Category: Local News

Quadruplets born at Peradeniya Teaching Hospital

A 30-year-old mother gave birth to quadruplets (three males and one female) at Peradeniya Teaching Hospital today (April 17).



Sri Lanka at 75 is a failed state, says former President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga

Despite possessing enviable social indicators at the time of Independence in 1948, Sri Lanka, at 75, is a “failed state”, former President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga said on Sunday.



Nine inmates escape from Thaldena Open Prison Rehabilitation Centre – two apprehended

Nine inmates who were undergoing Ramadan fasting have escaped from the Thaldena Open Prison Rehabilitation Centre in Badulla, the Prisons Spokesman said.



Australian woman killed, two including her daughter injured in accident at Hemmathagama

An Australian national woman has been killed and her daughter and another injured after a car they were travelling toppled down a precipice at Dara Wanguwa in Hemmathagama.



Six arrested with 179 kg heroin worth Rs. 3.5 Billion on international waters brought to Galle Harbour

The 06 individuals who were arrested yesterday (April 16) on international waters off the southern coast of Sri Lanka with 179 kilograms and 654 grams of heroin valued at Rs. 3.5 billion and their multi-day fishing trawler have been brought to the Galle harbour this morning (April 17), the Navy Spokesman said.



Sri Lanka given more time to repay Bangladesh’s $200 Million loan

Bangladesh has extended the repayment period of Sri Lanka’s $200 million loan it had given by six more months.



Anti-Terrorism Act threat to journalists – IFJ

The new Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA) proposed by the Sri Lankan Government, designed to replace the existing Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA) of 1979, threatens to further exacerbate restrictions on the right to assembly and gravely curtail freedom of expression and press freedom, the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) said in a statement.



Amnesty International urges Biden to send clear message to Ranil over Sri Lanka’s Anti-Terrorism Act

In response to the publication of the draft text of the proposed Anti-Terrorism Act by the Sri Lankan government, Amnesty International (AI) Asia Advocacy Director Carolyn Nash said that Biden- administration need to send a clear message to President Ranil Wickremesinghe that this law must be overhauled entirely or scrapped altogether.



State Minister Ranjith Siyambalapitiya injured in road accident

State Minister of Finance Ranjith Siyambalapitiya was admitted to the Karawanella Base Hospital with minor injuries after his vehicle skidded off the road and crashed against a parapet wall at Karawanella area of Ruwanwella on the Kegalle – Avissawella main road.



Sri Lanka makes significant progress at the World Bank – IMF spring meetings in Washington

Sri Lanka makes significant progress in restructuring its debt and solving the economic crisis at the 2023 spring meetings of the World Bank Group and the International Monetary Fund in Washington DC.



Two including Sri Lankan arrested in India for swapping boarding passes at airport

The Mumbai Police have arrested two foreigners for allegedly swapping their boarding passes at the airport to travel to two different countries, the news agency PTI reported on Thursday.



Sri Lanka’s bondholders send debt rework proposal to government

A committee of Sri Lanka’s international private creditors sent its first debt rework proposal to the country’s authorities regarding over $12 billion in bonds outstanding, according to three sources with direct knowledge of the matter.



China assures commitment towards Sri Lanka’s debt restructuring process

The spokesman for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People’s Republic of China Wang Wenbin has reaffirmed their commitment towards Sri Lanka’s debt restructuring process.



Japan, India and France launch creditors meeting on Sri Lanka debt

Japan, India and France on Thursday announced a common platform for talks among bilateral creditors to coordinate restructuring of Sri Lanka’s debt, a move they hope would serve as a model for solving the debt woes of middle-income economies.



Sri Lanka’s Printing Department stopped Local Government election-related printing

Sri Lanka’s Department of Government Printing has stopped all printing processes related to the 2023 Local Government (LG) election.



2023 Sinhala & Tamil New Year Messages

Sri Lanka President Ranil Wickremesinghe and Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena have released their messages for Sinhala and Tamil New Year.