Nov 12 (Island) SLPP National List MP Mohammed Muzammil strongly urged the govt not to resume burial of Muslim corona victims under any circumstances, though a section of the Muslim community is demanding that Muslim covid-19 victims be allowed to be buried. Muzammil, who represents the NFF, a constituent of SLPP, said that the country was struggling to cope with the corona pandemic and no one should be allowed to play politics more..

Nov 12 (FT) Over 1.4 million families affected by COVID-19 have benefited from State relief programs, with 1,409,578 families receiving the Rs. 5,000 allowance given to low-income families and 43,376 families directed for home quarantine receiving provisions worth Rs. 10,000. Rs. 7.56 billion has been released by the Treasury to carry out these relief programs from 1 Oct to 10 Nov. This includes Rs. 438 million to provide those undergoing home quarantine with sufficient rations. more..

Nov 12 (CT) Prof. Neelika Malavige, of the Sri J'pura Uni, said it would be prudent to take a final decision on the three vaccines that are being trialled as a preventive measure for COVID-19, only after studying them up to December this year and not before that. She said the new vaccine in the US, the Oxford vaccine in the UK and the Morderna vaccine in the US have been trialled only for 60 days to date. She mentioned that the vaccines needed to be trialled for a further 60-day period. more..

Nov 12 (Island) Minister Ali Sabry, PC, denied having given any assurance to the Ceylon Thowheed Jamaat (CTJ) as regards resumption of burial of Muslim corona victims. Asked whether Sabry, in his capacity as the Justice Minister gave an assurance to the CTJ, National List MP said: �Not at all. I never gave such an assurance.� The Island sought a clarification from Minister Sabry against the backdrop of a fresh controversy over more..

Nov 12 (DM) All bus services entering and leaving the Western Province will be suspended until Sunday (Nov 15) midnight, the National Transport Commission (NTC) and SL Transport Board (SLTB) said. They said the decision was taken following the Govts decision to restrict people's movements from the Western Province to other provinces as a majority of Covid-19 cases were reported from the Western Province. Accordingly, all bus services will be suspended from 10 p.m today. more..

Nov 12 (Island) Committee on Parliamentary Business has decided on a 19-day debate for the Appropriation Bill � 2021, after presenting it to Parliament on the 17th of Nov. Secretary General of Parliament Dhammika Dasanayake said the Second Reading of Appropriation Bill would take place from the 18th to the 21st and the vote on the Second Reading will be taken on the 21st at 5 pm. Debate of the Committee Stage will commence on 23rd Nov and is scheduled to conclude on 10th of Dec. more..

Nov 12 (FT) Total number of COVID-19 cases identified in the island exceeded 15,000, with 635 new cases being identified yesterday. Of this, 625 were associates of the Peliyagoda cluster. Total COVID-19 case count currently stands at 15,350, of which 11,858 are from the dual cluster that emerged from Divulapitiya and Peliyagoda. Of the remaining cases, 1,467 are returnees from abroad, 950 are Navy more..

Nov 12 (FT) Well, we are in a curious twilight zone between having decided, sanely, salvifically, to move forward in SL rather than staying economically comatose and moribund as a society indefinitely, quaking over a viral strain, with currently far more demonstrated bark than bite on these shores. If we�re not careful though, the mismatch between our strategy and our rhetoric may have us clutching defeat from the jaws of victory, undermining the very laudable and more..

Nov 12 (FT) The perfect positioning of SL in the midst of the Indian Ocean has always brought greater benefits to the island in the past. Trade between East Asia and Europe/Euro Asia had made SL a hub for trade interlinkages. Religions such as Hinduism and Buddhism which originated in India have travelled to SL due to its ideal location and political connections. Colonialism flourished in SL due to its strategic positioning, making SL a vital hub for East Indies Dutch and British companies. more..

