Suspect commits suicide in prison cell in Kuruwita

A 22-year-old suspect who was in remand custody at the Kuruwita Prisons is alleged to have committed suicide in his cell yesterday evening, Prisons Spokesman T.N. Upuldeniya said.

Mahanama to head SLC interim committee: Report

Sri Lanka’s new Sports Minister Harin Fernando has invited three former cricketers-Mahela Jayawardene, Kumar Sangakkara and Aravinda de Silva, to present their views on the development of cricket in the country.

Volcano-triggered tsunami kills at least 43 in Indonesia

A tsunami killed at least 43 people on the Indonesian islands of Java and Sumatra and injured hundreds following an underwater landslide caused by the eruption of Krakatau, officials said on Sunday.

PM violated Constitution by nominating 35 for Cabinet: JVP

JVP leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake said yesterday that Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe was looking for loopholes in the Constitution to increase the number of ministers in the Cabinet and had violated the Constitution by sending a list of 35 names to the President to be appointed as ministers.

Parliament Dissolution : SC verdict saved country from international trap: Bimal

JVP MP Bimal Ratnayake said yesterday the verdict of the Supreme Court on the dissolution of parliament should be made available to MPs and the people in all three languages and said the SC verdict had rescued the country from an impending international trap.

Most of those in new Cabinet are corrupt: SLPP

A majority of those who were appointed to the Cabinet are corrupt, UPFA MP Shehan Semasinghe said yesterday.

Prez, CC on collision course

Against the backdrop of the recent political crisis, the Constitutional Council (CC) and President Maithripala Sirisena are reported to be on a collision course over the appointments of judges to the Supreme Court and the Court of Appeal.

Elections to all PCs on same day: Minister

The elections to all nine Provincial Councils (PC) will be held on the same day without further delay, Internal and Home Affairs, Provincial Councils and Local Government Minister Vajira Abeywardane said yesterday.

Appointing the Cabinet - I'll make a statement in Jan: PM

Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe said yesterday, that in January, he would make a statement in Parliament on the appointment of the Cabinet of Ministers.

MR tells Ranil Govt. to be people-friendly

Opposition Leader Mahinda Rajapaksa today urged the government to be more people-friendly when taking economic decisions without blindly following the instructions of the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

New secretaries appointed to ministries

President Maithripala Sirisena today appointed new Secretaries to some 30 Ministries.Hemasiri Fernando was appointed as the Secretary of Defence Ministry, Ms. S.M.Mohammed was appointed as the Secretary of Postal Services and Muslim Religious Affairs Ministry and V. Shivagnanasothi was appointed as the Secretary of Ministry of National Policies and Economic Affairs, Ministry of Rehabilitation and Prison reforms,

Lanka IOC also reduces fuel prices

Lanka IOC has also reduced prices of fuel with effect from midnight today. Accordingly, the price of a litre of petrol 92 and premium 95 would be reduced by Rs.10.

Decision taken to expedite forensic audit into bond scam

At a meeting held under the patronage of President Maithripala Sirisena today, a decision had been taken to expedite a forensic audit into the Central Bank bond scam, the President’s Media Division (PMD) said.  

Three non-Cabinet, 17 State, seven Deputy Ministers appointed

Three Non-Cabinet Ministers, 17 State Ministers and seven Deputy Ministers were sworn in before President Maithripala Sirisena at the Presidential Secretariat this evening.

Harsha Economic Reform Non-Cabinet Minister

Dr.  Harsha de Silva  was sworn  in as the Non-Cabinet Minister of Economic Reform and Public Distribution before President Maithripala Sirisena at the Presidential Secretariat a short while ago.  

UNP working committee nod for broad alliance

The UNP working committee approved the proposal to form a broad alliance under the name 'National Democratic Front' this evening.UNP spokesman Harin Fernando told the Daily Mirror that the working committee had agreed in principle to form the new alliance but had decided to appoint a committee to look into the matter further.

VIP assassination plot - IGP, CID clear SF of any involvement

UNP MP Field Marshal Sarath Fonseka said today the Police and CID had cleared him from any involvement in the assassination plot on President Maithripala Sirisena.

Vote on Account passed in parliament

The Vote on Account (VoA), to cover government expenditure for the next four months, was passed in parliament with 102 MPs voting in favour and six JVP MPs voting against. The UPFA MPs were not present at the time of the voting.

Post of Opposition Leader: Speaker delays ruling

Speaker Karu Jayasuriya today announced in Parliament that he had decided to delay his ruling on the post of Opposition Leader because of fresh submissions made by some MPs.The Speaker was supposed to give a ruling on this matter today.  

Can’t support VoA: JVP

Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) MP Bimal Ratnayake said in parliament today that they were not in a position to support the Vote on Account (VOA).

Seize the opportunity to resolve political differences: UN Chief

UN Secretary-General António Guterres yesterday called on all political actors in Sri Lanka to seize the opportunity of the appointment of the new Cabinet to resolve outstanding political differences.

Fuel prices slashed, petrol reduced by Rs.10

Fuel prices would be reduced with effect from midnight today, Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe announced in parliament a short while ago.

Vote on Account presented in parliament

The Vote on Account to cover the expenditures of the first four months of 2019 was presented in Parliament by Finance Minister Mangala Samaraweera today.

Applied, didn’t receive SLPP membership: Roshan

UPFA MP Roshan Ranasinghe yesterday said they have only applied for the membership of the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) but they have not yet received the membership.

Fight breaks out in Ukrainian Parliament over a poster

A fight broke out in Ukrainian Parliament after a bill was passed demanding that the Ukrainian Orthodox Church explicitly indicate its link to the Moscow Patriarchate in its name, the Independent reported this morning.

SriLankan fails to implement US$ 300mn strategic business plans

SriLankan Airlines management had assigned former Chief Financial Officer (CFO) S. A. Chandrasekara to formulate two business plans in 2008 and 2010 but none of the recommendations made through the business plans had been implemented, former CFO S. A. Chandrasekara informed the Presidential Commission of Inquiry (PCoI) into irregularities at SriLankan Airlines, SriLankan Catering and Mihin Lanka yesterday.

Dispute over ministerial appointment of SF

Home Affairs Minister Vajira Abeywardene said yesterday that a dispute arose as to how Field Marshal Sarath Fonseka, as a retired military officer, could work with President Maithripala Sirisena as the Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces.

Japan welcomes development towards stability in Sri Lanka

Japan, as a long-standing friend, has said, it welcomes the recent development towards political stability in Sri Lanka including the appointment of the new Cabinet through due process in accordance with the law.

STF seizes Kerala Ganja worth Rs.23mn in Kilinochchi

A 32-year-old man was arrested by the STF while transporting 153 kilogrammes of Kerala ganja worth Rs.23 million on a motorcycle in Kilinochchi this evening, police spokesman SP Ruwan Gunasekera said.

Indian survey ship here on hydrographic mission

The hydrographic survey ship “Jamuna’ of the Indian Navy arrived at the Colombo harbour today to undertake hydrographic surveys in Sri Lankan waters, the Navy said.