Nov 23 (FT) Top diversified blue chip John Keells Holdings PLC (JKH) yesterday announced a ground-breaking deal, which will see the Asian Development Bank (ADB) taking up a 8.5% stake via a private placement with an investment of $ 80 million via two phases. It is the first time a multilateral donor agency will become a shareholder of the 1979-founded JKH with roots to the 1870s. Established in 1966, ADB is owned by 68 members, of whom, 49 is from the Asia Pacific region. more..

Nov 23 (FT) SL’s COVID-19 detections rose to 557,361 with 735 persons testing positive for COVID-19 yesterday. COVID-19 patients detected yesterday were from the New Year cluster. On Sunday, 697 persons from the New Year cluster tested positive for COVID-19 and the New Year cluster has expanded to 452,520 cases. 82,785 patients have been detected from the Peliyagoda cluster, 9,053 patients have been detected from the Prisons cluster, and 3,059 patients more..

Nov 23 (CT) The 3-Judge Bench of the Colombo High Court, having dismissed the initial objections submitted by the defence yesterday, pertaining to the indictments filed by the Attorney General against ex-Defence Secretary Hemasiri Fernando, who is charged with failure to prevent the 2019 Easter Sunday terror attack and complicity to murder, fixed commencement of the trial for today. When the case was taken up before more..

Nov 23 (CT) The Fundamental Rights petition filed by Secretary of the Ceylon Teachers’ Union, Joseph Stalin, challenging the preventionof protests using quarantine regulations, was yesterday dismissed by the Supreme Court. The verdict was given by a 3-Judge Bench. The Judges were Priyantha Jayawardena, Shiran Gunaratne, and Arjuna Obeysekera. The IGP, Senior DIG in charge of the Western Province, Director General of Health Services, and the AG had been named as more..

Nov 23 (FT) COVID-19 vaccines were administered to 16,563 persons on Sunday and 74.01% of the total population has received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine. Our World in Data states that the second dose has been administered to 63.75% of the population. 93.7% of the population over 20 years has received two vaccine doses. The first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine has been administered to 15,911,983 persons and the second dose has been administered to 13,707,519 persons. more..

Nov 23 (Island) UNP Deputy Leader Ruwan Wijewardene yesterday said that the UNP would have to follow the policies of its founder and build up leaders which represent Muslim and Tamil communities within the party itself. Speaking during the meetings he had with party activists in Ampara District, Wijewardene said the UNP should develop its own Muslim and Tamil leaders rather than depending on other minority parties. “We had good Muslim leaders in the past, such as, more..

Nov 23 (EN) UN Assistant Secretary-General (ASG) for the Middle East, Asia and the Pacific Khaled Khiari will be in Sri Lanka for an official visit from Tuesday to Thursday. UN Sri Lanka said in a statement on Monday that Khiari will meet senior govt officials, representatives of political parties and civil society, religious leaders, and the diplomatic community. The visit follows UN Secretary-General António Guterres’s meeting with Prez Gotabaya Rajapaksa in September in New York. more..

Nov 23 (FT) COVID-19 Integrated Home-based Care Solution conceptualised and implemented effectively by the Ministry of Health (MOH) announced successful administration of care to over 100,000 home-quarantined COVID-19 patients last week. This initiative was supported by the WHO, GMOA and powered by Dialog Axiata, Bank of Ceylon, and Wavenet International Ltd. The 1390 Toll-free Trilingual Hotline and more..

Nov 23 (Island) Attorney General yesterday read out before the Colombo Permanent High Court Trial-at-Bar, the indictment consisting of 855 charges against former IGP Pujith Jayasundara regarding his failure to take appropriate action to prevent a terrorist attack on Easter Sunday 2019 despite receiving adequate intelligence. AG read out the charges when the case was taken up before a three-judge bench comprising Justices Namal Balalle, Aditya Patabendige & Mohamed Irshadeen more..

