Use of fossil fuel should stop: SB

The use of fossil fuel should be stopped as humans and animals have left a limited space to live on earth, former Minister S.B. Dissanayake said.

Cabinet paper to regulate usage of furnace oil discharged by ships: Env. Ministry

The Environment Ministry will present a Cabinet Memorandum regulating the proper usage of furnace oil discharged by ships.

Facebook reveals what caused six-hour outage hitting Whatsapp and Instagram services

Facebook revealed in an official blog post on Monday evening that the six-hour outage across its platforms including Instagram, Messenger, Whatsapp, and OculusVR were caused by configuration changes to its routers.

Govt. silent but PM and senior members to discuss this week

Following the shocking allegation of former parliamentarian Nirupama Rajapaksa and her husband Thirukumar Nadesan being listed in the Pandora Papers for having hidden wealth stashed away in offshore companies, the Daily Mirror learns that this matter has been brought to the attention of Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa and senior government members who will discuss the issue this week.

Data Protection Bill receives Cabinet nod

As the pandemic pushed the world, including Sri Lanka, into the digital highway faster than anyone would have thought possible, the authorities at home are beefing up legal protections against its citizens’ personal data, used both online and offline.

’’No direct links between reopening of schools & vaccinating children’’

There is no direct link between the reopening of schools and vaccinating children, Deputy Director-General of Health Services Dr. Hemantha Herath said.

Nirupama’s wealth exposed by Pandora Papers may be wealth of those in power: Anura

Claiming that Nirupama Rajapaksa and her husband Thirukumar Nadesan were not those outside the crooked circle of the current regime, JVP Leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake said today they doubt if the wealth exposed by Pandora papers was of those within the current regime.

WhatsApp, Instagram, Facebook down globally

WhatsApp, Instagram and Facebook have gone down in several parts for the world, users reported on Monday evening.

Convene ACCD to inoculate Pfizer for 16-19 age group healthy children: GMOA requests Health DG

The Government Medical Officers’ Association (GMOA) requested the Health Services Director General to convene the Advisory Committee on Communicable Diseases (ACCD) to get permission to administer the first dose of the Pfizer vaccine to children between the ages of 16 and 19 who are healthy and free from health complications.

Sri Lanka will resolve issues through democratic system: President tells EU delegation

President Gotabaya Rajapaksa said that as the oldest democratic country in the region, which has never been under a dictatorship or an authoritarian regime in any period of its history, Sri Lanka will provide solutions for issues through a democratic system.

Easter Sunday bomb attack accused charged on 23,270 charges

Twenty-five suspects, accused of the terrorist attacks on three churches and three hotels in April on Easter Sunday were charged before the Special Trial -at- Bar today.

MP Premalal Jayasekera’s appeal to be heard from November 25

The appeal petitions filed by Ratnapura District Parliamentarian Premalal Jayasekera and two others challenging Ratnapura High Court’s judgement to convict them for committing the murder of an individual following a shooting that took place in 2015 during the Presidential Election were today fixed for argument by Court of Appeal.

Ranil requests Speaker to intervene regarding Bathiudeen

UNP Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe today requested Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena to inquire from the Attorney General whether legal action could be taken against former Minister Rishad Bathiudeen who is currently held under detention orders for getting involved in a court case of which he was not a party to, and if so, file action against him.

Bodies of young couple found hanging at house in Meerigama

The bodies of a man and a woman were found hanging in a room of a house at Lindara in Mirigama this afternoon, Police said.

Gammanpila denies meeting Indian Foreign Secy. over Trinco Oil Tank Farm

Claiming that there was no basis in the reports that plans were afoot to hand over the Trincomalee Oil Tank Farm to India, Energy Minister Udaya Gammanpila said today that he did not meet the visiting Indian Foreign Secretary as claimed by some people.

India to pay $674 compensation for every Covid death

India’s top court has approved the government’s decision to pay Indian 50,000 rupees ($674; £498) as compensation for every death due to Covid-19.

Nobel prize in medicine awarded to US duo for work on sense of touch

Two US researchers have won the 2021 Nobel prize in physiology or medicine for work that unlocked the secrets of the sense of touch.

New Zealand drops COVID-19 elimination strategy under pressure from Delta

New Zealand on Monday abandoned its long-standing strategy of eliminating coronavirus amid a persistent Delta outbreak, and will instead look to live with the virus and control its spread as its vaccination rate rises.

Man arrested for breaking into bank ATMs and stole Rs.7.6 Mn

Police arrested a suspect for breaking into two ATM dispensers and stealing over Rs.7.6 million in cash, Police Spokesman SSP Nihal Thalduwa said.

Vaccinating children from 15 to 19: Final decision likely this week

President Gotabaya Rajapaksa is likely to issue the relevant directive within this week in connection with vaccinating children belong to 15-19 age group, Army Commander Shavendra Silva said.

Dr. Jasinghe failed to produce COVID Vaccination card; denied boarding aircraft

Environment Ministry Secretary Dr. Anil Jasinghe, who arrived at the Katunayake International Airport last night to leave for South Korea, was denied boarding the aircraft as he did not have the COVID vaccination card in his possession to confirm he was given vaccination.

Govt. to allow musical shows, cinemas soon: Minister

Government is looking into the possibility of allowing musical shows and opening of cinemas in the near future, State Minister of National Heritage, Performing Arts and Rural Arts Promition Vidura Wickramanayake told Parliament today.

Govt. to honour Yohani with state award: Vidura

Steps have been taken to honour singer Yohani de Silva, who took the name of Sri Lanka to the international arena, with a state award, State Minister of National Heritage, rural arts Vidura Wickramanayake said.

President returns

President Gotabaya Rajapaksa who went to New York, USA to attend the 76th Session of the United Nations General Assembly, returned to the island this morning.

Another batch of Pfizer vaccines brought to SL

The first batch of 304,000 doses out of the total volume of four million Pfizer vaccine vials has been flown into the country from the US and freighted by Qatar Airways, Sri Lanka Pharmaceuticals Corporation General Manager Dinusha Dasanayake said.

Major airlines show increase in passenger loads to Sri Lanka

All major airlines are showing an increase in passenger loads to Sri Lanka following the government’s move to relax the entry requirements into the country.

Pandora Papers hits the high ranks as Nirupama Rajapaksa documented in it

The Pandora Papers, which has exposed the secret wealth and dealings of world leaders, politicians and billionaires in one of the biggest leaks of financial documents, last night stirred up the high ranks within the government and political circles in Sri Lanka as former parliamentarian Nirupama Rajapaksa was documented in it.

Pera Uni. Registrar, two other officials interdicted

The registrar and two other senior officials on staff of the Peradeniya University were interdicted with immediate effect by the University administration. The other two officers were the Works Engineer and the Works Superintendent.

Cabinet nod for milk powder price hike

Cabinet is expected to give the nod for the increase of milk powder by Rs.200 shortly and thus push the price of a one kilogram packet from Rs.945 to Rs.1,145, UNP Deputy Leader Ruwan Wijewardene said over the weekend.

Gas monopoly terminated

There will be a price reduction of a domestic gas container of 12.5 kilograms by Rs.125 or 130 in the near future with the newly established company to deal with the gas business in the country, a state minister said.