Defence Ministry influences LG members: Champika

Local politicians of the Jathika Hela Urumaya had been influenced by Defence Ministry and that they had been unable to attend Pradeshiya Sabha and Urban Councils or carry out their election campaign, General Secretary of the Jathika Hela Urumaya (JHU) Parliamentarian Champika Ranawaka charged today.

Video: ‘Maithri will be sworn-in immediately’

Common opposition candidate Maithripala Sirisena will be sworn in immediately if he is elected the President of this country, the common opposition said today.

Can't allow Arab Spring in SL: MR in Mullaithivu

President Mahinda Rajapaksa today said that he cannot allow Sri Lanka to face the same fate suffered by the countries like Iraq, Libya or Egypt.

Video: MR should vacate immediately: JVP

The Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) today said if the incumbent President Mahinda Rajapaksa was defeated at the election in January, he would have to vacate the office right after the results were announced.

Hamas should be removed from terror list: EU court

The Palestinian Islamist group Hamas should be removed from the European Union's terrorist list, an EU court ruled on Wednesday, saying the decision to include it was based on media reports not considered analysis.

Nittambuwa claymores to be defused today

The two locally made claymore mines discovered yesterday at a cemetery in Bamunuwa, Nittambuwa would be defused by the Special Task Force today on a court order, Police said.

Madras high court suggests TN govt. free Lankan doctor

The Madras high court has asked the Tamil Nadu government to consider releasing a Sri Lankan Tamil doctor, now lodged in a special camp for refugees at Poonamallee, so that he could return to his country with his family and reclaim the property they had left behind during the civil war.

Two Pakistani Nationals sentenced to death

Two Pakistani men, who pleaded guilty to charges of possessing and peddling 1560 grammes of heroin in Bambalapitiya in 2012, were today sentenced to death by Colombo High Court Judge Irangani Perera.

Video: Gota blasts those ashamed of being Sinhalese

Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa today said it was extremely unfortunate to note that there were some influential figures within Sri Lanka who have said openly that the country should submit itself to an international investigation.

Video: 10 PS members arrested for election law violations

The Police Department today said that 30 individuals including four Pradeshiya Saba (PS) Chairmen were arrested for violating election law violations.

Video: JHU says G’pila harassing them

The Jathika Hela Urumaya (JHU) today alleged that Western provincial councilor Udaya Gammanpila and some ministers were forcing the party’s local government members to defect from the JHU and join hands with the president.

Maithri will make CBK the PM: Tissa

The newly appointed Health Minister Tissa Attanayake said that common opposition’s presidential candidate Maithripala Sirisena had a secret agenda to appoint former President Chandrika Kumaratunga as the Prime Minister in a government formed by Mr. Sirisena.

EC vows to resign

Elections Commissioner Mahinda Deshapriya said today he and his officials would resign from their posts sans pension if it was proven that any malpractice or rigging had taken place at this presidential election.

17 JHU PS members support MR

Western Provincial Councilor Udaya Gammanpila who crossed over to the government recently said seventeen out of the 29 Jathika Hela Urumaya Pradeshiya Sabha monks today joined the government to support President Mahinda Rajapaksa and vowed to form their own party.

Video: Champika in a mega deal: Wimal

The National Freedom Front (NFF) Leader and Minister Wimal Weerawansa today accused the Jathika Hela Urumaya (JHU) General Secretary and former Minister Champika Ranawaka of publishing fake statistics to change peoples’ opinion on the economy.

Segments of E01 temporally closed

The Dodangoda-Welipenna segment of the Southern Expressway (E01) would be closed from 11 p.m. to 01 a.m for restoration of digital sign boards, Southern Expressway Director of Operations T.K. Ranathunga said.

Probe sabotage of Maithri’s rally: MR to police

President Mahinda Rajapaksa today instructed the Police Chief N.K Illangkoon to carry out an investigation into the sabotage of opposition candidate Maithripala Sirisena’s public rally at Wanduramba in Galle this morning.

Video: I am still the CJ; Shirani Bandaranayake

Former Chief Justice Shirani Bandaranayake said today she would not enter politics because she still considered herself as Sri Lanka’s Chief Justice.

Video: Corrupt investors planning jump to Kitts and Nevis: UNP

United National Party (UNP) today charged that corrupt investors backed by the present United People’s Freedom Alliance (UPFA) Government have already obtained permanent residency in Saint Kitts and Nevis islands in the Caribbean Sea to avoid being penalized under a National Unity Government.

SL tops Google’s ‘sex’ search list again

Sri Lanka topped the list of having searched for the word ‘sex’ in 2014, while India followed at the second spot, Google said.

Maithri’s rally sabotaged

The stage and decorations for a rally for the Common Opposition Candidate Maithripala Sirisena at Wanduramba in Galle was sabotaged this morning by an unidentified gang.

Minister and MP exchange blows

A heated argument between a minister and an opposition parliamentarian on Monday night had ended in an exchange of blows, political sources said.

Peshawar school attack leaves 141 dead

Militants from the Pakistani Taliban have attacked a school in Peshawar, killing 141 people, 132 of them children, the military say.

Extremist forces behind common opposition: BBS

The Bodu Bala Sena (BBS) General Secretary Galagoda Aththe Gnanasara Thera today said that all the extremist forces are combined with the common political party and with the support of the common opposition they are disseminating extremist powers around the country

Hosts win by 87 runs to seal 5-2 series victory

Kumar Sangakkara, playing his final one-day international on home soil, set a record for the most runs in a calendar year as Sri Lanka thumped England by 87 runs in the last match of the series in Colombo on Tuesday.

SL praises Indian move

Sri Lanka today commended the move by Indian authorities to release thirty (30) Sri Lankan fishermen and nineteen (19) boats that are currently in Indian custody.  

No loopholes in ballot paper printing: Govt. Printer

The Department of Government Printing said today the printing of ballot papers was continuing under special security arrangements and denied allegations about any irregularities and security lapses in the printing process.

Video: I finished 75% of the war: CBK

Former President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga today staked a bigger claim for the war victory by reiterating that 75 per cent of the LTTE-held territory was cleared during her tenure.

Dilshan hundred leads SL to 302

Tillakaratne Dilshan smashed a century in his 300th one-day international as Sri Lanka piled up 302-6 after choosing to bat in the seventh and final match against England in Colombo on Tuesday.

Video: Govt. alleges secret meetings in S’pore

Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva today claimed that several common opposition members including presidential candidate Maithripala Sirisena had secretly met representatives of the Transnational Government of Tamil Eelam (TGTE) in Singapore.