The Government is to invest more than US$300 million (Rs.47.8 billion) to reclaim land for a new beachfront from Kollupitiya to Dehiwela.

Carrying out the death sentence will not stop crimes, State Minister Ajith P. Perera told a media briefing yesterday and added that this is a reality he learned through his experience as a lawyer and a lecturer at the police training school.

Finance and Media Minister Mangala Samarawweera yesterday alleged the major heroin dealers were key members of the civil society.

The Sri Lankan rupee closed weaker on Friday as importer dollar demand surpassed mild selling of the U.S. currency by exporters, traders said.

India has sought Sri Lanka’s cooperation in swift completion of joint ventures, amidst anxiety in South Block over apparent delays in taking India-assisted projects in the island forward.

Sri Lanka and Thailand paid their attention to further develop and strengthen the trade and technical cooperation between the two countries.

The list of names of prisoners sentenced to death for drug trafficking were to be handed over to President Maithripala Sirisena yesterday, Justice Ministry sources said.

Former President Mahinda Rajapaksa says that recent fuel price hike is not reasonable. He says in 2008, petrol was sold at Rs. 120 when Sri Lanka was buying crude oil at the much higher rate of USD 97 a barrel.

Four women and a male manager had been arrested by the Welikada Police for allegedly operating a brothel in the guise of an Ayurveda Medical Centre on the Kotte Road in Ethul Kotte last night.

Sri Lanka must pull back from any plans to implement the death penalty and preserve its longstanding positive record on shunning this cruel and irreversible punishment, Amnesty International said.

Fuel prices would be revised on a monthly basis, the government said yesterday.

Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena said on Wednesday he might sign off on the execution of convicted drug traffickers still dealing from jail, as his country battles what officials say is a growing tide of drugs.

Plans have already been formulated and the necessary foundation laid to transform Sri Lanka into a fully developed country by 2050, Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe said.

The Cabinet of Ministers yesterday unanimously decided to carry out the death sentence on those who are convicted on drug charges, Buddhasasana Minister Gamini Jayawickrama Perera said. The Minister said further that President Maithripala Sirisena instructed Justice and Prison Reforms Minister Thalatha Athukorale to take all relevant measures in that regard.

Two state banks – the Bank of Ceylon and the People’s Bank – will extend financial assistance of Rs.13.5 billion to bail out the cash-strapped SriLankan Airlines, it is learnt.