Apr 13 (CT) For the first time in SL's recorded history spanning some 1,600 years since the Mahawamse, written in 500 AD, Sri Lankans celebrate Avurudda, which falls today, experience certain parts of the island in a permanent state of a coronavirus curfew since 2 p.m. on 24 March, a total of 10 hours and 20 days to date. Not even during the time of the British Raj, when SL went through two World Wars, nor during the April insurrection which broke out 49 years ago on 5 April 1971, more..

Apr 13 (ST) Even as the sudden burst of showers this week was welcome to wet the arid earth and to ease the prevalent heat, the recommendations this Tuesday of six chair medical professors of Lanka’s universities on an exit strategy from the current COVID curfew and lockdown, was a welcome dose of pure ozone infused into an atmosphere made stuffy with far too many shades of opinion fouling the air. In a letter to Lt. Gen. Shavendra Silva, Chairman of the Covid-19 National Task Force more..

Apr 13 (CT) Senior Professor and Head of Department of Anatomy; Director, Human Genetics Unit; Chairperson, Specialty Board in Biomedical Informatics, Uni of Colombo, former President of the SL Medical Association and the Immediate Past President of the Commonwealth Medical Association, Vajira Dissanayake talks to Ceylon Today, on the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) crisis in Sri Lanka. more..

Apr 13 (FT) Amidst the gruelling world-wide battle against COVID-19 phenomenon, at this vulnerable time, unhappy is the appearance of politics of religion. In the unprecedented threat it poses to both man and economy, COVID-19 virus has already jumped every border; attacking all and sundry, with scant regard for race, age, power or wealth. As desperate govts scramble with sweeping measures to contain the peril, they inevitably step on arears ordinarily considered matters of individual more..

Apr 13 (Island) Another Sinhala and Tamil New Year has dawned. The koha is making plaintive mating calls as if to mock the hapless humans who are imprisoned in their own homes. Nature has her own way of humbling the troublesome bipeds who are full of themselves and wreak destruction upon this planet. Highly contagious micro-organism has stopped them in their tracks, and made them engage in some soul searching. Humans are feeling as vulnerable as poor pangolins, hunted & more..

Apr 13 (ST) In terror filled months which stretch endlessly into each other, the covid-19 pandemic has seen thousands die, obliterated assumptions of functional First World health systems, stamped incredible images of shoppers fighting over toilet paper in Australia and the US on our unwilling retinas and led to the best as well as the worst of humanity on display. It is almost as if all our favorite extinction-event movie blockbusters were stupendously combined into more..

Apr 13 (Island) Take a moment to reflect on how your life has changed since the covid-19 virus brought our world to a standstill. Our income and economic future have become uncertain. Those of us with children must look after them at home due to school closures. Food, medicine and basic supplies are scarce as we remain cloistered in our homes. The only solace we can find is in the fact that if we stay at home and take the precautions prescribed by public health officials, we can keep our more..

Apr 13 (CT) Mr. Mahinda Rajapaksa is the PM of Sri Lanka. He also holds the vital portfolio of Finance, Economic and Policy Development. He was President of SL for two terms and held many ministries during that time. And he has been a MP since 1970. Therefore, he has no excuse whatsoever for the grossly irresponsible and misleading statement he made yesterday. It is a base political statement, dressed up to conceal its mendacity, more..

Apr 13 (Island) There are heaps of different ideas, veiled innuendos, public inquiries, all kinds of varied recommendations and countless queries about the different types of tests that can be done to detect and diagnose SARS-CoV-2 virus that causes the disease COVID-19, the coronavirus pandemic. It is a deadly disease that is relentlessly sweeping through all areas of the planet earth. Some of these enquiries regarding the tests seek information while some others are rather mischievously more..

Apr 13 (Island) EDB says that the time has come for all exporters to get their businesses up and running. Issuing a statement EDB says: “As a nation, we are no stranger to disaster, having faced our fair share of adversity. We are confident that we will weather this storm and as we have done in the past, Sri Lanka will emerge stronger than ever and continue focusing on our main goal - recommencing exports, restoring them to their former level and increasing them”. more..

