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Home » NewsDisplaced families, military and companies seek Menik Farm land
Businessmen and foreign investors are among those who want to secure plots of land in the one-time largest camp for the Internally Displaced People (IDPs) in Vavuniya, a Minister said yesterday. The 6,000 acre land at Menik Farm in Chettikulam has been sealed off after all displaced people were moved out last week until a [...]
Massive loan from China to rebuild roads
China will provide Sri Lanka a loan of US$ 500 million (Rs. 64.6 billion) for the second phase of the Government’s Priority Roads Project in the north and the south. As a prelude to the project getting under way, the Government will obtain consultancy services. The Cabinet last Wednesday approved a proposal by President Mahinda [...]
Godahewa quits as SLTDA chief, but questions remain
Nalaka Godahewa, Chairman of the Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority (SLTDA), resigned on Friday from this post amidst a controversy of conflict of interest owing to his involvement in another company which is constructing a tourist hotel. When asked for reasons for his resignation, Dr. Godahewa said he stepped down to concentrate on his other [...]
EU probes China’s alleged bicycle dumping via Lanka
The European Union has lodged a protest with Sri Lanka over Colombo being used as a base for export of Chinese-made bicycles to avoid the payment of anti-dumping duty.The EU protest was handed over to Sri Lanka’s Embassy in Brussels by EU’s Director General of Trade. “We are yet to receive a response from the [...]
IMF mission here for economic review: Cabraal
Officials from the Washington-based International Monetary Fund (IMF) are in Sri Lanka for an economic review but there is no discussion on any additional loan facility, Central Bank Governor Nivard Cabraal said. “No, this is a routine visit,” he told the Sunday Times, when asked whether an earlier suggested US$ 500 million facility would be [...]
CKD: More shocking details
Chronic Kidney Disease or CKD has been taking a heavy toll in the North Central Province and other provinces for many years. A National Research Project is now being carried out by the government in collaboration with the World Health Organization; no conclusive evidence has come up as to its origins. Most victims have been [...]
Indian serving life sentence dies at Welikada prison
An Indian national who was serving a life sentence at the Welikada Magazine Prison for possession of drugs passed away last Sunday. A post-mortem has been ordered to establish the cause of death. Sixty-two-year-old Vellathurai Thangaraj was arrested in 2004 when Sri Lanka Navy officers patrolling the seas off the coast of Mannar searched his [...]
28 asylum-seekers decide to return home
Twenty-eight Sri Lankan men have voluntarily returned home, having decided not to pursue asylum in Australia. The returnees, who were detained in Nauru, Christmas Island and mainland Australia, boarded a chartered flight from Christmas Island to Colombo yesterday. “These individuals have chosen not to pursue asylum claims and therefore are no longer seeking to engage [...]
Minor tremor at Siyambalanduwa
A minor tremor was felt in Siymbalanduwa in the Moneragala District last morning, Geological Surveys and Mines Bureau Chairman N.P. Wijeratne said. The tremor was felt in the village of Katugoda, but it caused no damage to life or property, he said. Geologist Kapila Dhanayake said minor tremors could occur due to changes in the [...]
No animal sacrifices this year despite being a daily feature to date
Head Priest of the Chilaw Bhadrakali Amman Temple said that temple authorities perform a symbolic sacrifice daily during poojas, whenever their devotees offer animals, but the kovil will not go ahead with the main ritual this year. The annual animal sacrifice ritual this year did not take place following a request by President Mahinda Rajapaksa [...]
UNP stalwart, former MP and minister, P.C. Imbulana is no more
A former MP and Minister, and a stalwart of the United National Party (UNP), P.C. Imbulana passed away yesterday.Mr. Imbulana was first elected to Parliament in July 1960 from the Ruwanwella electorate, and served as Deputy Minister of Agriculture under Prime Minister Dudley Senanayake, as Deputy Minister of Local Government, Housing and Construction under President [...]
New Navy Chief is Rear Admiral Colombage
Rear Admiral Jayanath Colombage was appointed this week by President Rajapaksa as the new Commander of the Sri Lanka Navy. Until his appointment as the 18th Navy chief, he served as the Commander Eastern Naval Area in Trincomalee. Vice Admiral Colombage joined the Sri Lanka Navy as an Officer Cadet in 1978 and completed basic [...]
Eastern Province Chief Minister assumes duties
The first ever Muslim Chief Minister – Abdul Majeed Mohamed Najeeb- assumed duties as Chief Minister of the Eastern Provincial Council on Friday afternoon. Meanwhile, the TNA leadership consisting of its leader R. Sampanthan, Gen. Secy. Mavai Senathirajah and M. Sumanthiran at a meeting held in Trincomalee unanimously selected Provincial Councilor Singaravelu Thandayuthapani – who [...]
