More priority to Jerusalem than UNHRC: Sarath

While stating that the government had given additional priority in voting against Donald Trump’s declaration to recognize Jerusalem as Israel’s capital at the UN, former MP and retired Rear Admiral Sarath Weerasekera said it had turned a blind eye on the UNHRC resolution in which the Sri Lankan soldiers have been accused.

Committee on regional correspondents' issues

President Maithripala Sirisena has given instructions to appoint a special committee to look into the professional issues of the regional news correspondents of media institutions and to submit recommendations regarding the solutions for those issues. 

Solve SAITM issue without delay: MR

The SAITM issue, which has already come to the attention of the medical authorities in countries like the UK and Australia, should be resolved in a just and reasonable manner without further delay, former president MP Mahinda Rajapaksa said today.

France lends euro 13.9mn for Lankan dairy projects

Marking the over 45-year- old development cooperation between Sri Lanka and France, the Government of French Republic agreed to extend its assistance to Sri Lanka by providing a euro 13.9 million (approximately Rs.2,514 million) concessional loan for the implementation of Development of Six Mini Dairies Project.

Polythene: Manufacturers warn of shortage in Jan

Polythene manufacturers today warned of a possible biodegradable polythene shortage due to the polythene ban which is to be enforced from January 1.

Russian team to visit SL to check plant quarantine

A team of technical experts from Russia would visit Sri Lanka in late January-early February 2018 for familiarization with the current plant quarantine procedure in Sri Lanka, the Sri Lankan Embassy in Russia said.

Suspicious death of Sri Lankan in Maldives

Negombo City Coroner Dr. Siri Jayantha Wickremaratne who held the preliminary inquiry into the death of a young man who died during a trip to Maldives, ordered police to produce before him the woman who had accompanied him on the journey.  

EC Chair meets party secretaries

The secretaries of all political parties contesting the upcoming Local Government election met Election Commission Chairman Mahinda Deshapriya for a special meeting today at the Secretariat. The local government election is scheduled to be held on February 10.

Credit Suisse to keep UL flying: Minister

While expressing hope that national carrier SriLankan Airlines would not be liquidated, State Minister Lakshman Yapa Abeywardana said the Government had successfully negotiated a long-term credit package of US$ 150 million and a short-term loan facility of US$ 50 million with the Credit Suisse Bank on behalf of the airline.

Hathurusingha can’t give any extra advantage to SL: Soumya Sarkar

Bangladesh batsman Soumya Sarkar thinks that Sri Lanka Cricket new Head Coach Chandika Hathurusingha can’t give any extra advantage to the Sri Lankan team.

Shipping containers to be cleaned and disinfected

Russia agreed to lift the restriction on tea trade with Sri Lanka on condition that all shipping containers were thoroughly cleaned and disinfected under the supervision of the National Plant Quarantine Service, prior to loading to ensure they did not contain plant matter or pest species, Sri Lanka's Ambassador in Russia Saman Weerasinghe said.

Colombo could be like Delhi soon

Colombo could face air pollution issue like New Delhi soon, Central Environment Trust Director Sajeewa Chamikara said yesterday.

Lunch time protests in main postal offices tomorrow

Protests are to be held today in five Regional Mail Sorting Centres (RMSC) and twelve divisional post offices during the lunch hour demanding the government to settle the dispute in recruitment procedure in postal service.

Tamil politicians trust Sinhala police officers: NP Governor

Northern Province (NP) Governor Reginald Cooray said today that Tamil politicians in the North were being provided security by Sinhala Police officers as they could trust them.

Animal lover in UK dedicated herself to stray dogs in SL

A heart-touching incident was reported in a foreign media where an animal lover Rachel Schofield in England had dedicated herself to focus on the charity after an eye-opening holiday to Sri Lanka exposed her to the reality of its estimated three million strays.

UN calls for regulation of presidential pardon for prisoners

The exercise of Presidential Pardon for convicted prisoners should be regulated by clear guidelines to avoid arbitrary application and to ensure proper means for the release on compassionate grounds, the three-member UN Working Group has said in a report.

CSE at risk of collapsing: Bandula

The Colombo Stock Exchange (CSE) would collapse because of the short-sighted fiscal policies adopted by the Government, the Joint Opposition said today.

GMOA’s first strike for 2018 in January

The Government Medical Officers’ Association (GMOA) today said it would resort to a strike in early January if the authorities failed to increase their ‘extra duty’ allowance.

Rishad should resign as Ravi did: BBS

Similar to the resignation of Minister Ravi Karunanayake over the Central Bank Treasury Bond issue, Commerce Minister Rishad Bathiudeen should also resign over the Wilpattu issue based on the Auditor General's report, Bodu Bala Sena (BBS) today said.

SL receives first tranche of H’tota port lease proceeds

Sri Lanka received the first payment for the lease of the Hambantota port to the state-owned Chinese firm, the Central Bank said today.  

Construction on flyover: Use alternative routes

The vehicular movement on the Sri Jayewardenepura Road, near the Welikada Junction would be restricted to two lanes both ways, due to the construction work on the Rajagiriya flyover, the Police said. They instructed the people to use alternative routes, as much as possible to avoid traffic snarls until the flyover construction was completed.

4 arrested for betting during India-SL T20

Four people were arrested in Mumbai on Monday for allegedly accepting bets on the India–Sri Lanka cricket match on Sunday night, the Hindu reported today.

End LG polls propaganda by Feb 7: EC

All propaganda activities related to the upcoming Local Government election should come to an end by the midnight of February 7, the Election Commission said today.  

'No tusk shells in our elephants'

Former Deputy Director of Customs Samantha Gunsaekara , a specialist in gems and wildlife trading said there are no tusk shells in the tusks of elephants in Sri Lanka.

80% of fake FB accounts will be removed this week: CERT

The Principal Information Security Engineer of the Computer Emergency Readiness Team Co-ordination Centre (CERT|CC), Roshan Chandragupta said 80 per cent of the fake Facebook accounts would be removed by the end of this year by the Facebook head office.

Observing two minutes of silence for 2004 tsunami victims

The Disaster Management Centre has decided to observe two minutes of silence from 9.25 a.m. to 9.27 a.m. today, as a mark of respect to those who lost their lives by the tsunami disaster that hit the coastal belt of Sri Lanka on December 26, 2004.

Putin critic Navalny barred from Russian presidential election

Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny was barred on Monday from running in next year's presidential election after officials ruled he was ineligible to take part due to a suspended prison sentence he says was trumped up.

Another A-380 lands at BIA for refuelling

The world's largest Airbus A-380 Emirates flight flying from Auckland City, New Zealand to Dubai landed at the Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) in Katunayake at 2.50 this morning for emergency refueling, the BIA duty Manager said.

Russia agrees to lift tea ban from Dec. 30: Navin

Russia agreed to lift the temporary restriction on tea imports from Sri Lanka from December 30, following discussions with the Sri Lankan technical team, Plantation Industries Minister Navin Dissanayake said today.

Interpol notices on Kosgoda Sujee, Makandure Madush

The Interpol had issued notices for the arrest of two underworld leaders Kosgoda Sujee and Makandure Madush, STF Commandant Senior DIG M.R. Lateef said.