Sep 11 (DN) Tomorrow, the world marks the 20th anniversary of the September 11 terrorist attacks against civilian and military targets in the US, which opened the eyes of the global community about the ruthlessness of terrorism and the realization dawned on the need to eliminate all forms of terrorism. It is ironic that two days after the anniversary, UNHRC opens its 48th Session in Geneva to commence discussions on alleged excesses during the offensive launched by Sri Lanka more..

Sep 11 (Island) Resounding blah blah; copious print; hallelujahs and brickbats; making of mountains and molehills and much more have followed the President’s declaration of a State of Emergency, a very extreme measure. And what we have heard is that an emergency was brought in to stop hoarding of essentials like rice, sugar and milk powder. Of course, the ready-at-hand sop was thrown in: That the emergency was to ease the life of us ordinaries so we are in Saubhagya contentment with more..

Sep 11 (CT) PM Mahinda Rajapaksa left for Italy with a delegation on Friday (10) as Govt decided to extend prevailing quarantine curfew till 21 September. President Gotabaya Rajapaksa is scheduled to leave the country for the USA to attend 76th Session of United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) which commences on 21 Sept. President Rajapaksa and Ioma Rajapaksa are also expected to visit more..

Sep 11 (TM) Chief Incumbent of the Anuradhapura Ruwanweli Maha Seya Ven. Pallegama Hemaratana Thera yesterday (9) agreed to intervene to provide an opportunity for the teachers’ and principals’ trade unions to meet with President Gotabaya Rajapaksa and Finance Minister Basil Rajapaksa, according to the Ceylon Teachers’ Union (CTU). “The monk agreed to make an intervention to find an acceptable solution to this issue,” CTU President Priyantha Fernando said following the meeting. more..

Sep 11 (CT) Floating Armoury, a revolutionary topic in Sri Lanka, has resurfaced with much controversy. The reports by the media and documentation provided henceforth are devoid of clarity and can be quite confusing to the everyday person. So, it is important to start at the very beginning. In an effort to counter piracy and the brutal attacks conducted by the Somali Pirates the demand for privately contracted armed security personnel (PCASP) began rising. more..

Sep 11 (CI) Dinesh Chandimal's career-best 66* and five dropped catches by South Africa could not stop Sri Lanka from falling 28 short in a chase of 164 in the opening T20I. On a slow surface, Sri Lanka did not get off the starting blocks quickly enough, absorbed too many dot balls and eventually left themselves too much to do at the end. They needed 69 runs off the last five overs but lost three wickets for nine runs in the space of more..

Sep 11 (Island) Remember the last time? Athulathmudali, Gamini Dissanayake, General Kobbekaduwa, and even Ranasinghe Premadasa himself to name a few, in one fell sweep within months of each other and blamed on the LTTE. This time the perpetrator seems clearer, COVID-19, pronounced with a short ‘O’ in the Pearl, blamed for Kili Rajamahendran, Mangala Samaraweera, and now Sunil Perera of the Gypsies. All irreplaceable, in the different spheres of society that more..

Sep 11 (Island) Young people around the world unanimously consider climate change to be the biggest threat facing the planet but many struggle to engage in meaningful action and have their voices heard, a British Council report published recently (on 9th Sept) has revealed. The Global Youth Letter Report used a mixed methodology approach including crowdsourcing to garner the views, experiences and aspirations of 8,000 young people aged 18-35 across 23 countries – more..

Sep 11 (CI) SL's new mystery spinner Maheesh Theekshana is expected to make the men's T20 World Cup squad, as are top order batters Bhanuka Rajapaksa, and Kamindu Mendis. Left-arm spinner Praveen Jayawickrama also makes the squad, as does fellow spinner Akila Dananjaya, and left arm seamer Binura Fernando. The veteran seamer Nuwan Pradeep is expected to miss out on the main squad, and is instead more..

Sep 11 (CT) Three players, Matheesha Ranatunge, Pawan Pathiraja and Vibhavith Ehelepola from Trinity College Kandy, have been picked by cricket selectors in the squad of 26 for the upcoming youth cricket tours including next year’s ICC Youth World Cup. There were 5 Trinitians in the initial 75-member under-19 residential coaching camp - Matheesha Ranatunge, Pawan Pathiraja, Vibhavith Ehelepola, Ranudha Somarathne and Mohammed Akram. Matheesha Pathirana: more..

