Nov 6 (CT) Self proclaimed healer Eliantha White said if the public heeds the advice given to them by the health authorities and security forces like they had done during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, he expressed confidence that the second wave could be controlled effectively. He said that if the people cooperate with the efforts made to combat the spread of the illness, it would go a long way in the healing process which he intends to undertake to save lives & protect people from more..

Nov 6 (DM) A group of medical specialists is currently reviewing the quality of the Antigen Based Rapid Diagnostic Test, which is to be introduced to Sri Lanka as a replacement for PCR testing, Chief Epidemiologist Dr Sudath Samaraweera said. He told media today that the expert team was conducting research to ascertain which group of people with the virus should be subjected to Antigen Test. They would also study any harmful effects consequent to the testing. more..

Nov 6 (HT) SLC has announced that the Lanka Premier League has been rescheduled. The tournament will now be held from Nov 27 to Dec 17, and will only be played at the MRICS, Hambantota. The latest revision, both in the commencement date and the venue, was affected, following several rounds of meetings SLC had with the health ministry officials. Accordingly, Govt today gave its approval to go ahead with the tournament, subjected to more..

Nov 6 (AD) The spokesperson of the Health Ministry, Dr. Jayaruwan Bandara says that scientists researching on the Covid-19 have warned the virus will be more threatening in a third wave than it is in the second wave. He added that teams of researchers from around the world have cautioned of such situation if a cure for the virus is not discovered during the second wave. The general public should therefore be mindful of proper hygiene practices, Dr. Jayaruwan Bandara noted. more..

Nov 6 (DM) Twenty children and 12 mothers at the Lady Ridgeway Children’s Hospital in Borella tested positive for Covid-19, Hospital Director G. Wijesuriya said. He said that a doctor at the hospital had also tested positive with the virus yesterday. However, the director said that the doctor had not contracted the virus from the hospital. The Director said two more doctors who are close contacts of the corona virus positive doctor have also been sent for quarantine. more..

Nov 6 (DM) People will have to live with the prevailing Covid-19 pandemic for at least another two years and therefore, people should be prepared to adapt to Covid-19 conditions and live adhering to health rules, Health Ministry Spokesman Dr. Jayaruwan Bandara pointed out today. He said the scientists, who carry out researches on Covid-19 are of the view that if a cure is not found against the virus even during the second wave, more..

Nov 7 (DM) As Sri Lanka witnessed the highest number of deaths in a single day and with PCR testing and bed capacity reaching a maximum, health experts claim that Sri Lanka is now in Community Transmission Level 3 (CT 3), as per the latest WHO report. According to the report CT 3 indicates a high incidence of locally acquired, widely dispersed cases detected in the past 14 days. However, with divided opinions on CT, experts and authorities continue to debate on whether more..

Nov 7 (CT) How is Mr Eliyantha White a doctor today? How is it acceptable for the state to function this way and advocate the works fraudulent persons with no accountability what so ever? This is nothing new for sure in SL, yes. However, for me to sight Mr Eliyantha White being flaunted in this manner, both saddens me and angers me. It saddens me because I can vouch on him being a fraud. It angers me because this is what is endorsed for the people of this country as being an acceptable standard. more..

Nov 7 (CT) The report on the research conducted on the COVID-19 virus identified from the Brandix cluster, which caused the second wave of the pandemic, revealed that the current circulating strain is different to the strains that circulated previously. It has the mutation associated with high transmissibility due to high viral loads and the same virus strain is so far responsible for the infections detected in the Minuwangoda, more..

Nov 7 (CT) After the first patient was reported positive for COVID-19 in Sri Lanka during mid-March 2020, SL Military had to be officially roped in to deal with the problem as the Army is regarded and respected as the ideal organisation which can deal with all types of emergencies that the nation is faced with at anytime. More than six months into this pandemic, SL is still making great effort and progress in controlling the spread of Covid-19. With the increasing number of Covid patients more..

Nov 7 (CT) Why is there a need for a constitutional change? Is it to make the already bad situation worse? Or is it to undo, the state of disorder brought about by the 1978 constitution. Judging by the passing of the 20th Amendment, it is clear that the proposed constitution is not for changing the course of the 1978 constitution. It is in fact an attempt to make things even worse from the point of the view of the governance and law and order. It will improve upon the power of the executive to rule more..

Nov 7 (DM) More than eleven years have passed since the war between the SL Armed Forces and LTTE concluded. The lengthy conflict described at one time as South Asia’s longest war came to an end after the military defeat of the LTTE in May 2009. Many of the military triumphs achieved by both sides at different times during the course of the war are now being relegated to the realm of the forgotten. This column intends to focus more..

Nov 7 (CT) The people of the United States of America went to the polls on Tuesday, 3 Nov to elect the 46th President of their country, who, for the next four years, would not only shape the political, economic and defence landscape of the U.S. but would also impact world trade, balance of power and policies on climate change. The voters had two choices before them: The incumbent Republican Prez Donald Trump, who had been the most unorthodox U.S. President in the nearly more..

