Feb 17 (EN) SL’s stocks fell 0.1% on Thursday on retail shares as investors continue to take profit amid concerns over economy and debts dented apatite for the island nation’s risky assets, brokers said. The main ASPI, closed 12.42 points lower at 12,364.80 points, its lowest close since Feb 10. “The market is witnessing some forced selling because investors have used broker credit. If the market is coming further down, then more forced selling will aggravate loss further” more..

Feb 17 (AD) Prez Rajapaksa has instructed to take steps to grant the nurses’ trade union demands while considering the financial situation of the country and without affecting the overall govt services. “Health services including medical and nursing are highly valued. Take steps to provide approved nurses’ demands while understanding the financial situation in the country and without affecting the entire public service.” more..

Feb 17 (AD) The gangster alias Neelaka who abducted a 7-year-old boy from Kandana area in Horana has been shot dead during a shootout with the police. The gangster had abducted his own son who was in the custody of the grandmother this morning. Neelaka, who arrived at the house of the child’s grandmother, had shot in the air with a T-56 rifle before taking his own son away by force. According to reports, the gangster in question had critically injured his wife by severing her limbs more..

Feb 17 (Island) Minister Pavithra Wanniarachchi said that some of the carriages and engines purchased during the last period of the yahapalana govt had defects, but they would be repaired and put into operation soon. Minister said a detailed report on the purchases would be submitted to the Prez and the govt in the future. The Minister made these remarks at a ceremony held at the Negombo Railway Station to mark the opening of the newly constructed double rail track from more..

Feb 17 (EN) The number of Covid patients in SL depending on Oxygen has seen an increase by the third week of February in parallel to the continuous increase of patients in the country. The majority of the deaths are coming from patients who have not taken the booster dose. Anwar Hamdani, Medical Technical Services Director at the Ministry of Health, said that comparing to the second week of February, more..

Feb 17 (DM) Centre for Environmental Justice (CEJ) said that feeding bottles and food containers intended for feeding children and babies in the country have been found with bisphenol A (BPA), which is a harmful chemical. A (BPA), are used as chemical building blocks in polycarbonate plastics and epoxy resins and is used in reusable food and beverage containers, re-usable water bottles, the linings of food cans, medical and sports equipment, eyeglass lenses, thermal paper receipts, more..

Feb 17 (PMD) 43rd Navam Perahera of the Gangarama Temple in Hunupitiya, Colombo was commenced under the patronage of Prez Rajapaksa, today (16). The Perahera was organized under the guidance of Ven. Galaboda Gnanissara Thera and under the supervision of the Viharadhikari of the Gangarama Vihara, Ven. Dr. Kirinde Assaji Thera. Most Venerable Dimbulkumbure Wimaladhamma Thera, the Anunayake Thera of the Malwaththa Chapter, more..

Feb 17 (AD) Former MP Ranjan Ramanayake, who is currently incarcerated, has been brought to the Presidential Commission of Inquiry (PCoI) probing the incidents of political victimization. He was escorted to the said commission’s police unit by the prison officials at around 9.30 a.m. today. In January 2020, a three-member PCoI was appointed to inquire into political victimizations that have taken place from 2015 to 2019. Ramanayake served as a state minister during this period. more..

Feb 17 (FT) Public outcry over violence in SL universities has focused mostly on ragging. Sexual violence, which is equally pervasive, remains an uncomfortable subject to broach when it occurs outside the realm of ragging. As with other social transgressions that became starkly visible during the COVID-19 pandemic, the long silence on sexual harassment in universities was momentarily shattered last year, when courageous women took to social media platforms to share their more..

Feb 17 (AD) CEB Engineers’ Union (CEBEU) says maintaining an uninterrupted power supply within the next three months as suggested by Public Utilities Commission (PUCSL), is problematic. Union’s chairman, Anil Ranjith stressed that the hydropower generation would be afflicted by supplying electricity without interruption. CEB had sought permission from the PUCSL to impose scheduled power cuts in coming 3 months, more..

Feb 17 (AD) An individual has been arrested by the STF along with Kerala cannabis, narcotic pills, sharp weapons, and alleged drug money. The arrest was made in the area of Ihala Thalduwa in Avissawella, based on a tip-off received by the organized crimes prevention unit of the STF. The arrestee is reportedly an accomplice of notorious criminal gang member Manna Ramesh. STF officers have seized 225g of Kerala cannabis, narcotic pills, Rs. 200,000 in cash and two swords in possession of the suspect. more..

Feb 17 (ENS) Ganja packets weighing 250 kg and bound for SL were seized by a special team of police in Thanjavur on Tuesday night. A total of 14 persons were arrested in connection with the incident. On the orders of DIG A Kayalvizhi, special teams were constituted to prevent smuggling and sales of ganja in the delta districts. One such team, on Tuesday night, intercepted a mini lorry in Thanjavur and found equipment from a thermal power plant in Bihar being transported for repair. more..

