Road closures spark public outcry during Iranian President’s visit

The closure of roads in Colombo without prior notice during evening rush hours as part of security arrangements for the visit of Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi inconvenienced the public and motorists alike.

GMOA wants decision on KDU medical degree admission suspended

The Government Medical Officers’ Association (GMOA) has requested the government to suspend the recent Cabinet decision which approved local students to gain admission to the General Sir John Kotelawala Defence University’s medical degree programme.

SLFP becomes rudderless

Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) faction led by former President Maithripala Sirisena has become rudderless now with the legal bar on Minister Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe from functioning as the acting chairman.

SL took minimal steps to punish officials who committed human rights abuses: US report

Sri Lanka took minimal steps to identify and punish officials who may have committed human rights abuses, the 2023 report issued by the US State Department’s Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labour on Sri Lanka’s Human Rights Practices has alleged. The report said that significant human rights issues such as arbitrary or unlawful killings, including extrajudicial killings, torture or cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment or punishment by

Iranian President’s visit Sri Lanka withstands western pressure

Sri Lanka withstood pressure from some quarters of the Western world and proceeded with the visit of Iranian President Dr. Ebrahim Raisi. He will arrive in the country today in response to a special invitation extended by President Ranil Wickremesinghe, marking the first visit of an Iranian President to Sri Lanka since former President Dr. Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s visit in April 2008.

25 tons of solid waste disposed along Sri Pada route

About 25 tons of solid waste have been irresponsibly disposed of along the Sri Pada route from Nallathaniya,for the past five months during the pilgrim season, leading to significant environmental pollution. despite ongoing awareness campaigns to prevent environmental damage, an official said. Environment Promotion Officer of Maskeliya Pradeshiya Sabha Rasika Samaranayake said the stock of solid waste included about three tons of plastic bottle

Temperature rises to ‘Caution’ level

The Meteorology Department issued a cautionary warning today about escalating temperatures that may be particularly intense for people across the country except in Matale, Kandy, Nuwara Eliya and Badulla. They said the heat index, a measure of how hot it feels to the human body when relative humidity is factored in with the actual air temperature, is anticipated to escalate to levels classified as ‘Caution’.

Katunayake-Colombo Expressway closed from 2pm to 3pm today

In view of the Iranian President’s visit, Katunayake - Colombo Expressway will be closed from 2 pm to 3 pm and 9:30 pm to 10:30 pm today. Several roads in Colombo between Lotus roundabout, Presidential Secretariat, President’s House in Fort, and NSA roundabout will also be closed in the afternoon. The road from Mattala to Uma Oya will be closed from 9.45 am to 11 am.

Tight security for Iranian President’s visit to Sri Lanka

Stringent security measures have been put in place ahead of the arrival of Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi in Sri Lanka today. The President is scheduled for a one-day official visit to join a public event commemorating the launch of the Uma Oya Multipurpose Development Project (UOMDP). The Iranian President is scheduled to arrive in the country through the Mattala Airport and from there he is set to visit Uma Oya project by road. Security conv

Colombo’s consular services temporarily suspended for system transition

Document authentication services provided by the Consular Affairs Division of the Foreign Affairs Ministry in Colombo will be temporarily suspended for the public on April 29 and 30 in order to facilitate the transition of the Electronic Document Authentication System (e-DAS) to the new premises at Suhurupaya. They said the services will be suspended as the Consular Affairs Division of the Ministry will be relocated to the new premises at the 16

Prepared for debate in May but not on dates suggested by NPP: SJB

Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) yesterday said its leader Sajith Premadasa is ready for the proposed debate with National People’s Power (NPP), leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake on the policies of both parties on economic issues in the month of May but not on dates proposed by NPP Member Nalinda Jayatissa. Dr Jayatissa proposed that the NPP Leader is ready for the date on May 7, 9, 13 or 14. However MP Nalin Bandara said in a statement that Mr. Pr

Uma Oya Hydro Power Plant to add 120 MW to national grid: Minister

With the commissioning of the Uma Oya Hydro Power Plant today, 120 MW generation capacity will be added to the national grid and reduce the cost of energy, Power and Energy Minister Kanchana Wijesekara said yesterday. He said in a statement posted on X, that the project will also provide water requirements for drinking, agricultural and irrigational requirements for beneficiaries in three districts. He also said the delays in the construction

Army forms committee to probe accident Fox Hill Supercross future depends on committee report

The Sri Lanka Army said yesterday that a decision on whether to suspend or continue the Fox Hill Supercross in the future will be made following the report submitted by the seven-member committee.

Sri Lanka weighs Open Skies amidst plans for national carrier privatization

Sri Lanka is in a dilemma to decide whether to adopt an open skies policy or not in the event of divestiture of shares of the national carrier ‘SriLankan Airlines’, a top official said . An Open Skies policy means liberalization and ease of access and rules of use of national airports for foreign airlines. It is joined in order to increase the tourist flow and to develop the potential as a regional air hub.

Mattala airport privatization: Cabinet decision this week

The Cabinet is likely to endorse a proposal this week on the transfer of the management of Mattala airport, Sri Lanka’s second largest international airport, a top official said.

Top Chinese delegation meet Anura Kumara

A top delegation of the Chinese Communist Party headed by Vice Minister of the International Department Sun Haiyan met National People’s Power (NPP) leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake at the JVP head office yesterday.The delegation included head of the International Department of the Chinese Communist Party Liu Jianchao and Political Counsellor of the Chinese Embassy in Sri Lanka Chen Xiang Yuan.

