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The five-day Fairway Galle Literary Festival ends today. Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe on Friday attended the festival and he is seen being driven through the Galle Fort’s streets in an open-hood 5 Sri Mini Moke by the festival’s founder Geoffrey Dobbs. The Sunday Times is the print media sponsor of the Fest. Please also see [...]
Wanathavillu explosives: CID probes possible links to militant group
The discovery of a variety of bomb-making materials has prompted the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) to probe whether they were for use by a newly emerging militant group. Suspicions have been fuelled after a raid on an 80 acre coconut estate bordering Kalpitiya lagoon at Karadipuval in Wanathavillu (Puttalam District) came after information relating to [...]
You will have a few more cold nights: Met. Dept.
A night time temperature drop is likely in the next few days in most parts of the country, a senior Meteorology Department official said. The official said that due to the cold weather, Nuwara Eliya and other upcountry areas could expect morning frost. According to the Meteorology Department, the lowest temperature of 5.1 Celsius was [...]
Beware, Sena worm killer could affect you through animal products
Plants sprayed with chemicals to counter the spread of the Sena worm should not be used as animal feed as they could affect the people who consume animal products, Agricultural and Livestock officials warned. Agriculture Department Director General W.M.W. Weerakoon told the Sunday Times that five liquid chemicals had been identified to be sprayed on [...]
Bill on Tuesday to give wider powers to CIABOC
Parliament on Tuesday will debate the Commissions of Inquiry (Amendment) Bill which will enable the Commission Investigating Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC) to consider material collected in the course of an investigation or an inquiry to institute criminal proceedings. This Bill which was presented to Parliament in May last year was taken up for [...]
Three big LNG power projects on hold as engineers protest
Three. international liquefied natural gas (LNG) projects set to generate more than 1,400 MW of power or almost half the daily electricity requirement have been put on hold due to objections by engineers — forcing the government to depend on emergency power supplies at higher cost. The problems arose after three cabinet-approved LNG projects from [...]
Lufthansa sought exclusive deal to settle US$ 1.1 million dispute
A German-based aeronautical maintenance company sought from SriLankan Airlines an exclusive contract outside the tender procedure to settle a US$ 1.1 million dispute pertaining to questionable invoices, according to a top audit official of the national carrier. Testifying before the Commission to inquire into irregularities in SriLankan Airlines, SriLankan Catering Ltd., and Mihin Lanka (Pvt) [...]
Govt. begins project to build houses for war-affected in NE
The Government this week kicked off a project to build 10,000 brick and mortar and cement sand block type traditional houses for the conflict-affected in the North and East. These houses will have a floor area of 550 square feet, two bed rooms, kitchen, living room and toilet with calicut titles at an estimated cost [...]
Angunukolapelessa prison attack: HRCSL probe began long before video footage went viral
Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka (HRCSL) officials visited the Angunukolapelessa prison to inquire into the assault on inmates, a month before leaked video footage of the incident created a public outcry in the social media this week. The visit in early December last year came after the HRCSL learned about the incident that took [...]
Hold polls before drafting new Constitution, Malwatte Mahanayake tells UNP
The Malwatte Mahanayake Thera, Ven. Thibbatuwawe Sri Siddhartha Sumangala Thera on Friday told a group of visiting UNP MPs that it would be better to proceed with drafting a new constitution after holding the scheduled elections. The Thera made the remarks when the group led by Minister Lakshman Kiriella met him as part of a [...]
Kelaniya Perahera ends with ‘Uda Maluwa Perahera’
The annual Perahera of the Kelaniya Raja Maha Viharaya concluded last night with the Uda Maluwa Perahera. This year, the annual Kelaniya Perahera did not traverse the normal route it usually does and only took place within the premises of the temple. The conclusion of the Uda Maluwa Perahera brought to end a line of [...]
25 new President’s Counsel take ‘silk’
Twenty-five new President’s Counsel appointed by President Maithripala Sirisena took their oaths at a ceremonial sitting of the Supreme Court at 9.30 a.m. on Friday (18). Pictured above are some of the new President’s Counsel. (More pictures on our web edition Sundaytimes.lk) Pix by Priyantha Wickramarachchi and Ishanka Sunimal.
Court allows pistol-weilding Hambantota mayor’s defence team to call witnesses
Hambantota High Court Judge Thamara Tennakoon, this week, allowed the defence to call witnesses to testify in the case against the Hambantota Mayor and five others over charges of assaulting and intimidating a group of United National Party (UNP) MPs on an inspection tour of the Magampura Harbour and Mattala Airport. After conclusion of evidence [...]
Indian fishermen back in large numbers in Lankan waters
Indian fishermen are back, poaching in Sri Lankan waters in large numbers after keeping away for months, this time emerging from the Mannar side in the North-West. On the night of January 12 and early morning of the next day, the Navy spotted multiple clusters of Indian trawlers – an estimated 500 – in Sri [...]
Construction Industry: New health and safety guidelines from CIDA by end February
In an effort to minimise accidents at construction sites, the Construction Industry Development Authority (CIDA), the apex regulator of the construction industry in the country, intends to publish new health and safety guidelines by end February. The “Guidelines for Construction Safety and Occupational Health in Sri Lanka,” would detail broad measures to ensure safety at [...]
