The Wanni Security Forces Headquarters held its 15th commemoration ceremony on Saturday with the participation of Wanni Commander Boniface Perera. Special parades, religious activities and alms-giving were held.

The Mapila (Barnes Cat Snake) which was found inside the Opposition Leader’s office in the parliamentary complex ON Budget Day may have been dumped there by someone intending to harm him, UNP Badulla District parliamentarian Harin Fernando said

Five Russian naval ships of the Pacific Fleet arrived at the Port of Colombo today for replenishment and crews’ relaxation. The ships were welcomed by the Sri Lanka Navy in accordance with naval traditions on their arrival.

The Powerboat and Jet Ski events oraganised by the Lanka Powerboat Association was were worked out on the Beira Lake on Saturday and Sunday. Pix by Kushan Pathiraja

The Foreign Employment Bureau said today it was not responsible for the large number of Sri Lankans who are currently in custody in Malaysia on charges of having flouted their visa conditions.

A man stabbed his wife to death and then committed suicide by consuming poison in Sandunpura, Mattegoda this morning, police said.Pictures

Tamil Nadu Congress Committee (TNCC) president B.S. Gnanadesikan has said that the Centre was willing to depute its representatives at any time for the proposed dialogue between the fishermen associations of Sri Lanka and Tamil Nadu, suggested by Chi

Four prisoners of the Mahara Prison have escaped during heavy rains in the area last evening, prisons department spokesman Gamini Kulatunga said.

Norwegian Tamil poet and actor V.I.S Jeyapalan has been arrested in Sri Lanka for violating visa regulations

An almsgiving was held today at Ruwanwaliseya in Anuradhapura for 1000 kiri ammas to mark the birthday and assumption of duties by President Mahinda Rajapaksa. Pix by Presidential Media Unit

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa Jayaram today sought Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's intervention to secure immediate release of 80 fishermen detained by the Sri Lankan Navy

Deputy Economic Development Minister S.M.Chandrasena was sworn in as a Cabinet Minister for Special Projects before President Mahinda Rajapaksa in Anuradhapura a short while ago, the President’s Office said. Pictures

Four wild elephants including a baby elephant were electrocuted at Hadilla in Hambantota this morning. They had been killed when they came in contact with an unauthorized electric fence, police said. Pictures

Three female sex workers were arrested with three other managers for operating a mobile brothel using a three-wheeler by the Panadura-Walana Anti Vice Squad in Mt. Lavinia last night, police said.

The government yesterday presented a supplementary estimate seeking Parliamentary approval for supplementary allocations of over one billion rupees, spent on various activities related to the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM)

Colombo Municipality Land and Environmental Development Director Lalith Wickramaratne said yesterday that the Viharamahadevi Park which was closed last month for renovations is now opened for the public.

The Motor Traffic Department said  it had collected about Rs.250 million from the special vehicle registrations introduced recently.

Representatives of the Sri Lanka Sathwa Mithra Organization today visited the Dematagoda dog pound to ensure the safety of the dogs captured and detained before the CHOGM. It was earlier announced that the animals would be released today. Pix by Prad

The Tangalle Pradeshiya Sabha Chairman Sampath Vidanapathiranage and five others today pleaded not guilty before the Colombo High Court to the killing of British tourist Khuram Sheikh Zaman

Several Sinhalese, Tamil and Muslim citizens gathered in Colombo near the Dewatagaha Mosque today after  prayers and staged a protest against British Prime Minister David Cameron’s call for an international inquiry into alleged war crimes

The Sri Lanka Sathwa Mithuru Organisation visited the Dematagoda dog pound today to check on dogs that captured in parallel to the CHOGM. It was earlier announced that animals would be freed today. Pix by Pradeep Pathirana

British Government Parliamentarian Michael Fallon said that Arms exports to Sri Lanka have increased recently, as the British government has issued a number of licences for weapons and other equipment that will be used by maritime

Underscoring the fact that the 2014 budget had failed to encourage the export industry, which is vital for Sri Lanka’s development, the United National Party (UNP) said today it was basically a casino-friendly, anti-people budget

A protest was held at the Lipton Circus against the actions and statements made by British Prime Minister David Cameron while he was in the island to attend the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting. Pix by Pradeep Pathirana ???

The prices of used vehicles imported to the country would rise, as the government has changed the depreciation rates applied on customs duty on used vehicles in the 2014 budget, Vehicle Importers Association Chairman Mahinda Sarathchandra said

The 20-foot container containing four metric tonnes of red sandalwood was seized by Customs today. Pix by Kushan Pathiraja

The Customs said today that the import duty on gold has been reduced to 7.5 percent from 10 per cent

Customs seized four metric tonnes of red sandalwood worth some Rs.100 million. They were packed in 445 boxes and imported illegally from South India after being declared as sanitary ware

The Telecommunications Regulatory Commission said today the voice-call charges on both fixed and mobile phones would increase by 5% from January next year in keeping with the increase in the telecommunication levy as specified in the 2014 budget

India on Thursday questioned British Prime Minister David Cameron's style of addressing war crime allegations in Sri Lanka and averred that such style is counterproductive.