May 15 (CT) GMOA has warned the number of COVID-19 infections within the Gampaha District could rise to alarming proportions during the coming days. GMOA General Secretary Dr. Senal Fernando stated following rapid antigen tests conducted on a group of people who had arrived at the Negombo General Hospital for treatment for colds, around 80% had tested COVID-19 positive. He said this development is not healthy for those patients at the Gampaha Hospital and affirmed that more..

May 15 (ST) A Polonnaruwa co-operative society, set up during the previous Govt to empower small-scale and middle-scale rice farmers and break the rice price-fixing oligopolistic system in the country, drew a staggering Rs. 206 million of state funds. The funds were misused without following any proper mechanism, an audit report recently revealed. The audit report compiled by the National Audit Office, observed that the Polonnaruwa district branch of SL Rice Producers Co-operative Society secured more..

May 15 (TM) According to MP Harsha De Silva, the Auditor General has informed the Parliamentary Committee on Public Finance that the Finance Ministry has refused to change accounts published in the Central Bank of SL (CBSL) Annual Report for 2020 following a request made by the Committee to inquire into alleged manipulation of figures within the report. �After requesting Auditor General for his input more..

May 15 (Island) The police have arrested an associate of Zahran Hashim, who led the National Thowheed Jamaath, which carried out the Easter Sunday carnage, for having promoted extremism among students and young school leavers in the run-up to 2019 Easter Sunday carnage. DIG Ajith Rohana said, yesterday, the police had recently apprehended the 38-year-old resident of Iqbal Road, Muttur in the wake information the suspect had addressed those who sat the GCE O/L and more..

May 15 (AD) Passengers travelling on SriLankan Airlines to Australia are now required to provide a negative Rapid Antigen Test (RAT) prior to check-in for flights. As per the latest health guidelines issued by the Australian HC in Colombo, the prerequisite will come be enforced from tomorrow (15), the national carrier said in a notice issued today. The testing requirements will include: A negative COVID-19 PCR test result is required for travellers to or transiting through Australia. more..

May 15 (Island) National Coordinator, Training (Nursing) Pushpa de Soysa says that against the backdrop of alarming increase in the number of positive Covid-19 cases, the govt needs to act swiftly and decisively to strengthen the nursing staff or face the consequences. The top nurse insists a moment cannot be wasted as the ongoing epidemic threatens to overwhelm the entire country. The outspoken official said that more..

May 15 (SLA) Troops of 8 SL Sinha Regiment (SLSR) under command to the 611 Brigade of the 61 Division of the Security Forces -West early this morning (14) rescued 13 civilians, affected by spilling flood waters of Kuda Oya, Mainoluwa in the general area of Ruwanwella due to torrential rains in the past few hours. Those 13 civilians of four families remained completely cut off from the mainland around 3 am as a result of spilling flood waters when rescue teams of the Army more..

May 15 (CT) The GMOA proposed to the Ministry of Health that a team of specialists versed in the control of pandemics should be formed without delay if the Govt is intent on effectively curbing the spread of the third wave of COVID-19. The Secretary of GMOA, Dr. Senal Fernando stated that even past pandemics which had ravaged the country such as dengue, polio etc. had been effectively contained by committees comprising of specialists and technicians versed in the subject. more..

May 15 (EN) Sri Lanka has confirmed 2,269 Coronavirus patients and deaths reported climbed to a new high of 29 on May 14 with as tighter controls and nightly curfews were imposed to curb the spread of a new wave that surged after a traditional New Year holiday in April. The 29 deaths came from Avissawella, Nuwara Eliya, Horana, Trincomalee, Nelumdeniya, Nawathuduwa, Ambalangoda, Rathgama, more..

May 15 (AD) Attorney General Dappula de Livera has informed the public that he is unable to present indictments against the conspirators and abettors of the 2019 Easter Sunday terror attacks within his tenure as the CID�s probes are incomplete. His coordinating officer, State Counsel Nishara Jayaratne confirmed. Earlier today, in a letter directed to Inspector-General of Police, the AG sought confirmation of evidence against 42 suspects in Category A of Easter Sunday attacks. more..

May 15 (DM) Some 150,000 consumers have been affected by power breakdowns due to the adverse weather condition prevailing in the country, Power and Energy Development Director and Media Spokesperson Sulakshana Jayawardena said. He said that nearly 22,000 complaints have been received today and yesterday. "About four customers in a separate connection line were affected due to power disruption and altogether 150,000 consumers reported to have been more..

May 15 (FT) The brazenness of motorists and cyclists to honk and whistle menacingly when they were stopped by security personnel to allow the Chinese Defence Minister�s cavalcade to pass through demonstrated how frustrated and angry the public has become over the regime�s failure not only to control the pandemic but also to deliver its pre-election promises. Never in the history of SL has a govt elected to power with such a thumping majority as the current one appear to have lost more..

