Sri Lanka

The air quality in Colombo city remains unhealthy and sensitive people are warned to be cautious, said senior scientist H.D Sarath Premasiri of the National Building Research Organisation

The largest natural blue corundum sapphire in the world has been found in the Batugedara area and belongs to the Gemological Institute and Research Private Limited, weighing about 310 kilograms (1.550.000 carats)

Despite glaring omissions at the player draft and last-minute franchise ownership changes, the Lanka Premier League begins today, with 20 matches scheduled in Colombo and Hambantota

The special dengue eradication program has ended yesterday: it aimed at preventing the situation from escalating to an epidemic phase in the context of increasing cases

Inter provincial bus and trains will enter service from today and ordinary and advanced level classes in all schools will commence on November 8 as from today all bans are lifted and new restrictions rules come into force

The country has backtracked on ambitious plans to become the world's first fully organic farming nation, reversing a total ban on chemical fertiliser imports imposed in May with the aim of making the country's agriculture 100 % organic

The Court of Appeal has recently issued an interim order preventing the registration of wild elephants under private owners; the move has been celebrated by environmental activists who believe many of such private owners are actually racketeers

The government will introduce a new bill to ban all forms of obscene publications

A five-year plan to revive the Covid-affected tourism industry has been presented by the tourism minister, who welcomed Ukraine's support for the tourism pilot project launched during the Coronavirus outbreak

Conservationist Anjali Watson is fighting to save the critically endangered leopards and reports that with the war over in 2009 about 70% of the animals' habitat has been destroyed, and only 750-1,000 adult leopards remain

Sri Lankan shares closed at their highest level in nearly seven months, driven by strong gains in the financial sector