First ODI called off due to rain

The first ODI match between Sri Lanka and West Indies has been officially called off due to bad weather conditions. West Indies managed to score 245/5 at the end of their allotted 50 overs earlier today.

Mangala accuses Def Sec with illegal land grab - VIDEO

A protest organized by the United National Party will be held on February 09 at Lipton Circus in opposition to the present dictatorship and also to demand the release of imprisoned Sarath Fonseka, MP Mangala Samaraweera stated.

Fully investigate incident – Roa tells Sri Lanka

Indian Foreign Secretary Nirupama Rao, during her visit to Sri Lanka and meeting with, President Mahinda Rajapaksa and Minister of External Affairs, Prof. G.L. Peiris, had expressed deep concern at the recent violent incidents in the waters between India and Sri Lanka, a release issued by the Indian High Commission said.

Karunanidhi raises fishermen issue

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M Karunanidhi today met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and is understood to have raised the issue of Indian fishermen being killed allegedly by the Sri Lankan Navy.

Fire at Lankaenews office - VIDEO

A fire was reported at the office premises of the Lankaenews website early today morning, Talangama Police confirmed. The fire which broke out at around 2am was brought under control however all the computers had been destroyed and extensive damage is reported.

Launches luxury ferry service for whale watching - Ministry of Defence (press release)

The Sri Lanka Navy broadening its horizons, yesterday ventured into maritime tourism, and launched a luxury ferry service which operates in the southern coastal areas for whale watching.

News website office set on fire in Lanka - IBN

Colombo: The office of a popular Sri Lankan news website, managed by a journalist who is in exile due to threats against his life, was set on fire in the wee hours on Monday by unidentified persons.

Cricket-Windies rack up 245 against Sri Lanka in ODI - Reuters UK

(Reuters) - West Indies scored 245 for five wickets after choosing to bat first in the first one-day international against Sri Lanka on Monday.

Scores: West Indies 245-5 in 50 overs (A Barath 113, R Sarwan 75, L Malinga 3 for 51) v Sri Lanka.

Italy hands over flood relief today

The Italian government officially handed over relief materials to the government through the Italian Embassy this morning (January 28). The flood relief items were handed over to Economic Development Minister, Basil Rajapakse at the Katunayaka International Airport.

Maha Bodhi Buddhist Center Attacked by Tamil Extremist

7 arrested for attack on Maha Bodhi Society

Seven Periyar Dravidar Kazhagam cadres were arrested on Thursday in connection with the attack on the Maha Bodhi Society on Kennet Lane in Egmore on Monday.

The arrested, David Periyar (30) of Kancheepuram, Ravikumar (30) of Siruseri, Baskar (32) of Ponneri, Surender alias Nathigan (25), Appu (30) of Mylapore and Sugumar (37) and Sampath (32) of Royapettah, were later remanded in judicial custody.

Pakistan sends aid for flood victims

The Pakistan government has come forward to send relief for flood victims. Tents and blankets have already been given by the Pakistan government as a first step while another stock is due within the next few weeks, Pakistan High Commissioner Seema Illahi Baloch stated.

Sri Lanka shares down as foreign outflow continues - Reuters

COLOMBO, Jan 27 (Reuters) - Sri Lanka's stock market lost
on Thursday as retail investors booked profits after a recent
rally as foreign investors continued to be net sellers in an
overbought and expensive market.

Sinhalese are shaken by violence but not scared to live in Chennai - Times of India

CHENNAI: The recent attack on the Maha Bodhi Society, a Buddhist centre in the heart of Chennai, in the wake of killings of two Tamil fishermen, sent shock waves across the small Sinhala community in the city. But, though small in numbers, the Sinhalese say they have never been afraid to live in the city or anywhere in Tamil Nadu despite the state's passionate pro-Tamil and pro-LTTE sentiments. Shiromi Alexander, a Sinhalese tour guide who has been living in Chennai for 15 years, says it was sad to see the poor and innocent Buddhist monks being attacked. "It was unfortunate, but at the same time the attack should not be taken as a collective sentiment of the Tamil people. There were tense moments during the civil war in Sri Lanka. But now I don't worry at all. There is a good rapport between the two countries," says Shiromi.

