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Home » NewsCovid fears: Face mask sales pick up
With China suddenly opening up its borders despite a surge in Covid cases, countries worldwide are taking extra precautions. In Sri Lanka too, despite a sense of complacency, there is also a brisk sale of different types of face masks in Colombo amid fears of new Covid mutants. Pic by Eshan Fernando
Local council polls hang in balance: SC to take up two petitions
Election Commission requests AG to appear for it, but discord among commissioners over call for nominations By Ranjith Padmasiri and Damith Wickremasekara The Election Commission has requested the Attorney General to appear for it when the Supreme Court takes up two petitions calling for the conduct of the Local Government elections scheduled for March. The [...]
President pushes for free trade agreements with India and China by September this year
By Damith Wickramasekara On the instructions of President Ranil Wickremesinghe, Sri Lanka has begun discussions with India and China on entering into separate Free Trade Agreements (FTA), a senior official said. The President has instructed that talks on the proposed FTAs be concluded by June, with the aim of signing the agreements by September. In [...]
Jaffna-Tamil Nadu sea cargo service from next month
By Chris Kamalendran A cargo service via sea between Jaffna and Tamil Nadu is to begin from the first week of February. The service will operate every Friday and is initially expected to ferry 300 metric tonnes (MT) of Indian products to Jaffna’s Kankesanthurai (KKS) Harbour. A discussion in this regard was held yesterday in [...]
Extensive moves to resuscitate MRIA
By Namini Wijedasa The Aviation Ministry is to again seek Cabinet approval to call for expressions of interest (EOIs) for “possible direct and indirect aviation-related ventures” at Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport (MRIA) after an initial inquiry from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) fell through. Successive Governments have desperately tried–and failed–to make MRIA viable, Cabinet papers [...]
208 MPs disclose their educational qualifications, but 17 not yet
By S. Rubatheesan Of the 225 Parliamentarians, 208 have declared their educational and professional qualifications to the Parliament Secretariat following a directive issued by the Right to Information Commission (RTIC) which recognised that the people have the right to know such details of their elected representatives. In response to an appeal filed by the Sunday [...]
Kelaniya annual Duruthu Perahera in all its glory
The annual Duruthu Maha Perahera of the Kelaniya Raja Maha Viharaya was held on Thursday. The temple’s Dayaka Sabha Chairman Dr. Saman Weerasinghe was invited to place the casket on the tusker by the Kelaniya University Chancellor and Kelaniya Rajamaha Viharaya Chief Incumbent, the Ven. Kollupitiye Mahinda Sangharakkhitha Thera. Pix by Indika Handuwala
Covid soars in China; relative safety for Lanka due to vaccines, says top scientist
Prof. Malavige says “good’ surveillance is necessary to combat the virus By Kumudini Hettiarachchi Sri Lanka is not facing the same danger that China is undergoing with a huge wave of disease and death from COVID-19 because of vaccinations and natural immunity, said a top scientist on Friday. “There may be confusion as to why [...]
Laws to secure radioactive sources introduced to prevent sabotage, crime
The Government has, for the first-time, promulgated laws to compel the public and private sector to secure any radioactive sources they hold–such as radiotherapy machines and irradiators–against theft, sabotage and other dangerous malpractices. Regulations for the ‘Security of Radioactive Sources during Manufacture, Use or Storage’ came into effect last month. They were gazetted by the [...]
Despite mounting protests, Cabinet to consider increase in electricity rates
By Sandun Jayawardana Despite continuing protests, the Cabinet is set to again consider a proposal to significantly raise electricity tariffs. Last week, the Cabinet deferred the proposal submitted by Power and Energy Minister Kanchana Wijesekera to raise electricity tariffs till the next meeting due to be held tomorrow, as some ministers wanted more time to [...]
Red alert on danger to state health sector and impact on patient care
Mixed views on medical specialist retirement & migration By Kumudini Hettiarachchi With mixed views whether the retirement and migration of medical specialists would impact on the state health sector, the Sunday Times took a deeper look into the issue which would have a serious impact on patient care. For the men, women and children, the [...]
Early retirements without replacements imperil public services
By Senuka Jayakody A number of economic sectors are grappling with the impact of the early retirement policy under which some 27,000 public sector employees were sent on retirement as they reached 60 by the end of last year. Some departments have been able to overcome the situation, while others have urged the Government to [...]
Producers accuse Govt. of trying to make omelette without eggs
Industry says Govt. decision to import would break local egg production; appeal for removal of cess on chicken feeds and utility tariffs By Chrishanthi Christopher The government’s decision to import eggs to bring down the prices was a miscalculated policy and would only break the already volatile local egg production industry, local egg producers and economists [...]
Illegal logging: Sigiriya residents warn officials
Area residents have warned officials regarding illegal logging activities underway at the Sigiriya sanctuary by a group of racketeers. The residents claimed that while complaints were made to officials of the Department of Wildlife Conservation and to those at the Forest Department, the illegal logging activities have continued. Further the residents claimed the illegal activities [...]
Non-profits face shrinking kitty and growing demands from needy
By Tharushi Weerasinghe Mutual aid organisations across Sri Lanka say they have not been able to maintain their work this holiday season because private donations have dropped. “In general, the requirements have increased but the funding is low,” noted the spokesperson for a well-known mutual aid organisation. The organisation targets about 200,000 families but has [...]
