 days will not be required to undergo the optional PCR testing offered between 10 and 14 days. Therefore, these tourists need to undergo only the on arrival PCR testing and if they are staying for more than five days then the 5-7 days PCR testing only. more..

Feb 3 (EN) India�s High Commissioner in Colombo Gopal Baglay met Prez Rajapaksa, PM Rajapaksa and Foreign Minister Dinesh Gunawardena yesterday officials said, after SL appeared to pull out of its agreement to grant rights to the East Container Terminal (ECT). President�s office said the call on Rajapaksa was unscheduled while the PM�s Media Secretary said the meeting was casually arranged. more..

Feb 3 (EN) SL has is looking to acquire more Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation (ECMO) machines to treat COVID-19 patients that suffer severe symptoms, an expert said. Prof P T R Makuloluwa, senior Lecturer in Anaesthesia, Faculty of Medicine, said that Ministry of Health (MoH) is currently studying avenues to acquire the machines for hospitals that treat COVID-19 patients. �We had a discussion with the ministry and Director of Health Services Dr Asela Gunawardena regarding more..

Feb 3 (EN) The Election Commission (EC) of Sri Lanka, expressing its shock and dismay over Monday�s coup d��tat in Myanmar, has urged that country�s military to immediately release election officials that were detained along with other civilian leaders and officials. In a media release signed by EC Chairman Nimal Punchihewa urged all forces that value democracy to press for the release of Myanmar�s election officials including Union Election Commission (UEC) Chair U Hla Thein. more..

Feb 3 (AD) Govt of SL has decided to reject the report compiled by the UN Human Rights Commissioner Michelle Bachelet on alleged human rights violations in SL, says Minister Udaya Gammanpila. He said SL�s response to the report, which has already been submitted in writing, will be made public when Foreign Affairs Minister Dinesh Gunawardena addresses the UNHRC. The govt decided to reject the report as it has been more..

Feb 3 (Trend) Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev has congratulated Prez Rajapaksa. �Dear Mr. President, it is on the occasion of the national holiday of SL � Independence Day that on my own behalf and on behalf of the people of Azerbaijan, I wish to offer my most cordial congratulations to you and your people,� Prez Aliyev said. �I believe that friendly relations between Azerbaijan and SL will develop further, and our cooperation will continue within the multilateral bodies, including the Non-Aligned more..

Feb 3 (EN) SL is allowing the import of Sarees, an elaborately draped garment worn by women in South Asia, which were halted under import controls imposed in 2020, according to a gazette notice. Sarees under HS Code 62.11.42/43/92 would now be allowed in under 90 day credit. Earlier import license were required for sarees. It is not clear who were issued import licenses for sarees. Among younger SL ladies sarees are now limited to special occasions but state workers and politicians more..

Feb 3 (EN) Sri Lanka will receive eight million doses of a WHO-approved COVID-19 vaccine through the COVAX facility, the first batch of which should arrive mid-February, State Minister Dr Sudarshini Fernandopulle said. She said that the govt also plans to purchase 18 million doses, which will be administered free of charge. She said the govt is optimistic that Sri Lanka will have received a third of the COVAX doses more..

Feb 3 (DM) The COVID-19 situation in the country has not yet gone out of hand, despite an average of 800 cases being reported every day, Deputy Director General of Health Services Dr. Hemantha Herath said today. He said the reason for the surge in COVID-19 cases could be seen as easing of lockdown regulations. �It should be noted that people have also taken health guidelines for granted. Therefore, it is the responsibility of people to abide by the health guidelines", more..

Feb 3 (CT) Ven. Galagodaaththe Gnanasara Thera, has criticised the remarks made by the Archbishop of Colombo, His Eminence Malcolm Cardinal Ranjith, who had claimed on 30 January that a public referendum should be held over either the sale or lease of the East Container Terminal (ECT) of the Colombo Port. However, Chairman of the Ape Janabala Party (AJP) Saman Perera said these comments were the Thera�s personal stance on the issue and not that of the party. more..

Feb 3 (DM) Whilst the world�s coral reef sanctuaries are facing the threat of being destroyed due to rising sea temperatures, local environmental groups have identified that the Kalpitiya Reef in Sri Lanka � also known as Bar Reef � faces the threat of being destroyed not as a result of rising ocean temperatures, but due to activities of the Norochcholai Coal Power Plant. According to a recently published Environmental Impact more..

