May 28 (FT) Colombo stock market yesterday saw its first net foreign buying in 10 days or the most substantial amount since re-opening post-COVID-19 closure as overall investor sentiment improved to trigger a mini-rebound. Foreign turnover amounted to Rs. 481 million (35% of the day’s total turnover) comprising of Rs. 301 million in buying and selling of Rs. 180 million (lower by 61% from Tuesday). more..

May 28 (ST) The SL Aquatic Sports Union (SLASU) president Nethru Nanayakkara said their main priority is to hire a foreign coach to co-ordinate development activities islandwide after swimming activities resume once the health situation in the country improves. They hope to get down a coach from abroad in consultation with the Sports Ministry from either China, America or Hungary. “We have a good selection committee and there are good clubs also. What we need is a coaching director to more..

May 28 (DN) All-round sportsman and former Senior Deputy Commissioner of Prisons Percy EP Fernando passed away yesterday at the age of 88 after a long battle with a urine infection. An old boy of St Peter’s College, Bambalapitiya and Zahira College, Maradana he excelled in various sports such as boxing, athletics, tennis and cricket. Percy represented Prisons Department in sports and was the flyweight boxing champion who went onto win a bronze medal at the South East Asia more..

May 28 (Island) Leading up to the Prez Election in Nov 2019, I recollect watching a video recording of Gamini Wijesinghe, the former Auditor General of SL. In highlighting the extent of corruption pervading in our country, he recounted his personal experience. He had asked the Ministry of Education if they could allocate funds to provide some computers to a rural school. After a couple of weeks, an official had informed of the ministry's more..

May 28 (ST) At just 24, Kushan Peiris has achieved what many others in the motorsports arena are still dreaming about. Hailing from a family that is totally connected to cars and racing, young Kushan can be considered the youngest driver to engage in SL’s highest motorcar segment, the Class SLGT. On the way, claiming three Best Driver awards in his promising career, is considered a greater triumph and a testimony of a future star in local motorsports. Today Kushan has become a key contender more..

May 28 (Island) Indian High Commissioner Gopal Baglay paid his first call on PM Mahinda Rajapaksa at Temple Trees last morning. The meeting coincided with the 50th anniversary of the election of Mahinda Rajapaksa to the Parliament. HC conveyed the good wishes of the Indian leadership on the occasion. PM warmly recalled his interactions with PM Narendra Modi since their first formal engagement exactly six years ago at the swearing in ceremony of PM Narendra Modi in New Delhi more..

May 28 (CT) Sprint queen during her heyday, Olympian and three times Asian Games Gold medalist, Damayanthi Darsha, said SL's lack of a proper National Policy and failed administration had resulted in the country's athletics going down the drain, despite having a rich resource of several naturally talented athletes. Darsha who has seven international records to her name, together with participating in Olympics thrice, more..

May 28 (Island) Seylan Bank recorded a Profit after Tax of Rs. 902 Million in Q1 despite challenging market conditions. Net interest income increased by 7.28% during the 1Q 2020 while net fee and commission income from core banking activities witnessed an increase of 2% to reach Rs. 986 Million in 1Q 2020 as compared to Rs. 966 Million for the comparative period. Other income captions comprising of net gains from trading activities, fair value changes of financial instruments, more..

May 28 (TM) Lanka Hospitals Corporation, one of the largest private hospitals in the country, said it expects the short-term drop in disposable income caused by Covid-19 to lead certain segments of their customers to opt for govt healthcare. Nevertheless, they projected to recover in the medium and long-term along with the gradual recovery of economic activity, Lanka Hospitals Director – Medical Services and Acting Group CEO Dr. Wimal Karandagoda stated in a disclosure to CSE on Tuesday. more..

May 28 (ST) Health Ministry guidelines issued this week to the film and tele-drama industry for shooting new material amidst the COVID-19 pandemic could significantly limit creativity if applied to actors. Scenes depicting intimacy seem out of the question for now and masks have been deemed compulsory, in keeping with general advice meted out to all citizens. The guidelines were issued by Director General of Health Services and more..

