The captain and an officer on a crude oil tanker that caught fire in the seas off Sangaman Kanda in Ampara have been rescued, the Navy said.

The Sri Lankan Embassy in Abu Dhabi has confirmed that a Sri Lankan lost his life and another is receiving treatment in the ICU following an explosion at a restaurant in Abu Dhabi on Monday.

Police have arrested 04 suspects while transporting 30 kilograms of Kerala Cannabis and Rs. 1 million in cash in the Negombo area.

A nine-member experts’ committee has been appointed to draft a new constitution, stated Minister Udaya Gammanpila.

Gampaha District Forest Officer Devani Jayathilaka has expressed her desire on Facebook to exchange the only block of land she owns with a land in Lankagama and gift it to the Sinharaja Forest Reserve.

Five individuals have been arrested while in possession of 500g of heroin concealed inside coconuts, the police said.

Jathika Jana Balawegaya Leader and Parliamentarian, Anura Kumara Dissanayake, said, as the Constitution has been amended regularly during the past 42 years, the need of the hour was for the present regime to adopt a new Constitution geared towards overcoming local and foreign challenges to the Nation.

President Gotabaya Rajapaksa yesterday urged the graduates newly recruited to the State Sector to do their utmost for the country’s development to create a culture of ‘Rata Wenuwen Weda’ (Work for the country) as envisaged in the “Vistas of Prosperity and Splendour” Policy Statement.

The Cabinet of Ministers has granted approval to the draft 20th Amendment to the Constitution.

The Attorney General had advised the Justice Ministry Secretary that the draft of the 20th Amendment to the Constitution did not attract the holding of a referendum in terms of Article 83 of the Constitution, AG’s Coordinating Officer State Counsel Nishara Jayaratne said.

Police have recovered 23 kilograms of heroin in the Sapugaskanda area and arrested one suspect in connection.

A woman, who was in possession of heroin worth nearly Rs. 100,000, has been placed under arrest in the area of Thotalanga.

A 43-year-old individual has been arrested while in possession of 300g heroin, the Police said.

State Minister of Rattan, Brass, Pottery, Furniture and Rural Industrial Promotion Prasanna Ranaweera says a decision has been reached to grant a pension for traditional industrialists registered with the National Crafts Council.

Trade Minister Bandula Gunawardane has proposed that ‘Kansa’ should be cultivated in the country to be used as an item for value addition in the export industry.