’Rishi’ and helper caught trespassing in Ritigala

Two individuals who illegally entered the Kodigala Kanda area of the Ritigala Forest Reserve claiming to be a Rishi and his helper were rescued and arrested by officers of the Ritigala Wildlife Sanctuary Protection Office after becoming stranded in the forest.

Shahrukh Khan to perform in Colombo?

Bollywood star Shahrukh Khan is slated to perform in Colombo this year.

Dengue cases reach 27,900 with 16 deaths this year

The Ministry of Health reported that some 27,932 Dengue cases and 16 deaths were recorded so far this year. The Western Province accounts for 45% of all cases with the Eastern, Sabaragamuwa, and Southern provinces also identified as high-risk zones.

Sri Lanka firmly rejects any handover of Katchatheevu island

Sri Lanka has categorically stated that Katchatheevu Island will not be ceded to any country under any circumstances, Fisheries Minister Ramalingam Chandrasekar said.

President’s Fund donates Rs. 1 mn to Ishaq Baig for treatment

Religious and Cultural Affairs Minister Hiniduma Sunil Senevi today offered one million rupees from the President’s Fund to ailing veteran singer Ishaq Baig for his treatments.

Iran could start enriching uranium for bomb within months, UN nuclear chief says

Iran has the capacity to start enriching uranium again - for a possible bomb - in ’’a matter of months’’, the head of the UN’s nuclear watchdog has said.

Namal accuses Govt of spreading false propaganda to hide failures

Parliamentarian Namal Rajapaksa has accused the National People’s Power (NPP) government of attempting to cover up its failures through false propaganda and character assassination, while also dragging respected religious leaders into political controversies.

Thousands protest in Bangkok calling for Thai PM to resign

Thousands of protesters have gathered in the Thai capital Bangkok, calling for the resignation of Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra after a phone call she had with the former Cambodian leader Hun Sen was leaked.

No change in fuel prices for July, CPC claims

The Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC) announced that there will be no change in fuel prices for the month of July.

Sri Lanka achieves 72% renewable electricity generation in June 2025

For the first time since the early 1990s, Sri Lanka has reached a major milestone in its clean energy transition, with the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) reporting that 72% of the country’s electricity was generated from renewable sources during June 2025.

Five arrested for treasure hunting in Galnewa

Five persons who were allegedly digging for treasure in a garden in Galnewa were arrested by the Galnewa police.

Too early to comment on government: Maithri

Former President Maithripala Sirisena said it is too early to comment on the government and that one or two years must pass for one to comment.

Delhi to see its first-ever artificial rain to combat air pollution in July

In a first for the national capital, Delhi is set to witness artificial rain aimed at reducing air pollution, with cloud seeding scheduled between July 4 and 11, subject to weather conditions, Delhi Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa said on Saturday.

CAA denies reports on salt price fixing

The Consumer Affairs Authority (CAA) has categorically denied recent media reports claiming that a maximum retail price for salt was agreed upon during a discussion between the CAA and the Salt Manufacturers Association.

Navy seizes Indian fishing boat with eight crew members

The Sri Lanka Navy seized an Indian fishing boat and apprehended eight Indian fishermen while they were poaching in Sri Lankan waters north of Mannar, during a special search operation conducted early this morning.

Another fishing trawler in distress, two fishermen missing in Tangalle

Two fishermen, who went fishing from the Tangalle fishing habour yesterday, went missing after their trawler crashed against a reef.

Group of eight reported missing on Hanthana mountains rescued

A group of youth who were stranded due to bad weather while climbing the Hantana mountains, were rescued after several hours in a joint operation by the army and the police.

Family injured in accident in Nuwara Eliya

Four members of a family, including two young children, were injured in a road accident that occurred yesterday (28) afternoon in the Bambarakelle Wattha area on the Gampola-Nuwara Eliya main road, police said.

Private bus owners urge delay in mandatory seat belt law implementation

Private bus owners have called on authorities to postpone the implementation of the regulation requiring all bus drivers to wear seat belts, citing practical challenges with older buses that lack the necessary fittings.

GMOA election: Dr. Tennakoon, Dr. Sugathadasa secure re-election

Specialist Dr. Sanjeewa Tennakoon and Dr. Prabath Sugathadasa were re-elected as President and Secretary respectively, of the Government Medical Officers’ Association (GMOA) during its 99th annual election held on Saturday (28).

Police seize 1,758kg of heroin and ice in maritime raids

Sri Lanka Police have seized 1,758 kilograms of heroin and crystal methamphetamine (‘ice’) during April and May 2025, following major interdictionsmulti-day fishing vessels attempting to smuggle drugs into the country by sea.

Customs clears backlog, eases congestion at Colombo Port

The Sri Lanka Customs Department has successfully completed the clearance of import containers that had caused significant congestion at the Colombo Port in recent weeks.

Coast guard arrests 3 Sri Lankans with criminal records infiltrating Tamil Nadu

The Indian Coast Guard has arrested three Sri Lankan nationals-two Sinhalese and one Lankan-Tamil while they attempted to infiltrate Tamil Nadu by sea in the early hours of Saturday. The arrest took place near Dhanushkodi, a region infamous for smuggling and other cross-border illegal activities due to its proximity to the Sri Lankan coast.

Navy rescues 2 fishermen after trawler capsizes off Galle

The Sri Lanka Navy has rescued two fishermen after their trawler capsized about 9 nautical miles (16 km) off the coast of Galle. The incident was reported on 27 June, prompting an intensive search and rescue operation in coordination with the Air Force.

Public warned against paying brokers for passport services

The Immigration and Emigration Department has warned the public not to pay any brokers or outsiders to speed up passport services.

Passport token issuance times revised

The Department of Immigration and Emigration says tokens for One-day and Normal passport services will be given from 6:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. at its Head Office in Battaramulla, starting from Monday, June 2.

US Supreme Court allows parents to opt out of lessons with LGBT books

The US Supreme Court has sided with parents in the state of Maryland who wanted to opt their children out of reading books with LGBTQ themes.

Seat belt rule for bus drivers compulsory from July 1

The National Transport Commission (NTC) announced that starting July 1, 2025, it will be compulsory for all bus drivers to wear seat belts, with strict penalties for non-compliance.

Four MPs get stuck in BMICH elevator

Four Members of Parliament who are following a study course in governance at the Bandaranaike Memorial International Conference Hall (BMICH) were stuck in an elevator while coming down from the study hall.

Police Commission approves appointing Shani Abeysekera as CID Director

The National Police Commission has approved the appointment of SSP Shani Abeysekera as Director of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID).