Apr 29 (AD) A tense situation has arisen at the State Engineering Corporation with employees holding the Chairman hostage at the main office. A protest was launched after the monthly salary payment was not made on the due date. A tense situation accordingly broke out at the premises of the State Engineering Corporation. The Police has been deployed to bring the situation under control. Secretary of the Joint Employees Union of the Engineering Corporation Wasantha Karunathileke more..

Apr 29 (FT) The Foreign Ministry yesterday said it was limiting services of the Consular Affairs Division due to the recent spike in COVID-19 infections. The health and safety of those visiting the Consular Affairs Division of the Foreign Ministry to obtain its services is the Ministry�s utmost priority, it said in a statement. Due to the prevailing COVID-19 situation, and health guidelines issued recently, the Ministry�s ability to provide some consular services may be limited. more..

Apr 29 (AD) Trial-at-Bar of Colombo High Court today decided to proceed with the case against 2016 CB bond scam without the presence of two of the accused � former CBSL Governor Arjuna Mahendran and a former director of Perpetual Treasuries Ajahn Punchihewa. The legal matter pertaining to criminal misappropriation of bonds valued at Rs. 15 billion during the CB�s treasury bond auction held between more..

Apr 29 (CT) Jaffna District Secretary (DS), K. Mahesan said, they have no intention of locking down the Jaffna District in this situation when COVID 19 is spreading fast in the country again. While talking to the Media on the current situation the District Secretary, Tuesday (27), stated that 13 persons tested positive on 26 April when random Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) testing was performed on persons suspected to be infected with the virus. He said, after October 2020, more..

Apr 29 (DM) Minister Lasantha Alagiyawanna assured that there would be no domestic gas shortage in the country. While addressing the introduction of 18-litre hybrid premium gas cylinders to the market, the Minister said Litro Gas Lanka Ltd. has ensured the release of 12.5 kg domestic gas cylinders without scarcity for the daily need of consumers. Actions have been taken to deliver a 12.5 kg normal gas cylinder at Rs.1493/- from the respective agents as per customers' choice. more..

Apr 29 (EN) SL�s GDP will grow 4.1% in 2021 with private investment and consumption recovering, though macro economic risks persist, Asian Development Bank said. �Growth will benefit in the near term from increased private consumption as pent-up demand is released, and consumption and investment will benefit from low interest rates and ample liquidity,� Manila-based lender said its flagship ADB Outlook. more..

Apr 29 (Island) One hundred and sixteen elephants have been killed so far this year, whereas human deaths due to elephant attacks number 35, the Wildlife Conservation�s Dept latest update reveals. A senior Department Official said that the numbers were rising alarmingly this year due to ad hoc clearing of forest areas. Dept�s Publicity Director, Hasini Sarathchandra, contacted for comment, said that the department was in the process of clearing shrub areas, providing electricity & bus more..

Apr 29 (DM) Despite it being announced earlier today that the Random Rapid Antigen Tests (RATs) would be conducted at all entry and exit points from and to the Western Province on individuals, health officials were not present at some points, although police officers were present. It was reported that the health officials were reluctant to report to the points as they had not been properly informed of this and citing that they lack ambulance facilities and find it difficult to take any individual, more..

Apr 29 (DM) Concerns were raised in court today over the health of the former Director of the CID, Shani Abeysekara. The revision case filed against the High Court refusal to grant bail to Shani Abeysekara was taken up today in the Appeal Court. The Attorney General�s (AG) department informed the Appeal Court that the respondents wanted one more week to consider the matter. Counsel appearing for Abeysekara told court that the situation is very unsatisfactory, more..

Apr 29 (DM) At least 15 passengers had sustained injuries when a bus veered off the road at Mahatudugala on Ragala- High Forest road and fell down into a precipice this morning, the Police said. Bus had fallen into a vegetable farm below the road. The bus was transporting passengers from Nuwara Eliya to Ragala when it met with the accident. The injured were admitted to the High Forest Divisional Hospital and several of them who were in critical condition were transferred to Nuwara Eliya more..

