No ban liqour consumption in SL :Govt.

Deputy Minister of Buddha Sasana and Religious Affairs M.K.D.S. Gunawardane said in Parliament yesterday that the government could not ban alcohol consumption in the country. He said it could only be controlled through the government’s ‘Matata Tita’ policy

Govt. to bring new laws against animal cruelty

The government will enact new laws to prevent animals being subjected to various forms of cruelty, Parliament was informed on Tuesday

Lankan says gone unbalanced by Aishwarya Rai

A man who claimed to have had a romantic relationship with popular Bollywood actress Aishwarya Rai had made a complaint with the Colombo Fraud Investigations Bureau, (CFIB) alleging that his nephew had swindled him of Rs.1.7 million.

We’ll match mogul punch for punch, says SL MP

A leading Sri Lankan political figure says James Packer’s brawl with David Gyngell will not stop him passing a probity test for a proposed $US400 million ($430m) casino hotel in Colombo, but has warned the billionaire that his “arrogance’’ and tough business style would be “matched punch for punch’’.

UN acknowledges SL’s progress

United Nations General Assembly President Dr. John W. Ashe who attended the inauguration of the 15th World Youth Conference met President Mahinda Rajapaksa at Temple Trees today and acknowledged the progress Sri Lanka had made in the recent past.

Uni students block Galle Road

The Galle Road leading to the Galle Face Roundabout was temporarily closed from Kollupitiya Junction because of a protest by University students.

H’tota projects are useless: UNP report

The group of UNP parliamentarians who visited Hambantota Airport and the Harbour on a fact-finding mission on April 17 handed over an interim report to the party Leadership Council today, based on the tour and charged that both mega projects were carried out in haste and were unprofitable

Murali to retire from IPL after 2014 edition

One of the most celebrated Sri Lankan spinner, Muttiah Muralitharan is set to retire from the Indian Premier League at the end of the ongoing season.

Traffic at Town Hall

Heavy traffic has been reported in the Town Hall area in Colombo due to two protest marches by the Inter University Students' Federation (IUSF) and Undergraduates of the Allied Health Sciences (AHS) Degree programme students

Australia praises SL

Australia’s Defence Minister Senator David Johnston expressed appreciation of the role played by Sri Lanka in combating people smuggling and other illegal activities and underlined Australia’s resolve to work closely with Sri Lanka in this area

Video: Rawana Balaya insists on having new police unit withdrawn

A delegation from the Rawana Balaya organisation today handed over a letter to the Ministry of Buddha Sasana demanding that the special police unit set up to look into religious disputes be withdrawn before the Wesak Poya Day

Thailand court ousts PM Yingluck Shinawatra

A Thai court has ruled that Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra must step down over abuse of power charges.

Beware of lightning, strong winds: Met. Dept.

The Meteorology Department has warned against lighting strikes and strong winds and had asked the public to take precautionary measures

Aluthgama crash: Six suspended

Six officials of the Railways including the engine driver, his assistant, the head guard and the under guard and the two Station Masters who were on duty at the Aluthgama Railway Station at the time of the accident had been suspended until the investigations were over, the department of Railways said

Chennai blast: State police to grill Lankan suspect

Intelligence officials from the State would interrogate Mohammed Zakir Hussain, a Sri Lankan Tamil arrested by Tamil Nadu police days before recent terror attack in Chennai, said DGP B. Prasada Rao on Tuesday

Khuram killing: JMO says stab injury was fatal

Dr. Kithsiri Wijeweera, who is the former Tangalle Hospital JMO presently serving at the Badulla Hospital testifying in the Khuram Sheik murder trial said yesterday it was not the gunshot injury on Khuram’s forehead but the stab injury on his face that had caused instant death

Trade unionists in soup over violating court order

Three trade union leaders including Ceylon Teachers’ Union President Joseph Stalin and Health Services Trade Union Alliance President Saman Ratnapriya were noticed to appear in Court on June 2 for the alleged violation of a Court order

Video: BBS to reveal who is behind elephant smuggling

The Bodu Bala Sena (BBS) today claimed it knew who was behind the elephant smuggling and warned the miscreants to stop this kind of activity before it revealed the details to the public ???

Heroin worth Rs.700, 000 sent as air cargo

Customs officials today detained a package containing 132g of heroin valued at Rs.700, 000. It was found at the Air Cargo Centre in Katunayake, Customs Spokesman Leslie Gamini said

Video: Lawlessness has repulsed investors: UNP

The number of business enterprises investing in Sri Lanka are decreasing every year because of the unfriendly climate for investments and that is the reason why the Government is attempting to lure casino tycoons into the country, the UNP said today

Video: Police issue red notice on hit and run suspect

Police have issued a red notice through Interpol for the arrest of the security director of a leading private hospital in Colombo

Australian police to investigate Packer and Gyngell brawl

Police have commenced an investigation into the brawl between billionaire James Packer and Channel Nine chief executive David Gyngell

MR on Twitter Q&A

President Mahinda Rajapaksa will answer questions on a Twitter Q&A on Thursday (8) evening.

Video: PC killing: Rs.1mn reward for information

Police will offer Rs.1 million as a reward to any person who provides reliable information leading to the arrest of those who shot dead the police constable in Kurunegala today

India, SL hold talks on nuclear deal

India and Sri Lanka have held negotiations on a comprehensive civil nuclear cooperation agreement. The second round of talks began on Monday and concluded on Tuesday

India instrumental in creating PCs – Envoy

India was instrumental in creating the Provincial Councils in Sri Lanka, the out going Consulate General in Jaffna V. Mahalingam said in a farewell speech in Jaffna

PC shot dead, another injured

In an incident bordering on the mysterious, two unarmed police constables were abducted this morning by armed men who arrived in a van. One of the constables was shot dead while the other escaped with injuries after they were stripped naked and taken to the Badagamuwa Forest in Kurunegala. UPDATE

ISI planning strike on Visakhapatnam Navy base: TN cops

In a startling revelation, the Tamil Nadu police on Monday told a city court that suspected Pakistan’s Inter Service Intelligence (ISI) agent Sakir Hussian was working on a plan to sabotage the Indian Navy bases at Kochi and Visakhapatnam

Video: Wimal's party ready to go its own way

National Freedom Front (NFF) Leader and Minister Wimal Weerawansa said today that his party was ready to follow its own path if the government didn’t agree with them on following the path set by national forces for the welfare of the country.

Tangalle ex-PS chairman’s injuries self-inflicted-JMO

One of the four JMO’s of the Tangalle Hospital, who examined the accused allegedly involved in the killing of Khuram Sheik, said the injuries on the third accused Tangalle PS Chairman Chandrapushpa Vidanapathirana appeared to be a self inflicted one caused before 24 to 72 hours of her examining him