Feb 4 (AD) The new members of the Public Utilities Commission of SL (PUCSL) have been approved by a majority of the House. The decision has been made during the 6th meeting of the Parliamentary Council held yesterday under the patronage of Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena. PM Mahinda Rajapaksa, Leader of the Opposition Sajith Premadasa, Minister of Fisheries Douglas Devananda, and MP Kabir Hashim along with the Secretary-General of Parliament more..

Feb 4 (Island) Education Minister Prof. G.L. Peiris said that he was undertaking a 3-day visit to the North this week to explore ways and means of developing the education sector. Prof. Peiris said that Prez Rajapaksa was keen to develop the education sector as part of the overall efforts to improve the living standards of the people in the North. Japanese Ambassador Akira Sugiyama is scheduled to join Prof. Peiris in Kilinochchi, more..

Feb 4 (BelTA) Belarus Prez Aleksandr Lukashenko sent greetings to Prez of SL, Gotabaya Rajapaksa as the country celebrates the Independence Day, BelTA learned from the press service of the Belarusian leader. The head of state noted that in more than 70 years of independence Sri Lanka has become an influential member of the international community. �Minsk and Colombo are committed to peace and stability, share the positions on the most important issues of global agenda. more..

Feb 4 (Island) Environment Minister Mahinda Amaraweera yesterday said discussions and meetings of his Ministry would no longer be held inside buildings; instead, they would happen at Wana Arana in the Environment Ministry premises, he added. �We have sunlight for eight hours or so, but we depend on electric lights even during daytime. Our country has adequate wind, but our offices totally depend on air conditioners. National wealth and resources are being wasted. more..

Feb 4 (Hindu) The External Affairs Minister bats for SL Constitution�s 13th amendment that talks about devolution of power to the Tamil community. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said fulfilling the expectations of the Tamil people for equality, justice and peace within a united Sri Lanka will be in own interest of the island nation. In response to a question in Rajya Sabha, Mr. Jaishankar said he reiterated India's support more..

Feb 5 (DM) Most Sri Lankans raised their nationals flags yesterday (February 4) not only because it was Independence Day, but as a measure or move to boost morals that have taken a beating from the present pandemic. This is the time to stand as one and throw all weight behind the nation�s move to rise above uncertainty and ill health. Sri Lankans in general have fared well during catastrophic challenges. Even during the present pandemic the death total has remained low compared to more..

Feb 5 (GV) If colonization is the exercise of hegemony, administrative control and the fundamental subjugation of one group of peoples to another, then the question for post-independent Sri Lanka should be whether or not we find remnants of colonialism within our own borders. It calls for an expanded definition of colonialism, beyond the direct or indirect rule of a foreign country. Rather, neocolonialism in the SL context is the sustained practice of colonial attitudes, practices and more..

Feb 5 (DM) In the midst of one of the most devastating pandemics in recent history, select groups of individuals all around the world are helping us get closer to immunisation against the subject of said pandemic: COVID-19, a disease caused by the SARS‑CoV‑2 (severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2) pathogen. The virus, which has infected over 100 million people and claimed over two million lives to date, more..

Feb 5 (DM) To a world that is grappling with the coronavirus crisis, Myanmar�s Feb 1 military coup was hard to absorb, although it came as no shock to Myanmar watchers. They knew the military�s takeover of the govt was only a matter of time, as the crisis had been brewing since the military disputed the November�s landslide election victory by the National League for Democracy (NLD) led by the controversial Nobel Peace Laureate, Aung San Suu Kyi. more..

Feb 5 (GV) �I was fascinated with the theme that we must make it happen together, which was perhaps said a countless number of times during your presentation. But SL has a problem. We are made to feel we are not in it together. It�s 12 years since the end of the conflict and we have come a long way from those times. The temperature in the country is very low now. It is peaceful. But it appears that the global temperature for SL, particularly in the UNHRC has been maintained at an all time high and more..

