Chairman of the Board of Investment (BOI) Upul Jayasuriya has tendered his resignation.

The former BOI Chairman told reporters he has resigned for ‘personal’ reasons.

Media reports last week had highlighted irregularities with a project to build a ‘super skyscraper’ in Sri Lanka.

The company at the centre of the controversy – the Al Aman World Capital Centre (WCC) – seemingly does not exist and was dissolved on March 14, 2017.  

Upul Jayasuriya, as the BOI Chairman had reportedly sanctioned the project by signing a USD 2 billion agreement.

Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) announced today that Upul Tharanga and Dinesh Chandimal would replace Angelo Mathews as captains of the Sri Lanka cricket team.

Angelo Mathews stepped down from his captaincy this morning after a historic series defeat to Zimbabwe. 

SLC announced that Upul Tharanga would captain the Sri Lanka team in the One-Day International (ODI) and Twenty-Twenty (T20) format.

It was decided that Dinesh Chandimal will captain Sri Lanka in the Test format of the game.   

Former Defense Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa who arrived at the Presidential Commission of Inquiry to investigate into acts of fraud, corruption and abuse of power today, lashed out outside the BMICH saying he wanted no apologies – only justice.

“Although there are some people that think the Rajapaksas’ should be apologized to I am not looking for any unwanted apologies,” the former Defense Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa said. “What I want is justice.”

The former Defense Secretary said he had not accumulated coconut, tea, rubber estates, nor hotels and houses, nor was he a shareholder in any companies, and for this reason saw no reason why he should be harassed.

Former Defense Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa was summoned before the Presidential Commission of Inquiry today to make a statement relating to an incident in 2012-2013 when parts of the Kankasanthurai cement factory was sold as scrap metal.

It is alleged that parts of the Kankasanthurai cement factory were stripped and sold as scrap metal under the aegis of the Ministry of Defense, which came under the former Defense Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa.

A tense situation has occurred in Point Pedro, Jaffna, with angry villagers attacking a police post and a temporary quarters of Police officials in protest of the shooting incident in Point Pedro, last evening.

Police sources said the Special Task Force (STF) has been deployed in area to beef up the security.

The Police opened fire at a lorry that was transporting sand on Sunday evening when it did not heed orders to stop at a checkpoint, One person died as a result of the incident.

The Police Media Unit, this morning, said two Police officers had been interdicted and arrested in connection with the incident.

The Special Investigation Unit (SIU) is currently conducting an investigation into the incident, the Police Media Unit added.

The Presidential Commission inquiring into the Treasury Bonds scam instructed the Attorney General's Department to look into the possibility of taking action on an incident where Arjuna Aloysius allegedly attempted to influence a witness in the inquiry. 

The commission was informed that Aloysius, son in law of former Central Bank Governor Arjuna Mahendran, had telephoned a witness in the bond commission inquiry. 

The commission then directed the AG's department to examine into the legal provisions to take further action against the controversial businessman. 

A company linked to Aloysius, Perpetual Treasuries, is at the centre of the Treasury bonds controversy. 

The commission's move comes a day after the Central Bank Monetary Board decided to suspend Perpetual Treasuries from functioning as a primary dealer for 6 months. 

The Colombo High Court this morning imposed the death sentence on the man arrested in connection with the murder of Mel Gunasekera.

Journalist Mel Gunasekera was found stabbed to death in the kitchen of her house in Battaramulla on Sunday, February 2 2014 morning.

The accused Anthony Ramson George was a labourer who had painted the Gunasekera house for Christmas the previous year.

He was accused of breaking into the house on Sunday morning, when he assumed the family was attending church, and committing the murder of Mel Gunasekera who was at home.

Army Chief of staff Mahesh Senanayake has been appointed the new Army Commander. 

He has also been promoted to the rank Leutinent General, by President Maithripala Sirisena. 

Senanayake succeeds Lt. General Chrishantha de Silva who was appointed the Chief of Defence Staff, last week. 

Senanayake was among the 14 officers who were sent on compulsory retirement by the previous government, after the Presidential election on 2010. 

The Army officers were sent on compulsory retirement due to suspicion that they were supporters of former Army Commander Sarath Fonseka. 

He was reinstated by President Sirisena in February, 2015. 

Inspector General of Police (IGP) Pujith Jayasundara today submitted a report on the clash that took place between Police Special Task Force (STF) at the Health Ministry premises on June 21 to the Police Commission.

The Police Commission had called for a report on the incident that saw local university students storm the Health Ministry premises agitating for a meeting with Health Minister Rajitha Seneratne – the ensuing scuffle saw 95 students hospitalised.

The local university students were protesting against the South Asian Institute of Technology and Medicine (SAITM), which, despite solution from the government, they insist is a ‘hora upadee kade’ and must be shut down. 

Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, addressing a conference on Constitutional Reforms at the BMICH yesterday, said the first interim report on the new Constitution would be presented to Parliament in August.

The Prime Minister, who is the Chairman on the Constitutional Assembly, emphasised the first interim report on the new Constitution was not draft constitution bill: “What we have now is a report on the Constitution,” he said.

He said public opinion could be sought on the report after which debate can take place. “Once the debate is over we can send a full report to Parliament and debate how the draft constitution should be prepared.”

“It is a long process that will build consent not divisions,” the Prime Minister said.

He pointed out that Steering Committee had established six Cabinet sub-committees to look into various aspects of the new Constitution. The sub-committees had consulted various stakeholders and submitted their report to the Steering Committee, the Prime Minister said.

“Now the Steering Committee will compile a report. That report will be submitted by August,” the Prime Minister said.

A hartal is in progress in Bandarawela town against the Uma Oya Multipurpose Development Project that resident’s claim is causing damage to their homes.

Businesses closed and residents took to the streets to protest damage to a reported 7, 37 homes.

The residents further allege that 84 million liters of water leak every day as a result of the Uma Oya project.

The Uma Oya Multipurpose Project is implemented by the Ministry of Irrigation and Water and will be managed in coordination with the Ministry of Power and Energy and the Ceylon Electricity Board.

Upon completion, the Uma Oya Multipurpose Project is expected to add 120 MW to the generation system with 230 GWh of annual energy generation.