Apr 24 (ST) Farmers said they were taken by surprise by the gazette issued on April 9 establishing the Hambantota Managed Elephant Reserve despite having been in talks on human-elephant conflict amelioration with Minister Chamal Rajapaksa. Walawa Left Bank Joint Farmers’ Association Prez Mahinda Samarawickrema said the gazette issued by State Minister Wimalaweera Dissanayake stated more..

Apr 24 (FT) Export industry stakeholders voiced concern over increased infections and said they were making arrangements to ensure undisrupted operations, especially as key sector apparel was already 10% behind their $ 5.1 billion target for 2021. National Chamber of Exporters (NCE) CEO Shiham Marikar said organisation will be reaching out to the Health Ministry early next week to discuss the possibility of permitting the Chamber to issue curfew passes to its member companies. more..

Apr 24 (CT) The atmospheric quality index in Colombo City will increase from 100 to 150 units during the day, which can cause serious health conditions, the Mayor of Colombo announced recently. As a result of this alarming situation, Minister Mahinda Amaraweera is preparing a Cabinet Paper requesting to give priority to the importation of electric vehicles required for the country, as soon as possible. The Minister raised these concerns at a programme arranged by more..

Apr 24 (CI) Dimuth Karunaratne's maiden double-century and an unbeaten 154 by Dhananjaya de Silva enabled SL to come closer to Bangladesh first-innings tally of 541 for 7. The wicketless day finished 53 minutes before the scheduled end, hastened by the second of two bad light-induced stoppages, the first one having lasted 33 minutes. During the 76 overs completed in the fourth day, Karunaratne and de Silva batted more..

Apr 24 (FT) High Commissioner Rohana Beddage had a virtual meeting with Minister of Culture, Arts and Heritage of Maldives, Yumna Maumoon to discuss the possibilities of further enhancing cultural cooperation between SL and Maldives amidst the global pandemic COVID-19, on 15 April. During the meeting, High Commissioner Beddage proposed to hold a virtual event possibly after the Holy Month of Ramadan, demonstrating the culture and ethnicity of both countries to further enhance more..

Apr 24 (DM) A total of 478 out of the 969 Covid-19 infected cases reported in the country yesterday were from the Western Province while 251 cases were reported from the Kurunegala District. A total of 194 covid-19 cases were reported from the Colombo District yesterday. Out of these 78 cases have been reported from Piliyandala, 20 from Pannipitiya, 14 from Mulleriyawa, 12 from Padukka and 11 from Mount Lavinia. A total number of 236 cases were reported from Gampaha district yesterday. more..

Apr 24 (Island) SLPP National List MP Gevindu Cumaratunga has strongly opposed an alleged move to deprive lawmakers of civic rights on the basis of recommendation made by a PCoI into political victimization. Political sources said that lawmaker Cumaratunga emphasised the govt shouldn’t resort to such a course of action at a meeting chaired by PM Mahinda Rajapaksa at Temple Trees early this week. more..

Apr 24 (DN) The relatives of those who have died during the suicide bomb blast that took place at St. Sebastian’s Catholic Church in Katuwapitiya, Negombo and individuals who were injured have filed 182 lawsuits before Negombo District Court claiming compensations from former Prez Maithripala Sirisena and five others. The plaintiffs have named former Prez Maithripala Sirisena, former PM Ranil Wickremesinghe, former Defence Ministry Secretary Hemasiri Fernando, more..

Apr 24 (CT) Minister Namal Rajapaksa has been elected as the new President of the SL-China Parliamentary Friendship Association (SL-CPFA). He was elected at the revival meeting of the SL-CPFA, chaired by Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena in Parliament. MP Premnath C. Dolawaththa was elected as the Secretary. Secretary General of Parliament Dhammika Dasanayake and Chinese Ambassador Qi Zhenhong were present at the meeting held more..

Apr 24 (FT) Tea industry witnessed a recovery amidst the COVID pandemic, with a substantial increase in production as well as in export volumes, brokers said this week. The country’s cumulative tea production in the first quarter totalled 74.03 million kg, recording a gain of 20.35 million kg vis-à-vis 53.68 million kg in the same period a year earlier. This shows signs of recovery with January to March gaining 20.35 million kg more..