Feb 3 (TOO) Oman and Sri Lanka will mark 40 years of diplomatic ties through a number of events which will be held during this year, depending on the status of the COVID-19 pandemic. Speaking on the eve of his country�s 73rd Independence day, which falls on 4 Feb, 2021, Ameer Ajwad, the ambassador of Sri Lanka to Oman, added the celebrations to mark this occasion would be low-key, on account of the current circumstances. �The 73rd anniversary is a significant occasion in our bilateral relations more..

Feb 3 (AD) Ministry of Trade has entered into an agreement with traders to maintain stable prices for 27 essential goods, from February to June. Thereby, the prices of Red Raw Rice (1kg), White Raw Rice (1kg), Nadu (1kg), Samba (1kg), Keeri Samba, wheat flour, white sugar, brown sugar, tea (100g), Australian red lentils (1kg), Indian Big Onions (1kg), local potatoes (1kg), Pakistani potatoes (1kg), chickpeas (1kg), dried chilli (1kg), local canned fish (425g), imported canned fish (425g), more..

Feb 3 (AP) Hundreds of ethnic Tamils began a 4-day protest march from eastern to northern SL on Wednesday to demand justice for civilians killed and forcibly disappeared during the country's civil war, allegedly at the hands of the govt's military. Politicians, civil and religious leaders on foot and in cars joined the march, which is also protesting alleged plans by the govt to change the demography of the traditional Tamil heartland more..

Feb 4 (DM) One of the biggest problems faced by Sri Lankans in general is that they are forced to worry too much about how to survive the 30 days of the month. This blunts thinking and puts a stop to coming up with creative ideas to escape from the financial mess they are in. The present financial mess the Govt is in has a general reflection on the financial situation of the people of this country. In this backdrop the islanders celebrate their 73rd Independence Day, in Colombo. more..

Feb 4 (DM) The lack of consistency in foreign policy affairs between the two main political forces have led to irritations in SL�s relations with the rest of the world at times. In the latest example India looked embarrassed and miffed by the govt�s decision to renege from the previous regime�s commitment to develop the East Container Terminal of Colombo Port in partnership with it. Govt succumbed to pressure from the trade unions that resorted to strike action urging not to alienate any stake of more..

Feb 4 (CT) Lanka Private Bus Owners� Association, led by Gemunu Wijeratne, has given the Govt an ultimatum; Agree to their demands or face a private bus strike. Despite a recent increase in bus fares, by the Govt, bus owners still find it difficult. The threat will leave the vast numbers of the public, who rely heavily on buses for affordable transport, to commute to work, school and other needs, stranded. more..

Feb 4 (CT) Today Sri Lanka celebrates its 73rd year of Independence from Britain. Year 2021 also coincides with it being SL�s 12th anniversary since it defeated Tamil terrorism on 18 May, 2009, but not before it plagued the country for 26 long years since July 1983. Independence from Britain, followed by independence from Tamil terrorism should translate to prosperity for the people of this country of which there are a number of examples in this part of the region, beginning with tiny Maldives and more..

Feb 4 (DM) US Committee on Foreign Relations presented an analysis on SL to the Senate on Dec 7, 2009, i.e. almost seven months after the war on terrorism ended with the world�s most ruthless terrorist outfit, the LTTE being comprehensively defeated by the SL security forces. The document was titled, SL: Recharging US strategy after the war. It was presented by John F Kerry and Richard G Lugar on behalf of the Committee. There was analysis and there were recommendations more..

Feb 4 (NIA) India-SL relations have come under strain following SL�s withdrawal from its written commitment to give Colombo port�s Easter Container Terminal (ECT) to India, and to offer the West Container Terminal (WCT) in lieu of it as a sop. A disappointed Indian High Commissioner Gopal Baglay met Prez Rajapaksa, PM Rajapaksa and Foreign Minister Dinesh Gunawardena on Tuesday apparently to express India�s dismay more..

Feb 4 (TM) Over a month has passed since the first tourists landed in SL following the outbreak of the Covid-19 virus, and as of Wednesday (27), the country has received over 1,700 tourists. With these arrival numbers and inquiries being made by int'l tourists, local tourism stakeholders are predicting a positive future for the country�s tourism industry in the months to come. Tourists first started returning to the island on 28 Dec 2020, when a flight carrying 185 tourists from Ukraine landed at the MRIA more..

Feb 4 (Island) Foreign Minister Dinesh Gunawardena and his Indian counterpart Dr. S. Jaishankar considered developing mutual relationships concerning existing projects, e.g. the East Container Terminal (ECT) and the Trincomalee Petroleum Tanks. The Indians have observed increasing involvement of the Chinese in the Colombo and Hambantota ports; in Colombo through the Colombo International Container Terminals Ltd � (CICT), a joint venture more..