Sep 11 (Island) Chanaka Silva, the heartbeat of the press box during cricket matches passed away on Thursday after a heart-attack. He was 40. When Sri Lanka Cricket introduced its media department under the dynamic leadership of Chandrishan Perera, Chanaka joined the unit as Media Assistant in 1999 straight after school. He served the cricket board for 22 years and was friendly with journalists both from here and overseas. Britain’s leading broadsheet Guardian had sent their more..

Sep 11 (EN) Though fully vaccinated tourists to SL are permitted to move out of a travel bubble, they still have to pre-book sites to visit and only travel using transport booked by the hotel or the agent that handles their travel, a SL Tourism Development Authority (SLTDA) official said. A circular published on Sept 4 said fully vaccinated tourists are allowed to move out of their Safe & Secure Level 1 hotel more..

Sep 11 (FT) The Colombo stock market turned negative yesterday, bringing the week to a closure with one of the sharpest dips of over 4%. The All Share Price Index declined by 121 points or 1.35% and the S&PSL20 dipped by 40 points or 1.2%. Turnover was higher at Rs. 7 billion. During the week, the ASPI lost over 451 points or 4.8% and the S&P SL shed 159 points or 4.6%. However year-to-date the ASPI was up 31% and the S&P SL 20 was up 26%. Turnover averaged Rs. 8 billion more..

Sep 11 (AD) The total number people who fell victim to COVID-19 infection in SL moved up as 131 more fatalities were confirmed on Thursday. The new development has pushed the official death toll from the virus outbreak in SL to 10,995. The latest victims include 73 males and 58 females. As many as 110 deaths were reported among the elderly people aged above 60 years. In addition, 20 individuals aged between 30-59 years and one male below 30 years have also succumbed to virus infection. more..

Sep 11 (FT) SL’s COVID-19 detections rose to 480,478 with the detection of 2,842 COVID-19 positive persons yesterday. Studies carried out by the Sri J'pura Uni (USJ) found that 95.8% of 881 COVID-19 samples had the Delta variant, with small percentages of the Alpha variant found in Northern, Eastern, Central, Sabaragamuwa & Southern Provinces. All samples from Western Province had Delta variant, more..

Sep 11 (CT) The Govt Nursing Officers’ Association (GNOA) warned Health Minister Keheliya Rambukwella that trade union action, leading to a series of protests, would begin on 13 Sept. GNOA General Secretary Saman Rathnapriya claimed that nurses attached to Peradeniya Teaching Hospital are being transferred to the Neville Fernando Teaching Hospital and KDU Hospital in an arbitrary manner. “Health Minister Rambukwella was informed of this by a letter dated 1 Sept. more..

Sep 11 (CT) Govt of SL’s demand-pull inflationary face value money printing (FVMP) debt increased by Rs 10.4 billion, thereby increasing its FVMP debt as a whole by 0.68 per cent to a record Rs 1.5 trillion, Thursday (9) over Friday (10), CB data showed. GoSL’s FVMP debt has been over Rs 1 trillion for a record 37 consecutive market days to Friday due to a lack of revenue. Meanwhile, the Govt’s highest to the tenth highest FVMP debt has been recorded in the 10 consecutive market days to Friday more..

Sep 11 (Island) The Sri Lanka Medical Association on Thursday (09) said that all vaccines reduced death and hospitalisation, and some fully-vaccinated people could get reinfected they will mostly develop mild symptoms such as fever, cough, etc. The SLMC said that Sri Lanka had relied on vaccination and movement restriction to control the Covid-19 epidemic and that all vaccines approved so far by the NMRA had saved many lives more..

Sep 11 (FT) Sentiment surrounding the economy continued to dwindle in August as a mere 6% of respondents to the latest LMD-NielsenIQ Business Confidence Index (BCI) survey believe that conditions will improve in the next 12 months – down from 10% in the previous month. The majority of those consulted by NielsenIQ say economic conditions are likely to deteriorate in the coming 12 months while another 36% are of the opinion that it will stay the same. more..

