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Home » NewsJaishankar visit underlines India’s Neighbourhood First policy
With Indo-Lanka ties being vital for internal and international issues, India’s External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, during a one-day visit on Friday, met newly elected President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, Foreign Minister Vijitha Herath, former President Ranil Wickremesinghe and former Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa. India has a neighbourhood-first policy and Dr. Jaishankar was the first foreign [...]
Seven politicos, officers face asset freeze
The Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC) has decided to file legal action to freeze properties belonging to seven persons, including politicians, public officials, and military officers. Accordingly, steps have been taken to prevent these suspects from using their properties, bank accounts, and insurance policies. CIABOC sources said investigators were probing these [...]
Big-time tax defaulters warned: Pay up now or face seizure of property and freezing of bank accounts
The Inland Revenue Department (IRD) has issued a final warning to large and medium-scale tax defaulters to settle bills amounting to Rs. 300 billion by the end of the year or face confiscation of their properties and freezing of bank accounts. The businesses that come into the Large Taxpayer Units and Upper Corporates Tax categories [...]
Govt. to go ahead with controversial passport order
The government will proceed with the last administration’s controversial decision to procure an urgent stock of N-series machine-readable passports (MRPs) from a consortium of Thales DIS Finland Oy and its Sri Lankan agent, Just In Time (JIT) Technologies (Pvt) Ltd, to solve an unprecedented shortage of travel documents caused by a bungled tender. “We are [...]
Govt. seeks lenient IMF terms but faces challenges
The third review of the Extended Fund Facility (EFF) of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) is expected to be delayed until after the November parliamentary elections as the Anura Kumara Dissanayake administration is working to meet the objectives of the Washington-based lending agency while seeking ways to reduce the burden on its citizens, official sources [...]
Sri Lanka will take part in BRICS summit; but President won’t attend
Sri Lanka is to participate at the next BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa) summit from October 22-24 on the invitation of Russian President Vladimir Putin. However, none of the JVP/NPP political leadership will be attending the summit as they will be engaged in campaigning for the parliamentary elections. BRICS was formed to unite [...]
AKD tried twice, I had to try five times, Japan’s new PM quips
At the opening ceremony of Japan’s 214th Extraordinary Session of the National Diet (Parliament), Sri Lanka’s Ambassador Rodney Perera, who was attending the event inaugurated by Emperor Naruhito, met the newly appointed Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba, along with the new Cabinet of Ministers. Ambassador Perera extended warm congratulations on the new government of Sri Lanka [...]
More than 100 former MPs given deadline to return firearms
More than a hundred former parliamentarians are among those who are required to return their personal weapons obtained from the Defence Ministry for their protection in terms of the recent decision to recall all firearms issued for civilians, a Defence Ministry spokesperson said. Defence Ministry Spokesperson Colonel Nalin Herath told the Sunday Times that the [...]
SIS chief Sallay retires; DIG Kumara new head
Deputy Inspector General (DIG) of Police Dhammika Priyantha Kumara was appointed as the new Director of the State Intelligence Service (SIS) yesterday. He succeeds Major General Suresh Sallay, who has retired. DIG Kumara had previously served as the Director of the Financial Crimes Investigation Division (FCID) and Deputy Director of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID). [...]
Appoint qualified people to posts, prelates tell President
President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, took part in religious observances at the Jaya Sri Maha Bodhi and Ruwanwelisaya in Anuradhapura yesterday. This was after receiving blessings from the Chief Prelate, Most Venerable Makulewe Wimala Nayaka Thera, Aggamaha Panditha of the Sri Lanka Ramanna Maha Nikaya, earlier in the day. The prelates emphasised the importance of ensuring [...]
Attempt to swindle baker backfires
An individual suspected of attempting to extort money from a bakery manufacturer while posing as a senior officer of the Inland Revenue Department’s (IRD) Kandy branch was arrested by the Criminal Investigation Division (CID). The suspect initially contacted the bakery owner by phone, placing a food order for a function at the IRD’s Kandy branch. [...]
Transfers, appointments and promotions need prior EC approval during polls period
By Ishu Bandara During the upcoming general elections, all new appointments, promotions, and transfers of government employees will require prior approval from the Election Commission. Commissioner General Saman Sri Ratnayake said the measure is to prevent the misuse of state-owned property, including those of state corporations and statutory bodies, in order to ensure a fair [...]
