May 3 (CT) Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC) recorded an operational profit of Rs 33.9 billion in 2020 compared to an operational loss of Rs 19.1 billion in the previous year, Central Bank (CB) 2020 Annual Report in 2020 said. CPC’s financial performance improved in 2020 as domestic prices of key petroleum products were maintained without change, despite the relatively low level of global oil prices, it said. Sales of petroleum products to the major sectors of transport, power generation, more..

May 3 (CI) Sri Lanka allrounder Thisara Perera has announced his retirement from international cricket. A white-ball stalwart, Perera was known for his hit-the-deck bowling and his clean ball-striking down the order. Of all batters with at least 2000 runs in men's ODIs, Perera's strike rate of 112.08 is the fourth-highest of all time. He conveyed news of his retirement to SLC on Monday morning. While he will no longer turn out for Sri Lanka, more..

May 3 (FT) The 13-year-old Yevan David yesterday made history for SL by being the first Sri Lankan to win a European Heat karting race in Genk, Belgium. In the Champions of the Future, he competed in the OKJ category, which is the junior world-class category featuring the best 12-15 year olds in the world. He finished 15th in the final race starting at 16th. Born in the UK to SL parents, Yevan moved to Singapore when he was 4 years old and started karting at the age of 6 and more..

May 3 (AD) The Director General of the Department of National Zoological Gardens says that all zoological gardens, safari parks and elephant orphanages operated by the department will be closed for the public until further notice. Due to the current Covid-19 pandemic situation, the Dehiwala National Zoo, Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage, and the Ridiyagama Safari Park will be temporarily closed for the public from April 04, 2021 until further notice, DG Ishini Wickramasinghe said. more..

May 3 (EN) SL’s governing coalition must call a political ceasefire and put its internal cold war on hold and focus on eradicating the COVID-19 epidemic, opposition leader Sajith Premadasa said. “I urge the leaders to set aside their personal ambitions and focus instead on this great struggle to keep our citizens alive,” he said in a statement. Premadasa said the govt must not drag the country to anarchy because of its internal conflicts more..

May 3 (DM) Dilum Amunugama was appointed as the State Minister for Community Police Services, in addition to his current portfolios. He took oaths in his new position in the presence of Prez Rajapaksa at the Presidential Secretariat on Monday. Dilum Amunugama is also the State Minister of Vehicle Regulation, Bus Transport Services and Train Compartments and Motor Car Industry. He said that the President had advised him to introduce certain reforms to the Police Department more..

May 3 (BBC) SL's sacred city of Anuradhapura is an unlikely place to be enmeshed in a fantastic tale of UFOs and otherworldly happenings. Locally known as Rajarata (Land of Kings), the Unesco World Heritage Site was the first established kingdom on the island (in 377 BC) and is at the heart of SL's Buddhist culture. Today, it's one of the nation's most visited places, attracting devoted pilgrims from around the country to its ancient Buddhist temples and giant dome-shaped stupas. more..

May 3 (CNN) Crabs caught in Sri Lakan waters are so prized in Singapore's fine dining establishments that a single one can sell for hundreds of dollars. But there was one place where these crabs weren't the hottest dish on the menu -- SL. That's when chef Dharshan Munidasa, who grew up in Colombo, began thinking about how he could return one of SL's most iconic exports back to the people who made it famous. more..

May 4 (DM) SL is on the downward slide of chauvinist oppression. The Cabinet last week decided to ban the burqa and niqab worn by Muslim women. When the issue of banning the burqa came up a month ago, in the week before the UNHRC vote on SL, Cabinet Spokesman said it was only a proposal and will be decided on after consultations with the Muslim community. Weeks later, there have been no consultations, and the decision to ban the burqa and niqab come days after the arrest more..

May 4 (DM) India is in the grips of an avoidable catastrophe. In a country that prides itself as the pharmacy to the world, patients are gasping for breath and crematoriums are running out of place. While an unprecedented second wave of the Coronavirus pandemic had been building up, its Prime Minister, Narendra Modi indulged most of his time in a vindictive election campaign. His political strategist and home affairs minister Amit Shah, spent more time on election rallies, more..

