Three members of the same family including a 15-year old girl were reportedly killed in a house fire in the Sinhapura area of Chilaw. Police said that the victims, a mother, father and their child died in the fire, which broke out last night (19).

For many northerners, this week’s announcement by the regional office of the Road Development Authority (RDA) limiting traffic flow of heavy vehicles on Sangupiddy Bridge was not a surprise given the poor maintenance and poor quality of the bridge built ten years ago at the cost of Rs. 1 billion.

Police yesterday arrested nine persons in connection with Election Law violations following eight complaints, police said. When asked about election-related incidents ahead of the upcoming Parliamentary election on November 14, Elections Commissioner General Saman Sri Ratnayaka said the lead-up to the vote had been largely peaceful.

An emergency was declared at the Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) following a bomb hoax on the Colombo-bound Vistara flight from Mumbai, ten minutes before landing.

The Indian Navy's ship, INS Kalpeni, arrived in Colombo today, the Indian High Commission said. The ship was warmly welcomed by the Sri Lanka Navy in accordance with naval traditions.

The debate over the alleged concealment of the reports on the series of deadly blasts that rocked Sri Lanka on Easter Sunday, 2019 took a new turn yesterday with Pivithuru Hela Urumaya (PHU) leader Udaya Gammanpila seeking an appointment in writing with Public Security Minister Vijitha Herath to hand over what he said ‘all defence sensitive materials’ to him.

tatement by Mr. Imthiaz Bakeer Markar on Sri Lanka’s Decision Not to Sign the Joint Letter Condemning Israel’s Ban on UN Secretary-General

A petition has been filed in the Supreme Court challenging the rejection of a nomination for the upcoming General Election in the Vanni Electoral District.The Democratic National Alliance (DNA) submitted the petition following the decision by the District Returning Officer to reject their nomination.

SLPP National Organizer Namal Rajapaksa slammed the government for acting blind and deaf over the release of the Presidential Commission of Inquiry (PCoI) report on the 2019 Easter Sunday attacks, with all talk but no action.

Government expenditure has increased by 5.4 percent to Rs. 3,476.9 billion in the first eight months of 2024, up from Rs. 3,297.3 billion during the same period in 2023, according to a new Finance Ministry report.

The Election Commission (EC) revealed that it has received 33 complaints pertaining to the 2024 General Election within the last 24 hours which ended at 4.30 p.m. yesterday (17). Accordingly, a total of 290 complaints have been filed from 26 September to yesterday. It’s worth noting that all of the said complaints were filed over the violation of election laws.

Clarifying that the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) has never purchased diesel for electricity generation, through competitive bidding, including during the tenure of the previous management, the CEB said the new management has not taken any decision against competitive procurement of diesel for electricity generation.

Claiming that none of the National People's Power (NPP) leaders had claimed that the NPP government will not obtain loans, NPP member Lal Kantha said President Anura Kumara Dissanayake continuously said loans are not a 'crime'. He told reporters that what is important is to utilise loans in effective investments without robbing or defrauding the funds.

The Executive Board of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) has completed the Review of Poverty Reduction and Growth Trust (PRGT) Facilities and Financing, the IMF’s vehicle for providing concessional financing to low-income member countries.

Senior Professor Kapila Senevirathne has been appointed as the Chairman of the University Grants Commission (UGC). He was appointed following the recent resignation of Senior Professor Sampath Amaratunga from the position.

Claiming that it is more than enough for a certain group to rule the country for 76 years, former President Chandrika Kumaratunge said a new group must come to power.

There should be experienced people in Parliament to resolve the economic crisis, former President Ranil Wickremeisnghe said today. "Those who have worked with me for the past two years have the experience to face economic crises, so they must be in Parliament. Whether you are in the Opposition or in the Government, you cannot run Parliament without this experience. If you try, you will fail in achieving the goals," Wickremesinghe said in a special statement.

Central Province Governor Prof. S.B.S. Abayakoon yesterday authorized the immediate renaming of 'Keheliya Rambukwella Primary School' in the Kundasale Division of the Wattegama Education Zone, Kandy.

Five 12-year-old schoolgirls have been hospitalized after experiencing adverse reactions to the Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) vaccine. The affected Grade 07 students are from the Venivelpitiya Junior College in Anguruwatota, and are residents of the Venivelpitiya area.

An Indian national was arrested this morning by the officers at the Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) while he was attempting to smuggle one kilogram of Ice narcotic into the country. The suspect arrived at the airport at 5:00 pm from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia on SriLankan Airlines flight UL-315.

The Galle Magistrate's Court yesterday sentenced a man to death for deliberately killing another person by electrocution, the police said. The convicted individual, is over 50 years old and a resident of the Imaduwa area in Galle. He was found guilty of intentionally causing death by using illegal electrical wiring on February 2, 2000.

Sri Lanka's main opposition party, the Samagi Jana Sandanaya (SJS) today questioned as to whether President Anura Kumara Dissanayake and Minister of Foreign Affairs Vijitha Herath have decided not to participate in the Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa (BRICS) summit 2024 due to pressure by any foreign force.

Former President Mahinda Rajapaksa said that he is not ready to retire from politics and that his retirement is temporary. "I thought about not contesting the general elections, but politicians never truly retire," he said.

The Colombo Chief Magistrate’s Court once again rejected a bail application filed on behalf of two directors of W.M. Mendis and Company Ltd. – Arjun Aloysius and A.R. Dinendra John. On October 14, the Court refused to grant bail on the respondents, in a bail pending appeal.

A Provincial Revenue Department Deputy Commissioner in the Eastern Province was arrested on bribery charges after accepting a bribe of Rs. 200,000. The Bribery Commission said the arrest was made at the Batticaloa office, following a complaint by a resident.

The Pensions Department is set to distribute a monthly interim allowance of Rs. 3,000 to all pensioners from today (16). Accordingly, pensioners receiving their pensions through post offices and sub post offices will be able to access their funds from Friday (18).

The government has received Rs. 419 Billion in treasury bills and bond loans, in the 13 days from 02-15 October 2024, former Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) Matale District MP Rohini Kavirathna said.

India has decided to expel six Canadian diplomats, namely Stewart Ross Wheeler, Acting High Commissioner; Patrick Hebert, Deputy High Commissioner; Marie Catherine Joly, First Secretary; Lan Ross David Trites, First Secretary; Adam James Chuipka, First Secretary and Paula Orjuela, First Secretary.

The government will take action to recover the defaulted tax money by Director of W.M. Mendis and Company Ltd. Arjun Aloysius, who was sentenced to a six-month jail term for defaulting a VAT payment amounting to Rs. 3.5 billion, Cabinet Spokesman Vijitha Herath said today.

Former President Ranil Wickremesinghe is to make a special statement on Thursday, October 17. Sources close to Wickremeisnghe said he would speak about the present political situation and reveal some future plans. The former President has already decided not to contest the General Elections and not to enter Parliament though the national list.