Oct 26 (FT) The SL Tourism Development Authority (SLTDA) has made the tourism investment process easy by streamlining the project approval process and the facilitation services provided by the Investor Relations Unit (IRU) – the unit established within SLTDA as the centralised facilitation arm for tourism investments in the country. The key objective of this effort is to provide a single point of contact for the investors more..

Oct 26 (EN) The Singapore unit of energy and commodities trader Vitol has won a long-term contract to supply Sri Lanka’s govt-run oil refiner and retailer with petrol and diesel, the state information office said. The Cabinet of ministers this week decided to award Vitol Asia Pte Ltd. the deal to supply the island’s government diesel and petrol for the next eight months from 15 July 2019 till 14 March 2020, a statement said. The unit of Vitol, the world’s largest independent oil trader, more..

Oct 26 (FT) The world’s first Sri Lanka-featured mall has been opened in Kiev, Ukraine, providing unrivalled Ceylon tea shopping facilities and experience. The initiative is following discussions between Sri Lanka Tea Board and Fozzy Group, one of the largest trade industrial groups in Ukraine and one of the leading Ukrainian retailers, with over 500 outlets. Slipo was established in 1998 and the Fozzy Group sells food and household products via its Silpo supermarkets chain and Le Silpo. more..

Oct 26 (ST) The country’s major fish markets closed down as the potential threat of the COVID-19 virus spreading through its workers, customers and associates increased, leaving behind an unsold stock of more than half a million kilograms of fish, officials said. Export markets also were hit as a result after most suppliers from various parts of the county including the north and east also stopped sending supplies to Colombo from Friday. more..

Oct 26 (CT) Chairman of PCoI on Political Victimisation, former SC Judge, Justice Upali Abeyratne, warned lawyer Shiral Laktilleke, who represented respondent Champika Ranawaka and argued that the Commission did not have the authority to summon him, stating that Commission has the authority to do so and to avoid arguing on that point. Ranawaka’s lawyer, Laktilleke pointed out to the Commission that Minister Udaya Gammanpila was a representative of the Legislature more..

Oct 26 (CT) Chairman of the PCoI on Political Victimisation, former SC Judge Upali Abeyratne, said it has been observed that former IGP N.K. Illangakoon, who was named a respondent in the complaint lodged with the Commission by Minister Udaya Gammanpila, is ignoring notices issued by the Commission and as a result, it has been decided to name him as a person who is avoiding the Commission. In relation to the complaint lodged by Minister Udaya Gammanpila with more..

Oct 26 (CT) According to telephone data reports, a 159-second telephone conversation had taken place between former President Maithripala Sirisena and then Director of the State Intelligence Service (SIS), Senior DIG Nilantha Jayawardena at 7:59 a.m. on 21 April 2019, before the Easter Sunday bombings. Also, another telephone conversation had taken place between the two on 20 April 2019 at 6:16 p.m. more..

Oct 26 (AD) Sri Lanka has reached yet another grim coronavirus milestone as the total number of infections reported from the country exceeded the 8,000th mark. With the recent detection of 280 COVID-19 cases, the total number of cases recorded in Sri Lanka is at 8,152. Among them, 4,203 are active cases and are receiving medical care at selected hospitals across the island. Meanwhile, the Minuwangoda and Peliyagoda clusters have grown to 4,678 cases. more..

Oct 26 (EN) Ministry of Health issued details of high-risk areas for COVID-19 transmission in the country after analysing the Minuwangoda and Peliyagoda clusters, with the sub clusters emerging in the country in the past weeks. Colombo District: Areas under Colombo Municipal Council, Nugegoda, Battaramulla, Kollannava, Kahathuduwa , Moratuwa, Kaduwela. Gampaha District: Ragama, Minuwangoda, Wattala, Divulpitiya , Jaela, Ekala, Katana, Seeduwa, Gampaha, Attanagala, more..

