http://www.sundaytimes.lk Official website of the Sunday Times Newspaper in Sri Lanka Sat, 20 May 2023 19:26:46 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 http://www.sundaytimes.lk/230521/news/heroes-to-a-nation-husbands-sons-and-fathers-to-them-520746.html 20 May 2023 @ 10:57 pm lt;img class= quot;aligncenter size-full wp-image-520747 quot; title= quot;9Y1A5149 quot; src= quot;http://sundaytimes.lk/230521/uploads/2023/05/9Y1A5149.jpg quot; alt= quot; quot; width= quot;600 quot; height= quot;400 quot; / gt; NATIONAL HEROES DAY to commemorate the end of a three decade long northern separatist insurgency and remembrance of fallen officers and soldiers was marked last Fri... http://www.sundaytimes.lk/230521/news/lanka-confident-of-regaining-gsp-concessions-from-eu-520742.html 20 May 2023 @ 10:55 pm lt;strong gt;By Sunimalee Dias lt;/strong gt; Sri Lanka has complied with all the regulations to qualify for EU GSP+ concessions, and is confident in regaining them when the new round of GSP+ concessions is announced. ldquo;We are on a good wicket now, rdquo; said Shobini Gunasekera, Director-General ndash; Europe and North America at the Foreign Ministry, commenting on the progress of ... http://www.sundaytimes.lk/230521/news/lanka-gets-mentioned-in-the-dispatches-by-g-7-520729.html 20 May 2023 @ 10:48 pm lt;strong gt;By Ameen Izzadeen nbsp; nbsp; lt;/strong gt; Sri Lanka rsquo;s debt crisis figured in G7 summit rsquo;s final communique, with leaders of the world rsquo;s advanced liberal economies welcoming the launch of the Sri Lanka-specific creditors rsquo; meeting under the three co-chairs mdash; France, India and Japan. ldquo;Debt vulnerabilities in middle income countries (MICs) shou... http://www.sundaytimes.lk/230521/news/glorious-church-in-tax-controversy-520726.html 20 May 2023 @ 10:43 pm lt;strong gt; lt;em gt;By Bandula Sirimanna lt;/em gt; lt;/strong gt; The Inland Revenue Department (IRD) this week was scrambling to ascertain whether the 'Glorious Church' and its pastor Jerome Fernando, now in the centre of a controversy, were paying taxes to the Government as records, including personal NIC numbers or other details were not available, its officials said. An official at ... http://www.sundaytimes.lk/230521/news/sl-slams-trudeau-for-outrageous-claim-520724.html 20 May 2023 @ 10:42 pm Sri Lankan Government yesterday summoned the Canadian High Commissioner Eric Walsh to the Foreign Ministry and later slammed the Canadian Government for what it called quot;unfounded allegations quot; by its Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in an quot;outrageous claim of genocide quot; pertaining to the past conflict in Sri Lanka. In a strongly worded rebuttal, the Ministry urged Canada and its ... http://www.sundaytimes.lk/230521/news/japan-reassures-lanka-no-militarisation-of-indian-ocean-520718.html 20 May 2023 @ 10:39 pm lt;strong gt; lt;em gt;From Ameen Izzadeen in Hiroshima lt;/em gt; lt;/strong gt; Japan yesterday said that the Quadrilateral Security Alliance or Quad, of which it is a member along with the United States, India and Australia, would no way lead to the militarisation of the Indian Ocean or increase tension in the region vis- agrave;-vis any other country. In an interview with lt;em gt;the ... http://www.sundaytimes.lk/230521/news/navy-undecided-on-rescue-operation-of-chinese-fishing-vessel-520714.html 20 May 2023 @ 10:36 pm lt;strong gt;By Kasun Warakapitiya nbsp; nbsp; lt;/strong gt; The Sri Lanka Navy, yesterday, was undecided whether they would take part in a rescue operation of a Chinese fishing vessel which capsized in international waters last Thursday due to the distance to the location. The Chinese Government sought assistance from five countries including Sri Lanka after 39 crew members of the vessel ... http://www.sundaytimes.lk/230521/news/final-rites-of-christopher-paul-held-in-weligampitiya-yesterday-520721.html 20 May 2023 @ 10:33 pm The funeral of veteran singer and musician Christopher Paul was held yesterday at Weligampitiya in Ja Ela. The funeral service was held at St Anne rsquo;s church and was followed by the burial.... http://www.sundaytimes.lk/230521/news/kushani-rohanadeera-appointed-new-parliamentary-gen-sec-520737.html 20 May 2023 @ 10:33 pm President Ranil Wickremesinghe has appointed Kushani Rohanadeera as the next Parliamentary General Secretary with effect from Tuesday. The appointment was made with the approval of the Constitutional Council. Ms Rohanadheera, the current Parliamentary Chief of Staff and Deputy General Secretary, will succeed Dhammika Dasanayake, who will retire soon. [caption id= quot;attachment_520738 qu... http://www.sundaytimes.lk/230521/news/x-press-pearl-sjb-files-legal-action-against-8-defendants-520735.html 