Muslim religious dignitary Al Haj Niyas Moulawi died of a heart attack this morning in Badulla. He was the coordinator to the President on Muslim religious affairs. His mortal remains are being brought to Colombo for final rites, sources close to him told Adaderana.

Ceylon Workers’ Congrass (CWC) Senior Vice Chairman P. Radhakrishnan has been invited by the Upcountry People’s Front (UPF) to lead that party, sources said. When Adaderana contacted Mr. Radhakrishnan, he confirmed that he had received such an invitation but a final decision has not been taken as yet.

Venenerable Ellawala Medhananda Thera says that he is unaware of what happened during the Jathika Hela Urumaya national convention held yesterday. He told Adaderana this morning (June 20) that he had not told the party that he wished to be relieved of leadership. ....

The Adaderana staff manning the night shift felt an earth tremor at around 12. 59 am. It lasted for about one minute. A highly worried staff inquired from the Meteorological Department, which said that it had to be confirmed. A few minutes later, the Met. Department confirmed that a slight tremor

Sri Lanka should not depend on foreign loans and instead concentrate on encouraging Foreign Direct Investments for the country’s development, former Malaysian Premier Dr. Mahathir Mohamed told Adaderana a short while ago. ....

The Sri Lanka Wildlife Department is to mount operations to capture and relocate elephants that frequent villages, Department source told Adaderana. ....

When Adaderana contacted the Defence Secretary over the much discussed news item on BBC’s Hardtalk, where Sri Lanka’s Secretary of Defence Gotabhaya Rajapaksa had reportedly stated that Sri Lanka could execute General Sarath Fonseka, he said what he had meant was ‘if Fonseka was found guilty

He will not be surprised if the government decides to pardon Kumaran Pathmanadan alias KP for the assistance he has rendered to unravel the financial ramifications of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) said Media Minister Keheliya Rambukwella during Adaderana’s 360 programme this evening. ....

Contractors who do not perform a proper job entrusted to them will be severely dealt with, said Deputy Highways Minister Mervyn Silva when the Adaderana correspondent asked him regarding the slipshod work done on highway projects by the contractors. ....

India and Sri Lanka share the unenviable culture, says Bollywood actress Dia Mirza when Adaderana asked her what the island can expect from the Indian International Film Academy (IIFA) Weekend Awards being held here. ....

UPDATE: Latest reports received by Adaderana confirms that there has been no fire but only smoke in the chemical container at the Colombo harbour. READ MORE....

A large number of civilians are participating in religious ceremonies in the north and east to pay respects to those who died in the recent battles, Tamil National Alliance (TNA) member for Jaffna P. Ariyanenthiran told Adaderana this morning. READ MORE....

In the latest developments in the corporate sector, Adaderana learns that Gamini Senarath has been appointed Acting Chairman and Board member of Sri Lanka Insurance Corporation Ltd (SLIC). Pradeep Kariyawasam who was to take over as SLIC Chairman earlier is tipped to take over as Chairman

Vidya Amarapala is tipped to be appointed Chairman of Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB). Mr. Amarapala is an engineer by profession and Roshan Gunawardene is to be appointed Working Director and Board member, Adaderana learns through reliable sources.

Current Managing Director of Sri Lanka Insurance Corporation Ltd., Dr. Nalaka Godahewa is tipped to head the institution vested in the Government by courts last year, as its Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Adaderana learns. READ MORE....

The Urban Development Authority (UDA) has been entrusted to a board comprising some professionals in diverse fields, Adaderana reliably learns. Janaka Kurukulasuriya has been appointed UDA Chairman, according to these sources and the appointments are to be formerly announced soon. READ MORE....

United National Party (UNP) Deputy Leader Karu Jayasuriya is to meet the party’s Reforms Committee during the course of the day (May 13), committee chairman and Gampaha district parliamentarian Joseph Michael Perera told Adaderana late last night. READ MORE....

The United National Party’s (UNP) national as well as the village level leadership has to bear the responsibility for the recent string of defeats the party had to face during elections, Dr. Karunasena Kodituwakku told Adaderana today. READ MORE....

Pradeep Kariyawasam is likely to retain his post as Chairman of Sri Lanka Insurance Corporation Limited, Adaderana reliably learns. A well known figure at executive managerial level, Mr. Karuyawasam is the husband of Supreme Court Justice Shirani Bnadaranayake. READ MORE….

Adaderana this morning. READ MORE...

Nimal Welgama has been appointed as chairman of Sri Lanka Telecom (SLT) with Lawyer Kalinga Indatissa, Shameendra Rajapaksha and Jayantha Dharmadasa being appointed as Board members, Adaderana reliably learns. READ MORE...

A new Board of Directors has been appointed to the Sri Lanka Board of Investment (BOI). The Chairman and Director General is J.D. Bandaranayake while Eshana de Silva, Sanjeewa Wickemanayake and Anura Jayasinghe are Members of the Board, BOI sources told Adaderana a short while ago.

Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) cargo planes are to be used to transport essential medicinal drugs and supplies into the island from overseas, Health Minister Maithripala Sirisena told Adaderana a short while ago. READ MORE....

The Australian government has amended its visa procedures effective from midnight on May 7, for General Skilled Migrants, Australian Accredited Immigration Law specialist Don Susantha Katugampola told Adaderana this morning. READ MORE....

Former Secretary to the Ministry of Agriculture, Sirisena Amarasekera has been appointed as secretary to the Prime Minister. This appointment has been made today by President Mahinda Rajapaksa, the Prime MinisterÂ?s office told Adaderana a short while ago. READ MORE...

With former Foreign Minister Rohitha Bogollagama being apparently left out of the preference vote list in the Colombo district, he has raised objections and urged for a recount of the votes, Adaderana reliably understands. READ MORE...

Not all Rajapaksas are on the top of the preference list of the Hambantota district, political sources close to the party told Adaderana today. READ MORE...

Though results of the 2010 general elections for the Colombo district are yet to be officially announced, sources told Adaderana that Wimal Weerawansa from the United PeopleÂ?s Freedom Alliance (UPFA) seems to be leading the way in preference votes with a high margin. READ MORE....

The Elections Department will not officially release the final results of the Nawalapitiya electorate, the Kandy district and the island-wide results for the 2010 general elections, till the re-poll at the few polling divisions in Nawalapitiya, Department sources told Adaderana a short while ago

Police have received complaints that United National Front (UNF) and Democratic National Alliance (DNA) polling agents at 16 centres in Nawalapitiya had been chased away, UNF Deputy Leader Karu Jayasuriya told Adaderana a short while ago. READ MORE...