News

The Director-General of Health Services has confirmed 21 more coronavirus-related deaths for December 03, increasing the death toll in the country due to the virus pandemic to 14,440.

According to the figures released by the Govt. Information Department, the deaths reported today include 17 males and 04 females.

Six of the patients are between the ages 30-59 years while the remaining 15 are in the age group of 60 years and above.

The Director-General of Health Services has confirmed another 27 coronavirus-related deaths for December 01, increasing the death toll in the country due to the virus pandemic to 14,399.

According to the figures released by the Govt. Information Department, the deaths reported today include 16 males and 11 females.

Eight of the patients are between the ages 30-59 years while the remaining 19 are in the age group of 60 years and above.

Samagi Jana Balawegaya Parliamentarians today (04) decided to refrain from attending Parliamentary sittings until the safety of opposition MP’s is assured.

A tense situation arose in Parliament today (04) when an exchange of words took place between opposition MP Manusha Nanayakkara and State Minister Kanchana Wijesekara, in connection with a scuffle that broke out between Government and Opposition Parliamentarians yesterday (03).

The Government had objected to allowing Opposition MPs to speak during the budget debate after 5:00 p.m. yesterday (03), and the matter came up for discussion today as well.

The Chief Opposition Whip Lakshman Kiriella alleged that the Government MP’s came over to their side and have attempted to attack Opposition MP’s, with actions such as pushing. Kiriella also requested the Speaker to attempt to control the situation, and stated that the Government MPs also asked the Speaker yesterday (03) to not to allow Opposition MPs to speak during the debate.

The Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardana responding to the allegations stated that such action is completely wrong, to which the Chief Opposition Whip responded stating that the Speaker is being influenced by the Government.

Leader of the House Minister Dinesh Gunawardana speaking stated that the Opposition members ran towards the Speaker first, and emphasized that it is their duty to support the Speaker in conducting Parliamentary proceedings.

SJB MP Ranjith Madduma Bandara speaking at the Parliament stated that the group that once hurled chilli powder is raising its head again, and alleged that the ruling party MPs came and started attacking them initially.

Minister Dinesh Gunawardana also speaking stated that if one cannot follow the Speaker’s orders, that person will have to face the repercussions of their actions.

At this instance, MP Manusha Nanayakkara said that he did not threaten anyone, but simply asked a question, at which point the Chief Government Whip scolded him with foul language and MP Kanchana Wijesekara pushed him aside.

“I would have fallen if not for Dr. Harsha de Silva and the Serjeant at Arms,” he stated.

Chief Government Whip Minister Johnston Fernando alleged that the Opposition is behaving like children and requested the Speaker to investigate MP Manusha Nanayakkara.

Speaking in Parliament after the lunch break, Chief Opposition Whip Lakshman Kiriella said SJB MPs have decided to boycott Parliament, citing the attempt by Government MPs to attack MP Manusha Nanayakkara

Moreover, the Samagi Jana Balawegaya Parliamentarian Manusha Nanayakkara who was accused of leveling threats, convened a media briefing today (04), and alleged that the Government is attempting to pillage the country by moving towards dictatorship and to suppress the Opposition.

Challenging the Government to visit villages if possible to ascertain the people’s reactions, MP Nanayakkara said that the Government is trying to silence the Opposition to refrain them from informing the people about fraud which the Government is part of.

News 1st

Two men in the southern Indian state of Karnataka have tested positive for the Omicron coronavirus variant after returning from overseas.

The men, who are 66 years and 46 years old, are currently under observation, a government spokesperson said.

These are the first cases of the new Omicron variant to be reported in India.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has warned that Omicron poses a "high infection risk".

Officials said all primary contacts and secondary contacts of the two men have been traced and are being tested as well.

Six samples from people who tested positive for Covid-19 in the national capital Delhi, and another six samples from the western state of Maharashtra, have all been sent for genome sequencing to determine the variant. Officials are still awaiting results. Several other cities and states are following suit.

Starting Wednesday, India announced new travel restrictions for international passengers arriving from "at risk" countries a list that includes UK, South Africa, New Zealand, Bangladesh, Hong Kong and Israel.

They will be tested on arrival and cannot leave the airport without their test results. Those who test positive will be isolated and treated, and their samples will be sent for genome sequencing. Those who test negative must quarantine at home for seven days and get tested again on the eighth day.

Different Indian states have announced different policies for travellers - all passengers flying in to Maharashtra from "at-risk" countries will have to spend seven days in institutional quarantine. Delhi and Karnataka have said all international passengers will have to undergo PCR tests on arrival.

"We are immediately checking suspicious cases and conducting genome sequencing," health minister Mansukh Mandaviya told Parliament on Tuesday.

"We have learnt a lot during the Covid crisis. Today, we have a lot of resources and laboratories. We can manage any situation," he added.

Last week, Prime Minister Narendra Modi reviewed the country's public health preparedness, and urged people to continue following Covid safety norms.

(Source : BBC)

Veteran stage, film and teledrama actor Sarath Chandrasiri has passed away.

He had been ill for a long time and passed away at the Colombo National Hospital at midnight yesterday (03).

He was 57 years old at the time of his death.

