President Gotabaya Rajapaksa emphasized the need of preventing brain drain to achieve rapid development in the country.

Referring to MP Ranjan Ramanayake’s audio clips which have gone viral on social media, Ven. Elle Gunawansa Thera said yesterday there was an international conspiracy behind the series of events to carry out some hidden agenda.

Former UNP Minister and party stalwart Jayawickrama Perera yesterday said that a decision would be taken on Wednesday at a group meeting whether MP Ranjan Ramanayake should be expelled from the party over the phone recording scandal.

Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa, yesterday, said that it would be the responsibility of Chief Justice Jayantha Jayasuriya to take action in respect of the recent disclosure of UNP MP Ranjan Ramanayake’s audio clips.

“The people did not want a Gotabaya Rajapaksa but a proper leader who is capable in putting the country on the right track”, said President Gotabaya Rajapaksa.

A Police Inspector and a Police Constable have been sentenced to a 28 year rigorous imprisonment for soliciting a bribe of Rs.10,000 in 2009.

President Gotabaya Rajapaksa has made a sudden visit to the National Hospital in Colombo a short while ago.

The Mayor of Matale Municipal Council Daljith Aluvihare was arrested by the police, for assaulting a Municipal Councilor yesterday (08).

The JVP has challenged the government to present all amendments that are beneficial to the public before the upcoming Parliamentary Election, if in fact, it is seeking a two thirds majority in Parliament to pass progressive Constitutional Amendments.

President Gotabaya Rajapaksa has met Minister of Home Affairs and Law of Singapore, Kasiviswanathan Shanmugam at the Presidential Secretariat, yesterday (08).

Passenger Transport Management and Power and Energy Minister Mahinda Amaraweera said yesterday that people whom he had met at the Werahera office branch of the Department of Motor Traffic had told him that the customer service at the branch has now been streamlined following the sudden inspection tour by President Gotabaya Rajapaksa two weeks ago.

Parliamentarian Ven. Athuraliye Rathana Thera today presented a bill calling for repeal of the Muslim Marriage and Divorce Act (MMDA), No 13 of 1951.

The United National Party has requested the appointment of a Parliament Select Committee into the alleged controversial recordings of phone calls of Parliamentarian Ranjan Ramanayake.

UNP Member of Parliament Ranjan Ramanayake yesterday said it is questionable as to how the copies of CDs seized from him went into the hands of third parties.

An overseas travel ban has been imposed on former Director of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) Shani Abeysekara by the Nugegoda Magistrate’s Court.