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Home » NewsNolimit building destroyed by fire, Rs. 300 m damage
A Muslim-owned large clothing retail outlet in Panadura was destroyed by fire yesterday. The Nolimit clothing chain’s legal officer, who did not wish to be identified, estimated the damage at a staggering Rs. 300 million. The cause of the fire at the business establishment, according to Colombo Crime Division (CCD) Chief Inspector Neville Silva, is still [...]
Stop deporting Pakistanis: UN
The UN’s refugee agency has sought an explanation from the Sri Lankan Government why large numbers of Pakistani asylum seekers are being arrested and detained – with local and UN officials making conflicting claims on the issue. The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has also warned the Government that any [...]
Tourists can get driving licence at BIA
Driving licences will be issued to foreign visitors at the Bandaranaike International Airport from August, Motor Traffic Commissioner S.H. Harischandra said yesterday. The three-month licence will enable foreigners to drive light motor vehicles during their stay here. The decision has been taken as many tourists like to hire vehicles and drive around the country on their [...]
Lanka’s tea trade ‘watching’ Iraqi crisis
While there is no immediate cause for panic, Sri Lanka’s tea industry is ‘watching’ the troubled situation in Iraq, industry sources said. In unfolding violence, an Islamic radical group – the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) — has taken control of some cities in Iraq in the past two weeks, according to foreign news [...]
Foreign forces destabilising country, says President
President Mahinda Rajapaksa charged last night that “international forces are engaged in concerted efforts to destabilise the country” and urged all Sri Lankans to be like children of one mother. “I respectfully request all brotherly citizens of this country to understand this grave situation and work towards building friendship and co-existence among communities,” he said in [...]
GMOA poll going ahead, enjoining order on one contestant
The election of office bearers to Sri Lanka’s most powerful health trade union will go ahead as scheduled next week on June 28 amidst a ruling by a court barring one of the contestants. The Colombo District Court on Tuesday issued three enjoining orders which included preventing Dr. Harsha Atapattu from contesting the post of Vice [...]
Lanka explains post-Aluthgama measures to UNHRC
Sri Lanka has told the UN Human Rights Council that President Rajapaksa has assured an impartial inquiry into incidents in and around Aluthgama “irrespective of race, religion or ethnicity.” Exercising Sri Lanka’s ‘right of reply’ to statements made by Germany, Norway and Canada during the General Debate, Manisha Gunasekera, Sri Lanka’s Deputy Permanent Representative to the [...]
New terminal at MRIA for aviation fuel storage
A new Aviation Terminal is to be declared open today at Mahinda Rajapaksa International Airport (MRIA) in Hambantota, by President Rajapaksa. The terminal, built at a cost of Rs 5 billion by the Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC), will provide 3 million litres of Jet-A1 fuel storage and other related facilities, and will be managed by [...]
Traffic cops get hi-tech bikes
At a ceremony today, Sri Lanka Traffic police will be officially handed over 315 hi-tech brand new bikes imported from Japan. Each bike is valued at three million rupees. The funds to purchase the bikes came from the annual budgetary allocations of the Sri Lanka Police Department. Pic by Mangala Weerasekera.
O/L students urged to get ICs to sit the exam
Nearly 225,000 GCE Ordinary Level Examination candidates have not sent in applications for identity cards, Registration of Persons Department Commissioner R. M. S. Sarath Kumar said. He called on all students, school authorities and education sector officials to forward such applications within the next two weeks “Around 450,000 students are expected to sit the examination [...]
Working together to save their paddylands
While communal disharmony simmers in the South, farmer organisations in the East from the Sinhala, Tamil and Muslim communities are working together to save more than 20,000 acres of paddy affected by the prevailing drought. The dry spell has resulted in the Mavil Aru anicut (watergate), a tributary of the Mahaweli river not getting sufficient [...]
Hakeem seeks independent probe, says fascists’ arrogance has no limit
Justice Minister and Sri Lanka Muslim Congress leader Rauff Hakeem last night called for “an independent and transparent inquiry” into the incidents in and around Aluthgama. He said that such an inquiry would determine not only who should be held responsible for the events, but also as to who allowed or encouraged religious zealotry. “If [...]
DNA samples found at crime scene match those of 3 suspects: Prof. Gunawardena
The prosecution rested its case on a high note, in the trial into the murder of British national Khuram Shaikh , with medical evidence placed before Court on Thursday confirming that DNA samples found at the scene of the crime matched those of three of the suspects. When the case was heard this week before High [...]
Leper prisoner released courtesy fine paid by prison officials
One day in May, Shahul Hameed Zubair, a businessman from Puttalam, ended up being arrested and hauled up before the Wellawaya Magistrate’s Court for “drunk and disorderly conduct and indecent behaviour”. The court slapped a Rs. 2,500 fine on him, but he was unable to pay it. The Magistrate then ordered him remanded for two [...]
Need for calm, say both sides
Dust is settling on the violence that engulfed Aluthgama and the surrounding areas but a high level of security will remain to prevent any recurrence. The incident has left four dead, over 60 injured and the homes of both Sinhala and Muslim residents, mainly in Dharga Town, destroyed or damaged. In addition, shops belonging to [...]
BBS denies organising Aluthgama meet, inciting hatred
Ven. Galagoda Aththe Gnanasara Thera denies that the Bodu Bala Sena (BBS) held a meeting at Aluthgama and claims it was organised by the Sasana Arakshaka Balamandalaya. Following are excerpts of a Q & A with the Sunday Times: -Why did you decide to hold a rally in Aluthgama given the tense situation that prevailed [...]
