News Pictures of the week
News Pictures of the weekNewsIn pictures are a series events held over the course of week. Ninety-two Members of Parliament met with President Ranil Wickremesinghe, pledging their support for him in the upcoming presidential election to ensure his victory on Tuesday evening. Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe kicks off election campaignSLPP General Secretary Sagara Kariyawasam after the politburo meeting on MondayYou can share this post!
Source:Sunday Times
August 01, 2024 17:49 UTC
Extreme heat in India: A crisis on the rise
Credit: Hakan Nural from PexelsAs global temperatures continue to rise, India is grappling with increasingly severe heat waves. Extreme heat poses unique challenges to the world's largest democracy due to its geographic, economic and infrastructural context. An expected link between outdoor occupations, heat exposure and children' test scoresA significant portion of India's workforce is employed in outdoor occupations, such as agriculture and construction. Unlike office workers who can stay indoors, these laborers face direct exposure to extreme heat. To add to that, India's large population of subsistence workers cannot afford to miss a day of work, even in extreme heat.
Source:The Nation
August 01, 2024 12:03 UTC
Saudi Arabia ranked as 3rd potential tourism market for Sri Lanka in June
Saudi Arabia ranked as 3rd potential tourism market for Sri Lanka in JuneNewsSaudi Arabia was ranked as the 3rd potential market for Sri Lankan tourism in June 2024 and the 23rd source market for tourists visiting Sri Lanka during the same period, according to the Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority (SLTDA). The Embassy of Sri Lanka in Riyadh, in collaboration with the Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau (STPB), organized the participation of eighteen Sri Lankan destination management companies (DMC), hotels, and Sri Lankan Airlines in the Travel Fair 2024 held at the Riyadh International Convention & Exhibition Center recently, the embassy said. Sri Lanka’s participation in the Riyadh Travel Fair significantly enhanced its reputation as a preferred destination for Arab tourists. Sri Lanka has set an ambitious goal of attracting five million tourists by 2026, focusing on high-end tourists, particularly from Middle Eastern countries. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia emerged as a key market for Sri Lankan tourism due to the high daily expenditure of its visitors.
Source:Sunday Times
July 31, 2024 12:50 UTC
Former SLPP members extend support to President
Former SLPP members extend support to PresidentNewsA group of 116 former Provincial Council members from the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna and the United National Party pledged their commitment to support President Ranil Wickremesinghe's victory in the upcoming presidential election, the Presidential Media Division said. The group met with President Wickremesinghe today. The meeting came a day after 92 Parliamentarians including cabinet ministers met with the President and pledged their support to him at the upcoming Presidential election. You can share this post!
Source:Sunday Times
July 31, 2024 11:49 UTC
SJB urges EC to ensure all candidates have level playing field
SJB urges EC to ensure all candidates have level playing fieldNewsThe Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) has urged the Election Commission (EC) over what it claims is the unequal enforcement of election laws following the Commission's directive to stop the "Husma" and "Sakwala" community welfare programmes conducted by Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa. In a letter to EC Chairman R.M.A.L Rathnayake, SJB General Secretary Ranjith Madduma Bandara has alleged that while the EC has ordered a halt to the two programmes conducted by Mr Premadasa that have no connection with his election campaign, it has not taken steps to halt any programmes run by the government that both misuse public funds and serve as election propaganda. The SJB General Secretary has expressed astonishment that the same EC that ordered the SJB to halt its programmes did not notice that President Ranil Wickremesinghe, who has already made his cash deposit to contest the upcoming presidential election, had attended the "Jayagamu Sri Lanka" programme held on Sunday organised by the Ministry of Labour and Foreign Employment, and had used it as a campaign event. The SJB General Secretary has emphasised the importance of ensuring a level playing field for all candidates and has urged the EC to take steps to halt all campaign events being conducted misusing public funds. You can share this post!
Source:Sunday Times
July 30, 2024 08:56 UTC
SLPP to face Presidential polls with its own candidate
SLPP to face Presidential polls with its own candidateNewsThe Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) has decided to field their candidate at the upcoming Presidential election under the party’s symbol of pohottuwa (lotus), the party’s General Secretary MP Sagara Kariyawasam said. The decision was taken following the political committee meeting held this evening. The party is expected to declare its candidate before August 15. You can share this post!
Source:Sunday Times
July 30, 2024 08:39 UTC
President’s Secretary rejects EC request to halt state-run development and welfare programmes
President’s Secretary rejects EC request to halt state-run development and welfare programmesNewsThe President’s Secretary has turned down a request by the Election Commission (EC) to issue written instructions to government officials to halt state-sponsored development and welfare programmes that the Commission claims is violating election law. Rathnayake had earlier written to President’s Secretary Saman Ekanayake stating that the Commission had received complaints from many parties that state-sponsored development and welfare programmes were being used to promote political parties / candidates. It had also noted that activists from various political parties have directly met with the EC to protest over such activities. In his response, President’s Secretary Saman Ekanayake has pointed out that the government’s development and welfare activities are part of the programme it has entered into with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to revive the country’s economy. Mr Ekanayake has informed the EC Chairman that given this situation, he is not in a position to interpret the government’s development and welfare programmes as “illegal activities” as per the Chairman's letter and that he is unable to issue written orders and instructions to government officials to halt such programmes.
