Selfie tragedy

Two 17-year-old school children drowned in Kallady Oya in Pudukuduirippu last evening while they were taking a selfie, Police said.

Rishard has no power to distribute Wilpattu land: Audit report

Industry and Commerce Minister Rishard Bathiudeen has no authority to order the Director General of Forest Conservation to release the lands of Vilaththikulam forest reserve for resettlement, according to an audit report.

Traffic fines hit record high: Sagala

The revenue collected by the Police as fines over traffic offences across the country during the first ten months of the year stood at a record Rs. 1.958 billion (Rs.1,958,821,220), Law and Order Minister Sagala Ratnayake said.

Campaign offices curbed Candidates should use their residence as office

The Elections Commission would restrict the establishment of campaign offices by candidates contesting at the Local Government elections this time, an official said yesterday.

SL Navy Cheif visits Indian Navy’s Southern Naval Command

Sri Lanka Navy Commander Sirimevan Ranasinghe visited the Indian Navy’s Southern Naval Command in Kochi, when he attended the Silver Jubilee Seminar on Operational Sea Training and Safety On board, in India recently, Navy Headquarters said today.

Where is the VW factory, jobs: Keheliya

Former Media Minister during the Mahinda Rajapaksa regime Keheliya Rambukwella today scoffed at the speculations that he was to defect from the Joint Opposition to team up with the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) led by President Maithripala Sirisena.

SLPP to form a new alliance

The Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) would form a new alliance with twenty political and civil organisations, including all the parties of the Joint Opposition (JO), SLPP Spokesman Sanjeewa Edirimanna said.

Murali no-balling ‘disrespectful’ says Waugh

Former Australian captain Steven Waugh has said that the no-balling Sri Lanka’s Muttiah Muralitharan during the famous Boxing Day Test match in MCG back in 1995 was ‘disrespectful’ and ‘should have been sorted out beforehand.’

SriLankan Directors offer to resign

Six Directors of the Srilankan Airlines had offered to resign to facilitate the appointment of new Board of Directors for restructuring, Chairman Ajith N. Dias said.He said the decision had been taken a few weeks ago.

NPC recommends Range Bandara promotion as ASP

The National Police Commission (NPC) had recommended to promote Policeman-turned-politician Palitha Range Bandara to the rank of Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP).

Nasheed cancels meeting with Maldivian residents in SL due to threats

Former Maldivian President and Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) leader Mohamed Nasheed had cancelled the meeting with Maldivians in Sri Lanka on December 26 due to threats to his life, former Maldivian Foreign Minister Ahmed Naseem said.

North Korea says new U.N. sanctions an act of war

The latest U.N. sanctions against North Korea are an act of war and tantamount to a complete economic blockade against the country, North Korea’s foreign ministry said on Sunday, threatening to punish those who supported the measure.

German woman drowns in Tangalle

A 59-year-old German woman drowned last evening while she was having a sea bath in Marakolliya, Tangalle. Police said.

Missing SL boat found in Maldives with six fishermen

Maldives National Defense Force (MNDF)’s Coastguard has located the Sri Lankan fishing boat which went missing and drifted into Maldivian territorial waters with 6 fishermen.

Ferry from Kankesanthurai to Chennai for SL pilgrims

The Indian government has decided to permit pilgrims from the northern parts of Sri Lanka to take a ferry to Chennai and from there travel to Chidambaram and visit the Nataraja temple. 

Presidential Commission to probe SriLankan and Mihin Air

A Special Presidential Commission would be appointed to look into the Sri Lanka Airlines and the Mihin Air, soon after the receiving of the Bond Commission report, President Maithripala Sirisena said.

Govt. to refurbish Lakvijaya power plant to avoid breakdowns

The Power and Renewable Energy Ministry is to refurbish the Lakvijaya Coal Power Plant (LCPP) for the first time since it was built in 2012, which the government hopes will put an end to the continuous power failures that occur when it breaks down.

SLFP bankrupt to accept those sacked by JVP: Vijitha

The Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) said yesterday the Sri Lanka Freedom party (SLFP) had become so bankrupt so as to take in some of the JVP members who were sacked from the party.

GMOA urges govt to issue gazette abolishing SAITM

The GMOA yesterday urged the government to immediately issue a gazette notification abolishing the South Asian Institute of Technology and Medicine (SAITM) in Malabe.

Rs. 48 mn allocated for P'naruwa Hospital Director’s official residence: Prez

President Maithripala Sirisena, while highlighting the fact that Rs.48 million was allocated to construct the official residence of the Polonnaruwa Hospital's Director, stressed the need to have proper management and fiscal policies when spending public funds.

CB bond issue: President will act against those responsible

President Maithripala Sirisena will take prompt action to implement the recommendations made by the Presidential Commission of Inquiry into Central Bank bond issue when the report is submitted to him by next week, Minister Nimal Siripala De Silva said.

Abduction of 11 youth: Witness says CID changed statement

When the case where former navy spokesman D.K.P. Dissanayake was an accused was taken up for hearing before the Fort Magistrate Court, a key witness the CID had changed several parts of his initial statement and requested that he be allowed to made a personal statement in Court.

Jaffna Naga Viharaya Prelate's funeral site: Jaffna MC rejects petition

A petition filed in the Jaffna Magistrate Court seeking an order to prevent the holding of the funeral ceremony of Jaffna Naga Viharaya Chief Incumbent and Northern Province Chief Sanghanayaka the late Most Ven, Meegahajandure Gnanarathana Thera at the Jaffna Mutraveli Ground, was today rejected by Jaffna Magistrate S.Sadeeskaran.

14 cases of election law violations reported

Fourteen complaints of election law violations were reported from December 9 to 22 countrywide, the Police said.

US MCC re-selects SL for grant programme

The Board of Directors of the US Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) has re-selected Sri Lanka for its grant programme at its meeting held on Tuesday this week.

Two teenagers killed in motorcycle tragedy

Two teenagers who sat for the recently concluded GCE O/L examination were killed in a motorcycle accident at Thalangama on Thursday night, police said.

Country’s vote not against any UN member state: SL

The Sri Lankan Government today said the country’s vote in favour of the UN resolution on Jerusalem was not a vote against any member State of the United Nations.

Sampanthan hospitalized

Opposition Leader R. Sampanthan was admitted to a private hospital last evening after a sudden illness, a family member said today.

Maharagama nomination list rejection: SLPP files SC petition

Six Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) candidates today filed a writ petition in the Supreme Court over the rejection of the party’s nomination list for the Maharagama Urban Council.

UN condemns Australia's forced return of SL refugee

The United Nations’ refugee agency has condemned Australia’s forced return of an asylum seeker to Sri Lanka without any assessment of his claim for protection, the Guardian reported on Friday.