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Might one ask if President Ranil Wickremesinghe is calling the tune on the Indian poaching issue? The President was in Jaffna yesterday to open an Indian cultural centre together with Indian Fisheries State Minister L Murugan (partly hidden). He is seen strumming the strings of a yaal , a musical instrument that has its origin [...]
Seized Indian trawlers gifted to northern fishermen
Donation coincides with Indian fisheries minister’s visit to Jaffna High-powered Indian vessels to be used in sea patrols by fishermen By S. Rubatheesan Fisheries Minister Douglas Devananda donated fishing boats seized from Tamil Nadu fishermen who were illegally fishing in Sri Lankan waters to Sri Lankan fishermen moments after welcoming an Indian Union State Minister [...]
Health Ministry drops blacklisted firm, but bypasses process to buy medicine from other Indian firms
By Namini Wijedasa The Health Ministry (MoH) will no longer buy medicines from an Indian company that practitioners had warned was blacklisted in Sri Lanka. But it will proceed with procuring large consignments under the Indian credit line (ICL) bypassing local registration or evaluation despite continuing protests by medical professionals. Orders will not be placed [...]
Military contingent in readiness for deployment to quake-hit Türkiye
Sri Lanka is waiting for the green light to immediately dispatch a fully trained military contingent of about 300 army personnel to disaster-struck Türkiye. Army Spokesman Brigadier Ravi Herath said the contingent of 26 officers and other ranks including the members of the army medical corps, engineering regiments and the Disaster Response Relief Operation unit [...]
MP among 18 arrested in Jaffna
Eighteen people including a Parliamentarian were taken into custody by Jaffna police yesterday for violating a court order banning protests within city limits. Ahila Ilankai Thamil Congress (AITC) MP Selvarajah Kajendren was among those who were arrested for staging a protests against the visit by President Ranil Wickremesinghe who was on a two-day visit to [...]
Cooperate or face court case, EC chief warns state agencies
By Damith Wickramasekara The Election Commission (EC) will go to the Supreme Court if the Treasury and other government agencies do not cooperate with the Commission’s efforts to hold the local council elections as scheduled, its Chairman Nimal Punchihewa told the Sunday Times. Mr. Punchihewa noted that the EC had requested the Treasury to release [...]
Sri Lanka to buy Russian coal; LCC will no longer pursue Indonesian order
Sri Lanka is to buy 720,000 metric tonnes of Russian coal from two companies–China’s Combasst Industries Development Ltd and Dubai’s Coral Energy DMCC–after an earlier agreement with an Indonesian supplier fell through. Lanka Coal Company (LCC) will no longer pursue the order from Indonesia’s PT Arista Mitra Jaya. On Monday, the Power and Energy Ministry [...]
Buttala, Wellawaya shaken by tremors; geologists sent to the area
By Nadia Fazlulhaq Three earth tremors measuring 3.0, 3.5 and 2.3 magnitude on the Richter scale were recorded in Buttala and Wellawaya areas on Friday and yesterday, the Geological Survey and Mines Bureau (GSMB) said. Residents of Buttala and Wellawaya were taken by surprise last evening after two earth tremors were felt with windows shattering [...]
Türkiye-Syria quake survivors seek tea and tents from Lanka
By Nadia Fazlulhaq Battered by a devastating earthquake, and brutal, cold weather, helpless and homeless Türkiye and Syrian residents are seeking assistance from Sri Lanka in the form of tents suitable for sub-zero conditions and tea. Pastor Kandasamy David was living in Şanlıurfa close to the Syrian border at the time of the natural disaster. [...]
Young scientist’s death sparks alarm over deadly airbags in motor cars
By Nathara Abeywickrema The death of a young scientist last week in a road accident near Horana at night has triggered concerns over the safety of airbags of vehicles imported to Sri Lanka. Dr. Vimukthi Prasad Jayaweera, 37, had been returning home at the wheel of his Honda Hybrid Insight car bearing the licence plate [...]
Higher-priced parking to help tempt use of public transport
A new vehicle parking system with high fees in the city of Colombo is being seen as a way to deter drivers and encourage the use of public transport. The ‘Smart Parking System’ has been devised by the Traffic, Design and Road Safety Department of the Colombo Municipal Council. The proposal includes integrating parking locations [...]
Trade unions vow to continue campaign against tax revisions
By Nathara Abeywickrema Trade unions, representing government, semi-government and private sector employees have vowed to continue their campaign against the upward tax revisions which has affected their income. Despite relief provided by the Finance Ministry on certain non-cash benefits the unions said they were continuing their campaigns. More than 30 Unions this week held a [...]
