Veteran actor Roy de Silva passes away at age 80

Veteran actor and film director Roy de Silva passed away at the age of 80 last night.

He entered the film industry as an actor in 1964 with Sujage Rahasa directed by P. Neelakantan.

His blockbuster movies such as Re Daniel Dawal Migel series, Cheriyo series, Clean Out, and Sir Last Chance were economically successful and made hallmarks in the industry especially in the eighties and nineties.

New Qantas 17-hour flight breaks aviation records

The "Kangaroo Route" from Australia to Britain became a shorter hop Saturday (March 24) when the first direct passenger service left Perth for London, with the 17-hour flight set to break aviation records.

Qantas' 14,498km journey from the south-western city to London is the world's third-longest passenger flight, the Australian carrier said, and the first ever regular service to connect the two continents directly.

Kudu Nuwan arrested

Nuwan Udaya Gunathilaka alias ‘Kudu’ Nuwan has been arrested with a hand grenade, in Kadawatha by the Special Task Force (STF) today.‘Kudu’ Nuwan was a suspect in the attack on the Sri Lanka Rupavahini Corporation (SLRC) on December 27, 2007.

The STF said that there were cases pending against him for murder, sexual assaults, extortion, drug peddling and underworld activities.

Strict procedures for social media

Strict procedures will be adopted in connection with the social media websites after President Maithripala Sirisena 's visit to India and Japan, Minister of Fisheries and State Minister of Mahaweli Mahinda Amaraweera said.

Explaining the government position on social media in response to the journalists’ enquiries, the Minister stated government was considering the introduction of laws and regulations to impose certain restriction on social media,

Five drown at Nilaveli

Five persons including four children died from drowning when their canoe capsized in the Periyakulam tank in Nilaveli yesterday morning.

The victims had gone to the tank at around 11. a.m. in a canoe to collect lotus leaves for a religious ceremony to be held at the Kovil when the tragedy occured.

Tension in Ampara town

Four shops and a place of religious worship were damaged and three people injured in a clash between two groups in Ampara town and is said to have flared up after some tablets were allegedly found in a meal served by a wayside restaurant to a customer.

The incident had first taken place at the restaurant in the vicinity of temple junction in Ampara on Monday night and the officers of the Ampara Police had come to the scene and launched investigations.

SL family allowed to stay in NZ

A Sri Lankan family who won the support of the Queenstown community in their fight against deportation have been given a reprieve and they will be allowed to stay in New Zealand for another year, the New Zealand Herald reported today.

Clutha-Southland MP Hamish Walker has been supporting the family, Dinesha Amarasinghe, Sam Wijerathne and their three boys Senath, Subath and Binath.

SL beat Bangladesh by 6 wickets

Sri Lanka defeated Bangladesh by six wickets to go 1-0 up in the two-match T20 series. After opting to bat, the hosts rode on fifties from Soumya Sarkar and Mushfiqur Rahim to post 193/5. In reply, fiery knocks from Kusal Mendis, Dasun Shanaka and Thisara Perera helped Sri Lanka seal the deal with 20 balls remaining.

At the halfway stage, Bangladesh would have felt that they have found their mojo back, having lost the Test series. However, all the good work done by their batsmen was undone in a jiffy through blistering knocks of Kusal Mendis and Danushka Gunathilaka - a 53-run stand inside five overs of play.