Mahinda Rajapaksa files FR petition over security reduction

Former President Mahinda Rajapaksa has filed a Fundamental Rights petition, challenging the government’s decision to reduce his security detail without conducting a thorough security assessment.

Jaffna Cultural Centre renamed again

The Jaffna Cultural Centre which had been named as Thiruvalluvar Cultural Centre has been renamed again as Jaffna Thiruvalluvar Cultural Centre on the request of the people and the Tamil politicians.

Rapid growth recorded in passenger, aircraft, cargo movements in 2024: AASL

The country’s airports, including the main gateway Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA), the International Airport (JIA) and the Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport (MRIA), recorded an increase in passenger arrivals and departures in 2024, surpassing the 8.8 million mark, the Airport and Aviation Services (Sri Lanka) (Private) Limited (AASL) said.

NPP MP Aravinda Senarath elected Chairman COPA

National People’s Power (NPP) Member of Parliament Aravinda Senarath has been elected Chairman of the Committee on Public Accounts (COPA) today, the Parliament’s Media Unit said.

Swiss government pledges support to reclaim Sri Lankan assets held abroad

Switzerland has assured its support in recovering assets that have been moved out of Sri Lanka, President’s Media Division (PMD)said.

Over 300,000 Sri Lankans secured overseas jobs in 2024: SLBFE

The Sri Lanka Bureau of Foreign Employment (SLBFE) said that 311,000 Sri Lankans were able to secure overseas employment opportunities in 2024, marking a significant contribution to the nation’s foreign workforce.

Philippines political party representatives in SL to study successful conduct of elections

A group of political party representatives of Philippines met officials of the Elections Commission to study the successful conduct of the recent Presidential and parliamentary elections.

Heavy rains claim two lives, displace over 90,000

Heavy rains across the island have left two people dead and affected 91,101 individuals from 27,381 families in 17 districts, the Disaster Management Centre (DMC) reported today.

Green chili as high as Rs. 1800 per kilo

In a fresh blow to household budgets, the price of green chili has skyrocketed to unprecedented levels, reaching as high as Rs. 1780 to Rs. 1800 per kilogram.

Grade 5 scholarship examination: Highest score recorded at 188

The highest score achieved in the 2024 Grade 5 Scholarship Examination was 188, according to Examinations Commissioner General AmithJayasundara.

Charith Asalanka named captain of ICC Men’s ODI Team

Charith Asalanka has been named captain of the ICC Men’s ODI Team of the Year for 2024, with Kusal Mendis included as the wicketkeeper.

Injured Djokovic booed off after quitting semi-final

Novak Djokovic was booed off court by some Australian Open fans after retiring injured from his semi-final against Alexander Zverev.

Rare bat species recorded after 60 years: Researcher

Tickell’s Bat (Hesperoptenustickelli), a rare species not seen in Sri Lanka for 60 years, has been spotted again alive, according to DrTarakaKusuminda, a bat researcher from the University of Colombo’s Department of Zoology.

Salochana Gamage and businessman granted bail

Two suspects, including former Provincial Councillor Salochana Gamage, who had been in remand custody for allegedly accepting a bribe, were released on bail today by the Colombo Chief Magistrate’s Court.

ICC to announce best Men’s & Women’s ODI teams today

Outstanding Men’s and Women’s international cricketers will be honoured across five days of announcements, starting 24 January, Friday, the ICC said.

Good air quality in most Sri Lankan cities

Air quality levels across most cities in Sri Lanka were reported to be good on yesterday Thursday, with moderate levels observed in Colombo, Jaffna, Kurunegala, Kandy, Galle, Badulla, Trincomalee, Mullaitheevu, and Polonnaruwa, according to the Vehicular Emission Test Trust Fund of the Department of Motor Traffic.

ICC U19 Women’s T20 World Cup Malaysia 2025 Super Six schedule

The schedule for the Super Six stage of the ICC U19 Women’s T20 World Cup 2025 has been confirmed following the conclusion of the group stage.

Police open fire at car in Colombo

Police opened fire at a car last night after its occupants failed to comply with multiple stop orders in the Grandpass area.

Vehicle prices increased due to IMF condition: Deputy Minister

Vehicle prices have gone up before their imports due to an IMF condition which required to match prices in relation to inflation, in order to control inflation, Deputy Finance Minister Prof. Anil Jayantha Fernando said yesterday.

'Batman' arrested over WTC thefts

The Police said they had arrested a 23-year-old Sudanese man of Eritrean origin who allegedly committed a series of thefts at the World Trade Center (WTC) in Colombo, leaving behind the word ’’BATMAN’’ scrawled on office walls.

Judge blocks Trump’s ‘blatantly unconstitutional’ executive order

A federal judge said Thursday that President Donald Trump’s executive order ending birthright citizenship was “blatantly unconstitutional” and issued a temporary restraining order to block it.

Online appointment for one day service passport possible only after five months: Minister

Public Security Minister Ananda Wijepala yesterday revealed that it takes five months for an applicant to make an online appointment to obtain a passport through the one day service.

Permits required to cut coconut trees

In order to address the acute shortage of coconuts in the country, the Coconut Development Board has announced a new policy requiring individuals to obtain permission from both the Divisional Secretary and the Board itself before cutting down coconut trees.

Govt. struggles with shortages in stock and data

Amidst several contradictory statements coming from the NPP government ministers over the ongoing rice shortage in the country, it has come to light that the government finds itself in a quandary since it has no accurate data on last year’s paddy production.

Has anyone released poisonous cleaning chemicals into the water?

Suspicion surrounds dozens of duck and pelican carcasses found drifting along the surface of the Beira Lake yesterday morning, which allegations lead to the release of a chemical into the water for cleaning purposes that had poisoned the water birds, the Daily Mirror learns.

Apparel sector calls for concentrated interventions to reclaim lost ground

Sri Lanka’s apparel sector ended the year 2024 on a positive note, however, industry stakeholders remain unimpressed with the overall performance, stating that more must be done to reach the earning levels of 2019.

Sri Lanka 75% ready for digital lead: Dr. Wijesuriya

Sri Lanka possesses a strong foundation for a digital economy, with 75 percent of the necessary skills already in place, according to Chief Advisor to the President on Digital Economy Dr. Hans Wijesuriya. However, to fully capitalise on this potential, the country must bridge the remaining gap and enhance its digital competitiveness.

Apparel sector ends 2024 with US$ 4.7 bn export earnings

Sri Lanka’s export earnings from apparel in 2024 reached US$ 4.7 billion, recording a year-on-year growth of nearly 5 percent YoY.

Gem dealer faces political threats over USD 400M Blue Sapphire

Gem businessman Thushara Perera said he has been facing political threats over a special blue sapphire which he received in 2017 and is valued at over USD 400 million.

India investigates 17 ’mysterious’ deaths in same village

Officials are investigating the ’’mysterious’’ deaths of 17 people - most of them children - in the same village in Indian-administered Jammu and Kashmir.