May 5 (Xinhua) SL Police said Monday that over 46,000 people had been arrested from across the country for violating a curfew in several districts which has been in place since March 20. Police said 46,284 people have been arrested for loitering on the roads, gathering and consuming alcohol at public grounds, traveling by vehicle on the roads, keeping restaurants open, behaving in an unruly manner on the roads while intoxicated and engaging in trading, defying curfew rules. more..

May 5 (AD) Nineteen more persons are confirmed to have contracted the novel coronavirus, says the Ministry of Health. Accordingly, the number of new coronavirus cases detected today (04) has climbed to 33, thus raising the total of coronavirus cases in the country to 751 cases. 549 active cases are currently under medical care at hospitals across the island. Ten patients have been discharged from hospitals today after recovering completely bringing the total recoveries to 194. more..

May 5 (DM) Both public and private sector entities in the districts of Colombo, Gampaha, Kalutara and Puttalam should re-commence their work from Monday (11), President's Media Division said. It said the Heads of all organizations already had been instructed to work out a plan based on their requirements. "The head of each entity should ensure strict adherence to the prescribed health guidelines issued to control the spread of more..

May 5 (CT) DIG Ajith Rohana said that though the ongoing lockdown would be lifted systematically in the high risk areas facing the COVID-19 pandemic, the public should conduct their affairs while respecting the quarantine laws. He warned that all those not willing to comply with these regulations will be apprehended and promptly prosecuted. Rohana also warned that those found guilty of flouting quarantine regulations will receive a 2-year jail term based on provisions contained in more..

May 5 (CT) The CID has taken into custody a stock of documents, books and files from the training centre situated in the Madurankuliya, Mundalama area, which National Thawheed Jama'ath leader and the mastermind behind last year's Easter Sunday blasts, Zahran Hashim had used to conduct classes on extremist ideology and to provide weapons training to his cadres. CID sleuths had discovered these documents and files following a confession made by the trustee of the training centre more..

May 5 (FT) Attorney General (AG) Dappula de Livera yesterday gave the go ahead to the Election Commission (EC) to conduct the Parliamentary Election according to the procedure established by law. The AG�s response was sent in response to a letter sent by the AG yesterday seeking advice on whether a legal issue arises due to acceptance of nomination on 17, 18 and 19 March which were within the nomination period but more..

May 5 (FT) There is little doubt that COVID-19 will have a substantial economic impact on the SL economy. This impact will include direct reduction in output due to the loss of working days and the necessary social distancing to prevent the spread of the virus, medical expenses to deal with persons who have been infected and expenses to prevent greater infections of those who are both vulnerable and not prepared to follow the instructions with respect to the necessary social distancing. more..

May 5 (FT) Many countries are implementing expansionary fiscal and monetary policies to mitigate the negative impact caused by COVID-19. In Sri Lanka, the island-wide curfews have locked down human activities, generating unprecedented losses for businesses relating to the production and consumption of goods and services. The business community plays an essential role in economic recovery because entrepreneurs are the back born of the economy and are responsible for more..

May 5 (Island) Two drug addicts, who walked over 10 kilometres, crossing the border of the Western and Sabaragamawas Provinces, to procure drugs, were arrested by Kiriella police, yesterday. The men had taken byroads, and even cut across forest areas, the police said. They were arrested while returning home after buying drugs. They are residents of Ella, in the Kiriella police area. A large number of drug addicts had started taking circuitous journeys to procure drugs, due to tight more..

May 5 (MFA) Modalities to issue temporary travel documents to undocumented workers abroad following proper authentication procedures has been agreed on by the Department of Immigration and Emigration. This follows consultations between the Ministry of Foreign Relations, Ministry of Skills Development, Employment and Labour Relations and SL Bureau of Foreign Employment (SLBFE). It is intended to facilitate the repatriation of migrant workers, once the Govt decides on a timeline more..

May 5 (AD) A total of 138 persons from Rajagiriya, Kolonnawa and Kolabissa and several other areas have been directed to quarantine centres, says the Commander of Army Lt Gen Shavendra Silva. Accordingly, 67 from Kolabissa in Kandy, 29 from Bandaranayakepura in Rajagiriya, 27 from Kolonnawa have been sent for quarantine as a positive case of COVID-19 has been detected from each of these three areas, he stated. more..

May 5 (AD) Ministry of Health says three more patients who had contracted the COVID-19 virus were discharged from hospital as they have recovered completely. On that account, the total recoveries reported in Sri Lanka has now moved up to 197. In the meantime, COVID-19 cases count soared to 755 as four more persons tested positive for the virus earlier today. The Epidemiology Unit says, 550 active cases are currently under medical care at the IDH Hospital, more..

May 5 (Island) Public Health Inspectors� Union, said the govt should take steps to prevent the spread of other communicable diseases as well. Head of the union, Upul Rohana said that the govt had taken aggressive steps to deal with coronavirus. If the same interest was shown in fighting other communicable diseases, significant progress could be made in a short time, he said. Dengue and rat fever were on the rise. "18,000 dengue patients have been reported so far this year. more..

