In what appeared to be a controversial statement, former President Maithripala Sirisena said yesterday that he is aware of who is behind the Easter Sunday terrorist bombings and ready to divulge all details in case a court order is given.
The 76th AGM of the Sri Lanka Army Engineers Association will be held on Saturday (March 23) at 9 am at ‘Leisure Bay’ Army Camp, Mattegoda. The Army Engineers’ Association consists of retired all ranks of the Engineer Regiments in the Sri Lanka Army. Major General Channa Gunathilake will preside over AGM events and the fellowship lunch that will follow. Army Engineers have a long history and have contributed to safeguard the motherland i
A suspected underworld gunman was killed and 19 other underworld members have been arrested during the special Police operation conducted to curb underworld activities in Sri Lanka. Police said the gunman, an accomplice of underworld figure Mangula Prasad Hemantha alias ‘Patta Manju’ was killed following a shootout with Police Special Task Force (STF) personnel at Ganemulla on Wednesday night. Police said the suspect in question had opened
Amid the country’s high cost of living, there’s an increased risk of individuals falling prey to ongoing scams and cyber frauds as more people are desperately resorting to earning quick money, the Sri Lanka Computer Emergency Readiness Team (SLCERT) said. Senior Information Security Engineer Charuka Damunupola of SLCERT told the Daily Mirror that several incidents relating to social media platforms, such as Facebook, now known as Meta, Messeng
As forecasted by the National Meteorological Centre’s forecasting division, many areas across the island experienced showers following a change in the prevailing dry weather. Duty Meteorologist Chaminda de Silva, attached to the Meteorological Centre, told the Daily Mirror that showers were experienced in most areas of the island, including the South-western, Eastern, Uva, Northern, North-eastern, and North-central provinces.
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) yesterday said the Sri Lankan authorities are making good progress in implementing an ambitious reform agenda under the Extended Fund Facility (EFF), and the outcomes are commendable. The positive outcomes includes rapid disinflation, robust reserve accumulation, and initial signs of economic growth while preserving the stability of the financial system. Noting that public finances have strengthened foll
In the wake of calls for a snap general election , Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) stalwart Basil Rajapaksa who held a one on one meeting with President Ranil Wickremesinghe yesterday said talks ended on a positive note and they decided to consult their respective parties before reaching any finality . Asked whether they decided to have the parliamentary elections first , Mr. Rajapaksa declined to give a direct answer but said the outcome wa
Both international and local forces influenced me to take over the presidency and form a new government even through violating the constitution during ‘Aragalaya’ back in 2022, Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena revealed yesterday. “Some prominent religious leader even threatened to surround my house and harm me if I failed to take over the presidency and form a government; he said making a special statement after the no faith motion against him
COPE Chairman MP Rohitha Abeygunawardena yesterday said if he was fit to be elected as a Member of Parliament, why can’t he function as the Chairman of the Committee on Public Enterprises (COPE). Abeygunawardena told Parliament that Standing Orders must include qualifications required to hold the Chairmanship of Parliamentary Committees such as COPE and COPA. The MP said he was elected the COPE Chair with a majority vote by the members of the
The British government reiterated its commitment to encouraging Sri Lanka to uphold its human rights obligations, fulfill promises regarding transitional justice and legislative reform, and enhance trust in its institutions, despite the predominant stance of Labour and Conservative speakers in Westminster Hall in UK Parliament charging Sri Lanka with alleged human rights violations. Minister of State-Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Offic
Atelier Kandy, renowned for its cultural vibrancy, is poised to host an unforgettable Friday evening of jazz as En-route, the esteemed jazz ensemble, prepares to take the stage in a celebration of the Great American Songbook. On the eve of this highly anticipated event, anticipation is building among music aficionados and enthusiasts alike for an evening of soulful melodies and timeless classics. Atelier Kandy, the esteemed cultural hub nestled
The Wildlife Conservation Department has reported a total of 298 elephants falling victim to electrocution since 2018. They attributed the elephant deaths to the installation of various obstacles and traps, including substandard electric fences intended to restrict the movement of wild animals or target wild elephants and other wildlife for lethal purposes. Reports indicate that 72 elephants were killed in 2023, followed by 50 in 2022, 66 in
The Sri Lanka Air Force Excellence Awards 2023 was held at the Eagles’ Lagoon View Banquet Hall, Katunayake under the patronage of the Commander of the Air Force, Air Marshal Udeni Rajapaksa. Outstanding performances of the Airmen and Airwomen within the Air Force were recognized and appreciated in order to motivate them to strive for continued excellence through dedication. This year, Flight Sergeant Kumara AMDSR (Operations Ground Special) and
The Committee on Public Finance (COPF) yesterday recommended in its report that the Central Bank must defer the salary increase of its employees until a fair solution is found. COPF Chairman Dr. Harsha De Silva while presenting the report in Parliament said an independent remuneration committee should be appointed by the Finance Minister with the concurrence of the Central Bank Governor to review the salary increase. He said the committee recog
Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) stalwart Basil Rajapaksa, in response to a query about the former President’s decision to ban chemical farming, said a leader should take final responsibility for any decision taken by him. “I don’t know. A leader may consult others when making a decision. Once a decision is made, he should take the responsibility,” Basil Rajapaksa said in an interview with Daily Mirror. Asked why he, as a responsible memb
Running counter to the statement by the Health Ministry regarding the return of migrated doctors to Sri Lanka, recent statistics paint a different picture, revealing only a meagre five specialists have returned to the country this year. The assertion initially made by Deputy Director General (Medical Services) Dr. G. Wijesuriya failed to produce the statistics and thus met with skepticism, especially considering the stark reality depicted by t
Sri Lanka has barred research activities for German vessel ‘Sonne’ in keeping with the one-year moratorium on such activities involving foreign ships in its Exclusive Economic Zone, but it will be allowed for replenishment in the Colombo port, Daily Mirror learns. The government has declared a moratorium on foreign research ships entering its waters for a year amid concerns from India over Chinese research vessels docking in its neighbourhood.