Apr 13 (Island) Some cricket observers say that a stint of County Cricket with Kent brought the best out of Aravinda de Silva, considered the greatest batsman produced by the country. But then, Aravinda’s career best score of 267 scored at the Basin Reserve in Wellington came four years before he played county cricket. Then of course there’s his 167 at the Gabba in Brisbane, rated by Arjuna Ranatunga as Aravinda’s best more..

Apr 13 (FT) The coronavirus has taken the world by surprise. The novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 disease has been named COVID-19 by the World Health Organization (WHO). The WHO has declared the outbreak of the new coronavirus a pandemic as health authorities around the globe continue to scramble to contain the sickness, first detected in the central Chinese city of Wuhan in December last year. If COVID-19 spreads extensively, containment may not be realistic. more..

Apr 13 (Island) National telecommunication services provider SL Telecom and SL Telecom Mobitel in partnership with Derana have commenced SLT Digital Aurudu programme to mark this year’s New Year festival. SLT Digital Aurudu programme started on April 10 and will continue till April 20 with fun games and activities, including Aurudu Kumara/ Kumariya beauty pageant, Best Smile, Tug of War, Kana Mutti Bindeema, Lissana Gahe Negeema, Kotta Pora, Sangawunu Amuththa Seweema. more..

Apr 13 (TM) While most banks have considered salary cuts following the footsteps of leading conglomerates and several institutions, they are unlikely to implement them due to the strong employees’ union in the banking sector of the country. According to the Ceylon Bank Employees’ Union (CBEU), 18 banks in the country have entered into collective agreements with the CBEU individually and these collective agreements more..

Apr 13 (ST) Maliban Biscuits, contributing towards the combat of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, recently donated special cold storage facilities and highly essential medical equipment to treat infected patients, at the IDH. The donation was made on April 1 at the IDH Dental Hospital and was attended by Ms. Kumudika Fernando – Managing Director of Maliban, Ravi Jayawardena – Group CEO of Maliban, Dr. Hasitha Aththanayake – Director of IDH Hospital & Dr. (Ms.) Chintha Sooriyarachchi more..

Apr 13 (MFA) In light of the rapidly evolving COVID-19 situation, Temasek Foundation, Singapore has offered to provide 5000 numbers of Fortitude Kit 2.0 (COVID-19 test kits) to the Ministry of Health. The donation was handed over by Mr. Benedict Cheong, CEO of Temasek Foundation International to High Commissioner Sashikala Premawardhane on 20th March 2020 at the High Commission premises. The High Commission has promptly made arrangements to deliver the test kits to Sri Lanka, more..

Apr 13 (TM) Amidst worldwide measures aimed at containing the spread of Covid-19 through the promotion of physical distancing and the implementation of nationwide lockdowns and curfews, one question that is being asked these days is “how can humans strengthen their immune systems to fight Covid-19?”. While various attempts have been made across the globe in search of therapeutic options exploring antiviral agents more..

Apr 13 (TM) Hatton National Bank PLC (HNB), the second largest private commercial bank in Sri Lanka, has implemented salary cuts of 50% on its Board of Directors, while employees’ salaries are not subjected to any cuts at the moment. The HNB Board includes Chairman Dinesh Weerakkody, Managing Director/CEO Jonathan Alles, Directors Dr. L.R. Karunaratne, R.S. Captain, D.A. Cabraal, Palitha Pelpola, D. Soosaipillai, Nilantha De Silva, L.U.D. Fernando, Madu Ratnayake, more..

Apr 13 (HT) As people across the world celebrate Easter today, former Sri Lanka skipper and current Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) president Kumar Sangakkara on Sunday condoled the demise of people who lost their lives during last year’s Easter Sunday bombings in Sri Lanka and said someone must seek answers to the questions which still remain unresolved. “A year on we all share the pain of the families grieving lives lost, we stand with you and for you. We remember. more..

