PM appoints committee to probe Ranjan’s remarks

Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe has appointed a three-member committee chaired by Foreign Affairs Minister Tilak Marapana to probe State Minister Ranjan Ramanayake’s controversial statements he had made on Buddhist monks on social media recently, Prime Minister’s office announced.

Suspicious aircraft at BIA: Reveal the truth, Thilanga insists Govt.

The Government should reveal to the country about the identity of an aircraft which had arrived at the Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) a few days ago without any name on it, UPFA MP Thilanga Sumathipala said.

Rajiv’s Gandhi case convict Nalini released to attend daughter’s wedding

Nalini Sriharan, a life convict in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case, was released from the jail in Vellore in Tamil Nadu today for a month to attend her daughter’ wedding, NDTV reported.

Fmr. IGP Ilangakoon before PSC

Former IGP N. K. Ilangakoon commenced giving evidence before the Parliamentary Select Committee (PSC) probing the Easter Sunday’s attacks a short while ago.

Trial-at-Bar remands Ali Roshan and others

The Trial-at-Bar in the Colombo High Court yesterday had remanded S.N. Roshan, alias Ali Roshan, and seven others until the end of the case over the alleged illegal possession of five elephants during 2012-2015 without a valid license. The judges present were Vikum Kaluarachchi, Dammika Ganepola, and Adithya K. Patabandi.

14-hour water cut in Colombo and suburbs

The water supply to several areas in the Colombo suburbs would be interrupted for 14 hours starting from 8.00 p.m today to 10.00a.m tomorrow (26) due to sudden break down in main transmission line to the Kolonnawa Reservoir, the National Water Supply and Drainage Board (NWSDB) announced.

PCoI concludes inquiry into Akila’s photograph in textbooks

Presidential Commission of Inquiry (PCoI) into the corruption in the current administration concluded its inquiry into the case filed against Education Minister Akila Viraj Kariyawasam on charges of including his photograph in school textbooks for 2018 and 2019.

Vandalising Buddha Statues: Suspects re-remanded

The 15 suspects in remand custody in connection with vandalizing more than four statues of the Buddha in Mawanella, were further remanded till August 8 by Mawanella Magistrate Upul Rajakaruna today.

Senior DIG Latheef testifies before PSC

Special Task Force (STF) Commandant Senior DIG M. R. Latheef commenced giving evidence before the Parliamentary Select Committee (PSC) probing the Easter Sunday’s attacks a short while ago.

SC stops special HC hearing on Rajapaksa case until Oct.1

The Supreme Court directed today the Special High Court to stop hearing further evidence over the D.A. Rajapaksa Museum case till the Supreme Court decided on the appeal made by the Defence over the Jurisdiction of the Special High Court to hear it.

British woman allegedly raped in SL found to be pregnant, case filed

A British woman who was allegedly raped by an electrician while on a package holiday at a hotel in Bentota, Sri Lanka, subsequently discovered she was pregnant and had to undergo tests to determine whether the baby’s father was her husband, the Herald Scotland reported.

Cabinet nod for proposal to amend Universities’ Act

Following the controversy over the Batticaloa campus, Cabinet approved a proposal to enact a piece of legislation in the form of an amendment to the Universities’ Act to regulate the private higher educational institutes effectively.

Money given to NFTH could be considered as illegal transactions

Several hundred millions of rupees which the government had given to the Neville Fernando Teaching Hospital (NFTH) could be considered illegal transactions, Chairman of the Presidential Commission of Inquiry (PCoI) to investigate the corruption of the current government, Upali Aberathne said yesterday.

TID inspector blames AG for delay in arresting Zahran

Terrorist Investigation Division (TID) Inspector T. R. K. R. Pathirana yesterday blamed the delay on the part of Attorney General’s Department to answer a query made to him by his institution with regards to National Thowheed Jamath (NTJ) leader Zahran Hashim from arresting the individual that is now known to have been the main culprit responsible for the April 21 attacks.