You are being scammed!
Authorites warn people as millions of funds have been defrauded recently through fake bank websites and ‘Phishing’ and ‘Vishing’ Don’t share your One-Time Passwords (OTP) with anyone for any reason By Sandun Jayawardana Authorities are warning about an alarming increase in financial scams targeting bank customers and are urging people not to divulge personal banking information to [...]
Questions over moves to buy Chinese smart white boards for schools
Cabinet sanctioned the purchase just six working days after the Elections Commission announced the Presidential poll By Namini Wijedasa Serious questions have been raised about Cabinet approval granted on August 5, 2024, to buy 1,000 smart boards from China’s Huawei Technologies at high prices–estimated to be at least Rs. 940,000 per board–when the average price [...]
Election Commission gets ready for another election
Alternative venues to temple premises, usually used as voting centres, are being considered as Vas ceremonies are conducted in November, says the Commissioner General By Ishu Bandara The Election Commission has faced a snag in securing polling centers, particularly because of the Vas ceremonies taking place at Buddhist temples during the election month. The General election is [...]
Opposition parties jostle for any advantage in polls
By Kasun Warakapitiya With the nominations for Parliamentary elections due to close in five days and campaigning already in progress, political parties have stepped up their organisational activities, forming alliances while finalising their nomination lists. Some of those who contested in the presidential elections too, are gathering breakaway groups of main parties to form alliances, [...]
Indian External Affairs Minister Jaishankar calls for release of fishermen
Indian External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar who visited Colombo on Friday said the full and effective implementation of the 13th Amendment of the Constitution and the early holding of Provincial Council elections will facilitate the country’s reconciliation process. During his talks with President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, Mr Jaishankar reiterated India’s support for the aspirations [...]
EC has no objection to providing subsidies to farmers and fishermen and pensioners’ arrears
On Friday, the Election Commission (EC) responded to claims it had moved to “suspend” issuing of certain programmes such as the fertiliser subsidy for farmers until the conclusion of the 2024 parliamentary election. Issuing a statement, the Commission noted that it had suspended certain proposed programmes / projects and initiatives to provide benefits to the [...]
Panadura’s tailless dolphin exposes bycatch brutality
By Malaka Rodrigo On Friday, October 4, a dolphin carcass washed ashore on Panadura beach, along the West coast. Onlookers were shocked to find the dolphin’s tail missing, with a sharp cut indicating the involvement of human activity. According to Dr. Ranil Nanayakkara, a conservation biologist specialising in marine mammals, dolphins often follow large schools [...]
Cherub back in Kandy’s historic fountain
By L.B.Senaratne The historic Prince of Wales fountain in Kandy, built to commemorate the visit, in 1875, of Prince Albert Edward of Wales, eldest son of Queen Victoria, was recently damaged as it was used to bathe elephants, and has been repaired by the Basnayake Nilame of the Pattini Devale Hemantha Bandara Herath. The monument [...]
Spotlight on sepsis
Early treatment crucial, as first hour is critical for effective intervention By Kumudini Hettiarachchi Twenty-four-year-old Sampath* was writhing with sudden pain in his stomach. There was fever too and when he was rushed to hospital, the diagnosis was a ruptured appendix. His condition deteriorated quickly, requiring emergency surgery to remove the infected appendix, followed by [...]
Cooperation between Bench and Bar essential to dispense justice without delays: Justice Ranaraja
Ceremonial sittings for new judges of the Court of Appeal By Ranjith Padmasiri The solution to law’s delays encountered in the Court of Appeal could be found within the rules of the court, observed newly appointed Court of Appeal Judge Amal Ranaraja. For example, he pointed out that Part III of the rules provides for [...]
Justice Gopallawa also addresses “perennial issue” of laws’ delays
Ceremonial sittings for new judges of the Court of Appeal The adherence to the Rule of Law can be identified as the single most important requirement for the realization of the democratic society envisaged by the country’s Constitution and aspired to by the public, stressed newly appointed Court of Appeal Judge Mahen Gopallawa. “In this [...]
We go back a long way in Hulftsdorp, says AG in welcome address
Welcoming the newly appointed judges, Attorney General Parinda Ranasinghe, PC, stated that the four Justices together “bring in an enormous amalgam of knowledge, experience, competency, and a high degree of skill to the sanctified precincts of the Court of Appeal,”. He added that this will no doubt “augment and deepen the overall excellence of the [...]
