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No gas, no light, that’s this mother’s plight

No gas, no light, that’s this mother’s plight

In Malabe, this mother’s plight was like that of a blind person in a dark room looking for a black cat that is not there. Due to the gas shortage, she had to use firewood for cooking and that too in the dark because there was an unannounced power cut in the area early yesterday [...]

CEB wants to buy fuel directly bypassing CPC

Power Minister seeks part of the USD 500mn Indian credit line for this purpose Engineers warn of power cuts due to worsening fuel situation The Ministry of Power under which the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) operates is seeking a direct allocation from the Finance Ministry for fuel instead of depending on the Energy Ministry under [...]

Rs. 5,000 allowance for SOE employees, but with conditions

The Government has decided to provide a monthly allowance of Rs. 5000 to employees of State-Owned Enterprises (SOEs) such as corporations and statutory boards. Through a circular, Treasury Secretary S.R. Attygalle this week informed government institutions about the allowance which is effective from this month. The allowance will be determined by an SOE’s board of [...]

Phone allowance slashed for state enterprise bosses

The Government, in keeping with a budget decision, has from this month slashed the telephone bill allowances of officers in State Owned Enterprises (SOEs). Accordingly, reimbursement of telephone bills has been reduced by 25 percent for officers in corporations, statutory boards, and government owned companies. A chairperson or competent authority who was entitled to a [...]

Islam text books withdrawn after One-Country-One-Law Task Force raises concern

The Education Ministry with immediate effect has recalled the Islam text books for Grade 6, 7, 10 and 11 after the Presidential Task Force for ‘One Country, One Law,’ raised concerns over the contents of the books. Issuing a directive to principals of National and other schools that have received the text books in Sinhala [...]

Zoo director steps down temporarily; wants probe on alleged acts of sabotage by trade union activists

National Zoological Gardens Director General Shermila Rajapaksha has stepped down from her position temporarily and requested the Wildlife Ministry Secretary to create a conducive condition for her to return to work. Ms Rajapaksha told the Sunday Times yesterday that she had informed President Gotabaya Rajapaksa that she was going on leave for 14 days allowing [...]

Platinum Award for Wijeya Newspapers Hokandara complex

Platinum Award for Wijeya Newspapers Hokandara complex

Wijeya Newspapes Ltd’s Hokandara complex won the Platinum Award at the National Cleaner Production Awards 2021 under the  printing and packaging industry sector category. The awards ceremony was held at the Water’s Edge Hotel on Wednesday. General Manager and Chief Operating Officer (Hokandara Complex) Janaka Rathnakumara is seen receiving the award from Industries Minister Wimal [...]

Events in pictures

“Aggamahāpandita” title for Ven. Tirikunamale Ananda Thera A ceremony to confer the Honorary Religious Title of “Aggamahapandita” on the Maha Nayaka of the Sri Amarapura Dharmarakshita Nikaya, Ven. Tirikunamale Ananda Thera, was held at the Sri Vajiraramaya in Bambalapitiya on Tuesday. Myanmar’s Ambassador U. Han Thu presented the title. Aggamahapandita is an honorific Buddhist Title [...]

Dry days and chilly mornings to continue

Fairly cold nights and mornings are expected over most parts of the island during the next few days, the weather forecaster has predicted. In the past 24 hours, Kurunegala recorded a temperature of 33.7 degrees Celsius, while in Nuwara Eliya, it was 8.3°C, data show. Met Department duty meteorologist Malith Fernando attributed the heat to [...]

Public bus operators defy load limits despite epidemic

Public bus operators defy load limits despite epidemic

Public and private buses that load up with passengers exceeding their seating capacity have become a common sight in Colombo despite strict Covid-19 restrictions. And for some passengers the options are limited. “I also travel standing up most of the time,” said Ayesh Eranda, 23, who takes the 138/176 bus routes to work. “They always [...]

Cancer drug without registration: NMRA claims correct procedure followed

The National Medicines Regulatory Authority Chairman, Dr Rasitha Wijewantha, has drawn our attention to last week’s news item headlined “Cancer drug to be imported without registration.” The NMRA Chairman said: “Trastuzumab Powder for injection, Brand Name Herzuma, manufactured by Celltrion INC Republic of South Korea, and Marketed by George Steuart’s Health (Pvt) Ltd was given [...]

