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Santa Claus seems to be checking his list of who is Naughty and who is Nice as President Maithripala Sirisena gets into the festive mood with former president and Opposition Leader-in- waiting Mahinda Rajapaksa and Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith flanking him
It’s a floody Christmas in Mullaitivu
While people were preparing to celebrate Christmas on Tuesday, it was a floody hell in some areas of the war-affected Mullaitivu district. Friday’s floods caused heavy damage and our picture shows soldiers joining civilians in rescue and relief operations. Pic by Loha Thayalan
UNF negotiates for 32-member Cabinet
The United National Front (UNF) will negotiate to increase the number of ministers to 32, Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, said yesterday. “This is on the basis of our interpretation that there would be thirty ministers beside the President and Prime Minister holding portfolios,” he told the Sunday Times. Since the President had contended that the [...]
PC elections: Polls chief to make final appeal to resolve deadlock
The Election Commission will make a final appeal to all political parties represented in Parliament to resolve the deadlock in holding Provincial Council elections, Commission Chairman Mahinda Deshapriya told the Sunday Times. “This is the final letter that we will be sending to all recognised political parties in this regard,” he said. Mr. Deshapriya said [...]
Political turmoil hits cancer hospital supplies
In the wake of the recent political turmoil which disrupted medicinal supplies, the cancer hospital has been given the green light to carry out urgent medicine purchases from the private sector to prevent interruption of treatment to new patients. The hospital’s Acting Director Dr Buddhika Kurukulasuriya said they were forced to take a difficult decision [...]
Sri Lankan staffer accuses senior UN official of sexual harassment
UNITED NATIONS – A Sri Lankan staffer has accused one of the highest ranking UN officials of sexual harassment in a case currently playing out at the United Nations. Shihana Mohamed, a Human Resources Policies Officer with the International Civil Service Commission (ICSC), has charged the New York-based Commission’s chairman of retaliating against her by [...]
School uniform vouchers to be given from January 2
The new government has decided to distribute long-delayed uniform vouchers to the 4.3 million schoolchildren in the country. The newly reappointed Education Minister, Akila Viraj Kariyawasam, said arrangements were being made to distribute the vouchers when school reopen on January 2. “We have sent all vouchers to the education zones and they will be distributed [...]
Coal plant: Kalpitiya women have dangerously high mercury level
A global study has found high mercury levels in a majority of participants from the Kalpitiya Peninsula, where the Chinese-built coal-fired power station Lakvijaya is located on a sand bar between the sea and a fishing lagoon. Nearly 80 percent of those examined from the area–all women between the child-bearing ages of 18 and 44–exceeded [...]
CIABOC launches probes on crossover bribes
The Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC) has begun investigations into two complaints lodged by the Transparency International Sri Lanka (TISL) concerning crossover bribes. CIABOC Secretary Shanthi Jayasekara said the commission was probing the two complaints. Commissioner Neville Guruge said an investigation was on with regard to the complaint lodged on November [...]
CMC passes surplus budget; Mayor spells out 2019 programme
The Colombo Municipal Council’s 2019 budget was passed at the council meeting this week — and it showed a surplus. The expected revenue for 2019 stood at Rs.16.9 billion while the expenditure was Rs. 597,000 short of that figure, indicating a surplus. Addressing the council session, Mayor Rosy Senanayake said the council’s main challenge was [...]
25 new President’s Counsel to take oaths next month
Twenty-five President’s Counsel appointed by President Maithripala Sirisena will take their oaths at a ceremonial sitting of the Supreme Court on January 18, at 9.30 a.m. The ceremony will be held at the Ceremonial Court of the Supreme Court (Court No 501). The 25 newly-appointed President Counsel are: Chinathamanie Mooemalle Balalle, Satendra Maithri Gunaratne, Mohamed [...]
Tensions rise in Kotagala as estate workers block main road
Tensions rose in Kotagala as police attempted to clear a group of estate workers who staged a protest opposite the Kotagala Pradeshiya Sabha yesterday. Carrying black flags and banners, around 200 workers from the Drayton and Yuthernside estates in Kotagala staged a protest urging the return of their children who were staging a hunger strike [...]
Heavy rains slash the North; more than 10,000 affected by floods
More than ten thousand people in various parts of the North have been hit by floods due to heavy monsoon rains since Friday. The army and navy, officials of Disaster Management Centre (DMC) were deployed in coastal and inland areas for rescue operations. In Mullaitivu, the worst flood-hit district, 4443 persons from 1414 families were [...]
Rs. 1 billion spent on disaster responses this year: DMC
As much as Rs. 1 billion was spent on disaster responses this year, the Disaster Management Centre (DMC) has said. Deputy Director Pradeep Kodippili told the Sunday Times that Rs. 600 million was spent on disaster mitigation activities and Rs. 200 million on disaster responses, as last year’s devastating drought continued this year also, while [...]
Season of mists and sneezes
Respiratory illnesses are on the rise in the hill country due to the cold weather, and caution is being urged especially for children and the elderly and those travelling upcountry from milder weather regions. “During this time of the year, people suffer from cold allergies that lead to wheezing and other respiratory tract infections,” Bandarawela [...]
