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Home » NewsNo Chennai, Lanka welcomes Bohra members
Unable to attend the main religious event in Chennai due to visa issues, thousands of Dawoodi Bohra community members—mostly from Pakistan—are in Sri Lanka, where arrangements have been made to connect them with the main proceedings. The annual event marks Ashara Mubaraka—a ten-day period to commemorate the martyrdom of the Prophet Muhammad’s grandson in Karbala, [...]
Trump’s new fund-cut move may halt war-crime probes
By Chandani Kirinde President Donald Trump’s office announced a recommendation to terminate US funding for nearly two dozen programmes that conduct war crimes and accountability work globally, including in Sri Lanka. The announcement came coinciding with the UN Human Rights High Commissioner Volker Turk’s visit to Sri Lanka. The Sri Lanka accountability project the Office [...]
Undervalued vehicles to be re-exported to country of origin
By Damith Wickramasekara A stock of luxury and reconditioned vehicles imported after undervaluing them are to be re-exported to the country of origin after the Sri Lanka Customs detected the fraud, a senior Customs official told the Sunday Times. Customs had halted clearing these vehicles after a thorough inspection revealed that the vehicles had been [...]
Same-sex marriages: Justice Minister contests UNHRC chief’s claims
By Tharushi Weerasinghe Justice Minister Harshana Nanayakkara has refuted UN Human Rights High Commissioner Volker Türk’s statement that a bill to decriminalise same-sex marriages is before Parliament. The Justice Minister was reacting to Mr. Türk’s comment at a media briefing on Thursday at the end of his four-day visit to Sri Lanka. “I welcome the [...]
CIABOC launches probe into Rs. 240,000 rent paid to Keheliya for ‘ghost’ Benz
By Ranjith Padmasiri The Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC) has begun a probe into an allegation that former Health Minister Keheliya Rambukwella had obtained a monthly payment of Rs. 240,000 for more than two years, claiming it was the rent for a Mercedes Benz car he was using. It is alleged [...]
Library conference sees e-book launch
By L.B. Senaratne An e-book launch was made at the first International Conference on Library and Information Science held at the Diamond Jubilee Hall of the University of Peradeniya yesterday. Vice Chancellor Professor Terrance Mudhujith launched the e-book with Dr Rasiah Maheswaran, the Chief Librarian of the University, in the chair. The guest speaker was [...]
Urgent medicine purchases on G2G basis: Criteria before Cabinet
By Namini Wijedasa The Health Ministry has sought Cabinet approval for its criteria for securing urgent medication from several countries on a government-to-government (G2G) basis, a senior official said, adding that the plan was in progress. All major pharmaceutical unions have opposed the scheme. In a letter to the Health Minister sent earlier in May, [...]
Minimum wage being raised, but legal tussle over monthly allowance
By Mimi Alphonsus The national minimum wage is to be increased from Rs. 21,000 to Rs. 27,000 a month next week through amendments to existing legislation. However, the move has proved controversial as it includes the termination of the budgetary relief allowance (BRA), a key component of workers wages for decades. Unions are advocating for [...]
Aesthetic University in tears, as its guardian dog departs
By Jayanie Madawala Growing up with a dog is one of life’s greatest blessings, dog lovers would say. These four-legged creatures bring unwavering love, happiness, and priceless memories to countless lives. Illustrating the profound bond between a dog and humans, a heartwarming story emerges from the University of the Visual and Performing Arts. “Kalu” was [...]
Cargo ship disaster plastic pellet cleanup claims raised with insurer
By Tharushi Weerasinghe Local authorities have begun insurance discussions to pay for cleanups of the plastic pellets along Sri Lankan shores from the shipwrecks off the coast of Kerala. “We have begun Protection and Indemnity Club meetings with North Standard, the insurer, who has agreed to compensate us for the direct preventive and cleanup costs [...]
Police flag over 730 accident-prone spots on main roads nationwide
By Damith Wickremasekara More than 730 locations on main roads across the country have been identified as dangerous for motorists and prone to accidents, according to a study conducted by the Police Traffic Division with assistance from police stations across the country. Traffic Police Chief Senior Superintendent Manoj Ranagala told the Sunday Times they had [...]
