The United National Party (UNP) today called for the questioning of UPFA MP Arundika Fernando, regarding his statement on the whereabouts of missing journalist Pagaeeth Eknaligoda, and requested the government to carry out its duty by obtaining information of the matter.

Making a revelation in Parliament yesterday, the Puttalam District MP had declared that Eknaligoda is currently living in France.

Sri Lanka is still wary of the LTTE's international network and has voiced concern about the possible re-emergence of pro-LTTE sympathisers despite the military defeat of the Tamil rebels, US State Department's report has said.

According to the US State Department's 2012 counter terrorism country report, "The Sri Lankan government claimed that it continued to uncover abandoned weapons and explosives in areas of the country formerly controlled by the LTTE."

Government parliamentarians yesterday highlighted the need for the reintroduction of the draconian Criminal Defamation Law, which was repealed by the United National Party (UNP) Government in June 2002. Monitoring MP for the Ministry of External Affairs, Sajin de Vass Gunawardena, argued in Parliament the government should reintroduce the law to prevent heads of media organizations from acting like 'underworld thugs.'

Speaking during the debate on regulations introduced under the Sri Lanka Press Council Act, to

Hundreds of students who had passed their A/ls and faced the interview for admission to National Colleges of Education (NCoE), found that they had been disqualified as they had already registered with universities.

These students, who were qualified for admission to the Arts, Commerce and Science faculties of the universities, told The Island that their first choice was to enter the NCoE to train as professionally qualified teachers, but they faced a dilemma as the university admission preceded the NCoE admission. They said if

A special team tasked with tracking down property belonging to Golden Key Company (GKC) director Mrs S. P. C. Kotelawala has acquired a land valued at Rs. 500 mn, situated at Fonseka Road, Colombo 04.

Acquiring of the land was carried out on a directive given by Supreme Court.

Visiting New Zealand Foreign Affairs Minister Murray McCully had bilateral discussions with his Sri Lankan counterpart on Wednesday, ahead of the Commonwealth summit, said the External Affairs Ministry.

McCully and Sri Lankan External Affairs Minister G.L. Peiris discussed the arrangements being made by Sri Lanka to host the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Colombo in November this year, and the preparations for the three accompanying events of the Business Forum, the Youth Forum and the People's Forum, said the

Twenty four Indian fishermen were arrested by Sri Lankan naval men when they were fishing near Katchateevu on Wednesday, officials said.

The fishermen were arrested on the charge of intruding into Sri Lankan territory, fisheries department officials and Innocent Fishermen's Association Arulanandham said.

As many as 785 fishing boats put out to sea, and of them, six boats had been detained and comandeered to Talaimannar Coast of Sri Lanka by the Lankan navalmen, officials said.

It grew from the pre-Islamic Arab relationship with Sri Lanka and continued beyond the advent of Islam. Principally, the Arabs who built vibrant trade relation with Sri Lanka put their roots here and made Sri Lanka a second home. With the advent of Islam in the 7th Century, the Arabs became Muslims; hence the Arab-Muslim relationship with Sri Lanka became ever stronger and prominent with the ascendency of Islam as a global power. As a result, the relationship that originated as commercial links extended beyond to other areas like interna

Sri Lanka emphasised that regulation, transparency and accountability of funding to NGOs and NPOs is a pre-requisite in the interest of national security and counter-terrorism as recognised by states, and that obligation placed on states to adhere to the regulatory framework in compliance with 40 Recommendations of the Financial Action Task Force, makes it mandatory to monitor fund transfers of all financial institutions inclusive of NPOs and INGOs (associations) and other financial institutions, in countering financing of terrorism, mon

In an important twist to the investigations into the Matale mass grave, the Bar Association of Sri Lanka (BASL) has come forward as a stakeholder in the case.

It is learnt that when the case of the Matale skeletal remains was taken up by Matale Magistrate, Chaturika de Silva, a representative of the BASL, Anura Medegoda, had requested for leave to represent the case.