While claiming that the International Monetary Fund (IMF) remains ready to support Sri Lanka, its Managing Director Christine Lagarde said that an IMF team is scheduled to visit Colombo in mid-February to resume program discussions. Christine Lagarde, on Tuesday, met with visiting Finance Minister Mangala Samaraweera and Governor Indrajit Coomaraswamy, in Washington DC.

The Tamil National Alliance (TNA) said it was only in consultation with the party that the Cabinet could take a decision on the development of the post-war areas in the Northern and Eastern Provinces. TNA MP Mavai Senadhirajah told a public rally in Jaffna on Monday that they had discussed this matter with the government and had appointed a 10-member committee for this purpose.

Hambantota District UPFA MP Chamal Rajapaksa speaking to the media yesterday said that he too is ready for the forthcoming Presidential Election. He said further that Gotabaya Rajapaksa says that if the people are ready, he is also ready to contest for the Presidential poll. If I am also suitable for the post of President, I am also ready for it.

A group of devotees engaged in religious activities in connection with Thai Pongal festival at the Naachimar Kovil, Wannarpannai in Jaffna were brutally assaulted yesterday by a group of armed youth. The assailants arrived on five motorcycles. The other devotees at the kovil fled in fear as another youth who attempted to break the fight was also attacked with a sword. Those who were injured in the attack were taken to Jaffna Teaching Hospital. Jaffna Police are conducting further investigations.

UPFA MP Rohitha Abeygunawardana yesterday challenged UNP General Secretary Akila Viraj Kariyawasam to resign from parliament if the UPFA candidate wins the presidential election. He said he would also bet his parliament membership.

A committee has rejected most of the content in a memorandum of understanding submitted by the US government to the Sri Lankan defence ministry with regard to the signing of a bilateral defence pact, reports say. The committee led by the defence secretary has been tasked with studying the MoU. The MoU reportedly contains provisions for the establishment of bilateral security facilities, training, supplies and regional security.

The meeting scheduled for today between International Monetary Fund (IMF) Managing Director Christine Lagarde and Sri Lankan delegation has been postponed due to a snowstorm in Washington. Minister Dr. Harsha de Silva, who is a delegate, tweeted that all the meetings of IMF had been postponed due to the snowstorms in Washington.

Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) said today it was unreservedly opposed to the proposed move to bring a new Constitution as it would create more problems rather than solving the existing ones. SLPP Chairman Prof. G.L. Peiris told the Daily Mirror that he called on the Mahanayake Theras of Asgiriya and Malwatte Chapters during the weekend and briefed his party

Land reclamation of the Financial City, previously known as the Port City, has been completed, the Ministry of Megapolis and Western Province Development said. While land reclamation has been completed, construction of the city is scheduled to begin soon. The Port City once completed, will be an extension of the Central Business District of Sri Lanka spanning 269 hectares of reclaimed land from the sea. The land will be developed as a residential, retail and business destination.

Minister of Justice and Prison Reforms, Attorney at Law Thalatha Athukorala has stated, that the war heroes who have safeguarded this country have not been allowed to go to any court after suffering their blood sweat from the sweat of their blood.The Minister made this statement yesterday at the opening of the Kahawatta mine waterway organization.

Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe will be the next UNP Presidential candidate, Minister of Tourism Development, Wildlife and Christian Religious Affairs John Amaratunga, said. Minister Amaratunga expressed these views at the launching ceremony of the Day Entry Electronic Permit Issuance e-service for National Parks yesterday (14), at the Sri Lanka Institute of Tourism and Hotel Management.

The Office of Missing Persons will accompany bone samples drawn from Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka Navy has recovered a dead body of an Indian fisherman during a search conducted in the sea area off the Delft Island today (13th January). The deceased has been identified as Karuppaiah Munnasami, aged 55 from Ramanathapuram in Tamil Nadu, India. The Navy is in the process of bringing the body to the shore in order to hand it over to the Jaffna Police.

