News Today
A fishing vessel catches fire along Tangalle coastal belt; 5 fishermen injured
5 fishermen received injuries and were admitted to the Tangalle hospital after their vessel caught fire off the coast of Tangalle.

According to a Tangalle hospital spokesman, 4 fishermen among them have been transferred to Karapitiya Hospital for further treatment.

The vessel has ventured into sea from Tangalle coast last night to engage in fishing activities.

Police media spokesman SSP Ajith Rohana stated that a fire has erupted on the vessel due to a technical fault.

 
News Today
OIC chief to visit Sri Lanka
The head of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation Iyad Madani will visit Sri Lanka on an invitation from President Mahinda Rajapaksa.

Last month, the island’s ambassador, met Madani in Jeddah to discuss the program for the secretary general’s visit to Colombo.

The four-member delegation from the OIC is expected to chalk out the program in coordination with the ministry of External Affairs in Colombo.

 
News Today
OIC chief to visit Sri Lanka
The head of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation Iyad Madani will visit Sri Lanka on an invitation from President Mahinda Rajapaksa.

Last month, the island’s ambassador, met Madani in Jeddah to discuss the program for the secretary general’s visit to Colombo.

The four-member delegation from the OIC is expected to chalk out the program in coordination with the ministry of External Affairs in Colombo.

 
News Today
Trade deficit declines in first seven months
The Sri Lankan economy performed strongly during the second quarter of 2014 with a real GDP growth of 7.8 percent compared to the 7.6 percent in the first quarter of 2014.

The growth in the second quarter was led by robust performance in the Industry sector, while the Agriculture and Services sectors complemented the overall economic performance.

The growth of 7.7 percent in the first half of 2014 augurs well in meeting the expectations for the year.

The low inflation environment continued as inflation remained benign in August 2014 with year-on-year headline inflation at 3.5 percent and core inflation at 3.9 percent.

 
News Today
Hong Kong: Fresh clashes as pro-democracy protests spread
Thousands of pro-democracy protesters in Hong Kong defied fresh volleys of tear gas early on Monday as authorities tried to quell spreading unrest.

Overnight, riot police advanced on crowds who ignored official warnings that the demonstrations were illegal.

Protesters are angry at Chinese government plans to vet candidates in Hong Kong's 2017 elections.

Hong Kong's chief executive reassured the public that rumours the Chinese army might intervene were untrue.

 
News Today
TNA hopeful about new Tamil Nadu Chief Minister. Minister Wimal explains about the fate of the countries enemies
The TNA says that it is hopeful about new Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Panneer Selvam.

TNA MP Suresh Premachandran said that he hoped that the new chief minister too would continue the intervention which Jayalalithaa had offered on behalf of the Tamil community in the North.

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa was today held guilty in a disproportionate assets case.

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa has been sentenced to four years in jail after she was found guilty of corruption by a Bangalore court, where she was present for the verdict.

Meanwhile, Panneerselvam has been chosen to be Tamil Nadu's new chief minister; a day after J Jayalalithaa was convicted and sentenced over an 18-year-old corruption case by a Bangalore court.

Panneerselvam, a former chief minister, was elected as Jayalalithaa's successor at a meeting of AIADMK members in Chennai last afternoon.

However, Minister Wimal Weerawanse spoke about Jayalalitha’s stance against Sri lanka during a function held yesterday.

 
News Today
An operation to remove wasp nests
A special operation has been launched for the removal of wasp nests found in the vicinity of tea estates in Hatton – Dikoya, Norwood and Bagawantalaawa.

Nuwara Eliya District Secretary D. P. G. Kumaarasiri told our news team that the Wildlife Department and the District Secretariat had jointly launched this operation.

Throughout the past several weeks about four deaths caused by wasp attack had been reported.

The District Secretary points out that in addition a large number of persons have been hospitalized due to the wasp attack.

Wasps have used trees in the vicinity of tea estates to build their nests, as a result of felling of large trees in the area.

District Secretary D. P. G. Kumarasiri told our news team that in addition while the eagle population in the Nuwara Eliya District has also increased, the eagles engage in destroying wasp combs.