Vaiko cannot question ban on LTTE: Centre to HC - Times of India

CHENNAI: The Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (MDMK) general secretary, Vaiko, has no locus standi to question the Central Government's notification to ban the LTTE in India, the Centre has told the Madras High Court.

Priority for village development in the Economic War

Prime Minister D.M.Jayaratne said that it is the policy of the government to develop the village first and extend it to develop the country. Although the past governments neglected the villages this government has carried out large development projects on a village basis.

Grass root level campaign at LG

The UNP will limit its rallies at this year’s Local Government election and concentrate more on a grass root level campaign, UNP General Secretary Tissa Attanayake said.

Pakistan Army Commander due in SL tomorrow

Pakistan Army Commander General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani is due to land in Sri Lanka on a three day visit tomorrow (January 19). The Sri Lanka Army stated that the Pakistani General will be joined by his wife and top officials of the Pakistan Army.

President celebrates Thai Pongal in Jaffna

President Mahinda Rajapaksa was the chief guest at the Thai Pongal festival at the Doraiappah Stadium in Jaffna today (January 17). Pictured here the President arriving at the location with (Left) Traditional Industries and Small Enterprise Development Minister, Douglas Devananda who organized the event. A large number of Hindu devotees attended the event along with several Ministers and Parliamentarians. (Pic by Sudath Silva)

UN rushes top brass to deal with Lanka flood crisis - Hindustan Times

The United Nations is rushing a top relief official to take stock of the flood situation in Sri Lanka and coordinate an international appeal for emergency funds. Latest reports said at least 40 people were killed and around 1.1 million affected by the floods that have devastated swathes of areas
in central and eastern provinces. About a dozen districts have been affected.

Four baby elephants perish in Sri Lanka floods

AT LEAST four baby elephants perished in Sri Lanka's devastating floods which killed 40 people and left a million villagers displaced, an official said on Monday.

Exiled LTTE leaders in Canada

Canadian security intelligence authorities are warning that exiled Tamil rebel leaders are re-establishing their violent Sri Lankan separatist movement in Canada, The Vancouver Sun reported.

Sri Lanka released 78 former LTTE rebels to celebrate Thai Pongal festival

Marking the harvest festival celebrations by Tamils both locally and internationally, Government of Sri Lanka released some 78 LTTE carders today (15th January 2011) in Jaffna.

Cyclone Vania 2011 ( Satellite images )

Tropical cyclone Vania is pictured near New Caledonia in an enhanced color water vapor satellite image released by the U.S. Navy January 14, 2011. REUTERS

Sri Lankan navy denies shooting fishermen - NDTV.com ( Video )

Chennai:  Sri Lanka has denied shooting Indian fishermen.  Speaking to NDTV, Sri Lankan government spokesperson Laxman Hullugalle denied the incident. "When I spoke to the Navy, the Navy totally denied any shooting incident on fishermen from India."

Floods and landslides across the planet - The Hindu

Torrents of mud and water that followed heavy rains cut a destructive path through the mountainous Serrana region near Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, toppling houses, buckling roads and burying families.

Sri Lanka flood death toll rises to 23, crop risk grows - Reuters

The death toll from flooding across a third of Sri Lanka rose to 23 people on Thursday, and another 100,000 people were forced from their homes as heavy monsoon rains lashed the island and threatened food supplies.

Govt. to sign MoU with Libya

The cabinet has approved the signing of three agreements with the Libyan government which is said to bring in funds up to US $500 million for various development projects, the Government Information Department revealed.

Sri Lanka prepares for flood-borne diseases

Sri Lanka is hospitalizing pregnant women and young children to shield them from waterborne diseases in districts where floods have brought sewage into the streets, a health official said.

UNP patches up differences for polls

UNP MP Sajith Premadasa said today that his team would not push for political reforms to the party in the run up to the Local Government election. Instead, he said that all agreed to work in unison for the election.

Colombo temperature drops to 61-year low

The temperature in Colombo has dropped to 18.8⁰C, the lowest recorded temperature in 61 years, the Meteorological Department reported today. Nuwara-Eliya recorded a temperature of 7.9⁰C while Batticaloa recorded 16.9⁰C. The cold climate will continue throughout today and tomorrow, the Met Department reported.

