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Home » NewsWell, today’s lesson is on sociology of politics
Amidst a roaring welcome from current students and academics, a nostalgic Prime Minister Harini Amarasuriya returned on Thursday to her lecture room at her alma mater—Delhi University’s prestigious Hindu College—where she read for her sociology degree.
Pay-and-commute deals for the corrupt: CIABOC mulls proposal
Says it’s open to requests from accused, if backed by court approval By Ranjith Padmasiri The Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC) has agreed to consider requests by the accused charged with corruption for causing financial losses to the state to pay back those losses along with interest, provided those requests come [...]
As gold reaches sky-high, traders push for tax cut to ease price
By Dilushi Wijesinghe Sri Lanka’s gem and jewellery industry has renewed its call to the government to reduce the import duty on gold from 15% to 5% to offset soaring prices in the world gold market that have fuelled local prices to unprecedented levels, disrupted supply, and left small jewellers struggling to survive. “We have [...]
Vehicle imports to rev up revenue in Budget 2026
By Damith Wickremasekara Next year, the government will focus on raising revenue through vehicle imports, continuing its policy of import relaxation, the Sunday Times learns. However, a request to allow import of vehicles up to five years old will not be considered in the next year’s budget, which is under preparation. The government is anticipating [...]
AG’s officers to voice stance on independent prosecutor’s office
By Ranjith Padmasiri The Legal Officers’ Association (LOA) of the Attorney General’s Department has decided to submit its opinion regarding the government’s proposal to set up a Directorate of Public Prosecution (DPP) to handle criminal cases independently of the AG’s Department. The opinion will include views from officers at the AG’s Department regarding the proposal, [...]
AG challenges acquittal of three men in Ali Roshan case
By Ranjith Padmasiri The Attorney General has appealed the acquittal of three men in the Ali Roshan case over the illegal custody of elephants. In his appeal, the AG argues that the three-judge Trial-at-Bar of the Colombo High Court had erred in failing to give due consideration to the evidence given by expert witnesses from [...]
Valvettithurai residents seek billions in war reparations over IPKF massacres
The Valvettithurai Citizens’ Committee has submitted an appeal to the Office for Reparations, claiming compensation for a 1989 massacre allegedly carried out by the Indian Peacekeeping Forces (IPKF) deployed in the area. The massacre took place in Valvettithurai between August 2 and 4, 1989, where 66 civilians were killed and 34 were injured. In addition, [...]
Women’s group urges Govt. to enact law to address predatory practices in microfinance lending
A women’s group advocating for economic rights has called on the government to enact legislation to address the “predatory and exploitative practices associated with microfinance lending”, adding that interest rate caps, restrictions on access and activities of microfinance companies and strong consumer protection practices can curb ongoing violence and exploitation. “The National People’s Power (NPP) [...]
Opposition plans rally, as govt. marks one year
By Nidarshani Wickramasinghe Opposition parties will put aside their differences and join hands in a show of force against the government at a joint opposition rally to be held in Nugegoda on November 21. November 14 marks one year since the NPP came to power. In addition to the UNP and SJB, initial discussions regarding [...]
Vehicle registrations increasing rapidly
The number of vehicle registrations has been increasing rapidly over the past few months. Data from the Department of Motor Traffic has revealed that a total of 48,708 vehicles had been registered in September. This is a 27% increase compared to the 38,240 vehicles that were registered in August. The number of vehicles registered in [...]
Vigilance urged as heavy rainfall continues
By Kasun Warakapitiya and Prasad Rukmal The heavy rainfall during the last few days has caused landslides, earth slips and tree falls in the central hills. One of the worst affected districts was the Matale District which experienced landslides, earth slips, as well as trees falling onto roads causing obstructions and damage. The Disaster Management [...]
Multiple statutory violations in the draft PTP: CEBEU wants parliament oversight committee to intervene
The Ceylon Electricity Board Engineers’ Union (CEBEU) has requested urgent intervention from Parliament’s Sectoral Oversight Committee on Infrastructure and Strategic Development, claiming the ongoing electricity sector reforms violate the Sri Lanka Electricity Act No. 36 of 2024 and its amendment. The union’s primary concern centers on the Preliminary Transfer Plan (PTP), a document that will [...]
