Stop Indian trawlers from entering SL: Maithri to ask Modi

Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena is expected to ask Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to stop Indian trawlers from entering Lankan waters when he meets the latter in New Delhi on February 16.

Video: SLFP to decide new office bearers

The Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) Central Committee met at the party headquarters today and decided to amend the party constitution and finalise appointments of new SLFP office bearers at the convention tomorrow (14).

CID records statement from Gotabhaya

The CID has recorded a statement from former Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa today about the armouires maintained by Avant-Garde Security Services Limited and also the activities of Rakna Arakshaka Lanka Ltd, Police Spokesman SSP Ajith Rohana said.

Modi wishes SL cricket team

In a telephone interview with President Maithripala Sirisena this morning, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has wished the Sri Lankan cricket team success like the one gained at the 1996 Cricket World Cup.

NPC resolution a blow to national harmony: JHU

Jathika Hela Urumaya (JHU) said today the Northern Provincial Council’s approval of a resolution calling for an international investigation into alleged war crimes during the last stages of the war was a huge blow to the country’s unity, harmony and reconciliation.

Schoolgirl dies during assembly

An eight-year-old schoolgirl studying at Bulathgama Maha Vidyalaya in Balangoda is reported to have collapsed during the morning assembly, police said.

Mangala to meet Ban Ki-Moon today

External Affairs Minister Mangala Samaraweera who is currently on an official visit to the US, is due to meet UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon as well as US Ambassador to the UN Samantha Power today in New York.

Drowned couple: girl’s body recovered

Body of the 15-year-old school girl who was alleged to have jumped into the Deduru Oya Reservoir with a boy was found in the reservoir today, the Police said.

Port City has been ‘stopped’: Govt

The government said that the controversial Port City Project–Colombo has been ‘automatically stopped’ as there were many unanswerable questions on the project and many shortcomings in the Environment Impact Assessment Report as well as the feasibility study report.  

Video: US not a threat- Mangala

Sri Lanka’s new foreign Minister Mangala Samaraweera says the US is not a threat to Sri Lanka.

Namal says he has only two watches

Following recent social media reports that MP Namal Rajapaksa owned a luxury watch collection, the former President’s son denied owning more than two watches.

Entire P’ment to be Govt. after polls

The entire Parliament will be converted into a government after the next general election and it would not be a government of one party alone, Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe said yesterday.

China eager to preserve economic ties with Lanka-Jiarui

China considers it important to preserve and further develop the traditional economic cooperation which it has had with the Sri Lankan government, a top Chinese official said today.

Duminda grilled for 20 hours; action imminent – Police

Action will be taken against controversial Colombo District UPFA Parliamentarian Duminda Silva once the evidence gathered from his 20-hour long interrogation that lasted for three days at the CID office is assessed, Police Spokesman Ajith Rohana said today.

Mangala to invite Ban Ki-moon to SL

External Affairs Minister Mangala Samaraweera today said alongside his invitation for US Secretary of State, John Kerry to visit Sri Lanka, he will also be inviting UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon to visit the country and added that discussions will also begin to institute a truth-seeking mechanism in a step towards promotion reconciliation.

Video: JHU goes to IRD against Gamini Senarath

The Jathika Hela Urumaya (JHU) today submitted a file to the Inland Revenue Department (IRD) against former President’s Chief of Staff Gamini Senarath on alleged frauds committed by him.

Govt. to extend 48hr detention law

The government was preparing to extend the Procedure to detain a suspect arrested without a warrant up to 48 hours by another two years, a top source said. “It would seriously affect on country’s Human Rights records,” Human Rights Commissioner Dr. Prathibha Mahanamahewa said today.

Video: Govt. to compensate victimized UNPers

A memorandum will be submitted to the Cabinet soon to provide redress to those who had been subjected to political victimisation from 1994 to 2015, UNP General Secretary and Minister Kabir Hashim said today.

President’s Media denies reports

The President’s Media Division today said that there was no basis in social media claims that Zackey Ahmed was currently not in control of President’s accounts.

Be patient -SL tells Int'l community

The new Sri Lankan government on Wednesday urged the international community including the human rights community to be patient stating that 'this is a time of fragile transition' in Sri Lanka.

India must support NPC plea for probe into genocide: VCK

Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK) Leader Thol Thirumavalavan on Wednesday urged the Indian Centre to support the resolution passed by the Northern Provincial Council in Sri Lanka at the UN Human Rights Council in March 2015, demanding a thorough probe and report on the genocide of Tamils.

Woman attempting suicide dies in hospital

A woman who was reportedly rescued while hanging from a beam of a home in Veyangoda had died on admission to the Wathupitiwala Hospital.

Drowned student couple: boy’s body found

Body of the 17-year-old school boy who was alleged to have jumped into the Deduru Oya with a girl was found in Deduru Oya Reservoir today, the Police said.

CID summons Duminda for third day

CID has summoned MP Duminda Silva to appear at the CID for the third day for further questioning, Police said.

Govt says seeking delay in UN war-crimes report

Foreign Minister Mangala Samaraweera said on Wednesday that they were seeking a delay of several months in the release of a U.N. report on alleged war crimes during the civil war until the government had time to establish a mechanism to deal with the issue.

No one will be able to replace me - Gota

One of the most influential figures of the Rajapaksa regime, he was admired by many, feared by some and hated by others. With many allegations made against him following the end of the Rajapaksa rule, former Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa spoke to  and responded candidly to the accusations that are being made against him, on the speculations made concerning his entry to politics and why he believes he is irreplaceable. . .

Inconvenience faced by Facebook users

The Sri Lanka Computer Emergency Response Team Coordination Centre (SLCERT) said a web link which was sharing on the social media network had inconvenienced Facebook users.

PM to get powers to sack corrupt officials

Standing Orders of Parliament will be amended to empower the Prime Minister to take action against officials in state enterprises found guilty of mismanagement, financial frauds and corruption by the Committee on Public Enterprises (COPE), COPE Chairman DEW Gunasekara said.

No armouries in Hambantota: Namal

Denying allegations made by the government MPs that there are private armouries in Hambantota, the UPFA MP Namal Rajapaksa yesterday said violence were unleashed in the area only during the 1980s.

Lankan nabbed with Rs.48Mn foreign currency

A Sri Lankan male was arrested at the Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) departure lounge this morning while attempting to smuggle out foreign currency worth Rs.48,309,692 concealed in his Baggage.