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Home » NewsNagadeepa Chuda Manikkaya for Jaffna’s Poson
The laying of the ‘Chuda Manikkaya’ at the historic Nagadeepa Rajamaha Viharaya took place on Friday coinciding with the Poson celebrations. Chief incumbent Ven. Nawandagala Padumakitti Tissa Thera and the Ven. Hokandara Pannyananda Thera from Myanmar are seen taking part in the event. A large number of devotees are visiting Nagadeepa for the Poson ceremonies.
No torture or humiliation of terror suspects
Police and Armed Forces have been given new directions by President Maithripala Sirisena on the arrest and detention of persons over terrorism related offences. The move on Friday came in the wake of the ongoing United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) sessions in Geneva. An oral brief on Sri Lanka is to be given by [...]
New biometric IDs within two months
By Damith Wickremasekara The new electronic National Identity Card project set to be implemented in two months will cost the Government more than eight billion rupees, a top official said yesterday. Sarath Kumara, Director General of the Department for the Registration of Persons said the project would be taken up for approval in Parliament on Tuesday. [...]
Figure-fudging charge: Five HSBC senior managers fired
By Namini Wijedasa At least five senior managers of HSBC Sri Lanka, including its Head of Corporate Banking, have been sacked after an investigation into allegations that they fudged incentives-linked performance figures. Two others, the Head of Human Resource and Head of Compliance, were asked to resign over separate irregularities and at least one other [...]
STF chief threatens journalists over cocaine detection
DIG Ranjith Perera, the head of the Police Department’s commando arm, the Special Task Force (STF), on Friday publicly threatened to punish the media in the way they (the STF) dealt with the criminal underworld. “Why isn’t anything being written against the Army, Navy or the Air Force? If you write against them, they will [...]
WNL lights up Tantirimale
The historic Tantirimale Raja Maha Viharaya area was bathed in light yesterday with the start of the “Lankadeepa Poson Aloka Poojawa,” organised by Wijeya Newspapers Ltd (WNL), the publishers of the Sunday Times. It is being held for the13th consecutive year. The Aloka Pooja will be held today and tomorrow also. Wijeya Newspapers Ltd has [...]
Lankan ministers in London campaign against Brexit
Sri Lanka’s two main ruling parties have joined the chorus of global voices urging British citizens to vote to remain in the European Union at next Thursday’s crucial referendum. As opinion polls indicate that British support for leaving the European Union has surged, Telecom and Digital Infrastructure Minister Harin Fernando told the Sunday Times last [...]
Tantirimale all aglow
The Lankadeepa Poson Aloka Poojawa organised by Wijeya Newspapers Ltd for the 13th consecutive year got underway last night at the historic Tantirimale Raja Maha Viharaya. Devotees joined Minister and Anuradhapura parliamentarian P.Harrison and Wjeya Newspaper staff including Lankadeepa Editor in Chief Siri Ranasinghe to inaugurate the Aloka Pooja. Pix by Ishan Sanjeewa
Prof Asitha de Silva appointed Chairman- NMRA, despite conflict of interest
The Health Ministry this week appointed Prof. Asitha de Silva as Chairman- National Medicine Regulatory Authority (NMRA), despite the controversy surrounding his appointment. The vacancy was created by the sudden resignation of Prof Lal Jayakody from the post. Earlier, Board member, Chartered Accountant Devasiri Rodrigo, appointed to the Board by Health Minister Dr Rajitha Senaratne, [...]
Veteran politico and union leader Moulana laid to rest
The funeral of veteran politician and trade union leader Alavi Moulana who passed away on Wednesday evening, was held the next day at the Muslim burial grounds in Dehiwala . Born in 1932, Mr. Moulana entered politics in 1948 as a trade unionist. He joined the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) in 1956 and became [...]
Customs seize crude palm oil consignment suspecting tax evasion
The Customs launched an investigation into the import of 24 containers of crude palm oil on suspicion of trying to evade taxes, but the importer has challenged the detention in courts. A senior Customs official said this particular stock of crude oil was only suitable for industrial purposes and not for human consumption. Customs investigations [...]
Extremists giving wrong interpretation to Indo-Lanka bond: President
President Maithripala Sirisena said yesterday that extremist groups were trying to give a wrong interpretation to the Indo-Lanka relationship at a time when the ties between the two countries were increasing. He was speaking after declaring open the newly renovated Alfred Duraiappah Stadium in Jaffna yesterday. Indian Premier Narendra Modi took part in the opening [...]
More economic negatives than positives last year
The Government borrowed more, repaid more debts and spent more on public service emoluments while receiving fewer foreign grants in 2015 than in the previous year, reports presented to Parliament show. Higher public service emoluments (salaries, allowances, pensions and gratuities) and Samurdhi subsidy caused the Government’s recurrent expenditure to increase by 22 percent last year [...]
Rs. 16.3 billion – the reward of obeying EU rules
The lifting of the European Union (EU) ban on the export of fishing products from Sri Lanka will bring in about 100 million euros – Rs. 16.3 billion – in annual revenue, the Director-General of the Department of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources, Christy Lal Fernando, said. Prior to the ban, the country had earned nearly [...]
