SM Krishna heads to SL, devolution tops agenda

NEW DELHI: External Affairs Minister S.M. Krishna heads to Sri Lanka Monday on a three-day visit that will focus on pushing the reconciliation and devolution process in the island nation.

Youth disappears after jumping into a canal

A youth disappeared after jumping into a canal during a brawl which took place in the Dharmarama Road area in Wellawatta. The clash took place between two factions when an argument had broken out over a long standing personal dispute

Police looking for stone throwers

The police are looking for a number of individuals who had been throwing stones at passing vehicles in the Southern Expressway.

Qatar Emir to visit SL

Emir of the Kingdom of Qatar Sheikh Bin Kalifa Al Thani is due to visit the island on a  two-day official visit to discuss and strengthen bilateral relations between the two countries

India and SL to work on repatriation of fishermen

Addressing a long-standing issue raised by Sri Lankans, India on Saturday agreed to work on faster repatriation of Sri Lankan fishermen who get stranded in Indian waters.

Harry J to resign?

Speculation is rife that Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC) Chairman Harry Jayawardane is to resign from his post today following a fresh dispute that arose with Petroleum Minister Susil Premajayantha over the supply of fuel to the Ceylon Electricity Board 

TNA seeks insights from South Africa

The Tamil National Alliance (TNA) said yesterday that during its recent interaction with African National Congress (ANC) leaders it had sought insights from the findings and recommendations of the Truth Commission of South Africa.

Speculation over Cabinet reshuffle

Amid speculation in political circles that Senior Minister D.E.W. Gunasekara is likely to be offered the post of Speaker, he told Daily Mirror that under no circumstances would he accept that post.

Jaffna uni students jeer at SB

First year students of the Jaffna University had started jeering at Higher Education Minister S.B. Dissanayake recently when he remarked at a function that there were LTTE activists within the university, a students’ right activist said today.

Keep monks out of politics: Asgiri Mahanayake

The Mahanayake of the Asgiriya Chapter the Most Ven. Udugama Sri Buddharakkitha Thera said yesterday political leaders in the country should discourage Buddhist monks from taking to politics.

Remanded for stealing from charity box

A man who had allegedly stolen Rs.717 from a charity box placed at the Sambuddhaloka Viharaya in Colombo Fort was remanded till January 20 by a Colombo Court today.

SLN releases 13 Indian fishermen

Sri Lanka has released two Indian fishing trawlers and 13 fishermen on Friday, even as a delegation of top officials for the region arrived here for talks on the fisheries issue.

18 OIC’s transferred

Police Headquarters said that yesterday that 18 OIC’s have been transferred with immediate effect.

Will KP’s fund raiser case be heard in absentia?

The Colombo High Court today fixed for April 19 the case in which to consider whether the case against the LTTE chief arms procurer Kumaran Pathmanathan’s fund raiser be heard in absentia or not.

Royal Mail apologises over 'Tamil Tiger' stamps

Sri Lanka has reacted furiously to a spate of "personalised" foreign postage stamps bearing the image of slain Tamil Tiger rebel supremo Velupillai Prabhakaran.

National Drug Policy to transform health service: Minister

The pharmaceutical drug trade is the second largest profit-making business in the world after the weapons trade, therefore the Health Ministry will be confronted with many challenges from private drug traders when it implements the National Drug Policy (NDP) in 2012

SL and Spain cheapest breaks

Britons looking for winter sun will find their spending money going considerably further in Spain and Sri Lanka than the Caribbean or Australia, a cost comparison survey has showed.

Public upsurges successful way for people’s victory

Days after Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa said that there is no room for toppling governments through armed struggles in Sri Lanka, the JVP said today that public upsurges would be a successful way for the people’s victory instead of armed struggles

Canada Post rejected original request for personalised pro-LTTE stamp

The original request for a personalised pro-LTTE postage stamp in Canada depicting ‘Tamil Eelam’ had been turned down by the Canadian postal service in May 2011, the Canadian High Commission in Colombo said yesterday

British Govt. comments on LLRC report

The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, Alistair Burt stated: I would like to inform the House of the Government’s views on the Sri Lankan Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission’s (LLRC) report, which was published on December 16, 2011

Assault on Veddha Chief, home guard arrested

A Civil Defence Force home guard, who is alleged to have assaulted the Ratugala Veddha Chief Danigala Mahabandiyalage Suda Vanniyale Ettho was arrested by the Inginiyagala Police

Lankan Nabbed in attempt to smuggle Gold biscuits and foreign currency

A Sri Lankan who attempted to smuggle 18 Gold Biscuits worth Rupees 11.7 million concealed in his rectum area and a Thai woman who had undeclared foreign currency in her hand bag of value of Rs. 3,576,096 were nabbed by the customs officers of the Katunayake Air Port this morning

Private universities - Dons to strike on Tuesday

While students of several universities were continuing protest campaigns, university teachers said today they would launch a countrywide strike next Tuesday in protest over the Private University Bill which they said should only be brought to Parliament

No visa fees for transit passengers

The government has decided to exempt transit passengers and children less than 12 from having to pay visa fees, Cabinet spokesman and Minister Keheliya Rambukwella said today

Four top US officials to visit Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka awaits four senior US officials who will meet government officials, civil society representatives, business leaders and political leaders here in the coming weeks

Prince Kolom’s wife and sister remanded till Jan 16

The wife and older sister of the slain notorious underworld gangster Prince Kolom were further remanded till January 16 for allegedly demanding ransom from a hotel owner in Kotahena

Finance and admin discipline in all sectors under Health Ministry

The priority of the Ministry of Health in 2012 will be to introduce financial and administrative discipline to all sections and institutions under it in order to prevent corruption and mismanagement, Health Minister Maithripala Sirisena said

“The first grave incident”, ‘La Poste’ admits

The French postal service ‘La Poste’ has admitted that the printing of pro-LTTE postage stamps is “the first grave incident” that it has encountered in the printing of personalised stamps

18% salary increase to CEB, CPC and Water Board employees

Cabinet approved a basic salary increase of 18 per cent to employees of the Ceylon Electricity Board, Ceylon Petroleum Corporation and the National Water Supply and Drainage Board in addition to an allowance of Rs.2,500

Charity trust to support Mahesh Wickramasingha

A support fund has been set up to help the grieving widow and two young children of a Sri Lankan man who was murdered in the Huyton shop where he worked.