Peons of president’s office further remanded

Two peons attached to President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s private secretary’s office who were allegedly involved in pilfering stationery and computer toners from the stores of Temple Trees were further remanded till November 30 by the Colombo Fort Magistrate today

Child exploitation on the rise-Police

The police department has detected an increase in child abuse cases ranging from rape to sexual harassment with 850 such cases being reported this year

Road Accident Victims Unit to be set up

The health ministry requests the public to maintain one minute silence at 10.00am next Sunday to remember those who have died following road accidents, a senior official said today.

Petrol price hike will fuel inflation:CB

October’s fuel price hike “will cause a marginal upward movement in prices,” the Sri Lankan Central Bank said here on Wednesday. However, it expected improvements in domestic supply conditions

SL Maid acquitted of theft

A Lankan housemaid, who was accused of theft by her Bahraini sponsor, was yesterday acquitted by the High Criminal Court. The 40-year-old had run away and gone to the police station, complaining that her sponsor always treated her badly.

Mano to resign from CMC

Mano Ganeshan, the Leader of the Democratic People’s Front (DPF) will be resigning from his post as a member of the Colombo Municipal Council (CMC). He came to this decision following a committee resolution made by the party.

Death row Lankan maid in emotional meeting with parents

A Sri Lankan housemaid who has spent the last six years on death row in Saudi Arabia had an emotional meeting with her parents in Riyadh on Tuesday.

Woman arrested over a foreign job scam

The airport police arrested a woman on charges of having cheated a number of youths living in all parts of the country by obtaining millions of rupees on the promise of finding them employment in the Middle East and Cyprus, police said today

Film producer questioned by two men

Popular film and teledrama producer and businessman Upul Jayasinghe has been questioned by two unidentified men whether his upcoming film ‘Ethumai Methumai’ is based on the Kolonnawa incident

Embilipitiya paper mill leased out

Hot on the heels of the enactment of a new law to acquire underperforming and underused assets, the government today leased out the Embilipitiya Paper Corporation to an Australian company on a 30 year-period under the government’s plan to restructure some state enterprises, a Minister said today

Order given to arrest Duminda

Colombo Additional Magistrate Prasanna Alwis has ordered the CID to arrest MP Duminda Silva over the incident in Mulleriyawa which killed Bharatha Lakshman Premachandra.

Use our own strategies to resolve challenges: MR

We must use our own strategies to resolve our challenges whether they are terrorism separatism or environmental issues and must not rely on imported theories and ideologies, President Mahinda Rajapaksa said

Another fisherman injured in attack by Lankan navy

In yet another incident over a week, a fisherman was injured today when Sri Lankan naval personnel allegedly attacked three fishing boats from here in the Palk straits, officials said on Tuesday

Crash of economy has begun: UNP

The main opposition UNP today warned that the collapse of the economy of the country had started with the passing of the ‘Revival of Underperforming Enterprises and Unutilised Assets Bill’ in Parliament

SL seeks tougher action against Somali pirates

Sri Lanka Monday called for tougher action against Somali pirates operating in the Indian Ocean and said multinational efforts had so far proved insufficient to deal with the threat

SL-Japan Friendship Road closed for short period

The Sri Lanka-Japan Friendship Road in Battaramulla will be closed for a short period due to a VIP function and motor traffic will be restricted on the Pelawatte Janakala Road

Will act against dissidents critical of the party: JVP

The Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) will take disciplinary action against its central committee members turned dissidents, who criticised the party at a Sugathadasa Stadium ceremony to commemorate the 22nd death anniversary of the party’s founder leader Rohana Wijeweera, a senior JVPer said yesterday.

Some 41,750 removed from voters register

The total number of voters in the Jaffna electoral district has been reduced by another 41,750 this year due to reasons such as residents leaving the district to live in other parts of the country, officials said yesterday.

Counterfeit note printing on the rise

The printing of counterfeit currency notes are on the increase with 62 such incidents reported during the first nine months of this year alone, as against 38 reported the previous year, police department reports say.

Seven cops to confess in businessman’s killing

Seven of the 10 policemen arrested in connection with the killing of a Grandpass businessman had today sought the Magistrates permission to make their confessions on camera

Moody’s warns ill effects of acquisition law

International ratings agency, Moody’s has stated that the recently passed Expropriation Bill by the government would be credit negative for Sri Lanka and deter foreign investors coming to the country.

Party leaders to decide on PSC

The party leaders will meet during the budget debate to decide on the setting up of the Parliamentary Select Committee (PSC) to resolve the North–East conflict, a senior official said today.

Bus fares to rise again

The Private Transport Ministry said today that it was seeking Cabinet approval to increase bus fares for a second time this year following a Rs.8 increase in the price of a litre of diesel.

UNP charges govt. for unnecessary expenses

The main opposition UNP today charged the government of having wasted its time and money on unnecessary expenses to win the rights to host the Commonwealth games and on other unnecessary expenses rather than essential things like providing farmer pensions.

India calls for global strategy to fight piracy

India today pitched for a collective strategy against the menace of piracy at seas, saying it has become "some kind of a global scourge" and other countries, including China and the US, would have to be involved in the battle against it.

Buddhist monks, sugar farmers to stage death fast

Farmers attached to the Sevanagala Sugar Industries and the Buddhist monks from temples in the vicinity today decided to stage a death fast to urge the government to review its decision to acquire this business venture under the Revival of Underperforming Enterprises and Underused Assets Bill.

Sarath and Senaka case postponed for Jan. 23

The Colombo High Court today postponed for January 23, the case in which former Army Commander Sarath Fonseka and his Personal Assistant Senaka Haripriya de Silva were indicted for committing mutiny, in-subordination to the government and harbouring army deserters.

Suspicious death of man while in the hands of PNB

Colombo Court today ordered the Fort police to arrest all suspects involved in a 30-year-old man's death when he went to the Police Narcotics Bureau (PNB) to sign the case book on October 30.

Cairn strikes gas for the second time in Mannar Basin

A second natural gas deposit with hydrocarbon potential has been discovered by Cairn Lanka (Pvt) Ltd in the second exploration well in the Mannar Basin according to a release from the Petroleum Resources Development Secretariat.

US Commander says working with allies to contain LeT

A top Pentagon commander has said US forces were working with partners in the South Asian region to contain Pakistan-based terror group Lashkar-e-Taiba that threatens India and had carried out 26/11 Mumbai attacks.