June 2 (DM) The second phase of the Outer Circular Highway (OCH), the 14.3 Km stretch from Kaduwela to Kadawatha is to be opened for public use on June 20, Project Director Mrs. T.S.H. Abeywickrama said yesterday. The construction of the OCH is being carried out in three phases, Phase 1 from Kottawa to Kaduwela was declared open last year, Phase 2, from Kaduwela to Kadawatha; and Phase 3 from Kadawatha to Kerawalapitiya. more..

June 2 (Island) The UNP said yesterday that it had been ready for a general election since April 28 and it was the SLFP led UPFA that was dilly-dallying. Deputy Minister Harsha de Silva said that in keeping with the Sirisena- Wickremesinghe led Joint Opposition manifesto at the January 8, presidential election, the UNP had been prepared to seek a fresh parliamentary mandate from the people at the end of its 100-day programme. more..

June 2 (EN) Importers harassed by lower ranking members of Sri Lanka�s Customs trying to block its new round-the-clock trade facilitation service should speak up and complain, officials in the freight business said. �You have to speak out,� Anton Emmanuel, chairman of the Association of Clearing and Forwarding Agents told importers and freight forwarders at a forum to assess the new 24x7 Customs service. more..

June 2 (OD) Sri Lanka�s civil war ended in May 2009. For years, the lack of accountability for the grave human rights abuses committed during the last phase of the war has seemed for many actors to be the sole issue of concern. Powerful states, international human rights organizations, vocal sections of the Tamil diaspora, alongside some NGOs and courageous activists in the country, brought increasing international pressure to bear on the authoritarian Rajapaksa regime. more..

June 2 (Island) Kuliyapitya Magistrate ordered police to submit the post-mortem report as well as a DNA report following a complaint lodged by a mother that she gave birth to a male child at the Kuliyapitiya hospital but the body of a girl had been handed over to her by the hospital staff. In her complaint to the police she had said that her medical reports proved that she had given birth to a male baby, but the hospital staff had deliberately switched it. Her bedhead ticket was also changed. more..

June 2 (CT) The month of May brings one memories of the brutal war that took place in what was once described as a paradise (SL). It was in those final days of the war (May 2009) in the Paradise Isle that one saw horrific tales of prisoners being stripped, humiliated, tortured before being executed. It was in the same paradise that in the last days, more than 40,000 innocent civilians, almost 8% of Tamil population in the north was eliminated! World is yet to come to terms with this tragedy. more..

June 2 (CT) The ASP and a Police Sergeant who were taken into custody for allowing an armed Army Corporal, a bodyguard of MP Namal Rajapaksa, to get close to President Maithripala Sirisena during a meeting at Angunukolapelessa in April were released on bail yesterday by the Angunakolapelessa Magistrate. The army corporal was also released on bail. According to the Police Media Unit, each suspect was released on cash bail of Rs 25,000 and surety bail of Rs. 200,000. more..

June 2 (FT) Govt has invited Sri Lankan journalists who are in exile to return to the country as the present situation is conducive and safe for them to return and work. Ministry of Media Secretary Karunaratne Paranavithana said that the Ministry had approached some of the journalists in exile and invited them to return as they could work freely under the present environment. �Some of them have indicated that they are happy in their more..

June 2 (CT) In the seeming continual saga of sexual abuse in the North, the lead story of this newspaper yesterday reported of the disappearance of a 16-year-old schoolgirl from Kilinochchi. It doesn't necessarily mean that the missing girl is a victim of sexual abuse. Latest developments are that she had been found at a bus-stand at Vavuniya on Sunday. Vavuniya is miles away from Kilinochchi, located south of the latter. That itself is a mystery that needs to be solved as to what she was doing more..

June 2 (WN) Malvern people are being urged to spare the price of a cup of coffee every month and help a family in Sri Lanks send its children to school. The Perera family, which lived in Malvern some years ago, needs to find �400 per term to pay for the education of Hiruni, aged 15, and Joyel, 11. The family has appealed for help to the congregation at St Mary's Sherrards Green, where they worshipped when they lived here. And now an appeal has been launched urging people to contribute just more..

June 2 (EM) "We are going through every deal, every decision, every transaction (previous govt) made, forensically, with great detail and attention," says Ravi Karunanayake, new finance minister, as he picks through the national accounts hastily left by his spendthrift predecessors, the long-ruling Rajapaksa dynasty ousted in January�s surprise election result. "This country had gotten out of control and now we are putting it right. more..

June 2 (CT) On 13 May, a 3-member bench of the Supreme Court (SC), including the Chief Justice, rejected the fundamental rights petition regarding the recent controversial Treasury bond issue of 27 February. But what did the ruling actually mean in practical terms? Merely that the case will not be allowed to proceed to a full hearing because, strictly speaking � procedures of the Central Bank (CB) had not been transgressed and no law had been violated by any of the respondents. more..