Feb 4 (TM) Since the 1970s, there has been an enormous transformation of the southern and eastern seaboard, irrespective of the political regimes that came to power. These areas were also sites that were badly affected by the 2004 tsunami and are now facing the consequences of accelerated climate change in the recent years due to rapid infrastructure development and the expansion of the tourism trade after the end of the civil war in 2009. more..

Feb 4 (DM) In the wake of the rapidly increasing number of COVID-19 cases in SL, currently recording a daily average of nearly 800 during the past few days and the COVID-related death toll rising to 330 as of Wednesday afternoon, the news that some 500,000 vials of the anti-COVID vaccines had arrived in the country last Thursday and that the govt�s vaccination programme had got underway would have definitely gladdened the hearts of all Sri Lankans, welcomed with deep sense of relief. more..

Feb 4 (FT) It was widely reported in the media early this week that the National Anthem would be sung in Sinhala only at the official celebrations of Sri Lanka�s 73rd anniversary of gaining independence from Britain. Defence Secretary Maj. Gen. Kamal Gunaratne made it unambiguously clear at a press briefing that the National Anthem would not be sung in Tamil at the official freedom day event. more..

Feb 4 (Island) The national flag is fluttering majestically and grand preparations have been made for today�s celebrations to mark the day when the British retroceded this land to its rightful owners. Patriotic excitement has reached fever-pitch. Newspapers traditionally strike a positive note in their editorial comments on a day like this, but why should depressing political, economic and social realities be ignored? Sri Lankans are known for celebrating what they lack; more..

Feb 4 (CT) Most discussions about independence centre on two questions: what we were before 1948, and what we became after 1948. Or to put it more clearly, what we are supposed to have been before 1948 and what we are supposed to have become after 1948, not just in political or economic terms, but in social and cultural terms also. Two perspectives stand out here, two camps or schools of thought: those who say we never won independence or never had to fight for it, more..

Feb 4 (TM) UDA has hit a roadblock in initiating the development work they had planned out for the 2.5-acre land located at Muttiah Road which houses the hostel for women and differently abled students from Uni of Colombo (UoC). Although in November last year, UDA announced the planned acquisition of the land, Arts Faculty Teachers� Association of Colombo Uni (AFTA) had protested the move and even written to PM Rajapaksa more..

Feb 4 (NIA) India�s Deputy High Commissioner Vinod K Jacob met with Mr. Rauff Hakeem, MP and Leader of SLMC on Feb 3 to discuss economic, financial and development cooperation opportunities between India and SL. Rauff Hakeem positively evaluated India�s gesture of supplying COVID-19 vaccines to SL. He also shared his assessment of the challenges facing the Muslim community in recent times. He briefed the Deputy HC about the issues involved in the forthcoming UNHRC more..

Feb 4 (DN) Lanka Hospitals, now introduces a new Covid-19 self-screening and tracing mechanism through a new QR code system that will enable the hospital to immediately screen and detect those who have symptoms of Covid-19 at the entry to the hospital. This new added safety measure is a further step to ensure patient safety at Lanka Hospitals. The new system requires the entrant to scan the QR Code at the hospital gate with entrant�s mobile phone when the entrant receives more..

Feb 4 (TM) Unprecedented level of player factions has caused Sri Lanka cricket suffer immensely in the recent past, the Morning Sports learnt. Dimuth Karunaratne was appointed as national Test skipper for the main reason of making peace among fighting factions in the national side, it was reported in Feb 2019. But after the appointment of a veteran player on a high position again, the internal factionalism has begun to hurt the unity of the team since the recent South Africa series. more..

Feb 4 (CB) Sri Lanka is set to tour Bangladesh in May for a 3-match ODI series. The series will be a part of the World Cup Super League. "Sri Lanka team will come in May to play three ODIs that is part of WC Super League," BCB cricket operation chairman Akram Khan told reporters on Wednesday at Chattogram. Akram also said that the two-match Test series that was postponed earlier stands confirmed, and the negotiation for Sri Lanka's tour of Bangladesh only started after that. more..

Feb 4 (FT) A total of 711 persons tested positive for COVID-19 yesterday, with health authorities assuring the public that the spread of COVID-19 was under control in the country. The 711 persons who tested positive yesterday were associates of the Peliyagoda COVID-19 cluster and this brings the triple clusters that emerged from Divulapitiya, Peliyagoda and Prisons to 62,416. A total of 66,409 persons have tested positive more..