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Home » NewsA/Level wisdom: If there’s a hike, take a bike
Despite a surge in COVID-19 cases and curfew, the GCE Advanced Level examination is going on and most students have found practical ways to go to the exam centres. With no buses, these students are seen taking rides on motorbicycles to go to their exam centres as seen in this picture taken at curfew-hit Kelaniya. [...]
Despite COVID, moves to bring Russian tourists
Despite a spike in the detection of COVID-19 positive cases throughout the country, the Tourism Ministry has sought cabinet approval to jump-start the tourism industry by inviting groups of 50 each from Russia and Germany. Ministry Secretary S. Hettiaarachchi told the Sunday Times that under the plan, a few Southern Province hotels had been selected [...]
Audit shows national carrier’s losses going sky high
The debt-ridden national carrier SriLankan Airlines incurred a net loss of Rs 47 billion by March 31 this year along with an accumulated loss of Rs 326 billion, while the company’s current liabilities exceeded its current assets by Rs 211 billion, an audit report revealed. The National Audit Office headed by Auditor General W.P.C. Wickramaratne [...]
Power plant: Ministry ignores AG’s advice, seeks go ahead from Cabinet
Disregarding the Attorney General’s (AG) advice, a Cabinet paper will be submitted this week seeking to authorise the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) to issue a letter of intent to Lakdhanavi Ltd to build a 300mw combined cycle dual fuel natural gas power plant at Kerawalapitiya. The paper from Power and Energy Minister Dulles Alahapperuma will [...]
Top hotels on alert after detection of COVID cases
Colombo’s five-star hotels yesterday stepped up COVID-19 precautionary measures, including increasing PCR tests, after a hotel employee tested positive. Two leading hotel confirmed yesterday that a staff member each had been diagnosed with COVID-19. “Upon detection of possible symptoms, the team member was admitted to a designated medical facility and the hotel has taken further [...]
Parliament police officer tests positive
A police officer attached to the Parliament’s police barracks has tested positive for COVID-19. He was in charge of Parliament police officers’ kitchen and canteen, which are located outside the complex. A senior parliament official said the officer was not heavily involved in the day-to-day affairs of Parliament, but that PCR tests had been conducted [...]
Half a million kgs of Fish unsold; 50,000 vendors affected
The country’s major fish markets closed down as the potential threat of the COVID-19 virus spreading through its workers, customers and associates increased, leaving behind an unsold stock of more than half a million kilograms of fish, officials said. Export markets also were hit as a result after most suppliers from various parts of the [...]
Lanka at the centre of US-China feud over strategic alliances
Sri Lanka was this week at the centre of the intensifying US-China cold war with each expecting Colombo to bend in its favour and hinting as much. US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is due to arrive on an official visit on Tuesday and stay overnight before he proceeds to the Maldives. Sri Lanka’s Foreign [...]
Sunday Times photographer passes away
The Sunday Times Freelance Photo-journalist Priyantha Wickramaarachchi passed away yesterday at the age of 46, after suffering a sudden heart attack. He was a resident of Naiwala, Veyangoda and was a father of three children. Priyantha began his photojournalism career at Maubima newspaper in 2011. He also worked at the Janayugaya newspaper prior [...]
Appeal against LTTE ban: Lanka’s London HC offers help to Home Office to rectify flaws
While a Sri Lankan Tamil diaspora organisation hopefully awaits a formal lifting of the British Government’s 20-year ban on the LTTE, the Home Office here is said to be pondering rectifying flaws it had made in its submission to the Proscribed Organisations Appeal Commission (POAC), a special tribunal that held the hearing. During its hearing [...]
Bloody end to character in narco tragedy
Residents in the Laksetha housing complex in Applewatte bordering Maligawatte were rattled by what seemed a burst of fire crackers early Tuesday. But those who rushed out saw armed policemen and a stairway became a crime-scene. Soon it was known that notorious underworld operative Samarasinghe Aarachchige Madush Lakshitha, alias Makandure Madush, had been gunned down. [...]
Now; coconut oil is bad for your heart
The fat is well and truly in the fire. Over the years, coconut oil has been swirled and twirled in controversy……..it is bad for your health, we were told many years ago, and more recently, it is “very” good for your health. The lid has finally been blown off the ‘miracle’ that is coconut oil [...]
