Jun 6 (TM) Although many government officials claim that the country�s agriculture sector has so far been relatively less affected in the wake of the third wave of the Covid-19 pandemic, farmers and a key farmer association in the country are forecasting a significant drop in vegetable crops in the upcoming months. The farmers have been affected in many ways by the islandwide travel restrictions, which will be effective till 14 June, and the adverse impact on crops due to unavailability of organic fertiliser more..

Jun 6 (ST) In its desperate quest to chase after every possible dollar on offer, are the authorities inviting disaster after disaster into the country is the question on many a lip. A few months ago, in the midst of a pandemic it was inviting Ukrainian tourists. More recently, Indian workers transiting. Now, a stricken ship. An environmental and economic catastrophe, the worst of its kind as they say, has occurred by the fire and the consequent sinking of the X-Press Pearl outside more..

Jun 6 (TM) The MV X-Press Pearl catastrophe goes down as the biggest maritime disaster in SL�s history, and the magnitude of marine pollution as a result, is something the island has not witnessed before. Authorities are bracing for a major oil spill off the coast of Colombo, as the X-Press Pearl vessel is slowly being swallowed by the ocean, and the environmental devastation it has brought along may be irreversible. more..

Jun 6 (ST) My dear Sudarshini, It is not often that I write to two doctors in two weeks, but I had to write to you this week, after writing to Doctor Padeniya last week. That is because these are difficult times when medical issues have brought the country a standstill, and you are one of the many medical experts in the govt. In fact, the govt should have been equipped to deal with the coronavirus because it has five medical men & women in its ranks: you, a community physician, Prof Tissa more..

Jun 6 (SO) SL had to face two maritime disasters within just one year. In the first incident, the very large crude carrier MT New Diamond caught fire on Sept 3, 2020 off the Eastern Coast of SL. A major maritime disaster was averted thanks to timely action by the SL Navy (SLN), SL Air Force (SLAF) and the Indian Coast Guard (ICG) which managed to extinguish the fire by Sept 11. There was an oil spill, though not a major one and the after effects were managed successfully by the above more..

Jun 6 (TM) The Attorney General�s (AG) concurrence has been sought for the drafting of the Build, Operate, and Transfer (BOT) agreement for the West Container Terminal (WCT) at the Colombo Port between the Sri Lanka Ports Authority (SLPA) and India�s Adani Ports. It is learnt that both parties have agreed to the draft agreement and once the AG�s concurrence is given, the parties are planning to sign the agreement. more..

Jun 6 (ST) Lebanon kept the pressure firmly on South Korea at the Group �H� summit after a 3-2 win over a spirited SL in the second round of the Asian Qualifiers for the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 and the AFC Asian Cup China 2023 yesterday took them to the top of the standings. An entertaining opening half at Goyang Stadium saw Sri Lanka go in front through Waseem Razeek before Lebanon replied immediately after with goals from Joan Oumari and Mohamad Kdouh, and then took a 3-1 lead more..

Jun 6 (ST) Tom Moody�s involvement with the national team during the forthcoming England series will cost SLC around Rs. 10 million but Cricket Technical Advisory Committee head Aravinda de Silva believes his presence is vital to obtain first-hand information on players and support staff to determine what improvement are needed. Moody was enlisted on a three-year contract as Director of Cricket at a daily wage of US$ 1,900 (Rs 376,125) including a US$100 allowance. more..

Jun 6 (Island) Sri Lankan govt can opt for at least four compensation claims from the fire-stricken, Singapore flagged MV X-Press Pearl�s owners/insurance agents, a senior govt official said. �Though some of the claims could take time due to technical issues, we have a strong case when it comes to damage caused to marine biodiversity, which can be considered the biggest environmental catastrophe�, she said. more..

Jun 6 (ST) The recent travel restrictions imposed by UK on travelers from SL due to the current spike in COVID 19 cases in the island, will have no impact on the SL cricketers traveling for their six-match limited over series in England, SLC official said. The national team is scheduled to travel on a charter flight to England on June 8. So far England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has not notified their counterparts in SL on any alterations that has to be made with travel arrangements. more..

Jun 6 (Island) SriLankan Airlines is operating limited flights to many global destinations depending on passenger and cargo demand, a senior official said. �No country has stopped aircraft from flying into their airports; the critical issue now is whether passengers from one country is accepted in the other because of stringent Covid-19 regulations�, he explained. For example, SL has debarred incoming passengers from India and Vietnam. Similarly, other countries have also prohibited arrivals more..

Jun 6 (Island) Sri Lanka has ample buffer stocks of salt to meet the local demand for the next one and a half years, industry players assured, while allaying fears of an imminent shortage following concerns over toxic chemicals from the fire-stricken X-Press Pearl feeder vessel seeping into salterns in the southern and north western parts of the country. People clamored to stock up on salt over the past week as word spread that more..

Jun 6 (SO) Rugby players in SL have taken to social media denouncing what they call the failure to recommence the once popular spectator sport that had ample breathing space in the first four months of the year. Their reaction comes barely a week after rugby officials took pride in installing themselves with media coverage for a second one-year term despite them not being able to witness a single match during their first one-year term. �Please give us the chance to play rugby for our country,� more..

