Mahela to join Sanga in T20 retirement

Sri Lankan cricketer Mahela Jayawardene will retire from Twenty20 international at the end of ICC World T20 2014 event, along with Kumar Sangakkara, International Cricket Council’s (ICC) announced the news on Twitter on Monday.

OIC Siriwardena promoted

The late Chief Inspector Prasad Siriwardena, the Officer in Charge (OIC) of the Borella Police had been promoted to the rank of Superintendent of Police (SP) posthumously on the recommendation of IGP N.K Illangakoon, the Police said.

Video: TN fishermen repatriates from SL

The Sri Lanka Navy assisted in the repatriation of 116 Indian fishermen at Kankesanthurai Harbor today, who were held in Sri Lankan prisons and released a couple of days ago for illegally crossing the border. Pix by Pradeep Pathirana

Two teachers, student of Bandaranayake College arrested

Two teachers and one student of the Bandaranayake College, Gampaha had been arrested in connection with the unrest that took place in the school two weeks ago, Police sources said.

Mercy passes away; but memories will live on

‘Made Lagina Tharawan Nawannada Mang – Uru Delen Mona Gajamuthu Aragannada Mang’. This song will no doubt remind you of the actress Mercy Edirisinghe who sang and played the lead role in the Tharawo Igilethi stage play which became immensely popular.

Veteran cinematographer Gafoor no more

Veteran, award winning cinematographer and film director M. A. Gafoor passed away this morning and his funeral will take place at the Thihariya Muslim Burial Grounds this evening at 4 pm.

Crimeans vote over 90 percent to quit Ukraine for Russia

Russian state media said Crimeans voted overwhelmingly to break with Ukraine and join Russia on Sunday, as Kiev accused Moscow of pouring forces into the peninsula and warned separatist leaders "the ground will burn under their feet".

Video: Hailing St. Anthony in Kachchathhewu

Sri Lankan Roman Catholic devotees join the annual pilgrimage at the Saint Anthony's Church of Sri Lanka's northern waters of Katchchativu in Jaffna today. More than thousand  of Indians joined thousands of Sri Lankan pilgrims for the annual festivities, which were held after a decade. Pix by pradeep pathirana

Another ‘rubber factory’ unrest

An elderly woman seems to be reasoning with Police personnel after a protest was quelled following unrest due to a factory situated in the Hanwella area. A Police officer was killed after a tree was allegedly felled by the protsters while he was walking in the area, according to the Police. Pix by Kushan Pathiraja

Video: CID to investigate Hanwella unrest

The Police said the CID had taken over the investigations in to the incident of Hanwella unrest where an OIC was injured and died.

Polling card distribution programme

A special polling card distribution programme was conducted by the Central Postal Exchange today. Pix by Kushan Pathiraja

Bookies offer second-best odds to SL, India to win T20

An online betting forum has tipped Sri Lanka and India at odds of six dollars to win the World Twenty20, while Australia is tipped even lower at odds of 4.25 dollars for claiming their first Twenty20 title

Borella OIC succumbs to injuries

Borella Police OIC Prasad Siriwardhana who was admitted to the Avissawella Hospital following a mishap during a stand off in Hanwella, succumbed to his injuries a while ago, the Police said

Sanjeewa Kaviratne passes away

UNP Central Provincial Council member and UNP Dambulla Organiser Sanjeewa Kaviratne has passed away a short while ago

Medin Poya today

Devotees gathered today at the Gangaramaya Temple, Colombo and engaged in religious observances to mark the Medin Poya Day. Pix by Nisal Baduge

India to release 25 SL fishermen

Twenty-five Sri Lankan fishermen arrested for poaching off Nagapattinam and remanded in judicial custody were ordered to be released by the Tamil Nadu State government yesterday

OIC hospitalised: Hanwella calm

The Borella Police OIC had been admitted to the Avissawella Hospital following a mishap during a stand off in in Hanwella, the Police said

A sight to behold

A chariot containing images of gods moves through the large crowd that had gathered to witness the Kochchikade Sri Ponnambalavaneswara Devasthanam Festival this morning. This could be considered one of the most colourful and attractive Hindu rituals to be witnessed in the City of Colombo. Pix by Kushan Pathiraja

Hanwella tense as police fire tear gas

Police have fired water cannon and tear gas to disperse hundreds of people protesting against a factory in Hanwella, police said.

Going on the extension

President Mahinda Rajapaksa was seen greeting to the people as MP Namal Rajapaksa drives the vehicle on the stretch of Galle -Matara on the Southern Expressway at its opening yesterday. Pix by Presidential Media

SL puts its No.1 T20 ranking on the line

Sri Lanka will start the ICC World Twenty20 Bangladesh, which runs from 16 March to 6 April, as the number-one ranked side on the Reliance ICC T20I Team Rankings Table, the ICC said.

Galle-Matara stretch of southern expressway opened

The Pinnaduwa (Galle) to Godagama (Matara) stretch of the Southern expressway was declared open by President Mahinda Rajapaksa a short while ago.

Youth killed in Jaffna big match clash

An old boy of St. Patrick’s College, Jaffna was killed in a clash between old boys of his school and Jaffna College today, during the annual one day Cricket encounter of the two schools, police said

Next round of fishermen talks on March 25

The Tamil Nadu State government has fixed March 25 as the date for the next round of fishermen-level talks to be held in Colombo

Woman arrested for harbouring LTTE suspect

A woman had been arrested in Kilinochchi on charges of harbouring an LTTE suspect, who was absconding after shooting a police Sub Inspector, the Police said

Diversion of MH370 was deliberate: Malaysian PM

The Malaysian Prime Minister said investigators now know that the missing Malaysian airliner’s communications were deliberately disabled and that it turned back from its flight to Beijing and flew across Malaysia

SL donates 50,000 tons of rice to WFP

Sri Lanka yesterday donated 50,000 metric tons of rice to the World Food Program (WFP) for free supply to 10 countries in Central Africa and South Asia

Be alert as Mervyn has opened his mouth-Hakeem

Sri Lanka Muslim Congress ( SLMC) Leader and Minister Rauff Hakeem cautioned media personnel to keep an eye on their camera equipment because Minister Mervyn Silva, who is the Kelaniya SLFP Organiser, has now begun talking after remaining silent for some time.

Mother tongue, religion, history compulsory in int’l schools

The Cabinet has endorsed a proposal to teach the mother tongue, religion and history as compulsory subjects for local students from next year at private and international schools operating in the country, a minister said yesterday.

Police, army teams to arrest LTTE suspect who shot SI

Police said the suspect who fled after shooting a Police officer in Kilinochchi was a former LTTE cadre who is suspected to have been involved in terrorist activities and several crimes against the state.