PHU lodges complaints against Bathiudeen, Salley

The Pivithuru Hela Urumaya (PHU) today lodged two complaints with the three-member committee at the Police Headquarters against former minister Rishad Bathiudeen and former governor Azath Salley. Pix by Nisal Baduge

National Digital Roadmap for Smart launched

Sri Lanka Telecom today (11) marked a special milestone in the country’s digital journey towards SMART Sri Lanka with the launch of the National Digital Roadmap at the Nelum Pokuna Theatre, under the patronage of President Maithripala Sirisena.

Going ahead with Poson pandals

Though Sri Lanka celebrated Vesak festival low-key with little or no pandals and other decorations, people were seen getting ready to celebrate the upcoming Poson Poya in a much more grand scale. Seen here are some inmates making a pandal at the All Ceylon Buddhist Congress premises in Colombo for Poson.

Wild stallions battle over a mare

Rare and dramatic pictures show a wild stallion in the Shropshire hills trying to bite his male rival in the head. The dramatic fight between two wild stallions as they battled over a female.

FinMin signs Statements of Corporate Intent

Eight state-owned enterprises (SOEs) entered into Statements of Corporate Intent (SCI) with the Finance Ministry in a bid to strengthening their governance, accountability and transparency, under clearly defined medium-term performance-driven targets during the next three-year period.

PM, MR at symposium on ISIS impact on SL

Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe and Opposition Leader Mahinda Rajapaksa yesterday attended an international symposium organised by the ‘Mahinda Rajapaksa Centre’ which was held at Kingsbury Hotel under the theme of ‘The Global Expansion of ISIS: Impact on Sri Lanka.’ Pix by Kithsiri De Mel

Under one umbrella

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi was welcomed by President Maithripala Sirisena at the Presidential Secretariat this afternoon. A gun salute by the Sri Lankan Military was also accorded to the visiting Prime Minister. Pix by Nimalsiri Edirisinghe

Modi arrives

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi who arrived in Sri Lanka on his way back to India from the Maldives, was received by Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe at the BIA this morning. Pix by Kushan Pathiraja

Maha Sangha Samuluwa

Thousands of Buddhist monks converged at the BMICH on Saturday for a Maha Sangha Samuluwa to discuss the role of the Buddhist Monk in the current political context.

Keeping traditions alive

A graduation ceremony of Kandyan dancers, which is called a Ves Mangalya for male students and a Pahim Path Mangalya for female students, was held at the Minuwangoda Rajamaha Viharaya on Thursday. Similar to Arangetram in Bharata Natyam, Ves Mangalya and Pahim Path Mangalya are performances which allow Kandyan dancing students to showcase their talents to their parents, teachers, friends and all well-wishers. Pix by Nisal Baduge

Protest against move to ban wadu maduwa

A group of carpenters staged a protest outside the Moratuwa Municipal Council against President Maithripala Sirisena’s decision to prohibit the import of tree cutting machines, chainsaws, mechanical saws and the carpenter workshops popularly known as ‘wadu maduwa’. Pix by Reka Tharangani

Making arrangements for Poson

A meeting was held at Temple Trees to discuss making arrangements for the Poson Festival. Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, Buddhist monks and several ministers took part in the meeting. Pic by Pradeep Pathirana

Onella arrives at CID

Minister Ravi Karunanayake’s daughter Onella Karunanayake, today appeared before the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) to give a statement over allegedly providing false evidence before the presidential commission of inquiry into the bond scam. Pix by Lahiru Harshana

Pujith, Hemasiri at PSC

Former IGP Pujith Jayasundara and Former Defence Secretary Hemasiri Fernando gave evidence before the Parliamentary Select Committee (PSC) appointed to look into the select committee appointed to look into the Easter Sunday attacks today.

