Israeli police announced that holy sites in Jerusalem will reopen to visitors and worshippers on Thursday morning. MORE..
Sri Lankan Australian playwright S Shakthidharan, widely known as Shakthi, has won the $US175,000 ($250,000) Windham-Campbell Prize for drama. MORE..
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says Israel will continue to strike Hezbollah ‘‘wherever necessary’’, following a ceasefire agreement between the US and Iran. MORE..
Train services on the Northern Line, which were disrupted following Cyclone Ditwah, resumed this morning (09), according to Sri Lanka Railways. MORE..
United States Vice President JD Vance has warned Iran that it would be “dumb” to jeopardise its ceasefire with Washington over Israel’s attacks in Lebanon. MORE..
An individual has been arrested in Ganemulla along with a stock of heroin and crystal methamphetamine (Ice) believed to belong to an organized large-scale drug trafficker. MORE..
Nepal has issued an arrest warrant for former prime minister Sher Bahadur Deuba for alleged corruption, officials said on Thursday (Apr 9), making him the latest high-profile figure targeted under the new government. MORE..
A 12-hour water cut will be imposed in the Homagama and Pelenwatta areas today (09) and tomorrow (10) due to the prevailing dry weather conditions, the National Water Supply and Drainage Board (NWSDB) announced. MORE..
Vice-President of the European Commission (EU) Kaja Kallas arrived in Saudi Arabia on Wednesday, for a high-stakes diplomatic push to transform a temporary two-week truce between the United States and Iran into a lasting regional settlement. MORE..
The motion to approve the extension of the State of Public Emergency under the Public Security Ordinance was passed in Parliament today (9) by a majority of 110 votes. MORE..
Sri Lankan police recently repatriated 125 individuals suspected of involvement in telecom fraud, who had been apprehended during earlier crackdown operations, to China, the Chinese Ministry of Public Security (MPS) said on Thursday. MORE..
Power outages have been reported in several parts of the island yesterday, affecting multiple areas due to a technical failure. MORE..
Britain deployed its armed forces to deter Russian submarines from attacking its cables and pipelines when they spent around a month in British waters earlier this year, defence minister John Healey said on Thursday. MORE..
Minister of Health Nalinda Jayatissa has announced that the discussion scheduled for today (09) with the Government Medical Officers’ Association (GMOA) will not be held. MORE..
The general public has been urged by medical professionals to take steps to control blood sugar levels during the Sinhala and Tamil New Year festive season. MORE..
Actor Tom Holland has revealed that the ‘‘Spider-Man: Brand New Day’‘ film did some additional photography recently to add in ‘‘more humor’‘ and beef up a ‘‘villain plotline’‘ despite officially wrapping up production last year. MORE..
Public Security Minister Ananda Wijepala has claimed that ongoing investigations have uncovered that the 2019 Easter Sunday attacks were not an isolated incident, but a result of a conspiracy that had been in motion since 2017. MORE..
Iran warned on Wednesday that the US must choose between a ceasefire and ‘‘continued war via Israel,’‘ saying Washington ‘‘cannot have both." MORE..
An individual has been arrested for the possession of a conch shell (Valampuri) near the Kalutara depot. MORE..
Israel pounded Lebanon with its heaviest strikes yet on Wednesday (Apr 8), killing hundreds of people and drawing a threat of retaliation from Iran, which suggested it would be “unreasonable” to proceed with talks to forge a permanent peace deal with the United States. MORE..
The Inspector General of Police, Priyantha Weerasuriya has issued a set of instructions to all police officers regarding the acceptance of gifts and the provision of monetary allowances for New Year celebrations. MORE..
Lebanon’s Health Ministry said Wednesday that Israeli strikes across multiple parts of the country, including the capital, Beirut, have killed at least 182 people, according to an updated death toll. MORE..
The National New Rice Festival, a traditional annual ceremony in which newly harvested rice from the Maha season is offered to the sacred Jaya Sri Maha Bodhi, was held this morning (09) under the patronage of President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, in the presence of the historic Jaya Sri Maha Bodhi in Anuradhapura. MORE..
US President Donald Trump said all U.S. ships, aircraft, and military personnel would stay in place in and around Iran until it fully complied with a deal. MORE..
The Department of Meteorology has indicated that an El Niño event during the southwest monsoon season could result in drought conditions extending through September. MORE..
Hezbollah, Iran’s proxy militia in Lebanon, said early Thursday it fired rockets at northern Israel in response to Israeli ceasefire violations, in its first attack since the deal was reached, Reuters news agency reported. MORE..