May 4 (DM) State Minister Prof. Channa Jayasumana shared his views when speaking on the current COVID-19 developments in the country and vaccine rollout. Q: How serious is the situation created by COVID-19? A: Actually, the third wave is affecting SL seriously. The extension of transmission and clinical severity of cases are higher than the previous versions. The virus strain B 11 7 was initially found in Kent, England. more..

May 4 (DM) Can SL contain the surging third wave of the COVID-19 outbreak in the country without going for a major lockdown is the question currently faced by the health authorities? Public Health Inspectors (PHIs) seems to be of the view that only a country-wide lockdown would help arrest the latest spike of the pandemic that has emerged following the Sinhala & Hindu New Year. PHIs Union President Upul Rohana had insisted several times after the festival that the country should be more..

May 4 (TM) Port City Colombo project is a potential game changer for the SL economy, being the country’s first Special Economic Zone (SEZ) in decades, potentially adding about 1% to annual GDP growth over the next 25 years while creating over 230,000 jobs. SEZs with unique administrative structures and economic regulations are not a new phenomenon. Their frameworks are generally intended to lower costs of production and improve ease of doing business, with the ultimate aim more..

May 4 (TM) With the country witnessing its worst Covid-19 wave so far and the necessary Oxford-AstraZeneca shipment to administer the second dose of the Covishield vaccine to over 850,000 people unlikely to arrive in time, authorities are now looking into the viability of mixing and matching available vaccine types to meet the demand. The stocks of Oxford-AstraZeneca currently available to the authorities will only more..

May 4 (CT) The recent arrest of a young man who called upon fellow motorists to sound their horns in protest at the sudden interruption of traffic in Colombo to facilitate a VIP movement has led to a discussion on the right to protest by making noise. The video recording of the incident has gone viral. As was later found, the “VIP movement” concerned was the motorcade of the visiting Chinese Defence Minister. The Police had not announced in advance that the road would be closed. more..

May 4 (CT) Yesterday, this newspaper ran its lead story under the heading, New Year Cluster Creates Mini Clusters Island wide with one of three bottom straplines which read, Large number of patients identified from amongst those who had been to Nuwara Eliya and Kataragama. To quote relevant excerpts, where the article was based on comments made by Chief Epidemiologist, Dr. Sudath Samaraweera among others, Samaraweera said, “…a large number of patients had been more..

May 4 (Island) In commemoration of World Day for Safety and Health at Work 2021, leading infrastructure developer Iconic Developments reiterated its commitment to taking maximum precautions to ensure the health and well-being of its workforce amid fears of a third wave of COVID-19 in SL. Iconic Developments, in collaboration with construction partner MAGA Engineering, has adhered to stringent health and safety regulations in line with local and international directives for more..

May 4 (Island) A motorist has got into hot water for honking in protest when the police closed roads in Colombo for the motorcade of Chinese Defence Minister Gen. Wei Fenghe, on Tuesday night. Is this kind of action intended to serve as a warning to those who are protesting against the new laws to be made anent the Chinese Port City? It is only natural that drivers vehemently protest when roads are closed while traffic is grinding nose to tail. Nothing infuriates motorists more than road closures. more..

May 4 (FT) The CAA and Litro Gas Lanka yesterday locked horns over the new hybrid 18-litre cylinder, with the former insisting the product was in violation of multiple regulations and was misleading the public, while a company official contended they were within legal parameters. Litro Gas recently introduced a new 18-litre hybrid premium gas cylinder, priced at Rs. 100 less, claiming it was more efficient than the 12.5 kg cylinder. more..

May 4 (ST) Sri Lanka’s top pugilists looked ring rusty but starved of competition they were not lacking in hunger and enthusiasm as boxing returned after more than a year when the Boxing Association of Sri Lanka (BASL) conducted a Selection Tournament at Royal MAS Arena for the upcoming Asian Championships. Entries were limited to elite boxers who have won either gold or silver medals at the one of the three major meets – Layton Cup, Clifford Cup or Nationals – and four weight categories more..

