Glad President fathomed 19A an utter mess: MR

It is great that President Maithripala Sirisena has finally realised the 19th Amendment to the Constitution is a mess, Opposition Leader Mahinda Rajapaksa said today.

Doctors launch token strike in Kalutara

The Government Doctors of the Kalutara District have commenced a token strike from noon today alleging that Health Minister Rajitha Senaratne was importing substandard medicine used by pregnant mothers and children, GMOA Assistant Secretary Dr Naveen de Soysa said.

Wellampitiya copper factory employee re-remanded

An employee, who worked at the copper factory owned by Insaf Ahmad, one of the Shangri La suicide bombers, had been re-remanded till July 8 by Colombo Additional Magistrate Priyantha Liyanage today.

FR Petition filed by Pujith re-fixed for July 31

The Fundamental Rights Petition filed by former IGP Pujith Jayasundera against the President’s decision to send him on compulsory leave has been re-fixed for support on July 31 by the Supreme Court today.

Presidential candidate is Gotabaya: Basil

Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) front liner Basil Rajapaksa said at a meeting of its parliamentarians that Opposition Leader Mahinda Rajapaksa would declare on August 11 the presidential candidate of his party.

Indonesia earthquake - No harm to Sri Lanka: Met Dept.

Meteorology Department Director of Forecasting, Anusha Warnasuriya told Daily Mirror that there was no harm to Sri Lanka following the deep earthquake of magnitude 7.5 that struck off the coasts of East Timor and Indonesia today.

How did Hizbullah obtain Rs. 3 bn from Saudi Arabia?

The Sectoral Oversight Committee on Education and Human Resources Development in Parliament has recommended that an inquiry be held to find out how Rs. 3000 million had been channelled to Batticaloa Campus (pvt) Ltd.

Deshapriya threatens to quit as EC head

Chairman of the Elections Commission Mahinda Deshapriya threatened to quit as EC head if a presidential election was conducted without holding the provincial council elections first.

’Rathana Thera attempting to create rift among people’

Athuraliya Thera is trying to bring about a split between the Tamils and Muslims in the North and East, while engaging in the same ploy with the Muslims and Sinhalese in the South, Trincomalee Parliamentarian Abdullah Maharoof said in a media release issued yesterday.

Development is easy, when Govt. is a single party - PM

Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe said the development work and other things are easy when the government is a single party driven one.

Indrani Wijebandara passes away

Popular yester-year songstress Indrani Wijebandara (Senaratne) passed away this afternoon at the National Hospital in Colombo at the age of 83, family sources said.

Fake document centre raided in Ratnapura

A house in Ratnapura, where counterfeit government documents were processed, had been raided by the Wellawaya Police yesterday, with two suspects being arrested so far.

1990 ambulance service now countrywide

With the launch of the 1990 Suwaseriya Ambulance Service in the Eastern Province today, the service was now available in all nine provinces of the country, officials said.

18A, 19A should be abolished, says President

President Maithripala Sirisena today said that both 18th and 19th Amendments to the Constitution should be abolished.

Expect more showers: Met Dept.

The Meteorology Department said today that several spells of showers would occur in the Western, Sabaragamuwa and Central provinces and in Galle and Matara districts.

No 6-pack but Malinga still a big-game hunter: Mahela

Former Sri Lanka captain Mahela Jayawardene praised Lasith Malinga for his ability to step up in big games after the paceman inspired his country’s shock World Cup win over England.

Sangaree expels two of members from TULF

The deputy mayor and a councillor of the Kalmunai Municipal Council had been expelled from their party membership of the Tamil United Liberation Front (TULF), over allegations of corruption.

Waves sweep four out to sea at Yala, two dies

A girl and her father were drowned while her sister and mother hospitalised after the waves swept them away to the seas off Yala in Kirinda this morning, police said.

Six Indians arrested at BIA for attempting to smuggle gold

Six Indian nationals were arrested while attempting to smuggle gold biscuits worth Rs. 3 million to Chennai at the Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA).

Country needs brave leadership that loves people: MR

Opposition Leader Mahinda Rajapaksa yesterday said that what Sri Lanka needed in the future is a brave leadership that loved its people.

Japan-SL talks on East Container Terminal

Japanese Premier’s special adviser Hiroto Izumi yesterday called on Sri Lankan Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe and reaffirmed Japan’s commitment to develop the East Container Terminal of the Colombo South Harbour as a joint venture partnership with Sri Lanka and India.

IS was initially unaware of Easter attacks-top official

The Islamic State (IS) may have claimed responsibility for the Easter terror attacks in Sri Lanka, but its chief Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi was initially not aware of the horrific serial bombings, according to a top official familiar with the probe, the Hindu reported today.

Gota becoming presidential candidate a mere dream: Duminda

The Rajapaksas have ruled the country more than enough and therefore the electorate must choose a leader not related to the Rajapaksa family for the upcoming Presidential poll and at the Parliamentary election that would follow, Propaganda Secretary of the SLFP, Former Minister Duminda Dissanayaka said yesterday.

PM and several ministers to be called before PSC?

Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, State Minister of Defence, Ruwan Wijewardene, and two former Law and Order Ministers are scheduled to be called before the Parliamentary Select Committee on the Easter Sunday attacks.

Easter Sunday attack: All living suspects have been arrested: PM

All living suspects responsible for the Easter Sunday bomb attacks have been apprehended by the security forces so far as two months have elapsed since the carnage, Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe said yesterday.

Emergency regulations extended by another month

An extraordinary gazette notification was issued extending the emergency regulations by another month.w

UNP-led political alliance - Several SLFP MPs as electorate organisers

Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) MPs are to be appointed as electorate organizers in the proposed political alliance led by the United National Party (UNP) ahead of the upcoming presidential election.

SriLankan airlines: Questionable US citizen appointed CCO

The Opposition yesterday claimed that the government had appointed a corrupt and inefficient US citizen as Chief Commercial Officer (CCO) of SriLankan airlines paying a monthly allowance of Rs.3.5 million.

DIG questioned over Dr. Shafi issue

The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) yesterday recorded an eight hour statement from Kurunegala DIG Wasantha Kithsiri Jayalath over the alleged sterilization of women by Obstetrician and Gynaecologist, Dr Shafi Shihabdeen of the Kurunegala Teaching Hospital.

Police top brass reshuffled following Easter Sunday report

Police Headquarters announced a sudden reshuffle on the police top brass last night where senior most officers in charge of Western Province and the Colombo District were transferred elsewhere with immediate effect, in a bid to support probes prescribed by the recent Presidential Report on Easter Sunday attacks.