Prominent Sri Lankan bakers - Perera & Sons Bakers (Pvt) Ltd has arrived at an agreement with the Food, Beverages, Tobacco and Industries Employees Union (FBTIEU) to grant a 2-day paternity leave inclusive of pay to their employees.

Reasons for the death of Sumith Prassanna, who died in Embilipitiya following a clash with police, has been released.

The Bribery Commission today (19) withdrew all three ongoing cases against former Chief Justice Dr. Shirani Bandaranayake over non-declaration of assets in 2010, 2011 and 2012.

It’s been over a year since Maithripala Sirisena assumed the presidency, although much about daily life in Sri Lanka’s war-torn Northern Province remains the same. “There’s a reduced number of troops on the road,” says Shalin Uthayarasa, a journalist. “We’re experiencing a temporary respite in repression.” Uthayarasa goes on to mention that his two previous points apply to ordinary people, but aren’t relevant for journalists or human rights activists, who continue to face threats (or worse) from state security personnel. “I’m sure they [the Sri Lanka Army] haven’t reduced troop numbers,” he tells me.

The Centre for Policy Alternatives (CPA) and its Executive Director yesterday (18) filed a Fundamental Rights application challenging the appointment of Field Marshal Sarath Fonseka to fill the vacancy created by the death of Mr. M. K. A. D. S. Gunawardana, as a Member of Parliament elected in terms of Article 99A of the Constitution (the National List).

More than a year after PM Narendra Modi first mooted the idea during the 18th Saarc summit held in Nepal in 2014, only Sri Lanka has formally agreed to join the Saarc satellite project. An Isro official told TOI on Thursday that the remaining six members, including Pakistan, have so far only given their approval in principle.

Sri Lankan Foreign Minister Mangala Samaraweera and German Foreign Minister Dr. Frank-Walter Steinmeier signed a joint declaration of intent regarding cooperation on cultural relations and education policy in Berlin yesterday (17).