Category: Local News

The Lifetime Achievement Award presented to late Dr. Lester James Peries from India, which was reported missing from his residence few days ago, has been found on an overhead rack of a Kollupitiya-Kaduwela private bus, Police said.

Minister Sarath Fonseka who took over the reins of the Ministry of Wildlife and Sustainable Development this week said he would not yield to political pressure when it came to wildlife policies.

Speaker Karu Jayasuriya has rejected newly appointed Agriculture Minister Mahinda Amaaweea’s claim that the Agriculture Ministry, situated at Rajamalwatte, was shifted to a building at Rajagiriya on a request by parliament.

Sri Lanka will sign agreements with French oil and gas major Total and a subsidiary of U.S. firm Schlumberger for a seismic study off its east coast to evaluate any prospective oil resources, a top official said on Friday.

The price of milk powder will increased by midnight today, the Consumer Affairs Authority (CAA) said. Accordingly the price of 400 grams will be increased by Rs. 20 and 1 kilogram will increase by Rs. 50.

Sri Lanka plans to attract more tourists from the Middle East by conducting promotion campaigns, a minister said on Thursday.

President Maithripala Sirisena has ordered to interdict his Chief of Staff Dr I.H.K. Mahanama and the Chairman of the State Timber Corporation P. Dissanayake, who were arrested by the Bribery Commission, with immediate effect.

The Golden Peacock Award & the Lifetime Achievement Silver Medal of Late Dr. Lester James Peries was stolen yesterday. These prestigious awards of the Late filmmaker were stolen while on display next to his mortal remains during his funeral service.

The JVP yesterday demanded to know from the President and the government on what scientific basis the ministries had been allocated at Tuesday’s cabinet reshuffle.

Milk powder importers said yesterday they stopped importing milk powder from last week following its increase in the world market.

In a span of less than 24 hours, officers of the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI), Chennai Zonal Unit, seized a total of 32.249 kg of gold valued at Indian rupees 102.15 million. It was smuggled into India by sea and being transported to Chennai for sale.

A Chinese-backed real estate project near Sri Lanka’s main port is in discussion with investors for up to $4 billion in investments in its first phase, the developer said on Wednesday.

Eight State Ministers and ten Deputy Ministers were sworn in by President Maithripala Sirisena at the Presidential Secretariat this morning.

Former President Mahinda Rajapaksa quipped yesterday that in the reshuffle of the Cabinet, the only Ministry that underwent a scientific transformation was the Wildlife Ministry.

The funeral of world renowned film producer Dr. Lester James Peries will be held at 3 pm today at Independence Square with full State patronage.

Anti-Muslim violence and an outbreak of dengue fever in Sri Lanka have led the government to slash its target for tourist arrivals this year after a record 2017.