105 seized Indian bottom trawlers to be auctioned next month

The Fisheries Department is to dispose of some 105 Indian bottom trawlers, seized in the past for engaging in bottom trawling in Sri Lankan sea, at a public auction next month after legal proceedings concluded, according to a senior official from the department. The trawlers detained in Karainagar (65), Kankesanthurai (5), Kiranchi (24), Talaimannar (9), [...]

All Saints’ Church grenade incident: Arrested doctor’s son challenges CCD statement

Counterclaims have been put forward with regard to the confession recorded by the Colombo Crimes Division (CCD) from a retired doctor, who was arrested in connection with the hand grenade found at All Saints’ Church in Borella recently. A fundamental rights (FR) application is to be filed at the Supreme Court against the CCD by [...]

‘God and prayers of predominantly Sinhalese patients protected me’

‘God and prayers of  predominantly Sinhalese patients protected me’

“In the cell, they let me keep a 1.5litre plastic drink bottle. Nobody gets a pillow. But I have problems falling asleep with my head on the floor. When you fill the bottle and reduce the water a little bit, it becomes flexible. I slept with my head on a bottle for 46 days in [...]

Pandemic pushes back plan to proscribe plastic products

Pandemic pushes back plan to proscribe plastic products

The Environmental Ministry’s plan to ban single-use and short-term plastic items, including inflatable toys, has been delayed due to pandemic-related economic concerns, a senior official said. The Central Environment Authority (CEA) said the decision was shelved considering the economic crisis the country was facing during the pandemic. In January last year, the CEA issued a [...]

North-East farmers in poverty-stricken mess and mudhole

North-East farmers in poverty-stricken mess and mudhole

As Northern farmers began their harvest in the wake of Thai Pongal festival last week, they complained they were forced to sell their reduced harvest at lower prices to private millers to settle their debts. The ban on chemical fertiliser imports forced many farmers to buy adulterated fertiliser at exorbitant prices by taking loans or [...]

N’Eliya vegetable prices decreasing, as stocks increase

N’Eliya vegetable prices decreasing, as stocks increase

Vegetable stocks distributed from the Nuwara Eliya Economic Centre, which were down month, have shown a gradual increase. The figures which dropped to around 60,000 kilos a day have shown an increase with more than 100,000 kilos being dispatched daily to outstation markets.  The high prices that were seen during the Christmas season and thereafter [...]

Fertile ground for national reconciliation: Army and ex-Tigers join hands to turn swords into ploughshares

Fertile ground for national reconciliation: Army and ex-Tigers join hands to turn swords into ploughshares

Sri Lanka Army soldiers and former separatist rebels are teaming up to turn former battlefields into agri-fields, breaking new ground in reconciliation. Some of the former areas which witnessed intense battles between the security forces and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) in the northern and eastern areas are now being converted into farmlands [...]

A lesson to Lanka on how to earn carbon credits

A lesson to Lanka on how to earn carbon credits

The recent discovery in Indonesia of a new species of tree has drawn attention to how even countries like Sri Lanka can earn handsomely through carbon credits. A three-member team of tropical botanists and ecologists from the National University of Singapore (NUS) led by Sri Lankan born conservationist Lahiru Wijedasa discovered the tree last year [...]

Sri Lankans boost tourist arrivals for sector with little visibility

Sri Lankans boost tourist arrivals for sector with little visibility

Tourist arrivals to Sri Lanka picked up over the past few weeks, but the impact of the coronavirus disease pandemic which has shut down global travel is still affecting source markets and the recovery is slow, tourism sector sources said. Sri Lanka recorded nearly 52,000 tourist arrivals as of January 19. The largest number was [...]

Maharagama UC in turmoil over official’s letter and demolished public toilet

An issue which took place during this week’s meeting of the Maharagama Urban Council triggered a boycott by council members for the fourth consecutive time. A dispute over a demolition of a public toilet in the town also errupted. Twenty-two Maharagama urban council members boycotted the monthly meeting for the fourth time, in protest over [...]

Dengue cases may drop as rains cease, but public must be vigilant, says expert

More than 50 per cent of the 5,383 Dengue cases reported so far this year were from the Western Province, Health Ministry statistics revealed. The statistics compiled up to January 20 shows that 54.1 percent cases are from the Western Province. However, since the rains have ceased, there is a possibility that cases might decrease, [...]

