While assuming duties as Deputy Minister of Social Empowerment, Palitha Thewarapperuma said yesterday among the many mistakes done by President Maithirpala Sirisena, the biggest was to promote Sarath Fonseka to the rank of Field Marshal.

Four Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) members of the Moratuwa Municipal Council have today joined the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) which has majority support in the council.

A 38-year-old suspect was arrested with 1. 51 kg of heroin valued at Rs. 18 million in Wellawatte today, police said.

Responding to criticisms over his remarks with regard to GCE A/L results, MP Bandula Gunawardana today stood his ground and said laws should be changed if A/L results of government and international schools were to be analysed together.

Condemning the statement made by MP Bandula Gunawardena that it was not proper to couple the GCE A/L examination results of national and international schools, Education Minister Akila Viraj Kariyawasam said the MP was attempting to destroy free education in the country.

UNP MP Palitha Range Bandara today said he will be appointed as a cabinet Minister shortly.

Importing of vehicles which were designed for the year 2019 would be delayed due to the delay in presenting the budget and further depreciating of Sri Lankan Rupee, the Vehicle Importers Association of Sri Lanka (VIASL) Chairman Ranjan Peiris said.

Former cricket Captain Mahela Jayawardene, who expressed disappointment over the comments made by MP Bandula Gunawardane that GCE A/L examination results of national and international schools should not be coupled, said education is knowledge whether it’s free or paid.

"There's no time to rebuild - the World Cup is this year," Sri Lankan captain Lasith Malinga said at Bay Oval in New Zeeland on Wednesday.

Ahead of this year's elections, the Election Commission is to work out a mechanism for ‘Election Dispute Resolution’ (EDR) at electioneering time, an official said yesterday.

A total of 95,797 suspects have been arrested by the police during raids carried in 2018 on possession with toxic drugs such as heroin, cocaine, hashish, cannabis and methamphetamine (ice), Police Spokesman SP Ruwan Gunasekera said yesterday.

The government and government-approved private schools will begin their first for 2019 today, the Education Department announced yesterday

UPFA MP Bandula Gunawardana yesterday criticized the government for publishing the GCE A/L examination results of national and international school students together.

Responding to a statement made by Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) National Organizer Basil Rajapaksa that his party is the first to submit a financial report to the Commissioner of Elections, UNP Treasurer Dr. Harsha De Silva said his party has been submitting financial reports almost annually to the polls chief.

Sixty seven army officers including Brigadier M.A.A.D. Sirinaga have been promoted to the rank of Major General while 66 senior army officers were promoted to the rank of Colonel and Lieutenant Colonel.

World T20 2014 champions Sri Lanka and Bangladesh will have an extra round to play in the Men's T20 World Cup 2020, the ICC confirmed on Tuesday (January 1).

Fairly cold weather is expected to prevail over the island particularly in the Northern, North-Central, Central, North-Western and Eastern Provinces during next few days, the Meteorology Department said today.

The annual financial statement of the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) will be handed over to the Election Commission - this has never been done by any political party in Sri Lanka, SLPP National Organiser Basil Rajapaksa said today.

Thirteen employees of the State-owned Independent Television Network (ITN) were interdicted on Monday accusing them of have carried out a protest campaign against the management, some employees claimed today.

A group of former SLFP ministers are expected to meet party leader and President Maithripala Sirisena on Friday to discuss their future in politics, one of them said today.

President Maithripala Sirisena is reported to have asked the nine provincial governors to submit their resignation by December 30, 2018.

The New Year turns out to be challenging for Sri Lanka. Nevertheless, we are committed to making a better society for our future generation, Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe said yesterday.

The Wilikada Police said yesterday they were continuing with their investigations into the disappearance of 40-year-old Damitha Sagara Chandrasiri, the editor and scriptwriter of the popular ‘Koombiyo’ teledrama.

A religious ceremony to invoke good health on Ven.  Dr.  Galboda Gnanissara Thera, popularly known as 'Podi Hamuduruwo' of the Gangaramaya Temple, will be held at 4.00 pm today at the temple premises in Colombo.

Minister of Public Enterprise Development, Upcountry Heritage and Kandy Development, Lakshman Kiriella has complained to Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe about being given only four institutions confined to name boards.

Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe is likely have a meeting with his MPs who are concerned about not getting ministerial portfolios, Ratnapura district UNP Hesha Withanage said yesterday.

A total annular solar eclipse will be visible from Sri Lanka on December 26, 2019, coinciding with the 15th anniversary of the 2004 tsunami that devastated Sri Lanka's coastal belt.

The International Cricket Council (ICC) has informed us that the corruption in Sri Lankan cricket is not limited to betting centres but goes beyond to the underworld as well, Sports Minister Harin Fernando said.

Minister of National Integration, Official Languages and Social Progress Mano Ganesan requested the Chinese Embassy in Sri Lanka to ensure the inclusion of Tamil language in signboards erected at Chinese funded development projects. He said the signboards had been written in Chinese, English and Sinhala only.

A stock of psychedelic drugs also known as Ecstasy pills worth more than Rs.3.5 million meant for a New Year’s Eve party in Colombo was seized by Colombo Excise Station officials in Thotalanga on Friday.

Sri Lanka will have a lesser number of non-working days this year with nine out of 23 public holidays falling on weekends.

Rear Admiral Piyal de Silva has been appointed as new Commander of the Sri Lanka Navy with effect from tomorrow (January 1) by President Maitripala Sirisena.

Dr. R.H.S. Samaratunge was appointed as the secretary to the Ministry of Finance and Mass Media by President Maithripala Sirisena today, President’s Media Unit said.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s ruling party won Bangladesh’s election with a large majority, the country’s Election Commission said early on Monday, giving Mrs Hasina a third straight term following a vote that the opposition rejected as flawed.

The Tamil National Alliance (TNA) should not be allowed to achieve through its support to Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe’s government what it could not accomplish in the three-decade long civil war, Former President Mahinda Rajapaksa has said, warning that the country cannot be divided.