Dec 7 (ST) Govt finds itself in a tight corner this morn after an incident at the Mahara prison last Sunday between guards and prisoners flared into a major battle that lasted the entire night with the dust settling only on Tuesday when prison guards finally succeeded to bring the smouldering situation under complete control. The rampant confusion over what sparked the violent riot and caused the ensuing carnage has still not cleared even after a week of baffling claims. more..

Dec 7 (CT) It was reported recently that Secretary to the Prez, Dr. P.B. Jayasundera, in a letter dated 1 Dec, instructed Secretary to the Treasury, S.R. Attygalle, to take necessary procedural steps to close the Public Utility Commission of SL (PUCSL), SL�s foremost State institution tasked with regulating public utilities such as electricity, water and petroleum resources. Secretary to the Prez, in the letter in question, requested the Secretary to the Treasury to pay attention to Budget proposal more..

Dec 7 (TM) Maize farmers from the Uva and Eastern Provinces have reported that their cultivations have been destroyed by the fall army-worm during the Yala season. Farmers in affected regions noted that they applied the pesticides as instructed by the agriculture development officer, but there was no effect on preventing the pest attacks caused by the fall armyworm. While at least 30 acres of maize more..

Dec 7 (DM) After successfully controlling the first wave of the Coronavirus, in October a second wave hit the country, when affected persons were discovered at a garment factory in Minuwangoda, sadly, when authorities failed to recognize the outbreak during its initial stages. Within weeks, the virus spread to all corners of the country, including prisons in the country. Overcrowded conditions led to numbers of prisoners being afflicted by the dreaded illness. more..

Dec 7 (Island) Former yahapalana high-ups currently in the SJB, which is only old UNP wine in a new bottle, keep daring the incumbent SLPP govt to bring back ex-CB Governor Arjun Mahendran from Singapore to stand trial for the Treasury bond scams. This, they have the chutzpah to do, having shamelessly shielded Mahendran and helped him make good his escape, while they were in power. During the UNP-led yahapalana govt, it was the SLPP that ratcheted up pressure on the UNP more..

Dec 7 (DM) Where is my son, where is my brother? was the constant refrain of about 50 people gathered outside the Mahara prison on Dec 5, six days after the prison massacre that left 11 dead and more than 100 injured. Most of those who were there were mothers of inmates. There were also other family members. One woman had visited her son on Oct 3 and received calls from him in Nov after the visits were curtailed in October. Several others had visited and received phone calls more..

Dec 7 (CT) Exactly a year after her South Asian Games Gold medal run, US based SL marathoner Hiruni Wijayarathne clocked her second fastest time in the Valencia Marathon in Spain with a time of 2 hours 36 minutes 10 seconds yesterday, after a dismal run in the World Half Marathon earlier in the year. Her timing is second only to her own SL record of 2 hours 34 minutes 10 seconds which she set in Germany last year. She was on course to break that record during the race clocking 1hr17min more..

Dec 7 (ST) While browsing through the Internet, I came across the above posting on a student Facebook page recently. It attracted my immediate attention with mixed feelings. Currently, with COVID-19, educational institutions are compelled to navigate the mode of teaching to online lessons and to shift the mode of assessment to online assignments. Schooling during the pandemic is strenuous; the world is moving more..

Dec 7 (ST) Prez Rajapaksa and his Minister of Justice who went charging into Parliament this week to pontificate or plead for judges to be protected from criticism may well be advised to reflect on some salutary truths. In South Asia�s less than salubrious context of the separation of powers being limited to constitutional theory rather than evidenced in practice, ruling party politicians defending the independence of the judiciary is the surest sign that the judicial institution is not in a happy state. more..

Dec 7 (ST) Ever since the Under-19 World Cup this year, the cricket fraternity in Sri Lanka has observed with interest the progress of a promising left-arm fast bowler, who emerged from the rural village of Hungama in the Hambantota district. Despite having numerous obstacles to overcome in life, Dilshan Madushanka pursued his dream, determined to represent SL. Among the many difficulties early in his career was having to convince his parents, who were reluctant to allow him to play cricket more..

