Video: SF says his party prevented from campaigning

Democratic Party Leader Sarath Fonseka today complained to the Elections Commissioner that his party had been deprived of the right to engage in election campaigning PICTURES

US Ambassador at Gangaramaya temple

US Ambassador to Sri Lanka Michele J. Sisson today met the Gangaramaya Temple Chief Incumbent today, following a peaceful protest march by the Thera and others to hand over a letter to the Embassy on Saturday. Pix by Kushan Pathiraja

Cigarette: Pictorial warning passed

The government today enacted three regulations with the backing of the opposition, making it compulsory to have pictorial health warnings on cigarette packets, as a cost-effective way of increasing public awareness on the dangers of tobacco use

Video: Casino and gambling clothed in different words: JVP

The Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) today urged the government to reveal details of the Super Luxury Tourist Resort Facilities and Related Services mentioned in the gazette presented to parliament on Tuesday regarding the mix development projects.

Facebook 'love' ends in tragedy

A 19-year-old female student is alleged to have committed suicide at Pitigala in Elpitiya over a love affair that began through Facebook, Police said. The girl had created a Facebook account using a fake picture and used to start an affair with a youth.

Two Lankans nabbed over ATM card cloning syndicate

Police raided a condominium unit at the Axiss Soho, Taman Cempaka in Ampang at 8pm last night and detained two Sri Lankan nationals. They also seized 2270 fake international ATM cards

Kotalawala College Principal granted bail

The Principal of Sir John Kotalawala College in Kurunegala who was arrested yesterday was released on a Rs.25,000 cash bail and a Rs.500,000 surety by the Kurunegala Magistrate today, NCPA OIC said

NPC calls for direct flights to India from Palaly, Trinco

The Northern Provincial Council passed a resolution yesterday, calling for the commencement of direct flights from Palaly and Trincomalee to India

Video: Canadian court orders Prof.Gunaratna to pay damages

The Canadian Tamil Congress (CTC), which sued Sri Lanka-born terrorism expert Rohan Gunaratna for linking it to the LTTE, has been awarded $53,000 by a Canadian court, foreign media reports said ???

PVIC report handed over

The Political Victimisation Investigation Committee (PVIC) report was handed over to the UNP National Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe by Committee Chairman Manju Sri Arangala. Pix by Kithsiri De Mel

Video: TN govt to set free all Rajiv Gandhi killers

The Tamil Nadu government has decided to release three men and one woman convicted of killing former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi in 1991. The death sentence of the men was commuted to life in prison by the Supreme Court yesterday.

Buddhist monk remanded till Friday

The Buddhist monk, who attempted to commit suicide outside the Fort Railway Station yesterday over the government’s delay in banning cattle slaughter, was remanded till February 21 by the Colombo Fort Magistrate today

Six armed gangsters in police custody

Six armed gangsters were arrested in connection with the robbery of motorbikes and other household items in Gampaha, Veyangoda, Wallawa and Mahawa, police said

6,500 kilos of spoilt potatoes seized

About 6,500 kilograms of potatoes, which were not fit for human consumption, were seized from two shops in Colombo 2, by Public Health Inspectors assisted by the police

SA appoints Ramaphosa to deal SL issue

Adding more muscle to its role in Sri Lanka’s reconciliation process, South Africa has officially appointed Cyril Ramaphosa who headed the African National Congress (ANC) delegation that negotiated the end of apartheid with the white government in 1991

Threats had led to House TV feed cut: Speaker

Live telecasts of Parliament proceedings have been suspended by PEO TV Chief Executive Officer following threats he had received from certain persons against whom some MPs had made allegations during debates, Speaker Chamal Rajapaksa informed the House yesterday

A woman gold smuggler arrested

A 46-year-old Sri Lankan woman was arrested at the Katunayake Airport last evening while attempting to smuggle two gold biscuits worth Rs.2,980,000, Customs spokesman Leslie Gamini said

MR determined to save millions from tobacco menace: Carlo

Not withstanding the legal wrangling and other obstacles involving the enactment of Prevention of Tobacco and Alcohol Act, President Mahinda Rajapaksa was firmly determined to introduce amendments to the Act to save millions of Sri Lankans from the menace of tobacco and smoking – the young generation in particular – Prof. Carlo Fonseka said yesterday

Gammanpila apologises to Polls Chief

Colombo district UPFA chief candidate for the election to the Western Provincial Council Udaya Gammanpila said today that he apologised to Elections Commissioner Mahinda Deshapriya for the participation of Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa in the function to mark the launch of his election campaign.

Kotalawala principal arrested by NCPA

The principal of Sir John Kotalawala College, Kurunegala was arrested this evening by the National Child Protection Authority (NCPA) for allegedly scolding a girl over a facebook photo that led to her suicide, police said

Muzammil lashes out at Ravi

In an outburst following a challenge to an open debate on UNP MP Ravi Karunanayake, the Mayor of Colombo A.J.M Muzzamil today said that Mr. Karunanayake’s actions over the years had been detrimental to the party

Video: Sinhala Ravaya protest continues

The demonstration which was launched yesterday by the Sinhala Ravaya organisation outside the Fort Railway station against the cattle-slaughter continued for the second day today. A tense situation was also reported due to the protest. Pix by Pradeep Pathirana

Prisoner dies in Kalutara cell

A prisoner, convicted for two years imprisonment, had allegedly committed suicide in his cell at Kalutara prison early today, Police said

Video: Tense situ in Pettah

A tense situation is reported in Pettah outside the Fort Railway Station due to a protest staged by the Sinhala Ravaya organisation against cattle-slaughter blocking Olcott Mawatha???

BBS criticize US-led resolution

The Bodu Bala Sena Organisation today held a news conference in Colombo on the US-led resolution at Geneva and about the extremist groups in Sri Lanka. Pix by Pradeep Dilrukshana 

Chinese woman arrested with Marijuana

A Chinese woman was arrested today when she was found in possession four marijuana cigarettes, the Kandy Police Crimes Unit said

Mahinda Samarasinghe in the Geneva delegation

Minister Mahinda Samarasinghe, who is the President’s Special Envoy on Human Rights, has been included in the delegation to the UNHRC sessions in Geneva. The delegation will be headed by External Affairs Minister G.L. Peiris, the President’s Office said today.

MR congratulates new Nepali Premier

President Mahinda Rajapaksa had sent a message of congratulations to the newly elected Nepali Prime Minister Sushil Koirala, the Presidents Media Unit said

Negligence: Court wants JMO report

The Colombo Fort Magistrate today called for a report from the Judicial Medical Officer, following a death of a 73-year-old patient allegedly due to medical negligence at a leading hospital in Colombo

Oman deports Lankan family to UAE

A family of six, who fled the UAE and hid in Oman, after the family head committed a financial crime in Dubai, were later arrested by the Royal Oman Police (ROP) and then deported to Dubai in the first week of February, the Times of Oman reported