President returns

President Maithripala Sirisena and the officials who were in the US to participate in the United Nations General Assembly arrived in the country a short while ago.

MR summoned by PRECIFAC again

Former president Mahinda Rajapaksa and five others have been summoned by the Presidential Commission of Inquiry to Investigate and Inquire into Serious Acts of Fraud, Corruption and Abuse of Power, State Resources and Privileges (PRECIFAC) on October 15, 16, 29 and 30 over the ITN controversy.

Richmond College student run over by train

A Grade-3 student of Richmond College in Galle was killed on the spot when he was run over by a train at the Richmond Hill railway crossing today.

Hemasiri Fernando is new ITN Chairman

Hemasiri Fernando has been appointed as the Chairman of the Independent Television Network (ITN), Government Information Department said.

Seya’s killing: Student’s laptop sent to Moratuwa Uni.

Minuwangoda Magistrate D. A. Ruwanpathirana today ordered the police to send the laptop of the 17-year-old student, who was arrested and released in connection with Seya Sadewmi’s killing, to the Moratuwa University for examination and to submit a report to the CID.

Video: Domestic mechanism a big lie: Wimal

National Freedom Front (NFF) leader Wimal Weerawansa today challenged the government to prove that the unanimously adopted UNHRC resolution did not contain a proposal for the setting up of a hybrid court as claimed by the government.

Probe mechanism must be domestic: President

President Maithripala Sirisena has told the New York Times on Wednesday that he would keep an open mind on a war crime tribunal and make sure it was in keeping with Sri Lanka’s Constitution.

Video: Drug kingpin Siddique re-remanded

Drug kingpin Mohammed Siddique, who was arrested on charges of drug trafficking was re-remanded till October 14 by Colombo Chief Magistrate Gihan Pilapitiya today.

Video: Imaduwa to Kokmaduwa temporarily closed on E01

The road between Kokmaduwa- Imaduwa on the Matara-Galle stretch of the Southern Expressway, was temporarily closed due to landslide risk at 114 km post, police said.

Central Bank effects more transfers

On top of the transfers of some senior officers that caught media headlines early this week, the Central Bank (CB) yesterday effected further transfers, Mirror Business learns.

Police beat me; took nude photos of me-School boy

"After being held at the Kotadeniyawa police station for three days, I was beaten and accused of committing this crime. They later took photos of me in the nude,” said the schoolboy who was discharged after being on remand for 12 days on suspicion of having killed Seya Sadevmi.

Implementing UNHRC recommendations problematic: Nimal Siripala

The implementation of the UNHRC, recommendations including the establishment of a war crimes tribunal, would create many legal issues in the country’s judicial system, as a new Constitution and a referendum would be required to implement the recommendations, the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) said today.

Special dress for prisoners during PT

Prisons Commissioner Rohana Pushpakumara said today they were considering to introduce a new dress, a T-shirt and a track bottom to the prisoners when they engage in physical training activities during rehabilitation programmes.

Seya’s killing: Released persons hospitalised

The 17-year-old student and the 32-year-old man, who were arrested in connection with the killing of Seya Sadewmi, were admitted to the Gampaha Hospital this afternoon.

Risk of landslide on Southern Expressway

The National Building Research Organisation (NBRO) today warned that there was a risk of landslide near the 114th km post on the Southern Expressway between Imaduwa and Kokmaduwa due to the adverse weather prevailing in the Southern Province.

Video: Upul allowed to go abroad

Hambantota District Provincial Councillor D.V. Upul who was charged with threatening FCID officers in a speech made by him, was today allowed by a Colombo Magistrate, to go abroad upon furnishing a surety bond of Rs 500.000.

Video: Resolution on SL adopted without a vote

The new resolution on Sri Lanka that was submitted to the UNHRC last Thursday, was adopted without a vote a short while ago, as part of the proceedings of 40th meeting of the UNHR Council’s ongoing 30th session.

Video: One injured in Kandy fire

A motor workshop at Sri Wickrema Mawatha in the Kandy town was gutted this afternoon.

Video: PC member remanded for FB pics

The Southern Provincial Council’s Vice Chairman Sampath Atukorale was today remanded till October 5 by Colombo Magistrate on a complaint of allegedly uploading pictures of President Maithripala Sirisena to his Facebook page and Facebook pages of others as well.

I robbed bank for my education

The suspect taken into custody in connection with a failed robbery at a private bank in the Panadura town, had stated that he was a medical student at the Moscow University and that he resorted to robbery to find money for his fees, the Police said.

Ranil upbeat on GSP Plus

Sri Lanka would officially request the European Union to restore the GSP plus Status today as the human rights issue, which the country had been facing for the past few years had come to an end, Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe said today.

Video: Seya’s murder: schoolboy, man released

The 17-year-old schoolboy and 32-year-old man who were remanded in connection with Seya Sadewmi’s murder were today discharged by the Minuwangoda Magistrate.

Video: NPC Governor hospitalised

North Central Province Governor P.B. Dissanayaka has been hospitalised due to a sudden illness while attending the ‘Elder’s Day” event at the Saliyapura Elders' Home in Anuradhapura.

Seya’s murder: DNA samples do not match

The CID today informed the court that the Genetech Company had informed that the DNA samples of the 17 year-old schoolboy and 32 year-old suspect do not match those recovered from the body of the murder victim Seya Sadewmi.

SL to assist with Maldives blast probe

An investigations team from Sri Lanka will travel to neigbouring Maldives to assist in the ongoing investigation into the explosion aboard the presidential speedboat carrying President Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom and the First Lady on Monday morning, Haveeru Online reported.

Video: We must deal honestly with the past: MS at UN

President Maithripala Sirisena addressing the 70th Session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York today, said that a fundamental requirement to achieve his government's main vision -- sustainable development and reconciliation -- was to deal with the past honestly and build a modern nation: and that in dealing with the past, Sri Lanka would use a process of truth seeking, justice, reparation and non-recurrence.

Top int’l prosecutor to visit SL in October

The Representative of the Japanese Delegation today stated at the UNHRC that Motoo Noguchi - a top international prosecutor will be visiting Sri Lanka in October.

Lawlessness victimizing the public: Namal

Hambantota district MP Namal Rajapaka said that criminal activities in the country had drastically increased in recent months while the underworld had risen once again.

Video: SL to obtain UNHRC assistance

Sri Lanka today reiterated that it would work with the UN Human Rights chief, his Office, systems and the international community to take necessary steps to safeguard and uphold the human rights of all Sri Lankan citizens as well as would obtain advice and assistance of the international experts.

SL judicial system isn’t equipped to probe war crimes: Zeid

UN Human Rights Chief Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein justifying the OISL report recommendation for a hybrid special court to address accountability issues in Sri Lanka, said the domestic judicial system is not equipped to conduct an investigation into the crimes listed in the findings.