June 30 (FT) The Govt is to set up a supervisory board to evaluate Sri Lanka’s school system, including Private and International schools. Minister Akila Viraj Kariyawasam revealed this development on Thursday while addressing the media at Sirikotha. He said that irregularities in exorbitant school fees charged by some Int'l schools had been brought to the attention of the Govt. “We will be setting up a supervisory board that will evaluate the performance and functions of all schools, more..

June 30 (Island) JVP Propaganda Secretary MP Vijitha Herath said his party welcomed the move by the wife of their founder leader Rohana Wijeweera to file a habeas corpus seeking information of her missing husband. "We welcome the move. Such an application could be filed by only a member of the family. She should have done that many years back. But better late than never," the MP said. Patabendi Don Nandasiri Wijeweera, better known as Rohana Wijeweera, was born on July 14, 1943. more..

June 30 (DN) PM Ranil Wickremesinghe while defending Chinese investment in the Hambantota Port yesterday said this project with 15 industries, will transform the Hambantota district. Delivering the key note address at the Saman Kelegama Memorial Conference at the Taj Samudra yesterday, PM said, “A lot has been written about how we were forced to give it up but I always thought that we held the cards. more..

Jun 30 (DM) Last Friday, the Coalition Govt launched one of its most enterprising schemes which it believes will be the centrepiece or showpiece of its sustainable, eco-friendly development strategy for the coming months and hopefully years. Prez Maithripala Sirisena launched the Enterprise Sri Lanka loan scheme with the aim of converting Sri Lanka into a haven for entrepreneurs. Under this programme, the brainchild or masterpiece of Finance Minister Mangala more..

Jun 30 (DM) The advice was given by Ven. Vendaruwe Upali Thera, Anunayaka of Asgiriya Chapter to former Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa to become a Hitler, in order to build the country, would not have become so controversial and a widely read topic in newspapers, if there weren’t a debate over the latter’s possible candidacy at the next Presidential Election. Ven. Thera had reportedly requested the former Defence Secretary to even resort to become a Hitler and more..

Jun 30 (ST) The growing conflict between wild animals and humans, particularly in districts where the communities’ livelihood is agriculture-based, was debated in Parliament on Friday. UPFA MP Wimalaweera Dissanayaka moved an adjournment motion on the issue and spoke on the worsening situation in several districts where encroachment and attacks by wild animals including elephants, monkeys, wild boar, more..

Jun 30 (ST) A driver who appeared to be too tired to drive and was speeding on the Southern Expressway was allegedly responsible for the death of a young Australian woman and her daughter, police and official investigations have revealed. Louise Monica Collins, 37, along with her husband, Patrick, a flying Instructor of a foreign airline based in Doha, were looking forward to a week-long tour of SL more..

Jun 30 (ST) An organised crime gang suspect Chamara Jayasundara, the bearded key figure in the Matara jewellery shop robbery, was shot dead in the early hours of yesterday by the police. The police claimed he had tried to lob a hand grenade during an attempt to show them a bag that had been hidden in a jungle. Police claimed the incident took place at about 6 a.m. yesterday when the suspect was escorted to a location more..

Jun 30 (Island) A manager attached to Sri Lankan Airlines Rashmore Ferdinands, giving evidence before the Presidential Commission to Investigate irregularities committed by Sri Lankan Airlines and Mihin Lanka, yesterday, said that due to the write-off of Phoenix Duty Free Services Lanka Private Ltd debts, the airline had incurred a loss of about USD 4.2 million. The decision had been taken by the directors of the airline, Ferdinandas said, more..

Jun 30 (Island) An investigation has been launched on a medical practitioner, attached to the National Blood Transfusion Centre. Claiming to be a senior consultant physician, he enjoys all the perks and privileges without the Public Service Commission approval. Investigations have revealed that the particular doctor has used the prefix Senior which other doctors don’t use before their name and uses it in all correspondence more..

Jun 30 (SLA) Prez Maithripala Sirisena, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces has promoted five senior Brigadiers of the Army to the rank of temporary Major General and 34 Captains to the rank of temporary Major, states a communiqué issued by the Military Secretariat on Friday. All those five Senior Officers while serving either as Support, Infantry or Service arms or in combat have played praiseworthy roles during Humanitarian more..

Jun 30 (Island) A special Parliament Committee headed by Speaker Karu Jayasuriya is to be appointed to come up with a series of proposals to build national unity. Speaker Jayasuriya, addressing the media at the end of a conference on National and Religious Reconciliation attended by multi-religious representatives at the Parliament complex yesterday, said the Committee would take the opinions of the religious leaders, intellectuals more..

Jun 30 (Island) TNA MP M.A. Sumanthiran has expressed regret with regard to the behavior of the CM of the Northern Province C.V. Wigneswaran, saying the latter was a failed experiment of the party. “This is a problem my party has to face now,” he said, peaking during an event on Friday. A former Supreme Court Judge, Wigneswaran was the TNA’s chief minister candidate for the Tamil-majority Northern Province in the first, post-war more..

Jun 30 (Island) STF commandos who raided the house of underworld gangster, known as Habarakada Wasantha, yesterday, recovered some gold jewelry robbed from a shop in Matara. The police also took into custody four persons with a pistol used in last Friday’s incident, where a police constable was killed. The pistol was found buried in an earth mound near the house of suspect gangster. The suspects taken into custody were more..

Jun 30 (NR) The All Island Canteen Owners Association says the price of a packet of rice and a cup of tea will be reduced in line with the reduction in gas prices. National Organiser of the Association Asela Sampath said the price of a cup of tea and a packet of rice are expected to reduce by five and ten rupees respectively. Canteen Owners Association increased the price of a cup of tea and a packet of rice on the 27th of April in line with more..