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Home » NewsLankan officers retake visa desk at BIA
Amidst a raging controversy over a foreign company issuing on-arrival visas at the Bandaranaike International Airport, calm was restored yesterday after the Immigration Department took over the process. Our pictures show immigration officers back at the visa-issuing desk and the closure of the desk operated by the foreign company. Pix by T.K.G. Kapila
Presidential election on October 5 or 12
Dates for nominations will be announced after July 17 By Damith Wickremasekara The presidential election is set to be conducted on October 5 or 12. The Sunday Times learns that the Election Commission has had consultations on the possible dates for the conduct of the elections and considered the two days, which are Saturdays. Last [...]
Stinging report on import of medicine: Audit office calls for probe and legal action
By Namini Wijedasa In a stinging 887-page report, the National Audit Office (NAO) this week recommended investigations and legal action against “those who endangered sick people by importing substandard medicines”. The report (which took months to compile) confirms investigations published by the Sunday Times from December 2022 onwards, warning that departure from accepted procurement and [...]
AG orders CID to probe Diana under Criminal Procedure Code
By Ranjith Padmasiri The Attorney General has instructed the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) to investigate former State Minister Diana Gamage regarding criminal matters that have been raised and to take action against her under the Criminal Procedure Code. The AG issued his instructions to the CID after the department’s director sought advice on further action [...]
Lanka strongly rejects UN report; questions its mandate and timing
Sri Lanka rejected Friday’s UN report from the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) calling for accountability for enforced disappearances, stating such a report has not been mandated by the UN Human Rights Council. It also questioned the timing of the report on the eve of the May 18 end of the [...]
AI chief attends memorial event in north; calls for global pressure on Lanka
By S. Rubatheesan A commemorative event to remember those killed in the armed conflict was held at Mullivaikaal in Mullaithivu, with visiting Amnesty International Secretary General Agnès Callamard taking part in the event. Thousands of war-affected people from various parts of the North took part in the ceremony organised by civil society groups and political [...]
National War Heroes Day ceremony in Battaramulla
The National War Heroes Day will be marked with a ceremony to be held at the war memorial in Battaramulla today. The event which marks the 15th anniversary of the end of the 30-year armed conflict will be attended by families of war heroes. To be held between 4 p.m. and 5 p.m. the event [...]
Foreign Minister Sabry denounces Canadian PM’s ‘massacre’ remark, calls it ‘naked double standards’
Foreign Minister Ali Sabry yesterday said Sri Lanka rejected the statement issued earlier in the day by Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, marking what the PM calls “Tamil Genocide Remembrance Day.” “Mr. Trudeau’s statement is politically motivated and directed at ‘vote-bank politics’ in Canada,” Mr. Sabry told the Sunday Times on the telephone from the [...]
COPF raises privilege issue over Immigration Dept, Public Security Ministry no-show
By Sandun Jayawardana A privilege issue has been raised over the failure by officials of the Public Security Ministry and the Immigration and Emigration Department to appear before Parliament’s Committee on Public Finance (COPF) on Tuesday (14) for the examination into the tripartite visa outsourcing contract. COPF held its first examination into the contract regarding [...]
Assassination attempt on Gotabaya: Confession by main accused missing, High Court told
By Ranjith Padmasiri The original document containing the confession given to police by Ponnasami Karthigesu Sivaji, who is the main accused in the case filed over the assassination attempt on then Defence Ministry Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa at Pittala Junction in Kollupitiya, has gone missing. The attack killed three soldiers. This was revealed in the Colombo [...]
Bribery case against Ravi K: Supreme Court overturns Court of Appeal order
The Supreme Court has stayed a Court of Appeal order that prevented the Colombo High Court from hearing the bribery case against former Finance Minister Ravi Karunanayake and businessman Arjun Aloysius. The case had been filed by the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC) over an incident where a company allegedly owned [...]
