Oct 25 (Hindu) Gautam Adani, chairman of the Adani Group that was chosen to develop a major port terminal project in SL, is scheduled to meet Prez Rajapaksa in Colombo on Monday. “It is a private visit and Mr. Adani is expected to meet the President to discuss the West Container Terminal project,” a senior official told The Hindu on Sunday. The source requested anonymity while confirming the high profile visit that is said to include meetings with top Sri Lankan dignitaries. more..

Oct 25 (DM) The number of normal and ICU admissions of COVID-19 patients has drastically come down at the Colombo National Hospital and thereby the situation at the Hospital is currently under control, Health officials underlined. Consultant physician of the CNH Dr. Upul Dissanayake said today that the number of patients at the Hospital which was around 700 a few months ago has come down to 30 by now. "The number of ICU admissions has come down to 7 which was around 30 more..

Oct 25 (DTN) Though there were reports about the stranded refugees being spotted in Diego Garcia, an island near the Maldives two weeks ago, there is no confirmation on their identities so far. It is believed that the Lankan refugees had taken off from Kerala coast in an illegal ferry in the first week of October this year to Canada, hoping to get asylum there. They were reportedly crossing the Indian Ocean to reach South Africa in their first leg of sea voyage. As per the reported travel plan, more..

Oct 25 (EN) State-run Ceylon Petroleum Corporation is seeing larger losses as world oil prices continue to rise, officials said while a second distributor, Lanka India Oil Corporation has raised prices to help reduce credit funded losses and support the rupee. “At the time when we asked for a price increase from the govt on Oct 1, the price of one barrel of 92-Octane petrol in the international market was 85.80 US dollars. more..

Oct 25 (Island) Public Security Minister Rear Admiral (Retd) Sarath Weerasekera says it is the duty of senior police officers to prevent bribe taking of junior rank officers and find solutions for their welfare problems. Speaking at a meeting of newly promoted ASPs at the Ministry auditorium, Minister said that an ASP was assigned to supervise around three police stations under him or her. “If an OIC in such a station takes bribes, demanding sexual bribes from ranks below them and more..

Oct 25 (TM) Transparency International SL (TISL) lodged a complaint with the CIABOC last Friday (22) regarding the alleged corruption committed by a high ranking official of the State Pharmaceuticals Corporation (SPC). This was made known through the media release by the TISL. Details of the alleged corruption were revealed through a whistleblower. According to the complaint that was submitted, the individual in question had abused the position at the SPC in order to receive more..

Oct 25 (DM) SL’s decision to transform into a fully organic nation was applauded by many nations advocating for organic agriculture but many experts also warned that this decision needs a scientific and gradual approach. Overnight, the importation of chemical fertilisers including pesticides and weedicides was halted, throwing farmers into a dilemma. Even though the govt assured that there are ample fertiliser stocks more..

Oct 25 (EN) Magicbit, an online Science, Technology Engineering, and Mathematics education start-up, said it had 120,000 US dollars in pre-seed financing round through SL’s Angel Fund said. Magicbit’s platform allows students as young as 10-years to build inventions using technologies like robotics, programming, electronics and artificial intelligence. Migara Amithodhana Magicbit CEO said the startup aims to fill the gap created by the BBC micro:bit, a pocket-sized computer more..

Oct 25 (Island) Highways Minister Johnston Fernando says that he has instructed Highways Secretary RWR Pemasiri to inspect the possibility for Vehicle Emission Test Centers to issue prepaid cards used for the ETCs (Electronic Toll Collection) at expressways. Minister Fernando said that he promotes the ETCs to eliminate delays on expressways. ETC booths are available at the Colombo-Katunayake expressway and they would be introduced to other toll collection centres more..

Oct 25 (NDTV) SL pacer Lahiru Kumara and Bangladesh opener Liton Das have been fined by the International Cricket Council (ICC) after the duo clashed during their T20 World Cup match in Sharjah on Sunday. The two players had a heated exchange on Sunday after Kumara dismissed Liton in the early stages of the game. The duo had to be separated by teammates amid the altercation. The incident took place when Liton was walking away from the pitch after losing his wicket. more..

Oct 25 (Island) A policeman, attached to the Eravur Police, has been interdicted for assaulting two motorcyclists in Batticaloa. The incident was captured on video, which later went viral on social media. In the video, initially shared on twitter by TNA Batticaloa District MP Shanakiyan Rasamanickam, the policeman is seen kicking one person and slapping another. The incident took place on Friday after the motorcycle rider had failed to stop when ordered to do so by the Police. more..

Oct 25 (AD) Director of the State Intelligence Service (SIS), Major General Suresh Sallay has filed a complaint with the CID regarding the allegations made by Father Cyril Gamini and several others pertaining to the Easter Sunday attacks. The complaint refers to the statements made by Rev. Fr. Cyril Gamini Fernando, who is a member of the National Catholic Committee for Justice to Easter Sunday Attack Victims, more..

