Category: Local News

When bombs planted in churches and hotels killed more than 200 people in Sri Lanka on Easter Sunday, few had realised that the nation had a problem with Islamist militancy. One man who did, reports the BBC’s Secunder Kermani, was Mohammad Razak Taslim.

An event to mark the 77th birth anniversary of late Ven. Maduluwawe Sobitha thero was held in Colombo yesterday. The event was attended by members of the maha sanga as well as the Speaker, and other political representatives.

All faculties of the Kelaniya University excluding the Medical Faculty, have been closed until further notice.

Relaxing the travel restrictions imposed on Sri Lanka by countries such as Germany, Switzerland, India and China will put new life into the country’s tourism industry that was severely affected by the Easter Sunday terror attacks, Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe said yesterday.

The senior Finance Ministry official arrested yesterday with 93 rounds of ammunition for 12 bore guns has been released following questioning.

Chief of National Intelligence (CNI) DIG Sisira Mendis yesterday told the Special Parliamentary Select Committee (PSC), probing the Easter Sunday carnage, that though he briefed the then Defence Secretary Hemasiri Fernando on the impending terrorist attack, the National Security Council (NSC) had not met till the coordinated suicide bombings took place on April 21.

President Maithripala Sirisena has left for India to attend the swearing-in ceremony of Narendra Modi as Prime Minister of India.

The number of complaints received by the Kurunegala General Hospital and the Dambulla Hospital against Gynecologist Dr. Siyabdeen Mohamed Safi has soared to 236 as at yesterday, hospital sources said.

IGP Pujith Jayasundera has filed a fundamental rights petition at the Supreme Court today stating that his removal from his post is unlawful.

The Media Director of the Ministry of Finance Mohamed Ali Hassan has been arrested over possession of ninety-three 12-bore gun ammunition at his house at Malwatte in Malwana this morning, the Police said.

Minister of Power Ravi Karunanayake says despite the necessity for purchase of power from the private sector domestic electricity tariffs will not be increased under any circumstance.

Air Marshal D L Sumangala Dias has been appointed as the new Air Force Commander.

Two new ministers and a state minister were sworn in before President Maithripala Sirisena today.

The Government has drafted a new ‘Cyber Security Bill’ to protect vital information and essential services from cyber attacks.

Sources from the Kurunegala Teaching Hospital revealed that 67 more complaints had been received yesterday (28), against Dr. Shafi Shihabdeen who is alleged to have performed illegal sterilisation on women at the said Hospital.

All staff members of the Kurunegala Teaching Hospital have refused to co-operate with the committee experts appointed by Health Minister Rajitha Senaratne to look into allegations against Dr. Seigu Siyabdeen Safi, currently in police custody.