Sri Lanka's trade deficit in February 2014 narrowed by 20.7 percent to US$ 504 million as earnings from exports substantially increased while expenditure on imports declined during the month, the Central Bank said Monday releasing the External Sector Performance review.Earnings from exports in...

Sri Lanka's Opposition Leader Ranil Wickremasinghe says he aims to convey the party's vision and goals for the future of the country to the public and raise awareness in the current situation of the country.Speaking to ColomboPage exclusively, the Opposition Leader, who is currently finishing up a fellowship...

The UNP today accused the government of granting complete tax exemptions for James Packer and Ravi Wjeratne. Speaking at a press conference UNP MP Harsha De Silva charged that the government has planned to completely exempted them from the 12% VAT and 2% M.B.T and in place only imposed a new 5% casino...

Launching a scathing attack on Sri Lanka’s cricket officials over a possible move to conduct a disciplinary inquiry on the country’s most senior cricketers, a former Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) chief today said it is a “foolish” decision taken by “brainless” officials.  It was reported yesterday that...

Angelo Mathews has been appointed the Captain of the ODI and Test team while Lasith Malinga appointed the Captain of the T20 team. Lahiru Thirimanne has been named as the Vice Captain of the ODI, T20 and Test teams, SLC said a short while ago.The SLC added that the appointment will be valid until March...

Internal documents obtained by a Canadian newspaper show that Ottawa has drawn up at least five scenarios in which it could be involved in the three-year Syrian conflict, including the deployment of Canadian Forces.The Ottawa Citizen paper said on Monday that while Canada’s federal government has no...

President Mahinda Rajapaksa worshipped at the Sri Dalada Maligawa in Kandy yesterday and received blessings for the Sinhala and Tamil New Year. The President is seen participating in religious observances before the Sacred Tooth Relic. Central Province Governor Tikiri Kobbekaduwa, Chief Minister Sarath...

The death toll from a capsized South Korean passenger ferry rose to 25 on Friday as parents of missing schoolchildren blamed the ship's captain for the tragedy after he and shipping company officials made emotional apologies for the loss of life. Of 475 passengers and crew on the Sewol ferry, which...

The United States is looking for resuming a "more comprehensive" military relationship with Sri Lanka once the Sri Lankan government makes progress towards reconciliation and accountability, a top U.S. official said.Nisha Desai Biswal, Assistant Secretary, Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs said...

The alleged international kidney racket, which came under the police radar following the death of a city youngster in Sri Lanka, has been using Facebook and other social networking sites to identify victims.Kishanbagh resident, Dinesh Maroo, who died in Colombo allegedly after a kidney transplant, had...

A day after three key operatives of the banned LTTE were killed in a major military operation in Sri Lanka's north, the government today justified maintaining troops in the former war zones.  President Mahinda Rajapaksa's special envoy on human rights and Government Minister Mahinda Samarasinghe...

A Sri Lankan army soldier has died of gunshot injuries sustained during a training exercise in the general area north of Vavuniya in the North.The soldier, Lance Corporal S.K Raja of 7 Military Intelligence Corps (MIC), who was engaged in a training exercise succumbed to accidental gunshot injuries...

The Police Department says that legal action has been taken against 211 motorists who were driving under the influence of alcohol, following operations carried out within 24 hours (from 6.00am yesterday) in various parts of the island. The Police Headquarters launched special round-the-clock operations...

General Secretary of the Bodu Bala Sena, Galabodaaththe Gnanasara Thero and Secretary of the Jathika Bala Sena Watareka Vijitha Thero should both get psychological help, Minister of Foreign Employment Promotions Dilan Perera stated.He told Ada Derana that he calls upon medical specialists to help cure...

MDMK general secretary Vaiko said that a Modi-led Government at the Centre would not repeat the blunders of the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance government in Sri Lankan Tamils and fishermen issues.Mobilising support for the party candidate in the Tenkasi (reserved) segment N. Thirumalaikumar...

Sri Lanka cricketers who refused to sign their annual contracts and left for their victorious campaign in the ICC World T20 tournament in Bangladesh over a disputed payment from International Cricket Council (ICC) events, have been assured of receiving almost what they demanded and have actually clinched...

The United Nations recalled the commitments made by the Sri Lankan Government in its joint statement with UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon in May 2009 and urged Sri Lanka to remain committed to its undertaking.The UN spokeswoman Eri Kaneko, who spoke to Daily Mirror, urged the Sri Lankan Government...