Apr 24 (ST) The arrest of a consumer rights advocate who pointed out alleged issues concerning the Rs 1000 relief pack distributed through Lanka Sathosa outlets is an attempt to silence those who raise questions on behalf of consumers, activists claim. Asela Sampath, National Organizer of the Canteen Owners’ Association, was taken into custody on April 13 by Police through a warrant issued for his arrest over an incident at the CAA head office in April, 2019. more..

Apr 24 (CT) While thanking Minister of Industries Wimal Weerawansa for supporting the local coconut oil manufacturers, Chairman of the Industrial Development Board Upasena Dissanayake said, with the new efforts by the Minister, people will be able to consume locally produced coconut oil that will be in line with the country’s health standards. According to Dissanayake, there were many drawbacks with regard to why they were not able to locally manufacture coconut oil. more..

Apr 24 (CT) The local agent of the uranium hexafluoride cargo ship, Wilhelmsen Meridian Navigation, located in Colombo 3, had obtained permission from Sri Lanka Ports Authority (SLPA) to berth MV BBC Naples for an engine repair, without declaring that the ship was carrying 14,000 tonnes of dangerous cargo. Amidst the controversy, Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa, raising the issue in the Parliament last week, more..

Apr 24 (NR) Govt Laboratory Technologists Association says it is inappropriate to keep the country open with the prevalent coronavirus situation. Chairman of Association Ravi Kumudesh said SL will witness the results of short-sighted decisions by health authorities in the near future. He called for authorities to impose a lockdown during the weekend, at least until the ground situation is identified. Kumudesh stressed authorities must be responsible for their decisions to come. more..

Apr 24 (EN) Hayleys Fabrics, a unit SL’s Hayleys group said it had bought 98.84% of South Asia Textiles Limited, weft-knitted textile manufacturer, for 3.953 billion rupees. Hayleys said it bought a 97.68% stake from publicly traded Ambeon Holdings Limited and another 1.16% from a minority shareholder. Hayleys Fabrics said the acquisition was part of a strategic plan to export higher value added fabric. South Asia Textiles has a plant in Pugoda, SL and can produce 800,000 kg more..

Apr 24 (CI) SL are still 29 runs behind Bangladesh's first-innings total, but they think - or rather they hope - that they can still win the first Test, with one day left to play. Pallekele surface continued to be abominably flat through large parts of day four, which Dimuth Karunaratne and Dhananjaya de Silva batted out without losing a wicket. The hosts have seven wickets in hand, though, so will likely aim to quickly establish a lead on the fifth more..

Apr 24 (DN) Around Rs.100,000 is spent for each minute of a Parliamentary sitting, Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena said while stressing that unnecessary arguments by MPs during sittings will only result in the waste of public money. Referring to the arguments which broke out regarding SJB MP Harin Fernando, the Speaker lamented that 47 minutes had lapsed after the Adjournment Debate’s initiation. He added that SJB MP Ranjith Madduma Bandara was deviating from the topic. more..

Apr 24 (SLN) Special operations carried out by the Navy in the Munnakkarai lagoon area, Negombo as well as in seas off Kudiyiruppu and Pesalai, Mannar from 17th to 20th April 2021 made way for the seizure of over 1263kg of dried turmeric attempted to be smuggled into the country and apprehension of 05 suspects involved in the rackets. The Navy is constantly on the lookout for sea areas around the island to curb illegal activities. In a similar operation in seas off Kudiyiruppu on 19th April, more..

Apr 24 (AD) DIG Ajith Rohana stated that 702 suspects in total are under arrest over the 2019 Easter Sunday bomb attacks. Explaining the progress of the investigations, DIG Rohana said 202 of them are currently in remand custody while 83 others were detained by the CID and the Terrorism Investigation Division (TID) for interrogations. Among the arrestees are Zahran Hashim’s wife Abdul Carder Fatima Saadiah, more..

