Former Director General of the Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (TRC) Anusha Palpita, yesterday, denied President Maithripala Sirisena’s allegation, on Monday, that Rs. 2 billion paid by the Sri Lankan government, in 2012, to Aerospace Long-March International Trade Co. Ltd (ALIT), China, for the construction of the Lotus Tower had disappeared from the books.

Deputy Leader of United National Party (UNP), Minister Sajith Premadasa, in a letter addressed to UNP Leader, Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, urged the latter to immediately call for the conduct of a secret ballot with the participation of the UNP Working Committee and Parliamentary Group, so that they can go for a democratic decision on the Party’s Presidential Candidacy.

Speaker Karu Jayasuriya said yesterday that if he were to contest the presidential election, his main objective would be to abolish the Executive Presidency.

Three residents of Elpitiya have filed a Fundamental Rights petition at the Supreme Court calling for the Elpitiya Pradeshiya Sabha Election to be called off.

A fire broke out at an apartment building at Aramaya Road in Dematagoda a short while ago, the fire brigade said.

Three United People’s Freedom Alliance (UPFA) member took oaths as Members of the Parliament a short while ago.

Minister Sajith Premadasa today said that if the public made a request that he is not suitable for politics and should retire he would not keep clinging to things like an octopus.

The Government Medical Officers’ Association (GMOA) says that government doctors across the island will engage in a 24-hour token strike from 8.00 a.m. tomorrow (Sept. 18).

President Maithripala Sirisena yesterday said that while the opening of the Lotus Tower was a positive development for Sri Lanka there were governance concerns attached to the project as an estimated Rs. 2 billion loss was incurred to the Government due to an advance payment for the venture in 2012.

Sri Lanka’s request for the extradition of former Central Bank Governor Arjuna Mahendran, over the 2015 Central Bank Treasury Bonds scam, has been submitted to the Government of Singapore for necessary action, Coordinating Officer to the Attorney General (AG),   State Counsel Nishara Jayaratne said.

Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe said yesterday that sending the agreement, signed between the Agriculture Ministry and D.P. Jayasinghe Company to shift the Ministry to a building owned by the Company at a total cost of Rs. 1.3 billion to the Attorney General’s Department for approval, was the responsibility of former Minister of Agriculture Duminda Dissanayake and that responsibility for Dissanayake’s action lay with the President.

Lotus Tower, the tallest self-supported structure in South Asia was officially declared open by President Maithripala Sirisena, a short while ago.

The 06 suspects including Deputy Minister Palitha Thewarapperuma, who were in remand custody for disregarding a Court order have been granted bail.

Landslide warnings have been issued for several areas in the Nuwara Eliya, Kegalle, Ratnapura and Kalutara districts, due to heavy rains experienced in the country during the past few hours.

President Maithripala Sirisena says that he will not allow anyone to underestimate the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) and he is prepared to show the Party’s strength.