Feb 17 (Island) National Audit Office has, in a recent evaluation report on the process of developing renewable energy sources, recommended a coordinating mechanism to avoid delays in obtaining approvals for energy projects, and asked CEB to comply with National Energy Policy and int'l conventions when it prepares the long-term generation plan. Sri Lanka will not achieve Prez Rajapaksa’s goal to increase more..

Feb 17 (CT) If a person who had returned from an African country suffers from fever, even one year after his or her return, then there is a possibility that person has contracted malaria, warned Director of the Anti-Malaria Campaign (AMC), Dr. Prasad Ranaweera. He said from the beginning of January to date, a total of six cases of malaria had been diagnosed. The last case was identified from Maradankadawala, Habarana last week. He said the patient had been asymptomatic. more..

Feb 17 (CT) SL Young Journalists’ Association (SLYJA) has raised concerns regarding the Data Protection Bill with UN Human Rights Chief Michelle Bachelet, requesting her to intervene and prevent any harmful effects that could arise when the Bill is passed in Parliament. In a letter to Bachelet, SLYJA requested the UN Human Rights Chief to study the Bill. “The gazette and draft Bill came to our notice quite late and Article 121 of the Constitution provides only a week to challenge a Draft Bill in SC. more..

Feb 17 (DM) Police have initiated investigations into the installation of a modern camera in the ladies toilet of a leading private education institute conducting classes for A/L students. A school girl who noticed the suspicious equipment had complained to the teachers and other students. Police said they initiated investigations on the parents’ complaint. The OIC of the Gampaha Police said that they have recorded the statements of 15 individuals including owner of the institute. more..

Feb 17 (CGTN) Chinese Prez Xi Jinping on Thursday sent a congratulatory letter to a meeting of Chinese and SL political parties, marking the 65th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between the two countries and the 70th anniversary of the signing of the Rubber-Rice Pact. Prez Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, said China and SL signed the historic Rubber-Rice Pact 70 years ago, opening the door of friendly exchanges between more..

Feb 17 (EN) SL’s manufacturing sector continued to recover in January 2022 but manufacturers were faced with delayed raw material deliveries due to the ongoing dollar shortage in the market, a Purchasing Managers’ Index compiled by the central bank showed. The PMI for January was 58.7, up from 58.1 in December. “The expansion in New Orders, Production and Stock of Purchases, particularly in the manufacture of textile more..

Feb 17 (CT) Election Commission has removed two symbols from the list of symbols currently not allotted to political parties. In an Extraordinary Gazette issued on Monday, the Election Commission announced that the Crown and Farmer symbols have been removed. The gazette was issued by Commissioner General of Elections Saman Sri Ratnayake. In the Extraordinary Gazette issued on 21 Jan, the Election Commission published a list of symbols allotted to political parties more..

Feb 17 (OE) A drillship owned by Aquadrill Offshore, formerly known as Seadrill Partners, has caught fire while docked at a port in Sri Lanka. The Hambantota International Port Emergency Response Unit (ERU) together with the port’s Quality, Health, Safety & Environment Dept. (QHSE), and Port Control, responded to a fire that occurred onboard the drillship Polaris, on Tuesday evening (15). According to the port, the ship’s crew had alerted Port Control for assistance in dousing the sudden fire more..

Feb 17 (FT) Govt outlined new measures to fight climate change with plans to cut greenhouse gas emissions to a Carbon-Net Zero by 2050. Cabinet of Ministers in its meeting on Monday approved to draw up a Road Map and to appoint a committee of experts to do so. “We intend to increase green spaces which will help trees to absorb the carbon dioxide emitted by industry and other processes,” more..

Feb 17 (BR) Ministry of Finance (MoF) has advised Ministry of Defence Production (MoDP) to seek ECC approval for establishing Defence Credit Line Facility of $50 million for Sri Lanka before starting negotiations and finalizing terms and conditions, official sources told Business Recorder. Pakistan and Sri Lanka enjoy cordial relations, characterized by historic affinities, geographic location and cooperation in various fields including defence and defence Industry. more..

Feb 17 (EN) State-owned Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC) has asked to pay 1146.31 rupees per liter of diesel from state-run CEB due to rising global market prices, a CEB official said. The new price is likely to increase the CEB’s cost of power generation further and consumers may have to pay more in the event of CEB decides to pass the cost to users. The tussle between CEB and CPC over timely supply of diesel and payments has already resulted in announced and unannounced more..

Feb 18 (DM) The recent strike by the healthcare workers gave enough food for thought to the Govt to think about the welfare of health workers. The unions backing the healthcare workers called off a strike temporarily maintaining that they intended seeing the president intervening in the issue and bringing them redress. The healthcare workers are demanding better salaries and working conditions among other needs. The problem that stretched the showdown between the health workers and more..

