Pakistan Says NATO Helicopters Kill Dozens of Soldiers

Pakistani officials on Saturday accused NATO of conducting a helicopter attack on two military checkpoints at the northwestern border with Afghanistan, in strikes that military officials said killed at least 25 soldiers.

DMK opposes Coast Guard proposal for No Fishing Zone

Reflecting over its soured relationship with Congress, the DMK, the second largest constituent of the ruling UPA at the Centre, today opposed Coast Guard's proposalto declare a portion in the Indo-Sri Lanka Maritime border as a no fishing zone.

13 dead due to rain and strong winds

The death toll from yesterday's rain and strong winds has risen to 13 and authorities are still unable to trace the missing fishermen

Coast Guard stand on TN fishermen ‘outrageous’: Jayalalithaa

Terming the Coast Guard stand in the High Court on the fishermen issue as “outrageous”, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa on Saturday sought Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s intervention to rectify it before any “irredeemable damage” is done.

One killed,12 injured in bus collision

One person was killed another 12 persons were injured when a private bus collided with a luxury bus while attempting to overtake it in the Mundalama area on the Puttalam-Chilaw main road a short while ago

9 deaths due to floods

Over 6,000 people have been affected and nine deaths have been reported due to the prevailing floods. An official said that rains and high winds are expected today as well

All under control in Jaffna: Maj. Gen. Hathurusinghe

Security in and around the Jaffna peninsula and the North has been tightened as the military has received information that a group was planning to paste posters in the area to mark  the birthday of Velupillai Prabhakaran.

882 abducted since 2009: Police

Since 2009 till November this year, 882 abductions have taken place according to a new report prepared by the police under the directions of Inspector General of Police (IGP) N.K. Illangakone.

Fonseka seeks to sit and vote in parliament

The court of Appeal yesterday (25) listed to be mentioned on December 15 the Writ application filed by former Army Commander Sarath Fonseka seeking to sit and vote in Parliament.

Treatment for Fonseka: Anoma seeks court order

Former Army Commander Sarath Fonseka’s wife Anoma said yesterday she would need a new court directive to ensure that her husband received medical treatment in hospital after the authorities had not permitted him to get such treatment recently.

Embilipitiya Paper Corporation leased out

The Embilipitiya Paper Corporation has been leased out to a sole trader registered by a relative of a certain VIP, but not to a company as reported earlier, the UNP charged in Parliament yesterday.

Pirating electricity leads to losses at CEB

The Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) has lost around Rs.6 billion annually due to the piracy of electricity mainly in certain areas of the eastern province, Minister Paatali Champika Ranawaka said today.

Charge sheets filed against Fonseka’s supporter

The Colombo Crime Division (CCD) today filed charge sheets in court against a disabled army captain, who was a supporter of former army commander, General Sarath Fonseka on charges of  preventing prison officials from carrying out their duties when Mr. Fonseka was being taken for treatment to the private hospital on July 21.

‘India, Lanka links date back to pre-historic era’

India is much ahead of other countries in the South Asian region in literature, arts, education, agriculture, industry and technology, Irrigation and Water Resources Management, Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva said.

Leave for ‪Duminda

The family members of ruling party MP Dumida Silva have asked the government to grant him leave from Parliament for six months so that he can undergo medical treatment abroad for the head injuries he sustained in the shooting incident   on October 8, 2011, sources said today.

Unrest could arise if students are pressurized: Ruwan

Gampaha District UNP Parliamentarian and President of the National Youth Front Ruwan Wijeyawardena said if the students were pressurised, a situation that was seen in Egypt or in Syria would take place in Sri Lanka in the future.

Death toll rises to 12

The death toll in the gale that hit the southern coastal belt has risen to 12 including eight fishermen, and four others who died due to falling trees and other objects. Five fishing boats have been destroyed and 12 others are reported missing.

Ratmale Junior School Primary closed

The primary section of the Ratmale Junior School in the Matugama Education Zone was closed today when 67 students were reported to have contracted Mumps.

Facebook affair goes sour

A youth who was arrested and produced in court on charges of having blackmailed a lady teacher into sex by threatening to post her nude photos on Facebook was released on bail by a Colombo Court today.

Authoritarianism confirmed: UNP

Sri Lanka’s drift towards authoritarianism is confirmed with the country ranked at 109 in world audits on democracy, only 19 notches short of Zimbabwe ranked  at 136, the UNP charged in Parliament today.

Boy dies after falling from temple roof

A twelve year old boy died after falling from a three-storey building at the Sri Pushparama Temple in Nattandiya, while trying to catch pigeons on the roof of the temple, last evening

Two missing due to bad weather

Two persons have been reported missing since last night in Moneragala and Anuradhapura due to the inclement weather condition, the Disaster management Centre stated

Trading at CSE halted

Sri Lanka's Colombo Stock Exchange halted trading for half an hour as a 'cooling off' period after its Milanka Index of liquid stocks fell more than 5.0 per cent, an official said. Trading will resume at 11.30am, an official stated

Gale hits Matara

A gale blowing at a speed of about 40km per hour has caused havoc in the Matara area. A number of trees in homes and on the roadside have fallen, which has resulted in damages to several homes and commercial establishments

Akashi here tomorrow

Japan's Special Peace Envoy to Sri Lanka Yasushi Akashi will arrive in the country tomorrow (26) for the opening of the Southern Expressway and will leave the country on November 30, External Affairs Ministry sources told the Daily Mirror

Asylum seekers to be released into community: Minister

Twenty seven asylum seekers who arrived by boat will be released into the community on bridging visas today for the first time, the Immigration Minister Chris Bowen said today

10 Lankan fishermen arrested

Ten Sri Lankan fishermen, arrested on charges of violating sea perimeters by Coast Guard officials, were on Thursday handed over to the Kasimedu fishing harbor police

We have been cheated and fooled: Dons

The Federation of University Teachers Association (FUTA) said yesterday it would write to President Mahinda Rajapaksa and Higher Education Minister S.B. Dissanayake on the government’s failure to fulfill its promises by increasing teachers’ salaries and investments in higher education through the 2012 budget.

Police seek CERT, SLIIT help on porn websites

Police have sought the assistance of the Sri Lanka Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT) and the Sri Lanka Institute of Information Technology (SLIIT) to obtain details of people who operate pornographic websites, which allegedly feature local men and women, the Children and Women’s Bureau told Court yesterday

Postal Department loses millions in stamp crisis

“The Postal Department is facing a crisis due to the severe shortage of stamps and is suffering a loss of millions of rupees,” the Joint Postal Trade Union Alliance said today