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Home » NewsTourists remain in Arugam Bay despite travel advisories
A group of Western tourists have a friendly chat with police officers deployed on the Arugam Bay beach after the government took quick and stern measures to prevent a possible terror attack on Israeli tourists in the area. Several countries issued travel advisories for their citizens not to visit Arugam Bay following information about an [...]
Vehicle imports: Extra tax on dealers if they do not register within 90 days
By Damith Wickramasekara A tax equivalent of 3 percent of the Cost, Insurance, and Freight (CIF) value of a newly imported vehicle will be levied from the vehicle importers under new regulations on lifting import restrictions if they fail to register the vehicle within 90 days of importation. A senior Treasury official said the tax [...]
Lanka’s request to join as BRICS ‘Partner’ member to be considered; will join group’s Development Bank
Sri Lanka’s application to join the BRICS as a full member did not happen in view of the group’s decision at Kazan to maintain the membership at nine for the present, Foreign Affairs Minister Vijitha Herath told the Sunday Times. [...]
NPP wins Elpitiya PS polls
The National People’s Power (NPP) secured a comfortable victory in the Elpitiya Pradeshiya Sabha election yesterday, returning 15 members to the 30-member council. The Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) won six seats and the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna three seats. The Podujana Eksath Peramuna, backed by a faction of the SLFP, and the Independent Group won [...]
Govt. hopeful of travel advisory withdrawals: Foreign Minister
The government is engaging with foreign diplomatic missions to remove their travel advisories linked to information about an alleged plan to attack Israeli tourists and is hopeful that these advisories will be removed within the next two weeks, Foreign Minister Vijitha Herath told the Sunday Times. Extensive measures had been taken to ensure the security [...]
Dr David Page, an ardent Sri Lanka media watcher, passes away
Dr. David Page, senior fellow of the Institute for Commonwealth Studies (ICwS), former editor and manager in the BBC South Asian Services, and a driving force of the Commonwealth Journalists Association (CJA), died in London on Thursday 10th October 2024, aged 80. He joined the BBC in 1972 as Programme Organiser of the BBC Urdu [...]
Elpitiya Pradeshiya Sabha election elicits little interest
By Susil Priyan and D G Sugathapala Elpitiya Pradeshiya Sabha election closed yesterday with a turn out of more than 63 percent. Polling began at 7 a.m. in 48 polling centres with good weather conditions prevailing. More than 600 officials and 500 policemen were deployed. Counting commenced soon after polling ended at 4 p.m. Election [...]
Indo-Lanka fisheries talks on Tuesday: Lanka to reiterate tough stance against bottom trawling
By S. Rubatheesan The Sri Lankan government is to reiterate its position that it will take tough measures against illegal bottom trawling by Indian fishermen in northern waters at the sixth Indo-Lanka Joint Working Group (JWG) meeting on Tuesday in Colombo, a top official said. “We cannot allow our marine resources to be exploited three [...]
Gloomy weather, thundershowers to continue
Showers or thundershowers will occur in various locations across the island during the evening or night, the Meteorology Department said. The Western, Sabaragamuwa, and North-western provinces, as well as the Galle, Matara, and Mannar districts are expected to be affected. Some areas in the Western, Sabaragamuwa, and North-western provinces may experience fairly heavy rainfall exceeding [...]
Overseas travel ban for company owner who defaulted paying EPF
The Colombo Magistrate Court has imposed an overseas travel ban on a company owner who allegedly defaulted on payment of Rs 9.8 million to the Employees’ Provident Fund (EPF) accounts of employees who worked on several projects including the Bandaranaike International Airport project funded by JAICA. The owner of N T Perera of Ceylon Pvt [...]
Tourism sector raises concern about illegal Israeli businesses in Arugam Bay
By Namini Wijedasa This week, the United States Embassy issued a security alert barring its personnel from travelling to Arugam Bay and advising US citizens to avoid the area based on “credible information warning of an attack targeting popular tourist locations” there. The United Kingdom and Australia quickly updated their travel advisories based on [...]
Locals fear effects would spill over to next season
Priyanath Chandrapala in Arugam Bay and Panama The security remains tight in Arugam Bay with regular checks on vehicles and those passing by the area, while the few remaining tourists have moved out since they were alerted about the travel advisories. The villages here first came to know about the possible security threats after they saw [...]
