newslanka.org

July 27, Colombo: Sri Lanka’s Minister of External Affairs Prof. G.L. Peiris and Minister of Economic Development Basil Rajapaksa are currently in Japan on an official visit from 26th to 30 July, the government announced.

July 27, Colombo: Sri Lanka’s major Tamil and Muslim constituencies have entered into a dialogue regarding the mooted constitutional reforms.

July 27, Colombo: With the opening of the Jaffna – Kandy A-9 highway following the end of war, the red onion harvest of Jaffna is reaching south, a Sri Lankan radio Neth FM reported.

July 27, Colombo: Sri Lankan agricultural authorities say that the per capita rice consumption has gone up by 15% in recent times.

July 27, Colombo: Sri Lankan government has appointed a committee to examine the allegations of labour rights violations made by an American trade union petitioning to revoke the GSP trade concessions granted to Sri Lanka by the United States.

July 27, Colombo: Sri Lanka’s Marxist Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) affiliated Socialist Youth Union (SYU) today said that villagers in Kaudarimunai in Pooner have been questioned by the security forces after a group of JVP members including SYU head Bimal Ratnayake and former JVP parliamentarian Ramalingam Chnadrasekar visited the village.

July 27, Colombo: University lecturers in Sri Lanka are to stage a token strike today (27) demanding a salary hike.

July 27, Colombo: With a double century from Captain Kumar Sangakkara Sri Lanka is continuing to dominate the second day of the second Test match against India today at the SSC grounds in Colombo.

July 27, Chennai: A senior official of India’s Ministry of External Affairs will visit Sri Lanka to assess the progress of the resettlement and rehabilitation process of Tamils in Sri Lanka’s Northern and Eastern Province, an Indian media report said.

July 27, Colombo: An ardent supporter of Sri Lanka’s main opposition United National Party (UNP), who set himself ablaze opposite the party headquarters, Sirikotha, yesterday (26) evening has succumbed to his injuries.

July 26, Hakmana: The President this afternoon declared open the newly constructed three-story facility, which includes a science laboratory and a computer room building, donated by philanthropist L.H Piyasena to the Henry Ariyaratna School in Narawelpitiya, Hakmana.

July 26, Colombo: A man set himself ablaze opposite the head office of Sri Lanka’s main opposition United National Party (UNP), Sirikotha, this evening.

July 26, Colombo: Sri Lanka’s Private Bus Owners Association (PBOA) this evening decided to postpone a strike planned to commence at midnight today.

July 26, Matara; Sri Lanka President Mahinda Rajapaksa who is now on a visit in his native Southern Province has initiated a number of development work in Matara district today.

July 26, Colombo: Ceylon Teachers’ Union Chairman Joseph Stalin Fernando declined using authoritarian powers by the education authorities of the Eastern Province to increase the results of the students at the G.C.E. (Ordinary Level) examination.

July 26, Colombo: Sri Lanka produced 166.9 million kilos of tea in the first six months of this year. This is an increase by 27.8 percent compared to the first six months of 2009, according to Sri Lanka Tea Board statistics.

July 26, Geneva: Thousands of expatriate Sri Lankans residing in Italy and other European countries organized a massive demonstration in Geneva, Switzerland yesterday against the Panel of Experts appointed by the UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon.

July 26, New York: Te British Monarch, Queen Elizabeth II, visiting the United Nations in New York City on July 06th for the first time since 1957, took a moment to meet the Permanent Representatives to the UN from Commonwealth countries.

July 26, Colombo: The case on the controversial ‘white flag’ story of former Army Commander and Democratic National Alliance (DNA) parliamentarian General (Retired) Sarath Fonseka is to be taken up before a three-judge High Court bench on Thursday (29).

July 26, Colombo: Sri Lanka won the toss and decided to bat in the second Test match against India today at the SSC grounds in Colombo.

July 26, Colombo: Sri Lanka’s private bus operators have decided to keep their buses off the road from midnight today (26).

July 26, Colombo: Sri Lanka’s main opposition United National Party (UNP) Jaffna District Parliamentarian Vijayakala Maheswaran, the widow of slain UNP parliamentarian T. Maheswaran, today called on the government to launch an investigation into the attack on Tamil inmates at the Colombo remand prison.

July 26, Colombo: Sri Lanka Police have arrested six university students while they were putting up posters calling for the arrest of police officials involved in the death of Ruhunu University student Susantha Aruna Bandara.

July 26, Colombo: Sri Lanka Navy is taking part in the Dengue Prevention Program conducted by the Ministry of the Defence with the assistance of Tri Forces and the Police.

July 25, Colombo: Vietnam is to establish a resident diplomatic mission in the Sri Lankan capital Colombo early next year, government media reported today.

July 25, Colombo: Sri Lanka President Mahinda Rajapaksa says a survey will be conducted to identify the teacher shortages in government schools.

July 25, Colombo: Sri Lanka Prime Minister D.M. Jayaratna has been hospitalized, government sources say. However, the Premier is not seriously ill, the sources add.

July 25, Colombo: Sri Lanka’s Marxist Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) today rejected claims made by the Inspector General of Police (IGP) that the death of a Ruhunu University student last Thursday (22) night was due to severe head injuries received from an assault by a student union member of the JVP.

July 25, Colombo: Sri Lanka Police is to extend the registration of persons currently being carried out in certain areas in Colombo to the rest of the country.

July 25, Colombo: The Sri Lankan government has resettled 10,075 Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) so far this month amidst the de-mining activities in the North.

