New vehicle registrations slump 39% in August

New motor vehicle registration during the month of August fell 38.7 percent Year-on-Year (YoY) to 27, 766 amidst import duty increase on motor vehicles, the official data issued by the Central Bank showed.

New Zealand cricketers treated for food poisoning

Visiting New Zealand captain Ross Taylor and team mate Andrew Eliss were discharged after they were treated for food poisoning, an official from the Sri Lanka Cricket said

Video: Another oil leak

Another oil leak was reported in one of the pipelines at Meethotamulla carrying oil to Sapugaskanda Oil Refinery.

Video: 3rd task force completes four years

Sri Lanka army celebrated the fourth anniversary of the third task force at the Akkareipattuwa army head quarters this morning. Brigadier Haren Perera was the chief guest of the ceremony. Pix by Wasantha Chandrapala ??? 

‘ISI surrounding India from all sides’

India's premiere intelligence agency, the Research and Analysis Wing (RAW), has in a classified report submitted to the government about a fortnight ago warned that Pakistan's ISI

Accident kills Hussain Bhaila's son


The eldest son (42) of former Deputy Minister Hussain Bhaila has died in a motorbike –lorry collision in Manampitiya area last night, Police said

STF to have camp in Kahawatte

After a series of killings of women in Kahawatte, it has been decided to set up an STF camp in the area in an attempt to curb the wave of killings that has gripped the area, informed sources said yesterday

Darusman defines ‘accountability’

Marzuki Darusman who heads the UN Panel of Experts on Sri Lanka last Friday said that Sri Lanka should explain what happened on the 40,000 deaths during the country’s north war, the New York based Inner City Press reported.

Romanians want statements in Romanian

The CID today informed the Mount Lavinia Magistrate’s Court that they were unable to record statements from the two Romanian nationals who were arrested for allegedly withdrawing more than 2.4 million rupees using fake Credit Cards.

Bon Voyage Jetliner

Sri Lanka Navy’s largest passenger vessel ‘Jetliner’ which served as a life line between the North and East during the Humanitarian Operations, this morning left on its final voyage to Indonesia to be handed over to its owner with the lease period coming to an end, the Navy said.

Impeachment against CJ: UNP wants int’l observers

The main opposition UNP stressed today that international and local legal experts should be allowed to observers the proceedings of the impeachment motion against the Chief Justice, also calling for a live telecast of the hearing.

Three arrested over the killings

The Police arrested three suspects from the Akmeemana area in connection with the killing of four youth this morning, the police said.

NZ to bat first

New Zealand won the toss and elected to bat first in the second One-Day International match against Sri Lanka at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium, a short while ago.

More Lankans on Nauru choose to return home

Another group of asylum seekers has decided to voluntarily return home instead of staying at the detention centre on Nauru.

Tearful memories…

Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa yesterday unveiled the new ‘Ranaviru’ Monument at Vijayabahu Infantry Regiment (VIR) Headquarters at Boyagane and dedicated it to the eternal memory of all those VIR fallen War Heroes. Picture shows a widow of a fallen soldier at the monument. Pix by Pradeep Pathirana

Indian Army chief to visit SL

Army Chief Gen Bikram Singh will travel to Sri Lanka next month to discuss ways to further strengthen military ties between the two countries at a time when political parties in Tamil Nadu are up in arms against any kind of defence cooperation with Colombo.

Four bodies found

Bodies of four persons were found by the Poddala police in Walpitawatta, Galle this morning, Police said.

Karunanidhi on training of SL defence personnel

DMK chief M Karunanidhi reiterated its opposition to India imparting training to Sri Lankan defence personnel on its soil, saying the state is also part of the country.

Romanians arrested for using fake credit cards

Two Romanian nationals were arrested by the Dehiwala police for using fake credit cards to withdraw millions of money from ATM machines in Dehiwala, Mt. Lavinia and Bambalapitiya.

BASL to meet Speaker Chamal

The Executive Committee of the Bar Association of Sri Lanka (BASL) has decided to meet Speaker Chamal Rajapaksa in order to discuss the impeachment motion against the Chief Justice. 

Fishermen plea to carry firearms dismissed

The Madurai bench of the Madras high court dismissed five writ petitions, seeking various reliefs, including giving direction to the authorities to provide licences to the fishermen in coastal areas of Tamil Nadu to carry firearms with them while fishing in the sea between India and Sri Lanka in order to exercise their private defence.

LTTE weapons

The military had recently recovered one of the largest stock of weapons in the post war period. They included five artillery guns-130 mm and 152mm-and a boat fitted with two powerful engines hidden by the LTTE in the Vellamullivaikkal beach at Mullaitivu. Soldiers are seen digging out the weapons yesterday. Pix by Pradeep Dilrukshana

Body of TNA MP’s brother-in-law found

The body of the brother–in-law of TNA MP, Selvan Adekkalanathan has been found in the Nanu-Oya area. 

Sri Lanka a potential new target for US beef

The United States Meat Export Federation (USMEF) said that US should start to export wide range of American products, including U.S. beef to Sri Lanka, the US based beefmagazine reported.

CPC facing financial crisis: Susil

The Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC), which is facing a serious financial crisis, is re-considering whether to continue supplying fuel to the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) and Private Power Providers (PPP) if they do not settle at least a part of their bills, Petroleum Minister Susil Premjayantha said.

HR Commission to amend laws

The Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka (HRCSL) has decided to amend the Human Rights Commission Act empowering the Commission to file Contempt of Court cases before High Courts against the public officers who did not comply with the Commission’s recommendations

Govt responds to US statement at UPR

The Government, in response to the statement made by the United States at the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) in Geneva said today that they had completely acted within the provisions of the Constitution with regard to the impeachment against the Chief Justice.

Divi Neguma Bill: Govt. ready even for referendum

Economic Development Minister Basil Rajapaksa yesterday vowed to enact the Divi Neguma Bill even by placing it before the people at a referendum in case the Supreme Court had given such a determination.

Highway reopened

Lane towards Galle from Kottawa on the Southern Highway, which was closed due to an earth slip, reopened for traffic, Deputy Minister of Ports and Highways Nirmala Kotalawala said.

Private plane makes emergency landing at BIA

A private plane flying from South Africa to Singapore made an emergency landing at the Bandaranaike International Airport due to a technical fault in one of the engines this evening.