Feb 18 (CT) Contemporary history has recorded many failings of many a govt. But all govts that fail in many aspects of governance could be called failed govts but not necessarily leading to a Failed State. For instance, the Sirimavo-led coalition govt of 1970 to 1977 was definitely a failed govt, but despite the fact that it created economic chaos and most excruciatingly agonizing hardships to the people of the country, it did not lead to a Failed State. At that time, the country was totally polarized more..

Feb 18 (DM) The attack on journalist Chamuditha Samarawickrama’s residence and the arrest of Shehan Malaka Gamage, a social media activist who raised concerns regarding the Easter Sunday attack, within a span of a few hours, raised eyebrows among the public. But these incidents happen in a country that also witnessed assassinations and abductions of journalists and activists in broad daylight. more..

Feb 18 (DM) Most local politicians are namesake Buddhists and the story about to unfold will provide evidence of that. Plans to build sacred cities began when Ceylon was under British rule. Pilgrimages Ordinance allowing visitors to sacred places was issued during the same period. However, this story is not about an incident that took place during the British period. It is about politicians who use religion for politics and are engaged in destroying it. The purpose of having sacred area development more..

Feb 18 (CT) The political firmament of this country is rife with the accusation that successive govts have been selling off the country’s resources to foreign entities over time. Bit by bit, the country’s lands, ports and other resources have been siphoned off in exchange of foreign exchange, often at a great loss to the country. Currently, the focus is on the alleged deal made to grant an 85% stake in the Kantale Sugar Factory and the 21,000 hectares of land that belongs to it to a Singapore-based company. more..

Feb 18 (TM) In the current economic crisis, like any govt would have done, SL Govt is trying to keep the most crucial sectors running despite debts, losses, and sometimes questionable management. The country’s energy and power sectors are two such sectors, which keep providing most essential services and products, despite the two sectors being in difficult financial situations due to their own issues and due to issues between them. more..

Feb 18 (GV) Protection and justice for the people of SL will be discussed by the UNHRC at its 49th session from Feb 28 to Apr 1. In the run up, the regime has made some conciliatory gestures to try to win international support. Yet grave failings in human rights and democracy continue and calls for a more just and humane stance have at times been responded to negatively, if not ignored. In March 2021, the UNHRC passed a resolution on promoting reconciliation, accountability & human rights more..

Feb 18 (TM) SL’s Covid-19 situation is reaching an alarming status, with over 1,200 new Covid-19 cases and approximately 30 Covid-19-related deaths being reported a day. Although Sri Lanka’s vaccination rate is still one of the highest in the region and the recovery rate too is at an optimum level, health experts fear that another wave is imminent. They also claim that the statistics we rely on are not accurate, and that the actual Covid-19 situation is much worse. more..

Feb 18 (GV) The latest drama in the long running saga of the Easter Sunday bombings was the sudden arrest by the CID and subsequent release by the Magistrate’s Court of social activist and Easter Sunday attack justice advocacy activist, Shehan Malaka. This was even as the Catholic church in Sri Lanka, backed fully by the Vatican in Rome, has been relentless in pressing the state to seek out the truth regarding the horrific coordinated attacks on churches and hotels in 2019. more..

Feb 18 (CI) With the emphatic six-wicket win in Canberra, Australia wrapped up the T20I series against SL in straight sets, making the last two matches at the MCG dead rubbers. Australia revamped their line-up on Tuesday and are set to again experiment in Melbourne as they start preparing for a T20 World Cup title defence on home soil. Fringe players Kane Richardson, Ashton Agar and Daniel Sams performed well, underlining Australia's depth in their attack, more..

Feb 18 (ST) Health officials’ preoccupation with the COVID-19 pandemic has led to a rise in the number of leprosy patients, impacting negatively the target set by the Anti-Leprosy Campaign (ALC) to eradicate leprosy by 2025. This has prompted the ALC to revise its national strategic plan and set a new 2030 deadline. Commemorating the World Leprosy Day on January 26, the ALC expressed concerns over more..

Feb 18 (FT) A total of 1,235 persons tested positive for COVID-19 yesterday, raising the country’s COVID-19 case count to 633,051. The patients detected yesterday were from the New Year cluster. The previous day, 1,216 persons from the New Year cluster and one SL returnee from overseas tested positive for COVID-19. 6,967 PCR tests and 3,842 rapid antigen tests were conducted on Wednesday. COVID-19 case count includes 527,364 persons from the New Year cluster, 82,785 persons more..

Feb 18 (Island) An interesting court order in respect of the Tamil Nadu Election Commission (TEC) has been reported while the Election Commission (EC) of SL is making arrangements for a meeting with the heads of political parties. The EC meeting to be held next week has given rise to speculation that the local govt elections may be held sooner than expected. But the question is whether the govt, facing numerous crises, is ready for an electoral contest at this juncture. more..