Jun 6 (CB) Bangladesh captain Tamim Iqbal has copped one demerit point and fined 15% of his match fees for breaching Level 1 of the ICC Code of Conduct. It was Tamim's first offence in a 24-month period. The incident occurred in the third and final ODI against SL. After an unsuccessful review against a caught-behind dismissal, Tamim was found guilty of breaching Article 2.3 of the ICC Code of Conduct for Players and Player Support Personnel, which relates to "use of an audible obscenity more..

Jun 6 (ST) The recent spike in COVID-19 cases at the apparel factories has resulted in an increase in testing in all zones with numbers reporting to work having seen a sharp drop. FTZ Manufacturers Association General Secretary Dhammika Fernando said that the attendance has been markedly reduced due to the restrictions on travel. At the moment the vaccination drive for factory workers has also stopped, more..

Jun 6 (TM) Around 500 Covid-19 patients presently being treated at hospitals across the country are in need of a direct oxygen supply. Ministry of Health Deputy Director General of Medical Services Dr. Lal Panapitiya said that as of last morning, a total of 318 patients being treated at high dependency units (HDUs) and 120 patients at ICUs are in need of a direct oxygen supply. Currently, 33,122 Covid-19 patients are being treated at hospitals while 31,466 suspected Covid patients too are in hospitals. more..

Jun 6 (Island) In an effort to combat and control the current surge of COVID-19 cases in SL, Germany recently handed over a consignment of protective surgical masks to the Ministry of Health through the World Health Organization country office for Sri Lanka (WHO SL). The consignment, which includes a total of 924,000 surgical face masks, was jointly handed over by Mrs Claudia Tietze, Head of Press and Culture of the German Embassy, and Dr. Olivia Nieveras, Public Health Administrator more..

Jun 6 (TM) The city of Colombo will evolve as a new urban area within the next 10 to 15 years, as most of the current businesses and govt institutions will be moved out of the city to create space for the new urban plan. State Minister Dr. Nalaka Godahewa said that there are certain govt buildings in the Colombo Fort area which could be relocated as part of the masterplan. Relocation of the said buildings has also been mentioned more..

Jun 6 (EN) Terminals and vessels have checks to ensure that dangerous goods are safely stowed, an industry official said in response to questions whether a loading conflict could have triggered a fire on board the SL bound X-Press Pearl. Ships are loaded based on International Maritime Dangerous Goods (IMDG) code requirements. �When stowage planning is done by each terminal, they have segregation requirements & separation requirement, if not it will show up (in the software)� more..

Jun 6 (ST) The heaviest thunderstorms of the year devastated most areas in Sri Lanka in the past few days with floods and landslides displacing tens of thousands of families. In one tragedy, a family pet dog is seen digging the area where four family members were buried in a landslide at Devanagala, Mawanella. Earlier, rescue workers looking for the victims had chased the pet dog away when it came to the scene, but it returned and started clearing the mud with its front paws. more..

Jun 6 (ST) The UNHRC�s move to set up a separate secretariat to enforce matters relating to the resolution it passed on Sri Lanka in March this year has suffered a setback. Foreign Minister Dinesh Gunawardena said, �We have learnt that the UN Headquarters has cut down by more than 50% of the amount the Council sought.� He said, he was now awaiting a full report from the SL Permanent Mission in New York. more..

Jun 6 (ST) All Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC) trade unions, including pro-govt unions, have called on Energy Minister Udaya Gammanpila to withdraw plans to permit the private sector to import, refine and distribute fuel. Eight trade union leaders signed a letter which was handed over to the minister on Friday. The unions included the pro-govt Progressive Workers� Union of Commerce and Industry, UNP-affiliated JSS, JVP-affiliated Petroleum Common Workers� Union & Executive Officers Union. more..

Jun 6 (Island) More than one million letters and parcels have piled up at the Central Mail Exchange (CME) and at provincial level due to the prevailing travel restrictions which have hampered normal delivery, Post Master General (PMG), Ranjith Ariyaratne said. He said that only the Postal Dept�s courier service and cash on delivery facility are operational. �We cannot deliver normal and registered letters under the present circumstances�, he noted. PMG said that sorting of letters more..

Jun 6 (CI) Sri Lanka's tour of England has been cast into serious jeopardy after the players expected to be selected refused to sign the tour contracts offered by Sri Lanka Cricket. This is as part of the men's cricketers' larger resistance to SLC's new annual contracts scheme, which they believe lacks transparency and does not adequately compensate senior players. Although players have not been centrally contracted since more..

Jun 6 (DM) At least eight people have been injured after a brawl between two neighbour families in Borella following an SMS reportedly sent by a woman to her neighbour, a male, asking Kohomada Sudu (How are you darling). Sources in the Colombo National Hospital said that both the husbands of the families were admitted to the hospital with stab injuries. According to hospital sources, the woman had sent the SMS to her neighbour & her 35 yr-old husband had found more..