New Milco head finds old faults, makes promises

The newly-appointed chairman of the state-owned milk products manufacturing company, Milco Private Limited, has blamed the former administration for getting its priorities mixed up. New chairman Renuka Perera, told the Sunday Times that ice cream, butter and yogurt, were being produced instead of fresh milk and other dairy products. The accusation came hours after former [...]

Long-legged, gregarious, pink birds colour the landscape

A flamingo colony of about 5,000 has become an attraction in Mannar these days. Mannar’s arid landscape sometimes is an eyesore, but many of its coastal areas and lagoons have come alive with shades of pink and white from a flock of flamingos. During the long weekend last week, last-minute travelers could not find accommodation [...]

Local yams to the rescue

Local yams to the rescue

The quantity of commonly consumed vegetables in the local market has decreased significantly due to the ongoing fertiliser problem. To deal with the crisis, traders have begun marketing more locally farmed yams and potatoes. Consumers are often enticed to purchase locally produced goods that are accessible at much lower prices. Local market locations in Colombo’s [...]

Severe headache could signal Omicron

Severe headache could signal Omicron

Two variants of concern – Omicron and Delta – and the experience at ground-level are what is placed on the table by a doctor who has been treating patients affected by COVID-19 since Sri Lanka had its first case in January 2020. The number of people being affected by COVID-19 is rising rapidly but no [...]

Home-based care for COVID-19 thrives

Recover in the safety and comfort of your home, if you get infected with the coronavirus. Not only the Health Ministry but also many patients who have been part of the ‘Patient Home Isolation and Management System’ – PHIMS are singing its praises. More than 130,000 patients have been under this system, with only 1.5% [...]

Have a focal point at workplace to monitor COVID-19 situation

Here are the highlights of Friday’s media briefing at the Health Promotion Bureau chaired by Director Dr. Ranjith Batuwanthudawe. Acting Deputy Director-General and Director of Environmental Health, Occupational Health and Food Safety, Dr. Thilak Siriwardena: People working in enclosed spaces are at risk of contracting COVID-19. Therefore, they have to adhere to health guidelines by [...]

Nowhere near over

“Nowhere near over,” is how the Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO), Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus described the pandemic at a media briefing this week, going on to say that with the “incredible” growth of Omicron, new variants are likely to emerge. He said that more than 18 million cases were reported last week, [...]

Booster of an mRNA jab prevents symptoms

Booster of an mRNA jab prevents symptoms

A booster dose of the COVID-19 vaccine significantly reduces hospitalization due to Omicron, new research released on Friday by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has found. The booster doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna vaccines were 90% effective at keeping people out of the hospital after they had become infected with Omicron. [...]

Virus gallops across the world

India – Several states reported huge spikes in daily cases this week. There were 347,000 new COVID-19 infections and 703 deaths on Friday. Officials have underscored the need to enhance testing to keep track of the pandemic as many major cities went into lockdown. Singapore – Infections are rising fast, after its first cases of [...]

Case of mistaken identity may have led the ‘Salty’ to attack snorkeler: Dr. Anslem

Case of mistaken identity may have led the ‘Salty’ to attack snorkeler: Dr. Anslem

Herpetology expert says human encounter with a crocodile in the sea is rare, occurs only when they are migrating from one canal to another; vigilance whether there is a crocodile in the waters would be best way to prevent an attack There is panic………men, women and children who usually crowd the sun-kissed beaches off Bambalapitiya, [...]

Impatient drivers risk death in imported junk vehicles

Impatient drivers risk death in imported junk vehicles

“There is nothing called being too careful”. However, this is not the case for people who act as if they have an appointment with death. Several accidents that have led to death or injury could have been easily avoided with a teaspoon of common sense and a pinch of caution. It is a common sight [...]

Gas safety assured, accessories supply handed to duopoly

Gas safety assured, accessories supply handed to duopoly

Cooking gas is safe to use, and only the two gas companies will be allowed to import gas stove accessories, authorities say. Gas is being tested by the Sri Lanka Standards Institution (SLSI) for its composition ratio and level of ethyl mercaptan, the Ministry of Technology, Secretary, Jayantha de Silva said. Every shipment is being [...]

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