Sri Lankan News Podcast

Bouquets and brickbats from China- Sri Lanka’s biggest investor. New guidelines to be introduced after lifting the travel restrictions. Both the Alpha and Delta variants of the Covid-19 virus have been found in Sri Lanka. 

.27,000 arrested for violating quarantine restrictions. State Minister Ajith Nivard Cabraal invites global firms to be part of Sri Lanka’s growth story. Prime Minister instructs to recall retired nurses to service to augment the Covid fight.  Prisoners rights group the Committee for Protecting the Rights of Prisoners makes an urgent appeal to the United Nations. 67 COVID-19 related deaths reported yesterday. 

.Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa invites global companies to select Sri Lanka as their “investment destination of choice. President has urged officials to implement the decision to use organic fertilizer despite the challenges. GMOA says the dependency on oxygen by Covid-19 patients has gone up by 441%. Government plans to vaccinate the entire population for Covid-19 by the end of 2021 to early 2022.

.President Gotabaya Rajapaksa invites the world to invest in Sri Lanka. Government stakeholders to plan legal action on MV X-Press Pearl disaster. UNP has decided to send the party leader to Parliament as he is a mature politician, says the UNP's Deputy Leader. Sri Lanka to start      manufacturing Sinovax vaccine next month. Move to co-produce Sputnik V in Sri Lanka. 

A team at the Sri Jayawardenepura University commences research on the Sputnik V vaccine's efficacy. President directs the Marine Environment Protection Authority (MEPA) to tow the MV X-Press Pearl into the deep seas off the coast of Colombo. Multiple properties in Colombo are to be opened up for investments under a Private Public Partnership model. 

Sri Lanka plans to sue the owners of MV XPress Pearl. SJB MP Marikkar alleges that the government is paying more than Bangladesh for Sinopharm vaccines. Nurses go on sick leave today. JVP alleges that the government plans to bring in urban waste from China as carbonic fertilizer.

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Travel restrictions extended till June 7. Government desperate to procure 600,000 doses of Astra Zeneca vaccines. US issues a level 4 travel advisory on Sri Lanka.

COVID-19 to be contained by June end. Government officials expects to complete inoculation of all by end of December. A future SJB government will amend the Port City Bill, says an SJB MP.

No more big foreign loan projects. Government slams breaks on private Astra Zeneca imports. Parents of ex-Tiger combatants should be allowed to grieve. Chinese foreign minister to visit Sri Lanka next month.

Government calls on all global and local businesses to invest in the Port City. JVP claims that the government is using the quarantine laws to witch-hunt the opposition.

Port City bill passed in Parliament. Calls to lockdown the country for two weeks. UK minister of state for South Asia cancels planned visit to Sri Lanka.

Sri Lanka at risk of reporting 1 million COVID-19 cases within the next 100 days. SJB offers conditional support to the Port City Bill.

Parliamentary supremacy ensured over the Port city. Sri Lanka marks the 12th anniversary since the end of the war with the LTTE.

Country wide travel restrictions from Friday. Supreme Court says some sections of the Port City bill are inconsistent with the constitution.

Sri Lanka in discussions with more than 15 companies to secure Astra Zeneca vaccines. No final decision on home quarantine yet.

Home quarantine to be allowed for asymptomatic COVID-19 patients from tomorrow. One year since the arrest of poet Ahnaf Jazeem. 

Sri Lanka receives funding from the World Bank for COVID-19 vaccination drive. 

BASL condemns custodial deaths of two prisoners and that they have all the hallmarks of extra-judicial killings.

Island wide travel restrictions imposed to curb the rapid rise of COVID-19 cases.

Newspaper headlines on 12 May 2021

Prime minister appointed the chair of ADB board of governors. AG says no legal impediment for Rishard to attend parliament. CaFFE says UNP betrayed supporters.

Port City Economic Commission Bill debate in parliament postponed. SLAF defends the proposed purchase of helicopters. 80 Indians nabbed while trying to illegally immigrate to Sri Lanka.

Stronger credit demand by state owned enterprises. The pandemic impacts salaries in dualistic ways in 2020. The opposition leader meets the Russian envoy.

Chinese Foreign minister to visit Sri Lanka. World Press Freedom Day and Sri Lanka’s ranking. CBSL says Sri Lanka’s fiscal deficit has soared high. OIC issues statement condemning the PTA and its new regulations.