Category: Local News

The Government will not conduct any investigations against the Forest Department Officer who refused to break the law and release conservation land, Minister of Environment and Wildlife Resources S.M. Chandrasena told The Sunday Morning.

Gampaha District Assistant Conservator of Forests, Devani Jayatilleke was able to withstand political pressure and refuse to release a mangrove for the construction of a playground in Negombo because of the independence that the 19th Amendment to Constitution had conferred on government servants, the UNP said yesterday.

President Gotabaya Rajapaksa has instructed relevant officials to expedite the completion work of Central and other expressways.

The United National Party has sought the stance of the Election Commission pertaining to the new alliance led by Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa using the symbol of the elephant.

Sri Lanka takes strong objection to the imposition of travel restrictions on Lt. Gen. Shavendra Silva and his immediate family by the US.

The United States said Friday it would refuse entry to Sri Lanka’s army chief over what it called credible evidence of human rights violations in the 2009 war against LTTE terrorists.

Former Sri Lankan Ambassador to Russia Udayanga Weeratunga has been remanded until February 17 by the Fort Magistrate.

The 33 Sri Lankan students, who returned from Wuhan, China and quarantined at the Diyatalawa Army Camp were released this morning, Army spokesman Brigadier Chandana Wickramasinghe said.

Former Sri Lanka Ambassador to Russia Udayanga Weeratunga from whom a statement was obtained by the Criminal Investigation Department subsequent to his return to Sri Lanka has been taken into custody this morning.

The Colombo Crimes Division (CCD) yesterday (13) informed Nugegoda Magistrate H.U.K. Pelpola that they do not intend to seek an arrest warrant on interdicted Embilipitiya High Court Judge Gihan Pilapitiya, who is alleged to have been involved in telephone conversations with former Deputy Minister Ranjan Ramanayake.

A total of 8,018 tri-forces deserters have reported to military bases as the week-long general amnesty period came to an end yesterday (12).

Referring to the incident in which the Gampaha District Forest Officer rejected the proposal to construct a playground at the Kadolkele mangrove in Negombo, Environment and Wildlife Resources Minister S.M. Chandrasena said State Minister Sanath Nishantha Perera would have been ignorant of the Wildlife Protection Act when dealing with the situation.

India’s Union Cabinet on Wednesday approved the signing and ratification of the protocol amending the agreement between India and Sri Lanka for the avoidance of double taxation and prevention of fiscal evasion in respect to taxes on income.

Lawyers at the Colombo Chief Magistrate’s Court engaged in a silent protest for the second time charging that the order given by Attorney General,  Dappula de Livera to Police to apprehend interdicted former Embilipitiya High Court Judge, Gihan Pilapitiya was both contrary to law and was arbitrary.

MP Ranjan Ramanayake further remanded until Feb 26 by Nugegoda Magistrate’s court, over the interference of the judicial matters charges.

The Department of Examinations says the calling of applications for the GCE Ordinary Level examination, GCE Advanced Level examination and the Grade Five Scholarship examination will be carried out according to an online method.