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Home » NewsRain for some; drought for others
In a dramatic devastating change of weather pattern, Colombo and other areas of the Western Province, and the Southern Province (top) experience heavy rain from Thursday after a long spell of dry weahter, while other districts remained bone dry. In the Matale District (bottom), one of Sri Lanka’s largest tanks, the Moragahakanda reservoir, ran dry [...]
Exporters must pay VAT upfront
Tax concessions could be claimed after earnings are brought back By S. Rubatheesan In keeping up with the International Monetary Fund’s requirements, exporters will be asked to pay Value Added Tax (VAT) upfront and claim their respective taxed funds after proceeds are brought back and declared in the country, according to a proposed bill. Under [...]
President to attend G77 summit and UNGA this month
President Ranil Wickremesinghe will attend the Group of 77 (G77) summit in Havana, Cuba on September 15 and 16 before he proceeds to New York for the United Nations General Assembly’s annual sessions. The G 77 now has 134 member states from the economically developing world and is a coalition designed to promote collective economic [...]
Migrant workers may lose facility to import electric vehicles
The scrapping of the system allowing Sri Lankan migrant workers to import electric vehicles on concessionary terms has been recommended by the Treasury to President Ranil Wickremesinghe, who is also the Finance Minister. The move follows an analysis of the scheme, which has been effective for more than a year. It was aimed at encouraging [...]
Liquor sticker scam: Tough action against corrupt officers, company licences to be cancelled
By Damith Wickramasekara The Finance Ministry has recommended that measures be taken to stem corruption among excise officers and that companies involved in the liquor bottle security sticker scam be imposed heavy fines and have their liquor licences cancelled. The recommendations are included in a report the Ministry has submitted to President Ranil Wickremesinghe regarding [...]
Indian Minister’s visit ‘deferred’; no reason given
Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, who was due in Sri Lanka yesterday, suddenly called off his visit on Friday night, with no official reason made public by either Colombo or New Delhi for the cancellation. The Sri Lankan Government was informed on Friday evening that the minister was indisposed, and the Indian High Commission issued [...]
UNDP: 12.3 million Lankans experience multidimensional vulnerability
10.13 million are rural residents from the Eastern, North, and North Central provinces Six out of ten Sri Lankans are multidimensionally vulnerable due to the ongoing economic crisis in the country coupled with debt, lack of education and the ability to adapt to disasters, according to a new survey. The new survey, commissioned by the [...]
Vehicle import scam: Govt. awaits Fin. Ministry report
By Damith Wickramasekara The government is awaiting a report by the Finance Ministry on an investigation regarding an alleged multibillion-rupee vehicle import scam. Finance State Minister Ranjith Siyambalapitiya said he expected the Finance Ministry to submit its report on the probe within two weeks. He was responding to queries regarding an alleged scam involving the [...]
Parliament Sectoral Oversight Committee makes recommendations on fertiliser
A Parliament Sectoral Oversight Committee has recommended collecting the results of field research on new fertiliser products manufactured by different companies after studies found that at least 60-70 percent of urea (nitrogen) fertiliser is lost in paddy cultivation in the country. In its report titled “Policy Recommendations to Address the Issues Pertaining to Fertiliser Application [...]
CA dismisses petition by MP to change judge
By Ranjith Padmasiri The Court of Appeal (CA) has dismissed a petition filed by former MP J Sri Ranga requesting that the case filed against him and five other accused at the Vavuniya High Court over a fatal road accident be transferred from the presiding judge to another. A two judge bench of the CA [...]
Religious activities to mark 157th anniversary of Police
In celebration of the 157th Anniversary of the Sri Lanka Police that falls today, multi-religious programmes are to be held. Religious activities will be held at the Jaya Sri Maha Bodhi and the Ruwanweli Maha Seya in Anuradhapura at 4 p.m; at St. James Church in Modara at 9:30 a.m; the Kathiresan Kovil in Bambalapitiya [...]
Indian guided-missile destroyer in Lankan waters
The Indian Naval Ship (INS) ‘Delhi’ arrived at the port of Colombo on a formal visit on Friday. The visiting ship was welcomed by the Sri Lanka Navy in keeping with naval traditions. INS ‘Delhi’, a guided-missile destroyer, is manned by a crew of 450 and commanded by Captain Abhishek Kumar. The Commanding Officer of [...]
Rising Gun violence: Authorities vow lock-stock-and-barrel response
Public Security Minister and police say most shooting incidents linked to organised criminal gang rivalries and drug cartels; several arrests made Increased coordination between law-enforcement agencies; military will be called in if the need arises By Sandun Jayawardana With the number of shooting incidents mainly fuelled by violence between organised criminal gangs continuing to rise, [...]
