newslanka.org

The newly formed United Peoples Freedom Alliance (UPFA) government is
to table a motion seeking the extension of the State of Emergency for
another month when the parliament meets on May 4. Mr. D. M. Jayaratne,
the new Prime Minister, will move the motion as his first official duty
amid reports in political circles that the new government is
contemplating [...]

Apr 28, Colombo: Sri Lanka is to gift a sapling of the most sacred Sri Maha Bodhi tree in Anuradhapura to India to mark the 2600th anniversary of Buddha Jayanthi.

Apr 28, Colombo: The newly appointed Prime Minster D.M.Jayaratne assumed his duties as the 14th prime minister of independent Sri Lanka at an auspicious time this morning amid religious observances.

Apr 28, Thimpu: Sri Lankan Foreign Minister Prof. G.L. Peiris and his Indian counterpart External Affairs Minister S.M. Krishna met in Thimpu on Tuesday.

Apr 28, Thimpu: Sri Lanka President Mahinda Rajapaksa today told the leaders of the South Asian nations that the SAARC, regional organization cannot progress in isolation and called to strengthen the means for practical engagement with the SAARC Observer States and with selected International Organisations in particular, for the development efforts in the region.

Apr 28, Colombo: Sri Lanka’s commercial hub, the city of Colombo is to receive a full facelift in preparation of the 11th International Indian Film Academy Awards (IIFA) scheduled to be held in Colombo from June 3-5.

(Lanka-e-News, April 28, 2010, 12.45 PM) There has sprung up a gigantic problem for UPFA supporters of Lakshman Perera, Matale District UPFA inexperienced but President Rajapakse backed candidate who won with the most number of…

(Lanka-e-News, April 28, 2010, 6.25PM) “Let us within our own grouping be bold enough to introspect. We must take measures to improve the existing mechanisms through review,…

Apr 28, Thimpu: Pakistan Prime Minister Syed Yousaf Raza Gilani and Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa today agreed to promote their relations in all the fields, especially, in defence, trade and commerce, Pakistani media reports stated.

The President Mahinda Rajapaksa-led government could soon amend the Constitution to introduce a three-term executive Presidency in Sri Lanka. Sutirtho Patranobis reports.

The new minister of resettlement Milroy Fernando says that all displaced families will be resettled within the next six months.

Sri Lanka’s new prime minister D. M. Jayaratne Wednesday morning urged all political parties irrespective of ‘caste, creed and race,’ to unite in defeating international pressure being exerted on the Sri Lankan state. The move comes a day after US Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian affairs Robert Blake had met President [...]

A head on collision between a passenger bus and a lorry at Ibulpe in Balangoda this evening killed four people and injured at least 40 others, Police spokesman SP Pryshantha Jayakody said.

Gas companies have sought a price hike in the 12.5 kg domestic gas with effect from the 1st of May. The consumer affairs authority will meet tomorrow to review the price of gas under the present formula where…

Colombo Municipal Council (CMC) is to spend Rs 75 million to ready Colombo City for the 11th International Indian Film Academy Awards ceremony which is to be held at the Sugathadasa Stadium from June 3 to June…

Private and government banks rushing to Jaffna peninsula to open their branches and the opening of the fifth branch of Colombo Stock Exchange (CSE) in Jaffna town Tuesday, in the name of development are but schemes aimed at exploiting the funds of peninsula residents, civil organizations in Jaffna said. They further accused the above financial [...]

The new Minister of Social Services Felix Perera is reported to have taken away several vehicles belonging to the Ministry of fisheries and Aquatic Resources.

Hemas Holdings PLC Ltd recently laid the foundation stone for a new Hemas Piyawara Pre-School in Jaffna under the distinguished patronage of Douglas Devananda and the Jaffna Mayor Yoga Patgunarajah.

THIMPHU – South Asian leaders admitted Wednesday a collective failure to develop their conflict-ridden region and to forge a united front against the threats of climate change and terrorism.

The United Nations has sought permission from the Sri Lankan government to facilitate a visit by its Political Affairs Under-Secretary General Lynn Pascoe next month to discuss the situation in Sri Lanka.

