Daily Mirror, Colombo

Former Treasury boss ordered to appear next week

The Supreme Court yesterday directed former Treasury Secretary P. B. Jayasundera to appear in court on October 8 to inform court as to whether he was holding any post in the public service or in any office of the government.

The Bench comprising Chief Justice Sarath N. Silva,…

by S.S.Selvanayagam, Daily Mirror, Colombo

All roads must be open to the people

The Supreme Court yesterday directed the Police Chief to consider removing all barriers along the Galle Road to implement the pilot project under which buses would run along a stipulated lane up and down the Galle Road and buses would not use…

by Harischandra Gunaratna, The Island, Colombo

Three persons were injured in a bomb explosion at around 12.30 p.m. yesterday at a parking lot in Malwatte Road, Pettah.

A traffic warden and two pedestrians were being treated at the National Hospital.

Six vehicles were damaged in the blast.

Police said the bomb had been placed under the carriage of a van…

by Sandun A Jayasekera, Daily Mirror, Colombo

At least one person died and twenty nine commuters were injured when a Kandy bound intercity train collided from behind with the Fort – Polgahawela train near the Ganemulla railway station yesterday.

Dr. Deepa Konara of the Gampaha hospital accident ward said 30 people had been admitted to the ward while one person found dead on admission.

Ganemulla Station Master G.W. Dayananda said the…

by Kelum Bandara, Daily Mirror, Colombo

Move aimed at luring them to contest under betel symbol

The government has agreed to appoint the 17 UNP members - who are now holding ministerial portfolios in the government, as UPFA electoral organizers, political sources said yesterday.

They said…

The Island, Colombo

Participating in the Ministerial meeting in New York on Friday relating to children associated with armed forces and groups, Foreign Minister Rohitha Bogollagama said that over 60 per cent of LTTE cadres were children. He quoted UNICEF as saying 6,273 children had been recruited since 2002.

On the other hand, he said the political arm of the…

Daily Mirror, Colombo

Human rights lawyer and Transparency International (Sri Lanka) Director, J. C. Weliamuna’s Kohuwela house came under a bomb attack on Saturday night causing damage to the premises.

Two hand grenades were thrown at the house of the lawyer who is well-known for human rights violation litigations but only one bomb had exploded.

The other hand…

Daily Mirror, Colombo

Human rights lawyer and Transparency International (Sri Lanka) Director, J. C. Weliamuna’s Kohuwela house came under a bomb attack on Saturday night causing damage to the premises.

Two hand grenades were thrown at the house of the lawyer who is well-known for human rights violation litigations but only one bomb had exploded.

The other hand…

by Shamindra Ferdinando, The Island, Colombo

The LTTE has thwarted an attempt by UN agencies and INGOs to evacuate several hundred Tamil employees from the area under its control.

Well informed sources said that although some local INGO workers had been allowed to leave with the expatriate staff, the vast majority were denied the opportunity. The UN and all other expatriates…

by Shamindra Ferdinando, Sunday Island, Colombo

The police investigating a massive financial fraud committed by a person who called himself Deshamanya Sakvithi Ranasinghe Sir are in a dilemma over the action to be taken against Edwin Ariyadasa, a prominent media personality who had functioned as the joint director of S. R. Property Sharing Investment (Private) Limited, set up by…

by Asif Fuard, Sunday Times, Colombo

The multi-million-rupee Sakvithi finance company scandal has started causing ripple effects countrywide with panic-stricken depositors demanding the return of their monies from questionable finance companies, reports from the provinces said.…

by Chandani Kirinde in Geneva, Sunday Times, Colombo

Sri Lanka figured in the general debate of the Human Rights Council (HRC) in Geneva with the European Union and several countries expressing concern about the humanitarian situation in the north and several NGOs calling for UN…

by Shamindra Ferdinando, Sunday Island, Colombo

The JVP’s case against the Sri Lanka Ports Authority (SLPA) and the Dubai-based Serendib Flour Mills (Private) Limited over the setting up of a flour mill in the Prince Vijaya Quay (PVQ) in the Colombo port has taken a surprise turn with Appeal Court judges, S. Sriskandarajah and Upali Abeyrathne who had heard the…

Daily Mirror, Colombo

The Army captured the Kokkavil railway station in the Kilinochchi district on Thursday, further getting closer to the A-9 main highway, the military said yesterday.

Military sources revealed following fierce fighting throughout the past few days troops of the 57 division gained control of the railway station while consolidating the area.

“Troops are just 400 metres away from the A-9 road,” a senior military…

Daily Mirror, Colombo

The British Foreign Office has urged the LTTE to act urgently to allow free movement of civilians from the Wanni. "The recent increased hostilities in the north of Sri…

by Shamindra Ferdinando and Norman Palihawadena, The Island, Colombo

The Kilinochchi Project Manager of an INGO known as Zoa has joined the LTTE to fight the Sri Lanka Army. He, an Italian passport holder, has informed the Colombo-based head of Zoa, in writing, of his decision to fight for the cornered Tigers.

The Ministry of Defence told The Island yesterday that Zoa had informed it of the situation and forwarded a copy of the…

Daily Mirror, Colombo

Opposition MPs complain of Basil’s behaviour at COPE meeting

JVP MPs Anura Kumara Dissanayake and Sunil Handunnetti together with UNP MP Dayasiri Jaysekera raised questions of privilege in parliament yesterday against Senior Presidential Adviser and parliamentarian Basil Rajapaksa’s alleged misbehaviour at Wednesday’s COPE…

by Kelum Bandara, Daily Mirror, Colombo

In another twist to the ‘worsened political crisis’ between TMVP leader Karuna Amman and EP Chief Minister Sivanesathurai Chandrakanthan alias Pillayan, the party leadership has made some changes in the political structure of the organisation.

Highly placed political sources told Daily Mirror last night that the party leadership had appointed…

Daily Mirror, Colombo

Insisting that the minorities of this country should not make undue demands, Army Chief yesterday said he believed the ongoing war would end in less than a year.

"The national leadership basically is determined to solve this problem. The task given to us is to eradicate terrorism. If we have the same commitment one more year, the LTTE's destiny is, I think,…