News

The Disaster Management Center (DMC) warns that the upper catchment areas of the Kelani River basin may cause flooding in the next 24 hours.

Accordingly, the residents in the relevant areas are urged to remain vigilant.

Meanwhile, the prevailing adverse weather has claimed 10 lives while another person has gone missing.

Further, two more individuals have sustained injuries due to the inclement weather.

A total of 219,027 have been afflicted by the adverse climate conditions so far, DMC said.

The Government’s plan to merge LAUGFS Gas and the state-owned Litro Gas company under one banner will lead towards injecting public money in a wasteful Public–Private Partnership to rescue the financially ailing LAUGFS Gas company, financial analysts said.

Sri Lanka has vehemently opposed a Resolution introduced in the United States House of Representatives, the Foreign Ministry said.

Throwing dust in the eyes of government authorities, vehicle assembly from imported used/second hand parts has raised its ugly head once again taking advantage of the motor car shortage in the country.

The government’s decision to suspend the import of 399 vehicles including 227 luxury vehicles with the approval of the Cabinet of Ministers has taken a new twist as the government is compelled to import these vehicles as the required vehicles have already been manufactured by the respective company according to specifications.

Sri Lanka is now looking at China for anything and everything as the government is compelled to import organic fertiliser to tackle the Maha season manure shortage faced by paddy cultivators.

Minister Namal Rajapaksa was sworn in as the State Minister of Digital Technology and Entrepreneur Development before President Gotabaya Rajapaksa at the Presidential Secretariat today.

He also holds the portfolios of Youth Affairs and Sports.

The next phase of COVID-19 vaccination will commence from the Ratnapura and Jaffna districts, the Ministry of Health said.

Accordingly, the COVID-19 vaccine will be administered in the Ratnapura District from Sunday (30).

The first dose of Chinese Sinopharm vaccine is currently being administered to people in the Kurunegala, Galle and Matara districts.

The islandwide travel restriction will be extended till June 14, Army Commander General Shavendra Silva said.

He said the restriction will not be relaxed any day in between and it will be lifted on June 14 at 4 am. 

Moratuwa Mayor Samanlal Fernando hd been arrested after he surrendered to the Mount Lavinia Police this morning in connection with allegedly threatening a female doctor and obstructing duties of officials.

Police Spokesman DIG Ajith Rohana said that  investigation has been launched into a incident of threatening the female doctor who had gone to administer Sinopharm vaccines to the people in Moratuwa and Moratumulla Grama Niladhari Divisions.

It is reported that a heated exchange of words has taken place between the Mayor and the doctor as the doctor who refused to give the vaccine according to the number given by the Mayor.

DIG Rohana said that investigations have been launched into a complaint lodged by the doctor with the Mount Lavinia Police.

The arrested Mayor would be produced before the Moratuwa Magistrate's court.

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The investigations into the 2019 April 21st Attacks are not going on with a sense of determination to find those responsible, alleged His Eminence Malcolm Cardinal Ranjith on Wednesday (02) in Colombo.

Speaking to reporters His Eminence said the Grand Conspiracy mentioned by the Former Attorney General needs to be investigated adding that certain elements connected to the 2019 April Attacks have not been investigated in a proper manner.

His Eminence said he hopes to go to the international fora for a thorough investigation into this Grand Conspiracy.

He went on to note that matters relating to one suicide bomber meeting an army officer and the whereabouts of Sarah Jasmine have not been investigated and called on authorities to investigate these matters.

” We are left with no other options but to carry on with our campaign against the present government for its neglect of duties because I was given a promise by the President that he would give top priority to the security issue, but he has not done that,” he said.

President’s Counsel Sanjay Rajaratnam was sworn in as the new Attorney General in the presence of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa at the Presidential Secretariat on Wednesday (26).

Rajaratnam has served in the Attorney General’s Department for 34 years and served as Senior State Counsel, Deputy Solicitor General, Additional Solicitor General, Senior Additional Solicitor General, and Acting Solicitor General, during his career.

Educated at St. Peter’s College, Colombo, and Royal College, he holds a Masters in Laws from Queen Mary University, London.

Rajaratnam is a Solicitor in England and Wales.

He was sworn in as President’s Counsel in November 2014 and also served as an advisor to several government agencies, including the Financial Intelligence Unit of the Central Bank of Sri Lanka.