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Home » NewsKing Charles pledges to work for inter-faith unity
The United Kingdom’s new monarch, King Charles III, this week said he is a “committed Anglican Christian” and duty bound to Defend the Faith, but his role will involve ‘protecting the space for faith itself’. Charles is now the supreme governor of the Church of England. As the new Head of the Commonwealth, of which [...]
President’s Office declares no family should starve, no child malnourished
Accelerated multi-sector programme to combat poverty and malnutrition The President’s Office has directed state institutions to ensure that no citizens should starve due to lack of food and children should not be victims of malnutrition. A circular has been sent out to ministries, provincial council chief secretaries, district and divisional secretaries to implement a series [...]
CEB says approval for Adani project illegal
Controversy rages over SEA’s ‘provisional’ nod for the wind-power deal By Niranjala Ariyawansha ‘Provisional approval’ given by the Sustainable Energy Authority (SEA) to the Adani Free Energy Group of India to construct a wind power project in Pooneryn in the north is “illegal”, says the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB). In a written statement, CEB General [...]
Kandyan, Muslim marriage laws to be amended: Minimum age 18
By Ranjith Padmasiri The government has proposed to repeal Kandyan Marriage and Divorce Act provisions that allow minors to get married with the consent of their parents. Accordingly, the Act is to be amended to make 18 years the legal age of marriage. The draft Kandyan Marriage and Divorce (Amendment) Bill that seeks to repeal [...]
Ukrainian troops rescue seven Lankan students from Russian custody
By Chris Kamalendran The Foreign Ministry has sought information from the Sri Lankan Embassy in Turkey over reports that Ukrainian forces had “rescued” seven Sri Lankan students who had been held by Russian forces since March. A Foreign Ministry official said the ministry had earlier received reports that seven Sri Lankan students had gone missing [...]
PMB’s Rs. 2bn loan bid fails; rice crisis boils
By Damith Wickremasekara A government plan to keep rice prices under control by maintaining buffer stocks of paddy have suffered a setback with the refusal of state banks to offer credit facilities for the purchase of paddy from farmers, a senior official said. Paddy Marketing Board (PMB) Chairman Neil Alwis told the Sunday Times a [...]
Pomp and pageantry in Kandy for Sri Lanka Police force
Junior officers disgusted at public funds “wasted” during national crisis By Shane Seneviratne An event to celebrate the 156th anniversary of the Sri Lanka Police was held at the Police Grounds in Kandy yesterday under the patronage of Police Inspector General C.D. Wickramaratne. Yesterday’s commemoration was held in addition to the main commemoration event held [...]
UNDP awaits hybrid seed corn cargo in October for farmers
By Kapila Bandara Sri Lanka’s long-term development partner, the United Nations Development Programme, expects a large shipment of seed corn to arrive in Colombo by the end of next month to meet emergency needs. The Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) is funding the purchase of 200 metric tonnes (200,000 kilos), the UN agency said. UNDP [...]
Govt. lifts temporary suspension on hundreds of imported items
Hotel sector says it has to cater to international standards, and needs to import high quality items; Pettah Traders Association President says situation getting back to normal By Tharushi Weerasinghe New import policy revisions that significantly lifted import restrictions announced last month, have been announced by the Government. Temporary suspensions placed on hundreds of imports [...]
Cloud over Sports Chain as cryptocurrency investors lose millions
Alleged middleman says platform is not a pyramid scheme, holds out new promises Depositors get no returns, but only excuses; CID financial crime unit launches probe By Sandun Jayawardana Mathematics tutor Kavish* (35) was hoping to go abroad to study for a Master’s Degree. But the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 brought about border closures, scuttling [...]
Motor Traffic Dept. gears for fresh ‘test’ drive to mark zero emission day
If you spot a smoke-belching vehicle, take a picture and send to Dept. via WhatsApp or Viber By Jayani Madawala The Motor Traffic Department has introduced an improved Vehicle Emission Test (VET) to mark Zero Emission Day on September 21. Zero Emissions Day is an international day of action to demand a future without air pollution [...]
Param Rakshak gift for PM
President Ranil Wickremesinghe was the chief guest at the dinner in commemoration of the 75th anniversary of the Independence of India organised by the Sri Lanka-India Society at the Grand Marquee of the Taj Samudra Hotel in Colombo last Thursday. The society’s president Kishore D. Reddy is seen presenting President Wickremesinghe with a gift of [...]
Mobile phones lost or stolen by the thousands
By Sohan Vipulananda Theft of mobile phones has increased in the wake of the economic collapse and about 7,000 phones have been recovered this month, the telecom regulator reported. The police and the Telecommunication Regulatory Commission of Sri Lanka (TRCSL) have jointly worked to recover the mobile phones. Mrs. H.P.M. Pathirana, the deputy director for [...]
Elevated highway, transport ministry responds: We stand by our story – Right of Reply
The Secretary of the Ministry of Transport R.W.R. Premasiri has drawn attention to a news item published in the Sunday Times of August 28, 2022 under the title “Elevated Highway – Top officials push for Chinese Company on Unfavorable terms.” “I wish to state that the content in the article mentioned does not provide right [...]
No cash for cards, so temp driver licence stretched for a year
By Jayanie Madawala Due to the shortage of ‘smart cards’, the Department of Motor Traffic has decided to issue a temporary driving licence consisting of a security code valid for one year. The Commissioner of Driving Licence (Werahera), Mr Wasantha N. Ariyarathna told the Sunday Times: “The shortage in supply of ‘smart cards’ is attributed [...]
