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Home » NewsWhite roses from President for 9/11 victims
President Gotabaya Rajapaksa and his wife Ioma placing white roses at the New York 9/11 memorial erected in memory of some 3,000 people who died twenty years ago in the biggest terrorist attack on the US. The President was in the US to attend the United Nations General Assembly annual sessions. In his speech to [...]
Cost of living set to soar in next few weeks
Trade Minister Bandula Gunawardena yesterday warned the cost of living was expected to rise in the next few weeks as traders were faced with a crisis finding US dollars to pay import bills. Minister Gunawardena told the Sunday Times world market prices had also increased and the prices of milk food, domestic gas, wheat flour [...]
800 food containers stuck in port; importers seek long-term solution
Importers are demanding a long-term solution to prevent piling up of essential food containers at the Colombo Port. The move came amidst a delay of clearing more than 1,300 containers containing essential food items, including sugar, due to the shortage of US dollars to clear the goods. Customs Director General Major General (Retd) G.V. Ravirpiya [...]
Ahead of polls, big allocations for local-level projects
Members of Parliament presiding over District Development Committees and their deputies, former provincial council members and sitting local council members are to be allocated funds for development projects in their respective areas, Minister Gamini Lokuge told the Sunday Times. He said that according to the proposal, an MP presiding over the District Development Committee would [...]
Covid curfew may be lifted from Oct 1 but restrictions to be imposed
The Government is likely to lift the current lockdown on October 1 with strict regulations in place, Health Minister Keheliya Rambukwella said yesterday. Despite plans to open the country, 79 COVID-19 related deaths were reported yesterday with the total number of deaths in the country increasing to 12,609. According to the COVID-19 vaccination monitoring portal [...]
Bottom trawling by Indians: Top level naval meeting on Wednesday
The ongoing illegal bottom trawling by Indian fishermen in Sri Lanka’s territorial waters is to come up at a top-level meeting between the regional Naval Commanders of Sri Lanka and India next Wednesday, Naval sources said. The meeting has been organised in the wake of a recent increase in trawling activities by Indian fishermen in [...]
Top level EU team here tomorrow to review GSP+ compliance
A European Union delegation will arrive tomorrow for a routine review of whether Sri Lanka’s level of adherence to 27 international conventions on human and labour rights, environmental protection and good governance warrants a continuation of the GSP+ trade concession. It is not a sign, however, of the country having been placed on notice, authoritative [...]
Villagers join wildlife officers in 7-hour operation to rescue elephant
Wildlife officers backed by villagers of Millagaswewa at Karuwalagaswewa in the Puttalam district yesterday came to the rescue of an elephant which had fallen into an agricultural well in the area. After about a seven-hour rescue operation, the elephant, believed to be about 25 years of age, was brought out of the well. A villager [...]
Register properties to prevent fraudsters claiming them, warns CMC
Owners of 60,000 properties within the Colombo Municipal Council (CMC) limits, currently unregistered, have been called to register with the council or run the risk of fraudsters acquiring their lands. A senior council official said the CMC had issued Assessment Numbers to some 167,000 properties; but only about 105,000 properties across its 47 administrative divisions [...]
Court order served on dead politco; police directed to cemetery
Mullaitivu police officers were directed to a cemetery by the son of a Tamil politician when they went to his residence to serve a court order banning commemorative events for a fallen commander of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) . On Friday, Mullaitivu police filed a case under the Penal Code and secured [...]
Two foreign tourists found dead
Two tourists from two different countries were found dead at different places in Sri Lanka this week, police said. One of them was identified as Thomas John, a 42-year-old British national. He was found dead in a villa hotel at Panama in Pothuvill. Mr John had been staying with his wife at a hotel in [...]
‘Open schools with all preventive measures in place’
It is time to open the schools as soon as possible, reiterated a senior academic and child specialist this week. “When the risk-benefit ratio is considered, the benefits of throwing open the gates of schools with all precautions in place far outweigh the risks. Vaccination of children, except those in high-risk categories, should not be [...]
Jabs for all children in 12-18 age group – no decision yet
Should Sri Lanka immunize all children in the 12-18 age group, is the main topic of discussion these days, with mixed views being expressed by medical professionals. No decision has been taken yet and extensive discussions are underway on this crucial matter with the strong input of the Sri Lanka College of Paediatricians about children [...]
Unique quiz to commemorate and unify healthcare staff
Simplicity was the keynote of the just-concluded 134th Anniversary International Medical Congress 2021 of the Sri Lanka Medical Association (SLMA). SLMA President Dr. Padma Gunaratne said with much pride in her team that without fanfare or large expenditure they held the congress with laudable numbers attending all the online sessions. The theme was ‘Professional excellence [...]
