H.W. Gunasena SPC’s new Fisheries Minister

President Maitripala Sirisena has today appointed Southern Provincial Councillor H.W. Gunasena as the SPC’s Minister of Fisheries, Livestock, Environment, Electricity and Rural Industries.

Thajudeen's murder: Ex- SDIG, ex-Crimes OIC re-remanded

Former Western Province Senior DIG Anura Senanayake and former Narahenpita Crimes OIC Sumith Perera were ordered to be further remanded till August 3 by the Colombo Additional Magistrate Nishantha Peiris today over the Magisterial Inquiry relating to the murder of ruggerite Wasim Thajudeen.

China’s Hainan frontrunner for SriLankan: sources

On a quest to find a strategic investor to help revive the loss-making national carrier, it is learnt that the government is close to finding a prospective partner to manage SriLankan Airlines.

Armed forces will be betrayed through OMP Bill: MR

Former President Mahinda Rajapaksa today charged that the Office of Missing Persons (OMP) Bill has many provisions designed to persecute armed forces personnel.  

PM returns

Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe today returned to the country concluding his three-day visit to Singapore.

Trump captures Republican nomination

Thirteen months after launching an improbable bid for the White House, Donald Trump captured the 2016 Republican presidential nomination on Tuesday, having vanquished 16 party rivals, warred with much of its establishment and provoked controversy at every turn.

Govt. to obtain US$1 bn loan from AIIB

The government is to obtain US$1 billion from the China-led Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) for various projects, Finance Minister Ravi Karunayake said yesterday.

Controversial Coal Deal: SOC summons AG

Auditor General Gamini Wijesinghe has been summoned to Parliament today to testify on the alleged coal purchasing deal which is alleged to have caused the government to incur a loss of Rs.1.8 billion, informed sources said.

Finance Minister vows to introduce new Customs Bill

Finance Minister Ravi Karunanayake yesterday vowed to proceed with the proposed Customs Bill despite objections from some quarters.

S'pore pledges support to modernise Colombo Port

Singapore's South Asian Region Chief Executive Ong Kim Pong said he had already undertaken a study on the development of the Eastern Container Yard of the Colombo Port and pledged that the country's Ports Authority would extend its support to expand and modernise Sri Lanka’s ports.

Prices of consumer items still high: Bandula

Displaying a kilogram packet of sugar at a news conference, UPFA member Bandula Gunawardane said today the prices of consumer items had not come down despite the controlled prices introduced by the government.

A top post for Mahendran

Former Central Bank Governor Arjuna Mahendran is to play a major role in finalizing trade agreements with foreign countries including the proposed Indo-Lanka Economic and Technological Cooperation Agreement (ECTA), top government sources said today.

Jaffna University turmoil-VC assures impartial inquiry

The Jaffna University Vice Chancellor today assured that an impartial inquiry would be held into the recent clash between two groups of students and that the University would reopen in stages from July 20.

Basil admitted to CNH

Former economic development minister Basil Rajapaksa was who was remanded on Monday was admitted to the Colombo National Hospital (CNH) from the Welikada Prison Hospital a short while ago, hospital sources said.

Signing ETCA may even lead to bloodshed: JO

The joint opposition today said that there could even be ‘bloodshed’ in the country if the government signed the Indo-Sri Lanka Economic and Technology Cooperative Agreement (ETCA) disregarding the objections raised by the people.

18 Jaffna prison inmates on hunger strike

Eighteen inmates of the Jaffna Prison have launched a hunger strike from this morning demanding that they be released on bail.

Indian MPs seek govt. intervention to get fishermen released from SL

Members in Rajya Sabha in India yesterday sought government intervention in ensuring the release of a large number of Indian fishermen, arrested by the Sri Lankan navy in the recent past.

Kataragama Devalaya closed after body found nearby

The Kataragama Devalaya was temporarily closed after 12.00 p.m. today after a body of a 75-year-old man was recovered from a thicket near the ‘Aliwadiya’ in the Devalaya premises, Police said.

Psychiatrists want Addiction to Internet classified as mental disorder

Karapitiya Teaching Hospital's Consultant Psychiatrist Dr. Ramani Ratnaweera said yesterday the worldwide medical specialists in psychiatry had urged that addiction to the internet be classified as a mental disorder.

Three caught attempting to smuggle FC worth Rs.166 mn

A 42-year-old woman was arrested this morning while attempting to smuggle out foreign currency worth Rs.166 million concealed inside her baggage at the Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA).

SLTB fare revision from August

Sri Lanka Transport Board (SLTB) bus fare revision would be effective from August 1st increasing the minimum fare to Rs. 9 from the current Rs. 8, Transport Deputy Minister Asoka Abeysinghe said today.

Two youth missing in Kelani River

A 16-year-old boy and a 19-year-old girl were reported missing after have gone to bath in the Kelani river at Hanwella yesterday.

SLFP ideas given to President today

The amendments proposed by the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) to be incorporated in the VAT Bill would be presented to President Maitripala Sirisena as party leader today, SLFP officials said yesterday.

Auditors go red on MP remarks

Sri Lanka Audit Service Association yesterday warned of tough action if the reports and queries of the Auditor General were continuously rebuked publicly, in an attempt to create a public opinion against the legitimacy and validity of them.

Jaffna Uni clash due to govt. negligence: Wimal

The government, which should be empowering the Tamil community, is instead allowing Tamil extremism to raise its head in the country, the joint opposition charged yesterday.

Jana Satana Paada Yathrawa starts from Kandy on July 28

The five-day Jana Satana Paada Yathrawa organised by the Joint Opposition (JO) against alleged ‘suppression’ by the government towards the people and the JO members will be launched from Kandy on July 28.

CEPA, ETCA will benefit Asian region: PM

The Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) between Singapore and India, the Economic and Technological Cooperation Agreement (ETCA) that is to be signed between India and Sri Lanka will help establish a tri party programme which will benefit the South Asia and the South East Asian Island, Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe said today.

Even Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe could be arrested: Wimal

National Freedom Front (NFF) Leader Wimal Weerawansa today said the Government needed at least one of the Rajapaksas in prison at any given time and that it may even place Minister Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe in jail, because he was also a ‘Rajapaksa’.

Levy on imported sugar reduced

The special commodity levy on imported sugar has been reduced from Rs. 30 per kilogramme to 25 cents with effect from midnight today, the Finance Ministry said.

JHU condemns Jaffna University clash

Jathika Hela Urumaya (JHU) National Organiser Nishantha Warnasinghe yesterday condemned the clash between two student factions, which occurred at the Jaffna University campus last Saturday.