Initial planning and arrangements are underway to hold the 3rd Defence Seminar - 2013 under the theme ‘Post-Conflict Sri Lanka – Challenges & Regional Stability’ at Colombo Galadari Hotel during September 3 - 5, 2013, the Commander of the Army Lieutenant General Jagath Jayasuriya said Wednesday (23) afternoon during a media briefing at Army Headquarters.

This year’s comprehensive sessions while focusing on Post-Conflict Reconstruction, Social Integration, Reconciliation (1st Day), Regional Stability

The mother of a Sri Lankan domestic worker beheaded in Saudi Arabia has forgiven those who she says wanted her daughter executed.

Rafeena Nafeek said her daughter, Rizana, was innocent and was wrongfully convicted of killing a baby in 2005.

The Saudi government said that she could not be pardoned because the baby's parents wanted the punishment.

Documents show she was only 17 at the time of the killing and that her execution was a breach of child rights.

The prospects of early release of five Thangachimadam fishermen, incarcerated in Welikada prison in Sri Lanka for more than a year, look bleak as the Colombo High court has adjourned the hearing to March 12 for examination of witnesses.

When the case came up for hearing before Justice Soorasena in the fourth court of Colombo High Court, the judge fixed March 12, 14, 15, 22 and April 3 for examination of 12 witnesses in the case, according to U. Arulanandam, president of the Alliance for Release of Innocent Fishermen (ARIF), fi

Last week, I discussed the campaign of a tiny fraction of the majority community against Muslims, and the way in which the Government is creating space for them by neglecting sensitive issues like the allegations of interference in the Law College Entrance Exam.

Some people claim that groups like the Bodu Bala Sena and the Sinhala Ravaya are only defending the interests of Sinhalese. If not for their ‘activism’, we are asked to believe, Buddhists would soon have to meditate in secret or risk having their heads chop

Separate institution for NDT students under  a separate Act - VCThree arrested students to be produced at identification parade - PoliceWe will boycott examinations until authorities ensure security  - engineering students
Despite IT being relocated, should be affiliated to Moratuwa Uni.  - NDT students


by Dasun Edirisinghe

The Engineering Faculty and the Institute of Technology of the Moratuwa University being closed indefinitely a week ago following another clash between the engineering u

The Sri Lankan Government headed by President Mahinda Rajapaksa is engaged in enacting a number of positive measures to honour the memory of Rizana Nafeek and to help uplift her poverty stricken family.

President Mahinda Rajapaksa meets parents of Rizana Nafeek at The Temple Trees, Jan 22, 2013

The pathetic plight of Rizana Nafeek who went from Moothoor in Eastern Sri Lanka to Saudi Arabia in April 2005 at the age of 17 to work as a housemaid cum nanny and was unjustly executed there has aroused widespread grief and

It was a practical examination session for a training of gender trainers in the Jaffna district. The trainees had to conduct a day’s training on gender issues in a village called Thoppukkadu located in Karainagar. The participants were widows who were beneficiaries of a livelihood assistance project implemented by the UNDP.  Watched by the keen eyes of the examiners, the trainees began their training session.  As usual, the first formalities of a typical participatory mode-training program   were observed. The q

Sri Lanka approved legislation on Tuesday allowing police to hold suspects for up to protests accusing the government of acting to suppress dissent.

Rights groups assert that Sri Lanka, which has a long history of police impunity, of continuing to violate human rights despite the end of a three-decade-long war with Tamil Tiger separatists in May 2009.

Police in the South Asian nation previously could detain suspects without charge for 24 hours.

Sri Lankan External Affairs Minister G.L. Peiris Tuesday said his government was trying to resolve political issues concerning the island country's Tamils.

Peiris said Sri Lanka was trying to include Tamil National Alliance (TNA) into the process to resolve the issues. "We are trying to bring TNA into the process. Hope it will happen sooner than later," Peiris said.

Answering queries after delivering a lecture, 'The rise of Asia and Sri Lanka's role', at the Institute for Defence Studies an

The Government has published its response to the Foreign Affairs Committee’s report on the role and future of the Commonwealth.

Commenting on the Government response to the Foreign Affairs Committee’s report, Foreign Secretary William Hague said:

“The Government response welcomes the Committee’s support for our policy to strengthen engagement with the Commonwealth, helping it to realise its full potential, and to use its networks to achieve the UK’s priorities.