Female suspect detained for attempted assault on Rohingya refugees

Officials from the Galkissa Police division have arrested a female person for attempting to assault the Rohingya refugees on September 26, in Mount Lavinia.

Police sources confirm that the female suspect was arrested earlier today (30), and handed over to the Colombo Crimes Division. 

It has been reported that the suspect is a 42 year old resident of

CPC in dire predicament due to CEB debt!

The Ceylon Electricity Board is in debt to the Ceylon Petroleum Corporation to the tune of Rs. 50 billion, according to CPC sources.

Due to the huge debt owed to the CPC by the CEB, the Petroleum Corporation has been compelled to take out a bank loan at an interest rate of 6% per annum, in order to cover their essential

Posters in Jaffna call for Hartal: Condemn those who protected Vidya's murderers

Posters appeared in the Jaffna town yesterday calling for a Hartal today demanding legal action against all those who attempted to protect the murderers of schoolgirl Sivaloganathan Vidya.

The posters carried pictures of State Minister Vijayakala

No cases against Gnanasara Thera

The Organised Crimes Prevention Division notified the Colombo Chief Magistrates Court yesterday (29) that no charges would be filed against Ven. Gnanasara Thera with regard to making statements that incite racial disharmony.

Making a request from courts the Organised Crimes Prevention

Activists banned from conducting protest in front of Boossa detention camp

The Galle court issued an order preventing any party from conducting protests before the Boossa detention camp against the Rohingya refugees.

The Rohingya refugees were transferred to the Boossa detention camp on September 26, after a group of radical monks and a large

Warrant for Selacine ex-chairman’s arrest

An open warrant has been issued for the arrest of former Selacine chairman Pradeep Udayakumar Edirisinghe, a closest friend of MP Namal Rajapaksa.

Presently living in England, Edirisinghe is facing court action over the alleged misuse of Rs. 120 million of money belonging to

Sri Lanka-Pakistan First Test At Lahore: Chandimal's Laboured Ton Keeps Sri Lanka Ahead

Sri Lanka fans had hoped their team would suck less in this series than they had against India, but not even the most optimistic would have thought Sri Lanka would fail to suck for quite this length of time. They have put together seven good hours of batting now, going to lunch at 322 for 5, having suffered only one setback in this session, and two in all the previous day. With the pitch beginning to

Ranga Kalansuriya resigns!

Renowned journalist Dr. Ranga Kalansuriya has resigned from his post as the Director General of the Government Information Department, today (29).

He had notified the President, Prime Minister and the Finance and Media Minister regarding his resignation.

Kalansuriya had accepted the appointment on the request of the

Travis Sinniah to have shortest tenure?

The president has extended the tenure of Navy commander Rear Admiral Travis Sinniah by just one month, to the surprise of the defence establishment.

He assumed duties on 22 August and reached 55 years of age on 26 September.

The tenure given him expires on 26 October.

All his predecessors since 1973 had remained in the job for at least one year, with the most immediate

Sri Lanka threatened by British MP in Geneva

If Sri Lanka fails to implement the Geneva proposal regarding war crimes allegations, Sri Lanka would be reported to the United Nations Security Council in 2019, warned British MP Paul Scully at the UNHRC yesterday (28).

He charged that Sri Lanka has so far not taken measures to implement the Geneva proposal.

Maithri to remain as president until 2025?

Leaders of several political parties have discussed giving special powers to president Maithripala Sirisena and enabling him to remain in his position until 2025, ‘Ravaya’ reports.

They also discussed reaching an agreement on abolishing the executive presidency and not harming the SLFP.

Since president Sirisena completes his tenure on 09 January 2020,

A main reason behind protest against Myanmar refugees!

The policeman suspended for having sexually-abused a refugee from Myanmar while under UN care has planned a public uprising in order to remove the evidence against him, the Sri Lanka Human Rights Centre claims.

