Oct 2 (AD) Morison PLC, the largest oral solid dosage pharmaceutical manufacturer in SL and a subsidiary of Hemas Holdings, ceremonially opened their new state-of-the-art manufacturing plant and research & development facility in the presence of PM Mahinda Rajapaksa today. Several Cabinet Ministers and dignitaries also graced the event as special guests, including Minister Pavithra Wanniarachchi; more..

Oct 2 (AD) Prez Rajapaksa has enlisted the Viyathmaga (Professionals for a Better Future) to facilitate and fast track various development initiatives assigned to State ministers. In carrying out this task, Viyathmaga Secretariat will harness its base of professionals as well experts from outside. Anura Fernando, who is spearheading this initiative as General Secretary of Viyathmaga, said that qualified, competent and passionate professionals who have time in the national interest more..

Oct 2 (DM) After introducing an updated version of the Credit Information Bureau of SL (CRIB) system in 2021, utility bill payment details of individuals and institutions will be added to the system, CRIB General Manager Nandi Anthony said. He said all utility service providers will be informed in this regard to provide payment details to the CRIB. "The new system is under progress of testing. After introducing the new system, it will help update ten million CRIB reports within a day," he said. more..

Oct 2 (AD) Colombo High Court today dismissed the case filed by the Bribery Commission against Minister Johnston Fernando over allegedly employing CWE workers outside their scope of duties from 2010 – 2014. On May 19, 2016 the CIABOC had filed action against Minister Fernando for causing loses amounting to Rs. 40.1 million to the govt, when he was serving as Minister of Cooperatives and Internal Trade. more..

Oct 2 (FT) A webinar jointly organised by the Pathfinder Foundation and the Institute of South Asian Studies (ISAS), of the National University of Singapore was held recently. Titled SL’s Foreign Policy Imperatives under the Rajapaksa Administration, the presentation was delivered by Foreign Secretary of SL, Admiral Prof. Jayanath Colombage, The webinar saw participation of over 100 government officials, scholars, academics, representatives of think-tanks, more..

Oct 2 (AD) Twelve more individuals infected with COVID-19 made complete recoveries today, says the Ministry of Health. According to the situation report issued by the Epidemiology Unit, 3 receiving treatment at the IDH, 04 at the Welikanda Base Hospital and 5 at the Iranawila Hospital were discharged in this manner. COVID-19 recuperations confirmed in SL thereby reached 3,245. In the meantime, the total count of positive cases of novel coronavirus found in SL sits at 3,382. more..

Oct 2 (EN) Board of Investment, Colombo Port City Project and several other institutions which are in the National Priority Programme have been brought under the purview of Prez Rajapaksa through a gazette notification issued last week. Among other institutions are the Telecommunication Regulatory Commission of SL (TRCSL) and Allied Institutions, Information and Communication Technology Agency (ICTA) more..

Oct 2 (DM) Four suspects were arrested yesterday for killing a 27-year-old man by pushing him from a fifth floor of a housing complex in Kollupitiya after being assaulted and stabbed, Police said. They said the incident had taken place on Sept 28 and the suspects were arrested by the officers of the CID. The suspects are to be produced in the Fort Magistrate’s Court for an identification parade today. The suspects were also accused for snatching a necklace from a woman, Police said. more..

Oct 2 (DM) Former Minister Rishad Bathiudeen’s brother Riyaj Bathiudeen was released as there was insufficient evidence against him for a case to be filed over the Easter Sunday attack, Police Spokesman Jaliya Senaratne said. He said that investigations were carried out by the CID after detaining him in custody for five months and that it had been revealed that there was insufficient evidence against him. Responding to a question that the police earlier said there was evidence more..

Oct 2 (Island) Dr Sumith Pilapitiya, a member of the 3-member committee appointed by Prez Rajapaksa to find a stable solution to the human-elephant conflict (HEC) told stakeholders who made suggestions to the committee on Wednesday (30) that the action plan would be presented to the President within the next two weeks. The committee comprises Vernon Perera, Additional Secretary, more..

