COLOMBO (News1st): At a time where numerous constructions are taking place centering the rural roads, News1st received reports where certain authorities have turned a blind eye on some parts of the island. The road connecting Uduhaawara and Koredhekumbura in Uva-Paranagama is one such example, where only three buses operate under tremendous hardships . The drivers [12/4/2020] …
COLOMBO (News1st): Sri Lanka recorded one death due to COVID-19 on Friday, raising the death toll due to the virus in the country up to 130. The deceased has been identified as a 72-year old resident of Piliyandala. He had passed away on Friday while receiving treatment at the National Institute of Infectious Diseases. The cause [12/4/2020] …
COLOMBO (News1st): Opposition parliamentarian Kabir Hashim has criticized the government for failing to implement its pledges despite being in power for a year. Hashim pointed out that minister Wimal Weerawansa had made several pledges to offer concessions for utility bills and commodities such as rice, dhal, sprats, sugar, onions, and dried chillie. “I recall minister [12/4/2020] …
COLOMBO (News1st): Intelligence units had thwarted planned unrest at the Welikada prison before it unfolded at the Mahara prison on Monday, state minister Jayantha Samaraweera has said. …plans were afoot to make the prisoners kill each other and then portray this to the world as a grave human rights violation of the government, the state [12/4/2020] …
COLOMBO (News1st): Residents of the Kalipullawatta area in Dematagoda took to the streets on Friday demanding for concessions from the government amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. The protestors complained that they had not received any form of relief from the government although the pandemic has affected their livelihoods. Officials who visited us claimed that they can [12/4/2020] …
The case filed over the homicide of the late Senior Journalist Lasantha Wickrematunge was postponed to the 04th of June 2021 by Mount Lavinia Magistrate Udesh Ranatunga on Friday (04). Though officers from the Criminal Investigations Department were present in the court, there was no representation from the Attorney General’s Department. Counsel [12/4/2020] …
COLOMBO (News1st): The Attorney General (AG) has provided a note of clarification to his Singaporean counterpart on the extradition request of former central bank governor Arjuna Mahendran. This was confirmed to News1st by State Counsel Nishara Jayaratne, the coordinating officer to AG Dappula de Livera. Mahendran is one of the main suspects wanted by the [12/4/2020] …
COLOMBO (News1st): Sri Lanka’s attorney general (AG) has informed the justice secretary that the extradition request of former central bank governor Arjuna Mahendran is pending a response from Singapore. AG Dappula de Livera had conveyed the information after sending a clarification note to his Singaporean counterpart, the AG’s coordinating officer State Counsel Nishara Jayaratne said. [12/4/2020] …
COLOMBO (News1st): An opposition parliamentarian has voiced concerns that businessmen with ties to top political figures are allowed to earn profits, at the cost of depriving the government of revenue. Anura Kumara Dissanayake, the Jathika Jana Balawegaya leader, argued that the Special Commodity Levy on a kilo of sugar had been reduced from Rs 50 to 25 [12/4/2020] …
The tension in parliament rose on Friday (04) when the Speaker made an attempt to expunge a comment made by Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa. The Speaker said Sajith Premadasa had mentioned ‘failed state’ in his comments to the house and wanted in expunged, which eventually led to an argument. Let me bring to [12/4/2020] …
