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Home » NewsOmanthai barriers removed; open ride to North
The road barriers at the security checkpoint at Omanthai in Vavuniya were removed yesterday, bringing to an end the two-decade process of registering vehicles entering the north, officials said. Military Spokesperson Jayanath Jayaweera told the Sunday Times that they had stopped the process of registering vehicles entering the North. He said steps had, however, been [...]
SLFP rejects TNA’s claim for opposition leader post
The Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) last night rejected a call by the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) for recognition as the main opposition party in Parliament. The move was aimed at making Rajavarothiam Sampanthan as Leader of the Opposition. “The Opposition Leader’s post should be given to the party which has the highest number of members [...]
Only CP MP to go it alone
The sole Communist Party member elected to parliament will remain as an independent member, party leader D.E.W. Gunasekara said yesterday. The CP contesting under the UPFA returned only one member — Chandrasiri Gajadeera from the Matara district. Mr. Gunasekara said his party saw the UPFA as being non-functional now and therefore the CP member would function [...]
45 in Cabinet, 55 state and deputy ministers
The number of cabinet ministers in the national unity Government to be set up with the UNFGG and the SLFP as stakeholders is likely to be restricted to 45 with 55 more in non-cabinet ranks. A motion will be moved in parliament by Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe on Thursday under the provisions of the 19th Amendment [...]
SLFP, UPFA get tough, abide by party decision or face action
Members of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) will be required to abide by party decisions, or will face disciplinary action, the party’s Acting General Secretary Duminda Dissanayake declared yesterday. “When the party takes a decision all the party members will have to fall in line. If they fail to do so, strict disciplinary action [...]
UNHRC: US, Lanka adopt ‘collaborative approach’
Sri Lanka has agreed with the United States to adopt a “collaborative approach” with regard to a resolution at the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) sessions next month but there is still no text. Work on a draft document is likely to start in mid-September after the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) [...]
Three killed in off-road accident
A man and two women were killed when a lorry they were travelling in toppled after it ran off the road in Bulathsinhala last night, Police said. The lorry transporting paddy ran off the road while it tried to give way to an oncoming three wheeler, they said.
Amputee among new entrants to be sworn in as MPs on Tuesday
There are 63 new entrants to Parliament this year, among whom is Shanthi Sriskandarajah, a knee-down amputee of a leg, a National List MP of the Tamil National Alliance (TNA). She, along with an interesting array of new legislators, will on Tuesday (1) be sworn in as Members of the 8th Parliament of Sri Lanka. [...]
Election of Speaker, ceremonial address by President among the highlights
The election of a new Speaker, a ceremonial address by President Maithripala Sirisena, the likely resignation of a newly appointed MP will be among the highlights of the first sitting of the Eighth Parliament of Sri Lanka on Tuesday. UNP MP Karu Jayasuriya is likely to be elected uncontested to the post of Speaker with his [...]
Fonseka’s supporters win FR case at 2010 poll
The State was ordered to pay a group of supporters of Field Marshal Sarath Fonseka compensation and costs in a fundamental rights application filed by Kelun Kumarasinghe, Attorney-at-Law on behalf of the group that was arrested and detained in 2010 during the period of the Presidential Election of that year. The group comprising mainly of [...]
Police case for arrest warrant against UNP MP turned down
Member of Parliament Sujeewa Senasinghe was noticed to appear in court after Homagama Magistrate Y. R. B. Nelundeniya turned down a plea by the Police to issue an arrest warrant on him, though the politician had not appeared in court on a previous occasion as well on a violation of election laws. The Magistrate ordered [...]
After the polls the calm remains, except for a few incidents, say monitors
The situation in the country following the General Elections on August 17 was relatively peaceful in comparison to past elections, monitors and police say. According to police, around 26 post-poll incidents were reported upto Monday, with twelve people being hospitalised and 20 suspects being arrested. Adding that the situation was similar to what prevailed before the [...]
Vijayaramaya rediscovered
An ancient archaeological site of historic value was discovered by the Department of Archae-ology in the Anuradhapura District this week. Located a mile to the north from the famous Abhayagiri Vihara, the new site named ‘Vijayaramaya’ was found in a thick jungle by excavators. The 23-acre Vijayaramaya consists of ruins of a broken-down stupa, a shrine [...]
