Mitigating economic, political crises: UPFA committee to work out strategies

The United People’s Freedom Alliance (UPFA) led by President Maithripala Sirisena has appointed a committee to work out the steps to be taken to mitigate the current political and economic crises in Sri Lanka and submit a report in a week, a party official said yesterday.

Norway lauds SL's reconciliation efforts

Norwegian Foreign Affairs Minister Ine Eriksen Soreide yesterday praised Sri Lanka's efforts in bringing about reconciliation and said the country had set an example to the whole world.

SLFP should cut off ties with UNP before mulling over tie-up with JO: MR

Referring to speculations about the Joint Opposition planning to join hands with the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) led by President Maithripala Sirisena, former President Mahinda Rajapaksa today said the SLFP should first break ties with the United National Party (UNP) and subsequently they could consider such a tie-up.

Met. Dept. warns of severe thunderstorm

The Meteorology Department today said thunderstorms accompanied by severe lightning could occur during the next few hours in the North-Western, North-Central and Central Provinces and Mannar, Vavuniya and Kegalle Districts.

Lion cub nursed by female Labrador

An incident that had occurred for the first time in Sri Lanka in 2014 was revealed today, where a Lion cub from the Dehiwela Zoological Gardens was taken care of at a private home in Moratuwa and fed by the owner's female Labrador after the lioness had disowned this cub.

China didn’t put SL into a debt trap: Envoy

The Chinese Government did not get Sri Lanka into a debt trap by lending money to it,” Sri Lankan Ambassador to China Karunasena Kodituwakku has said.“If anybody is saying that the Chinese government lent money to us to put Sri Lanka into a debt trap, I don't agree with that statement. It's an absolutely wrong conclusion,”

US investments can save nations like SL from debt traps: US

Investments backed by the US government provide a financially-sound alternative to state-led solutions which lead nations like Sri Lanka into debt traps, a top US government official said. Executive Vice President of the US Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC), David Bohigian, who vi

Falling tree kills man, injures two in Kadugannawa

A 40-year-old man was killed and two others injured when a tree fell on the shop that they were in, at Kadugannawa this evening, Police said.

Man shot dead in Angoda

A 33-year-old man who was walking along the road at Mulleriyawa in Angoda was shot dead this afternoon, Police said.

LDB Chairman arrested while accepting bribe

Livestock Development Board (LDB) Chairman K. Muthuvinayagam and an accounts assistant of a private company belonging to him were arrested by Bribery Commission officials while allegedly accepting a bribe of Rs. 600,000 from a businessman promising to rent out a cafeteria at a farm in Melsiripura.  

SC rejects Gnanasara Thera’s appeal

Ven. GalagodaaththeGnanasara Thera’s appeal on his sentencing was rejected by majority of Supreme Court judges today.

DIG Nalaka, Namal Kumara ordered to appear in Court

Colombo Fort Magistrate today ordered DIG Nalaka De Silva and Anti-Corruption Force Working Director Namal Kumara to appear in Court on October 8.

UN accuses former Norwegian peace envoy Solheim of squandering

UN Environmental Programme (UNEP) Head Erik Solheim, former peace envoy to Sri Lanka, has been accused by UN internal auditors of over spending for his travel. According to Aftenposten News, auditors found that 4.1 million Norwegian kroner (USD 490,000) had been spent on travelling for 529 days during his first 22 months in office.

Head-on collision kills two

Two men were killed and another injured when a private bus and three-wheeler collided head-on at Hanwella on the Colombo-Awissawella main road this morning, Police said.

Ex-Korean President jailed for 15 years on corruption charges

Former South Korean President Lee Myung-bak was jailed by the Seoul Central District Court for 15 years for corruption, the Reuters reported today. Lee, who was in office from 2008 to 2013, is the fourth former South Korean president to be jailed, with his successor Park Geun-hye imprisoned for her role in a separate corruption scandal that toppled her from power in early 2017 and also led to jail time for Samsung

SLC Ex-Co alleged to have approved Rs. 130mn in payments before term lapsed

The former Executive Committee of Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) is alleged to have approved a mammoth outlay of more than Rs. 130 million at a meeting weeks before their term lapsed on May 31.

