Around 30,500 students will be enrolled to state universities this year, the University Grants Commission (UGC) said. The UGC will send admission papers and students' handbooks to universities next week. The admissions will be based on the 2017 A/L results. This year 163,104 students are eligible to apply for university admissions. Two new medical faculties will be established at the Sabaragamuwa and Wayamba Universities. Around 150 students will be admitted to the two institutions this year.

All Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) members contesting the forthcoming local government elections under the Lotus bud symbol are scheduled to meet at the Sugathadasa Stadium today at 2.00 pm and take an oath before former President Mahinda Rajapaksa. Former President Rajapaksa will address the candidates. All Joint Opposition MPs have been invited to the event and the maiden SLPP rally will be held on January 6 at Kadawatha. Two rallies will be held in each district, a party spokesman said.

The agreement to place before Parliament the media guidelines gazetted by the Elections Commission on December 4, 2017 to ensure a fair and independent election will be signed by Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe at Temple Trees on January 2, 2018. These guidelines approved by the Cabinet would become law once they are approved by Parliament and it would be the duty and responsibility of all sectors of the media to abide by these media guidelines, the Prime Minister

Recently reported suspecious deaths in Jaffna and Mullaitivu districts have occurred due to natural cause, and there is no mystery surrounding them, according to an inquiry conducted by the Epidemiology Unit said yesterday. Health, Nutrition & Indigenous Medicine Minister Rajitha Senartne earlier ordered the Health Ministry's Epidemiology unit Director Anil Dissanayake to investigate into the suspicious deaths occured in Jaffna and Mullaitivu districts for around last three months.

President Maithripala Sirisena will make a special statement to the media on Wednesday in connection with the Presidential Commission of Inquiry (PCoI) report on the Central Bank bond issue, the Presidential Media Division (PMD) said today.

My heartiest wishes to all the people in this country for a prosperous and a happy new year. As we welcome this new year with hope and expectations, my prayer is that as people of a united country, we would work towards creating a better future. May we take the positives and work on the lessons learnt during the past year as we march towards in this new year.

Sri Lanka Army has handed over another building that was being used by the security forces to the civilian authority in the Northern Province. A property, named 'Anthony Pillay' building in the center of Kilinochchi town, earlier leased to the Security Force Headquarters - Kilinochchi (SFHQ-KLN) by the government after humanitarian operations, was released on Thursday (28) symbolically to Governor of Northern Province, Reginald Cooray to be handed back to its legitimate owners.

The Elections Commission has decided to take stern action against government officials involved in the distribution of various items during this festive season as a means of promoting the candidates contesting the local government polls. The EC has already banned such activities by politicians during the campaign period because it will give undue political mileage at the elections.

The Government will go ahead with acquiring three of the oil tanks at the Trincomalee Oil Tank Farm in China Bay in keeping with a recent Cabinet decision, Minister of Petroleum Resources Chandima Weerakkody said. He said the decision to acquire the tanks was taken to obtain additional diesel and fuel oil stocks which will be needed with the impending drought.