Nov 23 (EN) SL will auction an oil block in the Mannar basin where traces of natural gas had already been found in early 2022, Minister Udaya Gammanpila said. “In the beginning of 2022 we will have an auction to get investors for the M2 block,” Minister Gammanpila told parliament. Cairn Lanka, a unit of Cairn India found the presence of natural gas in two exploration wells labelled Dorado and Barracuda, but did not declare a commercial discovery and develop. more..

Nov 23 (EN) COVID-19 infections are on the rise again in SL with authorities unable to trace the origin of a majority of daily cases, health officials said, with about 50% of active cases currently hospitalised. However, govt information dept confirmed 31 deaths for Sunday, an increase of 11 from the 19 confirmed for the previous day. Dr Hemantha Herath said that the percentage of cases whose origin cannot be traced is increasing. more..

Nov 23 (DM) An Extraordinary Gazette has been issued by the Registrar of Pesticides revoking the Gazette issued in 2014, which prohibited the use and sale of five pesticides including Glyphosate. The other pesticides include Propanil, Carbaryl, Cholopyrifos and Carbofuran. According to the Extraordinary Gazette issued on Dec 22, 2014, the use, the offer for sale or sale of the said pesticides, were prohibited within the Districts of Anuradhapura, Polonnaruwa, Kurunegala, Moneragala and more..

Nov 23 (AD) Agriculture Minister Mahindananda Aluthgamage has instructed the Secretary of the ministry to call for an explanation from the Registrar of Pesticides regarding the gazette issued revoking a previous gazette imposing a ban on the use and sale of Glyphosate and four other agrochemicals in several areas. An Extraordinary Gazette notification had been published today (22) revoking the Gazette issued in 2014 prohibiting the use and sale of several pesticides including Glyphosate. more..

Nov 23 (Island) Declaring that SL was experiencing the worst ever post-independence economic crisis, Foreign Minister Prof. G.L. Peiris yesterday said Finance Minister Basil Rajapaksa’s forthcoming visit to New Delhi might give the country an opportunity to explore ways and means of overcoming the overwhelming challenges. Prof. Peiris, who is also the Chairman of the ruling SLPP, emphasised that the Finance Minister’s visit more..

Nov23 (FT) I think it’s time now; after many months of pondering how to go about putting thought to word, I finally came to the realisation that it’s time to write about my mentor and friend, Mangala. It has not been an easy few months. Everywhere I go, memories of Mangala seem to periodically pop in and invade my thought process. Many asked me why I didn’t write an article about him, some asked why I don’t do a social media video, but the truth is that Mangala’s passing has not been more..

Nov23 (FT) In the name of counter-terrorism countries enact repressive laws that restrict human rights. They claim these laws will make us safer. Yet, contrary to claims of increasing national security, the tendency of many counter-terrorism initiatives to target, discriminate, demonise and marginalise certain communities, such as Tamils as well as Muslims lately in SL, has undermined social cohesion and created social instability. While visible erosions of human rights protections and more..

Nov 23 (FT) In the name of counter-terrorism countries enact repressive laws that restrict human rights. They claim these laws will make us safer. Yet, contrary to claims of increasing national security, the tendency of many counter-terrorism initiatives to target, discriminate, demonise and marginalise certain communities, such as Tamils as well as Muslims lately in SL, has undermined social cohesion and created social instability. While visible erosions of human rights protections and more..

Nov 23 (AD) Police reported that four schoolchildren are among the six people who died after a passenger ferry capsized in Kinniya, Trincomalee earlier today. Six reported drowned and 11 others have sustained injuries after a ferry capsized in the Kuringankerni lagoon in Kinniya, Trincomalee, the Police said. As per reports, several schoolchildren are also among the victims. In the meantime, the injured have been admitted to the Kinniya Hospital and are currently under medical care. more..

Nov 23 (AD) Registrar of Pesticides J.A. Sumith, who came under the spotlight over the gazette notification issued to lift the ban on Glyphosate and several other agrochemicals, has been removed from his post with immediate effect. In a communiqué issued today, the Media Secretary of the Agriculture Minister, Jayasuriya Udukumbura stated that the ban on five agrochemicals is still in effect. Minister Mahindananda Aluthgamage has stated more..

