President to address nation tomorrow

President Gotabaya Rajapaksa will address the nation in a special statement tomorrow, the Presidential Secretariat said.

Release of Duminda Silva: BASL questions President whether due procedure followed

The Bar Association of Sri Lanka (BASL) has requested President Gotabaya Rajapaksa to make the public aware whether the due procedure was followed when granting pardon to Duminda Silva.

President’s power misused to release Duminda: SJB urges to reverse the decision

Samagi Jana Balawegaya urged the government to reverse the decision made to grant a presidential pardon to former MP Duminda Silva today.

Bharatha’s wife says ’killer has been set free’

Widow of former parliamentarian Bharatha Premchandra today vented her anger on social media after the release of Duminda Silva who received a presidential pardon.

John McAfee: Anti-virus creator found dead in prison cell

Anti-virus software entrepreneur John McAfee has been found dead in a Barcelona prison cell hours after a Spanish court agreed to extradite him to the US to face tax evasion charges.

Lioness at Dehiwala Zoo tests COVID positive

A lioness at the Dehiwala Zoo was found to have tested positive for COVID-19, the State Veterinary Surgeons’ Association-Sri Lanka Secretary, Dr.Nuwan Hewagamage said.

Basil returns from USA

Basil Rajapaksa, who left for the United States last month, has arrived in the country this morning.

UPDATE - Duminda Silva set free on presidential pardon

Duminda Silva was set free from the Welikada Prison today after he received a presidential pardon from President Gotabaya Rajapaksa.

No police bail for those arrested today

Police bail will not be granted to any person who is arrested for any illegal act today, Police Spokesman SDIG Ajith Rohana said.

16 ex-LTTE cadres get presidential pardon

A total of 93 prisoners including 16 convicted LTTE cadres have been pardoned by the President on the occasion of the Poson Poya which falls today (24).

Re-scrutiny of 2020 A/L applications via online

The Examinations Department has announced the deadline for calling applications for re-scrutiny of the 2020 GCE Advanced Level (A/L) answer scripts, the Commissioner General of Examinations, Sanath B. Pujitha said.

Lawyer arrested for selling Thailand embassy land using forged documents

An Attorney-at-Law has been arrested by the CID for having sold a 20-perch land worth Rs. 500 million that belonged to the Thailand embassy in Colombo 7 by stealthily using forged documents, Police said.

Keselwatta Dhanuka’s accomplice nabbed with Rs. 5Mn cash, cannabis

Kavishka Madushan Abeywickrama alias ’Wanathe Chathu’ who is an accomplice of Keselwatta Dhanuka, has been arrested with 4 kilograms of Kerala cannabis and over Rs. 5 million in cash in Kotikawatta.

Vaccines used in SL still effective against Delta variant: epidemiologist

The Delta variant is more virulent than others. with a few cases detected in Sri Lanka. Research work is in progress to ascertain the level of efficacy of each vaccine against different variants

Impersonator arrested for making indecent proposal to actress

The actress was invited to perfome several sex acts in the main role A suspect taken into custody for aiding and abetting an impersonator to introduce himself as Prof.sunil Ariyaratne over the phone and invite a popular actress to play the main role in a film to be produced by him and questioned her about acting in sex scenes was produced before Galle Magistrate Pavitrasanjeewani Pathirana and remanded till July 01.

Several additional trains will be added to the service: Dy GMR

Due to an increase in commuters, the railway department has decided to assign more trains to help the commuters while maintaining social distancing, Railways Deputy General Manager Gamini Seneviratne said.

Ranil to establish a policy to push nation through its present crisis: Ruwan

UNP Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe became an MP to unite all members of Parliament and establish a national policy to push the nation through its present crisis, UNP Deputy Leader Ruwan Wijewardene said yesterday.

SL at risk of losing US$ 2Bn if GSP+ concession withdrawn

Sri Lanka was at the risk of losing US$ 2 billion if the GSP+ concession was withdrawn, State Minister Dayasiri Jayasekara said yesterday.

New Zealand beat India to make history, become first World Test Champions

A defiant New Zealand outfit beat Team India in the ICC World Test Championship final at the Rose Bowl in Southampton.

COVID-19 death toll up by 65 fatalities

A total of 65 more COVID-19 related deaths that occurred yesterday (22) were confirmed by the Director-General of Health Services today pushing the death toll to 2,769.

Sri Lanka to receive 78,000 doses of Pfizer jabs in July

A total of 78,000 doses of Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine are scheduled to arrive in Sri Lanka within the first three weeks of July, State Minister of Production, Supply and Regulation of Pharmaceuticals Prof. Channa Jayasumana said today.

Customs seize illegally imported fags worth Rs. 28mn

Customs officers seized an illegally imported consignment of cigarettes worth Rs.28 million today, Customs Spokesman and Deputy Director (Legal) Sudatta Silva said.

Mechanic crushed to death as lorry loaded with 30 tonnes of cement lands on his head

A lorry that was carrying 30 tonnes of cement fell on a motor mechanic while he was attending to repairs to the lorry’s faulty wheel. He died instantaneously as his skull was jammed to the ground.

Decision on mixing Astrazeneca with Pfizer within two weeks: Health Minister

Health Minister Pavithra Wanniarachchi said today that they expect to obtain the recommendations of the Advisory Committee on Communicable Diseases (ACCD) that was studying the possibility of using Pfizer vaccine as the second dose for those who had received Astrazeneca (Covishield) jabs as their first dose, within the next two weeks.

Govt. to tighten penalties against COVID guideline violators

The Government has decided to implement stringent measures against those who violate health guidelines recently issued by the Director General of Health Services.

Red alert for seven districts over severe lightning: Met Dept.

A red alert for thundershowers accompanied by severe lightning was issued for seven districts, the Department of Meteorology said today.

Dancer Kulasiri Budawatta passes away

Veteran dancer Kulasiri Budawatta passed away this morning at the age of 71 at his residence in Kalapura, Mount Lavania.

COVID task force has failed, vest responsibility of COVID control with Cabinet: Ranil tells Govt

Solitary UNP MP Ranil Wickremesinghe who made his maiden speech in the current Parliament today called for a debate on vesting the responsibility of controlling COVID 19 pandemic with the cabinet as the COVID task force has failed in accomplishing it properly.

Inaugural edition of LPL reaches 557 Million views worldwide

The inaugural edition of the Lanka Premier League (LPL) reached a cumulative audience of 557 million people through TV, digital-social space and traditional media outlets, the Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) said.

Seven ex-LTTE members in prison to be released

Seven ex-LTTE members imprisoned for many years are to be released following Presidential Pardon in line with Poson Poya, State Minister of Prison Management & Prisoners’ Rehabilitation Lohan Ratwate said.