May 5 (DM) A 23-year-old soldier from Pallepola was found dead outside the public toilet of the Dambulla Bus Terminal today, the Army said. It said the victim was a soldier attached to the SL Army Volunteer Force at Kosgama. The Army said the victim who was on leave has reported to duty on April 16 at the SF Regimental Headquarters at Naula, the nearest camp to his residence. more..

May 5 (NR) PM Mahinda Rajapaksa has held a round of talks with the United States Ambassador to Sri Lanka Alaina B Teplitz pertaining to steps that will help contain the spread of the coronavirus. The Office of the Prime Minister in a statement said the discussion held this morning focused on economic challenges, bilateral corporation and several other matters. PM Rajapaksa stated that Sri Lanka seeks the support of the United States in the apparel industry. more..

May 5 (CT) Govt of SL's (GoSL's) face value money printing (FVMP) debt increased by 10.84% (Rs36,833million) to Rs376,471.21million (Rs376.5billion) and liquidity contracted by Rs47,989million (US$248.33million) due to GoSL's foreign debt servicing commitments and/or due to Central bank of SL (CBSL) settling swaps with the GoSL by returning the swapped dollars to the GoSL in exchange for the swapped rupees, yesterday. If this yesterday's increase in FVMP debt was more..

May 5 (AD) SL confirmed its 9th death due to COVID-19 as a 52-year-old female succumbed to the virus today. The death is reported from the IDH in Angoda. The deceased is said to be a resident of Modara, Colombo and was receiving medical treatments in the Incentive Care Unit of IDH Hospital. She had reportedly been admitted to the Colombo National Hospital yesterday due to an illness and was transferred to IDH Hospital more..

May 5 (CT) Former Speaker Karu Jayasuriya reiterated that he will not reconvene Parliament unilaterally and aggravate the emerging Constitutional dispute. He stated that he is bound to uphold the Constitution and act as per the verdict of the Judiciary. "Recently, a majority of Opposition MPs of the dissolved Parliament requested from the Prez to reconvene Parliament, to avert a Constitutional crisis, and in the event of it being reconvened, more..

May 5 (CT) PM Mahinda Rajapaksa, during a meeting with former MPs at the Temple Trees yesterday, pledged that the Govt will take every measure to solve the problems faced by the people in the Northern and Eastern Provinces during the COVID-19 pandemic, former UPFA MP Udaya Gammanpila said. He further said that the former MPs, who represented the two Provinces briefed the PM on the grievances faced by the people. PM made notes about each grievance and more..

May 5 (AD) Ministry of Education has not taken any decision to reopen schools on June 1, stated the Ministry issuing a press release. Press release further said that there is no truth in the reports of certain print media and websites that the schools will be reopened under several stages from June 1. Ministry points out that the aforementioned fake news claims that the Ministry of Education plans to open schools in June more..

May 5 (CT) Superintendent of Mahara Prison Jagath Weerasingha said that the most stringent punishment possible will be handed down to the eight prison inmates who made an aborted bid to escape from the jail last week. He said that from the statements given by the seven suspects who had been arrested, it had come to light that the aborted escape plan had been hatched by the STF soldiers who had been arrested. He added that the polymerase chain reaction test conducted more..

May 5 (CT) SL Computer Emergency Readiness Team (SLCERT) announced a High Level Warning regarding a new type of malware. It has been indentified that this new malware is affecting android devices' Accessibility feature, and could steal sensitive financial data from victims' devices, SLCERT warned. SLCERT said that this malware is targeting over 200 financial applications, including banking services, money transfer services and crypto-currency wallets such as PayPal, more..

May 5 (AD) Supreme Court has ordered the fundamental rights petition seeking an order invalidating the Extraordinary Gazette notification declaring the General Election on June 20, to be called on the 11th of May. Previously, the lawyers representing the petitioners had filed a motion calling for the petition to be heard on the 11th, 13th or 14th of May. Attorney-at-Law Charitha Gunaratne had filed the petition claiming that more..

May 5 (AD) In connection with the investigations carried out on the 2019 Easter attacks, a mosque and a center in Puttalam belonging to a NGO have been sealed off. The relevant mosque belongs to the suspect recently arrested from Kalpitiya area, said Police Media Spokesman SP Jaliya Senaratne. Meanwhile, the suspects arrested on May 03 at Kalpitiya were produced before the court yesterday. The suspects were arrested based on investigations carried out by the CID on the Easter attacks. more..

May 5 (NR) Another two persons have tested positive for COVID-19 today, raising the total number of cases identified in the country to 762. 11 persons in total have tested positive for coronavirus thus far today. Accordingly the number of patients under active medical care in the island is currently 540, whilst SL has also recorded 9 deaths from the virus; the 8th and 9th fatalities reported both yesterday and today. Meanwhile 145 persons remains under medical observation on suspicion more..

May 5 (SLA) The routine Media interaction at the National Operation Centre for Prevention of COVID-19 Outbreak (NOCPCO) at Rajagiriya took place this afternoon (4), headed by Mrs Pavithra Wanniarachchi, Minister of Health, Lt Gen Shavendra Silva, Head of the (NOCPCO), and Medical Specialist Dr Anil Jasinghe, Director General of Health Services and Attorney-at Law Ajith Rohana, DIG. more..

