Range Bandara’s son arrested

State Minister Palitha Range Bandara's son Yashoda who was admitted to the hospital following an accident, has been arrested by the Police for driving under the influence of liquor and misuse of public property, police said.

Appoint commission to probe bond issues from 2008 to 2015: Marikkar

UNP MP S. M. Marikkar yesterday urged President Maithripala Sirisena to appoint another committee to probe illegal activities pertaining to bond issues from 2008 to 2015.

Let MPs talk to Prez Secy: Anura tells Speaker

Chief Opposition Whip Anura Kumara Dissanayake yesterday requested Speaker Karu Jayasuriya to give an opportunity to MPs to discuss with Presidential Secretary Austin Fernando the Bond Commission reports.

SriLankan CEO Ratwatte takes early retirement

SriLankan Airlines CEO Suren Ratwatte would take an early retirement to facilitate restructuring of the SriLankan Airlines, Chairman Ranjith Fernando announced today.

Swearing in of 6 SLPPers -- Opposition says EC biased

Elections Commissioner Mahinda Deshapriya has violated the new election laws by allowing six SLPP members to replace the six who were elected to the Maharagama UC under the 'Bicycle' symbol, UNP councillor Dhanushka Ramanayake said today.

I'm unaware my campaign teams received Rs.3mn: Sujeewa

In response to what transpired in court, State Minister Sujeewa Senasinghe said he was unaware that his campaign teams received cheques worth Rs.3 million from W.M. Mendis & Company Limited.

Kalu Ganga water level rising: DMC

The water level of the Kalu Ganga rising had put the Ratnapura and  Millakanda areas in danger following heavy showers experienced in the catchment areas, the Disaster Management Centre (DMC) said.

Sujeewa receives Rs.3mn from Mendis Co: B report

According to a B report filed in Court today by the prosecution in connection with the inquiry into the CB bond scam, State Minister Sujeewa Senasinghe had received three cheques of Rs.1 million each in 2015 and 2016 from W.M. Mendis & Company Ltd., a subsidiary of Perpetual Treasuries Ltd.

A State Minister receives three cheques from Mendis Co.: ASG

Additional Solicitor General (ASG) Yasantha Kodagoda today informed the Colombo Fort Magistrate that a state minister of the government had received three cheques worth Rs.3 million in 2015 and 2016 from W.M. Mendis & Company Ltd owned by Arjun Aloysius, an accused in the Central Bank bond scam.

Rains accompanied by gusty winds to continue: DMC issues warnings

The Disaster Management Centre (DMC) today warned the public to be wary as there were still possibilities of landslides, falling trees etc. caused by rain and gusty winds.

Allegations against 118 MPs: Fabricated stories, tarnishing MPs’ image:Speaker

Speaker Karu Jayasuriya told Parliament today that fabricated stories and statements made by various people had tarnished the image of MPs, Parliament and the country as a whole.

2020 presidential election -- MS needs MR's blessings to contest

MP Dilan Perera today claimed that President Maithripala Sirisena and former president Mahinda Rajapaksa had agreed to work together and pointed out that without Mr. Rajapaksa's blessings the President would not be able contest the 2020 presidential election.

Mahendran got Rs. 3.2 mn from PTL

Former Central Bank Governor Arjuna Mahendran had received Rs. 3.2 million in three separate cheques from the Perpetual Treasuries Limited (PTL), the Attorney General’s Department today informed the Colombo Chief Magistrate’s Court.

Aloysius, Palisena further remanded

Perpetual Treasuries Limited (PTL) Owner Arjun Aloysius and its CEO Kasun Palisena, who were arrested by the CID over the Central Bank bond scam, were further remanded till June 21 by the Fort Magistrate’s Court today.

FB staff to learn Sinhala insults after Sri Lanka riots

Three months after Sri Lanka was rocked by deadly anti-Muslim riots fuelled by online vitriol, Facebook is training its staff to identify inflammatory content in the country's local languages, AFP reported.