Accident between a bus and lorry near Ibulpe Bridge in Balangoda leads to four deaths and 20 injured-police official-JNW

Amid Sri Lankas’ legal constitution that classifies Tamils as Second class citizens and continuing problems of ethnic marginalisation and persecution, the Tamil Diaspora feel they need to press for and represent Tamil claims, because Tamils in Sri Lanka have lost their voice, and have no representation following the defeat of the LTTE said an article [...]

At no time in Sri Lankan history has the clan of President Mahinda Rajapaksa been so influential in national politics. TIME takes a look at the long reach of this powerful family

(Lanka-e-News, April 28, 2010, 12.45 PM) We publish herein a copy of a letter received from a concerned citizen of SL in Kuwait addressed to Professor Dr. G L Peiris,…

(Lanka-e-News, April 28, 2010, 12.45 PM) There has sprung up a gigantic problem for UPFA supporters of Lakshman Perera, Matale District UPFA inexperienced but President Rajapakse backed candidate who won with the most number of…

Sri Lanka’s ruling party will press ahead with constitutional reforms to allow President Mahinda Rajapakse to run for a third term in office, a press report said Wednesday.

Apr 28, Colombo: Responding to the demand from the business community in Jaffna, Sri Lanka’s main Colombo Stock Exchange (CSE) opened a branch in Jaffna yesterday aimed at providing the opportunity for the investors in the northern peninsula.

Apr 28, Colombo: The meeting between main opposition UNP Leader Ranil Wickremasinghe and leaders of constituent parties of the UNP led UNF to discuss the current crises faced by the opposition alliance is to continue today.

Apr 28, Colombo: After obtaining a search warrant from the Colombo Fort Magistrate a team from Sri Lanka Criminal Investigations Department (CID) Tuesday (27) had searched the premises and sacred area surrounding the Mihintale Raja Maha Viharaya.

Apr 28, Colombo: Sri Lanka President Mahinda Rajapaksa who is in Thimpu, the Bhutanese capital met the U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs Robert O. Blake, Jr. in Thimpu yesterday ahead of the SAARC summit.

Apr 28, Thimpu: Sri Lanka President Mahinda Rajapaksa met with the leaders of SAARC nations yesterday in the Bhutanese capital of Thimpu, as the 16th South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) conference gets under way today.

After over a quarter century of civil war, Sri Lanka is finally witnessing an upswing in tourism. The island with abundant natural beauty is luring visitors, particularly from India, not just with sun, sand and sea but also with new attractions like ayurveda and adventure.

(Lanka-e-News 28.April.2010 7.00AM) UNP leader Ranil Wickremesinghe who addressed the SLFP (M) wing political Council meeting…

Sri Lanka Army (SLA) and Sri Lanka government are accused of prioritizing Sinhalese language in the name and information boards in the predominantly Tamil areas in the North, by public organizations in Jaffna peninsula. Tamil language which had occupied the first place in the name boards and government information boards in the North has been [...]

While calls for independent investigations into Sri Lanka’s war crimes continue to mount, and United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon’s appointment of advisory panel on Sri Lanka’s war-crimes shows no progress, ABC Radio Australia reported that Australian Young Lawyers Group in New South Wales is joining forces with the International Commission of Jurists (ICJ) to [...]

Four men claiming to be Sri Lanka Army (SLA) intelligence personnel abducted Sunday a young woman at Kalikai junction in Vadamarradchi and sexually abused her at a deserted place in the area. The men later strangled her and abandoned her taking away her jewelry and other possessions. Local residents who happened to see her Monday [...]

More than a year after Sri Lanka launched its final offensive against the Tamil Tiger rebels, pressure continues to mount for an international tribunal into alleged war crimes.

As the Sri Lankan government stares down the barrel of a possible war crimes tribunal, a new book on Sri Lanka’s history attempts to map where it all went wrong.

More than 200,000 of some 280,000 mainly Tamil people displaced after the civil war in northern Sri Lanka have left their camps since last August, the UN refugee agency said yesterday.