What killed the 27 sea turtles: Officials await DWC post mortem results
By Sandun Jayawardana The mystery over a large number of turtle carcasses that have been washing up along the Western coast, is yet to be resolved. The decaying carcasses of 27 sea turtles have washed up along the coast since August 22, the Department of Wildlife Conservation (DWC) said. Ten carcasses had washed up along [...]
Air Force Commander inducted into the KDU Hall of Fame
Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) Commander Air Marshal Udeni Rajapaksa has been inducted into the General Sir John Kotelawala Defence University’s (KDU) Hall of Fame. The KDU Hall of Fame. which was inaugurated recently, honours exceptional KDU alumni who have made significant contributions to both military and civilian public service. Air Marshal Udeni Rajapaksa is [...]
Foreign vets’ help sought to treat wounded Agbo
By Kasun Warakapitiya Wildlife officials are seeking the help of foreign veterinary surgeons for the further treatment of tusker Agbo, which is recovering from gunshot injuries it suffered at Thirappane in Anuradhapura. The Wildlife Department’s veterinary surgeon, Dr. Tharaka Prasad, told the Sunday Times that the latest x-ray reports show about 60 to 70 percent [...]
Tusker recovering from gun shot wounds gets electrocuted
Pix and text by Hiran Priyankara Jayasinghe A majestic tusker, whose life veterinarians had saved only a few weeks ago after being shot, has tragically died after getting entangled in an illegal electrical wire snare, meant for wild boar. The wire trap was close to paddy fields in Wembuwewa, in Anamaduwa. The tusker, aged around [...]
The way to achieve health for all
A public health expert says SL must agree on essential services for all without financial hardship, with experts seeking participation of a well-informed public By Kumudini Hettiarachchi All the people having access to the full range of quality health services they need, when and where they need them, without financial hardship, is what Universal Health [...]
Chemical factory explosions raise community fears
By Kasun Warakapitiya A series of abrupt fires in factories, some handling and storing toxic chemicals, have raised questions about the safety concerns of employees as well as those living nearby. The recent fire at a factory manufacturing cleaning products and sanitizers in Kandana not only claimed the life of an employee but also resulted [...]
Two sergeants and constable arrested over death of aide
Two sergeants and a constable arrested by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) in connection with the murder of a domestic aide who was beaten to death by a blunt weapon while in Police custody were remanded until September 11, on Friday. They were produced before Colombo Additional Magistrate Harshana Kekunawala. The domestic aide was taken [...]
It’s studies in the rain for these poor students
Story and pix by Thusitha Kumara A school in Polkotuwa, Beruwala is severely affected by the prevailing rains. The school’s classroom floors are covered in rainwater, due to the dilapidated state of the roofs. WP/KL Beruwala Roman Catholic Junior School educates about 300 children of diverse ethnicities and religions and has grades from 1-10. The students [...]
‘Anaatha’ from now on
My dear Channa Jayasumana, I thought of writing to you this week because you seem to have set a record of sorts, becoming the first former minister to be evicted from his official residence. I don’t know whether there were others before you who suffered the same fate but if there was, I can’t recall [...]
Poultry sector predicts long-term damage from Indian imports
By Ryan Casiechetty The government’s decision to approve a proposal to import 92.1 million eggs from India for three months has drawn strong reactions from the local poultry businesses, which fear that it would affect the industry in the long run, but the government says imports will continue until prices are stabilised. Approval was given, [...]
‘Aswesuma’ : Review of objections to be finalised by October
By Dilushi Wijesinghe The review process of the objections filed against would-be beneficiaries of the first ‘Aswesuma’ list is expected to be finalised in October, Welfare Board chairman Jayantha Wijerathne told the Sunday Times. “Once the Divisional Secretaries review the objections, the potential beneficiaries will receive the relevant sum to their accounts,” he said. Furthermore, [...]
After the perahera: Ritual of meeting head of state takes place
By L B Senaratne The time honoured tradition of meeting the head of state to report on the successful conclusion of the Kandy Esala Perahera was enacted at the President’s House in Kandy when the Diyawadana Nilame Pradeep Nilanga Dela and devale nilames met President Ranil Wickremasinghe on Thursday. Historically it was only the Diyawadana [...]
Ceremony to hand over the Karanduwa
The final ritual connected with the annual Kandy Esala Perahera is the handing over of the Perahera Karanduwa to the Diyawadana Nilame. The Perahera Karanduwa (golden casket) is traditionally left overnight at the Adhana Maluwa where it is guarded by a Basnayake Nilame following the final night of the Randoli Perahera.