SL fails to take meaningful steps-HRW

The Sri Lankan government continued its assault on civil society and failed to take meaningful steps towards accountability for war crimes during the country’s armed conflict that ended in 2009, Human Rights Watch said in its World Report 2013 released today.

Video: Probe import of ‘Rolls Royce Ghost’ car- UNP

The United National Party (UNP) yesterday urged the government to investigate the import of a ‘Rolls Royce Ghost’ luxury vehicle.

Canberra denies SL people-smuggling report

The Gillard government has flatly denied a news report that a senior Sri Lankan government official was suspected by Australian authorities to have been complicit in the people-smuggling trade.

Iraj sued over ‘Mata Aloke Genadevi’

Colombo Commercial High Court today issued summons on vocalist Iraj Weeraratne for allegedly violating the copyrights of the song ‘Mata Aloke Genadevi’ owned by award- winning film producer, director and accomplished lyricist the late Herbert M. Seneviratne

‘Paba’gets divorced

The Colombo District Court yesterday allowed Upeksha Swarnamali (Paba) the Gampaha District parliamentarian to be divorced from her husband.

Sun Sea migrant faces deportation in 2 weeks

The case of a Tamil migrant whose refugee claim was denied reveals a key problem with Canada's new refugee law, his lawyer says.

Decision on Vishwaroopam soon, Minister Keheliya

A decision on lifting the ban on Kamal Haasan film Vishwaroopam will be taken in “2-3 days,” Sri Lanka Cabinet spokesperson and Media Minister Keheliya Rambukwella has said

Law College cut off mark reduced

The Sri Lanka Law College has reduced the cut off mark of the law entrance examination thereby increasing the law college intake from 309 to 551, official sources said

Navi wants to send more rapporteurs

United Nations Human Rights High Commissioner Navi Pillay has sought to dispatch ten special rapporteurs to Sri Lanka to assess the implementation of the recommendations by the Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission (LLRC), the Daily Mirror learns

Australian intelligence links SL official to smugglers

A senior Sri Lankan government official is suspected by Australian authorities of being personally "complicit" in the people-smuggling trade, directly undermining Canberra's attempts to stop the surge in asylum-seeker boats, the Australian news paper reported.

Differently-abled girl creates history at A’Levels

For the first time in Sri Lanka a girl whose arms and legs do not work due to a weak nerve condition, has passed the GCE Advanced Level Examination with flying colours by giving oral answers at the 2012 A/L examination

Mervyn’s secy. to make confidential statement

Minister Mervyn Silva’s Parliamentary Affairs Secretary had made a request from court to make a confidential statement in camera before the Mahara Chief Magistrate over the recent killing of Kelaniya Pradeshiya Sabha member Hasitha Madawala

RMV official nabbed for issuing fake D/L

An Assistant Commissioner attached to the Department of registrations of Motor Vehicles (N.P. Amarathunga) was arrested in Werahera by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) today for allegedly issuing forged driving Licences

Luxury beggar earns Rs. One lakh a month

A woman engaged in begging and said to have earned over 100,000 rupees a month was arrested when she was begging on a train bound to Colombo from Negombo

Netherlands to use Colombo to fight pirates

The Royal Netherlands Navy has decided to use Colombo as a hub to provide security to the international trade vessels against the pirates

DS nabbed over sex bribe

The Divisional Secretary of Monaragala Badalkumbura was arrested today by officials of the Bribery Commission, for allegedly soliciting a sexual favour from a woman who had sought his official duties

Audio: ‘Cobra girl’ withdraws complaint against Saudi man

The night club dancer who came to be better known as the ‘cobra girl’ has withdrawn her case against the Saudi national whom she earlier alleged had assaulted and abandoned her on a by-road at Wellampitiyaa few weeks ago. She said they were together again

Sakvithi guilty of bigamy

Alleged financial scammer Chandana Weerakumara alias Sakvithi Ranasinghe was sentenced to two years Rigorous Imprisonment together with a fine of 25,000 Rupees today, for solemnizing a second marriage while the first marriage existed

Alistair Burt arrives

Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) Minister for South Asia Alistair Burt, arrived in Sri Lanka this morning, the British High Commission in Colombo announced.

Greater potential for natural gas: Cairn official

Sri Lanka’s Mannar Basin has a greater chance of being endowed with natural gas than oil, a top official of Cairn Lanka, which has established the country’s first working petroleum system in the Mannar Basin said

Student dies during Marathon

A 19 year-old student of Ananda National College in Chilaw died when she collapsed on the road while running in the Marathon of the school sports’ meet this morning, police said.

Govt. urged to reveal observations of indep. panel

It is learnt that the committee appointed to look into the charges against ousted Chief Justice Dr. Shirani Bandaranayake comprised Professor Mark Cooray, former Central Bank Deputy Governor Ranee Jayamaha, former Parliament Secretary General Dhammika Kithulegoda and Consortium of Humanitarian Agencies Chairman Jeevan Thiagarajah.

Lankan suspected of using fraudulent ATM cards nabbed at Brunei airport

The Royal Brunei Police Force (RBPF) on Monday apprehended a Sri Lankan national suspected of using fraudulent ATM cards to withdraw cash from ATM machines in the capital, just mere minutes before he boarded a plane to leave the country at Brunei International Airport, Borneo Bulletin reported.

U.S. sure India will go with it again in new SL resolution

The United States is sure that India will support a country-specific resolution sponsored by it in the coming session of the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva.

SL to ratify ban on Al-Qaeda, Taliban

The Government will ratify a United Nations obligation in Parliament next week to ban anyone in Sri Lanka aiding and abetting internationally proscribed terrorist organizations that include Al-Qaeda or the Taliban.

Returns to Sri Lanka halt boats-Australia

Returning people to Sri Lanka is reducing the number of asylum seekers from the Asian nation arriving by boat in Australia, Immigration Minister Chris Bowen says.

A/L results:Students from Rajapaksa College topped

Rusiru Gambheeraarachchi and Kasun Lakmal from the Rajapaksa Central College, Weeraketiya have topped the island in GCE Advanced Level examination 2012 Maths and Biology streams respectively. Update

A/L results released

2012 GCE A/L results have been released, the examinations Department announced

Amputated Achala determined to pursue studies

The final-year law student Achala Priyadharashini, who lost an arm due to medical negligence, told Daily Mirror today that she wanted to pursue her career in law and that she had to make many sacrifices to gain admission to the university

A/L results to be released

The 2012 GCE Advanced Level Examination results will be released, midnight today, the Commissioner of Examinations W M N J Pushpakumara said.