President assures EU delegation that security protocols have been strengthened
President Anura Kumara Dissanayake on Friday briefed the EU delegation about Sri Lanka’s current security situation, highlighting recent measures to improve safety for tourists and residents. He met with the European Union (EU) delegation, led by EU Ambassador Carmen Moreno, on Friday at the Presidential Secretariat. He assured that security protocols in key tourist areas [...]
New parties in the fray believe only they can make the change that the people want
By Sandun Jayawardana While most of the older, more established political parties are contesting the upcoming parliamentary election, many newer parties that might be less familiar to voters are also in the mix. The Sunday Timesspoke to a few of the more prominent candidates who are contesting from some of these parties and asked why [...]
Northern candidates pitch tents on social media turf
By S. Rubatheesan The election mood is yet to improve in the North as most candidates are campaigning online, particularly on social media. Several candidates across party lines are using Facebook, Viber, WhatsApp and websites. For first-time candidates like Varatharajah Partheepan, canvassing with limited financial resources is challenging since he is depending on his relatives [...]
EC bolsters measures to ensure smooth parliamentary poll amid weather concerns
By Ishu Bandara With less than three weeks to go for the parliamentary elections, the Election Commission is taking extra measures to ensure the smooth conduct of the polls and they include increasing the number of counting centres and contingency action to deal with adverse weather conditions. The Commission also has decided that the index [...]
Maho to Anuradhapura trains to resume, but with handicapped signalling
By Kasun Warakapitiya The Sri Lanka Railways has decided to resume train services on the Maho to Anuradhapura line, which was closed for nine months. But a primitive signalling system will be used until a new system is set up. The decision was taken during a meeting held at the Transport Ministry on Tuesday, At [...]
Carrot farmers floored by chaotic price drops
Pix and Text by Shelton Hettiaarachchi Carrot cultivators in Nuwara Eliya are facing a crisis after going for mass-scale cultivation this season prompted by the high prices of last season. Encouraged to mass-cultivate by the last season when a kilogramme was sold at Rs 1,400 to Rs 1,500, the farmers now find they are not getting [...]
Indian envoy visits Peradeniya University
India’s new Assistant High Commissioner in Kandy V.S. Saranya visited the University of Peradeniya. She had detailed discussions with Vice Chancellor Professor W. M. T. Madhujith and Deputy Vice Chancellor Professor Ranjith Pallegama about strengthening academic and research programmes between India and Sri Lanka. She had also visited the Indian corner at the University Library. [...]
The Election Commission bags two ICT awards
The Election Commission of Sri Lanka (ECSL) received two awards at the 26th National ICT Awards- NBQSA 2024. The ECSL’s E-Services earned two prestigious awards, one for the Most Outstanding ICT Achievement in the Public Sector and a Silver award in the Digital Government category under public sector and Government. Election Commissioner General Saman Sri [...]
Indian locos come with operating issues
Locomotive engine drivers say that some locomotives and power sets provided under the Indian credit line are of poor quality. Locomotive Operating Engineers Union chairman Chandana Wiyanduwa told the Sunday Times that some locomotives provided under the Indian credit line are too heavy or too lengthy for local conditions. He said that Indian power sets, [...]
Decades-old signalling expands at slow pace
Sri Lanka Railways is only capable of installing a 60-year-old signalling system. Chinthaka Jayasekara, chief engineer of the Railways Signaling and Telecommunication Department and project director of the Maho to Omanthai railway expanding the signalling is slow. Signalling was expanded to Narahenpita, Nugegoda and Maharagama stations by 2024, but not yet to Kottawa, Homagama, Meegoda, [...]
Asian Development Bank hosts workshop on climate and disaster risk resilient development
By Tharushi Weerasinghe Last Wednesday, the Asian Development Bank (ADB) conducted a two-day National Inception Workshop at the ITC Ratnadeepa to launch a regional technical assistance programme focused on “Sustaining Climate and Disaster Risk Resilient and Low Carbon Development in South Asia.” Known as the TA9700, the programme is a collaboration between ADB, the Ministry [...]
Déjà vu – more elephants dead on the railtrack
Scientist Dr. Prithiviraj Fernando takes a look at these tragedies and gives solutions By Kumudini Hettiarachchi For Sri Lankans, it is a tragic déjà vu – something that keeps happening. We lament, grit our teeth, bear it even though the stark images remain seared into our psyche for a while and then move on……….and it [...]
