June 6 (CT) Marking World Environment Day, which fell yesterday, the Colombo Municipal Council (CMC) was engaged in a programme to identify vehicle drivers who used their horns, 'exceeding standard level.' CMC conducted the programme together with the Department of Motor Traffic (DMT), Traffic Police and Central Environment Authority (CEA). He said that the purpose of the programme was to reduce noise pollution in the City. "We checked vehicles for nearly 1.5 hours. more..

June 6 (Island) Govt said that it did not have an issue with implementing the 13th Amendment to the Constitution with the exception of police powers. Asked if land and other provisions of 13A with the exception of police powers would be implemented, Minister Keheliya Rambukwalle said that the contentious issue was the TNA demand for a Police Commissioner to be appointed by the Northern Province CM; that could not be more..

June 6 (DM) A proposal to remove Wimal Weerawansa from the post of chairman of the Coordinating Committee of Kaduwela has been adopted unanimously. 16 UPFA councillors of the committee voted in favour of the proposal, while NFF member Buddhika Jayawilal and the UNP council members were not present when the vote was taken. In proposing this motion Suresh Priyadharshana, a council member said that Minister Weerawansa takes rash decisions and more..

June 6 (CT) Two employees of the National Zoological Gardens (NZG) were suspended by the Director of the NZG for smuggling out three snakes from the NZG premises. A cobra, a sand viper and a viper were smuggled out of the NZG for an educational programme in Neluwa. However, when the snakes were brought back after the educational programme was completed, NZG officials had nabbed the two employees involved in the smuggling operation. more..

June 6 (PTI) Sri Lanka reacted strongly against the genocide remarks made by TN Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa against the country over the Tamil issue and said it will make formal objections to India over her comments. "It is very much in keeping with the character of this politician to make wild allegations against Sri Lanka," minister Keheliya Rambukwella told reporters. He was reacting to TN Chief Minister's memorandum more..

June 6 (DM) For the past 35 years after Sri Lanka swallowed the globalised capitalist market economic system, one of the worst affected areas has been milk which is vital to provide adequate nutrition mainly for children and for others. Before 1977 Sri Lanka had a thriving dairy milk industry with the National Milk Board having milk booths at every junction and people were able to get fresh milk at affordable prices. But in a subtle and gradual way trans-national milk companies milked SL’s more..

June 6 (DM) An ugly incident that shocked the country has put a little known deputy minister of the govt firmly under the spotlight this week, once again raising questions about the state of law and order in Sri Lanka. The politician in question is Hemal Gunasekera, Deputy Minister of Co-operatives and Internal Trade. He has been accused of alleged involvement in an incident where a police officer serving on the Southern Expressway was assaulted and his vehicle set on fire by a group of more..

June 6 (DM) With BJP returning to office in India, TNA seems to be distraught somewhat. TNA relies heavily on India to prevail upon the govt of Sri Lanka to evolve a political solution acceptable to them. Party, under the leadership of MP R. Sampanthan engaged with the previous govt of India led by Dr. Manmohan Singh, in this respect. However, TNA has to make such engagements under a new govt now in that country. more..

June 6 (ST) A dead gecko in a refrigerator, unhygienic conditions and rotten vegetables found in close proximity to food about to be cooked were some of the sights that greeted Public Health Inspectors this week in government canteens in Colombo. The inspection covered offices such as the Department of the Govt Printers, Immigrations and Emigration and the Inland Revenue Department. more..

June 6 (SL) A new treaty with our blood relative India is an imperative, let us clear the way for it. Modi becoming PM affords us a God given opportunity, let us not let it pass. It has been reported that India’s new PM has raised the old issue of the 13th Amendment which they foisted on us and insisted that Land and Police powers not be taken away from PCs, when President Rajapaksa called on him after he was sworn in. more..

June 6 (ST) More than a thousand principals and teachers took to the streets demanding that the govt take immediate measures and settle delayed promotions, salary increments and arrears on Wednesday. This was one of a string of protests this week by various sectors over a range of demands from salary issues to construction of roads. The teachers marched from the Parliament roundabout to Isurupaya, holding placards more..

June 6 (Island) A group of parents as well as relatives of some child soldiers believed killed during the final phase of the army assault on the LTTE, confronted TNA MPs near the Mullaitivu PS secretariat during a protest by the latter yesterday. The police prevented a clash between the two groups, though they exchanged words. Irate relatives of child soldiers accused TNA members of having turned a blind eye to large scale more..

June 6 (Island) Nurses and Professions Supplementary to Medicine (PSM) warned that they would continue with their agitations for a fair solution to the Allied Health Sciences Degree issue till the Ministry of Higher Education and the UGC officially informed them of the decision taken at a discussion on Tuesday. President of the GNOA Saman Ratnapriya said that the nursing and PSM unions had discussed the new more..

June 6 (AD) UNP Leadership Council chairman Karu Jayasuriya says that according to Buddhist belief, natural disasters such as famine, floods and untimely rains occur in a country when it is ruled by unjust, wicked, corrupt and dishonest rulers. “Isn’t that what is happening in our motherland today?” he questioned. Pointing out that he has no intention to gain any political advantage from disasters that the land is facing today, more..

