UN to give funds to SL

The United Nations announced that it will allocate $55 million to bolster operations in eight countries including Sri Lanka, with neglected humanitarian emergencies, the UN said in a statement.

TN not to allow 'Eelam' conference

A conference to support the rehabilitation of Sri Lanka’s Tamil population looked like running into trouble on Friday, with the Tamil Nadu government telling the Madras High Court that it can not grant permission for the event.

Police attempted to disrupt prisoner’s funeral: AFHR

Activists for Human Rights (AFHR) today alleged that the Jaffna Police attempted to influence family members to conduct the funeral of Mariadas Navis Dilrukshan, this evening

Chinese woman dies in train tragedy

A 45-year-old Chinese woman was knocked down by a train travelling from Polghawela to Ratmalana. Police said the tragedy occurred this morning at a spot between Kollupitiya and Bambalapitiya Railway Stations.

Two CDF officers killed in accident

Three Civil Defence Force officers on a motorcycle collided head-on with a lorry at Pitakumbura in Bibile a short while ago. Three officers had been on the motorcycle when the accident occured.Two  motorcyclists died on the spot while the other was admitted to the Badulla Hospital in a serious condition.

Land owner says he paid deputy minister Rs.250 million

A complaint lodged by a land owner that Deputy Petroleum Minister Sarana Gunawardena had asked for Rs.250 million in order to continue construction of a housing scheme , was forwarded to the Bribery Commission by Police Chief N.K. Illangakone

Victory over the LTTE should be honoured-Dr Swamy

India’s Janatha Party Leader Dr. Subramanian Swamy said that the victory over the LTTE in Sri Lanka is fit for being honoured by India’s highest award in the future

HC issues notice on Berty Premalal

Former North Central Province Chief Minister Berty Premalal Diassanayake and 13 other state officials were issued notice by the Anuradhapura High Court Judge to be present in Court on August 22.

CPC chairman resigns- new board appointed

The Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC) Board of Directors including the acting Chairman has resigned with immediate effect, Petroleum Corporation said.

Lankan grandmother deported

A 70-year-old Toronto grandmother was deported on Thursday, despite having no family members remaining in her native Sri Lanka

Rauff says 'mea culpa'

SLMC leader and Minister of Justice, Rauff Hakeem has tendered an apology to the Sangha and the JHU over the controversial statement he made during his PC election campaign in the East a few days ago. See the full statement below.

Man dies while attempting to rescue a cat

A man died while attempting to rescue a cat that had fallen into 25-feet well in Alawwa area last night, police said.

Substandard diesel halts ambulances

Three ambulances including two new vehicles belonging to the Kegalle Hospital have broken down after the use of substandard diesel, it is reported. One of the ambulances broke down at Nittambuwa while taking a patient to the National Hospital in Colombo

Video: Australia rescues Sri Lankans

Australia rescued more than 200 asylum-seekers including Sri Lankans from a boat off Indonesia, officials said Friday, amid reports navy ships are literally cracking under the strain of responding to a flood of boatpeople

Lankan workers return to work

More than 1,500 workers including Sri Lankans who went on a week-long strike returned to work yesterday after they accepted a salary increase. They claimed Ambattur Clothing International had given their Bahraini colleagues a pay rise, but excluded them

Usain Bolt wins 200-meter final

Usain Bolt surged to the Olympic 200 metres title on Thursday at the head of a Jamaican medal sweep to become the first man to win the 100 and 200m sprints at successive Games

No rain until September

The Meteorology Department said today the prevailing drought will continue till September. “The rain fall can be expected by the first week of September when inter-monsoonal period begins.

DPF will not participate in TESO

The Democratic People’s Front (DPF) has decided against participating in Tamil Eelam Supporters Organization (TESO) in Chennai, DPF leader Mano Ganesan said today

Seized garments released after order from higher up

A stock of garments which were seized this morning by Customs officials at the Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) was released after instructions came from ‘above’ ordering the officials to release it to the group of businessmen who had imported them

Prices of 8 essential goods reduced

Prices of eight essential goods at all Lanka Sathosa outlets will be reduced with effect from tomorrow, the Trade Ministry said

Mahindananda slams SLC

Sports Minister Mahindananda Aluthgamage said in parliament that the Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) was not working towards the betterment of the country’s cricket and the Ministry was not impressed with it.

Video: UNP will take to the streets -Akila

UNP MP Akila Viraj Kariyawasam said today the UNP was willing to take to the streets to compel the government to do justice to the students affected by the Z- score muddle

Enjoining Order against National Lawyers’ Association

The Colombo District Court today issued an enjoining order on the UNP-affiliated National Lawyers’ Association preventing the newly appointed Executive Committee functioning within the Association until August 23.

News websites registration fee reduced

The government today said it has decided to reduce the registration fee of news websites by 75 percent, and the renewal fee by 80 percent.

Police media spokesman promoted

Twenty-two Superintendents of Police (SP) including the Police Media spokesman SP Ajith Rohana have been promoted to the rank of Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) with effect from last month, the Police said.

Video: Musthapha accuses Hakeem of fomenting religious hatred

Deputy Science and Technology Minister Faiszer Musthapha, yesterday, charged that the SLMC was spreading ethno-religious hatred among the communities by making spiteful statements to gain cheap political mileage.

Power cuts again

Power cuts of two hours and fifteen minutes duration will be imposed on 58 towns and Colombo City area tomorrow (09) due to a breakdown at the Lakvijaya Coal Power Plant (LCPP) at Norochcholai, the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) said.

No SLAF personnel training in TN-India

Indian Government had allowed Sri Lankan Air Force personnel to undergo training in Tamil Nadu, but at present none of them are being trained in the state, government told the Rajya Sabha today.

Another Vavuniya prisoner dies

Vavuniya Prison inmate Mariadas Navis Dilrukshan, one of the 30 prisoners who were hospitalised after the Vavuniya prison riot died today, Police spokesman Ajith Rohana said.

Troops will remain at strategic locations-Gota

Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa said though the military presence in the north had been drastically reduced, troops would continue to remain at strategic locations for security reasons but their presence will be non-intrusive.'