Undercover op to nab underworld queenpin planned in utmost secrecy
ASP Olugala reveals the story behind the arrest of Sewwandi By Ishu Bandara The month-long mission, carried out under absolute secrecy by the Sri Lankan Police, ended successfully with the arrest of Red Notice-listed suspect Pinpura Dewage Ishara Sewwandi Weerasingha in Nepal on October 14. Aged 26, Sewwandi was the key suspect and mastermind behind [...]
UNP and SJB feel the stones to cross the river
By Kasun Warakapitiya As the United National Party (UNP) and the Samagi Jana Balawegya (SJB) moved closer to working out an alliance, after being separate for more than five years, members of the two parties have reacted. Senior members, party organisers, and ground-level supporters are enthusiastic but note that there are several outstanding issues. Rivalry [...]
Uncovering the mysteries of Nelu
Dr. Nilanthi Rajapakse leaves no stone unturned to shed light on this beauty which has diversified habitats, gregarious occurrence and elegant flowering By Kumudini Hettiarachchi “When all at once I saw a crowd, a host of golden daffodils………..I gazed – and gazed…..,” a poet waxed eloquent in faraway England way back in 1804, but [...]
Nallur council trashes residents’ concerns, pushes ahead with Ariyalai garbage site
By S. Rubathesan Despite protests by residents of Ariyalai, Jaffna, against the setting up of a solid waste plant, the local government body, Nallur Pradeshiya Sabha, continues to dump garbage on the proposed site, residents allege. Located in the suburbs of Jaffna along the A9 road, the village is a fertile land with hundreds of [...]
Heritage buildings going to rack and ruin while NPP delays decision on ministerial residences, say former occupants
By Nidarshani Wickramasinghe Nearly a year after the NPP came into power, many former ministerial residences still lie idle, with former occupants complaining that the buildings are going to rack and ruin. Deputy Minister of Public Administration, Provincial Councils and Local Government, Ruwan Senarath, stated that the government has yet to decide on the criteria [...]
Lanka Govt Cloud crash due to failure in one of the storage resource pools: Officials
Root cause diagnostics and recovery efforts are ongoing with priority being given to data consistency and integrity, says ICTA By Tharushi Weerasinghe Initial tests have revealed that last week’s Lanka Government Cloud crash was caused by a storage system failure, which knocked out connected systems and disrupted several online services. The system failure that occurred [...]
Senior pensioners honoured at event, “A strong, healthy, and inspired life”
The annual National Pensioners’ Day was marked on October 8, with a felicitation ceremony honouring the country’s senior retirees under the theme, “A strong, healthy, and inspired life”, at a retired holiday resort in Wedamulla, Kelaniya. The event was held under the patronage of the Minister of Public Administration, Provincial Councils and Local Government, Dr. [...]
CID to unravel Kataragama property ownership denied by Gotabaya
By Dilushi Wijesinghe The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) is trying to figure out the ownership of the two-storey building located within the Menik Ganga reservation in Monaragala. The building is reportedly in the name of a G. Rajapaksa–and former president Gotabaya Rajapaksa has denied ownership. The investigation comes amid long-standing questions over how such a [...]
Young enthusiasts portray wildlife stories respectfully, ethically
By Malaka Rodrigo For years, the Young Zoologists’ Association (YZA) of Sri Lanka has been a quiet but powerful force nurturing the country’s next generation of naturalists. Each year, its members bring the wonders of the wild into the heart of Colombo through two special exhibitions—Young Eye on Nature and Kin Wild. Now marking around [...]
Coconut pest spreads
By Hiran Priyankara Nearly 100 acres of coconut plantation areas in the Puttlam District is under threat due to the spread of the coconut caterpillar, a pest that can cause severe damage to plants. The coconut caterpillar damages the coconut tree by eating the tissues beneath the coconut leaf, the fertile parts of the leaf. [...]
Colombo Declaration on Healthy Ageing adopted giving dignity to the elderly
Voices of seniors show the way to 78th WHO South-East Asia Regional Committee By Kumudini Hettiarachchi Resonating were the voices of the elderly not just from Sri Lanka but also across South-East Asia, as they laid bare their concerns at a Participatory Dialogue last Sunday, to be powerfully reflected in the ‘Colombo Declaration on Healthy [...]
WNPS hits out at proposed Jaffna International Cricket Stadium
The Wildlife & Nature Protection Society (WNPS) has urged the Government to immediately halt all construction and preparatory activities related to the proposed Jaffna International Cricket Stadium and Sports Complex on Mandaitivu Island in view of the environmental impact. WNPS in a statement said that the island is an environmentally sensitive and ecologically significant area [...]