Consumers purchase Kerosene stoves after gas price hike

With the LPG (Liquefied Petroleum Gas) prices gone through the roof, people are shown in this video purchasing Kerosene stoves as a viable substitute. It was captured in the Pettah area of Colombo this morning.

Dilan Perera takes a swipe at Maithripala Sirisena

Government MP Dilan Perera took a swipe at former President Polonnaruwa district MP Maithripala Sirisena for criticizing the government on the farmers’ plight. Mr. Sirisena said earlier he felt scary to go to his constituency in Polonnaruwa because of the crisis in the agriculture sector.

Substantial reduction in GDP due to lockdowns – Central Bank governor

Newly appointed Central Bank governor Ajith Nivard Cabraal, in an interview with Daily Mirror, speaks about plans to bring back the economy to pre-pandemic levels and overcome the foreign exchange crisis. He speaks with confidence that there will be sufficient inflows to overcome it.

Fuel price hike in the offing?

The Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC) has proposed the revision of fuel prices in keeping with spikes in the world market, an official said. CPC chairman Sumith Wijesinghe said the world market price of petrol remained at US $ 76 a barrel when the last revision was done in June, this year, and it had increased to US $ 92 a barrel in October

Ranil calls for reintroduction of 19A

United National Party (UNP) Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe said it was a positive sign that President Gotabaya Rajapaksa admitted his lack of political experience as reported in newspapers.

Johnston says Sajith playing political dramas

Chief Government Whip Johnston Fernando said Opposition Leader was playing political Dramas to gain attention. He said the current issues related to the cost of living were a temporary phenomenon triggered by the pandemic

Opposition Leader lashes out at Govt

Opposition leader Sajith Premadasa said the 1970-77 era of food rationing and food queues had come back. Addressing people in Pallawa in the Puttalam district, he said people had been compelled to line up for hours to purchase a packet of milk.

Sri Lanka initiates transforming criminal justice system

Justice Minister M.U.M.Ali Sabry has decided to seek public views on the community based correction system to be introduced. Addressing the eighth meeting of the Ministerial Consultative Committee on Justice, Minister directed the Draft -

Sri Lanka reiterates strong concern with Canada over bill

Sri Lanka reiterated its strong concern with Canada today regarding the Private Members Public Bill passed earlier this year in the Ontario Legislative Assembly including Sri Lanka’s

NPP leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake calls for Govt to engage teachers, principals

National People’s Power (NPP) leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake, in a statement to Parliament, called for the resolution of the salary issues of school teachers and principals without any delay. He said the government should engage the trade unions of teachers and principals.

Action over unlawful financial company delayed over political patronage?

State Minister of Finance Shehan Semasinghe had a heated exchange of words with SJB (Samagi Jana Balawegaya) MP for the Kurunegala district J.C. Alawathuwala over purported political patronage on an unlawful financial institution that defaulted over 9000 depositors.

President wants District Secretaries to work with new vigour it

President Gotabaya Rajapaksa instructed the District Secretaries to be prepared to work with new vigour under the new normal situation to overcome the setbacks triggered by Covid-19, a statement from his office said yesterday.

National hospital workers demand proper transfers

Health workers demonstrated today in front of the Colombo National Hospital to protest against what they called ‘improper transfers’.

Fuel price stabilization fund to be introduced

The government will introduce fuel price stabilization fund, Energy Minister Udaya Gammanpila said

Colossal misappropriation of public money at Inland Revenue Department

Government MP Prof. Tissa Vitarana said in Parliament today that he was shocked at the amount of misappropriation of money at the Inland Revenue Department.

A filling station worker gets assaulted

The video shows an employee of a filling station in the Meegoda town of the Colombo district being assaulted. The police said a motorcyclist who turned up to fill up without wearing a face mask had got irritated after he was asked to maintain social distance during the transaction . Following the altercation, the employee had been attacked.

Teachers, principals demonstrate again

The teachers’ and principals’ trade unions demonstrated in the country today in coincidence with World Teachers’ Day to protest against what they said ‘failure on the part of the government to sort out their salary anomalies. They staged the main demonstration at Litton Circus.

World’s largest containers ship berthed in Colombo port

The world’s largest container ship ‘the Ever Ace’ has been berthed in the Colombo Port. It is a vessel with capacity to carry 23,992 containers. The ship is 400 meters in length and 62 meters in width

Bibile Orange farmers worried over fruit sucking pest attack

Orange cultivators in Bibile of the Monaragala district have been disturbed by a species of fruit sucking pests damaging their produce.

Ancient railway building in Kuruwita to be converted to a restaurant

The roofing structure of a building which is as old as more than 100 years and located within the premises of the Kuruwita railway station, has been dismantled as part of efforts to develop it as a restaurant, the Central Cultural Fund (CCF) says.

SJB MP Chaminda Wijesiri confronts Speaker during question time

Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) MP Chaminda Wijesiri confronted Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardane who ordered him to raise his supplementary question directly instead of elaborating on the subject matter.

Foreign Minister briefs Parliament

Foreign Minister Prof. G.L. Peiris briefs Parliament in a detailed statement about steps taken by Sri Lanka in its engagement with the international community, for the achievement of climate change goals and moves to build national cohesion

Trade unions up in arms against Public Security Minister

National Trade Union Front, a collective of trade unions, vowed today to take up cudgels against Public Security Minister Sarath Weerasekara for his alleged threatening of the teacher trade union leaders.

Indian Foreign Secretary calls on Prime Minister

Visiting Indian Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla called on Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa at Temple Trees this morning. During the meeting, the two delegations discussed a number of sectors of mutual cooperation, including the further strengthening of bilateral relations, ongoing projects, tourism and the promotion of Buddhist ties.

Jaffna Cultural Centre reconnects people with ancient roots

Visiting Indian Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla said the Jaffna cultural centre, being constructed with a US $ 11 million financial grant from India, will help people of the northern province reconnect and engage with their ancient cultural roots. He made a statement to the press in Jaffna. He is currently in Sri Lanka on a two day visit.

Stone occupying entire kidney of a patient was removed in a surgery done with laser technology while the patient was awake

For the first time in Sri Lanka, the stone that occupied the entire kidney of a patient was removed in a surgery called ‘Mini PCNL (Percutaneous Nephrolithotomy)’ performed with the use of 140W high power laser technology by a team of medical doctors at *Teaching Hospital Kalutara* .

Officials find archaeological remains on one Kandalama island , signs of bird hunting in another

A team of officials from the Mahaweli Development Authority have discovered what appeared to be archaeological remains of an ancient Buddhist Vihare or Dagoba on one of the islands surrounded by the waters of Kandalama tank in Damubulla. These officials, with the assistance of the police lifesaving unit, took a boat ride to two such islands on October 2.

Indian Foreign Secretary arrives in Colombo

Indian Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla arrived in Sri Lanka today on a two visit at the invitation of his Sri Lankan counterpart Prof .Jayanath Colombage. During his stay, he will visit Kandy and Jaffna

Wholesale traders boycott vegetable purchase from farmers in protest over parking plan at Dambulla Economic Centre

Wholesale traders boycotted the purchase of vegetables from farmers and declined all forms of commercial transactions at the Dambulla Economic Centre to protest against the new vehicle parking plan introduced for them.

Rain dampens the joy of opening

Covid curbs were relaxed in the morning today (October 1) easing public mobility. However, people who ventured out had to brave heavy rain that lashed through Colombo.