Category: Local News

Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe yesterday urged the Opposition to select between a no confidence motion or general election rather than pursuing both and constantly criticising the Government for exceeding its 100-day mandate.

Four more MPs were sworn in as deputy ministers before President Maithripala Sirisena on Wednesday afternoon.

President Maithripala Sirisena said that we must further develop our education policy with a comprehensive understanding about national and international requirements.

Former Minister Basil Rajapaksa and three other officials, who were arrested on charges of misappropriation of Divi Neguma funds, have been further remanded until June 18 by the Kaduwala Magistrate’s Court.

Australian officials had allegedly paid tens of thousands of dollars to people smugglers to turn a boat full of asylum seekers including Sri Lankan refugees back to Indonesia, Fairfax reported on Wednesday.

Internal revenue increased during the first five months this year by 21 percent in comparison to the corresponding period last year, Economic Affairs and Policy Planning Deputy Minister Harsha de Silva said yesterday.

Sri Lanka’s finance minister has defended the pace of the country’s economic recovery, as a bruising vote of no confidence in the government looms.

China’s defence minister told the head of the Sri Lankan navy on Tuesday he wanted to ensure a “continuous and stable” development of military ties, after Sri Lanka ruled out future Chinese submarine visits to the country.

Sri Lanka’s new government has held talks with Tamil diaspora groups in London, discussing at length needs of those displaced during the war against the LTTE.

The Cabinet last night gave its nod to the 20th Amendment dealing with electoral reforms.

UPFA Southern Province Minister D.V. Upul was arrested by the CID today on charges of threatening to stone the officers attached to the Police FCID to death, Police Spokesman Ruwan Gunasekara said.

Prime Minister Ranil Wickremasinghe says that he was appointed on a mandate provided by the public.

Parliamentarian Namal Rajapaksa, elder son of former President Mahinda Rajapaksa has been issued notice to appear at the CID on 12 June.

In a special meeting that has been convened today, the draft bill of the 20th Amendment to the Constitution will be presented to the cabinet.

Finance Minister Ravi Karunanayake yesterday claimed that some of the signatures of the No Confidence Motion against Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe collected by the Opposition were fakes.

Minister of Sports Navin Dissanayake says that when awarding local terrestrial broadcasting rights for the next three years (2015-2018), they had thoroughly perused the technical capability and island-wide coverage of the stations who had forwarded bids.