Oct 2 (DM) UK’s new Student route and Child Student route will open on Oct 5, 2020 to the best and brightest international students from across the globe including from SL, British High Commission said today. British High Commissioner to SL, Sarah Hulton, said,“ This is a great opportunity for students in Sri Lanka who wish to study in the UK. With four of the world’s top ten universities in the UK and over 150 universities to choose from, the UK offers phenomenal opportunities for students more..

Oct 2 (DM) SJB MP Field Marshall Sarath Fonseka said stern action should be taken against former Prez Maithripala Sirisena and former PM Ranil Wickremesinghe if they were found guilty of the Easter Sunday attacks. Speaking to media, he said when it came to Easter Sunday Attacks, the two former leaders should take the responsibility. When asked why he was silent despite having knowledge about intelligence Units, Field Marshall said, “Those who were assigned with responsibilities more..

Oct 2 (AD) The Supreme Court has commenced considering the petitions filed against the draft bill of the 20th Amendment for the third day this morning. Consideration of the petitions commenced before the five-member judge bench chaired by CJ Jayantha Jayasuriya. The bench consists of Supreme Court justices Buwaneka Aluwihare, Sisira de Abrew, Priyantha Jayawardhane and Vijith Malalgoda. On Wednesday (30), more..

Oct 2 (CT) The warrant issued by the Colombo Fort Magistrate's Court against former MP Arjuna Ranatunga was withdrawn a short while ago (02). The withdrawal was considered after the former MP requested that he not be charged for failing to appear. However, the Magistrate strongly advised the former MP to appear before Court on the due date. He was called upon to Courts in connection with a shooting that took place at the Petroleum Corporation hq in Dematagoda in Nov 2018. more..

Oct 2 (AD) A private bus on the Hatton-Dayagama road has fallen off a 25-foot precipice at around this morning (02). The vehicle was heading towards Hatton when the unfortunate turn of event unfolded at around 6.30 am today. The Police confirmed that 49 passengers including school children, aged between 10 – 18 years, have sustained injuries in the accident. The driver of the bus and the other injured persons are currently receiving treatment at the Glencairn Hospital in Hatton. more..

Oct 2 (MB) Authorities in SL are seeking millions of dollars in damages after a weeklong firefighting operation to put out a blaze on board an oil tanker in its waters. Some of the fuel oil from the MT New Diamond leaked into the sea but was quickly contained, and none of the 270,000 tonnes of its crude oil cargo leaked or caught fire, averting what could have been a major environmental disaster. more..

Oct 2 (AD) Archbishop of Colombo Malcolm Cardinal Ranjith emphasized that politics needs to be distanced from the schools. He stated that while politicians or members of political parties can attend the functions organised at schools, “it is not good to lay a hand on the independence of schools.” “The school is a sacred place. A place that shapens the life of a child. A place where children spend 7-8 hours a day,” he said speaking during an event at St. Sebastian’s College in Kandana. more..

Oct 2 (DM) The 20th Amendment will provide for the increase of the membership of the National Election Commission to five and the quorum to three, Justice Minister Ali Sabry said. He saidthe provision to this effect would be incorporated into the originally drafted bill during the committee stage of the debate in Parliament. The bill has already been presented to Parliament. The govt has announced that a set of fresh amendments would be incorporated into the bill when it is taken up for debate more..

Oct 2 (AFP) Sri Lanka will not allow a Panamanian-registered oil tanker stricken off its coast to leave its waters until the vessel's owners pay a $2 million fire-fighting bill, govt officials have said. The New Diamond, carrying 270,000 tonnes of crude, was en-route from Kuwait to India when an engine room explosion on Sept 3 killed a Filipino crewman and set off a massive fire. Firefighters from SL and India battled and put out the blaze more..

