The meeting scheduled for today between International Monetary Fund (IMF) Managing Director Christine Lagarde and Sri Lankan delegation has been postponed due to a snowstorm in Washington.

The superior cinema hall of the Majestic Cineplex (MC) has been closed down after bugs were found in several seats inside the theatre, Colombo Municipal Council (CMC) Chief Medical Officer Dr. Ruwan Wijayamuni told Daily Mirror today. 

A proposal made by President Maithripala Sirisena to declare the Tripitaka as a World Heritage was approved by the Cabinet today.

President Maithripala Sirisena yesterday suggested that certain parties were trying to postpone the provincial council elections by crowing over the Presidential Election instead.

A 36-year-old British national drowned while surfing at the Madiha beach in Matara on Sunday.

Inspector General of Police (IGP) Pujith Jayasundara has arrived at the Government Analyst's Department to give a voice sample with regard to the investigation into the alleged VIP assassination plot.

A protest was carried out by a group of parents of the Anula Vidyalaya, Nugegoda this morning against the newly appointed Western Province Governor, who had allegedly forcibly opened the private Sunday school situated at the Vidyalaya premises yesterday.

The A1 Road from the entrance to the new Kelani Bridge to the Kelanitissa Roundabout, would be closed from 8.00 a.m. to 5.00 p.m. tomorrow due to construction work on the new Kelani Bridge that is being built, the Police said.

Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) National Organiser Basil Rajapaksa today said he is ready and determined to work towards electing the next President from his party, SLPP.

Democracy was yet to be achieved as President Sirisena was having a severe grudge with some UNPers, Field Marshal Sarath Fonseka said over the weekend.

Inspector General of Police (IGP) Pujith Jayasundara had been summoned to the Government Analyst's Department today (Monday 14) to give a voice sample with regard to the investigation into the alleged VIP assassination plot, Government Analyst Ariyananda Welianga said.

The Colombo city has been named the ‘must-photograph’ travel destination of 2019, in a study.

The Elections Commission ruled out yesterday the possibility to conduct the Provincial Council Elections before April this year, even if the existing legal barriers were cleared forthwith.

Sri Lankan delegation led by Minister of Finance and Media Mangala Samaraweera arrived in Washington today to discuss Sri Lanka’s External Fund Facility (EFF) with IMF and others during their visit.

All the government Tamil school would be closed on Monday (Jan 14) in lieu of the Thaipongal festival, the Education Ministry said today.

A British woman and an Indian man died on two separate incidents while holidaying in Mirissa and Hungama, Police said.

Former Minister and Senior Vice President of the SLFP, Nimal Siripala De Silva reiterated that the Presidential candidate of the SLFP would be President Maithripala Sirisena.

The computer-based test for obtaining driving licences would be introduced to the other 25 districts in the country by the end of this year which would be networked with the DMT head office, Department of Motor Traffic (DMT) Commissioner General A.H.K. Jagath Chandrasiri said.

The government would be able to absorb another 800,000 low income families into the Samurdhi programme by next year increasing the number of Samurdhi recipient families to 2.2 million by 2020, Labour, Trade Union Relations and Social Empowerment Minister Daya Gamage said yesterday.

A Sri Lankan family of six who attempted to smuggle a large stock of cosmetics, imported cigarettes and foreign liquor worth nearly Rs.1 million were taken into custody by the Customs at the Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) on Wednesday evening.

A total of 480,799 vehicles had been registered last year, The Department of Motor Traffic (DMT) said yesterday.

The proper procedure was followed when allocating a parking space to former cricketer Sanath Jayasuriya at the Colombo Trillium Residencies where he had been earlier deprived of a parking space, Condominium Management Authority (CMA) General Manager R.K. Jayaweera said.

UPFA MP Wimal Weerawansa, found guilty of violating the Intellectual Property Act by publishing a book titled Naththa Wenuwata Aththa’, was yesterday ordered by Colombo High Court Judge to pay JVP General Secretary Tilvin Silva Rs.10 million as compensation.

JVP leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake said today the joint opposition including Opposition Leader Mahinda Rajapaksa were inciting racism by claiming that a federal constitution was being introduced in April when not even a draft constitution had been finalized.

UNP has acted in a cowardly manner when it comes to enacting a new constitution as it had avoided stating its stance on the report by the experts panel, MP Nimal Siripala de Silva said today.

Joint opposition MPs today brought to the notice of the Speaker that the English version of the panel of experts report on constitution-making was marked 'draft' while the Sinhala and Tamil copies were not described as such.

Opposition Leader Mahinda Rajapaksa said today the government did not have the legitimacy to introduce a new constitution and urged it to go for a parliamentary election so that people's approval could be obtained for such a move.

Joint opposition MP Bandula Gunawardane said today the report of the experts panel presented to the Constitutional Assembly has included proposals contradictory to what the sub-committee on public finance headed by him had proposed.

Sri Lanka has today become a centre of drug smuggling, mainly due to politicians harbouring drug smugglers, Opposition Leader Mahinda Rajapaksa said yesterday.

President Maithripala Sirisena today appointed two new non-Cabinet ministers and a deputy minister at his official residence, the President’s Media Division said.

Former Mayor of Colombo A.J.M Muzammil has been appointed as the Chairman of the Central Environmental Authority (CEA) by President Maithripala Sirisena today. Mr. Muzammil also served as the Sri Lankan High Commissioner to Malaysia.

Malaysian police have dismantled an international human trafficking syndicate and arrested three Sri Lankan men suspected of being traffickers, Malay Mail reported on Friday.

New Zealand won the only T20I against Sri Lanka by 35 runs held at Eden Park, Auckland. Out to chase 180, Sri Lanka got off to a bad start with Sadeera Samarawickrama departing on the first ball.  But the early fall did little to deter Sri Lanka’s confidence as Niroshan Dickwella and Kusal Perera fired the side past 50. But Scott and Doug Bracewell picked up two quick wickets to pull things back for the hosts by the end of powerplay.

SLFP General Secretary Dayasiri Jayaseka today vowed to make the grand old party of the down trodden and anti capitalists, the most powerful political force in the country within four months with the aim of winning all three elections this year.  

Four Attorneys yesterday handed over their nominations for the post of President and Secretary of the Bar Association of Sri Lanka (BASL) for the elections due to be held on February 20.