Jun 21 (ST) We go back in time over 50 years to remember the feats of an outstanding athlete who dominated track events in national and school athletics. Ranjit Wijeyesekere of St. Peter�s College, Bambalapitiya, by outclassing formidable rivals in the most glamorous events in the sport, 400m, 200m & 100m, developed an aura of invincibility in the 1950′s and 60′s. Unfortunately, he left SL for greener pastures at a relatively young age. He was thus lost to athletics prematurely. more..

Jun 21 (Island) SL police, more often than not, draw heavy flak from the public as well as human rights activists for inaction. Complaints abound that they cite their involvement with pandemic control as the reason for their failure to carry out their regular duties and functions properly. But they have proved their critics wrong��for once. On Friday, ink was barely dry on a complaint against a person when they swooped on him and bundled him into a paddy wagon. What was the offence he committed? more..

Jun 21 (CT) SL�s speedster Lasith Malinga believes up and coming all-rounder Dhananjaya Lakshan is a good investment for the 2023 World Cup, and will play a role similar to that of Angelo Mathews. �I think this player is a good investment made by the Selection Committee of SLC targeting the 2023 World Cup. The best thing I saw in him is that he is SL�s best in-swing bowler at present. He has the natural ability to swing more..

Jun 21 (Island) It will be an anxious few days for country�s number one long distance runner Nilani Ratnayake as the Tokyo Olympic qualification deadline looms. For a better part of the last two years Ratnayake was country�s highest ranked athlete in the Road to Olympic Rankings. In the Asian Rankings she was only second to Winfred Mutile Yavi of Bahrain in her pet event, the 3,000 metres steeplechase. In the Road to Olympic Rankings she was well within the required more..

Jun 21 (Island) Former national boxing champion and renowned coach U.A.T. Sumanapala passed away. He was 81 at the time of his death. Born in Ruwanpura on June 17, 1940, he was educated at St. Aloysius� College, Ratnapura. The golden age of his career as a talented footballer began with his enlistment in the Army as an apprentice in March 1960. He won the feather weight (Under 126lbs) title at the National Boxing Championship in 1966. He was more renowned as a coach, more..

Jun 21 (ST) Given the non-intervention approach of international sports bodies in governance, legal experts warn any attempt to introduce a brand new sports law to replace what�s in existence since 1973 will lead to complications. One of the key priorities of Sports Minister Namal Rajapaksa has been to introduce a new sports law to give more independence to national sports associations & resolve conflict more..

Jun 21 (TM) The Govt last week announced much-awaited news: the end of the month-long lockdown � or travel restrictions, as the Govt prefers to call it � and most people are excited to be able to finally step out of their homes without having to produce a letter from their employers. But did the lockdown really help manage the pandemic? Just going by the raw statistics, one would have to say the answer is a resounding no. However, one could argue that things could have been far worse more..

Jun 21 (SO) The Government should beware of certain officials in certain State Ministries who recommend things that harm the people and make the Government unpopular, the Government Medical Officers� Association (GMOA) General Committee Member Dr. Prasad Kolambage said. Addressing the media, he said that such officials had told the Government to sell liquor online and also for the Government to use agro chemicals. The Govt should be aware of such officials all the time. more..

Jun 21 (FT) The country�s COVID-19 detections rose to 239,689 with 4,276 persons testing positive for COVID-19 over the weekend. A total of 2,028 persons tested positive for the virus yesterday, including 2,008 persons from the New Year cluster. With 2,155 persons from the New Year cluster and 14 persons from the Prisons cluster testing positive on Saturday, the cumulative patient count of the Divulapitiya, Peliyagoda, Prisons and New Year clusters has risen to 232,578. more..

Jun 21 (SO) Losing the GSP+ trade concessions at this crucial time is a double whammy to the economy which is in perilous state, said top economists who also noted that it is hilarious to want other countries to open their markets for our exports and even give us concessions when we have shut doors for their exports. Former CB Deputy Governor Dr. W.A. Wijewardena said the EU is the second largest export destination for SL and the country has a trade surplus with them, like the trade surplus with our biggest export destination, USA. more..

