Rainy condition to continue several days

The low-level atmospheric disturbance in the vicinity of Sri Lanka (south of Sri Lanka) and the prevailing showery condition are expected to continue in the coming days. People living along the river banks were asked to be vigilant as there is a flood threat, Disaster Management Centre ( DMC) said yesterday.

Non-career diplomats asked to return by this month

The government has given time till the end of this month for all non-career diplomats appointed by the former rule to return to the country, a minister said yesterday.

All 4 accused in Hyd vet rape case killed in encounter

All four accused in the rape and murder of a Hyderabad veterinarian in India were killed in an encounter with the Telangana Police in the early hours of Friday, the Indian Express reported.

Court calls for unedited video clippings of Rajitha’s press conference

Colombo Chief Magistrate Lanka Jayaratne yesterday ordered seven electronic media institutes to hand over the unedited clips of the video footage of the news conference held by former Minister MP Rajitha Senaratne on the alleged abduction of the Swiss Embassy employee to the OIC of the Investigation Unit of the CID.

Petition requests UNP not to nominate MPs who insulted Buddhist monks

The Tri Nikayika Tharuna Bikkhu Sangamaya - an organisation of young Buddhist monks representing the three chapters - yesterday handed over a petition to the UNP leadership requesting the party not to give nominations to those MPs who had insulted Buddhist monks.

Tax relief benefits will reach people within 2-3 months: Inland Revenue Chief

People will receive benefits from the recent tax concessions within the next two or three months, Inland Revenue Commissioner General Nadun Guruge told a news briefing yesterday.

Cabinet to review decision after expert committee report

The suspension of the law to obtain a licence for the transportation of sand, stones and soil, by the cabinet on Tuesday would be effective only for a week and an expert committee report is expected on the matter at the next cabinet meeting, Cabinet spokesman and Minister Bandula Gunawardana said yesterday.

75 mobiles, five laptops, Rs.1.5 million recovered at Mirihana detention centre

Following an emergency joint search operation conducted at the Mirihana Detention Centre last morning, a total of 75 mobile phones, five laptop computers and cash equivalent to Rs.1,56,000 were recovered, Immigration and Emigration Media Spokesman B. G. G. Milinda said.

Batti University should be absorbed to national university system: President

The Batticaloa University should be absorbed to the national university system and utilised as a national asset without being abandoned, President Gotabaya Rajapaksa said.

Teacher training schools to be elevated to university status

The government has decided to upgrade all teacher training schools and training colleges to university level to offer a degree after a four-year course on education instead of a training certificate of education, Cabinet Spokesman and Minister Bandula Gunawardana said today.

Speaker accepts Sajith as opposition leader

Speaker Karu Jayasuriya has accepted the letter sent by UNP General Secretary Akila Viraj Kariyawasam proposing UNP MP Sajith Premadasa as the opposition leader, Speaker’s Media Unit said.

Water tariffs for usage above 15 units to be increased

State Minister of Water Supply Vasudeva Nanayakkara today said they planned to increase tariffs for domestic water bills exceeding usage of 15 units.

Several parties have invited me: Ranjan

Gampaha District parliamentarian Ranjan Ramanayake said today several minor parties had offered to give him nomination to contest the next general election and that he was ready to join them if he was denied the ticket to contest under the UNP.

Ranil nominates Sajith as Opposition Leader

UNP Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe has nominated MP Sajith Premadasa as the Opposition Leader of Parliament, party sources said. Mr. Wickremesinghe has decided to nominate Mr. Premadasa to the post following the consultations held with the UNP Parliamentary Group this evening.

Alleged plot to assassinate Prez: Main suspect handed over to CID

A 21-year-old man was arrested and handed over to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) over an alleged plot to assassinate President Gotabhaya Rajapaksa, the police said.

Edu. Minister orders report over illegal admission letters

The Education Ministry has requested an immediate report over the alleged issuance of 427 illegal letters to admit students for schools violating the election laws and the Constitution.

Gazette on subject under purview of ministers soon

The gazette notification announcing subjects and institutions coming under each minister will be issued over the next couple of days, the Cabinet was informed yesterday.

Up-Country train service disrupted

The train services on the up-country railway track have been disrupted since last night due to the earth slip between Diyathalawa and Bandarawela, the Railway Control Room said.

Toll on Colombo bound traffic on the cards

The government is in the process of levying a toll from all private vehicles entering Colombo and its suburbs as a solution to the mounting traffic congestion in 2020, a senior source of the Commuter Transport Management Ministry said yesterday.

Parties want EC Chairman to continue in office

Representatives of several political parties who attended a meeting with officials attached to the Elections Commission (EC) yesterday had requested its Chairman Mahinda Deshapriya not to step down from chairmanship, Daily Mirror learns.

General election between April 23 to May 6, 2020: EC

The Parliamentary Elections would be held between April 23 to May 6, 2020, if Parliament is dissolved on March 1, 2020, Election Commission Director General Saman Sri Rathnayake told Daily Mirror.

UNF to take crucial decisions on future way forward: Navin

UNF Parliamentary Group will meet at party headquarters Sirikotha today for a healthy discussion on the party’s future, UNP National Organiser Navin Dissanayake said yesterday.

Govt. to go green as part of mega beautification drive

Sri Lanka’s new interim government will launch green projects in several parts of the country as part of a mega beautification programme as well as maintaining the environment, Parliamentarian Namal Rajapaksa told the Daily Mirror yesterday.

Clarification

In our news item titled ‘Diplomats apprised of progress’ published on Thursday’s Daily Mirror, we have inadvertently mentioned that Ministry Secretary Ravinatha P. Aryasinha has urged the police to record a statement from MP Rajitha Senaratne who had made serious remarks on the incident of the alleged abduction of the Swiss Embassy employee.

UNP condemns UK’s manifesto on two-state solution

UNP today criticised the manifesto of UK’s Conservative party which had called for a two-state solution for the national issue in Sri Lanka and urged the party to scrap it.

Six-year-old writes to PM on environmental conservation

A six-year-old half Sri Lankan boy Abdullah who lives in London has written a letter to Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa requesting him to protect the country’s environment for the future generation.

EC raises concerns to party officials

The Election Commission (EC) has raised its concerns over the change in the election system and discussed the several issues pertaining to the election system with the party secretaries today.

Probe on Swiss Embassy incident: Diplomats apprised of progress

The government today briefed Colombo based diplomats including the Swiss Ambassador to Sri Lanka on updates of the investigation into the incident involving a staffer attached to the Swiss Embassy, Foreign Minister Dinesh Gunawardane said today.

I will contest independent or give up politics: Ranjan

Gampaha District MP Ranjan Ramanayake said he was contemplating whether to contest the general election in the Gampaha District from an independent list or to give up politics and become a full-time artiste if he was denied the ticket to contest the next general election.

Permits no longer required to transport sand, granite, soil: Minister

The Cabinet has decided that permits to transport sand, granite and soil were no longer necessary, Environment, Wildlife Resources, Land and Land Development Minister S.M. Chandrasena said.