Oct 30 (CI) Over the past week, South Africa have had much more to confront than their opponents on the cricket field. If you haven't followed closely, here's a quick recap. Ahead of the first match against Australia last Saturday, South Africa's players chose different gestures through which to express their support for anti-racism, some kneeling with a raised fist (incl. Rassie van der Dussen, Keshav Maharaj, Kagiso Rabada, Tabraiz Shamsi), some raising a fist while standing more..

Oct 30 (CI) South Africa are ready to welcome Quinton de Kock back into their starting XI after he sat out the match against West Indies when he refused to take a knee, and believe they are closer than ever. Keshav Maharaj said the team is in a good space, and has drawn inspiration from the way they responded to a last-minute directive from CSA to collectively take a knee. "No-one is a racist within our team. We all support one another and respect everyone's cultural, religious and more..

Oct 30 (FT) LMD-NielsenIQ Business Confidence Index (BCI) survey registered an increase of seven basis points to 111 in October. In addition to being a five-month high, this points to a continued improvement in sentiment for the third consecutive month. However, LMD notes that the index is four points shy of where it stood a year ago although it�s six points higher than the 12-month average for the first time since April. NielsenIQ�s Director � Consumer Insights Therica Miyanadeniya more..

Oct 30 (Island) Put into bat first S. Thomas� lost eight wickets for 35 runs before the ninth wicket pair of Yasiru Rodrigo and Mahith Perera resisted the Royal attack with a dogged stand as they reached 73 for nine wickets at close on day two of the 142nd Battle of the Blues at the SSC ground on Friday. The Sri Lanka Under-19 player Rodrigo and Perera who had only played one year of Under-15 cricket were together for more than one and half hours resisting the Royal attack. more..

Oct 30 (Island) SLPP MP Dr. Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe, PC, has moved the Supreme Court in terms of the Article 126 and Article 17 of the Constitution requesting the cancellation of agreements between the Mahapola Higher Education Scholarship Trust Fund and SL Institute of Information Technology (SLIIT). Former Justice Minister, having named Cabinet of ministers, including the PM, Members of the CIABOC, IGP, AG, more..

Oct 30 (FT) Govt of Japan has provided a total sum of $ 625,698 (Rs. 124 mil) to the Halo Trust for humanitarian demining activities in northern SL. The grant contract was signed on 28 Oct, between Ambassador of Japan Sugiyama Akira and Halo Trust Head of Region Belinda Vause. The Halo Trust, one of the world�s largest and oldest humanitarian demining NGOs, has cleared more than 36.8km2 of contaminated land in the country since 2002. more..

Oct 30 (Island) Recognized for its proven excellence as a leader in enterprise solutions, SLT-MOBITEL Mobile Business Solutions (MBS), announced the tie-up with Zoho recently, a global technology corporation, to offer an extensive array of innovative business solutions to Sri Lankan customers. Expanding its portfolio of global partnerships, SLT-MOBITEL MBS is introducing three key cloud solutions: Zoho CRM, a customer relationship management software that helps companies more..

Oct 30 (FT) SL�s total exports has seen sustained growth during the past nine months, suggesting that the near $ 16 billion target for 2021 is achievable. SL�s total exports were $ 11.1 bil in the first nine months, reflecting an achievement of 70.63% of the $ 15.72 bil target for the entirety of 2021. In mid-2021, the EDB upwardly revised the original export target of $15.68 billion to $ 15.72 bil, as post-COVID reopening of the country more..

Oct 30 (Island) No one should abuse the mandate that 6.9 million people had given to Gotabaya Rajapaksa, Minister Wimal Weerawansa said, addressing the media at Pita-Kotte, together with the representatives of constituents of the ruling SLPP coalition. Weerawansa added that they would do whatever it took to ensure that the aspirations of the people were met. �Cabinet paper authorising New Fortress company to supply LNG was not discussed at the Cabinet. more..