Apr 24 (ST) As the holidays of the Sinhala and Tamil New Year come to an end and Sri Lanka looks towards getting on with life in the new normal brought about by COVID-19, medical professionals spoke to the Sunday Times about the impact of the pandemic-fallout on women and children and how to alleviate it. The discussion was organized by the Chairperson of the Women’s Health Committee of the Sri Lanka Medical Association (SLMA), Prof. Sampatha Goonewardena. more..

Apr 24 (FT) UNP called upon the Govt to focus on reviving the tourism industry in the country before it attempts to amend the Tourism Act. UNP Working Committee Member Dinouk Colombage speaking to the media said that there was an urgent need to revive the tourism industry. “COVID-19 has damaged the industry immensely; the Govt must focus on assisting the stakeholders both small and big. At this point adjusting any legislation in regard to the tourism industry must not be a priority.” more..

Apr 24 (CT) Sri Lanka’s unemployment rate recovered from an eleven-year high recorded during the third quarter of last year, as the country saw a slightly lower unemployment rate during the fourth quarter. According to official data, unemployment rate slowed down to 5.2% during the fourth quarter of 2020, from 5.8% recorded during the third quarter of 2020, but has increased from 4.5% recorded during the fourth quarter of 2019. more..

Apr 24 (DM) In response to the Daily Mirror article on Thursday, titled UL planning fully sponsored VVIP flight to Nairobi next week?, Sri Lankan Airlines stated the said flight would not carry any VVIPs on board but instead would have only journalists as part of a media familiarization tour. Sri Lankan Airlines said, "SriLankan Airlines wishes to reiterate that the airline did not plan any VVIP flight but is following industry norms when launching a new destination, whereby the promotional activity more..

Apr 24 (NR) MP Rishad Bathiudeen’s media unit has issued a statement pertaining to his and his brother Riyaj’s arrest. The statement said the PCoI on the Easter Sunday attacks found no evidence of Rishad or Reyaj aiding or abetting the suicide bombers in the 21st April attacks. The statement added the duo, would have appeared before the CID, as they had done many times in the past, both as party noticed as well as complainants. The statement conveyed the shock and surprise of the ACMC more..

Apr 24 (EN) SL has locked down Adikarigama in South Kaluthara police area from 1800hours on April 24, the state information office said, as the country attempts to stamp out a Coronavirus surge with a suspected new Covid-19 strain that is taking the lives of young patients. Overnight four persons were confirmed as having died from Coronavirus including younger patients. Doctors had warned that a possible new more..

Apr 25 (SO) The Covid-19 pandemic is not over yet. That is the simple message that should be drilled into the mind of every Sri Lankan. Yet, the vast majority of people in the country behaved as if we had seen an end to the contagion, over the past few months and especially this month. Despite the acute and frequent warnings of the Govt and health authorities, the people celebrated the Sinhala and Tamil New Year as if it was a normal year sans a pandemic. They went shopping, travelled more..

Apr 25 (ST) Govt’s decision to proceed on the recommendations of what were blatantly biased findings of the PCoI calling for blanket withdrawals of corruption related and other criminal cases now before court, betrays a dangerous mindset prevailing among the country’s political leadership. COI opined that certain cases filed by the Bribery Commission and the AG against members of the present Govt were politically motivated, and therefore, the accused ought to be discharged more..

Apr 25 (SO) Minister Ali Sabry, PC said the JVP and some others don’t want the country to progress. This is just like some people did their politics over the past 20 to 25 years harping on the Northern and Eastern issue by using it as a beggar’s wound. Minister said some of these people know when the country progresses and achieves its true potential and accelerate its economic growth that is the end of their so-called divisive, backward, more..

Apr 25 (TM) SL marked two years since the tragic events of Easter Sunday on 21 Apr 2019. Much has changed since, including the election of a new President and a new Govt, which came to power upon a vow to bring to book all those responsible for the Easter Sunday terror attacks. However, one thing continues to remain unchanged. SL continues to suffer the debilitating effects of ethnic and communal division. The destroyed churches have been largely rebuilt, and the families of more..

