UK urges SL to prioritise required steps

The United Kingdom today urged Sri Lanka to prioritise the steps required to deliver fully on its commitments in resolutions 30/1 and 34/1 and to develop a comprehensive and time-bound implementation strategy.

Adopt a time-bound implementation strategy-EU to SL

The European Union today urged Sri Lana to take immediate and sustained action to implement its commitments and institute a durable reconciliation process and also to adopt a time-bound implementation strategy.

80 percent of construction workers in Colombo addicted to drugs

Almost 80 percent of workers at construction sites in Colombo are addicted to drugs, Director Presidential Task Force on Prevention of Drugs Dr. Samantha Kitalagama said yesterday.

3 Lankans, 6 Indians nabbed with gold worth Rs.40mn

Three Sri Lankan and six Indian passengers were arrested with gold pieces valued at nearly Rs.40 million at the Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) while attempting to smuggle them into the country, Deputy Director and Acting Spokesman Vipula Minuwanpitiya said.

Additional portfolio for Bathiudeen

Vocational Training and Skills Development subject, which was under the purview of Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe has been assigned to Minister Rishad Bathiudeen with effect from March 18, a gazette notification stated.

SL rejects two main proposals by UNHR Chief

Sri Lanka today rejected UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet’s proposals to establish an Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) in Sri Lanka and calling to implement a detailed and comprehensive strategy for the transitional process with a ‘fixed timeline’.

UNHRC Chief calls for fixed timeline

The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet presenting her report to UN Human Rights Council in Geneva on Promoting reconciliation, accountability and human rights in Sri Lanka yesterday called on the government (Sri Lanka) to implement a detailed and comprehensive strategy for the transitional process with a fixed timeline.

SL war heroes subject to Universal Jurisdiction: Sarath Weerasekara

Former MP, Rear Admiral Sarath Weerasekara making his presentation during a side event at the UNHRC session in Geneva said conspiracy against Sri Lankan army is clear since they are denied Visa to foreign countries, peace keeping slots, just because they took part in war.

Extradition of Mahendran: Singapore rejects President's allegation

Singapore today rejected Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena’s allegation it was sheltering a former central bank chief wanted for fraud, saying Colombo failed to provide documents to support its extradition request.

Accident kills two in Kegalle

A man and a woman have been killed when their car collided with a Matale bound SLT bus at Molagoda this morning, the Police said.

Case against Lankan tyre exports dismissed by US courts

Sri Lanka has achieved another legal victory in the case of countervailing duties imposed by the United States (US) against off-the-road (OTR) tires from Sri Lanka, after the US Department of Commerce (USDoC) decided to withdraw an appeal against the decision of the US Court of International Trade, which in 2018 ruled against the US’ decision to impose countervailing duties on tire imports from Sri Lanka.

Navy recovers 150 kg of Kerala ganja from Mannar

A stock of more than 150 kilograms of Kerala ganja had been recovered by Navy Personnel during an expedition along the Urumalai beach in Mannar today, Navy Media Spokesman Lt. Cdr. Isuru Suriyabandara said.

N’cholai back online: No more power cuts, says Ministry

With the broken down generator of the Noraichcholai Power Plant coming online there won’t be power outages anymore, Ministry of Power and Energy said today.

Angoda Lokka’s accomplice ‘Kaduwela Babi’ arrested

The Special Task Force (STF) has arrested an organized criminal known as ‘Kaduwela Babi’, an accomplice of underworld criminal ‘Angoda Lokka’, at Pittugala in Malabe last night.

Beliatta UNP PS member hospitalised with gunshot wounds

Beliatta UNP Pradeshiya Sabha member Kapila Amarakoon had been hospitalised with gunshot injuries this morning, Police Spokesman Ruwan Gunasekera said.

Cardinal Ranjith to lead mass protests

Religious Leaders led by Archbishop of Colombo Malcolm Cardinal Ranjith is to stage mass protests against drugs in Colombo North on Sunday (March 31).

SL eyes largest ever FDI with US $ 3.85bn refinery in H’tota

Singapore-based Silver Park International (Pte) Ltd and Oman’s Oil and Gas Ministry are to begin the construction of US $3.85 billion oil refinery in the Mirijjawila Export Processing Zone (EPZ) in Hambantota this month, which will be Sri Lanka’s largest Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) and the largest manufacturing facility to-date.

South Africa beat Sri Lanka in Super Over thriller

South Africa’s veteran leg-spinner Imran Tahir conceded only five runs in a decisive super over as they beat Sri Lanka in their opening Twenty20 International on Tuesday after both teams had finished their innings with the same score.

Air Force, Navy fleet not replenished in four years: MS

President Maithripala Sirisena told the Cabinet meeting yesterday that the fleet of military vessels of the Air Force and Navy had not been replenished for the past four years because of objections raised whenever any procurement was to be made.

Forensic audit on CB bond scam - Cabinet calls for report on selecting experts

The Cabinet yesterday decided to a call for a report within three months on the steps taken to select international experts for a forensic audit on the Central Bank bond scam.

Tabs for primary and secondary students in future: Akila

Steps will be taken to provide tabs to primary and secondary students to help their studies in the future, Education Minister Akila Viraj Kariyawasam said at Rathnalankara Maha Vidyalaya in Giriulla.

Bandula says Budget debate violating SOs

The committee stage debate on the Budget is continuing in Parliament in violation of Standing Order 121, UPFA MP Bandula Gunawardene said today.

Vacancies for two hangmen - 79 applicants to be interviewed

Seventy nine candidates from the 102 applicants have been selected for interviews for the Hangman’s Post, Prisons Commissioner General Jayasiri Vijayanath Tennakoon said today.

No UNHRC resolutions against SL since 2015: Mangala

In response to Opposition Leader Mahinda Rajapaksa calling for the withdrawal of Sri Lanka’s co-sponsorship to the UNHRC resolution, Finace Minister Mangala Samaraweera said today there was no resolution against Sri Lanka in the UNHRC since 2015, but those, adopted since then, were to work together with the country’s partner nations in the world so that its citizens benefitted from the best expertise in the world.

Govt. and Opp. MPs pressure Excise Dept. to issue licenses to Aloysius’ distillery

JVP MP Nalinda Jayatissa said today that some government and opposition MPs were pressuring Excise Department officials to grant licenses to a distillery owned by Arjuna Aloysius to extract toddy from 38,000 coconut trees in Beruwala.

Trishaw driver who made sexual gestures to woman remanded

A trishaw driver who had made sexual gestures to a woman who was driving a car on March 15, was remanded till April 1, Police Spokesman Ruwan Gunasekara told Daily Mirror today.

N’cholai breakdown: Generator still to be connected

Although the cause for the shutting down of the unit-2 generator at the Norochcholai coal power plant has been identified, it is still to be synchronised with the system which will cause power failures in several areas, Ministry of Power and Energy said today.

AIADMK manifesto included int’l probe on SL civil war

The All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) in its manifesto for the upcoming Indian Lok Sabha polls, had stated that it would urge the centre government to call for an international probe into alleged war crimes during the civil war in the north in Sri Lanka, Times Now News agency reported.

Protesting Uni. students tear-gassed

Police fired tear gas and used water cannons to disperse protesting students outside the University Grants Commission (UGC) a short while ago, police said.

BC withdraws four cases against Johnston

The Colombo Chief Magistrate’s Court today discharged MP Johnston Fernando from the four cases filed by the Bribery Commission in connection with the non-declaration of assets.