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Home » NewsCyclone Fengal departs, leaving devastation and drop in air quality
The cyclonic storm “Fengal” departed Sri Lanka yesterday after a week of heavy rains and floods that left at least 16 dead, half a million affected, more than 2,500 houses damaged, and caused a drop in air quality. The depression in the Bay of Bengal turned into a cyclonic storm as it left Sri Lanka [...]
No official vehicles for ruling party MPs
The Government has reversed an earlier decision to provide ruling party Members of Parliament with official vehicles, a senior official said yesterday. Instead of providing them with official vehicles, they would be provided with a fuel quota, he added. The change of decision comes after considering the issue of vehicles that would be in conflict [...]
Last-minute tax rush cripples IRD systems as deadline ends
The Inland Revenue Department (IRD) experienced a last-minute rush of people trying to file their tax returns before the November 30 deadline last night. A senior IRD official said that at one point yesterday, 16,000 persons had logged in and were trying to file their returns. Some taxpayers had found the underpowered computers unable to [...]
President says Palestinian suffering unacceptable
President Anura Kumara Dissanayake on Friday said that the immense loss of civilian lives, suffering, and the ongoing destruction, lasting for over a year in the Palestinian territories and across West Asia, was unacceptable and intolerable. He made this observation in a message issued to mark the United Nations Day for Solidarity with the Palestinian [...]
Immunoglobulin case: 13 ministers tell CID they trusted Keheliya
By Ranjith Padmasiri The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) informed the Maligakanda Magistrate’s Court that 13 former Cabinet ministers had given statements stating that they gave approval to then Health Minister Keheliya Rambukwella’s cabinet proposal, which led to the procurement of substandard human immunoglobulin vials amid a shortage of medicines in the country at the time. [...]
Appeal court upholds RTIC decision against People Bank to release info on expenses for a ‘poson poya’ day event
By Ranjith Padmasiri The Court of Appeal has affirmed an August 31, 2023 dated decision of the Right to Information Commission (RTI Commission) ordering the Peoples Bank to disclose information on disbursements of moneys to various people by its Anuradhapura Regional branch in regard to a ‘Poson Poya almsgiving‘ and ‘Poson Bathi Gee‘ held in [...]
The College of Journalism honours new batch of graduates
The Sri Lanka College of Journalism, established in 2004, held its 2024 graduation ceremony honouring its most recent cohort of diploma and certificate program graduates on Wednesday, November 27, at the Orchid Hall of the Bandaranaike Memorial International Conference Hall (BMICH). Ms. Hana Ibrahim, Deputy Chairperson of the Sri Lanka College of Journalism, delivered the [...]
Open competition rule for unsolicited project proposals; new guidelines announced
By Namini Wijedasa Unsolicited project proposals must be submitted via open competition and must adhere to procurement guidelines with the most advantageous proposal being selected, new rules published by the Finance Ministry state. The project management guidelines—released by the Ministry’s Department of Management Audit in consultation with other Treasury Departments—say a review of local and [...]
Strike halts airmail services to Canada
Airmail services to Canada have been suspended due to a trade union strike by Canada Post, a senior official of the International Postal Service said. The official said trade union action was launched on November 15, and would continue until further notice. The protests are driven by workers’ demands for a wage increase and the [...]
Galle sea to be reclaimed for major development project
Green light has been granted to reclaim 45 hectares of land area within the Bay of Galle to facilitate infrastructure and real estate developments similar to Colombo Port City, according to a report. The Port of Galle is to be developed as a major state-of-the-art tourism hub in the region by reclaiming the land. The [...]
Husband and wife electrocuted, daughter escapes death
A couple was electrocuted at Mundalama in Puttalam, and their daughter narrowly escaped death this week, police said. The victims were identified as S.A.S. Stanley Thilakaratne (54) and S.A. Chandrika Malkanti (53), both landowners and proprietors of a carwash centre. The incident occurred when the husband, after returning home from the carwash centre, went to [...]
The Conference of Parties ends with disappointing ‘optical illusion’ by developed countries
By Tharushi Weerasinghe The 29th Conference of Parties came to a disappointing end in Baku, Azerbaijan last week with a deal that many developing countries have criticised severely. Developing countries had called for developed countries to raise US$ 1.3 tn annually to combat the impacts of climate change but at the end of the fractured [...]
