The CID has recorded a statement from former Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa today about the armouires maintained by Avant-Garde Security Services Limited and also the activities of Rakna Arakshaka Lanka Ltd.

Finance Minister Ravi Karunanayake on Thursday (12) challenged former Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa to submit the latter’s statement of assets and liabilities by Friday (13) morning.

A fire broke out in a building of Karapitiya teaching Hospital last night at around 11 p.m. and police said no casualties reported. Police says the building where the fire broke out is the canteen of the hospital.

The Illankai Thamil Arasu Kadchi (ITAK) led Tamil National Alliance (TNA) run Northern Provincial Council (NPC) has reiterated its call for a UN investigation into what it calls genocide committed by successive Sri Lankan governments since 1948, in spite of Mavai S. Senathirajah, General Secretary of both organisations, ruling out a wider UN role here.

CID has summoned MP Duminda Silva to appear at the CID for the third day for further questioning, Police said.

The China-funded port city project in Colombo was going ahead, a top Chinese official from the company executing it said Wednesday, days after the new Sri Lankan government claimed the deal was still being assessed.

RAMESWARAM: The Tamil Nadu fishermen breathed a sigh of relief on Wednesday evening when they received news that the Sri Lankan government has ordered the release of all the Indian fishing boats.

Despite not being consulted with regards to the no-faith motion brought against Minister of Public Security, John Amaratunga, the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) yesterday said the party approved of the move.

It cannot be a coincidence that immediately following the visits to the North by US and British officials that the Northern Provincial Council has passed a Resolution claiming genocide by Sri Lanka. What needs to be reiterated is that the common enemy of Sri Lanka and its people was the LTTE which was militarily vanquished by the Armed Forces in May 2009.

Five people were killed when a bus and a three wheeler collided in Udamalala, Hambantota. A small child is also among the victims.

Terming the resolution an ‘extremist position,’ Health Minister and Cabinet spokesman Rajitha Senaratne said President Maithripala Sirisena had promised to initiate an internationally approved, domestic inquiry process into alleged war crimes committed by Sri Lankan Army and the LTTE.

It was just one month ago that Sri Lanka surprised the world by electing opposition candidate Maithripala Sirisena as president, rejecting the authoritarianism, corruption and dynastic politics of the administration of the incumbent, Mahinda Rajapaksa. President Sirisena has moved swiftly to usher in a new chapter of hope for Sri Lanka.

Parliamentarian Tissa Attanayake released on bail by Fort Magistrate short while ago. Attanayake was remanded for his alleged involvement in creating forged documents.

UPFA MP Sarana Gunawardena was released on Rs.150,000 cash bail with a surety of Rs. 60 million by the Colombo Chief Magistrate today in the case where he had allegedly been involved in 107 frauds including Rs.36 million fraud while he was the National Lotteries Board Chairman.

UPFA Parliamentarian R. Duminda Silva is to be summoned to the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) today for further questioning on money laundering charges.