Apr 27, Thimpu: Sri Lanka Foreign Minister Prof. G.L. Peiris participating in the 32nd session of the SAARC Council of Ministers on Tuesday (27) in the Bhutanese capital of Thimpu held bilateral discussions on the sidelines of the meeting with his counterparts from the region.

(Lanka-e-News 27.April.2010 11.45PM) Colombo District DNA M P Handhunetti has asked for a debate in Parliament on the disappearance of Prageeth…

(Lanka-e-News 27.April.2010 11.45PM) Minister of petroleum resources and petroleum Industries Susil Premajayantha when taking over the new Ministry said , as of today , no wasteful…

(Lanka-e-News 27.April.2010 11.45PM) As the term of office of the President and Commissioner of the Human rights Commission (HRC) has expired, the Presidential…

COLOMBO, Sri Lanka, April 27 (UPI) — Sri Lanka’s government is attempting to lower its fuel import bill by negotiating long-term agreements with producers and eliminating intermediaries.

The Sri Lanka National Carrom team will participate in the Indo-Lanka Test Series organized by the All India Carrom Federation from May 1 to 7 in Guntur and Hyderabad.

Sri Lanka Army (SLA) and Sri Lanka government are accused of prioritizing Sinhalese language in the name and information boards in the predominantly Tamil areas in the North, by public organizations in Jaffna peninsula. Tamil language which had occupied the first place in the name boards and government information boards in the North has been [...]

Petroleum Industries Minister Susil Premajayantha said he would try to purchase petroleum products at prices favourable to Sri Lanka by entering into long-term agreements with producers by eliminating intermediaries.

Apr 27, Colombo: Sri Lanka President Mahinda Rajapaksa who is in Thimpu, the Bhutanese capital is to meet the U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs Robert O. Blake, Jr. in Thimpu today ahead of the SAARC summit.

Four men claiming to be Sri Lanka Army (SLA) intelligence personnel abducted Sunday a young woman at Kalikai junction in Vadamarradchi and sexually abused her at a deserted place in the area. The men later strangled her and abandoned her taking away her jewelry and other possessions. Local residents who happened to see her Monday [...]

The missing journalist Prageeth Ekniligoa of Lanka E-News since
January 24 is being held under unlawful custody or detention with the
knowledge of police officers, stated in a Habeas Corpus application
filed by his wife Mrs. K.M.S.P.Ekniligoda and his two children
S.S.Bandara Ekniligoda and H.D.Sooriya Ekniligoda in the Court of
Appeal. The Petitioners have cited DIG Nandana Manasinghe of the [...]

Apr 27, Colombo: Sri Lanka’s newly appointed Deputy Media Minister Mervyn Silva today called on the Sri Lankan media to maintain discipline as a disciplined media is vital to the country’s progress.

Apr 27, Colombo: Sri Lanka’s Court of Appeal has decided to proceed with a petition filed seeking a court order for the police to find a missing journalist.

New Delhi: India and Sri Lanka on Tuesday discussed the issue of Tamils displaced during the military action against the LTTE and highlighted the need for their expeditious resettlement with dignity.

Source: UNHCR The UN refugee agency welcomes the resumption of government-led return movements in northern Sri Lanka, following a three-week pause.

Apr 27, Fort Wayne, IN (USA): in Fort Wayne, Indiana, USA has made arrangements to to perform an Ata Visi Buddha Puja, a special offering to the twenty eight previous Buddhas at the temple premises on Saturday, May 15, 2010.

Apr 27, Colombo: The U.S. Embassy in Sri Lanka in cooperation with the Faculty of Law of the University of Colombo organized a panel discussion on Intellectual Property Rights on Monday, April 26 in observance of World Intellectual Property Day.

RSF protests the appointment of Dr. Mervyn Silva, known for his anti-media activities, as the deputy media minister.

Apr 27, Colombo: The United Nation’s refugee agency today welcomed the resumption of returning Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) by the Sri Lankan government following a temporary pause due to the parliamentary elections and the New Year holidays.

The External Affairs Ministry says that despite almost two months having passed by there is still a deadlock in negotiations to free the 36 Sri Lankan sailors who are being held captive in Somalia.