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.

Nuwan Kulasekara to retire from International Cricket

Sri Lankan right-arm fast-medium bowler Nuwan Kulasekara has announced his retirement from International Cricket.

Probe over missing T-56 rifles handed to CID

An investigation into the two missing T-56 assault rifles from the Panadura (North) Police Station has been handed over to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID), Police Spokesman SP Ruwan Gunasekera said.

Request of Rs.364 million to shift Ministry of Power turned down

Finance Minister Mangala Samaraweera has yesterday vehemently protested against the Cabinet paper presented by Minister Ravi Karunanayake requesting for Rs 364 million from the Treasury to shift the Ministry of Power, Energy and Business Development to another location.

Gotabaya returns

Former defence secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa who underwent a heart surgery in Singapore, arrived in the island earlier in the day.

Easter Sunday bomb attacks: Rs. 50 billion revenue loss

The Easter Sunday bomb attacks had caused the government a revenue loss of Rs. 50 billion, a report which was submitted to parliament by the Ministry of Finance revealed yesterday.

I didn’t know about UNP plans to form alliance: Kabir

Highways, Road Development and Petroleum Resources Minister Kabir Hashim, who is also the Chairman of the United National Party (UNP), is reported to have taken a swipe at the party hierarchy for planning to form an alliance with the like-minded parties without his knowledge.

Alliance - SLFP-SLPP must compromise on policy: Dayasiri

SLFP General Secretary Dayasiri Jayasekara said yesterday party leaders like President Maithripala Sirisena, Mahinda Rajapaksa and Basil Rajapaksa must arrive at a compromise on the policies of the proposed alliance.

Foreign garbage - Prez should ask CID to probe: Opposition

The Opposition today requested President Maithripala Sirisena to instruct the CID to launch an investigation into the foreign garbage issue.

Speaker stops meetings with UN special rapporteur

Speaker Karu Jayasuriya today informed parliament that he had instructed the relevant authorities not to go ahead with the meeting between judicial officers including the Chief Justice and the visiting UN special rapporteur on the Rights of Freedom of Association, Clement Nyaltessoi.

Cancel 2013 gazette allowing garbage import: JVP

While urging the government to reveal the number of containers of garbage imported to Sri Lanka, JVP leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake also urged the government to cancel the gazette notice issued in 2013 which had permitted such imports.