Jan 4 (DN) Sri Lankan 12 member athletic team will take part at the SAAF Cross Country Championships which scheduled to be held in Kohima, Nagaland, India on Jan 15th. The athletes who took part at the recently concluded Cross Country trails held at Diyagama have selected athletes based on their performances said Vice President of Sri Lanka Athletics (SLA) G.L.S Perera. The four categories open men and women (10km) and Junior men and women (6km) included more..

Jan 4 (CT) In keeping with President Gotabaya Rajapaksa�s green energy policy, requiring the country to use 70 per cent renewable energy, the Cabinet has scrapped the controversial third phase of the Norochcholai Power Plant (Lakvijaya Power Plant). The President pledged to the international community that coal power projects in the country would be scrapped. Accordingly, the third phase of the 300MW coal power plant at more..

Jan 4 (FT) Pioneering business magazine LMD has announced that its Sri Lankan of The Year (SLOTY) for 2021 is singing sensation Yohani de Silva. Paying tribute to the young musician, LMD notes that she �shot to international fame with her rendition of Manike Mage Hithe�. LMD adds that �her heroics on the global stage and string of successes produced the positive vibes that we desperately needed, in addition to turning the spotlight on our precious nation � perhaps more than more..

Jan 4 (FT) Health officials said Omicron cases were being detected from the community, adding that 365 persons tested positive for COVID-19 yesterday. According to MRI Consultant Virologist Dr. Nadeeka Janage, a small number of Omicron cases have been detected from the community, in addition to overseas arrivals. �Molecular Biology Laboratory has detected the Omicron variant in ten persons. Of these ten persons, eight are overseas arrivals and two were from hospitals,� Dr. Janage said. more..

Jan 4 (FT) Sri Lanka�s oldest finance company, Alliance Finance Company PLC (AFC), has secured a $ 5 million medium term financing facility from impact investing fund, EMF Microfinance Fund AGmvK, Liechtenstein advised by Swiss-based Enabling Qapital S.A. The financing facility will be used to support COVID-impacted Micro SME entrepreneurs across the country in line with AFC�s strong mandate to uplift the livelihood of marginalised communities and developing more..

Jan 4 (FT) Daily vaccination numbers dropped on Sunday despite health officials urging the public to get the booster dose given the spread of the Omicron variant. COVID-19 vaccines were administered to 5,243 persons on Sunday, of which 4,751 persons received the booster dose. Health officials have stressed the importance of the booster dose given the spread of the Omicron variant. The Association of Medical Specialists (AMS) warned that the Omicron variant will cause a massive more..

Jan 4 (TM) President�s Secretary Dr. P.B. Jayasundera is set to leave his post on 15 Jan 2022, upon a request by Prez Rajapaksa, despite his resignation letter stating that his last day in the post would be 31 Jan 2022. The early exit had been requested by the President to enable Dr. Jayasundera�s replacement, Gamini Senarath, the current Secretary to PM Mahinda Rajapaksa, to take over immediately afterwards, more..

Jan 4 (CT) Association of Medical Specialists (AMS), warned of a possible Omicron wave in the island. They urged the public to take the booster shot to reduce the chances of the disease, protect vulnerable groups from complications, avert hospitals being overwhelmed and leading to a lockdown which would end in further economic crisis. AMS President, Dr. Lak Kumar Fernando and AMS General Secretary, R. Gnanasekeram lamented that only 25% of the target more..

Jan 4 (CT) Chairman of the Federation of Health Professionals Ravi Kumudesh said 20 passengers, who had attempted to leave the country during the last week of December were detected with the Omicron virus. Kumudesh pointed out the failure to carry out PCR tests on tourists arriving into the country at the BIA had not helped the cause of health authorities to detect those affected with the latest strain of Covid-19. Kumudesh said without conducting PCR tests on visitors arriving at more..

Jan 4 (TM) Following Minister Mahindananda Aluthgamage�s statement that only farmers who have cultivated crops using all four types of fertilisers provided by the Govt will be compensated for crop damages, farmers� organisations have warned that if the Govt does not take action to pay compensation for crops damaged due to the fertiliser crisis without imposing conditions, thousands of farmers will more..

Jan 4 (FT) It was the season to be jolly this December for Sri Lankan tipplers but not so much the SL Police, as the Department ran short of over 180,000 breathalysers during this season due to tender irregularity. In addition to the inability to book drunk drivers for such offences, this also resulted in billions in rupees in lost revenue to the State, as driving under the influence carries a penalty of Rs. 25,000 in addition to the temporary suspension of a driver�s license. more..

Jan 4 (AD) The Sri Lanka Bureau of Foreign Employment (SLBFE) on Monday handed over a financial grant of Rs 2.5 million to the family of Priyantha Kumara who was brutally murdered in Sialkot, Pakistan. The cheques worth Rs 2.5 million were handed over to the wife and children of Priyantha Kumara by Labour Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva and State Minister of Foreign Employment Promotion and Market Diversification Piyankara Jayaratne at the SLBFE main office. more..

