April 25, 2024 3:45 am
Results: 78
PM to leave for Switzerland tomorrow
Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe is due to leave Sri Lanka tomorrow for the World Economic Forum that will be held in Davos-klosters, Switzerland from January 20 to 23. MORE...
Port City can resume tomorrow if Chinese firm agrees to leasehold - Ravi
Finance Minister Ravi Karunanayake says that the Sri Lankan government is prepared give the go-ahead for the Colombo Port City project to resume even tomorrow, if the Chinese company agrees to begin the US$1.4 billion project on a 99-year lease. MORE.
LG polls before Sinhala & Tamil New Year - PM
Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe says that the government expects to hold the Local Government election before the next Sinhala and Tamil New Year. MORE..
Govt will not sign CEPA with India - PM
Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe informed Parliament today that the government will not sign the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) with India but will enter into an Economic/Technical pact with the neighboring country. MORE..
Govt to publish biographical book on Sobitha Thero
The government today said that Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe has decided to print a book which will include the biography of Venerable Maduluwawe Sobitha Thero and the services rendered by him to the country. MORE..
UN resolution, Udalagama & Paranagama Commission reports tabled in Parliament
The resolution adopted at the UN Human Rights Council as well as the Udalagma and Paranagama Commission Reports were tabled in Parliament by Prime Minister Ranil Wickremasinghe a short while ago.
Sri Lanka again asks NTPC to shift power plant location: Report
Sri Lanka has reportedly asked India to change the location of a stalled US$500 million power project to be built by NTPC Ltd, the India Info Line news agency reported today. This is the second time that Sri Lanka has made the request for change of location for this project. The first was in 2007. MORE...
Prime Minister to visit Japan on Sunday
Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe will leave for Japan on Sunday (04) on a five day official tour on the invitation of Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. MORE..
U.S. supports a credible domestic process in Sri Lanka - Kerry
The U.S. has said it will support a domestic investigation by Sri Lanka to address allegations of human rights abuses during the final phase of the country’s civil war. MORE..
No reason to postpone LG polls - PM
Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe today said that there is no reason to postpone the Local Government election which is scheduled to be held in March next year. MORE..
Discussing shape of domestic mechanism, not hybrid - PM
Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe says that a host of steps including the passing of a new constitution should be followed in order to ensure the non- recurrence of past mistakes. MORE..
Parliament approves civil society representitives of CC
The Parliament today approved the 3 names nominated to represent the civil society in the Constitutional Council (CC). MORE..
PM Wickremasinghe meets Indian President
Sri Lankan Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe met Indian President Pranab Mukherjee at Rashtrapati Bhawan a short while ago. MORE...
Modi confident Sri Lanka will achieve genuine reconciliation
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi today expressed confidence that Sri Lanka will achieve genuine reconciliation and development with the wisdom and will of the leadership and the support of the people.
Sri Lanka to release 16 Indian fishermen ahead of PM’s visit
Sri Lanka today said it will release 16 Indian fishermen, arrested recently for allegedly poaching in its waters, in a “goodwill gesture” ahead of Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe’s visit to India, his first foreign trip after winning last month’s polls. MORE...
Committee to decide on heads for public institutions - President
President Maithripala Sirisena today stated that a “common committee” will be appointed by himself and the Prime Minister to ensure that the most suitable individuals are selected for the top posts in government institutions. MORE..
(UPDATED) The swearing in ceremony of the new Cabinet of the National Government commenced at the Presidential Secretariat in Colombo, a short while ago. MORE..
New Parliament convenes tomorrow
The first sitting of the Eighth Parliament will be held tomorrow (1) from 9.00 a.m. to 3.30 p.m. with the participation of President Maithripala Sirisena. MORE...
Biswal meets President Sirisena
US Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs Nisha Biswal called on Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena at the Presidential Secretariat on Tuesday (25) evening. She was accompanied by the Assistant Secretary of State for Democracy, Human Rights and Labor Tom Malinowski. MORE...
Three Cabinet Ministers take oath
Three Cabinet Ministers took oath before the President a short while ago. Mangala Samaraweera took oath as the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe as Minister of Justice and D. M. Swaminathan as Minister of Rehabilitation. MORE...
Chinese premier congratulates new PM
Chinese Premier Li Keqiang has sent a congratulatory message to Ranil Wickremesinghe, who was sworn in as prime minister of Sri Lanka, the Xinhua news agency reproted.