Stink of corruption is so nauseating for top CAA official that he quit in disgust
Thushan Gunewardena outlines reasons behind his resignation as ‘executive director’ of the Consumer Affairs Authority Says the authority has lost its independence; it has become the property of ruling party politicos Garlic scam a broad daylight robbery, as corrupt Sathosa officials sell and rebuy stocks from trader; alleges that Undu seed stocks also changed hands [...]
Case of conflict of interest: The Governor’s connection
Independent forensic audit report tabled in Parliament now with the Attorney General Another independent audit report exposes EPF’s questionable trading activities on the Colombo Stock Exchange, leading to hefty losses Ajith Nivard Cabraal, 67-year-old accountant and politician, has taken over Central Bank of Sri Lanka (CBSL) as Governor for a second time. Among his first administrative [...]
‘Today the price is …’ – customers shocked by new reality at the till
These days, a customer inquiring about the price of an essential item at a grocery is apt to be given the answer, “Today the price is …”, reflecting the daily fluctuations in prices of goods. Most retailers have stopped issuing receipts to customers, fearing the consequences if the Consumer Affairs Authority (CAA) sees the prices; [...]
Police special unit springs into action to curb rising cybercrimes amid multiple challenges
Cybercrime is rising exponentially in Sri Lanka while internet usage and device accessibility are also rising disproportionately in relation to the growth in ICT literacy rate. The number of Sri Lanka’s internet users increased by 800,000 between 2020 and 2021 while the country’s social media population increased by 1.5 million during the same period. Since [...]
Puttalam district’s forests in peril; ‘Officers involved in various rackets’
Puttalam district is distinguished by its peculiar geographical features, including rich groves of coconut, paddy and vegetable fields, lagoons and a giant network of lakes. The Thabbowa Reservation, belonging to the Wildlife Conservation Department, and other areas, gazetted and not gazetted, belonging to the Forest Department, are all a part of the Puttalam district’s forest [...]
President Gotabaya calls on world community to protect Afghanistan’s Buddhist heritage
President Gotabaya Rajapaksa urged the United Nations (UN) and the international community to ensure the protection of Afghanistan’s Buddhist heritage under Taliban rule. Addressing the 76th Session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York on Wednesday (22), President Rajapaksa also stressed that Sri Lanka’s philosophical heritage was deeply rooted in Lord Buddha’s teachings [...]
The Taliban may be hunting for Afghanistan’s most famous treasure
With the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan, the country’s archaeological remains face a grim future even if the extremist Islamic group decides not to loot or intentionally destroy them. Some news reports suggest the Taliban are already hunting for one of the country’s most famous caches; the so-called “Bactrian Treasure” is a collection of more than [...]
A response to Javid Yusuf’s criticism of 20A
This is in response to Mr Javid Yusuf’s (JY) article titled “All’s not well in the public service after the 20A” (The Sunday Times of September 19). It is JY’s opinion that with an all-powerful individual at the top of the government, in the form of an Executive President, it was inevitable that various institutions of [...]
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A nostalgic ride
A steam-powered train is to run between Fort-Ambepussa, marking the inception of railways services in Sri Lanka, Railways General Manager Dhammika Jayasuriya said. This service is hoped to uplift the tourist sector which has taken a severe beating from the pandemic. Before diesel locomotives replaced them, these great metal horses hauled goods along the up-country [...]
COVID snatches lives at frontline of battle against virus
The month-long lockdown might have reduced the COVID risk and helped reduce fatalities, but the virus continues to claim the lives of frontline healthcare workers. The latest death, on Wednesday, was a young doctor from Ratmalana. Dr. Tharindri Vithanage, 31, had tested positive while working at the Ratnapura Teaching Hospital. She was initially sent to [...]
Desperate to stave off ruin, hoteliers turn to selling assets
Boutique tourist hotel owners are selling personal vehicles and hotel furniture, cutlery and bed linen online to stay afloat as they see little chance of quick recovery despite talk of the tourist industry picking up for the European winter. The Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority (SLTDA) said 5,040 tourists arrived in August compared to pre-COVID [...]
Gears of economy set to grind into action from next week
Following a 40-day lockdown, the government is preparing to gradually reopen the country next week under new health guidelines amidst high expectations that vaccination programmes will help to bring down COVID-19 cases. State Ministry of Primary Health Care, Epidemics and COVID Disease Control Dr. Sudaharhani Fernandopulle said the Health Ministry has already issued guidelines on [...]