Oct 17 (NR) The number of coronavirus cases detected in the country has increased to 5,475 following the detection of 121 cases today. 115 new cases are linked to the Minuwangoda cluster while six arrivals also tested positive for COVID-19. Accordingly, Minuwangoda COVID-19 cluster has surpassed 2,000 cases and now stands at 2,014. Ministry of Health said, 2,067 patients including 14 foreign nationals are currently receiving medical treatment for coronavirus at 17 hospitals more..

Oct 17 (EN) SL has approved 178 billion rupees of credit through commercial lenders mostly through re-financed by the central bank (newly created reserve money or excess liquidity), exceeding an original self-imposed limit of 150 billion rupees. The central bank said 177.54 billion rupees (about 960 million dollars at current spot exchange rates), had been approved and banks had already disbursed 133.19 bil rupees more..

Oct 18 (SO) The society and social media are abuzz with speculation that Sri Lanka is on the cusp of a so-called Second Wave of the Coronavirus as seen in many of our neighbouring countries. This was after the detection of a cluster at a Brandix garment factory in Minuwangoda. While the exact origin of this cluster is still unclear, the Police and intelligence agencies now have the unenviable task of contact tracing, which is not easy given the travel patterns of some of the infected persons. more..

Oct 18 (CT) Hyman Minsky (1919-1996) is celebrated for his thesis that economic recessions seemed to be triggered by shocks to the financial system. Downturns in the last 70 years were prompted by stock-market crashes, financial defaults and in 2008�09 a shock in the banking system. Though the underlying cause may lie in declines in the rate of profit, disruptions in production, surplus value extraction bottlenecks or supply-demand dislocations, actual breakdown first manifests more..

Oct 18 (SO) State Minister Dilum Amunugama said Govt has taken all possible steps to control the Covid-19 situation and Health authorities are trying their utmost to trace the last contract of every patient. He said the Govt hopes it will be able to get the pandemic under control soon. Even if it is brought under control, perhaps there will be another cluster growing up in another place and it will be the same situation. more..

Oct 18 (CT) No one knows who the mice are and who the men are in the current govt. But everyone knows that the best laid plans of both � for the 20th Amendment, are going astray. The amendment may still get passed, but the process which began with a bang is teetering to a whimper. The passage may well be a pathetic and pyrrhic victory. The Administration will have to show how the restored presidential powers (not that they needed any restoration) are going to dramatically change more..

Oct 18 (SO) Party Leaders� meeting on Friday has decided to debate the 20th Amendment in Parliament on Oct 21 and 22. Heated arguments had arisen between Govt and Opposition lawmakers regarding the 20A debate at the Party Leaders� meeting chaired by the Speaker at his Parliament office on Friday. Finally, it had been decided to hold a two-day debate on 20A in Parliament on Oct 21 and 22 from 10.00am to 7.30pm. However, the Opposition�s request for a 3-day debate more..

Oct 18 (CT) It will by no means be an exaggeration to state that the Sri Lanka Police is the foremost body for maintaining law and order in the country. It is, therefore, imperative that the IGP, who is the head of the Police Department, should be made a party responsible for safeguarding National Security. As we all know, the National Security Council (NSC) is the leading body in the country that takes decisions with regard to strengthening more..

Oct 18 (ST) Even though it seems that the COVID-19 virus is no respecter of persons, trust the world�s VVIPs to devise a novel mechanism by creating an air bubble concept to permit the high and mighty to bypass the rigours of quarantine rules enforced for the hoi-polloi. The United Nations cancelled world leaders coming to New York last month, but last week, a high-level Chinese delegation whizzed through Colombo. Their embassy said the visitors wore masks, but photographs taken of them more..

Oct 18 (ST) My dear Vasu, Wije and Vidura, I thought of writing to the three of you because I heard that the three of you, perhaps for different reasons, have opposed various aspects of the proposed 20th Amendment. Now, I don�t know whether you will really oppose it when it comes to voting time, but even your opposition now is encouraging. You may be wondering whether the 20th Amendment is the most important issue to discuss now when the country is being more..