Sep 11 (FT) The Colombo City Restaurants Collective (CCRC) said yesterday that all its members had been fully vaccinated and were ready to serve post-lockdown. “The restaurant industry has been under intense stress since the lockdown started, with many fighting for survival. However, on a positive note during the lockdown time the members have initiated all staff 20-30 with the first vaccination and all others have already been fully vaccinated, to be ready to serve in a safe more..

Sep 11 (Island) Flight Attendants Union of SriLankan Airlines expressed their dismay at the request made by the Chairperson of Sri Lanka Tourism Kimarli Fernando to do away with the requirement that fully vaccinated flight crew wear PPEs. Union President, Sidath Dedigama has in a letter to Fernando, said that they are perturbed and disheartened by the extremely irresponsible request she made to the Director General of more..

Sep 11 (Island) Senor environmental lawyer Dr Jagath Gunawardena said that the whole concept of owning a wild animal was alien to Sri Lanka’s Constitution and the laws that have been enacted under it and hence no person could own an elephant or any other wild animal for that matter. He added that the term elephant owner was a misnomer and that there can only be custodians who have been given written authority by the Wildlife Department. He was expressing his views at a media more..

Sep 11 (DM) Sharing a post on Facebook, Ishini Wickremasinghe who resigned from the post of Director-general of the Department of National Zoological Gardens said yesterday she was helpless in protecting elephants being forcibly taken away from Pinnawala. Sri Devi is a very loving and affectionate elephant in Pinnawela. I was helpless in protecting her and the other elephants being forcibly taken away from Pinnawala, Ishini said in her Facebook post. more..

Sep 11 (Island) A letter of demand was served yesterday on the Attorney General’s Department, Cabinet Minister Wildlife, State Minister Wildlife, Ministry Secretaries, Chief Curator Pinnawala, Director General Wildlife and Director General Zoo over the controversial release of 15 elephants from state custody. Attorney-at-Law and Notary Public K. Nimmi Sanjeewani yesterday submitted the letter of demand stating clients more..

Sep 11 (DM) The oxygen demand to treat COVID-19 patients has substantially gone down in hospitals, Minister Keheliya Rambukwella said. He said it was a satisfactory situation as far as the oxygen consumption in the country is concerned. “There was a heavy demand for oxygen at one stage following the number of oxygen-dependent patients, where the Oxygen usage was around 140 tonnes per day,” he underlined. “Pertinent measures were taken to prevent a oxygen shortage and more..

Sep 11 (FT) Over 10 million persons have received both doses of a COVID-19 vaccine to date, with 352,008 persons vaccinated on Thursday. The first dose of a vaccine has been administered to 13,264,806 persons and the second dose has been administered to 10,211,537 persons. 85.3% of the population over the age of 30 has received both doses of a COVID-19 vaccine while 33.9% of the 20-29 population has received the first dose of a vaccine, and 12.2% have received 2nd dose more..

Sep 11 (FT) Veteran academic Prof. W.D. Lakshman yesterday admitted recent unpleasant events forced him to advance his resignation as the Governor of the Central Bank, but he stopped short of being specific. “I have now been in this position for nearly two years. My intention and plan was to tender my resignation papers on my 80th birthday coming next month. The unpleasant events over the last week or 10 days have shortened my more..

Sep 11 (FT) Where were you when the bombs went off on Easter Sunday 2019? Do you remember what you were doing/feeling/thinking? Could 4/21 be SL’s 9/11? For generations of islanders, other contenders challenge the power of traumatic memory. Think of the Dec 2004 tsunami, Central Bank attack of January 1996, July 1983’s holocaust and protracted conflict that followed, scarcity and rationing queues of the 1970s, umpteenth ethnic riots of 1956/8 that are perhaps better described as pogroms. more..

Sep 11 (FT) We are constantly being hectored by experts about locking down at every surge, every variant, and we are always being told two weeks, and this becomes three weeks and then morphs into four to five weeks while the already besieged economy continues to crumble, and we wonder how any of these biologically alive people are supposed to survive in the aftermath. If every pathogen, much less one with such a high global recovery rate, had frozen our lives otherwise, we truly still more..

