As high as a kite

A kite competition was held at the Galle Face with over 3000 students representing various age groups participating. The event drew a massive number of creative kites that were displayed with 25 winners being chosen by the organizers. Pix by Nisal Baduge

Rivals trying to oust me with global support- MR

Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa has blamed opposition parties of trying to engineer his downfall with international support saying his government “is being punished for ending terrorism”.

Video: Holi On The Beach: Splash some colour

The 2014 Holi On The Beach – Splash Some Colour event, was held at the Paradise Beach, Mount Lavinia Hotel amidst a large and enthusiastic gathering today. The colourful event presented by the Colombo Indians was spiced with beats of Bollywood music and extra-ordinary Indian cuisine. Pix by Kushan Pathiraja

Audio: SLMC disappointed over govt. action: Hakeem

Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC) Leader, Minister of Justice Rauf Hakeem said the SLMC was not only disappointed with some actions taken by the government but also strongly criticised it.

OIC's death: Two suspects arrested

The Criminal investigations Department (CID) yesterday arrested two main suspects over the death of late SP Prasad Siriwardena, the Officer in Charge (OIC) of the Borella Police at Thunnana , the Police said.

EU backing me on SL-Cameron

British Prime Minister David Cameron said that he had secured the ‘full backing of the European Union’ for the UK co-sponsored resolution on Sri Lanka next week at the UN Human Rights council session.

MR to brief Mahanayakes on Geneva session

President Mahinda Rajapaksa has accepted a meeting with Mahanayaka of the Malwathu Chapter Most Ven. Thibbatuwawe Sri Siddhartha Thera and Asgiriya Chapter Mahanayake Most Ven. Udugama Sri Buddha Rakkitha Thera to brief them on the ongoing Human Rights sessions in Geneva, the government announced.

Out...

Sri Lanka beat South Africa by five runs in an exciting finish to the group one Super-10 stage match in the World Twenty20 in Chittagong on Saturday. Sri Lanka won the toss and were lifted to 7-165 by Kusal Perera's 61 off 40 balls while Angelo Mathews made 43 off 32 deliveries at Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury stadium.Picture shows Kumar Sangakkara runs out David Miller in the last over.(Getty Images)

Clash at Richmond-Mahinda encounter

Police used tear gas to control a tense situation during the Richmond-Mahinda annual big match in Galle this evening, police said.Pictures

Army to probe video

Upon finding a Youtube video depicting a group female recruits being harassed by some female as well as male instructors, the Commander of the Army had ordered an investigation on March 04, the army announced today.

MDMK manifesto proposes to lift the ban on LTTE in India

India’s MDMK party, led by Vaiko has promised in its manifesto released on Saturday that it would lift the ban on LTTE in India and would work for holding of a referendum on creation of Eelam in Sri Lanka for Lankan Tamils, if it takes part in government formation after the Lok Sabha polls.

IPKF in SL figures in disappearance probe

The conduct of the Indian Peace Keeping Force (IPKF) in Sri Lanka figured in complaints received by a government commission probing disappearances during the country's civil war, a senior official said today.

Five Giriulla policemen including OIC interdicted

Five police officers including the officer-in-charge and the crimes OIC of the Giriulla police were interdicted on charges of having detained a suspect illegally for 30 days, police said.

Ven. Harispaththuwe Ariyawansalankara Thero passes away

President of the Amadyapa Movement, Ven.Dr. Harispaththuwe Ariyawansalankara Thero (74) of the Vipassana Meditation Centre, Colombo passed away at a private hospital after prolonged illness this morning.

US expresses concern on SL's arrest of HR activists

The United States expressed concern on Friday about the Sri Lankan government's arrest of two human rights activists this week and about an overall "deteriorating human rights situation" in the island nation.

EC bans propaganda via SMS and phone calls

Elections Commissioner Mahinda Deshapriya said today that propaganda messages transmitted via telephone calls and SMS were a contravention of election laws and service providers had been instructed not to send out such messages without the consent of the subscribers.

Marusira’s widow visits Bogambara

Among the thousands that visited Bogambara Prison after it was opened for public viewing was 70-year-old widow of notorious criminal ‘Maru Sira’ who was hanged at the Bogambara prison in the mid 70’s. Pix by J. A. L. Jayasinghe

MR rejects CBK’s allegations

President Mahinda Rajapaksa today rejected allegations made by former President Chandrika Kumaratunga that she was being monitored by state intelligence services.

India arrests three Lankans, including man wanted by Interpol

The Chennai police on Friday arrested three men in connection with a credit card scam. One of the arrested men is wanted by Interpol as the Sri Lankan police have issued a red corner notice against him.

The broken 'N'

The broken letter "N" of the word "BANK" is hung with a wire to the main signboard of Sri Lanka's Central Bank in Colombo today. Sri Lanka's central bank kept policy rates steady at multi-year lows on Friday, as expected, and said it hopes for a rebound in private sector credit growth, which fell 5.2 percent year-on-year in January from 7.5 percent a month ago. REUTERS

Schools in WP and SP closed on March 28

All schools in the Western and Southern Provinces will be closed on March 28 in view of the Provincial Council Elections, Education Ministry sources said.

Missing flight: Mystery deepened

Mystery of the missing Malaysian aircraft MH370 deepened as investigations into the latest claim of possible debris found off 1500 miles south west of Perth, Australia ran into a stone wall.

Video: Wigneswaran more dangerous than Prabha: Warnasinghe

UPFA Colombo district candidate Nishantha Sri Warnasinghe said today Northern Province Chief Minister C.V.Wigneswaran was more dangerous than LTTE leader Velupillai Prabhakaran.

France concerned

While claiming that it closely monitoring the human rights situation in Sri Lanka, France today said that it is concerned about the recent arrest in Sri Lanka of several human rights defenders who are recognized and respected for their actions in this area.

India to back UNHRC motion on SL-report

India will vote in favour of the resolution on Sri Lanka at the United Nations Human Rights Council, the UPA government is learnt to have decided in possibly its last major foreign policy decision. The vote is expected on March 28 in Geneva, The Indian Express reported today

Warning over number of war crime suspects living in UK

Official figures may significantly underestimate the number of suspected war criminals living in the UK, the ex-head of the Border Force has warned. Of the cases confirmed by the Home Office, suspects originated from countries including Afghanistan, Iran, Iraq, Libya, Rwanda, Serbia and Sri Lanka.

150th Police Heroes Day

A commemoration ceremony was held under the patronage of IGP N.K Illangakoon in front of the Commemorative Monument at the Police Field Force Headquarters to mark the 150th Police Heroes Day, which falls today. An Ayurvedic Medical Centre was also opened in view of the day. Pix by Kithsiri de Mel

An Indian, 3 Chinese nabbed for overstaying visa

An Indian and three Chinese were arrested yesterday on charges of having overstayed their visa and for having engaged in illegal trading, the Police said

China's request for entering Indian waters turned down

After objections raised by the defence forces, India today rejected China's request for permission to allow its four warships to enter Indian maritime zone to search for the missing Malaysian airliner

Julie Bishop stalls on UN call for SL war crimes inquiry

The Abbott government is resisting a push by its closest allies to establish a United Nations investigation into war crimes and human rights abuses in Sri Lanka, where Australia has returned more than 1100 failed asylum seekers in the past 18 months