Cabinet nod for UK-inspired law

Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe is said to have secured Cabinet approval for the enactment of a piece of fresh legislation along similar lines of the law in the United Kingdom to prevent the rise of ISIS terrorism in Sri Lanka.

CJ meets UN Special Rep despite Speaker’s assurance to stop it: MR

Opposition Leader Mahinda Rajapaksa said yesterday the visiting UN Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Freedom of Association, Clement Nyaltessoi had met the Chief Justice on Tuesday despite the Speaker’s assurance to stop the scheduled meeting with judicial officers on Tuesday.

Garbage importation gazette will be amended: Nalin

The gazette notification issued in 2013 allowing garbage importation will be amended but not abolished, Deputy Minister of International Trade Nalin Bandara told Parliament yesterday.

House calls for a PSC

Both the government and the opposition yesterday called for a Parliament Select Committee (PSC) to inquire into the incident where the Foreign Ministry Additional Secretary had called judicial officers including the Chief Justice for a meeting with the visiting UN Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Freedom of Association, Clement Nyaltessoi on Tuesday.

Vanathawillu, Mawanella vandals not connected to April 21 attack: CID Director

Director of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) SSP Shani Abeysekera said yesterday none of the suspects who were arrested in connection with the Vanathawillu and Mawanella incidents had participated in the Easter Sunday attacks.

I ordered to arrest Zahran: TID Chief SSP Jayasundara

Terrorist Investigation Division (TID) Director SSP Waruna Jayasundara said yesterday he had instructed TID officials including the unit established in Kalmunai to arrest National Thowheed Jamath (NTJ) Leader Zahran Hashim soon after he received the letter which warned about a possible attack on April 10.

Mangala wants strict action against garbage importers

Strict action would be taken against the firm responsible for importing the controversial garbage containers into the country, the Finance Minister said.

SriLankan clarifies reports on damaged meal tray

SriLankan Airlines today issued a statement clarifying recent news reports on a damaged meal tray on board a SriLankan Airlines flight.

Boris Johnson becomes UK Prime Minister

Boris Johnson formally became Britain’s prime minister today and immediately set about assembling a team of ministers and advisers to prepare an all-out push to get the UK out of the EU by the fall, the Wall Street Airlines said today.

Decision to be delivered August 9

The decision regarding the issuance of a warrant against former CBSL Governor Arjun Mahendran will be delivered on August 9 by the Colombo Permanent High Court Trial-at-Bar.

No evidence to confirm attackers had connections with ISIS: SGID

Testifying before the Parliamentary Select Committee (PSC) probing the Easter Sunday attacks, Senior DIG and Head of CID and TID, Ravi Seneviratne today said no evidence had been found to confirm that those who staged the attacks had connections with ISIS.

Germany charges LTTE suspect over killing of Kadirgamar

An LTTE member, who was arrested in Germany over the assassination of Foreign Minister Lakshman Kadirgamar in 2005, had been charged by the German prosecutors over the murder, foreign news agencies reported today.

CID in-charge testifies before PSC

Criminal Investigation Division (CID) in-charge, Senior DIG Ravi Seneviratne commenced giving evidence before the Parliamentary Select Committee probing the Easter Sunday’s attacks a short while ago.

UK launches probe into exporting ‘human remains’ to SL

The British Government has launched an investigation after Sri Lankan authorities said they would send back more than a hundred shipping containers because they appeared to contain human remains disguised as recyclable metals, the Telegraph reported yesterday.

Police arrests close associate of Madush and Kanjipani Imran

A close associate of notorious underworld figure and drug kingpins, “Makandure Madush’ and Kanjipani Imran was arrested by the Colombo Crimes Division (CCD).

Daughter moves Madras HC to bring back father from Sri Lanka

After a woman filed a petition in the Madras High Court claiming that her long-missing father was identified among vagabonds in Sri Lanka through a Youtube video, the HC ordered notice to the Indian Centre and State, the Hindu reported on Tuesday.