Nov 23 (AD) Eight women and two men, part of a Sri Lankan smuggling racket, who landed at the Bengaluru airport with gold weighing over 3 kg hidden in their bodies, were nabbed by the customs sleuths. The gang was carrying the precious metal worth a whopping Rs 1.52 crore which they had planned to hand over to their accomplices in Bengaluru for further illegal deals. After a brief hiatus, Bengaluru’s Kempegowda Int'l Airport (KIA) saw one of the biggest gold smuggling more..

Nov 23 (EN) Health ministry has given the go head to host a limited number of spectators at the upcoming Lanka Premier League (LPL) cricket tournament, Minister Namal Rajapaksa said. The approval also includes permission for limited crowds to be allowed at the ongoing test tournament between West Indies and Sri Lanka in Galle, the minister said. The test tournament began on Nov 21, with the last game to be be played on Dec 3. The 2021 LPL T20 tournament is scheduled more..

Nov 23 (FT) An integrated joint program is to be formulated to streamline operations and minimise inconvenience caused to passengers at the BIA in Katunayake. Tourism Minister Prasanna Ranatunga yesterday instructed officials to immediately implement these joint programs between the Airport and Aviation Services (Lanka) Ltd., the Department of Immigration and Emigration, SL Customs, SriLankan Airlines, and more..

Nov 23 (AD) SL’s new ambassador to Saudi Arabia, Pakeer Mohideen Amza has officially taken charge after he presented a copy of his credentials to the Kingdom’s Deputy Minister for Protocol Affairs, Khalid bin Faisal Al Sihly, here recently. In a brief statement on this occasion, Ambassador Amza said that great potentials awaited bilateral relations, striking an optimistic tone with a pledge to strengthen and consolidate relations further. Amza, who was previously posted as more..

Nov 23 (AD) SLPP MP Mahinda Samarasinghe says he plans to resign from parliament. He made this revelation while addressing the Parliamentary session earlier today. Reportedly, MP Samarasinghe is expected to take up a new post as the Ambassador of SL to the US and Mexico. The lawmaker said Prez Rajapaksa has asked him to take office as the new SL envoy to the U.S. and Mexico. “I expect to resign from the parliament within 2-3 days and to leave for America more..

Nov 23 (CI) Rain washed out the final session and pretty much the entirety of the second session - only four overs were completed after lunch before the groundstaff was called into action - as West Indies ended the third day on 224 for 9, still 162 runs behind SL's first-innings total. Play will begin 15 minutes earlier on the fourth and fifth days, provided the rain stays away. In the end, the rain proved a welcome reprieve for the visitors more..

Nov 23 (AD) Residents of Kuringankerni area have attacked the house of Trincomalee District MP M.S. Thowfeek of SLMC following the ferry accident which took place this morning. A tense situation ensued after a passenger ferry was capsized at the Kuringankerni lagoon in Kinniya, killing six people including four schoolchildren. The residence of the lawmaker has been severely damaged in the attack. Meanwhile, State Minister Nimal Lanza said permission to operate a passenger ferry more..

Nov 23 (DM) A red alert (Take Action) on heavy deluge has been issued for ten districts, the Dept of Meteorology said today. They said fairly heavy rainfall of more than 100 mm could be expected in some places in Eastern, North-Central, and Uva provinces, as well as in Mullaitivu, Vavuniya, and Matale districts. The heavy rainfall due to a prevailing low-level atmospheric disturbance located to the south-east of SL, they said. The weather conditions are expected to intensify into more..

Nov 23 (CI) SL's young trio of frontline spinners has taken seven wickets between them and seemingly put the team in a strong position in the opening Test against WI. But spin-bowling coach Piyal Wijetunge thinks they could have done much better. Offspinner Ramesh Mendis (26 years old), and left-arm spinner Praveen Jayawickrama (23), took three wickets apiece, and Lasith Embuldeniya (25) took one, to help reduce WI to 224 for 9 more..

Nov 23 (AD) Director-General of Health Services has confirmed another 24 coronavirus-related deaths for Nov 22, increasing the death toll in the country due to the virus to 14,182. The deaths reported today include 15 males and 09 female patients. Four of the victims are between the ages of 30-59 years and another is aged below 30 years. The remaining 20 are in the age group of 60 years and above. Meanwhile, Ministry of Health has reported that another 542 persons have more..

