Day: 10 December 2021

The daily count of COVID-19 cases confirmed in Sri Lanka moved to 754 today (December 10) as 187 more people were tested positive for the virus, the Epidemiology Unit said. This brings the total number of confirmed cases of coronavirus reported in the country to 571,426. As many as 544,200 recoveries and 14,573 deaths have been confirmed in Sri Lanka since the COVID-19 outbreak. More than 12,600 active cases in total are currently under medical care, official figures showed. Thank you

Read More

The palmyra palm tree with its wide fan leaves is a distinctive and common sight across Jaffna, northern Sri Lanka, thriving in the arid conditions. Kutty, who goes by only one name, is a “toddy tapper”. Climbing the palms with his clay pot, he collects sap from the flower heads at the top of the great trees, which can grow to more than 30 metres (90ft). The sap is fermented to make toddy, an alcoholic drink also known as palm wine. He shaves the tips…

Read More

The world remains unprepared for future epidemic and pandemic threats. Countries across all income levels remain dangerously unprepared to meet future epidemic and pandemic threats, according to the new 2021 Global Health Security (GHS) Index released December 8, 2021. The world’s overall performance on the GHS Index score slipped to 38.9 (out of 100) in 2021, from a score of 40.2 in the GHS Index, 2019. This, even as infectious diseases are expected to have the greatest impact on the global economy in the next decade. Some 101 countries high-,…

Read More

United Nations Assistant-Secretary-General (ASG), United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Assistant Administrator and Director of the UNDP Regional Bureau for Asia and the Pacific, Kanni Wignaraja will arrive on December 13, for a five-day official visit to Sri Lanka. MORE.. Thank you

Read More

Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa has conveyed his condolences to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the death of the Chief of Defence Staff of the Indian Armed Forces General Bipin Rawat.  “It is with profound sorrow that I convey my deepest condolences to the Government and the people of India on the loss of a distinguished son of the nation, General Bipin Rawat, Chief of Defence Staff of the Indian Armed Forces, his spouse Madhulika Rawat and 11 staff members in a tragic aircraft crash…

Read More

Sri Lanka’s apparel industry has risen to the challenges posed by the pandemic and the sector can contribute further to the country’s economy, provided that all stakeholders collaborate to address critical constraints, apparel exporters point out. These views were expressed at the recent 39th Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the Sri Lanka Apparel Exporters Association (SLAEA), the pioneer association representing the country’s apparel exporters. Apparel exporters highlighted the need for COVID-19 vaccine boosters for staff, addressing domestic macroeconomic constraints – particularly the lack of foreign exchange – and strengthening export…

Read More

Director-General of Health Services says children aged below 12 years arriving in Sri Lanka are not required to carry a negative report of a Covid-19 PCR test. MORE.. Thank you

Read More

A recent national survey conducted by LIRNEasia, a regional policy think tank, showed that 44% of Sri Lanka’s population aged 15 and above were internet users in 2021. Internet use was lower amongst the rural, elderly, less educated and poorer groups. Those residing in rural areas, for example, were 19% less likely to be online than their peers residing in urban areas. The pandemic situation has brought many online, with 31% of new users (aged 15 and above) in 2020 and 2021 citing that they…

Read More

Thursday 9th December, 2021 US President Joe Biden’s much-advertised ‘Summit for Democracy’ commences today with the participation of 110 nations. Sri Lanka is not among them. Some political commentators here have called the exclusion of Sri Lanka an indictment of the Rajapaksa government, which is undermining democracy. The incumbent Sri Lankan government may be hauled over the coals for attacks on democracy, but one should not make the mistake of recognising the US as the global standard-bearer of democracy. Among Biden’s invitees are Jair Bolsonaro of Brazil and Rodrigo Duterte…

Read More

The Special Committee on COVID-19 Control today (December 10) decided to make the vaccination card mandatory when visiting public places in the future. MORE.. Thank you

Read More

The controversial Kerawalapitiya Yugadanavi agreement was presented to Parliament today (10) by Jathika Jana Balawega MP Anura Dissanayake. Although the Minister in charge of the subject was requested to present the agreement to Parliament, it was not fulfilled and he stated that he would table the agreement today. He pointed out that although the cabinet paper had given permission to enter into an agreement with New Fortress Energy, the agreement had been signed with NFC Sri Lanka Power Holdings. Accordingly, the agreement was not signed…

Read More

By J.A.A.S Ranasinghe In light of the whistleblowing by Thushan Gunawardena, former Executive Director of Consumer Affairs Authority, it would be quite appropriate and interesting to revisit the LPG scandal and ascertain how intelligently the authorities have handled the above scandal for the overall well being of the consumers and the government. Liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), is known as a clean and safe source of energy, wherein safety is of paramount importance from the time of landing up to the point of delivery to the customer. It is in this…

Read More

The verdict of the case filed against former Inspector of Police (IP) Neomal Rangajeewa of Police Narcotics Bureau (PNB) and former Prisons Commissioner Emil Ranjan Lamahewa, who were arrested over the Welikada Prison clashes in 2012, will be delivered on January 06, 2022. The lawsuit was heard for nearly three years before Judges Gihan Kulathunga, Pradeep Hettiarachchi and Manjula Thilakaratne of Permanent High Court at Bar. The judge bench pronounced its decision after the defence and the plaintiffs in the case concluded presenting their submissions. Due to the complexity of…

Read More

Power and Energy Ministry spokesman Sulakshana Jayawardena said that the power cut in the last few days has ended and the power supply will be restored as usual from today (10). On the 3rd, two generators in Norochcholai went out of order due to a breakdown in the transmission line from Kotmale to Biyagama and the third generator had already been removed from the system for maintenance. Jayawardena said that it would take 4 to 5 days to restore the generators when they were out…

Read More

The world remains unprepared for future epidemic and pandemic threats. Countries across all income levels remain dangerously unprepared to meet future epidemic and pandemic threats, according to the new 2021 Global Health Security (GHS) Index released December 8, 2021. The world’s overall performance on the GHS Index score slipped to 38.9 (out of 100) in 2021, from a score of 40.2 in the GHS Index, 2019. This, even as infectious diseases are expected to have the greatest impact on the global economy in the next decade. Some 101 countries high-,…

Read More

The covid vaccine booster dose for people over 30 years of age is to be given from today onwards (10). Accordingly, the Colombo Municipal Council stated that it will start from the city of Colombo. Eligible candidates will be notified via SMS to receive the relevant dosage information. Thank you

Read More