The Parliamentary Select Committee (PSC) investigating the Easter Sunday terrorist attacks today postponed hearing evidence from former Minister Rishad Bathiudeen’s till Friday (June 28). The PSC made this decision as it wanted more time to question Mr Bathiudeen but were pressed for time as members had to attend another meeting. Additionally, three PSC members were absent when the former Minister came before the Committee this evening.

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet today said that she was concerned that the terrorist attacks two months ago in Sri Lanka have fuelled increasing tensions.

Five army personnel have been killed in an accident involving an Army truck and the Yaldevi train this afternoon. Two injured persons are currently receiving treatment at the Kilinochchi District General Hospital.

Army Commander Mahesh Senanayake and former Minister Rishad Bathiudeen have been summoned to appear before the Parliamentary Select Committee (PSC) on the Easter Sunday attacks. Military Spokesman, Brigadier Sumith Atapattu, confirmed that the Commander of the Army, Lieutenant General Senanayake, has been summoned to appear before the PSC tomorrow afternoon.

The US Government has moved up the level of travel advisory for Sri Lanka from three to two on Monday, the US Embassy said today. When travelling to the countries in level three category, the US asks of its citizens to ‘reconsider travel’ but asks to ‘exercise increased caution’ when travelling to countries in level two category. The updated advisory said, “exercise increased caution in Sri Lanka due to terrorism.”

Power and Energy Minister Ravi Karunanayake said today the United National Party (UNP) had not yet decided on its presidential candidate though several party members had made comments about a person perceived to be fielded. The minister who is also the UNP deputy leader made this comment to the media after attending a function held at a mosque in Maradana.

A suspect in the assassination of former Foreign Minister Lakshman Kadirgamar has died in hospital. The 62-year-old suspect, who was in remand custody since 2012, over the assassination of the former Foreign Minister has died while receiving treatment at the National Hospital, the Prison department said.

Considering the recommendations in the final report of the special board of inquiry appointed to inquire the Easter attacks, Attorney General Dappula de Livera has instructed the Acting IGP to initiate criminal investigations against former Secretary to the Defence Ministry Hemasiri Fernando over his failure to prevent or minimise the terrorist attacks, Coordinating Officer to AG, SC Nishara Jayaratne told Daily Mirror.

The Sri Lanka Army is engaged with Indian intelligence affairs in order to combat the Islamic State (IS) terrorism, stated the Commander of the Army Lieutenant General Mahesh Senanayake. The Army Commander mentioned this to the media following an event in Maduru Oya Army camp, yesterday . A crisis could occur in any country which has ensured security, at any given time, Senanayake pointed out.

Health Minister Rajitha Senaratne said a famous Buddhist monk requested him to contest for the next Presidential election. Addressing a public event, Senaratne said the Buddhist monk urged him to "raise funds somehow" and run for the Presidency. Meanwhile, in an interview with a private TV station, Senaratne said he was ready to run for the Presidency, if the party decided to grant him nominations.

Chairman of the Elections Commission Mahinda Deshapriya threatened to quit as EC head if a presidential election was conducted without holding the provincial council elections first. He said that the duty of the Elections Commission was to hold the provincial council elections first and assured the nation that this was what was going to happen.

Meteorology Department Director of Forecasting, Anusha Warnasuriya told Daily Mirror that there was no harm to Sri Lanka following the deep earthquake of magnitude 7.5 that struck off the coasts of East Timor and Indonesia today. The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) said Pacific monitoring authorities ruled out the chance of tsunami.

Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) front liner Basil Rajapaksa said at a meeting of its parliamentarians that Opposition Leader Mahinda Rajapaksa would declare on August 11 the presidential candidate of his party.

Nearly 8,000 foreigners are overstaying their visas, and the Home Affairs Ministry will seek Cabinet approval shortly to obtain funds and make logistical arrangements to deport them, a senior official said. The Immigration and Emigration Department’s Controller General, Pasan Ratnayaka, told the Sunday Times that after the April 21 attacks the Department’s Intelligence unit had tracked down 7,900 foreigners who had been overstaying their visas.