Oct 25 (Island) State Minister Nimal Lanza chaired a meeting on Friday to find means to put an end to traffic congestion in and around Kochchikade on the Colombo-Puttalam main road. Officials were given instructions to widen a 5.6 km stretch between Dalupotha junction to Thoppuwa bridge to a four-lane road. The Ministry said that as its first stage, the development of 820 meters of the road in the Kochchikade city limits with four lanes would be expedited. more..

Oct 25 (NR) 29 COVID-19 deaths have been confirmed today. The deaths were confirmed to have been reported yesterday, the 24th of October. SL’s coronavirus death toll accordingly increases to 13,640. 12 males and 17 females were among the victims. 22 individuals, nine males and 13 females, were 60 years or above while six persons, two males and four females, were between the ages of 30 and 59. One male victim was identified as below 30 years of age. more..

Oct 25 (EN) Sri Lanka stock index continued its record-breaking streak and touched a fresh all-time high on Monday as it crossed 10,000 psychological benchmarks on earning hopes in export-related shares ;ed by Expolanka, brokers said. The Colombo benchmark All Share Price Index (ASPI) closed 1.33 percent or 131.58 points higher to close at a new all-time high of 10,046.80. The index touched an intraday peak of 10,075.95 more..

Oct 25 (DM) Health Ministry today eased several restrictions with regards to weddings, capacity in restaurants and travel restrictions. Accordingly, weddings can be held with a maximum of 1/3 of the usual capacity of the hall, not exceeding 100 persons while 150 persons are allowed when the function is held outside. In addition, the number of people that can be accommodated at restaurants has been revised to 1/3 of the usual capacity not exceeding 75 persons while 100 guests more..

Oct 25 (AD) The road from Colombo Fort to the Presidential Secretariat in Colombo has been blocked for traffic due to a protest march by teachers and principals. The protestors had marched from near the Fort Railway Station towards the Presidential Secretariat and are marching back along the same route. The protest march has been organized by the Teachers-Principals’ Trade Unions Alliance, demanding solutions to their wage issues. Severe traffic congestion has been reported more..

Oct 26 (DM) The Opposition parties in Sri Lanka seem to be banking on the failures of the SLPP govt to come to power at the next Presidential as well as Parliamentary elections. It is natural, and it has to be so, but it would be the people who are going to lose again, as happened after each election since the Independence, if any of the current Opposition parties comes to power without viable solutions to the problems faced by the country as well as the people. more..

Oct 26 (ST) The stabbing to death earlier this month of much-loved Sir David Amess, a true representative of the people and an MP for 38 years, has only hardened the resolve of British MPs not to succumb to death threats and physical assaults. They have refused to call off what is called here constituency surgeries where MPs hold face-to-face meetings with their constituents in church premises or even street corners to discuss electorate issues or personal problems and try to resolve them more..

Oct 26 (TM) To most people, the justice system is a system limited to merely penalising offenders, and as a result, the people’s idea of the country’s justice system has drifted away from other main duties such as releasing a reformed person to the society after rehabilitation. In this process, the manner in which the justice system deals with offenders should focus on both what is best for offenders and the country, and to do that, more..

Oct 26 (CT) There is a public brouhaha over the idling Oil Tank farm in Trincomalee harbor area building up momentum due to many reasons. The rising oil prices with springing fuel shortages now and again, are causing alarm. Conjectures about the country’s inability to place orders in time for oil imports due to acute foreign currency shortages now experienced, has exacerbated this situation. Concerns are several. How to get urgent foreign currency requirement and from where? more..

Oct 26 (DM) The reign of Kandy’s last King, Sri Vikrama Rajasinha (1798-1815), was at once colourful and tragic. On the one hand, it was marked by the transformation of Kandy into a beautiful celestial city and on the other, it stood out for political intrigue, disloyalty, inhuman retribution, British machination and naked aggression, and finally, the elimination of the last indigenous sovereign entity in the island – the Kandyan Kingdom. The British, who had been eyeing more..

Oct 26 (TM) An alarming trend is seen in that one third of children attending general paediatric, non-mental health settings, as well as in mental health settings, report bullying, a local study found. Therefore, local psychiatrists and psychologists called for community based studies to be conducted to establish the prevalence of bullying among children. This finding and suggestion was made in an original paper on the “Prevalence and factors more..

Oct 26 (CT) On Friday, this newspaper carried an article under the heading Food inflation at double-digit level with a strap-line that read, For third consecutive month. That news item, to quote excerpts, said, ‘Food inflation continued to be at the double digit level for the third consecutive month (September), increasing by 10 per cent year-on year (YoY). High food inflation was led by an ordinary family’s rice bill increasing by Rs 436.87 YoY, coconut oil by Rs 243.42, vegetables by more..

