Samagi Jana Balawegaya MP Rohana Bandara dropped a bombshell in Parliament by stating that intelligence units had prior knowledge of the killing at the Magistrate's Courts in Hulftsdorp. "Intelligence had provided information on the woman, Sinhapura Dewage Ishara Sewwandi who was preparing for this attack. Didn't national security experts do anything?” he questioned.

A committee headed by legal expert Rinzie Alsakularatne has been appointed to prepare a new Anti Terrorism Bill, Minister Vijitha Herath told Parliament today.

Shortly after the shocking murder of underworld drug lord ‘Ganemulla Sanjeewa’ inside the Colombo Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday morning which left the government rocked over a serious security lapse, and the tragic death of two innocent children and their father in Middeniya, killings have continued to plague the country with three deaths reported within the past 48 hours.

Acting IGP Priyantha Weerasooriya said today that 58 gangs engaged in organised crimes and 1,400 of their associates have been identified across the country. He reported that, so far this year, 22 individuals have been killed, with 17 shot and five hacked to death.

The Sri Lankan government has an extraordinary gazette, continuing the ban on 15 organizations, including the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), due to their alleged involvement in terrorism-related activities and financing.

Arjun Aloysius, the Director of W.M. Mendis Distilleries, along with two others, was released from remand custody today after serving time for defaulting on a Rs. 3.5 billion Value Added Tax (VAT) payment. Prison spokesman Gamini Dissanayake confirmed their release from Welikada Prison. The trio had been sentenced to six months in prison by the Colombo Chief Magistrate’s Court in October of last year for the VAT default.

The Vavuniya High Court has sentenced former Senior Deputy Inspector General of Police (SDIG) Lalith Jayasinghe to four years of rigorous imprisonment for releasing a suspect in connection with the murder of schoolgirl S. Vidya in Punguduthivu in 2015.

The underworld was nurtured with the blessings of the politicians for the last two, three decades, Public Security Minister Ananda Wijepala said today. He told Parliament that after the NPP government came to power the underwolrd gets no political protection unlike in the past.

The Parliamentary Privilege Committee is expected to take action against MP Ramanathan Archchuna, Speaker Jagath Wickramaratne told Parliament today.

A 29-year-old man from Kadawatha was shot and killed at Moganwatta in Ja-Ela last night, police said. They said investigations are underway to determine the motive behind the shooting and to identify the suspects involved.

After receiving the first batch of vehicles, the price of a brand-new Bajaj RE three-wheeler will be Rs. 1,995,000. The David Pieris Motor Company stated that they currently do not have any brand-new vehicle stock available but are now open for bookings. Bajaj three-wheelers have been one of the highest employment generators in Sri Lanka.

Three suspects including a police constable were arrested over the murder of a 39-year-old man and his 6-year-old daughter in Middeniya this week, Public Security Minister Ananda Wijepala said today. He told Parliament that the suspects have been identified as Police Constable I.L. Janaka Prasad and the others as Jeewan Prasad Kumara and Prabad Thushara.

The suspect who was arrested over the shooting incident at the Hulfsdorp Court complex has been identified as Samindu Dilshan Piyumanga Kandanaarachchi from Maharagama, Public Security Minister Ananda Wijepala said today.

Cabinet spokesman and Minister Nalinda Jayatissa today expressed regrets over the remarks made by Public Security and Parliamentary Affairs Deputy Minister Sunil Watagala, who referred to his driver as ‘Buruwa’ (donkey).

Cabinet Spokesman and Minister Nalinda Jayatissa said that the government had no intention of cancelling the wind energy project in Mannar with Adani Green Energy and said the company withdrew from the project after failing to reach an agreement on providing electricity at the lowest possible rate.

A heated argument erupted in Parliament today when Deputy Minister Mahinda Jayasinghe came up with details on his recent visit to a Buddhist Training Centre in Kelaniya.

Claiming that the security of the country is at stake, Opposition MP Dayasiri Jayasekara said the Speaker of Parliament must take the responsibility if any of the MPs is murdered.

Claiming that only isolated incidents were reported in different parts of the country, Public Security Minister Ananada Wijepala said today these isolated incidents must not be considered as threats to national security.

Representatives from various political parties in Parliament convened with the Election Commission to discuss the scheduling of the upcoming local government elections. Opposition party representatives emphasised the need for the Election Commission to select a date that will allow Members of Parliament to fulfill their legislative duties without disruption, particularly during the budget debate.

Vehicle imports will be very risky as prices of vehicles have gone up remarkably, SJB MP Harsha De Silva said today. Opening the budget debate, he told Parliament that the President stated in his budget speech that the majority of tax revenue is expected from vehicle imports.

The heat felt by the human body is expected to rise to the 'Caution Level' tomorrow (19) in the Northern, North-Central, North-Western, Western and Southern Provinces, as well as in the Moneragala and Ratnapura districts, the Meteorology Department said.