Acquiring unclaimed Northern lands: SC interim order stops gazette
By Ranjith Padmasiri The Supreme Court has issued an interim order preventing the implementation of a gazette notification acquiring 5941 acres of land in the Northern Province for which no one has claimed ownership. The SC issued the interim order after considering a fundamental rights petition filed by former Jaffna district MP M.A. Sumanthiran and [...]
After MFA blunder, presidential nod comes too late; UN vessel diverted to Madagascar
Bureaucratic bungling and political tardiness led to the cancellation of the deployment of a research vessel into Sri Lankan waters under the UN flag, thereby denying the country valuable insights into its marine ecosystem and an assessment of long-term food security from the sea. The research vessel, “Dr Fridtj of Nansen, the deployment of which [...]
NJC raises concern over agreements, MoUs with India in letter to President
The National Joint Committee (NJC) has expressed concern regarding the recent agreements reached between Sri Lanka and India and pointed out that they affect the nation’s autonomy and long-term interests. In a letter addressed to President Anura Kumara Dissanayake NJC president Lieutenant General Jagath Dias (Retd) has provided the historical context of what they called [...]
Delay in Electricity Act operationalisation setback to long-overdue reform to sector
The deadline for the operationalisation of the Sri Lanka Electricity Act 26 of 2024 lapsed on Friday with none of the preconditions for its coming into effect having been met to date. The delay is a setback to the long-overdue process to reform and restructure the sector in order to offer the public better efficiency, [...]
Threats within the judiciary a far more difficult matter than those from outside : Amarasekara J
By Ranjith Padmasiri While a judge with correct convictions can stand against threats from outside to the independence of the judiciary, and such outside threats can easily be defeated by lawyers and judges getting together, threats from within is a far more difficult matter, said retiring Supreme Court Justice Gamini Amarasekara. He made these remarks [...]
More human remains unearthed from Chemmani graves; Turk meets relatives of missing people
By S. Rubatheesan The number of human remains unearthed from the Chemmani mass graves rose to 21 on Friday with the discovery of human remains of two more people during the second stage of the excavation—two days after United Nations Human Rights chief Volker Türk visited the site. Excavation resumed under the judicial observation of [...]
Legacy of the past presents daunting challenge for new government, says UNHRC Chief
By Tharushi Weerasinghe United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk, engaged in several high-level discussions with government representatives during his four-day visit to Sri Lanka. However, government sources said no new agreements or renewed commitments were made on accountability or legal reforms. Ongoing reviews that began before his visit and align with the [...]
Street children, the responsibility of many agencies and individuals
By Minaza Hassan Although adequate laws prohibiting child labour have existed for a long time, their implementation has been weak. Several reports made to the National Child Protection Authority (NCPA) regarding children being used for begging in various parts of the city were not adequately addressed by the police, to whom the complaints had been [...]
Kalpitiya Fishermen net sharks in off season
Some fishermen in the Kalpitiya area who braved adverse weather and continued with their profession, despite experiencing high seas, have made economic gains by catching large sharks, some of them weighing between 150 to 200 kilos. The fish were caught in the Thalawila area. In the off season, due to the high waves, only a [...]
Navy recovers bodies of three fishermen
The Sri Lanka Navy recovered bodies of three fishermen who were among a group of fishermen missing after their boats capsized off Koggala. Earlier one fisherman was rescued, while the search operation for the others were continuing on Saturday evening. A fishing trawler carrying five fishermen capsized off the southern coast of Koggala, while another [...]
The potter’s plea
By D Gnanasiri Hettarachchige in Ampara A once thriving pottery industry in a remote area of Ampara has all but got destroyed due to a shortage of raw material needed to make the products. The Uhana pottery village was started by the National Crafts Council in 2018. Around 50 families in the area benefited from [...]