Jan 4 (FT) Cabinet of Ministers yesterday approved a massive but critical relief package worth Rs. 229 billion to people already reeling from the soaring cost of living, with the hope that the stimulus will invigorate the economy especially via the local economy including agriculture among others. Finance Minister Basil Rajapaksa told a hurriedly convened media briefing at the Treasury post-Cabinet meeting that Prez Rajapaksa, more..

Jan 4 (AD) Duminda Nagamuwa, the propaganda secretary of the FSP, has been arrested on charges of contempt of court. The arrest was made by the officers of Kaduwela Police in the area of Borella, in compliance with an open warrant issued by the Kaduwela Magistrate�s Court. He was taken into custody for committing contempt of court by placing a board on the signboard at the court premises on Nov 9, 2021. Nagamuwa has been arrested several times before for staging protests as well. more..

Jan 4 (DN) The non-academic staff member and the former principal of Mahinda College, who had been remanded for allegedly preparing fraudulent documents and allegedly embezzling Rs. 2,156,200 from the School Development Society funds were released on cash bail of Rs.25,000 and a surety of Rs.one million each by Galle Chief Magistrate Harshna Kekunawela when they were produced before him yesterday. The Magistrate also barred the suspects from travelling abroad and more..

Jan 4 (FT) Many things are in the offing with the dawn of the New Year. All signs indicate that it is going to be a year of change, planets as well as political stars, and the latter not so much as a response to stimuli but as a compulsion under developing demand and pressure. Of the several or few changes contemplated and anticipated eagerly by virtually dissipated majorities, I thought of dealing with some relevant and imminent projections in the broader interest of the country at large. more..

Jan 4 (FT) How are we to govern ourselves? This has been a perennial question. But the question has assumed increased salience in these sad and confusing times. Economic crises, first in 2008-09 and now, are bringing up questions of modes of governance in new and urgent forms all over the world. In SL, the legitimacy of the frequently amended 1978 Constitution, which was never very high, has reached a nadir. As a secretive committee of partisan lawyers works up the draft of more..

Jan 4 (AD) Former State Minister Susil Premajayantha who was stripped of his Ministerial Portfolio today by Prez Rajapaksa appeared to be unfazed by this development while speaking to the media. Premajayantha also expressed that he will be returning to his profession as a lawyer. �These are not big things. I have a profession and from tomorrow onwards I can always return back to that. I became a Minister in the year 2000, more..

Jan 4 (Hindu) A panel constituted by the Tamil Nadu Govt, tasked to find durable solutions for short and long-term issues facing the Sri Lankan Tamils living in and out of camps across the State, has decided to undertake a survey to ascertain how many among them want Indian citizenship. The Advisory Committee, which was constituted by the State Govt following the announcement made by Chief Minister M.K. Stalin in the Assembly last year, met for the first time last week, and more..

Jan 4 (DN) The 12th edition of Jaffna Int'l Trade Fair the most anticipated platform for Small and Medium Entrepreneurs to introduce their products to the population of the North and South will be held from January 21 to 23 in Jaffna. JITF 2022 will see the launch of a programme targeted at the Youth and Young Adults in Jaffna, aimed at Empowering & Inspiring youth towards self-development and entrepreneurship. The programme will feature knowledge sharing, skill development, more..

Jan 4 (AD) Former Prez Maithripala Sirisena says that the sacking of state minister Susil Premajayantha is the first election result released this year. SLFP leader said that only four days have passed in the New Year, and that he heard an election result while on his way from Polonnaruwa in the car this morning. He said that Prez deciding to remove Susil Premajayantha from his state minister post with immediate effect is the more..

Jan 4 (DM) Legal action will be taken against the public servants, secretaries including the Senior DIG in charge of the Northern Province and key police officers, who do not support the environment protection programs in the Northern Province (NP), NP Governor Jeevan Theagarajah said. He said he had instructed the officials to implement environmental protection and conservation programs in the Northern Province in accordance with the standard provisions. more..

Jan 4 (AD) The UN has commended SL�s green agriculture programme, during a meeting held between UN Assistant Secretary-General Kanni Wignaraja and Prez Gotabaya Rajapaksa at the Prez Secretariat this morning. Ms. Wignaraja serves as the UNDP Assistant Administrator and Director of the Regional Bureau for Asia and the Pacific. Ms. Wignaraja said SL was ranked 87th out of 165 countries in the 2021 Sustainable Development Report, moving seven points ahead from more..

Jan 4 (EN) Central Bank has gone deeper into red in Nov 2021, with net foreign assets negative by around 1.6 billion dollars (-329.9 billion rupees), as money printing continued and reserves fell. SL�s gross official reserves were US$ 1.58 billion in November, a majority of which are usually made up of central bank reserves. SL had about US$ 5.5 billion of reserves last November. Wit dollars being being paid out to redeem printed money and new money being injected to keep policy more..

Jan 4 (CT) The Ministry of Energy has threatened to revoke the licences of fuel distribution stations that supply kerosene to those who arrive in vehicles. This follows the upsurge in people buying kerosene and mixing it with diesel to use in vehicles. Secretary to the Ministry of Energy K.D.R. Olga warned if Provincial Managers of fuel distribution stations supply kerosene to those who arrive in vehicles, the Ministry would take steps to revoke the licences of those stations. more..

