Latest Sri Lanka News and Top Stories

President Maithripala Sirisena yesterday expressed his desire to continue in politics beyond 2020. “I will not retire in 2020,” the President emphasised, addressing a mammoth May Day rally organised by the SLFP led UPFA at Chenkaladi in the Batticaloa district.

According to local government ministry sources, Rs.135 million needs to be set aside monthly to pay the salaries of 8689 members elected to the local government bodies.

A UNP which will rule for the next 20-30 years and not just five, was the promise UNP Leader and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe made to his supporters as the party commemorated May Day at the Sugathadasa Indoor Stadium yesterday.

Sri Lanka’s state-run investment body has approved a $500 million liquefied natural gas plant by China Machinery Engineering Corp near a Chinese-controlled port and industrial zone.

Malaysian police have intercepted a tanker with 131 Sri Lankans believed bound for Australia and New Zealand, smashing a large human smuggling ring that has been operating for a year.

Technology is gradually silencing people who are decrying the unwarranted delays when dealing with commercial banks and primary dealers in various legal and monetary transactions. Thanks to various system applications, such as the Blockchain Technology, that seems to be the way forward for many countries.

A leading underworld gangster Dilip Rohana Rodrigo alias Dileepa was killed in a shootout with the Special Task Force (STF) personnel at Mailapitiya in Kandy yesterday.

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.