MR still can’t bring himself to sign death warrants
President Mahinda Rajapaksa said he still can’t force his hand to sign death warrants of prisoners sentenced to death by hanging. “There are more remand prisoners inside than convicted ones,” the President also said, adding that it was his goal to turn prisons into rehabilitation centres. He made these observations at a ceremony to the [...]
Monsoon blows foul emissions landward, covering crops, houses with ash
Nilmini, 27, wraps her arms around her swollen belly and fears for the child within as clouds of ash from the Norochcholai plant thicken the air like mist, settles thickly on crops and is triggering respiratory illnesses, rashes and eye problems. The Sunday Times learns that area medical officers are being obstructed in attempts to [...]
We want fuel subsidy not equipment, say protesting fishermen
Fishermen’s unions protested throughout last week against the Government’s decision to scrap their fuel subsidy and introduce a new equipment subsidy scheme in its place. The protests began last Monday with fishermen sailing into the Negombo lagoon displaying black flags on their boats. Last Wednesday, three fishermen in Negombo began a fast-unto-death in front of [...]
GMOA poll going ahead, enjoining order on one contestant
The election of office bearers to Sri Lanka’s most powerful health trade union will go ahead as scheduled next week on June 28 amidst a ruling by a court barring one of the contestants. The Colombo District Court on Tuesday issued three enjoining orders which included preventing Dr. Harsha Atapattu from contesting the post of [...]
Navy arrests 53 Tamil Nadu poachers
The Navy arrested 53 Indian fishermen who were poaching on three occasions in Sri Lanka’s territorial waters this week, Navy spokesman Commander Kosala Warnakulasuriya said. He said 22 Indian fishermen were arrested off the coast of Talaimannar in the north while another 24 fishermen were arrested off the Delft Islands. In a separate incident, the [...]
Jathika Bala Sena thera to be discharged from hospital
United People’s Freedom Alliance (UPFA) Mahiyangana Pradeshiya Sabha member Ven. Watareka Vijitha Thera who was found bound and injured near the Hirana bridge in Panadura, will be discharged within a day or two, the Colombo National Hospital said. Hospital Director Dr. Anil Jaasinghe told the Sunday Times, the thera has recovered from his injuries. “The [...]
DNA samples found at crime scene match those of 3 suspects: Prof. Gunawardena
The prosecution rested its case on a high note, in the trial into the murder of British national Khuram Shaikh , with medical evidence placed before Court on Thursday confirming that DNA samples found at the scene of the crime matched those of three of the suspects. When the case was heard this week before [...]
If one zoo is woeful we’ll make more zoos!
While the government is ambitiously planning new zoos, critics say the existing Dehiwela Zoo’s glaring lack of resources and poor record of animal care – a lion and a hippopotamus died this month – create strong doubts about animal welfare in new institutions. In its pen an African elephant sways from side to side. His [...]
Dengue teams carry ID to foil cheats
The Ministry of Health has taken steps to see that members of the public are not stung by pests bigger than mosquitoes when dengue control officers came knocking on doors this week to inspect residences. Residents were warned to check for the special identity card issued to members of the dengue control team before permitting [...]
What was said in the House
A motion put to Parliament this week by a group of Government MPs opposing a move by the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights to initiate an investigation against Sri Lanka, was passed by a majority vote in the House on Wednesday. The Government secured 144 votes in support of its own motion. The [...]
Respite in sight for long-distance travellers
Long-distance bus travel has been an ordeal for passengers needing clean food and toilets en route but this is set to change. The National Transportation Commission (NTC) is to embark on a programme to put in place better food and sanitary facilities. Convening a meeting at the National Transportation Commission Auditorium with owners of wayside [...]
Villagers happy to see the back of naguta kota
A marauding elephant known to the villagers of Karuwalagaswewa area as “nakuta kota’ was caught by Wildlife officials in Puttalam this week and relocated in a wildlife reserve. The elephant was located in an open area near Muriakulama Jayanthiwawa area in the Karuwalagaswawa region. He was also treated for a cataract problem in one eye. [...]
Govt. pensioners in quandary over retirement gratuity
Government employees are left confused as the controversy surrounding the payment of gratuity continues despite President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s directive to revert to the old system. Last week a circular was issued by Director General of Pensions abolishing the controversial circulars but there was also another letter sent by Treasury Secretary P.B. Jayasundara to secretaries and [...]
Hill country veggie prices soar with heat
Prices of vegetables cultivated in the hill country are likely to remain high for the next few weeks due to the prevailing dry weather. Hill country farmers say every year they have to increase the price of vegetables in the drier months of June and July. They said water is scarce and the crops wither [...]
No Lankans in conflict areas of Iraq, assures our envoy
Sri Lankans in Iraq are safe as they are out of the troubled zones, the country’s envoy to Baghdad Sumith Nakandala said. Lankan migrant workers in Iraq are not working in areas affected by militant violence so there’s ‘no need to panic’ regarding their safety, he said. Iraq is in a state of crisis due [...]
Their temporary bridge comes tumbling down
The only access to Kadolana Doova in Moragalla, Beruwala, where over 60 families live, was by means of a wooden bridge. Last Friday (14) night this bridge collapsed while a family was crossing it. The river they fell into is known to be crocodile infested but luckily none was hurt. However a reptile was bruised [...]
Working together to save their paddylands
While communal disharmony simmers in the South, farmer organisations in the East from the Sinhala, Tamil and Muslim communities are working together to save more than 20,000 acres of paddy affected by the prevailing drought. The dry spell has resulted in the Mavil Aru anicut (watergate), a tributary of the Mahaweli river not getting sufficient [...]
