Ministry warns against collections for Grade 1 digital equipment
Ministry warns against collections for Grade 1 digital equipment View(s):The Education Ministry has warned schools against collecting donations from parents on the pretext of buying digital equipment for Grade 1 new school module. Deputy Minister Madhura Senevirathna said the government has provided whatever equipment is needed, and hence there is no need for parents to give money to buy such equipment. He said there is little digital equipment needed in Grade 1 under the new module. If schools want to obtain donations through the school development societies for other school activities, they can do so, he said. (DW)Share This Post FacebookTwitterEmail × Send Email to FriendSend Please enter valid email WhatsappDeliciousDiggGoogleStumbleuponRedditTechnoratiYahooBloggerMyspaceRSS
Source:Sunday Times
February 08, 2026 05:52 UTC
APIIT International Research Conference 2025 Advances Interdisciplinary Research for a Resilient Future
APIIT International Research Conference 2025 Advances Interdisciplinary Research for a Resilient Future View(s):The Asia Pacific Institute of Information Technology (APIIT) Sri Lanka, in collaboration with University of Staffordshire, United Kingdom, successfully hosted the APIIT International Research Conference (AIRC) on 14 January 2026 at the Commercial Credit Academy, Bolgoda. The session was moderated by Mr. Gamindu Hemachandra, Chief Academic Officer of APIIT Sri Lanka. The inauguration concluded with a panel discussion that explored the evolving landscape of research and development inSri Lanka. Complementing these reflections, Mr. Bandula Egodage, Chairman of APIIT Sri Lanka, highlighted the institution’s 25-year legacy of producing highly employable graduates and its strong reputation as a teaching-focused university. AIRC 2025 reaffirmed APIIT’s commitment to research excellence, interdisciplinary engagement, and the cultivation of a vibrant research culture responsive to national and global challenges.
Source:Sunday Times
February 08, 2026 05:52 UTC
Dalai Lama’s ‘gratitude’ at first Grammy win
Dalai Lama’s ‘gratitude’ at first Grammy win View(s):Buddhist spiritual leader the Dalai Lama said Monday he was grateful for his first Grammy, after bagging the top music industry award for audio book, narration and storytelling. He was announced as the winner at the Grammys ceremony in Los Angeles for his book ‘Meditations: The Reflections of His Holiness the Dalai Lama’. In his maroon robes, simple sandals and wide-rimmed spectacles, the Dalai Lama is an unlikely global celebrity. ‘Meditation: Reflections Of His Holiness The Dalai Lama’ features artists such as Rufus Wainwright, who accepted the award on behalf of the spiritual leader, and Maggie Rogers. Beijing, which condemns the Dalai Lama as a rebel and separatist, opposed his Grammy win, calling his work ‘anti-China political manipulation’.
Source:Sunday Times
February 08, 2026 05:52 UTC
Gen Z –struggle with self-imposed barriers
Gen Z –struggle with self-imposed barriers View(s):Gen Z is defined term for the population born approximately between 1997 and 2012, following Millennials and preceding Generation Alpha. Barrier (1) – Perfectionism disguised as “high standards”Many of Gen Z people will not commence something unless they feel that they can do it perfectly. Gen Z tend to treat themselves as ‘content to the media’, but not as ‘personality to the society’. Research indicates that 65% of Gen Z view themselves as content creators, using social media for self-expression, curation, and building personal brands. Gen Z, by contrast, is exposed to peers of the same age or younger—ordinary individuals who appear to be achieving extraordinary success—through continuous, algorithm-driven updates.
Source:Sunday Times
February 08, 2026 05:51 UTC
WADA shrugs off USA withholding dues of $3.6mn
WADA shrugs off USA withholding dues of $3.6mn athletics View(s): View(s):Washington, United States, AFP: The United States has withheld $3.6 million in annual dues for a second consecutive year to the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), which says it remains financially strong despite the move. In a statement to AFP on Friday, WADA said it remains financially strong despite the US withholding of dues and noted WADA financial statements are independently audited each year. “Clearly, it is not ideal when a government voluntarily withholds its dues,” WADA said. If every government attached conditions to its WADA dues, it would lead to chaos,” WADA said in its statement. “ONDCP will continue to demand that WADA submit to an independent compliance audit to advance sports integrity and fairness of competition.