Grade 5 Scholarship Exam top rankers

Bumith Methnul Vithanage of Somaweera Chandrasiri Vidyalaya, Piliyandala and K. Sanupa Dimath Perera of St. Mary’s Maha Vidyalaya, Veyangoda topped the Grade 5 Scholarship Examination with 199 marks.

Grade 5 Examination results released

The Examinations Department today announced that the Grade 5 Scholarship Examination results-2018 had been released and could be viewed and downloaded from its website http://www.doenets.lk

Flight diverted to MRIA due to bad weather

The Air China CA 424 flight which was scheduled to land at the Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA), was diverted to Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport (MRIA) last night due to adverse weather, the BIA Duty Manager said.

Boralesgamuwa accident: Police confirms lady doctor was drunk

The police yesterday reaffirmed their earlier claim that the female specialist doctor, who was involved in an accident at Boralesgamuwa in which an IP was killed, was indeed under the influence of liquor at the time.

JO vows to defeat 2019 budget and form interim govt.

The joint opposition would pool all its power to defeat the budget 2019 and form an interim government until the general election scheduled to be held in late 2019, with Mahinda Rajapaksa as Prime Minister under President Maithripala Sirisena, SLFP rebel group frontliner and former Minister S.B.Dissanayaka said yesterday.

CD handed over to court by CID didn't contain Bond report

The CD which was supposed to carry recordings of Former Minister, MP Ravi Karunanayake giving a statement to the CID the investigations which was produced before courts by the CID yesterday did not contain the said recording.

Visa regulations to be relaxed to boost tourism: Dept.

The existing regulations on extending Sri Lankan online visa facility would be relaxed to encourage tourists, an official of the Immigration and Emigration Department said yesterday. The Visa and Border Controller of the Immigration and Emigration Department Chaminda Hettiarachchi said the Department was planning to relax the online visa regulations.

Prez intervened when PM lashed out at businessman: SB

President Maithripala Sirisena had to intervene when Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe became annoyed with a leading businessman at the National Economic Council (NEC) meeting held on Tuesday at the Presidential Secretariat and reconvened it after the suspension of the meeting for a few minutes, SLFP dissident group front liner S.B.Dissanayaka said today.

IGP should resign until probe completed: Ranjan

IGP Pujith Jayasundara should resign from his post at least till investigations into the allegations levelled against him are completed, Deputy Minister Ranjan Ramanayake said today.

PM took all policy decisions on economy till NCE appointment: Minister

SLFP Minister Mahinda Samarasinghe today said it is not the National Economic Council (NEC) Chaired by the President but the Cabinet Sub Committee on Economic Management Chaired by the Prime Minister that took all policy decisions regarding economic matters and the President has continuously raised these matters over the past three years.

Rapid increase in importing small cars during past nine months: CMTA

There was a rapid increase in importing of vehicles less than 1,000 CC engine capacity to Sri Lanka in the first half of this year, The Ceylon Motor Traders Association (CMTA) today said.

CID records statement from SLC CEO

The CID today recorded a 9-hour long statement from Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) CEO Ashley De Silva in connection with the fraudulent attempt to transfer USD 5.5 million, connected to broadcasting rights of the England tour, to an offshore account.

Have to follow procedure if Nalaka is to be arrested: Minister

Legal and judicial procedures have to be followed if DIG Nalaka De Silva is to be arrested, Law and Order Minister Ranjith Maddumabandara today said.  

MR asks MS to pullout SLFP prop supporting govt.

Former president Mahinda Rajapaksa said yesterday that the President should now pullout the SLFP prop that is supporting the government.