May 28 (EN) SL has designated two recently built hospitals as treatment centres for COVID 19 patients as the numbers with the disease rocketed up to 1,453 as 134 new patients were diagnosed today. This is the highest number detected in a day since the outbreak more than double that of the previous high. Of the patients detected today 81 are returning migrant workers from Kuwait and 53 are Navy personnel. The increasing number of diagnosed patients from the returning migrant more..

May 28 (ICC) To celebrate Sri Lanka great Mahela Jayawardene's 43rd birthday, we shortlisted eight of his best Test innings and asked fans to vote for their favourite. Jayawardene is the owner of many Sri Lankan batting records. In an international career spanning 149 Tests over 17 years, he accrued 11,814 runs with 34 centuries, figures surpassed only by Kumar Sangakkara among Sri Lankans. Jayawardene holds the record for the highest score by a Sri Lankan – his majestic 374 in 2006. more..

May 28 (Island) The GMOA yesterday (27) drew the govt’s attention to the need to prevent a second wave of coronavirus infections as the country had to tackle two major clusters at Welisara navy base and among those recently returned from overseas. GMOA stressed the need to ensure a tough quarantine regime in respect of the returnees as well as the airline staff involved in the continuing operation. more..

May 28 (DM) While claiming that he is yet to receive any Letter of Demand (LoD) from musician Iraj Weeraratne, former UNP Minister Harin Fernando yesterday said he has asked his lawyers to handle the matter. “According to law a LOD has to be served on the person to whom it is sent. I am yet to receive any LOD from Iraj Weeraratne. But social media has already carried it. That shows the intention of those behind this episode who are focused on damaging my reputation,” more..

May 28 (CT) The political Bureau of the Ceylon Workers' Congress (CWC) has unanimously decided to name Jeevan Thondaman (26), son of the Late CWC Leader, Arumugam Thondaman, to contest the General Election in his father's place. A group of representatives led by Deputy Leader of the CWC, Senthil Thondaman met PM Mahinda Rajapaksa and requested him to grant nominations to Jeevan to contest the General Election from the Nuwara Eliya District to fill the position left vacant by more..

May 28 (HT) Days after Colombo sought a $1.1 billion currency swap facility from New Delhi to boost foreign currency reserves amid the Covid-19 pandemic, Indian PM Narendra Modi told his SL counterpart Mahinda Rajapaksa that India “stands ready to extend all possible support”. President Rajapaksa sought the currency swap facility, in addition to $400 million the country has sought from India under SAARC framework, more..

May 28 (Island) Security forces have found three T-56 assault rifles, one T-81 weapon, eight magazines, and 80 rounds of ammunition, belonging to an LTTEer, believed to be the chief bodyguard of its leader V. Prabhakaran. The recovery was made in the general area of Muhamalai, on Tuesday. The recovery was made following information received by security authorities. Kilinochchi based sources said that the chief bodyguard, identified as Thavipu, had been killed during Vanni offensive. more..

May 28 (FT) Former Opposition Leader and SJB Leader Sajith Premadasa yesterday met with the Ambassador of Kuwait Khalaf M. M. Bu Dhhair to discuss the plight of SL migrant workers in the country. Premadasa had drawn the Ambassador’s attention to the safety and security of a large number of SL workers who are in Kuwait at present. Most of the migrant workers are presently unemployed due to COVID-19 outbreak & in a vulnerable state with little to no resources & access to services. more..

May 28 (CT) When the PCoI investigating the 21 April 2019, Easter Sunday bombings, sat yesterday, it was revealed that prior to the incident, Intelligence officers had uncovered certain information about the suicide bomber, Abdul Latif Jameel Mohamed, who blew himself up at the Tropical Inn lodge in Dehiwala. This was revealed by the Operations Manager of a private security firm, Hajji Marikkar Mohamed Amir, who testified more..