May 4 (ST) That was a real clanger. Dropped right there where justice presides at the top of the judicial pile. And before five justices of the Supreme Court! Alas, it fell on the feet of political leaders some of whom are prone to foot-in-the-mouth disease. They were the ones who have been preaching to us — more to the world really — on SL’s constitution, more specifically since 2017 when the screws were being tightened over human rights issues. They were the constitution makers and breakers who said more..

May 4 (Island) The SJB yesterday (3) said that the govt owed an explanation regarding the Covid-19 explosion now threatening the entire country after repeatedly assuring that the epidemic was under control. SJB lawmaker Mujibur Rahman alleged that the govt strategy gave a false sense of security to the public thereby resulting in automatic lowering of the guard. MP Rahman said that those who spoke on behalf of the govt more..

May 4 (GDI) Consulate General of SL in Guangzhou initiated and organized a SL investment webinar on 29 April 2021, in cooperation with the Guangdong Department of Commerce, with the participation of the Board of Investment of SL. Approximately 130 persons participated from 95 companies and related govt entities in Guangdong Province, in the webinar. In a separate meeting before the commencement of the webinar Consul General of SL in Guangzhou Priyangika Dharmasena, briefly met with more..

May 4 (ST) SL’s vanaspathi export industry (fully or partially hydrogenated vegetable cooking oil) established to cater to the needs of India under the Free Trade Agreement has been adversely affected following the ban imposed on crude palm oil (HS Code1511.10) by the govt. Thirteen companies engaged in the production of vanaspathi using palm oil for the Indian market are on the verge of collapsing, several leading members of the Vanaspathi Exporters Association said. more..

May 4 (FT) Stronger credit demand by State-owned Enterprises (SOEs) saw lending to the State sector rise by Rs. 184.2 billion in 2020, the Central Bank said in its latest Annual Report, but private sector loans also performed better than expected increasing 6.5% to Rs. 374.1 billion. Credit extended to SOBEs by the banking system recorded a notable expansion during 2020, reflecting the weak financial position of most SOBEs, more..

May 4 (FT) LB Finance PLC (LBF) has succeeded in raising $ 15 million on a four-year tenure from FMO, the Dutch Entrepreneurial Development Bank. TSW Capital Services, a financial advisory firm based in India, was the lead arranger of the deal. The loan marks a number of historical milestones for LBF, not only does it coincide with the company’s 50th anniversary, it also signals a new chapter in LBF’s commitment to the nation. The loan would be used to create a dedicated funding line for more..

May 4 (DN) Man-of-the-Match Praveen Jayawickrama said that the support from his teammates really inspired him to perform well in the second Test against Bangladesh, which concluded at the Pallekele Stadium in Kandy yesterday. “I feel extremely happy to play for SL and my entire family members are pleased because my childhood dream was to play for the country one day,” a smiling left-arm spinner said after the game. “I had a little bit of pressure going into the game but my skipper more..

May 4 (FT) Attorney General yesterday exhibited information consisting of 800 charges against former Defence Secretary Hemasiri Fernando and former IGP Pujith Jayasundara. The charges were produced in respect of those killed and injured in the Easter Sunday attacks when the case against the duo was taken up by the Colombo High Court. AG’s Coordinating Officer State Counsel Nishara Jayaratne stated that more..

May 4 (FT) The pandemic impacted salaries in dualistic ways last year, with real wages of formal private sector workers showing a reduction of 4.2% but in contrast nominal wages of public sector workers increased 9.2% and real wages 2.9% in 2020, the Central Bank said. The Central Bank Annual Report pointed out that while informal and formal sectors performed differently, the demand pressure arising from wages on the general price level remained subdued during the year. more..