Schoolboy and uncle killed in fertiliser lorry accident
Two persons including a 15-year-old boy were killed when a lorry carrying fertiliser rammed into their parked vehicle in the Norochcholai area yesterday, Police said. Two others were seriously injured in the accident, while 10 others including the lorry driver were also injured. A Grade 10 student from Dungalpitiya, Kavisha Tennakoon and his uncle Ranasinhage [...]
Much at stake in government’s critically defective Gambling Regulatory Bill
Concerns over Finance Ministry’s unchecked powers undermining regulator’s authority The government’s draft Gambling Regulatory Bill has no representation from the tourism sector, has exempted the lotteries sector, lacks provisions for online gambling, has weak revenue oversight and inadequate penalties for violations, a policy think-tank has warned. The Colombo-based Advocata Institute has urged the government to [...]
City of Dreams casino and mall opening amid need for further funding
By Kapila Bandara City of Dreams Sri Lanka casino will open in August along with sections of the shopping mall in the backdrop of improving foreign visitor arrivals, in particular Indians, but fewer Chinese, and the need for further funding for the project, which has been evolving over a decade. JKH explained at the end [...]
Locomotive hotel tempts tourists with a Rs 9,500 Nanu Oya holiday
Text and pix by Reka Tharangani A 1960s locomotive built in Germany and a couple of carriages converted into a mini-hotel will shortly be open for local and foreign tourists in Nanu Oya under an initiative of the Railway Department to raise revenue and attract more passengers. Called “Odyssey Camper”, the mini-hotel is built overlooking [...]
Doctors urge clear directive for optimal patient care
Shortage of essential life-saving meds, consumables & devices By Kumudini Hettiarachchi Numerous patients who seek healing in state hospitals are in serious jeopardy, as doctors spread across Sri Lanka face the quandary and confusion whether “to do or not to do”. The quandary for these doctors is – if a life-saving essential medicine, consumable or [...]
Iran’s envoy says his country won’t close Hormuz Strait, citing ties with friendly nations
Iran will not close the Strait of Hormuz, a chokepoint through which one-fifth of the world’s fuel supplies move, as it does not want to put friendly and brotherly countries in the region and outside into economic difficulty, Iran’s ambassador Alireza Delkhosh has said. Allaying fears expressed by economists and policymakers over a massive spike [...]
Stopping to buy bread or use an ATM for a few minutes in Kandy is a costly affair, say residents
By L.B.Senaratne The Kandy Municipality says a lack of funds from the government has forced the council to collect more taxes by way of increasing parking fees. Residents complain that even if a motorist stops for a few minutes to buy bread or use an ATM machine he or she is charged the full rate [...]
DG Health calls for cooperation as this year’s third countrywide anti dengue campaign is launched
SLAF to use drones to identify and eliminate mosquito breeding sites By Dilushi Wijesinghe The Health Ministry will launch a nationwide dengue eradication campaign from tomorrow to July 5 with the assistance of the Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) and other stakeholders, including the National Dengue Control Unit (NDCU) and Education Ministry. The campaign, which [...]
Mega hauls of smuggled Indian contraband netted in Kalpitiya
By Padma Kumari Kankanamge The Kalpitiya peninsula, located some 50 km off Rameswaram and just about 25 kilometres from the Indian maritime boundary, is a landing point for smugglers, including maritime crime networks moving narcotics. Indian beedi leaves, sea leeches, oysters, turmeric, ginger, cardamom, pesticides, agrochemicals, medicines, fertilisers, shoes, slippers, perfumes, electrical appliances and other [...]
Guidance for online retailers to prevent fakes
By Minaza Hassan The Consumer Affairs Authority (CAA) has taken steps to develop guidelines for online retail platforms to identify product quality and ensure that they are not counterfeit, said Director Samantha Karunarathne. Currently, there is no regulation or guidelines for products that are sold online. The aim of this initiative is to protect consumers [...]
Nestlé, CEA promote effective waste management among children
Nestlé Lanka as part of their programme to promote responsible waste management amongst school children concluded a Schools Art Competition 2025 in collaboration with the Ministry of Education and Central Environmental Authority. Nestlé Lanka’s Schools Art Competition, under the theme of ‘A greener environment through the eyes of children’successfully concluded recently. The competition was organised [...]