President seeks report on SAITM

President Gotabaya Rajapaksa had sought a report from Higher Education Minister Bandula Gunawardane regarding the present status of the South Asian Institute of Technology and Medicine (SAITM) which is commonly called the Malabe Private Medical College.

60 to 70 cancer patients detected daily in SL

Around 60 to 70 new cancer patients are being diagnosed daily in Sri Lanka and it is the second leading cause of death globally as well as in Sri Lanka. Globally, about 1 in 6 deaths is due to cancer, a seminar was told.

Sajith to contest under ’Ape Jathika Peramuna’

Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa who met Elections Commission Chairman Mahinda Deshapriya had informed him that the alliance led by him intended to contest the general election under the name Ape Jathika Peramuna by changing its symbol.

Chief Epidemiologist dismisses media reports

Flatly dismissing certain media reports that Sri Lanka has detected a second patient infected with 2019 n-COV, Chief Epidemiologist of the Health Ministry, Dr. Sudath Samarajeewa said.

Prez on sudden inspection at Welikada Prison

President Gotabaya Rajapaksa made a sudden inspection visit to Welikada Prison this evening, the President’s Media Division said.

MP Ranjith Madduma Bandara as General Secretary of new UNP alliance

The United National Party (UNP) Working Committee had unanimously approved to appoint MP Ranjith Madduma Bandara the General Secretary of the new UNP-led alliance, MP Sujeewa Senasinghe said a while ago.

Change in weather conditions expected

A showery and windy condition is expected to enhance temporarily from today ending a period of dry weather, the Department of Meteorology said today.

15 factory workers hospitalised due to toxic gas

Fifteen female workers of a garment factory at Yakkala were hospitalised after being exposed to a toxic gas today. The workers were admitted to the Gampaha General Hospital with symptoms of vomiting, itching, headache and dizziness.

Youth arrested over online child abuse

A 21-year-old youth was arrested by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) for abusing children online, the Police said.

Over 1,600 monitored by PHIs: Dr Samaraweera

More than 1,600 people, including students, who had arrived from China and areas affected with new Coronavirus, were being monitored by the Public Health Inspectors (PHIs) throughout the country, Chief Epidemiologist of the Epidemiology Unit Dr. Sudath Samaraweera said today.

’Parasite’ makes Oscars history with stunning best picture win

Movie history was made at the Oscars Sunday as South Korea’s black comedy “Parasite” became the first non-English-language film to win the best picture award, Hollywood’s biggest prize of all.

Maldivian child falls off building in Sri Lanka

A Maldivian child is in serious condition after falling from the second storey of a building in Sri Lanka.

Heads of SriLankan Airline summoned before COPE

The heads of SriLankan Airlines have been summoned by the Committee on Public Enterprise (COPE) on February 19, 2020 to inquire about the controversial deal with Airbbus, its chairman MP JVP MP Sunil Handunnetti said. He said that he has decided to hold an inquiry after summoning them for an initial discussion. At this meeting, several deals of the SriLankan Airlines are scheduled to be probed.

Pak. envoy wonders why SL not developed like Singapore

Pakistani High Commissioner Muhammad Saad Khattak said he wondered as to why Sri Lanka could not become a developed country like Singapore when it had all the necessary assets and a literacy rate as high as 97 percent.

COPE requests special court of inquiry into Bond Scam Forensic Audit

Reappointed Chairman of Committee on Public Enterprises (COPE) and Political Bureau member of Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) Sunil Handunnetti has requested the government to establish a Special Court to inquire into the controversial issues contained in the Forensic Audit Report of the Central Bank Bond Scam.

Opposition alliance led by Sajith Premadasa formed : Patali

The proposed alliance led by Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa has already been formed lawfully, and it will be announced to the country shortly, a party leader said yesterday.

Supporting UNF at General Elections : SLMC, TNA still undecided

Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC) and Tamil National Alliance (TNA) have not yet decided whether to support the United National Front at the upcoming General Elections or not.

China is fully confident in controlling Corona virus

China says that the number of cured patients of coronavirus of is rising and it is fully confident of beating the virus, the Chinese embassy here said in its briefing note.

CEB cautions public to use electricity sparingly

Ceylon Electricity Board urges consumers to exercise care in using electricity sparingly a month- long drought prevailing in central hill country had caused rapid decrease in water level of the Maussakele and Castlereagh Reserviours .

Airbus fraud has political backing: Mujibur

Prosecuting Former SriLankan Airlines CEO Kapila Chandrasena and his wife for the alleged Airbus fraud would not be sufficient as there was evidence of political patronage for it, a UNP MP said today.

21 including Army Colonel arrested for searching gold buried by LTTE

Twenty-one persons including an Army Colonel and two other soldiers were arrested in a joint raid by the STF and the Army for searching gold buried by the LTTE this morning at Kattaikadu in Dharmapuram in Kilinochchi.

Coronavirus deaths exceed Sars fatalities in 2003

The number of coronavirus deaths has overtaken that of the Sars epidemic in 2003. In China’s Hubei province alone, the epicentre of the latest outbreak, the death toll now is put at 780 by regional health officials.

One injured in an explosion in Mullaitivu, two arrested

A 42-year-old man was hospitalised after a mortar bullet exploded when he tried to pull it apart at Silawatta Model Village in Mullaitivu yesterday, the Police said.

‘India a relation for us, while other nations are friends’: MR

Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa in an interview with Indian Hindustan Times, has said that India is Sri Lanka’s relation while other nations are friends.

Thai Soldier’s rampage kills at least 12

At least 12 people have been shot dead and many injured by a Thai soldier in the city of Nakhon Ratchasima (also known as Korat), police say.

India calls on SL to fulfil Tamil community’s aspirations

India on Saturday hoped that the Sri Lankan government will realise the aspirations of the Tamil community in the island nation as the issue figured prominently in wide-ranging talks between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Sri Lankan counterpart Mahinda Rajapaksa.

US-Sri Lanka partnership - Counter-terrorism a top priority: Jonathan Henick

Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs Jonathan Henick told a group of journalists at American Centre yesterday that counter-terrorism was one of the top priorities of his country’s partnership with Sri Lanka.

Students at Diyatalawa Camp in good health

The Sri Lankan students, who returned from Wuhan, China and currently quarantined at the Diyatalawa Army Camp are in good health with no signs of any infection by the coronavirus, Army spokesman Brigadier Chandana Wickramasinghe said yesterday.

US hopes MCC with Sri Lanka to be a success

A top US official said yesterday his country remained hopeful that the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) compact would succeed and was prepared to address any concerns in this regard.

SL economy recovering, projects 3.7% GDP growth in 2020-IMF

The Sri Lanka’s economy is recovering from the terrorist attacks last April, with GDP growth projected at 3.7 percent in 2020, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) said after concluding staff visit to Sri Lanka.