The CHR questions the secretary to the ministry of law and order as

Uma Oya project: MR says damage done minimal if measures were taken

Former President Mahinda Rajapaksa said today that the Uma Oya project was started on a proposal submitted in 2005 by the then Minister of Agriculture Anura Kumara Dissanayake, though his party has now decided to jump on the present government's bandwagon in blaming his government for the negative consequences of the project.

In a statement, he said the first water seepage had only taken place

Thajudeen Murder: AGs Dept. Informs Court Calls From President’s House Have Been Revealed

The Attorney General’s Department today informed Court that the calls made from the President’s House on the night of the Thajudeen murder have been revealed.

Several calls were alleged to have been made from the Presidential

Sarath N. Silva files petition against PC Elections Bill

Former Chief Justice Sarath N. Silva today filed a petition challenging the legality of the Provincial Council Elections Amendment Bill, which was recently passed in Parliament.

Ada Derana court correspondent said that the former CJ had filed

Sri Lanka Great Kumar Sangakkara Says Farewell To First-Class Cricket: Will Continue To Play Overseas T20 Leagues In 2018.

Ex-Sri Lanka captain Kumar Sangakkara says he will miss cricket "terribly" but believes he is retiring from the first-class game at the right time.

Sangakkara, 39, made 35 not out in his final first-class innings for Surrey against Lancashire on Wednesday.

He is fifth on the list of all-time run scorers in Test cricket, with

Appeal to be filed against Vidya case verdict

The convicts in the Sivaloganathan Vidya rape and murder case will file an appeal within 14 days, according to their lawyer.

Lawyer Mahinda Jayawardena was speaking to the media after the three-member trial-at-bar found the seven accused guilty and

‘Listening’ can prevent suicides

A person dejected with life can be prevented from committing suicide by listening to that person, says ‘Sumithrayo,’ a charity involved in helping such persons.

A social dialogue is on with regard to suicides after a boxer, policeman and an actor, all youths, took their own lives in the past

Medical Faculty deans to discuss transferring SAITM to SLIIT

The deans of eight medical faculties are to meet today (28) at the Sri Lanka Medical Council (SLMC) to explore the feasibility of transferring the ownership of the South Asia Institute of Technology and Medicine (SAITM) to Sri Lanka Institute of Information Technology (SLIIT) based on the restructuring module

UNHCR On Attack On Rohingya Refugees in Sri Lanka: ‘Alarmed And Concerned By Incident’

The United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR), in a statement released today said it was ‘alarmed and concerned’ by the incident yesterday in which a mob led by monks attacked a safe house in which Rohingya refugees were being housed.

‘The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) is alarmed and concerned by the incident at a refugee shelter housing

State hospitals too, to have IVF facilities

State run hospitals will start providing in vitro fertilization facilities for couples, the health ministry has decided.

The first to be equipped with IVF facilities will be the maternity

Prices of food and beverages to go up

The Association of Sri Lanka Restaurant Owners says that the maximum retail prices of certain food items and beverages will increase, in line with the recent hike of LP gas cylinder prices.

Accordingly the price of a cup of Plain Tea will be increased to Rs 20 while the price of a cup of Milk Tea will be increased to Rs 40.

Meanwhile the price of a packet of lunch (fish) will be increased to

Delivering of Vidya murder Verdict commences!

The announcement of the verdict in the Vidya murder in Jaffna, commenced a short while ago, the Jaffna high Court sources revealed.

The 332 page verdict is currently being delivered by the Vavuniya High Court Judge Balendra Shashi Mahendran.


Wife reveals reason for suicide of Tele drama actor

The wife of the Tele drama actor giving evidence at the inquest held, said that her husband was having an affair with a another woman and due to an issue that had developed among the two, her husband had allegedly committed suicide.

The deceased identified as Dasun Nishan De Silva (29) a popular Tele drama actor had been a resident at 30/2 Kanthota, Nittambuwa.

The wife in her evidence stated that they were married two and half years ago, but the husband had postponed taking her to his place. In

Worms removed from bodies of humans in Dambulla

In Dambulla, worms had been discovered in the bodies of about twenty residents, and they had been removed by specialist doctors of the Dambulla base hospital.

