The UK is no longer advising British travellers and tourists against all but essential travel to Sri Lanka. The UK High Commission in Colombo said that the UK has kept its travel advice under constant review since the Easter Sunday attacks, engaging closely with the Sri Lankan Government, the tourism industry and the police.

Chinese Ambassador Cheng Xueyuan said yesterday that Sri Lanka had not made a formal request for surveillance equipment from his country . The ambassador made these remarks at the embassy in response to a query about reports that China was planning to give surveillance equipment to Sri Lanka as a counter-terrorism mechanism.

A contempt of court case was filed against former Eastern Governor M L A M Hizbullah at the Supreme Court today (Jun 06). The petitioner claimed that the defendant had made defamatory remarks on the judiciary during a television programme on May 13. Mr. Hizbullah is alleged to have made these remarks while referring to the transfer of a court judge. Attorney Indrasiri Senaratne had filed the petition against the former Governor.

The British Government says it will continue to press for further progress on human rights in Sri Lanka this year, including efforts to improve press freedoms, tackle gender inequality, and encourage the reform of discriminatory laws. The UK says it will also continue to urge the Government to deliver on its commitments reflected in HRC resolution 34/1.

Former Chief Minister of Southern Province, Shan Wijayalal De Silva was sworn in as the Governor of the Eastern Province before President Maithripala Sirisena a short while ago, the President’s Media Division (PMD) said.

Sounding what appears to be a conciliatory note, President Maithripala Sirisena is reported to have agreed to appoint two members of the United National Party (UNP) one of them as the Minister of Media and the other as the State Minister of Law and Order. He had met a group of senior UNPers including Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, Finance Minister Mangala Samaraweera and MP Kabir Hashim on Monday night.

The World Bank has warned of a negative impact on Sri Lanka from the rise in political uncertainty. In addition, the bank also said that recent security-related incidents could dampen investor sentiment and perceptions. The World Bank said a rise in political uncertainty in the months leading up to presidential and parliamentary elections, which will take place in 2019 and 2020, respectively, could weigh on business confidence.

Former Minister and the leader of the All Ceylon Makkal Congress (ACMC) Rishad Bathiudeen stressed that he did not resign from his post in fear of the no-confidence motion against him but to prevent communal clashes between the Sinhala and Muslim communities. Parliamentarian Bathiudeen said he resigned from the Minister post to prevent certain groups from inciting another Black July between the innocent Sinhala and Muslim people.

The international media watch dog Reporters Without Borders (RSF) in a statement expressing alarm over resurgence in Sri Lankan police attacks on Tamil journalists urged the authorities to ensure that the police stop harassing and intimidating reporters in Northern Sri Lanka.

The three-member committee comprising senior police officers has been appointed to receive complaints against former Western Province Governor Azath Salley, former Eastern Province Governor M. L. A. M. Hizbullah, and former Minister Rishad Bathiudeen, Police Spokesman Ruwan Gunasekera said.

A. J. M. Muzammil was sworn in as the new Governor of the Western Province before President Maithripala Sirisena. Mr. Muzammil is the current chairman of the Central Environmental Authority (CEA). He also served as the mayor of Colombo and High Commissioner of Sri Lanka to Malaysia.

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. The PSC met today in parliament.

The President’s Office was yet to inform Parliament of the resignations of Muslim Cabinet, State and Deputy Ministers of the Government, Deputy Chairperson of Committees, Selvam Adaikkalanathan said today (Jun 04).

Opposition leader and former President Mahinda Rajapaksa has raised concerns over the safety of intelligence officers after sensitive information had been revealed to the Parliament Select Committee (PSC) making inquiries into the Easter Sunday attacks.

The Meteorological Department has called on the public to suggest names for cyclones which occur in the North Indian seas. These names will be subjected to certain guidelines and suggestions should be addressed to the following address : Director General, Department of Meteorology, Bauddhaloka Mawatha, Colombo 07 on or before June 05, 2019.

All Muslim ministers including cabinet, deputy and state ministers have decided to resign from their portfolios, Minister Rauff Hakeem said a short while ago. Addressing a news briefing held at Temple Trees in Colombo, Minister Hakeem said they would support the government remaining as backbench MPs to ensure the government’s survival.

