Sep 24 (EN) Opposition MP Champika Ranawaka was summoned by the CID Friday (24) morning for a statement. SJB MP arrived at the CID headquarters in Colombo to record a statement on a 75-million-rupee Pannaraya promotional campaign launched in 2019 under his Ministry of Megapolis and Western Development during the previous govt. Attorneys PM Cassim and Tharaka Nanayakkara appeared on behalf of more..

Sep 24 (TM) SL�s COVID-19 Prevention Committee has decided to draw up a plan in regard to the health guidelines and restrictions that need to be imposed when the country is re-opened after the quarantine curfew is lifted. Included in this plan is an Ayurveda medical box which will be provided to every household free of charge. Rs. 250mn has been approved for this purpose. Minister Sisira Jayakoday stated that this medicine box is due to be distributed in religious places such as Temples, more..

Sep 24 (EN) Colombo Stock Exchange (CSE) of Sri Lanka appointed one of its former directors Asanga Seneviratne to its board with effect from Sept 23. Seneviratne is chairman of Nation Lanka Equities (Pvt) Ltd, a trading member of the bourse. He is Managing Director of Asia Fort Asset Management (Pte) Limited, Anilana Hotels & Properties PLC and Investor Access Equities (Pte) Limited. Seneviratne was a founder and director of Asia Capital PLC, which was listed the CSE in 1994. more..

Sep 24 (EN) SL is in discussion with the Indian govt for a US$ 500 million credit line to buy fuel to and delay payments. State-run Ceylon Petroleum Corporation owes nearly US$ 3.3 billion to the two main state banks, almost equal to SL�s current foreign exchange reserves over loans taken during periods when there was pressure on the currency. The state oil distributors imports crude from the Middle East and refined products more..

Sep 24 (MFA) Foreign Minister G.L. Peiris in his discussion with Deputy PM and Foreign Minister of Thailand Don Pramudwinai indicated strong and historical bilateral ties as two countries practising Theravada Buddhism. Minister appreciated the assistance provided by Thailand to sustain the Buddhist monks at a time SL did not have a sufficient number of senior Buddhist monks. Minister highlighted that the relations between the two countries are not limited to the govts but more..

Sep 24 (DM) A 30-year-old man from Ampara has lodged a complaint with the Uhana Police alleging that he had to climb a ladder to access his upstairs room with his newlywed bride as his parents had locked the entrance to the house as a protest against their marriage. The man who had returned after working abroad had got married last August to a girl from Badulla whom he had fallen in love with through FaceBook. However, the marriage had taken place despite the strong opposition more..

Sep 24 (AD) Former SL Captain Mahela Jayawardena has been appointed as a consultant to the National team during the First Round of the ICC Men�s T20 World Cup, Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) announced today. Jayawardena, who is currently the head coach of the Mumbai Indians, will join the Sri Lanka team in UAE (Bio Bubble to Bio Bubble) immediately after the completion of the ongoing Indian Premier League, more..

Sep 24 (TM) Is the Govt using trainee graduates to carry out odd jobs? In some scathing allegations against the Govt yesterday, the Joint Trainee Association has claimed that the Govt is deceiving the graduates of the country. �We are taken to weigh sugar, rice and flour at shops. We distribute goods and conduct surveys for the Govt. They are using educated graduates to do odd jobs,� Galle District Coordinator of the Joint Trainee Association Sithum Sampath stated at a press conference. more..

Sep 24 (AD) The main suspect in the incident during the drug raid at Obeysekarapura in Rajagiriya, where a police constable was left injured, has surrendered to court. The suspect had surrendered to the Colombo Chief Magistrate�s Court today while he has been placed under remand custody until September 29, Ada Derana reporter said. Drug dealers had hit a police officer with a vehicle during a recent police raid carried out at the Obeysekerapura area in Rajagiriya. more..

Sep 24 (CT) College of Medical Laboratory Science SL (CMLSSL) accused State Minister Prof. Channa Jayasumana of failing to recognise the data breach at the National Medicines Regulatory Authority (NMRA) as a problem that has affected the public, and carry out an independent probe. President of the CMLSSL, Ravi Kumudesh alleged that the State Minister apparently did not have the inclination or more..

Sep 24 (DM) Around 75% of the candidates who sat for the 2020 GCE O/L exam are eligible to continue A/L, the Examination Department Commissioner General Sanath Pujitha said. He said he was happy with the current results. Accordingly, 231,458 students are qualified for A/Level. Education Ministry Secretary Prof. Kapila Perera said although the O/L results for aesthetic subjects have not been released, it would not be an issue for students to pursue their A/L. more..

Sep 24 (AD) Total number people who fell victim to COVID-19 infection in SL moved up as 82 more fatalities were confirmed on Thursday (23). The new development has pushed the official death toll from the virus outbreak in Sri Lanka to 12,530. The latest victims include 51 males and 31 females. As many as 61 deaths were reported among the elderly people aged above 60 years. In addition, 21 individuals aged between 30-59 years have also fallen victim to the virus infection. more..

