Category: Local News

The Sri Lankan rupee ended slightly firmer on Monday as inward remittances surpassed early demand for the U.S. dollar from foreign banks, traders said.

Four railway officials have been interdicted in connection with yesterday’s train accident at Pannaliya off Polgahawela.

SriLankan Airline Secretary Delarene Thirikumar yesterday told the Presidential Commission investigating into the alleged frauds that have taken place at SriLankan Airlines that the company had offered Treasury Bonds worth Rs. 46 billlion within three years, though the company has been facing a serious financial crisis since 2009.

Sri Lanka’s Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe has appointed a task force to study the possibility of granting visa-free entry to visitors from certain tourist friendly nations in order to boost arrivals, authorities said on Monday.

The Indian Minister of State for Civil Aviation and Minister of Civil Aviation of Sri Lanka had expressed contrary statements on the Mattala International Airport (MRIA), Freedom Front (NFF) leader Wimal Weerawansa said yesterday.

G.C.E. Advanced Level Examination commenced today (06) in 2268 exam centers island-wide and 321,469 candidates will be sitting for the exam this year, Department of Examinations says.

Recent reports have surfaced indicating a bitter dispute between Kumara Welgama and Mahindananda Aluthgamage. At a meeting yesterday (August 05) of the SLPP’s Kalutara district youth organisation Welgama launched a tirade on Aluthgamage after the latter claimed Welgama is playing the role of a joker.

Although there was a salary increment for those who represent the Judicial System, there is no truth in the claims that the salary of other state employees will be increased in parallel to that, stated the Ministry of Finance.

Government Parliamentarian Vijayakala Maheswaran on Friday charged that the South was responsible for supplying drugs to the North and that the menace had increased with the end of the separatist conflict in 2009.

Three youth attending a party at a hotel in Wadduwa died and 37 women fell ill and were hospitalised after they consumed an intoxicating tablet on August 4 night. Wadduwa Police said the three youth from Kesbewa and Divulapitiya first collapsed and subsequently died.

Days after India’s Minister of State for Civil Aviation Jayant Sinha told Parliament that there was no proposal for the Airports Authority of India (AAI) to acquire a controlling stake in Sri Lanka’s Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport, a Sri Lankan Minister said talks on the project are “progressing” with India.

Public Enterprise Development Minister and House Leader Lakshman Kiriella said yesterday there was no objection from anyone at the July 17 party leaders meeting to the proposed pay hike of parliamentarians in line with the salary scales of judicial officers.

Sri Lanka’s central bank on Friday announced that it had secured a $1 billion loan from China as the island — a key link in Beijing’s ambitious Belt and Road initiative (BRI) — develops closer relations with Asia’s largest economy.

The 62-year-old man admitted to the Colombo National Hospital following the shooting incident in Modara has scummed to injuries.

Sri Lankan Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe offered prayers at the famous hill shrine of Lord Venkateswara in Tirumala town today.

The Government Medical Officer’s Association (GMOA) will strike from this morning, GMOA Secretary Dr. Haritha Aluthge said.