Category: Local News

Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena on Tuesday urged his own coalition government and the opposition to end a power struggle in order to achieve ambitious goals including anti-corruption measures.

The construction of the Sengal Oya Irrigation Project will commence on May 10, according to the State Minister of Irrigation and Water Resources & Disaster Management, Palitha Range Bandara.

Two Sri Lankan women have been arrested at the Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) in Katunayake for attempting to smuggle 1.1kg of gold worth Rs.10 million into the country.

The long-awaited and crucial deal on EAP Group, linked to the revival of ETI Finance and Swarnamahal Financial Services, has been struck with an investment commitment of $ 75 million (nearly Rs. 12 billion), of which around $ 35 million has been infused initially.

President Maithripala Sirisena yesterday expressed his desire to continue in politics beyond 2020. “I will not retire in 2020,” the President emphasised, addressing a mammoth May Day rally organised by the SLFP led UPFA at Chenkaladi in the Batticaloa district.

According to local government ministry sources, Rs.135 million needs to be set aside monthly to pay the salaries of 8689 members elected to the local government bodies.

A UNP which will rule for the next 20-30 years and not just five, was the promise UNP Leader and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe made to his supporters as the party commemorated May Day at the Sugathadasa Indoor Stadium yesterday.

Sri Lanka’s state-run investment body has approved a $500 million liquefied natural gas plant by China Machinery Engineering Corp near a Chinese-controlled port and industrial zone.

Malaysian police have intercepted a tanker with 131 Sri Lankans believed bound for Australia and New Zealand, smashing a large human smuggling ring that has been operating for a year.

Technology is gradually silencing people who are decrying the unwarranted delays when dealing with commercial banks and primary dealers in various legal and monetary transactions. Thanks to various system applications, such as the Blockchain Technology, that seems to be the way forward for many countries.

A leading underworld gangster Dilip Rohana Rodrigo alias Dileepa was killed in a shootout with the Special Task Force (STF) personnel at Mailapitiya in Kandy yesterday.

The Lifetime Achievement Award presented to late Dr. Lester James Peries from India, which was reported missing from his residence few days ago, has been found on an overhead rack of a Kollupitiya-Kaduwela private bus, Police said.

Minister Sarath Fonseka who took over the reins of the Ministry of Wildlife and Sustainable Development this week said he would not yield to political pressure when it came to wildlife policies.

Speaker Karu Jayasuriya has rejected newly appointed Agriculture Minister Mahinda Amaaweea’s claim that the Agriculture Ministry, situated at Rajamalwatte, was shifted to a building at Rajagiriya on a request by parliament.

Sri Lanka will sign agreements with French oil and gas major Total and a subsidiary of U.S. firm Schlumberger for a seismic study off its east coast to evaluate any prospective oil resources, a top official said on Friday.

The price of milk powder will increased by midnight today, the Consumer Affairs Authority (CAA) said. Accordingly the price of 400 grams will be increased by Rs. 20 and 1 kilogram will increase by Rs. 50.