Apr 13 (TM) Consumer Affairs Authority (CAA) is on high alert for any vendors who sell food items above the maximum retail prices (MRP) imposed by the Govt. CAA Director Asela Bandara said the authority would take strict legal action against those vendors who sell food items above the MRP. Acting under the powers vested in it by Section 20(5) of the CAA Act, No. 09 of 2003, the authority orders that no importer, producer, more..

Apr 13 (SO) The Sri Lanka Navy has commenced a special operation to prevent any migrants from entering the country by sea as Covid-19 spreads across many countries. According to Navy Commander Vice Admiral Piyal De Silva along with the spread of Covid-19, there is a possibility that migrants from other counties may try to enter Sri Lanka through sea routes. “Therefore, the Navy has now increased its surveillance and patrols in the sea around the island and its coastal areas,” more..

Apr 13 (Island) COVID-19 test kits and other emergency medical supplies, donated by Ali Baba founder, Jack Ma, had arrived in Sri Lanka, the Chinese Embassy, in Colombo, said. China Eastern Airlines flight MU231, from Shanghai, landed at 6.55pm on Friday night, carrying over 20,000 COVID-19 test kits, donated by Jack Ma, the Embassy states in a Tweet. Also onboard were millions of rupees worth of donations, purchased from China by overseas Chinese, in SL, more..

Apr 13 (ST) While the mechanism put in place to deliver essential food items to households has improved over the past two weeks, there are complaints that supply is sporadic in some areas while others are experiencing severe shortages of certain items. The supply is currently maintained mainly by the private sector with the Govt acting as a facilitator. Prez Rajapaksa has already established a Presidential Task Force more..

Apr 13 (AD) SL has amended a law to make cremation compulsory for those dying from the novel coronavirus to prevent any potential threat. Quarantine and Prevention of Diseases Ordinance (Chapter 222) has been amended by a gazette issued by Minister Pavithra Wanniarachchi. Wanniarachchi said that the body shall be burned at a temperature between 800 to 1200 degrees Celsius for a minimum period of 45 minutes to one hour. The cremation should take place at a cemetery or more..

Apr 13 (Island) The JVP yesterday called on Prez Rajapaksa to reconvene Parliament, without letting the country slide into a constitutional crisis. JVP leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake said Prez Rajapaksa was vested with power to reconvene Parliament and he should do so. He said: “As per the constitutional provisions, Parliament could not be shut for more than three months. Parliament was dissolved, on March 02, and an election should be held, & Parliament should meet by June 2. more..

Apr 13 (CT) Archbishop of Colombo Malcolm Cardinal Ranjith says the time has arrived for mankind to decide whether to choose the path to destruction or the path to eternal joy and happiness. He was speaking while celebrating the Easter Sunday Holy Mass yesterday. He added "Easter Sunday carnage took place last year. What happened in our country on that day? Those youths, who had been duped and misled, launched more..

Apr 13 (CT) Twenty-two healthcare staff of the Colombo North Teaching Hospital in Ragama and another five healthcare staffers of the National Hospital for Respiratory Diseases in Welisara were sent to the Naval Quarantine Centre in Mulankavil, Mannar yesterday (12). The early action had to be taken, as a staff member of the Ragama Teaching Hospital contracted COVID-19, after having close contact with an infected person who was earlier found from the village of Suduwella, Ja-Ela. more..

Apr 13 (AD) The Sinhala and Tamil New Year marks the unity and co-existence between the different races in our country, says PM Mahinda Rajapaksa. “At such a moment, we get a chance to display our national integrity.” “This year, while remaining in our homes we can also sustain and strengthen our age-old customs and traditions through simple celebrations carried out with equanimity,” he said in his New Year message. He stated that such celebrations no doubt will bring joy and more..

