President didn’t request to withdraw motion: Yapa

President Maithripala Sirisena had not requested to withdraw the no-confidence motion against Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, the General Secretary of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP), Anura Priyadarshana Yapa said today.

Govt. to host Diaspora festival

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs was planning to host a festival of Diaspora by the end of the year in a bid to facilitate meaningful interactions between the government and the Diaspora communities to move forward reconciliation and development efforts.

Four SLFP deputy ministers appointed

Four Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) Parliamentarians were today appointed as deputy ministers by President Maithripala Sirisena at the Presidential Secretariat.

Video: President protecting Ranil: NFF

President Maithripala Sirisena was attempting to protect Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe from the no- confidence motion because the United National Party (UNP) votes were procured by Mr. Wickremesinghe for the victory of the President, the National Freedom Front (NFF) charged today.

OCH closed for renovations

The Outer Circular Highway (OCH) from Kottawa to Kaduwela, would be closed from midnight today till June 16 for renovations, the Road Development Authority (RDA) said today.

D.V. Upul further remanded

Southern Provincial Council Minister D.V. Upul was further remanded till June 15 by the Colombo Fort Magistrate’s Court today on charges of threatening FCID Police officers.

Two Glyphosate containers sent back to China

The Customs said two containers containing Glyphosate imported by a businessman residing Mahailluppallama would be returned today to the Chinese supplier.

NPC wants Vavuniya District Sec. out

The Northern Provincial Council (NPC) today passed a resolution calling for the removal of Vavuniya District Secretary B. Harishchandra on the grounds that he was disrespectful to NPC members inclusive of ministers and of having failed to carry out his duties.

19,159 acres in North released to owners

The Jaffna Security Forces Headquarters today said that it had released to original owners as much as 19,159.38 acres of land in North used by the security forces during the war.

​Basil re-remanded

Former Economic Development Minister MP Basil Rajapaksa and four others were further remanded till June 18 by Kaduwela Magistrate’s Court today in connection with misappropriation of public funds.

US flashes red light on crude oil from Iran

A dispute is brewing between Sri Lanka and the US over an alleged purchase of fuel from Iran which is under a global trade embargo, Daily Mirror learns.

Woman arrested with gold worth Rs.50 mn

A 31-year-old Sri Lankan woman was arrested this morning while attempting to smuggle into the country 100 gold biscuits worth Rs.50 million, Customs spokesman Leslie Gamini said.

Australia 'paid to turn back boat' with Lankans

Australian officials had allegedly paid tens of thousands of dollars to people smugglers to turn a boat full of asylum seekers including Sri Lankan refugees back to Indonesia, Fairfax reported on Wednesday.

Time to discuss gay rights: HR activist

With the dynamic changes in societies all over world, it was time for Sri Lanka too to hold a discussion on gay rights with the input of community leaders, Attorney-at-Law and Human Rights Activist Dr. Prathiba Mahanamahewa said yesterday.

Better if Ranil described me as a rotten “labu gediya”: Vasu

Firebrand parliamentarian Vasudeva Nanayakkara, who commented on the exchange of words between him and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe has said it would have been better if the Prime Minister described him a rotten 'labu gediya’ instead of a rotten pumpkin.

Welikada prison riot: Report handed over

The report of the three-member committee appointed to probe the 2012 Welikada prison riot was handed over to Justice Minister Wijayadasa Rajapakshe today.

Digambaram opposes 20A; Mano wants more MPs

Estate Infrastructure Minister Palani Digambaram said today he would vote against the 20th Amendment when it is taken up in parliament.

UPFA want more MPs in FPP

The United People's Freedom Alliance (UPFA) today urged President Maithripala Sirisena to increase the number of MPs elected on the First-Past-the-Post system in the proposed 20th Amendment on electoral reforms.

Video: UNP will win 125 seats - Akila

The formation of a Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) government after the next general election is only dream, United National Party (UNP) Media Spokesman and Education Minister Akila Viraj Kariyawasam said today.

China wants 'stable' military ties with SL

China's defence minister told the head of the Sri Lankan navy on Tuesday he wanted to ensure a "continuous and stable" development of military ties, after Sri Lanka ruled out future Chinese submarine visits to the country.

Video: CB promoting religious banking: BBS

The Bodu Bala Sena (BBS) organization today alleged that the Central Bank and some other commercial banks were promoting religious banking in Sri Lanka in various ways and that it was not a good trend.

Sajin seeks bail in HC

UPFA MP Sajin de Vass Gunawardena in a petition filed in the Colombo High Court today sought bail over the Fort Magistrate’s refusal to do so.

Cadres demand Prabhakaran statue reinstallation

Urging the district administration to reinstall the statue of LTTE leader Velupillai Prabhakaran in a temple near Nagapattinam from where it was removed under mysterious circumstances on Saturday, cadre belonging to Hindu Makkal Katchi submitted a petition to the Collector in Nagapattinam on Monday.

Lankan among Montenegro ferry accident casualties

Doctors in Montenegro said one sailor had died and three more had to be hospitalised after an accident on a Greek ferry near the country's Adriatic coast, the Business Standard reported.

SL refugee seeks compensation for daughter’s death

An inmate of a refugee camp for Sri Lankan Tamils at Tiruvadavur has approached the Madras High Court Bench seeking a direction to the State to pay his family a compensation of Rs.10 lakh for the death of his 11-year-old daughter when the asbestos sheets laid on the roof of their dilapidated house in the camp caved in on May 12 last year.

​MS rules out no-faith motion

President Maithripala Sirisena had instructed the United National Freedom Alliance (UPFA) not to proceed with the No-Confidence Motion against Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe. 

MS wants all parties to declare stand on reforms

Cabinet agrees on 20A

Cabinet, at a special session today, decided to draft legislation by Friday, to implement electoral reforms as the 20th Amendment to the Constitution

Video: Mangala violated PC by voting for Gay rights: Wimal

Legal action should be taken against Foreign Affairs Minister Mangala Samaraweera for violating Sri Lanka's Penal Code by voting in favour of gay rights at the UN, National Freedom Front (NFF) Leader Wimal Weerawansa said today.

Signatures on no-faith motion genuine: Nimal Siripala

Opposition Leader Nimal Siripala de Silva today rejected government allegations that some of the opposition members had not signed the no-confidence motion against Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe.