Heroin smugglers from India arrested in Delft

Five Indians and three Sri Lankans were arrested in the seas close to the Delft Islands by the Sri Lanka Navy when they were smuggling in 1.774 kilogrammes of heroin to Sri Lanka in several boats from India, giving a glimpse of one of the ways that heroin is smuggled in

In case of hacking, E-mail police

The public can now inform the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) on cyber crimes if people are engaged in violating of law while using computer, mobile phones and other electronic devices UPDATE

Prisoners stage hunger strike

Prisoners of the Anuradhapura, Vavuinya, Welikada and Bandarawela prisons staged a hunger strike today against the attack of the prisoners in the Anuradhapura Prison, Executive Committee member of the ‘We are Sri Lankans’ (WESL) organization Udul Premaratne said

President arrived in Parliament

President Mahinda Rajapaksa arrived in Parliament a short while ago and is in discussion with UNP MP Mohan Lal Grero

Grero to vote for budget

UNP MP Mohan Lal Grero announced a short while ago that he would for the budget, in favour of the government.

Suspend Ranil from Parliament?

The government today in Parliament sought a ruling that Opposition Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe should be suspended from Parliament for a period for the removal of his tie in the House on Tuesday as a mark of protest.

TNA calls for debate on LLRC report

TNA MP Mavai Senathirajah called for a debate on the Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Committee's (LLRC) report in Parliament. He questioned what the government is doing about the LLRC report.

Oil pipeline leak at Grandpass

The pipeline carrying crude oil from the Colombo Port to the Kollonnawa storage facility has leaked in the Grandpass-Mawatta area

Jacqueline to sign Sri Lankan film

Jacqueline Fernandez, who is currently in Sri Lanka shooting for an ad campaign, is all set to sign her first Sri Lankan film.

Norochcholai back to work

Norochcholai Lakwijeya coal power plant is back in operation since midnight and 300MW of electricity has again been added to the national grid.

Exhumed Lankan woman’s body sent for postmortem

The exhumed body of a murdered Sri Lankan woman has been sent for a postmortem to help the Riyadh police in their investigations, Sri Lankan embassy sources told Arab News on Tuesday

Minister insists on drug price control

While the Health Ministry is determined to implement price control on medicinal drugs from January 1 next year, transnational drug companies are up in arms against this move and say a price control system is unnecessary and could be counterproductive to the delivery of good healthcare

Lanka urged to withdraw new tax on agri products

Pakistani exporters on Monday urged the Sri Lankan government to withdraw its decision of levying new tax on the import of agricultural products as it would affect Pakistani exports to the country

Hostel facilities suspend for 160 students

The Vice Chancellor of the University of Sri Jayewardenapura had allegedly suspended the hostel facilities for 160 university students, University of Jayewardenapura Students’ Council Secretary Ven. K. Chandrananda Thera said yesterday

We failed to give public warning: Met Dept

The Meteorology Department (MD) today admitted that it failed to give ample warning to the country and to fishermen in the Deep South, in particular last Friday, about the impending gale force winds and storm that wrecked havoc destroying property and human lives

Johnston admits 22,500 coconuts dumped at sea

Internal Trade Minister Johnston Fernando admitted in Parliament today that 22,500 coconuts valued at Rs.688,506 and imported from India were destroyed by being dumped at sea

Ratwatte bribery case set aside

The Colombo High Court today set aside the case filed by the Bribery Commission against the former Defence Minister Anuruddha Ratwatte for not declaring the mode of earning of his assets

Inquiries to be conducted: JVP

The JVP central committee today appointed a three-member disciplinary committee to conduct inquiries into the charges against its dissidents, the party’s General Secretary Tilvin Silva said

NCPA to step up investigations

With the recent raid on an orphanage in Rawatawatta last week by the National Child Protection Authority (NCPA), the police have stepped up investigations on such places where underage pregnant girls are looked after and taken care of, to ascertain whether they have violated terms of the Penal Code

Only Colombo can resolve Tamil problems

Two Malaysian MPs who are very vocal about the situation in Sri Lanka now say that only Colombo can resolve Tamil problems, not any other country or government

Death toll rises to 27, 15 missing

The death toll due to last week’s bad weather condition has risen to 27 while 15 persons are still reported missing, the Disaster Management Centre reported

Massive traffic jam in Town Hall area

A major traffic jam has been reported in the Town Hall area due to a protest campaign by the UNP, a reporter stated

US/SL tensions won't affect aid projects: Bednar

United States Agency for International Development (USAID) said today that the political tensions between Sri Lanka and the United States Government would not have any bearing on the aid projects in the country

Ranil not allowed to make statement in Parliament

Opposition Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe  today in Parliament removed his tie bearing the logo of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association(CPA) as a mark of protest against the government for not allowing him to make a statement under the Standing Order 23-II PICTURES

Weather damages cables, transformers and towers

Over 1000km of cables, five transformers and four high tension towers were damaged in the south. Minister Ranawaka inspecting the damage yesterday said that the CEB will bear the cost of the restoration. The total system will be restored before Saturday December 3

Duminda will be arrested on arrival to SL

A leading lawyer Hemantha Warnakulasuriya is appearing for parliamentarian Duminda Silva in the Mulleriyawa shooting case without the written consent of Mr. Silva, a Colombo Court said today (UPDATE)

Speaker suspends Sarana

The Deputy Minister of Petroleum Industries, Sarana Gunawardena was suspended from parliament for one week a short while ago. The speaker suspended the MP for the commotion that occurred during the presidents Budget speech UPDATE

Norochcholai power plant temporarily closes

The Norochcholai power plant was shut down temporarily after a fire broke out. There were no major damages to the plant. The power supply is to be restored in a few hours UPDATE

Duminda’s bed ticket filed in court

The CID yesterday filed in court, parliamentarian Duminda Silva’s bed ticket issued by consultant Neurosurgeon Maheshi Wijeratne.

Russians here to look for oil

Russian oil and gas giant GAZPROM has sent a four-member technical team to check on the viability of oil and gas exploration in northern Sri Lanka’s Mannar Basin, Petroleum Industries Minister Susil Premjayantha said yesterday.