Source:Sunday Times
February 08, 2026 05:51 UTC
Universities (Amendment) Bill certified
Universities (Amendment) Bill certified View(s):Speaker Jagath Wickramaratne has certified the Universities (Amendment) Bill which was passed by parliament in January. The bill seeks to amend the Universities Act, No. The relevant gazette notification was published on 21.11.2025, and the bill was presented to parliament for its first reading on 03.12.2025, by the prime minister and minister of education. In addition, the act amends and clearly defines the procedure to be followed by the council when appointing a head of a department of study. (CK)Share This Post FacebookTwitterEmail × Send Email to FriendSend Please enter valid email WhatsappDeliciousDiggGoogleStumbleuponRedditTechnoratiYahooBloggerMyspaceRSS
Source:Sunday Times
February 08, 2026 05:51 UTC
SLAEA reappoints Rajitha Jayasuriya as Chair for 2026
SLAEA reappoints Rajitha Jayasuriya as Chair for 2026 View(s):The Sri Lanka Apparel Exporters Association held its Annual General Meeting recently in Colombo and reappointed Ms. Rajitha Jayasuriya as Chairperson for a second term. The newly appointed Executive Committee comprises Jeevith Senaratne as Deputy Chairperson, Hasib Omar as Treasurer, and Indika Liyanahewage as Immediate Past Chairperson, the association said in a media release. In her address, Ms. Jayasuriya pointed to the sector’s resilience in 2025, noting that apparel exports grew by 5.42 per cent to reach US$ 5.019 billion, with exports to the European Union rising 12.48 per cent and non-traditional markets recording a 4.8 per cent increase. Share This Post FacebookTwitterEmail × Send Email to FriendSend Please enter valid email WhatsappDeliciousDiggGoogleStumbleuponRedditTechnoratiYahooBloggerMyspaceRSS
Source:Sunday Times
February 08, 2026 05:00 UTC
Edible oil tax reform triggers industry and consumer concern
Edible oil tax reform triggers industry and consumer concern By Bandula Sirimanna View(s): View(s):Sri Lanka’s latest overhaul of taxes on imported edible oils has drawn sharp opposition from coconut oil producers and consumers, who say the move could create an unstable market and undermine several important reforms implemented over the last few years. The SCL, which has been in effect for nearly five years, levied a fixed tax on imported coconut oil, palm oil, and sunflower oil regardless of the declared value of imports. At the moment, import of raw coconut oil is subject to a flat rate of Rs.150,000 per tonne, while raw palm oil is charged Rs. Similarly, the total tax liability of importing palm oil, including VAT, will be around Rs. This is a major shift from the current system, where the tax liability of importing coconut oil will almost triple, while the tax liability of importing palm oil will be reduced substantially several edible oil producers and importers said.
Source:Sunday Times
February 08, 2026 05:00 UTC
New supplier to begin issuing licence plates
New supplier to begin issuing licence plates By Dilushi Wijesinghe View(s): View(s):With nearly 400,000 official vehicle licence plates well overdue, the Department of Motor Traffic (DMT) is preparing to resume issuance following Cabinet approval to award the task to a private firm, Commissioner General of Motor Traffic, Kamal Amarasinghe said. “The company has already begun its initial work process,” he told the Sunday Times, adding that the DMT has instructed the firm to start issuing licence plates soon. “We expect the issuance of number plates to begin within the next three months,” he said. Wootler clarified that motorists using printed paper licence plates in place of official government-issued plates will not be treated as violating the law, given the prevailing shortage. Responding to concerns about variations in temporary plates, he said that printed paper plates are expected to follow a standard format, typically with a white background.
Source:Sunday Times
February 08, 2026 04:28 UTC
Do not miss the AI bus: Lanka and the fourth industrial revolution
Do not miss the AI bus: Lanka and the fourth industrial revolution View(s):By Yasantha Rajakarunanayake and Chula GoonasekeraOn a Sunday afternoon, a packed Zoom global audience (https://youtu.be/ISfnDoTJ5YI) listened as Dr Yasantha Rajakarunanayake posed a deceptively simple question: What if Sri Lanka didn’t arrive late this time? AI, he argued, offers Sri Lanka a rare chance to leapfrog—not inch—into global relevance. And for the first time, Sri Lanka may have the conditions needed to join it early. From architecture and agriculture to tourism and healthcare, AI tools dramatically increase speed, accuracy, and scale. For Sri Lanka, the question is no longer whether AI will change the world, but whether the country will be on board when it does.