Sep 24 (EN) Sri Lanka can discuss reopening schools soon after COVID-19 restrictions are lifted on Oct 1 as the virus is less likely to spread in a school environment than it would be in a restaurant, GMOA President Dr Anurdudha Padeniya said. Speaking at a discussion, Padeniya said research published in the the UK medical journal The Lancet makes a case for reopening schools once the ongoing lockdown is lifted. more..

Sep 24 (TM) ICC has released the official theme song of the 2021 T20 World Cup Cricket Tournament, without featuring SL in the list of participating teams. The Morning contacted the SL Cricket Board, the reason for such an exclusion was provided. �There is a qualifying round before SL gets selected for the T20 World Cup. The top 8 countries are automatically qualified, whereas countries such as SL, Namibia, Bangladesh, Scotland, Netherlands & few others have to play a qualifying round more..

Sep 24 (EN) Students of grades 1 to 5 in schools with a student population of 200 or fewer may soon be able to go back to school, according to Education Ministry Secretary Kapila Perera. Sri Lanka has 5,131 schools of fewer than 200 students, said Perera. Of the total 10,155 schools in the island, he said, 3,884 only have grades 1 to 5. �Governors of all provinces have conveyed to the education minister that all of these schools can be reopened,� he told reporters on Friday. more..

Sep 25 (CT) The cost of the COVID-19 pandemic is already immeasurable. It has crippled economies around the globe, placed an unprecedented burden on healthcare systems, and killed millions of people, altering lives in a way that was unforeseen prior to March 2020. Yet, the pandemic�s toll on the education, especially the children in primary Grades, is still to be assessed. In an alarming eye-opener, UNICEF recently revealed that schoolchildren around the world have lost an estimated more..

Sep 25 (DM) The members of the Taliban in Afghanistan had broken into prisons in the country after they entered Capital Kabul on August 15 and shot dead a number of prisoners including Abu Omar Khorasani, the head of Islamic State in South Asia while freeing thousands of members of various armed groups, including the Al-Qaida. Though the incident where State Minister Lohan Ratwatte had threatened the LTTE detainees at the Anuradhapura prison on Sept 12 cannot be compared more..

Sep 25 (DM) As a result of the 30-year ethnic conflict, many soldiers lost their lives while some lost their limbs. The Ranaviru Seva Authority was established to look into the well-being of war heroes. Maj. Gen. Nandana Senadeera (Retd), Chairman of the Ranaviru Seva Authority talks about its mission. Q: What is the role of the Ranaviru Seva Authority? A: The Tri-Forces and the Police engaged in a 30-year long humanitarian operation. more..

Sep 25 (DM) The reform of the Muslim Marriage & Divorce Act (MMDA) that Muslim women have been demanding for over four decades, is back on centre stage. Interestingly, Muslim elite and religious and political representatives who were instrumental in continuously stalling any reforms now say they want reform; one needs to take this with a pinch of salt. While some male leaders have now come to accept the need for some changes to the MMDA, there has been fierce opposition against the decision of more..

Sep 25 (DM) Climate change is not the only catastrophe the world has created for itself through selfish and irresponsible actions. The possession of nuclear weapons is more devastating and apocalyptic. The United States former President Ronald Reagan, widely regarded as one of the most respected leaders of the now degenerating Republican Party, has said a nuclear war cannot be won and must never be fought. The only value in some nations possessing nuclear weapons more..

Sep 25 (CT) Party leaders of the SL People�s Freedom Alliance met at Temple Trees on Thursday under the patronage of PM Mahinda Rajapaksa with the controversial Kerawalapitiya LNG power plant deal the Govt signed overnight with an American company at the helm of discussion. In this nearly-two-hour meeting attention was also drawn to the potential consumer benefits from the operation of the Yugadanavi Power Plant. more..

Sep 25 (GV) Currently as UNGA sessions proceed in New York, real action is at the UNHRC in Geneva, where the conduct of the SL govt is on the agenda and under close examination for its int'l commitments and obligations under the terms of UNHRC Resolution 46/1 adopted by the Council at an earlier session in March this year. Defending the record of the govt through the new normal of a video statement in a teleconference format was our newly minted Foreign Minister, more..

Sep 25 (Island) Sri Lankans, troubled by lockdown blues and thirsting for entertainment, must be thrilled to watch, on television, some govt politicians, engaged in turf wars, wash dirty linen�loads and loads of it�in public. An SLPP politician from Polonnaruwa has got down and dirty with his bete noire from the same district. State Minister Roshan Ranasinghe has accused SLPP MP and former Prez Sirisena of trying to sabotage a govt plan to build a walking path on the riprap or ralapanawa of more..

Sep 25 (CT) With well over 50 percent of the Sri Lankan population double-vaccinated why is Sri Lanka in extended Covid-19 lockdown until October 1? After all, vaccination was supposed to ensure opening up countries and a return to normal life! No other country on earth with such a high vaccination rate and large percentage of its population vaccinated is being kept in socially and economically ruinous lockdowns, with public transport systems and even the law courts shut down. more..