Upcountry estate workers stage a token strike

Estate workers in the upcountry yesterday staged a token strike with several demands including a wage increase in keeping with the cost of living. Their main demand was a minimum daily wage of Rs.1700. They accused the Estate Companies of ignoring President Ranil Wickremesinghe’s instructions to increase the wages up to Rs.1700 per day. The trade union action was organised by the Ceylon Workers’ Congress with the help of several other trade union

United States and SL Navy collaborate in CARAT 2024 exercise in Trincomalee

The United States Navy, U.S. Marine Corps, and Sri Lanka Navy will partner for the Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training (CARAT) Sri Lanka 2024 exercise. CARAT Sri Lanka will feature the expertise of the U.S. Fleet Anti-Terrorism Security Team (FAST), a U.S. Marine Corps unit specialized in security and anti-terrorism for naval assets, engaging alongside their Sri Lanka Navy Marine counterparts on a full spectrum of naval capabilities.

People have already selected Ranil for Presidency: Prasanna

Claiming that people will not vote as a gratitude for goods distributed by politicians, Minister Prasanna Ranatunge said yesterday people have already selected Ranil Wickremesinghe for Presidency as he can rescue the country from the economic crisis. The Minister said this to the media after an event to distribute rice to low income families in Kelaniya. Responding to a question, he said they were not distributing rice targeting elections and

Construction work for India-funded 10,000 housing units commenced

The construction of 10,000 housing units with Indian financial assistance for the plantation workers has commenced, the National Housing Development Authority (NHDA) sources say. The sources said that Rs. 2.8 million has been allocated for the construction of each housing unit built in six plantation districts and beneficiaries of the housing units are to be selected by the District Secretariats of relevant areas with the collaboration of the

Two Guinean women who swallowed Rs.80 million worth cocaine nabbed

Two Guinean women who smuggled into the country two kilos of Cocaine valued about Rs.80 million were arrested by the Narcotic Control Unit of the Customs at Katunayake International Airport in the early hours of last morning. The two suspect passengers of 40 and 42 years of age had arrived from Istanbul. They had swallowed the stock of Cocaine in capsules and they were subject to scanning to find the stock of contraband which they had swallowe

Maldivians vote at Parliamentary Election from Colombo

Maldivians living in Sri Lanka cast their ballots at the Parliamentary Election of their country at the polling station established at the Maldivian High Commission in Colombo on yesterday. More than 300 Maldivian nationals residing in Sri Lanka have registered for the parliamentary elections. A total of 93 seats in the People’s Majlis are elected in single-member constituencies using the first-past-the-post system. Prior to the elections, th

Ruwan participates in Biyagama New year celebration

Senior Presidential Advisor and UNP Deputy Leader Ruwan Wijewardene participated in a New year cel

Engineer who smuggled narcotics in luxury vehicle netted

A civil engineer who smuggled a narcotic called ‘Ice’ in a luxury vehicle to tourist hotels and resorts has been arrested in Bandarawela, the Special Task Force (STF) of the police said. He had been arrested near a hotel in Kesbewa along with 6032 milligrams of

SJB embroiled in controversy after its MPs secured funds from Govt without party approval

The main opposition Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB), finds itself embroiled in controversy as reports emerge that several of its MPs had received Rs. 50 million each from the government’s decentralized budget without nod from the party leadership,Daily Mirror learns . In the past , the governments used to allocate funds to MPs in the opposition to carry out development projects of their choice in their constituencies. However , such allocations ha

Sri Lanka to miss budget revenue target for 33rd year running in 2024

Sri Lanka is projected to fall short of its budget target on revenue to GDP (gross domestic product) for the 33rd consecutive year in 2024, according to the recently released ‘State of the Budget Report 2024’. The State of the Budget Report is compiled annually by Verité Research and published on PublicFinance.lk, Sri Lanka’s premier platform for economic insights. The report provides a robust analysis and objective assessment of the fiscal

Road ahead for Sri Lanka is challenging: Top IMF official

First Deputy Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) said the road ahead for Sri Lanka is challenging, and it is critical to keep up with the reform momentum. Taking to X, she said she really appreciated meeting Sri Lanka’s State Minister of Finance Shehan Semasinghe and Central Bank Governor Nandalal Weerasinghe. “I commended them on hard-won economic gains in the past year. The road ahead is challenging, and it’s critical

Deafening silence by Govt. on emblematic cases

The Government is maintaining a deafening silence on the investigations over a number of emblematic cases. Current President then Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe had in 2015 assured justice over the murders, including that of former Editor Lasantha Wickrematunge and rugger player Wasim Thajudeen. However, President Wickremesinghe and his administration have not provided any assurances to the families of the victims since taking office

Easter Sunday attacks Catholic Church to go to UNHRC seeking international probe

The Catholic Church is planning to present a proposal to the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) through several foreign governments and international organizations to initiate an international investigation into the Easter Sunday terrorist attacks with a view to mete out justice to the victims of those attacks. Archbishop of Colombo, His Eminence Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith revealed this to the BBC Sinhala Service yesterday in a statement

Easter Sunday terror attack victims commemorated

Prayers were offered at the St. Anthony’s Shrine, Kochchikade, led by the Archbishop of Colombo, His Eminence Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith, to mark the fifth anniversary of the Easter Sunday bomb attacks and in comme