Feb 1 (Island) Prez Rajapaksa has said that a policy decision will have to be made as the request for legalizing cannabis for medical purposes. Prez said so while participating in the Eighth Discussion with the Village Programme (Gama Samaga Piliusandarak) on the banks of the Kukulkatuwa tank in Thanamalwila Aluthwewa Grama Niladhari Division, Monaragala, on Saturday. He was answering a question raised by an academic, more..

Feb 1 (DM) Education Ministry had decided to reconsider students' cut off marks released recently for the 2020 Grade five scholarship exam. Ministry Secretary Prof. Kapila Perera said parents protested earlier claiming that they were disappointed with the recent Grade five scholarship exam cut off marks. Therefore, the decision was taken following requests made by parents, he said. He said parents were requested to reconsider the cut off marks and increase the enrolments without it, more..

Feb 1 (FT) SL�s Test captain Dimuth Karunaratne will know whether he is fit to make the tour of WI only on 9 Feb when a final X-ray is taken of his injured left thumb. Karunaratne suffered a hairline fracture on his thumb when he was hit by a delivery from SA quick Wiaan Mulder during his fighting century in the second Test at the Wanderers, Johannesburg in January. The injury forced him to miss the two home Tests against England. �At present, I cannot say anything about the injury. more..

Feb 1 (EN) India is calling on SL to abide by previous agreements to honour its commitment to developing the East Container Terminal (ECT) of the Colombo Port with the participation of India, Japan and SL. The blunt statement follows a Press Release issued by the office of PM Mahinda Rajapaksa earlier today which said that the govt was planning on keeping the ECT entirely in SL hands. A spokesman for High Commission of India more..

Feb 1 (CT) A Flight Sergeant of the SL Air Force (SLAF) Base in China Bay, Trincomalee, who robbed Rs 136,000 in cash from a rural bank at Usmudulawa in Ambalangoda, has been sent to the Boossa quarantine centre after being produced in Court. The suspect was produced before the Court on 30 January and would be produced again virtually on 12 Feb 2021. He also noted that the suspect was attached to the Air Force Base in China Bay and was living in quarters with his family. more..

Feb 1 (EN) The UNP has condemned the coup that took place in Myanmar today, urging that country�s military to immediately reverse their decision to detain civilian leaders. UNP said in a media release this afternoon that Myanmar�s parliament must be allowed to convene and the country�s civilian leaders and lawmakers must be allowed to resume their duties. �In 2011, the democratic reforms in Maynmar began with the country holding their first post-military elections in 2015. more..

Feb 1 (EN) Since the end of the separatist war in 2009, Sri Lanka has rehabilitated 594 former child soldiers recruited by the LTTE and reunited them with their families, the country�s Permanent Representative to the UN Mohan Peiris said. An unspecified number of non-combatant children recruited by the LTTE have also been reunited with their loved ones, according to Peiris. Speaking at a UN Security Council more..

Feb 1 (Island) More than 100 villagers with the backing of local politicians yesterday started clearing forests at the Dahayiyagala sanctuary despite objections from some 50 Wildlife department officers. A Wildlife Officer told The Island these lands come under the Fauna and Flora Protection Ordinance and any human activity there was illegal. The Rally for Animal Rights and Environment (RARE) said that a campaign to clear 300 acres of forest had been launched. more..

Feb 1 (EN) A top political scientist is warning that the Judiciary will face a crisis of confidence if recommendations made by a PCoI will be implemented by the courts to release dozens of court cases against ministers and others from prosecution. Retired Senior Professor of Political science at Uni of Peradeniya M.O.A. de Zoysa told a seminar organized by NMSJ that the PCoI on Political Victimisation is intervening and directly affecting the work of the Judiciary. more..

Feb 1 (FT) The Executive branch of Govt attempting to take over the functions of the Judiciary indirectly through commissions are a dangerous trend, SJB MP Eran Wickramaratne charged, stating that the main Opposition party objects vehemently to moves by the Govt to appoint another new Presidential Commission of Inquiry (PCoI) to implement the recommendations of the pervious PCoI on political victimisation. more..

Feb 1 (CT) The Number 5 Jet Squadron will celebrate its 30th anniversary on 1 February 2021 as a leading defender in aerial warfare with a proud history. The squadron was formed in 1991 with the induction of two new FT-5 jet trainers based in Katunayake under the command of Sqn. Ldr. H.D. Abeywickrema. In the same year, the fleet was enhanced by further acquisition a FT-7 trainer and four F-7 Airguard day fighters. These were the first jet aircraft added to the SLAF�s inventory more..

Feb 1 (IPS) A decade has passed since the end of Sri Lanka�s civil war between the govt and the LTTE, where at least 100,000 people were killed in the over three-decade long conflict. Families of victims of enforced disappearances continue to seek justice, the govt is yet to end impunity and put accountability for crimes under international law and human rights violation and abuses in its transitional justice process. In a recent United Nations Human Rights Office of The High Commissioner report, more..

