Students launch protest despite court order

Despite a restraining order issued by the Balangoda District Judge, the students of the Sabaragamuwa University today launched a protest march over the destruction of free education

Cameron defends summit move amid HR concerns

David Cameron has defended the decision to attend a high-profile international summit in Sri Lanka despite his concerns over the country's human rights record

Legendary singer Manna Dey dies at 94

Playback legend Manna Dey, who was critical for long, died on Thursday morning in Bangalore. He was 94. The legendary singer was undergoing treatment for neuro-respiratory problems

Video: CHOGM to affect commercial flights

The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) of Sri Lanka today said it would try to minimise the disruption to the scheduled commercial flights at Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) when there would be VVIP flight arrivals during the CHOGM ???

Aussie PM praises SL

Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott has praised Sri Lanka for the support rendered in one of the major Australian national issues of human smuggling, which has drastically reduced illegal boat arrivals from Sri Lanka

UNP continues to say ‘No’ to casinos

The main opposition United National Party (UNP) said today that it would continue to oppose the Casino Bill notwithstanding the format it would be presented in

Dharmapala Vidyalaya Principal assaulted

Four people including the Principal, Vice Principal and two other teachers of Dharmapala Vidyalaya, Kottawa were allegedly assaulted by four people who pretended to be the old boys of the school a short while ago, police said.

Facebook reverses stance on violent video

Facebook has removed a video of a woman being beheaded and updated its policy on graphic violence following a public outcry against the world’s largest social media website.

Devinuwara PS Opp.leader sacked

Devinuwara Pradesiya Sabah Opposition Leader Thusahara Wijesuriya has today received a letter dismissing him from his post

SC rejects C’wealth assistance in ousted CJ case

A five-judge Bench of the Supreme Court today rejected the offer of intervention, by the Commonwealth Bar Association and the House Human Rights Committee of the Bar of England and Wales,in matters of law regarding the cases against ousted Chief Justice Shirani Bandaranayaka.

Kenya denies lobbying Africa to boycott CHOGM

The Kenyan government on Tuesday denied reports that it was lobbying African countries to boycott the 23rd Commonwealth Head of State Summit to be held in Colombo, Sri Lanka from Nov. 15 to 17, international media said.

SL’s MERS alert on KSA-bound flights

The Sri Lankan government is warning passengers heading to Saudi Arabia to take precautions against the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome-Coronavirus (MERS-CoV), which has infected 119 people and caused 51 deaths in the Kingdom

Gaming resort operators unfazed by impasse

The two parties who are to construct mega gaming resorts in the heart of Colombo said yesterday that they were not disturbed by the government’s delay in passing the required laws in parliament pertaining to the setting up of such resorts

More Congress leaders oppose Manmohan’s participation in CHOGM

More Congress leaders in Tamil Nadu are opposing Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s participation in the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) scheduled to be held in Sri Lanka

JHU to continue opposition to Casino gazette

Jathika Hela Urumaya (JHU) General Secretary and Minister Champika Ranawaka a strong opponent of the Casino Bill at this week’s Cabinet meeting, made a fervent appeal to the authorities urging them to avoid making Sri Lanka a Casino and a Heroin Hub

Army Chief meets top foreign military leaders

Army Commander Daya Ratnayake, who is currently in Washington DC met several top-ranking world-wide military leaders, including the Chief of Staff of the US Army, General Raymond T. Odierno, the army said.

Kenya lobbies C'wealth summit boycott

Kenya is quietly lobbying African countries to boycott the upcoming 23rd Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Colombo, Sri Lanka from November 15 to November 17, 2013

Royal Park murder; Death sentence affirmed

The appeal against the conviction of death sentence on Shramantha Jayamaha who was found guilty of murdering Yvonne Johannson at Royal Park in 2005 was rejected and the decision of the Court of Appeal was reaffirmed by the Supreme Court today.

Amnesty accuses US of war crimes

Amnesty International in a document titled “Will I be next US drone strikes in Pakistan" accused the US of unlawful killings in Pakistan which could amount to war crimes.

Appropriation Bill presented

The Appropriation Bill for the Budget 2014 was presented in Parliament today showing a total government expenditure of Rs.1,542 and a borrowing limit of up to Rs.1,100 billion

Factory licence withdrawn: CEA

The licence of the chemical factory in Piliyandala had been temporarily suspended by the Central Environmental Authority, CEA Director General Dr. Saranga Alahapperuma said

Two drowned

A husband and wife were swept away while attempting to cross the gushing waters of Pandi Oya in Bambarakanda, police said. The residents managed to rescue the 43-year-old woman. She was admitted to the Ratnapura Hospital

Bulgarian fugitive convicted in suffocation deaths of 18 Lankans

A Bulgarian fugitive convicted in the suffocation deaths of 18 Sri Lankan stowaways who died in the back of a truck he was driving nearly two decades ago has been arrested near Seattle and faces possible extradition to his home country, U.S. authorities said on Monday

SL refugees at risk under return policy: AHRC

Asylum seekers from Sri Lanka risk being returned to potentially harmful situations under the government's enhanced screening process, the Australian Human Rights Commission says

Video: Piliyandala Gas leak: 70 in hospital

More than 70 people including residents were hospitalised following a gas leak from a chemical factory in Piliyandala in the early hours today, police said UPDATE

Govt. puts casino consent on hold

Amid sharp protests from various quarters, the government last night decided to shelve the decision to approve regulations governing two gazette notifications for the establishment of two casino centres in Colombo, sources said.

Remanded for sexually abusing underage foreigner

A Sri Lankan who had allegedly sexually harassed an underage Dubai national at a star class hotel in Colombo was ordered to be remanded till November 1 by Colombo Fort Magistrate today

New Expressway: Toll charges announced

A toll of Rs.300 will be charged from each vehicle, including cars and jeeps, that travels from Peliyagoda to Katunayake on the Colombo-Katunayake Expressway which is scheduled to be officially opened on October 27, the Ministry of Ports and Highways said.

OIC interdicted for bailing out suspects

The Officer in Charge of Kosgama Police Thilina Hettiarachchi had been interdicted “for failing to carry out duties”, Police said today. The OIC had bailed nine suspects without producing them to the Court, the Police said.

Drop charges over SL film, Malaysia urged

Malaysian authorities should drop charges against a rights activist accused of showing a film about Sri Lanka’s civil war without Censorship Board approval, Human Rights Watch said Monday.