Unity in opposition

Video: SF strikes note of caution

Democratic Party Leader Sarath Fonseka struck a note of caution for the common candidate to be picked this time, literally comparing it to the act of sending one to the gallows.

Send back Tamil refugees to SL: Wigneswaran

Visiting Sri Lankan Northern Province Chief Minister C V Wigneswaran today said India should take steps for sending back the about one lakh Tamil refugees in Tamil Nadu to counter the island government's “efforts” to push the ethnic community into a further minority.

Priyankara offers portfolio to Mangala

Civil Aviation Minister Piyankara Jayaratne said he would give his portfolio to UNP Parliamentarian Mangala Samaraweera if he returned to the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP).

Video: Parties agree on common candidate

Opposition party leaders today expressed their optimism on fielding a common candidate at an upcoming Presidential Election.

NFF denounce UNHR Chief’s statement

The National Freedom Front (NFF) today denounced the statement made by the United Nations Human Rights (UNHR) Chief criticising the Government of Sri Lanka (GOSL) for refusing to cooperate with the UN mandated investigation on alleged war crimes in Sri Lanka.

SL ranked 62nd in World Prosperity Index

Sri Lanka slipped down two notches to 62nd place in this year’s Prosperity Index prepared by Legatum Institute, which measures the well-being of country’s people and its wealth.

CCTV footage on robbery released

Police today released CCTV footage of a Rs.400,000 robbery of a hardware shop at the Watareka Junction  in Padukka yesterday.

SL to transfer TN fishermen on death row to India: Swamy

BJP Leader Subramanian Swamy on Monday said the five Tamil Nadu fishermen sentenced to death in Sri Lanka for drug smuggling would be transferred to an Indian prison, citing a telephonic discussion between Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa.

Vaiko making fishermen sentencing a political issue: BJP

BJP's Tamil Nadu unit hit out at MDMK chief Vaiko for making the incident of five Indian fishermen sentencing to death in Sri Lanka a political issue when the Centre was taking legal steps to get them released.

MR to announce presidential election on Nov. 19 or 20

President Mahinda Rajapaksa will declare, on either November 19 or 20, the holing of a snap presidential election, highly placed sources said yesterday.

Parties unite

The political parties, advocating a common candidate to oppose President Mahinda Rajapaksa at the Presidential Election, would sign the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) today covering seven elements that include the proposal for the abolition of the Executive Presidency, the Daily Mirror learns.

Mahinda - Modi on a phone chat

President Mahinda Rajapaksa and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi had engaged in a phone conversation last morning and discussed a slew of pending matters, highly placed sources told Daily Mirror.

Sangaree TNA spell fading

The Tamil United Liberation Front (TULF) leader V. Ananda Sangaree, who accused the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) of misleading the Tamil people, said today that the leader of the LTTE leader V. Prabhakaran could have become the Chief Minister of the Northern Province had his message (Mr.Sangaree) reached the people.

Govt. calls off Koslanda search operations

The government today called off the rescue and search operations at the Koslanda landslide site.  A decision was taken to hold a memorial for the dead and missing people. The landslide area will also be marked as a sanctuary, Government Information Department said.

Video: Prelates against Presidential system

A campaign to pressurise the President to abolish the Executive Presidency and implement the 19th Amendment would be launched by Venerable Maduluwawe Sobitha Thera and Jathika Hela Urumaya (JHU) President Venerable Athuraliye Ratana Thera on November 12 at a mass rally at the Muttaiah Park in Colombo, the prelates announced today.

State violence in SL continues: CM Wigneswaran

Chief Minister of Northern Province C V Wigneswaran today claimed "state violence" in Sri Lanka continued and the judiciary too played a role in foisting a second-class citizenship on Tamils.

Video: UNP to wait and see

The United National Party ( UNP ) was likely to file an objection, when the incumbent President Mahinda Rajapaksa hands in nomination for the Presidential Election, however it would not file any objections to the inquiry that had been initiated by him on the constitutionality of him contesting for a third time, the party said today.

War heroes commemoration

We must enhance the friendship with India-SL PM

India and Sri Lanka have the longest continuous historical link, and both nations have been culturally and historically very close “up to this day”, Sri Lankan Prime Minister D. M. Jayaratne said Manipal, in India on Saturday.

Groups seeks ban on SL cricket team

The Tamil Youths and Students Federation and three other groups have demanded that the Sri Lankan cricket team not be allowed to play in India. This is in protest against the recent death sentence on five Indian fishermen on charges of smuggling.

Rs 20L to challenge verdict on fishermen

The Tamil Nadu government on Saturday sent Rs 20 lakh to the Indian Embassy in Sri Lanka to conduct the cases challenging the death sentence awarded to five fishermen from Thangachimadam in Ramanathapuram district.

Rs. 59 mn gold seized at BIA

Custom officials arrested two Sri Lankans, including a woman with gold biscuits worth Rs.59 million while they were trying to smuggle gold into the country last evening at the Katunayake Bandaranaike International Airport.

MR congratulates Karu

President Mahinda Rajapaksa in a telephone call has wished UNP’s Karu Jayasuriya today following media reports that Mr.Jayasuriya had been nominated as the common presidential candidate.

DMK wants special TN Assembly session on SL

India’s DMK party on Friday urged Chief Minister O. Panneerselvam to convene a session of the Tamil Nadu Assembly to discuss important issues, including the death sentence awarded to five fishermen in Sri Lanka.

SL hits back at UNHRC chief

The Sri Lankan government today accused the UNHCHR Chief Prince Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein of challenging the right of a sovereign State to raise concern regarding procedural aspects of an Investigation.

Two brothers killed in Gandara

Two brothers aged 36 and 38 were killed after being assaulted with an axe at Nawadunna in Gandara last night, police said.

Two killed in motorbike accident

Two people aged 36 and 38 were killed in a motorbike accident in Sooriyawewa last evening, police said.

Al-Hussein slams govt.

UN Human Rights Chief Zeid Ra’ad Al-Hussein yesterday said the statements made by the government of Sri Lanka casting doubts on the integrity of the OHCHR (Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights) investigation on Sri Lanka (OISL) were an insult to the UN mandated investigation.

Back in Politics?

Former UNP Deputy Leader Karu Jayasuriya and former President Chandrika Kumaratungetoday met Ven. Maduluwawe Sobitha Thera for talks on selecting a common opposition candidate for the upcoming presidential election