20 May 2023 @ 10:32 pm The main Opposition party Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) has filed legal action against eight defendants in the Colombo High Court over the May, 2021 X-Press Pearl disaster. The legal action has been filed by SJB General Secretary Ranjith Madduma Bandara and SJB Parliamentarian Dr. Kavinda Jayawardhana, an environmentalist and a member of a fisherfolk organisation. The defendants include the vess... http://www.sundaytimes.lk/230521/news/nutrition-physicians-as-change-agents-520731.html 20 May 2023 @ 10:32 pm lt;ul gt; lt;li gt; lt;strong gt;Brand new SLCNP to work with other disciplines to guide decision-makers lt;/strong gt; lt;/li gt; lt;/ul gt; lt;strong gt; lt;em gt;By Kumudini Hettiarachchi nbsp; nbsp; lt;/em gt; lt;/strong gt; With a severe economic crisis gripping Sri Lanka, there has been strong focus on nutrition and it is at this critical juncture that the Sri Lanka College of Nut... http://www.sundaytimes.lk/230521/news/restrictions-on-public-servants-going-overseas-for-work-520711.html 20 May 2023 @ 10:31 pm The Finance Ministry has introduced new conditions narrowing the scope where public servants can apply to go abroad for work for a maximum of five years on no-pay leave. According to a new Finance Ministry circular dated May 17, public servants can only obtain no-pay leave to go abroad for work if they have completed half or more of their mandatory service or contractual period. Employees must ... http://www.sundaytimes.lk/230521/news/action-against-traders-who-do-not-reduce-prices-520707.html 20 May 2023 @ 10:31 pm The Government is to take counter measures to prevent companies from making lsquo;super profits rsquo; by failing to pass on the benefits of paying less for imported items with the fluctuation of currency rates, a senior Finance Ministry official said. The Finance Ministry has appointed a review committee to ascertain how companies were making extra profits, though they were now spending less ... http://www.sundaytimes.lk/230521/news/chinas-vast-industrial-scale-fleet-fishing-in-distant-oceans-520704.html 20 May 2023 @ 10:27 pm lt;strong gt; lt;em gt;By Kapila Bandara nbsp; nbsp; lt;/em gt; lt;/strong gt; A few years ago, Ecuador rsquo;s navy found to its horror, a mega, illegal Chinese fishing fleet of 340 vessels just outside the biodiverse Gal aacute;pagos Islands, a UNESCO World Heritage site. They had also avoided being tracked by illegally switching off satellite communications. China rsquo;s vast fishing... http://www.sundaytimes.lk/230521/news/srilankan-airlines-us175m-bond-default-heightens-repayment-uncertainty-520695.html 20 May 2023 @ 10:22 pm lt;strong gt;By Kapila Bandara nbsp; nbsp; lt;/strong gt; Heavily indebted SriLankan Airlines says it will engage with holders of US$175 million (Rs 53.3 billion), 7% fixed coupon international bonds on which it did not pay interest in December and during the 30-day grace period, setting a default in motion. The balance as at March 31, 2022 was Rs 51.32bn. Fitch Ratings downgraded the un... http://www.sundaytimes.lk/230521/news/pastor-jerome-under-the-radar-cid-to-probe-the-big-bucks-behind-his-church-520626.html 20 May 2023 @ 8:49 pm lt;p style= quot;text-align: left; quot; align= quot;center quot; gt; lt;strong gt;By Sandun Jayawardana and Damith Wickramasekara lt;/strong gt; lt;/p gt; A wide-ranging criminal investigation into Pastor Jerome Fernando, now at the centre of a controversy, will look into his finances and how vast sums of money came to maintain his massive church complex in Katunayake, which authorities confirm... http://www.sundaytimes.lk/230521/news/risk-of-rat-fever-on-the-rise-520619.html 20 May 2023 @ 8:47 pm lt;ul gt; lt;li gt; lt;strong gt;Try not to catch it, but if you have fever think of lt;/strong gt; lt;em gt;mee una lt;/em gt; lt;/li gt; lt;/ul gt; lt;strong gt;By Kumudini Hettiarachchi nbsp; nbsp; lt;/strong gt; Be aware and beware ndash; for, with the rains come the risk of a disease spread by a bacterium, in addition to several viral diseases in circulation these days. Rat f... http://www.sundaytimes.lk/230521/news/anxiety-depression-part-of-our-collective-trauma-in-time-of-mental-healthcare-collapse-520613.html 20 May 2023 @ 8:39 pm lt;strong gt;By S Rubatheesan nbsp; nbsp; lt;/strong gt; lt;div gt;Over the past six months, both Jeyavathani* and her husband who are daily wage farm workers tried everything they knew to ensure stable relations among their family of five during the unprecedented economic crisis. First, a small savings deposit made of wedding gifts evaporated, and then they pawned some of the jewellery her