Five men sentenced to death

Five men who stood indicted on charges of having murdered a 65-year-old resident of Walakumburegama in Nagoda on Oct. 23, 1998, were found guilty and sentenced to death by Galle High Court Judge K.B.K. Hirimburegama this morning.

Video: US ‘disappointed’ with SL - Blake

US Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs, Robert Blake said the US was ‘disappointed’ about Sri Lanka’s failure to address several issues including the implementation of the LLRC action plan.???

Canada firm on C’wealth boycott threat

Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper has held firm on his threat to boycott the Commonwealth summit in Colombo later this year, rejecting calls to make nice with Sri Lanka.

Thilanga’s team, sans secretary, enters the fray

UPFA parliamentarian Thilanga Sumathipala and members of his team handed in their nominations to the Sports Ministry this morning for the upcoming Sri Lanka Cricket Elections.

MR wants medical fitness tests for students

President Mahinda Rajapaksa instructed the Education Minister to work out a system to subject students selected for sports activities to medical fitness tests first, the Government Information Department said.

Incident blown out of proportion: Maitripala

Health Minister Maithripala Sirisena yesterday commenting on the incident at Pasikudah where his son Daham was allegedly involved in a brawl with DIG Ravi Vidyalankara’s son Asela said the incident should not be blown out of proportion. He said the law must be allowed to take its course.

Audio: Diplomat rejects HRW report

A Human Rights Watch report has detailed what it says is widespread rape and torture by Sri Lankan security forces.

SL asylum seeker charged with another sexual assault

A Sri Lankan asylum seeker charged with indecently assaulting a woman in her university accommodation allegedly tried to get into another student's room within minutes of the attack.

4,000 more principals to get military titles

Some 4,000 school principals have been called for interviews at the Cadet Corps Headquarters next week to be awarded military titles, raising more concerns over the militarization of more than 50 per cent of the schools in the country.

Hot weather to continue

Sri Lanka is to experience hot weather during the coming days as the temperature is increasing and there is a reduction in humidity, the Department of Meteorology said.

‘UNHRC should not encourage any resolution on SL’

While claiming that it was ‘surprised by the statement made by the US delegate at the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva, Sri Lanka today said that ‘Council should not embark upon or encourage either debate or any country-specific resolution by virtue of a singled out process.’

US not satisfied with SL action

The United States today said that Sri Lanka continues to fall short in implementing even the recommendations of its own Lessons Learned and Reconciliation Commission, in addressing the underlying sources of its longstanding ethnic conflict.

Video: ACJU wants Govt. to issue halal certification

The All Ceylon Jamiyyathul Ulama (ACJU) today proposed that the Government should issue halal certification under mechanism that is acceptable to all stakeholders

Bodies of two gangsters found

Police said they found the bodies of two suspected gangsters, who were killed during a shootout with security forces in Dimbulagala, police said

DIG’s son speaks of assault

The condition of the son of DIG Ravi Waidyalankara, Asela Waidyalankara is currently reported to be stable and he is undergoing treatment at a leading private hospital in Colombo.

18-year-old girl dies at sports meet

An 18-year-old student of the Rivisanda Central College in Ussapitiya, Aranayake died while taking part in the 5,000 metre race at the school sports meet today

Int’l community duped by pro LTTE groups: Military

The international community seems to be unaware that it was being deceived by a well thought out strategy of LTTE rump groups, the Military said today

Hacking of govt. website: SL accuses LTTE rump

While claiming that hacking of the ministry of media and information's website as an act of ‘cyber terrorism,’ the government today accused the LTTE rump living overseas for the hacking of the website

UNP undecided on number of deputy leaders

United National Party (UNP) seniors including Party Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe will meet on March 4 to decide on the post of deputy leader.

Sri Lankan tourists sent back home

A group of Sri Lankan nationals proceeding to Velankanni on Sunday were stopped midway by the Tiruvarur district police who advised them to return to avoid any problem.

UNHRC to be briefed on probe into killings of students, aid workers

The Attorney General’s Department will brief anyone interested in knowing about the progress on investigations into the 2006 killing of five students in Trincomalee and 17 aid workers in Mutur.

SL protests against screening of Ch-4 film

Sri Lanka has protested against allowing a Channel-4 documentary titled ‘No fire Zone: The killing fields of Sri Lanka’ to be screened on the sideline of the human rights meeting in Geneva.

Protection of HR must conform to UN charter-SL

Sri Lanka today recalled that the promotion and protection of human rights as enshrined in the Vienna Declaration & Programme of Action (VDPA) should be carried out in conformity with the purposes and principles of the UN Charter, and norms governing international relations.

Karunanidhi Objects to SL Minister's Statement

Objecting to a Sri Lankan Minister's announcement that Lankan fishermen would rally against their Indian counterparts, DMK chief M Karunandihi today described it as a "planned strategy" by Colombo to divert off attention from the "tyrannies" of Rajapaksa government.

Massive violations have occurred in SL -Pillay

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay today said that ‘massive’ violations have occurred in Sri Lanka during the war that ended in 2009.

Urinating at a price

Two men who pleaded guilty to the charge of urinating by the roadside near the Matugama District Judge’s bungalow were fined Rs.100 each by Matugama Magistrate Daminda Ramanayaka Weligodapitiya.

Minister's son on rampage- DIG’s son attacked

The son of Minister Maithreepala Sirisena together with a group of his friends had allegedly severely assaulted the son of DIG Ravi Waidyalankara last evening, resulting in the victim being admitted to the ICU of the Batticaloa hospital

Two killed in an accident

Two of the nine injured people who had been admitted to the Colombo South Teaching Hospital, following a lorry accident on the Bandaragama-Pilliyandala road early today had succumbed to their injuries, Police said  

Authenticity of Balachandran Prabhakaran photos to be probed: Douglas

Sri Lankan minister Douglas Devananda has said an inquiry would be conducted into the authenticity of the photographs of the slain LTTE chief V Prabhakaran's son Balachandran, circulated by a channel.

PUC reduces Rs.33 billion as non-essential expenditure at CEB

The Sri Lanka Public Utilities Commission (PUC) has acted to waive Rs.33 billion as non-essential expenditure out of Rs.268 billion estimated by the Ceylon Electricity Board as this year’s expenditure.