Three lawmakers, representing the Tamil National Alliance (TNA), will soon give up their foreign citizenship to contest the next parliamentary polls, a senior party official said. That decision had been taken after UPFA Galle District MP Geetha Kumarasinghe lost her parliamentary seat in early Nov. 2017 for being a dual citizen, the official said. The Supreme Court upheld Court of Appeal ruling against the former actress.The TNA official said that the three MPs would relinquish their foreign citizenship early next year. The next parliamentary polls are scheduled for 2020.

The Sri Lankan Consulate in Catania, Sicily in Italy had informed Sri Lankan passengers not to bring curry leaves from Sri Lanka to Italy, Cyprus, Greece and Malta because the EU had prohibited curry leaves under the EUROPHYT notification. The EU and the Italian Customs had on many occasions detected that curry leaves had been brought in the baggage of Sri Lankans who arrived at Italian airports, mainly the Catania Airport.

The Tamil National Alliance (TNA) is fighting hard for the opposition leader

Western Provincial Councillor S. Kuhawardhan, who was arrested by the CID yesterday for allegedly defrauding on cheques amounting to Rs.70 million, was released on bail by the Mount Lavinia Magistrate

The Examinations Department rejected the rumours in some media that the GCE A/L examination results had been released today and said the results would be released before December 30. Commissioner General of Examinations, B. Sanath Pujitha said before releasing the results the department had to complete certain procedures,

Sri Lanka today commemorated the devastating Boxing Day tsunami of 2004 in which thousands were killed and displaced. Commemoration events were held in Colombo as well as in the coast in the South and in the North. A two minute silence was also observed around the country at 9.25 am today. People who lost their loved ones in the tsunami gathered at memorial sites and at cemeteries to remember the dead.

Maithripala Sirisena has decided to serve his full five year term as the president and not to run for the position a second time, say his family sources. Presently on vacation in Thailand with his family members, he has discussed his political future with them while expressing serious concern about the prevailing state of affairs. A family member of his has instructed a theoretician of the president to launch a campaign to raise his popularity in order to allow him a dignified retirement.

UK Minister of State for Asia and the Pacific, Mark Field has informed the UK Parliament last week that they expressed concern over the behaviour of some Sri Lankan MPs disrupting parliamentary proceedings. The State Minister said this in response to a question asked by MP Liz McInnes about the latest political developments in Sri Lanka on December 17.

An Antonov An-12 flight (CVK 7042) which arrived at the Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport (MRIA) from Bangkok last night, had delayed its takeoff due to a fault in the engine. The flight was scheduled to take off from the MRIA this morning. However, sources at the MRIA said the plane's engine caught a minor fire just before the takeoff. They said there were eight crew members on board the flight. The fire fighting teams had managed to douse the fire. No injuries were reported.

The Sri Lankan rupee depreciated further against the US Dollar today, hitting a record low of 183.17. The exchange rates of the Central Bank indicated the selling price of the rupee as 183.17, the indicative price as 181.47 and the buying price as 179.20.

A group of Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) Parliamentarians are expected to join the new alliance of United National Party (UNP), sources said. Sources said that some key SLFP members have already had discussions with the UNP to join the alliance.The UNP has approved the formation of the new alliance to contest the next election. Some SLFP members who are not happy with moves by the party to form an alliance with the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) have had talks with the UNP to join the alliance to be formed by the UNP.

Over 72,000 persons have been affected by the floods ravaging the Northern Province, the Disaster Management Centre (DMC) said yesterday. The DMC said that most of those affected by floods were from the Mullaitivu, Kilinochchi and Jaffna districts. About 20,737 persons from 6,520 families had been affected in Mullaitivu, 38,534 persons from 11,688 families had been affected in Kilinochchi and 12,642 persons from 4257 families have been affected in Jaffna. Meanwhile 85 persons from Mannar and 455 from Vavuniya were also affected.

The Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) yesterday said they would take legal action if the United National Front (UNF) exceeds 30 Cabinet members, insisting the 19th Amendment to the Constitution had specifically stated the maximum number of Cabinet members that could be appointed.

At least four people were killed and eight injured when two gunmen opened fire inside the Kudawella Fishery Harbour in Tangalle last morning, police spokesman Ruwan Gunasekera said today. SP Gunasekara said the two gunmen who arrived on a motorbike had opened fire at the victims while the injured were admitted to the Tangalle Base Hospital. Tangalle Police said the two gunmen had used a T-56 magazine and a pistol in the shooting.