May 6 (ST) I remember Nandani who worked as a typist in our office in the university. She was sitting in front of an old Olympia typewriter placed on her table. Anyone who entered the office those days could often hear the noise of her typewriter; it sounds like taka� takas, taka� takas, tik�tik�tik, tin�n�n�n. It was in the 1980s and such typewriter noises coming from office rooms were not strange to anybody. By the end of the decade, a couple of computers came to the office. more..

May 6 (CT) These are dark times. Seeking truth in dark times need more light and more effort. Our problem is not so much about what truth is. Our problem is more about how and by whom the truth is established. PM Mahinda Rajapaksa has issued a media release with a scathingly censorious headline Politicking in the midst of the Corona Crisis. In the media release issued on 4th May 2020, PM Rajapaksa is categorical in asserting that �Parliament was dissolved at the beginning of more..

May 6 (CT) Chairman of Elections Commission Mahinda Deshapriya has embroiled himself in a serious scandal after he solicited a huge personal favour from Prez Gotabaya Rajapaksa and his top officials at a time when an election has been declared in the country. Colombo Telegraph has seen documentation proving that Prez Rajapaksa personally approved the repatriation of Deshapriya�s son W.V.K. Deshapriya, who was pursuing more..

May 6 (ST) Economies cannot function normally until COVID-19 is contained, nor can people survive without the economy functioning. This is the paradoxical predicament the world is in. Sri Lanka too is very much in this predicament. There is a growing view internationally that countries must focus on reviving their economies. Many countries have come to realise there is a trade off between policies that contain the virus and the need to get their economies moving. more..

May 6 (CT) A study by the Economist magazine has shown that Sri Lanka is one of the countries least able to deal with the economic fallout of the coronavirus induced world economic crisis. Out of 66 countries assessed, SL came 61st in terms of its ability to handle the crisis without being economically debilitated and fared much worse than its South Asian neighbours. Bangladesh at 9th place, India at 18th and Pakistan at 43rd place all fared better than Sri Lanka. more..

May 6 (MB) Not everyone wants to check out these fearsome creature out, but as a photographer, I find saltwater or estuarine crocodiles quite fascinating to watch. The largest reptile on Earth, the saltwater croc (Crocodylus porosus), known as geta kimbula in Sinhalese, can grow to lengths surpassing 6 meters (20 feet). This prehistoric creature is the apex predator of riverine ecosystems, found in a vast region more..

May 6 (DM) As the worldwide COVID-19 pandemic continues with the number of patients reaching a horrifying 3,660,000 while the death toll was more than 252,500 by 3 pm yesterday, UN on May 3 marked World Press Freedom Day on the theme Journalism without fear or favour. National and local celebrations took place all over the world, mostly in the form of online debates and workshops because processions and rallies were not possible in view of lockdowns or curfews in most countries. more..

May 6 (Island) Covid-19 has turned the world upside down. It has not spared sports either. The next Olympic Games have apparently gone the same way as Sri Lankan elections. Many international sports events have been postponed, indefinitely. Cricket fans are a disappointed lot. They wouldn�t have minded lockdowns if there had been live telecasts of cricket matches. But the good news is that the runaway virus is likely to put an end to an obnoxious practice among cricketers. more..

May 6 (DM) Counselling Psychologist Starrina Pereira (SP) and Artist / Life Coach Yasodhara Pathanjali (YP) answer questions on mental health and ways to maintain our mental wellness during the lockdown. Q: You hear a lot of people in general use the words Depression and Depressed to describe hard days, what are your thoughts on this? Starrina Pereira: This very harmful practice devalues the medical needs of someone who is actually going through depression by dismissing it more..

May 6 (Island) Fortune favours the Brave is the motto of the SL Navy�s elite Special Boats Squadron (SBS). The Navy is considered as Silent Service, because no one sees what they do, out at sea. The SL Navy�s elite Sea Commando Unit is SBS, which was raised in 1993 to fight against the LTTE Sea Tigers. SBS is known as Silent of Silent Service because of what they do, and their capabilities only a few in the country are aware of. I was fortunate enough to raise this elite unit, in 1993, more..

May 6 (DM) The cost of the nationwide COVID-19 lockdown of five weeks and counting is causing tremendous hardships for low-income citizens. Households in the five lowest income deciles are the hardest hit. Due to inconsistency of income streams of breadwinners in these households and the inelastic nature of basic expenditure, their budgetary gaps have become significant even after adjusting for spending cuts wherever possible. more..

May 6 (Island) Emulating the feats of Arjuna Ranatunga or filling his big boots are quite daunting for a cricketer but Thisara Perera has managed to achieve his dream. He was only seven years old when Sri Lanka won the ICC Cricket World Cup in 1996 and since that day, growing up playing the game, Thisara only dreamed of doing one thing � an encore of Arjuna. "It was some sight to see Arjuna hitting the winning boundary to help us win the World Cup. All I wanted to do when I was grown up more..