Oct 3 (CT) Ask Indian lawyers what the worst judgment of the Indian Supreme Court has been and a large majority would surely say ADM Jabalpur (Additional District Magistrate, Jabalpur v S. S. Shukla, also known as the Habeas Corpus Case, reported in AIR 1976 SC 1207). Many of them would also point out that ADM Jabalpur was overruled 42 years later by Justice D.Y. Chandrachud, son of Justice Y.V. Chandrachud who was one of the judges in the 4-1 majority in the 1976 case. more..

Oct 3 (DM) Forced child marriages are often spoken of in Sri Lanka, but could there be a solution for this much cursed social issue? Still, so many female children in Sri Lanka are given away in marriage or forced to marry in order to serve a purpose; often to satisfy the want of elders or to cater to a custom or tradition. Whatever the reason for such premature marriages, what eventually happens is such forced unions put an end to a child’s education. In this backdrop the Govt of SL more..

Oct 3 (CT) Presently, there is much debate regarding the verdict announced by the three-Judge Bench of the Colombo High Court, which presided over the Bharatha Lakshman Premachandra murder case. This is due to various political developments that had taken place in the ensuing period. The Constitution clearly mentions in its Articles individual rights and privileges. As per Article 12 (1) of the Constitution, more..

Oct 3 (CT) The number of global COVID-19 deaths exceeded 1 million on Tuesday (29), with the US leading the list with over 200,000 deaths, Brazil reaching 145,000 and India only a handful of cases shy from reaching the 100,000 mark. On the other hand, WHO has warned that the global coronavirus death toll could hit 2 million, before an effective vaccine is widely used, spelling doom for many countries around the world which have not yet been able to effectively control the virus spread. more..

Oct 3 (CT) Children are the world’s most valuable resource and the best hope for the future because they are the blooming opportunities and strength of the country. In today’s world affairs children have plenty of abilities to address the significant issues by intermediating and debating on various avenues which helps to create a new dimension of strategic solutions. Children are the most vulnerable group of this current society by being violated and abused in many ways. more..

Oct 3 (DM) Charles Percival de Silva known as C.P. de Silva or CP was a mercurial personality who strode across the SL - known then as Ceylon- political scene like a colossus. He passed away on Oct 9th 1972. C.P. de Silva was a former civil servant and cabinet minister who was worshipped by thousands of farmers as a living deity for the services he rendered in the sectors of land settlement, irrigation and agriculture. more..

Oct 3 (CT) The best things in life are free, and the very things people value the least are those things that people receive free. It is an illustrious dictum. When these two sentences are compounded together, one finds the answer in Sri Lanka – The University Education. Ragging is a form of intimidation or harassment of freshers by senior University undergraduates. It is globally part and parcel of University life. In Sri Lanka it continues vigorously. more..

Oct 3 (DM) While the state machinery is busy discussing whether or not to draft the 20A, to ban or not to ban cattle slaughter or to open or not to open the Airport, the environment is once again receiving less than what could be described as a step-motherly treatment. Having fallen from the pan to the fire during every successive regime many have come to the conclusion that there will be less greenery remaining in the country during the next five years. more..

Oct 3 (FT) Access to safe, voluntary family planning is a human right; which can save lives and have the effect of promoting healthier populations, a society that achieves gender equality and stronger economies. Yet, an estimated 217 million women worldwide are unable to access information and services related to their sexual and reproductive health and reproductive rights. On average, one in three Sri Lankan women face unplanned pregnancies due to the same. more..

Oct 3 (DM) The rhetoric against the 13th Amendment and the resultant Provincial Councils by the Govt ministers’ seems to be waning away. The reason or reasons for the calls for the abolition of the Constitutional amendment by ministers and various Sinhalese nationalist groups not being heard for about two weeks is not clear. Also the govt’s stance on the 13th Amendment and Provincial Councils even seems to be softening. If it is not an illusion, reason for it may be the concern repeatedly more..

Oct 3 (Island) A referendum is becoming the catchword of politics and calls before the Supreme Court on the 20A. With the new Rajapaksa and Pohottuva craving a return to the JR Jayewardene rule of non-democratic authority, it is good to recall the reality of the first, and so far only, referendum in Sri Lanka, way back in 1982. It was the move by JRJ to extend the life of the parliament elected in 1977 for another six years. more..

