The Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) would be partially closed from January 2017 for urgent runway repairs. The airport will be closed for about six hours from 9.00 a.m. for a period of three months. CEO SriLankan Airlines Surein Ratwatte told the Daily News that they have been informed of this development. This will create major problem for the Airlines since 3 percent of their aircraft land and take off during this time.

Former President and Kurunegala District Parliamentarian Mahinda Rajapaksa said that military protection given to him has now been totally withdrawn after systematically reducing his security over the passage of time. He was speaking to the media after visiting the Aluthgama Kande Viharaya Kshetrarama Viharaya and participating in religious observances on April 6. Asked whether he would attend the May Day rally organised by the SLFP or the Joint Opposition, Rajapaksa said it could be seen on that day.

Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe who is on a three day official visit to China being warmly welcomed by Chinese officials at Beijing airport yesterday. The Prime Minister was accompanied by his wife Prof. Maithree Wickremesinghe and several other ministers.

Special Coordinator for the US Department of State Office of Global Criminal Justice Todd Buchwald and Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs Manpreet Anand (DAS) concluded a visit to Sri Lanka, during which they met with Government and political leaders and civil society from across the country to hear their thoughts on the reconciliation process, the US Embassy in Colombo said today.

A government bigwig has ordered several foreign investigative bodies to ascertain whether former President Mahinda Rajapaksa or his family members are connected to the infamous 'Panama Papers' scandal, reports say. The Panama papers, a massive cache of 11 million confidential documents shows how a global industry of law firms and big banks sells financial secrecy to politicians, fraudsters and drug traffickers as well as billionaires, celebrities and sports stars. Iceland PM resigns

Ex-president Mahinda Rajapaksa had an unexpected meeting with prime minister Ranil Wickremesinghe at parliamentary complex yesterday afternoon (05). The 20-minute long discussion took place at the PM

Deputy Minister Ranjan Ramanayake says that the names of three Sri Lankan politicians are featured in the Panama Papers revelations, the publication by a coalition of media outlets of an investigation into offshore financial dealings by the rich and famous. The leaked documents have shone a light on the finances of politicians and public figures from around the world, causing public outrage over how the powerful are able to hide money and avoid tax.

Two deputy ministers and a state minister were appointed by President Maithripala Sirisena today at the Presidential Secretariat. UNP MP Palitha Thewarapperuma and UPFA MP Manusha Nanayakkara were appointed as Deputy Ministers while UPFA MP Lakshman Seneviratne was appointed as a State Minister. MP Nanayakkara was sworn in as Foreign Employment Deputy Minister while MP Thewarapperuma was sworn in as Internal Affairs, Wayamba Development and Cultural Affairs Deputy Minister. Meanwhile, MP Seneviratne was sworn in as Science, Technology and Research State Minister.

Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe left for China on a three day official visit at this afternoon, officials said. The Premier left for China with fifteen delegates including Foreign Affairs Minister Mangala Samaraweera by SriLankan Airlines flight UL 860 and will return on Sunday, April 10 night. The PM is expected to hold discussions targeting Sri Lanka's investment opportunities with China.

Northern Province Governor Reginald Cooray has sought changes in the design of the contentious housing project in the Northern and Eastern Provinces that has proposed to build 65,000 houses in the conflict-hit region in four years. In an interview with The Hindu at his official residence here, Mr. Cooray, who took over in mid-February, said:

Army Commander has reportedly ordered to remove the Army personnel providing security to the former President Mahinda Rajapaksa. Accordingly the Army squad headed by Colonel Mahendra Fernando, who provided security to the former President during the war period as well will be removed. The particular Army squad consists of 89 soldiers and the majority are recognized to be commandos. The unit also provided security to the Pope Francis during his visit to Sri Lanka.

Sri Lanka Navy said it has assisted the Sri Lanka Coast Guard on Monday to arrest four Indian fishermen for allegedly crossing the International Maritime Boundary Line (IMBL) and fishing in Sri Lankan waters. Four Indian fishermen were apprehended along with an Indian fishing trawler while poaching in Sri Lankan waters southwest of Delft Island on 4th April 2016. The arrested fishermen along with the fishing trawler will be handed over to the officials of the Department of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources of Kankasanthurai for onward action, the Navy said.

A no-confidence motion with signatures of 42 Joint Opposition MPs against Minister Champika Ranawaka were handed over to Speaker Karu Jayasuriya today.

Sri Lankan fishermen, environmentalists and Catholic clergy took to streets of Colombo on Monday (April 4) to protest against the government

Primary Industries Minister Daya Gamage, who was the National Organiser of the UNP, had been appointed as the party Deputy Chairman following a decision taken at the Working Committee (WC) meeting held today. The WC had also decided to appoint Deputy Minister Anoma Gamage as the Chairman of the Eksath Lak Vanitha Peramuna. Meanwhile, Minister Akila Viraj Kariyawasam had been appointed as Jathika Sevaka Sangamaya (JSS) Chairman while Minister Harin Fernando had been appointed as the Chairman of the Jathika Wathu Kamkaru Sevaka Sangamaya and MP Kavinda Jayawardane as National Youth Front Chairman. Deputy Minister Dr. Harsha de Silva and State Minister Ruwan Wijewardene were appointed as Assistant Secretaries of the party.

