PROTECT YOURSELF FROM COVID-19 ACTIVE CASES WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 16, 2020 TOTAL CASES SRI LANKA’S FIRST SHOPERTAINMENT WOMEN’S CRICKET DO NOT PRIORITISE 34,159 WORLD CUP 2022 ECONOMY OVER HEALTH: DEATHS RECOVERED EXPERIENCE IN NEW ZEALAND DR. DUSHNI WEERAKOON 9,079 THE ABOVE STATISTICS ARE CONFIRMED UP 154 24,867 »SEE PAGE 5 »SEE PAGE 7 »SEE PAGE 3 UNTIL 8.30 P.M. ON 15 DECEMBER 2020 SOURCE: HEALTH PROMOTION BUREAU Fire at SC z CID teams launch z No documents probe into fire damaged says Police The fire at the Supreme Court Ajith Rohana said. Department (CID) launched an yesterday (15) had erupted in He said the fire was investigation to determine the the basement and no document successfully controlled, adding cause of the fire by deploying or registry was damaged in the that, on instructions of the IGP, three teams. fire, Police Spokesman DIG the Criminal Investigation Contd. on page 2 Attorney General Dappula de Livera grimly surveys the scene of the fire that broke out at the Supreme Court complex in Hulftsdorp, Colombo, yesterday (15) PHOTO PRADEEP DAMBARAGE PHOTO PRADEEP DAMBARAGE NEW COVID-19 DETECTIONS PC ELECTIONS TOTAL CASES SLAF TRAINING AIRCRAFT CRASHES Party leaders to deliberate z Fresh proposal on polls to Cabinet next week BY SARAH HANNAN Spokesperson and Minister convenience was presented 30,459*Stats updated as at 8.30 p.m. on 15 December Board set of Mass Media Keheliya to the Cabinet of Ministers The Cabinet has instructed Rambukwella stated. on Monday (14), by COVID-19 that the party leaders are to During yesterday’s (15) Minister of Public Services, deliberate on the method cabinet media briefing, Provincial Councils and Local up to probe of holding the upcoming Rambukwella said that Government Janaka Bandara ‘Don’t use medicine provincial council (PC) the proposal on holding Tennakoon. shown on social media’ BY PAMODI WARAVITA elections, Government PC elections at the earliest Contd. on page 2 The general public is requested not to use An investigation board has been various medicines prescribed for Covid-19 OUTSTANDING MONIES TO GSMB appointed to probe the Sri Lanka Air Paid biotech published on social media, the State Ministry crash of Indigenous Medicine Promotion, Rural Force (SLAF) flight crash that occurred Three years to and Ayurvedic Hospitals Development, and last afternoon (14), SLAF Media uni for N’Eliya Community Health stated. Spokesperson Group Captain Dushan Wijesinghe told The Morning. BY HIRANYADA DEWASIRI settle Rs. 1 b Contd. on page 2 Metal quarry operators that were ‘Next 4 to 6 months A paid state-owned university for biosystems permitted to mine in state-owned lands technology will be opened in Ambewela, Nuwara are said to owe a sum of Rs.1,089 worst of pandemic’ Eliya in mid-2021, as the first in a network of million in arrears payments to two state Bill Gates said that he will take the vaccine national universities that will be established institutions, The Morning learnt. publicly as former US Presidents Bill Clinton, through the Mahapola Trust Fund. Contd. on page 2 George Bush, and Barack Obama have said it would Contd. on page 2 increase the people’s confidence in the vaccine. US ELECTORAL COLLEGE VEHICLE NUMBER PLATES Unity Plaza closed Biden’s victory Provincial letters after 6 test positive to be removed All the shops at Unity Plaza Shopping confirmed The Cabinet Complex, Bambalapitiya were closed after six Members of the US electoral has approved a employees of a laptop retail shop tested positive college have affirmed Joe resolution submitted for Covid-19, Public Health Inspectors Union Biden’s presidential election by the Transport (PHIU) Secretary M. Balasooriya said. victory, one of the final steps Minister to remove PELIYAGODA FISH MARKET required for him to take office. the provincial letters COVID-19 IN PRISONS Former Deputy Contd. on page 2 Joe Biden when issuing vehicle number plates, the Government Information Department said. 800 inmates Minister arrested Reopening PURCHASING FRUITS AND VEGGIES Contd. on page 2 Former All Ceylon Makkal Congress (ACMC) released on bail MP Abdullah Mohamed today Directly from farmers With the increasing number of Covid-19 cases Maharoof has been arrested It has been decided to reopen the BY MAHEESHA MUDUGAMUWA from farmers through the purchased directly from reported in prisons, the Government is taking by the Criminal Investigation Peliyagoda Fish Market Complex, which Department of Agriculture. farmers to the Narahenpita, measures to reduce the number of prisoners by Department (CID). Abdullah Mohamed was closed due to the spread of the Covid-19 The Agriculture Ministry Accordingly, the pilot Meegoda, and Welisara expediting ongoing court cases, especially of Contd. on page 2 Maharoof epidemic, today (16) for wholesale trading. has taken steps to purchase project would be commenced Economic Centres. those who are in remand prison, according to Contd. on page 2 vegetables and fruits directly by distributing products Contd. on page 2 State Ministry of Primary Healthcare, Epidemics, POACHING IN SRI LANKAN WATERS and Covid Disease Control Secretary Dr. Amal Harsha de Silva. 