Feb 1 (Island) The JVP-led Lawyers for Democracy is planning to move the Court of Appeal against the report of the Presidential Commission of Inquiry into Political Victimisation as they claim the release of the document is tantamount to contempt of court. Former JVP Provincial Councilor Attorney-at-law Sunil Watagala said that the commission report has recommended the release of 61 persons whose cases were being heard before High Courts. more..

Feb 1 (DM) Education Ministry has decided to conduct random Rapid Antigen Tests (RATs) in schools to detect COVID-19 infections among students, Minister G.L. Peiris said. He said the Ministry had decided to conduct RATs on 30 students from two or three schools daily. The RAT results will lead to take decisions on reopening schools and to find out the nature of COVID-19 virus spread among the schoolchildren," he said. He said these tests will not only be done targeting more..

Feb 1 (EN) With daily COVID-19 cases exceeding 800 over the past four days, health authorities have decided to conduct random rapid antigen tests (RATs) in the city of Colombo starting today, national pandemic task force said. Tents have been set up at various locations in the city where passing vehicles are stopped at random for a spot RAT. Anyone who tests positive is required to take a follow-up PCR test, officials said. The random RATs are part of ongoing efforts to detect and contain more..

Feb 2 (CT) SL is facing two crises at present. They are the COVID-19 pandemic and the UNHRC review on SL. However, to a certain extent COVID -19 has been brought under control, further complemented by the receipt of 500,000 doses of the AstraZeneca Covishield vaccine. Meanwhile, in the West where the Tamil Diaspora is active, they are pressing those Govts to inquire into allegations of human rights violations in SL. Western countries with the support of UK are presenting concerned resolution more..

Feb 2 (DM) Sri Lanka is heading towards a major showdown at the UNHRC, and that is a fight the country is bound to lose. Its implications would not necessarily be immediate but would be pestering the Gotabaya Rajapaksa Administration for the rest of its term. One thing is all clear. Prez Rajapaksa would soon begin where his elder brother left off. That is not any sort of achievement. Last week, UN Human Rights Commissioner Michelle Bachelet released her report on SL which she will present to more..

Feb 2 (DM) The Gotabaya Rajapaksa Govt got itself in a governance and geopolitical-level quagmire following the announcement to hand over the Eastern Container Terminal (ECT) of the Colombo Port to India�s Adani Group. Going against its own assurance that the ECT will not be given to a foreign party, Govt once again angered Port trade unions as well. Following the announcement Port trade unions more..

Feb 2 (Island) Every hour the Earth�s atmosphere receives enough solar radiation to meet electricity needs of every human being on Earth for a year. Consequently, the world�s greatest problem can be fixed with just one percent of solar radiation the earth receives. The catch? It�s exorbitant. Fulfilling energy needs has remained an insurmountable challenge for centuries as this huge influx of solar energy is wasted for want of a cost effective way of harnessing solar energy, at least until more..

Feb 2 (DM) As we celebrate our Independence Day on Feb 4 -- though there are many questions as to how independent we are or will be after the 20th Amendment -- the UN also marks the International Day of Human Fraternity. In a statement the world body says, there is deep concern regarding acts that advocate religious hatred and, thereby, undermine the spirit of tolerance and respect for diversity, especially at a time when the world confronts the unprecedented crisis caused by the Covid-19 more..

Feb 2 (DM) Minister Prof G.L. Peiris responds to queries about plans for revival of the education sector amidst the pandemic. Also, he shares his views on some criticism of the govt in the realization of public expectations. Q: There is criticism of opening of schools despite COVID-19 cases are increasing on a daily basis. How do you deal with the situation? A: This is a situation that we will have to learn to live with more..

Feb 2 (ST) If there are still persons who do not understand the importance of environmental conservation and preserving what little of the ecological balance we have after our two-legged predators have done with it, should they not be taught some basic lessons. They might be too old to be sent to school having seen how some of them as parliamentarians behaved during the time of the last parliament. Even school-going children would remember �how could they forget- some of more..

Feb 2 (ST) While the COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in a lot of misery, uncertainty and a troubled future for the world�s population with increasing signs that the deadly disease will remain in our midst for another year or two, some positives have emerged with a burst of creative energy being part of it. For example, from face masks to ventilators to robots, Sri Lanka�s inventors have been on a roll developing prototypes for new products to help the authorities tackle the pandemic. more..

Feb 2 (Island) Kalakeerthi Edwin Ariyadasa, the gentleman journalist, is no more. He has left us with a legacy that is as noble as the life he led. He was a Buddhist who knew by realization that the greatest man who ever lived was the Supreme Buddha . Ariyadasa edited a book with that title. But also being a good Buddhist, he believed and acted in ways that displayed the thinking that every other religionist had the right to practice his or her own religion & also should be respected as such. more..

Feb 2 (Island) T10 could help forge cricket�s path to inclusion in the Olympics, Kumar Sangakkara, the MCC President, said. Speaking ahead of this month�s T10 League, where he will work with Team Abu Dhabi as a mentor, Sangakkara said that while it was impossible to say whether cricket might be included in the Olympics as soon as 2028, it was a case of the sooner the better. �T20 has had a big push to be included in the Olympics,� Sangakkara said during a media interaction. more..

