Mar 11 (TM) A hartal will be staged against the govt’s decision to use the Kattankudy Batticaloa Campus as a quarantine Centre. The Kattankudy Urban Council and Business Association issuing a joint press release called on all area residents to stage a hartal today (11) against the govt’s decision. According to the press release, all Kattankudy area residents have been requested close stores following morning prayers. Last Saturday (7), the Health Ministry announced that more..

Mar 11 (DM) The Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB), led by Sajith Premadasa is in talks with a group of govt MPs who have expressed their willingness to join the opposition and contest the upcoming general election under the new alliance, the Daily Mirror learns. A senior SJB source said talks between the ruling party MPs and SJB members was initiated last week with the group likely to join the alliance during the next few days to contest under its banner. more..

Mar 11 (DN) Why is Sri Lanka Cricket trying to sign a contract for production rights of international matches played in Sri Lanka for the next three years with a company which has a dubious record and absolutely no financial standing? The question that begs answers are: Why wasn’t a minimum financial requirement included as a prerequisite for qualifying to bid, like a minimum net worth requirement and cash bank balances? more..

Mar 11 (CT) The GMOA alleges that persons were entering the country at night, avoiding the checking process at BIA. They have also warned that if this checking process is not sufficiently strengthened, the country would shortly run the risk of falling victim to the Covid-2019 epidemic. Secretary of GMOA, Dr. Haritha Aluthge claimed that there were serious shortcomings in the checking process especially at night at BIA and he requested health officials to look into it as a matter of urgency. more..

Mar 11 (CT) UNP Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe has reportedly requested Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) Leader, Sajith Premadasa to give nominations to UNP candidates under the SJB ticket. Wickremesinghe appointed former MP Arjuna Ranatunge to negotiate the request with the SJB leadership. However, it was reported that SJB was finalising the nomination list dismissing Wickremesinghe's request. Meanwhile, a meeting was held between Ranatunge, former MPs more..

Mar 11 (FT) Minister Mahinda Amaraweera will present a Cabinet paper today proposing a reduction in local fuel prices, calling for the Cabinet to approve a price adjustment in line with falling global prices. The Power and Energy Ministry stated that a significant reduction in global fuel prices had been observed over the past few weeks and a proposal on reducing local prices would be made by Minister Amaraweera to Cabinet. more..

Mar 11 (DM) 5% fuel prices reduction proposed by the govt is hardly sufficient as it does not give the people in SL the fullest benefit of the decrease of prices in the global market, former Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa said. He said that prices of fuel could be reduced by 40%. "Price of Octane 95 petrol which is Rs Rs 162 a litre at the moment could be reduced to Rs 94 per litre, a litre of super diesel could be reduced to Rs 77 from Rs 132 while a litre of kerosene could be sold at Rs 40 more..

Mar 11 (Island) 26 former ministers had not vacated their official residences, and Ministry of Public Administration would file legal action against them, in the coming weeks, Secretary to the Ministry S. Hettiarachchi said. The former ministers were yet to vacate those official bungalows though four months had elapsed since the change of govt. Ministers were usually given a three-month grace period to vacate their official residences, but the ministers concerned have outstayed that period. more..

Mar 11 (CT) Former Minister, Ravi Karunanayaka, primary dealer PTL owner Arjun Aloysius and two others yesterday, filed a writ petition in the Court of Appeal (CA), seeking to rescind the recommendation given by Attorney General, Dappula De Livera as well as the arrest warrant issued against them by Colombo Fort Chief Magistrate, Ranga Dissanayaka on charges of causing the State a loss of revenue more..

Mar 11 (DM) With Sri Lanka boiling in its hottest temperature and experts warning the heat could rise to as much as 40 degrees Celsius in the coming days or weeks and with the country also running dry in one of our worst ever droughts, we will this month join the UN in marking World Water Day. In a statement, the UN says we need to focus on the importance of freshwater because it is our common wealth. According to the UN, 2.2 billion people are surviving without access to safe water. more..

