May 12 (Island) It was a grave mistake that the public had not been made aware of the danger of the UK variant of Covid-19 detected in SL on 8 April 2021, President of the GMOA Dr. Anuruddha Padeniya said. He said that Dr. Chandima Jeewandara, the Director of the Department of Immunology and Molecular Medicine of the Uni of Sri J'pura, had told the media, on 08 April, that there was a new variant spreading in the country. more..

May 12 (FT) Twenty three COVID-19 deaths were yesterday confirmed by health authorities and the country�s COVID-19 fatalities have risen to 850. A 61-year-old individual from Polonnaruwa, a 70-year-old individual from Pilimathalawa, and an 82-year-old individual from Elkaduwa are among the deaths that occurred yesterday. A 57-year-old individual from Thalawakale, a 58-year-old individual from Menikhinna, a 65-year-old individual from Polonnaruwa also died yesterday. more..

May 12 (CT) Eight Sri Lankans, who had been stranded in India due to the COVID-19 situation, had succumbed to the disease, Minister Dinesh Gunawardene, said. Minister stated information had been received that six Sri Lankans who had been stranded in New Delhi and two others in Rajasthan had perished from the illness. One of those who had died in Rajasthan had been an Ayurveda Doctor. He mentioned that these Sri Lankans had gone to India for purposes of obtaining visas more..

May 12 (DM) Number of those infected is expected to reach its peak in two weeks More PCR tests will reveal a staggering number of infections Travel restrictions between provinces will not do. We need tighter restrictions. The third wave of the coronavirus has reached a critical stage with a high number of infected people believed to be moving among the community undetected, Public Health Inspectors (PHIs) warned yesterday. more..

May 12 (FT) Let me flag some of the most egregious, recently alarmist reporting, address this, and provide a just the facts review of our dire pathogen, based on 14 months of ongoing research, consulting, and fact checking around the globe. We need to confirm if there is a national amplification standard for the PCR tests (Ct) of 30 or below, or as per the US CDC now 28 or below, or as per epidemiologists at Harvard and in India, 24 or below. But south of 30 certainly. more..

May 12 (FT) The response to the pandemic should not be shaped by political rhetoric. But it is. That is unfortunate. The virus has overwhelmed the Indian subcontinent. The vast landmass across the Palk Strait is gasping for oxygen. They say that India will record a million COVID deaths by August. Are we paying attention? How will it impact us? On the face of it, a bubble is a great idea. But bubbles burst. That is why they are called bubbles. The poet and preacher John Donne in his 1624 Devotions upon Emergent Occasions more..

May 12 (Island) Former Speaker and Chairman of the National Movement for Social Justice (NMSJ) Karu Jayasuriya has urged Prez Rajapaksa to take tangible measures to bring all political parties together as the country faces the Covid-19 challenge. The NMSJ, attributed the following comments to its leader Karu Jayasuriya: �Different political ideologies or aspirations for power should not be prioritized. First and foremost, we must save the country and its people from this catastrophe before us. more..

May 12 (EN) SL expects to receive 600,000 more doses of the Russia-made Sputnik V COVID-19 vaccine in the next two weeks, State Minister Sudarshini Fernadopulle said. The vaccine has to stored in -20 degrees Celcius, she said, while the Oxford Astrazenca jab, which Sri Lanka had initially relied on for inoculating the public, could be stored in normal refrigerators between 2- 8 Celcius. �With Astrazenca, we didn�t have any issue with storage and transportation as we could manage that with existing infrastructure. more..

May 12 (EN) SL has imposed movement restrictions from 11pm tomorrow (13) to 4am Monday (17) with inter-district travel restrictions also imposed every day from 11pm to 4am starting tomorrow till May 31, Army Commander Gen Shavendra Silva said. The move amounts to a de facto curfew, but it cannot be called a curfew without a state of emergency being declared. A slew of seemingly contradictory statements about restrictions released this afternoon led to much confusion, more..

May 12 (DM) Eastern Province Governor Anuradha Yahampath today said that she was tested positive with COVID-19 virus. She told the Daily Mirror that she had undergone a Rapid Antigen Test (RAT) two days before, after a meeting at the office of the Trincomalee Govt Agent (GA) and came to know through the results by yesterday (11). She is receiving treatment at her residence covered by quarantine regulations. The close associates of her and the staffers have been sent for quarantine, she said. more..

May 12 (DM) Govt is continuing with the procedure of providing Rs.5,000 allowance for the people who are affected by isolation and Rs.10,000 for those who are under quarantine, Minister Mahinda Amaraweera said. He said that the programme initiated during the previous pandemic and the same procedure will continue under the current situation as well for the people who unable to earn their living due to these reasons mentioned. Accordingly, a discussion in this regard held among the ruling party leaders more..

May 13 (CT) The third wave of the COVID-19 crippling viral attack on Sri Lanka entered its 30th continuous day yesterday, leaving a trail of death and mounting casualties in its wake, with no let-up in its ferocity. Only the LTTE terror attacks have released more terrifying waves than the COVID-19 traumatic wave on SL since it gained independence from the British on 4 Feb 1948. LTTE terror waves in total comprised five terror waves before it was finally eliminated on 18 May 2009. more..

