Several sportsmen and women have been hit with a visa embargo after sports minister Mahindananda Aluthgamage blacklisted 18 sports organisations that are supposed to take care of them.

The so-called Arcade Independence Square in Colombo becomes a flooded zone each time there is a downpour with the corridor connecting two main roads under water, residents, shoppers and motorists say.

The eldest of the Rajapaksa brothers - Chamal Rajapaksa is reportedly preparing to retire from politics at the end of the present term of parliament, sources from the Rajapaksa family say.

The incumbent President Mahinda Rajapaksa himself has declared that he could be the last executive president of Sri Lanka, Minister Vasudewa Nanayakkara has said.

A massive crowd has poured into the venue of the public meeting of Common Opposition Candidate Maithripala Sirisena that is now taking place in Kandy, it has been reported.