VoA passed amidst light-hearted banter between Govt. and Opposition members
After almost two months of unprecedented political turmoil, the country took a major step towards stability on Friday (21) when Parliament passed a Vote on Account (VoA) to fund Government expenditure for the first four months of 2019. The motion on the interim budget received 102 votes, with both the United National Front (UNF) and [...]
Here they are: Cabinet, non cabinet ministers, state ministers and deputy ministers
A 30-member cabinet, three non-cabinet ministers, 17 state ministers and seven deputy ministers were appointed this week. Most of the ministers, after being sworn in before President Maithripala Sirisena on Thursday assumed duties the following day. Non cabinet, state and deputy ministers were appointed only on Friday night. Some of the ministers were entrusted with [...]
Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith calls on politicians to uphold the dignity of the poor
Delivering a message at the Annual Christmas Celebrations at President’s House, Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith said successive government’s continued to reduce relief provided to the public. He emphasised that when prices were increased, it was the the poor who were hurt most. “Remember these people should not be forced onto the streets to beg,” he added. [...]
Christmas messages stress the need for peace, unity and just society
President recalls Jesus’ message of peace and reconciliation President Maithripala in his Christmas message says: The expectation of Christmas is a promise of new life; a new birth. The Christmas is a season where the message of Jesus on peace and reconciliation reverberates throughout the world. The people around the world celebrate Christmas to mark [...]
‘People forgot Christmas because of politics’: Pettah traders’ lament
The political turmoil might be ending but business is still slow for Christmas. Traders complain that the public’s Christmas spirit has been dampened by the seven-week political crisis. “If you came to speak to me last year around this time, I would not be talking to you since I would be busy selling Christmas decorations. [...]
From war-torn east to Cambridge to pursue his research on cancer therapy
Growing up amidst much hardship not only within a family in dire financial straits but also in an area caught up in conflict, there were not many childhood dreams for Mohamed Iqbal Haseemdeen from Valachchenai in the east. The passion to do something for people began coursing through his veins as an undergraduate following a [...]
Lanka hugely vulnerable to climate crises: Report
Sri Lanka faces a climate crisis far more severe than the just-ended political crisis, a top weather expert warned – a prediction reinforced by a separate report stating Lanka had been the second worst-affected country by extreme weather events in 2017. The warning from Centre for Environmental Justice (CEJ) Executive Director Hemantha Withanage also comes [...]
More powers, extra time given to SriLankan probe commission
The loss-making budget airline, Mihin Lanka, was proposed to be brought under SriLankan Airlines (SLA) as a subsidiary company to ensure a proper aviation service and meet the demands of a booming tourism industry. But professional recommendation was overlooked by the then management, it was revealed this week, at the Commission of Inquiry (CoI) appointed [...]
UHC aims to give quality health for all
Three people reaching up for fruit on a tree. No, it is not the forbidden fruit but ‘fruit’ they have every right to access but only one is able to so, with the other two unable to savour them. This was the striking slide that the Sri Lanka Medical Association (SLMA) President, Dr. Ruvaiz Haniffa, [...]
Changing the political culture – beyond the March 12 Declaration
One of the objectives enunciated by the Yahapalana campaign during the Presidential election campaign of January 8, 2015 was the promise to change the political culture in the country. This cry re-emerged with renewed force after the events of the post October 26, 2018 period. A positive change in the political culture will result in [...]
Pick of the Pix
Pix by Amila Gamage, Ishanka Sunimal, Augustin Fernando Gamini Mahadura and Shelton Hettiarachchi
Big power vessels in Colombo port: Christmas rendezvous with Sri Lanka Navy
A US warship, an Indian Navy hydrographic survey vessel and three vessels of the Russian Pacific Fleet arrived in Sri Lanka this Christmas week. USS Rushmore arrived in Colombo Port last Friday. The 186-metre, 18,000-ton landing ship dock vessel has an embarked contingent of US Marines from the 13th Marine Expeditionary Unit (13th MEU). The [...]
Tsunami’s ‘Baby 81’ dreams of being a doctor
As the country marks the 14th anniversary of the tsunami next week, Jeyarajah Abilash, who survived the deadly waves in Kalmunai as a newborn baby and went on to make headlines around the world, also marks the anniversary of his miraculous survival. Abilash, now completing his education in his village, says his only ambition is [...]
Beware of unhygienic foods
During this Christmas season, Public Health Inspectors (PHIs) detected a string of cases involving the sale of unhygienic raw materials for the preparation of delicacies. Among them were instances of sale old and damaged eggs and sale of outdated and/or damaged ingredients to traders producing food items for sale at eateries, as well as to [...]
Kandy MC budget suffers historic defeat
The budget of the Kandy Municipal Council has been defeated for the first time in the council’s 152-year history, in what is seen as a reflection of the national level political fissures in local council politics. The budget was presented by United National Party Mayor Kesera Sennanayke and when a division was called by Opposition [...]
Recent drug seizure again highlights close link between foreign traffickers and local dealers
Major drug seizures over the past few weeks have again highlighted the close links between drug traffickers based overseas and dealers in the country. After obtaining a detention order, the Police Narcotics Bureau (PNB) has begun questioning a 23-year-old Bangladeshi woman who was arrested last week from Ratmalana, with 32 kilograms of heroin in her [...]