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Tight security amidst arrival of Chinese delegation

Tight security amidst arrival of Chinese delegation

The Hambantota Port project scheduled to be launched next month saw a Chinese delegation carrying the Communist Party flag at the harbour office, while scores of casual port workers came out in protest. They are demanding they be given jobs by the Sri Lanka Ports Authority and not in the joint venture company. With tension [...]

Central Expressway project: Rejected company re-enters through influence

A Japanese Government advisor pressured Sri Lanka directly, including in writing, into giving a disqualified Japanese company a stake in the 134.9 billion rupee (nearly US$ 1 billion) third section of the Central Expressway (CEP III), a trail of documents show. Earlier this year, Taisei Corporation was selected for the contract by a project committee [...]

Report shows Lanka’s jails dens of corruption

A notorious underworld leader killed when two prison buses were ambushed in Kalutara in February maintained a personal Facebook account while incarcerated and posted photographs of himself posing with prison officers, the report of a fact-finding committee states. The report also held that there was widespread corruption in Sri Lanka’s jails and said the Prisons [...]

2 die in hit-and-run crash: Lal Sirisena remanded

2 die in hit-and-run crash: Lal Sirisena remanded

A driver going by the name of Lal Sirisena of Polonnaruwa was remanded yesterday till Monday after he surrendered to police over a hit-and-run accident which left two brothers dead when his jeep ran over the motorcycle they were riding on the Polonnaruwa-Hingurakgoda road. The incident had occurred at 1.20 on Saturday morning at Ethumalpitiya. [...]

Tough new dos and don’ts for three-wheelers

Tough new regulations aimed at disciplining three-wheeler drivers will come into effect from October 1. The new regulations worked out by Transport Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva are meant to ensure safety of both passengers and drivers of three-wheelers. The Motor Traffic (Motor Tricycle) Regulations have been made under the Motor Traffic Act and will [...]

Mattala deal with India: No military operations

The proposed agreement with India on the privatisation of the Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport will include a clause that the airport will not be used for any military purposes, a senior official said. Transport and Civil Aviation Ministry Secretary Nihal Somaweera told the Sunday Times that besides prohibiting the use of the airport for military [...]

20A: Govt backs TNA demand

Changes to the proposed 20th Amendment may delay the holding of elections to provincial councils by up to a year, a Cabinet minister said. The changes, the Sunday Times learns, are designed to obtain the support of the Tamil National Alliance (TNA). The alliance has agreed to support the 20th Amendment if the Northern Provincial [...]

Mangala says new IR law will come into effect in 2 phases

The new Inland Revenue (IR) Bill was approved by Parliament on Thursday, with more than 200 amendments introduced to the draft legislation during the Third Reading of the Bill. Finance and Mass Media Minister Mangala Samaraweera said the proposed Law will come into effect in two phases, with the provisions relating to income taxes effective [...]

‘Eliya’ to enlighten people against the new Constitution: Gota

A new Constitution or Parliament should not be permitted to reverse the victories achieved by defeating terrorism and reuniting the country as a unitary State, said former Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa. Speaking at the launch of the ‘Eliya’ (Light) organisation in Colombo on Wednesday (6), Mr Rajapaksa further said they decided to bring together professionals [...]

Regulator blows hot and cold on polythene bag standards

The environmental regulator has rejected an alternative bag introduced by supermarkets, which they claim is bio-degradable. The Central Environment Authority has said it will “not accept the product’’, which looks like the controversial polythene bags but is of a different texture. But it had not proposed a better solution. Meanwhile, small traders, eateries, and takeaway [...]

Marapana calls on Modi on first overseas trip as FM

Marapana calls on Modi on first overseas trip as FM

Foreign Affairs Minister Tilak Marapana called on Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, marking his first overseas visit after assuming office. Prime Minister Modi said that he wanted to see the region develop and that Sri Lanka has a special place in relations with India, Foreign Minstry sources said. The Premier also said that India was [...]

DIG Nagahamulla moved to CID with immediate effect

Deputy Inspector General (DIG) of Police B.R.S.R. Nagahamulla has been appointed DIG- Criminal Investigation Dept (CID) with immediate effect, by the Inspector General of Police (IGP).  He will serve under Senior DIG- CID, Ravi Seneviratne. DIG Nagahamulla, a past pupil of St. Mary’s College, Kegalle, joined the Police Dept in 1984. He later joined the [...]

Tamil Nadu smugglers make mockery of Glyphosate ban — 2,000 kilos busted

Tamil Nadu smugglers make mockery of Glyphosate ban — 2,000 kilos busted

Smugglers from neighbouring Tamil Nadu are challenging Sri Lanka’s ban on the weedicide Glyphosate, undermining efforts to protect the health of local farmers. So far this year, 2,200 kilos of the weedicide have been intercepted by the Sri Lanka Navy, but criminal elements from the southern Indian state, are continuing to defy the ban that [...]