Apr 29 (AD) Consumer Affairs Authority (CAA) has taken measures to seal off a local coconut oil manufacturing company after it was confirmed its products contain the highly carcinogenic substance Aflatoxin. Further, the coconut oil stocks that the company had released to the market have been removed by CAA. Following the recent controversy concerning the presence of Aflatoxin in imported unrefined coconut oil, more..

Apr 29 (MoD) A bilateral discussion between SL and China on the sidelines of official visit by Chinese State Councillor and Defence Minister General Wei Fenghe was held at the Shangri-La Hotel, Colombo today (28). SL delegation led by Defence Secretary Gen. Kamal Gunaratne (Retd) had a fruitful discussion with the visiting Chinese Delegation led by General Fenghe during the session. Chinese Ambassador in Colombo, Qi Zhenhong, SL�s Foreign Ministry Secretary Jayanath Colombage more..

Apr 29 (WB) Logistics carry dreams. Back in 2007, when I applied to graduate schools in the United States, nothing could beat the excitement of handing over my applications to FedEx, clinging to the receipts with precious tracking numbers, and checking them a hundred times a day until I got confirmation that the packages had indeed arrived at my dream schools�all within the three business days they had promised. A few months later, it was UPS that brought me the offer letter from MIT, more..

Apr 29 (DM) While saying that the spread of COVID-19 in companies in the country is on the rise, Chief Epidemiologist Dr Sudath Samaraweera said today the risk of infection was quite dramatic in closed and air-conditioned spaces. He said that they had noticed a fair rise in the number of COVID cases within office premises. �People would be vulnerable to the virus in a closed room especially in air-conditioned spaces. more..

Apr 30 (DM) The bill presented to parliament to make 18 the eligibility age for voting must be viewed with some caution. To begin with SL is a country where its citizens are not rated very high on the global list of people who are responsible. The manner in which people moved about and travelled extensively during the festive April New Year season proves this! Casting your vote is a responsible job. Questions are raised as to whether an 18 year-old adult would be mature enough to exercise more..

Apr 30 (DM) Political parties and trade unions in Sri Lanka have been compelled for the third consecutive year to cancel or postpone their May Day events or conduct them on a low note. In 2019, the Easter Sunday suicide bombings forced them to cancel the events, and the COVID-19 outbreak prevented them from holding any public gatherings last year (2020). With the country facing the third wave of the COVID-19 following the Sinhala and Hindu New Year, this year too, more..

Apr 30 (CT) Although the Govt has to take on massive expenses on a daily basis to run the Department of Railways, it is a serious question whether the Dept gives a proper return for the effort. Especially at present, many issues have cropped up at the Railway Dept and so far the relevant authorities do not seem to be working to resolve them. However, Dept will not be able to prevent further deterioration if relevant parties do not more..

Apr 30 (DM) The SL Understanding, is geared towards exploring the path taken by SL, an island nation in the Indian Ocean, which has experienced a vivid past and possesses the potential for a vibrant future. Bringing together academics, historians, diplomats, writers and key personalities, The Sri Lankan Understanding is aimed at filling a lacuna in society wherein comprehending that which has been, grasping realities, and understanding the opportunities ahead is sorely lacking. more..

Apr 30 (Island) Cassandra lived up to her name by peeking into the future and crying out loud, not I see blood but Beware the third Covid-19 wave, it�s a-coming. She saw what was imminent in India with masses in the Holy River at the Kumba Mela, and connected it to Free Sri Lanka. Cass does not claim kudos for her warning such as this para culled from her Cry of Friday April 4 with the Avuruddha approaching and enticing people to shop, travel, make merry and gather together. more..

Apr 30 (CT) The tireless work by Traffic Police in SL has met several drawbacks in their attempts to reduce traffic jams that have been plaguing the country for many years. Nearly 10 individuals die daily as a result of road accidents in SL and the main cause of accident is drunk driving, according to recent statistics. The need to introduce modern technology that improves the process of identifying those behind the wheel while more..