The worms removed from various parts of bodies of humans are said to be three to five inches in length. In two small children these

No foreigner can be given Sri Lankan citizenship

No foreigner been granted permanent Sri Lankan citizenship in recent history, says the Sri Lanka Human Rights Centre, noting that there are no laws to allow it either.

CHR executive director Rajith Keerthi Tennakoon is issuing a statement over the controversy surrounding 30 Rohingya Muslims,

‘Pindapatha’ stopped, money to be used for welfare work

The joint opposition sponsored ‘Pindapatha’ programme was suspended after former presidential secretary Lalith Weeratunga and Anusha Palpita the former director general of the Telecommunications Regulatory Commission (TRC) had refused to accept money collected in this manner, Ven. Medagoda Abhyatissa Thera said today.

Several monks went on ‘Pindapata’ in Colombo and Kiribathgoda

Detained Rohingya refugees transferred under Police protection

The group of 30 Rohingya refugees, who were detained at a house of UNHRC in Mount Lavinia, had been taken into the Police custody for their protection, Police Spokesman SP Ruwan Gunasekara said.

He said the refugees who were apprehended by the Sri Lanka Coast

JO to ask for opposition leader position!

Leaders in the joint opposition are due to meet at 5.30 pm today (26) to discuss the opposition leader position.

MPs in the JO have asked that the speaker be requested to grant the position to the JO, ‘Mawbima’ reports quoting JO a spokesman.

SLFPers in the JO had previously decided not to seek the position,

Probe on into ‘Saree fall’ harassment

The National Child Protection Authority is investigating a complaint of harassment of 250 schoolchildren by using them to hold a three km long Saree fall of the bride during a wedding ceremony at Gannoruwa in Kandy.

In a statement, the NCPA said it would first be looked into if this

Sri Lanka To Take Action To Control Coconut Price: Black Marketeers Caught Selling At Exorbitant Rates

Sri Lanka will bring in a permanent price index to control the price of coconuts after several black marketeers have been caught selling coconuts at exorbitant rates, a local media report said Monday.

The Coconut Cultivation Board (CCB) Chairman Kapila

Indian boats bested by Travis' security measures

The Sri Lanka Navy commander - Vice Admiral Travis Sinnaiah's birthday falls today (26).

He was sworn in as the 21st Navy commander of Sri Lanka on August 18.

IMG 5933Under his leadership, the SLN has managed to control

Popular actor Dasun commits suicide

Popular actor and model Dasun Nishan has committed suicide by hanging himself 

He was married and has contributed greatly to many visual compilations.

Dasun had committed suicide in a room where he was boarded in

Domestic gas cylinder price increased

The price of a 12.5kg cylinder of domestic LP gas will be increased by Rs.110 from midnight yesterday(25).

According to Gas companies, the price increase has been carried out in line with the increase in liquid petroleum (LP) gas process in

37,000 women as housemaids to Middle East

The Bureau of Foreign Employment says 37,002 women had left in the first eight months of this year to serve as housemaids in Middle Eastern countries.

Quoting latest statistics by the Bureau, BBC Sandeshaya says the figures for the years 2015 and 2016 stood at 73,226 and 65,023 respectively.

The figure will decline further for the whole of 2017, the Bureau says.

Subject minister Thalatha Athukorale has said she aimed to send fewer women as housemaids, and encourage them to take up jobs with high earnings.

The country can earn more income by sending skilled workers, she has said.

In 2015, the number of women who went for jobs overseas as skilled workers stood at 17,429 and the following year, the figure was 17,495.

Statistics show there will be no big increase this year as well, with 11,372 female skilled workers taking up foreign jobs so far.

Of the 141,725 Sri Lankans who went for overseas jobs this year, 48,374 were women.

Most went to Qatar

Most of them took up employment in Qatar, a change from 2016 when the highest number went to Saudi Arabia.

The western province sent the highest number of workers (64,901), while the Uva province recorded the least number, 7,305.

