Don’t discredit the NPC poll process-SL at HRC

Sri Lanka on Thursday asked detractors at the Human Rights Council not to discredit the Northern Provincial Council election process or prejudge its outcome and impact.

PC candidates submit financial statements

Sixty five percent of the candidates contesting the forthcoming Provincial Council Elections have tendered their asset and liability statements, Senior Manager, Transparency International Sri Lanka (TISL), Shan Wijetunga said today

'New Life’ deprives five workers of livelihood

Katunayake Free Trade Zone-based ‘New Life Literature’, a printer of Christian books including bibles for the international market,  allegedly operating with public donations collected from Norway has terminated the services of five workers, all office bearers and members of the newly formed trade union, an International Labour rights activist complained yesterday.

Trial run for see-through ballot boxes in Matale

For the first time in the history of elections in the country, 46 transparent plastic ballot boxes would be used in the forthcoming Central Provincial Council elections

UN Chief calls for post election collaboration

The Secretary- General of the United Nations, issuing a statement on the upcoming Northern Provincial Council elections, called on all parties "to participate peacefully in the elections and to work together in the period following the elections to address the national and post-war agenda constructively and collaboratively"

Election hotlines announced

Two hot lines were setup by the Elections Department to receive complaints of election violence at the Northern, North Western and Central Provincial Council elections, an official said

Pakistan High Commissioner visits North

The High Commissioner of Pakistan in Sri Lanka, Maj Gen Qasim Qureshi visited the Northern Province of Sri Lanka from September 16 to 18, the High Commission said today

Video: Ranil awaits Pillay’s reply over DS statue

Opposition leader Ranil Wickremesinghe said today he was awaiting a reply from UNHRC High Commisioner Navi Pillay to clear the air over allegations made by some government officials that she wanted the D.S. Senanayake statue and the Buddhist flag removed at Independence Square ???

Hindu priest hacked to death

A 69-year-old Hindu priest had been hacked to death inside a Kovil in Aanbankulam in Kilinochchi last evening, police said. The Police said that no one had been arrested in connection with the incident yet.

Mystery over British woman's SL car death

Mystery surrounds the circumstances leading to the death of a British woman following a car accident while on holiday in Sri Lanka, coroner of Buckinghamshire in UK has ruled.

Mervyn jeered at UNP rally

A tense situation prevailed at the final UNP rally in the North-Western provincial election campaign at Waikkal in Wennapuwa last night after a crowd gathered at the rally had allegedly hooted at Minister Mervyn Silva, whose motorcade was passing the area.

C’wealth observers meet political parties

While calling on all the stakeholders to play their part to ensure that the remaining days of the electoral process, the visiting Commonwealth election observers said on Wednesday that they already held talks with political parties and elections officials

HR activist charged with screening ‘No Fire Zone’

A Malaysian human rights activist claimed trial at the magistrate's court in Kuala Lumpur on Thursday to screening a documentary on the Sri Lankan civil war -No Fire Zone: The Killing Fields of Sri Lanka-without prior approval from the Film Censorship Board in Malaysia.

19 TN fishermen arrested by SL Navy

Nineteen fishermen, who ventured into the sea from Pudukottai district, were on Thursday arrested by the Sri Lankan Navy when they went for fishing in the Palk Strait, officials said

Sexual bribe: Principal granted bail

The Kottawa Ananda Vidaylaya Principal, who was remanded on charges of having solicited a sexual bribe from a child’s mother, was today released on bail by a Colombo Court

Lankans nabbed with gold in Goa

Two Sri Lankan passengers were arrested with 12 gold bars valued at Rs 3.60 crore from the Goa International Airport today, police said

Minor tremor in Badulla

A tremor measuring 2.8 Richter scale was reported from Lunugala area in Badulla this evening, Geological Survey and Mines Bureau said

Former LTTE leader Paduman acquitted

LTTE’s former Trincomalee leader who was indicted on charges of having attacked army camps, assaulting soldiers and killing them was acquitted by the Trincomalee High Court Judge R.Amal Ranaraja.

KP hits out at TNA

While claiming that the election manifesto of the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) had stronger demands than the Wadukkodai Resolution and was harmful for the country, former LTTE arms procurer Kumaran Pathmanathan alias KP today accused the TNA of obstructing the immediate release of most of the LTTE suspects in custody

No liquor in election areas

The Excise Department said today that all the liquor shops in North, North Western and Central Provinces would be closed on September 21 in view of the provincial council elections

Heavy rains, strong winds

The Meteorology Department in its weather forecast for the next 24 hours today warned people specially those living in areas bordering the sea to be vigilant about the adverse weather situation.

‘Green Channel’ to reduce Customs clearance procedure

The Customs Department has introduced a new import declaration procedure to expedite the clearance of import cargo, Customs spokesman Leslie Gamini said today

NPC a facade: Karu

Calling the Northern Provincial Council (NPC) elections as a façade, UNP deputy leader Karu Jayasuriya today charged that it was held merely as a ploy to satisfy the international community, and not as a genuine attempt to allow the people in the North to democratically elect their own leaders.

Army probing alleged rape by soldier in Haiti

The Army is investigating allegations made by the international media that a Sri Lankan soldier posted in Haiti had raped an 18-year-old woman

Five SL fishermen apprehended

The Indian Coast Guard on Tuesday apprehended five Sri Lankans along with their boat for fishing in Indian waters. They will be handed over to Tuticorin police on Wednesday.

International awards for ‘ADA’

The special bilingual edition (Unity Paper) issued by the ADA newspaper for the National New Year-2013, bagged two Silver Awards for Development and Media at the Spikes Asia 2013 awards held in Singapore yesterday

Mali national arrested in Negombo

A Mali national was arrested by the Ethukala tourist police officials in Negombo for overstaying his visa and violating immigration laws, police said

Video: CAA makes its biggest raid ever

The Consumer Affairs Authority (CAA) made the biggest raid in its history when officers recovered a huge consignment of expired food items which could be worth nearly Rs 100 million from a large storage in Kotahena yesterday ???

Govt. has no right to question UNP/TNA relations – UNP

The United National Party (UNP) today said, the Government had no right to question the UNP’s relationship with the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) because the Government was directly interacting with former LTTE personnel without taking legal action against them

Bollywood carrier in emergency landing

A helicopter carrying Bollywood actors had made an emergency landing in Dompe this afternoon, the Police said. The helicopter was travelling from Colombo to Koggala when the prevailing weather forced the helicopter to land