Arrest of Kadirgamar assassination suspect
Sri Lanka’s mission in Berlin is awaiting information from Germany’s Ministry of Interior, on the German police’s arrest of a suspect in the 2005 assassination of former Foreign Minister Lakshman Kadirgamar. Ambassador Karunasena Hettiarachchi said Sri Lanka was willing to cooperate and assist in any investigation, should a request be made by the Germans. The [...]
CEB, Power and Energy Ministry at loggerheads over LNG purchase
The Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) is opposing Power and Energy Ministry moves to award a 20-year take-or-pay contract for Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) to a single entity, saying the high possibility of the Mannar Basin gas reserves being developed made it prudent to sign for just 10 years, and on a different business model. The [...]
Environmentalists fear carbon tax will go up in smoke
Environmentalists have raised concerns over the lack of clarity on how funds from the proposed ‘carbon tax’ would be utilised to protect the environment. The tax came into effect from January 1, but will only be compulsory from 2020. The Department of Motor Traffic said that those who don’t pay the carbon tax this year [...]
More than 75% of rehabilitated drug users return to habit
Only a minimal number of drug users released from rehabilitation centres in Sri Lanka are cured of the habit with an alarming 75 and 80 percent of them relapsing, experts said. While counter-narcotic efforts last year had some impact, awareness and rehabilitation need strong improvement, said Pubudu Sumanasekara, Executive Director of the Alcohol and Drug [...]
Defence sector will gobble up close to Rs 400 billion
Budgetary allocation for the Defence sector will be close to Rs 400 billion for this year, according to Appropriation Bill 2019, to be presented to Parliament on February 5. With the Police Department being brought under the Defence Ministry, the Rs 307 billion allocated in the previous Appropriation Bill presented in October 2018, has shot [...]
Saudi Arabia ups Sri Lanka’s Haj quota
Saudi Arabia has decided to increase Sri Lanka’s Haj pilgrim quota to 3,500.. This was announced following the signing of an agreement between Sri Lanka’s Muslim Religious Affairs Minister M.H. Abdul Haleem and Saudi Arabia’s Hajj Affairs Minister in Jedda. Mr. Haleem said the Saudi Minister had given an assurance to increase the quota of [...]
Four-year blood feud behind Hekitta fatal shooting
A near four-year blood feud between two drug trafficking gangs was believed to be the most likely reason for Sunday’s fatal shooting of two people in Wattala. The incident happened around 3 p.m. on the busy Hekitta Road, near a Hindu temple, according to Police. They said the gunmen came in a white car and [...]
Samaritans to be rescued from accident red tape
In a move to encourage people to take action to save lives of accident victims, the government will introduce guidelines to protect “good Samaritans” from the hassle of being involved in bureaucracy related to the accident. Good Samaritans will be shielded from unnecessary hospital paperwork and from interrogation by police who see them as useful [...]
Sparks fly over tuition ban plan on Sundays, Poya Days
Educationists, teachers, trade unions and parents are urging the government to review its proposed ban on tuition classes on Sundays and Poya days, calling it impractical. Teacher unions strongly oppose the plan, saying if the government wanted to promote students’ religious interests it should remove the competitiveness in government examinations that forced students to augment [...]
Bottled water makers pay Rs 1.5m in fines
Fines amounting to Rs 1.5 million have been collected by the Consumer Affairs Authority (CAA) from bottled water manufacturers breaking the law over the past two years. The fines came from 345 raids carried out across the country. Offences included misleading labelling – the absence or obliteration of a price tag and other product details [...]
Was that a flying kitchen? No it was a kite
A kitchen, military tank, bird cage and a replica of a sea tiger vessel were some of the objects that dotted the sky as thousands of people flocked to a beach that was abuzz with an air of festivity in Valvettithurai, Jaffna, on Thai Pongal day, last Tuesday. The flying objects were just some of [...]
Measuring Sri Lanka cricket’s success- Big bank balance or performance on the field
What is the yardstick to judge the success of cricket administration in the country? Is it a fat bank balance in the accounts of Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) or performance on the field by the cricketers. Judging by the remarks of the contenders for positions at the forthcoming SLC elections to the financial standing of [...]
Pick of the Pix
Pix by Sameera Weerasekera, Priyantha Wickramarachchi, Ishanka Sunimal, Karunarathna Gamage and Gamini Mahadura.
Dutch couple delays train ride to help injured dog
A Dutch couple, concerned by the plight of a stray dog at the Gampaha railway station this week, delayed their journey to Kandy for more than 7 hours, before they called in a veterinary and handed over the animal. The tourists, who had booked their rail tickets to Kandy from Gampaha, had observed a stray [...]
Hard pressed to stay clean
Colombo is undergoing development at a rapid pace. More and more buildings are coming up on a daily basis, while new infrastructure projects are also being initiated. However, despite all the development, the city currently has serious issues providing basic amenities and cleanliness. Garbage collection in the city continues to be haphazard. Open carts are [...]