May 28 (CT) The Court of Appeal yesterday (27) issued an interim order preventing Former High Court Judge, Gihan Pilapitiya from having to appear before the Nugegoda Magistrate's Court on 28 June. The Court of Appeal issued this order considering the Writ application filed by Pilapitiya requesting for the suspension of the case filed against him at the Magistrate's Court on charges of conspiring with Former MP Ranjan Ramanayake in producing false statements. more..

May 28 (AD) A total of 178 individuals have been arrested for violating curfew orders during the 6 hour period ending at 4.00 am today (28). Meanwhile, 38 vehicles were also taken into custody during this period. The Police said 66,519 persons have been placed under arrest for violating the curfew since March 20 and 18,733 vehicles have been seized. In addition, 21,787 cases pertaining to curfew violations have been filed so far with 8,671 penalties imposed for them. more..

May 28 (EN) The total number of patients detected yesterday, has risen to 150 bringing the number in Sri Lanka since the outbreak to 1469. Yesterday the govt designated two recently built hospitals as treatment centres for COVID 19 patients as the numbers with the disease rocketed up. This is the highest number detected in a day since the outbreak more than double that of the previous high. more..

May 28 (MFA) As a gesture of goodwill to support and appreciate the contribution being made by the National Health Service (NHS) UK which isat the frontline savinglives during the Covid-19 pandemic, a donation of Ceylon tea and disposable gloves to the staff of the NHS UK was made by Sri Lanka to coincide with the International Tea Day. The Sri Lanka Tea Board and six leading tea producers in Sri Lanka, namely, Vintage Teas Ceylon, English Tea Shop, Tea Trends Export, Dilmah Tea, more..

May 28 (AD) SL has witnessed the highest daily surge of COVID-19 infections on Wednesday (27), with a record total of 150 fresh cases. 97 of these cases were detected among the overseas returnees who are at quarantine facilities – 92 from Kuwait, 5 from Chennai. Rest of the 53 infections were navy personnel under quarantine. Accordingly, a total of 385 persons who returned from overseas have tested positive for the virus so far and the infections reported from Navy thereby escalated to 691. more..

May 28 (CT) Former CB Governor Arjuna Mahendran, who is a prime suspect in the infamous CB Bonds scam, has changed his name to Arjan Alexander, the INTERPOL has informed its office located at the CID. The INTERPOL has also informed its office in Sri Lanka to change Mahendran's name in the Red Notice issued by the INTERPOL for his arrest, to Arjan Alexander, the name that Mahendran is currently using. more..

May 28 (FT) As the world opens back up, with mass economic fatalities, one might be intrigued to ask if lockdown is a normal tool in the medical arsenal. And if so, why was it not deployed en masse when the Spanish Flu afflicted one third of the world’s population and killed 50 million people? Or the 1968-9 Hong Kong Flu which led to mass death well in excess of COVID-19 to date, or when Swine Flu global fatalities swelled to 575,000 in 2009-2010? And without it, by the way, more..

May 28 (FT) The political prospects of the Tamil people, or if you prefer, the Tamil ethnonational community or Tamil minority are at the dimmest, lowest and most challenging that I can remember, and my memory goes back to 1972, the hoisting of black flags (occasioning a sensitive Daily News editorial by my father) and the boyhood of Tamil militancy. The problem the Tamils face today goes beyond the historic folly of Tamil nationalism not settling for a stalemate with structural reform more..

May 28 (DN) A Fundamental Rights Petition filed by leader of ACMC Rishad Bathiudeen and several others including three former MPs seeking an order staying the operation of gazette notification issued to cremate the corpses of Muslim persons who had died of COVID-19 was today fixed for support by Supreme Court. Supreme Court three-judge-bench comprising Justice Murdu Fernando, Justice S. Thurairaja and Justice Yasantha Kodagoda fixed the petition to be taken up for support on July 22. more..

May 28 (AD) Seven more SL Navy personnel who had contracted the novel coronavirus have completely recovered from the illness. Accordingly, a total of 351 coronavirus-positive navy men returned to health so far. These naval personnel who were identified positive to coronavirus, had been admitted to hospitals for treatment. However, since they were negative to COVID-19 on the reports of random PCR tests done under treatment, they were discharged, the Navy said. more..