Book on protecting the island’s whale populations
Marine conservation organisation The Pearl Protectors has published an investigative report on the challenges facing the country’s whale populations. A copy of the report, titled Conserving gentle giants: Case study on the scope of illegal whale-swimming activities in Sri Lanka’ was recently handed over to Manjula Amararathne (Director of Protected Area Management) at the Department [...]
Critical trauma conference to share knowledge on how to prevent death and severe disability
By Kumudini Hettiarachchi As a deep depression in the Bay of Bengal battered Sri Lanka with gale-force winds and heavy showers, bringing about several deaths and injuries to numerous people, it was all aspects of trauma that came under extensive discussion at the National Trauma Conference 2024. The three-day conference from November 28-30, organised by [...]
CEB delay forces consumers to grapple with high energy costs
By Nathara Abeywickrema The Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) has come under fire for delaying the submission of its tariff revision proposals to the Public Utilities Commission of Sri Lanka (PUCSL), a critical step in determining electricity tariffs for the coming year. The delay has fueled public frustration, particularly as consumers grapple with high energy costs [...]
New Chief Justice Murdu Fernando to take oaths Monday
By Ranjith Padmasiri Supreme Court Justice Murdu Fernando will take oaths as Sri Lanka’s new Chief Justice before President Anura Dissanayake tomorrow (2). Her name was recently approved by the Constitutional Council to fill the vacancy created by the retirement of Chief Justice Jayantha Jayasuriya. Justice Fernando was appointed to the Supreme Court on March [...]
Senior ASG Viraj Dayaratne, PC appointed Solicitor General
By Ranjith Padmasiri Senior Additional Solicitor General Viraj Dayaratne, PC has been appointed as Solicitor General. He joined the Attorney General’s Department as a State Counsel in January 1993. He was appointed as a President’s Counsel in May 2018. He previously served as Chairman of the Securities and Exchange Commission of Sri Lanka from January [...]
India, Sri Lanka navies nab narcotics haul in Arabian Sea
Two fishing vessels detected with over 500 kgs of narcotics in the Arabian Sea is due to be brought to the Colombo habour by Monday, Navy Spokesman Captain Gayan Wickramasooriya said yesterday. The Indian Navy assisted the Sri Lanka Navy in intercepting and seizing vessels. The operation which unfolded over two days, was a direct [...]
No court could earn public esteem without discharging its duties impartially: Outgoing CJ
By Ranjith Padmasiri It is important to maintain protection of judges in their judicial functions from each and every facet of society including the executive and the legislature, outgoing Chief Justice Jayantha Jayasuriya stressed. Speaking during the ceremonial sitting at the Supreme Court on Thursday (29) to bid him farewell, Chief Justice Jayasuriya added that [...]
Vasu’s DLF says proud over 50,000 votes it got
The Democratic Left Front (DLF) states that it contested 14 districts, including the north and east, alone at the 2024 general election and garnered a “respectable” 50,836 votes. A statement issued by DLF Leader and former parliamentarian Vasudeva Nanayakkara noted that the party’s candidates were exclusively area leaders of the constituencies. He said the party [...]
Local council poll announcement after AL exams are over
The Election Commission will make an announcement about the Local Government elections only after the conclusion of the G.C.E, (A/L) examination, Commission Chairman R.M.A.L. Ratnayake said yesterday. He said they were not making an announcement as candidates would start their campaign immediately irrespective of the examination in progress. The examination is due to resume this [...]
NJC tells President not to devolve power to provinces; go for decentralisation
The National Joint Committee (NJC) has written to President Anura Kumara Dissanayake recommending that power “should be decentralised and not devolved from the centre to the periphery.” Writing to the President regarding the constitutional reforms the President’s National People’s Power (NPP) proposes to introduce, the NJC notes that the NPP’s manifesto says that the proposed [...]
Disaster response moblised as floods sweep through Lanka
By Kasun Warakapitiya and Sandun Jayawardena The deep depression that gathered momentum over the week in the Bay of Bengal left a trail of destruction in the northern and eastern parts of Sri Lanka, affecting more than 465,000 people and causing at least 16 deaths and 19 injuries. The inclement weather has impacted almost the [...]
