News

Expert committee to identify correct name of national flower

Published

1 year ago

December 14, 2022

editor

A decision has been taken to appoint an expert committee to identify the correct Sinhala name of the national flower of Sri Lanka.

The decision has been taken since some experts are of the view it should be ‘Mahanel’ while another group is of the view it is ‘Nil Mahanel.’

The Department of Communication of Parliament said, the Ministerial Consultative Committee on Environment discussed at length whether the Sinhala name of the national flower of Sri Lanka is ‘Mahanel’ or ‘Nil Mahanel.’

During a meeting chaired by Minister of Environment Nasir Ahmed, Senior Professor of the Department of Botany of the University of Peradeniya Deepthi Yakandawala, and Senior Professor of the Faculty of Agriculture and Plantation Management of the University of Wayamba Kapila Yakandawala, delivered a lengthy presentation on the unresolved and controversial issue of what is the national flower of Sri Lanka for many years.

As presented by Professor Yakandawala, the national flower of Sri Lanka was announced on the 26th of February, 1986.

The national flower has been officially declared as the ‘Blue Water Lily’ by a cabinet paper.

(newsradio.lk)

News

CID records another statement from Maithri

Published

27 mins ago

May 3, 2024

editor

Former President Maithripala Sirisena has appeared before the Criminal Investigations Department today (May 03) to record another statement regarding the Easter Sunday terror attacks.

The CID had previously obtained a five-hour-long statement from the former President on March 25 over a statement he had made a few days earlier.

News

Water cannons deployed on protesting Med. students

Published

30 mins ago

May 3, 2024

editor

Police had used water cannons in order to disperse the protesting medical students near the Viharamahadevi Park in Colombo earlier today (May 03).

The protest march was organised by the Medical Faculty Students’ Action Committee against the establishment of private medical colleges in the country and the decision to establish a Faculty of Medicine at the National School of Business Management (NSBM).

News

Royal pardon for 44 Sri Lankans in UAE

Published

4 hours ago

May 3, 2024

nipuni

Forty four Sri Lankans who were in different prisons across the United Arab Emirates have been pardoned by a Royal order.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the United Arab Emirates has formally conveyed to the Embassy of Sri Lanka in Abu Dhabi that these Sri Lankan prisoners received pardon by the Royal order on the occasion of the holy month of Ramadan, April 2024.

These forty four Sri Lankans who have received the Royal pardon will be repatriated to Sri Lanka by the Government of the United Arab Emirates in due course. The Embassy of Sri Lanka in Abu Dhabi will collaboratively coordinate with the United Arab Emirates Government authorities and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Sri Lanka to ensure their safe repatriation.

Ambassador of Sri Lanka in Abu Dhabi Udaya Indrarathne wishes to extend his deep appreciation to the Government of the United Arab Emirates, and its Ministries of Foreign Affairs and Interior for making arrangements to pardon these Sri Lankans. The Embassy of Sri Lanka appreciates the empathy and generosity shown by the leadership of the UAE in this regard.

(MFASL)