No official approval for “fake Dalada Maligawa” at Pothuhera; complaints of alleged racket
Those behind the ‘fake Dalada Maligawa’ under construction at Pothuhera have not obtained a recommendation letter from the District Secretariat to get it registered under the Buddha Sasana Ministry, Kurunegala District Secretary R M R Ratnayake said. The “fake Dalada Maligawa” similar to the Dalada Maligawa in Kandy is under construction at Pothuhera in Mahapitiyawatta-Ahungoda by [...]
Pera study proves link between economic crisis and rising crime rate
Senior professor calls on authorities to work out comprehensive plan to deal with fast-deteriorating situation By Senuka Jayakody The current economic crisis has contributed to a sharp rise in the crime rate, a study carried out by Peradeniya University’s Economics Professor Wasantha Athukorala has revealed . “There is a strong correlation between the crime rate [...]
Archaeology Dept to make police statement on Maligawa comments
By Senuka Jayakody The Archaeology Department will give a statement to the Police tomorrow on defamatory comments made by YouTuber Sepal Amarasinghe regarding the Dalada Maligawa, Director General Anura Manatunge told the Sunday Times. Mr. Amarasinghe was arrested by the CID on Thursday and produced before Colombo’s Additional Magistrate on Friday. He was remanded until [...]
Power lines and habitat destruction fatal for langurs
By Kasun Warakapitiya The loss of canopy in home gardens and fragmentation of lush areas have driven purple-faced monkeys, or “Kalu Wandura”, to suffer death or injuries when they move using power lines. A senior wildlife official explained that uninsulated Ceylon Electricity Board power lines had caused the deaths of many monkeys, and maimed others [...]
Topmost Indian award for Sri Lankan press magnate Nadesan
Sri Lankan national Thiru Sivakumar Nadesan (Kumar Nadesan), Managing Director of Express Newspapers and Chairman, Sri Lanka Press Institute will be conferred the Pravasi Bharatiya Samman Award (PBSA), 2023, during the 17th Pravasi Bharatiya Divas (PBD) convention in Indore, India on Tuesday (January 10). The award, the highest honour given by the Government of India [...]
IMF finds weak leadership a factor in not achieving macroeconomic goals
By Kapila Bandara A high-ranking IMF official suggested Friday, the responsibility for achieving macroeconomic stability and driving structural reforms, in countries facing daunting economic challenges, lies in the hands of their leaders. The IMF’s Deputy Managing Director, Antoinette Sayeh, said there is not much the IMF can do about weak leadership. Ms. Sayeh, a former [...]
Pick of the pix
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 the location of the photograph, to: pictures@sundaytimes.wnl.lk. We would also appreciate if you mention the camera or cellphone that was used.
Excessive gem mining blamed for sinking of Godawela road
By A G Wickremesinghe To ease the traffic congestion on the roads leading to the flood-prone Ratnapura, the Godawela Road in Ratnapura was filled up to several feet high and repaired at a cost of Rs 110 million. However, the Gems and Jewellery Authority has granted permission for mining activities on lands on both sides [...]
No let up in deaths of elephants and humans
By Kasun Warakapitiya Electric fencing, re-locating and driving elephants into protected areas, and trenches have not been effective in preventing the escalation of human and elephant deaths in the country. Last year, there were 433 deaths of elephants and 145 humans. The deaths of elephants was the highest in recent years, with the previous high [...]
Hoteliers expect Chinese visitors to return
By Sohan Vipulananda Sri Lanka’s tourism industry is expecting the return of tourists from China once inbound restrictions are lifted from today. Quarantine requirements are also being eased after three years in the grip of the coronavirus disease pandemic, which first emerged in Wuhan, China. International passenger flights will be increased in stages, the communist [...]
Young criminals operating through WhatsApp group arrested
A group of six youths who operated via a WhatsApp group to carry out criminal activities were arrested yesterday. A senior official of the Police Special Task Force said that they identified six 18-year-old boys who had engaged in violent behaviour in Vavuniya after one of them was arrested in the Puvarasankulam area for possession [...]
Annual offering of ‘new rice’ at the Dalada Maligawa
Text and pix by L.B. Senaratne The offering of new rice to the sacred tooth relic at the Sri Dalada Maligawa took place in the inner shrine room of the temple on Friday. Harvested from the paddy fields of the maligawa, 84 measures of rice was offered to the relic. The offering was brought to [...]
Rabies risk rises due to dearth of jabs for dogs
Rabies might spread rapidly in Sri Lanka this year due to shortages of anti-rabies vaccines for dogs, the director general of Public Health Veterinary Services Dr L D Kithsiri warned. There were no stocks in stores in the Colombo, Kandy, Galle, Matara, Hambanthota, and Gampaha Districts. Supplies had not been imported, he said. Last year, [...]
Urban Council minor staff gambling: UC Chairman
Chairman of the Maharagama Urban Council, Tiraj Lakruwan Piyarathne said that a new official should be appointed immediately to control the minor staff as they were gambling during office time. At the council meeting held on Tuesday, the chairman revealed that 150 minor staff members have started to engage in gambling within the council premises [...]
A hop, skip and jump over refuse
Story and pix by Akila Jayawardena With the local government elections due, attention has been drawn to the facilities provided to residents living in the respective local council areas. Colombo City is among the areas in focus. One such location is the area around the Slave Island railway where construction activities are underway. Those rushing [...]