Code of Conduct for Media at future Polls
Parliament is set to approve on Wednesday, strict guidelines to be followed and policies to be adhered to by the electronic and print media at future elections and referendums in the country. These will include a prohibition on the use of the National Anthem, National Flag, religious symbols, religious flags, paintings or photographs of founders [...]
Sale of liquor banned in Anuradhapura district during Poson week: DS Anuradhapura
Strict environment controls including the prohibition of nailing advertisements on trees, bathing in the Tissamaharama and Nuwara Wewa tanks and restrictions on the disposal of garbage have been put in place for Poson celebrations at Anuradhapura over the weekend, officials said. The celebrations will continue from June 16 – 22. District Secretary of Anuradhpura Mr. [...]
Former JVP strongman, political mentor Somawansa Amarasinghe laid to rest
The funeral of former Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) Leader and General Secretary of the People’s Servants Party, Somawansa Amarasinghe took place at the Borella cemetery last evening. He was 73 at the time of his death. Born in 1943, Mr Amarasinghe, a past pupil of Kalutara Vidyalaya, became actively involved in politics from a [...]
After the embers, embitterment sets in
In the early days after the devastating fire at the Salawa ammunition dump, G Ananda Nimal was an angry man. When soldiers berated a photojournalist for shooting pictures of the ravaged camp through a shattered wall in his brother’s house, he launched into a tirade. “Who do they think they are!” he burst out, defiantly. [...]
School- turned relief camp in Aranayake to open tomorrow
Sumangala Vidyalaya in Aranayaka the only school that was turned into a relief camp for those affected by the devastating landslide in the area, will be opened for students tomorrow, as the people have been transferred to three other camps, officials said. Relief camps have now been set up at Madiliya Rajamaha Viharaya and the [...]
Drowning in waste: Garbage problems out of control
Public demands to remove garbage dumps from the vicinity of homes on grounds of health risk are posing a huge problem for local bodies who say they have no legitimate dumping grounds as alternatives. Central Environment Authority (CEA) Environmental Pollution Control Director Ajith Wijesundera said there was only one sanitary landfill in the Dompe Pradeshiya [...]
Beware: Electronic eyes will record traffic offences
Motorists will soon have to be extra alert to avoid being nabbed for traffic offences when the Transport Ministry implements its plan to use footage from street CCTV cameras to fine offending motorists. Special cameras that can easily read the number plates of vehicles will be installed on roads in addition to some 150 CCTV [...]
Cocaine smuggler Customs’ Gold Card sugar importer
The sugar importer who got busted this week while attempting to smuggle in more than 80 kg of Cocaine, with an estimated street value of Rs 1.2 billion, concealed in a sugar consignment, was the holder of a “Gold Card” issued by the Sri Lanka Customs for adhering to all tax formalities when making declarations [...]
Shameful saga at Pallekandal shrine
Is the pristine Wilpattu National Park, a Protected Area, being destroyed in the name of a beloved Roman Catholic saint whose images, ironically appear with a tender sheaf of flowers? This is what not only environmentalists but also staunch Roman Catholics are asking in the light of strong and clear messages being sent out by [...]
Cute terrapin import a major threat
About 15 terrapin hatchings the size of two-rupee coins lay in the aquarium’s glass box, some feebly moving from side to side while others were as still as death. The container was divided into two: one side was deep, to hold water, and the other end was raised to represent land. The little terrapins lay [...]
One month after the deluge, aid on slow gear
One month after the devastation wreaked by adverse weather in the country, about 5,000 persons displaced by floods and landslides continue to remain in temporary camps. While the Government insists all possible assistance will be given to the victims, officials have also conceded that their efforts have been hampered to an extent due to resources [...]
One man’s quest now a reality
A single-minded purpose is what has been obvious, cutting across all races and religions, whether it was a 50-rupee note that was handed over to the bank or a transfer instruction for a huge 35 million rupees. Everyone united to contribute their mite to make the quest for a PET (positron emission tomography) scan machine [...]
Mail pile up: Devilry but no delivery
With despondency written large on her face, 18-year-old Thirumularly Raj Gavisia was standing outside the desolated counters of the Kotahena Post Office. The reason: She could not send her entry for a competition in time because of the postal strike. “I managed to find the stamps, but the officials are not accepting my letter,” Gavisia [...]
‘Clean sweep’ post floods vital to eliminate dengue breeding places: Aussie expert
The floods have come and gone and a dengue expert from Australia has urged that a thorough clean-up should be ensured after the waters recede to remove mosquito breeding sites. “Flooding can actually sweep mosquito breeding sites and larvae away. However, this is only temporary,” points out Prof. Scott Ritchie from the James Cook University [...]
Photo focus: Hygiene and the street food vendor
Food and drink sold on the city’s pavements by street vendors ranging from drinks — prepared along dirty pavements– to lunch/dinner packets sold at open air food stalls are a common sight in towns and cities island-wide. The street food vendors fill a void by providing an essential service to the city’s hard-working manual workers [...]
Regulation of three-wheeler transport due soon
A legal framework covering three-wheeler passenger services, to safeguard drivers and passengers, will be iset up within the next three months, the general manager of Road Passenger Transport Authority (RPTA) in the Western Province, K.G.R. Manujith, said. As per the Gazette issued on regulating three wheeler taxi services, indicate that breaching of a rule given [...]