Oct 26 (TM) In the Sri Lankan context, marriage is considered a highly prestigious event in a person’s life, and most people spend all of their life savings, and sometimes even borrowed money, for a wedding without a second thought. However, in the current Covid-19 context, money is not the only cost that might be paid by a person hosting a wedding ceremony; we are living in a time where hosting such ceremonies can cost the health and even the lives of all those in attendance. more..

Oct 26 (DM) It has been more than six weeks since that epic moment when a ruling party politico who happened to be the state minister of prison reforms stormed the A'pura Prison, and forced a group of Tamil inmates on their knees, threatening them at gunpoint. What happened since then was path defining. It was the Prison Commissioner who broke the news to the public and ordered an investigation. A sycophantic pet poodle might have claimed ignorance and might even have defended more..

Oct 26 (CI) Sri Lanka have finalised their 17-member squad for next month's Women's ODI World Cup Qualifier in Zimbabwe, with 16-year-old Vishmi Gunaratne - a surprise inclusion when the squad was first announced earlier this month - retaining her place. Earlier this year Gunaratne, an opening batter and fast bowler, became the youngest centurion in the history of SL women's first-class cricket at just 15 years old. Her rise to the national ranks comes in a year in which Sri Lanka's women's team more..

Oct 26 (CT) As the Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC) is struggling to cope with sustaining fuel prices in the backdrop of a staggering Rs 70 billion loss as of August 2021, some of the proposals they tend to bring to curtail the price hike and ventures to sustain fuel supply are bleak and grey due to lack of strategic planning. The fuel crisis has been a part of a larger national issue and remains unresolved due to corrupt deals coupled with more..

Oct 26 (Island) There is an uneasy truce between the govt and the warring teacher-principal trade unions. What looks like a hug in the ring, however, is deceptive; the two parties to the current dispute are actually in a clinch, which they are likely to break from to resume throwing killer hooks at each other, given half a chance. The govt started reopening schools last Thursday, as previously announced, but most of the protesting teachers and principals did not report for work on that day. more..

Oct 26 (ST) Undoubtedly, COVID-19 came as a bad experience for people, ruining their lives and livelihoods but adversity opens opportunities as the pandemic seems to have let loose a tidal wave of business activity. The pandemic forced an enterprising spirit in the younger businessmen and women, with a flurry of new food ventures launched during the past two years along with skincare and holistic products. While some of their businesses were born of need, others started as hobbies. more..

Oct 26 (CT) Birthday boy Bhanuka Rajapaksa lauded youngster Charith Asalanka’s handling of the situation, when the 24-year former under-19 skipper guided Sri Lanka home by five wickets against Bangladesh on Sunday in Sharjah. Asalanka who replaced Dinesh Chandimal at the number 3 position - a position which SL were desperate to find the right fit - hammered an unbeaten 80 in just 49 deliveries and took control of the innings, more..

Oct 26 (CT) Sri Lanka completed a 5-0 whitewash of the visiting Bangladesh under-19 team in the Youth ODI series yesterday, when the beat the visitors by 4 runs at Rangiri Dambulla Int'l Cricket stadium. Electing to bat after winning the toss, Sri Lanka scored 240 runs for 9 wickets in 50 overs. Right-hand opener Chamindu Wickramasinghe scored 102 runs in 123 deliveries with 10 boundaries and 3 sixes, and is the only centurion of the series. Along with Shevon Daniel (59 in 85 deliveries; more..

Oct 26 (ST) Sivananthan Sivathanujan of Kokavil Hindu College won the Northern Open event convincingly with an unbeaten record of 6.5 points out of the 7 rounds played in one of the four concluded sectors of the Sri Lanka Online National Chess Chamionship Cycle 2021. The game he played in the last round was shared with Jagatheshan Arthigan, the silver medalist of the event. Arthigan of Jaffna Hindu College won 5.5 points out of 7 rounds and the other 2 games more..

Oct 26 (Island) Basketball’s parent body, FIBA conducted a Digital Communication and Media Workshop in Colombo over the weekend. Hovsep Seraydarian, Communications Manager, Asia conducted the Workshop. Several aspects of promoting the sport through social and mainstream media were discussed during the workshop. Under the vibrant leadership of Sri Lanka Basketball Federation’s new president Aelian Gunawardene, the game is reaching new heights and more..

Oct 26 (FT) Tourism Minister Prasanna Ranatunga directed the Board of Directors of the SL Tourism Promotion Bureau (SLTPB) to fast track the finalisation and implementation of the short to medium-term tactical plan to boost arrivals in the next three months. The steps taken so far and issues revolving around early rollout of the tactical plan came under review yesterday when the Tourism Minister chaired a meeting with the Board members of the SLTPB along with Ministry Secretary more..

Oct 26 (FT) Govt yesterday kicked off the nationwide rollout of LANKAQR, a key initiative to popularise digital payments as opposed to using cash. LANKAQR enables customers to make payments, directly from their bank accounts to accounts of merchants or service providers, using payment apps of LANKAQR certified financial institutions. LANKAQR is a low-cost digital payment solution, more..