Feb 2 (FT) COVAX, led by the WHO, Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI), and Gavi, will begin to provide participant countries with COVID vaccines this month, but supply will be limited to a small quantity. At a webinar titled Vaccination as a strategy for control and prevention of COVID-19 organised by the College of Community Physicians of SL on 29 Jan, WHO SAGE Working Group on more..

Feb 2 (DM) Myanmar is seeing its fourth military coup since independence from the British in 1948. On Feb 1, the Myanmar military called the Tatmadaw was in the process of taking over the country from State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi and President U Win Myint. Early in the day, the military arrested Suu Kyi, Win Myint and some of the ruling National League for Democracy�s Central Executive Committee members, MPs and regional cabinet members. more..

Feb 2 (Island) Several civil society outfits have embarked on a campaign to protect human rights and bring about reconciliation, in this country. They deserve praise, but they did not take up the issue of crimes against civilians while Prabhakaran was around. If they had done so during the war, they would have been dead. Instead, they cranked up pressure on successive govts to negotiate with the LTTE despite its war crimes such as civilian massacres, political assassinations, more..

Feb 2 (HRW) SL�s govt is aggressively attacking efforts to hold officials to account for past grave abuses, Human Rights Watch said in a report released today. The 93-page report, Open wounds & mounting dangers: Blocking accountability for grave abuses in SL, examines efforts by the govt of Prez Rajapaksa to thwart justice in seven prominent human rights cases. It describes the current context of govt repression more..

Feb 2 (Island) Friday 29th Jan was a very significant day for two countries I hold dear. It was an auspicious day for Sri Lanka as it started the vaccination campaign against Covid-19 with the Oxford vaccine manufactured by AstraZeneca, the first recipient being Dr Ananda Wijewickrama, rightly so. After all, he gave able leadership to the treatment of patients with Covid-19 keeping the mortality rate very low compared to many countries. I am sure SL will win the Covid-war too more..

Feb 2 (Island) Old Vidyartha�s Krishan Wickramarthna and Navy�s Muthumali Priyadarshani won the men�s and women�s singles titles respectively of the annual Mahiepala Herath All Island Table Tennis Tournament concluded at the Municipal Council Indoor Stadium, Kegalle on Sunday. Wickramarthna beat Ananda College player Senura Silva 12-10, 11-6, 6-11, 11-9 in a tense final to win the title as the Table Tennis fraternity ended the competition drought over the weekend. more..

Feb 2 (FT) Dr. Indrajit Coomaraswamy has been appointed as an Independent Non-Executive Director on the Board of Dialog Axiata PLC with effect from 1 February. Dr. Coomaraswamy has over 40 years of experience in policy making and providing economic advisory services, on both macroeconomic and structural issues, at national and intergovernmental levels. Dr. Coomaraswamy served as the 14th Governor of the Central Bank from July 2016 to Dec 2019. more..

Feb 2 (FT) The Colombo stock market turnover yesterday rose to a 13-year high of Rs. 23.7 billion, powered by business leader Ishara Nanayakkara and several of his connected companies. Turnover yesterday was the second highest of all time behind the Rs. 33 billion recorded on 1 April 2008. An all-time high of over 2.8 billion shares were traded yesterday. Ishara sold near 14.5% of his personal stake in Browns Investments Plc (BIL) to Brown and Company Plc for Rs. 13.37 billion. more..

Feb 2 (FT) Regional Plantation Companies (RPCs) have submitted a revised wage proposal to remunerate workers up to Rs. 1,108 a day following a request of Labour Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva. Planters� Association of Ceylon said the revised proposal was a result of a settlement negotiated with the consent of the Minister. However, trade unions are still to agree. This resolution will ensure that workers more..

Feb 2 (Island) National Champion Ranindu Dilshan Liyanage of Ananda College, former National Champion, Minul Doluweera of Royal College and National team player Theekshana Denuwan of Ananda College shared six points each to take the lead after the first session of the 8th Sri Lanka Chess Grand Prix 2021. Ranindu beat Pesandu Liyanage of DS Senanayake College. While Minul beat Jude Dorison of Jaffna Theekshana edged out A.A.C.B. Amarasinghe to stay on top. more..

Feb 2 (FT) Colombo Stock Exchange (CSE) yesterday clarified and corrected its circular on regulatory measures on monitoring credit exposure undertaken by stockbrokers and dealers. The original circular, as exclusively published by Daily FT yesterday, listed several companies, implying brokers had placed a greater onus on or will come under sharper scrutiny on those stocks. However, the CSE in a fresh memo to brokers said the list of securities set out under more..

Feb 2 (FT) Sri Lanka Tourism has given priority for employees of Safe and Secure certified accommodation providers and immediate stakeholders such as tour guides and drivers for the vaccination program of COVID-19. With the Govt rolling out the crucial vaccination drive, SL Tourism requested tourism stakeholders, who have direct contact with international visitors such as tour guides, tourist drivers & employees in hotels, more..