There is nothing to hide about the discovery of weapons in Jaffna last week, Defense Secretary Karunasena Hettiarachchi said. Hettiarachchi said so addressing the media following the opening of The Civil Security Department's first apparel factory yesterday at Anuradhapura Rambewa Town at cost of Rs. 5 million. The defense secretary said the uniforms required for nearly 40,000 members of the Civil Security Department would be manufactured at the Rambewa apparel factory.

Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe said yesterday that the government would procure the equipment -- ships and aircraft -- to enable the Sri Lanka Navy to protect transnational trade in international waters. Speaking at a commissioning parade at the Marine Naval Academy in Trincomalee, he said the Navy would protect international shipping lanes in the Indian and Pacific Ocean regions in the future.

Chief of Defence Staff Air Chief Marshal Kolitha Aravinda Gunatilleke arrived in New Delhi today as he looks to deepen bilateral ties between both countries.The ANI news service said that Gunatilleke, who is on a four-day visit, was accorded guard of honour at the secretariat building in New Delhi. He then paid tributes to fallen soldiers at India Gate, a war memorial, which houses the

Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe will leave on a three day state visit to China on April 6 at the invitation of the government of the People's Republic of China. This is his first visit as the Prime Minister of Sri Lanka to the People's Republic of China, since the Good Governance Government of President Maithripala Sirisena was formed in January last year. The Prime Minister will hold high level discussions with Chinese President Xi Jinping, Prime Minister Li Keqiang and Chairman of the Standing Committee of The National People's Congress, Zhang Dejiang.

The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) is to question opposition Parliamentarians Dinesh Gunawardena and Wimal Weerawansa over the controversy surrounding the recovery of high-powered explosives from Chavakachcheri last week. The CID questioned former Minister G.L. Pieris on Saturday over the statement he made on the recovery of explosives. Addressing a press conference in Colombo last week, Pieris said the explosives recovered from Chavakachcheri were to be brought to Wellawatte. His pronouncements came even before the CID launched investigations into the explosives.

Former President Mahinda Rajapaksa today challenged President Maithripala Sirisena to at least establish reconciliation within his party, the SLFP, before attempting to achieve reconciliation in the north and east. Speaking at a meeting after taking part in religious activities in Anuradhapura, Rajapaksa said that the party members are being suspended or expelled while the government continues to speak of reconciliation in the former war zone. Rajapaksa also said that the reconciliation should not be attempted according to the wishes of the terrorists.

Northern Province Chief Minister C.V. Wigneswaran on Saturday blaming the Sri Lankan government for adopting a "dominating, domineering and hegemonic" attitude towards the Northern Province, reiterated his call for a federal structure. In an hour-long interview with The Hindu at his residence in Colombo, Mr. Wigneswaran said the Tamil people's problems have been around for the last 67 years and they have been telling the government that the unitary structure of the constitution is faulty.

Former army commander, Field Marshal Sarath Fonseka says the body of LTTE leader Vellupillai Prabhakaran was buried and not burnt.Fonseka told The Sunday Leader that Prabhakaran

The CID has been able to uncover details of several murders committed by the military intelligence for political and personal enmities, but blamed on the LTTE,

The suspect arrested over the detection of a suicide jacket, explosives and ammunition in Chavakachcheri, Jaffna was brought to Colombo yesterday for further investigation by Terrorism Investigation Department(TID) officials. The TID came to the scene after Acting Inspector General of Police (IGP ) S. M. Wickramasinghe handed over the investigation to the anti terrorism unit of the police under the supervision of a senior DIG.

A senior Intelligence officer of the Navy who had been a prominent witness in the murder cases of former TNA MP - Raviraj Nadaraja and 11 school students, are prepared to expose several more crimes committed by the Navy, police sources say.He is to give evidence to the CID via satellite technology, reports add. After coming forward as a witness of the above mentioned cases, he had faced death threats from highly placed Navy officers, prompting him to flee abroad, reports further say.

An urgent cabinet reshuffle is likely to take place with at least five cabinet ministers set to lose their posts, sources said. The cabinet reshuffle is expected to take place after Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe returns from his official visit to China. Wickremesinghe is scheduled to visit China from April 6-9 following which the cabinet reshuffle will take place. The cohabitation government consists of members of the United National Party, Sri Lanka Freedom party and others who backed President Maithripala Sirisena at the 2015 January 8 election.

Northern Province Chief Minister C.V. Wigneswaran in response to a statement made by the Jathika Hela Urumaya (JHU) said yesterday he was bent on national reconciliation and was contributing his mite towards promoting it. Jathika Hela Urumaya (JHU) organizer Nishantha Sri Warnasinghe recently claimed that the Chief Minister

Defence Secretary Karunasena Hettiarachchi has dismissed Tamil National Alliance (TNA) heavyweight Suresh Premachandran

President Maithripala Sirisena says the Sinhalese Buddhist community can live happily only if issues faced by the Tamils and Muslims are addressed. Speaking at an event in Eravur Friday the President said that the government is keen on addressing the issues faced by all communities.