Dec 13 (DN) The 87th Battle of the Saints between St. Peter’s College and St. Joseph’s College will unfold with the usual comradeship at the SSC grounds today and tomorrow, which is to be played under strict health guidelines set by the health authorities with only the parents of the players and no spectators are allowed to enter the grounds. Two days of exciting cricket can be expected from these two Catholic schools. Though St. Peter’s hold a slight edge due to their recent purple-patch more..

Dec 13 (Reuters) Sri Lankan authorities on Sunday put on show what they said was the world’s largest natural corundum blue sapphire, weighing 310 kilograms, which was found in a gem pit about three months ago. Local gemologists, who have examined the sapphire, said it was one of the rarest gems in the world as it weighed more than 300 kilograms. Int'l organisations are yet to certify the precious stone. more..

Dec 13 (FT) SL’s COVID-19 case count rose to 572,902 with the detection of 1,476 COVID-19 patients over the weekend. The weekend COVID-19 detections include 762 persons who tested positive for the virus on Saturday and 714 persons who tested positive yesterday. The patients detected include 710 persons from the New Year cluster and four overseas arrivals. 7,337 PCR tests were conducted on Sunday. Previous day, 7,187 PCR tests, 4,646 rapid antigen tests more..

Dec 13 (DN) The meeting of Cabinet of Ministers scheduled to be held today will focus more attention on the foreign exchange reserves crisis. Finance Ministry Secretary Sajith Attygalle and CB Governor Ajith Nivard Cabraal will also be summoned to the Cabinet meeting today. This is the first meeting of the Cabinet of Ministers since the Govt’s Budget for 2022 was passed in Parliament on Friday. Minister Bandula Gunawardena confirmed that agreement on the Yugadanavi power plant more..

Dec 13 (Island) Top SJB spokesperson Mujibur Rahuman says those Ministers who challenged the sale of the Yugadanavi Plant should be either sacked by Prez Rajapaksa or they should quit the Cabinet, without further delay, if they genuinely believe the govt entered into an agreement at the expense of national security. Colombo District lawmaker insists Ministers Vasudeva Nanayakkara more..

Dec 13 (FT) Sri Lanka’s foreign exchange reserves are falling dramatically month after month. According to the data released by the Central Bank last week, foreign exchange reserves have declined from $ 2.3 billion at end-October to $ 1.6 billion at end-November. When one deducts the gold reserve and the position with the IMF, the immediately available liquid reserves are marked at low $ 1.1 billion, just sufficient for paying for a little more than two weeks of future imports. more..

Dec 13 (FT) Events become more important and focused in the context of their after-effects. Criticism levelled beforehand will only be conjectures yet to become realities. Diplomatic initiatives demonstrate how a small neighbour state can successfully move towards a pro-active bilateral relationship interacting with other countries in the neighbourhood ‘or’ even in the region, within the confines of available economic space. Finance Minister Basil Rajapaksa’s move to initiate a dialogue more..

Dec 13 (DM) A time has come where people have to pay of Rs.15 for a single pod of beans and Rs.25 for a single carrot, UNP Deputy Leader Ruwan Wijewardhane said. “Gone are the days when people in this country were able to purchase at least 250 grams of each vegetable,” Mr. Wijewardene said, speaking to some party activists in party headquarters Sirikotha. “One cannot blame the COVID pandemic for the economic downturn as the economies of countries which were affected more..

Dec 13 (AD) Four persons including two school children have been reported missing following two separate drowning incidents in Wattala and Mannar areas. Police said that two teenage boys have been reported missing and are feared drowned while a group of children were sea bathing at the Preethipura Beach in Wattala. The missing persons have been identified as two 15-year-old boys from Enderamulla. It is reported that they had been bathing at a location which had been more..

Dec 13 (EN) Prez Rajapaksa left for Singapore for a medical check up Monday, hours after proroguing parliament, a move that dissolved most of the oversight committees, officials said. Rajapaksa who had undergone heart bypass surgery at Singapore’s Mount Elizabeth hospital in May 2019 returned for a close medical examination. The 72-year-old leader was a no show at a diplomatic reception in Colombo on Sunday more..

Dec 13 (EN) SL has sold 120 billion rupees of bonds up to 8 years, at yields slightly higher than the market for similar maturities but around the levels seen at the last auction, data from the state debt office showed. 25 billion rupees of 01.05.2025 bonds were sold at average yield of 9.7%. A close maturing of 15.03.25 were quoted at 9.40/50 levels before the auction. 20 billion rupees of 15.10.2027 bonds were sold at an average yield of 10.9%. A close maturing of 15.01.2027 were quoted more..

Dec 13 (DM) The Health authorities have urged the general public to be cautious and alert ahead of the festive season as SL is entangled in a twin burden of dengue and COVID-19. Chief Medical Officer of CMC Dr. Ruwan Wijayamuni said that there was a sharp spike in dengue cases this year compared to last year. "2020 was the year when the least number of dengue cases were reported during the last decade. The number of cases reported in this year especially in November, is alarming," more..

