Strong quake shakes Indonesia's Sumatra

JAKARTA, Indonesia — A strong earthquake struck Sunday off the coast of southern Sumatra in Indonesia, causing panicked residents to run from their homes but no major damage.

The U.S. Geological Survey said the quake Sunday morning had a magnitude of 6.4 and occurred at a depth of 35 kilometers (21 miles).

Wijedasa Rajapakshe to be sacked?

The UNP leadership has decided to ask president Maithripala Sirisena to remove Wijedasa Rajapakshe as the justice and Buddha Sasana minister, say government sources.

Rajapakshe faces many accusations, including the violation of the cabinet’s collective responsibility by criticizing the Hambantota port decision, the Attorney General’s Department under him delaying court cases against the Rajapaksas and getting senior lawyer of the Department Dapppula de Livera to inconvenience senior government figure Ravi Karunanayake.

Ravi Karunanayake resigns as Foreign Minister

Sri Lanka’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Ravi Karunanayake resigned from his ministerial portfolio, after delivering a lengthy statement in Parliament with regard to the allegations that have been leveled against him.

He termed the various allegations against him regarding the bond scam as “baseless” and emphasized that he has absolutely no connection with the incident in question.

Rangana to be rested for Pallekele Test

Rangana Herath will be rested for the third Test at Pallekele after pulling up from the second Test with a stiff back. Two players will be further added to Sri Lanka's squad to replace Herath and the already-injured Nuwan Pradeep.

Though there is no injury to Herath as such, he has had a heavy workload over the past three weeks, in which he bowled 71.1 overs in the one-off Test against Zimbabwe, as well as a combined 91 overs in the two Tests against India.

I will not resign - Ravi

Foreign Minister Ravi Karunanayake, in a Facebook post has expressed sadness regarding the various false information being reported that there would be a change in the posts he bears in the UNP and the government.

He said all accurate information regarding him is being published on his official web page and other official social media sites.

Awa gang leader, 5 others arrested in Colombo

The leader of the criminal gang ‘Ava Group’ has been arrested along with 5 other gang members, police spokesman SP Ruwan Gunasekara said yesterday.

Three of the suspects, including Nishanthan have been arrested at Pettah bus stand last morning. Another suspect has been arrested in Mattakkuliya while another two at Jaffna.

Drone used to video bathing women

Police have launched a probe following a complaint received about a videoing bathing women in an enclosure behind a house in Wennappuwa using a drone camera, Wennappuwa Police said.

Resign, President tells Ravi

President Maithripala Sirisena has asked Foreign Affairs Minister and former finance minister Ravi Karunanayake to resign from his portfolio in the face of the allegations levelled against him in connection with the Central Bank bond sale, government sources said yesterday.

They said the President had told the minister that if he continued to function as a Cabinet minister, it would create serious issues not only to the government but also to the minister himself and as such the President had pointed out that the best solution available to the minister is to resign from his ministerial portfolio.