Dec 7 (TM) The Dept of Census and Statistics (DCS) is planning to release the GDP figures of Sri Lanka for the second and third quarters of this year on 15 Dec, as announced in October this year. DCS Director General Dr. I.R. Bandara said that the Department is working tirelessly and have been having back to back meetings with the Central Bank of SL (CBSL) and other relevant authorities to issue the figures by next Tuesday (15). more..

Dec 7 (FT) A new Acting CEO has been appointed at SLT Mobitel Ltd., pending an inquiry against the incumbent Nalin Perera. The Acting CEO is Chandika Vitharana who is the current Senior General Manager. Perera, an industry senior and CEO for the past 4 years, has been sent on compulsory leave whilst Senior General Manager Legal and Regulatory Namal Ratnayake too has been subject to the same pending an inquiry. Company sources alleged that the inquiry more..

Dec 7 (TM) Following the 2021 Budget presentation last month, which sparked heated debate among members of the Opposition on the taxation of sanitary products, the issue of period poverty and the discussion on access to sanitary products; safe, hygienic spaces in which to use them; and the right to manage menstruation without shame became a topic of discussion within the general public. According to the Advocata Institute, Sri Lanka has approximately 4.2 mil menstruating women, more..

Dec 7 (Island) Sri Lanka would be able to stop burning more than 2,000 million litres of diesel in thermal power generation during the next 20 years thanks to the 100MW Mannar Island Wind Power farm Thambapavani to be declared open tomorrow by PM Mahinda Rajapaksa, Minister Dullas Alhaperuma said. He added that within the next 20 years by generating electricity from wind power, would also prevent the release of more..

Dec 7 (TM) The SL Association for Software Services Companies (SLASSCOM) announced that it has launched the Artificial Intelligence (AI) Centre of Excellence (AICx) with the aim of positioning Sri Lanka as a key competency centre for AI in Asia. AICx will serve as a platform for those who are advocates in AI and passionately involved in different focus areas to come together and help drive the AI agenda for Sri Lanka. The AICx will be driven by an Advisory Board and more..

Dec 7 (DN) Galle Gladiators Team may be languishing at the bottom of the points table but they could be proud with the performance of Danushka Gunathilaka, the highest run-getter so far, in the Lanka Premier League (LPL). The 29-year-old dashing left-hand opening batsman is currently enjoying a tremendous LPL season having already accumulated a tally of 284 runs from his five innings. His latest heroics came on Saturday, when he smashed a 52-ball 72 more..

Dec 7 (FT) Over 1,000 persons tested positive for COVID-19 over the weekend, bringing the country�s total number of COVID-19 patients to 27,877. The Divulapitiya and Peliyagoda dual COVID-19 cluster now includes a Prisons COVID-19 cluster as well and the Department of Govt Information states that the cluster has expanded to 24,036. This includes 649 patients detected yesterday, of which 451 belong to more..

Dec 7 (DN) Former Captain, Dinesh Chandimal commended the performance of young Vijayakanth Viyaskanth who made his debut for the Jaffna Stallions Franchise in the LPL on Friday. The 19-year-old leg-spinner from Jaffna Central College created a piece if history by becoming the first cricketer from this region to participate in an internationally televised game in SL. �He is a brilliant bowler and I was happy to see him making his debut in this format in a high-profile game,� more..

Dec 7 (AD) Chairman of Lanka Sathosa Nushad Perera today refuted the statement made by MP Anura Kumara Dissanayake, alleging that as soon as the import duty was reduced he had made an irregular purchase of 5,000 MT of sugar from a close associate of himself and that of a VVIP. Issuing a statement in response, chairman said that Lanka Sathosa being the price setter to the nation for essential commodities makes all its purchases through govt approved procurement more..

