Finance and Mass Media Minister Mangala Samaraweera yesterday said that today’s JO protest is a Bili Poojawa (Sacrifice) in the name of MP Namal Rajapaksa to cover up their past wrongdoings.

The Sri Lankan rupee fell to an all-time low on Wednesday with the selling price of the US Dollar reaching 163.3676 for the first time in the country’s history.

The National Medicine Regulatory Authority (NMRA) is expected to issue a gazette notice specifying the maximum fee that could be charged from patients by private hospitals, nursing homes, private clinics and private medical practitioners and specialists.

Political opponents have got the space to organise protests in Colombo because of freedom and democracy prevailing in the country, Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe said.

The Joint Opposition (JO) yesterday vowed to go ahead with its planned protest in Colombo today (Sept.5) in spite of IGP Pujitha Jayasundera’s warning the police would use ‘required force’ to maintain law and order.

A fire broke out at the Bloemendhal garbage dump in Colombo a short while ago, the Colombo Fire Brigade said.

The family of the Sri Lankan student in New South Wales accused of planning to assassinate senior Australian politicians say the alleged Islamic State affiliate is “just like any other boy”.

The Joint Opposition has rejected Speaker Karu Jayasuriya’s invitation to join a parliamentary group invited by the Lok Sabha as a protest against Jayasuriya’s decision not to recognise the JO as the legitimate opposition.

Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe said that according to Police reports the recorded crimes in the country have decreased by 35% while the number of cleared cases have increased by 20% during the year 2017.

NEW DELHI: India’s southern neighbour Sri Lanka may plunge further into the Chinese debt trap with Colombo yet again turning to Beijing for fresh loans, which will come during the final quarter of 2018.

The Sri Lankan rupee fell to a new low of 161.60 per dollar on Monday due to higher importer dollar demand, while exporters awaited a reversal in the depreciation trend to convert the U.S. currency, dealers said.

Former Minister Johnston Fernando, his private secretary Sakeer Mohamed and former Sathosa Chairman Nalin Fernando were remanded by Kurunegala High Court today.

A decision has been taken to increase the price of a 450 g loaf of bread by Rs 5, stated the Bakery Owners Association.

Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena celebrates his 67th birthday today.

Health and Indigenous Medicine Minister Dr. Rajitha Senaratne said in Kandy on Saturday the government had to spend a lot of money to maintain the health service.

The decomposed carcasses of seven wild elephants lying in a marshy land at Pudur in Onegama in Polonnaruwa were recovered yesterday by the wildlife conservators.