The members of Trishaw Operators Associations in Dambulla, Sigiriya, and Habarana areas yesterday staged a massive protect against the arrest of six trishaw drivers on charges of assaulting a car driver transporting a tourist and over robbery of a gold chain.

The six suspects taken into custody had been produced in court and remanded. The protesters said the complainant was a former soldier of the army who had had forwarded nominations to contest the election to Thambuttegama Pradeshiya Sabha representing the National People’s Power (NPP)

They said he had clashed for two days with the trishaw operators in Dambulla town when transporting a tourist in his car and behaved in an unruly manner claiming that he was a supporter of the government.

They pointed out that he had later made a false complaint to the IGP that he was assaulted and robbed him of his gold chain that resulted in the arrest of six trishaw operators who were produced in court and remanded.

The protesters said by allowing individuals from other areas to operate taxi services in Dambulla town would result in the loss of livelihood of hundreds of trishaw operators in the area.

They accused the police of arbitrary arrest of six trishaw drivers at the instigation of senior police officials, without a formal investigation of the complaint made by an individual who had forwarded nominations to contest the local government election under the banner of the NPP.

They said they did not expect the government of political favour to its supporters in this manner and political interference. They requested the IGP to hold formal investigations based on data on CCTV and to mete out justice. Dambulla police had deployed a police contingent to step up security in the town.

General Secretary of the Bodu Bala Sena (BBS) organization, Galagoda Aththe Gnanasara Thera has been sentenced to 9 months simple imprisonment by the Colombo Magistrate’s Court for insulting the religion of Islam.

Justice Minister Harshana Nanayakkara extended an apology for inadvertently addressing the Speaker as ‘Your Honour’ in Parliament today.

Claiming that the International Monetary Fund (IMF) has not made any objections to the proposed public sector salary increment, Deputy Minister Mahinda Jayasinghe said today the government will go ahead with the proposal and provide a significant salary increment in the upcoming budget.

Claiming that no HMPV cases have been detected in Sri Lanka recently as reported by certain media, Health Minister Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa said today that the Health Ministry is on alert and assured to inform the people if any person infected with the virus was detected in the country.

While Opposition MP Dayasiri Jayasekera alleged that the President's Secretary had issued a circular prohibiting Ministers from meeting heads of foreign missions without the permission of Foreign Affairs Minister, Leader of the House Bimal Ratnayake denied the claim and said he had met a diplomat yesterday.

The Appropriation Bill for 2025 was presented to Parliament by Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya a short while ago.

A two day debate on the 'Clean Sri Lanka' programme will be held in Parliament on January 21 and 22, Prime Minister Harini Amarasuriya told the House today. She said more information on the 'Clean Sri Lanka' programme will be communicated to MPs during this debate.

The free distribution of 20 kilos of rice per person by the previous government before the Presidential election has resulted in the shortage of red rice in the market, Trade, Commerce, Food Security and Cooperative Development Minister Wasantha Samarasinghe said today.

According to the Examinations Department, the evaluation of the answer scrips of the 2024 Grade 5 Scholarship Examination is scheduled to begin today (08).

The government will formulate a mechanism to stop foreigners who engage in business activities while on tourist visas, Prime Minister Harini Amarasuriya said today.

The family of assassinated Sri Lankan journalist Lasantha Wickrematunge has expressed hope that the Anura Kumara Dissanayake-led government will find the truth behind the incident and provide justice.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is increasingly likely to announce he intends to step down, though he has not made a final decision, a source familiar with Trudeau's thinking said on Sunday.

An eight-month-old baby in Bengaluru is suspected to have tested positive for Human Metapneumovirus (HMPV), marking the first suspected case in India.

The Archbishop of Colombo Malcolm Cardinal Ranjith specifically urged the government to introduce a new Constitution which brings in national unity.

The expenses for the tea party hosted during the inauguration of the 10th Parliament was higher as the cost of the goods and services had gone up in the market, Parliament said while clarifying reports on expenses for the tea party hosted during the inauguration.

The Sri Lanka Navy has reported significant achievements in its 2024 operations, seizing over 622kg of heroin, valued at Rs. 15.55 billion and more than 1,211kg of Crystal Methamphetamine (ICE), worth Rs. 11.5 billion.

The government is aiming to increase the quality in the tourism sector just as quantity in order to attract high-end tourists to the country, Minister of Foreign Affairs Vijitha Herath said.

Agriculture and Livestock Deputy Minister Namal Karunaratne participated in the launch of the ‘Clean Sri Lanka’ programme at the Agriculture Ministry premises in Battaramulla on Wednesday.

Exams Chief Amith Jayasundara yesterday said the 2024 Grade 5 Scholarship Examination paper marking meeting had been scheduled for tomorrow. The marking process is expected to conclude within 40 days, with the aim of completing it by the first week of February.

The Constitutional Council (CC) has approved the appointments of High Court Judges K.M. Sarath Dissanayake and Pradeep Hettiarachchi to the Court of Appeal. The nominations were submitted by President Anura Kumara Dissanayake for the CC's approval. Judges Dissanayake and Hettiarachchi, the two most senior serving High Court judges, are set to take their oaths as Court of Appeal Judges next week.