mot... http://www.sundaytimes.lk/230521/news/national-war-heroes-day-commemoration-520602.html 20 May 2023 @ 8:35 pm A nation paid tribute to the war heroes of the tri-services, Police, and Civil Defence Forces who made sacrifices in the three-decade-long civil war at the 14th ldquo;National War Heroes' Day Commemoration rdquo; held on Friday (May 19) at the Battaramulla War Heroes' Memorial under the patronage of the President and the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces Ranil Wickremesinghe. The commemor... http://www.sundaytimes.lk/230521/news/blasting-away-our-marine-life-and-marine-tourism-520583.html 20 May 2023 @ 8:01 pm lt;ul gt; lt;li gt; lt;strong gt;Calls for crackdown on unseen crime of dynamite and nbsp; lt;/strong gt; lt;strong gt;ammonium nitrate fishing before it's too late lt;/strong gt; lt;/li gt; lt;/ul gt; lt;strong gt;By Namini Wijedasa lt;/strong gt; On May 8, Olivenzo Arnolda, an experienced Sri Lankan scuba diver and instructor, chaperoned British and Russian tourists to the Swami Roc... http://www.sundaytimes.lk/230521/news/issuing-shotguns-to-farmers-facing-crop-pests-resumes-520574.html 20 May 2023 @ 7:45 pm lt;em gt; lt;strong gt;By Kasun Warakapitiya nbsp; nbsp; lt;/strong gt; lt;/em gt; The Government has decided to resume issuing shotguns to farmers who want to deal with potential damage to their crop by wild animals. Issuing of shotguns had been stopped before the coronavirus pandemic spread in Sri Lanka Farmers have for long raised the issue of crop damage by monkeys, porcupines, giant... http://www.sundaytimes.lk/230521/news/sri-lanka-dragging-its-feet-on-unesco-teacher-centre-520568.html 20 May 2023 @ 7:41 pm lt;p style= quot;text-align: left; quot; align= quot;center quot; gt; lt;em gt; lt;strong gt;By Nadia Fazlulhaq nbsp; nbsp; lt;/strong gt; lt;/em gt; lt;/p gt; lt;div gt;Sri Lanka is at risk of losing UNESCO recognition given to an institution established nine years ago to serve as a centre for teacher development in South Asia. lt;/div gt; Education authorities are now struggling to secure ... http://www.sundaytimes.lk/230521/news/outdated-tech-bamboo-gates-are-part-of-rail-crossing-protection-520565.html 20 May 2023 @ 7:34 pm lt;strong gt;By Nathara Abeywickrema nbsp; nbsp; lt;/strong gt; Measures are being taken to improve protective mechanisms at rail crossings to reduce accidents, railway authorities say. Most accidents involve vehicles and the impacts with locomotives cause extensive and multiple internal and external injuries such as skull fractures. Some are decapitated and some injuries even lead to amput... http://www.sundaytimes.lk/230521/news/state-institutions-to-submit-energy-consumption-reports-520562.html 20 May 2023 @ 7:27 pm Heads of all State institutions are instructed to submit a comprehensive energy consumption report on the usage of water, electricity, fuel, and telephone for the period of June 30 to December 31 last year in order to evaluate whether those institutions properly followed cost-cutting guidelines introduced by the Government to reduce expenditure. The Ministry of Public Administration, Home Affai... http://www.sundaytimes.lk/230521/news/weather-helping-influenza-virus-to-spread-and-survive-520557.html 20 May 2023 @ 7:08 pm lt;strong gt;By Kumudini Hettiarachchi nbsp; nbsp; lt;/strong gt; Time will tell whether the slow and steady rise of influenza (flu) since January will plateau or peak to cause an epidemic. This is why people need to take all precautions to prevent getting the flu, said Consultant Medical Virologist Dr. Jude Jayamaha of the Department of Virology, Medical Research Institute (MRI). [capti... http://www.sundaytimes.lk/230521/news/marking-answer-scripts-in-fits-and-starts-520541.html 20 May 2023 @ 7:01 pm lt;strong gt;By Senuka Jayakody nbsp; lt;/strong gt; Marking of GCE Advanced Level answer scripts can be completed by end June, the commissioner general of the Department of Examinations, Amith Jayasundara told lt;em gt;the Sunday Times. nbsp; nbsp; lt;/em gt; But, he said exact ldquo;dates cannot be announced rsquo; rsquo; because plans are in disarray. After marking is completed, pr... http://www.sundaytimes.lk/230521/news/horizon-provides-a-gateway-to-australia-la-trobe-university-degree-pathway-now-in-sri-lanka-at-horizon-campus-520380.html 20 May 2023 @ 9:09 am Horizon Campus, renowned non-state higher education institution in Sri Lanka, having recently partnered with La Trobe University, one of Australia rsquo;s prestigious universities, is as a part of this collaboration, offering students in Sri Lanka exceptional degree pathway programmes in Business, IT, and Engineering. This presents exciting opportunities for students who want to earn an Australian...