Handunnetti re-elected COPE Chairman

Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) MP Sunil Handunnetti was unanimously re-elected as the Chairman of the Committee On Public Enterprises (COPE), State Minister Harsha De Silva said. In a tweet, the State Minister said the COPE members unanimously re-elected MP Handunnetti as Chairman. 

Two policemen sentenced over gang rape incident

Colombo High Court judge Gihan Kulantunga today sentenced two police officers including a Sub Inspector (SI) attached to the Sapugaslanda Police to 20 years and six months in prison for abducting and gang raping two women in Bambalapitiya in 2003.

Embankment collapse kills 2-year-old child, injures two others

A-two-year-old girl was killed and two others injured when an earth embankment collapsed on their house in Maliboda, Deraniyagala today, Police said.

Sri Lankan jailed in Australia for fake bomb threat on plane

A man who threatened to detonate a fake bomb aboard a Malaysia Airlines flight from Melbourne while under the influence of drugs was jailed todayfor 12 years by an Australian court.

IGP has authority to suspend officers charged with criminal offence - Police Spokesman

Police Spokesman SP Ruwan Gunasekara said the Inspector General of Police (IGP) has the legal authority to suspend any police officer who was charged for criminal offences, without prior approval from the National Police Commission (NPC).

Tense situ. at Maharagama UC

A tense situation arose during the Maharagama Urban Council session today, when many councillors opposed Kanthi Kodikara and five other SLPP members being sworn in as members of the council, replacing the members of the independent group, which contested under the symbol of bicycle.

Pakistan SC directs govt. to expedite repatriation of prisoners in SL, Thailand

The Supreme Court of Pakistan on Wednesday directed authorities to expedite efforts in the repatriation of Pakistanis imprisoned in Thailand and Sri Lanka, Express News reported.

100-day programme - Drafted by panel of eminent persons: Rajitha

Cabinet Spokesman and Minister, Rajitha Senaratne said yesterday the unity government’s 100-day programme was drafted by a panel of eminent persons during the 2015 presidential election campaign.

Keith Noyahr abduction and assault: CID taken to task for lack of progress

When the Keith Noyahr abduction and assault case was taken up in Mount Lavinia Magistrate's Court yesterday (6), the CID was reprimanded by Additional Magistrate Lochana Abeywickrama for repeating the facts provided to court on the last date of hearing instead of submitting new evidence which would help the case to move forward.

Govt. to review FTA with China : Malik

The Sri Lankan government will hold ministerial level talks with China to review and iron out contentious issues in the proposed Free Trade Agreement (FTA) between the two countries, Development Strategies and International Trade Minister Malik Samarawickrama said.

SLPP takes over Maharagama UC

The Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) list for the election to the Maharagama Urban Council was rejected but managed to get six of its members including former mayor Kanthi Kodikara nominated to the local body yesterday.

Minister should obtain approval to import vaccines: GMOA

Health Minister Rajitha Senaratne should obtain the approval of the Sri Lanka College of Oncologists (SLCO) before importing foreign cancer treatment vaccines, the Government Medical Officers’ Association (GMOA) said yesterday.

Mobile App to end all forms of ragging in Uni's launched

An application (App) for mobile devices has been launched for state university students to instantly inform the authorities of ragging incidents as a step to eradicate the ragging menace from universities, Higher Education Minister Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe said yesterday.

TNL hadn't paid licence fee so station closed: TRC

The TNL's Polgahawela transmission station was shut down because it had not paid the licence fee to use VHF CH 11 or VHF CH 3 frequencies, the Telecommunications Regulatory Commission of Sri Lanka (TRCSL) said.

Govt. intent on bringing Udayanga, Jaliya to justice: PM

The government has stepped up its efforts to bring former diplomats Jaliya Wickramasuriya and Udayanga Weeratunga to justice, Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe told Parliament yesterday.