Nov 23 (DM) SL is bound by section 4 of the UN Monetary and Financial Conference to go for a dialogue with the IMF in December this year, UNP MP Ranil Wickremesinghe told Parliament today. MP who was speaking during the committee stage debate on the budget said the IMF was established under the UN Monetary and Financial Conference to promote international monetary cooperation. “SL is bound to go for a dialogue with the UN under section four of the UN Monetary and Financial more..

Nov 23 (AD) New state-of-the-art Kelani Bridge named Golden Gate Kalyani in Peliyagoda will be declared open tomorrow (24). The event will be held under the patronage of Prez Rajapaksa and PM Rajapaksa, Minister Johnston Fernando said. The six-lane bridge, which aims to ease the traffic congestion in Colombo and suburban areas, is the first-ever to be constructed in SL with hi-tech stay cables. more..

Nov 23 (TM) A petition filed by National List MP Diana Gamage, challenging the decision taken by the SJB to expel her from the party, has been fixed for hearing. The petition was called before the Supreme Court bench consisting of Justices Preethi Padman Surasena, Gamini Amarawekara and Shiran Gunaratna today. The respondents named in the petition were instructed to file any objections before 13th of Dec. A total of eleven individuals including SJB’s General Secretary more..

Nov 23 (AD) The case against Naufer Mawlawi and 24 other accused in the 2019 Easter Sunday terror attacks will be taken up again before Colombo High Court Trial-at-Bar on Jan 12, 2022. The case was called before High Court Judges Damith Thotawatta, Amal Ranaraja and Nawarathna Marasinghe earlier today. The defendants were produced before the court by prison officials under tightened security. Last month, the Colombo High Court Trial-at-Bar served charges on the accused in more..

Nov 23 (EN) Days after Central Bank called for a price formula for petroleum, Energy Minister Udaya Gammanpila told parliament that a formula must be adopted immediately in the event a stabilisation fund is not maintained. Gammanpila said it is the poor who will have to bear the burden if fuel prices in SL are not revised to reflect world market prices. “The super rich of this country own vehicles that do only 3 or 4 km per litre. more..

Nov 23 (AD) Secretary of the Security Council of the Russian Federation Nikolai Patrushev has called on Prez Rajapaksa at the Presidential Secretariat on Monday (22). Mr. Patrushev serves as the Secretary of the Security Council of the Russian Federation since 2008, having previously served in the Committee for State Security (KGB) of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR) and of the Federal Security Service of Russia. Bilateral relations between SL and Russia will mark more..

Nov 23 (TM) ACMC, led by former minister and MP Rishad Bathiudeen, decided to suspend the three MPs of the party who voted in favour of the Budget 2022 in Parliament yesterday. The ACMC said it has also decided to take disciplinary action against the three members of the party. “The Political Authority of ACMC has unanimously decided to suspend and take necessary disciplinary action against the three MPs of the Party who voted for the Budget 2022 in contradiction to the decision of the Party,” more..

Nov 23 (DM) A heated argument over the conduct of MP Janaka Tissa kuttiarachchi brought ruling and opposition MPs close to exchanging blows today. The argument flared up when Tissa kuttiarachchi refused to tender an apology to MP Rohini Kaviratne whom he had insulted using abusive words. Tissa kuttuarachchi was making a fiery speech when MPs Hesha Withnage and Chaminda Wijesiri tried to storm in towards more..

Nov 23 (MFA) SL High Commission in Singapore facilitated a consignment of 50 BiPAP machines and 8 ventilators donated by the Temasek Foundation of Singapore to support SL’s efforts to contain COVID-19. The donation was presented at a symbolic ceremony held at the Foreign Ministry in Colombo. Foreign Secretary Admiral Prof. Jayanath Colombage handed over the donation to State Minister Prof. Channa Jayasumana and Secretary of the State Ministry Dr. R.M.S.K. Rathnayake. more..