Police officials not paid travelling allowances: Anura Kumara

JVP leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake said today the government had suspended the recently increased commuted travelling allowance to the police department and inquired whether it would take steps to pay it.

Pictures taken on top of Kiralagala Cheithiya: Eight youths remanded

The eight youths, who posted photos taken on top of the ruins of Kiralagala Cheithiya in Horowpothana on social media, were remanded till February 5 by the Kebithigollewa Magistrate today, Police Spokesman SP Ruwan Gunasekara said.

Estimate cost of Central expressway overvalued: COPE

The cost involved in phase one and two of the Central Expressway has been overvalued in the contracts signed by the Road Development Authority (RDA) with the construction companies by Rs 38.2 billion, the report of Committee on Public Enterprises (COPE) which was presented to Parliament, revealed today.

Send in proposals for Budget-2019 before Feb. 11: Ministry

The Ministry of Finance and Mass Media has called all stakeholders including the general public, to make their proposals for the Budget 2019 before February 11 to “ensure introduction of a successful budget targeting building a strong Economy and an Enriched country.”

Two Lankans nabbed with sex enhancement tablets, live birds at BIA

Two Sri Lankan passengers were arrested with various medicines including pills said to be aphrodisiacs and with 57 live birds at the Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA), Customs Spokesman Deputy Director Sunil Jayaratne said.

Police looking for Turkmenistan couple involved in heroin racket

Law enforcement officers are in the search of a Turkmenistan couple suspected to be the mastermind of the heroin distribution racket that operated from a luxury apartment in Kollupitiya.

Angoda Lokka’s accomplice 'Surathal' arrested

An accomplice of notorious underworld figure ‘Angoda Lokka’ who operates from overseas, has been arrested by the Organized Crimes Unit officers with 1.15 kg of Kerala Cannabis at Udumulla in Mulleriyawa yesterday.

SriLankan loses Rs.40bn in 9 months

The losses at the national carrier, SriLankan Airlines, widened during the nine months ended December 31, 2018, despite the gains at the top line level, due to currency depreciation and higher oil prices, the airline said yesterday in a statement.

PET water bottles should be transparent: Mannapperuma

The blue hue seen in the packaging of potable drinking water (PET) bottles would be changed to transparent to help consumers see the water they were about to consume, Environment Deputy Minister Ajith Mannapperuma said yesterday.

Heavy fines on drivers causing fatal accidents

Fines imposed on errant drivers who cause fatal road accidents would rise appreciably in order to dissuade motorists from driving recklessly, Transport and Civil Aviation Minister Arjuna Ranatunga said yesterday.  

Palali to be developed for regional flights

The government is to allocate Rs.two billion to develop the Palali airport runway in Jaffna as an initial step of using it for flight operations to regional destinations, particularly those in India, it is learnt.

Draft Constitution weakens Parliament and strengthens PCs: MR

Opposition Leader Mahinda Rajapaksa has said in a statement on the constitutional reforms, said that the draft constitution seeks to weaken Parliament and immeasurably strengthen the provincial legislatures, and it will compromise the unitary character of the Constitution. 

Ministry issues timeline on death penalty convicts

In response to President Maithripala Sirisena’s recent comments that the files of convicted drug dealers have been withheld or disappeared from prisons, sabotaging his decision to activate  death  penalty on them, the Justice and Prison Reforms Ministry today issued a  time line  on the process it adopted to implement the death penalty on death row prisoners on  drug related crimes.

Pictures taken on top of Kiralagala Cheithiya: Seven youths arrested

The seven youths, who had posted photos taken on top of a ruined Cheithiya in Kiralagala, Horowpothana on social media, were arrested by the police this evening.

MPs not attending parliament should be revealed: Dullas

MP Dullas Alahapperuma today said the MPs who are not regularly attending parliament was unfortunate and the media should reveal details of such MPs at the end of each parliamentary week.

'Sena' originated in USA: Harrison

Sena Caterpillar (fall Armyworm) has been originally spotted in America and had later spread towards Africa and Asia, Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Rural Economy P. Harrison told Parliament today.

US Navy conducts temporary cargo transfer initiative in SL

The US Navy will perform a transfer operation to move cargo between planes at Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) outside Colombo from January 21 to 29, the US Embassy said today.  

VIP assassination case; CID grills Namal

UPFA MP Namal Rajapaksa was questioned by the Criminal Investigation Division (CID) today over the VIP assassination plot.In a tweet, Mr. Rajapaksa said he was questioned by the CID for few hours on the

Alagiyawanna re-appointed COPA Chairman

UPFA MP Lasantha Alagiyawanna was unanimously re-appointed as the Chairman of Committee on Public Accounts (COPA) today.

Mortar bombs, pressure bombs buried by LTTE unearthed in Jaffna

Eighty-seven 81mm mortar bombs and four pressure bombs which were believed to be buried by the LTTE, have been recovered by the Special Task Force (STF) at a forest land at Ampan in Jaffna today, STF Commandant Senior DIG M.R. Lateef said.

Two killed, three injured in Pothanegama accident

A mother and daughter were killed when the three-wheeler they were travelling in had collided with a cab on the Anuradhapura Puttalam New Road in Pothanegama, Anuradhapura this morning, the Police said.

Suspending MPs without taking legal action useless: Deputy Speaker

Deputy Speaker J. M. Ananda Kumarasiri said simply suspending MPs who misbehaved in Parliament in November last year would be useless if no legal action was taken against them. 

Court orders to detain five suspects arrested with heroin

The Colombo Fort Magistrate’s Court today permitted the Police Narcotics Bureau to detain the five suspects who were arrested with 95.88 kgs of heroin worth more than Rs.1 billion in Kollupitiya yesterday.

Contempt case against Sarath Silva: SC defers case for February 7

The Supreme Court today deferred for February 7, the contempt of court petition filed against former Chief Justice Sarath N. Silva. The petition was filed by Senior Prof. Chandraguptha Thenuwara, Prof. Hewa Waduge Cyril and Senior Prof. Prashantha Gunawardena.

Attempted bribe to Sports Minister: SLC sends employee on compulsory leave

A Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) employee has been sent on compulsory leave, pending an inquiry, after he attempted to bribe Sports Minister Harin Fernando to include a player in the Sri Lanka ‘A’ Team.  

President leaves for Singapore

President Maithripala Sirisena today left for Singapore on a two-day state visit, President media division said.

MR meets Facebook officials

Opposition Leader Mahinda Rajapaksa yesterday met a delegation of Facebook officials at his residence.  

Pictures taken on top of Kiralagala Chethiya posted on social media

Seven youth who had climbed the ruined Chethiya in Kiralagala, Horowpothana had taken photos and released them onto social media.

Army Nalaka, wife arrested in Peliyagoda

Two suspects including an accomplice of prominent gangster 'Welle Saranga' have been arrested by the Peliyagoda Division Crimes officers in connection with a robbery and an attempted murder.

Another Dollar loan from IMF

Sri Lanka is likely to apply for another dollar loan from the International Monitory Fund (IMF) after the last tranche of US$ 1.5 billion was paid in late 2019, Treasury Secretary  Dr.  R.H.S. Samaratunga said yesterday.