Sep 25 (FT) The ICCSL-Daily FT organised high profile webinar titled SL�s Debt Sustainability � The Current Challenges will be held today from 4 p.m. onwards online. Organised in partnership with MBA Alumni Association of University of Colombo, CA Sri Lanka and Ceylon Innovent, the webinar will be aired on the Facebook pages of ICCSL, Daily FT and Lanka News Web social media pages. The keynotes will be delivered by CB Governor Ajith Nivard Cabraal and a former Chief Economist more..

Sep 25 (Roar) Protein is an essential macronutrient that fuels each cell in our bodies and drives key functions such as growth, tissue repair, digestion, and hormone regulation. Sri Lanka is a country rich in locally available sources of plant-based and meat-based protein, including affordable and nutrient-dense options such as poultry. However, the country is also dealing with a nationwide issue of protein deficiency, more..

Sep 25 (Roar) Last Saturday before I went to bed, I read a soft copy of the book, Breaking Silence: The Case that Changed the Face of Human Rights by Richard Alan White. The narrative of the book refers to a young man, Joelito Fil�rtiga, who was tortured and killed by an agent of Paraguayan dictator Alfredo Stroessner in 1976. Joelito�s sister who came to the United States, was advised that she could sue the murderer of her brother under the Alien Tort Claims Act (ATCA) passed in 1789. more..

Sep 25 (FT) COVID-19 vaccines were administered to 250,356 persons on Thursday and a total of 11,406,358 persons have received both doses of a vaccine in the country. The first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine has been administered to 14,183,520 persons. The first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine has been administered to 44.3% of the 20-29 age group and 12.6% have received both doses of a vaccine. Second dose coverage in the over 30 age group is 97.3%. more..

Sep 25 (Island) SL Army�s decision to schedule their flagship athletics event to November is likely to hurt top athletes� preparations for next year�s major international events. The Army�s decision has come just a couple of weeks after Sri Lanka Athletics decided to windup the pandemic plagued season in October to allow enough time for off season as top athletes will have several crucial international competitions in 2022 including more..

Sep 25 (Island) Arimac Digital launched its journey 10 years ago in the digital industry as an up-and-coming innovative tech company. Today, Arimac is spearheading digital solutions for customers around the world and is dominating the Asian region markets, moving from strength to strength with disruptive solutions in web and mobile development, immersive technologies, robotics and cognitive sciences, game development to cater to the rapidly changing dynamics of global technology. more..

Sep 25 (Island) Reams have been written in all local newspapers; much comment has traversed social media and persons have been bold to call for justice on two absolutely unrestrained and yes, evil, SLPP VIPs who have recently been dancing the devil as the saying goes. These evil doers seem to be pathologically unable to control themselves and behave as human beings: heads outsised with hubris and apparently bodies often pickled with liquor. more..

Sep 25 (ST) The cricket adoring public was buoyed by the T20 series win against India and it can be considered as a confidence booster for the young Lankan Lions led by their captain Dasun Shanaka. Despite winning the series against India on home soil it remained to be seen whether they will maintain the consistency against South Africa who arrived in the island for the tour comprised of three ODIs and three T20Is. Leading in to the series, SLC organised the Invitational T20 League to more..

Sep 25 (ST) Very often, it is not strange to hear an important announcement through a loudspeaker tied on the roof of a tuk-tuk passing through the neighbourhood. According to the announcement, the following day � which is always a public holiday -, electricity supply in the area would be disconnected for maintenance purposes! Sometimes the message would be sent through your hand phone. Although I used to think that regular maintenance is a good thing, I never had that experience in more..

Sep 25 (ST) Govt�s clampdown on imports in demanding a 100% cash deposit when opening letters of credit (LC) will result in the collapse of the electrical and electronic appliances import industry, stakeholders claimed. SL Retailers Association has asked the Govt to remove the new requirement, saying if the policy remained for long many importers would have to close shop and lay off employees during these difficult times. more..

Sep 25 (TM) The high-profile shaman Eliyantha White, 48, who treated sports stars, celebrities of the region, and top politicians, including former President and present PM Mahinda Rajapaksa, passed away on Wednesday (22) at a private hospital in Colombo while being treated for Covid-19. �White had claimed in November he could end the pandemic in Sri Lanka and neighbouring India by pouring pots of his blessed water into rivers,� noted Al Jazeera in a report yesterday, more..

Sep 25 (EN) SL should open schools as soon as it is safe to do so, but students should not be subject to the same exam pressure as earlier, which is in case a flawed approach that leaves students without reasoning skills, an education policy group has said. SL schooling in case locked in a covering the syllabus to prepare children for exams approach, Education Forum SL, a policy group said. �There seems to be no intention of seeking alternatives to covering the syllabus to prepare children more..

Sep 25 (TM) Milk powder importers have demanded that the Govt increase the maximum retail price (MRP) of 1 kg of imported milk powder by Rs. 350, The Morning Business learns. However, according to industry sources, the Govt has refused to allow such a significant price hike considering its adverse effect on the consumer. Nonetheless, according to statements made by the Govt, they are willing to grant approximately more..