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Home » NewsLankans march in solidarity with Gaza
Thousands of Sri Lankans marched in solidarity with suffering Palestinians in the Gaza Strip as part of a global campaign and held a rally at Colombo’s Campbell Park on Friday, demanding that Israel cease its ‘genocide’ in Gaza and urging the Government not to abandon its policy of supporting the Palestinian quest for freedom. Pic [...]
Bribery case against NPP minister
CIABOC to file action in High Court over charges related to 2015 Fertiliser Corporation tender By Ranjith Padmasiri The Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC) has decided to file action against Energy Minister Kumara Jayakody following corruption complaints over misappropriation of funds while serving at the Fertiliser Corporation in 2015, the Sunday Times [...]
Lanka to borrow US$500 mn in yuan to cover CEP1 cost
President Anura Kumara Dissanayake has sought Cabinet approval to borrow the equivalent of US$500 million in renminbi (RMB) from the EXIM Bank of China and to separately disburse US$438 million of Sri Lankan government funds to complete the long-delayed first section of the Central Expressway (CEP 1). This means that Sri Lanka, which has no [...]
Navy empowered to offer security services to ship-protecting companies
The Sri Lanka Navy has been vested with powers again from August 13 onwards to undertake a maritime security operation project—hitherto provided by Avant Garde Maritime Services (Pvt)—to offer security services to foreign private maritime security companies to ensure the safety of merchant vessels entering Sri Lankan territorial waters, defence sources said. A gazette notification [...]
UNHRC chief’s ‘obstacle to justice’ remark provokes response from AG’s Dept.
The Attorney General’s Department is drafting a response to the UN Human Rights High Commissioner, who in his latest report on Sri Lanka has described the AG’s office as a key obstacle to justice while emphasising the need for an independent prosecutorial authority. The response is being drafted in consultation with the Ministry of Foreign [...]
The Kandy Perahera concluded officially
The Kandy Esala Perahera officially concluded yesterday (Saturday) at the Kandy Vishnu Devale with the calling to the ‘Walli Yaka’ to come and take his prey in the form of fruits and milk rice.
IMF requirement to publish procurement details not heeded by certain institutions
Certain state institutions have failed to comply with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) requirement to publish high value procurement award contract details above Rs 200 million on the Government procurement portal, the General Treasury said. Despite repeated circulars on the subject sent in the recent past, some state entities failed to do so on the [...]
Protest in Kandy over food stalls
By Shane Seneviratne A protest was held yesterday in Kandy over the municipal council’s decision to allow an event with food stalls, including BBQ outlets, in the vicinity of the Dalada Maligawa and the Kataragama devalaya. The event was held on the Dalada Veediya and Kotugodella Veediya.
Ven. Akuratiye Nanda Thera conferred Aggamahapandita title
Ruhuna University Chancellor and Maligakanda Vidyodaya Pirivena Parivenadipathi, the Ven. Akuratiye Nanda Thero, was conferred the prestigious honorary title of Aggamahapandita on Thursday. This recognition was awarded by the Government of Myanmar during a ceremonial felicitation and honorary tribute event, “Yathiwara Sambhavana,” held at BMICH in Colombo. The title “Aggamahapandita,” which translates from Pali as [...]
Woman dancer at Kandy perahera accoladed
Pix and text by L.B. Senaratne Grama Seva Niladhari turned dancer Eshani Vidya Kulasinghe was the only female dancer at the Kandy Esala Perahera to be picked to receive a certificate for her performance. Eshani, a past pupil of Dharmawickrema Balika Vidyalaya and Mahamaya Girls’ College Kandy, has been dancing at the Esala Perahera [...]
Claessen Place residents petition CA over 40-storey twin tower project
Residents of Claessen Place in Colombo 5 have filed a writ application in the Court of Appeal (CA) seeking, among other things, to quash the preliminary planning clearance granted to Home Lands Skyline (Pvt) Ltd to build a high-rise residential apartment complex on Havelock Road. The apartment complex, to be erected at Thummulla Junction, has [...]
USS Littoral Combat ship in Colombo
USS Santa Barbara, a Littoral Combat Ship, arrived at the Port of Colombo yesterday. Defence Secretary Air Vice Marshal Sampath Thuyacontha (Retd.), Deputy Minister of Defence Aruna Jayasekara, and the Commander of the Sri Lankan Navy, Vice Admiral Kanchana Banagoda joined U.S.Ambassdor Julie Chung and ship’s commanding officer, Commander Adam Ochs at a ceremony to [...]