The ministry of law and order has decided to security detail of parliamentarians. Until now, a MP was entitled to only 02 policemen. However, the ministry has decided to increase it to 04 policemen. Speaking during a meeting of UPFA and JO MPs recently, the president announced this decision in his capacity as minister of defence, noting that a large number MPs have requested to increase their security,

At a meeting held at the Presidential Secretariat last evening (13), President Maithripala Sirisena instructed the Sri Lanka Freedom Party electoral organizers to prepare for Provincial Council elections prior to a Presidential Election.

Former Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaka has declared that he is ready to contest the next presidential election. Rajapasa said, over the week end, that he was ready to take up the challenge if the people threw their weight behind him. The declaration was made at the Viyathmaga meeting, on January 12, in Colombo. The former Defence Secretary made his position known on the next presidential polls against the backdrop of the SLFP declaring President Maithripala Sirisiena would seek a second term

Former Minister Basil Rajapaksa says the next President will be from the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP). He said that before the year 2019 ends he expects a President to be elected from the SLPP-led new alliance. Rajapaksa said this while speaking at an event today, the SLPP media unit said.

Newly appointed Northern Province Governor Dr. Suren Raghavan said Buddhisisation in the North and East with political motives should be stopped and that he would be meeting the Mahanayaka Theras to discuss the issue soon.

The Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (UNHRC) has set 20 March as the day to discuss the report on Sri Lanka at the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva, a spokesperson for the Geneva office told The Sunday Morning on Friday. The draft programme of work set last week listed Sri Lanka under item two on the provisional agenda for 20 March. The UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) will meet in Geneva for its 40th session from 25 February-22 March, 2019.

The Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) and the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) failed to reach an agreement on the presidential candidate for the next election. Speaking to The Sunday Morning, SLPP Chairman Professor G.L. Peiris said that former President Mahinda Rajapaksa, the Leader of their party would decide who the SLPP presidential candidate should be.

All the government Tamil school would be closed on Monday (Jan 14) in lieu of the Thaipongal festival, the Education Ministry said today.

Twenty Indian fishermen were arrested by the Sri Lanka Navy for poaching in Sri Lankan territorial waters in the seas off Delft Island and Thalaimannar yesterday. The Navy said the fishermen were arrested along with three fishing trawlers during a special operation. Accordingly, nine fishermen onboard two fishing trawlers were taken into custody in the seas off the Delft Island. The rest of the 11 fishermen and their trawler was arrested in the sea area of Thalaimannar.

Sri Lankan delegation led by Minister of Finance and Media Mangala Samaraweera arrived in Washington today to discuss Sri Lanka

The Government has been accused of failing to investigate serious crimes related to the war. Amnesty International said that while the Government has made some progress establishing mechanisms towards ensuring truth and reparation for victims, it has thus far failed to take effective measures towards investigating the alleged crimes and, where sufficient admissible evidence exists, prosecuting those accused of responsibility.

President, Indian National Congress (INC), Rahul Gandhi has extended his wishes to Ranil Wickremesinghe on his re-appointment as Prime Minister. In a letter dated December 18, 2018, Mr. Gandhi had said that the return of Mr. Wickremesinghe as premier was a sign which reassured the prevailing of the constitution. He also added that the no-confidence vote in Parliament and the Supreme court's verdict were a vindication of parliamentary democracy.

The new constitution should be passed in Parliament and taken before the people at a referendum and the people would decide whether it should become the supreme law of the country or not, and one did not need a general election for that, said TNA Leader R. Sampanthan in parliament yesterday.

The UK headquartered Global Tamil Forum (GTF) has urged Geneva-based United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) to take appropriate action in respect of wartime General Officer Commanding 58 Division Maj. Gen. Shavendra Silva receiving appointment as the Chief Staff of the Army.

President Maithripala Sirisena is slated to visit the Philippines on Tuesday upon the invitation of President Rodrigo R. Duterte, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said. The Sri Lankan Leader