Mar 11 (DM) Recently I was privy to a phone call between a journalist and a newly-minted editor at a govt-owned Sinhala newspaper. The conversation dealt with the Right to Information Act (RTI). More precisely its use in a story to gain information. For some unfathomable reason the editor was reticent to declaring that the information contained in the story was obtained through a RTI request. The dialogue became bizarre as it continued. The writer, loss for words was trying to explain more..

Mar 11 (ST) The tourism industry is resorting to desperate measures to counter the effects of COVID-19 on cruises, flights and Chinese travel to Sri Lanka, wooing the Barmy Army with attractive tours and offering discount packages to Indian tourists. According to SLTDA, “Last month tourist arrival was 207,507. This was a drop from January’s 228,434. There was a 6.5% drop in arrivals in January and a further drop of 17.7% in Feb. more..

Mar 11 (TM) Transparency International SL (TISL) wrote to the Director of the Serious Fraud Office (SFO) in the UK on 6 March 2020, posing a series of queries pertaining to Sri Lanka’s entitlement to compensation in €3.6bn settlement reached with Airbus SE. This letter forms part of TISL’s ongoing work to aid in the recovery of the $116m loss incurred by Sri Lankan Airlines as a result of corrupt re-fleeting deal with Airbus. more..

Mar 11 (SKY) When England last visited SL in 2018 there was a big farewell looming on the horizon as Rangana Herath bowed out of Test cricket following the first match of the series. This time it's more about fresh starts and fresh faces rather than fond farewells. England are much-changed since their series sweep 2 years ago, and so are SL, with only eight of the 15 players who featured in that series returning this time. more..

Mar 11 (AD) SLFP is currently looking into contesting the forthcoming general election separately, says former Chief Minister of North Central Province Peshala Jayaratne. He said that representatives of SLFP are large concerns of statements requesting the public not to vote for anyone connected to the SLFP. According to him, SLFP has a concern that once elections campaigns commence, there will be more..

Mar 11 (AD) The Court of Appeal today appointed a three-judge bench to hear the writ application filed by the former Minister Ravi Karunanayake and three others. Attorney General has requested the Court of Appeal to appoint a 3-judge bench to hear the writ application filed by former Finance Minister Ravi Karunanayake and three others. Defence attorneys yesterday filed a writ application before the Court of Appeal requesting more..

Mar 11 (EN) With Sri Lanka confirming its first Covid19 infection earlier today, the JVP said over 250 Chinese nationals have entered the country since March 7 without being subject to quarantine. Former JVP MP Vijitha Herath said that the Ministry of Health has decided to quarantine passengers arriving from South Korea, Italy and Iran but for some reason has excluded China, where the novel coronavirus originated. more..

Mar 11 (NR) The Vehicle Importers Association of SL says the prices of several types of vehicles have increased in line with the rise in the value of the Japanese Yen. Chairman Ranjan Peiris said the price of a Suzuki Wagon R may increase by Rs.170,000 and a Toyota Passo by Rs.160,000. He noted that the price of a Toyota Vitz could increase by Rs.240,000, Toyota Axio by Rs.375,000 and Toyota Premio, Honda Vezel by Rs.400,000. more..

Mar 11 (EN) Govt has failed to decrease fuel prices when it could’ve easily matched the dramatic drop in prices globally without any impact on state revenue, JVP said. Former JVP MP Vijitha Herath said that petrol can be sold at Rs 100 to 105 a litre and diesel around Rs 90 a litre without incurring any losses. Minister Mahinda Amaraweera said earlier this week that Sri Lanka is considering a cut in retail fuel tariffs more..

Mar 11 (AD) SL Army has appealed to all those who are under quarantine to fully support this pivotal national requirement at this critical hour, irrespective of minor shortfalls or lapses in the implementation of the 14-day long quarantine process. Issuing a media release, the Army said that Sri Lanka, being one of the first few countries to bring back its citizens safely from coronavirus-affected Chinese province and to accomplish more..

