Speaker asks Rosy to stay close to him

Speaker Chamal Rajapaksa yesterday advised United National Party (UNP) parliamentarian Rosy Senanayake to stay close to him as otherwise she would disturb the proceedings in the House by chatting to others.

Govt. blocks Karu’s anti casino bill

The Government yesterday prevented United National Party (UNP) MP Karu Jayasuriya from presenting a Bill that prohibited the operation of casinos and other gaming activities under the strategic development projects.

Minister Champika’s Facebook page disabled

The Facebook account and fan page of Technology and Research Minister Patali Champika Ranawaka has been disabled without notice by the Facebook Administration Committee, according to the minister.

Guilty verdict in pizza delivery murder trial

The family of murdered Sri Lankan university graduate Thavisha Pereis today said the conviction of his two killers had brought them “some form of solace” after his death

SL cyclists stopped by police in Scotland

Four members of Sri Lanka's Commonwealth Games team were stopped by police when they were spotted cycling down the M74 near Glasgow, in Scotland.

42 dead and 11 injured in Taiwan plane crash

At least 42 people were killed and another 11 taken to hospital after their plane crashed and caught fire while trying to make an emergency landing in stormy weather on a small Taiwanese island.

Marvan’s term extended

The appointment of Marvan Attapattu as the Head Coach of the National Team has been extended until the end of the Pakistan Tour of Sri Lanka, the Executive Committee of Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) said

Britain sold weapons to SL

Sri Lanka is also among the 27 countries that the British government sold weapons. Britain had supplied £12bn of arms to some 27 countries including Sri Lanka, the House of Commons Committees on Arms Export Controls stated in their 2013 report.

Police record statement from Ranatunge

The Welikada Police OIC recorded a statement from Western Province Chief Minister Prasanna Ranatunga in connection with the complaint that he had assaulted a Rajagiriya resident.

Video: Heavy traffic in Town Hall

Heavy traffic has been reported from the Town Hall area due to a protest by Students of the Rajarata University in front of the University Grant Commission (UGC), Ward Place.

India accepts Australia's request to probe 157 boat refugees

India gave Australia a bit of a breather by agreeing to investigate whether some of the 157 boat refugees confined to their boat on Christmas Island were Sri Lankan Tamil refugees from a camp in Puducherry.

Video: Turns out to be turmeric

The Customs Revenue Task Force discovered 27,000 kilogrammes of fraudulently imported Turmeric from India in two containers, Customs Spokesman Leslie Gamini said. ???

Don’t bother about probe: Swamy

Chairman of the BJP Committee on Strategic Action and BJP's National Executive Committee Member Subramanian Swamy in an exclusive interview with Daily Mirror said Sri Lanka should not bother about the international inquiry led by the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) as it could not take any unilateral action. Full Interview

Sue cigarette companies: Minister

Health Minister Maithripala Sirisena yesterday appealed to family members of those who had died of smoking-related ailments to sue the Ceylon Tobacco Company (CTC) taking a cue from a US Court ruling that the tobacco company should pay US$23.6 billion (nearly Rs.3000 billion) to the victim’s wife.

India wants info on Chinese project

India has sought details about the proposed US$40 million investment by China National Aero-Technology Import-Export Corporation (CATIC) to establish an aircraft maintenance base in Sri Lanka, External affairs Minister G.L. Peiris said in Parliament yesterday.

Senior-most singer passes away

Senior-most vocalist Kalabushana Vincent de Paul Peiris of ‘Siri Pade Samanala Kanda Pene’ fame passed away late last night at the age of 92.

No foreign funds without approval: Ministry

The Finance and Planning Ministry has informed all Non-Governmental Organisations that they should receive prior approval from the Ministry prior to obtaining foreign funds.

Video: BBS claims Gnanasara Thera’s Australian Visa in jeopardy

Following the United States’ cancellation of Bodu Bala Sena (BBS) General Secretary Ven. Galagodaatte Gnanasara Thera’s visa, the BBS today said that there was a conspiracy by Muslim extremist organisations in Australia to follow suit. ???

Complaint against Ranatunge

A complaint has been lodged against Chief Minister of the Western Province Prasanna Ranatunge over an alleged assault on a resident in Rajagiriya, the Police said.

Jaya opposes installing buoys on IMBL with SL

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa today termed as "inappropriate" the Centre's proposal to conduct feasibility study on installing buoys on International Maritime Boundary Line as the state government has not accepted IMBL with Sri Lanka as a settled issue

Naval rating falls to his death

A naval rating attached to the Trincomalee Naval Base had fallen to his death from the third floor of a building in the camp. The 25-year-old rating was a resident of Maradana, Colombo.

Days after MH17 tragedy, Malaysia Airlines flies jet over Syria

Embattled Malaysia Airlines faced fresh outrage Tuesday as it confirmed one of its planes flew over war-torn Syria, just days after the MH17 disaster laid bare the risks civilian aircraft face in flying over war zones.

UPFA MP surrenders to Court

UPFA Kurunegala district Parliamentarian Nimal Wijesinghe alias Nilwala, who was accused for assaulting a Grama Niladhari in Mawathagama, surrendered to the Pilassa Magistrate Court in Mawathagama, this morning

Wasp attack at a pre-school: 35 injured

At least 35 persons including 29 pre-school children were hospitalized following a wasp attack at a pre-school in a temple in Kataragama this morning, Police said

15,000 kg of contaminated chili powder seized

The officials of the Consumer Affairs Authority (CAA) seized 15,000 kg of adulterated chillie powder from a grinding mill store at Sedawatte today.

38 Indian fishermen arrested

Thirty eight Indian fishermen found poaching in Sri Lankan waters had been arrested by the Sri Lankan Navy in the seas off Talaimannar and Delft Islands in two separate incidents last night, the Navy said

What Russian press are saying about air disaster

The Russian media's coverage of the MH17 disaster is in stark contrast to Western reports - focusing on increasingly outlandish claims and conspiracy theories.

Scott Morrison to talk SL Tamil issue with Sushma

Australia will be raising the issue of the 153 Sri Lankan Tamil asylum seekers with India on Tuesday, when Australian immigration minister Scott Morrison will be meeting with external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj and home minister Rajnath Singh.

Video: Ukraine rebels hand over black boxes

Rebels in eastern Ukraine have handed over two flight-data recorders from the downed MH17 plane to Malaysian experts. A senior rebel leader signed them over to the Malaysian officials at a meeting in the city of Donetsk.

States can't interfere with Centre-BJP

Indian Foreign Policy is the exclusive preserve of the Central Government and we expect the political parties in Tamil Nadu to formulate their opinions in line with the realities of the situation, BJP Foreign Policy Cell National Convener and BJP's National Executive Member Dr. Seshadri Chari said in an interview with Daily Mirror