May 13 (DM) In a further effort to contain the rapidly spreading COVID-19, SL�s nine provinces will be locked down and inter-provincial travel ban imposed from Tuesday midnight up to May 30, Army Commander announced. He said inter-district movement might also have to be restricted depending on the ground situation. Even though it came somewhat late in the day, this move is the next best option to locking down the entire country and causing a further downturn in the economy. more..

May 13 (DM) The STF is the commando unit of the Police and plays a very crucial role in the war against drugs. The STF had also played a very important part during the war against the LTTE. The specialized unit, which has also been accused of crimes committed during the war, is now looking to use modern technology in its operations against criminals, including extremist groups. The Commandant of STF, DIG Waruna more..

May 13 (DM) With the third wave of Covid-19 taking its toll by the day, the govt is primarily occupied with one key challenge. So to speak, the govt is in a race against time to secure sufficient stocks of vaccines from the producers elsewhere in the world to inoculate people against the virus. The govt has sought to vaccinate 63% of the population by the end of this year to contain the pandemic, but it is a huge challenge to access sufficient doses due to the shortage in global supply. more..

May 13 (DM) In a further effort to contain the rapidly spreading COVID-19, SL�s nine provinces will be locked down and inter-provincial travel ban imposed from Tuesday midnight up to May 30, 2021, Army Commander Shavendra Silva announced. He said inter-district movement might also have to be restricted depending on the ground situation. Even though it came somewhat late in the day, this move is the next best option to locking down the entire country and causing a further downturn more..

May 13 (TM) Since the Covid-19 pandemic hit the country early last year, the public transportation sector, especially buses, have been affected by it, both health-wise and financially. On Monday (10), Lanka Private Bus Owners� Association (LPBOA) has vowed to resort to strike action next week if bus drivers, conductors, and bus owners are not prioritised in the current phase of the Covid-19 vaccination drive. more..

May 13 (Island) There is a lot of brouhaha over the govt�s claim that it influenced the WHO decision to approve the emergency use of China�s Sinopharm vaccine; the WHO is reported to have denied this claim. Govt propagandists cannot resist the temptation to perform foot-in-the-mouth stunts that embarrass their masters beyond measure. However, the real issue is not how the WHO approval was granted for Sinopharm, or any other vaccine for that matter. more..

May 13 (CT) As we rise in the ranks, we acquire more power. When we have power, other people would want to please us by appearing to listen more attentively, agreeing with our fantasies and laughing at our jokes. All of these tickles our ego. In Sri Lanka around most leaders, there are the yes sir, no sir whom I call catchers who profess to be experts and advisers some who even reinforces the three bags full (of money??) concept. The same habit is applicable to opposition even when more..

May 13 (ST) The �SL economy contracted by 3.6% in real terms in 2020, recording the deepest recession since independence� according to the 2020 CB Annual Report. On the other hand, CB expects the economy to bouncing back in 2021: �SL economy is expected to rebound strongly in 2021 and sustain the high growth momentum over the medium term, buoyed by growth oriented policy support.� In March 2020 Covid-19 pandemic struck world economy in numerous ways. more..

May 13 (FT) Sampath Bank Plc yesterday announced a Profit Before Tax (PBT) of Rs. 6.1 billion in 1Q of 2021 compared to Rs. 3 billion a year earlier denoting a growth of 101%, while Profit After Tax (PAT) had increased by 83% to Rs. 4.6 billion. Resilient performance of all business lines along with the improved credit quality helped bolster Sampath Bank�s performance in the first quarter of 2021, the bank said. The Sampath Group also registered significant growth in 1Q 2021, more..

May 13 (TM) Last month, Prez Rajapaksa announced that the importation of chemical fertilisers into the country would be banned in an effort to become the first country in the world to eliminate the use of chemical fertilisers in its farming practices. Yesterday, President�s Media Division (PMD) assured farmers that they would not be affected by the ban. However, farmers� rights groups have raised concerns over predicted drop more..

May 13 (Island) Foreign Policy decision-maker, of a state, have to take into consideration the prevailing geopolitical environment of the international system, and of the region concerned, at a given time, when there is a foreign policy aspect involved in the decision that has to be taken regarding any issue Omission, or failure to give consideration to this aspect of the issue, can lead to disastrous consequences. Several examples from the recent political history of SL can be given to illustrate more..

May 13 (TM) If as William Shakespeare famously wrote in Romeo and Juliet, a rose by any other name would smell as sweet, would a lockdown by any other name feel as frustrating? For all its insistence and reiteration that there will not be a national lockdown as the economy cannot handle such a blow, the Govt has finally wilted to public pressure and concerns about an India-like crisis and declared a semi-lockdown. The irony is that the Govt is right in this case. more..