Jun 21 (DM) Dialog Axiata PLC, the first in SL to launch an uptime Tier III-certified data centre, announced the launch of its latest fully-owned data centre in Piliyandala, built to the latest ISO and global data centre standards with the highest level of reliability. The facility was inaugurated by Technology Ministry Secretary Jayantha De Silva and TRC Director General Oshada Senanayake. This state-of-the-art data centre facilitating advanced technologies, including 5G, will extend more..

Jun 21 (FT) One of the world�s well-known serial entrepreneurs and business angel Dr. Cornelius Boersch is venturing into SL to strike magic in his global forte � invest in future-relevant startups, for which he is convinced the strategically located South Asian island nation is primed for. Conny is regarded as the most active European investor in startups, with a portfolio of over 400 since 1995 with his own money and is considered more..

Jun 21 (CT) Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) announced the commencement of the Overseas Player Registration Process for the 2nd Edition of the Lanka Premier League (LPL) starting from Monday 21 June. The players can register their names via the registration portal established at www. srilankacricket.lk on or before 12 p.m. on 27 June. All registered players will be included in the LPL Player Draft based on eligibility. Draft Eligibility Overseas Players Overseas Players entering the LPL Player Draft should more..

Jun 21 (FT) A new disease which affects children who recover from Covid-19, known as Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome In Children Temporally Associated With Covid-19 (MIS-C), is displaying signs of growing in Sri Lanka, with six children currently undergoing treatment at the Lady Ridgeway Hospital for Children (LRH). LRH Consultant Paediatric Intensivist Dr. Nalin Kithulwatta said that there have been 15 recorded cases of the disease in the country since more..

Jun 21 (ST) The Govt has decided to obtain a loan of USD 1 billion from international private lending agencies to set off interest payments for loans obtained from two state banks to purchase fuel, a senior official of the Ministry of Energy said. Ministry Secretary K.D.R. Olga said the funds would be used to pay part of the interest in respect of USD 2.081 billion owed by Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC) to more..

Jun 21 (Island) Colombo Stock Exchange (CSE) successfully concluded yet another virtual forum organized as part of an awareness drive for island-wide Small and Medium Enterprises (SME). The second event of the series which was held for SMEs in Negombo, drew strong interest among the entrepreneurial community based in the region. The series of virtual forums is hosted by CSE with the objective of promoting the advantages of listing on the Empower Board. more..

Jun 21 (Island) Former Chairman of the NPC C.V. K. Sivagnanam on Saturday wrote to the Governor of the Province P.M.S. Charles requesting her to prevent the govt from taking over four main hospitals under the Northern Provincial Council. The govt is planning to take over Vavuniya, Mannar, Kilinochchi and Mullaitivu Hospitals to upgrade them as national hospitals. District base hospitals of Matale, Nawalapitiya, Embilipitiya, Avissawella, Gampaha, Mannar, Vavuniya, Kilinochchi & Mullaitivu more..

Jun 21 (Island) An investigation by the Excise Department has revealed that the Anuradapura Sathosa outlet has violated a govt ban by selling liquor to the Army��the Gajaba Regimental Centre, Saliyapura, Anuradhapura. Excise Dept, Police & CWE had found that the Army bought 89 bottles of locally produced spirits, a senior official who supervised the investigations said. A senior Excise official had personally accompanied Army more..

Jun 21 (CT) A total of 24 Grama Niladhari divisions, in 12 districts, were isolated from 4 a.m. today, Gen. Shavendra Silva said. This would include 66 Tenement Gardens in Aramaya Place, Dematagoda, in Colombo, where the Delta variant of COVID-19 was detected last week. They would also include; Yatihena Grama Niladhari Division (GND) in Biyagama Siyambalapewatta GND in the Meegahawatta area and Nahena GND in Kiribathgoda from the Gampaha District, more..

