GL ticks off Pillay

The government yesterday conveyed its displeasure to United National High Commissioner Navanethem Pillay over her statement that the Police Department should be placed within the purview of the Justice Ministry

Another nabbed with gold in rectum

A Sri Lankan who attempted to smuggle three pieces of gold weighing 621 g worth Rs. 3.1 million to Mumbai has been arrested last night by Customs officers at the BIA, Customs Director and media spokesman Leslie Gamini said

Don’t turn CMC into a fish market: Mayor

Colombo’s Mayor A.J.M. Muzammil today warned council members not to turn the Colombo Municipal Council (CMC) into a fish market, after intense verbal exchanges ensued when the Mayor permitted to table a motion regarding the burning of important documents of the CMC recently at the Borella cemetery

Final stamp for telegrams in SL from October

The 157 year-old telegram service in Sri Lanka will come to a stop from the end of October this year, Telecommunication and Information Technology Minister Ranjith Siyambalapitiya announced today

Appeal Court bans illegal animal slaughter

The Appeal Court today issued an order banning illegal animal slaughter that violates Sri Lanka’s laws and regulations. The order was given when the Appeal Court took up for hearing several petitions filed on animal sacrifice at the Munnewaram Kovil

Jaya slams Centre for ‘muted response’

Slamming the Centre for remaining a “mute spectator” on the frequent arrests of Indian fishermen by Sri Lankan Navy, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa on Thursday said there was no concerted action on securing their release

Boy drowns while flying kite

A five year old boy who was flying a kite in an abandoned paddy field at Kotatlawalapura in Nawagamuwa on Wednesday evening fell into a pit and drowned.

27 illegal asylum seekers netted

27 people were taken into custody from Ambalangoda, Galle and Beruwala areas while they were getting ready to flee to Australia illegally as asylum seekers last night, police said

Damned if I do, damned if I don’t: Sangakkara

Caught in a cross-fire of yet another debate of his loyalty to his country, Kumar Sangakkara’s representation at the Champions League T20 tournament will likely be decided by the country’s cricket governing body, Sri Lanka Cricket

German national drowns in Hikkaduwa

A 25-year-old German national drowned and went missing while bathing with three others at Hikkaduwa Sea behind a beach hotel in Hikkaduwa last evening, police said

Pillay goes off track

Visiting UN Human Rights Commissioner Navanethem Pillay yesterday went off her provided schedule, and had met a prominent Christian Priest in the Trincomalee District

Korean PM here

Prime Minister of the Republic of Korea Jung Hong-won arrived at the Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) a short while ago on a three-day official visit to Sri Lanka, Government Information Department said

Family groups returning to Sri Lanka

Families were among a further 48 Sri Lankan unauthorised maritime arrivals (UMAs) returned to Colombo today after failing to meet Australia's international obligations, the Department of Immigration and Citizenship (DIAC) of Australia said

Video: Canine weddings: first job of new ministry-UNP

UNP parliamentarian P. Harrison said today the first duty performed by the police,after it was brought under the purview of a new ministry, was to hold a wedding ceremony for dogs

Video: Mysterious container in the seas off Chilaw

Arrangements are now under way to salvage and bring to shore a large container found in the sea off the Chilaw coast, Navy media spokesman Kosala Warnakulasuriya said.

Fonterra resumes Sri Lanka operations

The Sri Lankan subsidiary of New Zealand's Fonterra resumed operations on Wednesday, a company official said, after closing temporarily last week amid staff safety concerns following protests and a court ban  

Lankan workers accuse recruitment agencies

A group of 16 Sri Lankan workers in Qatar have been left in the lurch by their employer after the recruitment agencies allegedly cheated them.

Saudi to turn to India and Sri Lanka for maids

Saudi Arabia is considering turning to India and Sri Lanka to meet soaring local demand for domestic workers following labour disputes with the Philippines and Indonesia and a decision to suspend hiring maids from Ethiopia

Soldiers suspended over rape

Four soldiers accused of raping a woman in Horowpathana had been suspended from the service by the Army Commander, Military Spokesman Brigadier Ruwan Wanigasooriya said

Video: MR returns

President Mahinda Rajapaksa who was on a three-day official visit to Belarus has returned this morning, the Government Information Department said.

New laws against enforced disappearances

The Government is planning to enact a separate Bill in Parliament to deal with incidents of enforced disappearances, Daily Mirror learns

Audio: I am ready to marry Pillay - Mervyn

The country’s maverick Public Relations and Public Affairs Minister Mervyn Silva said he was willing to marry visiting UNHRC Commissioner Navaneetham Pillay

Video: Contaminated injection vials found

Pieces of glass have been discovered in an injection vial from the Ratnapura Hospital, while a dust-like substance has been discovered in another injection vial from the Padukka Hospital

Indian fishermen remanded

Some 35 Indian fishermen, who were arrested by the navy while poaching inside the territorial waters of Sri Lanka, were remanded till September 9 by the Puttalam Magistrate Bharathi Wijeratne

Police say dog wedding was no insult

The police department expressed its regrets over yesterday’s canine marriage and said it had no intention of insultingany community or its culture by way of the purported marriage ceremony

Sri Lanka, Sudan discuss military cooperation

A Sudanese military delegation is visiting Sri Lanka to discuss joint military cooperation between the armed institutions of the two countries.

Bangladesh restricts Fonterra dairy products pending tests

Customs authorities in Bangladesh have restricted the import of more than 600 tonnes of powdered milk mainly from New Zealand-based Fonterra pending mandatory chemical tests, a senior official said on Tuesday.

Video: UNP calls for Independent Police Commission

The United National Party (UNP) today said the Police Department could not be streamlined and depoliticized just by bringing it under the purview of a new ministry

Pillay needs more time to fully assess HR situation

UN Human Rights Commissioner Nawaneetham Pillay said today at the UNHRC office in Jaffna that she had many questions regarding the Human Rights situation in Sri Lanka and that it would take her some time to give a full assessment of the situation in Sri Lanka

SL- Belarus sign 7 bilateral agreements

President Mahinda Rajapaksa and Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko signed seven agreements and memorandums of understanding today