Customs seize Rs. 150 m worth items

Colombo Port Customs seized cigarettes, shoes, cheese and cigarette lighters valued at around Rs.150 million which had been brought down from the Middle East recently Pictures

Bharatha’s driver recants

The Attorney General today informed the Colombo Magistrate that Bharatha Lakshman Premachandra’s driver who was a prime witness in the Mulleriyawa shooting has now changed his stance stating in an affidavit that the earlier statement was made under undue ‘influence’ by various parties to the case.

Two more Jaffna uni. students released

Two out of the four Jaffna University students arrested by the Terrorist Investigations Division in the immediate aftermath of former LTTE leader V. Prabhakaran’s birthday in November last year were today released following protests by students and teachers.

Detention Bill passed

Parliament today enacted a new law that provides for detention for 48 hours of a person arrested without a warrant prior to producing him or her before a magistrate. Earlier, such a person could only be detained for 24 hours. 

Audio: Bus fare hike likely in February

Lanka Private Bus Owners Association chairman Gemunu Wijeratna said there would be an increase of 6% -8% in bus fares in February.

SLN rejects attack on Indian fishermen

Rejecting allegations that the Sri Lankan Navy had attacked some Indian fishermen, Navy spokesman Kosala Warnakulasuriya said Indian fishermen were known to make false allegations from time to time. The fishermen themselves later admit that the allegations were false

Who cannot do the duty by the people should leave-Sajith

UNP MP Sajith Premadasa who ceased to be a Deputy Leader of the party, today said that if there are people who hold positions and they cannot or are not willing to fulfill the tasks that are expected from them by the people, they should leave such positions.

India inks double taxation avoidance pact with SL

India and Sri Lanka have signed an agreement for avoidance of double taxation. External Affairs Ministers of the two countries signed the agreement in New Delhi on Tuesday. This was one of the three agreements signed between India and Sri Lanka.

MR donates Rs.1 m to Rizana’s family

President Mahinda Rajapaksa has donated one million rupees to Rizana’s family today at Temple Trees, a presidential media spokesman said.

Female soldier shot

A female soldier from 511 Brigade in Jaffna Achchuveli Army Camp was injured after being shot by another female soldier due to a personal dispute last night, the Police said

Exempt Veddah people from marriage tax-Veddah chief

Veddah Chief Uruwarige Wanniyale Aththo expressed his dissatisfaction over the imposition of the new marriage registration tax of Rs. 5,000 on Veddahs.

Anti-impeachment petitions put to CJ

The Attorney General yesterday made an application to refer three fundamental rights petitions to the Chief Justice and to appoint a Bench of five or more Supreme Court Judges to hear petitions challenging the Parliamentary Select Committee (PSC) that probed the impeachment motion against former Chief Justice Shirani Bandaranayake.

Forgiven or forgotten?

Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) officials have been made to eat their words and bow down to the superiority of Sri Lanka team captain Mahela Jayawardene, as SLC’s much-publicized threat to discuss Jayawardene’s purported breach of SLC contract by communicating directly with Daily Mirror has proved to be an empty whimper and a farce.

Ceremonial sittings for new CJ amid controversy

The ceremonial sittings for the newly appointed Chief Justice Mohan Peiris will be held tomorrow, amid the Bar Association of Sri Lanka (BASL) standing by its earlier decision to boycott it.

Most non-Buddhists use Buddhist temple land-MR

President Mahinda Rajapaksa said that most non-Buddhists were conducting their religious activities in places, which belonged to Buddhist temples or sacred lands.

Appointment of UNP Dy. Leader postponed

The appointment of UNP Deputy Leader was postponed, while senior UNPer Joseph Michael Perera was re-appointed as Assistant Leader at the party’s Working Committee meeting held at the ‘Sirikotha’ party headquarters this evening.

Pillay’s statement full of innuendos-SL

The government today expressed its ‘regret and concern’ over a statement made by United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Navinethem Pillay regarding the impeachment of former Chief Justice ShiraniBandaranayake and the subsequent appointment of Mohan Peiris to the post.

Over 600 bullets found

Mihintale police have recovered 662 Multi-Purpose Machine Gun (MPMG) bullets hidden under the Kanadarawa, Siyabalagama Podipalama  in the Mihintale police area last night.

Lankan restaurant attacked in Bern

Three drunken neo-Nazis were arrested after storming a Sri Lankan restaurant and injuring the owner in a rural town in the canton of Bern over the weekend

India must change its Colombo policy, pleads SL MP

A prominent Sri Lankan MP wants India to change its Sri Lanka policy, warning that its hands off attitude was encouraging Colombo from meeting the legitimate political aspirations of the island's Tamil minority.

Iranian cargo vessel: Ministry to pursue further action

The Director General of Merchant Shipping said that they had requested the Ministry of External Affairs and the Sri Lankan Navy to pursue further action against the Iranian cargo vessel, AV Amina which fled the country’s waters on January 17 despite a Sri Lankan court order.

Don’t ride bicycles without reflectors

Police said they would strictly implement the prevailing law and take stern action against cyclists who ride bicycles without reflectors

More SL asylum seekers to return home

Another group of Sri Lankan asylum seekers has decided to return home rather than have their claims processed in offshore detention centres.

SL among least favoured places to be Born in 2013

Despite repeated rhetoric about Sri Lanka doubling the size of her economy within a span of four years, the country has been ranked among the worst off for those born in 2013, by a top global economics publication. Update

Auctioning moonstone in UK comes under limelight

The Sri Lankan High Commission in London is preparing a full report to the Sri Lanka’s Archeological Department about a moonstone similar to those found in the ancient city of Anuradhapura that is to be auctioned in London on April 23rd.

SL mull writing to ICC over SCG ODI abandonment

Sri Lanka are considering to write formally to the ICC, seeking an explanation for abandoning their fourth ODI against Australia at the Sydney Cricket Ground when the match could have completed after the rain delay.

Stop this atrocity: Karunanidhi

"The government of Sri Lanka is now carrying out an intensive and systematic programme of erasing the Tamil language, culture, religion and diluting the concentration of Tamils in areas where they had historically been predominant,"

My hands are clean: Mervyn

Public Relations Minister Minister Mervyn Silva said today he was able to prevail despite the challenges that came like storms. “I am steady as my hands are clean and not stained with blood,” the minister had said.

Ban on cooked up ads

Advertisements of food items should be approved by the Director General of Health Services with immediate effect, the Health Ministry said.

Aus-SL 4th ODI called off after rain

The fourth one-day international between Australia and Sri Lanka was abandoned after rain halted play on Sunday with the tourists chasing 223 runs to take the series.