Former BASL Secretary Rajeev Amarasuriya to contest for post of President
Attorney-at-Law Rajeev Amarasuriya will contest for the post of President of the Bar Association of Sri Lanka (BASL) for the year 2025/2026, at the elections scheduled for February 2025. Mr. Amarasuriya was elected Secretary of the BASL in February 2020 in the midst of the first country lockdown due to the COVID-19 Pandemic. As Secretary [...]
Resurrecting image of BASL his priority, says current President
Anura Meddegoda PC who was appointed as the new president of the Bar Association of Sri Lanka (BASL) says his priority is to resurrect the image of BASL and ensure it remains an independent and an apolitical organisation. “First we have to resurrect the image of the BASL. Our image has hit an all-time low. [...]
Monk donates rations to schoolgirl who confessed to drinking water with sugar
Story and pic by Shane Seneviratne Chief incumbent of the Sandagiri Maha Seya in Kandy, Ven Gangasiripura Dhammaloka Thera has provided dry rations worth Rs 20,000 to a schoolgirl who was at the centre of a viral video where she confessed to drinking only water mixed with sugar for breakfast as she had nothing to [...]
CIABOC case against Health Ministry engineer
By Ranjith Padmasiri The Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC) has indicted an engineer attached to the Health Ministry’s Biomedical Engineering Division on charges of causing a loss to the government in the procurement of 35 surgical lamps. The accused, Subasinghe Arachchige Janapriya Karunathilaka has been indicted on corruption charges by the [...]
Dozens of Sri Lankan workers seek shelter from Lebanon bombings
By Mimi Alphonsus Thousands of Sri Lankans—mostly domestic workers, caregivers, and agricultural workers—are caught in the crossfires of the escalating conflict in West Asia. Israel continues to bomb Gaza, the occupied West Bank, Syria, Yemen, and Lebanon, while Iran has retaliated against Israel. Sri Lanka’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) has issued a travel advisory [...]
The importance of journalism today: SLPI hosts discussion to mark World News Day
Commemorating World News Day celebrated on September 28, theSri Lanka Press Institute (SLPI) hosted a discussion titled “Sustaining Journalism: How Important is Journalism Today?” on October 1 at its premises. The panel headed by Deputy Editor (Investigations) of the Sunday Times Namini Wijedasa, Bureau Chief of the Agence France-Presse (AFP) Amal Jayasinghe and Local Correspondent [...]
Cash from Sri Lankans overseas remains a pillar in forex inflows
By Kapila Bandara Foreign earnings sent home by Sri Lankans working overseas remains the single largest net forex earner for the country still groaning under an unbearable burden of foreign and domestic debt. Earnings of Sri Lankans up to August add up to US$4.28 billion and surpass tourism earnings of US$2.34b, data released this week [...]
Theatre worth millions abandoned at Nawagattegama
Pix and text by Hiran Priyankara Jayasinghe A theatre in the Puttalam district constructed in 2014 is in a state of neglect despite millions spent on its construction. The building was constructed under the Deyata Kirula programme and declared open in 2016 after being named after Simon Nawagattegama, a reputed Sinhala novelist, playwright, radio playwright, [...]
Govt. to carry on with Ranil’s Urumaya
By Niranjala Ariyawansha The previous government’s Urumaya programme, under which freehold title is given to people who use state land based on a permit or grant issued by the government, will continue, the Land Commissioners General’s Department said. The deeds are given upon the voluntary handing over of the permits. Similar programmes have been carried [...]
The simplest way to resolve the TN fishing issue: Implement the law
By Steve Creech The Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Ministry amended the Fisheries (Regulation of Foreign Fishing Boats) Act No. 57 of 1979 on February 8, 2018. The principal enactment was promulgated subsequent to the declaration of Sri Lanka’s 370 km exclusive economic zone (EEZ) and bilateral agreements signed with India in 1974 and 1976, demarcating [...]
Heavily degraded canal carries septic and domestic waste
By Kasun Warakapitiya The longest canal within Colombo city, St. Sebastian Canal, which was built by the Dutch, has become a garbage dump site. The canal, which connects to Beira Lake and Kelani River, is heavily polluted and is a health hazard, people say. The canal, which flows through densely populated areas and is next [...]