The Forecasting Division of the National Meteorological Centre has announced a welcome change in the prevailing dry weather across the island, with several provinces set to experience much-needed rainfall starting tomorrow. The Eastern, Uva, and Northern Provinces are expected to see multiple spells of showers, while the Western, Sabaragamuwa, Central, Uva, Southern, North-Western, and North-Central Provinces will witness showers in various are
Despite the prolonged drought, water levels in hydro and irrigation reservoirs in the country are still sufficient, ensuring no need for power cuts in the near future, the authorities said yesterday. The Ministry of Power and Energy assures no need for power cuts until end of April as hydropower plants have sufficient water reserves. Thanks to heavy rains received two months prior, all hydro and irrigation reservoirs have attained ample wate
The government is planning to issue licences to open 200 wine stores under the FL4 category and 15 of them have already been issued, Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa alleged in Parliament yesterday. He told Parliament that the government must reveal whether a decision has been taken to issue licences to 200 wine stores, of which 15 have already been given. Premadasa also revealed that six liquor manufacturing licences have already been issu
The wildlife officers attached to the Sinharaja Forest Reserve observed that one of the two elephants living in the vicinity of the forest reserve had not been seen for the past one and a half years. They said the two male elephants used to come out of the forest reserve when they went into musth. But within the past one and a half years, only one elephant (around 45-years-old), which has a belt around its neck, has been seen by the villagers
Our sister papers the Daily Lankadeepa and the Sunday Lankadeepa won the ‘Most Popular Newspaper award for the 18th consecutive year at the ‘SLIM- KANTAR Peoples Award 2024’ held at the Monarch Imperial, Sri Jayawardenapura Kotte last evening. The awards ceremony was organised by the Sri Lanka Institute of Marketing (SLIM) together with Kantar, Sri Lanka. The Chief Editor of Sunday Lankadeepa Kanchana Dassanayake is seen receiving the award. The
The exodus of opposition MPs from the Committee on Public Enterprises (COPE), a watchdog committee, will have no bearing on the conduct of deliberations since the government’s representation is sufficient enough to maintain the quorum number, a top source said. Seven opposition MPs who represent the opposition in the COPE which is empowered to examine the financial activities of the statutory boards such as various corporations and bureaus ha
Following a concerning rise in organized criminal activities in the Western and Southern provinces, a special operation targeting 20 identified organized criminal gangs in the country under the ‘Yukthiya’ initiative was launched yesterday. Accordingly, 20 special police teams have been deployed to crackdown on those identified underworld gangs. IGP Tennakoon said that 99 shootings related to organized criminals were reported since January 2023,
Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) founder Basil Rajapaksa said that he had not read the book published recently by former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa on an alleged conspiracy to oust him. While addressing a television interview he said that he did not have such a book at home. “Gotabaya did not even give me a copy of his book,” he said. When the television presenter asked whether he had read the digital version of Gotabaya’s book, Basil
The Cabinet endorsed a proposal to draft constitutional amendments for the introduction of a new parliamentary electoral system that will enable the election of 160 MPs under the previous First-Past-the –Post System and the remainder under proportional representation, Daily Mirror learns. Currently, Parliament consists of 225 MPs. Justice Minister Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe presented the proposal approved by the Cabinet. A new piece of legislati
The Veterinary Medical Officers’ Association has warned on the imminent danger of rabies spreading due to the intense heat that severely affects dogs, cats and other animals. President of the association Dr. Sisisra Piyasiri said the people should be vigilant on complications affecting pets, livestock and animals used in agriculture. He said the production of eggs and milk per day could drop, if hens and cattle were exposed to the heat. D
Canada issues travel advisory over serious risk in Arugam Bay
More countries issue travel advisories
Sri Lanka Tourism invites global travellers for upcoming season
Russian embassy urges citizens to stay vigilant in Arugam Bay
US Embassy issues travel warning for Arugam Bay
Tourism industry on edge as travel advisories mount
Israelis top tourist arrivals in Arugam Bay, but reduced now