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Home » NewsIncessant rains, floods: Pic for Dubai climate summit
With Sri Lanka being hit by months of extreme weather apparently linked to climate change, our pictures show the flood-affected Akuressa area in the Matara District, where heavy rains caused major floods and other calamities. In Akuressa, a man is seen pushing his bike through the floods. It is amidst such concerns that President Ranil [...]
Aid package from WB and ADB after IMF approves 2nd tranche
By Damith Wickremasekera Sri Lanka is expected to receive US$ 300 million from the World Bank (WB) and the Asian Development Bank (ADB) soon after the International Monetary Fund (IMF) approves its second tranche next month, a senior Treasury official said. The World Bank and ADB funds would be used for projects that have been [...]
North-East courts reject police requests to ban events to commemorate war dead
By S. Rubatheesan In the Northern and Eastern Provinces, several courts have turned down police requests seeking stay orders banning tomorrow’s commemorative events organised by the Tamil community to remember their war dead and those who were killed during the war period. When the seven applications filed by Kilinochchi Division police stations came before the [...]
IGP leaves; President to send new name to CC
A fresh nomination is due to be sent to the Constitutional Council for the appointment of a new Inspector General of Police (IGP) shortly, the Sunday Times learns. The move comes after Police Chief C.D. Wickremaratne left office yesterday after informing his senior officials. Accordingly, President Ranil Wickremesinghe is due to send in his nomination [...]
President to lead largest-ever Lankan delegation for climate summit in Dubai next week
By Tharushi Weerasinghe A high-level delegation led by President Ranil Wickremesinghe and consisting of as many as 80 delegates, including Foreign Affairs Minister Ali Sabry, Power and Energy Minister Kanchana Wijesekera, Environment Minister Keheliya Rambukwella, Climate Change Presidential Advisor Ruwan Wijewardene, Foreign Affairs Advisor Dinouk Colombage, and four Parliamentarians, will fly to Dubai for the [...]
Bill to enforce foreign judgments
By Damith Wickramasekara A new “Registration and Enforcement of Foreign Judgments Bill” that would enable the registration and enforcement in Sri Lanka of rulings given by courts in other countries is to be submitted to Parliament in the coming weeks, Justice Minister Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe said. Once the new law comes into effect, it will repeal [...]
Drugs scandal: CID arrests 4 Health Ministry employees but no action against those who signed paperwork authorising purchase
By Namini Wijedasa The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) this week arrested four Health Ministry employees in connection with the procurement and distribution of counterfeit human immunoglobulin from an unregistered local company. But action is yet to be taken against the senior officials who signed the paperwork authorising the purchase of the immunoglobulin and of two [...]
Unruly scenes precede first week of Committee Stage debate of Budget 2024
By Sandun Jayawardana The first week of the Committee Stage debate of Budget 2024 began on Wednesday (22) in the backdrop of unruly scenes witnessed the day before, with bad blood stemming from that incident affecting proceedings throughout the week. Before proceedings began on Wednesday, Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena announced that he had suspended Water [...]
Glyphosate & hard water: Is it a deadly CKDu combination for farmers?
US-SL scientists find ‘extended’ life to these complexes in drinking water wells and raise concerns on the impact on human health By Kumudini Hettiarachchi The cause of the kidney disease felling the farmers of the Dry Zone has been established as being ‘multi-factorial’ over the years. Another piece of the puzzle linked to Chronic Kidney Disease [...]
Don’t send more mentally ill patients to Ridiyagama rehab centre via courts; Southern PC writes to JSC
The Southern Provincial Council has requested the Judicial Services Commission (JSC) to inform courts across the country to refrain from issuing court orders to send seriously mentally ill patients to the rehabilitation centre in Ridiyagama, Ambalangoda, due to a lack of facilities. Southern Provincial Council Chief Secretary Sumith Alahakoon, writing to the JSC, said that [...]
2021 Passara accident: SC dismisses FR petition, says RDA not responsible
The Supreme Court has dismissed a Fundamental Rights petition seeking to hold the Road Development Authority (RDA) and others responsible for a bus accident that claimed the lives of 14 passengers and left 35 injured in Passara in 2021. The petition was filed by five people including the children whose parents were killed in the [...]
JSC nominee: Justice Jayawardena’s name sent to President
Supreme Court (SC) Justice Priyantha Jayawardena’s name has been submitted to President Ranil Wickremesinghe as a nominee to the Judicial Service Commission (JSC). Chief Justice Jayantha Jayasuriya has submitted Justice Jayawardena’s name to serve on the JSC to fill the vacancy left by Justice Buwaneka Aluwihare, who retired on November 14. The Constitution stipulates that [...]
Razor-slashing ragging at SJU: Suspension of management faculty students sparks agitation
By Nadia Fazlulhaq Using a discarded razor to inflict wounds on a student’s face was just one of a number of ragging-related complaints received from Management Faculty newcomers, a senior professor at Sri Jayawardenepura University said. This week, the university’s Vice Chancellor, Prof. Pathmalal Manage, announced that the Faculty of Management Studies and Commerce would [...]
Buddhist Vihara Head Monk meets King Charles III
Head Monk of the London Buddhist Vihara and Chief Sangha Nayaka of Great Britain, Venerable Bogoda Seelawimala Thera met King Charles III at a reception for Interfaith leaders in the United Kingdom at the Library of the Lambeth Palace coinciding with the King’s birthday. During the meeting the King discussed meditation practices in daily life [...]
SC delivers landmark judgment on parate execution
Banks empowered to sell third party mortgaged properties; previous SC ruling overturned by larger bench A seven-judge bench of the Supreme Court, in a landmark decision, has unanimously held that the properties mortgaged to a bank not only by an actual borrower but also by a third party for the loan granted to the actual [...]
