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With online sex crimes against women and children on the rise in the current AI age, the Sri Lanka Police yesterday launched hotline 109 to report such offences. To raise awareness, officers also held a walk in Colombo. Two female police officers are seen here speaking with children during the march. Pic by Pix Nilan [...]
‘Structural changes’ await CC, Commissions
New members to be appointed with change of PM or Govt. By Damith Wickremasekara The Government is planning to make what it calls ‘structural changes’ to appointments and other revisions to the Constitutional Council and Independent Commissions established by the Constitution, the Sunday Times learns. The move comes as it feels there are practical difficulties [...]
HRCSL warns state entities not implementing its advice
By S. Rubatheesan With only about thirty percent of its recommendations implemented last year, the Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka (HRCSL) has warned state entities that its instructions cannot be appealed against and they are obliged to implement them. In a circular issued to ministry secretaries, provincial chief secretaries, heads of departments, corporations, and [...]
ePassport personalisation: Bid deadline extended again
The Department of Immigration and Emigration (DIE) has granted a second extension to bidders for its tender to personalise ePassports. This is not due to a lack of interest but rather because of an overwhelming number of parties vying for the Rs. 5.5 billion contract, official sources said. The successful bidder must implement a two-key [...]
1,489 doctors left the country from 2022-2024: Lanka loses Rs. 12.5bn
By Kumudini Hettiarachchi Sri Lanka lost 1,489 doctors, including specialists, to brain drain in the three-year period from 2022 to 2024, following the unprecedented economic crisis, resulting in a huge estimated financial loss of around Rs. 12.5 billion (US$ 41.5 million) to the government and taxpayers, a study has found. This migration has strained healthcare [...]
Paddyfield baby pulls at heartstrings
By Kansun Warakapitiya Mawathagama police have been inundated by more than 1000 telephone calls from locals and from overseas offering to adopt a newborn baby girl found dumped in a paddy field, a senior police officer said. The infant, crying and shivering, was found by a passerby in a paddy field in the Sinhapura area [...]
Committee investigating Deshabandu to submit report this week
By Chandani Kirinde The three-member Committee of Inquiry headed by Supreme Court judge Justice P. P. Surasena appointed to investigate allegations of misconduct and abuse of power against Inspector General of Police (IGP) Deshabandu Tennakoon will hand over its report to Speaker Jagath Wickramaratne in the next few days. No date has been fixed for [...]
Anti-Israeli social media post: PTA suspect released on bail after 9 months
By Ranjith Padmasiri A 21-year-old youth from Mawanella, who had been detained for nine months under the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA) following his arrest for allegedly posting an anti-Israeli message on social media, was released on bail this week by Mount Lavinia Magistrate Hemali Halpandeniya. The magistrate ordered the release of the suspect, Mohammed [...]
CJ to retire on July 27, President likely to recommend a nominee in the coming week
By Ranjith Padmasiri Chief Justice Murdu Fernando is to retire on July 27 upon reaching 65 years of age. She is due to make a farewell speech before the Supreme Court on Friday (25). President Anura Kumara Dissanayake is likely to recommend a nominee to be the country’s next Chief Justice to the Constitutional Council [...]
NPC finds SDIG Jayawardena guilty of all charges linked to Easter Sunday attack; services terminated
The National Police Commission has terminated the services of the former State Intelligence Service (SIS) Director and Senior Deputy Inspector General of Police (SDIG) Nilantha Jayawardena from the Police Department. The Sunday Times learns that SDIG Jayawardena was found guilty of seven charges against him, all linked to the Easter Sunday terrorist attacks. A formal [...]
Two killed in van accident in Meemure
By Shane Seneviratne Two persons were killed and seven others were injured when a van toppled in the Habaraketiya area of Meemure in the Ududumbara Police area last evening. The condition of three persons injured are serious, hospital sources said. An injured person said that the driver had shouted out that the breaks were not [...]
