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Home » NewsPresident in picture-perfect meeting with Lankans in NY
While in New York to address the United Nations General Assembly sessions, President Ranil Wickremesinghe also met the Sri Lanka community there. Most of them not only asked questions about the situation in Sri Lanka but also took photographs of the president and scrambled for selfies with him.
Two-year tax holidays for big investors
About 100 IT companies also to be invited to invest here; duty-free vehicle concessions also on offer By Damith Wickramasekara In a major investment drive, the Government is considering bringing back tax holidays—this time two years instead of the previous five—for locals and foreigners who bring in investment projects in excess of US$ 50 million (Rs. [...]
US-based RM Parks to begin oil business here next month with 150 sheds
The United States-based RM Parks company will begin fuel distribution in Sri Lanka next month, a senior Power and Energy Ministry official said. The company signed a 20-year agreement in June to import, distribute, and sell petroleum products through 150 fuel stations allocated by the Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC). RM Parks, which operates under Shell [...]
22,500 vials of Indian-made antibodies withdrawn after adverse reactions
A batch of immunoglobulin imported on a waiver of registration (WoR) issued by the National Medicines Regulatory Authority (NMRA) has caused adverse reactions in patients in four hospitals around the country, documents show. The waiver to import the 22,500 vials of human immunoglobulin—antibodies produced by blood plasma cells—was granted in February this year by the [...]
President to visit Germany for Berlin Global Dialogue
President Ranil Wickremesinghe who returns to Sri Lanka over the weekend after attending the G77 summit in Cuba and the UN General Assembly sessions, will leave for Germany next week to give the opening remarks at the Leaders Dialogue session on the first day of the ‘Berlin Global Dialogue’. He will have a working visit [...]
In landmark judgment, SC imposes Rs. 3mn fine on false complainant; fines on CID officers also
In a landmark judgment, the Supreme Court has imposed a fine of Rs. 3 million on a private citizen who lodged a false complaint with the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) against another private citizen, resulting in him being remanded. “Police officers cannot mechanically make an arrest upon a mere complaint received without forming the opinion [...]
Solar power plant: Supreme Court wants CEB to take action against officials who blocked it
By Ranjith Padmasiri The Supreme Court has directed the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) to identify and take “appropriate action” against officials responsible for blocking a solar power project of a private company that had fulfilled all the conditions to secure a “letter of intent” from the board. The findings and action taken in this regard [...]
All book lovers head to BMICH
The Colombo International Book Fair opened on Friday (22) at the BMICH. Organised by the Sri Lanka Book Publishers’ Association, the Book Fair has been attracting large numbers of book lovers from across the country since opening day. The Book Fair will continue every day from 9am to 9pm until October 1. Wijeya Newspapers Ltd. [...]
FERENTINO Tyre Corporation’s response to: “Cabinet approves Rs. 566mn tyre tender despite concerns by engineers”
RIGHT OF REPLY FERENTINO Tyre Corporation (Pvt) Ltd., has written to us regarding a news item published last week under the headline; “Cabinet approves Rs. 566mn tyre tender despite concerns by engineers” by Namini Wijedasa. The company states that the news item misrepresents to the reader that the four-month tender for the supply of tyres [...]
CA dismisses former ambassador’s petition
By Ranjith Padmasiri The Court of Appeal (CA) has dismissed a writ petition filed by a former ambassador asking the Court to issue an order compelling the Foreign Ministry to backdate the granting of his diplomatic rank of Ambassador and to pay him arrears of overseas allowances applicable to the said rank. The petitioner, Y [...]
Oral questions taken up in Parliament
Following are some of the few oral questions raised in Parliament by MPs from both the government and opposition during this week’s Parliament and answers given by the subject ministers: Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) MP Rajika Wickramasinghe asked the Minister of Mass Media to provide details of the annual income and the expenditure of [...]
Roadblocks aplenty in curtailing university student abuse
By Kasun Warakapitiya Leniency on the part of university authorities and reluctance shown by students to pursue complaints are setbacks in efforts to curb the ragging crisis, a senior police officer said. Speaking to the Sunday Times, he called on the university authorities to strictly implement the Prohibition of Ragging and Other Forms of Violence [...]
Father-daughter fall in sinkhole: Who’s at fault?
Officials are passing the buck about who is responsible for the incident where a father and daughter travelling on a motorcycle fell into a sinkhole, and how similar occurrences could be prevented. The Gothatuwa Police are to present a report to court in the coming week regarding the incident. The Gothatuwa Police told the Sunday [...]
Dengue patients tally may surge from 63,500 without public help
The most affected is the Western province, which accounts for almost half of all cases at 30,818 (48.5%). By Nathara Abeywickrema Consultant community physician of the NDCU Dr. Nimalka Pannila said that up until September, there have been 63,540 dengue patients and 38 reported deaths throughout the country. She stressed that more than 1,000 cases [...]