UPFA MP and former Minister Duminda Dissanayake today rejected reports of him joining the UNP and said he has no intention of doing so. Responding to journalists outside the President

Opposition leader Mahinda Rajapaksa today requested the Ministry of Disaster Management and other Ministries concerned to attend to the relief measures in an efficient and timely manner in order to alleviate the sufferings of the people in the flood affected areas. He said in a statement that in the absence of Provincial administrations in almost all the worst affected areas, the responsibility of managing the relief effort would have to be borne mainly by the line ministries concerned.

Making a firm statement yesterday, President Maithripala Sirisena said the SLFP has decided to contest the forthcoming election jointly with the Sri Lanka Podujana Permuna (SLPP) and warned that district and electoral organizers who obstructed this process would be removed from their positions. Addressing an electoral organisers meeting at the President

President Maithripala Sirisena will hold discussions at the Presidential Secretariat today (Dec 24) with relevant officials to discuss about those affected due to the floods in Kilinochchi. The District Officers of Mullaithivu and Kilinochchi along with state officials will attend the meeting.

The Air Force has dispatched two helicopters to assess the flooding in the Northern Province. The Air Force said that a Bell 212 type helicopter and a Y-12 type helicopter were dispatched to Kilinochchi for the said purpose. It is reported that nearly 45,000 people have been affected in the Mullathivu and Kilinochchi districts due to the incessant rains that resulted in heavy flooding.

The UNP is of the belief that a ministerial portfolio will be awarded to Field Marshal Sarath Fonseka, State Minister J.C. Alawathuwala has said. Mr. Alawathuwela told reporters in Kandy yesterday (Dec 23) that several other parliamentarians are yet to receive their portfolios. Speaking further he pointed out that Mr. Fonseka had previously served as a Minister wihtout committing fraudulent acts. "Expanding the cabinet is not our priority. We (the cabinet) are currently holding talks with Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe on providing concessions to the people

Chairman of the National Election Commission (NEC) Mahinda Deshapriya yesterday said that the hybrid electoral system had entered a cul-de-sac and the provincial council election had to be held under the proportional representation (PR) system. The NEC chief said so in an interview with Hiru TV over the telephone. He said that it was now up to Parliament to make necessary laws for the polls to be held under the PR system. If prompt action was taken, the elections could be held before the end of April 2019, he said.

Senior UNP representatives yesterday (23), said that the Party will be seeking explanations from the 12 Parliamentarians who were absent for the Vote on Account, of the new Government. The Vote on Account was brought by Minister of Finance Mangala Samaraweera on 21 December. Only six JVP Parliamentarians voted against it, while the TNA voted for it. The UPFA abstained from voting.

In a special interview with a weekend newspaper, opposition leader Mahinda Rajapaksa denied obtaining membership of the SLPP (Sri Lankan Podujana Peramuna). Rajapaksa noted that requesting for membership and granting it are two different matters and that applying for it alone is insufficient. When inquired about an image of him accepting what looked to be an SLPP membership card, Rajapaksa stated that it was not a membership card adding that he had merely distributed them.

More than 45,000 people from nearly 14,000 families had been affected due to the heavy rains and floods in all the five districts of the Northern Province, the Disaster Management Center (DMC) said. The affected districts are Mullaithivu, Kilinochchi, Mannar, Vavuniya and Jaffna. The DMC said that 8,539 people had been sheltered in 52 welfare camps.

The United National Front (UNF) will negotiate to increase the number of ministers to 32, Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, said yesterday.

A Sri Lankan staffer has accused one of the highest ranking UN officials of sexual harassment in a case currently playing out at the United Nations. Shihana Mohamed, a Human Resources Policies Officer with the International Civil Service Commission (ICSC), has charged the New York-based Commission

The Government will begin renegotiations with the donors for the stalled funds to Sri Lanka amounting to around US $ 1.5 billion.

The first Cabinet meeting of the United National Front (UNF) Government will be held in the first week of January 2019, Co-Government spokesman and Health Minister Dr. Rajitha Senaratne told the Sunday Observer yesterday. He said no Cabinet meeting was held this week with the Ministers and the Deputy Ministers being newly appointed. He said the Cabinet meeting will not be held this week as President Maithripala Sirisena is also scheduled to go abroad.