Former Governor Azath Salley was released and acquitted from all charges by the Colombo High Court on Thursday (2).

Salley was arrested for allegedly making a controversial statement at a media briefing on the 9th of March 2021 which allegedly aimed to create disharmony among communities.

He was arrested on the 16th of March 2021 and was since then remanded by Court.

Salley was arrested by the Criminal Investigations Department under the provisions of the Prevention of Terrorism Act and the International Covenant on Civil & Political Rights (ICCPR) Act.

The Colombo High Court also ordered for MPs Mohamed Muzammil, Nimal Piyatissa, and Gamini Waleboda, who filed the complaint that led to the arrest of Salley, to be present in court on the 21st of February 2022.

This was after President’s Counsel Maithri Gunaratne, who appeared for the Former Governor told the court that the malicious and baseless complaint by the MPs had caused distress to his client.

The President’s Counsel pointed out that compensation is due to his client as per the provisions of the Code of Criminal Procedure and thereafter the court issued notice on the three MPs.

The power supply to several parts of the country will be suspended for around one hour for few days from today (4), the Ministry of Power and Energy said.

Accordingly, the power supply could be suspended between 6.00 pm and 9.30 pm for a few days daily until the Norochcholai Power Plant is fully functional.

Operations at all electricity grid sub-stations were brought back to normal yesterday following the power outage.

However, the ministry said that the Norochcholai Power Plant was also disrupted due to a power outage and it would take at least three days to be restored.

The Director General of Health Services has confirmed another 26 coronavirus related deaths for November 30, increasing the death toll in the country due to the virus pandemic to 14,372.

According to the figures released by the Govt. Information Department, the deaths reported today include 11 males and 15 females.

Eleven of the patients are between the ages 30-59 years while the remaining 15 are in the age group of 60 years and above.

The Director-General of Health Services has confirmed another 20 coronavirus-related deaths for December 02, increasing the death toll in the country due to the virus pandemic to 14,419.

According to the figures released by the Govt. Information Department, the deaths reported today include 09 males and 11 females.

Six of the patients are between the ages 30-59 years while the remaining 14 are in the age group of 60 years and above.

Basil Rajapaksa, Minister of Finance sought ways and means of further enhancing economic cooperation with India, when he met the Finance and Corporate Affairs Minister of India Smt. Nirmala Sitharaman in New Delhi, today (01 Dec.)

The Finance and Corporate Affairs Minister of India and Basil Rajapaksa, Minister of Finance discussed a range of issues pertaining to bilateral economic cooperation.

Basil Rajapaksa, Minister of Finance had thanked for the support that India has provided to Sri Lanka in many different spheres through her economic cooperation programmes.

They discussed ways and means by which the existing bilateral economic cooperation programmes between the two countries could be further developed and enhanced.

An economist by profession, Smt. Nirmala Sitharaman has been the Finance and Corporate Affairs Minister of India since May 2019.

Prior to that, she was the Minister of Defence from 2017 to 2019.

Smt. Sitharaman has also served as the State Minister of Finance and the State Minister (Independent Charge) of the Ministry of Commerce and Industry.

S R Attygalle, Secretary to the Treasury and Ministry of Finance, Sri Lanka’s High Commissioner to India, Milinda Moragoda and officials were also at the discussion

Sri Lanka has confirmed its first case of Omicron Covid-19 variant, the Health Promotion Bureau announced on Friday (03 December).

The virus strain was detected in a Sri Lankan national who recently returned to the island on November 24 from Nigeria, according to Chief Epidemiologist Dr. Samitha Ginige.

The 25-year-old female in question is currently under quarantine. She is reportedly a resident of Marawila area.

In a statement, Deputy Director of Health Services, Dr. Hemantha Herath said the Omicron case was detected as a result of the stringent surveillance conducted by the health authorities.

He told the general public that this is not a reason to panic or to have any undue fears.

Meanwhile, at a media briefing organized by the Presidential Media Center (PMC) yesterday, the health officials noted that Sri Lanka has an accurate understanding regarding the spread of the new Omicron variant and that laboratory facilities are available to identify the virus through genetic analysis.

South Africa alerted the World Health Organization (WHO) about a new highly mutated SARS-CoV-2 variant on 24 November. More than 30 countries, including the US, UK, Canada and Japan have since detected the variant.

Initial evidence suggested that Omicron has a higher re-infection risk. However, scientists said it would take at least three weeks to know how the heavily mutated variant impacts the effectiveness of various vaccines.

As the Omicron continued to spark serious global worry, dozens of countries moved to implement travel restrictions to guard against Omicron variant.

Sri Lanka also barred the arrival of foreign travellers who have been to six countries in the African continent. Accordingly, passengers with a travel history – including transit – to South Africa, Namibia, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Lesotho and Eswatini (Swaziland) within the past 14 days were denied entry to the island nation with effect from midnight on 28 November.

The Director-General of Health Services has confirmed 18 new coronavirus-related deaths for November 29, increasing the death toll in the country due to the virus pandemic to 14,346.

The new fatalities include 11 males and 07 females. Among them are 07 individuals between the ages 30-59 years.

The remaining 11 are in the age group of 60 years and above.