Jan 4 (AD) A Dubai-based company has opted to purchase the world�s largest single natural corundum as a single crystal (Blue Sapphire) in the world, which was found in SL last Dec, for USD 100 million (LKR 20 billion). With a weight of around 310 kg (1.550,000 carats), it has been named the Queen of Asia. It is currently located in Horana and was displayed to the media for the first time on Dec 12. The owner of the gemstone was unwilling to more..

Jan 4 (DM) Minister Dinesh Gunawardena lost his cool today when journalists questioned him if the govt could continue to function by sacking senior members such as State Minister Susil Premajayantha for speaking against the govt's failures. Gunawardena who had finished meeting Premajayantha in the latter's ministry shortly after Premajayantha was sacked by Prez Rajapaksa, was questioned by journalists when he stepped out, on whether the present govt could go on. more..

Jan 4 (Island) A senior minister blamed the economic downturn on politicians as well as public servants, who, he said, had failed to do their job in the 74 years since Independence. Environment Minister Mahinda Amaraweera said so, addressing an officials meeting at the Ministry of Environment to commence the duties in the New Year 2022. The pledge of commitment by the public service was read out and religious observances were held at the commencement of the New Year duties. more..

Jan 4 (Island) SLPP MP Dr. Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe has in a letter to Chinese President Xi Jinping said any transactions that China enters into with Selendiva Investment Company will be annulled ab initio without any compensation. In his 45-point letter, Rajapakshe has said that when the present administration ceases to hodl power, the people will call upon the new govt to revisit all agreements and contracts entered with more..

Jan 4 (AD) Cabinet of Ministers has approved the procurement of 500 new buses for the SL Transport Board (SLTB) under the Indian loan grant scheme and another 750 jeeps for SL Police under the Indian Line of Credit. On 8th Jan 2020, the approval of the Cabinet had been granted to procure 500 new buses of 32 � 35 seating capacity to SLTB under the Indian loan grant scheme. Accordingly, bids have been called from 03 institutions that accomplish pre requisite for the purchase of buses, more..

Jan 4 (TM) The annually published Road Map by the Central Bank of Sri Lanka (CBSL) for the year 2022 will be announced only by end-March, after the special Six-Month Road Map announced in Oct 2021 comes to an end. Speaking to us yesterday (3), CBSL Governor Ajith Nivard Cabraal claimed: �The Road Map announced on 1 October 2021 covers the period from 1 October 2021 to 31 March 2022. The next Road Map will be announced just before 1 April 2022.� more..

Jan 4 (Island) Commissioner General of Prisons, Thushara Upuldeniya, said that former SJB MP Ranjan Ramanayake, who is serving a 4-year sentence for Contempt of Court, has been granted permission to pursue his higher education, online from prison, Upuldeniya said that detainee Ramanayake had requested permission to pursue his education and that the permission letter had been issued on the instructions of the Minister of Justice. more..

Jan 4 (DM) The Wildlife Director General (DG) has been instructed to launch a search operation in Dehiwala to capture the crocodile in the seas off the Dehiwala coast, Minister C. B. Rathnayake said. He said a 58-year-old diver who was diving at Dehiwala beach was mauled by a crocodile in the Dehiwala sea area recently. "The crocodile must have reached the sea through the river mouth and must have been lurking in the sea. Normally crocodiles don't survive in the sea but more..

Jan 4 (CT) Minister of Labour Nimal Siripala de Silva said the Govt could not blame the Opposition for criticising the country�s current predicament and exploiting it politically. He said that the Govt is attempting to find a long-term solution to the national problem because there are no immediate solutions. �Today�s economic issues affect all farmers, employees, the government, and the commercial sector. Our country�s treasury has also been impacted by the economic crisis. more..

Jan 4 (DM) Tamil National People's Front (TNPF) and certain Tamil groups operating overseas have slammed the organizers of the Jaffna Kite Festival for inviting govt representatives to the Festival this year which will be held in LTTE Leader V. Prabhakaran's home town in the north, saying this was going against the Tamil norms. The Jaffna Kite Festival is being organized this month in Valvettithurai, in hometown of Prabhakaran more..

Jan 4 (EN) SL Police is investigating the killing of a 17-year-old boy in SL in the island�s capital purportedly over a TikTok video. The victim was attacked Monday on Madampitiya Lane in Grandpass, Colombo, by a group of six boys, one of whom had stabbed him to death, police said. The attackers have yet to be identified. Teenager and two of his friends had been on their way to his aunt�s apartment in Randiya Uyana when the six boys approached them: three in school uniform more..

Jan 4 (DM) Cabinet has granted approval to allocate 24 and 14 oil tanks of Trincomalee Oil Tank Complex to Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC) and Lanka IOC respectively while remaining 61 oil tanks are to be developed under Trinco Petroleum Terminal Pvt. Ltd, with shares of CPC (51%) & LIOC (49%). The govt said after reviewing the three existing agreements with the Indian Govt regarding the Trincomalee Oil Tank Complex through diplomatic talks, 2 neighbouring countries have reached more..