Apr 30 (TM) With each passing day, SL�s neighbour with over one sixth of the world population � India � is plunging deeper and deeper into the Covid-19 pandemic, and many fear that the country�s situation is already in an unmanageable state. As of early this week, India had recorded over 17 million Covid-19 cases and over 200,000 deaths, and they keep increasing. However, India�s Covid-19 situation attracted international attention not only because of the rapidly increasing cases and deaths; more..

Apr 30 (ST) I was amazed to see that when an average Sri Lankan farmer earns US$ 3,160 for the country�s GDP, an average Israel farmer contributes over $107,523 to Israel�s GDP, according to World Bank data. It is the value-added share of the agriculture sector which makes up part of the GDP. I converted it to monthly earning: A Sri Lankan farmer earns $263 a month, compared to $8,960 a month earned by an Israel farmer. In principle, what is produced determines what is earned. more..

Apr 30 (CT) SL Technological Campus (SLTC) recently partnered with the Singapore campus of Australia�s prestigious James Cook Uni (JCU). Under the new initiative, SLTC offers many pathways for SL students who wish to obtain the globally recognised JCU degree of Bachelor of Tourism, Hospitality and Events. Partnership provides opportunities to obtain dual degrees in Tourism, Hospitality & Events, and Travel & Tourism Management by studying last 2 years more..

Apr 30 (CB) Commercial Bank of Ceylon has announced that ComBank Q+ Payment App, the first Quick Response (QR) based payment app to be launched on the LANKAQR platform, is now being used by over 50,000 customers who have embraced the convenience and security of the cashless digital payment solution offered by the Bank. The App went through a series of upgrades even as the Bank stepped up its promotion as part of its support to Central Bank�s post-lockdown initiative to more..

Apr 30 (CI) Okay, so let's get the caveats out of the way. Dimuth Karunaratne and Lahiru Thirimanne have had some flat pitches to bat on recently. In the second innings at North Sound, and in each of the innings they've had together in Pallekele, there's been little bounce, less carry, no turn, no puffs of dust, no shin-high grubbers, barely any seam movement. On top of which, they have not even had the usual uncles yelling insults from more..

Apr 30 (CT) Sri Lanka is rapidly sinking into a socio-economic chasm for a multitude of reasons; The economy is on the verge of bankruptcy and society is engulfed in power-hungry, self-seeking politics that has divided Sri Lankans sharply and decisively. We must come to the realization that traditional political camps are no longer in a position to offer meaningful solutions to these deep-running ills and long-established miseries debilitating our society. In fact, they are also a vital part of this problem more..

Apr 30 (CT) State-owned Daily News in its Construction Review Supplement done in association with the Chamber of Construction Industry of SL carried an article under the heading Will Port City Benefit Sri Lanka. To quote relevant excerpts, it said that the Govt of SL recently submitted to Parliament the Colombo Port City Economic Commission (CPCEC) Bill to establish a Commission to manage Colombo Port City (CPC). CPC comprises 269 hectares out of which more..

Apr 30 (AD) Prez Rajapaksa says he will take up the challenge of making SL the first country in the world to eliminate the use of chemical fertilizers, without taking a step back on the decision to end the use of chemical fertilizers in the country. Prez said the fact that no country in the world has abandoned the use of chemical fertilizers is not an obstacle to achieve this goal. Prez urged everyone to get together to educate the farmers to more..

Apr 30 (Island) Sri Jayawardenapura MV pulled off a stunning five run win over Royal College, Panadura as Denuwan Jayawardena with a four wicket haul and Jayandu Sankalpa with an unbeaten half century excelled for the winners in the Under-19 Division II Tier �B� final at BRC Ground on Thursday. Chasing a target of 137 runs to win Royal�s top order could not convert their promising starts to match deciding knocks as bowlers led by Denuwan took wickets at regular intervals. more..