Nov 12 (SLA) SL Combat Convoy Company, deployed in Mali under UN Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA) and commanded by Lt Colonel Srinath Gallage has been given high praise by the MINUSMA Force Commander in Mali, other high-profile military officers and civil officials on their performance, high degree of professionalism and discipline at all levels. The SL Combat Convoy Company, leaving exclusive footprints has succeeded in extending more..

Nov 12 (AD) A group of inmates at the old Bogambara prison have launched a protest on the roof over the prevailing COVID-19 situation within the premises. Authorities have been deployed to the prison for the quarantine processes and nearly 800 detainees have been placed under quarantine so far. Reportedly, 30 inmates and two officers have been identified to have contracted COVID-19. The protesting inmates are requesting that they be subjected to PCR testing as soon as possible more..

Nov 12 (AD) A decision has been taken to quarantine persons who had left the Western Province once the travel restrictions were imposed. DIG Ajith Rohana stated that all police stations in the country have been informed in this regard. A travel restriction was imposed in the Western Province yesterday prohibiting those in the Western Province from traveling outside province boundaries. This directive is effective until midnight on Sun. more..

Nov 12 (EN) SL has repaid US$ 4.2 billion in foreign debt falling due and avoided sovereign default, PM and Finance Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa said. �We were able to stabilize the exchange rate, which was steadily depreciating then at around the Rs.185 (to the US dollar level) and to service the foreign debt of 4,200 million dollars averting the country being classified into a debt default status,� PM told parliament. He said dire predictions about default had been made but it had not happened. more..

Nov 12 (DN) Former UNP MP Saman Ratnapriya said that the Govt should do more to contain the spread of the COVID-19 virus which has led to an increase in the number of cases and deaths being reported in the country. He added that the Govt�s response to contain and the measures taken so far display the incoherent policies and plans. He was speaking at a media briefing in Sirikotha yesterday. �At present, there are 15,024 COVID-19 patients in SL and 44 deaths have been reported. more..

Nov 12 (AD) SL�s public debt, which was 70% in 2014, has increased to 85% by 2019, PM Mahinda Rajapaksa said. The PM, acting as the Minister of Finance, mentioned this presenting the second reading of the Appropriation Bill for the year 2020 at the parliament today. He pointed out that the relevant Appropriation Act includes 4 Votes on Accounts. According to the Appropriation Act 2020, budget deficit is 7.9% of GDP. more..

Nov 12 (FT) CIMA Sri Lanka, the International Chamber of Commerce Sri Lanka and the Daily FT have come together, yet again, to bring you a forum that will unravel the impact of the Budget 2021 followed by a panel discussion with esteemed business leaders on 18 November, at 6 p.m. via zoom. The first of such events lined up post the presentation of the Budget in the Parliament on 17 November, participants will benefit from the eminent line up of speakers and panellists. more..

Nov 12 (DM) There is a risk of COVID-19 virus contaminating water within the soil if those who succumb to the disease are buried, an expert said yesterday. Professor Menthika Withanage said there is a risk element in this regard though there is no scientific evidence to prove it. �Research has revealed that COVID-19 virus could survive even in streams and other waterways,� Professor Withanage said. She said the Ministry of Health has appointed a special committee to look into the matter. more..

Nov 12 (AD) Police says that the movements of people will be monitored in isolated areas in the country using drone cameras. DIG Ajith Rohana stated that stern action will be taken against those violating restrictions in the isolated areas. He said that starting this evening drone technology will be utilized to contently monitor the movements of people in the isolated areas and to ensure they are following quarantine more..

Nov 12 (CT) Deputy Secretary of the Asgiriya Chapter, Chief Incumbent of the Asgiriya Pirivena Venerable Narampanawe Anandanayake Thera said the decision to bury or cremate COVID-19 infected bodies should come from the health authorities and not depend on the religious background but should be based on protective methods recommended by the health sector. If burying such a body is a threat to those who are living, such religious recommendations have to be set aside and more..

