Video: Demo against Callum Macrae

Channel-4 journalist Callum Macrae is seen addressing the media at the Bandaranaike International Airport today following a group calling itself the “Movement to Promote National Harmony” staging a protest over his presence in Sri Lanka. Pix by Pradeep Dilrukshana

Australia won’t give other countries HR lectures: Abbott

The Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott won't be joining other world leaders in a boycott of the Commonwealth summit, saying Australia shouldn't be giving lectures to other countries about human rights, the Guardian reported

Video: President has to follow the CW values as the Chair: UNP

The United National Party (UNP) today said once the Sri Lankan President becomes the Chairperson of Commonwealth, he would have to implement Commonwealth values exactly without ignoring them unlike now

Video: 'Political henchman' behind transfer of 23 Police officers- JVP

The Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) today urged the government to divulge the ‘political henchmen’ who engineered the transfer of 23 police officers attached to the Organised Crimes Investigation Unit.

Indian Media criticise Singh's ‘diplomatic error’

Media in India see Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's boycott of the Commonwealth summit in Sri Lanka as a "diplomatic error", the BBC reported

Video: Complaint against Packer

A group of UNP MPs including Ruwan Wijewardene, Harsha de Silva and Ajith P. Perera today lodged a complaint with Police Headquarters against the Australian Business tycoon James Packer who is currently in Sri Lanka, to participate in the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) Business Forum.  Pix by Nisal Baduge

Video: Demo against Channel 4

Around a 100 demonstrators protested against the visiting Channel 4 journalists at the lobby of the Bandaranaike International Airport, when they arrived in the country a short while ago

Probe Packer who is in SL - UNP

A group of UNP MPs including Ruwan Wijewardene, Harsha De Silva and Ajith P. Perera yesterday lodged a complaint at the Police Headquarters against Australian business tycoon James packer who is currently in Sri Lanka to participate in the Commonwealth Heads of State Meeting (CHOGM) Business Forum.

Lankans can see comet

The comet ISON, one of the brightest and potentially dazzling comets would appear clearly on November 18 morning to Sri Lankans, Sri Lanka Astronomical Association said

Packer to address C’wealth Business Forum in Colombo

Billionaire James Packer will visit Colombo this week to lobby the Sri Lankan government over his plans for a five-star resort

Sharma calls on MR

The Secretary General of the Commonwealth Kamalesh Sharma is currently at a meeting with President Mahinda Rajapaksa at the Presidential Secretariat, the Government Information Department said

14 Injured in Kegalle Bus Collision

At least 14 passengers were injured when a bus carrying employees of a garment factory collided with a private bus in Imbulgasdeniya junction, in the Kegalle-Polgahawela road this morning, police said.  

Maldives president will stay on beyond term

The president of the Maldives said he will stay in office even though his term ends at midnight Sunday in order to avert a constitutional void that could have arisen due to the postponement of a presidential runoff election.

NZ PM says CHOGM boycott not the right move

New Zealand Prime Minister John Key said on Monday he will attend a Commonwealth summit in Sri Lanka despite his Indian counterpart pulling out amid pressure for a boycott over alleged war crimes by Colombo.

Britain says disappointed over CMAG inaction

Britain said that it was disappointed that Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group (CMAG) has not addressed Sri Lanka’s human rights situation more substantively in their its meetings.

Roads closed for nearly two hours

The Colombo-Katunayake Expressway, Baseline Road from New Kelani Bridge to Boraella Cemetery Junction, Bauddaloka Mawatha to Bambalapitiya Junction and Galle Road from Bambalapitiya Junction..

Fascinated

A foreign delegate who attended the Commonwealth (CHOGM) Youth Forum in Hambantota today tries to imitate the Kandyan dancers of the troupe that performed the welcome dance at the forum. Pic by Santha Ratnayake

Driver crashes bus to avoid disaster, 20 injured

Twenty people including the driver and conductor of a bus that had been heading back to Panadura after a trip to Ambuluwawa in Gampola were injured when the bus plunged down an embankment due to break failure this afternoon, police said.

Dengue eradication campaign

The Colombo Municipal Council (CMC) today conducted a dengue eradication campaign at Vihara Maha Devi Park. Pix by Kushan Pathiraja

CHOGM: Manmohan writes to Rajapaksa

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Sunday wrote to Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa regretting his inability to attend the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) from November 15.

Two missing in Ginganga

Two persons bathing in the Ginganga near the Ginthota Bridge in Galle went missing this evening, while another was rescued from drowning, police said.

CHOGM visit: BJP finds fault with Congress

Referring to the uncertainty over Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's scheduled visit to Sri Lanka for the CHOGM meet, Bharathiya Janatha Party leader M. Venkaiah Naidu found fault with the Congress for lacking clarity on a delicate foreign policy issue.

Remembrance Day

Commemoration and Remembrance Day (Poppy Day) was organised by the Sri Lanka Ex-Servicemen’s Association held at the War Memorial at the Vihara Maha Devi Park today. Pix by Kushan Pathiraja

Green Party MPs released

New Zeeland Green Party MP and Australian Senator who were detained earlier in the morning by the Department of Immigration in connection with violation of Immigration laws had been allowed to leave the country a short while ago. Pictures

Passports impounded for violating visa laws

Passports of a New Zealand Green Party Parliamentarian Jan Logie and Senator Lee Rhiannon from Australia had been impounded by the Sri Lankan immigration officials for violating immigration regulations, an official said.

World's biggest wedding

Sri Lankan couple Nisansala and Nalin take a group photo during their wedding ceremony as they break the Guinness record for a wedding with the most bridesmaids for a bride in Negombo

Cameron watches Channel-4 video

British Prime Minister David Cameron said that he has watched the latest Channel-4 video on alleged war crimes by Sri Lanka and said that Sri Lanka has "serious questions" to answer about war crimes allegedly committed during its civil war, the BBC reported.

Video: Philippine typhoon death toll could reach 10,000: Officials

Police in the Philippines say they fear 10,000 people may have died in the devastation wreaked by Typhoon Haiyan. The Philippine government has so far only confirmed the death of several hundred people after the storm struck.

Weapons and ammo found from Mirihana

A large stock of weapons and ammunitions, including swords and knives were found from a house in Mirihana this evening, police said.

Video: Khurshid to represent India

Indian External affairs minister Salman Khurshid will head the Indian delegation at the CHOGM to be held in Sri Lanka next week with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh deciding against undertaking the visit in view of the opposition by parties in Tamil Nadu as well as a section in Congress.