Audio: Fielding SF was a mistake: UNP

The decision to field former Army Commander Sarath Fonseka as the common candidate in the 2010 presidential election was a mistake, UNP General Secretary Tissa Attanayake speaking to the Daily Mirror said

138 route on strike tomorrow

All buses in the 138 Homagama to Pettah route will be on strike tomorrow, said President of the Lanka Private Bus Owners Association, Gemunu Wijerathne.

MR holds talks with Pakistani PM

President Mahinda Rajapaksa held bilateral talks with the Pakistani Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf on the sidelines of Asian Cooperation Dialogue (ACD) Summit in Kuwait yesterday.

Doctors in Colombo on strike

All members of the GMOA(Government Medical officers'  Association) in the Colombo district hospitals launched trade union action over an incident at Lunawa hospital, a spokesman for the GMOA said.

Video: ‘Specialists in a predicament how Duminda is surviving’

Counsel Hemantha Warnakulasuriya appearing for MP Duminda Silva said yesterday that medical specialists treating Mr. Silva are in a predicament how his client is surviving with his head injury.

Find a solution without further delay – Ban to SL

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki- moon on Tuesday emphasized the need to find a political solution in Sri Lanka without further delay to the underlying factors of the past conflict.

Tissa tells Karu not to bring party into disrepute

The United National Party (UNP) lashed out at its Gampaha District MP Karu Jayasuriya yesterday and asked him not to bring the party into disrepute.

JVP to complain to Bribery Commission about Berty

The Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP)  is planning to lodge a complaint with the Bribery Commission against former Chief Minister of the North Central Provincial Council, Berty Premalal Dissanayake regarding the alleged swindling of Rs.110 million  meant for the development of 67 irrigation tanks in Anuradhapura, party officials said.

Haj Festival on Oct.27

The Colombo Grand Mosque announced a short while ago that Muslims in Sri Lanka will celebrate Haj Festival on 27th (Saturday). The decision was made after a committee of learned Ulemas met at the Grand Mosque this evening.

Asia is not a play ground; MR

President Mahinda Rajapaksa speaking at the Asian Cooperation Dialogue (ACD) summit held in Kuwait said that the Asian continent should not be considered as a play ground of other forces, "who seek our wealth, our assets of nature and human resources"

Video: Justice served in two spoons; Baratha’s sister

The sisters of the late Baratha Lakshman Premachandra said today that justice is being served in two spoons as the law applies differently to the rich.

Maithripala’s brother remanded

An individual who is said to be a brother of Minister Maithripala Sirisena was remanded till October 30th by the Polonnaruwa magistrate after he was alleged to have obstructed duties of Wild Life officials.

Starved children sent to homes

The four children who had been starving for days at a line-room in Uduwara Estate in Haliela were produced before the Badulla Magistrate today by police and handed over to the Probation and Child Care Officers for protection.

Role of UN’s own review panel head scrutinized

The head of the Norwegian government-funded peace initiative for Burma’s ethnic areas, Charles Petrie, is facing scrutiny after it was revealed last week that he is simultaneously working on an unrelated United Nation’s review panel looking into the Sri Lankan civil war.

Let UNPers attend rally-Karu

Former United National Party (UNP) Deputy Leader and MP Karu Jayasuriya had requested party Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe to permit party members to participate in United Bikkhu Front organised Hyde Park rally to urge the abolition of the executive presidency.

UNP accuses SF

Main opposition United National Party (UNP) today accused former Army Commander Sarath Fonskea and the organisers of the joint opposition rally on October 18 of attempting to divide the opposition.

First test flight lands at Mattala

A test flight has successfully landed at the Sri Lanka’s second International airport at Mattala in Hambantota a short while ago, an official said.Photos

Two fishermen rescued after pirate attack

A group of five Lankan fishermen who sailed off the coast of Devinuwara were assaulted by a group of pirates and thrown into the sea, the Police said

SL selectors ponder separate T20 team

Sri Lanka chief selector Ashantha de Mel has said that the national selection committee may streamline the selection of teams, and have a separate Twenty20 squad, following Sri Lanka's 36-run loss to West Indies in the World Twenty20 final in Colombo

Bodies of young couple found

Bodies of a young couple, aged between 21 and 18 years believed to have died several days ago, have been found from a house  at Udagama in Mahawa this morning, police said

Bo Tree planted by MR to be relocated

The Mahabodhi plant brought from Sri Lanka and planted at Sanchi by Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa during inauguration of International University of Buddhist and Indic Studies will now be shifted from the university site after collector of Raisen expressed his inability to ensure security of the plant.

Video: Ex-CJ says if not for his order Mahinda won’t be President today

Former Chief Justice Sarath N. Silva said yesterday that President Mahinda Rajapaksa would not have become the President of Sri Lanka if not for the Supreme Court ruling to release him in the Helping Hambantota case ???

Prisons Dept. yet to settle Rs.60 to SF

Kalutara district UNP MP Palitha Thevarapperuma yesterday claimed that the Prisons Department was yet to settle Rs. 60 to former Army Commander Sarath Fonseka

India keeping tab on Divi Neguma Bill: TNA

India is observing the developments with regard to the Divi Neguma Bill dubbed by many as an attempt by the government to take over powers devolved to the provincial councils under the 13th Amendment to the Constitution, the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) said yesterday

Audio: I will attend rally even if I’m hanged: Range

UNP Puttalam District MP Palitha Range Bandara said today he will attend Thursday’s rally organized by the United National Bikkhu Front (UNBF) with several others, even if it results in him being hanged ???

Rs. 1.5 M robbed at Unawatuna

Two gunmen had robbed 1.5 million rupees from employees of a hotel in the Unawatuna area this evening, the Police said

MR leaves for Kuwait

President Mahinda Rajapaksa left for Kuwait to attend the summit of the Asian cooperation Dialogue meeting a short while ago, the government information department said.

No fear in playing in Pakistan; Jayasuriya

Former Sri Lankan cricket captain Sanath Jayasuriya said that he has no security fears in playing Pakistan, the Pakistan Today reported.

Lankan driver arrested over theft

A Sri Lankan taxi driver apparently could not resist the temptation of the large bag held by a Saudi woman when she hired him at Dubai’s airport. Just as she stepped out of the car near her rented apartment in Barsha, he sped away with the bag

Video: Police assures release of two remand prisoners after protest

The Bodu Bala Sena organization staged a protest in front of the Piliyandala Police station this morning, urging the release of two individuals who were arrested by the Police.