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By Kasun Warakapitiya A country-wide power failure caused widespread inconvenience to millions of people last night. Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) spokesman Noel Priyantha said a transmission system failure in the Kotmale-Biyagama transmission line was reported around 5.10 p.m. He said investigations were continuing to find out what caused the failure, though a lightning strike could [...]
Blackout Saturday for Lanka
It was Blackout Saturday for Sri Lanka yesterday as a countrywide power failure affected millions of people. As darkness enveloped Colombo, the Nelum Kuluna, lit up by generator power, stood tall as a tower of light, but not as a beacon of hope for the power crisis. Pic by M. A. Pushpa Kumara
Rs. 349mn wasted on poor medical supplies
Sri Lanka also wasted Rs. 10.7 billion worth of Pfizer Covid vaccines Medicines as well as surgical and laboratory materials worth Rs. 349 million were withdrawn from use in state hospitals last year due to quality failures, the National Audit Office (NAO) has found. Other medicines worth Rs. 32 million were suspended from use for [...]
Divorces to be made easy through three new bills
By Damith Wickramasekara Three draft bills that will make obtaining divorces far easier are due to be presented to Parliament next month. The Matrimonial Causes Act, the Recognition of Foreign Divorce Judgments Act and an amendment to the Civil Procedure Code will radically reform outdated laws that currently severely restrict grounds for obtaining divorce, Justice [...]
Ministry Secretary forces principals to admit students to intermediate grades in popular schools
The principals of 37 so-called popular government schools were forced to admit 2,237 students to intermediate grades based on letters issued directly to them by the Education Ministry Secretary between January 2020 and May 2022, bypassing formal procedures that were introduced to ensure fairness, a special report by the National Audit Office (NAO) states. Most [...]
Lanka signs UN resolution for Gaza ceasefire; US vetoes it
Sri Lanka joined 97 other nations in calling the United Nations Security Council on Friday to declare an immediate ceasefire in the Palestinian territory of Gaza, but the United States vetoed the move despite an overwhelming 13 of the 15 Security Council members voting ‘For’ the resolution and the United Kingdom abstaining. The Security Council [...]
A special exposition of looted artefacts draw crowds
After more than 200 years abroad, six Sri Lankan artefacts were returned to the country. A special two-day exposition of the items, that included Lewke’s cannon and a gold kastane or ceremonial sword drew many schoolchildren and the public to the Colombo National Museum this week. The Governments of Netherlands and Sri Lanka are working [...]
Budget 2024: Parliament to debate VAT Bill today
Parliament will meet today to debate the second reading of the Value Added Tax (Amendment) Bill and the Finance Bill. The debate is scheduled to be held from 9.30 am to 4.30 pm. Meanwhile, the last three days of the Committee Stage Debate of the budget will be held from Monday (11) to Wednesday (13), [...]
Kanchana says electricity tariff reduction talks on Tuesday, asks Opposition for input
Power and Energy Minister Kanchana Wijesekara yesterday informed Parliament that the government hoped to revise electricity tariffs again next month. Making a special statement in Parliament on the Sri Lanka Electricity Bill that was gazetted on Friday, he said the recent heavy rains had enabled the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) to generate more hydropower than [...]
Killing of MP and bodyguard: Judges visit Nittambuwa town to get witness accounts
By Ranjith Padmasiri The three-judge High Court Trial-at-Bar appointed to hear the case of the murders of Polonnaruwa district MP Amarakeerthi Athukorala and his bodyguard, visited Nittambuwa town on Thursday to obtain a clear understanding on witness accounts. High Court Judges Sahan Mapa Bandara, Rashmi Singappuli and Ruwan Pathirana visited the area with lawyers representing [...]
One killed due to earth slip near Karapitiya Hospital
One person was killed, and three were injured after a mound of earth collapsed at a building construction site near the Karapitiya Hospital in Galle, at around 12.30 p.m. yesterday. Police said when four construction workers attempted to fortify the area to safeguard a four-story building, they were buried under the soil due to an [...]
Reporter who broke news of 1971 Manamperi murder among recipients of Lifetime Achievement Award
Annual Journalism Awards night on Tuesday The 24th edition of the annual Journalism Awards for Excellence programme culminating with the ‘Awards Night’ will be held in the Empire Ballroom of the Mount Lavinia Hotel on Tuesday, December 12. The programme is organised by The Editors’ Guild of Sri Lanka in partnership with the Sri Lanka [...]
Legal curriculum reforms embraced to mark Law College 150-year milestone
By Nathara Abeywickrema Established in 1874, The Sri Lanka Law College (SLLC), Asia’s oldest professional institution, and formerly known as “Ceylon Law College”, marks its 150th anniversary in January. A string of religious and other events have been planned for next year. The college’s Buddhist Brotherhood and college staff will hold a Pirith chanting ceremony [...]