Dec 13 (AD) Governor of the CB Ajith Nivard Cabraal has denied reports that he has been summoned by the Cabinet of Ministers for its meeting today. In a twitter message, the governor said the news reports claiming that he has been summoned by the Cabinet to discuss matters related to seeking the assistance of the IMF were originated by an opposition politician and that they are totally fake. He alleged that this is a part of more..

Dec 13 (AD) Police is seeking public assistance to locate two boys – aged 10 and 12 – who have gone missing from their home at Banduragoda, Wattemulla in the Kotadeniyawa police area. Police Headquarters said that Kotadeniyawa Police have received a complaint regarding the sudden disappearance of the two boys, who are cousins, who have been missing since Nov 23. Police said that investigations carried out so far have failed to uncover any information regarding more..

Dec 13 (Island) Sri Lanka-America Chamber of Commerce, in American was inaugurated and established on Dec 9 by a group of professional SL expatriates centering the City of Las Vegas with the blessings of the United States Congressional leaders. The SL expatriates selected the City of Las Vegas to make it the Chamber’s headquarters because of the global attraction it has for international conventions that brings trade and commerce activist leaders and influential more..

Dec 13 (DM) Govt spokesman Dr. Ramesh Pathirana dismissed media reports that the solar power generation projects in the north about to be launched by China but abandoned under controversial circumstances would be given to India. He told the media that neither the govt discussed it nor the govt intends to entrust the construction of a solar power generation project to Adani Group of India as suggested by interested parties. Chinese Embassy in Colombo has announced that more..

Dec 13 (TM) Chairman of the Information Technology Society of SL, Rajeev Yasiru Kuruwitage, claimed that on the 10th of December, 5 people in civil attire forcefully entered and raided his house without a warrant. “5 people clad in civil attire raided my house, claiming to be from the STF. One of them produced his identification card and slipped it back inside his pocket. When I asked if they had a court order, they said that they don’t need a court order and that the defense ministry had more..

Dec 13 (TM) Farmers in several areas are still facing difficulties due to the shortage of fertilisers, in a background where the ban on the importation of chemical fertilisers and agrochemicals including pesticides, fungicides, and herbicides /weedicides has been lifted by the Govt. Farmers of the Polonnaruwa Minneriya Agrarian Colony Movement charged that they have not yet received any fertilisers for Maha cultivating season. more..

Dec 13 (CT) A SL Court on Friday, 10 Dec 2021 lifted the travel ban imposed on four former crew members of the container ship X-Press Pearl, X-Press Feeders, operators said yesterday. Arrangements are currently being made for their immediate repatriation. The crew will leave after spending more than six months in SL after their evacuation from the vessel on 25 May 2021, X-Press Feeders’ officials said. “We continued to work with the SL authorities to lift the travel ban on more..

Dec 13 (DM) The IGP today informed the Court of Appeal that the alleged underworld figure Janith Madushanka alias Podi Lassi is to be produced before a Magistrate's Court as soon as his detention order expires. IGP through the Attorney General informed the Court of Appeal that the detention order of Podi Lassie will be expired by December 15 and he will be produced before a Magistrate accordingly. Podi Lassie had filed a Writ Petition seeking an order directing the authorities more..

Dec 13 (CI) Mahela Jayawardene has been appointed consultant coach of the SL men's senior team, as well as the men's Under-19 team and the Sri Lanka A team for a period of one year, starting Jan 1, 2022. SLC said that the former captain will be in charge of the overall cricketing element of the national teams and also provide strategic support for players and the management teams at SLC's high-performance centre. more..

Dec 13 (DM) If the new Special Goods and Service Tax (GST) is imposed on vehicle imports, the prices of imported vehicles will rise further, Vehicle Importers' Association of SL (VIASL) Secretary Arosha Rodrigo said. He said with the COVID pandemic in the country, total vehicle imports were suspended by the govt to save foreign exchange. According to the Finance Ministry, the GST was proposed in the Budget 2021 and was proposed to be implemented from January 1, 2022. more..

Dec 13 (DM) Failing to fulfil its mandate by advising the govt to invent new policies to curtail smoking and drinking, an Opposition MP slammed the National Authority on Tobacco and Alcohol (NATA) saying they do not do their duty well. Opposition MP Buddhika Pathirana speaking at the Friday’s Finance Ministry budget debate pointed out the fact that the objective, for which the NATA was formed, has not been fulfilled by today. He said one of the chief reasons why the NATA was formed, more..

Dec 13 (TM) In the face of new SARS-CoV-2 variants, mainly the Omicron SARS-CoV-2 variant (B.1.1.529), the College of Medical Laboratory Science (CMLS) has pointed out that instead of imposing restrictions on people coming to SL from specific countries, authorities should instead take steps to conduct on-arrival polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests on all those entering the country from abroad. In view of the Omicron more..

Dec 13 (CT) The University Grants Commission (UGC) said it will not release Employees' Provident Fund payments to University Lecturers who have obtained State funds to pursue doctoral degrees but have not completed them. UGC Chairman, Senior Professor Sampath Amaratunge, said they are still investigating lecturers who have incomplete PhD degrees, adding that certain University Lecturers have not completed their doctoral degrees despite receiving over Rs100,000 in State funding. more..