Reflections of Independence through art
President Ranil Wickremesinghe attended the “Art of Sri Lanka” exhibition recently, in line with the country’s 75th National Independence Celebrations. The “Art of Sri Lanka” exhibition organised on the instructions of President Wickremesinghe was inaugurated on Independence Day (Feb 4) under the patronage of Poj Harnpol, the Thai Ambassador to Sri Lanka. The art exhibition [...]
Campaigning continues steadily despite uncertainty over holding of polls
By Sandun Jayawardana More than 80, 000 candidates across the country are now campaigning for the 2023 local government election despite continued uncertainty on whether funding is available to hold the polls. According to statistics released by the Election Commission (EC) this week, 80, 672 candidates representing 2529 recognised political parties and 329 independent groups [...]
Beached whales returned to sea by locals and Wildlife officers
By Padmakumari Kanganaghe A group of 14 baby whales were spotted at the Kalpitiya beach last morning by residents who informed the Kalpitiya Wildlife Site Security Office. Officials of the Wildlife Office and locals thereafter worked together and released 11 whales back into the sea. Three were already dead. A fisherman said it was challenging [...]
Drug shortage – emergency in state health sector that needs to be addressed now
Chilling disclosures by powerful SLMA Panel of health experts By Kumudini Hettiarachchi Sri Lanka is facing an “emergency” with regard to the shortage of essential medicines. Of around 300 essential medicines, the stocks of about 160 are “zero” at the Medical Supplies Division (MSD). This was the chilling revelation by a panel of powerful health [...]
Heroin, cocaine, and Kerala cannabis hauls enough to fill warehouses
By Nadia Fazlulhaq From sacks of wet cannabis washed ashore to parcels with synthetic narcotic drugs sent by post, the drug menace continues to haunt the country with thousands of kilos being seized. According to Police, 91,384 suspects have been arrested in connection with narcotic drugs last year. Police statistics revealed that 46,258 suspects were [...]
Potential mate arrives for zoo’s resident female jaguar
By Kasun Warakapitiya A two-year-old male jaguar brought to Sri Lanka from the Netherlands is now in quarantine while it gets used to the conditions at the National Zoo at Dehiwala. Jaguars (Panthera onca), which are considered to be the third largest cat species in the world, are found in the western United States [...]
Puttalam farmers say their paddy is being purchased “for a song”
Private mill owners paying between Rs. 60 and Rs. 70 for a kilo; Farmers say they need at least Rs. 100 to make a profit and pay their loans Private traders are allegedly exploiting farmers in the Puttalam district by purchasing paddy at extremely low prices, while the Paddy Marketing Board (PMB) which promised to purchase [...]
Protected area network for local birds to help curb extinction
By Nathara Abeywickrema The Wildlife Conservation Department, together with the support of the people, intends to run a protected area network mainly aiming to conserve bird species that have recently been listed as endangered. Habitat loss or degradation is the major cause of endangerment for Sri Lankan birds. Nearly all bird species have been affected [...]
Tensions remain over egg prices among poultry producers
By Senuka Jayakody The dispute among poultry producers over the Gazette notification on the maximum price for eggs is still ongoing. The Gazette notification on the maximum price for eggs is still causing some controversy with some poultry producers supporting it while others opposing the move. An extraordinary gazette by the Consumer Affairs Authority on [...]
Aircraft recycling project coming to Mattala
By Damith Wickremasekara A proposal to establish an aircraft disassembly and recycling operation at the Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport has been cleared by the Cabinet. Under the project, a joint venture with a Hong-Kong-based company,aircraft which need to be dismantled will be broken down and reusable parts would be separated while the rest will be [...]
Councillor’s room on fire; maid arrested
A domestic aide, apparently angry that she was not given permission to visit her home, set fire to the room of her employer, a member of the Kotte Municipal Council, and stole four gold rings, police said. Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna councilor Kancahna Pelpola was away when the incident happened. She had gone to meet [...]
Keheliya abuses state property for election work, claims dissident SLPP MP
By Shane Seneviratne SLPP dissident and parliamentarian Wasantha Yapa Bandara yesterday complained to the Kandy District Assistant Elections Commissioner that Health Minister Keheliya Rambukwella was misusing state property for election campaign activities. In his written complaint, Mr. Bandara, who is the Kandy district leader of the newly formed Freedom People’s Alliance (Helicopter), said Minister Rambukwella [...]
Environmentalists express concerns over jungle show near elephant habitat
By Kasun Warakapitiy and Tharushi Weerasinghe Environmentalists and conservationists have questioned how the authorities cleared a three-day reggae, rock, and hip-hop music fiesta in close proximity to an elephant-inhabited forest reserve and buffer zone in Habarana. The ‘Deep Jungle Music and Cultural Festival 2023’ is being organised by a company named Deep Jungle Entertainment (Pvt) Ltd [...]