Bribery Commission to be dissolved this week

The Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption will be dissolved this week.

TNA off to Geneva

A group of hardline Tamil National Alliance (TNA) members representing the Northern Provincial Council (NCP) will head for Geneva to lobby the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) for an international mechanism to try to the alleged rights violations and accountability issues,

ITAK says intl. probe unnecessary

Ilankai Tamil Arasu Kachci (ITAK) leader Mavai Senathirajah scoffed at Northern Province Chief Minister C.V.Wigneswaran’s demand for an International investigation into the alleged war crimes in Sri Lanka saying that an investigation had already been carried out by the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC).

Viber, not India, helped in unseating MR- CBK

Former Sri Lankan president Chandrika Bandarnaike Kumaratunga is in India for her first visit since the surprise defeat of her successor Mahinda Rajapaksa, a man who was once a close associate and now a political enemy whose regime she was instrumental in overturning.

SL woman held in Saudi mansion by force

Chilling details of a Sri Lankan female migrant worker who has been detained by her employer in Saudi Arabia has come to light, as the victim’s daughter seeks government intervention to ensure her mother’s release.

UPFA group in Opposition to meet Speaker

Former Western Province Chief Minister Prasanna Ranatunga, who was elected to Parliament on the United People’s Freedom Alliance (UPFA) ticket, said he, along with others, would talk to Speaker Karu Jayasuriya about the opposition leadership post.

Challenges lie ahead for National Govt-MS

The national unity government formed by the United National Party (UNP) and the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) may face lot of challenges that have to be overcome with diligence, President Maithripala Sirisena said today.

Water supply for dry weather stricken areas

Disaster Management Centre (DMC) has started a programme to provide water on a daily basis to the people in drought stricken areas including six districts of the Northern Province.

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.