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Acting on information extracted from the country’s most notorious underworld kingpins—now in police custody following their arrests in Indonesia last week—police uncovered the burial site of chemicals smuggled in to produce methamphetamine, commonly known as “Ice.” Our picture shows detectives inspecting the haul found at the site in Middeniya. Pic by Priyantha S. Dassanayake
Govt. rejects OHCHR’s external accountability initiative
Says international action will only hinder ongoing reconciliation efforts By Chandani Kirinde The Government has rejected calls by the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) for international action to advance accountability in Sri Lanka, stating that external initiatives will only serve as hindrances to the ongoing national efforts and serve to polarise [...]
PC polls will be held once delimitation process is over, Govt. assures OHCHR
Provincial Council elections will be held once the delimitation process is completed, the Government has informed the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) in its written response to a report on the human rights situation in Sri Lanka released by the office. This was in response to the Human Rights Commissioner’s observation [...]
Trump asks apex court for early hearing on tariffs
By Kapila Bandara As was expected, the Trump administration has challenged in the apex court last week’s court of appeals ruling that said tariffs were unconstitutional, but a decision may not come until next summer in the United States. The Trump Administration filed a challenge just days after the US Court of Appeals for the [...]
UN offers help to resolve North-East land issues
By S. Rubatheesan A new United Nations programme aims to assist the government in resolving longstanding land-related issues in Sri Lanka’s war-affected Northern and Eastern provinces, where a large number of claims remain unresolved—sixteen years after the conflict’s end. “We are holding constructive discussions with government entities under the Agriculture Ministry. We are finalising the [...]
Regulator orders CEB to sign fuel supply deals with CPC, Lanka Coal
By Namini Wijedasa The Public Utilities Commission of Sri Lanka (PUCSL) has given notice that it will issue an “enforcement order” on the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) to compel it to sign fuel supply agreements (FSAs) with the Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC) and Lanka Coal Company (Pvt) Ltd. At present, the CEB buys fuel from [...]
Former SLPP Pradeshiya Sabha member nabbed for keeping two ‘ice’ containers
Former Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna Pradeshiya Sabha member Sampath Manamperi was arrested by the police yesterday after two methamphetamine (‘ice’) containers were discovered on his land. A 38-year-old relative, Wijewickrama Manamperige Piyal Senadheera, was also allegedly involved with chemicals used to manufacture crystal methamphetamine (‘ice’) in Middeniya and arrested by police later. Meanwhile the General [...]
BASL condemns “threats” in the line of duty
By Ranjith Padmasiri The Bar Association of Sri Lanka (BASL) has decided to condemn “threats” being levelled by various groups, including politicians against attorneys-at-law pertaining to the professional work they carry out on behalf of their clients. It has further decided to inform relevant stakeholders regarding such threats. The matter was discussed at length during [...]
Burning of Ranil’s house: Case referred to AG
Fort Magistrate Pavithra Pathirana granted permission this week to the Colombo Crime Division (CCD) to seek advice from the Attorney General’s Department regarding further action on the suspects involved in burning down the private residence of former President Ranil Wickremesinghe during the aragalaya protests. The suspects taken into custody over the incident which occurred on [...]
The Ceylon Bank Employees’ Union SMART Membership App launched
By Ishu Bandara The Ceylon Bank Employees’ Union (CBEU) officially launched the CBEU SMART Membership App this week. Designed to instantly connect members with union services, the app provides real-time updates on union activities, negotiations, and events, while also offering secure digital membership identification and verification. Members can directly access welfare benefits, forms, and support [...]
Justice Thurairaja appointed to JSC
By Ranjith Padmasiri Supreme Court Justice S. Thurairaja has been appointed as a member of the Judicial Services Commission (JSC). He was appointed by the President to fill the vacancy created by the retirement of former Chief Justice Murdu Fernando. Justice Thurairaja was called to the Bar in 1988 and thereafter joined the Official Bar [...]
Citing CEB reform pain, 25 unions demand more compensation
Twenty-five Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) trade unions have started a work-to-rule campaign, claiming that the utility’s restructuring process is being carried out unlawfully. In a letter to Energy Minister Kumara Jayakody, the unions have put forward 24 demands, including that all employees must be granted a 50% increase based on their basic salary “due to [...]
AG opts for direct indictment for 11 high profile murders
By Ranjith Padmasiri The Attorney General has decided to directly indict suspects arrested over 11 high-profile murders without subjecting them to non-summary proceedings. Those arrested over the murders include police officers and members of underworld groups. On a request by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID), the AG has considered the extracts on these particular cases [...]
