Mahinda seeks aid of foreign diplomats to remain as PM

Mahinda Rajapaksa is attempting to obtain the support of Western and European countries to remain in the premiership, according to ‘Lanka’.

Last weekend, Susil Premajayantha, Dinesh Gunawardena, Mahinda Samarasinghe and Tharaka Balasuriya met several foreign

Fuel prices slashed by Rs. 5

The Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC) will reduce the prices of petrol and diesel by Rs 5 per litre with effect from midnight today (Nov. 30), Minister of Petroleum Resources Development Gamini Lokuge said.

He stated that this price reduction will affect all grades of petrol and

Petition against Thilanga contesting SLC election postponed

The petition filed with the Court of Appeal seeking an injunction order preventing the incumbent President of Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) Thilanga Sumathipala from contesting the election for the Presidency of SLC has been postponed until 03rd December.

The petition has been submitted by former SLC Secretary

Parliament meets again

The Parliamentary session for the day commenced a short while ago presided by Speaker Karu Jayasuriya.

The session commenced without the attendance of the governing party MPs as they have boycotted today’s (30) parliamentary session.

This is the fourth consecutive time they have

Dambara Amila Thero paid monthly allowance by Litro Gas, court told

The Permanent High Court Trial-at-Bar yesterday (29) heard the case against former President’s Chief of Staff Gamini Senarath and three others for allegedly misappropriating Rs 500 million in funds belong to Litro Gas.

The case was taken up before the Special High Court three-judge bench comprising Justices Sampath Abeykoon, Sampath Wijeratne

Appoint two PSCs to recover coup losses: Bimal

JVP MP Bimal Ratnayake yesterday said two Parliament Select Committees (PSCs) should be appointed to recover the losses and damages caused to the country by the political coup.

He told Parliament that President Maithripala Sirisena was

Sajith says declined to accept PM post ten times

UNP Deputy Leader Sajith Premadasa yesterday said he had declined to oblige President Maithripala Sirisena when he offered him the post of Prime Minister ten times.

Responding to a journalist who asked Mr. Premadasa why he declined it, he said “One might have personal aspirations of

Committee to probe parliamentary impropriety

Speaker Karu Jayasuriya has appointed a committee to look into the recent incidents that took place in Parliament.

As per the announcement made by the Speaker, the committee comprises his deputy Ananda Kumarasiri, predecessor Chamal Rajapaksa and MPs Ranjith Madduma Bandara, Chandrasiri

Aloysius and Palisena further remanded until Dec 04

The owner of Perpetual Treasuries Limited (PTL) Arjun Aloysius and the CEO Kasun Palisena have been further remanded until December 04 by the Fort Magistrate’s Court.

On February 02, the Colombo Fort Magistrate’s Court named former Central Bank Governor Arjuna Mahendran, his son-in-law Arjun Aloysius and Perpetual Treasuries CEO Kasun Palisena as

Speaker to meet President

Office of the Speaker stated that Speaker Karu Jayasuriya is set to meet President Maithripala Sirisena today (29).

Accordingly, the meeting will be held at the Presidential Secretariat at 4 pm this evening.

This is in a context where Minister Wijedasa Rajapakshe, in a

Implementing majority viewpoint is not democracy: EC Chairman

Implementing the viewpoint of the majority is not what we call democracy but democracy is to implement the views of the majority in such a way that it would not prejudice the minority, Election

I won't contest any election: Mahanama

Responding to social media reports that Roshan Mahanama would be contesting the upcoming elections, former Sri Lankan Cricketer said that he has no intention of contesting any election.

He said in a statement that he would never get himself involved in

Bribery Commission receives nearly 3,000 complaints this year

The Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC) says that it has received 2,956 complaints so far this year.

Out of the total complaints received, the Bribery Commission has decided to investigate 1,848 complaints, according to the Director (Investigations) of the Commission SSP

Today’s parliamentary session was illegal – Dinesh

Minister Dinesh Gunawardena says that the parliamentary session which was held today (29) was an illegal parliamentary session.

He mentioned attending a press conference held at the

Govt. MPs to boycott parliament today

The ruling party parliamentarians will be boycotting the parliamentary session today (29), stated Minister S. B. Dissanayake.

The government MPs boycotted the last two sessions of the parliament as well.

The parliamentary session is scheduled to commence at 10.30 am

CDS transferred to Welikada from Magazine Prison

Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) Ravindra Wijegunaratne, who was remanded yesterday was transferred to the Welikada prison from the Magazine Prison last night, Commissioner General of Prisons Nishan Dhanasinghe said.

He said the CDS was transferred to the Welikada Prison due to

UNP Group meeting decides RW should be PM

The UNP's Parliamentary Group had unanimously decided that its leader Ranil Wickremesinghe should be the one, who should become Prime Minister as long the party had a majority in Parliament, party sources said.