MPs’ Code of Conduct, amendments to Standing Orders debates next month

The Code of Conduct (CoC) for MPs and amendments to Standing Orders (SO) will be taken up for debate in Parliament in the first week of October, Parliament officials said. If adopted, these would see radical changes in making the Parliamentary process more transparent and accountable, as well as contribute towards increased participation by MPs [...]

Eight suicides a day: More counselling centres in hospitals

Eight suicides a day: More counselling centres in hospitals

With Sri Lanka joining the world to mark Suicide Prevention Day today, the Health Ministry is to broadbase its counselling services in hospitals, especially for youth. Though the annual suicide toll has been more than halved during the past two decades in Sri Lanka, still it averages eight suicides a day. The Ministry’s Mental Health [...]

EC website draws heavy traffic ahead of deadline

EC website draws heavy traffic ahead of deadline

The Elections Commission website www.elections.gov.lk drew heavy traffic this week, with a large number of people visiting it to check whether their names had been included in the 2017 electoral register before the September 6 deadline. The Elections Commission and its district offices set up special desks to entertain complaints from those whose names have [...]

Dengue predicted to rebound with seasonal rains

Heavy showers being experienced in several parts of the island will likely increase the number of dengue cases in the coming weeks, health officials have warned. They renewed their calls for proper disposal of garbage and clearing of mosquito breeding places to prevent dengue resurgence. According to the Health Ministry’s Epidemiology Unit, the total number [...]

Shiranthi questioned over ‘Siriliya Saviya’ Foundation

Former President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s wife, Shiranthi Rajapaksa was yesterday questioned by officers from the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC) in connection with the ‘Siriliya Foundation’ headed by her. Ms Rajapaksa was questioned for about 1 1/2 hours over assets belonging to her ‘Siriliya Saviya’ Foundation. This was the second time that [...]

Sil cloth case: Weeratunga, Palpita to appeal next week

An appeal against the judgment delivered by the Colombo High Court in the ‘sil cloth’ case is expected to be filed next week in the Court of Appeal. Former Presidential Secretary Lalith Weeratunga and Telecommunications Regulatory Commission (TRC) Director General Anusha Palpita were sentenced to three years Rigorous Imprisonment each and fined Rs. 2 million [...]

Killing killer mosquitoes

SINGAPORE – Mosquitoes may be tiny, but they have a powerful bite. They spread a number of diseases – such as chikungunya, dengue, malaria, yellow fever, west nile fever, and zika virus – which together kill millions of people each year. Malaria alone is one of the world’s top infectious killers (behind only tuberculosis and [...]

Marapana in India on first overseas visit as FM

Marapana in India on first overseas visit as FM

Minister of Foreign Affairs Tilak Marapana visited India this week marking his first overseas visit after assuming office. Minister Marapana met with his Indian counterpart, Minister of External Affairs Sushma Swaraj yesterday for discussions on a range of bilateral issues aimed at further strengthening the Indo-Sri Lanka partnership. The Minister was scheduled to call on [...]

Mangala says new IR law will come into effect in 2 phases

The new Inland Revenue (IR) Bill was approved by Parliament on Thursday, with more than 200 amendments introduced to the draft legislation during the Third Reading of the Bill. Finance and Mass Media Minister Mangala Samaraweera said the proposed Law will come into effect in two phases, with the provisions relating to income taxes effective [...]

Tamil Nadu smugglers make a mockery in Glyphosate ban — 2,000 kilos busted

Smugglers from neighbouring Tamil Nadu are challenging Sri Lanka’s ban on the weedicide Glyphosate, undermining efforts to protect the health of local farmers. So far this year, 2,200 kilos of the weedicide have been intercepted by the Sri Lanka Navy, but criminal elements from the southern Indian state, are continuing to defy the ban that [...]

Dengue predicted to rebound with seasonal rains

Dengue predicted to rebound with seasonal rains

Heavy showers in the island will most likely increase the number of dengue cases in the future, health officials have warned. They urged to maintain proper disposal of garbage to reduce potential breeding places of mosquitoes, to prevent a future outbreak. According to the recent update of the Epidemiology Unit the total number of cases [...]

Floods in the south but only a sprinkle in the drought region

Floods in the south but only a sprinkle in the drought region

It is pouring in the Western, Sabaragamuwa, Central and Southern provinces, leading to floods in several areas, but the agriculture dependent districts in the dry zone have not got adequate rain to see the end of the long punishing drought that has affected nearly two million people. The Northern, Eastern and North Central Provinces remain [...]

Lotus Tower blossoming on schedule, say local and Chinese officials

Lotus Tower blossoming on schedule, say local and Chinese officials

In Colombo’s fast changing skyline, one structure that stands out from the rest is the Lotus Tower. Standing tall at 350 metres, the Tower which will primarily serve as a transmission station for television and radio is slated to open in March next year. It has taken both Sri Lankan and Chinese experts from various [...]

