Category: Local News

A massive haul of heroin, weighing more than 100 kilos, was discovered inside a 40-foot container at the Rank Container Terminal in Orugodawatta. The haul, with a street value of over Rs. 1,000 million was the biggest ever in the history of Sri Lanka, Customs Revenue Task Force Director Mali Piyasena, told The Island. He […]

The U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Ms. Navanethem Pillay, when she called on President Mahinda Rajapaksa at Temple Trees this afternoon, acknowledged the post-war progress that has been made in Sri Lanka. […]

New Zealand’s Foreign Minister Mr. Murray McCully called on President Mahinda Rajapaksa at Temple Trees yesterday (Aug. 29) evening. During the meeting, Mr. McCully told President Rajapaksa that New Zealand stands ready to assist Sri Lanka further develop the country’s dairy sector. […]

Army Commander Daya Rathnayake has ordered to relieve a Brigadier and three Lieutenant Colonels from their appointments to facilitate the further inquiries on the Weliweriya incident as recommended by the Court of Inquiry, the army announced. Military Spokesman Brigadier Ruwan Wanigasooriya said that those officers have been placed under respective regimental centres pending further disciplinary […]

The government will abolish the telegram service in the country from October this year as telecommunication facilities have reached over 95 percent of the population. The Telecommunication and Information Technology Ministry jointly with the Department of Posts took this decision as the number of persons using this service has seen a sharp drop during the […]

The World Bank’s new country director assigned to Sri Lanka and the Maldives, Ms. Françoise Clottes, said she sees “high potential” in Sri Lanka. Ms. Clottes made this observation when she met President Mahinda Rajapaksa at Temple Trees yesterday (Aug. 28) evening. […]

COLOMBO, Sri Lanka (AP) — New Zealand diary giant Fonterra said Wednesday that it has resumed operations in Sri Lanka after temporarily closing its plant out of concern for the safety of its staff. […]

The visiting UN Commissioner for Human Rights Navaneetham Pillay had no right whatsoever to dictate how Sri Lanka should organise its defence affairs; they would flatly reject it if she had the temerity to do so, the government said yesterday. […]

UN Human Rights Commissioner Navi Pillay has visited Jaffna to meet relatives of people who disappeared at the end of the war. According to the BBC Tamil families complained to her about missing relatives, military land grabs and life without basic facilities. […]

Sri Lanka and Belarus today agreed to establish an inter-parliamentary association to ensure cooperation between the Parliaments of the two countries. Such an agreement was reached with several objectives: To enhance mutual understanding in political, economic and social sectors; to ensure mutual cooperation in international fora; and to further cooperation in economic, trade and business […]

COLOMBO, Aug 26 (Reuters) – The Sri Lankan rupee fell to a near one-year low against the dollar on Monday due to importer demand for the greenback amid renewed selling of government bonds by foreign investors. […]

Justice Minister Rauff Hakeem said today that visiting UN Human Rights Commissioner Navi Pillay raised concerns regarding the rise in religious tensions, and said that he briefed her about the steps taken to curb violence directed at religious groups. […]

  President Mahinda Rajapaksa, currently on a three-day state visit to the Republic of Belarus, and President Alexander Lukashenko presided over the signing ceremony of seven agreements and memorandums of understanding today. […]

Sri Lanka and Belarus agreed to enhance cooperation in a number of sectors, including economic, trade, investment, education and technology. The agreement was reached during bilateral discussions between President Mahinda Rajapaksa and Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko this afternoon at the official residence of President Lukashenko. […]

The UN’s human rights commissioner has arrived in Sri Lanka on a fact-finding mission after the government said she could visit former conflict zones. As part of her week-long visit, Navi Pillay is due to travel to former war zones in the north and east. She is also expected to hold talks with Sri Lankan […]

In view of the forthcoming Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in Colombo, about 200 suspected beggars, who had been arrested and held in remand custody, were transferred to a facility maintained by the Department of Social Services in Ridigama, last week. […]