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Yesterday was Poppy Day, also known as Remembrance Day, which is observed in Commonwealth member states to honour troops who have sacrificed their lives in the line of duty. In Colombo, it was of special significance because it marked the centenary of the War Memorial at Viharamahadevi Park. Liliy Kobbekaduwa, widow of war hero Denzil [...]
The world’s No 1 Tea brand
In a country known for its tea, a high-quality, aromatic cup of tea is every Sri Lankan’s birthright. From celebrations to giving comfort, no event is complete without a cup of tea. The all-new Lipton Yellow Label proudly brought to you by the world’s number one tea brand, Lipton, is a testament of quality and [...]
President’s welfare budget tomorrow
President Ranil Wickremesinghe, as Finance Minister, will present tomorrow in parliament the Social Protection and Welfare Budget 2024 based on a medium-term fiscal framework with a sharp increase in welfare spending. Sri Lanka’s welfare allocation for 2024 would be a sizable Rs. 200 billion compared to the previous budget’s Rs. 65 billion, a Finance Ministry [...]
More post office buildings for hotel projects
Two more post office buildings in Diyatalawa and Galle and three more ancient buildings in Kandy and Nuwara Eliya are to be offered for hotel projects through the Urban Development Authority (UDA) in addition to the historic Nuwara Eliya post office. The income generated from the post office buildings offered to the hotel sector would [...]
Two vacancies in Court of Appeal: Three nominations to President
Three names have been submitted to President Ranil Wickremesinghe to fill two vacancies in the Court of Appeal. Chief Justice Jayantha Jayasuriya has nominated the two senior most High Court Judges, Gihan Kulatunga and Damith Thotawatta, to be considered. Attorney General Sanjaya Rajaratnam has nominated senior Deputy Solicitor General Mahen Gopallwa to be considered for [...]
Bids called for five million e-passports with embedded chips
The Ministry of Public Security has called for international competitive bidding for the procurement of five million e-passports in keeping with the government’s initiative to introduce electronic chip-embedded digital passports to citizens. In the bidding brief released this week, the Ministry’s Cabinet-Appointed Procurement Committee (CAPC) said the process would adhere to the international competitive bidding [...]
Online Safety Bill: Approving authority given to CC, instead of President
The authority to approve members to the five-member Online Safety Commission will be vested with the Constitutional Council (CC) rather than the President under extensive amendments to the Online Safety Bill. According to the amendments, the Commission shall consist of five members appointed by the President “subject to the approval of the Constitutional Council.” Accordingly, [...]
China gifts motorcycles and desktops to Police Dept. to enhance its strength
The Chinese government officially handed over 26 RANOMOTO motorcycles and 100 LENOVO desktop computers to the Sri Lanka Police Department in a ceremony at the Presidential Secretariat on Friday. Based on a request made by IGP C.D. Wickramaratne Mr. Sagala Ratnayake, the Senior Adviser on National Security and the President’s Chief of Staff, had coordinated [...]
Lawyer questions freedom of speech at uni, after it cancels her speech
The University of Jaffna Teachers’ Association (UTA) was, this week, forced to withdraw a statement it had released underscoring the importance of freedom of speech, intellectual debate and ideas exchange within the institution. The UTA Executive Committee released its statement on Wednesday after the University of Jaffna (UoJ) capitulated to a section of undergraduate students [...]
Veteran editor Gamini Weerakoon passes away
Gamini Weerakoon, a veteran journalist and one-time editor of The Island and Sunday Island, passed away yesterday after a brief illness. An alumnus of St. Thomas’ College, Mount Lavinia of which he was later a loyal old boy, he entered the Science Faculty of the University of Ceylon (Colombo campus) and later transferred to the [...]
Schaffter family welcomes court order that Dinesh’s death was a murder
Businessman Dinesh Schaffter’s family has welcomed the magisterial order and medical experts’ report determining that the cause of his death was a murder and not a case of suicide as claimed by some. Chandra Schaffter, father of Dinesh Schaffter, in a statement also said the matter is now in the hands of the law enforcement [...]