Oct 18 (NIA) One of the problems of modernity could be that we have approached the concept of development totally forgetting or denouncing and being apathetic to our ancient wisdom, indigenous culture and traditional knowledge. We thereby have a kind of life that we have built for ourselves that gathers vast information separated from a holistic core as our ancestors had. We have discarded the salient truth that governed all pre-colonial philosophy and policy rooted in the awareness that more..

Oct 18 (ST) CR&FC unfazed by the player exodus during the coming season mostly to CH&FC, including last year�s captain Omalka Gunaratne, are confident of attracting a young group of players as they set their sights on marking their centenary in 2022. �It is no different to any other season where players move around. That�s not unusual. We don�t see it as anything exceptional. It is unfortunate that players jump from season to season. If that is the reality then we would have to respond and more..

Oct 18 (CT) 3 Venerable Theras - Ven. Elle Gunawansa Thera, Ven. Muruththettuwe Ananda Thera and Ven. Bengamuwe Nalaka Thera who were in the forefront to bring back Rajapaksas to power, on Friday, submitted a strongly worded letter addressed to Prez Rajapaksa urging him to reconsider the decision to ratify the proposed 20th Amendment Bill, introducing necessary amendments before passing it. more..

Oct 18 (Island) In the last paragraph of his usually trenchant and insightful presentation on this page today, our regular columnist Rajan Philips socks home a message about what the people of this country want from their leaders at this point in history. He forcefully makes the point that non-delivery of 20A, or even a new constitution, with which the govt is now overly obsessed, will not be held against either the president or his govt saying: �What the people will not forget, or more..

Oct 18 (SO) Over the past 42 years, all top Sri Lanka cricketers have commended the exemplary role played by the Observer-Mobitel School Cricketer of the Year. They lavishly praised the role played by Sri Lanka�s flagship English newspaper the Sunday Observer in rewarding tomorrow�s cricketing stars. Here are some of the instances they have commended the Mother of All Shows, sponsored by SLT Mobitel. ICC Chief Match Referee and former SL captain Ranjan Madugalle: more..

Oct 18 (TM) India�s elite federal counter-terrorist force, the National Security Guard (NSG) has trained a select group of personnel attached to the PM�s Security Division (PMSD), the Commando Force Chief S.S. Deswal said on Friday. He said the force has acquired the most modern weapons and equipment to distinguish itself as a world class zero-error force and trained 21 personnel of SL�s PMSD in close protection skills. more..

Oct 18 (TM) For months, SL has been celebrated as a nation that succeeded in containing the spread of Covid-19, with authorities repeatedly assuring the public that there was no community spread in the country. However, in early October (4), this illusion was shattered, when a female employee of an apparel factory in Minuwangoda tested positive for Covid-19. Just over a week later, over 1,300 workers and their close contacts had tested positive, increasing the total number of cases in SL more..

Oct 18 (ST) At least half of Sri Lanka�s registered smaller travel agencies have shutdown operations in the aftermath of the outbreak of the coronavirus that has sent tourists packing and locked out visitors. In 2018 there were over 2000 smaller registered travel agencies operating in the country but this year this has reduced to less than 1000, Sri Lanka Association of Inbound Tour Operators (SLAITO) President Tilak Weerasinghe told the Business Times. more..

Oct 18 (ST) With the players draft set to take place tomorrow, the Lanka Premier League (LPL) unveiled its official logo yesterday, as official rights holder IPG (Innovative Production Group) is confident of creating a global platform through TV and social media viewership. Anil Mohan, CEO of IPG, confirmed that all five franchises have been already sold and unlike SL Premier League (SLPL), which failed to sustain after a season in 2012, more..

Oct 18 (wsws) Sri Lankan authorities extended a police curfew in Gampaha district on Thursday as coronavirus infections climbed in the area, meaning that it now encompasses the Katunayake Free Trade Zone (KFTZ). Tens of thousands of workers are employed in the KFTZ. Last week, the govt imposed a curfew and lockdown in many parts of the same district, which is adjacent to Colombo district, after hundreds of workers at the Brandix Fashion Ware factory in Minuwangoda tested positive. more..

