Two Bangladeshi nationals were arrested with a heroin haul of 278 kilogrammes valued at Rs.3.3 billion from Dehiwala today, Police said.

Minister of Housing, Construction and Cultural Affairs Sajith Premadasa has appointed a committee to investigate into the incidents of vandalizing Buddha statues in Mawanella area.

Angelo Mathews has been ruled out of the upcoming three-match ODI series against New Zealand and is also doubtful for the subsequent two Tests against Australia due to a hamstring injury.

UNP MP V. Radhakrishnan yesterday alleged that Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe did not keep his promise to appoint him as a Cabinet Minister.

A collegial leadership of ten members is proposed for the new political front to be formed by the United National Party (UNP) along with the like-minded parties such as Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC), the Jathika Hela Urumya (JHU) and the Tamil Progressive Alliance (TPA), it is learnt.

Mainly fair and dry weather with colder nights and mornings is expected over most parts of the island, the Meteorology Department said.

The Army said it would release another 1,099 acres of land used for cultivation in the Northern Province to civilians.

Wayamba Development and Buddasasana Minister Gamini Jayawickrama Perera said he is planning to submit a Cabinet Paper with the signatures of all Cabinet of Ministers to stop private tuition on Sundays and Poya Days to make Daham School Education compulsory for children.

The existing members of Committee on Public Enterprises (COPE) are likely to be re-appointed with JVP parliamentarian Sunil Handunetty as its Chairman, informed sources said.

Responding to the remarks made by Minister Navin Dissanayake, the others ministers are reported to have resolutely opposed the holding of a snap general election.

Tamil National Alliance (TNA) MP M.A. Sumanthiran said yesterday that the Tamils voted for former minister Sarath Fonseka in 2010 and for President Maithripala Sirisena in 2015 not because they liked them but because they disliked the other presidential candidate Mahinda Rajapaksa.

The Office on Missing Persons (OMP), which assisted the investigation into the human remains at the Mannar mass grave site, said that it would provide financial assistance to carry out carbon dating of the skeletal remains as part of its continued support to the investigation.

The Cabinet of ministers gave decided to pass the fully-fledged Budget in April for 2019.

UNP Kalutara District MP Lakshman Wijemanne said yesterday said he would take a serious political decision if he was not given a ministerial portfolio.

The Education Ministry said yesterday disciplinary action would be taken against principals who were trying to promote certain businesses when giving out free vouchers to purchase school uniforms.

Speaker Karu Jayasuriya has urged all concerned citizens to work towards defeating extremism and the abolishing of the executive presidency in the New Year.

A considerable number of MPs are reported to have gone abroad to spend their Christmas holidays.

A 24-year-old youth died and two others injured following an elevator collapse at a night club (Green Lanka Tower) at Nawam Mawatha, Colombo 02, in the early hours today, police said.

Power and Energy Minister Ravi Karunanayake said yesterday that electricity consumers would be provided with relief after the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) becomes a profitable venture.

The gazette notification specifying the subject areas coming under the purview of newly appointed ministers will be released today, a spokesman of the Department of Government Printing said.

The incumbent government was anticipating a Sinhala-Muslim clash in the country so that it would pave the way for them to fulfil the promises made to the Tamil National Alliance (TNA), National Freedom Front (NFF) Leader Wimal Weerawansa said today.

Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe today vassured the Ven. Mahanayake Theras of Malwathu and Asgiriya Chapters that the government would give the foremost place to Buddhism and that action would be taken against those who vandalized Buddha statues in Mawanella.

Arsalan Khawaja, the brother of Australian cricketer Usman Khawaja, has been re-arrested on charges of trying to influence a witness in a case in which a Sri Lankan student was arrested and charges dropped later in a fictitious terrorist plot, foreign media reported.

The Sri Lankan rupee hit a record low of 184.07 against the US Dollar today. According to the exchange rates of the Central Bank, the selling price of Sri Lankan rupee was recorded as 184.0758, indicative price as 182.2783 and buying price as 180.1015.

Emirates flight A-380,with 420 passengers and 22 crew members on board, flying from Dubai to Melbourne made an emergency landing at the Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) this morning after a crew member fell ill, BIA Duty Officer said.

A man found in possession of a locally made weapon and five cartridges, was arrested by the Keselwatte Police near the Hulftsdorp Magistrate’s Court this afternoon, police said. 

Minister Harin Fernando has cleared the confusion caused by Wednesday’s gazette notice issued by the President stating that Telecom, Digital Infrastructure, Foreign Employment Promotion and Sports Minister, Harin Fernando, and Development Strategies, International Trade, Science, Technology and Research Minister, Malik Samarasinghe, had resigned from their posts. Mr Fernando advised it was only a procedural matter. 

The government is using the underworld for its survival, the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) said today.

A faction of the United National Party (UNP) is said to be opposed to a snap parliamentary election next year.  

It will be compulsory for all studios countrywide, from January 1, to use the special software provided by the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) to take photos for the National Identity Cards, the Department for Registration of Persons (DRP) said today.

Former US first lady Michelle Obama has ended Hillary Clinton's 17-year run as America's most admired woman.

The UK Government would continue its work with the Sri Lankan Government at the national level and with local and international organisations to help them advance the country's wide reconciliation agenda, British High Commissioner James Dauris said.

Former UN rights chief Mary Robinson has been accused of supporting the emirate of Dubai's version of events over a princess who was feared missing.

The European Union (EU) had banned curry leaves from Sri Lanka based on a report published in a Scientific Journal about a ‘citrus greening’ bacterium which allegedly infected plants that came out in 2013, a senior official of the Department of Agriculture said.

The way in which the political crisis in Sri Lanka was resolved is a testament to the strength and resilience of Sri Lanka's democratic institutions, Commonwealth Secretary-General Patricia Scotland said.