Senior lawyer Kaushalya Navaratne assumed duties yesterday (25) as the 27th president of the Bar Association of Sri Lanka (BASL).

Dissident MPs of the SLFP are now at talks with party chairman Maithripala Sirisena to make a return, 'Deshaya' reported.

President Ranil Wickremesinghe instructed the Minister of Sports and officials, to establish an expert committee to assess the development of Sri Lanka’s sports sector and its future strategies.

Trade unionist Joseph Stalin urges the opposition to prevent the passage of the counterterrorism act proposed by the justice minister to repress protests against the implementation of the IMF loan conditions.

Outgoing president of the Bar Association of Sri Lanka (BASL) Saliya Pieris says he represents any client to safeguard a citizen’s right to life.

Opposition MP Harsha de Silva, in response to the President's speech on the IMF agreement, said that he was relieved that the government had finally obtained the approval of the IMF Board for the USD 3 billion facility.

Trade unions of professionals say they will resume union action if the president does not grant them a meeting in the coming week to discuss a temporary solution to their income tax issue.

A major protest took place in Mannar town on March 23 against alleged plans to issue licenses to Indian fishermen to engage in fishing in Sri Lankan waters.

Several weeks of speculation over the post of IGP has ended with the president deciding to grant a three month extension for incumbent C.D. Wickramaratne, Presidential Secretariat sources said.

While having a chat with Mangala at the Radical Centre, supporting Ranil had become a topic. Mangala saw Ranil as the next leader. I vehemently opposed it as being ridiculous.