Army Commander meets US Army Chief

Army Commander Daya Ratnayake on Monday met Chief of Staff of the US Army, General Raymond T. Odierno in New Zealand and exchanged views on bilateral importance and mutual interest

Sunila passes away

Civil society activist Sunila Abesekera passed away in Colombo a short while ago, family members said. Sunila Abeysekera is an award winning human rights campaigner

Towards a future of peace

107 rehabilitated former LTTE cadres were released from their respective rehabilitation centres at a ceremony held today.75 former carders who were rehabilitated at the Welikanda rehabilitation camp, and 35 former carders rehabilitated at the Puththotam camp in Vavuniya were among those who were released after completion of their programmes. Pix by Wanni Romesh Madusanka

Video: Govt. mortgaging state property to China: UNP

The main opposition United National Party (UNP) said today the government was mortgaging valuable state property to China on the one side while creating hype about pseudo patriotism ???

Noori murder suspects to confess

Four suspects arrested in connection with the killing of the estate superintendent Nihal Perera today informed the Awissawela Chief Magistrate Anushka Seneviratne that they were willing to provide on camera statements.

Pillay expresses concern

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay today expressed her concern for the protection of human rights defenders, journalists and communities she met during her visit in Sri Lanka from any reprisal, intimidation or attack

EC requests media blackout

Elections Commissioner Mahinda Deshapriya today requested all media institutions to refrain from taking photographs and video images of the marking of Postal votes, the government information department said

Rehabilitated former cardres released

107 rehabilitated former LTTE cadres were released from their respective rehabilitation centres at a ceremony in which Minister D.E. W. Gunasekara was the Chief Guest.

Customs seize foreign currency, gold at BIA

A Korean national carrying foreign currency amounting to Rs. 1,500,000 was arrested last night at the Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA), customs officials said today.

Sri Lanka seeks higher wages for housemaids

A senior official from the Sri Lankan government told Arab News Sunday that it needs higher wages and adequate security for domestic workers coming to the Kingdom for employment

Prabha may have become CM, says SF

If Prabhakaran had surrendered, he would have been with the Rajapaksa family now and also have become Chief Minister, Former Army Commander and General Secretary of the New Democratic Party Sarath Fonseka said in Jaffna on Saturday.

Warm welcome in N’ Eliya

President Mahinda Rajapaksa and Parliamentarian P. Digambaran being welcomed at the mass rally held yesterday at the Dunbar Grounds in Hatton, in view of the   forthcoming elections for the Nuwara Eliya  District of the Central Province. President’s Media

Lankan nabbed in Bulgaria

A citizen of Sri Lanka, who was hidden inside a mini-bus with German registration, was arrested while trying to illegally leave the territory of Bulgaria, the press office of the Bulgarian Interior Ministry announced.

Colombo Motor Show 2013

Colombo Motor Show 2013 which kicked off on September 6 is to be concluded today at the Srimavo Bandaranaike Memorial Exhibition Centre. The show was organized by Asia Exhibition & Conventions (Pvt) Ltd for the 6th consecutive year. Not only a wide range of new and vintage vehicles, but also motor spare parts were also exhibited during the event. Pix by Kithsiri De Mel

Army must sustain status quo: Commander

Army Commander Daya Ratnayake said the Sri Lanka Army should sustain the status quo in relation to national security concerns and always be well-geared to take on any future challenge against the country or her people, as the most prominent defender of the nation

Ousted Nasheed faces Maldives run-off

Former Maldivian leader Mohamed Nasheed will face a run-off election on September 28 after his win in the presidential poll ended without a majority, provisional results showed on Sunday, nearly 20 months after his removal ignited months of unrest

Concerns over Scottish police training SL Police

More than 3500 Sri Lankan police officers - including some senior commanders - have received training from the Scottish Police College (SPC) since 2007 through projects funded by the UK and Scottish governments

Abbott vows quick action on asylum

Australia's PM-elect Tony Abbott says his top priorities in office are to scrap the carbon tax and to stop asylum-seekers arriving by boat

Chinese CPC leader here today

China's Senior Communist Party (CPC) leader Liu Yunshan will arrive in Sri Lanka today on a two- day official visit, the External Affairs Ministry said

Tokyo wins race to host 2020 Olympics

Tokyo has been chosen by the International Olympic Committee to host the 2020 Summer Games. In voting Saturday in Buenos Aires, the committee picked Tokyo over the two other contenders, Madrid and Istanbul???

Kanimozhi wants Singh to boycott CHOGM

Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) party leader Kanimozhi Karunanidhi on Saturday asked Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to boycott the forthcoming Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in Colombo in wake of alleged war crimes committed by the Sri Lankan government.

Australian election:Rudd concedes defeat to Abbott

Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd conceded election defeat Saturday after what exit polls suggest will be a landslide victory for conservative challenger Tony Abbott.

Mathi says was not forced to resign

Former Sri Lanka Cricket  Vice President  K. Mathiavanan issuing a statement regarding his stepping down, said he tendered his resignation from his post due to 'non recognition within the SLC', and dispelled media reports to the effect that he was forced to resign.

SLFP supporter hospitalised following shoot-out

A supporter of an SLFP candidate was hospitalised following a shoot-out in Peradeniya early this morning, police said.

Severe weather warning issued

The Meteorology Department in a severe weather advisory valid for the next 24 hours warned of strong winds over the South-Western parts of the island and the sea areas off the Western and Southern coasts by tomorrow (10) morning.

Senior Navy officer held for people smuggling

Sri Lankan police have arrested a navy officer suspected of involvement in smuggling people in fishing boats to Australia, officials said on Saturday.

TN fishermen demand release of colleagues in SL prisons

Fishermen on Friday announced the launch of an indefinite strike, protesting further extension of judicial remand of 41 fishermen from Rameswaram and demanding the immediate release of all the 146 fishermen incarcerated in Sri Lankan prisons

Pakistani arrested with gemstones at BIA

A 38 year-old Pakistan national who was alleged to have attempted to smuggle more than 700 gemstones into Sri Lanka was arrested by the police Narcotics Bureau at the Bandaranaike International Airport last night

Don’t supply ships to SL: DMK and PMK

The DMK and the PMK on Friday opposed the reported move of the Central to supply two naval warships to Sri Lanka by 2017-18, to strengthen the island nation’s capabilities to guard its maritime boundaries

Three sniffer dogs lost and found

An internal inquiry has been launched to check how three sniffer dogs belonging to the Asgiriya Police Kennels Headquarters had gone missing last night, sources said.