Uduwara girls’ deaths reflect worsening dangers from unprecedented downpours
By Nadia Fazlulhaq The tragic deaths of two much-loved 20-year-olds have left a village grief-stricken after a landslide buried them in a room where childhood friends were spending an evening. V. Dhanusha and T. Keerthina, residents of Hali Ela, thought they would spend the evening at Dhanusha’s home in Uduwara, Hali Ela, as her mother [...]
Dog sensed imminent danger from landslide, 30 families evacuated
Over 30 families living in estate-line houses in Thangamale, Haputale, owe their lives to a pet dog, who alerted his owner to an impending landslide. The pet owner, recounting the day, said the dog had been barking incessantly for many hours. “Initially, I was annoyed. But then I noticed concern, and it seemed stressed and [...]
Warmer world changing flying patterns of long-haul visitors
The degradation of habitat and resulting climatic changes are affecting migratory birds which are flying thousands of miles to escape the winter, experts say. Sampath Seneviratne, an ornithologist and professor of Zoology at the University of Colombo, told the Sunday Times that climate change is upsetting migratory patterns and behaviour of non native birds. He [...]
Sugar prices stir bitter issues ahead of Christmas
In the retail markets, sugar prices have increased amid shortages in some areas as the government struggles to maintain stocks in the markets ahead of the Christmas season. By yesterday, some shops claimed they had run out of stocks while some raised their prices ranging from Rs 300 to Rs 350 a kilo, after the [...]
Wounded tusker roaming in villages to stay put in natural habitat
By Kasun Warakapitiya The Department of Wildlife Conservation (DWC) has planned to confine the ailing tusker ‘Agbo’, within the wilderness near Divul Wewa in the Thirappane area. The Director of Wildlife Health, Dr. Tharaka Prasad, told the Sunday Times that they decided to restrict the tusker’s movements within the wilderness area between two lakes as [...]
Constable who drowned in pursuit of suspect to be made sergeant posthumously
The Police constable who drowned in a Ja Ela canal while trying to nab a drug addict suspected of thievery, is to be promoted posthumously to sergeant. The Senior Superintendent of Kelaniya Police Division has recommended to the Inspector General of Police to promote the 26-year-old constable Krishnamurthi Pirithapan. The constable had jumped into the [...]
Higher taxes further inflate price tags of home appliances and electronics
By Kasun Warakapaitiya Uncertainty continues in the electrical and electronic items market in view of the revision of the Value Added Tax (VAT) in January. Vendors and businessmen expressed concerns over price fluctuations and reduced purchasing power as salaries have not increased relative to the cost of living. Merchants expect sales to drop as the [...]
Opening doors for Lankan Diaspora to reach out to motherland
Nearly 3 million Sri Lankans are estimated to be living overseas. Successful and well-organised, the Sri Lankan Diaspora (now referred to as Overseas Sri Lankans – OSLs) in various countries have assisted their motherland in many ways over the years, though there had been no formal mechanism on the part of the State to coordinate [...]
Climate action plan fleshed out with eye on funds
As part of its climate-change commitments, the government on Wednesday launched the Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC) Implementation Plan (2021–2030) at the Ministry of Environment, with ministry officials and heads of foreign missions and international non-governmental organisations attending. This comes ahead of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) Conference of Parties (COP28), which [...]
Move to charge foreigners USD 15 for Galle ramparts; bad idea say some, not so say others
A move by the Cultural Affairs Ministry to charge USD 15 from foreigners entering the Galle Fort ramparts has drawn strong reactions from residents and those with business interests in the area. They claim this move would reduce tourists. “There will be a drop in the number of foreigners visiting the Galle Fort,” Galle Fort [...]
Super bugs on a winning streak due to misuse of antibiotics, warns top microbiologist
Super bugs are causing serious worry to Sri Lanka’s health sector and the President of the Sri Lanka College of Microbiologists, Dr. Malika Karunaratne takes a close look at them as well as how to curb them from becoming a major threat to humanity. “Usually when we treat microbial infections with antimicrobials, these micro-organisms or [...]
Freehold deeds for licensed landowners on Independence Day 2024
Yesterday, President Ranil Wickremesinghe said the 2024 Budget proposal to grant freehold deeds to licensed landowners will take place island-wide in parallel with the Independence Day celebrations on February 4, next year. President Wickremesinghe made these remarks at the Special District Coordination Committee (DCC) meeting held yesterday, at the Matale District Secretariat. The President said [...]
Before he dies, Alex in video statement explains his horror at the Vaddukoddai police station
The death of a 25-year-old youth after he was arrested and allegedly subjected to severe torture by Vaddukoddai police officers during more than 72 hours of detention has sent shock waves through Jaffna, sparking a public outcry for justice. When the magisterial inquiry over the incident began at the Jaffna Magistrate’s Court on Friday, details [...]
Examinations Dept. says release of O/Level results nearing completion
The G.C.E. Ordinary Level Examination (2022/23 batch) results are in the final stages of being released, Department of Examinations Commissioner General Amith Jayasundara told the Sunday Times. “All the data has been entered. The deficiencies are being checked, and the final checks are in process,” he said. The department earlier announced that the results would [...]
Proposed Electricity Act shocks consumers and trade unions
The proposed new Electricity Act as part of reforms for the State-run Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB), has caused skepticism among trade unions and electricity users about its impact on electricity tariffs. Electricity Consumers’ Association (ECA) General Secretary Sanjeewa Dhammika said: “The President claims in the budget speech that the CEB suffered significant losses because there [...]