May 4 (DM) Past pupils of Devi Balika Vidyalaya are up in arms against the Cabinet paper under which they alleged seeks to relocate the classes of the advanced level science and maths streams to a place in Udahamulla. Past pupils of the school had formed a group named Devi Balika Vidyalaya Surekeme Sanvidanaya. Secretary of the group Nilochana Shrimali said in a press release that well-known businessman Dhammika Perera had offered Rs. 100 million to develop the school but more..

May 4 (CT) SL’s COVID-19 situation is slowly turning as bad as India’s, warned JVP politburo member Bimal Ratnayake. He accused the Govt of being unprepared despite dealing with the pandemic for more than a year. Ratnayake said govt is now calling this the third wave the New Year cluster, despite finding cases across the island. He opined that govt should adopt scientific measures if they are to successfully control this new wave. more..

May 4 (FT) European Palm Oil Alliance (EPOA) has expressed its grave disappointment caused by the intention of the SL Govt to ban palm oil. Stating it was all for growing of sustainable palm oil, EPOA also countered claims on the dangers of palm oil cultivation which influenced govt decision. EPOA said a ban on palm oil would most probably increase costs of food for the consumers in SL and might mean that much more plantation land would be needed for alternative edible oil production. more..

May 4 (DM) GMOA on 2 May proposed the implementation of 11 measures in order to curtail the spread of COVID-19 in the country. The measures include establishing accurate data handling at the Epidemiology Unit, ensuring the involvement of all consultant community physicians for this task, and mobilising necessary manpower at the Epidemiology Unit. The GMOA also called for increased testing capacity with minimal discrepancies, a mechanism to accurately amalgamate testing data from more..

May 4 (ST) Govt has started talks with several countries, including US & Australia, to purchase Oxford AstraZeneca vaccines as hopes for a quick delivery of fresh batches of the vaccine from India are fading. Vaccine task force chief Lalith Weeratunga said talks were underway to obtain vaccines to meet the shortfall when administering the second dose of the vaccine to those who have already received their first jab. more..

May 4 (DM) Army Commander General Shavendra Silva denied claims that his niece's wedding had been held on Monday at a leading luxury hotel in Colombo amidst the pandemic, stating this was part of a campaign to sling mud at him. Social media was rife yesterday with the pictures of a bride and groom being shared and another picture showing Silva hugging another military officer allegedly at the wedding, on several platforms claiming it was Silva's niece's wedding. more..

May 4 (AN) The Christian Workers Fellowship (CWF) celebrated May Day with a Mass and prayers. By attending the religious services, its members stressed that work is a blessing and, for this reason, we must thank God. Due to COVID-19 restrictions, only 25 people attended the event on the day the Lord gave us workers. Its theme this year was “Let’s oppose religious-ethnic extremism. Protect the environment! Let us strengthen the workers' struggle to build a nation of quality”. more..

May 4 (CT) SL Tourism Development Authority (SLTDA) has introduced SL as a transit quarantine hub to generate revenue, despite the tourism industry being grounded in the country. The SLTDA on 25 Apr 2021, had introduced this transit quarantine hub, for foreign workers, which would allow them to station in the country for 14 days, paying exorbitantly for hotels and paying USD 12 insurance, to do two PCR tests before more..

May 4 (TM) Foreigners holding an Indian passport would not be issued tourist visas to enter Sri Lanka for the time being in light of the Covid-19 crisis which has engulfed India, The Morning learnt. State Minister Dr. Sudarshini Fernandopulle said that this decision had been taken by the National Operations Centre for Prevention of Covid-19 Outbreak (NOCPCO) Task Force. SL Tourism Development Authority (SLTDA) officials said that this decision has been implemented since 29 April. more..

May 4 (DM) UNP urged the govt to go for a complete lockdown for a specific period and control the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic. UNP Chairman Vajira Abeywardene who made a special statement said the govt should go for a lockdown for at least two weeks and try to control the ongoing pandemic. “Govt should go for an island-wide lock down and control the spread of COVID-19. Also, efforts should be made to get the essential medical equipment such as ICU beds & PCR machines,” more..