Australian PM here in transit

Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott arrived in Sri Lanka a short while ago on a transit visit and was received by Prime Minister D.M. Jayaratne at the Katunayake Bandaranaike International Airport

14 Sihala Ravaya members granted bail

Twelve members of the Sihala Ravaya organisation surrendered to the Colombo Crime Division today in connection with the attempt to enter the Prime Minister’s office on January 08.

Train travels 300 metres without last compartment

A compartment with passengers detached itself from an office train travelling to Colombo from Puttalam. It happened somewhere between the Madampe and Kakkapalliya Railway Stations today.

Beauty alone won’t ensure nominations: Maitripala

Beauty alone will not be a factor when selecting UPFA candidates for the elections to the Western and Southern Provincial Councils, SLFP General Secretary and Minister Maithripala Sirisena said today.

Govt. facing crisis over CM posts: UNP

UNP media spokesman Gayantha Karunathilaka today spoke of a crisis within the Government over the chief ministerial posts even before submitting nominations with some members lashing out at the former chief ministers

Send genuine Indian fishermen for talks-SL fishermen

Sri Lankan fishermen’s representatives, who are all set to visit India for the mutual talks scheduled on Monday, appealed to their Indian counterparts to send representatives who are genuine fishermen, who can understand the plight of both the sides.

Indians have no fishing rights around Katchatheevu: Centre

Indian fishermen have no right to fish in and around Katchatheevu — the islet ceded to Sri Lanka —according to two bilateral pacts signed in 1974 and 1976, the Centre submitted before the Madras High Court on Thursday.

National cricketers sign contracts after fuss

Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) officials yesterday threatened to send a second string team to Bangladesh for the bilateral tour, Asia Cup and also the ICC World T20 unless the national players signed their annual contracts last night before boarding their plane to Bangladesh in the early hours of today.

I am an inspiration to other actresses - Anarkali

Former Southern Provincial Councillor and popular actress Anarkali Akarsha spoke to on her journey as a politician so far... We need a change of government-Nadeesha Popular actress Nadeesha Hemamali recently made her debut into the political arena, with the announcement that she would be... I wil not cr

Video: The President loves me -- Mervyn

Public Relations Minister Mervyn Silva said today that though some people thought the president disliked him now they were wrong.: It was his belief that, not only the president, but the whole of DA Rajapaksa’s family loved him. 

Sri Lanka briefs Pillai

Sri Lanka on Tuesday briefed UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Ms. Navaneethem Pillay and Permanent Representatives to the United Nations in Geneva on ‘Progress in the reconciliation process in Sri Lanka’.

Two killed, 11 injured in accident

Two persons were killed and eleven people injured when their jeep collided with a lorry in Meennana, Eheliyagoda on the Colombo-Ratnapura Main Road this evening, police said.

Justice Sriskandarajah passes away

President of the Court of Appeal Justice Sundaram Sriskandarajah passed away a short while ago due to a sudden illeness, sources said

Centre asks Andhra Pradesh to expedite release of SL fishermen

The Indian central government has asked the Andhra Pradesh government to expedite the release of remaining 25 Sri Lankan fishermen detained in the state

HC suspends magisterial inquiry on Bandara

The magisterial inquiry on Inter University Students Federation (IUSF) Convener Sanjeewa Bandara was suspended by the Colombo High Court until it concluded the hearing of his revision application requesting that his bail conditions be relaxed.

Largest cigarette consignment seized by the Customs

The Customs Revenue Task Force seized 4 million cigarettes valued at Rs. 112 mn at Orugodawatte Rank Container Terminal today, Customs’ Media spokesman Leslie Gamini said

Pope won’t visit SL this year : Vatican

The Vatican on Wednesday announced that Pope Francis would not be visiting Sri Lanka this year, foreign media reported today

Video: UPFA member Padmasiri joins UNP

Former United Peoples Freedom Alliance (UPFA) Southern Provincial Councillor Ananda Padmasiri joined the United National Party (UNP) and his membership card was handed over by UNP National Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe a short while ago

I’m a Galloping Horse: Ginger

  Famous singer Ginger (Judith White) faced the SLFP Nomination Board and is getting active in the on-going election battl With my beauty I will fight for the country - Gayesha Former Miss Sri Lanka and popular model Gayesha Perera faced the Nomination Board of the SLFP recently... Being an actress is just like bein

Lalith Weeratunga in US

Ahead of the March session of the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC), Presidential Secretary Lalith Weeratunga, who is in charge of the National Action Plan for the Implementation of the Recommendations by the Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission (LLRC), was to leave for the United States (US) yesterday to brief the leaders of that country on the developments here

Scissor blade removed from boy’s head

A pair of scissors stuck in the head of a 15-year-old boy who was admitted to the Karapitiya Teaching Hospital on Tuesday afternoon, was removed by doctors through surgery yesterday

UNHRC resolution against govt. not SL: Kiriella

While claiming that the Government was trying only to protect itself by creating a rumpus on the upcoming UNHRC sessions in Geneva, UNP Parliamentarian Lakshman Kiriella challenged Ministers Mahinda Samarasinghe and G.L. Peiris to an open debate to make people aware about the real consequences of the UNHRC session

Indira asked Thatcher to stop helping SL against LTTE

Former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi had asked her British counterpart Margaret Thatcher to stop helping Sri Lanka with military advice to crush the separatist Tamil Eelam movement in the 1980s, according to newly declassified documents

Have headlights on at daytime: Police tell motorcyclists

Motorcyclists in the Western Province are requested to travel with their headlights switched on even during daytime from tomorrow, police said

House rumpus over stopping live telecast of debates

The suspension of live telecast of parliamentary debates over Peo TV reverberated in the House today with Opposition MPs raising the matter and crying foul over the announced stoppage. They urged the Speaker to resume the telecast of the debates. 

Maldives seeks improved consular services for community in SL

Maldivian President Abdulla Yameen on Tuesday requested for Sri Lankan government's assistance in improving consular services for the large Maldivian community residing in the neighbouring country.

UAE informed us about Lankan’s execution: FEB

Foreign Employment Bureau (FEB) Deputy General Manager Mangala Randeniya said the FEB was notified by UAE officials prior to the execution of 19-year-old Sri Lankan Ravinda Krishna Pillai, who was convicted of murder.

My private life has never been a secret-Mangala

Charging that the "Rajapaksa regime" has embarked on yet another attempt to incarcerate and silence him by invoking an archaic Victorian law of the Sri Lankan penal code, UNP MP Mangala Samaraweera today said his private life had never been a secret.

Power cuts likely in some parts of the country

Power cuts are likely to occur in several parts of the country because the Norochcholai, Kelanitissa, Rantambe and Randenigala power stations were malfunctioning, official sources said.

Video: PS Chairman remanded until the Khuram case is over

The arrested Tangalle Pradeshiya Sabha Chairman Sampath Chandra Pushpa Vidanapathirana had been remanded by the Colombo High Court a short while ago until the trail into the killing of a British national is over, legal sources said. Update