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Home » NewsWe are Malaria free, but watch out for Zika, Filaria and Chikungunya
While welcoming tourists to a Malaria-free Sri Lanka and advising tourists to take a Malaria check if they wish to, a new alert has been declared for possible Zika cases. Visitors from Zika-infected countries are being advised through large notices at the BIA to consult a doctor if they develop any symptoms. Pic by M.A. [...]
Lanka on Red alert for Chikungunya, Zika
Health desks at airports take precautions after two deaths in Chilaw By Chris Kamalendran Sri Lanka’s entry and exit points, particularly the Bandaranaike International Airport and the Colombo Port, have been placed on high alert to prevent the spread of two deadly diseases raging in Asia. One is Chikungunya which is fast spreading in New [...]
If you are coming from a Zika country, see a doctor
By Kumudini Hettiarachchi If you have been in a country with active transmission of Zika, get yourself checked by a doctor on your return. This is the message being sent out to expectant mothers by the health authorities. While stressing that there is no reason to panic, Consultant Epidemiologist Dr. Samitha Ginige, attached to the [...]
President to attend key economic meetings in Goa
President Maithripala Sirisena will attend two key economic meetings in the western Indian coastal town of Goa next month. One is the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Trade and Economic Co-operation (BIMSTEC). The other is the BRICS, an economic grouping of Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa. He will leave Sri Lanka on [...]
Kilinochchi market complex gone in blazing inferno
The Kilinochchi market complex with some 120 shops was razed to the ground in a massive fire which erupted on Friday night, police said. Kilinochchi region’s Deputy Inspector General W.M.R.M. Welikanna said special police teams were deployed for investigations. Ceylon Electricity Board officials were also carrying out on-the-spot investigations as initial reports seem to suggest [...]
Top schools for doctors’ children: Akila says ‘No’ to Rajitha’s ‘Yes’
By Chrishanthi Christopher The ongoing dispute over admitting doctors’ children to popular schools continues, with the Education Minister taking a tough stand, but the Health Minister appearing to take a softer line. ”The doctors’ request is unacceptable and cannot be acceded to,” Education Minister Akila Viraj Kariyawasam said after the doctors met with Health Minister Rajitha [...]
Police take new oath
Police personnel attached to the Chilaw Police Station took a pledge to adhere to the Code of Conduct compiled by the National Police Commission (NPC) to coincide with the 150th anniversary of Sri Lanka’s Police Department. The police officers took their oaths before ASP Chilaw Sanath Wickramasuriya.
The Book fair is in town
It’s here again. The Colombo International Book Fair that began on Friday at the BMICH will continue until September 25. Here young enthusiastic readers are seen browsing through some books.
Mangala for ban on fishing harmful to marine eco-systems worldwide
Foreign Minister Mangala Samaraweera has called for the discontinuation and banning of all fishing methods that harm marine eco-systems worldwide, singling out bottom trawling in particular. He made the remarks while participating in the ‘Our Ocean Conference 2016’ at the US State Dept in Washington D.C. Speaking at the conference, Minister Samaraweera also outlined steps [...]
CEB engineers’ union paints dark picture for country’s power sector
Ad hoc decisions with regard to the country’s power sector will cost the Government billions of rupees and the burden will have to be borne by the consumers, the Ceylon Electricity Board Engineers’ Union (CEBEU) warned. Referring to the decision to scrap the Indian funded coal power plant in Sampur, CEBEU President Athula Wanniarachchi claimed [...]
Singers express concern as Clarence Wijewardena family places ad to sell rights of songs claimed
The family of late singer, song writer and music composer Clarence Wijewardena has placed newspaper advertisments to sell upto 250 of his songs they claim belong to them to a private broadcasting company in the continuing battle over the rights of the songs. Siri Hettiaratchchi, who holds the power of attorney on behalf of the [...]
One killed, 12 injured in stampede at Ratnapura perahera
A sixty-year-old woman was killed and 12 others were injured in a stampede at the Ratnapura Saman Devalaya Perehara on Friday. The incident occurred after two elephants began fighting each other, police said. According to the police a mahout tried to control the fighting elephants by sticking one of them with an elephant goad/ankus (Henduwa). [...]
Car parks to go skywards as demand increases
The Government is planning to develop several multi-storeyed car parks around the Greater Colombo area as more and more vehicles enter the roads and the demand for parking space increases. Urban Development Authority (UDA) Chairman Dr. Jagath Munasinghe revealed the Authority had drafted a set of proposals regarding the setting up of multi-storeyed public car [...]
Mudliyar from Mudliyar
President’s Counsel Hemantha Warnakulasuriya presented on Thursday his book “Mudliyar” to President Maithripala Sirisena. The book, a collection of articles Mr. Warnakulasuriya wrote to the Sunday Times under the pen name Mudliyar, gives an insight into the happenings at Hulftdorp Hill during the period 1997-2002. The book is a historical record of that era’s persons [...]
Dept. inquiry against Hambantota Police for negligence of duties
A Police Departmental inquiry is under way against several police personnel attached to the Hambantota Police station, for negligence of their duties, after a young man in their custody managed to escape, only to resurface a few days later, amidst a public outcry of wrongdoing on the part of the Police. G.G. Gayashan, one of [...]
Divineguma Dept entrance exam beset with problems
A proposed exam to be held today to select Development Assistants – Grade III for the Divineguma Dept has run into problems, with complications in the admission process. The exam was to be conducted in various parts of the country, but some of the applicants had yet to receive their admission cards, while some had [...]
