Sri Lankan President arrives in Qatar

President Mahinda Rajapaksa arrived at the Qatar International Airport  today  to attend the Doha Economic Forum. Two Sri Lankan children greeted the President by garlanding him.  Sri Lankan Ambassador to Qatar,  Jayantha  Palipana was among those who received the President.  Pix by Sudath Silva

President addressed the Doha Economic Conference

Sri Lanka which successfully countered terrorism that threatened the country for 30 years is now regaining its place as the centre of economic and trade activities, and today people going ahead and ready to confirm the peace and economic prosperity said President Mahinda Rajapaksa. 

Elated family…

Anoma Fonseka speaking to the media after visiting her husband at the Nawaloka hospital today, while her two daughters look on. Pix by Kushan Pathirajah

SF misled by US-Wimal

Minister Wimal Weerawansa said that the United States was also responsible for misleading former Army Commander Sarath Fonseka.

Helping hands

The Jathika Hela Urumaya (JHU) organized a ‘Ranaviru Sathkaraka’ programme at the Methsevana Ranaviru centr in, Attidiya where totally disabled soldiers are being looked after, providing them with all modern facilities. Seen here are disabled soldiers being fed by fellow soldiers. Pix by Pradeep Dilruckshana

Earth tremor felt in SL

An earth tremor was felt in Nuwara Eliya, Bandarawela, Badulla and Matara areas at around 2 am today, the Disaster Management Centre said. It also adviced the public not to panic.

MR signs SF's release paper

President Mahinda Rajapaksa signed the papers on the 18th evening and handed over the papers to Chief of Staff Gamini Senerath before leaving for Qatar to enable the release of Sarath Fonseka. Papers will be sent to the Ministry of Justice on Monday,  Presidential Spokesman Bandula Jayasekara said.

SLC says no knowledge of fixing

Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) on Saturday denied any knowledge of its player being accused of match fixing in the ongoing Indian Premier League. "No we are not aware of such an occurrence.

Victory Day parade

President Mahinda  Rajapaksa  inspecting the Victory Day parade at the Galle Face Green this morning as the nation celebrated the third anniversary of the deafeating of the LTTE, at a glittering ceremony. Pix by Shantha Ratnayake

MPs visit SF

UNP Deputy Leader Sajith Premadasa and several UNP parliamentarians visited the Nawaloka Hospital to see former Army commander Sarath Fonseka. Pix by Gayan Amarasekara

Love affair kills two

A soldier had shot the mother, Father and a twenty one year old girl from Katugastota after the girl had rejected the soldier’s plea to enter into a relationship with her. The mother and daughter were found dead on admission to the Thittajjala hospital.

We'll implement what is necessary- MR

President Mahinda  Rajapaksa  addressing the Victory Day pared at the Galle Face Green said that only agreeable recommendations in the LLRC Report will be implemented and that too not due to influence by anyone. (UPDATE)

Bookie claims he paid SL cricketer to fix IPL match

Bookie Sonu Yogendra Jalan alias Malad has told the crime branch that he paid Rs 10 crore to a Sri Lankan cricket player for fixing a match. He also mentioned that some Indian cricketers were also involved in match fixing, sources said.

Three policemen killed

Three policemen travelling on a motorcycle were killed when it collided with a lorry at Pannala in the early hours today, the police said.

Boat Show Sri Lanka 2012

South Asia’s largest international boat exhibition - Boat Show Sri Lanka 2012- organized by BTI, in association with the Sri Lanka Export Development Board got underway yesterday at the BMICH. The show will be on till May20.  Pix by Kushan Pathiraja

No suspicion in ruggerite’s death - police

Police said yesterday that there was no suspicion in the death of ruggerite WasimThajudeen as the government analyst in his report stated that Thajudeen’s car had caught fire when a spark from a metal piece in the chassis had grazed the road due to its excessive speed.

SL presents a ‘comprehensive’ plan-US

VIDEO- The United States says Sri Lanka has presented a ‘serious and comprehensive’ plan for reconciliation in the island nation, foreign media reports said.

More ex-Tigers join hunger strike

Another 100 ex-Tigers in remand prison today joined the hunger strike launched by 80 of their colleagues on Thursday demanding that the authorities either expedite their court cases which according to them had been dragging on for years or in the alternative to release them.

Oops it’s me…

Cartoonist Anjana Indrajith of the Lakbima newspaper held an exhibition at the National Art Gallery Colombo today, showcasing his cartoons that appeared in the newspaper. Picture shows UNP Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe apparently enjoying the cartoons depicting him. Pix by Indraratne Balasuriya

GL meets top Obama aid

Visiting External Affairs Minister Prof. G.L. Peiris, met with a top U.S. national security officials including a special assistant to U.S. President Barack Obama and also senior director of Multilateral Affairs on the staff of the National Security Council Samantha Power, the External Affairs Ministry said.

Credit should be shared by all-Arjuna

Parliamentarian Arjuna Ranatunga said today that the credit for the impending release of the former Army Commander Sarath Fonseka should go to the Sri Lankan people and the international community that had supported him during his imprisonment.

Reversing NSB-TFC deal

The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has granted approval to transfer The Finance shares to the sellers outside the trading system of the stock exchange, the SEC said in a statement.

Video: I am happy-Anoma

Anoma Fonseka the wife of the former Army commander Sarath Foneska said that she was happy to hear the court's decision about giving bail to her husband.

Video: Anoma elated

Anoma Fonseka speaking to the media outside the Colombo High Court this morning. A protest in support of Sarath Fonseka also held in front of the Colombo High Court. Pix by Pradeep K Pathirana

Fmr Student Union Sec. assaulted

Former Jaffna University Students Union secretary S. Dharshanthan was hospitalized after being assaulted by unknown persons at the Kaladdy junction in Jaffna this morning, police said.

Road closure for V day Parade

Several roads leading to the Galle Face will be closed from 5 am tomorrow due to the Victory Day Parade to be held at the Galle Face, the Police said.

SF granted bail in one case

Colombo High Court a short while ago granted conditional cash bail of Rs. one million with two sureties of Rs. 2.5 million each on former army commander Sarath Fonseka in the case of harbouring army deserters during the presidential election

Lawyers discussing Fonseka’s release: Anoma

Former Army Commander Sarath Fonseka’s wife Anoma said yesterday their lawyers were discussing the terms of her husband’s release after it was confirmed by President Mahinda Rajapaksa when she met him on Wednesday night

Lankan scholar attacked in India

A PhD scholar from Sri Lanka, who was pursuing her research at National Dairy Research Institute (NDRI), Karnal in India  was seriously injured on Thursday evening after she was attacked by a gang of unidentified youths

TNA divided over high command

The Tamil National Alliance (TNA) appears to be divided over its registration as a separate political party, after its ally ‘Ilankai Tamil Arasu Kachchi’ (ITAK) opposed the proposal by other parties to appoint a high command comprising representatives of all the parties in the alliance, informed sources said yesterday