NIA to collect voice samples of suspects linked Easter Sunday attack

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) of India will collect the voice samples of the member of the Coimbatore module of the terrorist outfit Islamic State (IS), who allegedly knew people involved in the Easter Sunday bombings in Sri Lanka last year, the Indian Express reported.

EU assures GSP+ to SL till 2023

The European Union had assured that it would continue with the GSP+ tax concessions to Sri Lanka until 2023, Minister Prasanna Ranatunga said today.

Nine brokers arrested at BIA premises

Nine persons have been arrested for illegally interfering with passengers at the Bandaranaike International Airport by the STF yesterday.

Two Sri Lankans killed in Abu Dhabi bus crash

Two women from Sri Lanka were among those killed in an horrific bus crash in Abu Dhabi last week, officials confirmed yesterday.

Harry and Meghan drop royal duties and HRH titles

Prince Harry and Meghan will no longer use their HRH titles and will not receive public funds for royal duties, Buckingham Palace has announced.

India pledges USD 50mn to strengthen defence cooperation

National Security Advisor of India, Ajith Doval, met President Gotabaya Rajapaksa today and pledged USD 50 million to Sri Lankan security forces to strengthen defence cooperation.

Govt. members nervous over calls with Ranjan?

Following the surprising revelation by UNP MP Harin Fernando that there were numerous recordings of conversations with current government members in MP Ranjan Ramanayake’s possession as well, the Daily Mirror learns that some ruling MPs had held informal discussions over the matter yesterday.

Govt will support families of missing persons, despite objections-Prez

President Gotabaya Rajapaksa yesterday informed the United Nations Resident Coordinator Hanna Singer his government would give support to families of missing persons in order to continue with their lives, despite the Tamil Politicians’ objections.

New regulations on drone operations – MoD

The Government, which lifted the ban on civilian drones, yesterday, is to introduce new regulations on drone operations, which was banned in the aftermath of the Easter Sunday attack in mid-April, last year, defence.lk said.

No ban on Rajinikanth from visiting SL: Namal

Parliamentarian Namal Rajapaksa said that there was no ban on Tamil Nadu actor-turned-politician Rajinikanth from visiting Sri Lanka.

UNF allies decide to form new alliance with Sajith

Leaders of political parties which were allies of the UNP have decided to form a new alliance under the leadership of Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa and contest the next general election.

AG ordered to report if recordings released to media while in police custody

Nugegoda Magistrate U.K. Palpola yesterday ordered the Attorney General to report to the court after examining whether the audio recordings of former state minister Ranjan Ramanayake were released to the media when they were in police custody and in the form of case productions.

Parliament likely to be dissolved on March 2

Parliament is likely to be dissolved on March 2 so that the general elections can be conducted by the end of April, a top government source said yesterday.

Majority of UNP MPs want Ranil to leave

While stating that they want a legitimate change of leadership in the UNP, the MPs who are currently lobbying for a change in the party yesterday said they were hopeful that party leader Ranil Wickremesinghe will take a positive step in this regard during the coming days.

China seeks to improve bilateral relations with Sri Lanka

China has sought to improve its bilateral relations with Sri Lanka to form comprehensive strategic partnership, Daily Mirror learns.

CID requests Court to order Dr. Shafi to return CCTV camera recordings

Officials of the Criminal Investigation Department yesterday requested the Kurunegala Magistrates’ Court to order Doctor Shafi Shihabdeen to return the recordings of the CCTV camera found at his house which should be a special court production under the CID since it had already been handed over to the suspect by some of the former officials of the CID.

No Air force has better experiences than ours: PM

Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa yesterday said no air force in the world has experience on air strikes against the terrorists than the Air Force of Sri Lanka.

IRD to clamp down on errant traders

The Inland Revenue Department (IRD) has found that a large number of traders, business establishments and bakeries do not pass the VAT reduction benefits to the consumer and as such the IRD would round up errant commercial establishments with the assistance of the Consumer Affairs Authority (VAA) and take legal action against them, Commissioner General of the IRD Nadun Guruge said today.

Team to look into Norochcholai Power Plant: President

President Gotabaya Rajapaksa today said the Power and Energy Minister would assign a team of engineers to investigate the activities of the Norochcholai Power Plant.

Video footage on Bellanwila jumbo: Temple sources reject media reports

Referring to the video footage circulating on social media, where an elephant was allegedly slapped with sticks by the keeper at Bellanwila Temple in Colombo, a spokesman of the temple told Daily Mirror that it was an incident which had been exaggerated by the so called media sites, which had received false information from NGOs.

Hirunika claims second recording maliciously edited

UNP MP Hirunika Premachandra today claimed that the leaked second phone recording clip said to be of her and MP Ranjan Ramanayake was maliciously edited and vowed to take legal action against those who published the clips.

Ukraine Prime Minister offers resignation after leaked recording

Ukraine’s prime minister, Oleksiy Honcharuk, has submitted his resignation after an audio recording suggested he had criticised the president, but then appeared to say in comments to Reuters that he might stay in his job.

Five discharged from Avant Garde case

The Colombo High Court Trial- at- bar today discharged five accused from 7,573 charges levelled against them by Attorney General Dappula de Livera in the Avant Garde illegal arms transportation case.

Nissanka Senadhipathi granted bail

Avant-Garde Chairman Nissanka Senadhipathi, who was in remand custody, was granted bail by the Colombo High Court today.

Ban on operation of drones lifted

The ban on operation of drones within Sri Lankan airspace has been lifted, the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) said.

Ex-Akuressa PS Chairman sentenced to 15 yrs RI

The Colombo High Court today sentenced former Akuressa PS Chairman Saruwa Liyanage Sunil to 15 years of rigorous imprisonment for raping a 14-year-old girl in 2012.

Five Sri Lankans charged with theft in Australia

Australian Police have charged seven people including five Sri Lankans following a series of pick-pocketing and theft offences on train and tram networks and at popular shopping precincts across Melbourne’s CBD over the past two months, Victoria police said in a statement.

Revision application against granting bail to Rajitha: Ruling on Jan. 21

Colombo High Court Judge Manjula Thilakaratne today fixed January 21 to deliver the ruling on the revision application filed by the Attorney General (AG) against the order of the Chief Magistrate to grant bail to former minister Rajitha Senaratne.

Chandrika removed as SLFP Attanagalla Organiser

Former President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunge was removed as the SLFP organizer for the Attanagalla electorate, SLFP General Secretary Dayasiri Jayasekara said today.

Firearm case: Ranjan produced in Court

UNP MP Ranjan Ramanayake, who is in remand custody, was brought to Nugegoda Magistrate’s Court this morning over the unlicensed firearm case.