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Home » NewsWarm welcome from Chinese tourists
President Anura Kumara Dissanayake arrived in Sri Lanka on Friday after completing a state visit to China, where he held talks with President Xi Jinping, Prime Minister Li Qiang, other top officials, and business leaders. As he walked through the arrival lounge at Bandaranaike International Airport, Chinese tourists there accorded him a warm welcome with [...]
Police Com. to question IGP’s mass transfer move
Acting Inspector General Priyantha Weerasooriya has requested the mass transfer of 17 officers-in-charge (OICs) of police stations in the Western Province, but the National Police Commission (NPC) will ask him to provide further details outlining reasons for his request for the mass transfers, the Sunday Times learns. The transfer list includes OICs of several key [...]
Lanka bolsters one-China policy, incorporating Tibet and Xinjiang
Sri Lanka has agreed to support China on issues related to Xizang (Tibet) and Xinjiang and link both of these issues to the One-China policy. Xizang, or Tibet, was the one-time home of the Buddhist spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, when it was annexed by China in 1951. The Dalai Lama, who was then the [...]
CA President to retire; Govt. shelves plan to impeach him
The government has shelved its plan to impeach Court of Appeal (CA) President Nissanka Bandula Karunaratne after he submitted his retirement papers to President Anura Kumara Dissanayake this week. Justice Karunaratne is to withdraw from his duties in the CA with effect from February 1 and has already conveyed this decision to the president, the [...]
Electricity tariff reduction comes into force; Govt. goes with PUCSL decision
Energy Minister Kumara Jayakody yesterday said the government would go with the Public Utilities Commission’s (PUCSL) recommendations to implement an average 20 percent reduction of electricity tariffs. Accordingly, the reduction of tariffs has come into effect from Friday midnight. Hours after the PUCSL announced the reduction of the tariff rates, the Energy Ministry issued a [...]
Colombo’s West Container Terminal enjoys 25-year tax holiday
Colombo’s West Container Terminal being built by India’s Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone Ltd and local partner John Keells Holdings benefit from a 25-year corporate income tax holiday given by the Board of Investment along with numerous other exemptions. The project will also cause a substantial tax revenue loss to Sri Lanka and will [...]
Book launch marks Choksy remembrance event
A commemoration event was held on Friday at Lotus Tower in Colombo to honour the legacy of former minister and prominent lawyer K.N. Choksy. Celebrating the late minister’s life, a biography titled “Enduring Legacy,” authored by Uditha Devapriya, was launched at the event attended by religious leaders, members of the Choksy family and the [...]
No takers for AG’s Dept jobs; hundreds of vacancies remain unfilled
Nearly half of the positions at the Attorney General’s Department are vacant, with the severe shortage in staff making even the performing of day-to-day activities a challenge, according to a report tabled in Parliament. According to the AG’s Department’s 2023 Performance Report, as of December 31, 2023, the Department had an approved cadre list of [...]
Sri Lanka-China currency swap extended in December for 3 years
The Central Bank of Sri Lanka and the People’s Bank of China, in December 2024, renewed the Bilateral Currency Swap Agreement signed in 2021, for a period of another three years, under the terms and conditions stipulated in the original agreement. The CNY 10 billion (approximately US$1.4 billion) currency swap facility reflects the financial cooperation [...]
Court of Appeal gets new look
As part of the first phase of the Adikarana Piyasa project, the refurbished Court of Appeal building was declared open yesterday by Prime Minister Harini Amarasuriya and Chinese Ambassador Qi Zhenhong. Also attending the opening ceremony was Justice Minister Harshana Nanayakkara. Pic by Akila Jayawardena
Tender to be floated soon for 500,000 passports
A tender for 500,000 machine-readable passports (MRPs) is to be floated in the coming days, authoritative sources said, adding that a committee is now drafting the relevant documents. Meanwhile, the number of passports released daily has been raised to between 2,500 and 2,700 from the previous per-day cap of between 1,500 and 1,800. They include [...]
CEB questions PUCSL involvement in stakeholder consultations on tariff revision
The Ceylon Electricity Board has requested the Energy Ministry to seek the Attorney General’s opinion on what it claimed were the Public Utilities Commission’s (PUCSL) “significant statutory, regulatory, and procedural violations” related to provincial stakeholder consultations on the electricity tariff revision. The CEB says the commission was not fully constituted when it, on December 11, [...]
LG polls can be held before Avurudu if Bill is passed, says EC
The Election Commission (EC) will be able to hold the local government elections before the April 14 National New Year provided Parliament passes the Local Authorities Elections (Special Provisions) Bill, EC Chairman R.M.A.L. Rathnayake told the Sunday Times. The bill, which was tabled in Parliament earlier this month, paves the way to call for fresh [...]
A three-way battle for BASL presidency on February 19
A three-way battle will be waged for the presidency of the Bar Association of Sri Lanka’s (BASL) for the 2025-26 term. Current BASL President Anura Meddegoda, PC, along with former BASL Secretaries Rajeev Amarasuriya and Sunil Abeyaratne handed in nominations this week to contest for the presidency of the BASL. Solicitor General Viraj Dayaratne, PC [...]
Milestone deal and BRI ties mark President’s China visit success
By Chandani Kirinde President Anura Kumara Dissanayake wound up his four-day state visit to China and returned on Friday night having secured several agreements, including a US$ 3.7 billion deal with China’s state oil giant Sinopec to build a refinery in Hambantota. Hailing the Sinopec agreement as a “significant milestone,” the President’s Media Division (PMD) [...]