Apr 30 (Island) Local coconut oil manufacturers had a field day following the detection of unusually high levels of aflatoxin in an imported coconut oil consignment, a few weeks ago. They claimed that their products were safe and superior to the imported ones; some members of the public may have bought into their claims amplified by aggressive advertising, but aflatoxin has now been found in locally produced coconut oil as well. The imported edible oil stocks containing aflatoxin more..

Apr 30 (FT) Over 1,500 COVID-19 positive persons were detected in the island yesterday and the country�s total patient count has risen to 106,484. Health authorities have introduced a New Year cluster and 1,491 of the 1,531 patients detected yesterday were linked to the new cluster. Grouped with the Divulapitiya, Peliyagoda and Prisons clusters, the total number of patients detected in relation to the clusters is 100,736. more..

Apr 30 (TM) Dimuth Karunaratne became the 10th SL batsman to score 5,000 runs in Test cricket and the fourth fastest to do so in terms of matches played yesterday in the Pallekele second Test. Take a look at the exclusive group he has joined. Dimuth Karunaratne 5,000* runs at 37.88. 5,000th run in his 72nd Test and 138th innings. The newest member in Sri Lanka�s 5,000 Test-run club, Karunaratne crossed the milestone in SL�s first innings of the second match against Bangladesh. more..

Apr 30 (FT) Over 5,000 persons in the country have received the second dose of the COVID-19 vaccine over the course of two-days. 3,445 persons received the second dose of the AstraZeneca Covishield vaccine on Wednesday. Frontline health workers are the first to receive the second dose. �The Sinopahrm vaccine was given to Chinese nationals working in SL and 2,469 vaccines were administered as the first dose. Second dose was to be administered on Tues and Wed and 2,435 were vaccinated� more..

Apr 30 (Island) SJB Matara District MP Buddhika Pathirana yesterday said that two Cabinet ministers of the yahapalana govt and a group of Ministry of Finance and Excise Department officials were behind a deal to hand over a tender to an Indian company to introduce a sticker to be affixed to liquor and beer bottles. Addressing the media after lodging a complaint with the CIABOC in Colombo, the MP said: more..

Apr 30 (FT) Seylan Bank has made a steady start in 2021 by posting a profit-after-tax (PAT) of Rs. 1 b in Q1 2021 amidst macro-economic challenges brought in by the COVID-19 pandemic. Seylan Bank said interest income recorded a decline due to the lower interest rates and moderate book growth, but net interest margin showed a marginal increase over the corresponding period in 2020 due to lower financing costs. Net Fee and Commission Income increased marginally to Rs. 1.2b from Rs. 1b, more..

Apr 30 (AD) Former IGP Dr. Mahinda Balasuriya has passed away at the age of 68. He had passed away at around 5.00 p.m. this evening while being treated at a private hospital in Narahenpita. The details of the funeral of Dr. Mahinda Balasuriya will be announced later, he said. Balasuriya, who was the 33rd IGP of Sri Lanka, had also previously served as SL�s Ambassador to Brazil and the Ambassador to UAE. In 2014, he had been appointed as the Secretary to the Ministry of Law & Order. more..

Apr 30 (TM) Public Health Inspectors (PHIs) in certain districts have been instructed to completely stop conducting random polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests, PHIs Union of SL President Upul Rohana charged. �PHIs in some districts have been asked to stop conducting random PCR tests on 28 April and yesterday morning,� he said. He claimed that if there is a shortage of supplies & resources to conduct PCR tests, more..

Apr 30 (EN) Colombo Gazette news website crashed yesterday after a bot attack traced to IP addresses in China, Managing Editor Easwaran Rutnam said. He said that the English-language edition of the website was recovered a few hours after the attack but the Sinhala-language edition is still down. Yesterday�s denial-of-service (DDoS) attack is a sequel to a similar event that occurred in March last year, he said, when the site could not be recovered for two full days. more..