UN chief urges Ranil to seize opportunity
The Secretary-General of the United Nations, Ban Ki-moon, has congratulated Sri Lankan Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe on his election and commended his message of good governance and national unity. MORE..
Australia will continue to support Sri Lanka - Bishop
Australia’s Foreign Affairs Minister Julie Bishop today congratulated Sri Lankan Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe on his re-election, following the “peaceful and orderly” parliamentary elections on 17 August 2015. MORE..
India should take efforts to solve Lankan Tamils problem: CPI
The Communist Party of India (CPI) on Friday said that the Centre should take efforts to find a solution to the problems of Tamil population in Sri Lanka, considering the changed political equation in that country. MORE..
Singapore leaders congratulate Ranil
Leaders of Singapore on Friday (Aug 21) sent congratulatory letters to Sri Lanka’s Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, who has been re-elected for another term. MORE..
Sri Lankan refugees guarded in reaction to Sri Lankan poll results
The Sri Lankan Tamils at the Mandapam camp reacted to the election of United National Party (UNP) leader Ranil Wickremesinghe as Prime Minister with cautious optimism. MORE..
DMK hopes for permanent solution to Tamils’ issues
DMK President M Karunanidhi today congratulated Ranil Wickremesinghe for his victory in the Sri Lanka parliamentary elections and hoped the Tamil National Alliance win in North and East provinces would give rise to a situation for a permanent solution to travails of Tamils. MORE..
Ranil to hold discussions to establish a national plan
Discussions will be held with the party leaders and the President to reach an agreement on current matters and future party leadership matters in a bid to create a national plan, Prime Minister Ranil Wickramasinghe said. MORE...
PM Modi congratulates Ranil Wickremesinghe on poll win
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Prime Minister Narendra Modi today called up Ranil Wickremesinghe to congratulate him on his party’s victory in Sri Lankan parliamentary polls, and expressed confidence that the relations between the two countries will get better under his leadership. MORE...
Public is ready, but are politicians? - Nalaka Thero
The people are prepared to represent the country and cast their votes, but the problem is whether the politicians are ready, says Venerable Bengamuwe Nalaka Thero. MORE..
EXCLUSIVE: UNP leadership not my personal property - Ranil
Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe says that accusations of dividing the country and imposing taxes on water are last-ditch efforts by the United People’s Freedom Alliance (UPFA) to sling mud at the UNP and assured that the people will not be deceived by them. MORE...
Economy has flourished every time UNP was in power - Karu
Minister Karu Jayasuriya says that the decision of the voters at the coming parliamentary election will determine the destiny of the country and future of the people, and therefore urged voters to act prudently and identify the need of the hour. MORE..
Good governance has become underworld governance - Susil
The UPFA today charged that with the escalating crime wave in the country and the increasing election-related violence being unleashed by UNP candidates, good governance has turned into “underworld governance”. MORE..
CID pursuing top military officers - Nalaka Thero
Ven. Bengamuwe Nalaka Thero says that presently the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) is chasing after high-ranking military officers who helped save the country and that the Defence Secretary is aware of it. MORE..
Swaminathan conveys condolences over death of Abdul Kalam
The Special Envoy of the President, Minister D.M. Swaminathan paid his last respects to the late former Indian President Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam at the State Funeral which was held in Rameshwaran on Thursday, the foreign ministry said. MORE..
Chamath Palihapitiya helped Sri Lanka get Google’s Internet balloons
The entire island country of Sri Lanka could soon get free Internet beamed down from Google Loon balloons, and it might not have happened without one of the co-owners of the Golden State Warriors. MORE..
Ranil wants all to live as kings and no ‘royal family’
Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe says that he wants to make every citizen of the country live like kings and not just establish a ‘royal family’. MORE..
The United National Front for Good Governance, a coalition led by the UNP, today released its election manifesto titled “A New Country in 60 Months: Five Point Plan,” underlining the policy of the party for the next five years. Click to Read...
UPFA is not divided at all - Mahinda
Former President Mahinda Rajapaksa today denied that the United People’s Freedom Alliance (UPFA) is divided and said that the reason he did not form his own party to contest the election is because he was not ready to abandon the SLFP for his personal gain. MORE..
Ranil wants Maithri to stay away from election?
President and Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) chairperson Maithripala Sirisena, who has received flak recently from certain sections for reportedly clearing the nomination of former President Mahinda Rajapaksa for the parliamentary elections, is going to stay away from the polls, the Hindu Newspaper reported. MORE...