Fatal joy ride in Negombo lagoon claims father and daughter
By K.L. Richard Walter Perera Two people, a father and a daughter, were killed in an accident when an overloaded canoe capsized in Munnakkarai, part of the Negombo lagoon, last Sunday. A group of seven was loaded onto a canoe that could only hold three, the police said, and were being taken on a joy [...]
Puttalam hit by worst floods since 2016
By Hiran Priyankara The Puttalam district was heavily affected by floods due to the over-flowing of tanks and the Deduru Oya, leaving 22708 persons of 6969 families in 140 grama niladhari areas affected, and causing two deaths. The Puttalam District Secretary, H.M.S.P Herath, said that Pallama, Chilaw and Arachchikattuwa divisional secretary areas have been affected, [...]
Severe flood damage to crops, livestock and property in north, east
By S Rubatheesan Severe weather conditions, including flash floods and strong winds, that prevailed in the North and Eastern provinces this week left 11 persons dead and 385,000 persons affected from over 100,000 families. The heavy downpour with strong winds that commenced earlier this week due to a low pressure situation in the Bay of [...]
Student wishes he could have saved others in Ampara flood tragedy
Student-turned-rescuer Hamas Ahamed moved fast when a farm tractor and trailer carrying 10 students was swept up in a flood in Ampara District this week. He saved two lives this past Tuesday. Another student’s body was recovered early today, the Police said. As students were sent in batches of 8-10 on a trailer pulled by [...]
Floods engulf Jaffna, Ampara, Mannar, Batticaloa, Mullaitivu
Daily life was brought to a standstill with the adverse weather conditions affecting parts of the island. Pix by Gnanasiri Hettiarachchige, Deva Athiran, Romesh Madusanka
Driver responsibility has critical role in ensuring road safety
By Nathara Abeywickrema In recent weeks, the wet weather has contributed to a troubling series of road traffic accidents, causing deaths and injuries and raising concerns about public safety. Police spokesman DIG Nihal Thalduwa reported that nearly 2,000 Sri Lankans lost their lives in road traffic accidents from January 1 to October 25 this year, [...]
Maveerar Naal events pass off peacefully
The annual Maveerar Naal, or Heroes’ Day, to commemorate the war dead, was marked peacefully across the Northern and Eastern provinces this week despite the bad weather that prevailed in the two provinces. Decorated with red and yellow flags, the cemeteries that were designated by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) as Maveerar Thuyilum [...]
Odel confident of carrying on, while auditor flags ‘significant doubts’ amid Rs 8.2b loss
By Kapila Bandara Apparel retailer Odel, which has been shutting down stores and whose financial losses have been widening, has booked a Rs 4.2 billion group loss for the 2023-2024 year and the accumulated loss has ballooned to Rs 8.2b. The 2023-2024 loss has deepened by 90% from Rs 2.21b the year before, annual filings [...]
Exam and weather: A/L students fighting two battles, teachers say
By Nathara Abeywickrema Candidates of the ongoing GCE Advanced Level (A/L) examination faced unprecedented challenges as adverse weather conditions swept across the country. Heavy rains and flooding disrupted access to examination centres, with students in affected areas struggling to reach their venues on time. The stress of navigating flooded roads, coupled with the fear of [...]
Dambulla Economic Centre sees drop in supplies due to bad weather
By Kanchana Kumara Ariyadasa Due to prevailing adverse weather conditions, the Dambulla Economic Centre is experiencing a significant reduction in the supply of vegetables, with deliveries falling by 60 percent. As a result, there has been a noticeable decrease in the number of traders arriving to purchase vegetables, the Economic Centre Traders Association says. Dambulla [...]
Flood damage of vast tracts of paddy land likely to deepen rice shortage
By Kasun Warakapitiya Sri Lanka’s rice shortage is expected to further worsen after at least 338,000 acres of paddy land were submerged in heavy downpours over the past few days. Only last week, the Agriculture Ministry had said it would be importing rice as a short-term measure. But this week’s adverse weather and flooding affected [...]
Outdated laws and societal norms fail women enduring marital rape
By Tharushi Weerasinghe In Sri Lanka, a woman loses her legal right to consent, or not, once she enters into marriage. Ms. Samanthi, 34, whose name is changed for privacy, works in a small-scale bag factory in Gothatuwa, has a teenaged daughter, and regularly suffered rape by her husband. But legally, there was nothing she [...]