June 14 (ST) A hike in gun crimes including homicides, attempted murders and robberies using weapons ranging from 9 mm pistols to T-56 assault rifles, has highlighted the threat posed by firearms getting into the hands of criminals; but the Govt’s response to the problem has been slow, with little follow-up action on pledges made to various UN bodies to deal with the proliferation of small arms and light weapons, more..

June 14 (DN) The Chinese govt has agreed to provide USD 1 million assistance to develop Sri Lanka's science, technology and research sector as a result of a bilateral meeting between Minister Champika Ranawaka and Chinese Science and Technology Minister Wan Gang. The meeting was held on the sidelines of the China - South Asia Countries Science and Technology Ministers Meeting held in China from June 6-9. more..

June 14 (DM) The govt plans to enact new laws to ensure the safety and rights of workers employed by manpower companies, Minister Gamini Lokuge said. Mr. Lokuge, who is Minister of Labour and Labour Relations, said such companies were set up to provide man power to companies as contingency when they faced difficulties in continuing the production line or work shift due to an absence of staff. more..

June 14 (NIE) The appointment of Sandra Beidas as Coordinator of a 12-member UN team to investigate alleged war crimes and human rights violations in Sri Lanka during and after Eelam War IV, signals the beginning of the investigation process, UN officials said on Friday. Asked if the process will begin only after the two top experts are appointed, an official said that it is the 12-member team coordinated by Beidas which will be doing more..

June 14 (DM) Based on a petition filed against the use of the word “Confederal” instead of “Federal” in the amended policy statement of the ITAK, the Supreme Court ordered that the original and the amended policy statements be translated into English and submitted to Court. The petition filed by H.K.D. Chandrasoma stated that a citizen could petition the SC in the likelihood of a political party or a group attempting to set up a separate state in SL more..

June 14 (AD) The UN encourages the Sri Lankan Govt to engage constructively with the international community, to strengthen the existing domestic reconciliation process and to work towards lasting peace in Sri Lanka, a spokesman said today. Sri Lanka’s Ambassador to the UN in Geneva Ravinatha Aryasinha this week announced that the SL govt will not cooperate with the human rights investigation approved by the UNHRC more..

June 14 (Island) The CEB said that it was too early to waive off the Fuel Adjustment Charge immediately as the rains were uncertain despite heavy showers in the catchment areas. CEB, Additional General Manager, M.C. Wickramasekara said that last Thursday was one of the luckiest days for the CEB as hydro power reservoirs had received huge amount of rains but it was uncertain whether the rains would continue. more..

June 14 (CT) The TNA will leave no stone unturned to provide evidence against the govt, if an international war crimes probe is held against it by the international community. "This is a very serious situation and it is up to the representatives of the war affected people of the North and the East to provide evidence against the govt in the event of a war crimes probe being held at international level," TNA MP Suresh Premachandran more..

June 14 (CT) On Thursday, the Football World Cup 2014 kicked off in Arena Corinthians in Sao Paulo, Brazil and, three billion viewers from around the world would be watching the beautiful game during the next four weeks, until the 13 July final. However, the world’s most watched sports extravaganza is shrouded in controversy. As the British newspaper, the Economist, aptly put it, the FIFA world cup 2014 is taking place under a cloud as large as Brazil’s iconic Maracana stadium. more..

June 14 (CT) An indication of the Commissioners’ reasoning is contained in the following on page 179 of the Report: “The Commission draws the irresistible inference after deliberation and consideration upon the evidence taken as a whole, that it is [the only one] consistent with the following: “Captain W.A.N.M. Weerasinghe was a member of the conspiracy with others in the Government and in the Army to assassinate General Kobbekaduwe and any others who may be present with more..

June 14 (CT) A report on the involvement of private hospitals' alleged links to a South Asian kidney transplanting racket is to be submitted to Minister, Maithripala Sirisena, shedding light on the possible involvement of not only private hospitals, but doctors, medical staff and donors as well in such a scam. However, representatives of all five hospitals, allegedly linked to the human organ smuggling racket that is more..

