PM to make statement on overseas accounts

Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe will make a statement in Parliament with regard to the revelations made by Cabinet Spokesman Dr. Rajitha Senaratne on bank accounts in Dubai belonging to a former VVIP family, an MP and a head of a government institution, which exceeded USD 3 billion.

Live Events will pay up

'Live Events', (the company that organised last December's controversial Enrique Iglesias concert at the CR&FC Grounds) had agreed to settle the tax payment to the Colombo Municipal Council (CMC) after it was accused of not paying the correct amount, said Municipal Commissioner M.K.V. Anura yesterday.

Foreign Service: SL to follow Singapore

A system of appointing non-resident ambassadors would be introduced as means of modernising the country's Foreign Service, Minister of Foreign Affairs Mangala Samaraweera informed Parliament today.

BBS accuses law enforces of double standards

Different standards were applied by the law enforcers to MP Hirunika Premachandra (when she was arrested for allegedly kidnapping someone) and the Ven. Galagoda Aththe Gnanasara Thera when he was charged with contempt of court and the disruption of court proceedings, alleged the Collective of National Bikkhu Organisations today.

Embilipitiya police did not get 119 complaint: Sagala

The investigations on the incident in Embilipitiya, where a young man was killed, took a dramatic turn as it had been revealed now that no one had informed the Police about a clash to Police on the Police Emergency hotline 119, Minister of Law and Order Sagala Ratnayake said in Parliament today.

Arrest them all, says Homagama Court

Homagama Magistrate Ranga Dissanayake today ordered the Homagama Police to arrest all the people who behaved in a violent manner on charges of contempt of court and produce before the court before February 9.

Gnanasara Thera in Prison Hospital

Bodu Bala Sena (BBS) Secretary General Galagoda Aththe Gnanasara was admitted to the Welikada Prison Hospital due to sudden illness this evening.

Lankan government makes significant progress: HRW

Sri Lanka’s government has ended the pervasive culture of surveillance and censorship and embarked on reforms aimed to undo years of increasingly authoritarian rule, the Human Rights Watch (HRW) said today in its World Report 2016.

Ex-CJ Bandaranayake before Bribery Commission

Lawyers for former Chief Justice Shirani Bandaranayake appeared before the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption in connection with the ongoing case against Ms. Bandaranayake.

Court orders arrest of Embilipitiya HQI, ASP

The Embilipitiya Magistrate today issued arrest warrants on the suspects over the clash and the death of a man in Embilipitiya. The victim’s wife today gave evidence in Court and said the Embilipitiya HQI and the ASP were to be accused for her husband’s death.

K’deniyawa OIC transferred to Kegalle Division

Kotadeniyawa Police OIC H.W.S. Udayakumara has been transferred to the Kegalle Division on a service requirement, Police said.They said Welioya Division OIC D.D. Wickramasinghe was transferred to Kotadeniyawa while Inspector D.M.P. Dissanayake has been transferred from the Polonnaruwa Division to the Welioya Division as the OIC.

Int’l involvement not ruled out: PM

In an interview with the Channel 4 news, Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe said that the government had not ruled out international involvement in the probe into alleged war crimes.

Filipino maid beaten to death by Lankan maid

A Sri Lankan housemaid is on trial in Fujairah on charges of beating to death a Filipino maid working at the same house, a newspaper reported on Wednesday.

No rains for a few more weeks: Met Dept.

The Meteorology Department said today the existing warm weather conditions will prevail over most parts of the country and that there would be no rains for the next few weeks.

Pillayan re-remanded till Feb. 10

Former Eastern Province Chief Minister Sivanesathurai Chandrakanthan alias Pillayan who was arrested in connection with the murder of former parliamentarian Joseph Pararajasingham, was further remanded till February 10 by Batticaloa Magistrate Ganesha Rajasah today.

Arrest warrant out for fake facebook profiler

The Colombo Chief Magistrate yesterday ordered the Department of Immigration & Emigration to arrest a suspect on arrival or departure, after he was named as a suspect by the CID in a case involving the creation of fake facebook profiles and blackmailing people through them.

Don’t label us as Indian Tamils: TPA

The Tamil Progressive Alliance (TPA) yesterday urged the government to stop referring to the up-country Tamil community as “Indian Tamils” and in future to refer to them as “Indian origin Malayaga Tamils” in the New Constitution.

Joint Opp. slams Govt's stance on kidney transplantation

The Joint Opposition yesterday said the Government was suppressing the professionals and that was why it has stopped kidney transplantation and also opted for the proposed Economic and Technology Cooperative Agreement (ETCA) with India.

SLFP chairman should stop any divisions: CBK

Former president Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga responding to a question asked by journalists on attempts by a section of the SLFP to form a new party under the leadership of ex-president Mahinda Rajapaksa, pointed out that it was the party's chairman who should decide on this matter and said had she been the chairperson she would have known how to handle them.

Navy to take action against Lt. Yoshitha Rajapaksa

The Navy will take action against Lieutenant Yoshitha Rajapaksa based on the advise of the President's office in the wake of the recommendations made by the tripartite committee, Chief Government Whip Gayantha Karunatilleke told Parliament today.

Inquiry will be held on Homagama protest: PM

Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe said today he had ordered a full investigation into the incident which occurred at the Homagama Courts where a certain group had held a protest against the remanding of the Ven. Galagodaatte Gnanasara Thera.

Video: Tense situation outside Homagama Court

A tense situation continues to prevail outside the Homagama Court premises after a large number of Buddhist monks and some youth protested against the Homagama Magistrate’s order to remand Bodu Bala Sena General Secretary Ven. Galagodaaththe Gnanasara Thera.

No harassment of female MPs: Speaker

Speaker Karu Jayasuriya said today there was no truth about female parliamentarians being subjected to any kind of sexual or other harassment in Parliament as claimed.

Thowfeek sworn in as MP

M. Sharrif Thowfeek was sworn in as a Member of Parliament by Speaker Karu Jayasuriya this morning.He replaces Dr. A.R A. Hafeez who resigned last week.

Gnanasara Thera remanded till Feb.9

BBS General Secretary the Ven. Galagodaatte Gnansara Thera, arrested this morning on charges of contempt of court, was remanded till February 9 by the Homagama Magistrate.

Hirunika’s Defender released on bond

UNP MP Hirunika Premachandra’s Defender vehicle, which was used by several staff members of the MP to allegedly abduct a man from Dematagoda was released on Rs. 4.5 million bond by Additional Magistrate Mohamed Mihar today.

Nasheed seeks SL, Indian influence to return

Former President of the Maldives Mohamed Nasheed, who is in the UK for medical care, had said the date of his return was uncertain and that he might seek to exert influence from Sri Lanka or India to return, the Sydney Morning Herald reported.

Gnanasara Thera arrested

Bodu Bala Sena (BBS) General Secretary Ven. Galagodaatte Gnanasara Thera was arrested by the Homagama Police a short while ago on charges of contempt of court.

Lankan health officials involved in Kidney racket: Report

Suresh Prajapathi, who was arrested by the Indian police after busting a kidney transplantation racket recently, has told his interrogators that gaps in the legal provisions helped him exploit the kidney donors and recipients, the Hindu reported.

Gnanasara Thera surrenders

Bodu Bala Sena (BBS) General Secretary Ven. Galagodaatte Gnanasara Thera, who was issued an arrest warrant, surrendered to the Homagama Police a short while ago, Police Spokesman Ruwan Gunasekara said.