Mahanayake of Asgiriya Chapter Ven. Warakagoda Gnanarathana Thera said the threat of internal forces to the Buddha Sasana were more serious than those posed by external forces. Addressing a religious ceremony yesterday at the Polgolla Sarawana Temple, the Ven. Thera pointed out that till recently anti- Buddhist organisations had been attempting to destroy Buddhism through their own forces, but their modus operandi is to use Buddhist themselves a
A woman and her seven year old daughter were seriously injured when a car collided with a double cab and a scooter and crashed into a wall at Ilukhena on the Kaleliya – Medagampitiya road in the Pallewela police area. The injured admitted to the Watupitiwala base hospital were a 35 year old woman and her daughter who were on a scooter. Investigations revealed that the driver had lost control of the car due to excessive speed. He was taken i
In the wake of AI (Artificial Intelligence) powered election malpractices mushrooming globally , Sri Lanka’s Election Commission is bracing for such possibilities in the future elections here, an official said yesterday . According to global experience , AI can accelerate the production and diffusion of disinformation in contributing to organised attempts to persuade people to vote in a certain way.
Senior Presidential Advisor on Climate Change Ruwan Wijewardene participated in a beach cleaning campaign at Crow Island in Colombo 15 yesterday. The programme was organized by Sustainability Climate Action Plan, Marine Environment Protection Authority, National Youth Services Council and few other civil organisations.
The Singapore cargo ship Dali chartered by Maersk, which crashed into the Baltimore, US bridge on Tuesday 26 March, was carrying 764 tons of hazardous materials to Sri Lanka, US media reported. The waste included mostly corrosives, flammables, miscellaneous hazardous materials, and Class-9 hazardous materials, including explosives & lithium-ion batteries – in 56 containers. So says the US National Transportation Safety Board, still ‘analyzing t
The spectre of a widespread health worker strike looms over Sri Lanka’s medical landscape, as the Health Trade Union Alliance, representing 72 unions, has issued an ultimatum slated to commence on Tuesday, April 2, at 6:30 a.m. The year 2024 has thus far witnessed a series of health strike actions, with the latest marking the fourth occurrence in the past three months. Among the unresolved grievances plaguing the health workers, the main con
An individual who came first in a drinking competition in Lethenty estate in Hatton had died within hours of the competition. The victim Ganeshan Ramachandran (39) was a worker in the estate. A group of young men had organised the drinking competition after the Ther festival at the Hindu Kovil in the estate. Several young men including Ganesan had joined the competition and they had been provided 750ml.bottles of arrack each. The competito
The Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC) has decided to revise its fuel prices with effect from today. Accordingly, a litre of Lanka Petrol 95 Octane Euro 4 (Rs. 447) has been reduced by Rs. 7, and its new retail price will be Rs. 440. A litre of Lanka Super Diesel 4 Star Euro 4 (Rs. 458) has been reduced by Rs. 72, and its new retail price will be Rs. 386. A litre of Lanka Kerosene (Rs. 257) has been reduced by Rs. 12, and its new retail price wil
A marketing executive from an electrical appliances showroom in Piliyandala belonging to a leading company in the country was arrested by the Dehiwala police on suspicion of pilfering electrical appliances valued more than Rs. 6.7 million. The 25-year-old suspect was a resident of Bellanwila. Investigations revealed that he had placed forged orders from different institutions and issued consignments of goods and transported them by company vehi
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday lashed out at the Congress party over a controversial island, Katchatheevu that was given to Sri Lanka by former Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi in 1974. The Katchatheevu island debate has taken centre stage in Tamil Nadu politics as the Lok Sabha election nears. PM Modi on Sunday cited a report in Times of India that said, ‘RTI reply shows how Indira Gandhi ceded the island to Sri Lanka’. The PM on the
