News
Home » NewsJanadhipathi Thaththa becomes a bestseller
Amidst unprecedented political turmoil and a constitutional crisis, a book, written President Maithripala Sirisena’s daughter Chathurika some months back, is selling fast. Our picture shows a young reader perusing the book at an outlet of the publishers, Sarasavi Publications. Pic by Ishanka Sunimal
Police on maximum alert; rival parties intensify battle
Police Chief Pujith Jayasundera has sent instructions to OICs island-wide to stay on maximum alert as the new government and the ousted government began preparations for countrywide rallies to state their respective cases over the month-long Constitutional crisis following the October 26 sacking of the United National Front government. With Parliament in a political gridlock, [...]
President ready to appoint new PM if Parliament follows Standing Orders
President ready to appoint new PM if Parliament follows Standing OrdersAs the country’s political turmoil entered the second month, President Maithripala Sirisena declared that he would appoint a new Prime Minister “if Parliament follows Standing Orders and shows a majority.” “If Mahinda Rajapaksa has the majority in Parliament, he can continue with the government without [...]
No congratulatory messages yet from foreign leaders
One month after the appointment of Mahinda Rajapaksa as Prime Minister, foreign governments continue to show reluctance to send formal congratulatory messages. The Foreign Ministry first notified Sri Lanka’s Heads of Missions and Posts abroad of the appointment of the new Prime Minister on October 27—the day after the event—despite a spokesperson claiming that foreign [...]
Amunugama warns SL diplomats; reverse travel advisories
Foreign Minister Sarath Amunugama has warned Sri Lankan diplomats that he will have a “dim view” of those Heads of Mission abroad who are unable to get adverse travel advisories lifted. Britain, Australia and Canada updated their travel advisories after the events of October 26, while the United States issued four security alerts. At a [...]
Two big contracts for Chinese companies, talks to get US$ 500 million from China bank
The Cabinet has decided to award to the China Harbour Engineering Company (CHEC) Ltd the civil work in a project to enhance the deep berth capacity of the Jaya Container Terminal (JCT) of the Sri Lanka Ports Authority (SLPA). The Cabinet also sanctioned the granting of a contract to procure container handling equipment for the [...]
To reduce fares or not : Private transport operators at crossroads
Private passenger transport operators are at odds over lowering fares despite the latest fuel price reduction. One of the largest private operator organisations said they were unable to reduce fares because prices of spare parts, tyres and services had gone up due to the depreciation of the rupee. Another said they had already effected a [...]
A/Level student stabbed to death by another student
An A/L student of St. Thomas College, Matara was stabbed to death by a student of Rahula Vidyalaya, Matara, following a heated argument between two groups of students from the two schools, police said. The stabbing incident had occured outside a tuition class in Ellewala in Matara, attended by both boys. Police believe the argument [...]
Dissolution case: AG wants full SC bench
The Attorney General has requested that a full bench of the Supreme Court be constituted to hear the Fundamental Rights petitions filed by political parties and other organisations, challenging the dissolution of Parliament by President Maithripala Sirisena on November 9. The Motion making the request that the proceedings be heard by all judges of the [...]
122 MPs urge Court of Appeal to declare PM and Cabinet unlawful
A Quo Warranto petition was filed in the Court of Appeal on Friday by 122 Parliamentarians, challenging the appointment of purported Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa and the new cabinet. The petitioners allege that the appointments were in violation of the Constitution and amounted to a groups of individuals seizing state power unconstitutionally. The petitioners urge [...]
People’s trust in parliament was shattered on October 26: Ranil in Kandy
The Sirisena-Rajapaksa partnership admitted in Parliament, on Friday, that they have no majority, UNP leader Ranil Wickremesinghe said at a protest rally in Kandy yesterday. Mr. Wickremesinghe addressed the massive crowd in Kandy town after meeting the Chief Prelates of the Asgiriya and Malwatte chapters. He praised Speaker Karu Jayasuriya saying he had faced hurdles [...]
Basil says SLPP hopes to get 2.5 million members; whither the SLFP?
New party’s headquarters buzzing with activity; its main tactician says new policies are also being worked out SLFP Gen. Sec claims party’s support base intact; hopeful of forming a new alliance with SLPP under a common symbol The Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP)’s Battaramulla headquarters is buzzing with activity. It’s a Poya, Thursday. The [...]
Poya Day advice for President
Embroiled in a major controversy, President Maithripala Sirisena on Poya Day attended a religious ceremony at Pannipitiya Rukmale Sri Dharmavijayaloka Purana Viharaya. The sermon was given by the Ven. Prof. Kotapitiye Rahula Thera, Anunayake of the Kotte Sri Kalyani Samagri Dharma Maha Sangha Sabha. The prelate quoted from the Dhamma to give some advice on [...]
Crops rot in rain, sending veggie prices high
Vegetable prices have skyrocketed with the recent adverse weather and further price increases are expected during the festive season if the bad weather continues. Large portions of crops have been damaged by heavy rain and vegetables have rotted. Carrot, beetroot, leeks, cabbage, bitter gourd, ladies’ fingers and pumpkin are vegetables fetching high prices due to [...]