Temperature down

Temperature in country was going down further this evening with minimum temperature in Nuwara Eliya going down to just 8 degrees. Minimum temperature in Kandy was expected to go down to 16.3 degrees.

Sri Lanka facing ‘La Nina’

Stating that the current bad weather is a result of Sri Lanka being affected by the La Nina phenomenon that had hit the entire globe, the Department of Meteorology warned that the country should be prepared to face any weather condition in the future.

India to send relief material to SL - The Hindu

The Indian government will despatch relief material for the flood-affected people of Sri Lanka, and the first consignment will be sent on Friday, indian Defence Ministry officials said.

India to despatch relief material to Sri Lanka - The Hindu

The Indian government will despatch relief material for the flood-affected people of Sri Lanka, and the first consignment will be sent on Friday, Defence Ministry officials said here.

Sri Lankan opposition asks govt to lift curbs before local polls - Daily News & Analysis

Sri Lanka's opposition today demanded that the government lift the emergency before local elections in March, saying there was no justification for continuing curbs, two years after the end of civil strife in the country.

Postcard from Sri Lanka: After the War - New Yorker

In the magazine this week, Jon Lee Anderson writes about Sri Lanka following its decades-long civil war, and explains the history of ethnic conflict between the Sinhalese and the Tamil people. Here the photographer Patrick Brown documents the aftermath in the northern part of the country and looks at how people are getting on with their lives.

Floods ground Sri Lanka president - BBC News

Weather conditions have forced Sri Lanka's president to abandon a visit to areas affected by severe flooding which has displaced nearly 200,000 people and killed 18 others.

Rain triggers Sri Lanka mudslides - Aljazeera.net

  At least 16 people have been killed in flash floods and mudslides and 120,000 people have been forced from their homes.

China Communications to build Sri Lanka port expansion - Reuters

China Communications Construction Company (1800.HK: Quote) has been given an $810 million contract to build the second phase of Sri Lanka's new port, the ports authority said on Monday. Hambantota, which opened in November, is set to be Sri Lanka's biggest port once completed and give the Indian Ocean country access to traffic on one of the world's biggest East-West shipping lanes, located a few kilometres off its southern coast.

Tamils not in danger of being persecuted in Sri Lanka - IRB Canada

Canada’s Immigration and Refugee Board, rejecting a refugee claim by a 25 year old Tamil person from Sri Lanka’s Northern Province has said Sri Lanka's political landscape has radically changed over the last 18 months and Tamils are not in danger of being persecuted.

Swiss police arrest 10 LTTE men after raids - Sify

Swiss police Tuesday raided several properties and arrested ten Tamil Tiger rebels, accusing them of involvement in a criminal group as well as money laundering, the attorney-general's office said.

"Today, the Swiss Federal Criminal Police carried out a nationally coordinated operation directed at Tamil individuals and members of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE).

India backs revival of Sri Lanka''s KKS harbour - MSN India

India today backed the restoration of Sri Lanka''s northern Kankesanthurai harbour, saying it would boost regional trade activities as well as increase people-to-people contacts between the two countries.

Vaas considers Sri Lanka future after missing World Cup - BBC Sport

Chaminda Vaas is considering retirement from international cricket after being dropped from Sri Lanka's squad for the World Cup, starting in February. The fast bowler, who retired from Test cricket in 2010, was keen to play for his country at the World Cup, which will be part hosted by Sri Lanka.

IPL cricket auction breaks record

Fifty-five players have been sold on the second and final day of the auction for the Indian Premier League (IPL), the world's richest cricket tournament.
Teams spent a total of $62.8m (£40m) over the weekend to buy 127 players. Some 350 players were up for grabs.

Govt. allocated Rs.100 mil for flood victims

The government has allocated a sum of Rs.100 million for flood victims while the relief programme will be carried out through the District Secretariats along with the Divisional Secretariats, Grama Niladharis and the Tri-service personnel.

Over 8 lakh hit in Sri Lankan floods - The Hindu

Over eight lakh people have been affected in Sri Lanka as the monsoon fury worsened, leading to breaching of tanks, landslips and flooding.

