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Home » NewsSparse crowds in Pettah as Avurudu prices bite
Pettah, Colombo’s bustling shopping hub, was unusually calm this Avurudu season. Streets—normally teeming with shoppers and traffic jams—were sparse, reflecting the dwindling purchasing power of the people as fuel and essential prices soared following the US and Israel’s war against Iran on February 28. Pic by M.A. Pushpa Kumara
Govt. to adopt fluctuating fuel price formula
Multiple revisions on a weekly basis in line with global market trends By Damith Wickremasekara The government will introduce a new fuel pricing formula which could see multiple fuel price revisions within a month based on fluctuations in world oil prices, rather than the monthly review system in place now. The Cabinet has given approval [...]
Energy Minister survives no-confidence vote: 153 against, 49 in favour
By Sandun Jayawardana The No-Confidence Motion (NCM) against Energy Minister Kumara Jayakody was defeated on Friday in Parliament by a majority of 104 votes. A total of 153 parliamentarians of the ruling National People’s Power (NPP) voted against the motion, while 49 opposition MPs voted for it. Opposition MPs from the Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB), [...]
Peace dog Aloka set to join Buddhist monks’ Walk for Peace
Aloka – the peace dog – is expected to travel with a group of Buddhist monks from the United States to Sri Lanka for the week-long “Walk for Peace” scheduled to start on April 21. Aloka, who accompanied the monks who undertook the 2,300-mile Walk for Peace across the US, became the star attraction with [...]
Standing Orders amended to enable COPA, COPE to directly refer corruption to CIABOC, police
Two amendments were passed to the Parliamentary Standing Orders (SO) this week allowing the Committee on Public Accounts (COPA) and the Committee on Public Enterprises (COPE), when they find evidence of fraud, corruption or bribery, to directly report to the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption or the Inspector General of Police without [...]
IMF agreement on EFF offers relief; strict reforms now essential
By Bandula Sirimanna The IMF mission has officially reached a staff-level agreement this week for the combined 5th and 6th reviews of the Extended Fund Facility (EFF), signalling a powerful vote of confidence in the nation’s fiscal discipline. Despite the dual shocks of the devastating Cyclone Ditwah and the West Asian conflict, this agreement paves [...]
Ranil chose Singapore over SL to spare Lankan docs of harassment, Vajira says
Former President Ranil Wickremesinghe, who returned to the country on Thursday after undergoing cardiac surgery in Singapore, had several visitors while he was recuperating in hospital. Among them was George Yeo, a former Minister for Foreign Affairs of Singapore who paid a visit to check on his health and wish him a speedy recovery. Former [...]
Committee on Provincial Council electoral system hears from AG Dept. and EC
The Select Committee of Parliament appointed to look into and report on selecting an electoral system for the Provincial Councils heard submission from the Attorney General’s Department and Elections Commission (EC) this week. Representatives of the AG and the EC appeared before the PSC headed by Minister Vijitha Herath when the Committee met this week. [...]
More buses, trains for holiday period
The Sri Lanka Transport Board (SLTB), National Transport Commission (NTC) and Sri Lanka Railways (SLR) announced an integrated transport plan for the Sinhala Tamil New Year. SLTB chairman Sanjeewa Kanakaratne said they launched a special festival season bus service from April 9, until April 21. More buses would ply from Colombo to outstation areas from [...]
Police got you covered on the roads this season
The police has deployed 8500 traffic officers for duty on streets in view of the Sinhala Tamil New Year season. The move was taken to ensure road safety and security while people are enjoying the festive season. Accordingly, a special traffic programme as well as security plans have been drawn out by the police while [...]
Dry holiday as liquor outlets closed
Liquor outlets across Sri Lanka will remain closed on April 13 and 14 in line with the Sinhala and Tamil New Year observances, the Excise Department said. The directive applies islandwide, covering state-run and private retail outlets, as part of customary restrictions observed during the festival period. However, establishments authorised to serve foreign nationals will [...]
Controversial coal tested by lab with expired licence
By Namini Wijedasa South African coal sold to Lanka Coal Company (Pvt) Ltd (LCC) by problematic coal supplier Trident Chemphar was repeatedly tested in Indonesia by a laboratory whose accreditation to inspect coal expired on December 29 last year, Sri Lanka’s National Audit Office (NAO) said in a special report this week. As of March [...]
Fitch Ratings downgrades NDB Long-Term Rating to ‘A-(lka)’
Fitch Ratings has downgraded National Development Bank PLC’s (NDB) National Long-Term Rating to ‘A-(lka)’ from ‘A(lka)’. The Outlook is Negative, a statement from the global ratings agency said Friday. Fitch has also downgraded the rating assigned to NDB’s Basel III-compliant subordinated debentures to ‘BBB(lka)’ from ‘BBB+(lka)’. The downgrade reflects NDB’s weakened credit profile relative to [...]
