Commotion at Beruwala UNP meeting

Pandemonium reigned at the United National Party (UNP) Beruwala Balamandala meeting yesterday when several people staged a demonstration against party leader Ranil Wickremesinghe and tried to stop him from entering the venue

Mother and daughter brutally murdered

The body of a brutally murdered 17 year old schoolgirl and the body of her mother, were recovered from a rubber estate at Opatha in Kahawatta on Thursday (02)

Businessman remanded for misappropriation of Rs.191,056 million at LECO

 A businessman who had allegedly misappropriated Rs.191,056 million of public funds at Lanka Electricity Company (Private) Limited (LECO) was remanded till February 15 by the Colombo Magistrate Court yesterday

Trishaw driver acquitted for attempted murder

The Colombo High Court acquitted a trishaw driver who was accused of attempting to kill a victim by stabbing him with a knife

Opposition CMC members will turn red: Muzammil

The Mayor of Colombo A. J. M. Muzammil yesterday said the opposition members of the Colombo Municipal Council (CMC) would turn red when they read his action plan for the year 2012 as they prevented him from presenting it by obtaining an enjoining order from courts to prevent him from convening a special council meeting

Book seller fined for promoting pornography

A bookshop owner who pleaded guilty for selling a book containing pornographic material to a police officer who acted as a decoy at a bookshop in Kollupitiya was ordered to pay a fine of Rs.2,500 by the Colombo Fort Magistrate yesterday

UNP ensures protecting people’s freedom: Ranil

Opposition Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe yesterday assured the commitment of his party to preserve freedom for the people in all aspects

E01 drivers severely warned

The Highways and Road Development Ministry yesterday warned drivers on the Southern Expressway to refrain from drunk driving, falling asleep at the wheel or driving over the speed limit of 100 kilometres per hour following the road accident that killed a 26 year old man on the expressway early yesterday morning

No apology from Tamil Nadu yet

The state government of Tamil Nadu is yet to tender an apology to the Sri Lankan authorities over the inconvenience caused by the boycott of certain Sri Lankan products by a state undertaking in Chennai recently, officials said today

Will legalise abortions in certain cases: Minister

Women’s Affairs and Childcare Development Minister Tissa Karalliyadda today vowed to go ahead with his move to legalise abortions in cases of rape of underage girls, incest and defective foetuses.

Govt. attempting to borrow US$1 billion in international markets: Harsha

The Government is planning to borrow US$1 billion in the international markets besides attempting to borrow US$500 million via the Bank of Ceylon. After the IMF had ended the US$ 2.6 billion bailout package charged UNP National List MP Harsha de Silva charged today.

Suspect found dead in cell

A suspect in the court remand cell was found dead this morning when his case was called. The 40 year old suspect was taken into custody for possessing eight grams of ganja and produced in court by the Akkaripttu police.

19 children taken ill in Hasalaka

Several students of Kolongoda Maha Vidyalaya in Hasalaka were taken ill this afternoon at school and admitted to hospital. Teachers said 19 students in the Grade Seven class in the top floor of the building, developed an itch all over their bodies and were rushed to hospital.

Virus that killed chickens have no affect on humans: VRI

The Veterinary Research Institute (VRI) said today that although the low pathogenic virus that killed a large number of chickens this week had no risk to human health, steps had been taken by the authorities to keep a three kilometre radius surrounding the farm under strict surveillance.

Will not ‘stop’ till Katchchatheevu is retrieved: Jayalalithaa

Maintaining that she was working towards protecting the livelihood of fishermen, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa on Friday said she would not ‘stop’ till Katchchatheevu, an islet in the Palk straits now under the control of Sri Lanka, is retrieved.

Cocaine seized at airport

A young woman from Thailand was taken into custody by the Police Narcotics Bureau for attempting to smuggle a stock of cocaine valued more than Rs.20 million.

IMF says encouraged by Sri Lanka's policy changes

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) on Friday said it was encouraged by Sri Lanka's monetary and exchange rate policy changes amid a sharp drop in foreign exchange reserves and significant widening of the current account deficit.

UAE envoy discusses co-operation with SL

UAE Ambassador to Sri Lanka, Mahmoud Mohamed Al Mahmoud held a meeting with Wimal Weerawansa, Minister for Construction, Engineering Services, Housing and Common Amenities of Sri Lanka and discussed bilateral relations between the two countries and ways of boosting them.

Kevin Rudd must up the ante on Sri Lanka

As nations such as Canada and Britain weigh in on accountability for war crimes in Sri Lanka, it's time for Australia to add its voice. After all, promoting human rights is a crucial part of foreign policy, as Foreign Minister Kevin Rudd is keen to say.

UN must act at next Human Rights Council Session: HRW

The United Nations Human Rights Council should address the lack of accountability for wartime abuses in Sri Lanka during its March 2012 session, Human Rights Watch said in a letter to Human Rights Council (HRC) member countries and observers Thursday

British MP urges debate on LLRC report

British Labour Party Bristol East MP Kerry McCarthy has called for a full debate in the British Parliament on the recommendations of Sri Lanka’s Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission (LLRC)

Sri Lanka ups policy rates

The Monetary Board of Sri Lanka has finally decided to increase the policy rates by 50 basis points owing to increased private sector credit growth that is resulting in a widening trade deficit

Drunken court registrar nabbed by police

The Puttalam police nabbed the Registrar of the Puttalam District and Magistrate courts yesterday around 3.30pm in his office, for being under the influence of alcohol while on duty

First fatal accident on E01

A 26-year-old was killed when his car skidded off the road on the Southern Expressway (E01) reporting the first fatal accident on the expressway PICTURES

SSP Vaas Gunawardena stable

Kurunegala SSP Vaas Gunawardena who was hospitalized following an overdose of medication on Wednesday is now in a stable condition, Director of the Kurunegala General Hospital Dr. Soma Rajamanthri said

Bronin meets Lankan officials

United States Deputy Assistant Treasury Secretary Luke Bronin was in the island yesterday and met with Lankan officials to gather information about financial institutions in the country

MR want to brief US

President Mahinda Rajapaksa has stressed the need to send a delegation to the United States of America ahead of the UN Human Rights Commission in Geneva, to brief the leaders of that country on the measures taken by him to improve the human rights situation here, sources said today

68 plead guilty for gambling

The Colombo Crime Division (CCD) today produced 68 people including a police sergeant in court on charges of betting and assisting to operate an unlawful gambling centre in Union Place, Colombo 2

UNP will support govt. to overcome international pressure

The main opposition United National Party (UNP) said today it was prepared to support the government to overcome any pressure from the international community in the future. But the government should establish an independent Attorney General’s Department, an independent Judiciary and an independent Police Commission as soon as possible

Final decision on not presenting LLRC report not decided

The government today said it had not taken a final decision on not presenting the Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission (LLRC) report to UN Human Rights Commission in March this year