House to remind Prez to attend parliament once in 3 months

Parliament is to inform President Maithripala Sirisena that he has to attend sessions at least once in three months as per the constitution. Leader of the House Lakshman Kiriella said that he would remind President that he will have to attend parliament sessions every three months as he is responsible to the Legislature as per the Constitution

Bimal queries US Navy cargo movement

JVP MP Bimal Ratnayake yesterday asked the government whether there was any plan to sign a Status of Forces agreement between Sri Lanka and the United States.

Will hold presidential election first: Minister Ranjith

Public Administration and Disaster Management Minister Ranjith Madduma Bandara said that despite the claims, the government would hold the presidential election first.

UNP trimmed down President's term to five years: SLFP

SLFP parliamentarian Shanta Bandara yesterday alleged the UNP 'fraudulently' introduced a clause to the 19th Amendment to the Constitution to limit the term of office of current President Maithripala Sirisena to five years, although he was elected to serve six years.

Pardon for Gananasara Thera: Minister to talk with President

Buddhasasana Minister Gamini Jayawickrama Perera today said that he will discuss with President Maithripala Sirisena to secure a pardon for Bodu Bala Sena (BBS) General Secretary Ven. Galagodaaththe Gnanasara Thera as soon as the President arrived in the country.

Aloysius alleges two suspects set scot-free by the prosecution

Arjun Aloysius, who was in remand in connection with the Central Bank bond fraud, alleged that the investigating officers of the Central Bank bond scam had let the two main suspects off scot-free and without charging them even though there was ample proof against them.

CC rejects President's nominee to CA again

The Constitutional Council has rejected President’s Maithripala Sirisena’s nominee Judge Deepali Wijesundara as the Appeal Court President, Parliamentary sources said today.

GMOA says ready to bring Rajitha before Presidential comm.

Health Minister Rajitha Senaratne would be brought before the Presidential Commission appointed by the President to probe allegations of corruption that had allegedly taken place from January 15, 2015, to December 31, 2018, the Government Medical Officers Association (GMOA) said.

Gnanasara Thera likely to get presidential pardon on Feb. 4

Ven. Galagoda Atte Gnanasara Thera will likely get a Presidential pardon on Independence Day, February 4 by President Maithripala Sitrisena along with hundreds of other prison inmates, SLFP politburo member and MP Shanta Bandara said today.

Police officials not paid travelling allowances: Anura Kumara

JVP leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake said today the government had suspended the recently increased commuted travelling allowance to the police department and inquired whether it would take steps to pay it.

Pictures taken on top of Kiralagala Cheithiya: Eight youths remanded

The eight youths, who posted photos taken on top of the ruins of Kiralagala Cheithiya in Horowpothana on social media, were remanded till February 5 by the Kebithigollewa Magistrate today, Police Spokesman SP Ruwan Gunasekara said.

Estimate cost of Central expressway overvalued: COPE

The cost involved in phase one and two of the Central Expressway has been overvalued in the contracts signed by the Road Development Authority (RDA) with the construction companies by Rs 38.2 billion, the report of Committee on Public Enterprises (COPE) which was presented to Parliament, revealed today.

Send in proposals for Budget-2019 before Feb. 11: Ministry

The Ministry of Finance and Mass Media has called all stakeholders including the general public, to make their proposals for the Budget 2019 before February 11 to “ensure introduction of a successful budget targeting building a strong Economy and an Enriched country.”

Two Lankans nabbed with sex enhancement tablets, live birds at BIA

Two Sri Lankan passengers were arrested with various medicines including pills said to be aphrodisiacs and with 57 live birds at the Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA), Customs Spokesman Deputy Director Sunil Jayaratne said.

Police looking for Turkmenistan couple involved in heroin racket

Law enforcement officers are in the search of a Turkmenistan couple suspected to be the mastermind of the heroin distribution racket that operated from a luxury apartment in Kollupitiya.

Angoda Lokka’s accomplice 'Surathal' arrested

An accomplice of notorious underworld figure ‘Angoda Lokka’ who operates from overseas, has been arrested by the Organized Crimes Unit officers with 1.15 kg of Kerala Cannabis at Udumulla in Mulleriyawa yesterday.

SriLankan loses Rs.40bn in 9 months

The losses at the national carrier, SriLankan Airlines, widened during the nine months ended December 31, 2018, despite the gains at the top line level, due to currency depreciation and higher oil prices, the airline said yesterday in a statement.

PET water bottles should be transparent: Mannapperuma

The blue hue seen in the packaging of potable drinking water (PET) bottles would be changed to transparent to help consumers see the water they were about to consume, Environment Deputy Minister Ajith Mannapperuma said yesterday.

Heavy fines on drivers causing fatal accidents

Fines imposed on errant drivers who cause fatal road accidents would rise appreciably in order to dissuade motorists from driving recklessly, Transport and Civil Aviation Minister Arjuna Ranatunga said yesterday.  

Palali to be developed for regional flights

The government is to allocate Rs.two billion to develop the Palali airport runway in Jaffna as an initial step of using it for flight operations to regional destinations, particularly those in India, it is learnt.

Draft Constitution weakens Parliament and strengthens PCs: MR

Opposition Leader Mahinda Rajapaksa has said in a statement on the constitutional reforms, said that the draft constitution seeks to weaken Parliament and immeasurably strengthen the provincial legislatures, and it will compromise the unitary character of the Constitution. 

Ministry issues timeline on death penalty convicts

In response to President Maithripala Sirisena’s recent comments that the files of convicted drug dealers have been withheld or disappeared from prisons, sabotaging his decision to activate  death  penalty on them, the Justice and Prison Reforms Ministry today issued a  time line  on the process it adopted to implement the death penalty on death row prisoners on  drug related crimes.

Pictures taken on top of Kiralagala Cheithiya: Seven youths arrested

The seven youths, who had posted photos taken on top of a ruined Cheithiya in Kiralagala, Horowpothana on social media, were arrested by the police this evening.

MPs not attending parliament should be revealed: Dullas

MP Dullas Alahapperuma today said the MPs who are not regularly attending parliament was unfortunate and the media should reveal details of such MPs at the end of each parliamentary week.

'Sena' originated in USA: Harrison

Sena Caterpillar (fall Armyworm) has been originally spotted in America and had later spread towards Africa and Asia, Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Rural Economy P. Harrison told Parliament today.

US Navy conducts temporary cargo transfer initiative in SL

The US Navy will perform a transfer operation to move cargo between planes at Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) outside Colombo from January 21 to 29, the US Embassy said today.  

VIP assassination case; CID grills Namal

UPFA MP Namal Rajapaksa was questioned by the Criminal Investigation Division (CID) today over the VIP assassination plot.In a tweet, Mr. Rajapaksa said he was questioned by the CID for few hours on the

Alagiyawanna re-appointed COPA Chairman

UPFA MP Lasantha Alagiyawanna was unanimously re-appointed as the Chairman of Committee on Public Accounts (COPA) today.

Mortar bombs, pressure bombs buried by LTTE unearthed in Jaffna

Eighty-seven 81mm mortar bombs and four pressure bombs which were believed to be buried by the LTTE, have been recovered by the Special Task Force (STF) at a forest land at Ampan in Jaffna today, STF Commandant Senior DIG M.R. Lateef said.

Two killed, three injured in Pothanegama accident

A mother and daughter were killed when the three-wheeler they were travelling in had collided with a cab on the Anuradhapura Puttalam New Road in Pothanegama, Anuradhapura this morning, the Police said.