Hearse door opens and dumps coffin on road

An unusual event occurred  in Kandy last afternoon: The door of hearse belonging to a funeral director in Kandy opened accidentally and the coffin it was carrying (with a corpse inside) fell onto the main road in the heart of Kandy

Video: Colombo dockyard launches 400 passenger vessel ‘MV. Corals’

The Colombo Dockyard launched a 400 Passenger cum 250 Ton Cargo Vessel today that is being built for the Union Territory of Lakshadweep Administration, Government of India. Shri J. Ashok Kumar Secretary PSA — UTLA took part in the launch. This is the first of two vessels being built. Pix by Pradeep Pathirana

Mubarak taken from prison to house arrest

Egypt's former president, Hosni Mubarak, left prison Thursday for a military hospital where he'll be under house arrest, state-run media outlet Al-Ahram reported

Faces of suspects seen on CCTV footage

The faces of the five suspects in the Rs.18 million-daylight robbery at the Gampaha Branch of the Merchant Credit of Sri Lanka are clearly visible in the video footage recorded in the CCTV cameras that were installed the lobby area

Video: Demo against UDA court case

Nearly 700 Ampara Daya Apparel Exports (PVT) Ltd employees and their parents staged a demonstration near the Ampara Magistrate’s Court today against a case filled by the Urban Development Authority (UDA). Pix by Wasantha Chandrapala ???

No decision on level of India’s participation in CHOGM: India

Amid opposition by Tamil parties to Prime Minister’s participation in Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in Sri Lanka, government on Thursday said no decision has yet been taken on level of India’s participation in the summit scheduled in November.

No more DCD contaminated products in SL- Champika

No milk powder containing DCD had been shipped to Sri Lanka from 1 June, the representatives of the diplomatic corps of New Zealand had assured the Sri Lankan government PICTURES

Video: ‘I’m nobody’s child’

An infant looks on helplessly while vociferous protestors and his guardian demand the withdrawal of Fonterra. A group of around 200 of the National Freedom Front (NFF) including Politiburo member M. Muzammil screamed slogans outside the Fonterra Complex in Biyagama today using a coffin on top of which they placed the helpless child. Pix by Kushan Pathiraja ???

Video: Wimal’s party wants Fonterra out

The ‘Lakmawa Diyaniyo’, an ally of National Freedom Front (NFF), today vowed to eliminate Fonterra and its products from Sri Lanka similar to its defeat of terrorism ???

Video: Japanese princess on a Minneriya safari

The visiting Japanese princess Tsuguko Of Takamado went on a safari to the Minneriya National Park. Sri Lankan Ambassador Wasantha Karannagoda accompanied the Princes. Pix by Karunaratne Gamage

SL court extends remand of 41 TN fishermen

A Sri Lankan court on Thursday extended the judicial remand of 41 Tamil Nadu fishermen till August 29, officials said.

Lankan held for bid to rape 5 year old

A Sri Lankan refugee was arrested Namakkal on charge of attempting to rape a five-year-old girl staying at a refugee camp in Paramathi in the district.

American charged with Lankan wife’s murder

The General Court in Riyadh is looking into the murder of a Sri Lankan national residing in Riyadh after a representative from the Bureau of Investigation and Prosecution charged her husband, a US national, with her murder.

Video: Attempts to disrupt national security revealed-CDS

Chief of Defence Staff General Jagath Jayasuriya said that intelligence agencies in the country had been alerted to the possibility of certain elements attempting to disrupt national security in the run up to the Commonwealth Head of Government Meeting (CHOGM) which would take place in November???

Army Chief receives Weliweriya report

The Report of the findings into the recent Rathupaswala – Weliweriya incidents, complied by a Court of Inquiry (C of I), presided by Major General Jagath Dias, Adjutant General  of the Army was handed over to Army Commander Daya Ratnayake on Wednesday at the Army Headquarters.

Video: Maheepala ensured Noori terror continued- Mithrapala

Deputy Minister H. R Mithrapala today accused the highest ‘Political authority in Sabaragamuwa’ for providing political patronage to former Deraniyagala PS Chairman Anil Champika alias ‘ Athakota’.

Egyptian court orders Mubarak's release

Deposed Egyptian leader Hosni Mubarak will leave jail as early as Thursday after a court ruling that jolted a divided nation already in turmoil seven weeks after the army toppled Islamist President Mohamed Mursi

Armed gang get away with Rs.16.8 million worth jewellery

An armed gang that entered a branch office of a leasing company in Gampaha town today is alleged to have robbed the staff of their cash and jewellery.

Seven Bangladeshis posing as monks arrested

Seven Bangladeshis who posed as Buddhist monks were arrested while attempting to illegally migrate to another country via Malaysia, Monitoring Intelligence and Investigation Unit’s Chief Officer Amith Perera said.

3,000 kidney patients in Uva

The Uva Provincial Health Ministry today said it feared that a majority of the 3,000 kidney patients now receiving treatment might be dead within the next six to ten months.

Basil holds talks with British envoy on north

British High Commissioner to Sri Lanka John Rankin held talks with Economic Development Minister Basil Rajapaksa in Colombo today and discussed among other matters the progress of the demining program in the North and East

Bullet in Parliament

UNP MP Ajith Mannapperuma has produced a bullet in the House today, apparently discharged from a weapon used during the incident in Weliweriya on August 1.

No restrictions on Pillay visit-SL

Sri Lanka today said that it had placed no restrictions on the visit of United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay and she would be free to meet with any individual or organization she wished. 

Army denies Indian int. report

The Military today denied Indian media reports that a Pakistan terrorist group Lashkar-e-Taiba would use Sri Lanka as a launch pad to attack Tamil Nadu. The Army said that the entire island was secure and that no armed group could launch any such attack.

RTF seizes Whey Protein

The Customs Revenue Task Force (RTF) today seized several undeclared cans of Whey Protein brought by incoming passengers. It was in powder and liquid form. Pix by Kushan Pathiraja

Fonterra Directors summoned

The Gampha District Court today issued summons on all Directors of Fonterra (Pvt) Ltd Sri Lanka on contempt of court charges for violating a court order.

TV artiste arrested with fake currency notes

A man said to be a TV artiste and singer was arrested last night on charges of having in his possession 151 counterfeit notes each of the 1000-rupee denomination, Mahargama police said.

Alleged brothel in Kollupitiya raided

Six females and two manageresses of an alleged brothel house situated in Kollupitiya were taken into custody by the Colombo Crimes Division.

Video: Final Randoli Perahera

The final Randoli Perahera of the Esala Festival of the Sri Dalanda Maligwa in Kandy paraded the streets last night. Here the Tusker is seen carrying the casket leaving the Maligawa. Pix by Waruna Wanniarchchi and Shane Seneviratne

Three arrested for smuggling gold at Dabolim

Two Sri Lankan nationals and an Indian were arrested by customs sleuths on Tuesday at the Dabolim international airport for smuggling gold concealed in their rectums.