Aug 24 (TM) There are no plans yet on the part of the Health Ministry to import the world�s first deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) vaccine against Covid-19, which was developed in India and approved for use in the country by its drug regulator last week. Health Ministry�s Communications Director, Public Health Services Deputy Director General and Disaster Preparedness and Response Division Head Dr. Hemantha Herath said that there are no such plans as only those vaccines that more..

Aug 24 (EN) SL�s rupee has fallen to as much as 221 to the US dollars in the importer market for large transactions, market participants said, with banks scrambling to find dollar give to importers who come with printed rupees seeking convertibility. In the official market there is no price transparency after the central bank halted interbank spot market with a price control of around 200 to the US dollar, where margins have widened. Though the central bank has been printing money mainly through more..

Aug 24 (EN) Cabinet of ministers has allocated 3.8 billion rupees to purchase organic fertilizer from local producers during the next Maha cultivation season, Minister Ramesh Pathirana said. Pathirana, however, said the govt will also be importing some organically derived nutrients like nitrogen, phosphorous, and potassium to enrich organic fertilizers. �The amount of money allocated for the local purchase of this organic fertilizer more..

Aug 24 (CT) A total of 27 pregnant mothers have succumbed to COVID-19 from April till date, Director of the Family Health Bureau (FHB) Dr. Chitramalee de Silva said, urging pregnant mothers not to delay in getting the coronavirus vaccine. Dr. de Silva, when contacted, said the deterioration level of pregnant mothers � especially those with comorbidities was high. �Also, we see a delay in reaching medical care even when minor symptoms emerge, the weight factor during pregnancy, more..

Aug 24 (CT) The second compensation claim, for the damage caused by the MV X-Press Pearl vessel, will be sent to the Protection and Indemnity Insurance Club (PIIC) of the vessel over the next week, Chairperson of the Marine Environment Protection Authority (MEPA), Dharshani Lahandapura said. She added that a meeting in connection with the second compensation claim due to the ship�s fire will be held with the Attorney General this week. more..

Aug 24 (TM) Pregnant women are, according to the Family Health Bureau (FHB), encouraged to take the vaccine from the centre closest to them during this lockdown period. FHB Director Dr. Chithramalee de Silva said that expectant mothers who are experiencing complications are encouraged to visit the relevant medical officer of health (MOH) vaccination centre or the hospital which provides the vaccination. more..

Aug 24 (DM) SL born British national Sivendran Vettivetpillai of Abraaj group has pleaded guilty to nine counts of criminal charges carrying a total of 115 years in jail and a fine of up to $11.5 million, foreign media reported. According to Sivendran Vettivetpillai�s guilty plea, these criminal activities took place between 2014 and 2018, as charged by the United States authorities. The SL born British national Sivendran Vettivetpillai who is commonly known as Sev Vettivetpillai � more..

Aug 24 (TOI) Sri Lanka has reopened for fully vaccinated tourists from India � including those who have got Covaxin� SriLankan Airlines� head of worldwide sales and distribution, Dimuthu Tennakoon, told TOI on Tuesday. Also, there is no requirement for quarantine for travellers who test Covid negative on arrival in the Emerald Island. �Sri Lanka is now open for Indian tourists. People need to be fully vaccinated, with the second shot taken at least 14 days before the trip. more..

Aug 25 (DM) In Feb 2020, the US and the Taliban signed a deal for the safe withdrawal of US and NATO forces from Afghanistan within a period of 14 months. Govt of Afghanistan nor America�s NATO partners played no role in the signing of the agreement. In its essence, the agreement was only for the safe passage for the occupying forces out of Afghanistan. Then US Secretary of State was witness to signing of the agreement. Agreement was in fact, an article of surrender. more..

Aug 25 (CT) The origin of sincerity is courage. Listening to the voice of one�s conscience takes courage. Men with moral courage are not hesitant to teach others what they have learnt. Mangala Samaraweera will be remembered for his moral courage. It takes lot of courage to be an authentic person in public life. Only a person hungry for truth will discover truth. It is only from such authentic men that people will learn the truth. Whether the people will want to learn the truth is another matter. more..

Aug 25 (DM) SL boasts of a rich cultural heritage that includes indigenous medicine (Hela Wedakama) as one of its important elements. The centuries-old wisdom on healthcare and healing practices were documented on various texts including Ola leaf manuscripts and have been passed down generations. It was very much later that Ayurveda Medicine of Indian origin was introduced to Sri Lanka. more..

Aug 25 (GV) At two meetings held on March 8 and April 29 the Cabinet approved reforms to the Muslim Marriage and Divorce Act (MMDA). The reforms will make 18 years the minimum age for lawful marriage, mandate the bride to place her signature on the marriage registration certificate, bar polygamy and to do away with the Quazi court system. The Advisory committee appointed in Dec 2020 by the current Minister of Justice handed over its recommendations on June 21. more..

Aug 25 (GV) *Sandamali is 26 weeks pregnant but she doesn�t yet know the sex of her unborn child. She lives in Bodagama with her husband and her two children, where healthcare facilities are at a bare minimum. With the nearest hospital over an hour�s distance away in Hambantota, it has been extremely challenging to make the trip to the hospital to even get the scan done. The one hour commute is tiring enough but coupled with the fear of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and travel restrictions more..

