Await eIDs and ePassports this year: State minister

Under the universal identity card scheme, an electronic Identity Card (eID) and an electronic passport (ePassport) will be introduced this year, State Minister of Home Affairs J.C. Alawathuwala said.

Defining SL as Republic of Sri Lanka is enough: Champika

It was sufficient to describe Sri Lanka as the Republic of Sri Lanka instead of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, Megapolis and Western Development Minister Patali Champika Ranawaka said today.

Customs union continues work to rule campaign

Even after an additional secretary was appointed as the Acting Director General of the Customs by the Finance Ministry today, the Customs Officers' Union had decided to continue with their work to rule campaign until a suitable Director-General is appointed from the administrative service, whose name is approved by the Cabinet of Ministers.

Request for PC polls before May 31: Dayasiri urges Cabinet to approve memo

SLFP General Secretary and MP Dayasiri Jayasekara today urged the Cabinet to approve President Maithripala Sirisena's memo seeking to hold PC polls before May 31st.

Man who foretold Prez's death: Court releases suspect

Colombo Chief Magistrate Lanka Jayaratna today closed the case against a suspect who was charged with foretelling the President's death via social media.

Blackouts due to sparking power lines: Ministry

The power failures which have been reported from several areas in the country including Colombo, were due to sparks in two sub transmission lines in Kelanitissa Power Station, the Power and Energy Ministry said.

Independence Day rehearsals cancelled for tomorrow

Independence Day rehearsals scheduled for Friday in Galle Face Green have been cancelled due to the complaints made by the people over heavy traffic, Ministry of Internal and Home Affairs said.

Prez tells Navy Commander to arrest illegal sand miners

President Maithripala Sirisena has said he instructed the Navy Commander to arrest sand racketeers.

Sri Lanka-China FTA expected to be signed in 2019

The Free Trade Agreement (FTA) between Sri Lanka and China is expected to be signed in 2019, China Daily reported on Thursday, quoting the Sri Lankan Embassy in China.

Quo warranto against PM: Justice Wijesundera declines to hear petition

The Court of Appeal's Acting President Justice Deepali Wijesundera today declined to be a member of the bench appointed to hear the Quo Warranto petition that was filed against Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe being a member of Parliament.

FM Additional Secretary as acting customs DG

Finance Ministry Additional Secretary H.G Sumanasinghe has been appointed as the Acting Director General of Sri Lanka Customs Department today, the Finance Ministry said.

Gota’s case: DSG says Special HC has jurisdiction to hear case

The Special High Court Trial-at-Bar Bench fixed for February 11 to deliver its order on the preliminary objections by the defence in the case against former defence secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa and six others. The charges are the misappropriating of Rs.49 million belonging to the LRDC to construct the D.A. Rajapaksa Museum and Memorial at Medamulana.

Mannapperuma appointed State Minister

Deputy Minister Ajith Mannapperuma was sworn in as the State Minister of Mahaweli Development and Environment before President Maithripala Sirisena this morning.

Principal nabbed for soliciting Rs. 5,000 as bribe

The principal of a leading school in Horowpathana was arrested by the Bribery Commission officials for accepting Rs. 5,000 as a bribe.

Seychelles Vice President to visit SL today

Seychelles Vice President Vincent Meriton will arrive in Sri Lanka today for a two-day visit, Foreign Affairs Ministry of the Seychelles announced.

Mobile app introduced to coordinate garbage collection

The Minuwangoda Urban Council (MUC) together with the Western Provincial Council (WPC) launched a mobile app in a bid to streamline the garbage collection process in the local government area.

Customs TUs launch work-to-rule campaign this morning

The Customs-Trade Unions Alliance today said that they had decided to launch a work-to-rule campaign from this morning over the appointment of a retired Navy Officer as the Customs Director General, a Spokesman for the alliance said.

Iranian woman arrested with ‘Kush’ cannabis at BIA

A 24-year -old Iranian woman has been arrested on possession of 400 grammes of ‘Kush’ narcotic substance at the Bandaranaike International Airport early this morning, police said.

Fallen UN Peacekeepers' remains to be flown back on Saturday

The remains of the two Sri Lankan Peacekeepers, Major Jayawickrama and Sergeant Wijekumara, who were killed in Mali, would be flown to Sri Lanka on Saturday, the Army said yesterday.

Dharmadasa, Mathivanan also party to our alleged misdeeds: Mohan

Former Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) Vice-President Mohan de Silva yesterday refuted allegations that the previous elected cricket administration had indulged in corruption, although admitting it was partly to blame for the decline in cricketing standards on the field. 

Mannar mass grave; US lab to handover carbon dating results in Feb: OMP

The carbon dating results of bone samples obtained from the Mannar mass grave site would be handed over to Sri Lanka by the US laboratory in February 2019, the Office on Missing Persons (OMP) said yesterday.

Jaliya's charter flight from US to Mattala billed to FAM: Official

Former Sri Lankan Ambassador to the United States Jaliya Wickramasuriya had insisted on being accommodated aboard a SriLankan Airlines flight from Washington to the Mattala Airport via Dubai and billed it to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (FAM) in 2013, the Presidential Commission of Inquiry ( PCoI ) into irregularities at SriLankan Airlines, SriLankan Catering and Mihin Lanka was told yesterday.

Committee to analyse SL-Singapore FTA

Consequent to President Maithripala Sirisena’s discussion with Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong on his intention to revise the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) between the two countries, the government will appoint a committee to identify the areas to be amended in it, a Minister said yesterday.

PM, party heads to discuss PC poll schedule

Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe will meet party leaders next week to discuss and come to a final decision on the passing of amendments to the Provincial Councils electoral system in order to hold PC polls under the old system and also the possibility of holding elections before May 31, following President Maithripala Sirisena’s request made to cabinet on Tuesday, a senior cabinet Minister said today.

Give dividends to plantation workers to end standoff: Opposition

The planters' unions and Regional Plantation Companies (RPC) could distribute dividends of their profit among the tea plantation workers if increasing the daily basic wage was troublesome, the Opposition today said.

'Mahendran advises family offices in S’pore and ME?'

Former Central Bank Governor and fugitive Arjuna Mahendran was quoted in an article published on South African newspaper 'The Business Day', which described him of now ‘advising several family offices in Singapore and the Middle East.’

Couple arrested with heroin worth Rs. 36 mn

A married couple was arrested with 3 kilos of heroin worth Rs. 36 million in Kiribathgoda this afternoon, Police said.

Kokkadichcholai OIC arrested while accepting bribe

OIC of the Kokkadichcholai police station was arrested by the officers of the Bribery Commission while accepting Rs. 25,000 as a bribe, Police said.

Digambaram threatens to quit over estate workers salary issue

Government ally, the Tamil Progressive Front (TPF) today threatened to quit the government if the salaries of estate workers are not increased at least by Rs. 150, Estate Infrastructure Development Minister P. Digambaram said today.

Customs TUs launch strike over new DG: Unions

The  Customs-Trade  Unions Alliance today launched a strike over the appointment of a retired navy officer as the Customs Director General, a spokesman from the Union said.