Six illegal migrants nabbed at BIA

Five Sri Lankans and a Syrian national had been arrested by the CID at the Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) yesterday while trying to travel illegally using fraudulent passports, the Police said.

Protest in Chennai against U.S. support to SL in war probe

As a mark of protest against the U.S. supporting Sri Lanka in war crime probe, a group of members from Ilaiya Thalaimurai Koottamaippu, an outfit comprising youngsters, threw rotten chicken waste into a KFC outlet in Ashok Nagar in central India on Saturday afternoon.

Gota, Duminda to appear before PRECIFAC on Sep. 17, 18

Former Defense Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa, Duminda Silva and seven others would be summoned before the Presidential Commission of Inquiry to Investigate and Inquire into Serious Acts of Fraud, Corruption and Abuse of Power, State Resources, and Privileges (PRECIFAC) on September 17 and 18 for further questioning.

Rains to continue: Met Dep.

The Meteorology Department said today showers could be expected in the Western and Sabaragamuwa provinces and in the Galle and Matara districts.

Brothel raided in Pellawatte

Five women, including the manager of a brothel which had been operating in the guise of a massage parlour in Pellawatte on the Pannipitiya Road, were arrested by the Thalangama Police last evening.

Indian fishermen launch strike against Sri Lankan Navy

Mechanised boat fishermen in the island have decided to abstain from fishing from Saturday, protesting the arrest and attack of fishermen and confiscation of their boats by the Sri Lankan Navy.

Lankan with fake visa deported from Taiwan

A Sri Lankan national transiting at Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport on his way to Germany on a forged Schengen Area visa was picked up by the National Immigration Agency’s (NIA) special cross-unit task force yesterday and deported to Sri Lanka.

Man shot dead in Kataragama

A 36-year-old man was killed and another one injured in a shooting incident at Sella Kataragama last night, police said.

TNA to talk to govt. on national question

The main opposition Tamil National Alliance (TNA) said yesterday it hoped to hold talks with the government on resolving the national question no sooner Prime Minster Ranil Wickremesinghe returns from his upcoming visit to India, party officials said yesterday.

State, Deputy Ministers next week

State Ministers and Deputy Ministers will be sworn in next week because their lists were not finalised, a Presidential Secretariat source said yesterday.

Some UPFA MPs opt to be in the opposition

In the wake of the two main parties agreeing to form the national unity government, some United People’s Freedom Alliance (UPFA) MPs are hoping to inform Speaker Karu Jayasuriya that they would function as part of the opposition, a party leader said yesterday.

US$1.1 Bn from RBI to SLCB

Sri Lanka Central Bank received 1.1 billion dollars from the Reserve Bank of India, under the currency swap agreement between the two reserve banks, The Hindu reported today.

JVP defends appointment of Sampanthan as OL

The Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP), which defended the appointment of TNA Parliamentary Group Leader R. Sampanthan as the Leader of the Opposition (OL), explained that the latter had been appointed in accordance with Parliamentary traditions.

Supermarket food court stall managers watch out!

Raids will be carried out at supermarket complexes in the city by the Colombo Municipality Public Health Department due to the increase in complaints of the standard of food and beverages sold at the food courts of the shopping complexes.

Lankan dies in Chennai police custody

A Sri Lankan Tamil, who was picked up in connection with a fake passport case, died in police custody in Chennai in the early hours of Friday.

Committee to screen Govt. sector appointees: President

A committee will be setup to ensure that suitable individuals are appointed to government institutions, President Maithripala Sirisena said today at the swearing-in ceremony of the new Cabinet of Ministers at the Presidential Secretariat.

Another protest against Mattala

Nearly 500 people including some Pradeshiya Sabha members launched a protest today at Sooriyawewa over the use of the Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport (MRIA) warehouse for storing paddy

New Cabinet

The swearing in ceremony of the new Cabinet of the national government commenced a short while ago at the Presidential Secretariat.

Gota, Duminda at PRECIFAC again

Former Defense Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa, former MP Duminda Silva and seven others arrived this morning at the Presidential Commission of Inquiry to Investigate and Inquire into Serious Acts of Fraud, Corruption and Abuse of Power, State Resources, and Privileges (PRECIFAC) following a request by the commission.   

Bimal nominated for JVP national list

JVP’s Bimal Rathnayake is to be appointed as the JVP national list MP after the resignation of S. Mayadunne yesterday, party’s General Secretary Tilvin Silva said.

Sampanthan proposes 3 to 5 regions

Newly appointed Opposition Leader R. Sampanthan, in his address to Parliament, said Sri Lanka should have ‘three to five regions’ with maximum power devolved to them taking a good example from India as the giant neighbour to resolve the Tamil national question.

Will hand over KP to India for any probe: John

Former minister John Amarathunga said the government will be compelled to hand over former chief international arms procurer for the LTTE leader Kumaran Pathmanathan if India wanted him in connection with the killing of former Indian Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi.

CBK meets Modi

Former President of Sri Lanka, Ms. Chandrika Kumaratunga Bhandaranaike called on the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi today in New Delhi.

More than 100,000 letters in toilet pit

A large number of letters including airmail, ordinary letters, post cards and propaganda material of politicians who contested the recent general election were recovered from an abandoned toilet pit in the Moratuwa post office this morning.

Parliament passes bigger Cabinet

A proposal to increase number of ministers in the Government has been passed in Parliament with 143 voting for and 16 against the motion.

Marvan resigns

Marvan Atapattu has resigned from the post of Head Coach of the Sri Lanka Cricket Team, the SLC said in a statement.

Ex JMO writes to Magistrate on Thajudeen’s autopsy

Ex Colombo JMO Prof. Ananda Samarasekera alleged that the present JMO had intimidated and pressurized doctors who conducted the first autopsy on the body of ruggerite Mohamed Waseem Thajudeen.

Video: Gota, Duminda grilled for 3 hrs; asked to appear tomorrow too

Former Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa, former MP Duminda Silva and two others have been questioned by the Presidential Commission of Inquiry to Investigate and Inquire into Serious Acts of Fraud, Corruption and Abuse of Power, State Resources, and Privileges (PRECIFAC) for more than three hours this morning.

Court allows Tiran to leave country

Colombo Fort Magistrate today permitted former MP Tiran Alles to leave the country for a period of one month from September 10 to October 10.

Speaker approves proposal to increase Cabinet

Speaker Karu Jayasuriya accepted the proposal made by Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe to increase the number of ministers in the new Cabinet.