News

‘Booru Moona’ arrested

Published

6 months ago

March 17, 2023

editor

Wanted criminal Ravindu Warnaranga alias ‘Booru Moona’, has been arrested in Avissawella today (17).

According to reports he had been arrested while inside a car near the Avissawella Courts complex.

‘Booru Moona’ was wanted by authorities for a series of murders and other crimes and had been evading capture after escaping from police custody.

‘Booru Moona’ had attempted to fly to Dubai under a false name from the Katunayake Airport on February 24th, but was arrested by Immigration Officers at the BIA, who then handed him over to the Airport Police.

Thereafter, he had escaped police custody and two monks along with another man were arrested by the Katunayake Police for facilitating the escape of the suspect.

Moreover, a husband and wife duo who were arrested for providing accommodation to the fugitive ‘Booru Moona’, were also remanded.

News

Govt. to set up mechanism to prevent & control forest fires

Published

34 mins ago

September 26, 2023

editor

Taking into consideration the number of forest fires reported in the recent past, the Cabinet has approved a proposal to implement a programme to prevent the occurrence of forest fires and extinguish forest fires.

Government said that there is a rapidly increasing risk of forest fire caused by man-made fires around forests, especially during dry weather conditions.

“This situation is common in Badulla, Kandy, Nuwara Eliya, Matale, Monaragala, Polonnaruwa, Kurunegala, Puttalam and Rathnapura Districts. The number of forest fires reported so far this year is about 150. As a result, around 2,600 hectares of forests have been destroyed,” it said.

Accordingly, the Cabinet approved a proposal presented by the Forest and Wildlife Conservation Minister to implement a programme with the support of the government and other relevant parties from the national-level to the rural-level to prevent the occurrence of forest fires and extinguish forest fires.

News

Cabinet approves proposal to obtain USD 200mn from ADB

Published

39 mins ago

September 26, 2023

editor

The Cabinet has approved a proposal to obtain an amount of USD 200 million from the Asian Development Bank (ADB) subject to an annual interest rate of 2%.

Initial discussions between the ADB and the Sri Lankan Government were held to obtain two loan facilities worth USD 200 million each based on policies to implement two sub-programmes under the economic stabilization and reformation programme.

It has been proposed to implement accelerated reformations to enhance the conflict management framework and the stabilization in the finance sector under the first sub-programme while it has been proposed to develop an all-inclusive resistant finance system under the second sub-programme.

Accordingly, the proposal submitted by the President as the Minister of Finance, to enter into a loan agreement with the ADB to obtain USD 200 million with a repaying period of 25 years inclusive of a grace period of 05 years in relation to the first sub-programme, was approved by the Cabinet.