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Home » Newslockdown fuels long queues
People queued at fuel stations, supermarkets and other shops following the sudden announcement that a 10-day long lockdown would come into effect at 10.pm. on Friday. Here a long winding queue is seen waiting with cans to buy kerosene. Pic by Akila Jayawardana
Omani investment arm interested also in Hilton and GOH
Shumookh Investment and Services SAOC of Oman which recently expressed interest in two prime Colombo properties –the Chalmers Granary land and the Air Force Headquarters–is also keen on a management deal for the Colombo Hilton and Grand Oriental Hotel (GOH), official sources said. This week, Shumookh Investment submitted expressions of interest for the two plots [...]
Steep rise in prices of essential drugs and medical equipment
The government yesterday revised the Maximum Retail Price (MRP) upward by 10 per cent for some 60 vital medicines and medical equipment. This came while traders associations warned of a possible food scarcity by the end of this year as shortage of dollars coupled with further depreciation of the rupee had affected the import of [...]
Four new mutations: No cause to panic yet
The Delta variant in Sri Lanka has acquired 4 mutations due to its rapid transmission in the community, said a top expert yesterday, reiterating however that there is no need for the public to be concerned about them until it is established whether they are of significance. Prof. Neelika Malavige, Head of the Department of [...]
COVID-19 death toll exceeds 7000
The death toll due to COVID-19 in Sri Lanka exceeded the 7000 figure last night with 198 more deaths reported, the Director General of Health Services Dr Asela Gunawardena said. This week alone more than 1000 deaths due to COVID-19 have been reported raising the total to 7,183 last night. Throughout the week, deaths from [...]
Indian tourists welcome from next week despite continuing spread of COVID there
Sri Lanka has decided to re-open the country for Indian tourists from next week along with a string of other measures to revive the industry, a senior official of the Ministry said. Accordingly Indian tourists who agree to stay in hotels registered as three-star or above will be able to travel to Sri Lanka, ending [...]
Critical to stop Delta from rampaging in other provinces as it has done in WP, says expert
Safeguard the other provinces from going in the same direction as the Western Province (WP) which is facing an onslaught from the rapidly-spreading Delta or the Indian variant (B.1.617.2). This was the strong plea from Prof. Neelika Malavige, Head of the Department of Immunology and Molecular Medicine, University of Sri Jayewardenepura, who has been peering [...]
“Pressure must be applied on the Chinese” – PB on Port City
The idea that the China-built Port City will channel billions of dollars into the economy from the outset is a “misunderstood concept by many” but the project is expected to catalyze construction, employment and the capital’s property in its first phase, said P B Jayasundera, Secretary to the President. “If anybody thinks a US$ 20b [...]
NMRA to grant blanket renewal for registered drugs after data disappearance from Lanka Government Cloud
The National Medicines Regulatory Authority (NMRA) is likely to grant blanket renewal for registered drugs that were awaiting fresh licences following the “disappearance” of thousands of terabytes of classified pharmaceutical information from the Lanka Government Cloud (LGC), industry sources said. At a meeting this week with NMRA, drugs companies were told this was being considered [...]
Lockdown announcement leads to “panic buying” once again; long queues seen outside many pharmacies and supermarkets
Lockdown announcement leads to “panic buying” once again; long queues seen outside many pharmacies and supermarkets When President Gotabaya Rajapaksa began his address to the nation at 8.30 pm on Friday, there were still long queues in front of leading supermarket chains in Colombo and other suburban towns across the country. The quarantine curfew announcement [...]
Beware of deadly dengue doing the rounds too
Beware the ‘twin’ scourges – COVID-19 and dengue – now doing the rounds in Sri Lanka, cautioned a medical professional on Friday, advising the public on how to respond to this imminent threat. While COVID-19 and dengue which are viral diseases are affecting people, there are also other viral diseases in the community, said the [...]
Sri Lanka “keenly observing” Afghanistan situation, prepared to take action if necessary: Foreign Ministry
Sri Lanka yesterday said that, as a member of SAARC, it is prepared to play a role to assist any regional efforts in regard to the “possibilities of mass migration, extremist religious elements attempting to find safe haven and enhanced illegal narcotic trade which can have a destabilising effect on the entire South Asian region” [...]
CAA introduces hefty fines for violators
The Consumer Affairs Authority (CAA) is to introduce hefty fines for those who violate the directives issued by them. Fines start from Rs 100,000 for individuals and up to five million for corporate companies. According to a bill published by the Ministry of Trade amending Section 60 of the Consumer Affairs Authority Act, No.9 of [...]