Ranil promises devolution of power to provinces
Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe has promised power devolution to the island’s provinces as part of the reconciliation process with the minority Tamils ahead of the August 17 parliamentary election, the PTI reproted. MORE...
I will quit politics if Mahinda gets a vote more than me – Sujeewa
Former Deputy Minister of Justice Sujeewa Senasinghe today vowed to leave politics forever, if former President Mahinda Rajapaksa obtains even a single vote more than him at the forthcoming General Election. MORE..
UNP to contest General Election alone
The Working Committee of the United National Party (UNP) has decided that the party will contest the upcoming General Election alone and to give party leader PM Ranil Wickremesinghe powers to make appointments to the nominations board. MORE..
Opposition Leader slams UNP’s “dual policy”
Sri Lanka’s Opposition today said that they will seek to debate the motion of no-confidence against Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe in Parliament, in the third week of July. MORE..
PM orders halt to forceful evictions, land acquisitions in Colombo
Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe has instructed the Chairman of the Urban Development Authority (UDA) to immediately stop land acquisition activities “in the guise of development” in the Colombo District and to stop forceful evictions and acquisitions. MORE..
No-confidence motion against PM a ‘senseless act’ - Wijedasa
Justice Minister Wijedasa Rajapaksa says that the President intends to dissolve Parliament after the constitutional amendment bill to change the electoral system is submitted. MORE..
Ranil wants to create UK-type ‘Serious Frauds’ division
Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe today said that the government is currently in the process of “cleaning up” the Colombo Stock Exchange (CSE) and that they intend to establish a ‘Serious Frauds and Financial Crimes Division’ for this purpose. MORE..
No-confidence motion filed against Prime Minister
The motion of no-confidence against Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe was handed over to the Secretary General of Parliament Dhammika Dasanayake today, MP Manusha Nanayakkara told Ada Derana. MORE..
No-confidence Motion against PM handed over to Speaker
The motion of no-confidence against Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe has been handed over to Speaker Chamal Rajapaksa last night, UPFA Parliamentarian Bandula Gunawardena said. MORE..
Over 100 MPs signed no-confidence motion against PM - Wimal
National Freedom Front (NFF) leader Wimal Weerawansa says that the motion of no-confidence against Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe will be submitted today. MORE..
Unfair to question CB governor’s citizenship – Ranil
Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe says that it is unfair to question the citizenship of Central Bank Governor Arjuna Mahendran. MORE..
South African delegation meets Sri Lankan Tamil Diaspora in UK
A South African delegation has met with Sri Lankan Tamil diaspora organisations with a view to bringing a sense of normalcy to the North-East part of the island and exchange views on how they could contribute towards the peace and reconciliation process. MORE..
Ministers who quit also follow wrong astrologers – Harin
Uva Province Chief Minister Harin Fernando says that the recent resignation of four SLFP Ministers was a “planned game” and that he expects more will follow suit. MORE..
Gammanpila files complaint against President, PM
Leader of the Pivithuru Hela Urumaya WPC member Udaya Gammanpila today lodged a complaint with the Bribery Commission against President Maithripala Sirisena and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe. MORE..
SC decides expulsion of Attanayake from parliamentary seat is invalid
The Supreme Court in a historic judgment on Tuesday (5) ruled that expulsion of former United National Party (UNP) General Secretary, Tissa Attanayake, from parliamentary seat is invalid as due process was not followed. MORE...
TNA shared its vision for a united Sri Lanka - Kerry
US Secretary of State John Kerry says that it was interesting to hear Sri Lanka’s Tamil leaders share their vision for a united and peaceful Sri Lanka, even though there are difficult issues still to “get over.” MORE..
Indian Origin Tamils aiming to double representation in Parliament
The Indian Origin Tamils (IOT), who are 4.16 per cent of the Sri Lankan population of 20.3 million, are aiming to double their representation in a reformed Sri Lankan parliament. MORE..
Kerry’s Sri Lanka visit to ‘show US support’
Top US diplomat John Kerry left early Friday on a landmark trip to Sri Lanka, the first such visit in a decade to the Indian Ocean island as it returns to the diplomatic fold. MORE..