Feb 5 (Roar) Over the last few decades, China has burnished its reputation as the Factory of the World. Companies from around the world rushed to set up manufacturing plants in the East Asian nation in order to (quite sensibly) take advantage of its cheap labour, plentiful resources, and the various incentives on offer. Easy access to ports and shipping lines meant that companies could afford to hold minimal inventories and more..

Feb 5 (CT) Serious questions have been raised about the manner in which the Commissioners who constituted the PCoI on political victimization have compromised the independence with which they were expected to discharge their quasi-judicial role. The Commission was appointed by Prez Nandasena Gotabaya Rajapaksa to inquire into and report on acts of political victimization of public officials, corporation employees, police officers and members of the armed services. more..

Feb 5 (CT) There was much controversy over the proposal to hand over 49% of the shares of the ETC (Colombo port) to an Indian Company. A name was mentioned and the gravity of the issue was intensified due to questionable nature of the past records associated with this name. As far as the public of this country are concerned there is no clarity to date as to what this engagement was going to be. The opaqueness surrounding the issue with half-truths told and expressed political jargon more..

Feb 5 (CT) The country lost its first medical professional to COVID-19 on Tuesday (2) with the death of 32-year-old Dr. Gayan Danthanarayana, who was serving in the surgical unit of the Teaching Hospital in Ragama. The young doctor tested positive to the coronavirus on 10 January and was admitted to Colombo East Base Hospital, where he was receiving treatment in its ICU and was transferred to the Teaching Hospital at Karapitiya late last week due to further complications more..

Feb 5 (Island) Los Angeles-based SL-American independent filmmaker and classical singer Gehan Cooray, recently unveiled his debut feature length film The Billionaire. The film is a contemporary, gender-swapped adaptation of George Bernard Shaw�s 1930s play The Millionairess, set in the modern day context of gay marriage and asexuality, but pays homage to the style of Classical Hollywood films. The film has been submitted to the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and more..

Feb 5 (DM) Two powerful businessmen have combined forces to block the main elephant corridor within the Sinharaja Forest Reserve. An elephant corridor running from Morning Side to the Dellawa, Walankanda forest through the Handapan Ella has been cleared to construct two hotels by a couple of businessmen. One such construction is reportedly underway in the Dolakanda GN Division in Kalawana, more..

Feb 5 (FT) The Federation of Information Technology Industry SL (FITIS), the apex body for the ICT industry, is urging the Govt to provide a COVID-19 vaccine to ICT industry employees as soon as possible on a priority basis for at least 20% of the staff who are frontliners in the ICT industry. In a press release, FITIS said: �Currently, the ICT Industry represents a workforce standing at above 100,000; 20% of the employees are in the frontline, engaging in various ICT projects in SL, more..

Feb 5 (ST) SL Automobile Sports (SLAS) has been compelled to omit the Commando Super Cross from its event calendar for 2021, as the organisers of the annual motorsport event decided to relinquish its commitments this year. Inaugurated in 2016, the Commando Regiment of SL Army conducted it jointly with the SL Association of Racing Drivers and Riders (SLARDAR) at its regimental training facility in Kuda Oya. One of SL�s main events in the motorsport calendar, it was held for four years more..

Feb 5 (TM) Although oil and gas exploration in Sri Lanka began in the late 1960s, it was not allowed to consistently develop due to the years of conflict and economic instability. In 2011, Cairn India, an Indian oil and gas exploration and production company, found gas deposits in the Mannar Basin � known as the M2 Block � which remained untouched since its discovery. Last month, the Cabinet of Ministers approved drafting more..

Feb 5 (CT) SL�s premier sprinter Yupun Abeykoon will be eyeing to better his last 60 m Sri Lanka record he set recently, when he competes in three indoor competitions over the next seven days, starting with the ISRAF Indoor Meeting at Mercedes Benz Arena, Berlin today. Heats of the race will be held at 10 p.m. SL time, followed by the finals at 10.55 p.m.He will be up against top sprinters from several countries, including USA, Germany, Poland, Denmark, Italy, Greece & Ivory Coast. more..