Group tears down black flag protests
Black flag protests organised by the Catholic Church were held throughout the country yesterday to voice pain and disgust at the government’s alleged unwillingness to establish the truth behind the Easter Sunday terror attacks. While the protest was observed silently and peacefully in most places, one incident was reported from the Wattala area where a [...]
Senior police officers ask monk to shield them
A group of senior police officers paid a visit to the Mahanayaka Thera of the Asgiriya Chapter Most Ven Warakagoda Sri Gnanarathana Thera on Thursday to brief him on the alleged unjust treatment they were being subjected to. The group of senior officers had all been serving in areas where the Easter Sunday terror attacks [...]
Tearing down history
The tenants of the De Soysa Building, a 150-year-old building in Slave Island, Colombo have begun moving their families and businesses after the Urban Development Authority (UDA) began demolishing the building. The demolishing of the building was fast-tracked after a part of the building collapsed due to deterioration in June. Now, the handful of families [...]
Pick of the Pix
From our readers Shutterbugs out there, we would once again appreciateyour contributions to this picture corner. Please send your captioned photograph along with your name, and the location of the photograph, to: pictures@sundaytimes.wnl.lk We would also appreciate if you mention the camera or cellphone that was used.
Frightened Lankans say leaving Afghanistan is harder now
Mostly comprising NGO staff and employees of companies that provided secondary services to these NGOs, 25 Sri Lankans want to stay back in Afghanistan, nine want to return and six others are yet to inform the Embassy of their decision Lanka’s Ambassador who was here on leave in Colombo when the takeover took place says [...]
A spectacle with no spectators
The final Randoli Perahera of the Dalada Maligawa will parade the streets of Kandy under strict health guidelines. Even though large crowds of worshipers, onlookers or Buddhist clergy were not present, the event was held with the same vigour and the participation of 2,000 performers, featuring 50 elephants. Tuskers Nadungamuwe Vijaya Raja, Wasana, Indi Raja, [...]
Where are the forlorn elders dumped outside the hospital?
The plight of a group of elderly people abandoned by their families outside the South Teaching Hospital in Kohuwela has become a mystery with police denying reports that the group had been handed over to them. Last week, hospital authorities found six elderly persons – five women and one man – abandoned at the hospital [...]
Heavy rainfall to be expected in many provinces: Met. Department
Due to a low level atmospheric disturbance, heavy rainfall is expected in most parts of the island, the Meteorology Department forecasts. Met Department’s Duty Meteorologist said heavy showers or thundershowers can occur at any time of the day particularly in the Central, Uva, Northern, North Central, Eastern and Sabaragamuwa provinces. The public have been urged [...]
Indian envoy meets Pera university’s new VC
Indian Deputy High Commissioner S.Athira met University of Peradeniya Vice Chancellor M.D.Lamawansa recently, and discussed how India can help the university’s research programmes. Dr. Athira also discussed the possibility of opening an “Indian Book Corner” at the university library. She also wished to organise an Indian Cultural Day at the university and a medical camp [...]
A flood of calls as COVID rages on
A lifeline for desperate people – 247 has seen a flood of calls seeking succour in these terrible times of COVID-19. Set up by the Sri Lanka Medical Association (SLMA), the apex professional organization of the medical profession, some years ago, the hotline has been reactivated to support the people desperate for advice, guidance and [...]
Deadly molecular menace spares no one
Doctors, nurses, ambulance drivers, business people, clergy, senior journalists, former sportsmen, school students, and women who had recently given birth, were among 800 recent victims of the coronavirus disease in just five days this week. At Colombo North Teaching Hospital in Ragama, a second doctor died. Dr. Gayan Danthanarayana died from the disease earlier this [...]
Mutilated tusker avenged by swift action
An elephant lying near a tank with part of its head missing and its trunk chopped off – this was the gruesome scene Kataragama wildlife officers saw when they reached the forested area near Gothirigama at Kataragama last Sunday. The Deputy Director in charge of the Uwa Wildlife Zone, W.A.D.U. Indrajith, told The Sunday Times [...]
As controversy rages over covid webinar, JSC mulls clarification
In the wake of controversy surrounding the webinar titled “Matters relating to judicial proceedings in the context of the Covid-19 Pandemic,” conducted by the Sri Lanka Judges’ Institute, the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) is expected to issue an official clarification in the coming days. The webinar, which was held on August 13, has come under [...]
BASL expresses grave concerns; seeks answers from JSC
The Bar Association of Sri Lanka (BASL) has requested the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) to immediately address concerns raised regarding the holding of a meeting/webinar for judicial officers titled “Matters relating to judicial proceedings in the context of the Covid-19 Pandemic.” In a letter addressed to JSC Chairman, Chief Justice Jayantha Jayasuriya and JSC members, [...]