Politics pricks a hole in Christmas sales balloon
With just a month to Christmas, the trade sector is grappling with the repercussions of the political turmoil, with business slowing, imports scaling down, the rupee rising against the US dollar and uncertainty over the future. Several large-scale importers in Pettah claimed sales were down nearly 45 per cent compared to the 2017 festive season. [...]
Civil society denounces despicable politics
Since the start of the political crisis on October 26, civil society organisations have been in the forefront of protests against the decisions of President Maithripala Sirisena. Civic groups, professional associations and rights groups have held protests, rallies and conferences to voice their concerns about democracy and the rule of law. One notable movement was [...]
Cyclone Gaja’s full scale of destruction still being ascertained
Cyclone Gaja and the monsoonal rain it brought last week wrecked scores of houses, destroyed crops and displaced many people in the Jaffna district. Property damage costs are still being calculated, the Disaster Management Centre (DMC) said. The storm, which entered Sri Lanka from the Jaffna district, drifted southwest, touching the Kilinochchi district, before brushing [...]
CIABOC seeks CJs permission to indict Aluthgamage in special High Court
The Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery and Corruption (CIABOC), this week, sought permission from Chief Justice Nalin Perera to file indictments in the three-member permanent High Court at Bar against former Sports Minister Mahindananada Aluthgamage and former CWE Chairman Nalin Fernando. The case concerns financial irregularities and corruption charges including the distribution of carom [...]
Accessibility rights: FR case on Nov. 29
Accessibility rights activist Dr. Ajith C. S. Perera, supported by affidavits by four eminent Sri Lankans, had moved the court last September to re-activate invocation of a nationally and internationally important fundamental rights public interest litigation. On October 4, the Supreme Court granted leave to proceed for violation of the petitioner’s fundamental rights guaranteed in [...]
Court steps in over risky palm oil import
On court orders, 24 containers of unrefined palm oil imported two years ago are being held back at Customs over concerns the oil could be harmful to health if released onto the market. The 400,000kg of palm oil reportedly has up to a 20 per cent concentration of free fatty acid (FFA), four times more [...]
Maldivian nightmare ends for Sri Lankan hounded by deadly claims
After being held by the Maldivians authrities for months on cooked up charges, Lahiru Madhushanka, 30, was set free from the Dhooni prison on Wednesday. He was reunited with his family after 37 months in custody over an alleged plot to assassinate former President Abdulla Yameen. Yamen was ousted in the September elections after a [...]
Alleged plot to assassinate President Sirisena: Indian suspect re-remanded
An Indian national who was arrested in connection with an alleged plot to assassinate President Maithripala Sirisena was re-remanded till December 5 by Fort Magistrate Ranga Jayasuirya. The Indian national, identified as M Thomas had been arrested when he was visiting the home of Namal Kumara, a police informant who disclosed details of the alleged [...]
Political impasse- it is the Executive Presidency, stupid!
The institution of the Executive presidency has been the subject of analysis ad nauseum by various writers, politicians and academics over the years. The chief proponent of the Executive Presidency was J.R. Jayewardene who succeeded in making it the core of the Constitution which he brought into being in 1978 after his landslide majority at [...]
Pick of the Pix
Pix by Amila Gamage, Ishanka Sunimal, Shelton Hettiarachchi, Gamini Mahadura and W.A.Nelka.
Stolen electronic goods rise from the Weligama cemetery
A 33-year-old man who stole electronic items including laptops and mobile phones worth around Rs.2.7 m from a leading electronic goods showroom in Kollupitiya as well as from a shop in Galle and buried them in a cemetery, has been arrested by Galle Police. He was arrested this week following a theft at the electronic [...]
Caterpillar munches through Kalpitiya veggie crop
A voracious pest is chewing up acres of vegetable cultivations including cabbage and beetroot in Kalpitiya. The destroyer is a caterpillar named “senna caterpillar’’, that has appeared in the Puttlam District for the first time. It had been found in other districts. Farmers say the caterpillar chews on the veggies at night and can not [...]
Pichcha mal her only hope to battle poverty
It’s nearly a decade since the war ended. But for this family in Pulliyankulam in the north, little has changed and life is hard. Sivarasa Thamilchelvi (54) said that her husband who was unable to engage in farming for three seasons due to the drought in the past, has now taken up fishing to feed [...]
Airport’s security on knife’s edge
Prohibited items such as knives have allegedly been smuggled into the highly restricted security area of the Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) by SriLankan Airlines employees — and the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) has on five occasions called for reports from SriLankan Airlines in this regard, but the response has been poor. This was revealed on [...]
Departments, corporations in headless dilemma
The National Trade Union Federation (NTUF) has said there can be no legitimate appointments to departments and corporations under the newly appointed ministries as the government that is holding the reins is unstable. NTUF General Secretary Padmasiri Ranawakaarachchi said many of the departments were struggling to get their work done as chairpersons and board members [...]