Aug 25 (DM) Following the manmade gas shortage in the country there is public opinion to say that this was allegedly manipulated by the Ministry of Trade and the State Ministry of Cooperative Services, Marketing Development and Consumer Protection, to aid the gas companies to get a LPG price hike despite the Consumer Affairs Authority�s strong objection. On July 22, cabinet of ministers approved a maximum retail price more..

Aug 25 (Roar) Nestled in the Palani Hills of western Tamil Nadu, the hill station of Kodaikanal owes its foundation to Christian missionaries, who, in 1845, built a retreat there from the fierce dry seasons of the plain below. Sangam literature identified the mountains with the landscape it called Kurinji, after the eponymous flower (Strobilanthes kunthiana, Sinhala neelakurinji). The shrubs bearing this flower occur in the montane shola forests, blooming once every 12 years and colouring the hills blue. more..

Aug 25 (ST) Finally the Govt announced a lockdown in the country on Friday. This decision of the Govt followed two to three weeks of expectations in the minds of people, that a lockdown would be enforced sooner rather than later. Despite strong appeals from health specialists, members of health sector trade unions, including Public Health Inspectors, other stakeholders and concerned citizens as well as Opposition politicians, in the wake of an alarming rise in number of COVID-19 cases & deaths, more..

Aug 25 (CI) Afghanistan's three-match ODI series against Pakistan has been postponed indefinitely after talks between the two boards concluded that logistical challenges were making it tough for the Afghanistan contingent to travel to Sri Lanka and the situation in Afghanistan would not have left their players in a good mental space. The PCB also tweeted that both boards will try to reschedule the series in 2022.* Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) CEO Hamid Shinwari confirmed that more..

Aug 25 (ST) Formula 1 gaming has been on quite the ride over the past 40 years, but without much SL representation. All that is about to change as the local boys line up to participate in Sri Lanka�s first ever Formula 1 Championship conducted in joint partnership between Mandarin Reid eSports and SIM Racing Lanka. The c'ship will be conducted over eight racing tracks and fiercely competed over one month with attractive prize money been given away at each leg of the c'ship. more..

Aug 25 (Island) Former lawmaker and outspoken politician Mangala Pinsiri Samaraweera yesterday died of Covid-19. Samaraweera was 65 at the time of his death. Mangala entered Parliament for the first time in 1989 from the SLFP. He served as a Cabinet minister under several govts. Nominated by the SJB to contest the last general election from the Matara District, Samaraweera quit it at the last moment. more..

Aug 25 (Island) Never a dull day in this pandemic-hit land thanks to the SLPP politicians leading a cat-and-dog life. They regularly wash a lot of dirty linen in public much to the amusement of the public, in these troubled times. The latest stream of invectives from the SLPP leadership has come in response to a discordant note struck by some coalition partners over the pandemic control measures. The govt refused to close the country in spite of an exponential increase in the daily count of more..

Aug 25 (TM) Yesterday, many in Sri Lanka paid tribute to former Minister Mangala Samaraweera upon his sudden passing, another victim of the Covid-19 pandemic raging through this country at alarming speed and with devastating impact. In his 30-year political career, Samaraweera carved a unique position for himself, as a man with the courage of his convictions who was not afraid of calling a spade a spade and offending a few people along the way. more..

Aug 25 (CT) Minod Bhanuka, Nuwanidu Fernando and Skipper Dasun Shanaka�s fireworks guided Greys to a comfortable 42 runs win over Reds and clinch the Dialog - SLC Invitational T20 League yesterday at Pallakele Stadium. Chasing a mammoth target of 202 runs, Reds batting line up appeared a bit shaky, and had a slow start adding just 39 runs for 3 wickets in the power-play. Openers Dinesh Chandimal (14) and Avishka Fernando (10) more..

Aug 25 (MFA) The Ambassador of the Republic of Korea to SL Santhush Jeong paid a courtesy call on the newly appointed Foreign Minister Prof. G.L. Peiris on Tuesday (24) at the Foreign Ministry. The Ambassador Woonjin extended sincere felicitations to the Foreign Minister on his new role and reiterated his country�s commitment to assist Sri Lanka in bilateral and multilateral settings on matters of mutual interest. The discussions centered on a wide range of areas of existing and more..

Aug 25 (FT) USAID Administrator Samantha Power in a statement yesterday said she was devastated by the passing of former Foreign Minister Mangala Samaraweera. She described Mangala as a great patriot and statesman, advocate for democracy and human rights, and a treasured friend. My sincere condolences to his family and the people of #SriLanka, she added. Her statement also said: �Mangala entered politics during a brutal civil war because he dreamed of peace, harmony more..

Aug 25 (CT) Former SL captain Mahela Jayawardene is the coach in demand across cricket leagues currently. He recently won the inaugural edition of The Hundred with Southern Brave. Jayawardene is also the coach of the most successful IPL team - Mumbai Indians. However, he has no plans of taking over a fulltime role with any country, even SL. �Having done 18 years of international cricket as a player I don�t want to live out of a suitcase for 12 months of the year. more..