This decision was made by the parliamentary group which met at

Optimistic of securing a majority for VoA: Vasu

The Government yesteray said it was optimistic that a majority of MPs would vote to pass the Vote on Account (VoA) as it was a matter of national interest.

Minister Vasudeva Nanayakkara said if the VoA had any relevance to the MPs and the MPs were interested in the VoA, they would

CDS arrested!

Chief of Defence Staff Admiral Ravindra Wijegunaratne has been arrested.

Earlier, in the morning, the CDS had surrendered himself before courts.

Earlier in courts, the CID had revealed details of CDS Admiral

Dambara Amila Thero files petition against Mahinda’s premiership

Venerable Dambara Amila Thero has filed a fundamental rights petition before the Supreme Court against appointing Mahinda Rajapaksa as the Prime Minister following the removal of Ranil Wickremesinghe from the position.

Fifty-three individuals including former Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, incumbent Premier Mahinda Rajapaksa, members of the

Cabinet approves Interim Vote on Account for Rs 1,735 billion

The Cabinet of Minister has approved a proposal to present an Interim Vote on Account in order to secure provisions for the first four months in 2019, Co-Cabinet Spokesman Minister Mahinda Samarasinghe said, during the weekly Cabinet press briefing held today (28).
Accordingly the Cabinet of Ministers approved the proposal

PM chosen by Parliament, not Prez-Ranil

Responding to a statement made by President Maithripala Sirisena that he will not appoint him as the Prime Minister again; UNP Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe yesterday said the President has to offer the post to anyone chosen by Parliament.

Mr. Wickremesinghe expressed this sentiment at a public rally in

Journalists covering CDS case attacked

Several photo journalists and cameramen who were at the Fort Magistrate’s Court premises to cover the case in which Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) Ravindra Wijegunaratne allegedly involved in, had been attacked by several men who arrived on motorcycles a short while ago.

CDS Wijegunaratne appeared before Colombo Fort Magistrate this

Judiciary being dragged into ongoing conflict: Dullas

UPFA MP Dullas Alahapperuma yesterday said the judiciary is being dragged into the ongoing conflict between the Executive and the Legislature.

He said convening of parliament when two cases are pending in the Supreme Court over the dissolution of parliament was one example

Speaker Karu says ready to face any probe

Speaker Karu Jayasuriya yesterday said he was ready to face any investigation with regard to allegations that he falsified the Hansard report of Parliament.

“I am ready to face any investigation on the issue,” he said responding to allegations made by some members of the

Special HC postponed trial against Gota for Dec 8

The special trial-at-bar at the Colombo High Court yesterday once again postponed the trial against former Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa and six others for December 8 on observing that the prosecution had still not tendered some of the documents on the case to the defence.

The three special Trial-at-bar judges Sampath Abeykoon

President orders to release translations of Bond Commission Report

President Maithripala Sirisena has ordered to release the Sinhala and Tamil translations of the Bond Commission Report within two weeks.

MP Dullas Alahapperuma revealed this today (27) at a press conference held at the parliamentary complex.

The full report of the Presidential Commission of Inquiry appointed

Investigations commenced on tense situation in parliament

Police have commenced investigations on five complaints regarding the tense situations which occurred during the recent parliamentary sessions.

Police Media Spokesperson Ruwan Gunasekara stated the investigations will be conducted with the CCTV footage from the

Finance Ministry rebuts reports on MR’s alleged instructions to Customs

The Ministry of Finance and Economic Affairs has issued a press release refuting the alleged illegal instruction given by the Finance Minister PM Mahinda Rajapaksa to the Sri Lanka Customs to release the foreign currency in US Dollars that had been apprehended while being smuggled out at the BIA.

The press release read that the Sri Lanka Customs officials

President’s remarks: SF requests Speaker to summon IGP

United National Party (UNP) MP Field Marshal Sarath Fonseka today requested Speaker Karu Jayasuriya to summon IGP Pujitha Jayasundara to Parliament within 48 hours, over the recent remarks made by the President with regard to the alleged assassination plot.

The MP said President Maithripala Sirisena had recently said that

Government MPs boycott parliament

All parliamentarians of the government today boycotted the parliament session which commenced a short while ago.

The government has decided to boycott the session following a

You are our saviour: John to Speaker

UNP MP John Amaratunga in parliament today said Speaker Karu Jayasuriya was their saviour.

The MP said extra security had been provided to government MPs while opposition MPs including MP Vadivel Suresh are being

Commission must be impartial: Champika

There was nothing wrong in appointing a Presidential Commission to probe into alleged corruptions that had taken from 2015 to 2018 but it should not be done to victimise people politically, UNP MP Patali Champika Ranawaka said yesterday.

Mr Ranawaka told a media briefing that any Commission that

Gammanpila accuses Speaker of altering Hansard content

Pivithuru Hela Urumaya (PHU) Leader Udaya Gammanpila yesterday accused Speaker Karu Jayasuriya of altering the contents of the Hansard, which recorded what has happened in parliament chamber during the no-confidence motion debate on November 14.