Kadirgamar’s 20th death anniversary
The 20th death anniversary of former Foreign Minister Lakshman Kadirgamar was marked this week with an alms giving at the Institute of International Relations and Strategic Studies begun by him and named after him following his assassination by the LTTE. (Above) A floral tribute at the foot of the late Minister’s statue at the Institute [...]
Postal workers to stamp their protest from today, warn of islandwide disruption
Postal Department cancels all staff leave in anticipation of strike A strike by postal workers is set to begin at 4 p.m. today (17), with unions warning that services could be severely disrupted islandwide from midnight onwards. The Postal and Telecommunications Officers’ Union, together with the United Postal Trade Unions’ Front (UPTUF), say the strike [...]
Funeral of Lohan Ratwatte today in Kandy
The funeral of former State Minister Lohan Ratwatte will be held today (17) at the family burial grounds in Nittawela, Kandy. His remains lie at his Mahaiyawa residence for the public to pay their final respects. Mr Ratwatte passed away on Friday while receiving treatment at a private hospital in Colombo. He is the son [...]
Elections watchdog proposes overhaul of laws to improve efficiency
By Ishu Bandara The lessons learned from the past three elections, which revealed new shortcomings in existing laws, including the Election Act will be incorporated in proposed amendments to prevent issues from arising in the future. “The EC is conducting an active review and proposing amendments to several key election laws, aiming to rectify shortcomings [...]
Over 80 shooting incidents, 44 deaths for this year so far
More than 80 shooting incidents, which have resulted in 44 deaths, have been reported across the country this year as of last Tuesday. This week too at least five shooting incidents and attempts to carryout shootings were reported. The killing of Homagama former Pradeshiya Sabha member was the most serious incident reported. The newly appointed [...]
Pakistan and India celebrated their 79th Independence Days
Pakistan and India celebrated their 79th Independence Days on August 14 and 15 respectively with celebrations being held in Sri Lanka too. Extreme left: Pakistan High Commissioner General Faheem Ul Aziz is seen hoisting the Pakistan National flag at the Pakistan High Commission premises on Bullers Lane. Left: Indian High Commissioner Santosh Jha is seen [...]
No pact over plastic- oil and gas goliaths won’t have caps on global production
By Tharushi Weerasinghe Global talks to reach a treaty aimed at ending the growing scourge of plastic pollution collapsed in Geneva on Friday, with no agreement reached and no clear path forward. Countries worked beyond Thursday’s deadline into the night and Friday morning, but remained deadlocked on the issue that has dogged negotiations since they [...]
Applications for private medical schools under evaluation but no policy framework, says SLMC
By Dilushi Wijesinghe Attempts to expand Sri Lanka’s private medical education sector are ongoing without a formal policy to guide or regulate it. Despite more institutions seeking recognition and rising student interest, no national framework exists. Education Ministry Secretary Nalaka Kaluwewa confirmed that there is no policy on private medical education. Neither was there any [...]
Age boundary in liver transplants pushed back by Kings Hospital
By Kumudini Hettiarachchi Currently the only hospital in the private sector in Sri Lanka undertaking liver transplant surgery is Kings Hospital, while in the state sector three centres do so – the National Hospital of Sri Lanka (NHSL), the Colombo North Centre for Liver Diseases (CNCLD) of the Colombo North Teaching Hospital and the Peradeniya [...]
Tile makers, facing raw material shortage, request tank clay
Pix and text by Jayaratna Wickremaarachchi Clay roofing tile manufacturers say their business has been affected due increasing production cost, shortage of raw material as well as increasing expenditures on excavation permits and transportation. A price increase of clay roofing tiles due to scarcity of raw material and other costs had been one of the [...]
CEB staff asks for assurance they will retain their benefits
By Namini Wijedasa Members of an internal Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) “Power Sector Reform Integration Committee” (PSRIC) have written to the utility’s chairman seeking assurance that employees will retain their many benefits even after the institution is restructured. These include a sprawling list of “allowance benefits” approved by Cabinet in 2008 and granted to all [...]
Mannar wind power project gets one month breather as protests continue and govt. holds talks
By S. Rubatheesan For the past two weeks, Mannar villages have been on a continuous sit- in protest in the town area demanding a stop to the proposed second phase of the 50 MW wind power project alleging it poses an existential threat to their livelihood and would be an ecological disaster. The villages take [...]
