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An explosion occurred at Malwatte Road-Main Street in the Pettah a while ago. SSP Premalal Ranagala of the Pettah police said six vehicles were damaged in the explosion while the National Hospital says two persons were brought for treatment of injuries. police request people not to rush towards the scene to enable further investigations.

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 Lanka are of acute concern to the UK government," said junior Foreign Office minister Mark Malloch-Brown and aid minister Shahid Malik in a joint statement. "We welcome the government of Sri Lanka recognising its responsibility to provide humanitarian assistance to civilians affected by the conflict and its continued co-ordination with humanitarian agencies," they added. But they said: "We urge the LTTE to take urgent action to allow free movement of civilians. "We call on both parties to respect their obligations under international humanitarian law to enable free access for humanitarian agencies and the protection of civilians affected by the conflict," they added British Prime Minister Gordon Brown discussed the situation with Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapakse in New York on Fri

The Central Bank has deemed that the following six organizations and individuals are engaged in fraudulent financial operations: Okanda Finance (Private) Ltd, Sakwithi Ranasinghe (House Construction Pvt. Ltd) , Piyadasa Ratnayake, Nadini Finance (Pvt.) Ltd, D.K Udayasiri and Sriyawi Homes and Lands Investments. According to the Central Bank notice these individuals and institutions are not authorized to conduct finance business by accepting money from the public as deposits or in any other form and the lending of money on interest and/or the investment of money in any manner.The announcement came in the wake of the massive cash swindle of the English tutor popularly known as Sakviti Ranasinghe who has now fled the county to India, according to reports.The Central Bank has also named two individuals who are engaged in fraudulent financial activities among the six listed companies; Piyadasa Ratnayake of Hungama and D.K.Udayasiri of Kurunegala and Kiribathgoda.Meanwhile investigation into

When the JVP raised a privilege issue today over the behaviour of Nation Building Minister Basil Rajapaksa at Wednesday’s COPE meeting, Speaker W.J.M. Lokubandara said that during today’s meeting Mr. Rajapaksa’s behaviour has been exemplary.

The Government finds the procedure of instituting an “investigation” to determine if the GSP+ concession can be extended to Sri Lanka unnecessary and inappropriate, Foreign Minister Rohitha Bogollagama said when he met Benita Ferrero Waldner EU External Relations Commissioner in New York. He further said that the government of Sri Lanka will await the official announcement and the intimation of the EU on the proposed investigation to formally respond in this regard. Minister Bogollagama sought to discuss this issue having learnt that the European Commission had proposed to conduct an investigation on Sri Lanka as per its regulations governing the GSP scheme, a Foreign Ministry statement said.

The Indian cricket board is irked at its Sri Lankan counterpart's decision to allow rebel Indian Cricket League (ICL) players turn out for domestic tournaments and will take up the matter with the International Cricket Council (ICC), an official said. The Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) decision has surprised the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), which was instrumental in persuading the other cricket boards to ban ICL players. "We have come to know about it (lifting of ban). It is very strange. We have not spoken to the Sri Lankan cricket board till now. But will take up this issue with the ICC," BCCI secretary Niranjan Shah told IANS on Friday. SLC spokesman Shane Fernando said the decision to revoke the ban was taken at the interim committee meeting chaired by its chairman Arjuna Ranatunga in Colombo on Wednesday. However, the ban from international cricket will continue. The decision comes close on the heels of Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) banning 13 players for

More than 200 students haven't got even a single mark at the Grade 5 Scholarship Exams 2008, Commissioner General of Examination Anura Edirisinghe said today.

More than 20 LTTE cadres killed in sea battle off Nachchikuda, three large LTTE boats & seven smaller boats destroyed-Navy deputy spokesman

Nations Building Minister Rohitha Abeygunawardane was admitted to the Intensive Care unit of a private Hospital in Kalutara after he was bitten by a snake at Payagala today.

The Bribery Commission recorded a statement from Nation Building Minister Rohitha Abeygunawardane today.

No decision or discussion of any sort to change leadership of UNP after working committee meeting held recently, says UNP spokesman

Air Force jets engaged LTTE’s main intelligence headquarters one kilometer west of Kilinochchi on Wednesday, the Air Force said. Air Force Spokesperson Wing Commander Janaka Nanaykkara said offensive raids were carried out at 6.45am this morning. The site is considered to be one frequently visited by the LTTE’s intelligence wing leader Pottu Amman, Defence Ministry sources said, adding a high profile LTTE gathering was taking place at the site during the time of the attack.

A cat in Ratnapura is wanted for swallowing jewellery worth thousands of Rupees after it entered several houses uninvited and swallowed valuable rings and pendants lying around, police sources quoted residents as saying. However when contacted Ratnapura police said that they have some complaints of jewellery being missing but could not confirm a cat involvement. Residents reported their missing items to the police early last week but were unable to identify the suspect. The brown street cat, who had been roaming in the neighborhood for over a month, was spotted swallowing the jewellery by a gardener who immediately narrated the incident to the house owners.The cat which carried out its crime in another house the following day was immediately caught red handed, swallowing a gold earring by three people who had been following the animal, but escaped unharmed when the men tried to grab it, the residents had said. The hungry cat has not been spotted in the neighborhood since then

Nine persons arrested in Wellawatte after not showing enough details of identity Thursday night, remanded until Mon next court date-Police

The highest rainfall of 48.5mm has been reported from Bandarawela today, the Meteorological Department said. It said that the country would continue to experience the present rainy climate due to the onset of the inter monsoon period.

About 700 more army deserters are to be tried by Court Martial in the next few weeks, the military said while urging the remaining deserters to report back to the forces or else face arrest.

Sarah Palin has dominated the Republican convention for days without making a public appearance but on Wednesday she takes the spotlight with a prime-time speech that will introduce her to American voters. Since John Mcain made the nearly unknown Palin his No. 2, the Alaska governor has been at the center of a media storm fueled by disclosures about her unmarried teenage daughter's pregnancy, a probe into her role in an Alaskan official's firing and questions about the her political record.

A 34% or 1,177 out of 3,452 investment projects signed by the Board of Investment (BOI), from its inception in 1978 up to the end of 2006 had been cancelled incurring a huge loss of Rs. 1.18 billion to the country, the Auditor General observed in his latest report on the BOI.

Hurricane Gustav hurtled toward collision with the Louisiana coast on Monday, bringing pounding rain, surging wind and the most direct threat to New Orleans since the devastation of Hurricane Katrina in 2005. Nearly 2 million people fled the Louisiana coast and more than 11 million residents in five U.S. states were braced for the impact from the fast-moving storm, which was expected to make landfall on Monday morning around New Orleans. Oil companies shut down nearly all production in the energy-rich Gulf of Mexico, a region that normally pumps a quarter of U.S. oil output and 15 percent of its natural gas.