The TNA yesterday demanded that an investigation be conducted into the killing of two Jaffna university students to find out how the rider of the motorcycle, and not the one on the pillion, had suffered gun shot injuries if they had been fleeing. Making a special statement, TNA leader R Sampanthan said: "On Oct 20, 2016 two Third-year students of the University of Jaffna were shot at by the Police at Kulappidi Junction, Kokkuvil. They were both riding a motorcycle at that time.

"Initially the Police reported these two young men had died as a result of a road accident. But the next morning it became clear that they had been shot by the police on the road. The rider of the motor cycle had died with gun shot injuries while the pillion rider died due to head injuries sustained as a result of the crash. The Police have since then changed their position and stated these two students did not stop at the police check point that therefore they opened fire.

"While unreservedly condemning this unwarranted and unlawful attack by the police which has resulted in the deaths of two university students we demand that an impartial inquiry be conducted into these deaths immediately and the truth found out and culprits punished. This inquiry must ascertain as to how gun shots were sustained by the rider of the motor cycle and not the pillion rider if in fact they were fleeing from the Police.

"I was with the President on Oct 21 when this news came and the President immediately ordered a special unit from Colombo to go and take over investigations. The suspects have been arrested and now remanded. Whilst thanking the government for these initial first steps, I wish to ask the Prime Minister as to what further steps have been taken to ensure that the culprits are actually brought to book including through independent judicial processes since serious doubts have been raised in the recent past as to the judicial processes through which high profile crimes seem to have been ended with no conviction at all.

"I also ask the Prime Minister what steps have been taken by the government to immediately ensure that such unlawful acts by law enforcement authorities are not repeated. "It is imperative that the whole country know the full truth with regard to this incident."

Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesighe assured that all the investigations into the deaths of two students would be conducted in a transparent manner and legal action would be taken against those responsible for the offence. He said the incident had come as a shock to the government and investigation were being conducted.

The Catholic Church is planning to present a proposal to the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) through several foreign governments and international organizations to initiate an international investigation into the Easter Sunday terrorist attacks with a view to mete out justice to the victims of those attacks.

Seven individuals, including a child, lost their lives, and 23 others sustained injuries in a tragic accident at the “Fox Hill Super Cross 2024” racing event in Diyatalawa on Sunday (21). The casualties included four racing event officials serving as flag marshals and civilians who were spectators.

The latest iteration of the Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training (CARAT) training exercise – CARAT Sri Lanka 2024 will commence with participation by the United States Navy, U.S. Marine Corps, and Sri Lanka Navy in Trincomalee today (22).

Justice Minister Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe, who took up the position as the Acting Chairman of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) could lose his parliamentary seat, according to the party constitution of the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP), SLPP MP Tissa Kuttiarachchi said today.

Two racing drivers who participated in yesterday's Fox Hill Super Cross 2024 racing event have been arrested by the police over the accident which killed seven people. The arrested are a 36-year-old racer from Matara and 47-year-old from Mahakanda, Peradeniya.

Fmr Sri Lankan High Commissioner to India, Milinda Moragoda met with Indian Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and National Security Adviser Ajit Doval last Friday (19) in New Delhi. Moragoda, the founder of the Pathfinder Foundation, was on a short visit to India and has had discussions with several senior government leaders and heads of think tanks

The Fox Hill Super Cross 2024 racing event, held in Diyatalawa, turned tragic as a race car veered off the track, resulting in the deaths of five individuals and leaving 21 others hospitalized with injuries.

There is a total shortage of 40,000 teachers in schools in the country, General Secretary of the Ceylon Teachers' Union, Joseph Stalin said. Addressing the media, he said the shortage of teachers in schools is reported in the Western, Eastern, North-Central, Southern and Uva Provinces.

Minister Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe was appointed as the Acting Chairman of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) by the Maithripala Sirisena faction.The appointment was made during an executive committee meeting held at a hotel in Kotte with the participation of former President Maithripala Sirisena.

Prayers were offered at the St. Anthony’s Shrine, Kochchikade, led by the Archbishop of Colombo, His Eminence Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith, to mark the fifth anniversary of the Easter Sunday bomb attacks and in commemoration of those whose lives were lost in the terrorist attacks. Meanwhile, another mass was held at the Tewatta Church in Ragama.

A tense standoff unfolded outside the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) headquarters on Darley Road in Colombo 10, as a group attempting to enter the party building was met with resistance from the police.

Claiming that people will not vote as a gratitude for goods distributed by politicians, Minister Prasanna Ranatunge said people have already selected Ranil Wickremesinghe for Presidency as he can rescue the country from the economic crisis.

Nalini Kirubakaran, a 38-year-old at the rehabilitation camp for Sri Lankan Tamils in Tiruchi, became the first naturalised Indian citizen from the Kottapattu camp to vote in a general election on Friday.

The Catholic Church has not accepted proposals of the National Peoples Power (NPP) or the Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) over the probes into the Easter Sunday attacks, Member of the Communications Committee of the Archdiocese of Colombo, Fr. Cyril Gamini Fernando said today.

An expectant mother who developed labour pains on her way to hospital by boat had delivered the child onboard the ferry near Nagadeepa. She had been first admitted to the Nagadeepa Base Hospital and on the advice of doctors had been transferred to the Jaffna Teaching Hospital by ferry.

Small nations like Sri Lanka will be adversely affected if the current conflict between Israel and Iran escalates, Presidential Advisor Ruwan Wijewardene said today.

An Gazette Extraordinary was issued declaring all services connected to the supply of electricity and or distribution of petroleum products and fuel as essential services from yesterday. The notification issued by Secretary to the President Saman Ekanayake.

The one-month general amnesty period announced by the Defence Ministry today will not be applicable to commissioned officers who do not report for duty without leave.

The 19-year-old Sri Lankan national charged in the mass killing of a newcomer family in Ottawa has no plan to seek bail, his lawyer says.

With the Presidential Election scheduled to be held in the first week of October, political parties have begun vigorous campaigns in electorates as well as closed door discussions with parliamentarians in a bid to secure a basic 50 percent vote base which will win them the presidency.