Census reveals over 8,000 deaths during last stages of war

The Census carried out in the Northern Province has revealed 8,649 civilian casualties during the last stages of the conflict. The census which was carried out from June to August last year with the participation of 2,500 Tamil speaking state employees has revealed 11,172 civilian deaths

Customs, Pesticides Chiefs summoned to court

The Customs Director General and Pesticides Registrar were yesterday directed to appear in the Colombo High Court on March 2 and show cause why they had released the arsenic and mercury contaminated fertiliser to the importers while a restraining order was in force.

Sentenced and fined for stealing brandy

A youth who pleaded guilty to stealing a bottle of brandy from a star class hotel in Colombo was fined and sentenced to a one year suspended imprisonment term by a Colombo Court yesterday.

361 given death sentence as at Sep. 2011

Some 361 persons have been sentenced to death as at September 2011, and some of them are to be pardoned, Parliament was informed yesterday.

New laws for child protection

Amendments are to be introduced to strengthen the existing laws pertaining to children and young and to enhance punishments to offenders of the law and adopt a mechanism to register all orphanages in the country on set standards for the purpose of regulating orphanages

Put off UNHRC resolution till October: Govt.

Amid attempts by the United States to bring a resolution against Sri Lanka at the 19th United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) sessions, the government said it would prefer the matter being taken up at the Universal Periodic Review in October this year.

Merits with regard to the resolution

Sri Lanka yesterday appealed the member countries of the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) to take their respective stands on merits with regard to the resolution to be moved against the country by the United States next month.

Govt. delegation meets Navaneetham Pillay in Geneva

Two days ahead of the 19th sessions of the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) here in Geneva, Human Rights Commissioner Navaneetham Pillay raised the issue that the Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission (LLRC) had not dealt with the accountability issues raised in the UN panel report dubbed by the government as the Darusman report.

Killer of mother and infant sentenced to death

The suspect convicted of the gruesome killing of the young wife of an army soldier and his one-and half-year-old child by hacking them with an axe on March 30, 2005 inside a house in the Medagangoda, Udaththawa area of Walasmulla, Pansalgoda, was sentenced to death by Tangalle High Court Judge Chandrasena Rajapakse.

Govt. abolishes 'Jana Sabha' secretary's post

The Government had abolished the  ‘Jana Sabha’ secretary’s post which was created recently leaving some 14,400 graduates who were appointed for the same jobs, JVP MP Anura Kumara Dissanayake charged in Parliament today.

Doctor and Minor employee released

The Medical Officer and a minor employee of the Sevenagala government hospital who had been on remand for poisoning the water storage tank in the Chief Medical Officer’s official quarters were released today

Lanka mount brilliant chase to sink Australia

Sri Lanka chased down 280 with four balls to spare to clinch a confidence-boosting three-wicket win over Australia in their one-day match in Hobart on Friday and take top spot in the tri-series tournament.

Govt. fully behind Shavendra

The Government is fully behind Sri Lankan Ambassador and Deputy Permanent Representative to the UN Major General Shavendra Silva, government informed Parliament today.

MIlk powder importers threaten Govt.

Milk powder importers threatened to stop imports unless the Consumer Affairs Authority (CAA) did not permit to increase a 450 gram packet of milk powder by Rs.15 by next Wednesday.

SL win by 3 wickets

Sri Lanka won the match against Australia by three wickets a short while ago.  Captain Mahela Jayawardena scored 85 and youngster Dinesh Chandimal scored 80 runs in the chase. Australia batting first scored 280 runs for the loss of six wickets.

Gem land in Kataragama auctioned

The land in which gems were found recently in Kataragama was successfully auctioned for mining purposes by the National Gem and Jewellery Authority today. The Athourity had earned a total of Rs.270.9 Million for 29 blocks of land to be used for gem mining for a period of one year.

Australia scores 280/6 in 50 overs

Australia scored 280 for the loss of six wickets setting the Lankans a target of 281 after electing to bat first when Michael Clarke won the toss. Peter Forrest top scored with 104. He together with Clarke put on a stand of 144 for the third wicket

Bread goes up by Rs.5

The Bakery Owner's Association stated that the price of bread would be increased by Rs.5 from midnight

DG customs and Reg. of Pesticides ordered to show cause

Colombo High Court Judge Kumudinie Wickramasinghe ordered the Director General of Customs and the Registrar of Pesticides to appear personally before court on March 2, 2012 to show cause as to why fertiliser containing arsenic were released for import

News editors ordered to present video footage

The Colombo Fort magistrate a short while ago ordered the news Directors of the Sirasa Media Network, Swarnawahini, Derana and ITN to present video footage to the CCD regarding the protest organised by the UNP and several other parties on February 17, 2012

We never fire at Indian fishermen: Lankan envoy

Sri Lankan High commissioner in India, P. Kariyawasam, said on Thursday that the Sri Lankan navy never fires at Indian fishermen, who sometimes wander into their boundary

Australia choose to bat

Michael Clarke won the toss and Australia will bat first against Sri Lanka in Hobart, but they will be without Shane Watson after he was left out of the side. Watson has not played for Australia this home summer and the selectors decided to ease him back into the squad by naming him 12th man, and he is more likely to play on Sunday against India

SL in email row with US in Geneva

In what appeared to be another diplomatic row with the United States, Sri Lanka’s permanent mission in Geneva has written to member states of the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) alerting them against an email purported to have originated from the US mission to the UN seeking support for the resolution on Sri Lanka

Appearances were deceiving for unlucky trader

A retail trader, who was accused of selling cigarettes to an under-aged boy at an outlet in Galle Road, Colombo 3, was ordered to pay a fine of Rs.1,500 by the Colombo Fort Magistrate yesterday

Govt. ready to legislate HR action plan: Dinesh

The Government informed Parliament yesterday that it was ready to move a legislative amendment to give life to the National Action Plan for Protection and Promotion of Human Rights

Another diplomatic row between the US and SL

In what appeared to be another diplomatic row between the United States and Sri Lanka, Sri Lanka’s permanent mission in Geneva has written  to member states against the US propaganda that Sri Lanka had closely worked with the US in drafting the resolution against the country at the 19th session of the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC)

UNP to join PSC if LLRC report discussed: Ranil

Opposition Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe told Parliament yesterday that his party was willing to participate in the proposed Parliamentary Select Committee aimed at finding a political solution to the national question, if the LLRC report was discussed at the select committee

Non-academics strike cripples universities

Activities in all universities were crippled today as non-academic staff members launched a countrywide strike demanding higher wages and other perks, threatening to continue their strike from February 29 onwards if the government fails to meet their demands

Willing to participate in PCS, Ranil says

Opposition and UNP Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe told Parliament today that his party  is willing to participate in the Parliamentary Select Committee appointed to fund a political solution to the national issue if the LLRC report is discussed in the said select committee

India exports 500,000 tonnes of sugar so far this year

India has exported about 500,000 tonnes of sugar so far in the current marketing year, which started from October 2011, mainly to Africa, Sri Lanka and Australia, a top industry official said today