Man claiming to be Govt. supporter allegedly grabs playground, turns it into paddy field
By Thisara Samal A man claiming to be a government supporter has allegedly grabbed a playground in the Parasangaswewa village in Anuradhapura’s Nuwaragam divisional secretariat area and turned it into a paddy field, denying the people a place for recreation, villagers complain. Area residents told the Sunday Times the person had fenced off the playground [...]
HRC Kandy District coordinator alleges ill treatment at immigration office
By Shane Seneviratne Human Rights Commission Kandy District Coordinator Viranjan Dias Sumanasekara, has lodged a complaint to the Human Rights Commission following alleged unruly behaviour and ill-treatment by the Director of the Kandy Immigration Office during his visit to renew his passport. The District Coordinator, along with a group of executive officials from the Kandy [...]
3-in-1 low-dose pill to battle high blood pressure
Sri Lankan researchers contribute to global effort to improve blood pressure control; GMRx2 submitted for USFDA approval By Kumudini Hettiarachchi and Arrenga Nadaraja A three-in-one pill to keep down the killer that is high blood pressure (high BP or hypertension) has proven successful, with Sri Lanka playing a significant role in a research conducted at [...]
Population and housing census set on its third phase
By Dilushi Wijesinghe The Department of Census and Statistics (DCS) is set to conclude the enumerating phase of the Census of Population and Housing (CPH) 2024 on December 19, which has been designated as the official “Census Date.” This was announced at a press conference held by the DCS on October 23 at the Department [...]
Young zoologists on an artistic foray
By Malaka Rodrigo Operating from the National Zoological Gardens in Dehiwala, the Young Zoologists’ Association (YZA) is one of Sri Lanka’s leading organisations for environmental education. It promotes wildlife art and ethical wildlife photography, providing young enthusiasts an invaluable platform to exhibit their talents through an annual exhibition. This year’s exhibition titled Kin Wild will [...]
Many burn victims find relief in skin grafting
Pix and text by Rekha Tharanganee People with serious skin burns can now have their skin replaced with the skin (tissue) of a deceased or close relative, according to National Hospital Consultant Plastic Surgeon Dr. Gayan Ekanayake. A severe burn is a trauma associated with long-lasting consequences. Many accidents related to burns are reported to [...]
President takes steps to counter rice mafia; coconut shortage blamed on harvest drop
By Kasun Warakapitiya President Anura Kumara Dissanayake has instructed the Consumer Affairs Authority and other relevant officials to immediately check on the rice stocks held by the millers. He issued the directive during a meeting with the state officials on Friday. The meeting was attended by senior officials from the Agriculture Ministry, the Trade Ministry, [...]
Legal cases filed over parliamentary election
By Ranjith Padmasiri Several fundamental rights petitions in relation to the 2024 parliamentary election have been filed before the Supreme Court (SC). Following are some of the developments on these court cases. The SC dismissed four of the five fundamental rights petitions challenging the decisions by district Returning Officers to reject nominations submitted for the [...]
Office of Reparations unveils plans for Easter Attack Victim Fund
Chairperson Dhara Wijayatilake says all respondents have now paid the full amounts ordered by the Supreme Court, into the Fund By Sandun Jayawardana with all respondents in the Supreme Court case into the Easter Sunday attack having now fully paid the compensation payments imposed on them by the Court, the Office of Reparations (OR) is [...]
Many candidates failed to meet requirements under the new Election Expenditure Act
By Tharushi Weerasinghe Most of the election campaign finance submissions released for public review last Thursday, do not meet the Election Expenditure Act 2023 requirements. The new finance regulation, implemented for the first time in Sri Lanka’s electoral history, sets out the criteria that candidates must follow when declaring their expenses for elections they participate [...]
Regulator promises to impose tuk tuk fares
By Minaza Hassan A notice was issued recently by the Western Province Provincial Road Passenger Transport Authority (WP-PRPTA) highlighting fare regulations for three-wheelers in the Western Province, but implementation has been found wanting. According to Jeevinda Keerthiratna, the head of Three-Wheeler Bureau of the Western Province Road Passenger Transport Authority, steps have been taken to [...]