Rs 592m for FM Fonseka’s new ministry
The Government will seek Parliamentary approval for a supplementary sum of over Rs 592 million to cover expenses of the newly established Ministry of Regional Development functioning under Field Marshal Sarath Fonseka. Of this amount, about Rs 469 million is for recurrent expenditure, while about Rs123 million is for capital expenditure. The money will be [...]
Oil bowser also carried goda from distillery
A bowser owner who was caught releasing effluent from a distillery into the sea in Beruwala was imposed a fine of Rs. 10,000 and severely reprimanded by a magistrate. Beruwala police said the man who transported fuel for the Lanka IOC in his bowser used the same bowser to collect distillery effluent, locally known as [...]
SSP Gunasekara promoted to DIG
Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Mahendra Gunasekara has been promoted to the rank of Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG) with effect from September 4. He joined the Sri Lanka Police in 1979 as a Sub-Inspector. Prior to being promoted, DIG Gunasekara had last served as SSP Nugegoda. Throughout his career in the police, DIG [...]
Trapped in murder plot: The untold story of Lahiru Madushanka
He went to the Maldives to work as a security guard. Within hours, Lahiru Madushanka was arrested for plotting to assassinate Maldivian President Abdulla Yameen. The police accused him of being an ex-military sniper and locked him up. This week, the middleman who sent Lahiru to the Maldives spoke exclusively to the Sunday Times. He [...]
Ja-Ela ready to fight, united by garbage threat
The Colombo Municipal Council (CMC) is determined to dump the city’s garbage in Ekala, in the adjoining district of Gampaha, despite stiff resistance from the residents backed by the area’s clergy. Despite street protests by Ja-Ela residents, CMC Commissioner V.K.A. Anura claimed that the court had issued an order to dump the garbage. “We have [...]
How mobile users are cheated for services they don’t want
Sri Lanka’s Mobile Service Providers (MSP) have fleeced millions of customers through third-party billing, a practice by which they are charged for value-added services they did not knowingly enlist for. Third-party billing arises from “mobile customers mistakenly joining subscription services by simply clicking on an advertisement or web page”. Registration takes place without the knowledge [...]
Co-habitation between man and elephant the only answer to solve HEC
Co-existence is the one and only answer to the human-elephant conflict (HEC) and weaving this into the development plans of areas in the grip of HEC is the need of the hour. This is the firm belief of the Chairman of the Centre for Conservation and Research (CCR), Dr. Prithiviraj Fernando who has been conducting [...]
Over Rs 5,000 million loss at Postal Dept
The Postal Dept last year suffered the highest reported loss in the past five years, of more than Rs 5,000 million, an increase of more than Rs 2,000 million, its latest performance report shows. According to its overall financial review of last year, the department’s total income was Rs 6,711 million, while its expenditure was [...]
Undervalued, say owners of lands under acquisition
Sri Lanka is once again in the throes of a massive land acquisition drive. Hundreds of thousands of acres of private properties are being taken over by the Government for development projects and officials are grappling with the fallout. Sixty-five-year-old H. A. Hemawathie insists that her land, which is being taken over for the Outer [...]
Sinharaja’s slithering new beauty
A new creature has been found in the Sinharaja rainforest, surprising experts who believed the well-researched forest had few secrets left. Hidden from sight high in the tree canopy is a new and vividly-coloured snake now revealed by veteran herpetologist Mendis Wickramasinghe in an article published this week in the prestigious science journal, Zootaxa. “The [...]
Environmentalists, officials, trade insults over fires
More forest fires have left a trail of destruction over more than 1000 acres of forest, killing wild animals and birds and leaving long-term damage. The fires were reported from a number of areas including the Knuckles mountain range , Hambantota, Nuwara Eliya, Monaragala, Anuradhapura and Badulla, Disaster Management Centre (DMC) officials said. Environmentalists claim [...]
Private security firm driver suspected of stealing Rs. 6m from money he was transporting
A driver who worked for a security firm that transported money for a leading private bank has been arrested for allegedly stealing Rs 6.6 million from money intended for deposit at teller machines, apparently because he wanted to settle divorce claims, police said. Explaining the robbery, Narahenpita Crimes Division Chief Inspector (CI) A.M.P.A.R. Amarapola, said, [...]
Man nabbed with Rs.1 mn withdrawn from credit cards stolen from elderly foreigner
A 28-year-old man who had befriended an elderly Australian national for more than seven years, was found to have illicitly withdrawn more than Rs one million, without the knowledge of the foreigner, a police investigation has revealed. The suspect, Jude Raja Joseph, from Hatton, was arrested by the Kollupitiya police when he was found loitering [...]
Malaria: The hard-won battle must not be lost
What felled the mighty ancient kingdom of Anuradhapura? Was it foreign invasions or did the ancients and their kings abandon their homes and palaces because they could not face the onslaught of swarms of tiny mosquitoes, bearing with them deadly malaria? Or were they both? The answer lies buried in the sands of time, but [...]
‘Photo-Focus’ brings desired results
Last week’s ‘Sunday Times Photo-Focus’ report on the plight of children in the poverty–stricken village in the Naula, Divisional Secretary area in Matale has received an outpouring of sympathy. The report which highlighted the fact that many children of school-going age were unable to attend school due to poverty and were forced to work in [...]
Dream big, major science forum urges Govt.
Sri Lanka, near the bottom of the world ladder in inventions, is paying a heavy price for overlooking science in decision-making, a leading scientist warned at a symposium of almost 700 scientists, inventors, science managers and students. “We are trying to make incremental steps in embracing science and technology but that is not good enough. [...]