CHENNAI: A 21-year-old Sri Lankan Tamil who came to the city to meet a man she befriended on social media was found dead at a lodge in Singaperumal Koil near Urapakkam on Wednesday.

An agreement to build a proposed $3.85 billion oil refinery in Sri Lanka will take at least a year to be finalized as its main investor, India’s Accord Group, says it is yet to recruit partners and conduct an assessment of the plan’s viability.

A former cricketer-turned-businessman called on the Government to ‘walk the talk’ and achieve its ambitious goals, while being mindful of certain actions that could hurt the Sri Lankan private sector.

Nilakna Disiwari from Visaka Vidyalaya gained the best results of the G.C.E. Ordinary Level for year 2018.

All Expenditure Heads of Megapolis and Western Development Ministry and some Expenditure Heads of Internal and Home Affairs and Provincial Councils and Local Government Ministry were defeated in an unexpected move during the committee stage of the ‘Budget 2019’ yesterday.

Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe has urged administrative service officers to use electricity sparingly in state offices until the prevalent power crisis is addressed.

President Maithripala Sirisena yesterday stressed that he would not implement any decisions that would violate the country’s Constitution and independence at the whims and fancies of the international community or any other persons.

Transparency International Sri Lanka (TISL) says the controversy surrounding the proposed USD 3.85 billion oil refinery in Mirijjawila, Hambantota, could have a negative impact on Sri Lanka’s efforts to remove itself from the Financial Action Task Force’s (FATF) ‘Grey List’ of countries vulnerable to money laundering and terrorism financing.

Underworld leader Muhammad Najeem Imran alias Kanjipaani Imran arrested in Dubai along with Maakandurey Madush has been deported to Sri Lanka.

Former Defence Secretary, Gotabaya Rajapaksa should stop dreaming of the executive presidency because the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) would ensure that he would never secure it, TNA Kilinochchi District MP, S. Shritharan told media yesterday.

The wife of a murder suspect Kudu Roshan and one of his accomplices have been arrested with heroin in their possession by the STF today.

A conclusive decision had not yet been taken regarding former Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa contesting as a candidate at the upcoming Presidential Election, Opposition Leader Mahinda Rajapaksa said.

Singer Nadeemal Perera and a prison officer, who were arrested along with the drug kingpin “Makandure Madush” have been deported from Dubai and arrived in Sri Lanka.

With Sri Lanka imposing power cuts once again, inconveniencing the public, President Maithripala Sirisena yesterday (26), appointed a three-member committee to look into the power cuts and find solutions to the on-going power crisis.

Sri Lanka’s total foreign debt burden had increased by over Rs 626 billion due to the depreciation of the rupee against the US dollar between January 2015 and November 2017, Parliament was told yesterday.

Plantations in Sri Lanka that supply tea stamped slavery-free to top global companies are under investigation by ethical label groups after an expose found illegal wage deductions that have left some workers ill and unable to afford healthcare.