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Liquor consumption and smoking has seen a drastic drop in Sri Lanka. Most youth now take liquor only at functions and celebrations, a survey revealed yesterday.

A cultural corner named as 'American Corner' has been established in Jaffna by the United States Embassy in Sri Lanka. The new Center will help people to tap educational opportunities, knowledge and information technology.

Local Government elections will be held on March 17, the Election Secretariat announced today. Accepting nominations for dissolved local government bodies ended at 12 noon today (27).

In a mid day drama at the Mount Lavinia courts yesterday a pedestrian was seriously injured when prison officers opened fire at an escaping remand prisoner, down Hotel Road behind the courts compound.

The controversial Cricket Interim Committee and the World Cup Secretariat have committed a terrible blunder by not looking deep into ICC Host Agreement that has forced the Interim Committee to pull the three One-Day Internationals scheduled against the West Indies…

Minister of Foreign Affairs of Thailand Kasit Piromya handed over a cheque of US $ 100,000 to the Deputy Minister of External Affairs, Neomal Perera on 19th January 2011 on behalf of the Royal Thai Government as an initial contribution…

Colombo - Hemas Holdings PLC Ltd recently brought colour and life to the little children of the war-ravaged North with the formal opening of the new Hemas Piyawara model Pre-School in Jaffna.

Consumer Affairs Authority (CAA) is creating a voluntary consumer society in every town to spy on unlawful traders, Minister of Trade Johnston Fernando said.

Sri Lanka’s star batsman Sanath Jayasuriya strongly and remorsefully reject malicious reports against him and claims that these are sadistic attempts by his political opponents to damage his political career.

Sri Lanka’s star batsman Sanath Jayasuriya strongly and remorsefully reject malicious reports against him and claims that these are sadistic attempts by his political opponents to damage his political career.

The US Embassy in Colombo today (Jan. 24) announced that it would provide a grant of US$ 5,000 to bring 30 university students and teachers from various parts of the island to the Galle Literary Festival to be held this…

MANAMA: A Sri Lankan housemaid has been arrested on suspicion of strangling her newborn baby just moments after giving birth.

Transporting school students by trishaws would be banned in future, National Child Protection chairperson Mrs. Anoma Dissanayake said yesterday.

In a startling revelation Reuters and the BBC have announced that they will reveal information unearthed by WikiLeaks of secret bank accounts held in Swiss banks operated by prominent politicians and business magnates from across the world.

Australia is under pressure because of a war crimes controversy to reject Sri Lanka's choice of a senior military commander as its next top envoy in Canberra.

A tense situation was reported in Trincomalee this morning after cracks began to appear on the earth in Salapearu, Kutchiveli.

The organizing committee of the Deyata Kirula exhibition says a massive development programme has been implemented in the Moneragala District in connection with Deyata Kirulka programme under the theme of “lets create new Wellassa”.

Sri Lanka Under-19s Test series against England Under-19 ended in stalemate with another high-scoring draw in the second game at the P Sara Oval in Colombo.

UNP MPs Sajith Premadasa and Ravi Karunanayake were locked in an angry exchange of words at yesterday's meeting of the party’s nomination board for the local polls.

The JVP expects the electorate to show its anger at the SLFP-led UPFA’s indifference to growing economic difficulties experienced by the vast majority of people at the forthcoming local government elections, a leading member of the party said.

The government has decided to offer self employment opportunities to beggars who are on the streets of Colombo and its suburbs after they are rehabilitated.

Senior government officials led by Treasury Secretary P.B. Jayasundera at a meeting with high-fliers in tourism on Thursday, turned down a request to reduce the industry’s burden particularly high taxes and power rates.

Record-breaking Sri Lankan spinner Muttiah Muralitharan said on Friday that he would retire from international cricket after the 2011 World Cup.

United Nations Assistant Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Deputy Emergency Relief Coordinator, Catherine Bragg who visited former conflict and flood affected areas in the Northern and Eastern provinces on Thursday commended the government for making significant progress in meeting the…

The Sri Lanka Rugby Football Union (SLRFU) has confirmed the appointment of New Zealander Ellis Meachen as the coach of the national rugby union side.

Lanka IOC has asked the government permission for a price hike in petrol and diesel, according to its managing director Suresh Kumar. It has cited fuel price increases in the world market for the need to…

A Canadian court has confiscated the assets of two branches of an NGO accused of supporting the LTTE.

The Consumer Affairs Authority is to monitor advertisements on the print, electronic and online media to ensure that product advertisements carry the prices of the products as stipulated by the Cooperatives and Internal Trade Ministry.

Business was opened to its people with ‘Jaffna International Trade Fair 2011’ declared open yesterday.

Prime Minister D.M. Jayaratne has accused the UNP and the TNA of exaggerating incidents that have taken place in Jaffna, claiming that such incidents were common in any society.