Aug 25 (FT) The 24th Presidential Export Awards ceremony for the financial years 2019/20 and 2020/21 will be held on 3 December under the patronage of Prez Rajapaksa at the BMICH. Presidential Export Awards is the highest and the most prestigious award presented by the President to exporters in recognition of their outstanding contribution to the export sector and to economic development of the country. This year�s awards would be presented in 2 main categories more..

Aug 25 (FT) Headline inflation as measured by the Year-on-Year change based on the National Consumer Price Index (NCPI) has been compiled at 6.8% in July as against 6.1% in June. The July figure also shows a 12-month high and confirms the rising trend witnessed since January this year. Core inflation, which reflects the underlying inflation by excluding volatile items of food, energy and transport groups more..

Aug 25 (FT) Financial services-heavy conglomerate LOLC yesterday regained the status as the most valuable stock in the Colombo bourse whilst achieving a price milestone after Expolanka closed lower after meteoric rise. Investor fans of LOLC ensured lost glory as most valuable was short-lived as the share price gained by Rs. 16 or 3% to cross the Rs. 500 mark to close at Rs. 507.50. This saw LOLC market capitalisation move to Rs. 241.1 billion. more..

Aug 25 (MFA) Ambassador of Kuwait Khalaf Bu Dhhair called on the new Foreign Minister G.L. Peiris on 24 Aug. In his opening remarks, Ambassador Dhhair extended greetings from the Foreign Minister of Kuwait Sheikh Dr. Ahmed Nasser Al-Sabah and expressed the Govt of Kuwait's willingness to enhance bilateral trade and economic relations with the Govt of SL. Furthermore, Ambassador said that the Govt of Kuwait was looking forward to employing skilled workers more..

Aug 25 (TM) Sri Lanka Medical Association (SLMA) yesterday cautioned patients undergoing home treatment for Covid-19 and their caregivers against the medically unsupervised use of dexamethasone, as it could lead to severe health issues. The SLMA said that such medically unsupervised could lead to a worsened Covid-19 status, high sugar levels in the blood, and even the deadly black fungus Infection more..

Aug 25 (FT) Both doses of a COVID-19 vaccine have been administered to 50.5% of the country�s population over the age of 30, with the first dose administered to 12,126,492 persons and the second dose administered to 5,807,496 persons. This includes the 175,431 persons vaccinated against COVID-19 on Monday. 24,724 persons received the first dose of Sinopharm on Monday and 52,472 persons received the second dose of the vaccine. In total, 9,609,702 persons have received more..

Aug 25 (EN) SL received another one million doses of the Sinopharm COVID-19 vaccine on Tuesday (24), SPC said. Another two million doses of the Chinese vaccine is scheduled to arrive on Saturday (28), the SPC said. Sinopharm is the most widely used COVID-19 vaccine in SL. So far, 9,609,702 have received at least one dose, out of whom 4,466,999 are fully vaccinated, official data showed. The first dose AstraZeneca, the second most widely used vaccine in the island, more..

Aug 25 (Island) President of College of Medical Laboratory Science Ravi Kumudesh offered conditional backing for making Covid-19 vaccine mandatory. One of the strongest critics of the govt�s response to the unprecedented health emergency, Kumudesh said that such a move couldn�t be accepted unless the govt ensured the public had an opportunity to receive the desired vaccine. more..

Aug 25 (Island) Pakistan has assured Foreign Minister Prof. G.L. Peiris of Taliban�s pledge to ensure safety and security of foreign nationals in Afghanistan. This was conveyed by Pakistan High Commissioner in Colombo Major General (retd.) Muhammad Saad Khattak recently when he called on Prof. Peiris at the Foreign Ministry. Having congratulated Foreign Minister Peiris on his new appointment, Maj. Gen. Khattak has briefed him on the situation in Afghanistan. more..

Aug 25 (TM) Ceylon Teachers Service Union (CTSU) General Secretary Mahinda Jayasinghe has accused CID of not having initiated an investigation into three alleged death threats he had received via telephone calls, even though more than 20 days have passed since a complaint was lodged with the CID in that regard. He claimed that a complaint was lodged with the CID on 2 August with regard to the threatening telephone calls he had received; however, the CID had not even recorded more..

Aug 25 (FT) SL�s COVID-19 detections neared 400,000 with 4,446 persons testing positive for COVID-19 yesterday. A total of 398,801 persons have tested positive for COVID-19 to date, with 89,962 COVID-19 detections in August alone. COVID-19 patients detected yesterday include 4,427 persons from the New Year cluster and 19 overseas arrivals. In terms of testing, 14,356 PCR tests were carried out yesterday. more..

Aug 25 (DM) A 40-year-old suspect arrested by the Mathugama Police had died while being taken to the Police station, police said. He was infected with the COVID-19. The police arrested the suspect on Sunday during a raid at Yatadola in Mathugama for possession of illicit liquor. The suspect was admitted to the Wettewa Hospital after he fell unconscious due to a sudden illness while being taken to the Police Station. However, the doctors informed that the suspect had died on admission. more..