COVID-19 situ not uncontrollable, but plea for public support
The situation is not uncontrollable but we need the strong support of the public to curb the rapid spread of COVID-19. This was the assurance and urgent plea by a top-level Health Ministry official both at a face-to-face interview with the Sunday Times on Thursday and a media conference on Friday. As of Saturday afternoon, [...]
Women caught in storm of risk factors for breast cancer
Too many women are ignorant about signs of breast cancer, leaving it too late to seek successful treatment, experts warn, pointing to the dread statistic of two women dying every day in Sri Lanka from the cancer. Lack of knowledge and late detection are the leading causes of women dying of breast cancer, the Cancer [...]
Quotable quotes in favour of and against 20th Amendment
The debate on the 20th Amendment was held on October 21 and 22. Following are highlights of speeches by MPs from both sides: Justice Minister Ali Sabry The Government has gone even beyond the determination made by the Supreme Court in introducing further amendments to 20A. We have listened to the voices of the people [...]
Transport experts on collision course; controversy rages over Kelani Valley railway project
Railway development in Sri Lanka has turned into a battleground. Soon after the Government said it no longer wants funding from Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) for the Colombo Light Rail Transit (LRT), the proposed Kelani Valley Line (KVL) upgrade is now mired in controversy. Covering 23km from Homagama to Maradana, it was to be [...]
Restaurant workers, operators back to square one
Curfews in the Gampaha district and busy areas of Colombo city, have forced hundreds of small eateries to temporarily close down, while diners are keeping away from restaurants. Despite assurances by public health officials, restaurant operators complain the fear of dining out has dealt a second blow and livelihoods are at stake. The president of [...]
COVID relief: Rs. 5000 allowance given to 80,000 people in parts of Gampaha district
The Rs. 5000 allowance has been paid so far to 80,000 people affected by the COVID-19 pandemic in the Gampaha district, a top official said. Phase one has been completed of the distribution of the life supporting allowance of Rs 5000 to curfew affected low income families in the Gampaha district. Gampaha District Secretary Sunil [...]
Softly-softly tack at first with new virus laws
Police are using more carrot than stick so far in education campaigns about the newly-gazetted quarantine laws to guard against the spread of COVID-19 although they promise to get tougher in a few days. So far, the only action taken against transgressors was by a Panadura Magistrate who found this week that a police officer [...]
Karadiyana waste recycling project: An environmental crisis
The foundation stone for the proposed garbage recycling plant at Karadiyana, in Piliyandala was laid several years ago, but now it lies abandoned. The project’s aim was to produce up to 40Mw of power, through the recycling of waste. But it has now become an inconvenience as it is a breeding ground for mosquitoes, which [...]
Riyaj Bathiudeen’s petition rejected by Court of Appeal
The Court of Appeai, on Tuesday, dismissed a petition filed by Riyaj Bathiudeen, brother of Parliamentarian Rishad Bathiudeen, seeking to prevent his re-arrest in connection with the Easter Sunday terrorist attacks. On behalf of the respondents, Senior Additional Solicitor General Sarath Jayamanne PC argued the essence of Riyaj’s petition was to prevent further investigations into [...]
Shopping bag makers bemoan ban
Plastic bag manufacturers are not in favour of the environmental regulator’s initiative to impose a ban in Sri Lanka next year. The Central Environment Authority announced last week that manufacturing will be banned by mid next year. The Plastic Manufacturers and Recylers Association (PMRA), said that several members who have spent millions of rupees converting [...]
Climate risks discussed
Academics have discussed climate change risks to Sri Lanka at an online conference in Peradeniya. Engagement between the scientific community and policymakers is important to bridge the gap between theory and practice, said Dr Anil Jasinghe, the secretary to the Ministry of Environment, who also cited a world index that says Sri Lanka is among [...]
Pick of the Pix
Gunasinhapura: Mobile operation Makola: Snack time Manning Market: Fresh picks Battaramulla: Off we go Colombo: Feeling lucky Elakanda: Defender agaist evil Town Hall: Protective gear Dhargatown: Safety precaution From our readers Shutterbugs out there, we would once again appreciate your contributions to this picture corner. Please send your captioned photograph along with your name, and [...]
Tamils deprived of urgent public health news from state offices
Sri Lanka’s diverse minorities are not getting essential, urgent public health information from the state as soon as they are released, despite the massive flare-up in the coronavirus every day across the island and patients in their areas, and ever-changing curfew hours and lockdowns. There is a severe shortage of translators in state offices and [...]