Pro-LTTE group funding Amnesty, SL says

The Sri Lankan government has questioned human rights watchdog Amnesty International’s objectivity after the organisation received 50,000 Canadian dollars from a pro-LTTE group, the Canadian Tamil Congress (CTC).

2 killed in fire in Wellawatte

Two persons were found dead after a fire erupted in a seven storey apartment situated down 37th Lane in Wellawatta today. The Vvctims have been identified as a 60 year old male and a 32 year old female

Man jailed for stabbing former lover

DUBAI: An Indian security guard has been sentenced to three years in jail for stabbing his Sri-Lankan ex-lover on July 6 last year.

Free power connections for displaced civilians when resettled in Jaffna

Minister of Power and Energy Patali Champika Ranawaka said in Jaffna today that all war displaced civilians will be given free power connections when resettled

Two top US officials to visit S.Asia

Under Secretary of State Maria Otero and Assistant Secretary of State Robert O. Blake are visiting South Asia to meet government leaders, rights activists and civil society representatives

Four Lankans with fake documents jailed in UK

Three men from Watford and one from Harrow have been jailed for their part in a conspiracy to create false passports and IDs to help them stay in the country illegally

Maldives' VP Hassan takes oath as president

Vice president Mohammed Waheed Hassan has taken an oath to be Maldives president after his predecessor Mohamed Nasheed resigned after weeks of protests

Maldivian President Mohammed Nasheed resigns

Maldivian President Mohammed Nasheed has resigned after a series of opposition led protests with the support of some police officers, the Maldivian High Commission said today

Ten hand grenades found near Hulftsdorp

Ten hand grenades have been recovered near the Hulftsdorp Court Complex in Keselwatta today in the wake of the Movement for Democracy organising a massive protest in front of the court tomorrow to mark two years of imprisonment of former Army Commander Sarath Fonseka   UPDATE

SF won’t apologise: Anoma

Former Army Commander Sarath Fonseka’s wife Anoma said yesterday talks with the government on the release of her husband were continuing on a positive note but insisted that Mr. Fonseka would not apologise. Ms. Fonseka told journalists yesterday

Keheliya undergoes surgery

Minister Keheliya Rambukwella had to undergo two surgeries at a hospital in Melbourne following an accidental fall, the Government Information Department said.

Wimals wife Sashi lost and found

Minister Wimal Weerawansa’s wife Shashi who left with a group on Sunday to pay homage to a shrine in the Yala National Park had got lost in the deep jungles until three police teams rescued them yesterday, police said.

More time needed to plan Town and Country Planning Bill

The Central Provincial Council had wanted more time to discuss the proposed Town and Country Planning Ordinance Amendment Bill and had failed to approve it sources from the provincial council said yesterday.

COPE gets tough with ministry secretaries

Ministry secretaries who fail to act against institution heads found responsible for irregularities and misappropriations will be reported to Parliament by the parliamentary Committee on Public Enterprises (COPE).

Six murders, two suicides in past two month in Jaffna due to military presence: Udul

The ‘We are Sri Lankans' organisation yesterday charged that there had been six murders and two suicides in the Jaffna district in the past two months allegedly owing to the large military presence in the north which the organisation said should be removed immediately from the area.

Children in primary sector required to learn multiplication up to 12

Primary sector school children will be required to learn the multiplication charts up to 12 by heart once again under the proposed changes in the education curricular, Education Minister Bandula Gunawardane said today.

Meeting with representatives of political parties to be held

Elections Commissioner Mahinda Deshapriya will have a meeting with the representatives of political parties tomorrow to decide on the elections to the two remaining local government bodies in the Northern Province, officials said yesterday.

380,000 children from govt. schools not received school uniforms

Some 380,000 school children attending government schools in the country had still not received their school uniforms and would have to spend their own money on school uniforms if the government fails to provide them, the Ceylon Teachers Union said.

SL to market Ayurveda drugs

Sri Lanka is to enter the global medicinal drugs market by producing Ayurvedic drugs to international standards, Sri Lanka Ayurvedic Drugs Corporation (ADC) Chairman Somaweera Chandrasiri said.  

GNOA to protest on Thursday

The Government Nursing Officers Association (GNOA) will carry out a protest on Thursday outside some 100 hospitals in the country urging the government to address their grievances, failing the union will go on strike until their demands are met, the union said today.

CID probing double murder in Kahawatta

The Criminal Investigations Department (CID) has taken over the investigation to probe the killing of a mother and daughter in the Opatha area in Kahawatta.

Lankan found dead due to cold weather in Italy

ROME: Temperatures fell to minus 10 degrees Celsius (14 degrees Fahrenheit) in Milan on Monday as 59,000 households remained without electricity in Italy and officials declared a gas supply emergency.

540 fined for exceeding speed limit on E01

The Southern Expressway Traffic Division has fined 540 individuals mainly for exceeding speed above 100 kilometres per hour.

Woman sentenced to death

A woman was today sentenced to death after she was found guilty of possessing and peddling 40.8 grams of heroin in Borella in 2003, by the Colombo High Court.

Anoma to lead protest to free SF

Anoma Fonseka the wife of the jailed former Army Commander Sarath Fonseka says that she will lead a protest to free her husband on the 8th of February. The protest will be held in Hulftsdorp to mark the 2nd year of the fomer Generals imprisonment.

Hirunika says no to active politics yet

Hirunika Premachandra the daughter of Baratha Lakshman Premachandra speaking exclusively to the Daily Mirror said that she hasn't joined active politics as portrayed in the media. “There is a big difference between joining a political party and joining active politics. All I did was taking membership of a political party EXCLUSIVE

Gotabaya says North is not militarised

Sri Lankan defence secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa has stoutly denied he was militarising the northern region and insisted troops “are maintaining absolutely essential presence” and were spread across all 22 districts on the island

Minister proposes five yr jail term for quacks

The Health Minister has decided to introduce a new law which provides for a five year jail term for quacks, officials said yesterday.

UNP to oppose Town and Country Planning Ordinance

Main opposition UNP is to oppose the Town and Country Planning Ordinance Amendment Bill in the provincial councils, party sources said yesterday.

13th Amendment full of flaws: TNA

The Tamil National Alliance (TNA) yesterday said that the 13th Amendment to the Constitution was riddled with flaws and therefore it could not be accepted as a basis for power devolution under the present circumstances.