Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa cutting his birthday cake following the successful completion of the All Party Conference hosted by President Maithripala Sirisena at the Presidential Secretariat yesterday.

Parliamentarian Prasanna Ranaweera says he regrets if his actions last week in Parliament had affected any policeman or Government officer. Ranaweera was seen on TV slapping a policeman and also throwing chili powder towards the policemen. The Parliamentarian says he is being unfairly accused over the incident by the media. In a statement today Ranaweera said that since the policemen were in unmarked uniforms he was not sure if they were policemen or United National Party thugs. However, he said that if they were really policemen then he regrets his actions.

President Maithripala Sirisena will today meet leaders of political parties represented in Parliament including ousted Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe in a bid to resolve the three week long deepening political crisis. This follows a telephone call made by Mr. Wickremesinghe yesterday to President Sirisena. The meeting has been scheduled for 5 p.m. Ahead of this meeting Mr. Wickremesinghe will be meeting the constituent parties of the United National Front (UNF).

Police Inspector Nishantha Silva, who is known as one of the most talented officers in the CID, has been transferred immediately. He was investigating cases with regard to the abduction and murder of 11 youths, the assaults on Keith Noyahr, Upali Tennakoon and Namal Perera as well as the murder of Lasantha Wickremetunga. IP Nishantha was behind collecting evidence behind the murder of student Vidya in Jaffna, which led to the arrest of all suspects.

There may be consequences for current and future defence and security projects between Sri Lanka and the United States if the Sri Lankan government does not uphold the law and democratic principles, the US Embassy said.

Speaker Karu Jayasuriya today informed President Maithripala Sirisena that he would not attend the all-party conference scheduled for this evening at the Presidential Secretariat in Colombo. A spokesman at the Speaker's Office said the Speaker would not attend the discussions on the basis that it would be among political party representatives.

In line with the government's policy of releasing civilians' land used by Security Forces, the Sri Lanka Army has released another 56 acres of land to the public in the North. The Army continuing the process of releasing non-governmental lands that have been used or remain unused by the Security Forces in the Wanni region, has released land blocks of 56.8 acres in the general area of Mundimurippu jungle area on Wednesday (14).

Former Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa says that Mahinda Rajapaksa could have become Prime Minister with a two-thirds majority in Parliament if he had waited for elections in a year and a half, but questioned whether the country could wait that long. He made these comments while addressing a seminar of the

Former President Chandrika Kumaraunga and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi met each other at the swearing in ceremony of the new Maldives President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih in Male

President Maithripala Sirisena has said that he would not accept the results of yesterday

The Office of the Prime Minister yesterday said there is a 12-step standard procedure which should be followed by the parliament when constitutionally passing a No-Confidence Motion (NCM) against a prime minister. In a statement, Prime Minister's Secretary S. Amarasekara said the NCM should be first handed over to the speaker with at least 20 signatures.

The Government today urged Speaker Karu Jayasuriya to set dates to debate and conduct a fresh vote on a no-confidence motion on the cabinet of Mahinda Rajapaksa. Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) member and United People

British High Commissioner James Dauris yesterday said Sri Lankans had again seen deplorable behaviour by some MPs, unbecoming of them and of the Parlia-ment."Voters across Sri Lanka elected Members of Parlia-ment to do an important job. But Sri Lankans have again seen deplorable behaviour by some MPs, unbecoming of them and of their noble institution. No parliament can perform its role when its own members stop it from doing so," he said in a tweet. Dauris commented on the situation in the wake of latest disruption of House proceedings earlier in the day.

President Maithripala Sirisena is reported to have told political party representatives that he would not re-appoint UNP Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe as the Prime Minister. He said this to the UNF representatives who met him, at his request, on Thursday evening to discuss the current political impasse. The President indicated to them that another person should be nominated to the post instead of Mr. Wickremesinghe in the event Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa was unseated through a properly passed no-confidence motion against him

A motion on no-confidence on Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa, was passed in Parliament with an amendment today. The motion was passed as a tense situation arose in Parliament with Government Parliamentarians protesting and occupying the Speaker

Speaker Karu Jayasuriya entered the Parliament chambers with heavy police protection today. The Speaker was forced to enter from the side door as Government Parliamentarians were protesting near the Speaker

United National Party (UNP) MP Lakshman Kiriella said today President Maithripala Sirisena should recognize UNP leader Ranil Wickremesinghe as the Prime Minister because the no-confidence motion against the fake government was once again passed in Parliament today. He told Daily Mirror that the motion was declared passed on a voice vote and as such the government had ceased to function. Mr. Kiriella said Mr. Wickremesinghe commands sufficient support in the House.

Speaker Karu Jayasuriya has informed President Maithripala Sirisena on the passing of the no-confidence motion on Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa in Parliament today.

President Maithripala Sirisena said he would not prorogue Parliament under any circumstances. He urged all Parliamentarians to uphold principles of democracy parliamentary traditions at all times.

British High Commissioner James Dauris today said Sri Lankans have again seen deplorable behaviour by some MPs, unbecoming of them and of the Parliament.

November 15, 2018.

The Canadian Tamil Congress (CTC) advises we have received an allegation of misconduct by a former employee of the CTC. This complaint has been taken seriously by the CTC and the private investigation agency, Investigative Solutions Network, is conducting an ongoing investigation. It would be inappropriate to comment further at this time.

Since late last month, politicians in Sri Lanka have engaged in a war of words over who is the country

An unnecessary conflict had been created between the Legislature and the Executive, Speaker Karu Jayasuriya said in a letter to President Maithripala Sirisena today.

The United National Party (UNP) today called for early Presidential elections.Speaking at a major rally in Colombo this evening, UNP leader Ranil Wickremesinghe said that he is prepared to go for a fresh no-confidence vote in Parliament.Wickremesinghe said that he was confident Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa will lose the confidence vote for a second time in Parliament.He said that the UNP is also prepared to face a Parliamentary election and a Presidential election.

The Sri Lankan Rupee depreciated further against the US Dollar today. The Rupee was selling at Rs 178.10 against the US Dollar today.

Former President Chandrika Kumaratunga said that she is watching with concern and regret the efforts by some Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) members to betray the peoples

United National Front (UNF) party leaders have decided to meet President Maithripala Sirisena at 5.00 pm today, MP Patali Champika Ranawaka said in a news briefing held at the Parliamentary complex this afternoon

Speaker Karu Jayasuriya ruled today that the Government did not have the majority in Parliament. He gave the ruling after a no-confidence motion on Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa was taken for a vote when Parliament began sessions today. The Speaker calculated the votes based on a