Action against BC

The Cabinet decided to initiate investigations into the failure on the part of the Commissioners of the Bribery Commission to dispense with complaints lodged with it during the last four years, a minister said yesterday.

EC: Desist from hate speech

Elections Commissioner Mahinda Deshapriya said on Tuesday that the use of hate speech, in canvassing votes, was a serious offence under the Parliamentary Elections Act, and therefore he urged the candidates to desist from such acts.

Rajiv Gandhi killers will not be hanged, confirms SC

The Supreme Court dismissed on Wednesday the centre’s curative petition against its 2014 judgment commuting the death sentence of three convicts to life term in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case, upholding a verdict that brought into focus the inordinate delays in executions in India

SL seeks international assistance to fight kidney disease

Sri Lanka today sought assistance from friendly countries to combat kidney disease and save members of the farming community that was most affected by the disease.

Sobitha Thera supports UNFGG on conditions

The civil organizations including the Movement for Just Society led by Venerable Maduluwawe Sobitha Thera today said they had decided to support the United National Front for Just Society (UNFGG) under conditions including the appointment of Venerable Sobitha Thera as the Chairman of the Constitutional Assembly which the party had pledged to set up in its manifesto.

UPFA will undo UNP damages: Susil

In the first six months of a UPFA government that was to be formed in the event of winning the August 17 poll, the Parliament would be turned into a Constitutional Assembly to introduce a new Constitution and electoral reforms, General Secretary of the UPFA Susil Premajayantha said.

Customs: Three containers of whiskey seized

Three containers with a large number of liquor bottles and cigarettes valued at about Rs. 24 million imported from India and Dubai had been seized today, Customs Spokesman Leslie Gamini said.

Father, mother and sons sentenced to death

Six persons including a family of four were sentenced to death today by the Matara High Court, for the murder of a 57-year-old in Gandara, Matara in 2001.

US wants military bases in SL: Vitharana

Recent statements made by an incoming ambassador of the US to the region and a high ranking military official of the US indicated that the US intended establishing military bases in Sri Lanka, leader of the Lanka Sama Samaja Party (LSSP) Prof. Tissa Vitharana said.

Heavy traffic at Town Hall

Heavy traffic was reported in the Town hall area due to a protest by the Inter University Student's Federation (IUSF) outside the University Grant Commission (UGC) in Colombo 7.

Mastermind of SL team attack in Lahore killed

The alleged mastermind of the attack on the Sri Lankan cricket team in 2009 in Lahore was killed in an attempted breakout from police late on Tuesday, along with his sons and 11 others, Pakistani media have reported.

Taliban leader Mullah Omar 'is dead'

Taliban leader Mullah Omar has died, Afghan government sources say, but the militant group has not commented, the BBC reported.   

Live tortoises seized at BIA

Officials of the Sri Lanka Customs have nabbed 488 live tortoises worth Rs.405,879 at the Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) last night, Customs Spokesman Leslie Gamini said.

People might hoot at me- Samarasinghe

Former SLFP Parliamentarian Mahinda Samarasinghe said he would not take part in the rally to be held in Kalutara on August 3, as he had information that several individuals were planning to hoot at him.

Body found in bag at bus queue

The body of a female was found in a travelling bag at the Bastian Mawatha private bus terminal, Pettah this morning, the police said.

Enjoining order against convening of SLFP CC extended

The enjoining order preventing the convening of the Central Committee of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) has been extended till August 7 by the Colombo District Court today.

Investigators question LTTE operative on links to outfit

Investigators of the 'Q' branch police on Tuesday interrogated LTTE operative A Kumaraguru, who police arrested at Trichy airport on July 25 when he attempted to flee to Switzerland with a fake passport.

Another batch of SL Tamils return home

A fresh batch of 45 Sri Lankan Tamil refugees headed back to their homeland from the international airport yesterday. Airport sources said the refugees who were housed in various camps located in Tiruchi, Dindigul, Kanyakumari, Villupuram, Tuticorin, Sivaganga, Pudukottai, Madurai, Karur, Tirunelveli and Ramanathapuram districts had obtained exit clearance from the respective district administration authorities where the camps functioned.

110 civil society groups align with UNFGG

Some 110 civil society organisations and trade unions today signed a 14-point people’s pledge with the United National Front for Good Governance (UNFGG) for a fair, democratic and people-friendly Constitution.

Welegedara quits, migrates to Australia

Sri Lanka pace bowler Chanaka Welegedara has decided to migrate to Australia after being cold shouldered by the national selectors during the recent home series against Pakistan.

Video: MR promises new Constitution under UPFA Govt.

Kurunegala district UPFA candidate Mahinda Rajapaksa today said a new Constitution and electoral reforms would be enacted in the short term under a UPFA government if the party won the general election.

Thajudeen: Court calls for final Post Mortem report

Colombo Additional Magistrate Nishanth Pieristoday ordered the Judicial Medical Officer (JMO) to submit the final report of the postmortem to court in connection with the death of former Havelocks Rugby captain Wasim Thajudeen.

Five SLFPers removed from party

The membership of five SLFP members contesting the parliamentary election on the UNP ticket was cancelled by party Chairman and President Maithripala Sirisena today.

SL to get 'Google' support for Wi-fi

WIFI connections will be freely available throughout the country by March 2016 with the aid of Google loon, a technology under which a special kind of balloon named Raven Aerostar.

ISIS militant’s family leave for Pakistan

The family members of the alleged Sri Lankan ISIS militant who was killed in Syria had left the country for Pakistan, police investigations had revealed.

Bomb found near Katunayake SLAF camp

An unexploded bomb, believed to have fallen off from the LTTE aircraft shot down in 2009 by Sri Lanka Air Force at Katunayake, was found in a swamp close to the SLAF Camp yesterday.

UPFA presents election manifesto to Maithri

The election manifesto of United Peoples Freedom Alliance (UPFA) was presented to party Chairman and President Maithripala Sirisena by UPFA candidates Susil Premejayantha and Dinesh Gunawardane at the President’s House this morning.

UNFGG will not let down 5.7mn voters voted for MR- PM

United National Front for Good Governance (UNFGG) will take care of the interests of 5.7 million people who voted for former President Mahinda Rajapaksa if elected to office on August 17, Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe said yesterday.

Lankan refugee sentenced to 20 years' jail for murder

A man found guilty of the stabbing murder of a fellow Sri Lankan refugee in Adelaide's north has been jailed for at least 20 years.

​ITN rejects live telecast of UPFA manifesto-UPFA

The state owned Independent Television Network (ITN) has refused a request to telecast live the UPFA election manifesto,which is to be launched today, asserting that it has to accommodate the already scheduled programmes of the channel -- in a letter sent by ITN to the general secretary of the UPFA.