Apr 25 (ST) My dear Coronavirus, I thought I must write to you because you must be wondering why we don’t care about you now. Most of us in Paradise seem to have forgotten about you after living in mortal fear of encountering you for over a year. Meanwhile, other countries are still worried about you and take you very seriously. It is difficult to imagine that you have been with us for so long now – well over a year. In that time, we have gone from dismissing you, to fearing you. more..

Apr 25 (CT) It is no exaggeration that the Health Ministry was less than forthcoming with the actual situation of the COVID-19 pandemic in the country, in the days leading up to the Sinhala and Tamil New Year celebrations on 13 and 14 April. While people played aliyata as thabima (placing the elephant’s eye) Health Minister, Pavitra Wanniarachchi and her officials were playing janathawa gonata andeema, by misleading the masses, giving out more..

Apr 25 (Island) Today (25) is World Malaria Day and we are privileged to offer our readers a most thought-provoking and informative article written by Professor Kamini Mendis of the Colombo Uni who has contributed enormously to fight this once deadly disease not only here in SL but also in the wider world through her work at the WHO. Today’s generation, though bothered by the mosquito menace and at risk of other mosquito-borne diseases, are barely aware of what this more..

Apr 25 (Island) Be warned, our dear countrymen and women. The die is cast…, well and truly. In addition to all our woes in this resplendent isle, as far as COVID-19 goes, things are getting totally out of control. We will have to pay for our sins. Whom do we blame now? Here are some facts and some well-considered thoughts. It is our most unfortunate duty to warn the general public of the potential and quite imminent threat of a very nasty third wave of the Covid-19 outbreak over next 3 weeks or so more..

Apr 25 (CT) The 1980s were the most tumultuous decade in 21st century Sri Lankan politics and history. It was the first full decade of the open economy. Politically, it had everything, mostly the bad and the ugly. There were two presidential elections (1982 and 1988), the chicanery of a referendum in 1982 that served to postpone parliamentary elections by 12 years, and a single parliamentary election (1989) in a span of 17 years. Country suffered ethnic riots again in 1981 more..

Apr 25 (SO) Chief Govt Whip Minister Johnston Fernando told Parliament that the Govt will never use the Easter Sunday attacks as a means to an end. He said, “We never mix politics with the Church. We have never even asked for a preferential vote in the Church. I ask the Opposition not to use the Easter Sunday tragedy for political purposes.” The Minister said the Opposition should make a public apology for causing the Easter Sunday carnage. Instead, more..

Apr 25 (ST) Whenever the Navy arrested persons or foreigners who are trying to smuggle items to the country via sea routes, they would be arrested and handed over to the relevant authority, usually the Police for further legal action. During these unprecedented global pandemic times, even the authorities had to make adjustments. On Friday, five Indian fishermen trying to smuggle fancy good items and pharmaceutical products into more..

Apr 25 (CT) Paul Adolph Volcker, Prez Jimmy Carter’s nominee for the Chairman of the Federal Reserve System (FRS), US Central Bank, introduced a new policy paradigm that later became the norm of the central banks all over the world. When he had assumed duties as the Chairman of the FRS, the rate of inflation was around 12% per annum. Inflation is a complicated thing and I do not intend to delve into those complexities and multiple factors underlining them. more..

Apr 25 (SO) SLC National Selectors yesterday recalled left-arm wrist spinner Lakshan Sandakan and fast bowler Chamika Karunaratne for the second Test against Bangladesh scheduled to begin next week. The pair has been added to the 18-member Test squad following the injury to their key bowler Lahiru Kumara who broke down with a hamstring injury while fielding on the third day of the first Test on Friday. The 24-year-old paceman will be sidelined for the remainder of the series more..

Apr 25 (ST) Sri Lanka’s T20 performance is so bad that they must play a qualifying tournament to earn a spot for the 2021 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup scheduled to be held in India in November 2021. This situation, according to team head coach Mickey Arthur, is not acceptable for a team which won the title seven years ago. Sri Lanka clinched the T20 World Cup in 2014 beating India but has since shown a steady decline. more..