Two Trincomalee fire officials arrested over bribery allegations

Two officials attached to the Fire and Emergency Rescue Division of the Trincomalee Municipal Council have been arrested for allegedly accepting a bribe of Rs. 20,000.

Countries in Indian Ocean region should unite: Ranil

Whist highlighting that Sri Lanka should integrate with others in the Indian Ocean region in the wake of the Middle East tensions, former President Ranil Wickremesinghe said the cooperation should expand from economic, security and political spheres.

Bribery probe: Court grants permission to record Duminda Silva’s statement

A suspect who had been remanded for allegedly accepting a bribe of Rs. 5 million to secure bail for a notorious large-scale drug trafficker known as ’Dematagoda Ruwan’, who had been arrested over allegations of illicit wealth accumulation, was further remanded till March 20 by Colombo Additional Magistrate Lahiru Silva today.

Repatriation of Iranian sailors’ bodies underway

The bodies of 84 Iranian sailors who were killed when the vessel IRIS Dena was sunk by a US torpedo in international waters off Sri Lanka’s southern coast are scheduled to be repatriated to Iran today.

Court told probe into Rajapaksa case concluded

The Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption informed the court that investigations have been concluded in the case filed against former Minister Shashindra Rajapaksa and two others over the alleged unlawful obtaining of compensation amounting to Rs. 8.85 million.

Several French soldiers wounded, one officer dead in Iraq after drone attack

French President Emmanuel Macron on Friday condemned an attack in northern ​Iraq that killed one French officer and wounded several soldiers in the ‌Erbil region.

BASL President Rajeev Amarasuriya addresses Indian Supreme Court

Bar Association of Sri Lanka (BASL) President Rajeev Amarasuriya delivered a historic address to the Supreme Court of India, marking a significant milestone in legal relations between the two nations.

Ships must coordinate with Iran’s navy to pass through Strait of Hormuz, Iran foreign ministry says

Ships must coordinate with Iran’s navy to pass through the Strait of Hormuz, the country’s ​foreign ministry spokesperson said in comments carried by ‌Mehr news agency on Thursday.

Seized narcotics stock to be destroyed in Puttalam today

A large stock of narcotics seized during raids conducted by the Police Narcotics Bureau is scheduled to be destroyed today (13) under court orders.

Nepal election results - Balendra Shah’s party wins in a landslide

The party of rapper and ex-Kathmandu mayor Balendra Shah has won a a clear majority, according to the final results from Nepal’s general election held on 5 March.

Public warned over rise in online scams ahead of festive season

The Sri Lanka Computer Emergency Rediness Team (SL CERT) has urged the public to remain vigilant about suspicious online advertisements and links as the festive season approaches.

India conveys positive response to Sri Lanka’s request to secure fuel supplies

India has conveyed a positive response to the request made by Sri Lanka to secure fuel supplies if the ongoing tensions in the Middle East continue, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said.

Iran-backed Iraqi group claims responsibility for downing US military aircraft

The Islamic Resistance ​in Iraq, ‌an umbrella group of ​Iran-backed ​armed factions, claimed ⁠responsibility for ​downing a U.S. ​military refueling aircraft in western ​Iraq ​on Thursday.

Trump says he thinks Iran’s new supreme leader is alive but ’damaged’

President Donald Trump said that he thinks new Iranian Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei, whose father, the former supreme leader, was killed ​on the first day of the U.S. and Israel’s war ​on Iran, is alive but ’’damaged.’’

Sallay was not in Sri Lanka during Easter attacks – Attorney

Attorney-at-law Sanjeewa Samarawickrama stated that former Intelligence Chief Suresh Sallay was not in Sri Lanka at the time of the 2019 Sri Lanka Easter Sunday bombings and was not serving as the Head of Intelligence when the attacks took place.

Paddy cultivation and power generation could be affected if dry weather continues: Met. Department

Sri Lanka’s paddy cultivation could be affected while generation of hydro power could be reduced if the dry spell which is currently prevailing continues, Director General Department of Meteorology Athula Karunanayake said yesterday.

Coal purchase tender criteria further relaxed: FLSP

The coal purchase procurement criteria has been further relaxed for spot tenders which was called on March 11, Front Line Socialist Party (FLSP) alleged yesterday.

Doctors say NO to afternoon outdoor activities for students

In light of the prevailing high temperatures across the country and a recent incident where a 15-year-old student died while training for a school sports event in Buttala, health authorities have urged schools to avoid allowing students to take part in outdoor sports and physical activities during the hottest hours of the afternoon.

Middle East crisis adds fuel to fire

The widening conflict in the Gulf which is having multiple impacts on Sri Lanka is now hampering the delivery of coal shipments required for power generation at the moment, an official said yesterday.

US issues 30-day sanctions waiver for purchase of Russian oil at sea

The United States issued a 30-day waiver for ​countries to buy sanctioned Russian oil and petroleum products currently stranded at sea, in what Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said was a step to stabilize ‌global energy markets roiled by the Iran war.

“Dramatic” rise in poverty and food insecurity in Sri Lanka - International Food Policy Research Institute

Recent economic and natural disasters in the past five years have affected the country’s food security with 2 million individuals having been affected by severe damages to homes, crops, food supplies and critical infrastructure. Entire communities have been left isolated or without basic services, and over 200,000 people were displaced from their homes.

Court warns funds leaving Sri Lanka through Cryptocurrency

Colombo Chief Magistrate Asanga S. Bodagamage observed that due to loopholes in actions carried out by state financial institutions under the Foreign Exchange Act, money in Sri Lanka is being transferred overseas through cryptocurrency transactions.

US Air Force refueling aircraft lost over western Iraq, military says

A US Air Force KC-135 Stratotanker, a refueling aircraft, went down in western Iraq on Thursday, the US military said, adding the incident was “not due to hostile fire or friendly fire.”

Former CB Governor urges AI credit models to democratise SME funding

Says emergence of AI-driven credit mechanisms offers a profound paradigm shift in how risk is assessed, effectively bypassing outdated physical asset requirements

Govt. to introduce national motor insurance database and risk score shortly to curb undisciplined driving

In a major step toward digitalising Sri Lanka’s insurance sector, the Insurance Regulatory Commission of Sri Lanka (IRCSL) is preparing to launch a national motor insurance database, paving the way for a new

Police to enforce ’hard laws’ against reckless drivers

The Sri Lanka Police are stepping up their crackdown on reckless driving by enforcing stringent legal measures, including attempted murder charges, against severe traffic violators.

Former SriLankan Airlines CEO arrested

Former SriLankan Airlines Chief Executive Officer Kapila Chandrasena has been arrested by the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC) over the alleged acceptance of a USD 2 million bribe linked to the Airbus aircraft procurement deal.

Iran's supreme leader, in first remarks, vows to avenge martyrs, keep strait closed

Iran will avenge the blood of its martyrs, keep the Strait of Hormuz closed and attack U.S. bases, ‌new Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei said on Thursday in a statement read out on state television, his first remarks since succeeding his slain father.

India examining diesel supply request from Sri Lanka: MEA

Emphasising India’s role as a major exporter of refined petroleum products, particularly to neighbouring countries, the Indian Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Thursday said that the Indian government has received requests from Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, and the Maldives, which are currently under review.

Court bars ’Friends of Manipay Hospital’ from using ‘Ride for Ceylon’ name

The Colombo Commercial High Court has issued an enjoining order preventing ’Friends of Manipay Hospital’ and several other defendants from using in Sri Lanka the name “Ride for Ceylon” or a similar name without the consent of the plaintiff company, Ride For Ceylon (Guarantee) Limited.