Age is just a number for committed learner
Age was no barrier for Withanage Leelawathi Aslin Dharmarathna when she decided to pursue higher studies. At the age of 97 Ms Dharmarathna, hailing from Nawalapitiya has completed a Master of Arts Degree in Buddhist Studies from the University of Kelaniya recently. She was also successful in the Pali language and the Thripitaka Dharma exams [...]
Avoid-raw-food: Warning from chief epidemiologist as water- borne diseases spread
By Nadia Fazlulhaq Be cautious when buying or eating salads, green leaves for mellum, or street-side fruit pickles (achcharu), as water- and food-borne diseases are common during these rainy days, the country’s Chief Epidemiologist has warned. Dr. Samitha Ginige warned that people should beware of diarrhoea-related diseases when eating raw food, especially from outside. “Besides, [...]
Health services gutted from departures of thousands of nurses
By Nadia Fazlulhaq Apart from the exodus of physicians, Sri Lanka’s health sector is at a growing risk of losing qualified nurses. General Secretary of the All Ceylon Nurses’ Union H.M.S.B Mediwatte said the health sector needs 88,000 nurses as per the World Health Organization minimum requirement. However, the present number is just over 40,000. [...]
Focus on hate speech for media personnel
Fifty one percent of women are subjected to hate speech yearly, said Head of Advocacy at Hashtag Generation Saritha Irugalbandara at a discussion on ‘Addressing Hate Speech Through Education’. The event was a joint collaboration of the Press Complaints Commission together with Hashtag Generation and Arigatou International who met last June at a UNESCO-sponsored event [...]
Bad news for Sri Lanka’s mothers and children
Major shortage of VOGs & Paediatricians By Kumudini Hettiarachchi More negative news comes for both mothers and children as the dearth of Obstetricians & Gynaecologists and Paediatricians came to light. While the cadre of Obstetricians & Gynaecologists to man the state hospitals across the country in 2025 is 240, the Annual Transfer List 2023 showed [...]
Gun violence rages on despite police countermeasures
The alarming rise in shooting incidents, many of which occurred in broad daylight in Colombo, other major cities and even remote villages, has raised questions over the effectiveness of police countermeasures. The latest victim was six-year-old Abimani Theruwandika of Kotahena. She came under a trail of bullets that were aimed at her father, with whom [...]
Moves for a ‘Climate Parliament’ in Sri Lanka
Parliamentarian Eran Wickramaratne on a mission to get like-minded stakeholders on one platform to adapt to and mitigate the climate crisis while strengthening regional cooperation By Kumudini Hettiarachchi and Dilushi Wijesinghe Hot on the heels of a crucial climate conference in Dhaka, Bangladesh, a local Parliamentarian is bent on setting up an all-encompassing ‘Climate Parliament’ in Sri Lanka. “It is [...]
Defective cameras at state buildings need oversight
By Nadia Fazlulhaq Non-functioning Close Circuit Television (CCTV) at a parliamentarian’s residence and within the state’s Criminal Investigation Department raise concerns about the lack of maintenance of crucial devices used in detecting crimes and suspicious activities. Anuradhapura lawmaker Uddika Premaratne escaped unhurt when unidentified gunmen in a van shot at his vehicle. Unfortunately, the CCTV [...]
Samanalawewa leak repair delayed until 2025, experts warn decision puts people at risk
By Niranjala Ariyawansha Power and Energy Minister Kanchana Wijesekara has instructed the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) to postpone until 2025 the sealing of the huge water leakage at the Samanalawewa Reservoir, the Sunday Times learns. The minister’s instructions come amidst warnings Moratuwa and Peradeniya University experts issued to the CEB that if this huge water [...]
Karuwalagaswewa dairy farmers lament over drop in milk production
Dairy farmers in Karuwalagaswewa area too have been badly hit by the prevailing drought. Water resources have dried up and grazing lands have withered away affecting cattle farmers. After the COVID-19 pandemic many villagers took up dairy farming as means of self-employment. P. Francis who has goats and buffalos said milk production had reduced by [...]
Cattle running out of grazing land in drought-hit areas
The prevailing drought in some parts of the country has not only affected people but also animals such as cows and buffaloes who have lost their grazing lands. The situation has hit the dairy industry too. In the Thirukkovil area of the Ampara district the Vattamaddu grazing land is drying up with little grass left [...]
Anamaduwa farmers decry politicians who ruined tank
Illegal encroachments and landfilling backed by politicians over the years, have ruined an irrigation tank in the Anamaduwa area, thereby affecting thousands of farmers who have less water for their crops. Farmer organisations point out that the Petthikulam tank has lost almost half of its capacity due to encroachments. The 300-year-old tank in Anamaduwa town [...]