Road deaths in Sri Lanka are as natural as they are tragic

Road deaths in Sri Lanka are as natural as they are tragic

Reckless driving, negligence and fatigue contributed to a spate of accidents increasing the death toll compared with last year. National Council for Road Safety Chairman Sisira Kodagoda told the Sunday Times that most accidents caused during the past two weeks were due to drivers’ recklessness and negligence. “Falling asleep while driving, with no rest before [...]

Four new species of Devario discovered in Sri Lanka

Four new species of Devario discovered in Sri Lanka

It is a ‘fishy’ tale, much to do with stripes, both vertical and horizontal, leading to two species expanding to six. Peering at slow-flowing streams, followed up by morpho-metric analysis, the threesome of Sudesh Batuwita, Madura De Silva and Sampath Udugampala of the Wildlife Conservation Society, Galle (WCSG), have discovered that Sri Lanka is home [...]

Climate change heads health agenda

Climate change heads health agenda

Priorities also include access to essential meds, ending TB, eliminating hepatitis, vector-control and road safety Climate change was at the top of the agenda as Health Ministers from the region including Sri Lanka met this week in the Maldives for their annual high-level pow-wow to set policy for the coming year. It was on the [...]

Arjun Aloysius privy to price sensitive inside information: PTL Chief Dealer

Arjun Aloysius privy to price sensitive inside information: PTL Chief Dealer

The Commission of Inquiry (CoI) probing the issue of Treasury Bonds (TB) is set to summon Perpetual Treasuries Ltd (PTL) owner Arjun Aloysius this week, to question him over explosive revelations regarding him, made before the CoI last week. Mr Aloysius was questioned at length by detectives of the Criminal Investigation Dept (CID), assisting the [...]

Standard stroke care needs unmet yet

Standard stroke care needs unmet yet

The message was loud and clear, not being shouted from the rooftops but from the 8th floor of a building of the National Hospital of Sri Lanka (NHSL). Giving voice to the voiceless stroke victims was Senior Consultant Neurologist Dr. Padma Gunaratne who is also NHSL’s Head of the Institute of Neurology. For, stroke is [...]

Jagath Jayasuriya episode highlights urgent need to address post-war issues

Jagath Jayasuriya episode highlights urgent need to address post-war issues

Allegations of human rights violations by the armed forces and Police have been a recurrent thorn in the flesh of the Government during the three-decade-old armed conflict. This is no different to the situation in any country which has faced the unpleasantness of an armed conflict. In the 1980s, in particular, Sri Lanka was accused [...]

Fresh crisis at Uma Oya: Grout cement flowing into Kirindi Oya

Fresh crisis at Uma Oya: Grout cement flowing into Kirindi Oya

A fresh environmental issue over the Uma Oya Multipurpose Project has surfaced after cement — used to prevent water leaking — was washed into canals and irrigation tanks downstream. Moneragala’s District Secretary D.S. Pathamakulasooriya said that they have taken up the issue with the Central Environmental Authority (CEA), the Irrigation Department and the National Water [...]

Homemade bags to the fore

Homemade bags to the fore

With the polythene ban on and some supermarkets insisting on customers to bring their own bags, housewives have foreseen a niche in the market place. G.N. Sumanawathie, a housewife from a village from Saliyawewa has been quick to move into the void created by the absence of the ‘silli silli’ bags. She together with her [...]

Tusker from Myanmar handed over to the Dalada Maligawa

Tusker from Myanmar handed over to the Dalada Maligawa

Amidst chanting of Seth Pirith by the Maha Sangha in the Audience Hall, or Magul Maduwa, President Maithripala Sirisena handed over the tusker gifted by the President of Myanmar to the Sri Dalada Maligawa on Friday. The tusker, known as ‘Golden Flower’ in Mayanmar, has been re-named ‘Pulasthi Raja’. The Mahanayake of the Asgiri Chapter, [...]

106,000 MT Rice from India, Pakistan

More than 100,000 MT of rice will be imported from India and Pakistan in the next few months, said Cooperative Wholesale Establishment (CWE) Chairman Mohammed Rizwan Hameem. He said, 70,000 MT of white nadu and 30,000 MT of sambha will be imported from India, while 6,000 MT of basmati rice will be imported from Pakistan. [...]

Decaying fibre glass boats pose health and environment hazzards

The absence of a recycling mechanism for decaying fibre glass boats could pose a hazzard to people and animals, a Fisheries Department official has warned. Director General, Christy Fernando said the Fisheries Department is unable to solve the problem as there is no recycling facility for scrap fibre glass. The Sunday Times learns that thousands [...]

Pick of the Pix

Pick of the Pix

Pix by Amila Gmage, Indika Handuwala, Kanchana Kumara Ariyadasa, Karu Gamage , Jayarathna Wickramarachchi

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