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Former Presidents Ranil Wickremesinghe, Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga, and Maithripala Sirisena listening to the message sent by Prime Minister Harini Amarasuriya during the 45th National Conference of Chartered Accountants at the Monarch Imperial on Wednesday. Organisers had invited President Anura Kumara Dissanayake to the conference, but he was not present, and the Prime Minister sent the [...]
EC quashes presidential directive to resume development projects
By S. Rubatheesan The Election Commission (EC) has shot down a presidential directive to go ahead with development projects overseen by District Coordinating Committees (DCCs) under the supervision of provincial governors. This is on the grounds that such a move would be in violation of election laws given the governors are political appointees. Presidential Secretary [...]
Lanka signs letter against Israel’s ban on UN chief
Country’s name will appear on the revised list, says ambassador Sri Lanka was a signatory to a letter signed by 105 countries condemning Israel for banning UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres from entering Israel, Sri Lanka’s Ambassador to the UN, Mohan Peiris, said yesterday. He said the Sri Lanka Permanent Mission in New York (UN) had asked [...]
As Lebanon is pounded, Sri Lankans face a dilemma—to stay or go
Most migrant workers without documents; peacekeepers come under ‘deliberate’ attacks five times By Mimi Alphonsus An estimated 7,600 Sri Lankan migrant workers and 126 Sri Lankan UN peacekeepers are currently in Lebanon, with the situation escalating, but most workers are yet undecided whether to return home or remain in that country, which is under intense military [...]
Prisoner rights group to challenge AG’s ruling on 2020 Mahara prison shooting
By Minaza Hassan The Committee for Protecting Rights of Prisoners (CPRP) is planning to challenge the Attorney General’s controversial decision to close the case filed over the deaths of 11 inmates at the Mahara Prison in November 2020. The inmates were shot dead by prison guards following violent protests that broke out at the prison [...]
Move to hold LG polls on old nomination list will expose crossovers: EC
By Shane Seneviratne Politicians who crossed over to other parties after handing over nominations for the local government elections will be exposed as the elections are to be held on the previous nomination list, Election Commissioner General Saman Sri Ratnayake said. He said that in keeping with the court order, the elections will be held [...]
Mattala Airport: AG proposes changes to clauses for management by India-Russia joint venture
By Namini Wijedasa The draft commercial agreement to hand over the management of loss-making Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport (MRIA) jointly to India’s Shaurya Aeronautics Pvt Ltd and Russia’s Airports of Regions is with the Attorney General’s Department, Aviation Ministry Secretary K.D.S. Ruwanchandra said. Sri Lanka has never before contracted out airport management to an entity [...]
Scholarship fund launched to continue the legacy of Ven. Galboda Gnanissara Thera
The Board of Trustees of the Gangaramaya Temple in Colombo, along with its student monks, has established a memorial trust in honour of the late Venerable Galboda Siri Gnanissara Thera—the chief incumbent of the temple until his passing on August 2— to continue his legacy of supporting the educational journey of children from underprivileged and [...]
Vistara flight makes emergency landing at BIA; bomb threat a hoax
By T.K.G. Kapila A bomb scare that forced an Indian passenger flight to make an emergency landing at the Bandaranaike International Airport yesterday turned out to be a hoax after a thorough security search, officials said. The Vistara Airlines flight carrying 96 passengers and eight crew members was heading from Mumbai to Colombo. It made [...]
Sierra Leone President here on the way to CHOGM
Sierra Leone President Julius Maada Bio will be arriving in Sri Lanka tonight (20). President Bio will be in Sri Lanka only briefly while in transit on his way to the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) being held from October 21 to 26 in Samoa. The Sierra Leone President will stay in Sri Lanka [...]
Election campaigning begins as parties tout prize fighters
By Sandun Jayawardana With the Election Commission (EC) having issued preference numbers to candidates this week, campaigning for the November 14 general elections is now in full swing. Accordingly, the main political parties are now beginning to commence large scale campaign rallies throughout the country. The National People’s Power (NPP) held its first public rally [...]
Foreign Minister Herath sees immense potential in Indo-Lanka trade dynamics
The trade dynamics between India and Sri Lanka have immense potential, Foreign Minister Vijitha Herath said. India is one of Sri Lanka’s largest trading partners, providing essential imports that support various sectors including agriculture, health and infrastructure. In return, Sri Lanka offers India strategic access to its markets and resources, enhancing its own economic landscape, [...]
Election campaigns under strict surveillance; limits to offices and expenses
By Ishu Bandara The Election Commission has issued guidelines governing campaign offices for the November 14 general elections. According to Election Commission Chairman R.A.M.L. Rathnayake, each political party is permitted to set up only one notified central campaign office in each polling division, starting from the first day of nominations, October 4, and ending the [...]