Oct 18 (ORF) The term Indopazifischer Raum (Indo-Pacific Space) coined by German geopolitical thinker Karl Haushofer in 1920, is perhaps the first academic statement on the Indo-Pacific. Haushofer observed the marine space interlinking the two-great civilisations in Asia, India and China, although separated by land by the geography of Tibet. Japan in the Indo-Pacific was identified by Haushofer, who contrived the German-Japan axis during World War II, with their similar interest to defeat Britain more..

Oct 18 (ST) Several joint venture manufacturers have been forced to shutdown their production plants and suspend expansion plans due to restrictions in the import of components and essential spares needed to run the machinery. The govt has indefinitely extended import restrictions introduced for three months from May 22 amidst the COVID-19 crisis and a foreign exchange shortage, according to a new set of guidelines more..

Oct 18 (ST) LAUGFS Gas PLC is moving towards building an integrated regional LPG Terminal for LPG importing, re-exporting and supply to retailers in the Indian Ocean Rim. The company will also expand its solar power plants this year, W.H.K Wegapitiya, Chairman, LAUGFS Gas PLC said. �We have a big market in front of our doorstep. We intend to exploit it.� Company is exporting gas to B'desh, India & Maldives. �We have a big market in front of our doorstep. We intend to exploit it.� more..

Oct 18 (ST) US-based woman marathoner Hiruni Wijayaratne made a disappointing appearance at the World Athletics Half Marathon Championships Gydnia 2020 in Poland on Saturday as she pulled out after completing the 15km mark. The 29-year-old Sri Lankan born runner clocked 17.50 minutes at the end of the first 5km mark and 37.19 at the end of the 10km mark. She had finished the 15km mark with a time of 57.28 but did not survive to complete the 21.0975km race. more..

Oct 18 (ST) Dinesh Chandimal-led DIMO Southern Warriors clinched the inaugural Army Commander�s League Twenty20 tournament beating Super Fashion Northern Warriors led by Seekkuge Prasanna by nine runs in the final played at Army Cricket ground in Dombagoda yesterday. Defending a total of 159, Chandimal marshalled his resources in the death overs using the experienced Suranga Lakmal and Wanindu Hasaranga as more..

Oct 18 (TM) Sharmila Rajapaksha is a mother of three who spent the last eight years as the sole breadwinner for her family, providing for them through her job as a receptionist at a prominent hotel in Ella. However, with the arrival of Covid-19 and the initial lockdown in March, the hotel closed its doors and let go of over 20 staff members, including Rajapaksha, leaving her without a source of income for almost eight months now. As it turns out, Rajapaksha is just one among more..

Oct 18 (SO) The 2021 Budget will spell out the thrust for new development initiatives that will be unleashed over the next five years to achieve higher economic growth and prosperity for the country, Money, Capital Markets and State Enterprise Reforms, Minister Ajith Nivard Cabraal said. He said the focus areas of the next budget will be all mega development projects including highways, the 100,000-kilometre road stretch, ports and airports and water based projects. more..

Oct 18 (TM) Sri Lanka Railways (SLR) has identified that its own employees have been occupying SLR Reserve land illegally for a number of years, and therefore plans to charge lease payments from them, according to SLR General Manager M.J.D. Fernando. �Most of these lands are occupied by the employees of the SLR itself. We will have to charge them lease for the years they occupied the land and more..

Oct 18 (ST) The CID yesterday extended the search for MP Rishad Bathiudeen to the Eastern Province, after they failed to arrest him for the fourth consecutive day. CID teams visited Mr. Bathiudeen�s close associates� houses in the Pothuvil, Ampara, Sammanthurai, Ninthavur and Kalmunai areas in search of the the ACMC leader, after the failure of attempts to trace him in Colombo, Puttalam and Mannar. Teams also visited the Ampara residence of ACMC MP S.M.M. Musharaff. more..

