A9 road closed

The A-9 (Kandy-Jaffna) main road has been closed at Nochchimoddai in Vavuniya as the road went under water due to heavy rains experienced in the area, our reporter said.

Tendulkar retires from ODIs

One of the game's all-time greats, Sachin Tendulkar, on Sunday announced his retirement from one-day cricket, bringing to an end a glorious 23-year-old career in the format during which he rewrote numerous batting records.

Postpone SL-WI series due to IPL-India

The Indian cricket board (BCCI), the richest body in the sport, has prevailed upon the Sri Lanka and West Indies boards to postpone a series scheduled for May since it would have clashed with next year's Indian Premier League.

Indian Army Chief in Diyatalawa

Commissioning and passing out parade of the Sri Lanka Army was held at the Sri Lanka Military Academy this morning. Visiting India’s Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Bikram Singh was the Chief Guest of the event. Pix by Pradeep Dilrukshana

Mahela, Charith breach contract-SLC

Sri Lanka cricket team captain Mahela Jayawardene and Manager Charith Senanayake have breached the terms of contract with Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) by releasing their views directly to Daily Mirror and the SLC Executive Committee will take up the matter at their next meeting, SLC stated in a media release today.

Boat tragedy: Five bodies found

Five bodies of the seven, who went missing following a boat capsizing in the Tissa wewa in Tissamaharama were recovered a short while ago. Search operations are underway to find two more missing persons, police said.

Boat capsizes in Tissa, four missing

Four persons had gone missing after a boat carrying 22 people capsized in Tissa wewa in Tissamaharama today. Police and people in the area were able to rescue others, police said.

Woman hacked to death

A 30 year-old woman was found hacked to death at a house down Lumbini Avenue off the Maharagama-Piliyandala road this morning, police said

Lawyer Upul Jayasuriya complains to IGP on threats to his life

Hard on the heels of reports on gunshots being heard near the residence of BASL President Wijedasa Rajapakshe, senior attorney and former BASL secretary yesterday complained to the Inspector General of Police (IGP) alleging threats to his life and property. Pictures

Test paper leak: CID questions Exam Dept. staff

The CID has for the past couple of days been questioning the officials attached to the computer section of the Examinations Department over the alleged leak in the GCE O/L Science Paper, Minister Bandula Gunawardane said yesterday.

The world did not end

The Meteorology Department was yesterday inundated with telephone calls from hundreds of panicky people, triggered by false alarms of rumours about world’s end.

100 Chinese arrested in Colombo

A group of 100 Chinese nationals were arrested yesterday from Colombo for engaging in money laundering activities from Chinese accounts using the internet, police said

Audio: Geetha alleges obstruction by Minister

Actress turned politician Geetha Kumarasinghe, the UPFA organiser of the Bentara-Elpitiya electorate, complained that she had been harassed and humiliated during the past three years,

SL to send astronaut to space in 5 years -Vitharana

Sri Lanka will send its first astronaut to space within the next seven years with the help of the Chinese Government now that we have entered the space age with the launching of the SupremeSat–1 on November 27, Science and Technology Senior Minister Tissa Vitharana said yesterday.

Everyone is bound by SC interpretations: UNP

The United National Party (UNP) said today everyone was bound to accept a Supreme Court ruling on the impeachment process if it were based on constitutional interpretations.

Woman with dead baby

A woman hugging her dead baby arrived at the Bandaranaike International Airport today along with a group of refugees returning from India.

Coir turns into tea

Customs officials today seized a 40-foot container laden with 80,000 kilos of refuse tea which was to be exported to Saudi Arabia claiming to contain coir, following a tip off. Pix by Kushan Pathiraja

Peliyagoda UC budget defeated again

The annual budget of the UPFA-controlled Peliyagoda Urban Council was defeated for the second time today by three votes.

Dilshan ponders Test retirement

Veteran opener Tillakaratne Dilshan has revealed he is thinking about calling time on his Test career.

Lawyers against attack on Wijeydasa’s residence

The members of the Bar Association of Sri Lanka today staged a protest outside the Supreme Court over the attack carried out on the Nawala residence of BASL President Wijeydasa  Rajapakshe. Pix by Waruna Wanniarachchi

Thilan Samaraweera contemplating retirement

Just a week after Mahela Jayawardene announced he would resign as captain after the Australian series, batsman Thilan Samaraweera heads into the Boxing Day Test admitting he is contemplating retirement.

Indian Army Chief in Wanni

Visiting Indian Chief of Army Staff General Bikram Singh today visited the Security Forces Headquarters in the Wanni and also the LTTE rehabilitation Center in Poonthottam. Pix by Romesh Madushanka-Wanni

SL to send skilled labourers to Afghanistan

The Sri Lankan government has agreed to send skilled labourers  to contribute towards rebuilding Afghanistan and restoring cultural artifacts in the country, a joint statement said.

Notices issued on Speaker and PSC members

The Court of Appeal today observed that it has the jurisdiction to hear the writ petition filed by Chief Justice Shirani Bandaranayake challenging the findings of the Parliament Select Committee (PSC) and as such issued notices on the Speaker and PSC members returnable on January 3, 2013. Full text of the order

Cell busted but LTTE men still in TN-Police

Three more LTTE men are moving around in Tamil Nadu, investigators questioning the four LTTE operatives arrested on Wednesday have learnt

Train kills two jumbos

Two wild elephants were killed when they were hit by the Colombo - Batticaloa intercity train between Galoya and Minneriya railway stations early this morning. The engine of the train was also damaged by the accident. Pix by K.G.Karunaratne

Foreign couple nabbed with 451 counterfeit dollar bills

The STF intelligence Unit arrested nationals from Mali and Cameroon who had in their possession 451 counterfeit dollar bills and materials used to print counterfeit currency at Gall face, Colombo

I have lost confidence in SLC:Mahela

Sri Lanka cricket team captain Mahela Jayawardene said yesterday that he has lost confidence in Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) after a confidential document handed over to SLC had been published in the Daily Mirror

President pledges impartial probe

President Mahinda Rajapaksa yesterday promised an impartial investigation and extra police protection for Bar Association of Sri Lanka (BASL) President Wijeydasa Rajapakse after gun shots were heard outside his home last morning

India committed to SL security: Singh

The Indian government and the military were fully committed to Sri Lanka’s security and to further strengthening co-operation between the two countries, visiting Indian Chief of Army Staff General Bikram Singh said yesterday