New process to select Grade 1 officers for top posts
The Public Service Commission is to introduce a mechanism to select senior administrative officials to Grade 1 top posts in government institutions. Accordingly, a fair and transparent procedure is to be followed when senior government officials from the Sri Lanka Administrative Service, the Sri Lanka Planning Service, and the Sri Lanka Accountancy Service apply for [...]
Alleged 10m bribe: CEA head remanded till tomorrow
Central Environmental Authority Chairman Supun S. Pathirage and two others, arrested by officers of the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC) on Friday for having solicited a bribe of Rs. 10 million, were remanded until tomorrow. They were produced at the Colombo Magistrate’s Court after being held overnight. They had allegedly solicited [...]
UNDP begins Sri Lanka AI readiness assessment
By Tharushi Weerasinghe An Artificial Intelligence Readiness assessment was launched by the Government of Sri Lanka in collaboration with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) at the end of last month. A committee appointed by the government, operating under the Presidential Secretariat, is spearheading the formulation of Sri Lanka’s AI strategy. The UNDP in Sri [...]
Census Dept to carry on work despite lack of support from Grama Niladharis
The Department of Census and Statistics plans to go ahead with its schedule to conduct the population and housing census, despite Grama Niladharis claiming they would not support the process. An official said that as the government has requested a report on the initial phase of the census process by the end of this year, [...]
CEB disconnects electricity to over 500,000 defaulters
By Tharushi Weerasinghe More than 500,000 Ceylon Electricity Board customers have lost their electricity supply due to non-payment of bills as of October 2023. According to CEB Media Spokesman Eng. Noel Priyantha, the disconnections happen following the 30-day credit period of usage along with approximately 10 days’ notice. “The criteria or disconnections vary sometimes based [...]
‘Eat healthy and exercise to ward off diabetes’
Strong advice from Prof. Prasad Katulanda including how to protect children from this serious health condition By Kumudini Hettiarachchi Practical advice on how to keep diabetes at bay comes from a senior doctor as World Diabetes Day is commemorated on Tuesday (November 14). While warning that Sri Lanka falls among the top 10 countries having the [...]
Some schools struggle to intercept drugs
By Kasun Warakapitiya and S. Rubatheesan During busy school days, a pharmacy located near a school in the Galenbindunuwewa division of Anuradhapura was frequently visited by school-uniformed students. A police undercover officer was able to figure out what attracted students to visit the place. The pharmacist was selling strong painkiller tablets, which are often prescribed for [...]
Two men with 570,000 Pregabalin pills arrested by Navy
By Padma Kumari Kankanamge The Navy arrested two men on Friday as they were attempting to smuggle a consignment of 570,000 medicinal pills from India to Sri Lanka by sea. The Navy said the men were close to Iranathivu Island when they were arrested. The boat had 10 packages of the drug Pregabalin, a [...]
Business sector has high expectations of digital economy in tomorrow’s budget
By Kasun Warakapitiya Trade organisations, associations, and unions representing several sectors have come out with a string of demands with high expectations that consideration would be given to their proposals in tomorrow’s budget. They called on the government, while taking the necessary actions, to improve the economic situation and to look into the needs and [...]
No more short-expiry drugs
Health Ministry takes steps to streamline pharmaceutical drugs and devices donated to Sri Lanka By Namini Wijedasa The Ministry of Health (MoH) has decided that all pharmaceutical drugs and devices donated to Sri Lanka must have six months of validity at the time of arrival in the country, after unspecified quantities were forced to be [...]
CID probes paddy fraud
By Sandun Jayawardana The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) is probing an alleged large scale paddy fraud in Kurunegala that is estimated to have cost the State more than Rs 100 million. The disappearance of paddy stocks from four storage facilities belonging to the Paddy Marketing Board (PMB) in the Kurunegala District had occurred during the [...]
A little joy at Christmas becomes a hard bargain
By Renishka Fernando As November approaches, cities usually bustle with activity as people prepare for Christmas. Colourful lights and decorations adorn shops and hotels. Vendors and customers are often seen bargaining over prices and products. Although many shops have already restocked, they are not expecting a massive increase in sales. “We only sell 60% of [...]
Pressure mounts to protect iconic post office
Pix and Text by Shelton Hettiaarachchi A proposal to hand over the 130-year-old Nuwara Eliya Post Office building and the Kandy Post Office to the private sector has drawn a string of protests from people, trade unions, and other organisations demanding that the government reverse its plans. Among the protestors around the Nuwara Eliya post [...]
