NTC digitalized; GPS bus tracking systems introduced: Minister

While moving one step forward in regulating private bus transportation, the National Transport Commission (NTC) has taken steps towards digitalizing by introducing GPS bus tracking systems for more than 1,500 buses operating in the country for easy monitoring, Transport Minister Bandula Gunawardana said.

Train derails at Fort station delaying services on all lines

Trains operating on the Puttalam line will be delayed due to a derailment at the Fort Railway Station, the Railways Department said.

No anaesthesiologists at Embilipitiya Hospital, surgeries halted

There are currently no anaesthesiologists at the District General Hospital in Embilipitiya and this highlights the grave danger the Sri Lankan health sector is facing, Dr. Haritha Aluthge of the Government Medical Officers’ Association (GMOA) said.

Srilankan Airlines summoned before COPE

The National carrier Srilankan Airlines has been summoned before the Committee on Public Enterprises (COPE) next week, the Parliament media unit confirmed today.

Will make education an essential service if teachers not available for A/L paper marking: Prez

If teachers are not available for marking Advanced Level (A/L) examination papers by next week, a decision will be taken to make education an essential service under emergency law, the President’s Media Division said.

Dissolution of teacher transfer board: Some teachers complain President’s order not carried out

Some school principals claim that the Teacher Transfer Board is still functioning despite President Ranil Wickremeisnghe’s order for the board to be dissolved and all teacher transfers to be stopped.

No national government without confessions, reforms: SJB MP

There won’t be any national government if those who are responsible for the country’s crisis do not come out with confessions and change themselves, a Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) MP said today.

Dilantha to collect Rs.70 mn for 2023 European Championship Lamborghini Tournament

Popular Sri Lankan racing driver Dilantha Malagamuwa yesterday said that he expected to collect some Rs.70 million from Sri Lankan donors to participate in the 2023 European Championship Super Lamborghini tournament, which will be held in twelve European countries from May to November this year.

USAID provides E-battery swapping stations for electric two-wheelers in Colombo

The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) has agreed to develop and operate two battery-swapping stations for electric two-wheelers in Colombo.

Malaysia busts syndicate trafficking Sri Lankan kids to Europe

The Immigration Department of Malaysia has busted a syndicate which used Malaysian international passports to smuggle Sri Lankan children to Europe, following the arrest of a local married couple.

Employees go before Supreme Court against divestment of shares in SLT

Sri Lanka All Telecommunication Employees Union today filed a Fundamental Rights petition in Supreme Court seeking an order restraining the Treasury Secretary from taking any steps to divest the shares held by him in Sri Lanka Telecom PLC.

Did Agriculture Ministry lie on exporting Toque monkeys to China?

The Chinese Embassy in Colombo today laid to rest what it called ‘disinformation’ on local and foreign media about Sri Lanka getting ready to export “100 thousand endangered” toque macaque monkeys to a Chinese private company for “experimental purpose.’’

Filling maximum volume of fuel won’t cause explosions: LIOC

While refuting reports on social media, the Lanka Indian Oil Company (LIOC) said there need not be any fears of explosions due to petrol being kept filled to full tank capacity in vehicles due to the rise in atmospheric temperature in the coming days.

US non-immigrant visa application processing fees increased

The U.S. Department of State has increased certain non-immigrant visa (NIV) application processing fees with effect from May 30, 2023, the US Embassy announced.

Dappula’s lawyer appears before TID

A lawyer representing former Attorney General Dappula de Livera appeared before the Terrorist Investigation Division (TID) today.

Gazette issued further postponing LG polls

The Local Government election which was fixed for April 25, 2023 has been further postponed through a gazette notification issued by the District Returning Officers of the respective Districts.

Security tightened in Akurana

Security has been tightened in Akurana, Kandy following information received by Police, of a possible attack on a mosque.

Semi-luxury service will not be abolished by May 31: NTC

Semi-luxury bus services will not be abolished by May 31, and directives have been received to take a decision on whether to convert the semi-luxury bus service to a super-luxury or normal service, the National Transport Commission said.

Lankan arriving from India nabbed with 34kgs of narcotics pills used by heroin addicts

The Police Narcotics Bureau officers at Katunayake airport arrested a suspect arriving from India while in possession of over 60,000 narcotic pills weighing 34 kgs suspected to be used as an alternative by heroin addicts.

Name change from Ceylon to Sri Lanka has caused utter destruction: Astronomer

Science writer and astronomer Anura C. Perera claims that the country’s name change from Ceylon to Sri Lanka has caused utter destruction over the past few decades owing to the unfavorable word ‘Sri’.

Tourist arrivals top 56,000 in first sixteen days of April

Tourist arrivals for the first 16 days of April topped 56,000, bringing the total number of international visitors entering the country for the year closer to the 400,000 mark. Provisional data released by the Sri Lanka....

Great possibility that these Toque monkeys will end up in labs: Navin

Expressing his opposition to the government move to export Toque monkeys to China, former Minister Navin Dissanayake said that there is a great possibility that these Toque monkeys will end up in labs and subjected to torture.

Sri Lanka to further relax import controls: Siyambalapitiya

State Minister of Finance Ranjith Siyambalapitiya yesterday said that measures would be taken to further relax import restrictions on many other goods in the future.

Govt. plans to spend record Rs.206bn on social welfare

The government plans to spend a record Rs.206 billion per annum in welfare expenditure starting from this July under a new programme prepared in line with Welfare Benefits Board Act to assist the poor and...

Railway Department to be made a corporation: Minister

The government has initiated discussions for the conversion of the Department of Railways to a public corporation as part of the process of reforming the state-owned enterprises (SOEs), a minister said today.

No national government: Sajith

Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) will not be a part of a national government with those who do not have a mandate, Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa said today.

Solar radiation is the cause for excessive heat: Met. Department

Radiation that emit out of the sun is the main cause for the excessive heat which Sri Lanka is experiencing these days, the Department of Meteorology said today.

President continued what I started: Sabry

Whilst highlighting that the engagement with IMF to revive the county’s battered economy is slated to be a highlight successful endeavor, Minister of Foreign Affairs Ali Sabry said the incumbent President Ranil Wickremesinghe had continued the engagement which he began.

Sri Lanka wipe out wilting Ireland in first Test

Ten wickets in the match from Prabath Jayasuriya helped Sri Lanka thrash Ireland by an innings and 280 runs on Tuesday, in one of the biggest winning margins in Test history.

Police summoned before COPA

Sri Lanka Police have been called before the Committee on Public Accounts (COPA) on April 26, 2023, COPA Chairman Lasantha Alagiyawanna said.