May 28 (FT) Nandasena Gotabaya Rajapaksa who was sworn in as Executive Prez on 18 Nov 2019 has been in office for six months now. He has been compelled to cope – and continues to cope – with several challenges during his brief but eventful tenure. However, it is not my intention to evaluate Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s presidential performance in this article. Instead I would like to focus on how the nature of more..

May 28 (AD) An 18-hour water cut will be imposed for several areas in Colombo on Saturday (30), says the NWSDB. The water supply for Colombo 02, 03, 07, 08, 09 and 10 areas will accordingly be suspended from 9.00 am on Saturday (30) to 3.00 am on Sunday (31). The NWSDB added that Colombo 01 will experience a low-pressure water supply during this period. The water cut is being imposed due to essential repairs of the main transmission pipe from the Ambatale water more..

May 28 (CG) United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) supported the Ministry of Education and National Institute of Education (NIE) to develop and distribute learning material for grade 1 and 2 students, impacted by the closure of schools due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The print-based material, currently being dispatched to the Provincial Departments of Education for distribution, will help ensure the provision of home-based learning for all 665,000 lower primary students across SL. more..

May 28 (AD) President’s Media Division announced that island-wide curfew will be imposed on May 31 as well as on June 4 and June 5. Issuing an updated notice on the curfew, the PMD that the curfew will be effective in the island till Saturday, June 6th and afterwards as follows: Curfew will be in force island-wide throughout the day on Sunday, (May 31). Curfew will be effective in all the districts from Monday, (June 1) more..

May 28 (CT) It has been reported that certain people involved in politics had demanded sexual bribes from women when the distribution of the Rs 5,000 allowance was made to those living in estate areas, former SJB MP, Aravind Kumar alleged. Speaking to the Media about various malpractices that had taken place during the distribution of the Rs 5,000 allowance, he made this statement. "Govt, with the assistance of foreign countries, has taken steps to distribute this allowance islandwide. more..

May 28 (AD) Prez Gotabaya Rajapaksa today paid his last respects to the Leader of the Ceylon Workers’ Congress (CWC) and Minister of Community Empowerment and Estate Infrastructure Development, the late Arumugam Thondaman. The remains of late Minister Thondaman were brought to the Parliamentary complex this morning from his residence in Battaramulla. Prez who arrived at the Parliamentary complex paid his last respects to the remains of late Minister Thondaman. more..

May 28 (EN) Sri Lanka’s has slapped import controls multiple ways to face the biggest forex crisis in history, Information Minister Bandula Gunewardene said as the central bank tens of billions of rupees in March and April driving excess rupees to the highest level since its creation. “We are facing the worst foreign exchange crisis in history,” Minister said. “This is the reason the Cabinet approved the import restrictions.” more..

May 28 (Island) Thousands of farmers dependent on the waters of Iranamadu tank in Kilinochchi for irrigation are perturbed by an official decision to stop release of water from there after June 15. Chairmen of the Farmers’ Organisations have written on May 26 to the Kilinochchi Irrigation engineers that at least half of 14,000 acres of paddy cultivation would be face destruction if water is stopped. Farmers cultivated thousands of acres of paddy in the hope that there would be rains. more..

May 28 (AD) The Supreme Court has postponed further consideration of the fundamental rights petitions filed challenging the election date, until 10 a.m. on Friday (29). Further consideration of the FR petitions filed challenging the date set by the Elections Commission to hold the General Election 2020, was resumed for the eighth day this morning (28). The petitions were taken up before a five-member judge bench of the Supreme Court consisting of CJ Jayantha Jayasuriya, more..

May 28 (CT) The UNP yesterday (27), decided to suspend the Party membership of over 80 members for handing over nominations to contest the General Election from another party. This includes former Deputy Leader of UNP, Sajith Premadasa, Vice Chairman Ranjith Maddumabandara, Lakshman Kiriella, Mangala Samaraweera,Thalatha Atukorale, Mujibar Rahuman, Ajith P. Perera & Nalin Bandara. more..