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Sri Lanka's president has ordered the release of his jailed electoral foe, ex-army chief Sarath Fonseka, bowing to US-led pressure three years after the end of the island's long ethnic war.

COLOMBO (Reuters) - Sri Lanka's President Mahinda Rajapaksa has ordered the early release from jail of his wartime ally turned political rival Sarath Fonseka, a former general who led the army to victory over the Tamil Tiger rebels in a bloody 25 year civil conflict. Fonseka was arrested by soldiers two weeks after a failed [...]

COLOMBO (Reuters) - Sri Lanka's President Mahinda Rajapaksa has ordered the early release from jail of his highest-profile political rival Sarath Fonseka, the president's spokesman said on Sunday, in an apparent bid to quell international criticism of the government's human rights record. The authorisation for Fonseka's release will be sent to the justice ministry on [...]

Sri Lanka's president has ordered authorities to free the country's jailed former army chief, a man credited with ending the country's long civil war but who later was imprisoned after challenging the president in elections.

Sri Lanka's president orders authorities to free jailed ex-army chief turned politician

Sri Lanka's President Mahinda Rajapakse has ordered the release of his jailed electoral rival, ex-army chief Sarath Fonseka, the presidential spokesman said.

Sri Lanka registered a superb 35 (five goals) points to 10 (one goal and one penalty) victory over Singapore in their Asian Five Nations Rugby Division 1 tournament match played at Rizal Memorial Stadium in Manila, Philippines today.

Sri Lanka's president rejected international calls to remove military camps in the former northern war zone on Saturday, as the island nation marked the third anniversary of the end of its civil…

Sri Lanka president rejects calls to demilitarize former northern war zone

COLOMBO (Reuters) - Sri Lanka's President Mahinda Rajapaksa rejected calls from the United States to close army bases in a former war zone as he celebrated the third anniversary on Saturday of the military's victory over the Tamil Tiger rebels. Fighter jets flew over Colombo and thousands of soldiers paraded in the streets flanked by [...]

Sri Lanka marks the three-year anniversary of the end of its 26-year civil war with a large military parade in the capital, Colombo.

Members of Sri Lanka's military took place in a "Victory Day" parade Saturday to mark the defeat of Tamil Tiger separatists in a 25-year civil war.

Colombo, May 19 (Xinhua-ANI): Sri Lanka on Saturday celebrated three years since the end of a 30-ear war with Tamil Tiger rebels by staging a massive military parade and commemorative event for the security forces.

Sri Lanka's president on Saturday rejected international calls to withdraw troops from the island's former war zone as he marked the third anniversary of crushing Tamil rebels.

Sri Lanka marks three years since the end of its civil war with a military parade, as critics say more should be done to remember civilian deaths.

Sri Lanka says it will conduct its own investigation into rights abuses during the final months of the island nation's civil war when thousands of civilians reportedly died, dismissing the need for an international tribunal.

The United States said Sri Lanka had on Friday put forward "a very serious" reconciliation plan for the island nation following a 27-year civil war.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States is encouraged by Sri Lanka's drive to cut its oil imports from Iran, the U.S. State Department said on Friday in a positive assessment of the island nation's efforts to escape potential U.S. sanctions. Sri Lanka's oil minister, Susil Premajayantha, said this week his government expected to avoid U.S. [...]

Sri Lanka is looking to ease growing friction with the United States, but it faces exasperation from policymakers who see little progress on concerns three years after a bloody civil war ended.

A Sri Lankan court granted jailed ex-army chief Sarath Fonseka bail on Friday, paving the way for the implementation of a presidential pardon.

WASHINGTON - Sri Lanka says it will conduct its own investigation into rights abuses during the final months of the island nation's civil war when thousands of civilians reportedly died, dismissing the need for an international tribunal.

The U.S. and Sri Lanka are seeking to improve ties strained by American pressure for a probe into civilian deaths during the island nation's civil war.

Colombo, May 18 (Xinhua-ANI): Sri Lanka's jailed former army commander Sarath Fonseka was granted bail in a case where he is accused of harboring army deserters during last presidential election.

Colombo, May 18 (Xinhua-ANI): Sri Lanka is to build marinas for private boat parking in order to promote boating culture and support emerging boat building industry, a minister said on Friday.

A court granted bail for Sri Lanka's ex-army chief on Friday, a move seen as a step toward a full pardon for the man credited with ending the country's long civil war but who later was jailed af…

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Sri Lanka’s president yesterday secured cabinet approval to free jailed former army chief and defeated opposition presidential candidate Sarath Fonseka, a senior official said.

Sri Lanka is looking to ease growing friction with the United States, but it faces exasperation from policymakers who see little progress on concerns three years after a bloody civil war ended.

I first visited Sri Lanka in 1997, shortly after a rebel bombing of the Central Bank headquarters had thrown the financial system into chaos.

Thailand supported Sri Lanka at international forums, especially at the recently concluded UNCHR sessions.

