Several photo journalists and cameramen who were at the Fort Magistrate

Cabinet spokesman Mahinda Samarasinghe has said that Keheliya Rambukwella will be removed from the position of co-cabinet spokesman with effect from today (Nov 28). MP Samarasinghe also noted that MP Rambukwella would be removed as State Minister of Mass Media and Digital Infrastructure since the positions of Deputy Ministers and State Ministers are considered invalid during the tenure of an interim government.

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 Kalutara last evening.

The Sri Lankan Rupee further depreciated against the US Dollar today. According to the exchange rates of the Central Bank, the Rupee was selling at Rs.182.27 against the US Dollar.

Eelam Tamils across the world come together to remember and pay tribute to the Maaveerar - those who gave their lives for the struggle for liberation. In the North-East, recent weeks saw local residents, former LTTE cadre and families of the Maaveerar Naal clearing and renovating the Thuyilum Illams (LTTE cemetries or resting homes), which were destroyed by the Sri Lankan military, in preparation for the event.

The excavations at the mass grave, which was discovered near the old CWE (Sathosa) building in Mannar, have been resumed, according to the Judicial Medical Officer in charge of the inspection Dr S. Rajapaksa. He stated that the 105th day of the excavations is to be resumed from today (27) after it temporarily came to a halt recently. Under the instructions of the Mannar Magistrate

Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) Ravindra Wijegunaratne again failed to report to the CID this morning, officials said. The CDS was asked to report to the CID to record a statement over allegedly harbouring Lieutenant Commander Prasad Hettiarachchi alias Navy Sampath. He was first summoned to the CID in September but failed to appear as he left for Mexico. This was the second time he was summoned to the CID.

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 decision was taken at its parliamentary group meeting.

On a request made by Iran, Finance Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa had given clearance for an Iranian involved in the Uma Oya project to take USD 53,455 out of the country, on humanitarian grounds. The Finance Ministry rejected reports that the Customs Department was pressurised to release the money.

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

Chief Justice Nalin Perera today appointed a seven-member judge bench headed by him to hear the fundamental rights petitions filed against the dissolution of parliament. The bench comprises of Chef Justice Nalin Perera, Buwaneka Aluvihare, Sisira de Abrew, Priyantha Jayawardana, Prasanna Jayawardana, Vijitha Malalgoda and Murdu Fernando.

The United National Party (UNP) today insisted that President Maithripala Sirisena cannot decide who can be the Prime Minister of Sri Lanka, based on his personal vendettas. UNP Chairman Kabir Hashim said noted that the President is reported to have said that he will not appoint Ranil Wickremesinghe as the Prime Minister in his life time even if legally proven that he commands the confidence of the majority in the house.

The Sri Lankan Rupee depreciated to over Rs. 181 against the US Dollar today. The SL Rupee sold at Rs 181.54 against the US Dollar today.

Sri Lanka's Court of Appeal today fixed for support on November 30 the petition challenging Mahinda Rajapaksa's premiership. As many as 122 parliamentarians of UNP, JVP and TNA on last Friday (23) filed a Writ of Quo Warranto in the Court of Appeal challenging Mahinda Rajapaksa on what authority he continues to hold the office of Prime Minister after a no confidence motion had been passed in Parliament against him.

A key witness in the police investigations into the Chief of Defense Staff Admiral Ravi Wijegunaratne's role in sheltering the main suspect in the abductions of 11 youths has been threatened, the police said. According to the Fort Police, the witness, identified as Lieutenant Commander Laksiri of Sri Lanka Navy has lodged a complaint that he was assaulted and threatened by a group of people.

Former Chief Justice Shirani Bandaranaike

Police Chief Pujith Jayasundera has sent instructions to OICs island-wide to stay on maximum alert as the new government and the ousted government began preparations for countrywide rallies to state their respective cases over the month-long Constitutional crisis following the October 26 sacking of the United National Front government.

The Cabinet has decided to award to the China Harbour Engineering Company (CHEC) Ltd the civil work in a project to enhance the deep berth capacity of the Jaya Container Terminal (JCT) of the Sri Lanka Ports Authority (SLPA). The Cabinet also sanctioned the granting of a contract to procure container handling equipment for the same terminal to another Chinese company

The Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC) says it will never support newly appointed Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa because of the violence which took place in Digana when he was President. SLMC leader Rauff Hakeem said that Rajapaksa is feared by the minorities.

While requesting the people to support him like during the war as this is the final chance to rebuild the nation, Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa today said that there is no need to hold a presidential election at this stage. Issuing a special statement regarding the October 26th change of Prime Minister and government, the Prime Minister also said

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 bid to bring back the country's former strongman Mahinda Rajapakse has already failed.

Criminal Investigations Department (CID) has recorded a statement from Police Chief Pujith Jayasundara this morning over the Anti-Corruption Force convener Namal Kumara

Jaffna Magistrate Sinnathurai Satheeswaran has banned the

United National Party (UNP) leader Ranil Wickremesinghe today accused the media of not being fair in their coverage. Speaking at a UNP rally in Kandy today, Wickremesinghe said that in Parliament yesterday, after the Mahinda Rajapaksa-led camp walked out, Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake, UNP MP Mangala Samaraweera and Tamil National Alliance leader R. Sampanthan made important speeches yet little or no coverage was given to those speeches.

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 hold a general election.

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 countrywide and everything had been set. He said 422,850 would be school candidates while 23,3791candidates will be sitting as private applicants. Mr. Pujitha said special examination centres would be set up at Ratmalana, Tangalle, Matara Chillaw and the Colombo magazine prison.

Former Navy Commander and current Chief of Defense Staff Admiral Ravindra Wijegunaratne has been ordered to appear before the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) on Monday, 27th to record a statement over the allegation that he helped a suspect in the abduction and murder of 11 youths to evade arrest. Admiral Wijegunaratne is alleged of helping former Navy Lieutenant Commander Chandana Prasad Hettiarachchi, who is the main suspect in the abduction and murder of 11 youths in 2008-2009, to abscond.

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 The Hindu. The MPs, who filed the Quo Warranto petition challenging Mr. Rajapaksa, his purported Cabinet and government, earlier disputed his controversial appointment as Prime Minister in the legislature.