40 feared dead in blaze at California party

Up to 40 people were feared dead in a huge fire that tore through a rave party in a warehouse near San Francisco, as authorities warned Saturday of a prolonged search and recovery effort.

One killed in CM Peshala Jayarathna’s jeep collision

A 60-year-old man was killed and another injured in a head-on collision involving a three-wheeler and the North Central Chief Minister Peshala Jayarathna’s vehicle in Sigiriya last night, Police said.

Allow TN fishermen for Katchatheevu festival: PMK

Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK) founder S.Ramadoss on Saturday demanded that fishermen from Tamil Nadu should be allowed to take part in the festival in St. Anthony’s church in Katchatheevu in Sri Lanka on December 7.

Indonesian police plane with 15 on board goes missing

A twin-engine Indonesian police plane went missing yesterday with 15 people on board en route to the island of Batam, south of Singapore, police and rescue authorities said, as search teams scoured the area.

Cross talk over alleged UL shady deals

The government and the joint opposition yesterday made allegations against each other on alleged shady deals involving the national carrier SriLankan Airlines during the past and the present regimes in Parliament yesterday.

Negombo protest: Suspects remanded

The 18 suspects who were arrested in connection with the Negombo incident were remanded till December 9 by Acting Magistrate Shantha Niriella.

PM to meet IGP over phone call

Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe is to meet IGP Pujith Jayasundara today over the controversial cellular phone call the IGP had made with reference to an arrest by the FCID.

Police fire tear gas at JO protest

Police fired teargas and water cannons to disperse a group of Joint opposition protestors who attempted to move towards Parliament from the Polduwa Junction.  

18 arrested over Negombo protest

At least 18 people were arrested and six three-wheelers and a private bus were taken into custody in connection with incident where a group of people staged a protest by obstructing the Colombo-Negombo main road yesterday.

Parliament Road closed due to protest

The Parliament Road was temporarily closed from Polduwa Junction and Jayanthipura Junction due to a protest staged by the Joint Opposition, police said.

President appoints committee over bus issues

President Maithripala Sirisena today appointed a special committee to look into the issues faced by bus operators, Presidential Media Unit said.

No traffic fine increase: Bus Associations

Private Bus Associations said today President Maithiripala Sirisena assured them that there would be no traffic fine increase without consulting relevant parties.

IGP’s Sir could be anybody: Kiriella

The controversial cellular phone call to the Police Chief could have been from anybody, House Leader and Minister Lakshman Kiriella told Parliament yesterday.

Gunaratnam granted two months visa

Kumar Gunaratnam - the controversial political activist holding an Australian citizenship - who was released yesterday after completing his prison term has been granted a two-month visa to submit his application for a citizenship in Sri Lankan, the Daily Mirror learns.

Bus strike called off

Private bus operators have called off their strike last night after President Maithripala Sirisena agreed to meet them to discuss their demands, private bus trade unions confirmed.

SL's economic growth no threat to the region: PM

Sri Lanka's future economic growth is not a threat to the region as it is playing a sub role in Asia’s development, Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe said.

Cop run over by private bus in Peraliya

A Sub Inspector attached to the Mitiyagoda Police Station had been run over by an inter-city private bus plying from Ambalangoda to Galle at Peraliya in Thelwatta yesterday evening.   Video by Anuradha Priyadarshana

COPE to probe questionable rice deal

The parliamentary Committee on Public Enterprises (COPE) will probe the Rs.18 billion rice import scam in which both the present and the previous regimes were allegedly involved, COPE Chairman and JVP MP Sunil Handunnetti told Parliament today.  

Police use teargas to disperse 3-wheeler protest

A tense situation prevailed at the Galkanda Junction in Negombo a short while ago when a group of protesting three-wheeler drivers had pelted stones at police officers who arrived at the location to disperse the crowd.

China opposes external interference in SL: Jiechi

Chinese State Councillor Yang Jiechi was reported to have told former president Mahinda Rajapaksa and his entourage that China was opposed to any ‘external intervention’ in the internal affairs of Sri Lanka and the use of human rights as a political tool.  

Striking bus operators to meet President this evening

Several private bus operators who were involved in today’s bus strike have requested for a meeting with President Maithripala Sirisena and Transport Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva at 5 p.m. today, the Transport Ministry said.

Lankan couple whose family members were killed, granted NZ refugee status

A Sri Lankan couple fearing harm after their family members were shot and killed by underworld criminals in Sri Lanka has been granted refugee status in New Zealand.

Traffic in Town Hall

Traffic congestion was reported in Town Hall as three-wheel drivers who were scheduled to stage a protest march this afternoon gathered at town Hall this morning, Police said.

Kumar Gunaratnam released

Frontline Socialist Party (FSP) politburo member Kumar Gunaratnam was released from the Anuradhapura Prison today. He was sentenced to one year imprisonment for violating visa regulations by the Kegalle Magistrate on March 31, 2016.

Colombo-Negombo main road blocked by protestors

The Colombo-Negombo main road has been blocked at the Galkanda junction due to a protest carried out by the three-wheeler operators against the increase of minimum penalty.

Island-wide bus strike a success: IPPBA

The Inter Provincial Private Bus Association (IPPBA) President Sarath Vijitha Kumara today said the ongoing island-wide bus strike was successful.

Jaliya Wickramasuriya further remanded

Former Sri Lankan Ambassador to the USA Jaliya Wickramasuriya was further remanded till December 16 by Colombo Fort Magistrate Lanka Jayaratne.

SLTB buses attacked in several areas

Several Sri Lanka Transport Board (SLTB) buses operating despite the ongoing private bus strike were reportedly attacked in several areas, SLTB sources said.

MR’s henchmen on course to destroy SLFP: Wijayamuni Soysa

Minister Wijith Wijayamuni Zoysa yesterday claimed former President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s henchmen were in overestimated mentality over him and added that they were in a mission to destroy the SLFP by using his popularity.

Unnamed minister imports Rs.40M car

Social media are busy these days inquiring who the minister is who has allegedly imported a Mercedes Benz S300 costing Rs.40.1 million -- which is now parked at a ministerial car park in Battaramulla.