July 25, Chennai: A popular South Indian Tamil comedian has lodged a complaint with the Indian police about the alleged threats received by him warning against his intended visit to Sri Lanka.

July 24, Colombo: A Stupa made of empty cartridge shells left behind from Sri Lanka’s long civil war has become a major tourist attraction in Bodhgaya, an Indian news report said.

July 24, Colombo: Sri Lanka’s main opposition United National Party (UNP) is ready to support the government at any stage for the benefit of the country’s people, party’s General Secretary Tissa Attanayake has said today.

July 24, Colombo: A Sri Lankan fishing boat missing for five months at sea has reached the shores of South Africa, local news reports said.

July 24, Colombo: Sri Lanka’s major Marxist party Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) has launched a series of seminars island wide aiming to educate public about the political situation of the country.

July 24, Colombo: Sri Lanka Ministry of Power and Energy announced that they plan to import coal from Indonesia and Australia.

July 24, Colombo: The Epidemiology Unit of Sri Lanka’s Health Ministry says that the outbreak of Dengue fever has caused 164 deaths while 22,159 cases have been reported so far this year.

July 24, Matale: Sri Lanka Police are to present to court today two individuals who were arrested while allegedly accepting ransom money after threatening to kidnap a student in the Akuramboda area in Matale.

July 24, Colombo: Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa today ordered for a report on the death of the Ruhunu University student who died Thursday night allegedly due to injuries received in a police assault.

July 24, Colombo: Former Sri Lankan President Chandrika Kumaratunga has reportedly said that the government has an “obsession against” the Bandaranaike family.

July 24, Colombo: Sri Lanka Cricket has selected mystery spinner Ajantha Mendis to replace Muttiah Muralitharan who retired from Test Cricket last Thursday for the second Test against India.

July 24, Colombo: Sri Lanka government has decided to commence the construction of long pending Broadland Hydropower Projec (BHP)t of Laxapana Hydropower complex.

July 24, Colombo: Lebanon government has offered an amnesty for the Sri Lankan migrant workers overstaying in the country violating visa regulations. During the amnesty period, the migrant workers can surrender and return to the homeland without facing punitive actions.

July 24, Geneva: Expatriate Sri Lankans residing in Italy and other European countries have organized a massive demonstration in Geneva, Switzerland against the Panel of Experts appointed by the UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon.

July 23, Colombo: Sri Lanka’s former Army Commander and present legislator, retired General Sarath Fonseka submitted a fake document to the military authorities saying that he received permission from Election Commissioner to use the services of Army deserters during the Presidential poll.

July 23, Colombo: A university student who Thursday night reportedly succumbed to injuries he received from an alleged police assault died of a brain aneurism and there was no evidence of any fatal injuries caused by the police , Sri Lanka Inspector General of Police Mahinda Balasuriya said.

July 23, Colombo: Sri Lanka President Mahinda Rajapaksa yesterday (22) opened the ‘SHILPA 2010′ National Handicraft Exhibition and Trade Fair at the BMICH.

July 23, Colombo: Sri Lanka President Mahinda Rajapaksa and First Lady Shiranthi Rajapaksa received the colourful Hindu religious festival Adi Vel 2010 procession when it reached the Temple Trees gate on Galle Road today.

July 23, Colombo: Sri Lanka’s National Child Protection Authority has received 200 complaints within the first 24 hours of introducing a hotline to lodge public complaints on child abuse.

July 23, Colombo: Sri Lanka’s ruling coalition party Jathika Hela Urumaya (JHU) charges that the US and the Tamil Diaspora are behind the UN Secretary-General’s panel on the accountability issues of Sri Lanka.

July 23, Colombo: Sri Lanka’s main opposition United National Party (UNP) parliamentarian Sajith Premadasa today said the party should consult its local government members and organizers on any future changes in the party.

July 23, Colombo: Sri Lanka defense authorities say that the state intelligence agencies have unearthed many important information on several hardcore Tamil Tiger terrorists who are involved in international activities of the defeated Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE).

July 23, Colombo: World Bank Vice President for South Asia, Isabel Guerrero has emphasized that reconciliation is a pre-requisite for development in Sri Lanka.

July 23, Colombo: World Bank Vice President for South Asia, Isabel Guerrero has emphasized that reconciliation is a pre-requisite for development in Sri Lanka.

July 23, Colombo: A senior government minister said Sri Lankan government has not changed its stance on the Panel of Experts appointed by the United Nations Secretary-General and stressed that it will not be changed.

July 23, Colombo: Sri Lanka’s ace spinner Muttiah Muralitharan, who retired from Test Cricket after hauling a massive 800 wickets, has been an ornament in the world of cricket and Sri Lanka is proud of this son of our soil, President Mahinda Rajapaksa said in a congratulatory message.

July 23, Colombo: Sri Lanka’s Marxist Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna affiliated Socialist Youth Union (SYU) has declared today (23) as the Day to Celebrate Brotherhood to build bridges between the youth in the South and the North.

July 23, Colombo: Students at Sri Lanka’s Ruhuna University are currently engaged in a protest against the death of a fellow student last night due to injuries he received following an alleged assault by police officers

> July 23, Colombo: Sri Lanka’s defence academy had received the go-ahead from the cabinet to establish a medical faculty to train officer cadets as doctors for the armed forces.

July 22, Colombo: Sri Lanka’s national carrier SriLankan Airlines plans to enter into the hotel industry according to its Chairman Nishantha Wickremasinghe.