Corruption, taxes, disease and imports crushing coconut industry
By Sunimalee Dias Sri Lanka’s coconut industry is facing a grave crisis as its access to the global market receives little or no support from the state. Beset by political interference and corruption, its survival is in danger, with production and productivity on the decline. The high cost of raw materials and production has caused [...]
Complete picture of Sri Lankans fighting for Ukraine unknown
By Nadia Fazlulhaq As Russia’s war in Ukraine intensifies, the Sri Lankan Embassy in Türkiye is requesting those who have joined the Ukraine defence force’s international legion to submit their names to the embassy as soon as possible. “The Embassy of Sri Lanka in Türkiye is aware that three Sri Lankans have died on [...]
Heavy rains in many areas; showers in the evenings
Up country train services disrupted by landslides, warnings for several areas By Jayanie Madawala The Meteorological Department yesterday forecast thundershowers in several areas over most provinces after 1.00 p.m., with warnings of heavy showers of about 100 mm in some areas of the Central, Sabaragamuwa, Western and Uva provinces and in the Galle and Matara [...]
Downpours raise mental health risks for elderly
The message to ‘look out for your elderly neighbour’ should be widely promoted, says Consultant Psychiatrist By Nadia Fazlulhaq The continuous rains will have an impact on the physical and mental health of many active elderly persons who, on other days, would enjoy an evening stroll, spend time gardening, and meet with friends during this festive season. [...]
Concerns of child safety arise after two children die from unnatural causes
Investigations launched by Police and Childcare Services Department By Wasantha Chandrapala and S. Rubatheesan The deaths of two underaged children—one in a state-run children’s orphanage and another at a private-owned Madrasa school in Batticaloa—have raised concerns about the safety of children, with the police launching investigations after postmortem reports this week revealed the deaths were [...]
Sri Lankan-born Professor Antony Anghie awarded Manley O Hudson Medal
Sri Lankan-born Professor Antony Anghie was recently awarded the 2023 Manley O Hudson Medal by the American Society of International Law (ASIL) which is the highest honour bestowed upon a distinguished individual for their outstanding contributions to scholarship and achievement in international law. ASIL’s mission is to promote international law study and maintain law and [...]
Boon for women
First state-of-the-art Gynaecological Laparoscopy & Endometriosis Centre in the private sector opens at Kings Hospital By Kumudini Hettiarachchi It is unique in many ways – not just for its reverse expertise transfer from state to private while maintaining high standards in both but also as a first. Gynaecological laparoscopy which has been taken to different [...]
A tribute to High Commissioner Gopal Baglay
By Vinod K Jacob Mr. Gopal Baglay is the most successful and consequential Indian High Commissioner to Sri Lanka since the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries. The pith and substance of India-Sri Lanka bilateral relations underwent a transformational change during his tenure from May 2020 to December 2023. High Commissioner Baglay translated [...]
COP 28: Youth leaders make climate headway as Lanka pavilion becomes hub of activity
By Tharushi Weerasinghe The first week of the 28th Conference of Parties (COP) ended on Wednesday, and the second week, during which negotiations pick up heat, began on Friday. This COP, which has its presidency in Dubai, has marked a few pioneering firsts, though riddled with controversy. Sri Lanka hosted its first-ever pavilion at the [...]
Dengue needs a multi-pronged attack and not only vector control
Experts focus on making SL dengue-free at discussion organised by DNDi, J’pura University & British Council By Kumudini Hettiarachchi While the COP28 UN Climate Conference now on in Dubai, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), is taking a closer look at the growing impact of climate change on human health, right here in Sri Lanka this [...]
Dengue galloping at alarming rate, public urged to play their part in curbing disease
By Nathara Abeywickrema The National Dengue Control Unit (NDCU) has issued a warning over the notable increase in dengue cases, citing an alarming 1,000 new infections in just five days since the beginning of December. Consultant Community Physician of the NDCU, Dr. Nimalka Pannila Hetti, revealed that up until the third week of November, 79,225 [...]
Cold storage facility at Dambulla Economic Trade Centre almost complete
The project on the temperature controlled cold storage facility at the Dambulla Economic Trade Centre has recommenced after a lapse of four years. It will be ready for use by end of March next year, a senior Trade Ministry official said. This project is an initiative to reduce the wastage of excess food brought into the [...]
Unveiling the RIC Law Journal Volume IV 2023: A Showcase of Legal Brilliance
The launch of Volume IV of the Law Journal of Royal Institute of Colombo (RIC) on the 25th of November 2023 was a momentous occasion that garnered anticipation from all those related to the legal profession. The event, held at the RIC Auditorium marked a significant milestone for the institute and its commitment to fostering [...]