A warm weather advisory has been issued for tomorrow (10) for residents of the Western, Sabaragamuwa, Southern, Eastern, North-Western, Northern and North-Central provinces and in Monaragala District. MORE..
The modernization project of the Colombo Fort Railway Station was officially launched today (09), with Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya presiding over the inauguration. MORE..
Showers or thundershowers will occur at a few places in the Western, Sabaragamuwa and Northwestern provinces and in the Galle, Matara, Kandy, Nuwara-Eliya and Mannar districts after 2.00 p.m., the Department of Meteorology stated. MORE..
Sri Lanka Cricket has informed the Colombo District Court that it intends to file objections to a petition submitted by cricketer Nuwan Thushara over the non-issuance of a “No Objection Certificate” (NOC) to participate in the 2026 Indian Premier League. MORE..
US President Donald Trump bashed NATO and appeared to renew his threats over Greenland after a closed-door meeting with alliance chief Mark Rutte, during which he was expected to discuss possibly leaving the pivotal security bloc. MORE..
Former President Ranil Wickremesinghe, who underwent a surgery in Singapore, has returned to the island this morning (09). MORE..
The Government Medical Officers’ Association (GMOA) has announced that it will begin a 48-hour nationwide token strike starting from 8:00 a.m. today (09). MORE..
A Sri Lankan woman has reportedly sustained minor injuries following airstrikes carried out by Israel on Lebanon yesterday (08). MORE..
The 59th Aluth Sahal Mangallaya or the National New Rice Festival commenced today (09) at the sacred Jaya Sri Maha Bodhi under the patronage of President Anura Kumara Dissanayake. MORE..
Ships planning to pass through the Strait of Hormuz should take alternative routes, to “comply with the principles of maritime safety and to be protected from possible collisions with sea mines”, Iran’s Revolutionary Guards said in a statement cited in Iranian state media. MORE..
More than 3,000 people were killed throughout Iran during the war that began on February 28, Iran’s forensic chief told state media on Thursday, adding that 40% of the dead needed forensic work to be identified and returned to families.
British Airways said on Thursday it will cut flights to the Middle East when services resume, permanently drop Jeddah as a destination, while adding capacity to India and Africa, as heightened regional tensions disrupt schedules and weigh on demand. MORE..
An Iranian delegation is heading to Pakistan today to begin negotiations with the US on ending the war, Iran’s ambassador to Pakistan has confirmed. MORE..
Syria, Iraq and Bahrain announced the reopening of their airspace Wednesday following the announcement of a ceasefire agreement between the US and Iran, according to civil aviation authorities. MORE..
The Transportation Ministry announced that Israel will fully reopen the country’s airspace and resume regular operations at Tel Aviv’s Ben Gurion Airport starting at midnight Wednesday-Thursday, roughly one day after a ceasefire was announced between the US, Israel and Iran. MORE..
The White House has reaffirmed its claims to have “achieved every single objective” set out since the start of the Iran war.
Sri Lanka and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) have reached staff-level agreement on economic policies to conclude the combined Fifth and Sixth Reviews of Sri Lanka’s reform program supported by the IMF’s Extended Fund Facility. MORE..
A youth has been arrested for the possession of 1 kilogram and 220 grams of crystal methamphetamine (Ice) during a special raid conducted in Maradana. MORE..
Oil prices rose on Thursday on investors’ concerns supply from the key Middle East producing region may not fully resume amid doubts the two-week ceasefire between the U.S. and Iran will hold and as the crucial Strait of Hormuz remains restricted. MORE..
More than 200,000 micro, small, and medium-scale enterprises (SMEs) in Sri Lanka ceased operations between 2018 and 2022 due to various reasons, the Deputy Minister of Finance and Planning, Dr. Anil Jayantha said. MORE..
The Kudawa Entrance of the Sinharaja Forest Reserve will be closed for six days from tomorrow (10) until April 15, the Sinharaja Forest Reserve Controller’s Office announced. MORE..
Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya emphasized that the government’s policy is to build a sustainable transport system that enables children, women, the elderly, and persons with disabilities to access services conveniently. MORE..
The Ministry of Education, Higher Education and Vocational Education says that there have been reports of excessive spending on events and various celebrations organized in schools. MORE..
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese told reporters Thursday that the two-week ceasefire announced this week ‘‘is an important step forward.’’ MORE..