Jun 21 (Island) Public must follow health guidelines properly to prevent the spread of the pandemic when travel restrictions are lifted today, says Director-General of Health Services Dr. Asela Gunawardena. All districts will be categorised according to the case loads reported therefrom, and based on such information, travel restrictions will be relaxed or imposed, he has said. Dr. Gunawardana has urged the public to maintain physical distancing, wear masks & sanitise their hands besides more..

Jun 21 (EN) Sri Lanka Medical Association (SLMA) has urged Prez Rajapaksa to continue the ongoing COVID-19 lockdown that is scheduled to be relaxed at 4am June 21. �Lifting the lockdown even for few days is likely to take us back to the major epidemic situation which prevailed in April and the gains that have been made during the lockdown of the last three weeks will then be sacrificed,� a letter written to Prez Rajapaksa more..

Jun 21 (Island) There was no evidence that Covid-19 was transmitted from domestic animals to humans, SL Veterinarians� Association (SLVA) said. Chairman of the SLVA Dr. Urandika Gunawardena said that rumours were being circulated about the possibility of coronavirus jumping from domestic animals to humans. �Since it was revealed that a lion at the Dehiwala Zoological Garden had contracted COVID-19, it has been claimed that people might contract the disease from domestic animals, more..

Jun 21 (FT) The COVID-19 immunisation program in the country vaccinated 42,496 persons on Saturday, bringing the country�s fully vaccinated population to 806,252. The first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine has been administered to 2,455,180 persons. On Saturday, 9,577 persons received the first dose of Sinopharm and 16,534 persons received the second dose of the vaccine. In total, the first dose has been administered to 1,434,468 persons and the second dose to 434,083 persons. more..

Jun 21 (FT) Countrywide travel restrictions on non-essential travel were lifted at 4 a.m., but non-essential travel and services will only be permitted with several restrictions still in place, as per the guidelines issued by Director General of Health Services (DGHS). DGHS Dr. Asela Gunawardena on Sunday issued several movement restrictions that will be enforced between 21 June and 5 July, stating that districts will be more..

Jun 21 (FT) According to a front page report in Daily FT on 17 June, 30 leading scientists in the field of agriculture had warned Prez Rajapaksa of the catastrophic results in agriculture if the Govt continued to deny the farmers of chemical fertilisers and pesticides in this Yala season. The scientists included all the bigwigs in the state sector like the present Chair of the National Science Foundation, Directors General of Agriculture, and Directors of all the state-owned research institutions. more..

Jun 21 (FT) Recent concerns expressed in diverse fora and media indicate that SL is facing serious economic woes. This article examines the fundamentals of why this is so. How do we achieve economic development? To do this we need answers to the why, what, who and how. The why is understanding the objective of economic development. The what is the course of action taken to achieve the why. The who is the leadership to do the what. The how is the means through more..

Jun 21 (MFA) China SL Association for Trade and Economic Cooperation (CSLATE) was inaugurated on 15 June, 2021 at the Embassy of SL. The objective of establishing CSLATE is to enhance the trade and investment cooperation between the two countries and ease the barriers faced by the SL exporters. Two MoUs were signed between CSLATE, China Entry-Exit Inspection and Quarantine Association (CIQA) and the China Association of Int'l Engineering Consultants more..

Jun 21 (FT) SriLankan Airlines is counting on India for a revival in travel and tourism, its Chairman Ashoka Pathirage has emphasised. �We all are waiting for Indian traffic because it�s very critical for us. If you ask my personal perspective, we are actually counting on India. Eventually, we are going to come out of this and people are just waiting to start travelling,� Pathirage said. It said SriLankan Airlines was fighting to get the air bubble agreement with India going before the second wave more..

Jun 21 (EN) SJB has prepared legal documents required to secure a presidential pardon for SJB MP Ranjan Ramanayake who is serving a four-prison sentence, a spokesman said. SJB national organiser Tissa Attanayake said that there are reasonable grounds for a presidential pardon for Ramanayake as he was imprisoned on charges of contempt of court rather than fraud or corruption. Ramanayake signed the documents seeking more..

