News Room : MR’s Former Security Chief Neville Wanniarachchi Arrested
Neville Wanniarachchi, former Chief Security Officer of ex-President Mahinda Rajapaksa, was arrested by the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC) today. He is currently being questioned by commission officers in connection with ongoing investigations.
News Room : CIABOC DG to Gunathilaka: Follow Proper Process for Allegations, Not Media Stunts
Director General of the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC), Ranga Dissanayake, today (2 October) strongly rejected claims made by former MP Nandana Gunathilaka that he was a member of the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna’s (JVP) legal committee. Addressing a press conference, Dissanayake described the allegation as a deliberate attempt to tarnish his reputation and undermine public trust...
News Room : Shasheendra Rajapaksa Withdraws Bail Petition
Former State Minister Shasheendra Rajapaksa today (2 October) withdrew the revision petition he had filed before the Colombo High Court seeking release on bail. Rajapaksa had filed the petition after being remanded by order of the Colombo Magistrate’s Court under the Public Property Act, following a directive by the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC). He sought...
News Room : State of calamity in Philippines province as earthquake kills 69
At least 69 people have been killed and dozens injured after a powerful 6.9 magnitude earthquake struck the central Philippines late on Tuesday. The province of Cebu, which suffered the brunt of the damage, declared a state of calamity early on Wednesday, after thousands spent the night on the streets amid repeated aftershocks. One Cebu resident told the BBC he was...
News Room : Dame Jane Goodall remembered as a ‘true hero for the planet’
Conservationist Dame Jane Goodall, a world-leading expert on chimpanzees, has died aged 91. Former US president Barack Obama was among those who paid tribute to Dr Goodall, who he said, “opened doors for generations of women in science”. Actor and environmental campaigner Leonardo DiCaprio said that she “inspired millions to care, to act, and to hope”, and called her a “a...
News Room : Samanalee Fonseka Denies Claims Linking Her to State Vehicle
Actress Samanalee Fonseka has strongly rejected social media posts that circulated using her photograph without consent, accompanied by what she described as “baseless and defamatory claims.” In a Facebook post, Fonseka clarified that the black Mitsubishi vehicle with state number plates, shown in the widely shared images, does not belong to her nor has it ever been assigned to her...
News Room : Investigate Impartially if Thajudeen Was Wronged – Namal Rajapaksa
Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) MP Namal Rajapaksa has strongly criticised certain investigating bodies, accusing them of fabricating evidence to please the current government and politicising legal proceedings through media briefings. Rajapaksa alleged that the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) has repeatedly attempted to satisfy the government by producing false testimonies. He singled out the conduct of the Police Media Spokesperson,...
News Room : From November, Shoppers Will See ‘Polythene Levy’ on Their Bills
The Supreme Court was informed today (1) that a levy will be imposed on single-use polythene products from 1 November 2025. During the hearing of Fundamental Rights petition SCFR 220/21 filed by the Centre for Environmental Justice (CEJ), the Attorney General, representing the state and the first to fifth respondents, announced that the Consumer Affairs Authority (CAA) Board had taken...
News Room : Good News for Lankan Students: Australia Eases Visa Evidence Rules
The Australian Department of Home Affairs has revised the evidence levels used to assess student visa applications, according to updates noted on the PRISMS system. Although these levels are not officially published, they play a key role in determining the documentation required under the Simplified Student Visa Framework (SSVF). Current Country Evidence Levels Based on information shared within education and immigration networks,...
News Room : US Government Shutdown: Embassy in Colombo Issues Service Update
The United States government has entered a partial shutdown after lawmakers in Washington failed to pass a spending bill before the deadline early Wednesday (01), leading to the suspension of many federal operations. In response, the US Embassy in Sri Lanka announced via X (formerly Twitter) that its account would not be updated regularly during the shutdown, except to share...