Feb 5 (ST) Flagging off as a fun idea, the inaugural Kimbula Race, inspired by the fact that the race is held in Kumbulawala (Crocodile Swamp), was held on Thursday, where competitors completed a distance of 50 km through a course designed for 5 laps. Race began shortly after dawn, around 6.15am and ended before the cutoff time of 8.00am. The interest for the race, where fun played a major part, was equally contested by professional cyclists as well as amateur riders of different age more..

Feb 5 (TM) Following PCR Tests carried out on the provisional Sri Lanka squad before their departure to the West Indies on 18 Feb, Sri Lanka Head Coach Mickey Arthur and top-order batsman Lahiru Thirimanne have tested positive for Covid-19 yesterday (3). They were detected following PCR Tests carried out on Tuesday (2) for the entire 36-member squad, along with the coaching staff & net bowlers, SLC said. more..

Feb 5 (ST) Hoteliers are expecting bookings to surge from March onwards since most markets are either closed or in lockdown as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite the restrictions, hoteliers commend the re-opening of the borders to tourists thereby reviving the tourism industry which is believed to help sustain the livelihoods of their workers, THASL Prez Sanath Ukwatte said. �We are trying to survive,� he said adding that �workers will come back to work when there is work,� more..

Feb 5 (DM) Labour Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva has directed the SL Bureau of Foreign Employment (SLBFE) to set up nine provincial quarantine centres, with the assistance of the COVID-19 Task Force, to expedite the repatriation of some 30,000 Sri Lankan migrant workers stranded abroad. �I have advised the SLBEF to start discussions with the COVID-19 task force and to setup nine provincial centres for the purpose of quarantine. The expenses will be paid out of the funds of the SLBFE more..

Feb 5 (FT) The country�s tiles and bathware sector yesterday insisted that the tax and duty regime still tilts in favour of imports contrary to popular perception, and a revert to pre-2015 structure will ensure interest of all stakeholders, including importers and investors. Noting that imports, which cater to 50% of local demand, are impacted owing to foreign exchange restrictions following the COVID-19 pandemic, more..

Feb 5 (DN) Tripadvisor, Inc. the world�s largest online travel platform has picked Yala National Park the 19th best National Park in the world among 25 other Parks. Serengeti National Park, Tanzania tops the list while Jim Corbett National Park, India and Maasai Mara National Reserve, Kenya in second and third place respectively. National Park is the most visited and second largest national park in SL, bordering the Indian Ocean. �There are many different reasons to add Yala National Park to more..

Feb 5 (FT) Authorities are expecting approval of the Sputnik V vaccine for use in SL in the coming days, State Minister Dr. Channa Jayasumana stated. The remark was made during an overview of the country�s COVID-19 immunisation programme, and Dr. Jayasumana said an order has been placed with the Serum Institute for 18 million doses of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine. �We estimate that the vaccine should be provided to 15 million persons. WHO has expressed willingness to provide more..

Feb 5 (EN) SL is giving stimulus to producers of turmeric, grains and potatoes through import controls and free fertilizer, Prez Rajapaksa said in an independence day address. �We are already seeing the benefits of strengthening farmers through managing import taxes to encourage the production of paddy, maize, grains, potatoes and onions; by limiting imports of products such as turmeric which can be grown domestically and by limiting more..

Feb 5 (ST) There are two kinds of airports in the world: The first one is where you don�t need to have pre-arranged procedures about what to do and how to do that after you get down from the plane. For instance when you need to continue your journey onward from the airport, whatever the mode of transportation � taxi or bus or train -, it is readily available there at the airport premises without any hustle and bustle. You have a system with clear directions and instructions as well as more..

Feb 5 (CT) Minister of Water Supply, Vasudeva Nanayakkara, who has recovered from the COVID-19 infection, has with his habitual stamina, got back to expressing his views quite vigorously. Many persons, in the field of politics, are aware of the fact that it is never easy to win arguments with Vasu. At the Cabinet Meeting held online last Monday, while the discussion regarding the Eastern Container Terminal of the Colombo Port was going on, several intense situations arose. more..

