Sri Lanka hopes India will vote for it

Sri Lanka Saturday said it hoped India will vote for it in the upcoming UN Human Rights Council meeting in Geneva.

Accident kills three in Bibile

Three persons were killed and nine others hospitalised after a van had plunged into a precipice at the 32-mile post on the Badulla-Bibile road this evening, Police said. Injured were admitted to the Bibile hospital. Pictures

‘Choon pan’ tourists are of no use: JVP

JVP leader Somawansa Amarasinghe said at a meeting in Akuressa that though the government boasted of 2.5 million tourist arrivals in Sri Lanka by 2015 most of the tourists who come to the country now are hard up and depend on vendor - bakery vehicles (Choon Pan) for their meals.

MP's house searched following 119 alert-Police

Police said that the Mirihana police searched the UNP Parliamentarian Palitha Range Bandara’s home at Pagoda Road, Nugegoda following a tip off received on the 119 hot line claiming that a girl's screaming was heard from the house.

12-hour water cut in Colombo for maintenance work

The water supply to several areas in the City of Colombo would be interrupted from 8.00 pm today to 8.00 am tomorrow as a result of the laying of new pipelines and maintenance work, the National Water Supply and Drainage Board had announced

Three cops hospitalised following acid attack

Three police constables were admitted to the Kegalle hospital this morning following an acid attack by a warrantee's wife, when they went to arrest him in Dedigama, Kegalle, Police said.

Sack Cabraal and PBJ-UNP

The United National Party (UNP) yesterday urged the government to sack Central Bank Governor Ajith Nivard Cabaral and Treasury Secretary P. B. Jayasundera over allegations that they were responsible for the ‘fraudulent deal’ between the EPF and The Finance Company.

100 lashes for Lankan in Riyadh

A Sri Lankan domestic worker was sentenced to one year in jail and 100 lashes following a conviction for practicing black magic among his friends in Riyadh

Congress plays safe on protests against MR

Playing safe on the ongoing protests in Tamil Nadu by the DMK, a key ally of the Congress-led UPA Government, against Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapakse's visit, Information and Broadcasting Minister Manish Tewari on Friday said the engagement with Colombo in no way means that the Centre is insensitive or tends to undermine the concerns, which a section of the population of India may legitimately have.

Schoolgirl’s plight puts authorities in a spot

Justice Ministry Secretary Kamalini De Silva yesterday faulted the police and the acting Magistrate with regard to the unfortunate incident where a 13-year-old schoolgirl was produced in court by the Horana Police on charges of having stolen eight coconuts.

Asylum seekers migrated while on bail

Fourteen suspects who were on bail after being charged with attempting to migrate to Australia illegally in May last year had nevertheless migrated to Australia while the case was pending in Courts.

PM was soft on SL at UNHRC-Jayalalithaa

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa today blamed Prime Minister Manmohan Singh for the watered down US resolution at the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) against Sri Lanka last year.

Range Bandara’s home searched thrice

UNP MP Palitha Range Bandara said police had searched his home at Pagoda Road, Nugegoda thrice alleging that he was detaining a girl there

Prisoner caught by his ring tone

A prisoner who tried to hide his mobile phone during a search of his cell was caught out when guards heard ring tones from his rear-end, a hospital official said on Friday.

800 arrested for protests over MR’s visit

Some 800 people in the Chittoor district, in Andhra Pradesh where the Tirupati temple is located have been taken into preventive custody; they were reportedly planning large protests over President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s visit, the NDTV reported.

MR in Bodh Gaya with 70-member delegation

President Mahinda Rajapaksa, accompanied by his wife Shiranthi Rajpaksa and a 70-member delegation, on Friday arrived at the Mahabodhi temple in Bodh Gaya for pilgrimage.

Protect Lankans-SL tells India

In the wake of an attack on the Bank of Ceylon branch in Chennai, the Sri Lanka government today requested New Delhi to provide security to Sri Lankans living in India as well as the Sri Lankan establishments there.

Video:Meteorite fragments at Battaramulla?

Several fragments suspected to be from a meteorite have fallen into a home garden near parliament at Battaramulla this morning, an official said. 

Video: Vaiko arrested over protest against MR

MDMK chief Vaiko courted arrest at Parliament Street police station in New Delhi on Friday along with 60 -70 supporters while protesting against Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa's visit to India ???

Audio: Nurses on Strike at Kalubowila

Nursing staff at the Kalubowila Hospital has refrained from work from this morning as a protest against an assault of a nurse and her husband last night, Chairman of the Government Nursing Officers Association (GNOA), Saman Ratnapriya said

MR leaves for India

President Mahinda Rajapaksa left for India this morning to visit Bodh Gaya and Tirupati, President's Media said

Minister paints wrong picture – Dharmadasa

Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) President Upali Dharmadasa rejected a media release issued by the Sports Ministry yesterday alleging that Dharmadasa had requested the Sports Minister Mahindananda Aluthgamage to renew the SLC TV contract with Ten Sports for another seven years without calling for tenders

Opposition, Govt. clash in House over Tangalle murder

The main opposition expressed its dismay in Parliament yesterday after the government declined to answer a question regarding the killing of a British national on Christmas eve in 2011 in Tangalle, and causing grievous injuries to his Russian girlfriend

Lanka expects all C’wealth countries to attend CHOGM

The Sri Lankan government is expecting all Commonwealth countries, including Canada to attend the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in November this year, despite calls by Human Rights Watch for countries to boycott the event

Robbery was to pay back loan: Officer in Hijaab

Police said the Army Captain who had attempted to rob the Kandy Branch of the National Savings Bank disguised as a woman dressed in a Hijaab admitted that he had attempted to rob the bank of Rs.1 million because he had an outstanding loan of Rs.800,000, which he was unable to pay

BoC branch attacked in Chennai

An unidentified group on Thursday afternoon ransacked the Bank of Ceylon branch in Egmore and attacked its employees. The attack is suspected to be orchestrated by a Tamil group in protest against the visit of Sri Lanka's President Mahinda Rajapaksa to India on Friday

Govt. and Ulamas reiterate -‘halal certificate’ voluntary

{jcomments off}The Government and the All Ceylon Jaamiyathul Ulama (ACJU), reiterated today, that obtaining of the halal certificate is voluntary and the entire process is based on International specifications

MR tells ministers to inquire into school girl arrest

Cabinet media spokesman Keheliya Rambukwella said today the President had instructed the Ministers of Education and Justice to inquire into the case of the 13-year-old schoolgirl who was arrested for stealing 10 coconuts

Minister rejects SLC Chairman’s proposal

The Sports Minister Mahindanda Aluthgamage rejected Sri Lanka Cricket Chairman’s proposal that the agreement with Ten Sports be extended for a further eight years without calling for tenders.

Navy nabs 57 illegal migrants

At least 57 suspected illegal asylum seekers were arrested by the Navy this morning, 10 nautical miles east of Kalkuda, the Navy said today. The suspects are being transported to the Trincomalee harbour