A five-day sit-in Satyagraha protest led by a Buddhist monk, demanding the authorities to upgrade the Kalmunai North sub Divisional Secretariat (DS) was called off yesterday after assurances that the matter would be resolved shortly.

The deputy mayor and a councillor of the Kalmunai Municipal Council had been expelled from their party membership of the Tamil United Liberation Front (TULF), over allegations of corruption. TULF leader V. Ananda Sangaree said Deputy Mayor Kaththamuthu Ganeshan and Councillor Sumithra Jegadeeshwaran were expelled from the party because they have been acting contrary to the policies of the party.

President Maithripala Sirisena, in a new turn of events, may decide not to contest this year’s presidential election and, instead, support the opposition candidate. This is said to be the rationale behind his remarks to the Sri Lanka Freedom Party’s Women’s Front on Wednesday that there would be an “honourable decision which will not cause injustice or embarrassment to the party or its supporters” over the presidential poll. He ruled out the likelihood of a “three-cornered” fight by key contenders.

China’s Export-Import Bank has extended a loan of nearly one billion dollars for the Kadawatha-Mirigama part of the Central Expressway, but the Government has to raise the money to pay the contractor’s advance. The loan is 85 percent of the total contract of US$ 1.1 billion and Finance Minister Mangala Samaraweera wants to raise Rs 30 billion from two state banks on a Treasury guarantee. His proposal has been approved by the Cabinet of Ministers.

President Maithripala Sirisena said both the 18th and 19th Amendments to the Constitution should be abolished to build a better country. Addressing an event at the BMICH, Colombo, President Sirisena said the 19th Amendment — which he strongly advocated in the mid-2015 — has created political instability. He also added that the 18th Amendment to the Constitution,a brainchild of former President Mahinda Rajapaksa, created in a monarch in the country. "If not for the 19th Amendment," Sirisena said, "the past four and a half years would have been victorious for the country."

The Islamic State (IS) may have claimed responsibility for the Easter terror attacks in Sri Lanka, but its chief Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi was initially not aware of the horrific serial bombings, according to a top official familiar with the probe, the Hindu reported today.

An extraordinary gazette notification was issued extending the emergency regulations by another month. This was the second occasion where the emergency regulations were extended after the Easter Sunday attacks. Emergency regulations provides provisions to the armed forces to take measures to ensure peace in the country

Bodu Bala Sena General Secretary Galagodaaththe Gananasara Thera today visited a group of clergy and others protesting in Kalmunai and assured them he will ensure their demands are met. Gananasara Thera and other members of the BBS met the monks and Hindu priest who have been on a death fast demanding a separate Divisional Secretariat for Kalmunai North.

The Parliament Select Committee on the Easter Sunday attacks is to summon Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, State Minister of Defence Ruwan Wijewardena and two former Law & Order Ministers to testify. The decision had been taken by the PSC members when they met this week. However a date has not been fixed to summon them. It was earlier reported that the PSC may also consider summoning the President.

US House Representatives Ilhan Omar (D-MN), Bill Johnson (R-OH) and Jim McGovern (D-MA) have sent a letter urging the US State Department to assert the need for the respect for religious minorities, respect for due process and the rule of law in Sri Lanka following the horrific attacks on Easter Sunday.

Colombo Dockyard, the largest and oldest ship building company in Sri Lanka has delivered the largest ship built in Sri Lanka's history of shipbuilding to Japan. Colombo Dockyard delivered its biggest and most sophisticated vessel, the submarine cable-laying ship "KDDI Cable Infinity" built for Japan's Kokusai Cable Ship Co. Ltd yesterday.

The issues faced in upgrading the Kalmunai North Divisional Secretariat as an independent body would be resolved within three months, Minister Vajira Abeywardena said yesterday (Jun 20). The Tamil National Alliance (TNA) has continuously insisted that this Divisional Secretariat must be established as a fully-fledged independent division. However, objections have been raised by certain fractions in this regard.

Justice Minister Thalatha Athukorala said yesterday that Minister Sajith Premadasa will definitely be the next president of the country and that he would get the blessings of Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe in this regard.

Though not officially announced, President Maithripala Sirisena would be the absolute choice of the SLFP as its presidential candidate at the forthcoming polls, UPFA General Secretary Mahinda Amaraweera said yesterday.