Oct 26 (CI) Five foreign players, including Andre Russell, Faf du Plessis and David Miller have withdrawn from the Lanka Premier League (LPL) less than a week after they were drafted into franchise teams. Miller, du Plessis and Dawid Malan have become unavailable because of the limited-overs series between South Africa and England, set to begin on November 27. Russell, meanwhile, has pulled out due to injury, more..

Oct 27 (CT) An unassailable present Rajapaksa Govt could rule for another ten years and possibly more if the 20th Amendment finds its way in the Constitution. An entrenched dynastic rule appears to be looming partly contributed by dishevelled and splintered opposition from UNP and United Peoples Action parties along with contribution from the disunitedly wrangling self-centered Tamil political parties numbering seventeen with seventeen leaders vying for the leadership of Tamils more..

Oct 27 (CT) When the UN was created after the World War II, one of its purposes was spelt out in Article 1 [2] of the UN Charter as: ”To develop friendly relations among nations based on respect for the principles of equal rights and self-determination of peoples“ And Article 55 of the UN Charter provides that, “With a view to the creation of conditions of stability and well-being which are necessary for peaceful and friendly relations among nations based on respect for the principles of more..

Oct 27 (DM) Malaysian High Commissioner Tan Yang Thai speaks to the Daily Mirror about the bilateral relations and relevance of his country for Sri Lanka to tap the potential in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) region. He sheds lights on the importance of regional grouping for a country like Sri Lanka to keep external pressure at bay. Q: Malaysia is a leading member of ASEAN. more..

Oct 27 (ST) The passage of the 20th Amendment in Parliament last Thursday reflects the growing deterioration of the political culture in the country. Notwithstanding the obnoxious and anti-democratic features of the amendment it is increasingly becoming evident from the information reaching the public domain that the Constitutional Amendment could have been defeated if not for the unprincipled opportunism of some of the country’s political actors. Such deterioration in political behaviour is more..

Oct 27 (DM) It was a patriotic show of civic duty by seven Muslim parliamentarians and the main opposition, SJB’s national list pole-vaulter Diana Gamage that saved Sri Lanka last week. They rose with an undying devotion to the motherland, broke ranks with their peers, gave the middle finger to their voters who sent them to Parliament, and voted with the govt to pass the 20th Amendment so that the President gets untrammelled powers and Sri Lanka becomes great again. more..

Oct 27 (CT) A crucial event is waiting to unfold, one not seen since former US Secretary of State John Kerry’s visit to Sri Lanka on 3 May, 2015, immediately after Maithripala Sirisena was elected President and it took US-Lanka relations to the next level, but sank over the years. Now it’s US State Secretary Michael R. Pompeo’s turn to revive the souring ties as he visits the country on 28 Oct. Pompeo’s visit to South East Asia, more..

Oct 27 (CT) Beijing based Global Times in an editorial, referring to US Secretary of State Michael Pompeo’s visit to India, SL, Maldives & Indonesia this week, to quote excerpts, said, “Top of his agenda is to mobilise those countries to confront China alongside with the US”. In the Maldives and SL, it is anticipated that Pompeo will disparage the economic cooperation the two countries have been conducting with China and encourage them to seek economic independence. more..

Oct 27 (DM) We have been justifiably bragging until Oct 4 about our success in containing the deadly COVID-19 pandemic which has become a disaster in many countries such as the US and India. With the first COVID-19 patient being reported from the Brandix apparel factory in Minuwangoda on Oct 4 everything has turned upside down and now we are struggling to arrest the spread of the disease. The number of infected persons by Oct 4 stood at 3400, while around 3250 of them had recovered more..

Oct 27 (ST) With the backing of eight Opposition MPs, the 20th Amendment to the Constitution was passed in Parliament with 156 votes in favour and 65 against on Thursday night, giving a major victory for the SLPP-led ruling alliance and handing back President Gotabaya Rajapaksa many of the powers stripped from the presidency under the 19th Amendment. The Opposition MPs who voted for the Amendment with the Govt included SJB Deputy Secretary & National List MP Diana Gamage. more..