36 Indian fishermen arrested Kithul to become Special operations carried out 36 Indian nationals along with PREVENTIVE MEDICATION by the Sri Lanka Navy (SLN) and five fishing trawlers and fishing a main crop Coast Guard in several sea areas accessories, for poaching in Sri The Cabinet on Only after clinical trials off the coast of the island yesterday Lankan waters. Monday (14) approved Pharmaceuticals or vaccinations that (15) led to the apprehension of Contd. on page 2 a proposal submitted by the Minister of are being released as Covid-19 control HEJAAZ HIZBULLAH or preventive medication should only be Plantation for prescribed in Sri Lanka following successful nominating the clinical trials, State Minister of Primary kithul crop as a Healthcare, Epidemiology, and Disease Control main plantation Dr. Sudarshini Fernandopulle revealed. Lawyers crop. Contd. on page 2 No more standing SAMAGI JANA BALAWEGAYA passengers in buses gain access Leadership to The Attorney General (AG) yesterday (15) Passengers standing while travelling in informed the Court of Appeal that arrangements change every year buses is a violation of the quarantine law, the can be made for lawyers representing Hejaaz According to the new Constitution of the Director General of Health Services (DGHS) Hizbullah, who is currently being held in Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB), the term of informed the Inspector General of Police (IGP). connection with the Easter Sunday terror attacks, office of party leaders and other officials has to meet their client. been limited to one year. SEE FULL STORIES ON PAGE 2 Hejaaz Hizbullah Contd. on page 2 Contd. on page 2 2 the morning NEWS Wednesday , December 16, 2020 Contd. from page 1 very agile. We’re a partner in a thing called Meanwhile, arrangements are being made to upcoming PC elections are to be held and a peacefully although a group of Republicans Board set... CEPI (Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness direct the apprehended Indian nationals for 14 fresh proposal is to be made to the Cabinet by tried to enter the building to hold their own He said the investigation will be conducted Innovations), which is the second biggest funder days of quarantine, the SLN said. next week,” Rambukwella elaborated. vote and were turned away. under the authority of the Air Force Commander, after the US Government,” he said. Once the party leaders present their proposal “The people have spoken. It was a safe, but that the date of conclusion of the investigation “So, in diagnostics, therapy, and vaccines, on PC elections, the Cabinet of Ministers will fair, and secure election,” said Governor could not be determined at this stage. we know where the science is; we know how Former Deputy... once again deliberate on the matter, after which Gretchen Whitmer, a Democrat who had been The board has been tasked with submitting a the pieces need to come together in an urgent The former Deputy Minister has been arrested they would arrive at a decision on whether the the subject of a kidnapping plot thwarted by report based on the findings of the investigation, way. And so our expertise in infectious disease, over the misuse of vehicles belonging to Lanka election would be held according to the old the FBI earlier this year. “After today, the including the technical status of the aircraft which normally only relates to developing Sathosa during the 2015-2019 period, the Police election system or the proposed new electoral results will be final.” and history of the pilot. The investigation will countries, applied to the entire world for this said. The arrest was made on Monday (14) in system where new wards are to be demarcated (BBC) be conducted in accordance with the Standard crisis,” he added. Kinniya. by the Delimitation Commission prior to the Accident Procedure, and help from overseas The US needs to help all of humanity, Gates Police Media Spokesperson DIG Ajith Rohana election. may be required to determine the cause of the said when asked of the executive order signed said that a person named Farook Mohamed The incumbent Government will also have to Provincial letters... crash, according to the Spokesman. by President Donald Trump which prioritises Aslam, a resident of Matale, has also been look into the issues that will be raised through It said the letters to identify provinces are Wijesinghe added that the flight had taken off distribution of the vaccine to Americans before arrested along with the former MP. the Delimitation Commission report and address added to the number plate when registering at 1.05 p.m. last afternoon. Although the radio it goes to people in other countries.