Sri Lanka, China “ushering in a new chapter” in ties, says President
By Xinhua writers Ma Zheng, Liu Chen BEIJING, Jan. 17 (Xinhua) — “Sri Lanka and China are ushering in a new chapter in bilateral relations,” Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake has said. At the invitation of Chinese President Xi Jinping, Dissanayake is on a state visit to China from Tuesday to Friday, his first [...]
Minister assures no foreign access to data in digital ID initiative
By Sandun Jayawardana The government insists that safeguards are in place to ensure that no foreign entity will have access to the personal data of Sri Lankan citizens through the upcoming digital ID project. Moreover, after coming to power, the National People’s Power (NPP) government has amended certain clauses in the proposed agreement with the [...]
Domestic violence: Victim fear still reigns but there’s hope
Police action that sometimes went beyond the call of duty sees positive results, says DIG Children and Women Abuse Investigation Range Renuka Jayasundara By Dilushi Wijeinghe Despite suffering years of domestic violence (DV) at the hands of her husband, a businessman, Kumari (name changed) hid behind a facade of normalcy that was only broken when [...]
Sri Lanka’s scenic train rides tainted by online scammers
By Kasun Warakapitiya Sri Lanka’s reputation in the tourism sector, as well as the government’s initiative to enhance the image of the country, have had a jolt due to a scam surrounding online booking of railway tickets. In recent months complaints have emerged about tickets being snapped up within seconds of bookings opening up online, [...]
Vehicle owners in a spin over Clean Sri Lanka regulations
Questions over registered modifications, unauthorised modifications and lack of information Govt. says the project aims at major overhaul of transport system By Tharushi Weerasinghe Vehicle owners are claiming that the implementation of regulations for vehicles under the Clean Sri Lanka project are confusing and arbitrary following the introduction of a registration process for some modifications. [...]
Multiple factors combine to clog cargo in Colombo’s port
By Kasun Warakapitiya Congestion within Colombo port remains despite President Anura Kumara Dissanayake issuing a directive last week to eliminate delays to cargo container clearance within four days. The delays led to several issues including cargo ships skipping Colombo port due to congestion, importers being forced to pay demurrage charges, extra custom fees due [...]
Museum to remain closed until report over missing items
By L B Senaraatne The Senarath Paranavithana Research and Teaching Museum will remain closed until a final report from the Criminal Investigation Department is forwarded to the judiciary over the disappearance of some items. University of Peradeniya vice chancellor professor Terrance Madhujith said he seeks the cooperation of the staff and the public until this [...]
Unnecessary panic over Gal Oya river overflowing; proactive measures were taken, say officials
Say illegal sand mining, bad irrigation and unauthorised agricultural practices that cause flooding will be looked into Residents fear lack of maintenance work could cause sudden floods By Tharushi Weerasinghe Residents of Senanayakapura and Samapura in Ampara suddenly evacuated on Tuesday (14). Fears of a flash flood caused by the Gal Oya river overflowing forced officials [...]
Rare daytime hunter shows importance of urban biodiversity
By Malaka Rodrigo A rare migrant bird has been sighted in Sri Lanka just as the island was ready to welcome the new year. Bird observer Moditha Kodikara Arachchi had seen the bird at dusk in Attidiya, Dehiwala, where he lives. Mr. Kodikara Arachchi saw a large owl’s silhouette across the sky. The bird circled [...]
Faulty breathalyzers, hyperglycemia could give inaccurate results on blood alcohol: Medical officials
By Ishu Bandara Medical officials warn that breathalyzer tests, commonly used by Police to measure blood alcohol concentration (BAC), can obtain inaccurate results for individuals with high blood sugar (hyperglycemia), potentially leading to false positives. This could result in suspicion of intoxication, even if the individual has not consumed alcohol. Consequently, a false positive on [...]
CSSL puts forth solutions to stem brain drain and provide state-of-the-art surgical care
Dr. Duminda Ariyaratne suggests a cluster system, allowances for peripheral surgeons and also hopes of introducing robotic surgery By Kumudini Hettiarachchi Scalpels downed, they gathered in the auditorium of the charming Noel & Nora Bartholomeusz Foundation in Colombo 7 to induct the President of the College of Surgeons of Sri Lanka (CSSL), the apex body of [...]
Dialysis care deficiency prompts calls for costs and equipment review
By Nathara Abeywickrema The Dialysis Unit at the National Institute for Nephrology, Dialysis & Transplantation (NINDT) in Colombo has announced that it will limit the number of dialysis sessions provided per person to 60 due to a shortage of machines that are functioning. As a result, patients needing additional treatment will have to seek costly [...]
Pledge to create sustainable healthcare for every Lankan
With a strong commitment to change for the better, the 131st President of the Sri Lanka Medical Association (SLMA), Dr. Surantha Perera pledged to foster a just, equitable and resilient healthcare system, while calling on all stakeholders to join hands in creating a sustainable health sector that serves every Sri Lankan. “Let us act now [...]
Shooting incidents continue unabated
Shooting incidents have continued unabated in the past two weeks claiming at least five lives, causing damages to houses and creating a fear psychosis. In the latest shooting incident, believed to be a result of an underworld gang rivalry, shots were fired at a spare parts shop in Kalubowila. The gunman had got off the [...]
Traders await next harvest to bridge seasonal rice deficit
By Kasun Warakapitiya and S Rubatheesan Nadu and kekulu rice will remain scarce until the next harvest reaches the maket. Due to the scarcity of local rice varieties, wholesalers and retailers are selling imports and some are selling kekulu rice and nadu exceeding the maximum retail price. Some wholesale traders at the Pettah market said the [...]