Ven. ​Maduluwawe Sobhitha Thera passes away

The Most Venerable Maduluwawe Sobhitha Thera, the Chief Incumbent of the Kotte Naga Vihara, has passed away at a private hospital in Singapore early this morning, the Sri Lankan Mission in Singapore confirmed.

Cross talk over highway expenditure

A gamut of accusations were witnessed between members of the present government and an Opposition MP who happened to be a minister in the previous regime, over high costs incurred over a development project in Parliament yesterday.

HRC complaint on alleged police torture camp

A complaint has been lodged with the Human Rights Commission to launch a thorough investigation into an alleged torture camp called ‘Wedibehethwatta’ that had been used by the Kotadeniyawa police to detain those suspected of the rape and killing of Seya Sandewmi.

Tropical threat to Increase flood risk in Sri Lanka

While Tropical Cyclone Megh is moving away from India, a new tropical concern threatens to cause flooding in southeastern India and Sri Lanka later this weekend and early next week.

UNF heavyweights want Marapana out

Several UNF MPs, including Ministers, have reportedly called for the resignation of Law and Order Minister Tilak Marapana over his stance on the controversial Avant Garde floating armoury.

Lankan caught with Rs. 5.6 mn at Andheri airport in India

A Sri Lankan citizen was arrested at the departure area of the international airport in Andheri in India with about US $85,000 (almost Rs 56 lakh) after a drama lasting about an hour and a half early on Friday.

“Change cricket voting system” recommends SLC corruption investigators

The Board of Inquiry on allegations of corruption in Sri Lanka Cricket has strongly felt that the current voting system for SLC as the basic problem in SLC’s administration, especially as stake holders from outstation areas have the power to decide how the future of the game.

Govt. seeks Rs. 90 mn for MS' New York visit

The Government yesterday sought parliamentary approval for the allocation of Rs.90 million to meet the expenses in connection with the President’s attend the UN sessions in New York.

Video: PM calls for probe on microphone failure

Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe yesterday called for a probe on the sudden failure of the microphone when he was speaking in Parliament.

​Child born with two foetuses of twins

A baby girl was born at the Mahamodera Hospital with twin still-born foetuses in her mouth . The doctors had successfully removed the foetuses from her mouth. Hospital sources say the baby is in good health.

Cops unearth more details in murder of Maldives national

Hussain Razeen, the Maldivian national whose body was found with stab injuries in Piliyandala, was a notorious gangster wanted for murder in his country, sources said today.

Defence Min. says ‘Lankan sniper’ was not in military

The Sri Lankan who was arrested in the Maldives, identified as a sniper, was not attached to the Sri Lankan military, the Defence Ministry said today.

Video: Avant Garde: Statement by two ministers not opinion of Govt. Rajitha

Cabinet Spokesman and Health Minister Rajitha Senaratne said today the statements made by two ministers in parliament on the Avant-Garde floating Armoury did not in anyway reflect the opinion of the Government on the matter.

Video: Protective sticker on bottles of liquor

Cabinet has approved a proposal by Minister Ravi Karunanayaketo affix a protective label (Sticker) on each legally manufactured bottle of arrack and on bottles of imported liquor before being released by the Customs to prevent illegally manufactured liquor entering the market.

Video: Wijeyadasa to sue SF

In a response to Field Marshal Sarath Fonseka’s allegation that Justice Minister Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe had obtained bribes from Avant Garde Maritime Services (Pvt) Ltd., the minister said today he would sue Field Marshal Fonseka demanding Rs.500 million in damages for making a derogatory statement against him.

31 injured in collision between two buses

Thirty one passengers were injured in a head-on collision between two private busses at the Hathamuna Junction on the Polonnaruwa-Colombo Road this morning, Police said.

Pro-SL Tamil activist hurls slipper at Ex-Indian security advisor

A pro-Sri Lankan Tamil activist who hurled a slipper at former National Security Advisor M. K. Narayanan has been remanded to 15 days' judicial custody, Chennai Police said yesterday.

Video: PRECIFAC summons Damitha

Actress Damitha Abeyratne has arrived at the Presidential Commission of Inquiry to Investigate and Inquire into Serious Acts of Fraud, Corruption and Abuse of Power, State Resources and Privileges (PRECIFAC) to give a statement with regard to the investigations it is carrying out into a complaint about fraud and corruption at SriLankan Airlines.

Ex-navy commander at PRECIFAC

A statement is being recorded from former navy commander Somathilake Dissanayake by the PRECIFAC on the floating armoury belonging to Rakna Arakshaka Lanka Ltd.

MP Chatura named a suspect

Gampaha District UNP Parliamentarian Chatura Senaratne who is alleged to have threatened with death a group of young men in custody at the Ragama police was yesterday named as a suspect by police that made a further report in connection with the incident before Negombo Chief Magistrate Purnima Paranagamage.

Money is the root of all evil

Several top former officials of Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) including Presidents Upali and Jayantha Dharmadasa and Secretary Nishantha Ranatunga have come under criticism from the three member panel that inquired on the allegations of corruption at SLC from January 2012 to April 2015.

Drunken husband kills wife over denim trouser

A highly intoxicated husband, seeing his wife dressed in a Denim trouser is alleged to have lost his temper and assaulted her with an iron pole killing her on the spot, Police said.

UN Group to assist probes into disappearances in SL

A team from the UN Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances (WGEID) headed by its Vice President, Bernard Duhaime, will arrive in the Island next Monday (9) for a 10-day-visit to facilitate investigations into issues related to disappearances, the Foreign Ministry said.

Tense situation at Cabinet meeting on Avant-Garde

A tense situation prevailed at yesterday's Cabinet meeting over the Avant-Garde controversy amid several ministers, including Ministers Patali Champika Ranawaka and Rajitha Senaratne, criticising the government’s stance on this matter.

SLC elections on 3rd January 2016

The election to appoint office-bearers to Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) is fixed for the 3rd of January 2016, Sports Minister Dayasiri Jayasekera has said.

A pension scheme through the fund on the cards

Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe presenting the Government’s mid-term economic plan in Parliament today announced major changes to be introduced to the social security sector under which the Employees Provident Fund (EPF) and the Employees Trust Fund (ETF) would be amalgamated to set up a new National Retirement Gratuity Fund and to introduce a new pension scheme.

Video: Kumar: It’s all political says FSP

Granting Sri Lankan citizenship to Kumar Gunaratnam was not a question of law, but a political consideration, Frontline Social Party (FSP) Politburo member Pubudu Jagoda said today.

Video: Ghosts of previous regime chases private bus: Wijeratne

No political revolution had taken place in the country, while the shadow operations of Mahinda Rajapaksa had emerged especially in the transport sector, Lanka Private Bus Owners' Association Chairman Gemunu Wijeratne said today.

Video: Police acknowledges HNDA attack, claims HNDA, Jathika Balaya

The Jathika Balaya Organisation and the HNDA Students today said the Police had acknowledged at the Human Rights Commission, the responsibility for attacking HNDA students during the protest held last Thursday.

Video: SF hits out at Marapana

Field Marshal Sarath Fonseka today hit out at Law and Order Minister Tilak Marapana and Justice Minister Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe saying that if what they said in parliament over the Avant-Garde floating armoury ship was true, then an inquiry should be launched against the police and action taken against them.