UN says it supports Pillay’s work in SL

The United Nations on Wednesday said it was ‘fully supportive of the work that UN Rights Chief Navanethem Pillay was doing while she was on the ground in Sri Lanka.’

Video: Honest ministers exposing ‘dishonest’ deals: UNP

The United National Party (UNP) today said the corruption within the government was to such an extent that some ministers who could not bear it had started leaking documents dealing with corrupt deals to the UNP so that they could bring it to the attention of the public

Cobra girl asks Court to acquit her

Lawyers appearing for ‘cobra girl’ Nirosha Wimalaratne submitted court today that their client be discharged and acquitted from the case

Exorcist dies during ritual

A 32-year old English teacher of a government school who was also an exorcist who performed rites in a deep pit to dispel the spirits that haunted a house in Godigamuwa off Maharagama last night was found dead when the pit was opened. Pictures

Two Lankans nabbed with gold at BIA

Two Sri Lankans were arrested while attempting to smuggle gold bars to Chennai and Singapore this morning by the Customs officers at the Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA), Customs Director and media spokesman Leslie Gamini said

SL court orders release as 34 fishermen plead guilty

For the first time since Sri Lanka changed the procedure to deal with arrested Indian fishermen, 34 of them have pleaded guilty in a Sri Lankan court, of transgressing into the waters of the island nation

CB spotlight was on CIFL says Govt.

The Central Bank ordered the Central Investment Finance Ltd. (CIFL) on numerous occasions to rectify its shortcomings in financial management, the government said in Parliament today

Video: Pillay keen to entangle us in an Int’l net: NFF

National Freedom Front (NFF) spokesman Mohammed Muzammil said today UNHRC Chief Navi Pillay made a visit to the country not to address issues of minorities but to entangle us in an international net ???

SL concerned over alleged chemical attack in Syria

The Sri Lankan government said today it was deeply concerned about media reports on the alleged use of chemical weapons near Damascus in Syria. It was said to have resulted in a large number of civilian casualties

CJ 43 to boycott Bribery Commission hearings

Chief Justice 43 Shirani Bandaranayake informed the Bribery Commission today that she would not present herself before the Commission in the future, as she did not trust the integrity of the process and the Commissioners

UK PM to attend CHOGM

British Prime Minister David Cameron and his foreign secretary William Hague will attend the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) to be held in Sri Lanka in November, the foreign secretary said.

Video: Won’t take advantage of Pillay’s statement: UNP

The UNP today said it was disappointed and displeased over the statement made by UN Human Right High Commissioner on the human rights situation in Sri Lanka, but assured it would not use the statement for political advantage ???

Vaas granted bail in threat case

Former DIG Vaas Gunawardana was granted bail today by the Colombo Fort Magistrate Thilina Gamage in connection with the threatening of CID officers

Ten Lankans held for illegal fishing in Indians waters

Ten Sri Lankan fishermen, who were arrested by the Indian Coast Guard in two different incidents for allegedly entering Indians waters illegally and fishing last month, have been handed over to police.

Man banned with illegal gold

A 40-year-old Indian national who attempted to smuggle several pieces of rough gold weighing 477g worth Rs. 2.7 million to Delhi was arrested this morning by Customs officers at the BIA, Customs Director and media spokesman Leslie Gamini said

TNA manifesto calls for North-East merger

The TNA has called for the merger of the Northern and Eastern provinces in its manifesto presented yesterday for the Northern Provincial Council election

Bharatha murder trial: witness describes events

A witness who gave evidence before Colombo Additional Magistrate Priyantha Liyanage yesterday once again described the ordeal he underwent at Walpola Junction, Mulleriyawa on local government election day during the shooting incident that took place there

Pakistan Minister meets MR

Pakistan’s Federal Minister for Planning, Development and Reforms Mr. Ahsan Iqbal made a courtesy call on President Mahinda Rajapaksa this morning at Temple Trees, the President Media Unit said

Govt. grants 15-year tax holiday for foreign campus

The Government has decided to grant a 15-year tax amnesty for the project to set up a branch campus of Britain’s Central Lancashire University in the Mirigama Export Processing Zone

Video: Dictatorship can’t be measured by elections - UNP

The main opposition United National Party (UNP) today said holding elections regularly did not mean that a country’s ruler was not a dictator

Video: West may want to change SL’s destiny-Gota

Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa today said that ‘there is a possibility that some western powers wish to have a Sri Lankan Government that is closely aligned with their interests and may seek to influence country’s destiny???

Police dismiss anonymous claim

An anonymous petition received by the Police Department states that a Deputy Inspector General (DIG) serving in the North was alleged to have been displaying pornographic visuals on a computer to a women police constable (WPC)

Pillay ignores contradictory report by her staff in Colombo: GL

External Affairs minister G.L. Peiris on Tuesday charged UN Human Rights Chief Navi Pillay of ignoring a report produced by the UN officials in Colombo about claims of the intimidating presence of the military in the North

Why monkeys misbehave?

A dearth of female monkeys, environmental damage and the shrinkage of their natural habitat have caused male monkeys to misbehave, said Dr Suhada Jayawardene, a veterinary surgeon attached to the Wildlife Conservation Department.

A dictator is a ruler who does not hold elections-MR

A dictator is a ruler who does not conduct polls and works according to his own agendas but this government has restored democracy and taken steps to hold elections in the North. Therefore, no one can accuse this government of being a dictatorship, said President Mahinda Rajapaksa.

Lankan Professor files discrimination lawsuit in US

A Bethlehem Area School Board in Pennsylvania Ave, United States member and college professor has filed a discrimination lawsuit against the Phillipsburg School District, claiming he was passed over for full-time teaching positions based on his race and age.

Uproar in the Rajya Sabha over Katchatheevu

Members from AIADMK, DMK, CPI and BJP on Monday created uproar in the Rajya Sabha over an affidavit filed by the Government in the Supreme Court on Katchatheevu, a small island ceded to Sri Lanka in 1974, and demanded that it be retrieved

Video: Some ministers tarnished SL’s image: JVP

The Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) said today the manner in which some ministers behaved with regard to the visit of the UNHRC Chief to Sri Lanka had ruined the country’s image internationally

Uni-flow in Fort

The Colombo Fort Police traffic unit had initiated a new uni-flow traffic plan in front of the World Trade Centre in Fort yesterday because of road carpeting

Sanga-SLC call it a draw

Former Sri Lankan Cricket Captain Kumar Sangakkara after a spat with a high ranking official of Sri Lanka Cricket said today that discussions with the SLC Executive Committee were fruitful and that SLC President Jayantha Dharmadasa had taken the initiative to iron out issues that had surfaced recently