Apr 11, Colombo: The wanted LTTE suspect Ponniah Selvanayagam Kajeeban alias Gopi was among the three LTTE operatives killed by the Sri Lankan security forces in a clash last night in Vavuniya, the military spokesman has confirmed.Earlier reports said the security forces in a search operation for the...

Apr 11, Washington DC: The United States today said the upcoming Sinhala and Tamil New Year brings a new opportunity for all Sri Lankans to join together in the spirit of tolerance, reconciliation, and peace.In a press statement issued Friday, the US Secretary of State John Kerry, on behalf of President...

Union Minister and senior Congress leader G K Vasan today said the centre's stand in abstaining from voting on a US resolution on alleged war crimes by Sri Lanka at the UNHRC would not affect the party in the Lok Sabha elections."No way the Sri Lankan issue will affect the Congress in this election,"...

India beat South Africa, comfortbaly, by seven wickets, to book a place in Sunday's final of the World T20 2014, against Sri Lanka.Batting first, after winning the toss, South Africa managed to score 172 for the loss of four wickets in 20 overs, but India were hardly troubled on their way to reaching...

The United States remains firmly committed to working with the people of Sri Lanka to build a future in which all of Sri Lanka's citizens can achieve their aspirations, its envoy to Colombo said."We have been a longtime friend of the Sri Lankan people, in good times and in bad," the U.S, Ambassador...

Democratic Party (DP) Leader Sarath Fonseka said today his party was prepared to support a common opposition candidate at the next presidential election if a suitable candidate was selected.“We are not prepared to support anyone but we will support a common candidate, who has a good track record,” the...

A remarkable spell of bowling by left arm spinner Rangana Herath (3.3-2-3-5) saw Sri Lanka pull off a remarkable 59-run victory against New Zealand to book their berth in the semifinals of the ICC World Twenty20 tournament.Playing his first match of the tournament proper, the spinner remarkably claimed...

Indian Coast Guard will hand over 17 Sri Lankan fishermen released from Indian custody and their 10 boats to Sri Lankan Navy at the International Maritime Boundary Line on Tuesday, Indian media reported.India's move comes after Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa, in gratitude to India's decision...

The Sri Lankan government has in a decisive move with far reaching implications proscribed as foreign terrorist entities, several overseas organizations suspected of being fronts of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE).The government banned the organizations as “foreign terrorists” utilising...

Hirunika Premachandra daughter of assassinated former MP Baratha Lakshman Premachandra has received the highest number of preference votes in the Colombo District with a total of 139,034 votes.S.M. Marikkar has received the highest number of preference votes from the UNP from the Colombo District with...

The United States and Sri Lanka militaries will conduct an international defense workshop in Colombo on chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear (CBRN) defense despite the somewhat strained political relationship between the two countries over the US-led UN resolution.The Multinational Planning...

A court in Sri Lanka today granted permission to former Army Commander, Democratic Party Leader Sarath Fonseka to proceed with his defamation case against a deputy minister of the government.Mount Lavinia District Judge Gihan Chandraranawana has granted leave to proceed with Fonseka's defamation case...

The Tamil National Alliance (TNA) opposed India for its decision to abstain from the US sponsored resolution in UNHRC which was passed today.TNA MP Suresh Premachandran told foreign media that India had cheated the Sri Lankan Tamils by the stance it had taken with regard to the resolution.However TNA...

The United States says that Thursday’s vote in the UNHRC, on a resolution calling for an international probe into alleged human rights violation in Sri Lanka, sends a clear message that the time to pursue lasting peace and prosperity is now and that justice and accountability cannot wait.The US-sponsored...

Sri Lanka flatly rejected the UN resolution led by the United States and adopted by the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva today calling for an international investigation into alleged human rights violations as an conspiracy by interested parties "seeking a regime change".Addressing the media in Hambantota...

The US-sponsored resolution promoting reconciliation in Sri Lanka was adopted during the 25th session of the United Nations Human Rights Council today with a majority of 11 votes.Twenty-three counties voted in favor and 12 voted against it while 12 nations abstained from voting on the resolution, which...

England beat Sri Lanka by six wickets in their World Twenty20 super 10 Group One match at Chittagong, Bangladesh on Thursday ending Sri Lanka's 14-match winning streak.England after winning the toss set Sri Lanka to bat and Sri Lanka set England 190 to chase with 55 from Dilshan Tillakaratne and 89...