Sep 11 (MFA) Today, 11 Sept 2021, marks 20 years since the terrorist attacks perpetrated on the United States of America (USA) causing loss of life and limb to many innocent people from the USA as well as many other nationalities. Govt of SL expresses its solidarity to the people and Govt of the United States of America as they commemorate a very painful episode in the country’s contemporary history. SL also wishes to pay tribute to the many victims and survivors of the dastardly attacks. more..

Sep 11 (EN) SL’s forex reserves grew US$ 744.8 million to US$ 3,550 million in Aug 2021 after a 554.8 special drawing rights (about 800 million dollars) were given by the IMF to the country. Sri Lanka’s central bank has been printing money and has been steadily losing its forex reserves as the newly created liabilities (note issue) was exchange for its foreign reserves (deposits). A country’s gross official reserves calculated under IMF rules, also include balances in the Treasury, more..

Sep 11 (BN) SL’s dwindling foreign exchange reserves risk spiraling into a crisis that could force the South Asian nation to tighten policy more aggressively and seek an IMF bailout. After meeting a $1 billion debt repayment in July from reserves, govt had only enough dollars to cover less than two months of imports. The nation buys wheat, sugar and milk powder from abroad and, with the SL rupee down 7.3% this year, import bill is soaring, more..

Sep 11 (TP) An influential section of Sri Lankan agricultural economists and scientists has deplored the recent course change in the country’s agricultural policy made by the Gotabaya Rajapaksa govt. The decision by the govt to ban the use and import of chemical fertilisers and pesticides in pursuit of a 100% organic food producer status for Sri Lanka has already had disastrous consequences for the economy of the island nation, SL Agricultural Economics Association (SAEA) warned more..

Sep 11 (AD) Construction work of the second phase of Central Expressway from Mirigama to Kurunegala is expected to be vested with the public by November 15, says Minister of Highways Johnston Fernando. Minister Fernando stated that the second phase was supposed to be completed 09 to 10 months ago. He blamed the delay on the former government’s move to award contracts to its acquaintances and companies owned by then-ministers. “We want to develop this country. more..

Sep 11 (AD) State Minister Ajith Nivard Cabraal has reiterated that there is no food crisis in SL to come out from. “Like other countries of the world SL too faces challenges. They can be overcome through prudent policies. SL’s economic growth rate this year will be 4.5%,” Mr. Cabraal said in an interview with BBC. When asked as to why the govt denied there is a food shortage while a food emergency has been declared to address more..

Sep 11 (FT) PickMe recently hit its 300,000 milepost in Flash deliveries, making it one of the app-driven mobility company’s most successful products since the pandemic lockdown. Initially with more offices opting for distance working, PickMe Flash gained in popularity, as they considered the product a safe, fast, and smart way to maintain physical connectivity. However, as the product evolved further it took on the position of a bespoke delivery service, where individual needs of clients were met more..

Sep 11 (SLN) Special operations conducted by the Navy in seas off Gurunagar, Jaffna and Arippu, Silawathura on 9th and 10th Sept, led to the seizure of over 1136kg stock of smuggled dried turmeric and apprehension of 05 suspects together with 02 dinghies used for the racket. During a special operation carried out in the Jaffna lagoon off Gurunagar on the night of 9th Sept, SL Naval Ship (SLNS) Welusumana of the Northern Naval Command spotted a suspicious dinghy more..

Sep 11 (ST) China Merchants Port Holdings (CMPH) has declared a dividend of Rs. 1.05 billion to the Sri Lanka Port Authority (SLPA), while announcing in the past week that its first half net profit had shot up by 204.7% to HK$4.71 billion (Rs 120.61 billion), from HK$1.54 billion in 2020. It is not clear when the payout to SLPA is being made. The Chinese govt company CMPH, operates four container berths in Colombo’s ICT more..

Sep 11 (EN) SL has swapped most of a tranche 554.8 million special drawing rights (about US$ 780 mil) given to the country the IMF for US dollars after getting them on August 2021, according to information published by the central bank. Central bank had 132 million SDRs left by the end of August. CB usually has about 20 to 30 SDR in its reserves. IMF created 650 billion SDRs in August and distributed them to its members. IMF has warned that the SDRs are not a transfer of wealth. more..