Petition against website ban

A petition was handed over by the Professional Web Journalists Association in the presence of media rights groups and Opposition parliamentarians to the Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka (HRCSL) today against some websites being unofficially banned by the Government. Pix by Nasal Baduge

Date with Aishwarya will ease my trauma: Plaintiff

The man who claimed to have had a romantic relationship with popular Bollywood actress Aishwarya Rai had reportedly told his counsel that the mental distress he experienced following the actress’s marriage to Indian actor Abhishek Bachchan would be relieved if he received an opportunity to meet the Indian actress

Seeking justice

Undergraduates of Allied Health Sciences who protested against curtailing of the period of their studies today handed over a complaint to the Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka, urging action against the Police officers who they alleged “mercilessly” assaulted them while protesting. Pix by Samantha Perera

Ten trains cancelled: Control Room

Ten trains had been cancelled because of several locomotive engineers not reporting to work, the Railway Control Room said.

No-confidence motion defeated

As expected, the Government today defeated the no-confidence motion by a majority of 94 votes despite the absence of two of its alliance partners – the Jathika Hela Urumaya (JHU) and the National Freedom Front (NFF)

MR: Come and see

President Mahinda Rajapaksa and UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon met this afternoon on the sidelines of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia (CICA), Presidential Media unit said

3000 evade taxes: Commissioner

Action against 3000 cases of tax evasion had been taken during the first quarter of the year, Commissioner General of Sri Lanka Inland Revenue (SLIR) Mallika Samarasekara said

Dengue on the rise

Patients believed to be infected with Dengue, had been admitted to the Colombo South Teaching Hospital in large numbers, hospital sources said.

25 injured in bus collision

At least 25 passengers were injured when a CTB bus collided head on with a private bus at Panamura on the Embilipitiya-Panamura Road, a short while ago

Modi wants MR and neighbours at swearing in

India's next Prime Minister Narendra Modi wants to invite all governments heads of SAARC countries including Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa for his swearing-in ceremony on May 26. media reports said.

No-confidence motion: JHU absent

JHU will be absent during the vote on the no confidence motion against the government, the General Secretary of the Jathika Hela Urumaya Minister Patali Champika Ranawaka said at a press briefing held today.

Mubarak sentenced to three years in jail

Egypt's former president Hosni Mubarak has been sentenced to three years in prison for stealing public funds, in a case locally known as the "Presidential palaces case," three years after he was toppled by massive protests

14 Lankan fishermen arrested for violating fishing ban

Fourteen Sri Lankan fishermen were arrested by the Indian Coast Guard on Wednesday in Tamil Nadu for fishing near Kanniyakumari

Video: No-confidence: JVP to vote with UNP

The Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) would vote against the government in Parliament today on the no-confidence motion on failure to prevent the influx of narcotics is taken up, JVP MP Vijitha Herath said.

Two Lankans nabbed with 71 gold slabs

Two Sri Lankans were arrested this morning at the Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) attempting to smuggle in 71 gold slabs valued at Rs. 53.72 million, Customs Spokesman G.A. Leslie Gamini said

Body of a teacher found from School hostel

A 37-year-old male teacher at a school in Bambalapitiya had allegedly committed suicide by hanging himself inside the college hostel this morning, police said

BASL considers probe on police spokesman’s conduct

The Bar Association of Sri Lanka (BASL) is contemplating a probe on the professional conduct of Attorney-at-Law and police media spokesman, SSP Ajith Rohana

Blasts at market kill 118 in central Nigeria

At least 118 people were killed Tuesday in twin blasts at a market in the central Nigerian city of Jos, an official said, warning the toll could climb

Govt. hasn’t officially informed of non-cooperation: OHCHR

The High Commission for Human Rights (OHCHR) said it had not received any official communication from the Sri Lankan Government on the non-cooperation with the Commission of Inquiry investigating alleged violations of human rights and international humanitarian law by both sides during the final phase of the war

UNP renews call to prosecute KP

The main opposition United National Party (UNP) yesterday in Parliament renewed its call for the prosecution of LTTE’s chief weapons procurer Kumaran Pathmanathan alias KP or to hand him over to India for legal action for his alleged involvements in crimes committed there

Bar Association to file action against cops

The Bar Association of Sri Lanka (BASL) is to stand up for the rights of the university students who were assaulted while in police custody and to file contempt of court action against police officials, including a senior DIG, over the arrests and assaults

Law college age limit questioned in House

Sri Lanka Law College has stopped enrolling those with a Bachelor of Law degree from foreign universities or the Open University if they are above the age of 30 and this is a clear violation of the procedures governing the system, Parliament was informed today

New evidence on ‘White Flag’ incident - Sooka

New evidence has emerged on the contentious ‘white flag’ incident that cropped up during the final stage of the conflict, said Yasmin Sooka a human rights lawyer and former expert adviser on Sri Lanka to UN Secretary General

Video: SLTJ ordered to apologise to the Mahanayakes

The Colombo Fort Magistrate today asked the Secretary of the Sri Lanka Sri Lanka Thowheed Jamath (SLTJ) Organisation to apologise to the Mahanayakes of the three Chapters for making derogatory remarks on the Buddha.

UNP to field party candidate for presidency

The United National Party said today it was considering fielding a separate candidate from the UNP at the forthcoming presidential elections.

Video: Court orders…

Jathika Hela Urumaya (JHU) Parliamentarian Athureliya Rathana Thera is seen at the Colombo Magistrate’s Court today when a case against Sri Lanka Thawheed  Jamaad was taken up. Pix by Nisal Baduge

FUTA warns of token strike

University academics are urging the Government to appoint a high level committee to address undergraduate grievances and recommend apt solutions to their issues as one of their demands of the token strike planned for June 3

SL cricket team must go and play in Pakistan-MR

President Mahinda Rajapaksa on Tuesday said that Sri Lankan cricket team must go to Pakistan and play there

Alawwa blockade called off

The passengers who had been blocking the railway main line at Alawwa had called off their protest and let the trains move on the line, the Railway Control Room said

World's most expensive divorce costs £2.7bn

Russian billionaire Dmitry Rybolovlev has been ordered to pay about £2.7bn to his ex-wife in what could become the biggest divorce settlement in history.