Category: Local News

General Secretary of the UPFA Susil Premajayantha has been admitted to Hospital due to a sudden illness last night (12).

The price of LP gas will be reduced by Rs 100 per 12.5 kg domestic cylinder, Samba rice to Rs. 69 and Nadu rice to Rs 60 per kilogram with effect from July 15, Finance Minister announced.

JHU General Secretary Champika Ranawaka, Rajitha Senaratne, Arjuna Ranatunga and Hirunika Premachandra have signed their nomination papers for the forthcoming General Elections from the newly formed United National Front for Good Governance, sources said.

The Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to form the United National Good-Governance Front has been signed by the United National Party (UNP), Jathika Hela Urumaya (JHU) and some other members of SLFP breakaway faction at Temple Trees this morning.

President Maithripala Sirisena, in his effort to prevent a split in the SLFP led by him, has inadvertently weakened the party like never before. Not to mention the severe blow dealt to the foundation of good governance, a policy he preached in the run up to the Presidential election.

UPFA Western Provincial Council member Hirunika Premachandra has reportedly signed nominations to contest the upcoming parliamentary election from the United National Front for Good Governance, the UNP-led political alliance.

The Sri Lankan rupee was steady for a sixth straight session on Friday in thin trade as demand for more dollars by importers was offset by selling of the greenback at 133.60 by a state-run bank, dealers said.

Sri Lanka’s war-time president, Mahinda Rajapaksa, has signed nomination papers to fight an Aug. 17 election as part of a coalition led by President Maithripala Sirisena, Rajapaksa’s spokesman said on Friday.

Sri Lanka’s main party of Buddhists monks is set to join the United National Party (UNP) in forming a new coalition to contest upcoming parliamentary election, political sources said a short while ago.

The former monitoring MP of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Sajin De Vass Gunawardena and a group are reported to have decided to contest the general elections from the Galle District as independent candidates.

“If Vladimir Putin can become Prime Minister after serving as President of Russia, why not Mahinda Rajapaksa?”

President Maithripala Sirisena who met civil society leaders that strongly backed his presidential bid in January at his residence on Wednesday night, said the final decision on granting nominations to his predecessor Mahinda Rajapaksa was not in his hands.

The United States has decided to restore the GSP Plus facility and has also agreed to return the duty paid by Sri Lanka during the period it did not enjoy this facility.

Field Marshal Sarath Fonseka has handed over nominations for General Elections, a short while ago.

Former president Mahinda Rajapaksa has signed nominations to contest the upcoming general election from the Kurunegala district today, former MP Wimal Weerawansa said.

Western Province Chief Minister Prasanna Ranatunga, who has played a major role to nominate former President Mahinda Rajapaksa as the UPFA Prime Ministerial candidate, would not get nominations to contest the general election from the Gampaha District, UPFA sources said.