A group of 20 investors, led by businessman Dhammika Perera, drive the Colombo Stock Exchange’s top 40 quoted companies and have holdings collectively worth Rs. 122 Billion. The group of 20 investors, led by the Secretary to the Ministry of Transport and former Chairman of the Board of Investment, Dhammika Perera, have been identified as […]

The United Nations yesterday lauded the Government’s efforts in assisting the people who were affected by floods in the Eastern, North Central and Central Provinces. UN Assistant Secretary General for Humanitarian Affairs and Deputy Emergency Relief Coordinator Catherine Bragg addressing the media at the conclusion of a three day visit to Sri Lanka, said the […]

The Police Department on Wednesday commenced interviews to recruit 1,000 Tamil youth to the police service. The interviews will be continued for several days. These interviews are being held to recruit both men and women sub-inspectors and police constables, and police drivers to serve in the districts of the Northern Province and all applicants are […]

Sri Lanka Elections Commissioner has rejected 84 applications from political parties sought registration. Elections Commissioner calls for applications for registration of new political parties every January according to the Elections Amendment Act No 58 of 2009. Additional Commissioner of Elections Mr. W.W. Sumanasiri said that during elections no political party is registered. The applications were […]

Former parliamentarian K. D. Lal Kantha says that although millions have been allocated to import luxury vehicles for parliamentarians who have not been granted ministerial posts, the government has approved only a meagre sum as relief to those affected by the recent floods.

Heads of financial sector say that the dividends of the country’s economic development have not effectively flowed down to the rural population. They charge that the media has a major role to play to overcome this situation. […]

The Ministry of Irrigation and Water Resources Management has formulated a programme to sell the produce of the Mahaweli zones in Colombo at concessionary rates. Subject Minister Nimal Siripala De Silva speaking to Newsfirst said that the step had been taken to prevent the price of consumer goods from increasing due to the extreme weather […]

The first phase of the new Colombo – Matara rail track is nearing completion and the stretch from Galle to Matara is being constructed at a cost of US$ 36 million. When the Newsfirst team arrived at the location, the construction work was being carried out expeditiously. […]

A union representing doctors in Sri Lanka has protested against government plans to stop free healthcare for those addicted to alcohol. The health ministry is planning to stop free health care to “alcohol-addicts” from next month. The union says the new measure jeopardises doctor-patient relations because medics are required to provide a health report for […]

Onlanka News – By Janaka Alahapperuma (Pix by: Sudath Silva) President Mahinda Rajapaksa participated the Thai Pongal National Festival at Alfred Doraiappa Stadium in Jaffna this morning on 17 January while all the Hindus countrywide joined in celebrating the Thai Pongal festival on a grand scale. The main ceremony was made colourful by a special […]

Onlanka News – By Janaka Alahapperuma (Pix by: Sudath Silva) President Mahinda Rajapaksa paid homage to Nagadeepa Temple in Nainativu Island on 17 January after attending at the National Thai Pongal Festival which was held at the Alfred Doraiappa Stadium. Chief incumbent of the Nagadeepa Temple and the Chief Sangha Nayaka of the Northern Province, […]

I will never let underworld gangs or terrorism raise its head whether in the South or North, President Mahinda Rajapksa speaking in Tamil at the Thaipongal festival in Jaffna said today. He added that terrorism in any form will not be tolerated. […]

Source: BBC – Photo by BGNES A South Korean warship has set off in pursuit of a chemical tanker from the country which has been hijacked by Somali pirates in the Indian Ocean. The naval destroyer is part of a multinational patrol force based in the region. […]

United States became the second country to offer emergency assistance to more than a million affected by flooding in Sri Lanka. U.S. ambassador to the country, Patricia A. Butenis, said in a statement that Washington was donating U.S. $300,000 to provide various goods and services to areas hardest-hit by the floods. […]

Onlanka News – By Janaka Alahapperuma (Pix by: Sudath Silva) A much waited Sangupiddy dream bridge which links the Northern peninsula to the rest of the country via Pooneryn declared open by President Mahinda Rajapaksa yesterday on 16 January. The Sangupiddy Bridge across the Jaffna lagoon connects Pooneryn from the mainland and Karaitivu in the […]