Jun 21 (FT) The proposed Small Claims Court is expected to hear and determine disputes below the sum of Rs. 1.5 million. Cabinet of Ministers this week in principle approved the concept of a Small Claims Court which has been proposed by Justice Minister Ali Sabry PC. It is a novel court, proposed to be set up and expanded throughout the country. The Committee appointed in October last year, by the Minister of Justice to explore the possibility of establishing a Small Claims Court in SL, more..

Jun 21 (AD) Director General of Health Services says that the heads of all govt ministries, institutions and semi-govt institutions that come under the category of essential services must only call the required number of officials and staff to work. Meanwhile each employee attached to ministries, govt and semi-govt institutions that are considered non-essential services must only be called to work for a maximum 2 days per week. However, that too is allowed only if the said official or more..

Jun 21 (AD) The UN human rights chief on Monday expressed concern regarding the recent appointments to SL�s Office of Missing Persons and Office for Reparations as well as the country�s recent counter-terrorism regulations. UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet made these remarks during the opening of the UNHRC�s 47th session in Geneva. �In Sri Lanka, I am concerned by further Govt measures more..

Jun 21 (FT) An SLPP-linked trade union is demanding immediate vaccination of all bank employees and warned failure would lead to protest. Prez Rajapaksa, PM Rajapaksa, Health Minister Pavithra Wanniarachchi, and several State Ministers in early May informed the COVID Task Force and the Director-General of Health Services on the need to vaccinate banking sector employees. However, the failure so far has caused immense dissatisfaction with the Govt, more..

Jun 21 (TM) Anusha Palpita has been appointed as the Chairman of the Development Lotteries Board. Anusha Palpita, who served as the Secretary to the Ministry of Industries, had recently sent a letter to President Gotabhaya Rajapaksa seeking his permission to retire. He has previously served as the Director of Government Information in a number of government agencies as well. After the current govt came to power, he was appointed as the Secretary to the Ministry of Industries. more..

Jun 21 (Island) NFF leader and Industries Minister Wimal Weerawansa said that he hoped Lanka Phosphate Company would continue to achieve success under the purview of any other ministry. A spokesperson for NFF quoted Minister Weerawansa as having said that he wished Phosphate deposit at Eppawela would be utilised in a way beneficial to the country for generations to come. more..

Jun 21 (AD) Cabinet Sub-Committee has decided not to increase the prices of LG gas, according to Minister Mahinda Amaraweera. The Cabinet Sub-Committee appointed to look into the revision of gas prices had convened a meeting this morning to decide on the request made by gas companies to increase the price of domestic LP gas cylinders. Accordingly, a decision was taken by the Cabinet Sub-Committee that the price of gas should not be increased at this point, the minister said. more..

Jun 21 (Island) State Minister Dayasiri Jayasekera says the SJB should have moved its no-faith motion against Finance Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa, who is also the PM. over the recent fuel price increase. He said that SJB could not be unaware that in terms of the Constitution, Finance Ministry was responsible for the revision of fuel prices. The SLFP General Secretary questioned the motives behind the SJB planning to hand over a no-faith motion against PHU leader & Minister Udaya Gammanpila. more..

Jun 21 (Island) SJB spokesperson Mujibur Rahman, MP, says the govt ought to explain why specific investigation have not been launched to identify the failure on the part of Sri Lanka Ports Authority (SLPA) and others to ward off the threat posed by X-Press Pearl carrying a leaky container of nitric acid. Referring to the recent Justice Ministry statement regarding the formation of four committees to inquire into specific issues more..

Jun 21 (EN) SL police have arrested Chairman of the Talawakelle-Lindula Urban Council and six others for organising an event in Talawakelle yesterday violating a COVID-19 lockdown, police said. SDIG Ajith Rohana said a total of have been arrested over a 24-hour period ending at 6 am June 21 morning for violating quarantine laws such as wearing face masks and social distancing in public. Total arrests made by police since October 30, 2020 on such charges have increased to 41,580. more..