Jun 6 (AD) SL has reported 40 more deaths related to the COVID-19 pandemic on Monday (5). As per the Dept of Govt Information, the reported deaths had occurred between May 21 and June 05. They are identified as residents of Hasalaka, Mawanella, Eravur 02, Kurunegala, Galle, Haliela, Batapola, Dikoya, Dangedara, Imaduwa, Atakalampanna, Kelaniya, Yakkala, Kinniya, Colombo 10, Maggona, Hikkaduwa, Menikhinna, Balangoda, Batticaloa, Polgampola, Dodangoda, Nuwara Eliya, more..

Jun 6 (ST) A move to introduce a resolution before United States Congress on the same lines as the one adopted in March by UNHRC in Geneva has only drawn a coarse response from the Govt. After the full text of this resolution and the implications it portends appeared in the Sunday Times (Political Commentary) last Sunday, Ministry of Foreign Affairs reacted with a four-paragraph statement last Wednesday. more..

Jun 7 (CT) Unlike Humpty Dumpty, even all the king�s horses and all the king�s men cannot put him together again. To be sure, minister Sarath Weerasekara�s alleged misdemeanours are not yet proven; however, it seems equally reasonable to conclude on the basis of the narrative set forth below that there is a serious prima facie case against him. The minister must clear himself on the basis of an independent investigation. To enable that, the minister must resign. more..

Jun 7 (CT) CBSL will swap by the end of July this year, 49.5 billion of its depreciated rupee equivalent to US$250 million, with Bangladesh Bank. Lending and borrowing are part of ordinary life, whether for an individual, institution or country, and there is nothing shameful about currency swaps, which in other words are a type of loan. Earlier, SL had similar swaps for much larger amounts with India and China. One with India was reported to have been settled, while one with China is not yet, more..

Jun 7 (CT) The conduct of members of the upper judiciary in recent weeks has drawn questions about whether judges in Sri Lanka are afraid to hear controversial cases, especially those seeking redress against executive overreach, abuse of power and vicious persecution by Prez Gotabaya Rajapaksa. Former CID Director SSP Shani Abeysekera has borne the brunt of this affliction in higher court judges. more..

Jun 7 (DM) The MV X-press Pearl, a Singaporean registered vessel, was around nine nautical miles outside the port �direction Negombo- when dark clouds of smoke were seen to be billowing from it. According to reports, one of the containers onboard was leaking nitric acid at its previous stops in Hamad Port in Qatar and Hazira Port in India. CNN reported the company claimed they had not been permitted to enter as �the advice given was there were no specialist facilities or expertise more..

Jun 7 (DM) We have listened to the famous quote called The science of today is the technology of tomorrow. told by Edward Teller. Now the time has come to think twice about this statement. Science, for sure, is a good thing; we do need to learn science as much as possible. Even Gautama Buddha knew science probably, 100% of the science of nature. We don�t know even a decimal point percentage as that of the Buddha and ignorance of science is the reason for all troubles that more..

Jun 7 (TM) One of the main drawbacks of the previous Millennium Development Agenda, which represented the commitments of nations to reduce extreme poverty and its many manifestations: Hunger, disease, gender inequality, lack of education and access to basic infrastructure, and environmental degradation, is the complete absence of addressing the issues and challenges confronting disabled community. more..

Jun 7 (Island) We are happy to carry today an open letter to the Director General of Health Services, Dr. Asela Gunawardene, by an eminent group of academics, professionals and civil society activists. This deals with many questions agitating the minds of ordinary people on the roll out of the ongoing Covid-19 vaccination program of the govt. They have raised many matters of concern to everybody � how efficiently and fairly is the program is being carried out and also why, as is too often more..

Jun 7 (ST) It seems as though this once thrice blessed nation has been rendered bereft of its four guardian deities and left, naked and bare, to the mercy of incessant calamities to strike at will with wanton impudence. Such has become the accursed fate of this condemned state of Lanka that even a disaster waiting to happen at sea is held suspended until it arrives on these island shores to break out with catastrophic consequences. While a natural pestilence rages throughout the length and more..

Jun 7 (ST) As the stricken X-Press Pearl lays waste to SL�s marine environment including one hundred and 25 km of prized coastline from Chilaw and Negombo to Bentota and Galle in a veritable modern replay of Dante�s Inferno, is there enough money to calculate as fair compensation? The country will feel the impact of its worst marine disaster for more than a century, experts warn as horribly disfigured dead turtles and fish with plastic pellets embedded in their mouths wash up on our once pristine more..

Jun 7 (TM) It was reported last week that the Ministry of Education is planning to vaccinate school children and teachers before the resumption of schools, and that an official request has been made in this connection from the Ministry of Health. Vaccinating school children did not receive adequate attention until recently owing to the notion that if school children do not attend schools or other educational institutes, which remained closed on and off for over a year, more..

Jun 7 (FT) A group of 750 French naval personnel and officers will this week tour SL under strict bio-secure travel bubble conditions though some have raised concerns over the move amidst the pandemic. They are part of the FNS Tonnerre and FNS Surcouf naval vessels of the French Govt. The visit is a diplomatic engagement under SL-France bilateral military cooperation. The two vessels have been in high seas for the last three months more..