Oct 30 (Island) I have been amazed by the Afghanistan spinners, they have been the pick of the bowlers so far for me. It is true that they were perhaps playing one of the weaker teams but the way Mujeeb Ur Rahman and Rashid Khan bowled against Scotland was incredible � the batters were mesmerised. If they can bowl like that in other matches, then they can be a real threat. In some ways they remind me a bit of Sri Lanka when we won the 50-over ICC Men�s WC in 1996. more..

Oct 30 (EN) Sri Lanka�s inflation in the 12-months to October 2021 surged to 7.8%, the highest since October 2017, data showed amid domestic and US monetary policy corruption. The widely watched Colombo Consumer Price Index jumped 1.9% in October to 146.9 points, with some foods which were kept under price controls understating inflation in prior months were officially allowed to go up. more..

Oct 30 (FT) Sri Lanka�s COVID-19 detections rose to 539,416 with the detection of 556 COVID-19 patients yesterday. The COVID-19 cases detected yesterday are from the New Year cluster and 5,484 PCR tests were conducted yesterday. On Thursday, 5,050 PCR tests and 3,892 rapid antigen tests were conducted and 540 COVID-19 patients were detected. All COVID-19 patients detected on Thursday were from the New Year cluster, which has expanded to 434,768 patients. more..

Oct 30 (FT) In remembrance of late Dr. Most Ven. Walamitiyawe Kusaladhamma Thero, tomorrow has been declared as a day of mourning. The final rites on Kusaladhamma Thero will be on the same day, the State Ministry of Home Affairs said. Separately the Excise Dept said all liquor outlets in the Gampaha and Colombo districts would be closed tomorrow on account of the Govt�s move. Prez Rajapaksa yesterday, in a message of condolence, said he was deeply saddened byw more..

Oct 30 (Island) SLPP National List lawmaker Gevindu Cumaratunga says the incumbent govt cannot under any circumstances turn a blind eye to continuing accusations directed at the administration as regards waste, corruption and irregularities. In an interview with Asian Mirror website, Chairman of the Yuthukama civil society organisation Cumaratunga acknowledged that such accusations were more..

Oct 30 (FT) Foreign Minister Prof. G.L. Peiris who is on an official tour to England this week met the UK Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Af fairs Elizabeth Truss at the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office. Minister Prof. Peiris informed Foreign Secretary Elizabeth Truss that having fully vaccinated about 82% of the eligible population, life was getting back to normalcy in SL. He informed that tourism which collapsed during the pandemic was picking up more..

Oct 30 (FT) COVID-19 vaccines were administered to 139,472 persons on Thursday and a total of 13,356,566 persons have received both doses of a COVID-19 vaccine to date. The first dose of a vaccine has been administered to 15,376,578 persons and 91.4% of the country�s population over the age of 20 has received both doses of a COVID-19 vaccine. 71% of the country�s population has received the first dose of a vaccine and 61.96% has received the second dose as well. more..

Oct 30 (FT) Three cabinet ministers publicly opposed the Govt�s agreement to hand over the shares of the Kerawalapitiya Yugadanavi power plant to an American company. Leaders of 11 govt-affiliated parties participated in a media conference, at the Solis Hall in Pita Kotte under the name People�s Council for a pro-people tomorrow. This is the first time that leaders of 11 govt allied parties have held such a conference. more..

Oct 30 (FT) The Govt is preparing an inter-ministry joint program to attract more tourists to Sri Lanka. This special initiative is to be implemented jointly by the Ministries of Tourism, Foreign Affairs, Wildlife, Trade, Archaeology and National Heritage and their affiliates. Tourism Minister Prasanna Ranatunga said that the objective of the collective initiative was to effectively promote Sri Lanka as an attractive tourist destination among international travellers. He made these remarks at a special discussion more..