Air Force rescues seven from Ampara - VIDEO

Another seven persons have been rescued from flooding in Ampara, Rambakanoya by the Sri Lanka Air Force, using Bell 212 helicopters a short while ago. The SLAF Spokesman says that rescue missions continue despite heavy rain and strong winds.
24 persons were rescued earlier today (January 10) while stranded due to flooding in Tampitiya, Ampara.

Tamils likely safe from persecution in Sri Lanka, IRB says

Your life is not in danger just because you’re a Tamil who has been sent back to Sri Lanka, says a new policy introduced by Canada’s Immigration and Refugee Board.

Stock Market update. 10th Jan 2011

The All Share Price Index gained 24.7 points to close at 6,916.6 points (+0.4%), whilst the Milanka Price Index dipped marginally to close at 7,281.8 points (-0.1%).

Low temperatures across island

A cold wave in India may have an indirect effect in Sri Lanka as well since most areas of the country recorded low temperatures than usual, the Meteorology Department said.

President meets Sri Lanka Cricket Team

President Mahinda Rajapaksa met the 15 – member Sri Lanka squad for the upcoming ICC-World Cup at temple Trees Saturday. The World Cup is being jointly hosted by Sri Lanka, India and Bangladesh and 12 matches will be played at Kettarama in Colombo, Pallekele in the central hill Kandy and the new venue Suriyawewa at Hambantota.

Lasantha Wickramatunga was commemorated

Renowned journalist Lasantha Wickramatunga was commemorated by his family, relatives and colleagues at the monument dedicated to him at the Borella Cemetery. Today (January 08) is the 2^nd death anniversary of the former Editor in Chief of The Sunday Leader newspaper who was shot by unidentified gunmen on motorcycles as he drove to the office of the newspaper in Colombo.

Govt – TNA talks today

The government will hold a crucial round of talks with Tamil National Alliance in a bid to find a political solution to the grievances of the minority ethnic group.

Air Force rescues flood victims

The Sri Lanka Air Force rescued eleven persons who were stranded due to floods in the Tampitiya and Bogamuyaya area in Ampara, Air Force spokesman Group Captain Janaka Nanayakkara said.

Sri Lanka floods take four lives, over 600000 affected - Hindustan Times

At least four persons were killed and many injured in mudslides and flood related incidents in Sri Lanka, where over 600,000 people have also been affected by deluge, officials said today. Seven have been hospitalised after they were rescued from rubble. A few others believed to be trapped under
the rubble after earth slip reported in Kandy 116km from Colombo.

Sri Lanka says Norway out of peace talks after Oslo embassy attack

Esala Ruwan Weerakoon, Sri Lanka`s ambassador in Norway, overlooks damages inside the embassy in Oslo on Sunday.

Sri Lanka: LTTE left peace talks in 2003 to win concessions - Asian Tribune

A top secret diplomatic cable made public by Wikileaks reveals that Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) left peace talks with Sri Lankan government in a tactical move to “get more concessions”.

Former Minister passes away

A former Minister and Fromer Gampaha District MP Sarath Chandra Rajakaruna passed away this morning at his residence. He entered Parliament for the first time in 1977 and was a Minister in the cabinet of late President J. R. Jayewardene. (YP) Source by: daily mirror

Jayasuriya, Vaas out of SL World Cup squad

World Cup-winning veterans Sanath Jayasuriya and Chaminda Vaas were left out of Sri Lanka's final World Cup squad of 15 players named on Friday by the national selection committee headed by Aravinda de Silva.

England seal famous triumph with Sydney win

England won the fifth Ashes test by an innings and 83 runs on Friday to claim a first series triumph in Australia in nearly a quarter of a century.

The tourists, who had already ensured they would retain the famous urn, needed a little more than 17 overs to remove Australia's last three batsmen on day five of the final test to win the series 3-1.

Australia have lost series by bigger margins but in more than 130 years of test cricket they had never conceded three defeats by an innings or more in a series against any country.

8 LTTE ships being used by ex-rebels' international network: Sri Lanka - Daily News & Analysis

Ships belonging to the LTTE are still being used for illegal activities by its remaining international network, the Sri Lankan government said on Thursday.