Nov 7 (DN) Sri Lanka has a long and beautiful history of railways. This amazing journey has been embellished with robust steam locomotives which once ruled the tracks across our island. These early locomotives not only improved trade but also connected our citizens from every province. Importantly the advent of Government-operated railways created many jobs and transformed the lives of an entire generation. The Ceylon Govt Railway (CGR) recruited engine drivers, more..

Nov 7 (DM) America’s coloured people like the famous Old black Joe who picked cotton for centuries, yesterday were given the blessing and Beatitude virtues of picking the most powerful man in the United states if not the world. Democratic Party Contender and former Vice President Joe Biden won the crucial Prez Election with a historic personal vote of more than four million-the highest by any president, and in an ironic way the key State that took him to victory was Georgia, more..

Nov 7 (Island) In late July, scientists claimed that there were six strands of the Coronavirus that caused COVID-19, then there was talk of eight. Sudden outbreaks in the US and Europe have caused speculation that deadlier, infectious strains of the virus may be circulating, with some early studies hinting at as many as 30 kinds of the virus. Coronavirus infections surpassed the 400,000 mark in the first six months alone, exemplifying its formidability as a fast mutating virus. more..

Nov 7 (Island) We have a Cabinet Minister – the one in charge of health – offering to sacrifice herself to the sea, to save this country from the Covid pandemic. Shouldn’t we feel safe? Is she in fact offering to make this self-sacrifice to atone for the overall failure of the govt, with the power of 20A too, to control this virus spread? Let’s keep that for its 145 plus members to decide. Does this Pavithra from Sabaragamuwa, more..

Nov 7 (Island) Colombo Stock Exchange (CSE) was recognized as an honouree in the national category at the recently held International Standards of Accounting and Reporting awards (ISAR) 2020. The award was presented in recognition of CSE’s engagement with the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) to enhance corporate transparency in SL by promoting sustainability reporting among listed companies through workshops, events, roundtables and the publication of an ESG Guidance more..

Nov 7 (Island) Unusual delays in vote counting have a corrosive effect on the credibility of the outcome of an election. The US was still awaiting the election of its next Prez, at the time of going to press. COVID-19 pandemic has slowed down the US like all other countries, and the delayed vote counting process would not have made such a stir if the White House had not made allegations of polls malpractices. We thought the uncivilised practice of stealing elections was endemic to the developing world. more..

Nov 7 (FT) Central Bank yesterday extended the grace period of its 4% Working Capital Loan Scheme from six to nine months after recipients ran into unforeseen repayment issues due to the second COVID-19 wave current sweeping across the country. CB called on anyone who wished to avail themselves of the grace period to send a request to their relevant bank. “Having identified the national importance of revamping businesses more..

Nov 7 (UNDP) The COVID-19 pandemic has in many ways compromised the meaningful engagement of youth in achieving the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. With the many development challenges posed by the crisis, and at a time when the world has the largest generation of young people in history – their contributions are essential to leading and defining the ‘new normal’ we live in. National platforms for innovations enable young people to find solutions for these more..

Nov 7 (FT) The British High Commission in Colombo hosted a virtual showcase of Sri Lankan trade and investment opportunities this week, showcasing opportunities and experiences from UK businesses in the country. The High Commission said the virtual conference was held on Wednesday. UK businesses heard from keynote speakers about opportunities in specific sectors and in the Sri Lankan market as a whole. Participants also learned from UK businesses already operating in Sri Lanka. more..

Nov 7 (ST) A multitude of reasons, primarily being the govt’s weak handling of COVID-19 after showing success at the inception, have been attributed to a second wave of infections which has taken the total number affected to over 9000 as on Oct 29. There were many comments in the Business Times (BT) poll conducted this week to ascertain the impact on the community from the pandemic. Here is a cross section of the comments received: more..

Nov 7 (CT) There was a considerable decline in the Labour Force Participation Rate (LFPR) and in the employed population; thus a notable increase in the unemployment rate during the first six months of this year compared to the corresponding period of the previous year due to COVID-19 and other persisting structural issues. As reported by Dept of Census & Statistics, unemployment rates among females, youth and educationally qualified persons remained at high levels during the first half of 2020. more..

Nov 7 (Island) Earlier this month Daraz donated dry rations to the Sri Lankan police who have continuously been on the frontlines battling COVID-19. These officers have sacrificed their time, health and safety for the people of SL, ensuring that law and order as well as public health guidelines are adhered to. Their call of duty has also inevitably put them at risk of being in the primary and secondary contact circles. In a show of gratitude to the officers for their hard work, strength and fortitude, more..

Nov 7 (FT) Bar Human Rights Committee of England & Wales (BHRC) in a statement has expressed concern at reports of the continued detention of prominent human rights lawyer, Hejaaz Hizbullah, under SL’s Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA) and urged his release. “BHRC urges the SL Govt to release Hejaaz Hizbullah from detention, to uphold the rule of law and its international legal obligations and more..

