SL transit in cocaine smuggling

The Sri Lankan Police Narcotics Bureau believes that the island is used as a transit point for smuggling cocaine into countries around the world.

NLAC had repeatedly requested for wage increases

The National Labour Advisory Council (NLAC) yesterday said that they had made repeated requests to increase wages through the Labour Ministry recently but no such request had been made by any union

SL will convince int’l community

Sri Lanka would do its utmost to convince the international community that she has done enough to implement the recommendations of the LLRC report as demanded by them and was confident that Sri Lanka would emerge unscathed from the upcoming annual UNHRC debate in Geneva, Plantation Industries Minister Mahinda Samarasingha said

Govt. starts diplomatic battle in Geneva

Ahead of the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) sessions, the government has started a major diplomatic battle here in Geneva to secure the support of the member states to defeat a planned resolution against Sri Lanka with regard to the alleged rights violations during the last stage of the war, Minister G. L. Peiris said yesterday

Govt. has stopped purchasing fuel from Iran

The government had stopped purchasing fuel from Iran as a result of the crisis in that region and had gone for alternatives to obtain fuel, Minister of Power and Energy Susil Premajayantha informed Parliament yesterday

Increase salaries, Ranil requests govt.

Opposition and UNP Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe today requested the government to increase salaries if it is unable to reduce a fuel price that was jacked up recently

SL, Cuba and Pakistan seek resolution on transparency at UNHRC

Sri Lanka, along with Cuba and Pakistan, will co-sponsor a resolution seeking transparency in funding and staffing the United Nationals Human Rights Council (UNHRC) here in Geneva, during its 19th session starting this week, diplomatic sources said

Amend circular for Gr.1 admissions: GMOA

Government doctors today called on the Education Ministry to amend a circular for Grade One admissions for their children to allow them to attend good schools or warned that the country would lose its doctors since they would look for more lucrative opportunities overseas where better benefits could be found

Three teams investigating hotel owner’s murder

Three teams are conducting investigations into the killing of the owner of Biyagama Village Hotel, Bernard Jayaratne who was hacked to death yesterday morning by an unidentified person on a motorbike

Body found in Diyawanna Oya

A body of man was found this morning in the Diyawanna Oya close to the Parliament. Police media spokesman Ajith Rohana said that the police was informed by several residents in the area about the body

SL beats India by 51 runs

Sri Lanka beat India by 51 runs in their encounter in the Commonwealth Bank Series. Batting first Sri Lanka scored 289 for 6 and in response India were bowled out for 238

CID record another set of statements from Chilaw incident

The Criminal Investigations Department (CID) had recorded another set of statements mainly from policemen who were on duty at the time of the shooting incident in Chilaw in which a fisherman was killed during the confrontation on February 15

SL score 289 for 6

Sri Lanka scored 289 runs for the loss of Six wickets in their alloted fifty overs in the match against India played in Brisbane today. Lahiru Thirimanne top scored for Sri Lanka with 62 while former captain Tillakaratne Dilshan scored 51 and Angelo Mathews was not out on 49

UNP MPs protest against financial mismanagement

MP’s of the United National Party (UNP) protested against the financial mismanagement which has led to the fuel price hike and all other crises triggered by it, this morning, UNP MP Ravi Karunanayake said

J'Pura protesters on Nugegoda fly over

Some 300 monks from the Student's Union of the Buddhist and Pali University are currently on a protest march in Nugegoda. The march began at the Sri Jayawardenapura University and will proceed to the University Grants Commission in Colombo

UNP stages protest in front of parliament

UNP MPs are currently staging a protest against the government in front of the Parliament complex

Students on protest march to Ward place

Student Union members of the Buddhist and Pali University of Sri Lanka are currently marching towards the University Grants Commission in protest against student suppression and the crises of the university education system in the country.

Ranil Abeynaike passes away

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Fisherman’s killing comes to parliament today

The United National Party (UNP) and the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) will today bring to parliament, the issue of the killing of the Chilaw fisherman during last week’s protest rally over the massive increase in fuel prices.

Lunch time demos from today: JVP

Protests are expected to intensify with opposition political parties, trade unions and civil society organisations warning they would take to the streets over the massive increase in fuel prices and resultant increase in prices of essential items.

Another possible private bus fare increase

One week after bus fares were increased by 20 per cent private bus operators have decided to request a further increase in fares by another two per cent stating that the authorities had failed to calculate the bus fare formula accurately before introducing the revised bus fares.

Fishermen to go back to sea

Some fishermen’s associations that refrained from going to sea during the last few days have given up their protest after President Mahinda Rajapaksa had assured that they would be able to obtain the 25 per cent fuel subsidy through filling stations.

Lankan student tops Edexcel World ranking

At the recently concluded  Edexcel High Achievers Award  Ceremony 2010/2011,  Nishika Samaratunga, a former student of Colombo International School, was awarded the Edexcel World Prize for ranking first in the world in English Literature at the GCE Advanced Level(Lon) Examination.

Sustaining a victory is the hardest part: Dullas

It is regrettable that Sri Lanka was not able to maintain the winning streak in cricket after its greatest World Cup victory in 1996 thanks to cricketers like Arjuna, Sanath, Aravinda and others, Youth Affairs and Skills Development Minister Dullas Alahapperuma said.

Railway ballast and earth went in to build LTTE bunkers

Contractors restoring the northern railway from Omanthai to Jaffna have found that ballast and earth in the railway line had been removed by the LTTE to build bunkers and other buildings when the area was under their control.

Doctor struck off for having links to Tamil Tigers

A doctor has been struck off after being accused of having links to the Tamil Tigers. Dr. Muregeshu Vinayagamoorthy wanted to return to his GP surgery in Enfield, north London, after he spent four-and-a-half years in a US prison for providing material support to Sri Lanka’s Tamil Tigers.

Trade Unions to protest

Thousands of members of trade unions and employees of a number of government institutions will carry out a string of mass protests starting on Wednesday February 22 in protest against the recent fuel price increase and the skyrocketing cost of living, the National Trade Union Center (NTUC) said today.

Non-academic uni staff to go on strike

In the wake of increased fuel prices, non-academic staff of all universities in the country have decided to go on a 48-hour strike this week to urge the government to provide higher wages and benefits.

GMOA ask for increase in transport allowance

The Government Medical Officers Association (GMOA) today urged the government to provide an increased transport allowance of Rs.33,000 due to the increased fuel prices.

Harsha challenges Nivard for public debate on IMF standby agreement

UNP National List MP Dr. Harsha De Silva challenged Central Bank Chief Nivard Cabral for a public debate on the IMF standby agreement and the economic policy decisions which the government had already taken in accordance with it.