Dec 7 (TM) At least four minor seismic activities had been recorded on the seismometers installed at the Victoria Reservoir during the weekend, the GSMB stated. �We have a team deployed in the area, who have been continuously monitoring the activities. We must reiterate that as the expert committee that submitted the report on the previous tremors, there was no correlation to the limestone quarrying that is taking place,� more..

Dec 7 (CT) PM Mahinda Rajapaksa told Ceylon Today that he has instructed State Minister of National Heritage, Performing Arts and Rural Arts Promotion, Vidura Wickremanayake to look into the construction of the Amaradeva Music and Research Centre, which was to be built in memory of veteran musician W. D. Amaradeva but was abandoned. He instructed the Minister to complete the project. �The construction was halted during the former regime but this time around it would be completed,� more..

Dec 7 (DN) All Wildlife Parks are now opened for visitors since last Friday, Minister C.B. Ratnayake said. He said that all visitors are eligible to enter the parks subject to the current stringent health regulations such as wearing the face masks and following the duty sanitization processes. These Parks will also be open to foreign tourists as well once the BIA was opened. There will be a special counter which will be opened by the Department of Wild Life and visitors at the BIA where more..

Dec 7 (Island) It was only three weeks after the Easter Sunday attacks that the Attorney General�s Department had paid attention to the file on NTJ leader Zahran Hashim, sent by Terrorism Investigation Division (TID) in early June 2017, seeking its advice, Deputy Solicitor General, Azard Navavi told the PCoI. The witness, however, insisted that their delay could not be considered as having led to the attacks. more..

Dec 7 (AD) Residents of the Methsanda Sevana housing scheme in Henamulla, Modara, launched a protest earlier today (06). The protestors were objecting to the prolonged isolation of their area. Meanwhile, residents of Sathhiru Sevana housing scheme on the Ferguson Road in Modara also protested against the isolation orders issued on the area. They claimed that they do not receive essential food items adequate for their needs. more..

Dec 7 (CT) Former Minister T. B. Ekanayake passed away yesterday (6) morning. The former Minister, who was ill for a long time, passed away while being treated at a private hospital in Kurunegala. He was 66 years old at that time. He was elected to Parliament, representing the Kurunegala District in 1994 and was a senior member of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party. He was a Parliamentarian from 1994 to 2020 and held Cabinet and Deputy Ministerial posts on several occasions. more..

Dec 7 (TM) SL Tourism Development Authority (SLTDA), following last week�s discussion with the Minister of Tourism, has proposed the Airport Opening Protocol. With several countries announcing that they are approving vaccinations developed for Covid-19 prevention and that the first batch of citizens are to receive the vaccination early next year, the Tourism Ministry and the SLTDA is hopeful that this will once again allow more..

Dec 7 (CT) State Minister Dayasiri Jayasekara intervened in releasing six suspects, who were arrested in connection with the unrest in the Kuliyapitiya area in May 2019, on Police bail. This was revealed when ASP Prasanna Perera testified before the PCoI into Easter Sunday bombings, on 4 Dec. He said by the time the suspects were arrested, nearly 2,000 persons had gathered at the Hettipola Police Station and Jayasekara had then intervened to resolve the situation. more..

Dec 7 (DM) The Covid-19 death toll in the country rose to 140 with three more patients being reported dead due to the virus. Three males aged 98, 80 and 71 are among the victims. They are residents of Kotte, Kahathuduwa and Maggona. All succumbed to the virus at the Homagama Base Hospital. The 98-year-old and 71-year-old males died due to Covid-19 related pneumonia while another male passed away following kidney failure with Covid-19 infection. more..

Dec 7 (CT) A group of Excise Officers, yesterday, busted a large-scale narcotics racket, which was being operated from Dubai. They seized Rs 3,000 million in Heroin and Ice, which was the largest ever stock of narcotics taken into custody, in the history of the Excise Department. A spokesman of the Excise Dept said that the haul included 100 kilos of Heroin and 100 kilos of Ice. Raid was conducted in Thoduwawa, Chilaw more..