June 6 (GDI) As bilateral trade with China crossed $ 3 Bn, one of the biggest ever trade and business delegations from Sri Lanka flew on Wednesday to attend the 22nd Kunming international Fair in China which is scheduled to commence tomorrow. Sri Lanka has been taking part in this event when it was held for the first time in Beijing in 2007. Minister Rishad Bathiudeen said that with one of the biggest EDB supported more..

June 6 (Island) Speaker Chamal Rajapaksa acknowledged the need to counter unsubstantiated claims as regards accountability issues during the conflict made against Sri Lanka in British House of Commons or any other parliament. He said that he would explore ways and means of disputing such claims. Speaker was responding to British Labour Party MP Siabhain McDonagh (Mitcham and Morden) criticism more..

June 6 (CT) The Sri Lanka Army states that from 2009 to 2014, 18,044 acres of land occupied by the Army for its camps in the Jaffna District were handed over to the civilian administration in the area. Brigadier Ruwan Wanigasooriya, said it was only the Army camps in the Jaffna District that were situated on private lands. "Our camps in other areas are located on govt land or in former LTTE camps, which now more..

June 6 (CT) In an environment of growing permissiveness where the young are readily discarding traditional inhibitions and even long held cultural beliefs, teaching the dos and don'ts of sex and related behaviour for school children have become enormously significant. Given that Sri Lanka now has the dubious honour of being the country to have the most number of Google searches for 'Sex,' makes sex education doubly important. 'Sex education' is however a much misinterpreted more..

June 6 (CT) Our Govt could be entering into a collision course with India over the ethnic problem. This is a possibility, indeed a probability, but not a certainty, which is why I have placed a question mark in the title of this article. Before dealing with that question I must make some clarifications arising out of my article “BJP and the SL Ethnic Problem“. In that article I argued that we must begin our relations with the BJP Govt on the assumption that the fundamentals of Indian policy towards SL more..

June 6 (Island) Deputy Minister Hemal Gunasekera said that the constable who had complained against him claiming that the cop was assaulted and his vehicle was set ablaze in taking revenge for issuing a ticket for a traffic offence committed by him on the Southern Expressway was a fabrication. The Deputy Minister said that the policeman was planning to travel overseas and was trying to implicate him before leaving the country to get political asylum. "The car was set ablaze by the cop himself," more..

June 6 (LBO) Stocks closed lower with tobacco stocks losing ground despite net foreign buying mostly into Royal Ceramics. All Share Price Index closed 1.02 points lower at 6,279.14, down 0.02%. The S&P SL20 closed 5.74 points higher at 3,479.17, up 0.17%. Turnover was 835.02 million rupees, down from 896.19 million rupees a day earlier with 92 stocks closed positive against 79 negative. Royal Ceramics Lanka closed 2.10 rupees higher at 102 rupees with two off-market more..

June 6 (CT) The govt should do away with the 13th Amendment to the Constitution, without succumbing to the pressures exerted by India, the Asgiriya Chapter said. Committee Member of the Asgiriya Chapter, Medagama Dhammananda Thera, calling the 13th Amendment the root cause of the country's international bedlam, said initiatives should be taken to prepare a draft Constitution to be presented to Parliament, more..

June 6 (AD) Police have arrested three suspects over Wednesday’s murder of a temporary bus conductor by gunmen at the Tangalle bus stand. The police media unit said that the suspects, all of them residents of Tangalle, were arrested last night by Tangalle Police. The 34-year-old bus conductor was shot and killed on Wednesday by two gunmen on a motorcycle. The gunmen had reportedly inquired from him regarding the whereabouts of a man known as ‘Army Amila’ and when more..

June 6 (Island) Six more undergraduates of the Sabaragamuwa University moved the Supreme Court against a decision of the Vice Chancellor to suspend their studentship for one year, commencing from November 26, 2013. The said they had been blamed for an allegedly unlawful protest campaign held in front of the girls’ hostel. Another allegation was that when six senior student counselors came to settle the commotion, the undergrads had abused and assaulted the student counselors. more..

June 6 (AM) The UNP's decision to field Ranil Wickremesinghe as a candidate for the next Presidential Election has somewhat shattered the hopes of fielding a common candidate of the opposition, JVP former MP K.D. Lalkantha said. "Ranil Wickremesinghe cannot be accepted as a common candidate of the opposition," he said. He also made it clear that the JVP has still not made any decision with regard to the next more..

June 6 (Island) Education Minister Bandula Gunawardena told Parliament yesterday that he would make an apology in the House if anyone in the Opposition could prove their allegation that he had meddled with the preparation of question papers of the GCE A/L Exam. The minister, making a special statement, said that he had never meddled with the process of preparing question papers. He would never allow the examination process to be politicised, he said. more..