Nov 12 (EN) Health authorities have issued a set of guidelines to those celebrating the Hindu festival of light � Deepavali � to minimize the possible spread of the Covid 19 virus during the celebration of the triumph of good over evil. A guideline issued by the Ministry of Health urges devotees to follow the rules and ensure that no member of your family or community is infected with Covid 19 during the festival. Deepavali � or Diwali � is a festival of lights which celebrates the triumph of Ram more..

Nov 12 (CT) Indian Police arrested the managing director and head of a private financial entity, suspected of swindling millions of rupees from investors along with his son and wife after escaping to India illegally via the sea route from Jaffna by paying a large sum. The affected investors said they must be brought down to Sri Lanka and that stringent legal action must be taken against them. Passports of escaped manager & his wife more..

Nov 12 (NR) The third reading of the 2020 Appropriation Bill was passed in Parliament with amendments today. The Bill was passed without being taken up for vote. The third reading of the 2020 Appropriation Bill was presented in Parliament by PM Mahinda Rajapaksa in his capacity as Minister of Finance. The bill was debated between 10am and 5pm and was subsequently taken up for vote. PM Mahinda Rajapaksa will present the 2021 Budget speech in Parliament next Tuesday, more..

Nov 12 (CT) State Minister of Batik, Handloom and Local Apparel, Dayasiri Jayasekara said that from next year, garments sewn with batik and handloom fabrics will be promoted among Govt servants. He made these observations after participating in the District Development Committee meeting held at the Polonnaruwa DS on 10 Nov. He added that the programme will be carried out jointly with the Ministry of Public Administration. He also said he intends to introduce new designs of garments more..

Nov 12 (CT) Representative of the WHO to SL, Dr. Razia Pendse said, the COVID-19 Vaccines Global Access Facility (COVAX Facility), coordinated by Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) and the WHO are speeding up the search for an effective vaccine for all countries and Govt of SL has signed up with the COVAX Facility under the Advance Market Commitment (AMC) more..

Nov 12 (Island) Sarath Weerasekara, State Minister of Provincial Councils and Local Govt, says most of the infrastructure facilities required for developing connecting cities under the new approach in the National Spatial System of the govt policy framework, Vistas of Prosperity and Splendour, would be completed next year. The Minister said so Meeting of the Social Infrastructure Facility Development Committee of Rural Economy Enhancement National Programme, more..

Nov 12 (CT) Minister Mahinda Amaraweera instructed CEA to formulate a programme for the proper disposal of contaminants such as masks and gloves without causing harm to the environment. CEA has introduced a new set of guidelines in this regard. The guidelines have also instructed local authorities to deploy vehicles and personnel to dispose clinical waste including those generated in the COVID-19-isolated areas. Therefore, used masks and gloves should be separately kept more..

Nov 12 (CT) A boat which entered the Parliament high security zone by cutting the protective net put up to prevent entry into the area was struck by a security vessel. Two persons in the boat then jumped into the flowing Diyawanna Oya in a bid to escape. In the melee one of them disappeared into the water without a trace. However, according to the Welikada Police, the other person in the boat managed to save himself. more..

Nov 12 (AD) SL�s coronavirus death toll has risen as two more deaths were confirmed. Both patients had been receiving treatment at the Mulleriyawa Hospital upon being diagnosed with COVID-19. One of the deceased is a 54-year-old male from the Col 12 area. His cause of death is determined as COVID-19 along with a chronic illness in the lungs. Another male, a 45-year-old resident of Meegoda, has also succumbed to the virus. Reportedly, he had died from COVID-19 related pneumonia and more..

Nov 12 (CT) The Lanka Private Bus Owners� Association (LPBOA) claimed that increasing the minimum bus fare and allowing passenger transport according to the number of seats are not solutions to prevent the spread of COVID-19. These concerns were raised by the Association�s President Gemunu Wijeratne, who also pointed out that he had requested for an increase, of the minimum bus fare, by 1.5% and to transport 50% of passengers according to the seating capacity. more..