Oct 30 (CT) India�s Adani Group, which recently sealed a deal with Sri Lanka to develop and run the strategic Colombo Port�s Western Container Terminal, is also exploring the possibility of investing in the island nation�s energy and wind sector, a senior official from the CEB said. The comments came a day after Adani Group Chairman, Gautam Adani called on Sri Lankan Prez and PM here, weeks after his company inked a deal with the state-owned Sri Lanka Ports Authority to develop more..

Oct 30 (CT) Leaders of the Govt�s constituent parties on Friday, while claiming there are influential forces within the Govt that act in an arbitrary manner to derail Govt from its original mandate, vouched to resort to stricter action to defeat faulty decisions even if that cost all the perks they are enjoying at the moment. Minister Wimal Weerawansa, criticising the Cabinet decision on the transfer of shares of the Yugadanavi more..

Oct 30 (FT) This whole sordid madcap period of centralised lies about pathogenic phantom menaces seeking to convert a serious virus into a blood curdling, life annulling cataclysm, seems to epitomise the media infatuation for advocating that the masses submit to and follow their demands. In fact, the various power blocs and orchestrators behind this clearly economically motivated (at least in part) health debacle seem to share some favourite impulses: authoritarianism, more..

Oct 30 (FT) The hate campaign against Muslims in SL seems to be taking a new turn, with a few child rights activists blaming the Muslims of promoting child marriages. Muslim bashing has become the norm in webinars and social media these days. The hue and cry on Muslim kids marrying at 12 and 15 is a myth, stage managed to create a public outcry against Muslim Personal Laws and the Muslim Marriage and Divorce Act (MMDA). Regretfully, Muslim bashing is endorsed by probably more..

Oct 30 (FT) The passing of one of the last of SL�s Big Men drew immediate concern as to the state of independent broadcasting in Sri Lanka. Such was the impact that Rajendram Rajamahendran � who passed away in July 2021 � had on the political and commercial landscape of this island nation. Our paths crossed some years ago when I decided to compile a book on the wealthy in Sri Lanka. I had to create some hype and awareness and I called on good fortune from the past. more..

Oct 30 (TM) The Monetary Board of the Central Bank of SL (CBSL) has established an Advisory Committee to examine possible revival options for failed finance companies. The committee comprises four eminent experts from the business sector. It is chaired by Dharma Dheerasinghe � the Chairman of CBC Finance Ltd., former Chairman of Commercial Bank of Ceylon PLC and former Deputy Governor of the Central Bank of SL. The other members are namely, Sujeewa Mudalige � more..

Oct 30 (AD) In-person education for students of grades 10, 11, 12 and 13 in all schools will resume from Nov 8 (Monday), Ministry of Education says. A press release issued by the ministry said the recommendations of the Special Committee on COVID-19 Control were received with regard to the resumption of academic activities. Minister Dinesh Gunawardena said the authorities aim to conduct the Grade 5 Scholarship more..

Oct 30 (CT) Ministry of Agriculture had called for organic fertiliser tender bids for 99,000MT, at a cost of US$ 42.8 million. It was won by Qingdao Seawin Biotech, but the cargo was rejected when tested samples were found to be contaminated and two State-owned companies, the Ceylon Fertiliser Corporation and the Colombo Commercial Fertiliser secured a Court Order to block the first payment of US$ 4.9 million to Qingdao Seawin as payment for the first shipment of 20,000MT of more..

Oct 30 (Island) Prez Rajapaksa must disband his Task Force on One Country One Law immediately, former TNA Northern Provincial Councillor and a relative of Velupillai Prabhakaran, MK Sivajilinagam said. He said the President was unpopular among Sinhalese, Tamils and Muslims in the country. The Task Force was a desperate attempt to boost President Rajapaksa�s flagging popularity, he claimed. Sivajilinagm said that the President had earlier promised a new Constitution to more..