June 14 (Island) It now seems to be generally agreed that Sri Lanka could enter into a collision course with India if the SL Govt continues to shilly-shally over reaching a political solution to the ethnic problem on the basis of devolution. Adverse reactions from India and the Western powers could turn out to be seriously detrimental to Sri Lanka’s interests. What strategy should our Govt follow in this situation? I concluded my last article On Collision Course with India? more..

June 14 (Island) The GMOA warned that they would not tolerate further disruptions in labour rooms of hospitals and were prepared to stop all elective caesarean section if the nurses continued to interfere. GMOA Spokesman, Dr. Naveen de Soysa warned that the nurses should await the P. B. Jayasundara Committee report without disrupting the labour room services any further. Although the nurses claimed that midwives should sign in a register kept by matrons, more..

June 14 (ST) The Sri Lanka Medical Council (SLMC) will probe the dengue death of a 14-year-old patient at the private Neville Fernando Hospital in Malabe, on a complaint of alleged negligence, made by his mother. We received the affidavit complaining about the death of Kavisha Wickramaratne this week and will initiate inquiries, said SLMC's Acting Registrar Dr. H.M.S.S.D. Herath. Kavisha's mother, Kanthi Lanka Kumari, has also lodged more..

June 14 (GDI) Handing over the letters of appointments to 169 new Grama Niladharis to fill existing vacancies in Matara District took place in Matara District Secretariat recently. Matara District has 650 Grama Niladhari divisions of which many have fallen vacant without officials to carry out administrative duties. As a solution a competitive examination had been held and those selected were given a three-month-training. Grama Niladharis who had successfully completed their more..

June 14 (SM) A television viewer has recently urged a TV hostess to sit in a decent manner, 'Sri Lanka Mirror' learns. The TV hostess who had come under the criticism had been conducting a live programme broadcast by the Sri Lanka Rupavahini Corporation (SLRC) on a Saturday. The guest of this particular programme had been veteran artiste Jayalath Manorathne. Phoning the studio, the lady viewer had talked to the producer of the programme, airing her views. more..

June 14 (Island) Indian govt has finally released 39 Sri Lankan fishermen detained by authorities for trespassing into Indian waters on Thursday to reciprocate Sri Lanka’s goodwill gesture in releasing their fishermen. Fisheries Ministry said that Sri Lankan fishermen had already been handed over to Mahabodi in India and Indian Coast Guard would handed them over to Sri Lankan Navy on Monday at Kankesanthurai. more..

June 14 (SM) JHU has demanded that the govt should hunt down Muslim extremists, arrest and deport them. In a statement, the party’s media secretary Nishantha Sri Warnasinghe says Muslim extremists want to create a religious clash with Buddhists and bring discredit to the country internationally. JHU condemns the attack on a Buddhist monk by Muslim extremists at Darga Town in Aluthgama, which shows their intolerance of Buddhism and Buddhist culture as well as more..

June 14 (GDI) A training workshop for Jaffna University Fine Arts students was held recently in Batticaloa with the objective of establishing traditional and cultural sense among the youth. The workshop conducted by the Eastern University Fine Arts Lecturer K. Ravichandran was held at the Batticaloa Kannan Kuda which is very famous for folk arts. The event was held with the cooperation of Kanan kuda Kannaki Tamil forum. Tamil forum's folk artists and famous folk artisits from more..

June 14 (ST) Police assistance has been sought to prevent the transportation of cattle and other farm animals infected with the foot- and-mouth disease to the main milk producing districts – Nuwara Eliya, Kandy and Kegalle. Senior DIG Gamini Navaratne who has been entrusted with the implementation of border control of the three districts said that policemen will intensify their checks with the upcoming religious festivals more..