Half-built Kadawatha to Mirigama expressway landfill worsens flooding
By Kasun Warakapitiya The incomplete expressway from Kadawatha to Mirigama is creating a slew of issues including flash floods. Gampaha residents say flooding in the district was the worst in recent memory and that filling up of land without building drainage is the cause. The heavy rains lasting for more than a week, flooded the [...]
Infectious disease risks rise from flood water mixed with sewage
By Nathara Abeywickrema As floodwaters recede following several days of heavy rain across several districts, health officials have raised an urgent alarm over the increased risk of infectious diseases. Flood-affected areas, especially those where stagnant water remains, are now highly vulnerable to the spread of both water-borne and vector-borne diseases. With public health at stake, [...]
Sporadic showers, bleak weather in some areas
By Jayanie Madawala Fairly heavy showers or thundershowers may occur at a few places in Uva and Northern provinces during the weekend, the Meteorology Department predicts. Several spells of light showers may occur in the Western, Sabaragamuwa and North-Western provinces and in Galle, Matara, Kandy and Nuwara Eliya districts. Meteorologist Malith Perera said showers or [...]
Smartboard eyewash: A roadmap for making inequity in the education sector worse?
By Namini Wijedasa The Education Ministry, which recently obtained Cabinet permission to buy 1,000 smartboards from China’s Huawei Technologies at nearly Rs. 1mn per unit without tender, put forward a separate proposal in May this year to buy 422 smartboards for “pirivena” classrooms at Rs. 300,000 per unit, according to documents obtained by the Sunday [...]
Parents seek court remedy for scholarship exam paper leak tangle
By Nathara Abeywickrema The government’s decision to not repeat the Grade 5 scholarship examination has sparked outrage, with many parents claiming that the exam’s integrity has been compromised, potentially jeopardising the future of thousands of students. The Grade Five Scholarship Examination in Sri Lanka is a highly competitive test that opens doors to leading schools [...]
CCPSL to ensure that every baby thrives and every community flourishes
By Kumudini Hettiarachchi With birth symbolising the beginning of a unique path, offering an opportunity to engage with life’s mysteries, seek understanding and shape identity and destiny, the promise of the new President of the College of Community Physicians of Sri Lanka (CCPSL), Dr. Kapila Jayaratne is: “Ensuring every baby thrives, every community flourishes.” The [...]
Ratnapura hospital’s kidney transplant success
The first kidney transplant surgery carried out at the Ratnapura Teaching Hospital was a success, Hospital Director Dr Dammika Alahapperuma said. Dr Alahapperuma explained that though they had been improving the facilities required to carry out kidney transplant surgery in the hospital during the past few years, meanwhile the Ratnapura Lions association had built a [...]
Railways to temporarily halt night goods trains in elephant-prone areas
By Kasun Warakapitiya Following a fatal collision between an oil tanker train and elephants, Sri Lanka Railways is considering temporarily suspending night-time operations of goods trains in areas known for elephant crossings. The decision comes after two elephants were killed and one injured in a collision between an oil tanker train and elephants crossing the [...]
Lanka lacks ability to prevent maritime disasters, reveals damning PSC report
Inquiries into New Diamond and Xpress Pearl shipwrecks expose critical gaps in the country’s ability to manage maritime pollution incidents Delays in legal proceedings, inadequate coordination between government agencies exacerbated the environmental and economic damage Lack of clear protocols for engaging local communities in disaster response efforts, a major weakness By Sandun Jayawardana Investigations by the [...]
More than 55,000 registered voters, 48 centres for Elpitiya Pradeshiya Sabha elections
By D.G. Sugathapala More than 55,000 voters are registered to poll for next Saturday’s Elpitiya Pradeshiya Sabha elections, Galle District Deputy Election Commissioner W.R. Vijaya Kumara said. The election will be conducted in 48 centres. A total of 1576 postal voting applications were received and the postal polling was held last Monday while those who [...]
Businessman arrested with 10 kg of ICE at BIA
A 35-year-old businessman was arrested by Customs officials at the Katunayake Airport on Friday night while trying to smuggle ICE drugs with a street value of over Rs 25 million, officials said. The drugs weighing 10 kg was concealed with packets containing tea leaves.He had arrived at the Katunayake Airport from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia on [...]
INS Kalpeni calls in Colombo
The Indian Navy ship INS Kalpeni arrived in Colombo yesterday and was accorded a welcome by the Sri Lanka Navy. The ship’s Commander Sunil Kulhari called on Western Naval Area Commander Rear Admiral Chinthaka Kumarasinghe on arrival. INS Kalpeni, a Car Nicobar class Waterjet FAC of the Indian Navy, was commissioned on October 14, 2010. [...]
Look out for exhausted Pittas
By Malaka Rodrigo As the southernmost landmass along the Central Asian Flyway for migratory birds, Sri Lanka attracts over 200 winter visitors, who start arriving from the end of August. Many of the migrants are already here but bird lovers are on the watch out for that special migrant in October. “The Indian Pitta, known [...]