High spirits!

All kinds of liquor including whisky and brandy produced locally using foreign sprits have been increased due to the 25% tax imposed on imported sprits at the recent budget, the Distilleries (Lanka) Company said.

HRCSL team to probe Welikada incident

The Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka (HRCSL) is preparing to send an investigation team to look into the Welikada prison incident which claimed 27 lives, Human Rights Commissioner Dr. Prathibha Mahanamahewa said yesterday.

Media ordered to hand over riot visuals to CID

Print and electronic media organisations were today ordered to hand over to the CID the unedited copies of the visuals of Friday’s Welikada Prison riots.

Pakistanis nabbed with Rs 8 m worth heroin

Three Pakistani Nationals and a Sri Lankan were arrested with more than two kilograms of Heroin worth over Rs.8 million in Bambalapitiya by the Police Narcotics Bureau this afternoon, police said.

Elderly woman hacked to death

A 60 year-old woman was allegedly hacked to death by burglars who broken into a house at Unagasdeniya Junction on Attanagalla Road this afternoon, police said.

Vijitha Herath to represent PSC

The Democratic National Alliance(DNA) has decided to appoint Parliamentarian Vijitha Herath as the representative to the Parliament Select Committe, to investigate the impeachment motion against the Cheif Justice, official sources  said.

Video: Economic hardships behind people smuggling

The Australian Government today reiterated its stance on illegal immigrants with visiting Australia’s immigration Regional Director (South Asia) Jose Alvarez saying that “Australia will not take people who do not engage in its international obligations”.

JJ still in hospital

UNP parliamentarian Jayalath Jayawardena who was admitted to hospital last Thursday after a heart attack is recovering fast, Sri Jayawardenapura Hospital Director Dr. Shavendra Gamage said today.

No mobile phones in parliament

Speaker Chamal Rajapaksa has requested all parliamentarians not to bring mobile phones to the parliament chamber as it was unpleasant.

CJ withdraws from Ceylinco cases

Chief Justice Shirani Bandaranayake announced in open Court that she will no longer hear cases related to the Ceylinco group of companies.

Submission of motion to annul the 13th Amendment postponed

On instructions of its lawyers, the National Freedom Front has decided to postpone submitting a motion to Supreme Court calling for the annulment of the 13th Amendment to the Constitution, a spokesman for the NFF said.

DIG Ranawana improving

The health condition of DIG Chandrasiri Ranawana, who was injured in the Welikada Prison riot, is improving, National Hospital Director Dr. Anil Jasinghe said.

New Rs.1, 000 coin

To mark the 60th Anniversary of diplomatic relations between the Government of Sri Lanka and the Government of Japan, the Central Bank of Sri Lanka (CBSL) has arranged to issue a silver commemorative coin of a face value of Rs.1,000.

Phone calls under scruntiny

An inquiry is looking into the mobile communications of Special Task Force (STF) and Prison Department officers to asses the elements which instigated the prison riot minutes after the STF concluded a massive search operation in the Chapel Ward and the L- Hall inside the Welikada Prison Complex on Friday.

Gota in China

China and Sri Lanka today firmed up their defence relations during a meeting of their top officials who pledged to make efforts to boost relations between the two countries and their militaries.

UNP-JVP working together: Ranil

The UNP was gradually building rapport with the JVP and would work together whenever a need arises, UNP Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe said today.

Resignation not valid: SF

Democratic National Alliance (DNA) Leader Sarath Fonseka had officially informed DNA MPs Arjuna Ranatunga and Tiran Alles that their resignation from the Democratic Party was not valid as such a party had not been registered yet.

Kadirgamar statue in Colombo

President Mahinda Rajapaksa instructed External Affairs Minister Prof.G.L.Pieris to make arrangements to erect the Lakshman Kadirgamar statue at the Kardirgamar Institute in Colombo, Presidential Spokesman Bandula Jayasekara said.

Udul released on personal bail

Frontline Socialist Party (FSP) stalwart Udul Premaratne who was arrested by the police yesterday after a clash in Boralasgamuwa, has been released on personal bail by the Nugegoda Magistrate Court today.

Villagers clash with police: 9 hospitalised, 4 policemen interdicted

Police said at least six residents and four policemen were injured following a clash between police and people living in the Yahalkale Estate in Moragahahena, Horana last night.

35 more asylum seekers sent back from Australia

A group of 35 Sri Lankan asylum seekers who had gone to Australia from the southern seas were sent back on Saturday night.

Young couple hacked in Kahawatte

A husband and wife in their twenties were seriously injured after they were hacked by unidentified men last night in Dimbulwala, Kahawatte, police said.

Accident kills soldier, injures four

One soldier was killed and four soldiers injured after their truck rammed into a house at Ahungalla early morning today, police said. Pictures..

Indian Prisoners in Welikada safe-Kantha

The 33 Indian convicts and the five remand prisoners in Welikada prison were safe, the Indian High Commission said on Saturday morning.

Udul Premaratne arrested

Former convener of the Inter-University Students’ Federation and Frontline Socialist Party (FSP) stalwart Udul Premaratne was arrested by the Boralesgamuwa police following a clash allegedly with a group of JVP supporters in Pepiliyana this evening, a party spokesman said.

Video: Reconsider the impeachment- BASL

  The Bar Association of Sri Lanka in an unanimous resolution expressed concern over the impeachment motion against the Chief Justice and called on the speaker and the President to reconsider it

Wimal meets Ranil

Minister Wimal Weerawansa held talks with UNP Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe short while ago in Parliament to discuss on the abolition of the 13th Amendment to the constitution.Minister

CPC chairman hospitalised

The Chairman of the Central Provincial Council Saliya Bandara Dissanaike has been admitted to the Kandy Hospital following an alleged attempt to commit suicide, the  Director of the Kandy Hospital said.

Video: Prison riot: death toll rises to 27

Troops found 11 bodies of convicts Saturday raising the death toll in an overnight prison riot at the Welikada Prison to 27, Prisons Minister Chandrasiri Gajadeera said. Pictures

“CJ can continue to hear cases”

On behalf of group of concerned attorneys, a senior counsel yesterday informed the Supreme Court that there is no legal or moral barrier for Chief Justice Dr. Shirani Bandaranayake to continue to hear cases while a motion