Oct 30 (DM) PM Rajapaksa yesterday in a telephone conversation with Minister Mahindananda Aluthgamage, expressed his anger and concerns at the comments made by Aluthgamage to the media on Thursday where he said Rajapaksa had informed the Chinese Ambassador that the Chinese Organic Fertilizer will not be accepted. Rajapaksa had fired a call to Mahindananda last afternoon questioning him as to who informed him more..

Oct 30 (TM) Cabinet paper regarding the Yugadanavi LNG power plant deal was never discussed with the Cabinet of Ministers, alleged Minister Wimal Weerawansa. He made such statements yesterday when 11 Govt affiliated Parties including the SLFP joined with a number of other organisations to voice their opposition against the LNG power plant deal. �Do you know how this cabinet paper was submitted? We were all attending the online meeting. more..

Oct 30 (AD) Director General of Health Services has confirmed another 19 coronavirus-related deaths for October 29, increasing the country�s death toll due to the virus to 13,725. The deaths reported today include 12 males and 07 females. Seven of the deceased are between the ages 30-59 and the remaining twelve are aged 60 and above. Meanwhile the Ministry of Health reported that another 428 persons have tested positive for COVID-19, moving the tally of virus cases more..

Oct 30 (AD) A special gazette notification has been issued, declaring the services provided by several sectors including the ports, petroleum, postal, transport and state banks as essential services. Presidential Secretary P.B. Jayasundera published the communiqu� on Friday (29), upon the directives of Prez Rajapaksa. Thereby, the following have been identified as essential services for the conduct of more..

Oct 30 (Island) Govt has launched a programme to increase the country�s forest cover to 30% by 2025, Minister Mahinda Amaraweera says. At present, forest cover in the country was 29%, he says. Minister said 16,000 hectares would have to be reforested to achieve the ambitious target. Environment Ministry would release nine million rupees for the planting of saplings in 7 districts for the next 2 months of the year under Husma Dena Thuru national tree planting programme. more..

Oct 30 (CT) The tenure of the Special Presidential Commission of Inquiry, appointed to implement the recommendations made by the PCoI on Political Victimisation of Public Officials during the tenure of the UNF-led Govt, was extended until 28 April 2022 by way of a Gazette Extraordinary issued by Prez Rajapaksa. Prez issued the Gazette Extraordinary by virtue of powers vested on him by Section 4 of the Special Presidential Commissions of Inquiry Act No. 7 of 1978 of National State Assembly, more..

Oct 30 (Island) Health authorities have sought the Attorney General�s advice on whether legal action could be instituted against those who refuse to take the anti-COVID vaccine. This was revealed yesterday (29) during the meeting of the Special Committee on COVID-19 Control held via video link. Medical experts said there were legal provisions to take such action. It was decided that current inter-provincial travel restrictions would be lifted after 4.00 am on October 31. more..

Oct 30 (EN) Sri Lanka�s power sector engineers have sought US help to prevent what is said to be one the most insidious destruction of a competitive tender seen so far in the country involving the entertainment of a parallel back-door deal, leading to a loss of broader investor confidence. The provision of the terminal was said to be conditional upon purchasing billions of dollars of LNG or paying compensation if the fuel was not used (take-or-pay) which could cripple the state-run CEB. more..

Oct 30 (Island) Additional Solicitor General, Nerin Pulle PC, yesterday told the Court of Appeal that the Attorney General had not withdrawn the indictment against wartime Navy Commander the then Vice Admiral Wasantha Karannagoda in respect of the alleged abduction and disappearance of 11 Tamil youth in 2008. He said so when a writ Application, filed in the Court of Appeal by the parents of 11 children against more..

Oct 30 (AD) Tuition classes for GCE O/L and A/L will be allowed to resume from Nov 16 with 50% of the usual capacity of students, Director-General of Health Services announced. This was mentioned in the revised guidelines issued by Dr. Asela Gunawardena pertaining to the continuation of activities in public and work settings. The guidelines will be in effect from Nov 01 � 15. According to the communiqu�, the health authorities will review the pandemic situation and issue the relevant more..