Oct 27 (Island) The US prez election is only a few days away. Why does Washington think Sri Lanka is so important as to be visited by no less a person than Secretary of State Mike Pompeo at this particular juncture? Reasons for this high-profile visit seem to be both domestic and international. Internationally, the US has its work cut out to counter the growing Chinese influence. Its military and economic prowess is of little use in overcoming formidable challenges that China poses. more..

Oct 27 (TM) Facing the most aggressive spread of the novel coronavirus in SL and with health experts now claiming that the viral load this time around is at the strength of infecting nearly 500 persons per asymptomatic person, the complacency the authorities are displaying has raised many concerns. The latest outbreak that unfolded on 3 Oct has now one on to infect over 2,500 persons that directly or indirectly more..

Oct 27 (ST) From Olympic medallists Duncan White to Susanthika Jayasinghe, the SL Army could proudly claim to have produced some of the greatest athletes the country has ever seen. Captain Duncan White who joined the SL Army in 1943 as an officer of the Light Infantry Regiment dazzled at the 1948 London Olympic Games to bag a silver medal in the 400 metre hurdles. Susanthika who was briefly attached to the 3rd Battalion SL Army Women’s Corps (SLAWC) emulated White’s feat at more..

Oct 27 (CT) Development does not mean only growth and development, does not mean how well SL’s stock market performs, SJB MP Dr. Harsha de Silva told Parliament recently. “Development is essentially the structural transformation of the economy, moving away from rural, agrarian, low-skilled, and low-paid to more urban, technology-based, high-skilled and high-paid economy,” he said. This means ensuring local companies, be it State-owned or privately-owned, have the capability more..

Oct 27 (FT) Colombo stock market yesterday suffered a near 2% decline as investors reacted negatively to the sharp spike in COVID-19 cases in the second wave. All Share Price Index declined by 1.7% or 99.6 points and the S&P SL 20 Index was down by 1.9% or 43 points. The market managed to post Rs. 1 billion, safeguarding its track record of over a billion plus turnover for more than a month. more..

Oct 27 (Island) Madush Lakshitha, born to a middle-class family in Kamburupitiya in 1979, had nothing in his early life to suggest a rise to infamy. He was first educated at Kamburupitiya Maha Vidyalaya, and then Narandeniya National School. Madush’s mother was an active member of the JVP during the 88/89 insurgency. In 1989, she was shot dead while attending a JVP rally. Madush was left traumatised, with his elder sister, younger brother and a negligent father. more..

Oct 27 (DM) Colonial heritage property Mount Lavinia Hotel is currently carrying out a series of soft refurbishments, an opportune time to uplift the premises before it opens doors to the public and tourists in the coming months, the hotel’s top management said. “It is a golden opportunity for us to take advantage of. The hotel is closed completely to the public as we are a quarantine hotel, so we are carrying out soft refurbishments as part of the maintenance programme,” more..

Oct 27 (ST) Sri Lanka’s main motor traders including several franchise car dealers have been forced to enter the second-hand vehicle market which is being fully activated following the vehicle import ban, importers disclosed. Six months after the imposition of the vehicle import prohibition regulation, many international branded vehicle franchise dealers have sold out all imported vehicles, they pointed out. more..

Oct 27 (Island) The Specialized Training and Disability Resource Centre of the Employers’ Federation of Ceylon (EFC) was shortlisted for the ‘Zero Project 2021’- an initiative of the Essl Foundation which focuses on the rights of persons with disabilities globally. An Austrian foundation set up in 2007 by Martin and Gerda Essl and their children for social purposes and scientific research, its mission is to support social innovation, social entrepreneurship & persons with disabilities. more..

Oct 27 (FT) COVID-19 pandemic threatens to push more than one billion people into poverty world over, and millions of people have had their education, or their careers put on hold. Promotion of entrepreneurship – a key to drive the economy of a country. Amongst many initiatives to support the expansion of the startup ecosystem, catalyst that drives digital economy, Information Communication Technology Agency of SL (ICTA) recently announced its Digital Economy Strategy. more..

