Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe told a delegation from the Sri Lanka Bar Association that the government had not signed the Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA) with the United States.

Chairman of the Sub-Committee on Education under the parliamentary Sectoral Oversight Committee on Education and Human Resources Development, Ashu Marasinghe yesterday called for a forensic audit on the Batticaloa Campus.

Leading Buddhist monk Ven. Omalpe Sobitha Thera yesterday urged the government to reveal the decision taken after the disciplinary inquiry conducted on State Minister Ranjan Ramanayake over his controversial remarks on the Buddhist clergy.

Sri Lanka’s politics should change in order to cater to the aspirations of youth, Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe said yesterday.

One soldier was killed and five others including a Major were injured when their cab vehicle crashed into a tree after hitting a three-wheeler on the A-20 Road at Rambewa in Anuradhapura last evening, police said.

The Disaster Management Centre (DMC) said today the inclement weather in the country had improved to some extent though risks still prevailed.

The Defender jeep (CAD-8850) connected to VIP security personnel attack on a van at Kalagedihena, was found from Elhena Road Maharagama today, police said.

The Central Environmental Authority (CEA) has ordered the Hayleys Free Zone Ltd. also known as Advantis, which had imported several containers of industrial waste to be exported to the country of origin with immediate effect.

Deputy Solicitor General (DSG) Priyantha Nawana today informed the High Court Special Trial–at- bar that the Government was taking steps to bring down Central Bank’s former governor Arjuna Mahendran from Singapore under extradition laws.

Nine Senior Superintendents of Police (SSP) have been promoted to the rank of Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG) with the approval of the National Police Commission.

Former Additional Secretary of Defence and National Police Commission Secretary D.M. Saman Dissanayake, who was arrested by the CID yesterday over the Avant Garde armoury case, was remanded till August 2 by Gangodawila Acting Magistrate Thissa Wijera

A mother, her daughter and another girl died after a tree had fallen onto a three- wheeler parked near a school in Sooriyawewa this afternoon, Police said.

French Ambassador Eric Lavertu, who called on Opposition Leader Mahinda Rajapaksa said French investors were showing a keen interest in investing in the Hambantota port and the plantation sector.

The Attorney General today filed indictments at Colombo High Court against former Magistrate Thilina Gamage and three others over illegally keeping an elephant calf.

Traffic congestion was reported in the Town Hall area due to a protest march carried out by the Rajarata University students.

Though the Kurunegala Magistrate Court has advised over 1,000 women who had lodged complaints against the controversial Gynecologist of the Kurunegala Teaching Hospital, Dr. Siyabdeen Safi for alleged unlawful sterilization to have tests at De Zoyza

The Acting IGP has directed the Colombo Crime Division (CCD) to inquire into the incident where a group of security personnel of a VIP attacked a van at Kalagedihena, Police Spokesman Ruwan Gunasekara said today.

Rakna Lanka Former Chairman Victor Samaraweera and Maj. Gen. (Rtd) Palitha Fernando were further remanded till August 2 by Galle Chief Magistrate Harshana Kekunawela over Avant-Garde floating armoury case.

The special Trial-at-Bar today served indictments against Perpetual Treasuries Limited (PTL) owner Arjun Aloysius and several others and granted bail in connection with the Treasury bond scam.

The body of the 11-year-old girl, who went missing after being caught in floods in Agarapathana police area last afternoon, was recovered this morning, Police said.

A 64-year-old man was killed after 10 shops in Ginigathhena were destroyed in a landslide this morning, police said.

International cricket chiefs on Thursday suspended Zimbabwe over a failure to keep the sport free from government interference.

An incident was reported from Kalagedihena yesterday in which security personnel of a VIP motorcade had attacked a van for allegedly not allowing the vehicle convoy of the VIP to proceed.

Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe is reported to have told a group of UNP MPs that he will call for a report from the relevant authorities on the recent wheat flour prices hike.

The Ministry of Health and Indigenous Medicine will soon take over the Neville Fernando Teaching Hospital (NFTH) at Malabe by paying a sum of Rs. 3.5 billion, Health Ministry Secretary Wasantha Perera said yesterday.

Power disruptions were reported from several areas in the country yesterday due to the prevailing showery weather and windy conditions, Power and Energy Ministry Media Spokesman and Development Director, Sulakshana Jayawardena said.

Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe has informed junior MPs of his party that he would soon come up with an official statement on the implementation of the death sentence on behalf of the government and the United National Party (UNP).

The Colombo Chief Magistrate’s Court yesterday ordered the Bank of Ceylon (BoC) Senior Manager to submit the bank records to the FCID with regard to an organisation in Saudi Arabia which had transferred USD 100 million to the controversial Battical

The Court of Appeal yesterday set aside the judgment of the Jaffna High Court which prohibited the animal sacrifice ritual in the Northern Province for the last three years.

The wife of Dr. Shafi Shihabdeen and the Young Journalists Association (YJA) filed two separate complaints with the Judicial Services Commission (JSC) alleging bias and misconduct of Kurunegala Magistrate, Sampath Hewawasam.