Three Customs officials in bribery net

Three Customs officials were arrested yesterday while allegedly accepting a bribe of Rs. 125 million. According to Bribery Commission sources this is the largest ever recorded case of bribe taking, detected by them.



Project will resume if report ‘satisfactory’ – Govt says Port City EIA ready

Deputy Minister of Highways and Investment Promotion, Eran Wickramaratne said if the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) report on the Colombo Port City Project is satisfactory, the project will resume without any issue.



Danuna Tilakaratne acquitted in Hicorp case

The Colombo High Court today acquitted Danuna Tilakaratne from the Hicorp fraud case.



A little light administrative duty for Sri Lanka’s new hangmen

Sri Lanka said on Wednesday it has hired two new executioners to replace the previous hangman, who quit soon after seeing the gallows for the first time, even though capital punishment has not been carried out there for almost 40 years.



MR to appear before PRECIFAC today

The Presidential Commission of Inquiry to Investigate and Inquire into Serious Acts of Fraud, Corruption and Abuse of Power, State Resources and Privileges (PRECIFAC), has summoned former President Mahinda Rajapaksa for questioning today.



Volkswagen’s Kuliyapitiya assembly plant will go ahead

Volkswagen’s plans to set up an assembly plant in Kuliyapitiya, Kurunegala will go ahead despite its controversy in Europe.



Navy arrests nine more Indian fishermen

The Sri Lankan navy on Wednesday apprehended nine Tamil Nadu fishermen and their boat on charges of trespassing into the territorial waters of the island nation, marine police sources at Mandapam in India has said.



Wele Suda sentenced to death

Gampola Vidanage Samantha Kumara alias Wele Suda was sentenced to death by Colombo High Court today on charges of possessing of 7.05 grams of heroin in Mount Lavinia in 2008.



Code of conduct for MPs soon: Speaker

Speaker Karu Jayasuriya is reported to have told a delegation of civil society representatives yesterday that he would introduce a Code of Conduct for MPs soon.



Electric vehicle registrations up

With duty for electric vehicles (EV) maintaining around 5 percent, registration of EVs in September has recorded a heavy toll.



Arrangements in place to set up a Compassionate Council – PM

Prime Minister Ranil Wickremasinghe has said that a Compassionate Council will be established to solicit advice and guidance for all religions respecting the proposals of other countries.



Gnanasara Thera surrenders

General Secretary of the Bodu Bala Sena, Ven, Galagodaatte Gnanasara Thera, who was issued an arrest warrant for not appearing in court, surrendered to the Fort Magistrate’s Court a short while ago.



Avant Garde vessel matter: DISSANAYAKE UNDER PROBE

D.M.S. Dissanayake, Senior Assistant Secretary in the Defence Ministry and the officer-in-charge of Civil Security, has come under investigation over the controversy surrounding the Avant Garde Maritime Services Limited.



Warrant issued on Ven. Gnanasara Thera

An arrest warrant has been issued against General Secretary of Bodu Bala Sena (BBS) Galagodaaththe Gnanasara Thera, a short while ago.



‘Prices of some vehicles may increase by almost 50 percent’

Sri Lanka’s finance minister has signed an extraordinary gazette to change the basis on which customs calculates the value of certain motor vehicles, therefore prices of some vehicles may increase by almost 50 percent, car dealers said.



Accord highest priority to fishermen issue: Jayalalitha

TN Chief Minister Jayalalithaa on Sunday urged Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to accord highest priority to the release of 54 Tamil Nadu fishermen and their 34 boats from the Sri Lankan custody.