Sri Lanka's president Thursday secured cabinet approval to free jailed former army chief and defeated opposition presidential candidate Sarath Fonseka, a senior official said.

COLOMBO (Reuters) - Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa will order the release of his ailing former army chief this week, sources close to the president said on Thursday, in a bid to quell criticism of the government and its human rights record. Former General Sarath Fonseka, revered as a hero by many for helping end [...]

Spelling out the current orchestration against the independence of Eezham Tamils, the former Norwegian minister and failed peace facilitator, Erik Solhiem said that international support is not for a new separate state in Sri Lanka, but for a multicultural, multiracial and multireligious state. Given the age-old understanding of the phrase in the context of the [...]

Pakistan coach Dav Whatmore on Wednesday warned his players they faced a battle on next month's tour of Sri Lanka, saying the hosts were tough opponents in home conditions.

Sarath Fonseka could be free "within days" after Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapakse held talks on Wednesday with the jailed former army chief's political party, officials said.

COLOMBO (Reuters) - A member of parliament in Sri Lanka said on Wednesday he believed President Mahinda Rajapaksa would soon order the release from prison of the country's former army chief Sarath Fonseka, revered by many of his compatriots for helping end a 25-year civil war. The jailing of General Fonseka has prompted criticism in [...]

Sri Lanka has offered Immigration Minister Chris Bowen an escape for Tamil refugees branded a threat by security agencies and locked in indefinite detention in Australia - saying they are needed back home.

Colombo, May 16 (IANS) Sri Lanka's tea exporters are lobbying for liberalized imports to expand the industry and make it into a tea hub by blending high quality tea from China, India and Kenya, an official said here Wednesday.

Washington, May 16 (IANS) Sri Lanka will achieve lasting peace only through "home grown solutions", not those prescribed by the international community, Foreign Minister G.L. Peiris has said.

Fast-rising opener Nasir Jamshed was Wednesday ruled out of Pakistan's tour of Sri Lanka after fracturing a finger on his left hand.

Sri Lankan authorities are mulling a pardon for jailed former army chief and defeated presidential candidate Sarath Fonseka amid international calls for his release, an official said Tuesday.

Colombo, May 15 (Xinhua-ANI): Sri Lanka is cracking down on foreigners working illegally and have requested for public assistance after an Indian national died while working in a local steel plant, an official said here on Tuesday.

Colombo, May 15(ANI): Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) is set to launch its new Twenty20 league in August, more than an year after it was postponed due to the pull out of Indian players.

Sri Lankan security forces said they have uncovered a huge haul of weapons hidden by separatist Tamil Tiger rebels before they were crushed three years ago, including enough explosives to "blow up a town".

Sri Lanka’s main opposition yesterday called on the president to find a lasting solution to the country’s long dragged ethnic conflict, the president’s spokesman said.

Sri Lanka's long-awaited Twenty20 cricket league is set to begin in August after first being proposed to start in July last year.

COLOMBO, Sri Lanka — Sri Lanka Cricket says it will stage its own Twenty20 cricket league in August, more than a year after it was postponed due to possible losses due to a pull out of Indian players.

The security forces in Sri Lanka say they have found the largest stock of explosives since the end of the civil war three years ago.

(Hong Kong, May 10, 2012) The Asian Human Rights Commission wishes to announce the release of a new documentary entitled: The police torture epidemic in Sri Lanka.

Sri Lankan authorities released information for the first time yesterday about thousands of people held under draconian anti-terror laws despite it being three years since Tamil rebels were crushed.

External Affairs Minister Prof G L Peiris assured Sri Lanka’s continued support to the Maldives for its progress.

Sri Lankan authorities released information for the first time on Sunday about thousands of people held under draconian anti-terror laws despite it being three years since Tamil rebels were crushed.

Sri Lanka on Sunday said it will release information on those detained by the country's forces since the end of the war with the Liberation Tiger of Tamil Eelam, ahead of External Affairs Minister G L Peiris' visit to the US.

KARACHI: Sri Lanka dropped plans to host a limited–overs cricket series between Pakistan and Australia in August as it clashes with the island’s Premier League, Pakistani cricket officials said yesterday.

A Montrealer of Tamil origin was reportedly murdered in northern Sri Lanka in early May after attempting to recover property lost during the war, QMI Agency has learned.

KARACHI: Sri Lanka has dropped plans to host a limited overs series between Pakistan and Australia in August as it clashes with the island's Premier League, Pakistani cricket officials said Saturday.

Sri Lanka registered a superb 35 (five goals) points to 10 (one goal and one penalty) victory over Singapore in their Asian Five Nations Rugby Division 1 tournament match played at Rizal Memorial Stadium in Manila, Philippines today.

KARACHI (Reuters) - Pakistan are looking for alternative venues for their one-day series against Australia after Sri Lanka withdrew an offer to host the matches.

Pakistan are looking for alternative venues for their one-day series against Australia after Sri Lanka withdrew an offer to host the matches.

Pakistan are looking for alternative venues for their one-day series against Australia after Sri Lanka withdrew an offer to host the games.