Ex-Presidents’ entitlements: Speaker to announce SC ruling on Tuesday
The Supreme Court determination on the Presidents’ Entitlements (Repeal) Bill will be announced by Speaker Jagath Wickremaratne on Tuesday, with approval for the bill expected within this week’s parliamentary sitting days. Several petitions were filed in the SC challenging the constitutionality of the bill, which seeks to do away with official residences and monthly allowances [...]
A series of shooting incidents in Colombo and suburbs
A series of shooting incidents were reported in Colombo and its suburbs from Friday night through Saturday morning, leaving one man dead, others hospitalised, and causing property damage in several locations. Police said the first incident occurred Friday night near the Mahawatte Clock Tower in Grandpass, where two unidentified gunmen opened fire on a 26-year-old [...]
Sri Lanka to host multinational air force training programme
Bringing together defence forces from the United States, Australia, Japan, India, Maldives, and Bangladesh, Sri Lanka will host Exercise Pacific Angel 2025, a multinational training focused on disaster response and regional security cooperation from September 8 to 12. The Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) said around 300 personnel will take part in the exercise, including [...]
Three top builders face axe over alleged Expressway bid fraud
Three leading construction companies that allegedly provided false information to secure a lucrative contract under section 3 of the Central Expressway Project risk being blacklisted for the first time under new procurement guidelines, which came into effect in January this year. All three companies are of the CS2 grade, the highest classification awarded by the [...]
Previous fatal crashes at the same location
The location where Thursday’s tragedy on the Ella-Wellawaya road took place, has been the scene of two similar accidents previously. It is a coincidence that the previous ones were also in the first week of September. In 1996, a group of villagers, most of them farmers from Kurunegala, set off on a pilgrimage to Kataragama [...]
Elite unit training kicks in for soldier rescuer
Among the rescuers of the injured and the dead on Thursday, was an off-duty soldier from the Special Forces of the army. Corporal Madusha Bandara was on leave and was at a Dhamma sermon when he heard of the bus accident. “I rushed to the location on a motorcycle with my friends and was told [...]
Police await reports of driver’s postmortem and bus’s condition
The remains of the crashed bus which toppled off from Ella- Wellawaya main road was retrieved and hauled up the mountain by the use of two cranes, police said yesterday. According to them the effort to haul the bus took around 10 hours, as twisted metal parts snagged on shrubs and bushes and steep stone [...]
Ella-Wellawaya bus accident highlights the danger of unregulated tour buses
By Kasun Warakapitiya A pleasure trip ended in tragedy at the Ella-Wellawaya road near Ravana Falls when a bus toppled down a 1000-feet precipice Thursday night. The bus, bearing the number NB 1673, which was returning from a trip to Nuwara Eliya, crashed into an SUV, veered off-road and fell down a cliff. The bus [...]
The Chemmani mass graves get deeper and sinister- with more suspected sites
With the second phase of ongoing excavation activities at the Chemmani mass grave site coming to an end yesterday (6), a total of 239 human skeletons have been exhumed so far out of the total 240 identified remains. The 45 day long second phase of excavation activities came to an end yesterday (September 6) based [...]
President at Police Day ceremony
President Anura Kumara Dissanayake inspects the guard of honour at the 159th Police Day commemoration ceremony, held at the Police park, Colombo last Wednesday. Pic by M.A. Pushpa Kumara
Concerns over Lankans’ identity in foreign hands: DRP warns Ministry
By Namini Wijedasa The Department for Registration of Persons (DRP) has raised concerns regarding Sri Lanka’s proposed “unique digital identity project” (SL-UDI)—including that full delivery, maintenance and integration responsibility lies with a “master system integrator” (MSI), which is a foreign party. India’s National Institute for Smart Government (NISG) recently invited bids from Indian companies to [...]
Funeral today for Bishop Kenneth Fernando, advocate of national unity
The Anglican Church has announced the death of former Bishop of Colombo, Rt. Revd. Kenneth Fernando. He was 93. The Diocese of Colombo of the Church of Ceylon announces with deep sorrow the passing of the Rt. Revd. Kenneth M. J. Fernando, the 13th Bishop of Colombo, at the age of 93, the statement said. [...]