May 15 (FT) I was relieved to read an article in the press by the well-known good governance activist Chandra Jayaratne calling for effective participation of the National Election Commission (NEC) in electoral reforms under the proposed new Constitution. I was even happier to note that he has dwelt descriptively on two fundamental aspects of the General Election process viz. the formalisation of the election manifesto and bringing political professionals to Parliament as lawmakers. more..

May 15 (JT) The death of a SL woman detained at a central Japan immigration facility has been in the spotlight as parliament debates a controversial bill to revise the immigration law that is feared will worsen conditions for asylum seekers in Japan. While ruling parties aim to pass the bill during the current Diet session through mid-June to resolve the long-term detention of foreign nationals facing deportation orders, opposition forces more..

May 15 (AD) Following the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic last year, as many as 117,220 patients who were treated for the virus infection have been released from medical care upon recovery. These patients were discharged from govt and private hospitals as well as intermediate treatment centres across the country, the ministry said further, clarifying the revised COVID figures. Meanwhile, a total of 1,352 more patients have also been discharged from medical care within more..

May 15 (AD) The deep depression over south east Arabian sea has developed into a cyclonic storm TAUKTAE and lay centered at 11.30 pm on Thursday (14), near latitude 12�N and longitude 72.6�E, the Dept of Meteorology said in an advisory issued today. It is very likely to intensify into a severe cyclonic storm within next 24 hours. The system is likely to move nearly north and north-westwards towards Gujarat coast around 18th May morning. The impact of this system on weather more..

May 15 (AD) People who were diagnosed with COVID-19 in PCR test but do not indicate any symptoms will be treated at their homes starting from Monday (17), says State Minister Dr. Sudarshini Fernandopulle. According to the state minister, necessary arrangements for this purpose are currently under way. If these asymptomatic coronavirus patients suffer from any complications, they will be hospitalized for further treatment, more..

May 15 (NR) Attorney General Dappula de Livera has informed the public that he is not in a position to present charges and indictments against conspirators and abettors of the 2019 Easter Sunday attacks during his term in office. The Attorney General attributed this to the incomplete investigations by the CID. Dappula de Livera is due to retire from his role as AG on the 20th of May. Senior Additional Solicitor General Sanjay Rajaratnam is being considered for the post. more..

May 15 (DM) Miss Universe 2019 Zozibini Tunzi joked that the next Miss Universe will literally have to snatch her crown after reigning longer than other titlists in the pageant's history due to the pandemic. In the opening spiel of Zozibini and other host Miss Universe 2017 Demi-Leigh Nel-Peters, Demi said Zozi�s reign was amazing though quite a little bit longer. �It's definitely an amazing reign, Zozi. A little bit of long one but I'm sure you won't complain,� Demi said. Zozi answered that her successor more..

May 15 (AD) DMC says four persons died while two others sustained injuries due to the adverse weather condition in the country since May 13. Meanwhile, as many as 42,252 people from 11,074 families have been afflicted by the torrential rains. According to reports, the inclement weather was mainly observed in Kegalle, Colombo, Kalutara, Gampaha, Kurunegala, Galle and Matara districts. Kelani, Gin and more..

May 15 (SLN) As a result of flood emergencies following the inclement weather, 2 more Navy relief teams were sent out to flood prone areas in the Gampaha district today to rescue distressed communities and provide them with relief measures. Accordingly, the Navy has deployed 15 relief teams in the areas which are susceptible to inundation in the districts of Gampaha, Kalutara, Galle and Matara. Thus, Navy flood relief teams continue to provide assistance to flood victims, while more..

May 15 (DM) Lawyers for Democracy (LFD) yesterday condemned the killing of two suspects who were in police custody in two consecutive days and claimed it was plain murders. �This is no doubt plain murder,� stated LFD, an independent organisation representing legal practitioners throughout the country and added that �it was time that action being taken to put a stop to this type of barbaric actions by the state�. �These acts are a serious challenge to rule of law,� said more..

May 16 (CT) Today I am courting an avalanche of invective and censure from hyperactive readers. You live only once so why not I live dangerously? My objective is serious. It�s about left leaders who did this or that and whose plans misfired. Can we distinguish between the unforeseeable, plain bad luck, errors of judgement made in good faith, opportunists, sons of bachelors and progeny of female canines? I intend to argue that the coalition tactic of NM et al is a case of bad luck and more..

May 16 (TM) In Jan 2020, just as the Covid-19 global pandemic was taking root, Health Minister Pavithra Wanniarachchi made a statement in Parliament responding to a request by the Opposition Leader. The request was for the Govt to consider distributing facemasks free of charge to the people in order to protect themselves and the country from the pandemic. Health Minister, in her statement, completely rejected not only the idea of handing out masks to the public, but more..

May 16 (TM) State Minister Dr. Sudarshini Fernandopulle said that the Govt is trying its best to procure the vaccines from various countries. �The Serum Institute in India could not comply with the orders, given the current situation. The WHO cannot procure the pending Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccines from the COVAX facility, it is even beyond the control of the WHO,� she said. �We were supposed to receive balance in early May, more..