All these figures relate to those who had gone overseas after registration with the Bureau only.

Some go on tourist visas to do jobs, and they are not included.

The Bureau believes nearly 1.7 million Sri Lankans work overseas.

more>>>
http://www.srilankamirror.com/news/5052-37-000-women-as-housemaids-to-middle-east



Mental assessment report required for driving license.


In obtaining a driving license in addition to the medical fitness certificate, applicants will also soon be required to submit a mental health certificate, said the Chairman of the National Council for Road Safety (NCRS), Dr. Sisira Kodagoda.

He said this measure was being taken due to the rising number of

Lalith Jayasinghe arrested, for safeguarding Choka Malli

Former Senior DIG Lalith Jayasinghe, who was summoned to the Police Special Investigations Unit was arrested a short while ago, according to police sources.

He was arrested for having pressured senior police officers to omit  the name of the main suspect former Deputy Minister Premalal

Water Board questioned over pipeline laying project!

The National Water Board has offered a contract to lay 170 kms of pipelines that will cost Rs. 500 million more than the estimated expenditure, reports say.

The Auditor General’s Department has asked for explanations from

‘Coconut price control, a hoax’

The Coconut Cultivation Board says the maximum retail price of a coconut should be Rs. 75.

Selling coconuts in excess of this price is a punishable offence, says the Board’s chairman Kapila Yakandawala.

However, consumers say the price of a coconut in Colombo and

Smaller & electric cars to be cheaper after budget?

The government is likely to reduce the prohibitive taxes on small cars and offer greater incentives for electric vehicles in the first budget to be unveiled by minister Mangala Samaraweera in November.
Minister Samaraweera has already promised a "leaner, greener" budget ahead of possible local council elections that could be held

304 young lovers arrested from A’pura parks

Police have arrested 304 young lovers during a raid at River Park and Nature Park, both run by Anuradhapura Municipal Council.

They were taken to the Anuradhapura headquarters police in two buses and strongly reprimanded before being released.

All these youths had gone to the parks after lying to their parents

Joseph to be replaced with Kavinga (video)

The UNP has decided to replace ex-minister Joseph Michael Perera, its organizer for Ja-Ela electorate, with Gampaha district MP Kavinga Jayawardena, reports say.

Senior vice president of the UNP Ravi Karunanayake is leading

Rs. 70 a day for children with hearing impairments!

A mere Rs. 70 a day allowance is given for those who show exceptional abilities at schools for children with hearing impairments, according to their parents.

The allowance is wholly inadequate to serve the daily requirements

ICC launches corruption probe in Sri Lanka

The ICC has confirmed its Anti-Corruption Unit (ACU) has opened an investigation in Sri Lanka, less than 48 hours after 40 top cricketers petitioned Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) to launch an inquiry into corruption allegations.

On Friday, SLC confirmed it had received a letter signed by

President meets UN Secretary General

President Maithripala Sirisena met with the Secretary General of the United Nations Antonio Gutterres yesterday (23), where the Secretary General expressed the willingness of the UN to provide assistance to the reconciliation program in Sri Lanka.

Antonio Gutterres stated that the UN will provide its fullest support

Minister Aluwihare’s good governance surpasses Maithri!

State Agriculture Minister Wasantha Aluwihare has removed the Director of the Hector Kobbekaduwa Agrarian Research Institute Dharmasena Haputhanthri from his position.

However, it is said that the State Minister does not have the

Two investigation reports on Central – South highways!

Two investigation reports with regard to the Central and Southern highways will be presented to the COPE Committee shortly, said its Chairman MP Sunil Handunnetti.

He said investigations have already commenced and it would reveal any fraud or corruption that had taken place or is currently taking

Two cricket clubs initiate legal action!

The Cricket Board had accused the Panadura sports club and Kalutara PCC club and players of both clubs of match fixing in order to obtain the bonus points in the first division cricket match and punishment given to both clubs and its players, has now got the Cricket Board in a loop.

A special commission was appointed and after seven months of