June 14 (Island) The Provincial Director Health Services (PDHS), Sabaragamuwa, Dr. Kapila Kannangara said that they were prepared to face a possible epidemic situation with the flood affecting parts of the Province. Dr. Kannangara reassured that all MOH offices in affected areas namely; Ratnapura, Elapatha, Rakwana and Godakawela had been mobilised following the overflowing of the Kalu Ganga. With the heavy showers on Thursday, the Kalu Ganga overflowed, more..

June 14 (LT) A petition is to be signed opposite the export exit of the Sri Lanka Ports Authority (SLPA) on the 16th requesting solutions for six demands of the employees of the Authority states the Member of the Sri Lanka Ports Authority Joint Trade Unions Chandrasiri Mahagamage. Some of the demands of the Port employees are increase salary of SLPA to Rs.12,000, the 20% allowance that has been denied to the employees since 2006 to be added to the salary with arrears, the bonus more..

June 14 (CG) Over 450 goats were sacrificed at a festival of a Hindu Temple in Kirimalai the north today. The goats were sacrificed at the Narasingha Vairawar Hindu Temple as part of an annual event. The event took place amidst tight police security following protests staged yesterday against killing the animals. The sacrifice of over 450 goats had taken place early this morning at the Temple premises in the presence of health. more..

June 14 (ST) Patients who obtain treatment from state hospitals depend heavily on the drugs dispensed to them. But in some instances poor storage facilities are resulting in the drugs being disposed of. These pictures captured at the storage facility at the Base Hospital in Puttalam speak for themselves. The store room, the quarters for hospital officials, is in a dilapidated condition. The room is sans electricity and ventilation and is infested with rats and other insects, more..

June 14 (DM) India today said that the centre is looking at the alleged attack and arrest of Indian fishermen by the Sri Lankan Navy seriously. “We are constructively working for a long term solution to the issue,” Commerce and Industry Minister Nirmala Sitharaman told reporters. She also said External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj too is of the view that arrests of fishermen should not be there. Sitharaman also said that the Centre is studying Special Economic Zones in the country more..

June 14 (Island) The UNP accuses the govt of playing politics with the national question in spite of a grave threat the country was faced with. The burning problem Sri Lanka has to contend with is not issuing visas to foreigners, UNP has said, in a statement, adding that whether or not they are allowed to visit the country, the investigation will go on. Full text of the statement: Rajapaksa regime is once again playing politics with more..

June 14 (Island) 20 Inspectors of Police complained to the Supreme Court that 70 Inspectors had been recently promoted to the rank of Chief Inspector unreasonably and the due promotions of the petitioners to the rank of Chief Inspector had been denied. The petitioners said that IGP had followed an arbitrary scheme in effecting those promotions. They requested the Court to declare the promotions invalid and place the petitioners in their rightful place in the seniority list. more..

June 14 (AM) UPFA MP Vidura Wickramanayake, son of the former PM Rathnasiri Wickramanayake, has launched a scathing attack on the govt criticizing 'futile' development projects of the govt and the conduct of some top rung leaders of the SLFP. He has strongly questioned the culture that spawns 'bribery and corruption' - one of the major allegations against the present administration. He has also said that he is not in a position to white-wash every sin committed by govt. more..

June 14 (AD) Five members of the Tamil Tigers, believed to be the terrorist organisation’s leaders in the Nederlands have been given sentences ranging from 10 to 16 years by the the Public Prosecution Service in The Hague. Five men, identified as leaders of the Tamil Tigers in the Netherlands by the prosecution, were active members of the LTTE from 2003 to 2010. LTTE was included on the list of terrorist organizations more..

June 14 (AD) A Cessna 152 private training aircraft which had uncounted a snag in its landing gear, when one of the wheels fell off midair, has landed safely at Ratmalana airport, an official said. The wheel of the light aircraft, belonging to a pilot training school in Ratmalana, had detached and fallen on to the Southern Expressway in the Millaniya area, Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) said. However, the police spokesman’s office said that it had not harmed any person or damaged any vehicles more..