Beaches belong to all: Coast Conservation Act to be amended to curb private encroachments
By Dilushi Wijesinghe The country’s current Coast Conservation Act has not kept pace with new developments such as surfing, paragliding and other recreational activities that have become hugely popular over the past two decades. The Coast Conservation and Coastal Resource Management Department is therefore now working on amendments to update the Act and close legal [...]
Cannabis: the ‘gateway to hell’ for adolescents and youth
Spotlighting the severe impact of cannabis use on mental and physical health, a Psychiatrist stresses why there should be no large-scale cultivations By Kumudini Hettiarachchi To grow or not to grow on a large scale – this is the decision that Sri Lanka has to make with regard to cannabis (Cannabis sativa), taking into account science-based evidence. [...]
Sugar factories to be revived regardless of legacy problems
By Ishu Bandara While unions continue to claim that long-standing issues in the sugar industry remain unresolved, state officials say that arrears to farmers and suppliers have been settled, and the government is focused on reviving state-run factories. The Pelwatte and Sevanagala sugar companies are fully government-owned. Pelwatte, located in the Monaragala District, was established [...]
SL Railways installs CCTV cameras at key points to prevent elephant deaths
By Tharushi Weerasinghe Sri Lanka Railways has installed solar-powered CCTV cameras at two key elephant corridors, in Galgamuwa and Gal Oya, to help prevent elephant-train collisions along some of the country’s most vulnerable rail tracks. Electrical Engineer (Power) E.M. Dharmasiri, attached to the Chief Mechanical Engineer’s Department, said the system was set up two months [...]
Emotional and social wellbeing essential for mental health, say doctors
Lack of awareness and resources about Emotional Quotient (EQ) and Social Quotient (SQ) among schoolchildren are leading factors that lead to mental health issues, Consultant Community Physician and Acting Director, Mental Health Directorate of the Health Ministry, Dr. Lakmini Magodaratna said this week. She underscored the importance of Emotional Quotient (EQ), which is the ability [...]
Committee to review draft Industrial Relations Act to meet on Friday
A Cabinet approved committee has been established to review the draft Industrial Relations Act, with its inaugural meeting scheduled for Friday, August 25 at 8.30 am. The meeting will be held at the Ministry of Labour, Conference Hall, 7th Floor, “Mehewara Piyasa” Narahenpita, Colombo 5, and the session will be chaired by Minister of Labour [...]
Woman dancer at Kandy perahera accoladed
Pix and text by L.B. Senaratne Grama Seva Niladhari turned dancer Eshani Vidya Kulasinghe was the only female dancer at the Kandy Esala Perahera to be picked to receive a certificate for her performance. Eshani, a past pupil of Dharmawickrema Balika Vidyalaya and Mahamaya Girls’ College Kandy, has been dancing at the Esala Perahera since [...]
No time for rejoicing after Scholarship exam
While thousands of ten-year-olds last Sunday left exam halls after the Grade 5 Scholarship exam, with carefree abandon to enjoy a break from studies and treats from their parents, this young vendor of guavas was seen by the side of the Kandy-Dambulla Road near the 40th Mile Post, trying to eke out a few Rupees [...]
Railways introduces strict checks to derail ticket touts
New policy requires locals to show their NICs and foreigners to present their passports when purchasing reserved tickets By Tharushi Weerasinghe Sri Lanka Railways has introduced a mandatory identification verification system for all reserved train ticket bookings, to curb black market resales and inflated ticket prices. Under the new policy, which took effect on August [...]
No easy path for railways to overcome challenges
By Kasun Warakapitiya Long standing issues of Sri Lanka Railways are emerging with allegations and counter allegations by officials and trade unionists. The archaic infrastructure, colonial practices, lack of staff, poor maintenance of equipment and fraud in electronic ticketing systems are among the problems, along with continuing train delays and cancellations. Several senior railway officials [...]
Moratuwa’s abandoned playground to be revived
Text and pix by Reka Tharangani The Moratuwa Municipal Council will revive an abandoned playground and reconstruct its pavilion, which was built at a cost of Rs. 19 million, newly elected Mayor Nishantha Fernando said. He noted that the pavilion had been constructed even before the playground itself, and over time, drug addicts and thieves [...]
Saviour and scourge: AI needs regulation, say experts
By Minaza Hassan As the use of generative AI (gen-AI) continues to grow, with more people downloading GPT apps and signing up for accounts, cybercrimes including online scams and child sexual harassment have also increased, with around 6,000 social media related incidents reported by the end of July, including 400 online scams and 20 child [...]