Feb 5 (TM) The International Truth and Justice Project (ITJP) has made a request from the United Nations�s (UN) Department of Peace Operations (DPKO) to suspend the deployment of Sri Lankan peacekeepers due to the report by UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (HCHR) Michelle Bachelet, which allegedly raises new doubts about whether SL troops can be properly vetted. "DPKO has a legal duty to ensure more..

Feb 5 (ANI) Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Thursday said the Indian govt has been holding high-level talks through diplomatic channels with the SL govt on the release of fishermen and their boats. Replying to questions by MP Vaiko at the Rajya Sabha, V Muraleedharan, Union Minister of State in MEA, said that at present 12 Indian fishermen, arrested along with two boats in Jan 2021, are in SL custody. "In 2020, 74 Indian fishermen were arrested & 11 boats were confiscated by SL Navy. more..

Feb 5 (DN) A large group of Jaffna civilians held a rally followed by a meeting in the city yesterday to celebrate the National Independence Day (4). They paraded along the streets surrounding the Jaffna Fort and the town expressing solidarity with sentiments of reconciliation, co-existence, harmony and national unity in parallel with the main ceremony, held at Colombo Independence Square. Organized by Jaffna-based Civil Society Centre for Jaffna, led by Arul Siddharthan of Jaffna, more..

Feb 5 (FT) Health authorities state that 706 persons tested positive for COVID-19 yesterday, bringing the total number of patients detected in the island to 67,115. 704 persons who tested positive for the virus yesterday were associates of the Peliyagoda COVID-19 cluster. The Divulapitiya, Peliyagoda, and Prisons triple clusters have thus risen to 63,120. The daily count included two foreign arrivals as well. more..

Feb 5 (TW) The Sri Lanka govt's decision to scrap the 2019 trilateral agreement between Colombo, New Delhi and Tokyo to develop Colombo Port's east container terminal has come as a setback to India and its plans to develop strategic infrastructure projects in other nations. A few months ago, Iran had sidelined India from the project to develop the railway link from Chabahar to Zahedan, despite the agreement being inked during PM Narendr Modi's visit to Tehran in 2016. more..

Feb 5 (FT) Health authorities yesterday confirmed seven COVID-19 deaths which brought the country�s COVID-19 death toll to 339. Two of the seven deaths occurred yesterday. One was of a 53-year-old individual from Hettipola who died of COVID-pneumonia while receiving treatment at the Homagama Base Hospital. An individual from Nuwara Eliya also passed away yesterday. He tested positive for COVID-19 while receiving treatment at Nuwara Eliya District Hospital more..

Feb 5 (Island) British govt has sidestepped a query on the UK accommodating a group of LTTE cadres responsible for international crimes. Global Justice Forum (GJF) representing civil society groups based in UK, Canada, Australia and NZ-all member States of the Commonwealth, in addition to Israel, UAE and Switzerland has raised the continuing presence of those responsible for terrorism receiving privilege status at a time more..

Feb 5 (PTI) India on Thursday stressed the importance of SL adhering to its int'l commitments relating to development of the East Container Terminal of the Colombo Port, days after the island nation cancelled a trilateral agreement for the project. India, Japan & SL had inked an agreement in 2019 on development of the terminal project. SL govt on Monday decided to hand over the project to a state-run company following an agitation against the venture involving India & Japan. more..

Feb 5 (Island) Sri Lanka was not moving in the proper direction as it had embraced European cultural traditions and neo-liberal economic policies, Archbishop of Colombo, Malcolm Cardinal Ranjith yesterday said in a statement to mark the 73rd Independence Day of the country. �4 February is the best day to contemplate on the good and bad of the last 73 years. It is also the best day to determine the right path we should take,� he said. The cardinal said that in the past few decades Sri Lankans more..