UK deports 50 SL asylum seekers

A group of 50 Sri Lankan asylum seekers, mostly Tamils who were deported from Britain, will return to the country today, the PTI reported quoting immigration officials said.

New electoral system soon

Two bills that provide for the introduction of a new electoral system for local bodies will be enacted in Parliament on October 10, Chief Government Whip Dinesh Gunawardane said yesterday.

UAE denies ban on low-income Asian tourists

A top UAE official denied today reports that the Gulf state had toughened visa rules for tourists from labour-exporting South Asians nations banning low-income visitors.

IUSF convenor arrested

Inter University Students Federation convenor Sanjeewa Bandara was arrested a short while ago by the Colombo Crimes Division (CCD), the Police said

Chandrasena resigns, Ranjith to be CM

Minister of Agrarian Services and Wildlife S.M.Chandrasena tendered his resignation to President Mahinda Rajapaksa this afternoon after he was assured that his brother S.M.Ranjith would be appointed as Chief Minister of the North-Central Province

Another Chinese delegation due here

A Chinese delegation will be visiting Sri Lanka later this week to explore opportunities to develop sports infrastructure in Sri Lanka, the Sports Ministry said.

Galle road closed

The Galle Road along the Galle Face green has been temporarily closed because of a protest march by a large number of Muslims over a film defamatory of the Prophet released in the United States

President in India

President Mahinda Rajapaksa left for India a short while ago where he is scheduled to lay the foundation stone for a University of Buddhist studies in Sanchi, the government information department said.

Maithree withdraws case against leadership

UNP Provincial Councillor Maithree Gunaratne has withdrawn the case filed in the Mount Lavinia Magistrate’s court after UNP leader Ranil Wickremesinghe’s lawyers informed court that the decision to extend the term of leadership for six years was only a proposal and there was no amendment to the constitution to that effect

Nauru to give asylum seekers access to courts

Nauru's Foreign minister Kieren Keke said that Sri Lankan asylum seekers will have the right to appeal if their refugee claims are rejected. But Australia's human rights watchdog has questioned the capacity of Nauru's legal system to cope with the influx of asylum seekers.

'Kapruka' murder suspect arrested

The main suspect of the murder of the owner of the ‘Kapruka’ stores Gampaha has been arrested in Seeduwa in the early hours of this morning

Cover for SL soccer team in India

Weeks after the police cordoned off a Sri Lankan football team that left the city in a hurry, the police increased the protection inside the city airport as a 22-member soccer team from the Emerald isle landed in Chennai to take a transit flight to Mauritius.

Asian workers need degree to visit UAE

Tourists from South Asian countries that export labour to the UAE will require a university degree to get a visa as the rich Gulf state fights an illegal influx, a newspaper reported

Video: Manmohan to host dinner for MR

Amidst ongoing protests in Tamil Nadu, Sri Lankan president Mahinda Rajapaksa will have dinner on Thursday with Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in Delhi, where the latter is expected to raise the issue of effective devolution of powers in Tamil-majority areas in north and east of the island nation.

Complaint withdrawn under duress-SF

Former Army Commander Sarath Fonseka charged that it was clear that the Army major who had complained that he had been assaulted by Malaka Silva withdrew his complaint under duress.

UNP: Did army major recant under pressure ?

The main opposition United National Party (UNP) yesterday raised concerns whether the army major, allegedly assaulted by Minister Mervyn Silva’s son Malaka, was under pressure from certain quarters to recant his earlier complaint through an affidavit.

No legal action on radioactive contamination

The Sri Lanka Atomic Energy Authority (SLAEA) said legal action will not be taken against the Indian company that imported radioactive contaminated products to Sri Lanka. SLAEA Senior Deputy Director Anil Ranjith speaking to Daily Mirror said there were no grounds to resort to legal action, since the contamination had not been a deliberate action.

Jaya moves SC against Centre on Kachatheevu Island

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa urged the Supreme Court to expeditiously hear its petition challenging the Centre's 1974 decision to cede Kachatheevu Island to Sri Lanka.

Lanka Mirror website case set aside

The case filed by the CID against Sri Lanka Mirror accusing the website to have contained defamatory items against the President and the State was laid by today

Sampanthan complains to MR

TNA Leader R. Sampanthan who met President Mahinda Rajapaksa today complained that Tamil National Alliance (TNA) members elected to the Eastern Provincial Council had been offered inducements and harassed, to force them crossover

Pillayan to advise President

Former Eastern Province Chief Minister and leader of the TMVP Sivanesathurai Chandrakanthan alias Pillayan has been appointed as a Presidential Advisor, informed sources said.

Suspected spy, operating in SL arrested

A suspected spy, passing sensitive defence information to Pakistan's intelligence agency through its High Commission in Colombo, has been arrested in Tamil Nadu, a senior police official said on Monday.

Majeed sworn in as Eastern CM

UPFA Provincial Council member Najeeb A. Majeed was sworn in as the Chief Minister of the Eastern Province, before President Mahinda Rajapaksa at the temple Trees a short while ago, sources said.

Major says Malaka didn’t assault him

The lawyer of the Army Major, who was injured during a brawl at JAIC-Hilton Colombo, filed an affidavit before the Colombo Fort Magistrate today stating that Malaka Silva and Rehan Wijeratne did not assault him.

More Lankans sent to Nauru

The Australian federal government has sent a second group of asylum seekers to Nauru but says it will take more time for its new offshore processing policies to start stemming the flow of boat arrivals from Indonesia and Sri Lanka.

Import tax on potatoes , canned fish increased

The import tax on a kilogram of potatoes has been increased by Rs.20 while the tax on a kilogram of canned fish has been increased by Rs.25 from midnight yesterday, the Internal Trade Ministry announced today.

T20: Sanath sees three-way battle

Former explosive batsman Sanath Jayasuriya believes India, Pakistan or Sri Lanka have the best chance of winning this year's Twenty20 World Cup, starting from September 18.

SL is no stage for India-China rivalry-Envoy

Amid New Delhi's concerns over growing military ties between Beijing and Colombo, Sri Lanka's envoy Prasad Kariyawasam has said there is no zero-sum game between India and China. He said his country will not be reduced to a stage for the two rising Asian powers to play out their "rivalry".

Photos - Youth dies in explosion

A youth had died after exploding a grenade inside a double cab in Thihagoda, Matara over a love affair a short while ago, police said.

Malaka, Rehan in prison hospital

Both Malaka Silva and Rehan Wijeratne, who were ordered to be remanded by the Fort Magistrate yesterday, were admitted to the Prison Hospital from the Magazine prison, informed sources said.