Haj pilgrims quota: SC to hear travel agent’s petition on October 4
The Supreme Court listed to be heard on October 4, the fundamental rights petition filed by a Haj travel operator challenging the irregular selection list of pilgrims to participate in the Haj festival for 2012, as both parties had not arrived at an amicable settlement. The petitioner Travel Data Tours and Travels (Pvt) Ltd., and [...]
Transfer scheme for police officers still being prepared: Spokesman
Police spokesman SSP Ajith Rohana said yesterday the police are still in the process of formulating a transfer scheme. For this purpose, IGP N.K.Illangakoon is now working out a new transfer policy in consultation with all stakeholders such as the Junior Officers’ Association, the Inspectors’ Association, the Senior Police Officers’ Association and relevant authorities, he [...]
No go in blade-in-chocolate case as complaint is withdrawn
The man who swallowed a sliver of a razor blade embedded in a bar of chocolate last week has withdrawn a complaint after reaching a settlement with the chocolate manufacturing company. He had reportedly sustained injuries to his mouth while a small piece also got lodged in his intestines. The withdrawal of the complaint has [...]
The long march for education isn’t over
The long march, conducted over five days by academics and teachers from state universities across the country, climaxed when the protestors converged on Colombo on Friday evening. Joining the university teachers in a show of strength and support were hundreds representing student unions, trade unions, political parties and clergy. The protestors and their supporters, who [...]
Education sector gets 14 percent more next year
The Government allocations for both the education and higher education sectors in the country for 2013 have increased by close to 14 per cent over the previous year, according to the budgetary estimates that are to be presented to Parliament on October 9.The Ministry of Education has been allocated Rs. 37.9 billion, up by nearly [...]
If it isn’t home it’s a camp by another name
Widow Chandran Selvarani, 48, one of the last inmates of the Menik Farm in Chettikulam, Vavuniya, was told she would be leaving to her own village in Mullaitivu. After living for almost four-and-a-half years in camps for the displaced, she was more than happy to return to her village, Koppapilavu, over 10 km from Mullaitivu town. [...]
Diabetes: Taking the fight to the silent killer, head-on
He came to the Government clinic at Sedawatte, virtually under the Kelani bridge, laughing and joking after a function at home. The moment Registered Medical Officer (RMO), Dr. W.A. Gunawardene saw his swollen feet, checked his pressure and performed a random blood sugar test, she knew there was something seriously wrong, for both readings were [...]
Water crisis in Mahaweli zone deepens
The water levels in the reservoirs in the Mahaweli zones are dangerously low, officials have warned. They said the low water levels were posing a threat not only to agriculture but also to drinking water supplies. The Mahaweli Authority said the levels in reservoirs in the North Central and Central provinces had dropped drastically with [...]
Parched Polonnaruwa cries for water
W. Wijeratna (60) says be cannot recall a worse drought in close to three decades, as he stands in the shade of his tea kiosk in the village of Pelatiyawa, awaiting for the water bower to come along the dry, dusty road. “It hasn’t rained since April. I have lived here since 1984, but not [...]
Sri Lanka Army successfully concludes joint military manoeuvres with neighbours
The three-week multinational joint military exercise involving Pakistan, Maldives, Bangladesh, India, China and Sri Lanka concluded last Sunday (23) with the Sri Lanka exhibiting its military prowess at countering terrorism. Army Chief Lt. Gen. Jagath Jayasuriya who witnessed the last day of the exercise, said the SL security forces are hoping to improve on the [...]
Malini Fonseka to be re-appointed as MP
UPFA National List MP Malini Fonseka , who resigned from her Parliamentary seat on September 24, only to have her resignation rejected by President Mahinda Rajapaksa the same day, will be sworn in as a Member of Parliament on October 9, when Parliament next meets.Ms. Fonseka sent her resignation letter to the Secretary General of [...]
CKDu: Breakthroughs, setbacks and a spiritual touch
KEBITHIGOLLEWA, Sri Lanka – For two decades, chronic kidney disease has been a mystery and death sentence in Sri Lanka, striking 15 percent of the residents of its north central region. This summer, after years of secretive official research, a glimmer of scientific hope emerged. The government and World Health Organization announced in June that they [...]
Protectors conniving with fellers
Illicit felling of trees in forest reserves continues unabated despite new regulations being introduced to curb the practice. Recently the Vavuniya police uncovered one such racket at the Madhu reserve where massive trees were being illicitly felled. P.G.S.R.Sanjeewa, OIC Chettikulam Police suspects connivance between those who are charged with protecting the reserve and the illegal [...]