May 16 (CT) Sri Lanka didn�t need a Y2K problem at the dawn of the 21st century, indeed, the third millennium. The island of millenniums had enough baggage from the old century to carry over into the new century, if not from the old millennium to the new. Old problems were carried with new mutations and whole new other ones were added. The war that was muddled through the nineties consumed almost the entire first decade of the new century, before ending in 2009. more..

May 16 (TM) We will grit our teeth and with submission to god, wait, even if the adversary aims at us the stone in the catapult sling, and aims the arrow at us, with his bow. Even if we have to walk through fire, Languish without food, Be struck with disease, We will follow the path of Ahimsa (non violence). The author of the above poem is a 26-year-old Muslim poet from the remote village of Chilawathurai in the Mannar District. In another poem in the same book � Navarasam, more..

May 16 (Island) We had so many kings in our Sinhala Balaya of many centuries. There were many questionable deals on succession by members of this royalty, and others who came to those realms. But we have yet to hear of any brother of a ruling monarch rushing abroad in the midst of what may have been a national crisis, moving to a disaster. This is the stuff of Sinhala Power in the 21st Century. It is a show of the Raja Keliya more..

May 16 (CT) More than 500 acres of tea-cultivated lands in Balangoda have been destroyed due to a roundworm spreading disease among plants, said the cultivators. The farmers and the locals said this disease has also started spreading in the surrounding areas such as Rassagala, Vijinathkumbura, Waleboda, Kovulketiya, Wathukarakanda and Penipanguwa. They pointed out that the symptoms of this disease among plants have been identified after the death of more..

May 16 (TM) Despite positive predictions at the beginning of the year, uncertainty has once again gripped the SL export sector following the most recent surge in Covid-19 cases, leading experts to believe that the current export target needs to be revised. EDB Chairman Suresh de Mel stated that the evolving situation has made the future uncertain, and the impact on the sector from the recent surge of Covid cases is yet to be analysed. He explained that this lack of analysis is due to more..

May 16 (Island) Economic integration is more important today than it has ever been for South Asia�s development. When comparing the impact of South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC)s South Asian Free Trade Area (SAFTA) and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Free Trade Area (AFTA) in promoting trade amongst its member states, AFTA has been more effective in integrating the economies of its member states. SAFTA, on the other hand, has yet to more..

May 16 (ST) The cabinet on the 29th April, has approved a ban on importation of chemical fertilizers and other agrochemicals in the bid to become the first country ever to practice organic only agriculture. The policy document of the present govt, Vistas of Prosperity and Splendour, which has been mandated by the nearly 2/3rd of the voters at the 2018 Presidential Election, state that Sri Lankan agriculture will promote and popularize organic agriculture during next ten years. more..

May 16 (Island) Anybody who attempts to scoop Kagiso Rabada�s first ball � a thunderbolt clocked at 150 kmph � over the wicketkeeper�s head must be out of his mind; unless he is Niroshan Dickwella. This was not on the slow surfaces of Dambulla or Suriyawewa, but at The Wanderers, a fast bowler�s paradise. Dickwella with his fearless approach & cheeky batting should be a must in ODI team but in SL he's a Test match specialist. more..

May 16 (Island) Munchee biscuits and other products of Ceylon Biscuits Ltd. and merchandise from Tradlanka Agricultural Enterprises Ltd. (Arya brand) are now available for sale at the popular Spar Supermarket chain in Oman following the recent opening of a stall for exclusive sale of Lankan products under an initiative of the Economic Diplomacy initiative of the Colombo foreign office. The stall was stocked with food products shipped from Colombo in a 20-foot container. more..

May 16 (Roar) Earlier this month, the govt announced that a programme will be initiated this year, to provide estate workers in the Nuwara Eliya district without birth certificates with the necessary documents. The Registrar General�s Department has been asked to conduct a survey in the district to gauge how many of those in the estate communities are without birth certificates � data it currently does not have. Birth certificates are essential documents, the lack of which pose barriers to more..

May 16 (TM) Sri Lanka is currently facing its third Covid-19 wave, and the upcoming weeks are nothing short of crucial, especially given the alarming number of new cases being reported daily and the increasing numbers of Covid-19 variants found in the country. Sri Lanka recently revealed that it had detected its first case of the Indian variant of Covid-19, also known as B.1.617, which was detected in a person who was more..

May 16 (Island) Korean Ambassador Santhush Woonjin JEONG met with Abdur Rahim Siddiqui, the newly-appointed UN World Food Program (WFP) SL Country Director and Representative, at the Korean Embassy last week. They had a productive discussion about the progress of the ongoing projects on the resilience building and strengthening sustainable livelihoods of communities in SL. Ambassador said he is pleased about the recent project initiated in March 2021, more..