Category: Local News

SriLankan Airlines incurred a loss of USD 41 million in the 2011/12 financial year due to operating flights between Colombo and London during off season, the Presidential Commission of Inquiry (PCoI) on irregularities at SriLankan Airlines, SriLankan Catering and Mihin Lanka was informed, yesterday.

President Maithripala Sirisena stated that 113 majority of the new government has already been established.

Minister Dinesh Gunawardena has assumed duties as the New Leader of the House at his office in the Parliament.

In a defiant announcement, the United National Party today claimed that Speaker of House Karu Jayasuriya has recognised, the Leader of the UNP as the legitimate Prime Minister of Sri Lanka.

UNP MPs Heshan Withanage and Palitha Thewarapperuma have been arrested over the incident of assaulting Major Ajith Prasanna, stated Police Spokesperson.

Sri Lanka’s sacked Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe has warned time is running out to avert a “bloodbath” while voicing hope that parliament will resolve a damaging constitutional crisis in the coming days.

The new government has a short term of office and since the government needs to be strengthened, it has to go before the people soon, Former Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa said.

Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena has ordered the suspended parliament to reconvene on Nov. 14, clearing the way for a vote on his decision to sack the elected prime minister and replace him with wartime nationalist Mahinda Rajapaksa.

President Maithripala Sirisena has issued a gazette to reconvene the prorogued parliament. Accordingly, the parliament will reconvene on November 14th at 10 am.

Sri Lanka’s deposed Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe said the United States and Japan had frozen more than a billion dollars of development aid after his abrupt dismissal raised doubts about the future of democracy in the island.

One person was injured when a group of gunmen arrived in a van and a motorcycle, opened fire in Kabiliyapola, Hakmana this evening, police said.

Another group of Parliamentarians were sworn in as Cabinet Ministers, State Ministers and Deputy Ministers before President Maithripala Sirisena today (04).

Ven. Athuraliye Rathana Thero has made a statement that he will remain independent in the Parliament.

The UPFA Parliamentary Group yesterday decided to appoint MP Dinesh Gunawardena as the Leader of House at the next Parliamentary session.

The Tamil National Alliance (TNA) says it will vote in favour of the No Confidence Motion to be brought against the Government headed by Mahinda Rajapaksa who has been “unconstitutionally and illegally” appointed as Prime Minister.

UPFA MP A.H.M. Fowzie was sworn in as the State Minister of National Unity, Co-existence and Muslim Religious Affairs a short while ago.