Body found in the sea off B’pitiya brought ashore

The rough seas off Bambalapitiya made it difficult for the body found floating to be brought shore and it remained in the sea for more than six hours.

President removes leading JO members as SLFP organisers

President Maithripala Sirisena has removed leading Joint Opposition members, including MPs Mahinda Yapa Abeywardane, Gamini Lokuge, C.B. Ratnayake, Keheliya Rambukwella, Pavithra Wanniarachchi as the SLFP organizers and appointed 40 new district and electoral oragnisers today, President’s Office said.

Giant wheel crashes in Balagolla

At least nine individuals were hospitalized after the giant wheel at a carnival in Balagolla Bandaranaike Maha Vidyalaya grounds, Kandy crashed last night.

Train kills four baby elephants in Chettikulam

Four baby elephants were killed when the Colombo bound Thaleimannar Express train crashed into them near Karadikulam, Chettikulam last night, the Railway Control Room said.

WP Minister, Co. Sect injured in E01 accident

Three people, Western Province Education Minister Ranjith Somawansa, his Coordinating Secretary and driver were injured, when the jeep they were travelling in met with an accident at the 18th mile post near the Galanigama exchange on the Southern Expressway (E01) last night.

Govt. to redraft VAT Bill

The Government has initiated the redrafting of the Value Added Tax (Amendment) Bill by way of a memorandum submitted to the Cabinet for its consideration, Finance Minister Ravi Karunanayake said.

Australia returns 6 rejected asylum seekers to SL

Six asylum seekers who attempted to reach Australia by boat have been sent back to Sri Lanka in a demonstration that tough border enforcement measures had not softened since recent Australian elections, a Cabinet minister said Wednesday.

Ex-PS members in Ratnapura tell Basil to form new party

Some former SLFP pradeshiya sabha members in the Ratnapura district have urged former minister Basil Rajapaksa to form a new political party under former president Mahinda Rajapaksa's leadership because they had no intention of contesting the local government elections under an SLFP led by President Maithripala Sirisena.

90% of allegations against Gotabaya investigations complete: SF

Regional Development Minister Sarath Fonseka said today that 90 percent of the investigations into two complaints against former defence secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa had been completed -- and that he would have to face the consequences soon.

Army Commander’s term extended

Army Commander Crishantha De Silva’s term has been extended by one year with effect from August 22 by President Maithripala Sirisena, Military Spokesman Jayanath Jayaweera said.

BC files action against Sajin Vass

The Bribery Commission (BC) today filed action against Sajin Vass Gunawardena, ex-MP and ex- CEO of budget airline Mihin Lanka, for entering into an illegal contract worth Rs.883 million with a Singaporean company to obtain ground handling equipment for the airline.

Keshap’s Jaffna visit wasn’t beneficial to Northern people: Sivagnanam

Northern Provincial Council Chairman C.V.K. Sivagnanam said US Ambassador Atul Keshap’s visit to Jaffna did not yield any benefits to the Northern people.

Much to be done before achieving reconciliation: US

Despite all positive steps by the government to achieve reconciliation, there is still much to be done before Sri Lanka can realize its full potential as a global example of how a post-conflict country can achieve lasting peace, US Ambassador Atul Keshap said.

Malaka’s nightclub brawl: Scot hopes justice done

A Scots engineer who became an overnight celebrity in Sri Lanka after punching the hated playboy son of a government minister has spoken of his hope to “see justice done” as a long-running investigation into the incident finally comes to court, Herald Scotland reported.

Lankan went missing in Delhi, found

The elderly Sri Lankan pilgrim, who went missing in India, has been traced and re-joined his pilgrim group, the Foreign Affairs Ministry today said.

Man buried under mound of earth

A 63-year-old man was buried under a mound of earth in Kahathuduwa this afternoon while attempting to level the mound of earth for the construction of a house.

Salawa: Man killed by concrete beam

A 68-year-old man had been crushed to death by a concrete beam of a building at Salawa, Kosgama today, the Police said.

Body spotted in the sea off Bambalapitiya

The Police said they had spotted a body floating in the sea near the Bambalapiiya Railway Station this morning.  

Prabhakaran's deputy was a RAW agent: Book

LTTE leader Gopalaswamy Mahendrarajah alias Mahattaya, who was once a deputy to the banned terrorist outfit's chief Velupillai Prabhakaran, was a RAW agent recruited as early as in 1989, a book compiled by Indian Journalist Neena Gopal said.

Gammanpila summoned for contempt of court

Pivithuru Hela Urumaya (PHU) General Secretary MP Udaya Gammanpila was summoned to the Keselwatta Police Station today for allegedly criticizing the procedure adopted to bail out MP Hirunika Premachandra, who was arrested in connection with the abduction of a man in Dematagoda.

ETCA may be a reality: Y.K. Sinha

Proposed Economic and Technology Cooperation Agreement (ETCA) with India, the pact, which would be an improvement over the existing Free Trade Agreement (FTA), may soon be a reality.

SL signs MoU with China on vital projects

The Government is reported to have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with China with the assurance to encourage Chinese investments and to implement key projects including the Colombo-Ratnapura expressway.

We will ask the OMP to probe Wijeweera's abduction and death: JVP

The Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) said today said it would request the Office of Missing Persons (OMP) to investigate the abduction and killing of party's founder leader Rohana Wijeweera, senior member Upatissa Gamanayake and the mass grave in Matale.

OMP findings can be used as evidence: GL

Though the government had assured that the findings of the Office of the Missing Persons (OMP) would not give rise to civil or criminal liability, the joint opposition said today the findings could be used as evidence when the judicial mechanism is set up to hear accountability issues.

Namal remanded till August 22

MP Namal Rajapaksa and Sudarshana Bandara who were arrested by the FCID over the inuiry conducted under the Money Laundering Act for purchasing Rs. 100million worth shares of a company called Hello Corp from ill-gotten funds by the Gowers Corporation which is headed by Mr. Rajapaksa, was today remanded till August 22 by the Colombo Additional Magistrate Lanka Jayaratne.

French woman killed in a fall at Ravana water fall

A 19-year-old French tourist was killed from a fall at the  Ravana water fall in Ella today. The Ella police are investigating.

Police probe T-shirt printed with Prabhakaran’s face

Kandy Police is investigating the recovery of a T-shirt printed with the picture of late LTTE leader V.  Prabhakaran and an Eelam map recovered from a textile shop in Kandy on Saturday night.

18 illegal migrants arrested

Eighteen Sri Lankans who attempted to migrate to Australia illegally were taken in to custody by the Navy in the seas off west Batticaloa today.

Allegation on poisoning ex-LTTErs: Gammanpila wants Wickramabahu arrested

Nava Sama Samaja Party General Secretary Dr. Wickramabahu Karunaratne should be arrested for making false allegations on Sri Lankan tri-forces that ex-LTTE cadres in detention had been allegedly injected with poisonous drugs, if he did not have evidence to prove the allegations, Opposition MP Udaya Gammanpila said today.

Stone throwers remanded till Aug.25

Four people arrested on charges of throwing stones at a passenger train in Kollupitiya were remanded today till August 25 by Colombo Fort Magistrate Lanka Jayaratne.