Boys will be boys, says Keheliya

“Even the politicians’ sons will behave like boys; if someone hits them they will hit back,”  said Minister Keheliya Rambukwella at the Cabinet news conference yesterday

No gas or oil in 4th well-Cairn

Against the backdrop of Sri Lanka going for a second licensing round to auction more blocks, the fourth well drilled in Sri Lanka’s Mannar basin by Cairn Lanka, a fully owned subsidiary of Cairn India, has been plugged and abandoned as a dry hole

Even ministers getting death threats-UNP

The dangers facing the people of this country were made even more evident by the death threats received by Minister Maithripala Sirisena, UNP MP Akila Viraj Kariyawasam told a news conference today

Mervyn’s secretaries made state witnesses

Minister Mervyn Silva’s Parliamentary Affairs Secretary and his Coordinating Secretary who were in remand over their alleged involvement in the Kelaniya UPFA Pradeshiya Sabha member Hasitha Madawala’s killing were made state witnesses by the Attorney General today

UK court blocks SL Tamil deportations

A group of failed Sri Lankan Tamil asylum seekers have won the right to stay in the UK after the high court here blocked their deportation scheduled for today

UNHRC disassociates itself from screening Ch-4 film

The United Nations Human Rights Council has disassociated itself from the screening of the Channel 4 film ‘No Fire Zone: The Killing Fields of Sri Lanka’ to be held on Friday (01) in Geneva at the UN premises

Dharmadasa hands over nominations

Upali Dharmadasa has handed over nominations for the presidency of the Sri Lanka Cricket today, sources said

Acid attack: Three arrested

Three suspects including an Ayurvedic doctor was arrested in connection with last Friday’s acid attack on North Central Province Ayurvedic Commissioner Dr. Kumara Alwis, police sources said

Govt. says can’t take over Halal certification

Government is not ready to take over responsibilities of issuing and administration of Halal certificates, Media Minister Keheliya Rambukwella said today at the weekly Cabinet briefing

Video: Australia unmoved by Tamil torture allegations

Australian Immigration Minister Brendan O'Connor has released a statement affirming Australia will continue to return failed asylum seekers to Sri Lanka after a damning report of the country's detention centres by Human Rights Watch ???

'Pictorial warning' postponed to March 28

Deputy Solicitor General Arjuna Obeysekara gave an undertaking before the Supreme Court today, that the Gazette relating to the Pictorial warning on cigarette packs would not be in force until March 28 when the case was taken up today.

Smokers up in smoke

Smokers countrywide are facing a major shortage of cigarettes since yesterday after the Ceylon Tobacco Company (CTC) stopped distributing cigarettes until pictorial health warnings are printed on the packets before releasing them to the market

Family of three found dead

The bodies of three family members including that of an infant were found a short while ago at Sagara Mawatha in Panadura.Pictures

Kariyawasam granted personal bail

The husband of ousted Chief Justice Pradeep Kariyawasam who was the Chairman of National Savings Bank was released on personal bail by the Colombo Magistrate Court today

Nishantha enters the fray as Ind. candidate

Nishantha Ranathunga the current secretary of Sri Lankan Cricket handed over his nominations today, to the post of secretary as an independent candidate.

Transfer of Indian prisoners from Lanka begins

For the first time, two Indians imprisoned in Sri Lanka, were sent back to India on Wednesday under a bilateral agreement on the transfer of sentenced persons, Press Trust of India (PTI) reported.

Let Lankan pilgrims visit Velankanni - Jaffna Bishop

Rt Rev Dr Thomas Savundaranayagam, the Bishop of Jaffna, has strongly criticised attempts by several Tamil nationalist groups in Tamil Nadu at preventing Sri Lankan pilgrims from visiting Catholic shrines in that State

Court blocks Tamil deportations from UK

The High Court in London has blocked the deportation of a group of failed Tamil asylum seekers scheduled to be sent back to Sri Lanka on Thursday.

SF ready for any UN probe on alleged war crimes

Democratic National Alliance (DNA) Leader Sarath Fonseka said today if the UN probes alleged war crimes in Sri Lanka, it would not question those politicians who boast that were ready even to go to the electric chair for the sake of the country, but that it would question him as the former Army commander

Restraining order on ‘Changumi’ novel

The Colombo Commercial High Court yesterday restrained the publishers of the novel ‘Changumi’ based on the popular television series telecast over Rupavahini under the same name from being distributed and sold

Accountability issues won’t stop aid to SL: USAID

Despite pressuring Sri Lanka on issues of accountability and judicial independence, the United States promised yesterday to continue development assistance and initiate “access-to-justice” programmes.

Bodu Bala Sena rejects ACJU proposal

Rejecting the proposal made by All Ceylon Jamiyyathul Ulama (ACJU) to hand over the Halal certification process to the Government, the Bodu Bala Sena said it did not prove a solution and called complete eradication of the Halal certification from the country

Basil Rajapaksa appointed SLFP national organizer

Economic Development Minister Basil Rajapaksa has been appointed as the National Organizer of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) at the central committee meeting, the government information department announced today.

'Badigama Ukkun' shot dead in Weeraketiya

An underworld leader, 32 year-old K. Udaya Shantha alias 'Badigama Ukkun' was killed during a shootout between two underworld gangs in Wakamulla,Weeraketiya this evening, police said

Ranil asks for concrete measures to ease tension

Main Opposition UNP Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe alleged the government was not taking concrete action to diffuse rising tensions between religious groups in the country.

Certain elements conspiring to destroy me: Minister

SLFP General Secretary and Health Minister Maithripala Sirisena today warned of a conspiracy to destroy him politically in the wake of Sunday’s Passikudah incident where his son Daham was alleged to have assaulted a DIG’s son.

SL hits out at Pillay

Sri Lanka today accused UN Human Rights Chief Navi Pillay of behaving in an irresponsible manner with a secret agenda of disparaging Sri Lanka.

Australian gaming tycoon eyes SL bet

Australian gambling tycoon James Packer may be lining up a bet on Sri Lanka, scouting the Indian Ocean island for potential investments as he seeks to build a global casino empire.

Sri Lanka is not an enemy-India

Indian External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid told Rajya Sabha today that Sri Lanka is not an enemy of India.

India should change its Sri Lanka policy: AIADMK

The AIADMK Wednesday urged India to change its Sri Lanka policy and branded Colombo as an "enemy" of the Tamils.