Incinerator to destroy narcotics declared open
An incinerator to destroy narcotics seized in various detections was declared open yesterday in Wanathavilluwa, Puttalam. The facility has been set up in a land used by Zaharan Hashim, leader of the suicide bomber group involved in the 2019 Easter Sunday attacks, to hide explosives and carry out training missions. Public Security Minister Tiran Alles [...]
Lanka’s worst ever medical purchase scam: National Audit report shows how it all happened
By Namini Wijedasa A comprehensive national audit released this week says severe violations of internal controls, neglect of accepted procurement guidelines and actions that surpassed Cabinet decisions led to Sri Lanka’s worst-ever medical purchase scam. Below are just some of the transgressions highlighted in the National Audit Office’s (NAO) 887-page report. Cabinet bypassed In June [...]
Spiritual and cultural showcase a blessing for a weary country
By Kasun Warakapitiya Vesak Full Moon Poya will light up Sri Lanka after subdued celebrations over the past couple of years due to the economic collapse.The Sunday Times observed more pandals being built in the Western Province. Preparations are also underway to decorate state institutes, private companies, and roadsides. Decorators said sponsors are providing money, [...]
Vidattaltivu village fisherfolk prepare to oppose mangrove land grab
Environmentalists raise concern over ministry’s move to hand over part of protected area to private aquaculture businesses By Hafsa Sabry The government’s recent decision to degazette sections of the northern region’s largest mangrove nature reserve, Vidattaltivu, has raised significant concern among environmentalists and local communities. Originally declared a nature reserve to prevent any human interference, the [...]
A labour of love and emotional support
In a first for a multidisciplinary hospital, Kalubowila introduces female companions in the labour room By Kumudini Hettiarachchi It would forever be a memorable Mothers’ Day for Anuththara Hansani! Awaiting the birth of her first child – she knew it is a baby girl when we met her – in a few hours on [...]
Rain and wind lash the country; Met Dept. warns of landslides, flooding and rough seas
By Jayanie Madawala The prevailing showery, windy weather conditions will intensify over the country while the seas will be rough, the Meteorology Department has warned. Showers or thundershowers exceeding 100 mm could occur in the Western, Sabaragamuwa, North-Western, and Southern Provinces and in the districts of Kandy and Nuwara Eliya. Fairly strong winds of about [...]
University security staff join non-academics’ strike; FUTA raises concern
By L.B. Senaratne University properties are left unattended, with the security officials also joining the ongoing strike by the non-academic staff. The security of 2500 acres of land, buildings, and equipment in the laboratories is at stake, Federation of University Teachers Association President Dr. Ruchika Fernando told journalists. He said there must be avenues for [...]
Wildlife Dept. creaming off millions, while illegal Mirissa activity deters blue whales
By Wasantha Ramanayake The famous Mirissa beach may get its proposed Blue Flag status soon, but, in the soon-to-be marine sanctuary, the blue whale may not find a safe refuge. Whale-watching tour operators are raising the alarm over fewer blue whale sightings in Mirissa in the season that ended in April. This has been ’disastrous’, [...]
Turn on the Vesak lights!
With Vesak celebrations due to take place this week, business establishments, hotels and government buildings and residences have commenced to put up their decorations. Among these was the launch of the Vesak celebration of The Hilton hotel, “Vesak on the lawn” which took place on Friday at 7 pm. The hotel was colourfully decorated with [...]
Kandaketiya farmers fear water crisis due to Uma Oya diversion
Pix and text by K.R. Rajamanthri While farmers in the south are starting to see advantages from the Uma Oya water project, those in the Kandeketiya region of the Badulla District claim that the diversion has deprived them of the water resources they have relied on for cultivating about 5,000 acres for the last 74 [...]
Kandy station floods: Governor gives reasons, railway officials want solution
By Dilushi Wijesinghe The flooding of the Kandy railway station on Wednesday was caused by a combination of reasons, including issues related to a major waste water project in the city, Governor Central Province Lalith Gamage said. Elaborating, he said the wastewater project funded by JICA (Japan International Cooperation) was implemented around 20 years ago [...]