Minister Gammanpila said there were changes between the

President equally responsible during past 3 ½ years: UNP

The United National Party (UNP) said today that President Maithripala Sirisena should equally share the blame as the Head of State and the Head of the Government if there was any corruption during the past three and half years.

Issuing a statement, UNP Chairman MP Kabir Hashim said

England beat Sri Lanka, sweep Test series 3-0

England beat Sri Lanka by 42 runs in the third Test in Colombo on Monday to claim their first overseas whitewash in a three-match series in 55 years.

Spinners Jack Leach and Moeen Ali took four wickets each to help bowl out Sri Lanka, who were chasing a daunting 327 for victory, for 284 in the final session on day four.

Govt. attempts to counter curtailment of funds to PM's office

Ahead of another parliamentary vote to curtail expenditure to the Office of Prime Minister, the government is making fresh efforts to muster the simple majority, a Minister said yesterday.

Highways Minister S.B. Dissanayake who acted as the go-between in the formation of the new government told Daily Mirror that

Alternative PM; We have already proved it: UNP

Responding to the statement that have been made by President Maithripala Sirisena that he is willing to appoint an alternative Prime Minister if a member of Parliament proves he has a majority, the UNP yesterday said it cannot think of a new way to show a majority as they have already proved it.

This sentiment was expressed by UNP MP Ajith P Perera at a

Clash between two students claims a life

A school prefect studying for his A/Ls in the Maths Stream who got into a fight with a Grade 9 student after the latter took umbrage at being disciplined by a senior, succumbed to his injuries yesterday while undergoing treatment in the intensive care unit of the Kalutara Nagoda Hospital for a head injury.

The incident occurred last Wednesday (21) at a leading school in

Special meeting of President and senior police officials

A discussion will be held between the Inspector General of Police (IGP) and senior officials and President Maithripala Sirisena today (26).

Reportedly, the discussion is will be held at the Presidential Secretariat at 12 noon today and the current political situation in the

President vows never to reappoint ousted premier

President Maithripala Sirisena on Sunday reignited the power struggle that has crippled Sri Lanka's government for more than a month, vowing never to reappoint arch-rival Ranil Wickremesinghe as prime minister.

Wickremesinghe's party has a majority in parliament and Sirisena's

CID summons Chief of Defence Staff for questioning

Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) Admiral Ravindra Wijegunaratne has been summoned to appear at the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) to record a statement.

A spokesman for the department said that Admiral Ravindra

Ready to form caretaker Govt. if UNP agrees: Lakshman Yapa

The government said yesterday it was ready to form a caretaker government with the United National Party (UNP) if it agrees on a general election.

MP Lakshman Yapa Abeywardena said their ultimate goal was to

FR against re-convening Parliament

The Supreme Court yesterday fixed for support on December 4 the fundamental rights petition filed against the re-convening of Parliament.

The Bench comprising Chief Justice Nalin Perera and Justice Lalith Dehideniya fixed the matter to be supported for granting leave to

LTTE flags and symbol banned at ‘Mahaviru’ commemorations

The Jaffna Magistrate’s Court has granted permission to organise a commemoration ceremony at the University of Jaffna to remember the dead, security forces in Jaffna stated.

However, the court has prohibited the displaying of the flag or the

O/L exam from Dec.3 to 12

The GCE Ordinary Level (O/L) Examination will be held from December 3 to 12, the Examinations Department announced yesterday.

Commissioner General Sanath Pujitha told Daily Mirror that 6,56,641 applicants would be sitting the exam at 4,661 centres

I act in accordance with the Constitution – MS tells C’wealth Chief

President Maithripala Sirisena told the Commonwealth Secretary General, Baroness Patricia Scotland that he has acted in accordance with the Constitution of Sri Lanka and would continue to stand for democratic practices.

President’s media disivion said that "a telephone conversation with

122 MPs challenge MR in court

As many as 122 Sri Lankan lawmakers on Friday challenged former President Mahinda Rajapaksa at the court of appeal, asking on whose authority he occupied the office of the Prime Minister, after being voted out in the legislature, The Hindu reported.

The case is likely to be heard early next week, legal sources told

AG withdraws appeal against acquittal of Gananasara Thero

The appeal filed by the Attorney General against the acquittal of Ven. Gnanasara Thero and 12 others over the case filed for allegedly attacking and causing damages to the Calvary Christian Center in Malabe, has been withdrawn from the Supreme Court.

The appeal was taken up before the Supreme Court judge bench

‘If the conspiracy is uncivilised, don’t look for boundaries in fight against it’

JVP MP Vijitha Herath today proposed that Parliament acts immediately to find solutions with regard to the collapsing of Sri Lanka’s economy due to the prevailing political crisis and the hardships faced by the general public as a result of this.

Approving this motion in Parliament, the JVP leader Anura Kumara