Defence officials are dumbfounded as to how a tape recording of missing journalist Prageeth Ekanaligoda, which was only in the hands of the military, has now appeared on some websites. Last year the military had claimed that there was a tape recording of a conversation between Ekanaligoda and the LTTE and later that tape recording was handed over to the Homagama Magistrate. The tape recording of the alleged conversation between Ekanaligoda and the LTTE was handed over to the court during the last hearing on the disappearance of Eknaligoda.

Although Hindu devotees traditionally celebrated the Thai Pongal festival during previous years by preparing Pongal rice with red rice, this year they have to celebrate it by using Korra rice or Nadu rice, Jathika Paribhogika Peramuna (JPP) president, Asela Sampath said.

President Anura Kumara Dissanayake is set to depart the country this evening (13) for a four-day state visit to the People’s Republic of China. This visit, taking place from January 14 to 17, is being undertaken at the invitation of Chinese President Xi Jinping. During the visit, President Dissanayake will hold discussions with President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Qiang, as well as engage with other senior Chinese officials to strengthen diplomatic ties.

A shortage of tamarind in the local market has caused the retail price to soar above Rs. 2,000 per kilogram in the Hatton area, sellers said. They said previously the retail price of a kilogram of tamarind ranged from Rs. 350 to Rs. 400. However, the price has now significantly increased. According to traders, the shortage is attributed to a poor tamarind harvest this season.

The main suspect in the abduction of a girl from Gampola has been arrested alongside the victim in the Ampara area, police said. Police Spokesman SSP Buddhika Manathunga said that three police teams have been investigating the case after the girl was abducted by a group of individuals who arrived in a van in Daulagala.

The ongoing red rice shortage has particularly impacted the Hindu community, which is struggling to obtain the essential ingredient needed for upcoming Thai Pongal celebrations.

Four newly appointed Supreme Court Justices took their oaths of office before President Anura Kumara Disanayake this morning (12) at the Presidential Secretariat.

The Public Utilities Commission of Sri Lanka (PUCSL) has announced that a decision regarding the electricity tariff reduction for 2025 will be made before Friday (17).

The Alcohol and Drug Information Centre (ADIC) revealed that a 20% excise tax increase on alcohol last year led to a staggering reduction of 8.3 million litres in alcohol consumption while boosting government revenue by Rs. 11.6 billion.

The Vehicle Importers’ Association of Sri Lanka has warned that import taxes on vehicles, currently about 300%, could rise further, with some luxury vehicles potentially seeing tax rates as high as 600%.

Singapore and Japan break away from the group of six countries that shared top spot last year to secure gold and silver, respectively, on the 2025 Henley Passport Index, which ranks all the world’s 199 passports according to the number of destinations they can access visa-free, and is based on exclusive Timatic data from the International Air Transport Association (IATA).

Senior Professor of Forensic Medicine at Karapitiya Hospital U.C.P Perera said it was a matter of serious concern that the fatalities in road accidents have been increasing at a large proportion every year and that 118,240 road accidents had occurred in Sri Lanka for the last five years up to December 2024 claiming 12,140 human lives.

In a bid to address the salt shortage, chairman of National Salt Limited Gayan Wellala said plans are underway to fully activate the saltern including one in Elephant Pass in the north by March, this year to increase production of salt in the country

The deadline for importing rice ended at midnight yesterday, with a total of 167,000 MT of rice imported to Sri Lanka since the government allowed the imports. The Sri Lanka Customs reported that this includes 66,000 MT of Red Raw Rice and 101,000 MT of Parboiled Rice.

The traders in several areas of the upcountry yesterday demonstrated demanding the supply of adequate stocks of Nadu and Red rice varieties in view of the Thai Pongal festive season. A number of Sinhala, Tamil and Muslim traders from Agarapathana, Manrasi and Dayagama in the Nuwara-Eliya District participated.

While issuing a special gazette notification, the government announced an excise duty percentage on all vehicles imported starting in February, following the resumption of vehicle imports after a five-year suspension.

Former Sri Lankan Ambassador to Russia, Udayanga Weeratunga, has been arrested. Police said that he was arrested in connection with an incident involving the assault of a neighbor. He was arrested by the Mirihana Police and is scheduled to be produced in court.

The attempts to import red rice from India failed as red rice was not available in India, Trade, Commerce, Food Security and Cooperative Development Minister Wasantha Samarasinghe said yesterday.

The results of the 2024 Grade 5 Scholarship Examination are expected to be released between February 10 and 12, Examinations Commissioner General Amith Jayasundara said. He said the evaluation of answer scripts began on Wednesday (8) at 64 centers.

High Court Judge Ranga Srinath Abeywickrema Dissanayake has been appointed as the new Director General of the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption, effective today, by President Anura Kumara Dissanayake.

The High Commissioner of India to Sri Lanka, Mr. Santosh Jha, called on the Speaker of the Parliament, Dr. Jagath Wickramaratne, at the Parliamentary premises on Jan. 06). The Secretary General of Parliament, Mrs. Kushani Rohanadeera also participated in the meeting.

U.S. Ambassador Julie Chung met with Illankai Tamil Arasu Kachchi (ITAK) MPs on January 8 to discuss U.S. support for Sri Lanka in areas such as accountability, justice, reconciliation, and economic development. The ambassador reaffirmed the U.S. commitment to fostering dialogue and promoting initiatives for lasting prosperity and inclusivity in Sri Lanka.

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.

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.

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.