 
News Today
Palestinian leader accuses Israel of 'genocide'
Palestinian leader Mahmud Abbas accused Israel yesterday, of a "genocidal crime" in Gaza, telling the United Nations negotiations had failed and the time for Palestinian independence had come, drawing a sharp rebuke from Washington.

Abbas vowed to seek war crimes prosecutions against Israel over what he called the 50-day "war of genocide" in Gaza that killed 2,140 Palestinians, mostly civilians, and left the enclave in ruins.

The address angered the United States, which slammed it as "offensive," while Israeli Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman accused Abbas of waging "diplomatic terrorism" and making "false accusations."

 
News Today
Scholarship exam results likely to be released tomorrow
The results of the 2014 Grade 5 Scholarship examination are scheduled to be released tomorrow by the Department of Examinations.

The result will be made available online via the examination department’s official website – www.doenets.lk.

Approximately 335 thousand 585 students sat for the Grade 5 Scholarship exam held on August 17th.

 
News Today
President congratulates new Afghan Leader
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas says that he appreciates the commitments made by Sri Lankan president and people, towards the Palestinian people.

He expressed this view at a meeting held with President Mahinda Rajapaksa at New York last evening.

During the meeting the Palestinian president has informed President Mahinda Rajapaksa about the latest situation in Gaza.

The two leaders have conducted a lengthy discussion about the challenges faced by the residents in the region.

The 1 million US dollars worth financial assistance provided by Sri Lanka to Palestine was officially handed over during this occasion.

Meanwhile issuing a special message President Mahinda Rajapaksa extended his warm wishes to Dr. Ashraf Ghani Ahmadzai, on his election as the President of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan.

In his message the president said that the new President’s long association with the process of stabilization of Afghanistan and commitment to the democratic ethos will no doubt be a tremendous asset for Afghanistan.

The President further said that Sri Lanka and Afghanistan share the warmest of relations and are bound by a common cultural heritage, strong traditional bonds of friendship and mutual goodwill.

President Rajapaksa said he expects to work closely with the new Afghan Leader for the enhancement of relations between the two nations.

 


News Today
3 suspects arrested with gold worth 10 million rupees-Video
The airport customs arrested 3 persons for smuggling 2 kilograms of gold worth 10 million rupees.

The suspects who are residents of Mattakkuliya area attempted to smuggle the stock of gold out of the airport through a worker.

Being suspicious of the worker’s behavior, the security officers at the airport inspected him and found the stock of gold hidden skillfully on his body.

 

News Today
Sri lankan accused of Swiss murder due back in Auckland court
A Sri Lankan-born man arrested over a murder 14 years ago in Switzerland is due back in an Auckland court where he's expected to apply for bail.

The 42-year-old will appear in Auckland District Court today and his lawyer is expected to apply for continued name suppression and to get his client released from custody.

The man was arrested last month on behalf of the Swiss government, which wants to extradite him and charge him with murdering his former partner, 23-year-old Kavitha Kandiah.
 

 



News Today
NIA to seek custody of ISI suspect again
National Investigation Agency officials have planned to seek custody of suspected ISI agent Arun Selvarajan again since their six-day interrogation has not yielded anything substantial.

NIA officials said Selvarajan did not cooperate with the investigation officers.

NIA sleuths arrested Selvarajan on September 10th from a hideout in Chennai in connection with his suspected involvement with ISI agents Shaji and Siddiqui in Sri Lanka.

NIA officials had sought the special court's permission to interrogate Selvarajan in their custody last week and the court allowed six days custody.

 


News Today
Illegally imported cigarettes worth 280000 rupees in Aranayake seized
Police arrested a suspect and seized a stock of illegally imported cigarettes worth 280,000 rupees at Attaa-pitiya area in Aranaayake yesterday.

Police media spokesman’s office stated that the raid was conducted while the suspect was transporting the stock of cigarettes in a lorry.

 

News Today
China and Sri Lanka pledge to boost military cooperation
China said it is ready to boost "pragmatic cooperation" in various fields with the Sri Lankan military.