No sanctuary for this leopard
In more sad news from Yala, the body of a female leopard was found on Friday inside Yala National Park itself, on the verge of the Jamburagala road. The body had no apparent scars but the postmortem revealed the leopard died due to a broken neck (spinal code). There was evidence that some elephants had passed [...]
The public relations rip off to US ‘lobbyists’
More than Rs. 872 million released by Central Bank Governor Cabraal on recommendation of Weeratunge and Sajin Vaas American federal investigators probe lobbyist Zuberi and dubious companies; subpoenas possible on Lanka’s ex-VVIPs The payments were so covertly done that neither Cabinet nor Parliament knew of them. As with many other transactions, the cabal that struck [...]
Well-off move into gold courier business
Recent raids at Bandaranaike airport reveal that gold smuggling couriers now include those in high positions in companies or in other white collar jobs. Gold couriers are not necessarily the desperately poor any more. In a recent raid, two staff members of a known airline were arrested with 75 gold biscuits amounting to more than Rs. [...]
Silky-smooth new highways lure reckless drivers to death
Driving on the plush new highways of Sri Lanka has made the average driver push his luck to the limit with the result that accidents on the trunk roads connecting major cities and ports have shot up in recent years, according to motor traffic police. Traffic police statistics reveal that there are 102 accidents reported [...]
Paddy price crisis: Farmers hit out at Mafia
Farmers in many parts of the country are angered and disappointed over the failure to set up an adequate mechanism to purchase their paddy, but authorities in turn blame them for disregarding instructions over the sale of their stock. This situation is widely prevalent in Matale, Ampara, Wilgamuwa, Anuradhapura and Eppawala and other areas, with [...]
Politicos, govt. officials facing criminal charges return to face the music
A string of investigations against politicians and officials on allegations varying from murder to misuse of funds, continued this week, after some of them were suspended during the election period. The first to visit the FCID was MP Wimal Weerawansa’s wife, Shashi Weerawansa, when she was re-summoned by the FCID on August 20, for a [...]
Kelani Ganga pollution: Report on test samples due tomorrow
The National Water Supply and Drainage Board (NWSDB) will receive tomorrow the results of test samples of contaminated water from the Kelani Ganga sent to India, said its Chairman Alahudeen Ansar. Samples were sent to be tested in India when drinking water in several parts of Colombo was found to be contaminated after a leak [...]
Scattered rains could see hike in dengue cases, warns health official
The prevailing weather conditions could result in an increase in the number of dengue cases in Colombo City, a health official has warned. Stressing that the scattered rains experienced across the country, could turn potential mosquito breeding grounds to actual breeding sites, Colombo’s chief medical officer Dr. Ruwan Wijayamuni said the leave of doctors and health [...]
Two motor cyclists die of head injuries
A motor-cyclist was killed when he collided with a container vehicle on Wednesday, a coroner’s court heard this week. The victim, Lalith Ratnayake, 34, a father of two from Hettipola was first rushed to the Hettipola General Hospital and later transferred to the National Hospital, in Colombo where he succumbed to his injuries. Giving evidence [...]
After marathon, Ranil begins race to rebuild Sri Lanka
When Ranil Wickremesinghe led the United National Party (UNP) to victory at the August 17 general elections, it was not merely the end of a hectic 49-day campaign; it was also the culmination of a 40-year-long political career that had few triumphs and many disasters. Wickremesinghe was sworn in as the country’s Prime Minister for [...]
Splendour outside the window, squalor inside
The first class observation compartment of the Badulla train is highly favoured for its panoramic views of the scenic beauty enroute.But its popularity is under threat. Passengers are taken by surprise by the poor state of the compartment, with seats falling apart, upholstery missing in parts, an unpleasant smell and unclean toilets. Travellers complain they [...]
Sri Lankans star in Hollywood epic
Although human Sri Lankans have failed to take leading roles in Hollywood a film composed entirely of Sri Lankans has now entered the history books and the actors are our closest cousins, our own rilawas, the endemic toque macaques (Macaca sinica). The epic story of a monkey troop living in Polonnaruwa, captured in the Disney [...]