Sabitha, husband charged for criminal breach of trust

Charges had been filed before Colombo Additional Magistrate Chandima Liyanage against a popular actress and her husband for instructing a private bank to stop payment of a cheque valued at more than Rs 1.8 million, issued in connection with a construction project

Three UN experts urge SL to curb racial hatred

In a strong message issued to the Government of Sri Lanka today, three UN experts have called upon Sri Lanka to adopt immediate measures that will effectively curb the promotion of racial and faith-based hatred and bring perpetrators of religious and communal violence to justice.

Boozing in public not an offence: Magistrate

Pugoda Magistrate and Additional District Judge Ms. Indika Kalingawansa told courts today that people had the freedom to consume liquor in public

Video: Real culprit is not the BBS: JVP

The JVP today alleged that the real culprit behind the rising extremism in the country is the government and not the Bodu Bala Sena (BBS).

Passing out ceremony

A passing out ceremony was held today for thirty Tamil female soldiers who were recruited to the Sri Lankan army force. Pix by Romesh Madushanka

Video: CID records statement of Ven. Gnanasara Thera

The Crime Investigation Division (CID) is recording a statement from the General Secretary of Bodu Bala Sena (BBS), Ven. Galagodaatte Gnanasara Thera over the incidents that occurred in Aluthgama, police said.

Prisoners to be photographed

The Prison Commissioner Chandraratne Pallegama said today that steps were being made to attach a photograph of the prisoners to their personal file as stipulated by the Prisons Act.

Four Lankans arrested in TN

Four Sri Lankan Tamils, including two women, were arrested today after they arrived Rameswaram without proper documents in an illegal ferry, a senior police official said

Rajarata Uni closed indefinitely

The University of Rajarata has been closed until further notice, Vice Chancellor Ranjith Wijewardane said today.

SF sues his ex-media Sec.

The Democratic Party (DP) has filed a defamation case against its former Media Secretary Sanjeewa Samarasinghe demanding Rs. 500 million for allegedly making defamatory remarks on its Leader Sarath Fonseka.

Ven. Watareka Vijitha thera further remanded

Ven. Watareka Vijitha thera, who was in the remand custody for making a false statement and misleading the police, was further remanded till July 7 by the Panadura Magistrate today.

Iraq’s ISIS vows war against India

Ibrahim Awwad al-Badri, commander of the insurgent group Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS), has vowed war against several countries, including India, in a Ramzan speech released online late on Tuesday

Two children found dead in Yatiyantota

A father, who alleged to have murdered his daughter (7)and son (3), was arrested in Maliboda, Yatiyantota, this morning, Police said. They said that the bodies were found hanging in a line house in Maliboda.

Indians cannot fish near Katchatheevu: Centre

The Indian fishermen have no right to fish near Katchatheevu and are entitled to only dry their nets on the island; besides, almost all the attacks by the Lankan navy on Indian fishermen have taken place only in Sri Lankan waters, the Union government told the Madras high court on Tuesday.

Lankan kills himself

A Sri Lankan man reportedly ended his life inside his sponsor’s house in Sa’ad Al-Abdullah by swallowing a large quantity of pesticide, reports Alam Alyawm daily

SL Navy, denies receiving 153 Tamil asylum seekers from Australia

The Sri Lanka Navy denied media reports that the Australian government had handed over 153 Tamil asylum seekers (who had attempted to migrate to Australia illegally) to the Sri Lanka Navy a few weeks ago

Northern trains back on track

The train services on the Northern Railway line between Polgahawela and Pothuhera which came to a standstill last evening resumed today, the Railway Control Room said

Hotel owner remanded for swindling Britisher

A Hikkaduwa hotel owner who was arrested on charges of having swindling a Britisher of Rs.48 million after promising to get him several plots of land for cultivation was today ordered to be further remanded till July 15 by the Galle Additional Magistrate

Seventeen OICs appointed

New OICs (Officer in Charge) have been appointed to 17 vacant police stations by the Secretary of the Ministry of Law and Peace on service requirements, police said

Arrest us if we are guilty: BBS

Bodu Bala Sena (BBS) General Secretary Ven. Galagodaatte Gnanasara Thera today said the police could arrest him and other BBS members if they were the cause for Aluthgama riots and if the consequences of the riots could be mitigated by arresting them.

SL to launch observation satellite

Sri Lanka was in the process of designing, developing and launching of its own small earth observation satellite and the project would commence once the funds were allocated, Science and Technology Minister Patali Champika Ranawaka said.

Heavy falls expected

The Meteorology Department today predicted an increase in rain in the South-western parts of the country with heavy rainfall exceeding 100 mm at some places.

Night mails cancelled today

Trains leaving for Palai, Batticaloa and Trincomalee Stations from Colombo Fort and back will not operate today because a mail train had derailed on the Northern Railway line between Polgahawela and Pothuhera

Google shutting down Orkut

The departure of Google's senior VP of social, Vic Gundotra, earlier this year led to reports that Google intends to scale back its social network, Google+

Video: New Navy chief pledges to upgrade the Navy

Vice Admiral Jayantha Perera assumed duties yesterday as the 19th Commander of the Sri Lanka Navy and pledged to continue upgrading the 58,000 strong Naval force to face future maritime threats and protect the seas under Sri Lanka’s authority

Video: New Navy chief assumes duties

Vice Admiral Jayantha Perera assumed duties as the 19th Commander of the Sri Lanka Navy at the Naval Headquarters in Colombo this morning. Pix by Samantha Perera

Politics moving down the generations: SB’s son

There is a new trend in the field of politics where the sons of the politician fathers are given opportunities to enter politics. By proving this trend, Tharu Dissanayake, the son of Minister S. B. Dissanayake is getting ready to enter politics in the near future

I will change my old records: Malaka

Minister Mervyn Silva’s son Malaka Silva who is from Kelaniya had gone to Matara and organised a Dansala there. It aroused the curiosity of almost everybody. A journalist has asked him the reason for this sudden change

Probe will continue sans SL support-Panelist

One of the three international experts appointed to investigate into alleged human rights abuses in Sri Lanka, Asma Jahangir, expressed confidence in the inquiry's ability to deliver answers despite the Sri Lankan government's persistent refusal to cooperate

Security tightened in Kalmunai

Security has been tightened in the Kalmunai area following a clash between two factions in Sainthamaruthu, in Kalmunai last night after members of the Sri Lanka Thawheed Jamaath (SLTJ) reportedly opened a new Prayer centre in the area