SL to establish embassy in Ukraine

Sri Lanka is to establish a Resident Diplomatic Mission in the Ukraine, the government said in its official website here Monday. This decision was made following the approval of a proposal made by Minister of External Affairs G.L. Peiris to the Cabinet, and was duly approved at the last meeting

I had to close the faculty: Rajarata VC

The Vice Chancellor of the Rajarata University Prof. K.A Nandasena speaking to Daily Mirror online said that he had no choice but to close down the Medical Faculty of the university by 12 noon today PICTURES

SL boat adds to visa concerns

The interception by the Sri Lankan navy of a group of asylum-seekers bound for Australia has heightened concerns that Indonesia's plans to relax its visa restrictions could lead to a sharp spike in the number of boat-people attempting the hazardous journey

“Rethink policy to empower Lankan Tamils economically”

In the present-day world where politics is invariably trumped by economics, India has to have a drastic rethinking of its policy in favour of economically empowering the Tamils in Sri Lanka as a sustainable solution for their rehabilitation, former diplomat G. Parthasarathy said on Sunday

Tiger stamps: Lanka to defy UPU laws

Sri Lanka’s postal authorities have decided to defy rules and regulations stipulated by the Universal Postal Union (UPU) when dealing with letters and parcels with stamps bearing the emblem of the LTTE and the image of its late leader, officials said yesterday.

PMPS to lodge complaint against Minister

The People’s Movement to Protect Schools (PMPS) will lodge a complaint with the Bribery Commission today against Senior Minister Piyasena Gamage who said earlier that he offered a bribe of Rs.150,000 to a leading school in Galle recently.

COPE to discuss meaningful use of public funds

Amid charges about the dismal financial performance at various state institutions, the Committee on Public Enterprises (COPE) and the Public Accounts Committee (PAC)  of Parliament will meet the Ministry Secretaries on January 17 to discuss such issues, a senior minister said yesterday.

Maligawatta shooting - suspects still at large

The Colombo Crime Division (CCD) has intensified its search for the suspects involved in the shooting incident in the Apple-watta area in Maligawatta last Tuesday (January 3) which resulted in the death of a person who is the brother of a prominent underworld figure

Asylum seekers brought to Colombo

The 14 asylum seekers who were planning to flee to Australia along with the eight supporters who were arrested while in a guest house in Rekawa area in Tangalle have been brought to Colombo by the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) and are currently been held under detention orders.

Fishermen keep off sea

Fishermen of about 950 mechanised boats had kept off sea in Rameswaram on Saturday in protest against the detention of five fishermen in Sri Lanka.

Kudu Silva and Kunu Silva faced retribution today: Fonseka

Former Army Commander Sarath Fonseka, making his usual comment   to the media upon arrival for medical treatment at a private hospital, said today that both Kudu Silva in Colombo and Kunu Silva in Kelaniya had faced retribution today.

Stone throwers on SE01 to be dealt with severely

Police warned people not to throw stones at vehicles travelling on the Southern Expressway after the second such incident was reported on Saturday between the Welipenna and Dodangoda stretch

Attempted robbery on Expressway exit

A group of robbers had attempetd to rob a Sri Lankan diplomat on her way out of the Southern Expressway's Baddegama exit point on Saturday night. The attempt was made during her way out of the Baddegama exit point towards the Baddegama town

IMF to discuss SL loan follow-up

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) said it is ready to discuss any Sri Lankan request for a follow up programme to its current US$2.6 billion loan programme, which is now on hold due to the island nation’s failure to implement currency flexibility.

JVP says no to new electoral system

The JVP today criticized the proposed bill for the introduction of the new election system for local the bodies. The JVP charged that it, if passed in Parliament, would only aggravate the prevailing crisis in electoral politics

Call for presidential commission to probe Mervyn

The members of the Kelaniya Pradheshiya Sabha accused Minister Mervyn Silva of extortion and requested the President to appoint a commission to probe the actions of the controversial Minister

Press con. to be held against Mervyn by PS members

A press conference is to be held in a shortwhile at the Kelaniya Pradeshiya Sabha by the 12 members of the council. The 12 members have spoken against UPFA Kelaniya organiser minister Mervyn Silva alleging him of unleashing terror in the area

Krishna to take stock of IDP housing project

After a series of delays at various levels, false-starts, slip-shod trial and error experimentation at the Indian and Sri Lankan capitals, the massive Indian housing project for the displaced Tamils is set to take off.

Hot Air Balloon Crash Kills 11 in New Zealand

WELLINGTON, New Zealand: A hot air balloon carrying 11 people caught fire after hitting power lines in a rural area of New Zealand, killing everyone aboard.

UN urged to help find missing Lankan human rights activists

`Campaigners in Sri Lanka have appealed to the United Nations to intervene in the case of two human rights activists believed to have been abducted last month.

SLC chief organises sorcerer's pooja to drive evil spirits from team

Sri Lanka Cricket's (SLC) newly-elected chief Upali Dharmadasa organised a special pooja in the wake of the team's waning fortunes.

28,000 omitted names from Jaffna electoral register to be re-included

The election authorities have decided to re-include the names of 28,000 voters who were omitted initially from the Jaffna District’s electoral register for 2011/2012, officials said today.

Attack on fishermen is mere allegations: Centre

The Centre has dismissed claims of recent attacks on Indian fishermen by the Sri Lankan Navy as mere allegations sans any proof.

SL targets 3 million dogs for mass culling

Sri Lanka has lifted a moratorium on killing stray dogs as the government attempts to cut down on the 2,000 people that are hospitalised every day after being bitten, a media report said on Saturday.

Five Lankan fishermen to be repatriated

The five Sri Lankan fishermen who had been taken into custody by the Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF) after their vessel strayed into Maldivian territorial waters are expected to be repatriated next week.

No Attacks on Indian Fishermen in Indian Waters: MEA

The Central Government today informed the Madras High Court that Indian fishermen may have been attacked in Sri Lankan waters, but no such incidents were reported in the Indian territory.

Semi luxury private bus fleet soon

Apparently inspired by the Southern Expressway SLTB bus service, private bus owners yesterday decided to introduce semi-luxury buses to replace normal buses on all urban feeder routes around the country to provide a fast and convenient transport for passengers.

CEB employees highest paid in public service: Minister

A Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) employee on an average earns Rs.68,000 a month and if their latest demand for a 45 per cent pay increase is met, the electricity bill of consumers will also have to be increased, Power and Energy Minister Patali Champika Ranawaka said yesterday.

Former WPC cheated youth

A former woman police constable attached to the Fort police station had allegedly defrauded several foreign job seekers and it was also reported the fraudulent transactions were alleged to have taken place at the police station.

18 months imprisonment for suppressing info. of LTTE Cadre

The Colombo High Court sentenced an accused for 18 months imprisonment for intentionally suppressing information of an LTTE Cadre.