Sajith invites Ranil, UNP to join SJB

Leader of Opposition Sajith Premadasa today said he had invited UNP Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe to join the Samagi Jana Balawegaya together with his party.

Gotabaya taking over presidency makes no change: JVP

While claiming that shifting of presidency from Maithripala Sirisena to Gotabaya Rajapaksa had made no change in the governance or the economy in the country, the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) said today the government has neither fulfilled any of its promises nor provided any concession to the people for the last three months.

Will use duty-free vehicle to work for the poor: Saman Ratnapriya

Newly appointed UNF MP Saman Ratnapriya said on Tuesday that he would accept a duty-free vehicle with the sole objective of working for the people.

Ranjan may contest general elections under SJB: Hirunika

MP Ranjan Ramanayake might get the ticket to contest the general election under the Samagi Jana Balawegaya as he has not done anything wrong other than recording phone conversations unethically, MP Hirunika Premachandra said today.

Udayanga Weeratunga further remanded

Former Sri Lanka Ambassador to Russia, Udayanga Weeratunga, was further remanded until March 11 by the Colombo Fort Magistrate Court today.

Ranjan granted bail

MP Ranjan Ramanayake who was in remand custody in connection with controversial audio clips, was granted bail by the Nugegoda Magistrate’s Court today.

SL formally informs UNHRC on decision to withdraw from Resolution

Foreign Relations Minister Dinesh Gunawardena today informed the UN Human Rights Council of the new Government’s decision to withdraw from co-sponsoring the Resolution 30/1 terming it as ‘unconstitutional’ and said the government would set up a domestically designed reconciliation and accountability process to achieve sustainable peace, which would also include a Commission of Inquiry (COI) headed by a Justice of the Supreme Court.

TPA to support Samagi Jana Balavegaya

The Tamil Progressive Alliance (TPA) today announced that it would support the Samagi Jana Balavegaya led by MP Sajith Premadasa at the forthcoming General Election, its leader Mano Ganesan said.

Traffic in front of Education Ministry

Heavy traffic is reported in front of the Education Ministry, Isurupaya, Battaramulla due to a protest held by the teachers and Principals, the Police said.

Principals, teachers to fall sick tomorrow

The Ceylon Teachers Union (CTU) said tomorrow its members would launch a countrywide work stoppage today as a protest against the absence of a favourable reply from the President and his failure to take action to pay an interim allowances until the salary anomalies were sorted out.

Teenager falls to death from Central Bank tower

A 16-year-old boy succumbed to his injuries after falling from the Central Bank building this afternoon, police said.

Bread price to be reduced by Rs.5

Price of a 450g loaf of bread would be reduced by Rs.5.00 with effect from tomorrow midnight (26), All Ceylon Bakery Owner’s Association (ACBOA) announced a short while ago.

SLFA deploys helicopter to douse fire at Rajagiriya

The Sri Lanka Air Force had deployed a Bell-212 helicopter to douse a fire that has erupted on a block of marshy land close to Rajagiriya a short while ago.

Man shot dead in Horana

A 32-year-old man was killed when he was shot at by two unidentified gunmen arrived on a motorcycle at Ilimba in Horana last night.

They all will come under UNP alliance: Sajith

Refuting reports that claimed the Tamil National Alliance (TNA), the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC), and the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) were exploring the possibility of forming an alliance to contest at the upcoming General Elections, Leader of Opposition Sajith Premadasa yesterday said all these parties would end up joining the UNP-led Samagi Jana Balawegaya.

Elephant, Swan or any symbol: Akila

The UNP-led alliance would settle issues this week pertaining to the symbol under which it would contest the upcoming General Elections, party General Secretary Akila Viraj Kariyawasm said today.

Galle Road closed due to protest

The Galle Road, Colombo has been closed due to a protest carried out by the employees of the Housing Development Authority outside the Presidential Secretariat, police said.

Katunayake Expressway closed until further notice due to smoke

The Colombo- Katunayake Expressway (E-03) has been closed until further notice due to a smoke emitting from a garbage dumping site at Seeduwa, Police said.

Establishing separate Urban Council for Sainthamaruthu: Gazette Notice suspended

The Gazette notification to establish a separate Urban Council for Sainthamaruthu has become invalid following the Cabinet decision not to proceed with the Gazette right now, Co-Cabinet Spokesman Bandula Gunawardena said.

Daya-Navin demand ‘elephant’ for Digamadulla, N’ Eliya

At the UNP Working Committee meeting held yesterday, MPs Daya Gamage and Navin Dissanayake insisted that they be granted permission to contest their respective districts under the elephant symbol while MP Ruwan Wijewardene empathised on contesting all districts under that symbol.

Clerics on tourist visas propagated extremism among Muslim youth: Police

Investigations carried out by Police over the Easter Sunday attacks had revealed that certain persons on tourist visas pretending to be clerics, had propagated radicalised extremist ideology among innocent Muslim youth in rural areas, DIG (Traffic) Ajith Rohana said at a media briefing yesterday.

No slang in latest phone recordings tabled in Parliament: Ranjan

UNP MP Ranjan Ramanayake today said none of his phone recordings/conversations tabled contain unparliamentary language.

Dog attacked with machete, discharged after treatment

A pet dog that had been attacked with a machete in Kuliyapitiya had been treated and was discharged by the Kurunegala Veterinary Hospital after a four hour surgery today.

Recovered Chinese coronavirus patient leaves SL

The Chinese woman who was hospitalised after being tested positive for the new coronavirus has left for China this evening after being discharged from the Infectious Diseases Hospital (IDH), Angoda.

Chinese Coronavirus patient discharged

The female Chinese Coronavirus patient, who has been receiving treatments at the Infectious Diseases Hospital (IDH), Angoda was discharged a short while ago.

Establish a laboratory to check quality of drugs: GMOA

The Government Medical Officers’ Association (GMOA) yesterday suggested establishing a laboratory which has the capability to check the quality of the drugs imported into the country.

Recordings contain mostly filth

Speaker Karu Jayasuriya yesterday informed Parliament that he would have to reconsider handing over recordings of MP Ranjan Ramanayake to parliament MPs as the recordings contained mostly filth.

Will look into any lapse by CID officials in Udayanga’s case: Chamal

Defence State Minister Chamal Rajapakse said yesterday he would look into whether there had been any overlook on the part of the CID officials who were investigating the complaints involving Udayanga Weeratunge.

US violated Army Commander’s rights by refusing entry visa: Dayasiri

SLFP General Secretary and State Minister Dayasiri Jayasekara today claimed that it was the US which had violated the fundamental rights of Army Commander Lt. General Shavendra Silva and his family by refusing them visas to enter the US without any substantial evidence of war crimes or any other offence.

Cannot be satisfied with ongoing Easter Sunday Attack investigations: Cardinal

Archbishop of Colombo, Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith today said that Catholics cannot be satisfied with the ongoing investigation carried out by the government over the Easter Sunday bomb attack.