Mar 11 (AD) First Sri Lankan coronavirus (COVID-19) patient in the country has been identified last night (10), Director General of Health Services Dr. Anil Jasinghe has said. A media release issued by the Prez’s Media Division (PMD) today mentioned that this patient is a 52-year-old tour guide who had worked with a group of Italians. According to reports he is currently being treated at Infectious Disease Hospital (IDH) in Angoda. more..

Mar 11 (FT) There was a man called Henrik Ibsen born in Norway who came to be known as the Father of Realism who lived between 1828 and 1906. As a playwright and a theatre director, he produced many renowned literary masterpieces. A film which was an adaptation of Ibsen’s play ‘An Enemy of the People’ became very popular mainly because of its highly social theme. Many issues addressed in his original play by Ibsen appear to be highly relevant to us in today’s context. more..

Mar 11 (CT) Many of us have heard all about how notions, nostrums and panaceas came into human life. Most of the time, quacks make a quick sell of powdered or liquefied notions and nostrums to gullible settlers in the old wild West. They even put a finger-pinch of chalk powder into a drop of water and churned up an all too familiar panacea to heal the desperately sick. That word originated from the old verse nos meaning ours, meaning made by the seller. more..

Mar 11 (AD) Four students from the Uni of Sri J'pura have been arrested over the alleged ragging incident which resulted in critical injuries to a first-year student at the university, stated the Police. On March 05, Pasindhu Lakshan, a first-year student at the Uni of Sri J'pura was admitted to the ICU of the Colombo National Hospital over injuries in an incident at the university premises. The elder brother of the student claimed that senior students at the uni had pushed a tractor tire at his brother more..

Mar 11 (FT) Oceanpick Ltd., South Asia’s inaugural project for oceanic farming based in Trincomalee, entered into an agreement to receive import credit from Saudi Export Program of the Saudi Fund for Development on 5 March, at the CCC. Saudi Fund for Development (SFD), established in 1975, is a 100% Govt Agency which supports Saudi exports to the world through the Saudi Export Program. The main objective of SFD is to contribute to financing development projects in developing countries more..

Mar 11 (Island) The Balangoda Magistrate’s Court yesterday imposed a fine of Rs. 30,000 each on eight men arrested recently for setting fire to a section of the Hakgala Nature Reserve. The suspects had pleaded guilty after being produced before the Balangoda court. The convicts are residents of Hendala and Wattala and said to have been under the influence of liquor at the time they set fire to the forest. more..

Mar 11 (HCW) A Secaucus woman was sentenced to nearly six years in prison for forcing a Sri Lankan national to marry her and enslaving her for nine years, U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito Assistant Attorney General Eric Dreiband of the Civil Rights Division announced. Alia Imad Faleh Al Hunaity, also known as Alia Al Qaternah, 44, was sentenced to 70 months in prison today for her conviction on charges of forced labor, alien harboring for financial gain, and marriage fraud, authorities said. more..

Mar 11 (EN) Former MP Harsha De Silva is saying that the govt can take advantage of historically low interest rates to take the required loans to repay the country’s debts through the Active Liability Management Act. Interest rates for US 10 year bonds is recorded below 1% the lowest in 150 years. Former Minister of Economic Reforms and Public Distribution said that the previous govt brought this Act through parliament because 2020 is the year with the largest debt repayment by Sri Lanka. more..

Mar 11 (NR) Attorney General Dappula de Livera has written to the PCoI appointed to probe political vengeance that it does not have judicial or authoritative power to summon him to record a statement. PCoI had summoned the Attorney General to inquire details into summoning its Secretary Pearl Weerasinghe. Attorney General’s Department said Attorney General Dappula de Livera accordingly responded to the summons. more..

Mar 11 (PMD) The Old Parliament Building where the Presidential Secretariat is currently located will be open for public view every weekend from 10 am to 4 pm, from March 14th Saturday. Public is also allowed to take photographs within the Old Parliament premises. For reservations, people may reach the Director General(Admin) via fax 011-2441685 or Telephone number 011-2354354. The Old Parliament Building represents a crucial era in the Sri Lankan political history. more..

