Category: Local News

A 57-year-old Sri Lankan was arrested at the Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) this morning while attempting to smuggle drugs including heroin, crystal methamphetamine (ice) and hashish worth Rs.4.7 million into the country, Police said.

Former Sri Lankan Ambassador to Russia Udayanga Weeratunga, who the government has named as a fugitive, would return to Sri Lanka in a month on my request, Ex-President Mahinda Rajapaksa said yesterday.

A Sri Lankan national, was arrested at Uchipuli Valangapuri coast near Rameswaram while two others escaped into a nearby forest, Tamil Nadu police said today.

China’s acquisition of the strategic Hambantota port from Sri Lanka has given it “control of a territory” just a few 100 miles off the shores of India, highlighting its “debt trap” and ambitious use of loans to gain influence around the world, a media report has said.

The Joint Postal Trade Unions Front (JPTUF) yesterday announced that it would together with 24 of its unions, suspend the postal strike which has lasted for the past 16 days.

Colombo Chief Magistrate rejects bail application filed by President’s former Chief of Staff and former Chairman of the State Timber Corporation (STC) over the Rs 20 million bribe case.

The government is considering retrenching the excess staff of SriLankan airlines by measures such as Voluntary Retirement Schemes, a report says.

Environmentalists claimed that the acidic gases, which are being released from the Norochcholai Coal Power Plant, can lead to acid rain and deforestation in the North Central Province.

President Maithripala Sirisena said as we are a proud nation with an ancient history, the government is duty bound to protect and safeguard our cultural heritage and bequeath it to the future generations, President Maithripala Sirisena said.

The D.R. Wijewardena Mawatha in Colombo Fort is reportedly hampered with traffic owing to the ongoing protest launched by the Postal Workers at the Central Mail Exchange.

An army corporal was hospitalised after being shot at by a group of men arrived in a three-wheeler and a motorcycle at Chakindarama Road in Ratmalana this morning, police said.

Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe said the Buddha had never preached a dictatorial rule such as Hitler, Polpot or Idi Amin, but preached to rule the country based on the Dasaraja Dharmaya.

A Sri Lankan court on Sunday ordered two suspects to be remanded in custody after their arrest over the beating to death of a leopard – animals which are endangered in the country.

The rule of law must prevail even when dealing with criminals, tweeted the Minister of Finance and Mass Media Mangala Samaraweera.

A senior Buddhist monk counselling former defence secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa to emulate Hitler and establish a military dictatorship may have seriously hurt his bid for the presidency, according to close associates.

President Maithripala Sirisena on Tuesday rejected outright a proposal by a United National Party (UNP) Cabinet Minister to pay “compensation” to Tiger guerrilla “ex combatants” and their “next of kin.”