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Police have taken necessary action to quell the underworld killings reported from various parts of the country, IGP Pujith Jayasundera said.

Speaking at a ceremony in Colombo on Saturday, the IGP said wide ranging investigations have also been launched into the activities of the four underworld characters apprehended recently, who had maintained dealings with the two underworld kingpins Angoda Lokka and Makandure Madush.

Underworld kingpins Madhush Lakshitha alias Makandure Madhush and Lasantha Chandana Perera alias Angoda Lokka are currently said to be operating from abroad.

Angoda Lokka and Makandure Madhush are believed to be connected to the assassination of another underworld character Aruna Udaya Shantha alias Samayan and seven others, including a prison officer in Kalutara on February 27, 2017.

Source : Daily News

UNP Parliamentary Group has conveyed its refusal to work with SLFP Ministers who voted against Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe at the No confidence motion vote going forward. The issue was taken up at yesterday's meeting between the UNP working committee and the party’s MP’s in parliament.

However the group had expressed their willingness to continue to be art of the consensus government with others in the SLFP who abstained from the crucial legislative vote thereby indirectly supporting the PM.

The UNP MP group is said to have reached agreement on how to move forward as a coalition with the SLFP at the eight hour meeting held at Temple Trees yesterday. The party had also discussed other matters such as internal reforms and the restructuring of the party as promised by Wickramasinghe.

The decision of the UNP came as it was annouced that 16 SLFP Ministers had written to President Maithripala Sirisena yesterday requesting they be permitted to relinquish their ministerial portfolios and function as MPs of the opposition.

Former Sri Lankan player and renowned commentator Russel Arnold was appointed as the tournament director for the Lankan Premier League (LPL), Sri Lanka Cricket announced.

“We consider bringing in a person in the caliber of Russel as the Tournament Director of the LPL will help the process of making it a successful tournament, especially considering his experience as a player and also his knowledge in promoting the game,” SLC President, Thilanga Sumathipala said.
The competition, which Sri Lanka will be hoping could be as big as the IPL and BBL, could run into complications though it is scheduled to be held at the same time as the Caribbean Premier League (CPL).

According to ESPNCricinfo, the SLC are going to ask the BCCI to allow lesser known Indian players to participate in the league.

If the Indian players are allowed to play it could be a coup for the tournament as they might attract a major TV deal.

Prime Minister Wickremesinghe led a UNP delegation for late night talks with President Sirisena at the latter’s Paget Road residence yesterday, to reach a consensus on how to work together in the aftermath of the divisive no-faith vote last week.

Accompanying the Premier to the meeting were UNP Ministers Mangala Samaraweera, Malik Samarawickrema, Vajira Abeywardane and Kabir Hashim. The two leaders decided that a cabinet reshuffle would take place next week.

The talks ended positively with both leaders keen to find a way to work together again to fulfil outstanding promises of their 2015 mandate, highly placed sources said. It was the second meeting between President Sirisena and the Prime Minister on the future of the coalition since last week’s no-confidence vote

Source : Sunday Observer

Minister Malik Samarawickrama has resigned as the United National Party (UNP) Chairman. According to Samarawickrama he tendered his resignation letter to UNP leader, Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe.

The move comes at a time where the party is undergoing major reforms. Last week UNP General Secretary Kabir Hashim resigned from his post to make way for the reforms in the UNP.

Veteran Sri Lankan actress Ratnavali Kekunawela, who contributed her voice to the role of "Menike" in 60's popular radio drama Muwan Palassa passed away yesterday at the age of 88.

The immensely popular actress, who entered the silver screen from 'Sath Samudura' movie played numerous roles in all art fields including radio, stage, television and film.

She has worked for over 60 years as an artist winning many awards, including the Sarasavi Awards and Presidential Awards.

Her remains lie at No. 25/1 Wedi Kanda Road, St. Rita’s lane, Ratmalana. The funeral will take place on Monday (09) at 4 pm at the Borella Cemetery.

The President and the Prime Minister have decided to reshuffle the Cabinet before the Sinhala and Tamil New Year, Minister Akila Viraj Kariyawasam said.

He stated that the decision was taken by the two party leaders during a meeting held last night.

Kariyawasam also said that the United National Party (UNP) has officially informed the President that the party is unable to work with the SLFP Ministers and MPs who voted in favour of the no-confidence motion against the PM.