June 14 (AM) Interpol has warned local intelligence agencies that the Taliban is operating within Sri Lanka. Interpol, which is now in touch with Sri Lankan authorities on this matter, is of the belief that the international terrorist organization is using Sri Lanka as an easy transit point to Middle East and other Asian countries. Intelligence services also believe that some Taliban members have entered the country using forged documents. They are also believed to be engaged in smuggling and more..

June 14 (AM) Prime Minister D.M. Jayarathne has not taken part in the weekly for nearly two months. Although 'Sunday Lankadeepa' dubbed it as a cabinet boycott, sources close to the PM said he could not take part in cabinet meetings due to 'health issues'. The PM's boycott was highlighted over the past two months thanks to the more 'overt' boycott carried out by Minister Wimal Weerawansa. more..

June 15 (SO) Terrorism has raised its ugly head again in Pakistan, bringing operations at Karachi's Jinnah International Airport to a standstill. Day-to-day life in the most populous metropolitan city of Pakistan was severely disrupted when terrorists attacked the international airport twice within 48 hours. Security forces at Pakistan's busiest airport in Karachi came under attack, a day after militants stormed one of its terminals. The brazen terrorist assault on Pakistan's largest Karachi Airport more..

June 15 (SL) The thousands of pilgrims who flocked to Anuradhapura on Poson Poya Day to commemorate the arrival of Buddhism to Sri Lanka would have had only an inkling or been totally unaware of the grim tragedy in villages surrounding this ancient capital of SL. For thousands of years even after malaria devastated the Dry Zone pockets of paddy cultivators continued to produce the staple food of this country. Family tradition was passed on from generation to generation despite more..

June 15 (SO) Deputy Speaker Chandima Weerakkody said the SLFP was a party which had a clear majority to run this country on its own. Of the 225 members in Parliament, the SLFP has 117 members which is more than the required majority in Parliament. He said even so the SLFP has never acted arbitrarily without giving a hearing to the feelings and aspirations of smaller parties. That is why parties that were not there at more..

June 15 (Island) Whether Sri Lanka cooperates or not, the UNHRC mandated investigation into alleged human rights violations here, with a probable focus on the closing stages of the long war, will go forward. The Rajapaksa administration will no doubt get parliamentary approval later this week for its non-cooperation strategy. While parties like the TNA, who have made no secret of the fact that they support the UNHRC initiative, inspired in large measure by the Tamil diaspora in more..

June 15 (NS) Some may believe that it was a masterstroke by the Govt to go to Parliament with the issue of the team appointed by the UNHRC. The ruling party has the number. Secondly, the opposition (barring the TNA of course) would be caught in a bind because if they oppose the Govt’s position it would amount to (or at least interpreted as amounting to) complicity in ill-willed, pernicious, selective action against Sri Lanka by sections of the international community which, more..

June 15 (SL) While the investigation by the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) begins the U.S. based Transnational Govt of Tamil Eelam (TGTE) says it is preparing to file legal action on some of the incident which allegedly took place in Mulalivaikkal. Head of TGTE Visuvanathan Rudrakumaran, also noted that the appointment of Prince Zeid as the new UN High Commissioner for Human Rights will be good more..

June 15 (ST) Minister Bandula Gunewardena has issued a new circular defining the conditions for admission of students to A/L classes of national schools. One criterion is that national schools must not take children of international schools for A/Levels even if such students had followed the national curriculum and passed the local O/L exam. Minister contends that it is unfair to allow English-educated students of international schools – whom he says are from privileged backgrounds more..

June 15 (ST) My Dear Maithree, I thought I must write to you when I heard all these rumours circulating in newspapers about you being appointed as the next PM. I didn’t know whether to laugh or to cry-or whether I should even be worried about you. Of course, whenever there have been rumours about Prime Ministers being changed, your name crops up as a possibility. I suppose that is because you are the general secretary of the Blues and a senior minister now. more..