Presence of Minister Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe at the SLFP central committee meeting over the weekend surprised many. Responding to journalists as to whether he intends joining SLFP, the Minister said he will make a political decision later. “ I have been a member of SLFP from the time late Prime Minister Sirimavo Bandaranaike led the party. Therefore my presence at SLFP Central Commitee meeting is nothing new,” he said. Asked whether he will re
An Indian tourist who fell into a more than 100 metre deep precipice at Ehela Kanuwa on the Ratnapura Sri Pada route in the early hours of yesterday morning was rescued by a team of officers from Maskeliya STF camp. Police said the tourist Bharath Chandradas (25) from Mumbai Maharashtra had been heading for Sri Padastana along the Ratnapura route with several others when he fell off the protective fence into the precipice at about 5 am yesterd
India remains unresponsive to the request by Sri Lanka to allow an innocent passage through the Indian Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) for its fishermen to enter the Arabian Sea, a top source said. Sri Lanka made
On former Provincial Councillor Nauzer Fowzie’s initiative, Dubai-based Saeeda Foundation laid the foundation for a four-storied building with 16 classrooms at a cost of Rs.100 million at Khairiya Girls College, Dematagoda last week. The donation of Rs.100 million was presented by Nauzer Fowzie to the school’s Principal Nazeera Hassanar. Member of Parliament A. H. M. Fowzie was the chief guest of the event whilst All Ceylon Jamiyathul Ulama Presi
The Commissioner General of Land, Bandula Jayasinghe yesterday challenged an indictment filed by the Bribery Commission against him on the premise that no Director General has been appointed thus far by the President. When the writ application was taken up for support in the Supreme Court, Counsel Hafeel Farisz appearing for the Commissioner General told court that there was no Director General currently enforced by the Bribery Commission under
More than 83,000 suspects have been arrested and drugs worth Rs. 9 billion have been seized since the launch of the ‘Yukthiya’ operation in December last year. Police spokesman DIG Nihal Thalduwa said that while not all arrested suspects were remanded, 2,932 individuals arrested during the operation are undergoing further investigation under detention orders. Police initiated the ‘Yukthiya’ operation on December 17 last year to combat drug-r
The prolonged breakdown of one of the linear accelerators at the Apeksha Hospital, Maharagama, which predominantly treats the pediatric patients has placed hundreds of lives at risk. Sources familiar with the matter revealed that the linear accelerator, crucial for administering radiotherapy — a vital cancer treatment, has been non-operational since February. Despite the severity of the situation, the Health Ministry has turned a blind eye by
The Governor of the Central Bank of Sri Lanka (CBSL), Dr. Nandalal Weerasinghe today said that he will not step down from the post of Governor due to the issues caused by the salary increase. While addressing the media, he said the crisis situation was caused by the amount of the salary increase at the CBSL. He also said that he will reconsider the salary increase for the employees working under him.
Government vehicles which are running at a cost of Rs. 300 per kilometre can be run at a cost of 100, incurring some Rs. 20 billion to the government, a research paper submitted to the Sectoral Oversight Committee on Energy and Transport has revealed. This was revealed according to the data of a research paper prepared by the Department of Manpower and Employment on “Public Resource Management” which was presented at the Sectoral Oversight Comm
Early on Tuesday morning a container ship crashed into the landmark Francis Scott Key Bridge near the US city of Baltimore, causing most of it to collapse. Several vehicles on the bridge at the time plunged into the waters of the Patapsco River, and rescuers are searching for between seven and 20 people believed to be in the river. Maryland Governor Wes Moore has declared a state of emergency. Several people were seen to be on the bridge a
Canada issues travel advisory over serious risk in Arugam Bay
More countries issue travel advisories
Sri Lanka Tourism invites global travellers for upcoming season
Russian embassy urges citizens to stay vigilant in Arugam Bay
US Embassy issues travel warning for Arugam Bay
Tourism industry on edge as travel advisories mount
Israelis top tourist arrivals in Arugam Bay, but reduced now