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BRASILIA – A region of mountainous forests in Sri Lanka and an isolated archipelago off Hawaii have been added to UNESCO's World Heritage list, officials of the UN cultural and scientific body said Saturday.

SriLankan – Sri Lanka’s national carrier has won the award for ‘Top Airline by Growth in Passenger Carriage (South Asia)’ from Singapore’s Changi Airport for the highest growth in traffic to Singapore from the region last…

MP Mangala Samaraweera will receive membership of the UNP on August 6. Samaraweera, who contested the last parliamentary elections from Matara on the UNP ticket is the leader of the SLFP (M).

The Power and Energy Ministry has organized a national energy exhibition, an energy week and the National Energy Efficiency Award ceremony from August 3-8 at the BMICH in Colombo.

A special motorcycle squad has been deployed by the Sri Lanka Transport Board (SLTB) to nab errant and reckless bus drivers who flout road rules.

The Colombo Municipality is planning to enforce a ban on pasting posters within the Colombo City limits in a bid to give it a cleaner appearance.

UNP Kandy District MP A. R. M. Abdul Cader has been suspended from the UNP working committee, UNP General Secretary Tissa Attanayake says in a letter. The suspension is due to him voting with the government in parliament.(AD)

The Government of Japan in keeping with the policy of Prime Minister Naoto Kan’s administration is prepared to engage in consultations with regard to a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) between Sri Lanka and Japan, Japanese Economy, Trade and industry Minister…

The Sri Lankan government intends to reduce taxes further and put pressure on commercial banks to lend more to the private sector, Sarath Amunugama, Deputy Minister of Finance and Planning, said.

The Standard Chartered Bank has initiated litigation in the Commercial Court in the UK against the Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC) on the hedging deal, and the trial has now been fixed for March 28, next year, authoritative sources said yesterday….

The United Kingdom has updated its travel advisory on Sri Lanka by removing the advise against travel to the four northern provinces of Mullaitivu, Killinochchi, Mannar and Vavuniya.

Anil Kumble and Muttiah Muralitharan could be soon working together in training young spinners. There are plans in place to set up a spin-bowling academy, possibly in Bangalore, and the two bowlers, who share 1419 Test wickets between them, have…

The Minneriya National Park has become a popular tourist destination. The number of foreigners visiting the Minneriya National Park is on the increase and more than 120 foreigners visit the park each day and this…

An ambitious project to set up a chain of modern mini-dairy farms across 10 districts in Sri Lanka is to be launched by Lanka Fresh Milk (Pvt) Ltd with an initial capital of Rs.40 million, a Rs 2.5…

Sri Lanka is donating 153 rare or endangered animals to Korea, including a pair of elephants, golden snub-nosed monkeys, jaguars and alligators, to thank a nongovernmental organization that helps Sri Lankan laborers.

The Supreme Court today refused to grant leave to proceed with the fundamental rights petitions filed by Bharati Airtel Lanka (Pvt) Ltd as well as two consumers challenging the floor price imposed on tariffs implemented by mobile…

For the first time in history the All Share Price Index of the Colombo Stock Exchange closed above the 5,000 mark today. The ASPI closed at 5,138 points. The CSE is currently ranked the 2nd best performing stock market in…

The Welikada Prison complex covers some very valuable prime land, 40 acres in extent, within the City of Colombo. It is assessed at a minimum value of Rs. 15 billion.

Five senior Brigadiers in the Sri Lanka Army have been promoted to the rank of Major General, the Military Secretariat announced. Military spokesman, Brigadier U.A.B. Medawela was also promoted.

Mass Media and Communication Minister and Defence Spokesman Keheliya Rambukkwella yesterday stated that any public representative and Non Government Organization can visit the North and East and contribute to its ongoing resettlement drive and the development process.

UNP Hambantota Parliamentarian Sajith Premadasa yesterday requested the police to hold an investigation in to the death of Rienzie Algama, who set himself ablaze opposite the UNP headquarters Sirikotha on Monday afternoon.

The government’s failure to appoint boards to manage some State institutions and therefore the parliamentary watchdog committee on public enterprises is finding it difficult to initiate investigations.

A high-tech electricity producing system driven by solar power has been introduced by the Power and Energy Ministry. The new method called ‘Net Metering System’ was officially introduced by Power and Energy Minister Patali Champika Ranawaka yesterday.

Post Master General M.K.B. Dissanayake said the work-to-rule campaign staged its employees yesterday was resolved with the mediation of the Minister and the distribution of mails has returned to normalcy.

Palm Beach police in the US turned over six men from Sri Lanka to the U.S. Border Patrol today after noticing them walking down the street in wet pants, police said.

The Police Department is to extend the registration of persons currently being carried out in certain areas in Colombo to the rest of the country.

Former LTTE chief arms procurer Kumaran Pathmanathan (KP) who is now under custody in Sri Lanka and is reportedly assisting the government will not enter politics, Government Minister and former rebel Karuna Amman said.

President Mahinda Rajapaksa yesterday emphasized that changes to the Constitution would be drafted taking into consideration the wishes of the public of Sri Lanka and not individual interest.

In a rare case of teamwork between government and Opposition members, Deputy Minister Mervyn Silva and UNP MP Rosy Senanayake intervened on Sunday to settle a simmering dispute between Rajiv Sebastian and Ajith Weerasinghe, a contestant of Swarnavahini’s Star’ over…

Sri Lanka reached a seemingly invincible position in the second Test on another day of toil for the Indian bowlers with their two batting mainstays, Kumar Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardene, achieving individual landmarks on a placid track against a spineless…

The Inter-University Students’ Federation (IUSF) yesterday held demonstrations outside a number of universities including those at Kelaniya, Performing Arts, Peradeniya, Rajarata, Sabaragamuwa, and Ruhuna to protest at the killing of Susantha Aruna Bandara and the arrest of some other students.

