Asylum smugglers move boats to Cocos Islands

Authorities are rushing to upgrade quarantine facilities at the remote Cocos Islands, confirming fears that people smugglers from Sri Lanka and southern India have chosen the location as a new frontier in the asylum seeker trade.

One killed in four-wheel rally tragedy

A 20-year-old youth was killed during a mishap at a four-by-four motor race in the Ovitiyawatta area in Wennappuwa a short while ago. Police said a cable had broken when a jeep was to be taken out of the track after completing its race.

EU concern over media harassment

The Heads of Mission of the European Union have noted with concern the action taken against the Sri Lanka Mirror and the Lanka news websites. Issuing a statement the European Union said Freedom of the media is a vital element in democratic societies and journalists must be able to carry out their legitimate work without fear of harassment or intimidation.

Australia bound men nabbed

Five people who were staying at the Kataragama Dutugemunu Pilgrims’ Rest were taken into custody by police on suspicion. Kataragama police carried out the raid on a tip off from the public.

Mangala to go to courts over raid

UNP MP Mangala Samaraweera today said he would file a fundamental rights petition against the raid on Sri Lanka X news. Mr. Samaraweera said he would file the petition this week together with nine others who were arrested and later released on bail.

Indians caught with ‘Hans’

Some 32 boxes containing “Hans” - a by product of tobacco which is prohibited in Sri Lanka was seized by the Navy at Kalpitiya together with four Indians. The boat they were travelling in was also seized by the Navy.

Body of 7-year-old girl found

The Navy recovered the body of a seven-year-old girl from a canal in Narahenpita early today while two teenage boys were arrested on suspicion, Police spokesman Ajith Rohana said. Pictures

Pera undergrads remanded

Two Peradeniya undergrads who had allegedly stormed the Peradeniya Rest House, assaulted the employees, caused damage to property and fled with cash were ordered to be remanded till July 2 by Kandy Additional Magistrate Sampath Hewawasam.

Woman arrested over killing

Police last evening arrested a woman over the killing of a 44-year-old woman in the Kurunegala area on June 30. Police said the victim was allegedly hacked to death by the suspect following a heated argument.

SL meets all IMF loan targets

Sri Lanka has met all June-end targets set by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for the last tranche of a $2.6 billion loan, Central Bank Governor Ajith Nivard Cabraal said.

SL will be cornered-Karu

UNP Parliamentarian Karu Jayasuriya said that Sri Lanka will be cornered by right thinking members of the international community and eventually this country will be blacklisted as a place where there is no media freedom or right to information.

US concern over media harassment

The United States Embassy is closely following the case of the Sri Lanka Mirror and Lankaxnews, including the arrest of nine individuals associated with those websites. The US Embassy in Colombo said.

SL Navy intercepts Australian bound trawler

Sri Lanka Navy intercepted a multiday fishing trawler bound for Australia in the seas off Negambo yesterday. The trawler had 09 Sri Lankan nationals onboard who had intended to enter Australia illegally, the Navy headquarters said.

Sri Lanka Mirror staff released

Nine workers of Sri Lanka X-News and Sri Lanka Mirror who were arrested by the CID were granted bail by Colombo Magistrate, UNP MP Mangala Samaraweera stated.

Tourists come under wasp atatck

A group of tourists including Indians and Pakistanis came under a wasp attack in Sigiriya last evening. Among the injured were two local tour guides. They were rushed to the Dambulla hospital where the Pakistani is receiving further treatment. The other victims were discharged after treatment.

Websites propagating false news sealed-MOD

The Defence Ministry said in its website that acting on a court order the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) officials, yesterday (29th June) sealed an office in Rajagiriya where two websites involved in propagating false and unethical news on Sri Lanka were being operated from.

Britisher treasure hunting in SL netted

Eight people including two women who had allegedly engaged in excavation in the Rattota Kandenuwara area in search of artefacts were arrested last morning.

142 Lankans at Christmas Island

A total of 142 Sri Lankan asylum seekers from two separate smugglers' boats have landed at the Christmas Island, Australia yesterday morning, with at least one more expected last night, the Sydney Morning Herald reported.

SL opt to bowl against Pakistan

Sri Lanka won the toss and chose to field first in the second test against Pakistan at the SSC grounds Colombo.

US to continue with GSP concession

While announcing that Sri Lanka will continue to enjoy the US Generalized System of Preferences (GSP) concession, the United States said that the government of Sri Lanka has taken significant steps to improve the worker rights environment in the country.

Presidential secretariat to resolve Z-score crisis

The presidential secretariat has decided to intervene in trying to resolve the Z-score crisis following the Supreme Court ruling that the University Grants Commission (UGC) recalculates the rankings on the basis that the two syllabuses are different, informed sources said.

Cambridge experts to study Pahiyangala skeleton

Bio-anthropologists from the Cambridge University will arrive in Sri Lanka today to conduct further research on the pre historic skeleton found at Pahiyangala, Archeology Department Excavation Director Nimal Perera said.

Jeena’s leopard skin: Zoo boss summoned

The National Zoological Gardens Director was summoned to appear in the Fort Magistrate’s Court on September 7 to give evidence in the case filed against Rosemary Felicia Perera who is also known as Jeena madam and is alleged to have possessed a leopard’s skin without a valid permit.

India expresses displeasure over SL’s failure

India yesterday expressed its displeasure over the failure on the part of the government of Sri Lanka to break the deadlock in the process of evolving a political solution to the national question, to address land issues in the north and to scale down the presence of military, informed sources said yesterday.

SF’s party won’t contest

Former Army Commander Sarath Fonseka speaking at a press conference said that the Democratic Party would not contest the upcoming provincial council polls. The Democratic Party is the new political party that is headed by Sarath Fonseka

Nine arrested from Sri Lanka Mirror

Nine people were arrested and seven computers including a personal lap-top were taken into custody by the CID from the Lanka Mirror office in Etulkotte this evening.

Video: Lanka Mirror premises raided-Mangala

The CID is presently carrying out a raid at the premises where the Lanka Mirror Website and the Sri Lanka X news website carryout their operations, UNP MP Mangala Samaraweera said.

Video: Hostage drama: Three jailors rescued

Three jailors, who were taken hostage by a group of LTTE suspects last evening, were rescued in a joint Army-STF and Police operation a short while ago, official sources said.

Update: Rescue Op. underway

A Joint operation was launched a short while ago by the Vavuniya police, the army and the Special Task Force to rescue three jailors who were taken hostage by a group of LTTE suspects yesterday

Mosquito knelt at my feet - Mervyn

Public Relations Minister Mervyn Silva said yesterday that he had fallen ill recently and added that even a deadly mosquito had knelt at his feet. “I fell ill recently and had a fever. Some had gone to town saying that I had become lifeless, but it was not so