ACPBA wants to run buses on kerosene

The All Ceylon Private Bus Association (ACPBA) said yesterday they would request the government to use kerosene as fuel for buses instead of diesel.

New luxury train between Kandy and Ella from today

The Railways Department yesterday announced the operation of a luxury train between Ella and Kandy Railway Stations from today.

Provincial Councils delimitation report to Parliament

The Local Government and Provincial Councils Ministry has sent a copy of the provincial councils delimitation report to the Secretary General of Parliament.

Lalith Weeratunga's travel ban lifted

A Court of Appeal Bench comprising Justices P.Padman Surasena (President/CA and Shiran Gooneratne yesterday allowed former presidential secretary Lalith Weeratunga to travel overseas between March 20 and April 30.

Planetarium now open to public on Sundays

The Ministry of Science, Technology and Research announced yesterday that the planetarium would be kept open on Sundays starting from tomorrow (4) in a move to popularize the subject of astronomy among the public and schoolchildren in particular.

Ven Daranagama Kusaladhamma Thera passes away

Chief incumbent of Sri Sambodhi Viharaya, Colombo and founder of ‘The Buddhist’ TV channel Venerable Daranagama Kusaladhamma Thera passed away at the age of 54.

Court says Mahendran has till Mar. 8 to report to CID

Fort Magistrate Lanka Jayaratne yesterday observed that the issuance of a special Court order on Central Bank's former governor Arjuna Lakshman Mahendran was not required because he has till March 8 to report to the CID.

Only segregated garbage at Kerawalapitiya: Champika

Dumping unsegregated garbage at Kerawalapitiya garbage dumping site has been banned from February 28, Megapolis and Western Development Minister Champika Ranawaka said yesterday.

SL-Singapore discuss facilitating investors

Sri Lankan Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe and Singaporean Trade and Industries Minister S. Iswaran met for discussions at the Four Seasons Hotel today and discussed the modalities of facilitating Singaporeans keen on investing in Sri Lanka, the Prime Minister’s office said.

Lasantha case: Ex-OIC, ex-DIG further remanded

Mount Lavinia Magistrate today ordered to re-remanded former Mount Lavinia Crimes OIC Tissa Sugathapala and former DIG Prasanna Nanayakkara till March 15, in connection with the killing of Sunday Leader's former editor Lasantha Wickramatunga and the concealing of evidence.

SL’s leadership at Disarmament Conference commended

The decision arrived at during Sri Lanka’s Presidency of the Conference on Disarmament (CD) to resume substantive work and the role played in this regard by Sri Lanka's Permanent Representative to the UN in Geneva Ambassador Ravinatha Aryasinha, has been commended during the High-Level Segment of the CD held in Geneva this week.

State Uni. exams postponed

The State University examinations scheduled to be held during the weekend have been postponed until further notice because of strike action by non-academic staff, University Grants Commission said today.

Facebook ends News Feed trial in SL, five other countries

Facebook on Thursday put an end to a test of splitting its signature News Feed into two, an idea that roiled how people consumed news in six countries including Sri Lanka, Reuters said on Friday.

Schoolgirl dies in Pussellawa

A 15-year-old schoolgirl of Pussellawa has died on admission to the Gampola Hospital to which she was rushed after fainting near the dancing room today, Police said.

Diyatalawa bus explosion: Army officer arrested

Army officer A. M. J. L. K. Chandrasena was arrested in connection with the recent explosion of a live hand grenade inside a passenger bus at Kahagolla inDiyatalawa.

CMC Commissioner V.K.A. Anura to be removed

Western Province Governor K.C. Logeswaran has decided to remove Colombo Municipal Council Commissioner V.K.A. Anura on the basis of a report submitted by the Presidential Commission headed by Justice Dr. Chandradasa Nanayakkara.

UK assures trade agreement with SL post-Brexit

The UK Government said it intends to provide continuity and stability to Sri Lanka’s current trade agreements with the EU, even after the Brexit comes into affect.

SL signs Convention on Cluster Munitions

Sri Lanka deposited the Instrument of Accession to the Cluster Munitions Convention also known as the Oslo Convention on Thursday, the Foreign Affairs Ministry said.In a statement, it said the Convention is a humanitarian imperative-driven legal instrument which prohibits all use, production, transfer and stockpiling of cluster munitions.

Aloysius, Palisena re-remanded

Perpetual Treasuries Limited (PTL) owner Arjun Aloysius and its CEO Kasun Palisena, who were arrested by the CID over the Central Bank bond scam, were further remanded till March 15 by the Fort Magistrate Court this morning. (SCS)

Reconditioned car registrations surge in January

Sri Lanka’s pre-owned or reconditioned car registrations hit a 2-year high in January amid slightly eased interest rates and banks and finance companies racing to grab the largest share of the vehicle leasing market with very attractive offers.  

Yoshitha’s great aunt permitted to travel abroad

Yoshitha Rajapaksa ‘s great aunt Ms. Daisy Forrest Wickramasinghe, who was on bail over the controversial land case in Mt. Lavinia, was allowed to travel abroad from March 3 to March 24 by Mount Lavinia Magistrate’s Court today.

SriLankan flight diverted to Frankfurt due to medical emergency

SriLankan Airlines flight UL504 en-route from London to Colombo diverted to and landed safely in Frankfurt airport last night due to a medical emergency, SriLankan Airlines sources said.

UK expects adding further input to UN Interim Report on SL

The UK Government said it was anticipating further representations on the UN Interim Report on the implementation of UN Resolution on Sri Lanka, at the ongoing UNHRC Sessions in Geneva. In response to a question by Opposition Whip Vicky Foxcroft in House of Commons on Tuesday, Minister of State for Asia and the Pacific Mark Field said the UK was closely monitoring the delivery

Change of policies not change of personnel needed: Susil

Without changing the policies of the government, merely changing heads would not bring about the results that were needed, SLFP National Organizer, Minister Susil Premajayantha said.

LG 'elects' want more time

The political parties and independent groups that contested the Local Authorities Elections had sought more time for the nomination of their woman representatives, Elections Commission Chairman Mahinda Deshapriya said yesterday.

Port City worse than Uma Oya: Environmentalist

According to the current situation, the Port City project will cause worse environmental hazards than the Uma Oya project, said the People’s Movement Against Port City on Wednesday.

Int’l community welcomes Govt. activating OMP

The international community praised and welcomed the move by President Maithripala Sirisena to appoint seven commissioners to the Office of Missing Persons (OMP) on Wednesday, two days after the 37th UNHR Council session commenced in Geneva.

National List MPs destroyed UNP: Ravi

At least two or three MPs who were elected from the National List had drawn the United National Party (UNP) to its destruction, UNP MP Ravi Karunanayake said

Govt. should review PC delimitation: SLMC

The Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC) yesterday said the Government should review delimitation done in view of the Provincial Councils as otherwise, it would reduce the number of members to be returned from the minority councils.

Newly elected members to receive Rs.5mn to develop village

President Maithripala Sirisena in Polonnaruwa yesterday (1) said that each member elected to the local bodies would receive a sum of Rs.5 million to carry out development work in their villages.