Dec 13 (EN) Around 10,000 Sri Lankan farmers will be linked to a blockchain based platform making food origins, harvesting and processing fully transport transparent which can allowing them to command higher prices, a statement said. Tracified Technologies said their blockchain based traceability platform has been commissioned German Federal Ministry for Economic Co-operation and Development and co-financed by the European Union. It is implement by GIZ Lanka. more..

Dec 13 (EN) All Sri Lankans over the age of 20 eligible for the COVID-19 booster shot may now get it from Monday (13) onward, failing which the island nation may be looking at a tsunami of cases in the new year, State Minister Channa Jayasumana said. The State Minister said anyone over 20 who received their second dose of any COVID-19 vaccine is eligible for the Pfizer-BioNTech booster. more..

Dec 13 (TM) Pakistani police have arrested 18 more suspects purportedly involved in the killing of SL national Priyantha Kumara, who was the manager of a sports equipment factory in Sialkot. A mob of hundreds of enraged individuals including employees descended on the factory after he was accused of blasphemy. The mob grabbed him, killed him and burned the body. A first information report (FIR) was registered against 900 staffers of the business on the application of Uggoki Station more..

Dec 13 (AD) Director General of Health Services has confirmed another 27 coronavirus related deaths for Dec 12, pushing death toll due to the virus to 14,641. The deaths confirmed today includes one person below the age of 30 years while 13 are between the ages 30-59. The remaining 13 victims are in the age group of 60 years and above. Another 552 persons have tested positive for Covid-19 today, increasing the tally of confirmed cases registered in the country to 573,454. more..

Dec 13 (AD) Prez Rajapaksa has prorogued Parliament from midnight yesterday through an Extraordinary Gazette notification. Accordingly, the next session of parliament will commence at 10.00 a.m. on January 18, 2022. Prez had prorogued Parliament by virtue of the powers vested in him by Article 70 of the Constitution. The Gazette, issued by the Secretary to the President, prorogues Parliament with effect from midnight of 12.12.2021 and more..

Dec 13 (DM) Public Utility Commission of SL (PUCSL) has set up a mechanism to handle complaints and settle disputes in the petroleum and lubricants industry. The PUCSL and the Ministry of Petroleum jointly introduced a statement of consumer rights and obligations, as well as a system to handle complaints and resolve disputes. Minister of Energy, udaya Gammanpila said the public has raised concerns about substandard petrol, kerosene, and diesel for the past few months because more..

Dec 13 (AD) Ministry of Highways says that a Gazette notification has been issued declaring that all govt and private ambulances can use the country’s expressways toll free. Minister Johnston Fernando yesterday said that all ambulances whether they belong to state of private hospitals would be allowed to travel toll free on expressways with immediate effect. Previously a toll was levied from every ambulance using the expressways, however following the COVID-19 outbreak more..

Dec 14 (DM) Going by the statements made by the govt ministers who are more relevant to the main issues that are affecting the people these days, one would wonder if they are intentionally insulting the intelligence of the masses. They do not seem to understand the current ordeal the ordinary people in the country are going through following some of the controversial decisions made by the govt. Sometimes they knew the situation on the ground, but they may be more concerned about more..

Dec 14 (DM) The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), which houses the holiest places of Islam, has been a target of Islamic terrorism like many other countries in the world. There have been 11 intercepted missile attacks over Riyadh since the first missile attack on Nov 4, 2017, the most recent on Dec 6, 2021. In March 2019, the KSA issued a document on terrorism in the country which said that it had faced more than 60 terrorist attacks by Daesh (aka ISIS) and that more than 200 civilians and more..

Dec 14 (DM) Ambassador of the Netherlands Tanja Gonggrijp, speaks about bilateral relations between the two countries and rich Dutch heritage in SL. She also responds to queries about SL’s move for organic agriculture and the UNHRC process. Q: SL–the Netherlands bilateral relations are historical and multifaceted. It has influenced the legal system, architecture, cuisine, culture and lifestyle, as well as various facets more..

Dec 14 (ST) Third Reading of Budget 2022 was passed in Parliament on Friday by an overwhelming majority of 93 votes. Minister Basil Rajapaksa’s maiden budget received 157 votes in favour and just 64 against, once again asserting that, despite being battered by various crises both within and without, Parliamentary dominance of the SLPP Govt remains unchallenged. A vote was held after Chief Opposition Whip Lakshman Kiriella asked for a division. SJB MP Diana Gamage voted for more..

Dec 14 (TM) The controversial Yugadanavi agreement, to which only select members of the Govt were privy, is no longer a secret. Last week, JVP-led NPP Leader and MP Anura Kumara Dissanayake revealed the agreement, which the Govt has shown a reluctance to publicise despite mounting demands and criticism. Following the stunning exposé, the implications of certain clauses of the agreement and the party with which it has been signed, have intensified the criticism more..