Canadian PM calls for reliable accountability mechanism in SL

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau reiterated his call to the Sri Lankan Government to establish a process of accountability that has the trust and confidence of the survivors of the war.

Lightning strikes kill two in Welikanda

Two persons were killed when they were struck by lightning while working at a paddy field at Welikanda in Polonnaruwa yesterday evening.

Some can't identify difference between soldiers and terrorists - MS

President Maithripala Sirisena said that it is a shame that certain politicians and NGOs have failed to identify the difference between the soldier and the terrorist.

PAYE tax owed by CEB employees recovered from consumers: CaFFE

Electrical engineers and senior staff of the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) have neglected to pay the Pay As You Earn (PAYE) tax owed to the government amounting to Rs.3465 million since 2010 and we as customers have been paying for their sins, Campaign for Free and Fair Elections (CaFFE) Executive Director Keerthi Tennakoon charged.

Housemaids injected with contraceptives: Minister orders probe

An immediate inquiry will be conducted into reports about the administration of injectable- contraceptives to Sri Lankan housemaids, Foreign Employment Minister Harin Fernando told Daily Mirror yesterday.

Quitting 'Yahapalana Govt'--Prez told 16 SLFPers to decide: Dayasiri

President Maithripala Sirisena has told the 'rebel' group of 16 former Cabinet, State and Deputy Ministers, who left the government, to decide when the rest of the SLFPers should quit the Yahapalana Government, former Sports Minister and Kurunegala District Parliamentarian Dayasiri Jayasekara said yesterday.

Land swindle in Knuckles: Ministry sends audit team to inspect site

Public Enterprise and Kandy City Development Ministry will send an audit team next week to inquire into the allegation that 21,000 acres of land in the Knuckles Mountain has been given to close associates of some government ministers for various projects.

50 senior military officers awarded honorary medals

Fifty officers who were retired and officers in service in Tri forces obtained Excellent Service Award (Vishista Seva Vibhusana Padakkama) from President Maithripala Sirisena at a ceremony at the Presidential Secretariat this morning.

FTA with Singapore: Lankans won't lose job opportunities

Sri Lankan professionals will not lose job opportunities as a result of the free trade agreement (FTA) which Sri Lanka has signed with Singapore and neither will the country's job market be opened for foreigners under this agreement, Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe said.

Can't compare JVP with LTTE: Champika

Minister Champika Ranawaka said yesterday the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) could not be compared with the LTTE.

JVP hits back at Rajitha

JVP MP Vijitha Herath yesterday rejected the statement made by Minister Rajitha Senaratne where he compared the the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) with the LTTE and said it was surprising for the minister, who had led a terrorist outfit known as “Pra” to make such a statement.

More than 100 believed dead in Cuba plane crash

More than 100 people are believed dead Friday after a Cubana de Aviacion Boeing 737-200 crashed on takeoff from Havana's Jose Marti International Airport, according to Cuba's state-run media.

Disease spreading in South identified as pneumonia: DGHS

Laboratory findings have revealed that the disease spreading in Southern Province was a pneumonia outbreak mainly due to influenza virus, Director General of Health Services Dr. Anil Jasinghe yesterday said.

Hackers transfer US$13 mn from businessmen via emails: CERT

The Computer Emergency Readiness Team | Co-ordination Centre (CERT|CC) said yesterday they had received complaints about fraudsters hacking into email accounts of businessmen and transferring funds worth more than US$13 million during past five months.

Tourism Ministry website hacked by Tamil Eelam Cyber Force

The Sinhalese version of the official website of the Ministry of Tourism Development and Christian Religious Affairs and the website of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka Honorary Consulate in Kerala were reportedly hacked this evening by an organisation calling itself the ‘Tamil Eelam Cyber Force’.

No move to spend Rs.5.7 mn to renovate toilets: Rosy

There is no move to spend Rs.5.7 million to renovate the toilets at the Mayor’s official residence but some Rs.5.2 million is to be spent on preserving the entire bungalow as a place of archeologically value, Colombo Mayor Rosy Senanayake said today.

Civilians who died in the war should also be remembered: PM

While commemorating the security forces who sacrificed their lives, all civilians who lost their lives from the day the war began should also be remembered during the war heroes day, Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe said.

2.8mn worth SL rupees found from Razak’s residence

Sri Lankan rupees worth 2.87mn were found among the currencies seized from the Taman Duta home of former Malaysian premier Najib Razak since Wednesday, the Straits Times reported today.

Immigration officers’ work-to-rule campaign called off

The work to rule campaign launched last night by the Immigration and Emigration officers had been called off this afternoon following a written assurance given by Internal Affairs Minister S.B.Navinna.

AI urges SL to release lists of forcibly disappeared

The Amnesty International (AI) today called on the Sri Lankan government to provide information to the families of the disappeared, with detailed lists and information of persons who surrendered to the armed forces in the final phase of the war.

Civilians killed in the war remembered in Wellamulliwaikkal

Some 5,000 people attended the ceremony of remembrance held at Wellamulliwaikkal on Friday to commemorate those killed in the armed conflict.It was held at the monument erected at Wellamulliwaikkal-East in honour of the civilians killed in the war.

595 SIs, WSIs promoted

A total of 595 Sub Inspectors (SI) and Women Sub Inspectors (WSI) have been promoted to the position of Inspector of Police (IP) with effect from May 31, Police Media Division said.

Mayor suspends fines charged from parking meters

Colombo Mayor Rosy Senanayake has instructed the Commissioner of the Colombo Municipality to suspend all fines charged through parking meters.

Anuruddha Polgampola released on bail

Former MP Anuruddha Polgampola, who was remanded on charges of violating previous bail conditions in connection with a financial fraud, was today released on a surety bail of Rs.500,000 by Kilinochchi Magistrate A.K. Anandarajah.

Automatic fuel pricing formula, a major step:IMF

International Monetary Fund yesterday said that ‘automatic fuel pricing mechanism marks a major step towards completing the energy pricing reforms that are underway in Sri Lanka, and minimizes the fiscal risks’.

Ministry orders inquiry over abandoned jumbo with gunshot injuries

The Wildlife Ministry yesterday ordered for an investigation into the incident where an elephant was found with gunshot injuries in Gomarankadawala, Trincomalee had been left without treatment by Wildlife Conservation Department officials claiming the injury was incurable.

Luxury designer handbags, jewellery, cash seized from fmr. Malaysian PM's condo

Malaysian police seized 284 boxes containing designer handbags and dozens of bags filled with cash and jewellery from a private residence linked to former Prime Minister Najib Razak on Friday morning.  

Keith Noyahr abduction: CID to record Speaker’s statement today

The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) would record a statement from Speaker Karu Jayasuriya today over the alleged abduction of journalist Keith Noyahr in 2008, a highly placed CID official said.

COPE, PAC, Public Finance: Former members re-appointed

Party leaders, who convened at the Parliamentary complex yesterday decided to reappoint the former members who served in the parliamentary bodies Committee on Public Enterprises(COPE), Public Accounts Committee (PAC) and the Public Finance Committee.

Don’t use war heroes for personal agendas: Army Chief

War heroes must not be manipulated to serve narrow objectives and personal agendas, nor should they be incited to resort to emotional and anti-social acts, Army Commander Mahesh Senanayake said.