Ven. Athuraliye Rathana Thera a short while ago ended the fast which he began demanding the resignation of Governors Azath Salley, M. L. A. M. Hizbullah and Minister Rishad Bathiudeen. Western Province Governor Salley and Eastern Province Governor Hizbullah tendered their resignation to President Maithripala Sirisena earlier. Following the resignations, the Thera ended the fast and he was taken to the Kandy Hospital.

Western Province Governor Azath Salley and Eastern Province Governor M. L. A. M. Hizbullah have tendered their resignation to President Maithripala Sirisena a short while ago. The President Media Division said the President had accepted the resignation letters of the two governors.

The Elections Commission says it is prepared to hold the Provincial Council (PC) elections without the delimitation report. The Commission told the Court of Appeal today that if the court issues an order then the PC elections can be held without waiting for the delimitation report. The delimitation report has not been approved by Parliament as yet and this has resulted in the elections being delayed.

The Leader of the Opposition Mahinda Rajapaksa has met with Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe for discussion on economic recovery and relief for the people affected by the Easter Sunday attacks. Finance Minister Mangala Samaraweera, Non-Cabinet Minister Dr. Harsha de Silva and Treasury Secretary Dr. RHS Samaratunga, also participated in the discussion while opposition Parliamentarians Dinesh Gunawardena, Susil Premajayantha, Bandula Gunawardena, Udaya Gammanpila, and Gamini Lokuge accompanied the Opposition Leader.

While Indian security agencies have not found evidence of Sri Lankan bomber Zahran Hashim or his aides having visited India before the April 21 Easter Sunday attacks, it is learnt that Sri Lankan investigators are working on leads pointing to Hashim’s travel to the Maldives in the recent past, the Times of India reported.

Sri Lanka's suspended police chief has petitioned the Supreme Court, accusing President Maithripala Sirisena of failing to prevent the Easter bombings that killed 258 people, the AFP reported today. In a 20-page complaint, Inspector-General Pujith Jayasundara disclosed serious communication gaps between intelligence agencies and security arms of the government, all which fall under Sirisena.

An engineer who built mosques for Zahran Hashmi had been arrested from the Kaduwana area in Dehiwala. Police stated that the suspect was arrested following investigations based on a tip-off. The suspect Zahir Nasurdeen was arrested when he arrived in Dehiwala from Horowpathana. According to the police, the suspect is to be detained for 72 hours.

A suspect who had been impersonating a major of the Sri Lankan Army Intelligence, has been arrested by the STF at Soysapura in Moratuwa yesterday. The suspect, Mohammad Nissar Imran, alias John Walk, had allegedly impersonated a major from the Army Intelligence. The STF recovered a mobile phone, two cameras, a WIFI drone, two laptops, a sword and three army t-shirts from the suspect.

The Elections Commission was ready to hold any election first, be it Presidential or Provincial Council, Chairman of Elections Commission Mahinda Deshapriya said. Commenting on the President’s comment that the Presidential Election was likely to be held on December 07, the Chairman said after participating in a ceremony in Egodauyana area, Moratuwa, that the Presidential polls should be held between November 09 and December 09

Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena says that he will not invite any foreign military to come into the country and he will not allow that at any occasion as long as he holds office. The President made this remark participating in a program held in Polonnaruwa on Saturday (June 01).The President recalling a newspaper report which said that the chief prelates were opposed to the idea of allowing foreign military forces to enter the country and requested not to invite foreign military, the President said that the government had not reached any agreement with any country to permit any foreign military to enter the country.

General Secretary of the Bodu Bala Sena - Ven. Galagoda Aththe Gnanasara Thera today (02) visited MP Ven. Athuraliye Rathana Thera, who is currently engaged in a fast-unto death protest in front of the Temple of the Tooth in Kandy. Ven. Rathana Thera commenced the fast-unto death on May 31 demanding the removal of Minister Rishad Bathiudeen, Eastern Governor M.L.A.M. Hizbullah and Western Province Governor Azath Salley from their posts. Meanwhile, social media posts citing that sin of Rathana Thera fasting as such will befall on the president, have been making rounds on the internet.

One army soldier died and two more were injured in an explosion which occurred in the Vasavilan area in Palaly this evening, Jaffna acting Military spokesman Major General Roshan Seneviratne said The injured were admitted to the Jaffna hospital. The Spokesman stated that further investigations are being carried out regarding the incident.