SEC meets with NDB board on the Rs. 13.2 billion fraud
By Duruthu Edirimuni Chandrasekera The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) convened a meeting with the Board of Directors of NDB Bank on Thursday in connection with the Rs. 13.2 billion fraud at the bank. At the meeting, the SEC has apprised the Board that preliminary investigations into the matter have been formally started, reliable sources [...]
Government defeats NCM against Energy Minister
By Sandun Jayawardana Despite intense criticism from both within and outside Parliament, the National People’s Power (NPP) government stood by Energy Minister Kumara Jayakody on Friday as he faced down an opposition sponsored No-Confidence Motion (NCM) against him. The minister had been facing growing calls to step down in the days leading up to the [...]
Vindictive banana raider surrenders to police
By Rahul Samantha Hettiarachchi – Hambantota A woman who cut down around 1,900 banana trees belonging to a farmer in the Goda Koggala area, had surrendered to Ambalantota police admitting her fault. Her action had caused a loss exceeding Rs. 6 million to the farmer. The woman is said to be a president of a farmers’ [...]
Newly refurbished Colombo Central Bus Stand declared open
The newly refurbished Central Bus Stand in Colombo was declared open this week, following a year-long redevelopment spearheaded by the Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF). The project, completed under the Government’s “Clean Sri Lanka” initiative, marked the overhaul of the Pettah terminal since its establishment in 1964. Handling an estimated 75,000 passengers and nearly 2,000 [...]
Serious concerns over social media posts on fatty liver disease
Important Sri Lankan study finds widespread quality deficiencies and gaps in authoritative health communication By Kumudini Hettiarachchi Serious concerns have come to the fore after a team of Sri Lankan researchers examined social media and health information regarding fatty liver disease, originating from Sri Lanka. In the first broad analysis of posts relating to Metabolic-dysfunction Associated [...]
SC ruling in a dispute over shares being pledged against a loan
A 3-judge bench of the Supreme Court has overturned a ruling by the Commercial High Court of Colombo where a litigant had established that she had not pledged shares (from her stake in Hunter & Company) as security for a loan taken by a company in which she was a shareholder. The case arises from [...]
Impractical school guidelines trip up heatwave response
By Sajeniya Sathanandan Despite a collective commitment to student safety, a lack of infrastructure, water facilities and impractical guidelines have created a critical dilemma for professionals managing heat wave risks. When questioned about the impractical guidelines issued to protect students from heat, Deputy Education and Higher Education Minister Madhura Senevirathna told the Sunday Times that [...]
Public Utilities Commission studying proposal for a new tariff increase
By Ishu Bandara Director of Corporate Communications at the Public Utilities Commission of Sri Lanka (PUCSL), M. Jayanath Herath, stated that the commission has received a proposal for a new tariff increase and is currently studying and evaluating it. Mr. Herath said that an increase cannot be implemented immediately, as the commission must first complete [...]
Doctors vs. Govt: Patients become pawns on a chessboard
By Sajeniya Sathanandan The conflict between the Government Medical Officers’ Association (GMOA) and the Ministry of Health is taking an unbearable toll on vulnerable patients. During a visit to the National Hospital of Sri Lanka on 9 April, the Sunday Times learned from several patients at the Outpatient Department that nurses were collecting medication books [...]
Rising costs sour festive mood for some
By Kasun Warakapitiya The adverse impact of increased fuel prices, transport charges and electricity tariffs are deterring some from celebrating the Sinhala and Tamil New Year. Some say that with the rising cost of living, uncertainty over power cuts, as well as fuel price increase, they are unable to celebrate the New Year as [...]
Islandwide inspections to ensure food safety during the season
By Nidarshani Wickramasinghe Nearly 10,000 cases have been filed islandwide under the Food Act for various offenses during the period from April 1 to April 9, The Sri Lanka Public Health Inspectors’ Association said. The Association’s Vice President Nishantha Gamage, said that a majority of these offences were related to the failure to include accurate [...]
Slump in local tourist numbers in the heart of Avurudu season
By Wasantha Ramanayake Most resorts and out-station hotels across Sri Lanka are facing a sharp drop in bookings, particularly from domestic tourists, due to fuel shortages, soaring prices, and a higher cost of living during the festive month of April. Hotel managers say there are few inquiries converting to reservations, even with promotions, forcing tough [...]
Animal lovers suggest national plan on firecracker risks
By Kasun Warakapitiya Animal rights activists say it is high time the Government set up a national action plan and raise awareness about potential harms to animals from New Year fireworks. They pointed out that animals suffer from shock and stress as well as hearing disabilities due to firecrackers. We Are for the Animals, president [...]
No Lankan left unaffected by US-Israeli war on Iran
With the United States and Iran holding talks in Islamabad amidst a shaky truce that came into effect on Wednesday after 40 days of attacks and counterattacks, the US-Israeli war on Iran has devastated lives not only in the region but across the world, including Sri Lanka. As the war raged, with Iran imposing a [...]