SL Navy offers soft drinks, sweets to Indian fishermen

Indian fishermen from Tamil Nadu trawling near Katchatheevu were in for a big surprise today when Sri Lankan navalmen not only allowed them to fish but also offered them soft drinks and sweets.

Don’t ask for a presidential election till 2016 -MR

President Mahinda Rajapaksa told journalists that no presidential election would be held till 2016 at a meeting at D. A.Rajapaksa Maha Vidyalaya, Medamulana on March29.

Unfair to compare with previous results: UPFA

The ruling UPFA today said it was not fair to compare Saturday’s Provincial Council (PC) polls’ results with the 2009 results, to indicate that the UPFA had suffered a setback this time, UPFA’s election campaign manager Minister Dullas Alahapperuma said.

Anarkali could not make it

Anarkali Akarasha received only 8,843 preferential votes and ended up in the 18th place in the list of 20 candidates. She contested the election on the UPFA ticket from the Matara district, but could not get elected. However, she was elected to office from the Galle district in 2009 as a UPFA member.

Hashim adopts GL’s voter theory

Interpreting the results of Saturday’s Provincial Council Elections as a message given by the people for all opposition parties to form an alliance

Video: President’s downfall imminent: JVP

While being overjoyed at the results recorded at the two provincial council elections, after suffering setbacks for several years, JVP leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake today said the election results had dismantled the President’s power map planned for the next six years

JVP: President’s power plan dismantled

JVP leaders answering questions by journalists at a press conference at the party head office in Colombo today said that the election results had dismantled the President’s power map planned for the next six years.  Pix by Pradeep Dilrukshana

British driver dies on seeing victim

A British Sri Lankan who allegedly knocked down a man on the Puttalam-Kurunegala road on Saturday, suffered a cardiac arrest on seeing the hapless victim, and died.

Prisoners under treatment escape

A group of prisoners who had been referred to the Prisoner’s School at Wataraka has escaped custody. The Commissioner General of Prisons, Chandraratne Pallegama said

Hirunika tops list?

Hirunika Premachandra, Prasanna Ranathunga and Shan Wijeyalal have reportedly topped the preferential votes list in Colombo, Gampaha and Galle respectively.

Anarkalii, Nadeesha fail to secure seats

Unconfirmed reports said that the two leading actresses contesting the Southern Provincial Council elections, Anarkalii Akarsha and Nadeesha Hemamali have failed to secure seats.

Comfortable victory for UPFA

President Mahinda Rajapaksa led UPFA has secured a comfortable victory at yesterday’s Western and Southern Provincial Council elections with a majority of 388,977 votes in the SPC and 683,993 votes in the WPC.

Ranatunga tops in Gampaha

Former Western Province Chief Minister Prasanna Ranatunga, with 249,678 votes, has received the highest preference votes in the Gampaha District.

Pasada, Shan Wijayalal top in Matara, Galle

UPFA candidate Pasanda Yapa Abeywardana, the son of Investment Promotion Minister Lakshman Yapa Abeywardana, has topped the preference vote list from the Matara District and former Chief Minister of Southern Province Shan Wijayalal De Silva has received the highest number of preference votes in the Galle District.

UNP leads in Colombo area

UPFA wins Matara and Hambantota districts

The UPFA won the Matara and Hambantota districts by obtaining 231,102 and 174,687 votes respectively at the Provincial Council from the elections.

UPFA wins postal votes in Hambantota

The UPFA has secured the postal votes in the Hambantota district with 7,527 votes (64.2%) and UNP has secured the second place with 1761 votes (15%), in the Southern Provincial Council election, concluded this evening.

Video: Overall 55%-60% voter turnout: no major incidents

With an overall 55% to 60% voter turnout was reported from the just concluded Western and Southern Provincial Council election, People’s Action for Free and Fair Elections (PAFFREL) said.

Beruwala tense after UPFA-UNP clash

A tense situation is reported from Deenagoda in Beruwala during a clash between the supporters of UPFA and UNP this afternoon, police said.

US disappointed over India’s decision

The United States on Friday expressed disappointment over India abstaining from US-sponsored resolution against Sri Lanka at the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva.

35% voter turnout as at 12 noon

As at 12 noon about 30% to 35% voter turnout has been reported in the Western and Southern provinces, PAFFREL director Rohana Hettiarachchi said.

PC polls: 20% turnout so far

Declaring a voter turnout of 20% by 11 am today, election monitors said the election in the two provinces has been peaceful so far

Video: PC election begins

President Mahinda Rajapaksa is seen casting his vote at the Medamulana D.A. Rajapaksa Maha Vidyalaya this morning. The Elections to the Western and Southern provinces began today to elect 159 members to the two provinces. UPDATED

'Inam' scenes clipped after uproar in India

Following protests against the release and screening of Santosh Sivan’s Inam, five scenes that showed the humane side of Sinhalese soldiers as well as the loss of LTTE chief V Prabhakaran were clipped.

Accident in Warakapola claims 3 lives

Three persons were killed and another eight were seriously injured when a Colombo-bound intercity bus from Kandy collided head on with a tipper at Tholangamuwa in Warakapola last night.

It’s crunch time

Ballot boxes being loaded into buses parked outside Isipathana College to be transported under police protection to the polling booths in the districts. Pic by Kithsiri de Mel

Suspect detained in alleged sexual abuse case

Bambalapitiya Police today obtained a 48-hour detention order from the Colombo Magistrate Court to detain for further questioning, a suspect who was arrested for alleged sexual abuse on a German woman.

Congress downplays Chidambaram’s remark on Lanka issue

Congress today downplayed Finance Minister P Chidambaram’s remark that India should have supported the US-sponsored resolution against Sri Lanka.

Medical student knocked down by train

A 22-year-old female medical student was killed after she was knocked down by a train in Wellawatte, opposite the Ramakrishna Road this afternoon.

Video: Magampura Harbour

The Magampura Harbour had come alive with the arrival of a large consignment of vehicles. Pictured here some of the vehicles that have been unloaded from the ship. Pix by Pradeep Pathirana