On Friday, President Maithripala Sirisena said that the future of the current cabinet ministers and the proposed reshuffle would be discussed at the Central SLFP Committee meeting scheduled to be held on Monday (April 9) and the reshuffle will be studied by a joint committee of the two parties and it would be done in a scientific manner.

Sirikotha sources say the suggestions have been made to give greater responsibilities to Minister Mangala Samaraweera within the United National Party in the upcoming party reorganization.

Mangala Samaraweera who left the Rajapaksa government in 2006 and challenged the government, joined the UNP at the invitation of UNP leader Ranil Wickremesinghe. However, he has not been given any major responsible title yet.

But due to his support and efforts to defeat the recent no confidence and gain his expertise to uplift the party, suggestions have been made to present the Minister with a higher position within the party during yesterday party reorganization meeting.

The working committee of the UNP and the UNP parliamentary group held a lengthy discussion on the recommendations and proposals of the three committees on the restructuring of the party as a pledged by UNP leader Ranil Wickremesinghe.

It is also proposed to establish several Deputy Leader posts in the UNP.

The decision regarding the removal of 16 SLFP MP’s from their Ministerial portfolios is likely to be decided at todays SLFP central committee meeting.

16 MP’s who voted against PM Wickramasinghe at the recent no confidence vote had written to the President yesterday requesting that they be removed from their Ministerial portfolios and be allowed to sit in the opposition. However the President is yet to respond to their request Minister Dayasiri Jayasekara said.

When asked if other SLFP Ministers in the Government who abstained from voting for the no confidence motion had also decided to quit their portfolios, Jayasekera said he was not aware of any such decision by them.

The MP’s also claimed that disciplinary action against them was unwarranted, since President Sirisena had been informed beforehand of their decision to vote in support of the JO’s no faith motion.

The NCM against the PM was defeated in Parliament last Wednesday with 122 votes against and only 76 votes being cast in favor. Among the SLFP Ministers who voted in favour of the NCM were SB Dissanayake, Dayasiri Jayasekera, John Seneviratne, Lakshman Wasantha Perera, Sudarshini Fernandopulle, Tharanath Basnayake, Dilan Perera, Susantha Punchinilame, Anura Priyadarshana Yapa, Susil Premajayantha, Lakshman Yapa Abeywardena, Chandima Weerakkody, Sumedha Jayasena and Anuradha Jayaratne.

Jaffna High Court Judge M.Ilancheliyan had ordered to lower the sound of the loudspeaker of the Nayanmarkandu Kovil in Jaffna.

He admonished the kovil priest in court saying “Gods hear better than humans”. Several citizens of the city had filed a petition three weeks back against the kovil for its high levels of volume which disturbs the day to day activities of nearby citizens.

The petition states that students and patients of the nearby schools and hospitals suffer from the kovil loudspeaker's high volume.

The judge then ordered the Kovil priest to lower the volume and the ‘Grama Sevaka’was advised to produce a report on the outcome.The report stated that the volume hasn’t been lowered as advised by court. Another petition was filed by the citizens and the kovil priest was summoned before the judge.

When inquired, the priest had stated that the Gods prefer loud volumes to which the judge had replied that Gods hear better than humans and to lower the volumes of the loudspeakers.The judge had also warned the priest stating that ‘Pooja’s should be offered without distracting the citizens in their day to day activities.

Source : Daily News

Veteran writer Rupa Malathi Saparamadu passed away this morning (Dec. 8).

She was 85 years old at the time of her death. Rupa Malathi Saparamadu, was the late writer Martin Wickremesinghe's eldest daughter.

Saparamadu who wrote many books during her time was also a member of the Martin Wickremesinghe's Trust Fund as well as a director of the Tisara Institute.

Her remains lie at her residence in No 11, Pepiliyana Mawatha, Pepiliyana, Kohuwala. Funeral details will be announced later family sources said

The Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) congratulates Sri Lankan Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe for overwhelmingly defeating a parliamentary no-confidence motion against him, held yesterday evening. The Prime Minister defeated the motion by 122 to 76 votes.

Prime Minister Wickremesinghe has been a longstanding friend of the Maldives, and Sri Lanka remains one of our closest allies.

The manner in which the Prime Minister defeated the no-confidence motion is a great example of how democratic leaders respond to challenges from their political opposition.

President Yameen,who ordered the military to illegally storm the People’s Majlis in order to quash a no-confidence motion against the Speaker has much to learn from true leaders like Prime Minister Wickremesinghe.

Source : Newsinasia