Akkaraipattu Deputy Mayor Abdul Gafoor Azmi was today arrested by the Terrorist Investigation Division (TID).

Sri Lanka's President Maithripala Sirisena signed three loan agreements with Asian Development Bank (ADB) president Takehiko Nakao on Thursday in the course of his 5-day state visit to the Philippines.

The Finance Ministry said today that State-owned vehicles were not exempted from the carbon tax as reported in the media.

Sri Lanka’s political upheaval undermined stalled processes aimed at providing truth and justice for abuses from the country’s civil war, Human Rights Watch said today in releasing its World Report 2019.

Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe said today he would advise Higher Education and Southern Region Development Minister Rauff Hakeem to discuss with China Harbour and China Merchant Companies on changing the university curriculum to produce manpower needed for the industries coming up in areas such as Hambantota.

The Special High Court today decided to hear the case against former Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa over the alleged misappropriation of public funds for the construction of the D. A. Rajapaksa memorial museum at Weeraketiya continuously from January 22.

After his government vowed last year to “replicate the success” of the Philippines’ drug war, Sri Lanka President Maithripala Sirisena again heaped praises on President Rodrigo Duterte’s top crusade, saying it is an example to the whole world.

Buddha Sasana Karya Sadaka Mandalaya urged the Government not to present in Parliament a Constitution without the blessings of the Maha Sangha and to appoint a Constitutional Making Committee comprising of Maha Sanga, if a new Constitution was required.

Many have forgotten that they managed to receive ministerial portfolios because of the late Maduluwawe Sobhitha Thera, Housing and Construction Minister Sajith Premadasa said.

A three-member committee was appointed today to launch a special inquiry into the alleged attack on Angunakolapelessa Prison inmates on November 22 last year, the Prison Reforms and Justice Ministry said.

President Rodrigo Duterte on Wednesday welcomed in Malacañang Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena, who is in the country for a five-day state visit.

Agriculture Minister P. Harrison said today the spreading of ‘fall armyworm’ (Sena Dalambuwa) among food crops was not an act of sabotage.

President Maithripala Sirisena today held bilateral talks with the Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte at the Malacañang Palace in Manila.

The Tamil National Alliance’s pact with the government is an attempt to regain its lost political authority in the Northern and Eastern Provinces, MP Lakshman Yapa Abeywardena said today.

Hambantota District UPFA MP Chamal Rajapaksa speaking to the media yesterday said that he too is ready for the forthcoming Presidential Election.

Sri Lanka is considering an offer from Bank of China for a loan of US$300 million, which could be raised to US$1 billion, to help it meet repayments during coming months, two sources in Colombo with knowledge of the offer told Reuters on Tuesday.

While claiming that the International Monetary Fund (IMF) remains ready to support Sri Lanka, its Managing Director Christine Lagarde said that an IMF team is scheduled to visit Colombo in mid-February to resume program discussions.

Three police officers including a Sub Inspector (SI) were injured when a group of sand miners assaulted them and tried to run them over with a tractor at Keppely in Jaffna.  

The main man behind the entire distribution network of beer and soft alcoholic beverages to over 100 unlicensed pubs, restaurants and hotels of the country’s ‘most happening’ tourist destination, Ella was identified when the Colombo Excise flying squad seized a lorry full of booze over the weekend.

Non-cabinet Minister Ajith P. Perera yesterday said he would speak to Home Affairs, Local Government and Provincial Councils Minister Vajira Abeywardana to see the possibility of presenting a motion in Parliament to hold PC polls under the old system as soon as possible.

A group of SLFP organizers said yesterday that they would only support an alliance headed by the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) and its leadership.

British lawmakers have soundly rejected Theresa May's Brexit deal, in the biggest defeat for any UK government in the modern parliamentary era.

Some of the UPFA Ministers who left the government last year is yet to hand over their official residences, government sources said yesterday.

Economic Reforms and Public Distribution Minister Harsha de Silva said today the government had settled the one billion US dollars borrowed by the previous regime in January, 2014 by way of international sovereign bonds.

The Sri Lanka Navy said they had observed that Indian poachers who illegally enter our territorial waters attempt to escape by resorting to acts of violence causing damage to naval craft.

Two suspects were arrested by the Kalpitiya Police last evening with 630 kilogrammes of banned dried fish imported from India by boat, police said.  

President Maithripala Sirisena left for Philippines on a five-day state visit today. A delegation of 13 members would be accompanying the President during his visit in Manila.

Land reclamation of the Financial City, previously known as the Port City, has been completed, the Ministry of Megapolis and Western Province Development said. While land reclamation has been completed, construction of the city is scheduled to begin soon.

Seeds taken up to the Moon by China's Chang'e-4 mission have sprouted, the BBC reported today quoting the China National Space Administration.

Japanese Maritime Self Defence Force ship ‘Ikazuchi’ arrived at the port of Hambantota today on a goodwill visit, Sri Lanka Navy said.

Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) said today it was unreservedly opposed to the proposed move to bring a new Constitution as it would create more problems rather than solving the existing ones.

The Disaster Management Centre (DMC) forecast heavy rains exceeding 100mm in some areas in the coming days.

A Sri Lanka-based German research institution said that misleading travel advisories by some foreign missions including the German Embassy caused a colossus loss to Sri Lankan tourism industry.

Power and Energy Minister Ravi Karunanayake secured Cabinet approval today to open tenders for immediate power purchases.

Ceylon Theatres today shut down the Superior cinema hall of the Majestic Cineplex (MC) pending an investigation into complaints by patrons of bugs being found in several seats inside.