Xu Qiliang, Vice Chairman of China's Central Military Commission hailed the friendship between the two countries when Sri Lanka's Secretary of Defence and Urban Development Gotabhaya Rajapaksa called on him yesterday in Beijing.

Gotabaya Rajapaksa said that Sri Lanka will continue to enhance cooperation with China to advance military-to-military ties.
 


 

 

News Today
Thunder showers expected in most parts of the island
The meteorology department states that Due to an atmospheric disturbance over Sri Lanka, showers or thundershowers will occur over most parts of the island during the afternoon and night.

There may be temporary localized strong winds during thundershowers.

General public is kindly requested to take adequate precautions to minimize the damages caused by lightning activities.




 

 

News Today
Sri Lanka to provide medical specialists to Maldives
The government had given assurance to assist the Maldivian health sector in providing medical specialists to Maldives.

Briefing the local media on his recent visit to Sri Lanka, Maldivian President Abdulla Yameen said that Minister of Health had given assurance to provide medical specialists.

President Yameen visited Sri Lanka to attend the inauguration ceremony of the 8th General Assembly of the International Conference of Asian Political Parties at the invitation of President Mahinda Rajapaksa

 
News Today
Sri Lanka to provide medical specialists to Maldives
The government had given assurance to assist the Maldivian health sector in providing medical specialists to Maldives.

Briefing the local media on his recent visit to Sri Lanka, Maldivian President Abdulla Yameen said that Minister of Health had given assurance to provide medical specialists.

President Yameen visited Sri Lanka to attend the inauguration ceremony of the 8th General Assembly of the International Conference of Asian Political Parties at the invitation of President Mahinda Rajapaksa

 
News Today
Syria Kurds battle IS militants' advance as thousands flee
Kurdish militia fought to defend a key border town in northern Syria after 130,000 terrified residents fled to Turkey to escape an advance by the Islamic State group.

Amid calls for a US-led coalition to support the Kurds with warplanes, jihadists threatened to execute a Frenchman kidnapped on Sunday in Algeria unless France halts it air strikes.

 
News Today
Don't want a separate state; we asked only for self governance; ITAK tells SC-Video
The ITAK informed the Supreme Court yesterday that neither the ITAK nor the TNA aimed at a separate State within Sri Lanka as its goal.

They said so submitting their reply to the petitions put forward to the Supreme Court alleging that the TNA was trying to set up a separate State within Sri Lanka.

ITAK chairman Maavai Senaadiraajaa yesterday submitted this reply to the three-member Supreme Court bench headed by the Chief Justice.

The TNA had stated in the Northern Provincial Council election manifesto that the North and East people wanted a self-governance within a unitary Sri Lanka.

Similarl  the statement ITAK submitted to the Supreme Court says that the TNA and its leaders had attested several times that they espouse a federal solution to the country’s national problem.

 
News Today
UPFA has gained strength; Minister Susil-Video
After the results of the Uva Provincial Council election was released, the main political parties convened separate media briefings in Colombo this morning to explain their stand.

JVP Leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake told media that his party was able to secure the vote base in this election as well as they accomplished in the Southern and Western Provincial Council elections.

The UNP stated that the party has been given a clear strength in the Uva Provincial Council election to march forward.

UNP General Secretary MP Tissa Attanayake expressed his views during a media briefing held at the party headquarters at Sirikotha today.

Meanwhile the UPFA stated that it gained sufficient strength in all the recent Provincial Council elections including the Uva that ended yesterday.

UPFA General Secretary Minister Susil Premajayantha further described about the party strength to face any challenge at any national election in the future.

 
News Today
Harin Fernando tops preferential votes at Uva PC election-UVA PC Poll 2014
The chief minister candidate of United National Party, Harin Fernando has received the highest number of preferential votes at the Uva Provincial Council elections held Saturday.

Fernando topped the preferential votes securing 173 thousand 993 votes while Sashendra Rajapaksa from the ruling United People's Freedom Alliance came in second with 96 thousand 619 votes.

 
News Today
Rajapaksa regime now electorally vulnerable: UNP