Nov 7 (Island) State officials in Mannar Manthai staged a protest opposite of Manthai West DS against the killing of Mannar Manthai West Grama Niladhari S Wijayendran. The protesters alleged that the safety of public servants in the North was in question and demanded that those responsible for the killing be arrested immediately and law should be enforced. The protesters said thugs working for some businessmen threatened the public officials who refused to toe their line. more..

Nov 7 (Island) Environment Minister Mahinda Amaraweera has instructed the Puttalam Police to take action against those who have destroyed the mangrove at Pulidiwal in Mundalama. The Minister did so after he was informed that two acres of mangrove forest had been cleared for a prawn farm. Amaraweera directed the Central Environmental Authority (CEA) and the Mundalama Divisional Secretary to investigate the matter and submit a report. more..

Nov 7 (Island) Expressing serious concern over the delay in initiating a criminal investigation into the sudden eruption of covid-19 second wave in the first week of Oct, Attorney General Dappula de Livera has told Acting IGP C.D. Wickremaratne that he would personally issue instructions to the investigators. Wickremaratne has been informed of the AG’s unprecedented move on Thur (5) in the wake of inordinate delay in high profile probe. more..

Nov 7 (CT) West Indies all-rounder Andre Russel has reconfirmed his participation for the Lanka Premier League (LPL) franchise Kandy Tuskers, as the Govt has given the greenlight for the tournament to go ahead following SLC’s meeting with health authorities on Wednesday, followed by a meeting with President Gotabaya Rajapaksa yesterday. The tournament is now likely to start on 27 Nov instead of the original scheduled date of 21st, and SLC still hopes to host 23 matches at the same venue. more..

Nov 7 (TM) The GCE O/L Examination of 2020 would be held from January 18 to 28 next year, Education Ministry said. It said the objective of the Ministry of Education is to ensure that the educational activities of the students continue unhindered and that necessary steps are taken to conduct the exam as scheduled. Meanwhile, ministry Secretary reiterated that the third term of schools which was scheduled to be commenced on Nov 9 has been extended by two weeks. more..

Nov 7 (CT) A top govt official said the Govt was aware of the need to relax the current import control regulations. He further stated that the Govt has received a negative response from local industrialists as well as international organisations in this regard. According to him, these import restrictions were not a decision taken by the Govt to embarrass the people. Govt is now focusing on easing these import control regulations on more..

Nov 7 (CT) Chairman of the Election Commission (EC), Mahinda Deshapriya said he has no intention of holding any diplomatic position after stepping down from his duties this month. Deshapriya’s tenure as the Chair of the Commission is coming to an end on 13 Nov. With the 20th Amendment being passed in Parliament, a new Chairman and Members will be appointed to the Commission. He said, although he is receiving proposals, he would not accept any diplomatic posting such as more..

Nov 7 (CT) Legal action has been initiated against 100 traders who sold rice in excess of the controlled prices, by the Consumer Affairs Authority (CAA). An official of CAA said, the raids had been initiated to find rice mill owners and traders who sell rice in excess of the controlled prices introduced recently. He said, the raids would be carried out even in areas where quarantine curfew has been imposed. Hidden stocks of rice are being searched for, as information had been received more..

Nov 7 (CT) The number of blood reserve units at the National Blood Centre (NBC) has dropped from 13,000 to around 5,500 since beginning of the spread of the second wave of COVID-19, Director of the NBC, Dr. Lakshman Edirisinghe said. He said that despite the decrease in blood reserves, steps had been taken to meet the blood requirement of the patients. He also said the quarantine curfew imposed with the spread of COVID-19 has more..

Nov 7 (FT) Investigations launched into the origins of the Divulapitiya COVID-19 cluster have been hindered by the increase of COVID-19 cases identified among Police officers. 40 officers attached to the Colombo Crimes Division, which was tasked with carrying out the investigation, have tested positive for COVID-19 while they were undergoing quarantine at centres. This has delayed investigations. “The other factor is that evidence has to be documented from employees of more..

Nov 7 (AD) Sri Lanka has reported another covid-19 related death, Director General of Health Services Dr. Asela Gunawardhane confirmed a short while ago. The deceased has been identified as a 23-year-old male from Colombo 15 area. He had been under medical care at the National Institute for Infectious Diseases (NIID) in Angoda when he passed away yesterday. The cause of death has been determined as novel coronavirus infection and diabetes complications. more..

Nov 7 (Island) Minister Prof. G.L. Peiris paid a glowing tribute to all those who had made it possible for the successful conclusion of the GCE A/L exam under extremely difficult conditions due to the unexpected eruption of corona second wave. He said that the conducting of the exam was a real challenge as the situation gradually deteriorated with the govt compelled to bring the entire WP under quarantine curfew. more..

Nov 7 (Island) Former Minister and SJB MP Champika Ranawaka yesterday questioned the rationale behind the govt shutting down the Western Province for 11 days. The former Minister said that the scientific method of closing down a place for a period of time to prevent the spread of the disease would be either 14 days or 21 days or 28 days. “Those are the accepted number of days to close down countries or specific areas to prevent the spread of the disease scientifically. more..