Here’s a look at changes made to 19A
Sri Lanka’s parliament overwhelmingly passed reforms on Tuesday (April 28) reducing some of the president’s powers, in a move that did not go as far as President Maithripala Sirisena had promised but is nevertheless seen as a victory for the leader and his government. MORE..
Cabinet approves draft bills on Right to Information and National Audit
The draft bills on ‘Right to Information’ and ‘National Audit’ have been approved by the cabinet of ministers, Cabinet Spokesman Rajith Senaratne said. MORE..
SC ruling on 19A: Parliamentary debate on 21,22 April
All parties agreed to debate on Supreme Court approved sections of the 19th Amendment in Parliament on 21 and 22 April, General Secretary of the United People’s Freedom Alliance (UPFA), Minister Susil Premajayantha said. MORE...
Mahinda Rajapaksa prepares for political comeback - report
Former president of Sri Lanka Mahinda Rajapaksa is planning to stand in parliamentary polls to launch an attempt to return to power, aides have said. MORE..
No room for any family to control country again – President
President Maithripala Sirisena says that with the proposed amendments to the Constitution, the government will not leave room in the future for any single family to control the country ever again. MORE..
Maha Nayake Thero was an erudite and scholarly monk - PM
The passing away of Aggamaha Panditha Most Ven. Udugama Sri Buddharakkitha Maha Nayake Thero of the Asgiriya Chapter is the most saddening news to us Sri Lankans, Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe stated in a condolence message. MORE...
Power must be distributed – President
President Maithripala Sirisena says that he plans to announce details of a domestic probe into allegations of human rights violation during Sri Lanka’s long civil war by the end of June, just as the country heads into early general elections. MORE..
Risks of a failed peace appearing only now – Ranil
Winning a war or revolution, only to lose the subsequent peace, is one of the grim political truths of our time, says Prime Minister Ranil Wickremasinghe. MORE..
New gov’t satisfied with progress achieved
The new Sri Lankan government said on Tuesday that it is happy with the progress achieved so far since it came to power following the Jan. 8 presidential elections. MORE...
Bhutan PM to visit SL on April 09
The Prime Minister of Bhutan Lyonchhen Tshering Tobgay will visit Sri Lanka on Thursday (09) on a three-day visit, the Government Information Department said. MORE...
Political settlement with Tamils must for stability: PM
Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe has said a “political settlement” with the minority Tamil community is a prerequisite for a “stable and secure” country. MORE...
Won’t do anything that requires referendum – Ranil
Prime Minister Ranil Wickremasinghe today expressed confidence that the 19th Amendment to the Constitution will be passed in Parliament with sufficient backing, despite objections voiced by certain parties including the JHU - a key partner of the government – and calls for a referendum. MORE..
Rehearsal for a new political culture - Ranil
Prime Minister Ranil Wickramasinghe says that the time has come to introduce a new political culture to the country and do away with the existing “expired” political system and culture. MORE..
India takes up fishermen issue after Lanka threat
A day after Sri Lankan Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe said that Indian fishermen may be shot if they “intruded” into his country’s waters, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj on Saturday raised the matter with the Sri Lankan government and emphasised that it was a humanitarian” and “livelihood” issue for the fishermen. MORE...
Modi free to visit any part of Sri Lanka - Ranil
Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe said Friday that the Government of Sri Lanka and its people are eagerly looking forward to Indian Prime MInister Narendra Modi’s visit to the island-nation next week. MORE..
Indian FM to visit Sri Lanka this week
Indian External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj will arrive in Sri Lanka on a two-day official visit on March 6 to pave way for Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to the island nation in mid March, the foreign ministry officials said Sunday. MORE...
Another call to re-call Mahinda
A group of opposition members are expected to meet former President Mahinda Rajapaksa and urge him to contest the upcoming parliamentary elections in the island country, an opposition member has told the Xinhua news agency. MORE...
Sri Lanka to strengthen ‘special friendship’ with China
Describing the bilateral relations between China and Sri Lanka as a ‘special friendship,’ Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe expressed his desire to closely engage with the Chinese Government. MORE..
China, Sri Lanka traditionally friendly neighbours: Xi
Chinese President Xi Jinping on Wednesday sent a congratulatory message to his Sri Lanka counterpart Maithripala Sirisena to mark the 67th anniversary of the founding of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka. MORE..
Mini Budget before Parliament tomorrow
The mini budget will be presented by the Finance Minister in Parliament tomorrow (29) and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe is also due to make a brief statement on this. MORE...