Opinion leans on the Nuwara Eliya monument being left to function as a post office
By Wasantha Ramanayake Nuwara Eliya Post Office should be allowed to function in its iconic old colonial building, a popular tourist attraction among both foreign and domestic visitors, to the benefit of the industry, say academics and people in the industry. The availability of sufficient accommodation to meet the high season demand in Nuwara Eliya [...]
The stealthy destruction of the city’s trees
Story and pix by M A Pushpa Kumara The environment and the protection of trees seem to have been given less prominence when undertaking development activities. In recent weeks, trees in the city have been in the news after five passengers died when a tree fell on the bus they were in, followed by several other [...]
Drawn to tutors due to lack of teachers, but it’s a big struggle to afford fees
By Mimi Alphonsus The requirement for tuition to supplement a poor school education has been a longstanding problem. But with a deepening economic collapse, private instruction is now unaffordable for those who most need it. R. Vanitha and her husband, D. Martin, live in Kotahena and struggle to provide for their three daughters and elderly [...]
Sri Lanka needs to move beyond SAARC: President
Emphasises country’s commitment to strengthening international economic relations at convocation ceremony The Indian Ocean should be free from big power rivalry and Sri Lanka has been expressive about the matter at every international fora, President Ranil Wickremesinghe said. He was speaking at the annual convovation ceremony of the Bandaranaike Centre for International Studies held at [...]
Dr. Vernon Mendis’ last book launched
The last publication of Dr. Vernon L. B. Mendis, “The Gift of the Nile,” was launched on Friday at the Bandaranaike International Diplomatic Training Institute (BIDTI). Deshamanya Dr. Vernon Mendis topped the Ceylon Overseas Service when it was first constituted in 1949 and rendered yeoman service to the country over many decades. In addition to [...]
More rain, flooding and displacement
By Dilushi Wijesinghe Adverse weather conditions, including flooding, continue to affect several parts of the country, causing damage and displacing more people. Many families were displaced in areas including Malimbada, Akurassa, Kamburupitiya, Thihagoda, Atthuduwa, Matara Fort, Hatton and Gal Bamma. The Ja-Ela canal overflowed, and the emergency relief operations unit of the Navy was mobilised [...]
Two injured in Hali-Ela Rokathanna estate earth slip
Two people were injured and admitted to the Badulla General Hospital when an earth slip occurred at the Hali-Ela Rokathanna estate last morning. Police said four houses were damaged in the incident. Badulla Disaster Management Centre (DMC) Assistant Director E.M.L Udayakumara, said people who were affected by the earthslip are staying with friends and relatives [...]
Sri Lanka on alert as Delhi air quality raises concerns
As the air quality of certain northern cities in India moves towards hazardous levels, concerns are growing about transboundary air pollution affecting Sri Lanka’s air quality. Environment Studies Director of the National Building Research Organization (NBRO) Sarath Pemasiri told the Sunday Times that every year concerns about air pollution rise between November and March as [...]
Re-greening Hantane
Story and pix by L B Senaratne In a project named ‘Re-green Hantane’ 1,700 plants are to be planted in two hectares of land at upper Hantane, which belongs to the University of Peradeniya. The Commercial Bank, in their programme to increase tree coverage in the country, sponsored the procurement of the plants through the [...]
Do not panic, but be aware of stonefish when walking in shallow sea
By Malaka Rodrigo Recent reports of unsuspecting swimmers being stung by Stonefish in Galle, have raised concerns. Stonefish are considered one of the most venomous fish in the sea. Senior lecturer, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ruhuna, Dr. Janaka Ruben, said the venom is not only painful, but more dangerously, a big dose could be [...]
Arms suppliers to Israel and Hamas should face war crime charges—but will they?
By Thalif Deen UNITED NATIONS (IPS) – The killings of thousands of civilians in the ongoing West Asia conflict are largely the result of an uneven battle—a nuclear-armed Israel, equipped with some of the most sophisticated American weapons systems, fighting a rag-tag militant group, Hamas. Against this backdrop, a leading human rights organisation is appealing [...]