Sri Lankan arrested for fake news on roadside deaths due to COVID-19

Sri Lanka police say that a 35 years old man has been remanded until 18th November after producing before the Kandy Magistrate for posting fake content that says the Sri Lankans are dying on roadsides due to COVID-19.

The person has been arrested from Egodawatta in Kadugannawa in Kandy district and police media spokesman Deputy Inspector General of Police Ajith Rohana says that four more persons who shared this post are to be arrested.

The police media spokesman said that only one person had died on a roadside due to COVID-19 and he was a homeless person.  

The investigations are carried out by the Cyber Crime Unit of Criminal Investigation Department.

Sri Lanka bans vehicle imports for one more year; saves 1 billion dollars

Sri Lanka Ministry of Finance has increased the ban on import of vehicles for another year. 

The Ministry says that the country can save one billion US dollars per annum through this ban. 

However, the vehicle importers urge the government to import vehicles. 

To control foreign currency outflow, the government strictly imposed a complete ban on motor vehicles since March 2020.

Government sources say that Sri Lanka has sufficient stocks of vehicles for up to two-and-a-half years.

However, industry sources say that around 100,000 direct and indirect employees will lose livelihood due to the import ban.  

(Photo: imported vehicles at Hambanthota port - via Daily News)

Travel restrictions removed tomorrow midnight

The police media spokesman of Sri Lanka, Deputy Inspector General of Police Ajith Rohana said to Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation that the travel restrictions on the Western Province would be withdrawn since midnight November 15.

President Gotabaya Rajapaksa instructed to impose travel restrictions on the Western Province at the daily meeting of the COVID-19 Task Force held in the Presidential Secretariat on November 11.

The travel restriction was imposed since midnight of November 11. All the trains, buses and private vehicles were stopped at the boundaries of the Western Province. 

Maruti Suzuki Espresso achieves zero in crash test

Maruti Suzuki S-presso, a small hatchback car sold by AMW in Sri Lanka targeting youth has achieved a zero star rating in Global NCAP’s new round of #SaferCarsForIndia crash tests. 

The S-Presso is fitted with a driver-only airbag, achieved zero stars for adult occupant protection and two stars for child occupant protection. 

There is no place for zero-rated cars in the Indian market but the car is marketed in Sri Lanka flagged as a mini-SUV.

(Source: Yahoo! Sports) 

Sri Lanka government and opposition lock horns over the renovation of Deegavapi stupa

Sri Lanka major opposition Samagi Jana Balavegaya (SJB) accused today to the government that Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa has removed a foundation stone laid by the previous government and laid a new foundation stone ceremoniously. 

Addressing press conference held in the Opposition Leader's office today, Opposition SJB MP Harshana Rajakaruna said that present Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa as the Minister of Cultural Affairs had started the renovation of historic Deegavapi stupa in Ampara district on 31 August 2019. He further pointed out that the then Minister allocated Rs. 853 million for the project.  

The MP said that Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa ceremoniously started the same renovation project of Deegawapi stupa on November 11, 2020. 

In April 2019, the cabinet approved a proposal presented by Minister of Housing, Construction and Cultural Affairs Sajith Premadasa to procure the special type of bricks required to re-construct the Deegavapi stupa. 

Deegavapi is a Buddhist sacred shrine believed built by King Saddhatissa. It was declared an archaeologically protected monument in 1947.

Private sector removed; Sri Lanka Army to start printing driving license since January

Sri Lanka Minister of Transport Gamini Lokuge said that Sri Lanka Army would start the printing of driving licenses in Sri Lanka since January 2021. The cabinet of Sri Lanka decided on 01 July 2020 to hand over the contract to Army under the direction of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa. 

Sri Lanka Army has established a Centre for National IT Solutions to cater to the future national-level IT projects in the country.

The Minister stated that the purpose was saving money. He said that a large sum of money was spent by the Ministry for printing driving licenses from the private sector. 

Audit reports revealed that Sri Lanka Motor Traffic Department had paid over Rs. 9 billion to a private company from 2009 to 2017.

Five COVID-19 deaths today; four without hospitalization

Three of the five COVID-19 deaths reported today (November 13) so far occurred at home while another person died before hospitalization. 

An 83 years old woman from Colombo-14, a 78 years old male from Colombo-13 and a 64 years old man from Colombo-13 died at home. Another 69 years old male from Rathmalana died before hospitalization. 

High blood pressure, diabetes, asthma and heart attacks have been cited as the causes of death.

Meanwhile, a 68-year-old male resident of Chilaw died at Mulleriyawa hospital due to high blood pressure and stroke. 

The total of COVID-19 deaths in Sri Lanka is 53 now.