Source:Sunday Times
July 29, 2024 11:46 UTC
Wage hike the start to transforming plantations, says President
Wage hike the start to transforming plantations, says President By Sunimalee Dias View(s): View(s):In transforming the plantations sector to a more thriving agro business space, President Ranil Wickremesinghe insisted that worker wages also need to increase. The President was speaking at the opening ceremony of the Colombo International Tea Convention held at the Cinnamon Grand in Colombo on Thursday organised by the Colombo Tea Traders Association together with the Sri Lanka Tea Board. He called the plantation companies to start reforming the sector from the inside by taking into consideration the need for remunerations. Access to the Russian market can be worked on once sanctions have been lifted but for this he insisted Sri Lanka needs to await the result of the US Presidential election. The President said that with Sri Lanka establishing the climate change legislation it will enable the country to hit net zero even before the target date.
Source:Sunday Times
July 28, 2024 04:51 UTC
Feature: Mark of a Leader: Reflecting the Heart Cry of People
Feature: Mark of a Leader: Reflecting the Heart Cry of PeopleBusinessBy Timothy A. EdwardIn a recent conversation with a group of friends, the subject of leadership came up. Calling Younger Leaders to the FrontChipping in, another friend started to share his recent visit to Mongolia. Mongolia has become a fast developing country thanks to its younger leadership. The best practice emerging from the Mongolian success story is that we should appoint younger leaders who are suitable for the changing times. The Cry of the PeopleThe heart-beat of a leader should reflect the heart-cry of the people.
Source:The Nation
July 28, 2024 03:51 UTC
Deposit for candidates remains unchanged despite concerns over costs
Deposit for candidates remains unchanged despite concerns over costs View(s):By Kasun WarakapitiyaDespite repeated appeals by the Election Commission to the government to increase the cash deposit for the presidential elections to reduce the number of candidates, it remains unchanged. In April, the Cabinet approved a proposal by the Justice Minister to increase the deposit of a candidate representing a recognised political party to Rs. At present, a candidate from a registered political party will have to deposit Rs 50,000 and an independent candidate Rs 75,000. At the 2019 presidential elections, the three top candidates accounted for 97.40% of the vote, and 33 other candidates shared 1.59% votes among them. The candidate who came last managed only to get 976 votes, or 1.01%, while 21 candidates received less than 10,000 votes each.
Source:Sunday Times
July 28, 2024 03:16 UTC
EU ban on LTTE extended
EU ban on LTTE extended View(s):The European Union has decided the ban on the LTTE will continue for a further six months. The Foreign Ministry in Colombo said that the Council of the European Union (EU) on Friday renewed the list of persons, groups and entities set out by the Common Position with a view to combating terrorism, and the LTTE continues to be banned in the EU for a further six months. ‘The proscribed persons, groups and entities are subject to the freezing of its funds and other financial assets or economic resources in EU member states, as well as it is prohibited for EU entities to make funds and economic resources available to the proscribed organisations,’ the Ministry added. Share This Post FacebookTwitterEmail × Send Email to FriendSend Please enter valid email WhatsappDeliciousDiggGoogleStumbleuponRedditTechnoratiYahooBloggerMyspaceRSS
Source:Sunday Times
July 28, 2024 03:16 UTC
E-passport next year despite key infrastructure costs and revenue loss
E-passport next year despite key infrastructure costs and revenue loss By Bandula Sirimanna View(s): View(s):The Department of Immigration and Emigration (DIE) of Sri Lanka has mandated prior online registration for passport applications, effective until the e-passport system’s introduction next year. Harsha Ilukpitiya, the Controller General, stated this move aims to reduce congestion at the DIE head office by requiring online appointment scheduling. Sri Lankans applying for new passports must now pre-register online, and this system has been extended to applicants outside Colombo, he added. To manage this, DIE has limited passport issuance until the new supplier can provide the required stocks. The new supplier must provide a high-volume passport printing machine system, costing around Rs.1.5 billion.
Source:Sunday Times
July 28, 2024 01:33 UTC
West Nile virus infected mosquitoes detected in Bingham County
BLACKFOOT — The Bingham County Abatement District’s mosquito control program, operated by Vector Disease Control International (VDCI), has detected the first West Nile virus (WNV) positive mosquito pool of 2024 in Bingham County. The Bingham County Abatement Board recommends that all Bingham County residents take the following precautions:Use insect repellent containing DEET, Picaridin, or Oil of Lemon eucalyptus while always following the label directions for use. West Nile virus can be transmitted to humans, horses and other animals by infected mosquitoes after the mosquitoes have bitten infected birds, which are the primary hosts of the virus. There is no specific treatment for West Nile virus infection; avoiding mosquito bites and a comprehensive integrated mosquito management program is the best prevention. For more information about West Nile virus, visit the following websites:West Nile Virus Informationhttp://www.westnile.idaho.govhttp://www.vdci.net|Southeast District Health Web Pagehttp://www.sdhdidaho.org
Source:The Nation
July 27, 2024 23:05 UTC
ITAK to await manifestos of main parties
ITAK to await manifestos of main partiesNewsMP M.A. Sumanthiran told journalists that they have decided not to field a candidate on their own. He said the party will be holding discussions with the main candidates and will be awaiting the manifestos. You can share this post!
Source:Sunday Times
July 27, 2024 13:54 UTC
EPA issues air quality advisory for Fort Hall Reservation
FORT HALL — The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Region 10, in coordination with the Shoshone Bannock Tribes of the Fort Hall Reservation, has issued an air quality advisory on the Fort Hall Reservation due to the elevated pollution levels caused by regional fires. Large fires in Oregon and California will be contributing smoke to Fort Hall. To keep levels of smoke as low as possible indoors, create a clean room. As pollution levels increase, the EPA recommends that residents restrict activity and use N95 masks. For burning restrictions in areas outside reservation boundaries, please contact your local clean air agency or fire department.
Source:The Nation
July 27, 2024 12:16 UTC