Nov 12 (Island) From 2015 onwards the state had purchased only around 2% of the total paddy produced in the country and thus the govt had no power to control rice prices in the market, Chinthaka Rajapakshe of the Movement for Land and Agricultural Reform (MONLAR) said. Rajapakshe said that it was the reason for the govt�s failure to regulate the price of rice although it had issued four gazettes on the matter from Dec 2019. more..

Nov 12 (EN) Sri Lanka pawning (gold-backed loans) credit from the banking system had grown by 27 billion rupees to 237 billion rupees in the nine months to September 2020, State Minister Ajith Nivard Cabraal said. �When I checked with the Central Bank, they clearly said to me by end of Dec 2019 pawning advances given by all banks and financial institutions were 210 billion rupees and by the end of Sept 2020, that value has increased to 237 billion rupees,� Cabraal told parliament. more..

Nov 12 (EN) State-run SriLankan Airlines would get a 150 million dollar cash injection in 2020 which would be part of a 500 million dollar to be injected in the medium term, PM and Finance Mahinda Rajapaksa said. SriLankan has been badly hit by a Coronavirus crises but it is running relief flights, cargo flights to make money. SriLankan had been making losses ever since its managing shareholder Emirate Airlines was removed and the privatization reversed in 2008. more..

Nov 12 (Island) Train commuters were not transported in keeping with the health guidlines and that might lead to the community spread of COVID-19, SL Station Masters� Union (SLSMU) warned. President of SLSMU, Sumedha Somaratne said that the passengers had been asked to write their name, address, telephone number and national identity card number on a piece of paper and to put it into a box at the railway station. more..

Nov 12 (EN) The govt is looking to allocate land owned by the State Engineering Corporation for the proposed relocation of the Colombo Manning Market to Peliyagoda, a spokesman said. Head of the Presidential Task Force on Economic Revival and Poverty Alleviation Basil Rajapaksa has reportedly instructed officials to expedite this process in order to aid vegetable farmers and vendors who are facing severe difficulties due to the ongoing closure of the Manning market. more..

Nov 12 (NR) SJB says a large number of citizens are faced with starvation owing to the coronavirus. Speaking in Parliament during the debate of the second reading of the 2020 Appropriation Bill today MP Thushara Indunil said while the public granted the govt its two third mandate, he questioned why the public is continuously burdened. He said the Rs.5,000 grant is being provided to select individuals, adding that the Rs.10,000 essential package only contains goods amounting to more..

Nov 12 (DM) Since the COVID-19 pandemic struck, thousands of SL migrant workers are left with no job, no money and no way out. Unable to return home because of the country�s refusal to accept them soon enough, they have been confined to unsanitary dormitories without access to basic requirements. As of today, the official data show that more than 70 SL migrant workers have died from COVID. The majority were low-skilled migrant more..

Nov 13 (CT) No scientist or epidemiologist anywhere in the world has so far proved with solid evidence that corona virus would spread from buried corona-killed corpses. Only in SL a so-called committee of health experts belonging to the establishment, expressed an opinion that because of high water level in the ground that virus has the potential to spread, if those died from it are buried. Hence, they recommended indiscriminate cremation hitting directly at religious sensitivity of Muslims. more..

Nov 13 (DM) The COVID-19 pandemic serves us with a wake-up call. How? It teaches us that we have to save up for harder times. A good number of state and private sector companies are severely handicapped due to the pandemic forcing customers to stay indoors as much as possible. Similar to industries like tourism and hotels one of the industries affected by the pandemic is the tea industry. The tea industry may be plucking 365 days of the year, but this is an industry which more..

Nov 13 (ST) A military exercise in the Bay of Bengal may have caused the mass beaching of more than 100 short-finned pilot whales in SL this week, experts suggested. Tissue samples were collected from the dead whales to test for pathology, said A Navaratnerajah, NARA Chairman. The disoriented mammals mostly became stranded together on Monday. Six whales were washed onto Panadura beach near estuary & Wadduwa. more..