As a defeated Mahinda Rajapaksa slunk out of Sri Lanka’s presidential palace, the astrologer who counselled him to call a disastrous early election was gloomily packing his bags on the other side of town.

The Kaduwela Mayor G.H. Buddhadasa yesterday in a special statement made at the monthly MC meeting held at the auditorium that he has decided to join President Maithripala Sirisena and work towards progress and will not tolerate any more ill-treatmen

A house belonging to MP Sajin Vass Gunawardena in Delduwa, Galle has been attacked by an unidentified group this evening. Sources close to the MP said that the group attacked the house with four petrol bombs.

UPFA MP Sajin de Vass Gunawardena had produced a licence for the elephant to prove the legality of the elephant that was in his custody, Hikkaduwa Park Warden Asanga Gunawardene, who carried out the inspection told the media.

Pivithuru Hela Urumaya (PHU) General Secretary Udaya Gammanpila today said that Maithripala Sirisena has been elected as the president of Sri Lanka for the misfortune of the people of the country.

The Mini-Budget of the new Government’s 100-day programme will be presented in Parliament on January 29 with a relief package for the people as promised in the run-up to the presidential election, Finance Minister Ravi Karunanayake said today.

A two-seater aircraft was found today at the Narahenpita Economic Centre following a tip off by phone to the 119 call centre, police said.

Stories being circulated on social media and several websites about a tense situation prevailing in Vavuniya are false and mischievous, Army Media Spokesman Ruwan Wanigasooriya said.

Former minister Wimal Weerawansa’s brother-in-law was arrested at Nattarampotha in Kundasale for spreading false news to embarrass and inconvenience the Government, Police Spokesman Ajith Rohana said.

Pope Francis on Tuesday cancelled a planned meeting with Sri Lankan bishops, with one security official saying he was "exhausted" after a long journey from the airport exposed to the hot sun.

Seventeen members of the Uva Provincial Council today requested Governor Nanda Mathew to appoint Opposition Leader Harin Fernando as Chief Minister.

North Western Province Chief Minister Dayasiri Jayasekara, who pledged his support to President Maithripala Sirisena, announced today that he and his ministers at the North Western Provincial Council decided to support President Sirisena.

During every papal trip, Pope Francis sends a telegram to the Head of State of each country his plane flies over, giving each one his cordial greetings.

The Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) today complained to the Bribery Commission against 12 persons including, Mahinda Rajapaksa, Basil Rajapaksa, Gotabaya Rajapaksa and Namal Rajapaksa about alleged financial frauds committed by them.

His Holiness Pope Francis leaves Sri Lanka

Uva provincial councillor Tissa Kuttiarachchi, who pledged his support to former President Mahinda Rajapaksa at the presidential elections, has decided to rejoin the UNP.

The Department of Labour has requested the private sector employers to grant holiday for all the employees in Government Corporations, Statutory Boards and Private Sector on Wednesday (14).

A group of people today staged a protest in the Balapitiya town against former Monitoring MP of External Affairs Sajin de Vaas Gunewardena.  

Former President Mahinda Rajapaksa today rejected reports of attempts to use the military to influence election results and said he had always accepted people’s verdict throughout his political carrier.

Pope Francis who arrived in the country this morning said that he hoped every word and action of Sri Lankan political and religious leaders will make a lasting contribution to the material and spiritual progress of all the Sri Lankans.

A 27-member Cabinet, State Ministers and Deputy Ministers were sworn in at the Presidential Secretariat.

His Holiness Pope Francis arrived at the Bandaranaike International Airport at 8.45 am. The Pope was received by President Maithripala Sirisena at the airport