A protest was held outside the Kurunegala hospital today (Jul 30) claiming that the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) inquiry into doctor Mohamed Shafi had been biased. Dr. Shafi who was released on bail last week was accused of multiple charges including the sterilization of women. During the hearing, the CID informed the court that no evidence had been found so far to prove the charges against Dr. Shafi.

The brother-in-law of National Thowheed Jamaath (NTJ) leader Zahran Hashim was arrested by the Colombo Crime Division (CCD) from Katupotha last night, police said The 28-year-old suspect- Abdul Kader Asim- who had undergone weapon training in Nuwara Eliya alone with Zaharan, is the elder brother of Zaharan’s wife.

At least five treasure hunters were taken into custody during a patrol conducted in Mandekal Aru area, Kilinochchi on Sunday, the Navy said. A group of naval personnel attached to the Northern Naval Command, while patrolling in the Mandekal Aru area, have spotted a group of people behaving in a suspicious manner.

Three persons have been killed while five were left injured in a collision involving a lorry and a luxury bus along the Medawachchiya - Anuradhapura road last night. According to the police, the accident had occured at around 11:50 pm when the bus which had been travelling towards Jaffna had collided with the lorry which had been heading towards Dambulla.

Former Northern Provincial Council Member M.K. Sivajilingam said that Tamils would not support any Sinhalese or Southern-based candidate at the forthcoming presidential election. When asked about the stand taken by the main Tamil coalition, the Tamil National Alliance, he said that Tamil people were disgusted by the actions taken by the TNA so far. He said that the government that came to power in 2015 had already hoodwinked the Tamil people and the TNA had also done the same to the Tamil people.

Criminal Investigations Department (CID) Director Shani Abeysekera has lodged a police complaint against lawyer Manoj Gamage, Police Spokesman Ruwan Gunasekara said. Abeysekara, a Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP), said that Mr Gamage, had levelled threats against him during a press conference held recently.

The petitions filed against two top state officials over the failure to prevent the terrorist attacks on April 21 will be taken up for further hearing on September 3, the Supreme Court announced today (Jul 29). A total of 12 petitions have been filed against former Defence Secretary Hemasiri Fernando and Inspector General of Police (IGP) Pujith Jayasundara over the failure to prevent the attacks despite having beforehand intelligence warnings in this regard.

President Maithripala Sirisena today (Jul 29) claimed he was not alone in his efforts to re-introduce judicial hangings as around 90 percent of the public have supported the move. Addressing an event in Ratnapura, President Sirisena reiterated his call for the death penalty, which he said would be re-introduced for the betterment of the future generations of the country.

Bodies of twin female infants had been found murdered at a house in Ninthavur, Sammanthurai this morning, the Police said. They said that the infants were 10 months old. They said they suspected the mother as she was believed to be mentally in an unstable condition.

With the future of the proposed Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) Compact agreement between Sri Lanka and the US on the fence, US Ambassador to Sri Lanka Alaina B. Teplitz has sent an urgent letter to President Maithripala Sirisena seeking his intervention to ensure Cabinet approves the deal.

President Maithripala Sirisena was expected to meet Opposition Leader, Mahinda Rajapaksa, for a crucial discussion to work out the modalities on forming a new alliance between the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) and Sri Lanka Podu Jana Peramuna (SLPP), General Secretary of the United People’s Freedom Alliance (UPFA), Mahinda Amaraweera said.

The Foreign Ministry said they were closely following the case in a German court against an LTTE suspect accused of having involvement in the assassination of former Foreign Minister Lakshman Kadirgamar in 2005. A Foreign Ministry spokesperson said, “We have provided evidence and other material to support the case through diplomatic channels.” The suspect, identified as Navaneethan G (40), was arrested in South Western Germany in January this year.

A man had been shot dead and another injured when two unidentified gunmen open fired at them while travelling in a Land Cruiser early this morning at Jambugasmulla in Kohuwela. Police said the injured were admitted to the Colombo South Teaching Hospital and the driver of the Land Cruiser succumbed to his wounds after admission to the hospital.

Army Commander Lieutenant General Mahesh Senanayake was summoned again by the Parliamentary Select Committee (PSC) on the Easter Sunday attacks. Senanayake already appeared before the PSC and has been asked to appear again on Wednesday (31), PSC sources said. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe and several other ministers will be summoned before the PSC on 6 August, The Sunday Morning learnt.

