Prime Minister Ranil Wickremasinghe has emphasized in Parliament that former President Mahinda Rajapaksa is being accorded maximum security and facilities. He further told Parliament that even KP alias Kumaran Pathmanathan a former LTTE Leader has been accorded security.

Emirates flight A380 bound to Dubai made an emergency landing at Bandaranaike International Airport, today (26) at around 3.47a.m.

“I will contest the next election only from the UPFA led by the SLFP”, stated former President Mahinda Rajapaksa to the committee which was now attempting to unite the SLFP, sources said.

Demanding President Maithripala Sirisena to dissolve Parliament early is unacceptable when he is determined to fulfill his promises given to the people, Deputy Media Minister Shantha Bandara said.

Parliament is likely to be dissolved either tonight to tomorrow night to enable General Elections to be conducted by the middle of August, informed sources said yesterday.

The Sri Lankan government on Wednesday said it was in the process of strengthening diplomatic ties with countries that have worked with Sri Lanka in the past to weaken the financial and support networks of the Tamil Tiger rebels.

Urban Development Minister Rauff Hakeem yesterday said in Parliament that there was a dictatorship of a small group within the Cabinet of Ministers that prevails against minor and minority parties.

The Supreme Court on Wednesday (24) granted leave to proceed in applications filed challenging the establishment of the Financial Crime Investigation Division.

The Indian Ministry of External Affairs on Tuesday informed the Madras High Court Bench in Madurai that it has impressed upon the Sri Lankan Navy “to act with restraint, not to fire on [Indian] fishermen and to treat [Indian] fishermen in a humane manner.”

There are mixed reactions over the decision to allow pavement hawkers to conduct business on the streets of Colombo. The Rajapaksa regime under the Colombo City Beautification Programme prohibited them from doing business on the pavements, which resulted in a great loss to them.

The Sri Lankan spot rupee traded steady on Tuesday, as a state bank, through which the central bank usually directs the market, sold dollars at a flat rate of 133.90, but trading was dull amid political uncertainty, dealers said.

Police have fired fired shots at a lorry which did not heed to police orders at the Aranthalawa police post early Tuesday morning.

The UNHRC on Monday dismissed reports of having allocated funds for the proposed ‘Diaspora Festival’ organised by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs by the end of this year.

The UPFA never demanded or asked anyone to name former President Mahinda Rajapaksa as the next Prime Ministerial candidate, give him nominations or anything else. It is a section of the SLFP which are making these demands, National Freedom Front leader MP Wimal Weerawansa said.

Sri Lankan shares inched up on Monday, recovering from a two-month low hit in the previous session, led by large caps, but trading was choppy as political woes ahead of an announcement on parliamentary election date weighed on sentiment.

President Maithripala Sirisena condemned the terrorist attack on Afghanistan Parliament.