Three women killed in head-on collision in Thalawa

Three women were killed and five others were injured when a van and a lorry collided head-on at Moragoda in Thalawa early this morning, police said.

Narammala Deputy PS Chairman arrested for assaulting PC

Deputy Chairman of Narammala Pradeshiya Sabha Manjula Polgampola has been arrested for allegedly assaulting a police constable last night, Police Spokesman SP Ruwan Gunasekera said.

MP’s son assaults MSD officer

A police constable attached to the Ministerial Security Division (MSD) was hospitalised after he was assaulted by a son of Puttalam District UNP MP, Shantha Sisira Kumara Abeysekara, Police Spokesman SP Ruwan Gunasekera said.

Russia keen to develop military ties with SL

Russia said it was interested in developing military cooperation with Sri Lanka and to cooperate in the fight against international terrorism in the region and other security challenges.

JO wants AG letter on PSC tabled

The joint opposition yesterday urged the Speaker to table the letter sent by the Attorney General stating his views on the Parliamentary Select Committee appointed to inquire into the Easter Sunday attacks.

SL in the headlines for wrong reasons: German envoy

German Ambassador Joern Rohde said Sri Lanka was unfortunately again in the headlines for the wrong reasons.

Parliamentary affairs - Neither SC nor a judicial officer can interfere

Referring to the statement by President Maithripala Sirisena that the Attorney General had informed him there were issues pertaining to the Parliamentary Select Committee (PSC), House Leader Lakshman Kiriella said yesterday neither the Supreme Court nor any other Judicial Officer could intervene in matters pertaining to the legislature.

Is Mattala airport to be handed over to India? : JVP

Heated arguments prevailed in parliament today after JVP MP Sunil Hadunnetti claimed that moves were afoot to hand over the Mattala Airport to India and asked the subject minister if the government was planning to do so.

I’m opposed to the death penalty: MR

Opposition Leader Mahinda Rajapaksa said yesterday he had always been against the implementation of the death penalty and had refused to sign any of the death warrants during his term as President.

SLPP to contest upcoming elections as a new alliance

The Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) and the political parties which represent the joint opposition have decided to contest the upcoming elections including the presidential election as a new alliance, the SLPP said.

PM, UNP MPs, ministers absent: Bandula

Joint opposition MP Bandula Gunawardane said today there were doubts if a conspiracy was being hatched when most of the UNPers including the Prime Minister were absent during Thursday’s debate on the state of emergency.

I had never known suicide bomber related to my party official: Rishad

Former Minister Rishad Bathiudeen who today testified before the Parliamentary Select Committee looking into the Easter Sunday carnage said one of the suicide bombers who blew himself up in one of the attacks had been his party’s assistant Treasurer Alawdeen’s son in law. However the MP said he had not associated with this terror group member at any time.

Maldives says getting escaped convict back from SL difficult

The Maldivian Foreign Ministry has said that bringing the escaped convict Abdulla Luthufee back from Sri Lanka was challenging due to the nature of the case.

No evidence against Rishad: Acting IGP informs PSC

Acting IGP C.D. Wickramaratne has informed the Parliamentary Select Committee (PSC) appointed to probe Easter Sunday attack that according to the investigations carried out into the complaints against former minister Rishad Bathiudeen so far, there is no evidence to show that the minister was involved in the Easter Sunday attack or any terrorist activity, PSC Chairman Ananda Kumarasiri said today.

Case against Sarath Silva - Justice Sisira De Abrew also recuses from Bench

Justice Sisira J. De Abrew today recused himself from the Bench hearing the contempt of court allegation against former chief justice Sarath N.Silva when the matter came up before the Bench comprising Justices Sisira J. De Abrew, Vijith K. Malalgoda and P. Padman Surasena.

Prisons Chief says no executions within next seven days

When questioned by Court, Prisons Commissioner General today assured the Appeal Court that no prisoner would be executed within the next seven days from today.

36 swords found at Kattankudi

Thirty-six swords which had been buried were recovered from Kattankudi today, police said.

Death penalty may impede int’l cooperation to fight drug trafficking: UNODC

The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) said the application of the death penalty may impede international cooperation to fight drug trafficking.

Rishad appears before PSC

Former Minister Rishad Bathiudeen is currently giving evidence before the Parliamentary Select Committee (PSC) appointed to look into the Easter Sunday attacks.

Writ petition filed in AC against death sentence

A writ petition was filed in the Court of Appeal today seeking an interim order preventing the implementation of the death sentence.

Implementing death penalty - Prez tells UN Chief why he decided to do so

President Maithripala Sirisena said today he had spoken to United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres over the phone and explained his decision to implement the death penalty in Sri Lanka.

AG files indictments against bond scam accused

The Attorney General has filed indictments against former Central Bank Governor Arjuna Mahendran, PTL owner Arjun Aloysius, PTL CEO Kasun Palisena, former Deputy Governor P. Samarasiri and six others over the bond scam.

Court orders all communities should be allowed to use Dankotuwa public fair

Marawila Magistrate’s Court today ordered that vendors from all communities should be allowed to use the trading facilities at the Dankotuwa public fair.

Rail strike - Railways Dept. complains to the police

The Railway Department today complained to the Fort Police about the work stoppage by the railway employees despite the service being declared an essential service, Railways General Manager Nilantha Fernando said.

Come out of ‘Frog in the Well’ thinking - Mangala tells Wimal

Finance Minister Mangala Samaraweera yesterday invited joint opposition stalwart Wimal Weerawansa to obtain copies of ACSA, SOFA and MMC agreements and studies them, if possible.

Arabic name-boards still up in plain sight

Despite the instructions given to the official language department by Minister of National Co-existence, Dialogue and Official Languages, Mano Ganeshan, to remove name-boards written in Arabic put up in Kattankudy, Valachchenai, and Ottamavadi, it is reported that they have not been removed as yet.

Rajitha as WHO Vice Chairman: Not attributed on individual performances: WHO

The World Health Organization (WHO) Representative to Sri Lanka had revealed that the post attributed to Health Minister Rajitha Senaratne as WHO Vice Chairman, was not based on individual performances but a post attributed to the country, the Government Medical Officers Association (GMOA) said.

SOFA only if terms are agreeable to us-Ruwan

Sri Lanka will sign the proposed Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA) with the US only if the terms of the agreement are favourable to Sri Lanka, State Minister of Defense Ruwan Wijewardene said yesterday.

Welgama says will not support Gota for Prez

UPFA MP Kumara Welgama said that he will not support Gotabhaya Rajapaksa if he contests the next presidential election.

Stop importing cigarettes from China: Rajitha tells PM

In an apparent confrontation with Finance Minister Mangala Samaraweera, Health Minister Rajitha Senaratne has written to Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe requesting him to immediately suspend the decision taken by the Finance Ministry to import cigarettes from China.