The visit by External Affairs Minister Prof. G. L. Peiris and Economic Development Minister Basil Rajapaksa to Japan from July 26-30 is expected to help further enhance the strong and friendly relations between the two countries.

Internal rifts and challenges within the UNP has stunted the whole of the opposition and given the government a blank cheque to get on with its business in any merry way they please, the UNP’s acting leader, Mr. Karu Jayasuriya…

Vietnam has expressed its willingness to reopen a resident diplomatic Mission in Colombo by early next year, the External Affairs Ministry said. This was said by the Deputy Foreign Minister of Viet Nam Dao Viet Trung.

The Sri Lankan government has warmed the international community that granting asylum or refugee status on perceived claims of persecution would only be a covert encouragement for illegal and irregular migration.

Arab countries are now livid with the Sri Lankan government’s official position on Palestine, as Sri Lanka’s Ambassador for Israel and Former Chief of Staff Donald Perera was quoted saying Sri Lanka is a staunch supporter of Israel’s fight against…

In a bid to create more schools equipped with both physical and human resources the Government will improve 1,000 schools countrywide with assistance from the World Bank, as a solution for the big demand for popular schools among students, Education…

The Lanka Private Bus Owners Association (LPBOA) and the Lanka Omni Bus Owners Association (LOBOA) will go on a countrywide strike from midnight tomorrow.

Sri Lanka will sell a billion dollar sovereign bond this year to settle more expensive short term foreign loans, media minister and cabinet spokesman Keheliya Rambukwelle said.

A UNP delegation today (22) met with External Affairs Minister Prof. G.L Peiris to discuss about the implementation of the 17th Amendment to the Constitution.

At the start of his final Test, he was eight wickets short of entering territory that no other cricketer had. He began his last day in Test cricket needing two, and took one. His partner threatened to take everything else…

The Palestine Sri Lanka Friendship Society has expressed outrage over the reported comments made by Sri Lanka’s Ambassador to Israel Donald Perera who said that Israel should wage war in Palestine if negotiations are rejected.

According to the Foreign Employment Bureau, one woman who had been employed in Jordan had committed suicide by setting herself on fire.

The Criminal Investigation Department yesterday arrested a leading businessman who had constructed an up-market condominium complex in Wellawatte allegedly with the money received from the LTTE.

In a shocking revelation, the Colombo Municipality said yesterday 1,290 of the 1,400 eating houses in the city were not hygienic.

The government has set up Environment Protection Units island-wide. They have been tasked with nabbing and charging people who pollute the environment. Offenders would be dealt with severely, Presidential Secretariat sources said.

A mother and her two sons were given the death sentence by the Kalmunai High Court this evening for the murder of a Civil Defence officer in 2004. The accused were condemned to death based on eyewitness accounts.

Writers have a vital role to play in building friendship, faith and understanding among various communities in this country, President Mahinda Rajapaksa said addressing Sinhala-Tamil Writers' Association (STWA) members at a ceremony at Temple Trees, Colombo, recently.

The Urban Development Authority (UDA), the Central Environment Authority (CEA) and the Sri Lanka Land Reclamation and Development Corporation(LRDC) are forming a Special Unit to remove unauthorized structures and to stop illegal land reclamation works on the spot.

At a New York warehouse, a Canadian named Thiruthanikam Thanigasalam watched as a wooden crate was pried open to reveal the tubular frame of a Russian SA-18 missile launcher.

It was a strange and fascinating day full of the unexpected: The ball talked in the morning, Ishant Sharma impressed, Lasith Malinga thrilled and Rangana Herath became an unlikely hero.

Gulf Air has announced the launch of service to Aden in Yemen and re-launching of flights to Colombo in Sri Lanka.

On top of its mounting debts, already running into billions of rupees, the Ceylon Electricity Board incurred a further loss of Rs. 60 million by providing electricity to the Sugathadasa Indoor Stadium, mostly for the Indian International Film Awards (IIFA)…

A bush fire in the Hurulu Forest Reserve, Habarana affected over 2,500 acres yesterday, with officials claiming that there was a strong possibility that the fire may have been caused due to an act of arson.

The United National Party (UNP) Working Committee which met this afternoon with UNP leader Ranil Wickremasighe has decided to change the party constitution which will include electing top posts to the party if there is no unanimous choice.

The Democratic National Alliance (DNA) is to hold a massive protest rally on Wednesday (21) against the “dictatorial” government that has challenged the independence of the judiciary and to call for former Army Commander and DNA parliamentarian Retired General Sarath…

Sri Lanka government will set up a Media Development Authority in order to help media to enhance its professionalism and efficiency further.

MAS Holdings, one of the leading apparel companies intends to open a garment factory in the Acthuveli industrial zone in Jaffna as a Board of Investment (BoI) approved venture.

FORUT International Sri Lanka has warned of a large scale recruitment scam of youth underway in Galle using the name of the development agency in the capacity of a Chief Program Officer.

Over 15,400 devotees on the Pada Yathra, the traditional foot pilgrimage to Kataragama from the North and the East entered the Kumana National Park from July 2 - 16, said the Park’s Warden Ajith Wasantha.