Oct 3 (Island) US President Donald Trump’s pertinacity knows no bounds. Having been ridiculed by President Barack Obama, he resolved to run for Prez. He made it to the White House as Obama’s successor. If Trump wants anything, he gets it. He made a determined effort to contract COVID-19. He refused to wear masks and made snide remarks about those who took precautions. He held rallies and his supporters gathered freely. He reopened the US economy amidst protests from more..

Oct 3 (Rediff) The virtual summit between the Indian PM Narendra Modi and his SL counterpart Mahinda Rajapaksa turned out to be somewhat surreal. The summit was the first of its kind Modi has had with any South Asian leader. The expectations were high. But fault lines have appeared. On the core issue of the SL Tamil problem, joint statement issued after the Sept 26 summit says, PM Modi called on the Govt of SL to address the aspirations of the Tamil people for equality, justice, peace & respect more..

Oct 3 (DM) A leading Colombo 7 sports club, the Otter's Aquatic Club, which was issued with an eviction notice recently, has been taken over by the UDA and then handed over to the Waters Edge. The Otter's Aquatic Club was issued with a notice to vacate its current location on Bauddhaloka Mawatha by the Divisional Secretariat, Thimbirigasyaya on Aug 20 this year. The notice dated Aug 18 had been issued under more..

Oct 3 (FT) Sri Lanka Telecom (SLT) and Mobitel partnered with Manusath Derana to help transform 25 decommissioned Sri Lanka Transport Board (SLTB) buses into modern and fully equipped libraries. These library buses will contain reading facilities, WiFi connectivity and other such support systems ready to enable children to connect with the information world. These libraries will act as learning centres that will provide equal opportunities for students with accessible educational more..

Oct 3 (DM) SJB is ready to support fruitful changes to the 19th Amendment with all political parties instead of the proposed 20th Amendment, SJB MP Mayantha Dissanayake said. He said his party was ready to support and discuss fruitful changes to the 19th Amendment instead of the 20th Amendment. “ We would support fruitful changes to the 19th Amendment and are ready to discuss such changes with all political parties represented in Parliament but we will not support proposed 20th Amd. more..

Oct 3 (FT) The Police department has seized 712 illegal firearms and a stock of explosives ending a three-month long special operation this week, officials said yesterday. The operation comes in the wake of the counter-narcotics drive by the police and is mainly aimed at disarming organised criminal networks, SSP Jaliya Senarathne said. The firearms and explosives were seized by the Police and the STF from 6 June to 30 Sept. more..

Oct 3 (CT) The International Tourism Leaders’ Summit and the International Tourism Research Conference were held on 27 Sept in Kandy, in line with World Tourism Day celebrations 2020. The keynote Speaker was Army Commander Lt Gen Shavendra Silva and the Guest of Honour was University of Colombo Vice Chancellor, Prof. Chandrika Wijeyaratne. WHO Representative to SL, Dr. Razia Pendse, ILO Country Director for SL and the Maldives, Simrin Singh, more..

Oct 3 (EN) CEAT KELANI Holdings, a joint venture with India’s CEAT group has boosted output 35% and is adding more capacity amid import controls but is holding prices. From June to September production of tyres had been increased 35% and the company was producing about 1,600 metric tonnes a month, Managing Director Ravi Dadlani said. CEAT KELANI Holdings is a joint venture between SL’s Kelani Tyres, a privatized state enterprise that engaged in import substitution and, more..

Oct 3 (Island) Media freedom should be safeguarded in the future. The 19th Amendment protected media freedom. New laws should not obstruct it, Sanjeewa Jayawardene, PC, yesterday told the Supreme Court. Jayawardene appeared for two petitioners. The matter before the Court is the constitutionality of the Bill in reference to Articles 120, 121 of the Constitution. In Sri Lanka the people were supreme. more..