In joint Jakarta operation, ‘badminton coaches’ took game to underworld
By Ishu Bandara In Jakarta, the sleepless city of Indonesia, amid the neon lights, traffic chaos, and crowds enjoying the nightlife, two Sri Lankans walked the streets on their first visit, their sharp eyes fixed on an apartment complex and scanning the faces of passersby for those matching their target. The most secret overseas operation [...]
50,000 kilogrammes of unique chemical used to make ice smuggled in
By Ishu Bandara About 50,000 kilograms of unique chemicals used to produce illegal methamphetamine (ICE) were brought into the country in two containers, representing a highly sophisticated form of chemical that poses significant challenges for local laboratory testing which may require assistance from foreign laboratories according to ASP Rohan Olugala of the Western North Crimes [...]
Sri Lanka to host multinational air force training programme
Bringing together defence forces from the United States, Australia, Japan, India, Maldives, and Bangladesh, Sri Lanka will host Exercise Pacific Angel 2025, a multinational training focused on disaster response and regional security cooperation from September 8 to 12. The Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) said around 300 personnel will take part in the exercise, including [...]
Colombo ‘haunted’ by too many abandoned, crumbling buildings
By Ishu Bandara Colombo is facing a significant challenge due to a large number of abandoned and decaying buildings, the Sunday Times has found. Officials acknowledge that there is no official count of such structures, and while some fall under government ownership, others are tied up in private disputes, bankrupt companies, or archaeological preservation requirements. [...]
More officers, apps and vehicles to address human elephant conflict
By Damith Wickramasekara Environment Minister Dammika Patabendi told the Sunday Times that the infrastructure of the wildlife department will be improved and more staff will be hired to address the human elephant conflict. According to him, 84 single cabs, 16 double cabs as well as 181 motorbikes would be bought to improve protection and monitoring [...]
Uni academics raise heat over salaries, staff shortages, and undergrad facilities
A union representing university academics has warned of intensified trade union action if authorities fail to meet their demands, including funds for infrastructure facilities and solving staff shortages. The Federation of University Teachers’ Associations (FUTA) president Prof. P R Weerathunga said Rajarata and Sabaragamuwa universities have severe shortages of hostels and lecture halls, in addition [...]
‘Unprecedented’ vegetable price drop devastates Kalpitiya farmers
A sharp drop in vegetable prices in the Kalpitiya area has affected farmers there, who claim that the drop is unprecedented. Accordingly, green chilies have dropped to Rs. 120 per kilogramme while capsicum has been reduced to Rs. 200 per kilo. The prices of other vegetables too have dropped. Prices per kilogramme were ridge gourd [...]
Villagers live in fear for their lives and livelihoods
Rampaging wild elephants are increasingly damaging homes and crops in the Puttalam District with villages living in fear. Villages that were largely spared of grave threats from wild elephants are now facing daily confrontations, villagers say. Villagers in Karuwalagaswewa, Vanathavilluwa, Nawagattegama, Maha Kumbukkadawala, Pallama, Arachchikattuwa and Anamaduwa say their lives have been turned upside down. [...]
Dalada Maligawa Diyawadana Nilame’s term ends today; new Nilame within three months
The office of the Diyawadana Nilame of the Sri Dalada Malgawa falls vacant today. Since no acting appointment is to be made, the Sunday Times learns that the outgoing Diyawadana Nilame will continue in office until an election is held to appoint a successor. Under the Buddhist Temporalities Act, the Commissioner General of Buddhist Affairs [...]
Beware of sophisticated scams that exploit human weakness
Fake job and lottery scams lure victims with familiar logos and false promises By Dilushi Wijesinghe From glittering promises of work-from-home opportunities to lotteries offering triple returns, Sri Lankans are being swept up in a sophisticated wave of job and investment scams that exploit both technology and human weakness. Fraudsters use familiar brand names, government [...]
CCP: Strengthening patient care & looking towards future advancements such as AI
58th Annual Academic Sessions inaugurated on Wednesday will enrich and inspire By Kumudini Hettiarachchi The promise is to “enrich” and “inspire”, as the Ceylon College of Physicians (CCP) embarks on its 58th Annual Academic Sessions inclusive of many firsts, next week in Colombo. Inaugurated on Wednesday, September 10, the sessions on the theme ‘Physician For [...]
Scourge of chikungunya
By Kumudini Hettiarachchi Two weeks before her wedding, she was horrified to find her face, the area around her nose, disfigured by a heavy black patch. When she rushed to see a doctor that she learnt that it was a long-term effect of the troublesome chikungunya infection, which would pass after a while. The virus [...]