June 6 (Xinhua) Floods caused by days of torrential rains have displaced over 100,000 people in Sri Lanka while killing 23 others, latest govt data said on Friday as relief work continues. The DMC said that 26,688 families comprising 109,075 people had been affected by the rain, floods and landslides as of Friday afternoon. At least 23 people were killed and one person remains missing. Over 40 houses have been completely destroyed due to heavy rainfall and subsequent flooding in six districts more..

June 6 (IL) Minister Gamini Lokuge, has said Sri Lanka prepared a comprehensive National Human Resource and Employment Policy and its Work plan after having had extensive discussions with all relevant stakeholders including trade unions and employer representatives with the blessing of the President Mahinda Rajapaksa. Minister Lokuge made this observation at the Plenary of the 103rd Session of the more..

June 6 (LT) Minister S.B. Dissanayaka has been thoroughly defeated in all his moves taken against university students. The students have taken a firm stand that they would not give up their struggle until a written assurance regarding the decision taken by the GMOA and the President is received to establish four year ‘Allied Health Science’ course would be established. Also, despite making threats that students and their parents who oppose holding ‘Dayata Kirula’ exhibition in more..

June 6 (ICP) After in Sri Lanka the UNP MP Lakshman Kiriella called on the govt to “reveal the several subsidiary agreements it had entered into with the IMF, which impinged on the budgetary allocations for essential services,” Inner City Press put the question to IMF spokesperson Gerry Rice at his June 5 embargoed briefing. Rice read out the question, “Are there 'subsidiary agreements' with Sri Lanka that have not been disclosed?” Then Rice gave a prepared answer: more..

June 6 (AM) Minister Vasudewa Nanayakkara has demanded a referendum to abolish Executive Presidency. Earlier, the leftist party leaders representing the UPFA were of the view that President Rajapaksa should take measures to abolish Executive Presidency by introducing a fresh constitutional amendment. In response, senior members of the govt defended Executive Presidnecy, introduced by more..

June 6 (AM) The BBS has lodged a police complaint against Heraminiya Dharul Hikma mosque in Hemmathagama, Mawanella, demanding its immediate removal. The BBS has made the complaint on the grounds that the mosque has been operating "illegally", without undergoing the proper registration process. Madirigiriye Pugnasara Thera, Chief Incumbent of a temple in the area has lodged the complaint on behalf of the organization. Following the complaint, Police officials had more..

June 6 (IE) Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa, who attended the swearing-in ceremony of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, made a photograph from the event the cover picture of his Twitter and Facebook profile pages. The picture shows Rajapaksa standing with President Pranab Mukherjee, Vice President Hamid Karzai, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other SAARC leader, including Pakistan PM Nawaz Sharif. As a caption for the picture, Rajapaksa has said, more..

June 6 (PTI) A Sri Lankan panel probing the disappearance of people during the country's nearly three-decade long civil strife has received nearly 18,600 complaints from the public, a senior official has said. The presidential panel has so far held three sittings in Jan, Feb and March this year in Killinochchi, Jaffna in the north and Batticaloa in the east. 4th round of public sittings is to be held in Batticaloa district this week. more..

June 6 (Island) Water levels at the hydro-power reservoirs had not increased to expected levels so far and therefore the hydro-power supplies only accounted for around 20.9% of the total generation, CEB said. The catchment areas of the hydro-power reservoirs had not received enough rains yet as the Southwest monsoons had just started two days back. Met Department yesterday, however, predicted more showers over hydro-power catchment areas in the coming days. more..

June 6 (WI) Mutthiah Muralitharan backed Sachithra Senanayake in the ‘Mankading’ controversy that erupted during the fifth ODI between England and Sri Lanka. Senanayake ran out Jos Buttler at the non-striker’s end after the batsman had backed up too far despite being warned not to do so. Muralitharan, Test cricket’s highest wicket-taker, told Cricket Australia’s website on Friday that Buttler was “pushing the line” in backing up too far even after the warnings issued earlier. more..

June 6 (SLN) Three Russian naval ships of the Pacific Fleet arrived at the Port of Colombo on 06th June under the Command of Rear Admiral Vladmir A. Dmitriev and ships’ Commanding Officers for replenishment and crews’ relaxation. The ships are Marshal Shaposhnikov, Irkut and Alatau. They were welcomed by the Sri Lanka Navy in accordance with naval traditions on their arrival. Marshal Shaposhnikov is an anti-submarine more..

June 6 (Reuters) Tourist arrivals in Sri Lanka jumped 20.3% year-on-year in May, govt data showed on Friday, with the number of foreign visitors rising for the 61st straight month since the near-three-decade civil war ended in May 2009. Total arrivals hit record highs in 2013, while revenue from the island nation's leisure sector also hit a record. Tourism is one of the main foreign exchange earners for Sri Lanka's $67 billion economy, with the garment and tea industries, more..

June 6 (Reuters) The National Nutrition Policy formulated by a team headed by Consultant Community Physician and Director Nutrition Coordination Division Ministry of Health Dr. Mrs. Shanthi Gunawardena was submitted to the govt last week. She said that every Sri Lankan had access to appropriate and adequate food and nutrition irrespective of their geographical location and socio-economic status, but the non implementation of school canteen policy, more..