Refuting claims that he was behind the moves to ban chemical fertilizer, Ven. Athuraliye Rathana Thera said today that he was not aware of it until the Cabinet Paper prohibiting chemical fertilizer was presented to the Cabinet by the President.

A 19-year-old married woman who was receiving treatment at the National Hospital in Colombo after being seriously injured by a gas cylinder explosion at a house at Welikanda in Polonnaruwa, had died yesterday evening (25).

Majority of SLFP MPs will remain with the government, even if one or two decide to leave, SLPP Polonnaruwa District MP Roshan Ranasinghe told Parliament today.

Another explosion was reported at a house in Kandegedara in Nikaweratiya today due to a suspected gas leak, causing severe damage to the house.

Sri Lanka’s health experts, today raised serious concerns over the new variant of the COVID-19 which had been detected in South Africa and said Sri Lanka’s borders had gone on alert.

Ceylon Petroleum Storage Terminals Limited (CPSTL) today introduced drone technology to the petroleum industry for the first time in Sri Lanka.

Sri Lanka Navy made arrangements to provide safe passenger transport service at the Kurinchankerny bridge from yesterday following the capsize of a passenger ferry which killed six persons, including children.

Travellers arriving in England from several southern African countries will have to quarantine amid warnings over a new coronavirus variant.

Hewa Lunuge Lasantha alias Tinker Lasantha, who was allegedly involved in a number of murders and crimes, was shot dead by police at Diyagama in Kalutara, police said.

South African scientists have detected a new coronavirus variant with multiple mutations but are yet to establish whether it is more contagious or able to overcome the immunity provided by vaccines or prior infection.

Laws that are being designed to control the media should not be enacted, both government and the opposition MPS stressed in Parliament yesterday.

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) says Sri Lanka has not made any request for financial support.

The spread of coronavirus which was widely seen in urban areas, is now considerably visible in rural areas as well, the Health Ministry said.

With the support of the government led by the health sector, the military, and the people, we can go for a total lockdown of the country or march ahead controlling the spread of the COVID virus, the Government Medical Officers’ Association (GMOA) s

A Bell 212 aircraft and drones of Sri Lanka Air Force have been used to monitor traffic congestion in Colombo in a joint operation with the Sri Lanka Police, the SLAF said.

The Opposition today brought to the notice of the Government the incidents of domestic cooking gas cylinder explosions.

With the facilities introduced by the Sri Lanka Foreign Employment Bureau (SLFEB), people are now vigilant when searching foreign agencies for their foreign employment, SLFEB Deputy General Manager Mangala Randeniya said.

The Chairman of the Kinniya Urban Council has been arrested in connection with the incident in which six people, including four school children, were killed when a ferry capsized in the Kuringankerni Lagoon.

Officers of the Sri Lanka Customs Narcotic Control Unit attached to Sri Lanka Customs today seized ten parcels of Kush cannabis with a street value of nearly Rs.20 million at the Central Mail Exchange (CME), Colombo, Customs Deputy Director (Legal) a

Sri Lanka beat West Indies by 187 runs in the first Test match in Galle and take 1-0 lead in the 2-match series.

Fourteen people have died and over 100,000 families have been affected in the nine districts due to adverse weather conditions experienced in the country, the Disaster Management Centre (DMC) said.

A domestic gas cylinder has exploded at a house at Hokkandara in Pannipitiya early this morning, Police said.

MP Mahinda Samarasinghe today resigned from Parliament to accept his new post as the Sri Lanka Ambassador of the USA.

A red alert has been issued for 19 districts as heavy showers of over 100 mm is expected, the Department of Meteorology said today.

More than 92,000 people have registered at the Sri Lanka Foreign Employment Bureau (SLFEB) and have already left for various foreign countries for employment during this year, SLFEB Deputy General Manager Mangala Randeniya said.

Former President Maithripala Sirisena and Agriculture Minister Mahindananda Aluthgamage were engaged in verbal confrontation today.

A special team will be dispatched to inspect the quality of all ferries currently in operation in the Eastern Province, Eastern Province (EP) Governor Anuradha Yahampath said.

A significant rainfall, mostly in the upstream catchment areas of Deduru Oya Basin from yesterday forced the officials to open eight spill gates, the Disaster Management Centre (DMC) Deputy Director Pradeep Kodippili said.

Scotland Police has said that they will not renew their training contract with Sri Lanka’s police force during the remainder of the agreed period, which ends in March 2022, citing human rights concerns.

The Naval and fishing communities have been advised to be vigilant on rough seas during next few days due to prevailing low-level atmospheric disturbance located to the south-east of Sri Lanka and adjoining Southwest Bay of Bengal, the Meteorology De