Apr 13 (Island) GMOA urged the public not to panic over media reports quoting Indian sources that COVID-19 could spread through pets. GMOA Assistant Secretary, Dr. Haritha Aluthge, said that neither the WHO nor Sri Lanka Epidemiology Unit had warned of such a threat. “I, too, saw some media reports but there is no need to panic. A few pets and zoo animals, in other countries, have contracted the virus from humans. more..

Apr 13 (EN) Pope Francis on Sunday called for the reduction or forgiveness of the debt of poor nations as the Coronavirus pandemic devastates societies and economies around the world including Sri Lanka. “May all nations be put in a position to meet the greatest needs of the moment through the reduction, if not the forgiveness, of the debt burdening the balance sheets of the poorest nations,” the pope said in a livestreamed Easter message. more..

Apr 13 (AD) Sinhala and Tamil New Year that dawns with the transition of the Sun can be considered as a period of cheerfulness, harmony and development of mutual relationships, says Prez Rajapaksa. “Nevertheless, a virus that has spread across the world has entered our Motherland, and as a result, presently we are facing the most devastating situation since the era of our ancestors,” he said in his New Year message. Hence, this time we are not able to celebrate festivals collectively more..

Apr 13 (ST) Limited public interactions and priority to religious observances will be the highlights of the Sinhala & Tamil New Year this year as the coronavirus continues to spread in the country. The Buddhasasana, Cultural and Religious Affairs Ministry, Secretary, Bandula Harischandra urged Sri Lankans to limit interactions only to family members when they observe traditions. Govt has appealed for social distancing to be maintained more..

Apr 14 (Island) Navy apprehended six persons who were destroying mangrove habitats, during a raid conducted in Mundalampiddi lagoon, in Mannar, on 11th April. Playing a vital role for the protection of ocean resources, marine ecosystem as well as fisheries resources of the country, the Navy, during a patrol in the Mundalampiddi area, nabbed these six persons who were destroying mangrove habitats in the lagoon area. Naval personnel, attached to the North Central Naval Command, more..

Apr 14 (AD) Two police officers have been interdicted after they had punished several individuals violating the curfew in Colombo by forcing them to squats on the side of the road, the Police Headquarters said today. Ada Derana yesterday reported that two police officers had punished four persons who had violated the curfew at Darley Road, Maradana by forcing them to hold their ears and do squats, before subsequently letting them off with a stern warning. more..

Apr 14 (AD) SL Embassy in Doha says it is in close coordination with SL associations in Qatar and have been facilitating and assisting the SL expatriates living and working in Qatar in the wake of COVID-19. “With approximately 120,000 Sri Lankans presently residing in Qatar, Embassy has been constantly communicating with the SL community through social media platforms and through the Embassy website by updating them on information received from Govt authorities in SL & Qatar.” more..

Apr 14 (Island) A group of Muslim organizations has requested Acting IGP Chandana Wickramaratne to inquire into an alleged campaign against the Muslim community. The following is the text of the letter: “We, the undersigned Muslim organizations in SL, respectfully lodge this complaint for your immediate investigation and urgent action on the continued hate mongering against the Muslim community. “There are several clippings in circulation in the social media, including a video recording of more..

Apr 14 (AD) The system of Work from Home Period, introduced by the govt as a measure of controlling of COVID–19 outbreak, for employees of both public and private sectors has now been extended until April 20, 2020. President’s Media Division announced that schools will re-open for the 2nd term on May 11th. Distance learning facilities will be provided to students to the extent possible, during the time schools remain closed. more..

Apr 14 (SLN) Due to the prevailing situation in the country, the Navy has taken steps to strengthen the patrols in waters belonging to the island. As a result of these patrols, a group of naval personnel attached to the Northern Naval Command had detected a suspicious dinghy in the sea area of Manalkadu, Point Pedro today (13th April 2020). During further investigation the Navy managed to find 133kg and 57g of cannabis in 05 sacks, loaded in the dinghy. Accordingly, suspects aboard together with more..