May 13 (Island) Sri Lanka Athletics published on Wednesday the list of eligible athletes for the first stage of the 99th National Athletics Championship which will be held on May 22 and 23. The track and field governing body has prioritized nine disciplines for the first stage with the hope of giving Olympic hopefuls a final chance to achieve qualifying standards as the cutoff date for entries nears. more..

May 13 (FT) The Korea Press Federation and Seoul Press Club, the premier media institution in Seoul, honoured the Ambassador of Sri Lanka to Korea Dr. Saj Mendis, for promoting, aggrandising and enhancing international friendship and diplomacy and mutual national development between the Republic of Korea and Sri Lanka, including the peoples of the two countries, at a mega event. The aforementioned award was bestowed on Dr. Mendis by Korea Press Federation and more..

May 13 (DM) The Hambantota International Port has seen a significant increase in their RORO figures during the first four months of 2021, compared to the corresponding period last year. The first four months of this year saw 193,690 vehicles coming into the port for transshipment as against 118,872 vehicles during the same period last year. And 62,736 vehicles were transshipped in April alone, marking the highest volume of RORO the port has handled in a month so far. more..

May 13 (AD) Prez Rajapaksa said that the decision to start using organic fertilizer was taken towards endowing a healthy future generation to the country. The President expressed these views at a meeting held with the members of the Presidential Task Force on Creating a Green Sri Lanka with Sustainable Solutions to Climate Change at the Prez Secretariat yesterday (11). The Vistas of Prosperity and Splendour policy framework more..

May 13 (Island) The govt has bowed to the inevitable at last. Countrywide travel restrictions are now in force. Belated as this measure may be, it will go a long way towards curtailing the rapid spread of the pandemic. If only the govt had summoned the political moxie to do so during the recent festive season. It is hoped that the unruly govt politicians who think they know better than doctors will desist from bulldozing the health authorities into lifting movement restrictions in their constituencies more..

May 13 (CT) Sources at SLC said the Selection Committee had reportedly met former SL T-20 skipper Lasith Malinga with the intention of coaxing the slinger to rejoin the National team and deliver the goods for SL in the shorter formats. Malinga, 37, who has already called it a day from red ball cricket and the 50-over version, last played for the country in the shortest format against the WI in Pallekele in March last year. Hence, the pacer has not represented his country in the shortest format more..

May 13 (CI) Kusal Perera has been named new ODI captain and Kusal Mendis has been recalled and made vice-captain, while Dimuth Karunaratne, Angelo Mathews and Dinesh Chandimal have been dropped in a major shake-up of SL's ODI team. In naming a young squad, Sri Lanka's new selection committee - headed by Pramodya Wickramasinghe - and coach Mickey Arthur have signalled they are seeking more..

May 13 (FT) The Commercial Bank Group, has generated strong growth in fund-based operations in the first quarter of 2021, with the continuing trend of interest expenses reducing at a significantly higher rate than interest income combined with judicious management of core banking operations. Comprising of Commercial Bank of Ceylon PLC, its subsidiaries and the associate, the Group reported a gross income of Rs. 40.905 billion for the three months ended 31 March 2021, more..

May 13 (DN) �The Inter-Provincial travel restriction will not affect the Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) elections as it will be held as scheduled on May 20,� Ministry of Sports Director General (DG) Amal Edirisooriya told the Daily News. The Ministry of Sports DG who is the Authority for sport election bodies further said that there is no secret ballot system for the cricket elections and it�s a normal open voting system (hands up) and we have already decided to hold the cricket elections through zoom. more..

May 13 (TM) Auditor General�s (AG�s) Department has begun its audit on the Itukama Covid-19 Healthcare and Social Security Fund following a financial statement it has received from the Presidential Secretariat. �We recently received a financial statement from the Prez Secretariat and we have started our audit on said fund,� AG W.P.C. Wickramaratne said. He further said that the audit could be completed soon more..

May 13 (FT) Fall armyworm (FAW) is an invasive pest originating from South American now spreading worldwide, including SL affecting the livelihood of over 600 million farmers. Farmers in SL who have never encountered this pest struggle to identify this pest particularly in its larval stage � to take preventative action that will stem the devastation that will soon follow. This is where Go-Micro�s AI platform combining smartphone, phone attachment and AI software powered by Google�s more..

May 13 (AD) Notorious underworld figure Kosgoda Tharaka, who was under detention order with Peliyagoda Special Crimes Division, has been shot dead early this morning at Meerigama when he tried to attack police while recovering some weapons, police said. Tharaka Perera Wijesekara alias Kosgoda Tharaka is the main suspect in the Matara jewellery store heist in 2018, which resulted in the death of a police officer following a shoot-out between criminals and the police. more..

May 13 (FT) The country�s total COVID-19 detections rose to 133,484 with 2,386 persons linked to the New Year cluster testing positive for COVID-19 yesterday. The Divulapitiya, Peliyagoda, Prisons and New Year clusters have risen to 127,362 patients. This includes 82,785 persons linked to the Peliyagoda cluster, 34,104 persons from the New Year cluster, 5,028 persons from the Prisons cluster, and 3,059 persons more..