Oct 27 (FT) Thirteen trade unions and civil society groups working on behalf of FTZ and manpower workers are calling on the Govt – Ministry of Health, Ministry of Labour, Presidential Task Force to combat COVID-19, the Board of Investment (BOI) and the Ministry Level (Tripartite) Task Force to respond to the impacts of COVID-19 on employment. They listed the following urgent demands; To provide urgent relief rations, more..

Oct 27 (TS) About 330 kilograms of dried manta ray gill pates worth HK$900,000 shipped from SL have been seized at the Hong Kong Int'l Airport on Oct 25. Customs said the haul was in an air consignment declared as dried fish gills. Dried gill plates from manta and devil rays, some of the world's most biologically vulnerable fishes, are a valued commodity in Asian dried-seafood and traditional Chinese medicine markets, according to Aquatic conservation: Marine/freshwater ecosystems more..

Oct 27 (DN) Ministry of Youth and Sports will team up with SL Land Development Corporation to construct a Sports Complex at Kirimandala Mawatha, Nawala, with the objective of empowering the youth and unveiling their hidden talent, which is a part of the Govt’s vision. Both institutions have embarked on this novel project, which will comprise state of the art facilities under one roof to enable all sportsmen/women to train without hassle. During the period 2012 to 2014 when incumbent Prez more..

Oct 27 (CT) Chief Epidemiologist, Dr. Sudath Samaraweera, said the Health Ministry had alternatives lined up to meet the rising demand for hospital beds for the increasing number of COVID-19 patients. Responding to questions at a Media briefing held yesterday, Dr. Samaraweera said only 90.7% of hospital beds allocated for COVID-19 patient treatment were occupied. Another 10% remained vacant. more..

Oct 27 (CT) Large scale establishments in Sri Lanka have seen a total output of manufacturing contracts by 23% year-on- year (YoY) in the second quarter (2Q) of 2020, electricity generation and supply a 33% contraction, construction (a 23% contraction), wholesale and retail trade (a 29% contraction) and accommodation and food service activities (a 78% contraction), the Census and Statistics Department (CSD) said on 23 October. It added that in respect of the manufacturing activities in more..

Oct 27 (FT) The UNP called on members of the SLMC to reveal the details of an alleged agreement they reached with PM Mahinda Rajapaksa prior to the vote on the proposed 20th Amendment. The challenge comes in the wake of several members of the SLMC voting in favour of the 20th Amendment, after the SJB coalition they were a part of had decided to vote against the controversial amendment. “SLMC chose to disregard the democratic values which were upheld by more..

Oct 27 (TT) Human rights reconciliation and negotiation for a $480 million Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) grant will be on the agenda when U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo visits Colombo on Oct. 27. Pompeo is expected to meet Prez Rajapaksa, PM Rajapaksa, and Foreign Minister Dinesh Gunawardena to emphasize the U.S. commitment to a strong, independent and democratic SL, more..

Oct 27 (GT) China's Embassy in SL objected to remarks by Dean Thompson, principal deputy assistant secretary at the US State Department's Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs ahead of US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo's visit to the South Asian country, which openly sowed discord between China and SL to an extreme extent by urging Sri Lanka to pick a side between China and the US. "As a sincere friend of the SL people, China is happy to see the island developing more..

Oct 27 (DN) Ambassador (Apostolic Nuncio) of the Holy See Archbishop Brian Ngozi Udaigwe praised and expressed the appreciation for the wonderful cooperation between the State and the Catholic Church in SL. Archbishop Udaigwe made these comments during a meeting with PM Rajapaksa in Colombo yesterday. PM Rajapaksa fondly recalled his two visits to the Vatican in 2012 and 2014. It was during his last visit that he invited His Holiness Pope Francis to make a state visit to SL, more..

Oct 27 (CT) Mawlavi Yusuf Mohammad Tawfiq, a former Chairman of the National Thowheed Jamath (NTJ), said Zaharan Hashim was expelled from the NTJ because he was identified as an Islamic State ideologue. Tawfiq is currently in remand custody in connection with the Easter Sunday bombings and testified before the Presidential Commission of Inquiry into the Easter Sunday bombings on 24 Oct. He also said Zaharan had gone missing after more..