Electric trains will be introduced to Sri Lanka by 2013, said the Department of Railways. The first trains powered by electricity will run between Veyangoda and Kalutara South, said the Department’s planning director Wijaya Samarasinghe.

The United Nations said that its Expert Panel on Sri Lanka would not meet Sri Lanka President Mahinda Rajapaksa, who is in US for a private visit, Inner City Press reports.

The deputy United Nations humanitarian chief today called for greater efforts to assist former internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Sri Lanka who have returned to their villages and are facing daunting challenges trying to rebuild their lives.

The sixth baggage conveyor belt system and the new building at the Bandaranaike International Airport was declared open today by the Minister of Civil Aviation Priyankara Jayarathne.

The CEB incurs a loss of around Rs 15,000 million annually as a result of waste due to power misuse by consumers.

Total renovation of roads damaged by the recent floods and earth slips would cost the tax payer about Rs. 6 billion, according to Roads Development Authority chairman R. W. R. Premasiri.

General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani, Pakistan’s Chief of Army Staff arrived in the island a short while ago and was received by Commander of the Army, Lieutenant General Jagath Jayasuriya at the Bandaranaike International Airport.

President Mahinda Rajapaksa has left the country for the US on a private trip, Director General of President’s Media and spokesman Bandula Jayasekara said. When inquired Jayasekara stated that the President left the country early today morning.

The Employees Provident Fund(EPF) asset base crossed the Rs 900 billion mark for the first time in its history, Central Bank Governor Ajith Nivard Cabraal said.

Eight dangerous pesticides are no longer used in Sri Lanka though PCG and HCB industrial chemicals were used extensively some time ago, Environment Minister Anura Priyadharshana Yapa said.

Sri Lanka is ranked eighth in a Gallup poll of civic engagement in 130 countries measuring individuals’ likelihood to volunteer their time and assistance to others.

Colombo - The 15th Asian Junior Team Squash Championships 2011 will be held in Colombo, Sri Lanka from 25 – 29 January 2011 at the newly constructed 06 court international standard Squash Complex of the Sri Lanka…

Kenya has opened the way for local airlines to launch direct flights to Colombo, Sri Lanka, after it signed a bilateral air services agreement that allows access to its skies.

Registering of school vans will be mandatory under new regulations to be introduced by the police. According to the police headquarters, the registering of school vans will commence in Colombo and the Western Province and subsequently be carried out in…

Sri Lanka labour minsitry and the internatonal labour organisaton is to look for ways to create more 'green jobs' and provide skills for workers in environmentally friendly enterprises.

A Health Ministry study says that around 160,000 schoolchildren suffer from some sort of eye defect. Another 400,000 schoolchildren have the chance of developing an eye defect. The Health Ministry launched Vision 2020 program to save the eyesight of schoolchildren,a…

China on Tuesday said it would provide 10 million RMB ($1.52 million) in emergency humanitarian relief to flood-hit Sri Lanka.

Sri Lanka's main opposition United National Party's leadership is to see a change in April for the first time since 1994, local media reported on Tuesday.

The number of deaths caused by floods and heavy rain has risen to 38 while four persons were missing and 52 persons were injured, said the Disaster Management Center (DMC) yesterday.

In the wake of the UN-Sri Lanka spat over the appointment of a panel to advise UN Secretary General Ban-ki moon over the so-called accountability issues (read war crimes), the government will move the country’s top representative in New York…

An arrest warrant was issued on DNA MP Arjuna Ranatunga by the Galle Chief Magistrate this afternoon after he failed to appear in court over a case.

A much waited Sangupiddy dream bridge which links the Northern peninsula to the rest of the country via Pooneryn declared open by President Mahinda Rajapaksa yesterday on 16 January.

The Railways Department is looking at launching luxury trains with the aim of promoting them as venues for various events.

SINGAPORE - The Singapore Civil Service College is helping Sri Lanka train its public servants through a collaboration with the Sri Lanka Institute of Development Administration (SLIDA).

Indian Air Force Chief Air Chief Marshal Pradeep Vasant Naik arrived here on Sunday on a four-day official visit.

Cricketer turned parliamentarian Sanath Jayasuriya was involved in a road mishap in Matara today (Jan. 16), according to police.

Seven Tamil political parties have come together to contest the upcoming local government elections in the north and east under the Ilankai Thamil Arasu Kachchi (ITAK) – a constituent party of the Tamil National Alliance (TNA).

The Mathale police have apprehended a suspect said to have been involved in several murders. Police revealed that the suspect was wanted in connection to several killings in Minuwangoda and Seeduwa areas.

Several of New Zealand's biggest-hitting cricketers have been given yet another opportunity to line their pockets with wads of dollars after receiving approaches to take part in the Sri Lankan domestic Twenty20 competition midway through the year.

A series of senior diplomatic postings including that of former Minister Ferial Ashraff who failed to win re-election at the last general election as Sri Lanka’s new high commissioner is on the cards, authoritative sources said yesterday.