Former Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) MP Thushara Indunil Amarasena said he will commit suicide if he is not appointed to Parliament through the national list.

“I obtained more than 40,000 preferential votes at this year’s General Elections and am among the top ten who obtained the most number of preferential votes from the SJB. Therefore, I must be appointed from the national list. I have already talked to party leader Sajith Premadasa and I am confident that he will heed my request. I will end my life if I am not appointed to the House,” Amarasena told journalists.

“The party leader has become helpless as many are demanding that they be appointed through the national list,” he added. Former MP Sujeewa Senasinghe said he too should get a slot from the national list as per the promise made by the party leader.

“I was asked not to contest the elections from Kandy and the party leadership pledged to appoint me from the national list. Therefore, I am eligible to be appointed from the national list,” he added.

The Colombo Magistrate's Court today issued a warrant for the arrest of newly elected Jaffna District Parliamentarian Dr Ramanathan Archchuna for failing to appear before the court in connection with a traffic accident that occurred in 2021.

China has invited President Anura Kumara Dissanayake for an official visit, Cabinet spokesman Minister Nalinda Jayatissa said today. He told a weekly breifing to announce Cabinet decisions that the Chinese Ambassador has officially handed over the invitation to the President.

In response to concerns raised on the lack of Muslim representatives in the recent Cabinet appointments, Cabinet spokesman and Media Minister Nalinda Jayathissa stated that the Cabinet was not formed based on race, religion or caste.

While condemning claims that Viyathmaga members are backing the National People's Power (NPP) government, Cabinet Spokesman and Media Minister Nalinda Jayathissa today assured that no one from Viyathmaga has been appointed as Ministers or Ministry Secretaries.

Responding to social media reports criticizing the presence of top NPP members at the ABBA Tribute Show, the Mount Lavinia Hotel clarified that the dignitaries were invited guests at the concert.

Following a joint programme initiated by the Disaster Management Centre (DMC) and the Department of Examinations, four candidates who were unable to reach their examination centres due to floods in Matara, were transported to their respective centres with the assistance of the Sri Lanka Army and the Sri Lanka Navy, Examination Commissioner General Amith Jayasundara said.

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) said on Monday it has approved a USD-200-million loan to modernise Sri Lanka's power sector infrastructure, improving network reliability and supporting renewables integration.

Speaker Ashoka Ranwala said investigations will be held into the condcut of Jaffna District Independent MP Archuuna Ramanathan in Parliament last week to ascertain whether he had resorted to any indisciplined or unethical behaviour.

Former Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe said his successor Anura Kumara Dissanayake should fully implement the “vision document” adopted with India last year.

A Sri Lankan fishing trawler, was seized by the Maldivian Coast Guard after it was found carrying over 450 kilograms of illicit drugs. The haul included 344 kg of crystal methamphetamine (ICE) and 124 kg of cocaine.