A Filipino seaman, onboard the MT New Diamond, an oil tanker caught on fire while sailing 38 nautical miles off Sangamankanda Point east of Sri Lankan seas yesterday morning, had died in a boiler explosion, the Navy said.

Two special SriLankan Airlines flights carrying 229 Sri Lankans stranded in Nepal and Israel due to COVID- 19, arrived at the Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA), Katunayake last night.

The Government is still studying the possibility of reopening Sri Lankan airports, Health Minister Pavithra Wanniarachchi said.

Former Criminal Investigation Department (CID) Director Shani Abeysekara and Sub Inspector (SI) Mendis further remanded till September 17 by Gampaha Magistrate’s Court today.

The Cabinet has decided to temporarily suspend the import of vehicles for a period of one year as there is a sufficient stock prevailing in the country to meet requirements, Cabinet spokesman and Minister Keheliya Rambukwella said.

Two individuals were killed and two others injured when a car crashed into a Bo-tree at the Navinna Junction on the High Level Road early this morning, Police said today.

New State Minister of Internal Security, Home Affairs and Disaster Management Chamal Rajapaksa said yesterday a significant lack of supervision by the higher officials can be observed in the Police force.

Justice Minister Ali Sabry said yesterday 553,000 Sri Lankans were addicted to drugs. Speaking at a function held at Viyangalla in Kalutara, Minister Sabry assured that measures would be taken to eradicate the drug menace from the country.

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

At stock of 23 kilograms of heroin was recovered in Sapugaskanda area today, the Police said.

To have received her son’s death certificate on the day she brought him to the world — exactly 37 years ago — was the hardest experience for British national Maryanne India Beare.

An accomplice of drug trafficker Ranjith Kumara alias ’Kondaya’ was arrested for allegedly involved in drug trafficking network.

A three-wheeler driver was arrested with two kilos of cannabis valued at Rs.500,000 at Dharmarama Road in Ratmalana today, the Mt.Lavinia Police said.

President Gotabaya Rajapaksa yesterday said steps will be taken to reduce the cost of living by implementing the decisions which were taken based on stable policies.

A total of 640 Sri Lankans, who were stranded in Kuwait, Qatar and United Arab Emirates (UAE) due to the Corona-19 pandemic, arrived in the country this morning at the Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA), Katunayake.

While claiming that the Attorney General had no power to decide on Premalal Jayasekara attending Parliament sittings, Minister Vasudeva Nanayakkara said today it should be decided by the Speaker and Parliament.

Former Negombo Prison Superintendent Anuruddha Sampayo and three prison officers, who were taken into the CID custody, were granted bail by the Negombo Magistrate Court today.

Three Nigerians and two Sri Lankans have been arrested by the Prevention of Organized Crimes Division at Mount Lavinia yesterday.

The STF has arrested an accomplice of organized criminal Janith Madusanka de Silva alias ’Podi Lassi’ with a stock firearms and ammunition at a house at Wathugedara in Ambalangoda.

Colombo High Court today served indictments on MP Rajitha Senaratne and former State Pharmaceuticals Corporation (SPC) Chairman Mohammad Rumi over the ‘white van’ press conference case.

Customs officials seized 222 grams of Kush cannabis with a street value of over Rs. 2.2 million today.

Former IGP Pujith Jayasundara arrived at the Presidential Commission of Inquiry (PCoI) probing political victimization a short while ago.

Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardane today announced Foreign Relations Minister Dinesh Gunawardane as the Leader of the House while Minister Johnston Fernando as the Chief Government Whip

Two more Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) MPs yesterday called for the appointment of former Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe to Parliament though the solitary national list slot which the UNP had received at this year’s general election.

The new government, in its first Cabinet meeting, appointed a ministerial committee to work on drafting the new constitutional proposals to be enacted by repealing the 19th Amendment to the Constitution.

The new government’s parliament decided today to nominate Matara district MP Mahinda Yapa Abeywardane as the Speaker of the new Parliament, Kegalle district MP Ranjith Siyambalapitiya as the Deputy Speaker and Jaffna district MP Angajan Ramanathan

President Gotabaya Rajapaksa today made a stop to talk to the graduates who were protesting outside the Presidential Secretariat, Colombo and assured that they would be given jobs.

A stock of illegally imported foreign cigarettes worth Rs. 35 million found hidden in a 40-foot container was destroyed at the Ceylon Tobacco Company (CTC) destruction yard under the supervision of Customs officials today.

The Cabinet today granted the approval to abolish the 19th Amendment to the Constitution and to draft the 20th Amendment to the Constitution, Cabinet Spokesman Minister Keheliya Rambukwella told Daily Mirror.

The only alternative left for the United National Party (UNP) is to ally with the Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) led by Sajith Premadasa, newly-elected SJB MPs Hesha Withanage and Chaminda Wijesiri told a news conference today.