‘Release our children’

Parents of youths taken into custody during a raid in the Borella area during a search operation carried out by the Police, lodged complaints against sixteen police stations at the Human Rights Commission today. They also urged the police to release them as they are innocent. Pic by Pradeep Dilruckshana

Govt violates UN Convention-JVP

Internally Displaced people (IDPs) who were originally living in the Mullathivu Coast and were engaged in fisheries as a livelihood have been resettled in an inland village Thimbili in the same district by violating the UN Convention on the status of refugees, JVP charged today.

Jehan Mubarak released on bail

Cricketer Jehan Mubarak, who was in police custody following a fatal accident in Chilaw, was released on personal bail of one million rupees by the Chilaw District Court a short while ago.

21 bailed after T20 watta arrest

A Colombo Additional Magistrate today released 21 people who were alleged to have been involved in heroin trafficking and criminal activities, on Rs 25.000 personal bail and at the same time remanding two suspects court ordered the aggrieved parties to complain to the police hierarchy on about six persons who had gone astray after arrest. (Pix by Pradeep Pathirana)

More thundershowers and heavy wind expected

The Meteorology Department said today that the country was experiencing heavy wind due to an inter-tropical convergence zone that had settled right over the country and that strong winds were also due to prevailing thunderstorms.

Only President can remove Mervyn-Basil

Minister of Economic Development Basil Rajapaksa said that Minister Mervyn Silva could be removed from the post of Kelaniya electoral organizer only by the leader of the party President Mahinda Rajapaksa and not by the Sri Lanka Freedom Party or the Central Committee.

SL president in South Korea

For a four-day official visit on an invitation extended by his South Korean counterpart, President Lee Myung-Bak, Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa and First Lady Shiranthi Rajapaksa arrived today (23) at Seoul Air Base in Seoul, South Korea. South Korea's Vice Foreign Minister Kim Sung-han welcomed President Rajapaksa on his arrival at the airport and two Sri Lankan children welcomed the First Lady. (Pix by Sudath Silva)

Boulder falls onto railway line

A massive boulder that rolled down Magalhanda hill between Beruwala and Maggona obstructed the railway line last morning. The train service on the southern coastal line was delayed for about one hour until the obstruction was cleared. (Pix by Sarath Siriwardene)

SL to take part in joint sea exercise

The Sri Lanka Coast Guard will take part in a sea exercise jointly conducted by Indian, Sri Lankan and Maldivian Coast Guards that is to be held in the seas off Male from today upto April 27, the Navy Headquarters said

SL Tamil leaders not for Eelam: Indian MP

Tamil leaders in Sri Lanka wanted a political solution to the ethnic problem within the framework of united Sri Lanka and no one raised the issue of a separate Tamil Eelam, said CPI(M) MP T.K. Rangarajan, who was part of the Indian Parliamentary delegation that toured Sri Lanka last week.

Singer Satish Perera passes away

A popular singer Satish Perera has passed away this morning at a private hospital, family sources said. The son of late musician Shelton Perera was 43, at the time of his death.

Major operation in east

A major search operation is underway in the eastern region in search of ex-LTTE cadres, who had not gone through government rehabilitation programs as well as cadres, who had returned from overseas, informed police sources said.

Police question Angela

Actress Angela Seneviratne has been questioned by Police Narcotics Bureau (PNB) officials for over four hours in connection with the parcel containing hashish which was addressed to her.

New Year Celebration in Prison

A large number of inmates of the Welikada prison today  participated in a New Year festivity which included a variety of traditional events. Picture shows, one of the inmates taking part in the fancy dress parade. Pic by Kushan Pathiraja

Two drown in Kiran

Two persons were drowned this evening in the Kiran-Thuriyadi River area when they lost balance while standing on a log, this happened while they were trying to take some photographs of the River.

May Day squabble in the UNP-Mervyn

Public Relations Minister Mervyn Silva today said that despite a large number of problems in the country, the main opposition UNP leaders squabbling with each other over the venue to hold the party’s May Day rally.

Video:Jehan Mubarak arrested

Former national cricketer Jehan Mubarak has been taken into custody following a fatal accident that killed one person at Maikkulam in Chilaw on the Chilaw-Colombo main road today, police said. PHOTOS

Elephant race

Elephant race is one of the several events that are included in the New Year festival held in Horana today. Pix by  Nimali Kahawala

NGO vehicle attacked

A vehicle belonging to a local officer of the Switzerland demining NGO in Vavuniya was extensively damaged following a petrol bomb attack last night, police said.

Siyambalapitiya denies involvement in robbery

Telecommunications and Information Minister Ranjith Siyambalapitiya in a letter to Police Chief N.K Illangakone has denied his involvement in the recent robbery at the National Museum.

Lankans hunger strike enters 6th day

More than ten inmates of the Sri Lankan refugee camp at Chengalpattu in Kancheepuram district in Tamil Nadu are on an indefinite hunger strike seeking a transfer to ‘open camps’.

2012 French Presidential Election

A man waits in line to cast his vote during the 2012 French Presidential Election, in Sydney April 22, 2012. France votes on Sunday in round one of a presidential vote, with a feeble economy that could make Nicolas Sarkozy the country's first president to lose a fight for re-election in more than 30 years. REUTERS

Talks with Rajapaksa 'fruitful': Congress MP

Terming as 'fruitful' talks with Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa on issues including devolution of powers to Tamil-speaking areas, a Congress MP, who was part of the parliamentary team that visited the island republic, yesterday said a report would be submitted to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

Tense situ in Dematagoda

Kumar encourages Ex-Tigers to join leftist politics

Frontline Socialist Party leader Kumar Gunaratnam said his party was encouraging former LTTE members to embrace leftist politics instead of racism.

Sanath, M’hettigama want ministerial posts

Shuttles meet nose-to-nose

Space Shuttles Enterprise, left, and Discovery meet nose-to-nose at the beginning of a transfer ceremony at the Smithsonian's Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center, in Chantilly, Virginia April 19, 2012. Space shuttle Discovery, the first orbiter retired from NASA’s shuttle fleet, completed 39 missions, spent 365 days in space, orbited the Earth 5,830 times, and traveled 148,221,675 miles will take the place of Enterprise at the center to commemo

Swaraj rebukes Jayalalitha

The opposition leader of India Sushma Swaraj rebuked Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalitha Jeyaram over the latter’s remarks about the visit by the Indian parliamentary delegation to Sri Lanka 

India very serious about political solution; Swaraj

The Indian parliamentary  delegation, upon conclusion of its visit to Sri Lanka , said that India is ‘very  serious’ about a political solution to the Tamil national question , and urged the government of Sri Lanka and the Tamil National Alliance to resume political dialogue  as early as possible. VIDEO

Angela denies allegations

Actress Angela Seneviratne yesterday denied the allegations saying that even she was unaware of such a thing, and therefore, disappointed about adverse media publicity given without verifying details. She said that she only knew it through some journalists.