Families get by without three meals a day
By Nadia Fazlulhaq Low-income households in villages and in urban areas are now skipping meals to get by. H. G. Sugathadasa, 79 and his wife Seelawathie, 75, are among the worst affected. “We have limited our meals to two a day. That, too, is mostly rice and a vegetable dish or a sambol. We cannot [...]
Food crisis: Former govt. ignored repeated warnings; expert spells out steps to revive agriculture sector
By Sadisha Saparamadu Peradeniya University’s senior agriculture professor Buddhi Marambe has blamed the Gotabaya Rajapaksa government’s ban on chemical fertiliser imports for the current food crisis, accusing the former administration of repeatedly ignoring his warnings and those of other experts. The professor said the agriculture sector was “destroyed in seconds” by the ban. Citing [...]
8.7m do not have proper diet, millions face worsening hunger, joint UN study finds
By Kapila Bandara About 8.7 million Sri Lankans, or 39.1% of the population do not have an adequate diet. This food security assessment reflecting worsening hunger in the country despite denials, was arrived at by a joint UN assessment following a study of all districts. Millions will face much greater hunger pangs in the next [...]
White flags flutter in the wind as Lanka joins world in mourning for Queen Elizabeth II
Sri Lanka will join the UK and other countries in mourning tomorrow as the world bids goodbye to Queen Elizabeth II. A special holiday has been declared for government offices and schools tomorrow in view of the State funeral for the Queen. Flags at all government buildings will continue to fly at half mast tomorrow. [...]
A train compartment fit for a Queen soon to take its place at Railway museum
Queen Elizabeth II made two train journeys – one to Anuradhapura and the other to Kandy– during her second visit to Sri Lanka in 1981. The compartment she rode in has been well preserved and it will soon take its place at the Railway museum coming up in Maradana. The engine that was used on [...]
Don’t repeat mistakes made with fertiliser issue in health sector, says expert
By Kumudini Hettiarachchi With the implementation of the retirement age at 60 years of age, medical specialists expressed grave concern that the state health sector would get a “fatal injection’ which would lead to its collapse. “Nearly 300 medical specialists from various fields will go home on one day, impacting heavily on patients and their [...]
Four new stamps mark Peradeniya Gardens’ bicentennial bloom
By L.B. Senaratne To celebrate the bicentennial of the Peradeniya Botanical Gardens, once known as the Royal Botanical Gardens, four stamps were issued this week together with a first-day cover at a ceremony where Tourism Ministry Secretary Chitrananda Perera participated as chief guest. The first-day cover was stamped by Deputy Post Master General Rajitha Ranasinghe [...]
A poem to the Queen on her 70th anniversary as monarch
Queen Elizabeth II, whose funeral is tomorrow, was a patron of many good causes, and was well known for championing charitable causes. It has been estimated that she helped to raise US$1.6 billion for more than 600 charities. Among those that benefited from her patronage were organisations like the Royal Opera House and military related [...]
No pesticides to fight dengue, infections could rebound
By Senuka Jayakody Dengue infections could rebound, health officials say, although there has been a drop in the past month after a record increase earlier in the year. This year, so far, 56,032 dengue infections have been reported, an increase from the previous year when 35,944 were infected. But, in the past month infections [...]
Questions linger over wrinkles in drugs purchases
By Chrishanthi Christopher The pharmaceuticals regulator last week, refuted claims made by segments of the health sector that the drug shortage in hospitals was caused by refusal to approve unregistered imports under the Indian credit line. National Medicine Regulatory Authority chief, Prof. S. D.Jayaratne said that the SPC had not refused imports of any drugs [...]
Economic crisis locks university doors to 8000 students
World Bank refuses to release second installment of loan; UGC tells Govt. to give top priority to higher education The economic crisis has curtailed the intake of students to state universities, the University Grants Commission (UGC) said. It is learned the increased intake that should have been around 10,000 this year had to be curtailed [...]
Turn to trains to bring tourism back on track: Stakeholders
With the tourism sector being dealt a near fatal blow due to the country’s economic downturn, just as it was raising its head following the 2019 Easter Sunday attacks and the COVID-19 pandemic, more needs to be done to attract visitors, say stakeholders. Pointing out to Ella, a favourite tourist hotspot, Ella Flower Garden manager [...]
Online lectures for arts students at Pera Uni after ragging incident
By L. B. Senaratne The University of Peradeniya has begun online lectures for its Faculty of Arts to curb ragging after a certain incident took place in the university two days ago. Four Law Faculty undergraduates were injured as a result of the ragging incident and are being treated at the Kandy Hospital, while two [...]
The waterfalls flow again
Text and pix by Raveendra Welagedara After a prolonged drought, heavy rains brought water back to the iconic waterfalls in Bulathkohupitiya in Kegalle. Locals can see these cascading waterfalls by visiting Bulathkohupitiya town from Kegalle on Bulathkohupitiya road, or from Avissawella on Bulathkohupitiya road and from there on Dedugala road. Nalagana [...]
Lotus Tower opening draws crowds
Hundreds of city dwellers and foreign tourists witnessed the opening of what is considered the tallest self-supported structure in South Asia, the Lotus Tower on Thursday. The 350-metre tower, which was built under an USD113 million credit facility from China, was finally declared open to both local and foreign tourists years after its completion. On [...]
Peradeniya campus offers part-time jobs for students
Around 170 jobs offered; applications online A project to provide students with opportunities to work part-time is being conducted by the University of Peradeniya, under the sponsorship of the university’s alumni. The programme allows students from all nine faculties of the country’s only residential university to engage in jobs within the university itself. Through this [...]