Intelligence exchange among friendly countries can help ensure the national security of their respective nations, US Ambassador to Sri Lanka Alaina Teplitz has said.

The allegation that a large number of intelligence officials are in remand custody is completely false and baseless. Only seven intelligence officials are now in custody as part of CID investigations and there has not been any political interference at all in this matter, Ports, Shipping and Southern Development Minister Sagala Ratnayaka said.

Former Minister and joint opposition stalwart S.B.Dissanayaka continuing his verbal battle with Commerce and Industries Minister Rishad Bathiudeen yesterday said the government had ample evidence to arrest minister Bathiudeeen and a team of joint opposition members including him would urge President Maithripala Sirisena to direct law enforcement authorities to arrest him immediately.

State Defence Minister Ruwan Wijewardene told Parliament, yesterday, that the government would hold an investigation to find out how son of Eastern Province Governor M.L.A.M. Hisbullah had secured shares amounting to 500 million rupees in the proposed Sharia University in Batticaloa. The University is a gift from Saudi Arabia.

Minister Sagala Ratnayake says the Vesak festival should be celebrated like during previous years.

The Batticaloa University will be regulated under the Higher Education Ministry, President Maithripala Sirisena said. The President made this observation when he met public officials and youth in the Eastern Province during an inspection tour in Sainthamaruthu in Kalmunai yesterday.

There is no need to view the Counter Terrorism Bill as a boogey man and it certainly does not contain a relief package for terrorists as some try to claim, Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe said in Parliament yesterday.

UNP MP Field Marshal Sarath Fonseka, yesterday, told Parliament that he had opposed fielding Maithripala Sirisena as the common candidate against Mahinda Rajapaksa at the 2015 presidential election as he had realised Sirisena’s inability to handle national security.

Security forces personnel have discovered around 700 kg of gunpowder inside a shop in the Hingula area in Mawanella.

The Police Special Investigation Unit (SIU) has commenced a special investigation to find out whether possible faults in submissions to courts on the 9 employees of the Copper Factory in Wellampitiya have occurred.

Two individuals were arrested with 1116 military uniforms (camouflage) by the Seeduwa Police Division during a search operation conducted in the area yesterday (07).

A suspect has been arrested at the Mutkomban area in Pooneryn, Kilinochchi, yesterday (07) along with various locally manufactured weapons and explosives.

A person has been arrested over an attempt to bribe the Horowpathana Police OIC to obtain bail for a suspect of the National Thowheed Jamaath (NTJ) who is under custody.

UNP MP Dr. Kavinda Jayawardena urged the government to acquire the proposed Sharia University in Batticaloa and convert it as a state university.

The University Grant Commission (UGC) yesterday said that no organisation by the name of Sharia University or Batticaloa Campus had requested permission to conduct degree courses.