World Environment Day celebrations at BMICH

Army celebrates Iftar

An ’Iftar’ ceremony was held in Nachchikuda under the patronage of the Security Forces Commander in Kilinochchi, Major General Vijitha Ravipriya and Major General Wasantha Kumarapperuma at the Mohideen Jummah Mosque on June 1. During the Iftar ceremony, dry rations were given for 50 families in the area.

Eid Mubarak

A Muslim devotee seen praying inside the Minuwangoda Jumma Mosque which was attacked and damaged during anti-Muslim riots recently. Muslims ended the Ramadan fasting and then went into celebrating Ramadan festival today. Pix by Pradeep Pathirana

PM at BMICH

Postgraduate degree award ceremony of the Sri Lanka Institute of Development Administration was held at the BMICH under the patronage of Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe yesterday.

Nalaka De Silva appears before PSC

Former DIG of Terrorist Investigation Division (TID), Nalaka De Silva today appeared before the Parliamentary Select Committee (PSC) appointed to look into Easter Sunday attacks

JVP unveils proposals to defeat extremism, communalism

IUSF protest over Batticaloa Campus

Inter-University Students Federation (IUSF) yesterday carried out a protest march from Technical junction to the Fort Railway Station urging the authorities to provide solutions over several demands including the government to take actions to abolish the ‘Batticaloa Campus’. Pix by Pradeep Pathirana and Kushan Pathiraja

PM distributes Samurdi certificates

Samurdi certificates were distributed to recipients in Jaffna by Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe. Ministers Rajitha Senaratne, Mangala Samaraweera and Daya Gamage and State Minister Vijayakala Maheswaran, TNA MPs Mawai Senathirajah and Dharamalimgam Sidharthan also participated in the event.

Muslim ministers decide to resign

During a news briefing held at Temple Trees in Colombo today, Minister Rauff Hakeem announced that all Muslim ministers including cabinet, state and deputy ministers have decided to resign from their portfolios. Pix by Nimalsiri Edirisinghe

Protest to remove Bathiudeen, Hizbullah and Salley

A protest was launched outside the Fort Railway Station this afternoon urging the government to remove Minister Rishad Bathiudeen, Eastern Province Governor M.L.A.M. Hizbullah and Western Province Governor Azath Salley from their posts. The road in front of the railway station was seen blocked during the protest. Pix by Kushan Pathiraja

MR meets Ranil at Temple Trees

Opposition Leader Mahinda Rajapaksa and several MPs held discussions with Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe at the Temple Trees this morning on the economy of the country which was badly hit by the Easter Sunday terror attacks.

IDPs get new houses

Five houses constructed for the IDPs were handed over to occupants in Nedunkulum Jaffna yesterday by Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe. Ministers Rajitha Senaratne, Mangala Samaraweera and Daya Gamage and state Minister Vijayakala Maheswaran, TNA MPs Mawai Senathirajah and Dharamalimgam Sidharthan also participated in the event. Pix by Pradeep Pathirana

Cardinal visits Rathana Thera

Archbishop of Colombo, Malcolm Cardinal Ranjith today visited Parliamentarian Ven. Athuraliye Rathana Thera, who is engaged in a hunger strike in front of Sri Dalada Maligawa calling for the removal of Minister Rishad Bathiudeen, Eastern Province Governor M.L.A.M. Hizbullah and Western Province Governor Azath Salley from their posts.

PM in Matale

A ceremony to distribute Samurdhi was held in Matale with Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe as the Chief Guest on Saturday. Pix by Pradeep Pathirana

Buddhist, Catholic leaders make plea

Chief prelates of the Malwatte and Asgiriya chapters and Colombo’s Archbishop Malcolm Cardinal Ranjith called on the government to refrain from entering into any agreement with any foreign country in a manner foreign armed forces could enter Sri Lanka and set up camps in the country jeopardizing the people’s sovereignty upheld by the Constitution

Tourists at Dalada Maligawa

Tourists were seen at the Historic Dalada Maligawa in Kandy today. Tourist arrival had declined in the country in the aftermath of the Easter Sunday terror attack. However, now the situation has returned to normalcy.