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With the sun directly over Sri Lanka and daytime temperatures reaching fever levels, these troops repairing the roof of the new hotel complex at the Dutch Hospital building in Colombo needed to protect themselves by tying mattresses on to their backs. Pic by Indika Handuwela
Minister obtains direct donation from Pakistan
The Government of Pakistan has responded to a direct call for funding from Industry and Commerce Minister Rishard Bathiudeen by pledging to give him US$ 1 million or Rs. 130 million outside of established rules and procedures. The contribution was made bypassing the External Resources Department (ERD) of the Ministry of Finance and sets a [...]
Top diplomatic posts to be filled soon
Several new appointments of high commissioners and ambassadors are due to be considered by the Parliamentary Committee on High Posts this month. They include senior career service diplomats Prasad Kariyawasam as ambassador designate to the United States and Karunathilaka Amunugama as ambassador designate to Germany. Among the others are Sarath Kongahage to South Africa and [...]
Mullaitivu documents lead to listing of pro-LTTE groups
Intelligence authorities used information extracted from sheaves of Tamil Tiger documents recovered from the battlefield in Mullaitivu to compile a 39-page list of designated persons, groups and entities “suspected of financing terrorism”, a senior official said. He said that while the listing of these groups and individuals could not currently be treated as a prohibition, [...]
As drought continues, CEB switches to 88.4 per cent thermal
The percentage of expensive thermal power generated by the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) is rising daily as the Government sticks to its “electricity at any cost” policy despite drought in hydro-catchment areas. On Friday, a massive 88.4 per cent of the country’s energy requirement was met with thermal power, statistics published by the CEB show. [...]
Paddy cultivation slashed; rice to be imported
Farmers have been asked to slash paddy production by as much as 50 per cent in the coming Yala season due to the prevailing drought, Agriculture Minister Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena said yesterday. “‘We are not in a position to compensate farmers for crop loss if they do not follow our instructions,” the minister said. He [...]
SC orders IGP to warn officers against ‘extra judicial procedures’
A Supreme Court directive to the Inspector General of Police to warn Police officers to observe the law relating to the rights and liberties of citizens when dealing with investigations has been complied with, DIG (Legal) Gamini Dissanayake said yesterday. The SC order came in the fundamental rights application filed by Chartered Accountant Nihal Hettiarachchi [...]
SC upholds death sentence imposed by High Court on the 4 accused
The Supreme Court on Wednesday noted that it is “utterly horrific for members of the forces in a country to unlawfully detain, physically and mentally assault and thereafter, abduct and murder persons who are in their custody.” A Five-Judge Bench of the Supreme Court, comprising Justices Shirani Thilakawardena, Chandra Ekanayake, Sathya Hettige, Priyasath Dep and [...]
Millionaire businesswoman granted bail by HC
A millionaire businesswoman accused of conspiracy to murder a former police officer has been granted bail by the Colombo High Court. The businesswoman, Himali Karunaratne from Sir Ernest de Silva Mawatha (former Flower Road), Colombo 7, is charged with conspiracy to murder former police officer Rohan Thusitha Kumarasinghe with whom she is alleged have had [...]
300 Sri Lankan expatriate workers die annually; most of them in West Asia
At least 300 Sri Lankan expatriate workers die each year and the majority of the deaths occur in West Asian countries, a senior official said yesterday. Sri Lanka Bureau of Foreign Employment (SLFEB) Additional General Manager Mangala Randeniya told the Sunday Times that some 69 per cent of the deaths were due to natural causes, [...]
Farming at standstill in north as skies stay dry
Agriculture in the north has come to a complete stop because of the lack of rain, an expert said this week as climatologists warned the current seasonal positioning of the sun directly over the island is intensifying the protracted heatwave. Last week’s sporadic thundershowers might not soothe the scorched lands and hot conditions are expected [...]
Eye doctor’s act which went beyond the call of duty
He dis-assembled the machine weighing 60kg, went to the 1-£ (Pound) Shop in England, bought a bundle of bubble-wrap and wrapped the machine parts well. The next layer of ‘wrapping’ was with his thick and heavy winter-clothing, which he would not need as he was coming back to Sri Lanka. Then it was time to [...]
WP, SP voters elect a mixed bag from all walks of life
Voters of the Western and Southern Provincial Council have elected a mixed group of politicians including young professionals, artistes, journalists and businessmen, while leaving out some long-standing members. On Friday, two former Chief Ministers (CM) of the WPC and SPC, Prasanna Ranatunga and Shan Wijayalal de Silva respectively, were re-appointed to their posts with almost [...]
Something could be rotten in that fruit juice
Fruit juice is considered a power-packed drink full of vitamins and other minerals for today’s busy consumer. But recent raids that have unearthed thousands of kilos of rotten fruits sold on the street, used at juice bars and fruit pulp factories have raised questions about the quality of fruit juices produced here. Last week, the [...]
Garden lizard gains an elite relative from Knuckles
The common green garden lizard that belongs to the Agamid lizard family this week gained a new relative that brings to 19 the number of spcies in this group, 16 of them endemic to Sri Lanka. The new addition is been a result of strenuous scientific analysis under difficult conditions by young researchers Thasun Amarasinghe [...]
Students cry foul over arrests but university stands firm
Fourteen undergraduates of Sri Jayawardenapura University arrested by police for allegedly assaulting a security guard were granted bail of Rs. 50,000 each on Friday by the Nugegoda Magistrate. The next hearing is due on July 11. Mirihana police arrested the 14 second-year students of the Arts Faculty on Monday on charges of assaulting the university [...]
Govt. gets millions from unlawful land taxes
For more than one year, the Government has been levying a 15 per cent tax on leases of property to foreigners without first introducing legislation through Parliament. The Government has also banned the transfer of private or state land to foreigners without amending the legislation—the Finance Act No. 11 of 1963—that continues to make it [...]
Eyes left, eyes right, purses out – Avurudu shopaholics hit the streets
A woman clad in a pale green skirt and blouse rushes through garment shops amidst the large crowds in Maharagama. Her companion is also eagerly looking at the clothes displayed. Both are carrying bulging bags. With the Sinhala and Tamil New Year around the corner this is not a rare sight. The festival, the only [...]
Khuram Shaikh assaulted when he tried to intervene in dispute : Hotel manageress
Testifying in the High Court trial over the killing of British national Khuram Shaikh on Christmas Day in 2011 (three years back this week), the Manageress of ‘The Nature’ hotel in Tangalle explained how the British national tried to intervene to resolve a dispute between two groups and was beaten up. Ms. Tharanga Peiris told [...]
Police begin tally of helmet robberies as crime soars
Police stations throughout the country have been instructed to gather information on robberies of banks and financial institutions and other crimes by bandits wearing full-face helmets weeks after a police attempt to ban helmets was defeated by merchants and motorcyclists. Acting Deputy Inspector-General of Police (Crimes), Gamini Dissanayaka said the directive, which includes crimes such [...]