Sri Lanka Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe and wife Maitree Wickremesinghe reached Kasaragod on a private visit and offered prayers at the Kumaramangalam temple at Bela, near Kumbla, here on Saturday. Reports quoting temple priest Ramachandra Adiga said Mr. Wickremesinghe and wife prayed for the prosperity of their nation and welfare of their family.

Discussions are currently underway to nominate JVP Leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake as the Presidential candidate from the JVP and coalition formed with the National Intellectuals Organisation. Many of the members of the intellectuals organisation at decision making capacity have said that if their agenda is to be successfully taken to the people, a JVP politburo member should be nominated for presidential candidacy and the election campaign should be handled by the JVP politburo.

The Sri Vairavar Hindu temple located at Chundikuli in Jaffna and its statues were vandalized with some statues being taken away last nights by mobs. The residents in the vicinity said the incident might have been the result of a dispute between the Kovil's Chief Priest and a group of people.

Sri Lanka and Japan Friday inked an agreement to expand defense cooperation and exchange between the two countries in many areas, especially in maritime security.

Sri Lankan Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe and his wife Maithree offered prayers at the Kollur Sri Mookambika temple in India on Friday, Deccan Chronicle reported. The Prime Minister, his wife and others, who arrived at the Mangaluru airport were scheduled to take a chopper from the airport to the Areshiroor helipad near Kollur but due to bad weather the entourage had to reach the temple by road.

In the event Mahinda Rajapaksa accepts leadership of the SLPP at the party’s convention on August 11th, he could lose his SLFP membership and his UPFA parliamentary membership, it is reported. In the event Mahinda accepts te leadership of the SLPP, since the SLFP could get weakened, its leader President Maithripala Sirisena is preparing to take this decision, it is reported.

In the event Mahinda Rajapaksa accepts leadership of the SLPP at the party’s convention on August 11th, he could lose his SLFP membership and his UPFA parliamentary membership, it is reported. In the event Mahinda accepts te leadership of the SLPP, since the SLFP could get weakened, its leader President Maithripala Sirisena is preparing to take this decision, it is reported.

UN Special Rapporteur, Clément Nyaletsossi Voule, has called on the country's political leaders to not dismiss people's desire for freedom, rule of law and democracy or undermine the progress that has been hard-fought particularly in the light of upcoming elections. The Special Rapporteur who is currently in the country to assess rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association in the country, made these remarks today (July 26) while addressing a media briefing at the UN compound in Colombo.

Introducing a motion in parliament, TNA Leader R. Sampanthan yesterday called for the Constitution introduced in 1978 to be abolished and a new one brought in. Moving an adjournment motion, he said the new Constitution should be brought in with the agreement of all communities, while upholding their rights. He said former Presidents Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga, Mahinda Rajapaksa and incumbent President Maithripala Sirisena had promised to introduce a new Constitution but failed to keep their pledges.

The Parliament Select Committee (PSC) today allowed Attorney General (AG) Dappula de Livera to be excused and not give witness statements after he had raised concerns over a possible conflict of interest arising if he appears as a witness. The AG appeared before the PSC today and took oaths but later requested time to raise some concerns. After the concerns were raised the PSC adjourned sittings for 15 minutes to deliberate on the concerns and later allowed the AG to leave and be represented by a senior officer.

Former Commandant Eastern Province Major General Lal Perera yesterday said he had warned National Thowheed Jamaath Leader Zahran in 2014 to desist from the extremist activities he was engaged in. Major General Perera said this while testifying before the Parliamentary Select Committee (PSC) probing the Easter Sunday attacks last afternoon.

The date of issuing a ruling on a revision petition filed by former Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa, over the Avant Garde illegal floating armoury case, has been fixed for August 30 by the Appeal Court. Rajapaksa had filed a revision petition at the Appeal Court seeking to overturn two verdicts issued by the Colombo Magistrate’s Court and the High Court over the case previously.

The Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) today signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with 10 political parties to form a new political alliance. These 10 political parties do not represent parliament and are not affiliated to the joint opposition.

Nalini Sriharan, a life convict in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case, was released from the jail in Vellore in Tamil Nadu today for a month to attend her daughter’ wedding, NDTV reported. According to conditions imposed by the authorities, during this period Nalini cannot leave Vellore and is not allowed to meet politicians or speak to the media.