Envoy assault suspect further remanded

Manjula Weerakoon, the suspect who was in remand custody for allegedly verbally abusing and attempting to assault a Russian diplomat at a supermarket car park in Colombo, was further remanded till September 21 by Colombo Fort Magistrate Priyantha Liyanage today.

Police to arrest DIG for aiding treasure hunt

A Police investigation has been launched to arrest former Deputy Inspector General of Vavuniya Police, U.K. Dissanayake on charges of aiding and abetting a treasure hunt in Vavuniya three months ago.

Video: Family of abused Kesara protest at Gangodawila

The family, relatives and well wishers of Kesara Kahandaliyanage, a youth with autism, who had been abused at his workplace in June, held a protest in front of the Gangodawila Court Complex today to call for action against the perpetrators.

Gota, Duminda at PCoI

Former Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa has gone before the Presidential Commission of Inquiry to Investigate into Serious Acts of Fraud (PCoI) to record a statement over the Rakna Lanka Company.   

Constable on duty at protest dies

A police constable of the Special Investigation Unit (Intelligence Division) died from a heart attack while on duty at a protest held in Kotadeniyawa today over the murder of the five-year-old Seya.

Arjuna slams Sanga and Mahela

Sri Lanka’s world cup winning cricket captain Arjuna Ranatunga who is presently the country’s Minister of Ports and Shipping, took a dig at two recently-retired cricket greats Kumar Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardene at a public ceremony in Nittambuwa yesterday.

Kadawatha-Kaduwela Expressway to open after 9pm

The Kaduwela - Kadawatha section of the Colombo Outer Circular Expressway, which is scheduled to be opened today, will be open to the public after 9 pm today (17), the Ministry of Highways said.

Video: Tsunami warning after powerful earthquake hits Chile

A magnitude 8.3 earthquake hit off the coast of Chile on Wednesday, shaking buildings in the capital city of Santiago and generating a tsunami warning for Chile, Peru and French Polynesia.

Perpetrator names will never be published by OHCHR

Despite many expecting a ‘naming and shaming’ in the content of the UN report on Sri Lanka, UN sources in Geneva state that the names of individuals accused of perpetrating the alleged abuses during the final phases of the conflict in Sri Lanka were never intended to be published in the report.

Inquiry into Rathupaswala incident continues: Army

The Army today said the recording of Summary of Evidence (S of E) into the Rathupaswala incident was still being carried out ahead of the Court of Inquiry (C of I) completion.

Firm in conviction: Govt.

The Government said that it would ensure that its findings and recommendations received due attention of the relevant authorities including the new mechanisms envisaged to be established.

Keheliya, PB, Weeratunga grilled over ITN issue

Former Minister Keheliya Rambukwella, former President's Secretary Lalith Weeratunga and former Treasury Secretary P.B. Jayasundera were today questioned by the Presidential Commission of Inquiry to Investigate and Inquire into Serious Acts of Fraud, Corruption and Abuse of Power, State Resources, and Privileges (PRECIFAC).

Video: SriLankan flight diverted to Mattala

A SriLankan flight was diverted to the Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport (MRIA) today due to inclement weather in Colombo, Spokesman for the SriLankan Airlines said.

UK welcomes UN report on Sri Lanka

Foreign Office Minister of the United Kingdom Hugo Swire today welcomed the publication of the report from the investigation on Sri Lanka by the Office of the High Commissioner of Human Rights (OHCHR).

Video: Not wise to breakaway from UPFA: Vasu

Democratic Left Front (DLF) Leader and United Peoples Freedom Alliance (UPFA) MP Vasudeva Nanayakkara today opined that it was not wise to create a breakaway party of UPFA as it would pave the way for the Maithripala - UNP alliance to take control of the party.

SC Judge declines to hear petition on national list

Supreme Court Judge Priyantha Jayawardene today declined to sit on the bench hearing the petition filed by Sri Lanka Communist Party (SLCP) against the appointment of defeated candidates as MPs through the national lists.

MP Chathura noticed over Ragama clash

MP Chathura Senaratne, who was recently elected to Parliament, was noticed to appear in the Negombo Court on October 20 for allegedly threatening some suspects in the Police custody at Ragama, the Police said.

Sujeewa’s FR petition gets leave to proceed

The Supreme Court today granted leave to proceed with the fundamental rights petition filed by State Minister Sujeewa Senasinghe against a police officer over an incident that took place in Athurugiya during his election campaigning.

UN report calls for hybrid court

The UN report on Sri Lanka has identified ‘patterns of grave violations in Sri Lanka between 2002 and 2011, strongly indicating that war crimes and crimes against humanity were most likely committed by both sides to the conflict’, UN Human Rights Chief Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein said a short while ago as the much awaited report on Sri Lanka was made publicly available.

Video: Lorry, car damaged by falling tree branch

A lorry and a car were damaged when a branch of a wayside tree fell on the vehicles causing heavy traffic near the Public Performance Board office in Colombo 7, Police said.

Watch out for more rain

Thundershowers will develop at a few places in the Eastern and Uva Provinces after 4.00 p.m. and showers or thunder showers will occur at times over the sea off the coast extending from Puttalam to Hambantota via Colombo and Galle, the Meteorology Department said today.

Don’t demand Opposition leader post-President

President Maitripala Sirisena yesterday told a group of SLFPers that they could sit with the opposition but should not demand the post of Opposition Leader in Parliament.

Sonia and Rahul Gandhi likely to visit SL

Indian National Congress president Sonia Gandhi and MP Rahul Gandhi are likely to visit Sri Lanka soon, sources close to Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe said yesterday.

Mahela appointed as England’s batting consultant

Former Sri Lanka captain Mahela Jayawardene has been appointed as the England's batting consultant on Tuesday for the upcoming three-match Test series against Pakistan in the United Arab Emirates.

CID takes over probe into Seya’s killing

The investigation into the killing of five-year-old Seya Sedewmini’s has been handed over to the CID by IGP N.K. Illangakoon, Acting Police Spokesman SSP Priyantha Jayakody said today.  

Special committee to probe 'Senehasa' allegations

Army Commander Lieutenant General Crishanthe De Silva appointed a three-member committee to look into allegations made on the affairs at the Army-managed ‘Senehasa’, Education Resource Research and Information Centre (SERRIC) for children of military families with special needs at Manning Town, Narahenpita.

Colombo's drinking water free of arsenic

The Central Environment Authority (CEA) today assured there was no arsenic or heavy metals in the drinking water supplied to Colombo and the suburbs and requested people not to panic.

Patience is a virtue: UN on Sri Lanka

The United Nations remained tight lipped on the contents of the report on war crimes allegations against Sri Lanka and on the UN stance on the mechanism to be adopted in addressing the issues.

Laksman S. for Chamara D.

Former Badulla District MP Laksman Seneviratne will be sworn in as a member of parliament filling the vacancy created by MP Chamara Sampath who was sworn in as Uva Province chief minister, SLFP General Secretary and Minister Duminda Dissanayake said today.

Thousands urge arrest of Seya’s killer

More than 1,000 people are reported to have surrounded the house of the five-year-old girl who was sexually abused and killed in Kotadeniyawa a few days ago and urged the police to reveal who had committed the crime.