Lanka’s Grand Clock to rival Big Ben; part of Port City mega project with tax exemptions
By Chandani Kirinde A structure poised to enter the Guinness World Records as the biggest art piece in the world, with a 15-metre Grand Clock designed to rival Big Ben is to be built at Port City, Colombo with an investment of over $540 million. This is among four mega projects for Port City that [...]
Bus carrying 20 Lankan workers in Israel catches fire, slight injuries to one
By Mahesh Keerthiratna A bus transporting 20 Sri Lankans to an agricultural farm in Israel caught fire yesterday, and all, except one person who was injured, escaped unhurt, Sri Lanka’s Ambassador Nimal Bandara said. He said the bus was completely destroyed in the fire which occurred in the Kiryat Malakhi area. The passengers who [...]
US breaking IMF promise; Lanka cannot survive on 30% tariffs, says Ranil
By Kapila Bandara S ri Lanka should tell the Trump Administration that the United States is in breach of its IMF-related obligations to the island, in the context of wrestling with the high tariffs imposed, a former president suggested this week. “Now you have to realise one thing. We have never told the US. US [...]
Health DG gives green light to doctors to prescribe external purchases
By Kumudini Hettiarachchi The green light for state hospital doctors to prescribe medicines or consumables to be purchased externally if the needed item is not available, has been given by a top-level health official this week. The Director-General (DG) of Health Services, Dr. Asela Gunawardena, has formally given permission for such measures under ‘Guidelines to [...]
You will have to find principled solutions to novel problems, SC Judge tells young lawyers
Justice Kumudini Wickremasinghe delivers keynote address at the launch of the Neetham Law Journal Vol. IX of the Department of Law, University of Jaffna Lawyers must not be afraid to challenge established norms, must not hesitate to ask difficult questions, and most importantly, must never stop believing in the power of the law to bring [...]
Customs reject smugglers and contraband due to delay in handing over before 24-hour deadline
By Padma Kumari Kankanamge The Customs refused to accept smuggled items, including pesticides from India, on the ground that they were handed over after the 24-hour deadline by the police. The detection was made by the Navy off the Uchchimunai Island in Kalpitiya on Thursday morning. The Navy took two suspects into custody along with [...]
Lest they forget
A group of civil society activists held a protest in front of the United National (UN) office in Colombo to highlight atrocities committed by the LTTE against civilians including the attack on the Sri Maha Bodhiya in Anuradhapura in 1985 and the Central Bank bomb blast in 1996. Pix by M.A. Pushpa Kumara
Lankaputhra Bank chairman appointment unlawful: SC throws out his rights petition
In a judgment carrying wide-ranging implications for governance of state-owned enterprises (SOEs), the Supreme Court on Thursday dismissed a fundamental rights petition filed by K. Goonewardena, who challenged the Central Bank’s decision that effectively ended his tenure as Chairman and Director of Lankaputhra Development Bank Ltd. (LDBL). The judgment highlighted not only a procedural flaw [...]
Politicians and public officials come and go but national policies must continue: Justice Kodagoda
By Ranjith Padmasiri Public officials should take care to not simply put down a decision in writing, but to also clearly include all prevailing facts that compelled them to arrive at that decision and insert it into the relevant folder, Supreme Court Justice Yasantha Kodagoda stressed. Justice Kodagoda added that public officials would not become [...]
Local councils, some mired in controversies, face challenge of getting down to work
By Ishu Bandara Almost all local councils, barring five, have been formed, with a significant number of them shrouded in controversies after main parties solicited support of rival parties, irrespective of policy differences. Many of the councils now face the challenge of carrying on with council work together with rival members in their camp. Commenting [...]
Jumbo deaths escalate as human-elephant orbits collide
By Kasun Warakapitiya A string of incidents involving train collisions, electrocution and shooting incidents have led to an increase of elephant deaths. The most recent elephant death was reported on Friday at Kaduruwela – Gallela, Suduminum Gama area after the Meenagaya train collided with an elephant. The elephant killed was a 30-year-old bull elephant which [...]