Source:Sunday Times
February 08, 2026 02:14 UTC
The tough get going
The tough get going View(s):My dear Namal baby,It has been a while since I wrote to you last, but I thought I must do so again after seeing you being summoned to the CID last week, along with your mother who was asked to report to the FCID. They have happened before during the ‘yahapalanaya’ era, when you casually dropped in to their offices wearing a pair of shorts. Is there a better example of going from the sublime to the ridiculous? Yours truly,Punchi PuthaPS – They used to say that ‘when the going gets tough, the tough get going’. In your family though, it seems that when the going gets tough, they have already gone.
Source:Sunday Times
February 08, 2026 01:27 UTC
Devnimori relics draw thousands in their first visit beyond India
Devnimori relics draw thousands in their first visit beyond India View(s):By Ishu BandaraMarking their first ever international exposition, the Sacred Devnimori Relics of the Buddha arrived in Sri Lanka from India on February 4, Sri Lanka’s Independence Day, and were placed at the Gangaramaya Temple in Colombo for public veneration. According to the special traffic arrangements, vehicles must be parked only in designated areas, and motorists are requested to obey traffic regulations. The public veneration of the Sacred Relics is being held with the support of the Government of India, following discussions between President Dissanayake and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the Prime Minister’s recent visit to Sri Lanka. The Sacred Devnimori Relics were discovered during excavations in the 1960s at the Devnimori site in Gujarat, India. These relics have never previously been taken outside India, making this a rare and historic opportunity for Sri Lankan devotees.
Source:Sunday Times
February 07, 2026 22:37 UTC
Speaker’s hoodoo pursues NPP Government: Wickramaratne faces fresh allegations
Mr Kularatne remains suspended with effect from January 23 after a preliminary inquiry. Mr Kularatne, however, had stated during the inquiry that he was being targeted by Speaker Wickramaratne owing to a personal disagreement he had with him. The decision to suspend Mr Kularatne was taken by the Parliament Staff Advisory Committee (SAC) chaired by Speaker Wickramaratne. He called for an independent inquiry to be held concerning Mr Kularatne and for an opportunity to be given to him to answer the charges against him. Mr Kularatne also claims that when civil society activists requested information under the RTI Act, he had recommended, as the Information Officer, that such information should be disclosed.
Source:Sunday Times
February 07, 2026 22:37 UTC
Some stretched to the limit despite cyclone damage payouts
It is a challenge to handle the high volume of work.’’He said Rs 25,000 was given to 29,000 families for cleaning. About 24,000 families have been given Rs 50,000. She said she got Rs 25,000 to clean the house and Rs 50,000 to buy utensils but did not receive the compensation promised to schoolchildren. He received Rs 25,000 to clean his house but nothing for the shop. Officials have provided Rs 25,000 for cleaning up but have not given anything to recover the business.
Source:Sunday Times
February 07, 2026 22:37 UTC
Climate-resilient housing: From rebuilding to belonging
Climate-resilient housing: From rebuilding to belonging View(s):By Sheri Pitigala, Dipak Dasgupta and Nihal PitigalaSri Lanka’s climate crisis is no longer a distant or abstract concern; it is a present economic and social reality. A better path: Building a pro-poor market for climate-resilient housingThe alternative is both practical and compelling: to develop a functional, pro-poor housing market for low-cost, climate-resilient homes, anchored in strong community participation and supported by fit-for-purpose public policy. The housing market does not fully value the wider benefits of climate-resilient construction, so too little of it is built. Climate-resilient housing generates substantial positive externalities—lower disaster recovery costs, improved health, higher productivity, and reduced emissions—that are not fully reflected in private investment decisions. Instead, investing in community-driven, market-enabled solutions for climate-resilient housing protects livelihoods, reduces fiscal risk, and restores dignity and agency to affected households.
Source:Sunday Times
February 07, 2026 20:10 UTC