It is reported that former Minister Field Marshal Sarath Fonseka has decided not to attend the National Independence Day celebrations to be held at the Galle Face on February 4.

Vehicle Emission Testing centres were planning to request the government to increase the Emission Testing fares by 10%, Senior officials of the Drive Green and LAUGFS Eco Sri emission testing centres said.

The Presidential Committee appointed to look into SriLankan airlines has in one of its recommendations said the airline should team up with a strategic partner, preferably a non-competitor, to revitalize the national carrier, State Minister of Finance, Eran Wickramaratne said yesterday.

Western Province Chief Minister Isura Devapriya said yesterday he had requested the President to dissolve the Western, Southern and Uva Provincial Councils in order to hold elections for all nine provinces on the same day.

UNF allies have decided go ahead with elections to all nine provinces on a single day and to introduce the relevant laws for this purpose, top sources said yesterday.

Under the universal identity card scheme, an electronic Identity Card (eID) and an electronic Passport (ePassport) will be introduced this year, State Minister of Home Affairs J.C. Alawathuwala said.

The power failures, which had been reported from several areas in the country including Colombo, were due to sparks in two sub transmission lines in Kelanitissa Power Station, the Power and Energy Ministry said.

Colombo Chief Magistrate Lanka Jayaratna today closed the case against a suspect who was charged with foretelling the President's death via social media.

SLFP General Secretary and MP Dayasiri Jayasekara today urged the Cabinet to approve the President Maithripala Sirisena's memo seeking to hold PC polls before May 31st.

Even after an additional secretary was appointed as the Acting Director General of the Customs by the Finance Ministry today, the Customs Officers' Union had decided to continue with their work to rule campaign until a suitable Director-General is appointed from the administrative service, whose name is approved by the Cabinet of Ministers.

It was sufficient to describe Sri Lanka as the Republic of Sri Lanka instead of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, Megapolis and Western Development Minister Patali Champika Ranawaka said today.

Considering the preliminary objections raised by the defence, in the case against former defense secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa, that the Court has no jurisdiction to hear the matter, the Colombo Special High Court said today it would deliver its order on February 11 after considering the submissions made by both parties.

Finance Ministry Additional Secretary H.G Sumanasinghe has been appointed as the Acting Director General of Sri Lanka Customs Department today, the Finance Ministry said.

The Court of Appeal's Acting President Justice Deepali Wijesundera today declined to be a member of the Bench appointed to hear the Quo Warranto petition filed against Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe being a member of Parliament.

The Free Trade Agreement (FTA) between Sri Lanka and China is expected to be signed in 2019, China Daily reported on Thursday quoting the Sri Lankan Embassy in China.

President Maithripala Sirisena has said he instructed the Navy Commander to arrest sand racketeers.

Consequent to President Maithripala Sirisena’s discussion with Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong on his intention to revise the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) between the two countries, the government will appoint a committee to identify the areas to be amended in it, a Minister said yesterday.

The carbon dating results of bone samples obtained from the Mannar mass grave site would be handed over to Sri Lanka by the US laboratory in February 2019, the Office on Missing Persons (OMP) said yesterday.

Former Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) Vice-President Mohan de Silva yesterday refuted allegations that the previous elected cricket administration had indulged in corruption, although admitting it was partly to blame for the decline in cricketing standards on the field. 

Former Central Bank Governor and fugitive Arjuna Mahendran was quoted in an article published on South African newspaper 'The Business Day', which described him of now ‘advising several family offices in Singapore and the Middle East.’

The planters' unions and Regional Plantation Companies (RPC) could distribute dividends of their profit among the tea plantation workers if increasing the daily basic wage was troublesome, the Opposition today said.

Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe will meet party leaders next week to discuss and come to a final decision on the passing of amendments to the Provincial Councils electoral system in order to hold PC polls under the old system and also the possibility of holding elections before May 31, following President Maithripala Sirisena’s request made to cabinet on Tuesday, a senior cabinet Minister said today.

State Minister Ranjan Ramanayake yesterday said some prominent members of the UNP had informed that they will back him in the event disciplinary action is taken against him for criticizing the UNPers for attending former President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s son Rohitha’s wedding.

The  Customs-Trade  Unions Alliance today launched a strike over the appointment of a retired navy officer as the Customs Director General, a spokesman from the Union said.

Government ally, the Tamil Progressive Front (TPF) today threatened to quit the government if the salaries of estate workers are not increased at least by Rs. 150, Estate Infrastructure Development Minister P. Digambaram said today.

OIC of the Kokkadichcholai police station was arrested by the officers of the Bribery Commission while accepting Rs. 25,000 as a bribe, Police said.

A married couple was arrested with 3 kilos of heroin worth Rs. 36 million in Kiribathgoda this afternoon, Police said.

President Maithripala Sirisena yesterday commended Cultural Affairs Minister Sajith Premadasa for his commitment and said he had advised him not to work round the clock but to be mindful of his health as well.

Criticising the government’s move to absorb more Samurdhi recipients, the Opposition today said the number of Samurdhi recipients should gradually decrease instead of being exponentially expanded.

Speaking at the 2018 Kalabhusana State Festival held yesterday at the Nelum Pokuna Theatre, President Maithripala Sirisena said that he was happy that the Ministry of Culture was allocated to Minister Sajith Premadasa.

Making seething criticism and sweeping statements on State Sector workers the Central Provincial Governor yesterday said that he would interdict any State Sector official found hanging on Facebook during work hours.

President Maithripala Sirisena yesterday submitted a Cabinet memorandum seeking approval to conduct elections to the nine provincial councils on a single day before May 31 this year.

The Colour Code System (CCS) introduced for soft or fizzy drinks will be imposed on all solid foods in the market from April 1 to further control the fast spreading Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs), Health and Indigenous Medicine Minister Rajitha Senaratne said yesterday.

The Computer Emergency Readiness Team (CERT|CC) and Coordination Centre yesterday warned computer users to be cautious of infecting ‘Rumba’ ransomware when downloading fake Windows updates, cracks for pirated software, freeware software tools as well as corrupted links and torrents.

The list of Island Re-convicted Criminals includes 608 children including some students, the Police Crimes Information division reveals.