Women not elected to 49 local bodies in contrast to 16 in 2018
By Tharushi Weerasinghe The number of local councils without any women has increased drastically this year when compared with the local government elections of 2018. The Election Commission confirmed on Friday that early counts showed a total of 49 councils have failed to select a single female. This stands in contrast to 2018, where only [...]
Puttalam’s paddy farmers forced to put up with a pittance
By Hiran Priyankara Jayasinghe in Puttalam Having battled wild elephants and many other odds for over three months to protect their paddy produce, the farmers are now faced with a new problem of not being able to sell their paddy harvest at a reasonable rate. The farmers allege that brokers for private buyers are approaching [...]
Limited services, lack of recognition among many challenges for less-abled
By Minaza Hassan Many public buildings still contain structural barriers that prevent people with disabilities from accessing essential services. These include inaccessible entrances, the lack of ramps or lifts, and facilities that are not designed to be inclusive. As a result, people with disabilities are often excluded from fully participating in public life, said Director [...]
No owners, no repairs for broken road near stadium
By Kasun Warakapitiya The road leading to one of the main parking lots for provincial buses, heavy vehicles, and container trucks, adjoining the Sugathdasa Stadium, is in a dilapidated state and has failed to gain the attention of the Colombo Municipal Council (CMC). Long-distance bus drivers, lorry and container truck drivers, and three-wheelers that use [...]
Modern slavery: Sri Lankan migrant workers in UK exploited, students hit hardest
By S. Rubatheesan Dreaming of a better future, Nirosh* (23) arrived in London last September to pursue his higher education in Information Technology (IT), as Sri Lanka’s 2022 economic crisis disrupted his studies and left his parents grappling with its devastating impact. He stayed with a relative for over a week in London until he [...]
Minor accidents fall by the wayside in Sri Lanka’s data collection
Steep rise in fatalities and serious injuries seen, as worsening road safety crisis shows no sign of abating By Dilushi Wijesinghe While official statistics reveal a worrying rise in road traffic accidents, including fatal ones, across Sri Lanka, experts caution that these numbers don’t tell the full story. Many accidents, particularly minor ones, often go [...]
Met Dept.warns of strong winds and rough seas
The Meterological Department has issued an advisory on strong winds, both in inland areas and coastal areas, for today (Sunday). Strong winds of about (50-60) kmph can be expected at times over Western, Sabaragamuwa, Central, Southern, North-Western and North-Central provinces, due to the active south-west monsoonal condition, the Department said. Fairly strong winds about (30-40) [...]
Fisherman missing after falling from trawler during rough weather
By Thusitha Kumara de Silva A fisherman from Beruwala, Sinhara Madhushan Silva (35), was reported missing yesterday morning after he fell into the sea from a trawler during strong winds. He was one of six people aboard the vessel. The skipper from the craft had earlier informed those on shore that they were returning to [...]
Drive safely: Police caution motorists of misty conditions
Misty conditions in the upcountry have prompted police to warn motorists to exercise caution while driving. Police said that a thick mist in both morning and evening hours significantly increases the risk of accidents.
Spotlight on how to protect children
Landmark ICCP’25 next weekend brings together policymakers, development partners, academia, local stakeholders and potential donors The need is dire and stakeholders who have the interests of children close to their hearts will sit down together next week not only to focus on protection issues but also to broaden perspectives. The protection issues faced by children [...]
DMK takes cover under Kachchativu amid corruption allegations ahead of elections
By Kumar Chellappan in Chennai “If everything fails, try Kalan Nellai” is an age-old saying in Kerala. Kalan Nellai is an ayurvedic hospital belonging to a family of physicians in Kerala, the southernmost state in India. The belief is that physicians in this clinic are capable of curing any kind of ailment with herbs and [...]
Puttalam salt producers lament low prices due to imported Gujarati variety
Puttalam salt producers are concerned over a drop in local salt prices despite a good harvest following favourable weather conditions. They pointed out that though they have produced a good harvest the price of a 50kg bag of salt has dropped to Rs 2000, while the same amount of imported Indian salt is sold for [...]