Oct 18 (ST) Factories with more than 500 employees must conduct compulsory PCR tests for a selected group of its employees on a daily basis, according to a gazette notification to be issued soon. Health Ministry Secretary Dr Sanjeewa Munasinghe said the move was part of stringent measures to prevent the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic, similar to the manner in which it spread from the garment factory in Minuwangoda. He said that under the guidelines to be gazetted, more..

Oct 18 (CT) Despite the decision taken by the Govt to remove import duties on essential food commodities with immediate effect, there is unlikely to be a price reduction at least until November, according to essential food importers. Essential Food Commodities Importers and Traders� Association (EFCITA) President G. Rajendran noted that the items imported under last week�s duty exemption would arrive only in three to four weeks. more..

Oct 18 (AD) Total positive cases of Covid-19 reported from the Minuwangoda cluster topped the grim milestone of 2,000 this evening (17). The new development came after 42 more persons linked to the cluster were tested positive for the virus. Army Commander Lt Gen Shavendra Silva said 22 of the fresh cases are employees Brandix apparel factory and their contacts who are currently at quarantine centres. The remaining 20 have been identified as close contacts of the apparel factory staffers. more..

Oct 18 (ST) Eight out of 39 Licensed Finance Companies (LFCs) have been found non-compliant with the minimum capital adequacy requirement and have been given a time extension to rectify the non-compliance, the Central Bank (CB) disclosed in a public notice. These companies are Arpico Finance Co. PLC, Associated Motor Finance Co., Bimputh Finance, Kanrich Finance, Merchant Bank of SL and Finance, Richard Pieris Finance, Softlogic Finance and UB Finance Co. more..

Oct 18 (AD) Former Prez Maithripala Sirisena yet again before the PCoI today (17) and rejected the allegation that he attempted to make the former IGP the scapegoat following the massacre. He also rejected the testimony of the former Defence Secretary Hemasiri Fernando where he said he was asked by the Head of State not attend the meeting chaired by then-PM Ranil Wickremesinghe in the immediate aftermath of the attacks. more..

Oct 18 (TM) The 20th Amendment Bill is to be debated for two days next week on Wednesday (21) and Thursday (22). Minister Dinesh Gunawardena said that a two-day debate was agreed upon during the parliamentary party leaders� meeting on Friday (16). He said the Opposition requested a three-day debate, but the Govt had declined. �We said we would keep it to two days, but we have extended the parliamentary sessions for a longer period than the norm,� he said. more..

Oct 18 (SO) A Parliament Select Committee (PSC) will be appointed shortly to revise outdated election laws and explore the possibility of granting franchise rights to Sri Lankans overseas. Election Commission spokesperson and Director Channa de Silva said the PM endorsed the idea of a Select Committee to look into issues and needs in the sector when Election Commission representatives met him at Temple Trees on Friday. Chairman Mahinda Deshapriya said that the revision of the electoral law is a must more..

Oct 18 (ST) With pressure growing on the Govt to make major changes to the 20th Amendment, a party leaders� meeting of constituent parties representing the SLPP has been summoned this evening to further discuss the issue. This is ahead of tomorrow�s separate meeting of the SLPP�s parliamentary group. SLPP party leaders� meeting is to take place at the Prez Secretariat. Both Prez Rajapaksa and PM Rajapaksa would attend more..

Oct 19 (CT) Bloody Easter Sunday that took place on 21 April 2019, killing 269 civilians and wounding and maiming several others may have been avoided if the country had a leadership sensitive to security matters. This was pronounced by the evidence given by at least two persons before the PCoI recently. They were former Defence Secretary Hemasiri Fernando and former Army Commander Mahesh Senanayake. Both of these individuals were appointed to these high offices when more..

Oct 19 (ST) The 20th Amendment maybe the newest kid in town but apart from its fond parents and closest kith and kin raving nuts over the cherubic cheeks and rosy glow of the bonny offspring destined to dawn a prosperous era on the ruling house of Lanka, no one else seems to be over the moon quite as much at what the September stork brought unbidden to the nation�s doorstep. In fact, the growing tide of mass opinion seems to suggest the people would rather the little monster more..