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A monkey at the Dehiwala Zoological Gardens escaped from its cage and was running loose this morning. It apparently had taken advantage of the striking veterinarians who were demanding their increments in salary. Veterinarians islandwide resorted to trade union action claiming that an approved salary increment had not been paid to them as yet. Veterinarians’ union head K.K. Sarath told Adaderana that they had to resort to the strike action as the authorities had failed to respond favourably to their demands.

With the Southern Provincial Council (SPC) coming up, the voices of the candidates too were being heard. Among them is Nishantha Muthuhettigama, the self proclaimed aspirant for the SPC Chief Ministerial post. But then entered controversial tele/cinema star Anarkalli Akarsha. Though she was not a challenger for the Chief Minister’s post, she apparently was gaining more support due to her popularity. This may have made Mr. Muthuhettigama a bit vary and he had allegedly threatened the actress turned politician with death. On a complaint from Ms. Akarsha, police were to take him into custody, but Muthuhettigama could not be located. When the case was taken up at the Galle Magistrate’s Court, an arrest warrant was issued on him. Subsequently, Muthuhettigama surrendered to courts on the same day and was released on surety bail of Rs. 100,000. However, addressing the media on September 19, Nishantha Muthuhettigama said that the Police in the south will have to take a vacation after he win

Police charge a Yale University lab technician with the murder of a graduate student whose body was found inside a wall on the Yale campus -- on what would have been her wedding day.

The Colombo Stock Exchange (CSE) created history today by recording its highest ever Market Capitalization (total value) of Rs. 942.6 Billion, the Colombo Stock Exchange told to Share Blogs

Permanent Secretary to Sri Lanka’s Ministry of Disaster Management and Human Rights has told the CNN that the West should not give in to pressure by certain Diaspora people’s claim that the Tigers are the Tamils. Permanent Secretary Prof. Rajiva Wijesinha, while interviewed by the CNN stated that some diaspora people keep saying that the Tigers represent the Tamils. “They do not. Tamils are decent hardworking people who have been mostly under the control of the terrorists for a number of years,” he said. Driving home a point on the pressures exerted on Sri Lanka by the west, Prof. Wijesinha said if the international community could discuss and act on how things could be done better, Sri Lankacould do a lot more than already done. He said Indiahas already done this and the results were clearly visible as India has been consistently against terrorism. When the CNN interviewer asked whether she, as a journalist would be allowed access into IDP centres Prof. Wijesinha said it has and is be

Sep 07 -Speaking in Ohio, U.S. President Barack Obama told union members he still believes in the "Public Option" as part of healthcare reform. Joanne Nicholson reports.-Visuvals by "REUTERS"

When the Extension of the Emergency is brought to Parliament the Opposition will unite to defeat it, says Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) Parliamentarian and trade union strongman K.D. Lal Kantha. Addressing a media briefing this morning (Sep. 8) Mr. Lal Kantha accused the government of harassing trade unions while taking cover behind the Emergency Regulations. The JVP is already discussing further action regarding this matter with other opposition parties, he added.

At the request of the Sri lankan Minister of Foreign Affairs, the Saudi Arabian Embassy has issued free visas to 100 Sri Lankan Muslims proceeding on Umrah pilgrimage during the month of Ramazan for the first time. Earlier this month, several Muslim political leaders and organizations had drawn the attention of the Minister of Foreign Affairs to a change in the policy of the Saudi Arabian authorities, which resulted in cutting down the number of visas issued for prospective Umrah pilgrims from all over the world. In the past Saudi Arabia Authorities have issued visas to around 2000 applicants from Sri Lanka during the month of Ramazan, this time it had reduced to 1400 only. The Foreign Minister took up this matter with Saudi authorities through diplomatic channels. He also followed it up with representations to His Excellency Jammaz, Saudi Ambassador in Colombo . He emphasized to them the religious significance of Umrah for Muslims in the holly month of Ramazan and

Northern Province governor says 30,000 IDPs to be resettled in two weeks; Rs4,000 & tractor facilities to be given to farmers in North

SLIIT student Nipuna Ramanayake has filed a Fundamental Rights petition with the Supreme Court claiming that he was inhumanely assaulted by the police. Nipuna has also claimed a compensation of Rs. 100 million as compensation while naming Senior Superintendent of Police Vass Gunawardena, his wife Shyamali Priyadarshani Perera, son Ravindu Gunawardena, twelve other police officers and the Inspector General of Police as respondents. Nipuna Ramanayaka, a student of the Sri Lanka Institute of Information Technology (SLIIT) in Malabe was allegedly abducted and assaulted by officers attached to the CCD while SSP Gunawardena’s son Ravindu and wife Shyamali Priyadarshani were also allegedly involved in the incident. All of them are in remand custody. Five of the 14 suspects involved in the alleged abduction and assault were identified yesterday (Sept. 2) during an identification parade held at the Kaduwela Magistrate’s court.