Video: 'Political henchman' behind transfer of 23 Police officers- JVP

The Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) today urged the government to divulge the ‘political henchmen’ who engineered the transfer of 23 police officers attached to the Organised Crimes Investigation Unit.

Indian Media criticise Singh's ‘diplomatic error’

Media in India see Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's boycott of the Commonwealth summit in Sri Lanka as a "diplomatic error", the BBC reported

Video: Demo against Channel 4

Around a 100 demonstrators protested against the visiting Channel 4 journalists at the lobby of the Bandaranaike International Airport, when they arrived in the country a short while ago

Probe Packer who is in SL - UNP

A group of UNP MPs including Ruwan Wijewardene, Harsha De Silva and Ajith P. Perera yesterday lodged a complaint at the Police Headquarters against Australian business tycoon James packer who is currently in Sri Lanka to participate in the Commonwealth Heads of State Meeting (CHOGM) Business Forum.

Lankans can see comet

The comet ISON, one of the brightest and potentially dazzling comets would appear clearly on November 18 morning to Sri Lankans, Sri Lanka Astronomical Association said

Packer to address C’wealth Business Forum in Colombo

Billionaire James Packer will visit Colombo this week to lobby the Sri Lankan government over his plans for a five-star resort

Sharma calls on MR

The Secretary General of the Commonwealth Kamalesh Sharma is currently at a meeting with President Mahinda Rajapaksa at the Presidential Secretariat, the Government Information Department said

14 Injured in Kegalle Bus Collision

At least 14 passengers were injured when a bus carrying employees of a garment factory collided with a private bus in Imbulgasdeniya junction, in the Kegalle-Polgahawela road this morning, police said.  

Maldives president will stay on beyond term

The president of the Maldives said he will stay in office even though his term ends at midnight Sunday in order to avert a constitutional void that could have arisen due to the postponement of a presidential runoff election.

NZ PM says CHOGM boycott not the right move

New Zealand Prime Minister John Key said on Monday he will attend a Commonwealth summit in Sri Lanka despite his Indian counterpart pulling out amid pressure for a boycott over alleged war crimes by Colombo.

Britain says disappointed over CMAG inaction

Britain said that it was disappointed that Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group (CMAG) has not addressed Sri Lanka’s human rights situation more substantively in their its meetings.

Roads closed for nearly two hours

The Colombo-Katunayake Expressway, Baseline Road from New Kelani Bridge to Boraella Cemetery Junction, Bauddaloka Mawatha to Bambalapitiya Junction and Galle Road from Bambalapitiya Junction..

Driver crashes bus to avoid disaster, 20 injured

Twenty people including the driver and conductor of a bus that had been heading back to Panadura after a trip to Ambuluwawa in Gampola were injured when the bus plunged down an embankment due to break failure this afternoon, police said.

CHOGM: Manmohan writes to Rajapaksa

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Sunday wrote to Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa regretting his inability to attend the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) from November 15.

Two missing in Ginganga

Two persons bathing in the Ginganga near the Ginthota Bridge in Galle went missing this evening, while another was rescued from drowning, police said.

CHOGM visit: BJP finds fault with Congress

Referring to the uncertainty over Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's scheduled visit to Sri Lanka for the CHOGM meet, Bharathiya Janatha Party leader M. Venkaiah Naidu found fault with the Congress for lacking clarity on a delicate foreign policy issue.

Green Party MPs released

New Zeeland Green Party MP and Australian Senator who were detained earlier in the morning by the Department of Immigration in connection with violation of Immigration laws had been allowed to leave the country a short while ago. Pictures

Passports impounded for violating visa laws

Passports of a New Zealand Green Party Parliamentarian Jan Logie and Senator Lee Rhiannon from Australia had been impounded by the Sri Lankan immigration officials for violating immigration regulations, an official said.

Cameron watches Channel-4 video

British Prime Minister David Cameron said that he has watched the latest Channel-4 video on alleged war crimes by Sri Lanka and said that Sri Lanka has "serious questions" to answer about war crimes allegedly committed during its civil war, the BBC reported.

Video: Philippine typhoon death toll could reach 10,000: Officials

Police in the Philippines say they fear 10,000 people may have died in the devastation wreaked by Typhoon Haiyan. The Philippine government has so far only confirmed the death of several hundred people after the storm struck.

Weapons and ammo found from Mirihana

A large stock of weapons and ammunitions, including swords and knives were found from a house in Mirihana this evening, police said.

Video: Khurshid to represent India

Indian External affairs minister Salman Khurshid will head the Indian delegation at the CHOGM to be held in Sri Lanka next week with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh deciding against undertaking the visit in view of the opposition by parties in Tamil Nadu as well as a section in Congress.

No visas to meet VIP’s or for conferneces during CHOGM

The Government will not provide visas to any foreigner to attend conferences or meetings with Government officials in November except to those attending the scheduled events of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM), the Ministry of External Affairs said

Sharma arrives

Commonwealth Secretary General Kamalesh Sharma arrived in Colombo a short while ago to attend the forthcoming Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in Colombo

Video: Typhoon Haiyan kills at least 100, flattens Philippine city

Typhoon Haiyan, possibly the strongest storm ever to hit land, has devastated the central Philippine city of Tacloban, killing at least 100 people and destroying most houses in a surge of flood water and high winds, officials said on Saturday

No official word yet, Manmohan may skip CHOGM

The Prime Minister’s Office late on Friday night denied that a final decision has been made to cancel Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s proposed visit to the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Colombo beginning on November 15

Pakistan company wins Sri Lanka ID Card project

The National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) in Pakistan has won the Sri Lanka Identity Card project.

SL to set up national inquiry on torture-Sharma

The Commonwealth Secretariat will assist Sri Lanka in setting up a National Inquiry on Torture, its Secretary-General Mr. Kamalesh Sharma said in an interview to The Hindu at the Secretariat headquarters at Marlborough House on the eve of his departure to Colombo to attend the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting.

Pakistan Cricket Board owes $30,000 to SLC

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is yet to pay a sum of $30,000 to Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) for hiring a chartered plane after an armed attack on their team back in 2009.

Video: Govt. wasting billions while poor are ignored

United National Party (UNP) Western Provincial Councillor Harshana Rajakaruna said the government was spending billions of rupees for the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) while turning a blind eye to the plight of the poor, who were badly in need of relief.