Mar 11 (AD) Former SL Ambassador to Russia Udayanga Weeratunga has been further remanded until the 18th of March by the Fort Magistrate’s Court. On Feb 14, former Sri Lankan Ambassador to Russia Udayanga Weeratunga was remanded by the Fort Magistrate after being arrested at the BIA by officers of the CID. Weeratunga was wanted for the alleged embezzlement of public funds to the tune of 7.833 million US dollars with regard to procurement of MiG aircraft and money laundering. more..

Mar 11 (EN) Sri Lanka is about to launch a project to make food produced locally safer and meet international standards. At present, 4.6 million Sri Lankans fall ill due to foodborne diseases each year and more than 500 of them die, according to the WHO. The project called Support to Food Safety and Quality in Sri Lanka is to be implemented by UNIDO and funded by the European Union to the tune of EUR 11 m, more..

Mar 11 (Island) Indian Intelligence Bureau and Delhi Police have uncovered a massive plot to replicate the SL-style Jihadist attacks in Delhi by a module of Islamic-State Khorasan Province (ISKP) after two members of the group were arrested on Sunday. A report by Times Now said that the arrested members, who are a husband-wife couple, were planning to procure a potent chemical Triacetone triperoxide (TATP) for the purpose. Chemical is called the Mother of Death by IS terrorists. more..

Mar 11 (AD) A passenger boat system operating from Wellawatte to Diyatha Uyana in Battamulla was launched this morning. The boat service is launched as a solution for the heavy traffic congestion in the city. Reportedly, boat service is operated by a private company affiliated with the Sri Lanka Land Development Corporation. The passenger boats will be in operation every 30 minutes from Wellawatta between 6.30 am to 12 noon and 1 pm to 6 pm. The public can reach Diyatha Uyana more..

Mar 11 (EN) PM Mahinda Rajapaksa will contest the upcoming Parliamentary General Election from his adopted constituency of Kurunegala the SLPP confirmed today. This was after candidates from the SLPP who are contesting under SL Nidahas Podujana Sandhanaya signed their nomination papers at the residence of the PM at Wijerama Mawatha in Colombo on Wednesday. Most districts in the South were signed up, more..

Mar 11 (AD) A stock of narcotic pills worth over 13.5 million has been seized by officers of the Police Narcotic Bureau (PNB) at the Central Mail Exchange (CME) in Colombo today. PNB officers have recovered 3,888 pills of Ecstasy from a suspicious parcel at the CME. The stock of pills had arrived from Belgium while the parcel had been sent to an address in Maradana, Colombo. However, as no individual had come forward to claim the parcel for around 5 months, customs officers more..

Mar 11 (FT) Your heartbeat vs. the nation’s heartbeat? – the theme of the SLIM Nielsen People’s Awards could not have expressed it better. Bank of Ceylon is the People’s Banking Service Provider of the Year at the SLIM Nielsen Peoples Awards 2020. This prestigious event is all about what the true voice of SL has to say about a brand. It is all about how a brand has made an impression on the people of this country – of how well it has harmonized with the heartbeat of the nation, more..

Mar 11 (DM) Referring to a video circulating on social media which shows a commotion at the BIA with several returnees from Italy, Vice Chairman of Airport and Aviation Services Rajeewasiri Sooriyaarachchi categorically rejected the claims that it was a forcible detention. He said several returnees with children, had to be temporarily detained inside a room at the Airport hotel & it was purely done on safety grounds. more..

Mar 11 (EN) Sri Lanka is halting on-arrival visa for tourists until further notice, in a new Coronavirus control measures, the state information office said after the first domestic transmission of the virus was reported earlier in the day. “The Govt has decided to suspend on arrival visa facility until further notice,” Director of Information Nalaka Kaluwewa said in a statement. Sri Lankans are also being asked to avoid non-essential foreign travel he said. more..