Category: Local News

President Maithripala Sirisena’s decision to allow his predecessor Mahinda Rajapaksa to contest the August 17 parliamentary elections on the United People’s Freedom Alliance ticket has caused ripples within his own ‘rainbow’ coalition.

JVP central committee member Sunil Handunnetti said they were not surprised by the decision taken to give nominations to former President Mahinda Rajapaksa under the United People’s Freedom Alliance (UPFA).

The UPFA yesterday announced that it had decided to field former President Mahinda Rajapaksa at the forthcoming general election.

The on-going controversy over the investigation carried out by a special 13-member committee into alleged Central Bank bond scam has taken a new turn with former Chairman of the parliamentary Committee on Public Enterprises (COPE) Dew Gunasekera deciding to go public today.

Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe had asked the Election Commissioner to inform him of the government’s expense for the bullet proof vehicle used by him until the election is held.

President Maithripala Sirisena has apparently rejected to give nominations to former President Mahinda Rajapaksa, sources said.

China recognises India’s special role in stabilising the strategic Indian Ocean region but the perception that it is India’s “backyard” may result in clashes, Chinese military officials and experts have cautioned.

Finance Minister Ravi Karunanayake said recently that the new government under President Maithripala Sirisena has neither halted nor terminated any development projects.

Former President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga yesterday denied reports that she too would contest the election if former President Mahinda Rajapaksa was to do so.

Former Sri Lankan president Mahinda Rajapaksa said he would run for prime minister during next month’s parliamentary elections, a move that is likely to infuriate rights groups as he is accused of war crimes in a civil war.

There are no arrangements in place to name a Prime Ministerial candidate from the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) thus far, the President’s Media Unit said on Tuesday.

The United People’s Freedom Alliance (UPFA) has finally agreed to nominate former President Mahinda Rajapaksa as a candidate at the August 17 general election under the betel symbol, a party leader said.

Issuing a special release the President’s media unit says that no candidate fielded by the Sri Lanka Freedom Party has been named as a prime ministerial candidate.

Former President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaranatunga says she has no intention of grabbing power again unlike others.

President Maithripala Sirisena says the Government expects to increase per capita income to 6000 American Dollars, within next five years.

The United Nations is downsizing its humanitarian staff in some Asian countries where governments have stepped up with funds and manpower after a decade of massive floods, storms and earthquakes.