Dec 7 (FT) The isolation status in Colombo and Gampaha Districts has been revised, with the removal, continuation, and activation of isolation in several areas announced by National Operations Centre for the Prevention of the COVID-19 Outbreak (NOCPCO) Head Lt. Gen. Shavendra Silva. According to a statement, the Bluemendal Police Division and the Wijayapura Grama Niladaris Division of the Wellampitiya Police Division are no longer isolated. more..

Dec 7 (DN) The Government will open the Bandaranaike Int'l Airport and the Mahinda Rajapaksa Int'l Airport (Mattala) within January, two Ministers said. Both Minister of Tourism Prasanna Ranatunga and State Minister of Aviation D.V. Chanaka said that the date(s) of the opening of both airports for tourist arrivals will be announced on Jan 1. This is also a sequel to Prez Rajapaksa announcing in his keynote address at the CCC Economic Summit last week that he would more..

Dec 7 (FT) Trade Minister Bandula Gunawardena on Friday lashed out at a select group of senior Finance Ministry officials, whom he accused of misleading both the ministers and Parliament and shielding their misdeeds under the cover of technical jargon. �Some tenacious officials at the Finance Ministry are hoodwinking both the Parliament and the Ministers and doing as they please, whichever govt is in power. more..

Dec 7 (AD) Minister of Education Prof. G.L. Peiris has announced the revised dates for the GCE O/L Exam of the year 2020. Accordingly, the exam will take place from the 01st to 11th of Mar in 2021, the education minister revealed. In August, the Education Ministry said the 2020 O/L Exam will be pushed back to mid-January next year due to the Covid-19 situation in the country. However, it was postponed for a second time, taking into account the developing 2nd wave of novel coronavirus. more..

Dec 7 (FT) Sharia Law played major part � Cardinal was the sensational headline of a recent newspaper report by a columnist. Given the prevailing atmosphere of post-2009 Islamophobia that seems to grow unabated, a headline like this and words put into the mouth of a benign and erudite Catholic Archbishop is typical of malevolent journalism. May we take the liberty to reformulate that headline into a question and ask the Cardinal or the columnist, Sharia Law played major part in what? more..

Dec 7 (DM) The govt will convey its displeasure, through the diplomatic channel, to the authorities of the United Kingdom regarding the projection of Karthigaipoo or Niyagala flower which is considered by the LTTE as the national symbol of Tamil Eelam on the British parliamentary building in Westminster, Central London on November 26, Daily Mirror learns. The symbol was flashed on the building as part of the pro-LTTE activists �commemoration of Maveer Day or Heroe s� day. more..

Dec 7 (FT) Professor Chandima Gomes, SL born scientist now attached to the University of Witwatersrand in Johannesburg, South Africa, in a recent tele-interview, theorised why Homo sapiens, Man the Wise, is so quick to believe in and accept stories that are obviously absurd, ill-founded and flawed. Theme of his interview was whether science and religion were compatible with each other and the State should be freed from religion. But to set the background for presenting his thesis, more..

Dec 7 (FT) Business leader Dhammika Perera who of late has aggressively promoting free but quality education on a philanthropic basis has launched a digital university, a platform where learners get access to free online courses offered by various reputed universities and institutions around the world. The initiative is via his philanthropic arm, DP Foundation, set up by him and his wife Priscilla. Earlier he launched DP Kids, more..

Dec 7 (FT) Int'l Chamber of Commerce of SL (ICCSL), Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA) and Daily FT have announced the winners of the coveted Most Admired Companies of SL in the 2019/20 financial year. Open for both listed and unlisted companies, the annual Most Admired Company Awards recognises companies that are a cut above the rest in terms of not just their financial performance but also the value they create for their shareholders, more..