Fire breaks out at Bloemendhal garbage dump

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



Faiszer says his nephew is innocent

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”.



JO demands Opp. Leader post, turns down invitation to join delegation to New Delhi

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.



PM says marked drop in crime rate

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 Chinese loan may further plunge Sri Lanka into debt trap

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.



Sri Lanka rupee hits fresh low of 161.60 per dollar – dealers

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.



Johnston Fernando, two others remanded

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



Price of bread increased by Rs 5

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 turns 67 today

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



Drug prices slahsed – Rajitha

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.



Seven jumbos found dead in Polonnaruwa

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.



Interview: Inclusive infrastructure, social projects to boost Sri Lanka’s sustainable growth: ADB vice president

Inclusive infrastructure and social projects in Sri Lanka will help boost the island country’s economic growth, while active participation in regional cooperation and integration (RCI) will enhance connectivity, trade and investment with other countries in the region and beyond, Wencai Zhang, vice president of the Asian Development Bank (ADB), told Xinhua in a recent interview.



Lasith Malinga recalled for national duty

Sri Lankan cricket selectors have named premier fast bowler Lasith Malinga for the upcoming Asia Cup which begins in the UAE on 15th of this month.



Malcolm Turnbull, Julie Bishop among alleged targets for alleged Islamic State affiliate charged over terrorism offences

A police source has confirmed Malcolm Turnbull and Julie Bishop were among a list of potential targets allegedly documented in the notebook of a Sri Lankan man charged with a terrorism-related offence.



SLIIT WILL BE TAKEN BACK – MINISTER

The Sri Lanka Institute of Information Technology (SLIIT) in Malabe will be taken back to the Government cancelling its transaction in 2015, Higher Education and Cultural Affairs Minister Dr. Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe said.



UN expert on debt, human rights to visit Sri Lanka

The United Nation’s Independent Expert on foreign debt and human rights, Juan Pablo Bohoslavsky, will pay an official visit to Sri Lanka in September at the invitation of the Sri Lankan government, the media reported on Friday.