June 2 (ST) An electric-assisted hybrid bicycle which is both a motorbike and bicycle, has been recently built by two final year undergraduates of Moratuwa University�s Department of Mechanical Engineering. Final Year undergraduates Risira Kannangara and Venura Dissanayake with guidance and supervision from their senior lecturers Dr Nirosh Jayaweera and Asitha Kulasekare, built this bicycle that has a motor as well as pedals. �With the hike in vehicular traffic within urban areas, demand for bicycles is more..

June 2 (CT) Finding the best and the most suitable to fill positions in independent commissions is the most challenging and arduous task before the Constitutional Council, Sarvodaya Founder Dr. A.T. Ariyaratne said. He added that the successful fulfilling of the said endeavour was essential to establishing good governance, noting that the people's involvement along with the media's involvement was more..

June 2 (FT) Innovation and service excellence has become the core of the airline and aviation industry, with stakeholders needing to be on constant alert to stay ahead, APOT.Asia Chairman and SriLankan Airlines Director/CEO Rakitha Jayawardena said yesterday. Speaking at the APOT.Asia (Asia Pacific On-board Travel) Forum in Sri Lanka, Jayawardena said: �We are meeting at a time when the industry trends are rapidly changing.� He pointed out that discerning customer expectations had more..

June 2 (DM) DLF Leader Vasudeva Nanayakkara today challenged UPFA General Secretary Susil Premajayantha to announce whether he supported the political cohabitation between President Maithripala Sirisena and PM Ranil Wickremesinghe. Mr. Nanayakkara said that the President, despite being the UPFA Chairman, was having a political powwow with the UNP leadership. �In fact, we, as UPFA allies wanted an end to this cohabitation and form a formidable political force against UNP. more..

June 2 (DN) Pregnant women should seek prompt medical treatment for flu like symptoms if their condition does not improve within 48 hours, Chief Epidemiologist Dr. Paba Palihawadana said. Addressing the media, she said complications can develop if they get infected with Influenza AH1N1 due to certain reasons such as low immunity level, reduced lung capacity etc. Pneumonia can develop in persons who are vulnerable. more..

June 2 (DM) Narcotic drugs had been introduced in the province in a systematic manner with the intention of preventing a youth-resurgence, Northern Province Chief Minister C.V. Wigneswaran charged today. Addressing a prize giving ceremony of a cricket tournament held in Jaffna, the Chief Minister said some of the State officials and ministers had the opinion previously that Tamil youths should not be get together as idea of rebelling could arise in them. �Those ministers believed that more..

June 2 (Island) Universities should be independent and free to take their own decisions to tackle their problems if tertiary education was to be developed, Higher Education and Research Minister Dr Sarath Amunugama said. He was addressing the first Committee of Vice-Chancellors and Directors (CVCD) meeting in Jaffna held at Thal Sevana Holiday Resort at Kankasanthurai. Minister said that political interference with universities could not be justified on any grounds. more..

June 2 (CG) SLFP says it is ready to promote former President Mahinda Rajapaksa at the next Parliament election. UPFA MP Dilan Perera said that Rajapaksa has not said he wants to be the Prime Ministerial candidate of the UPFA but wants to contest the polls. Perera said that the SLFP feels Rajapaksa is popular these days and should be promoted in order for the UPFA to win the elections. more..

June 2 (DM) While claiming that former President Rajapaksa would definitely contest the upcoming general elections as a Prime Ministerial candidate, his spokesman Rohan Weliwita said that Mr. Rajapaksa was yet to decide under which party he would contest. He said that the former President was optimistic that he would be given nomination by the SLFP to contest under the UPFA or the PA. �The reports that President and SLFP Chairman Maithripala Sirisena had rejected more..

June 2 (ST) A proposal to provide a glass of milk to every schoolchild, especially those in remote and isolated schools, was approved by the Cabinet this week. The proposal submitted by Education Minister Akila Viraj Kariyawasam was for schoolchildren to be given milk packets. Packets of 150-ml of milk will be purchased from State-owned dairy producer Milco Pvt Ltd, at an amended unit price of Rs 20, according to a trilateral agreement between the Education Ministry, Social Services, more..

June 2 (AD) Govt today denied allegations leveled at it by former Minister Wimal Weerawansa over a decision to appoint a committee to prepare a new national flag. Issuing a statement Minister Joseph Michael Perera asserted that a committee has been appointed to prepare an officially accepted decoration flag, but not prepare a new national flag. Cabinet approved the proposal made by the Ministry of Home Affairs to more..

June 2 (AM) Former secretary of defense Gotabaya Rajapaksa responded to reports claiming that he was due to leave for Singapore by saying that he will not leave the country at a time when he is needed. Releasing a statement, Rajapaksa appreciated the messages of concern he had received after some reports appeared in the media claiming that the Singapore Govt had offered him an opportunity to work for it. According to reports, he was given an opportunity to work for National Uni of S'pore more..

June 2 (LT) Minister S.B. Dissanayake has mentioned that we were under threat during Rajapakshe Regime where we were not allowed to express our stand for the decisions taken at the cabinet, therefore, no one objected for such decisions and we kept silence, SB expressed this while having a discussion with the National Rupavahini. Former president Rajapakshe was threatened his regime members mentioning that �I have separate files for all� while he was more..

June 2 (CI) Sri Lanka Cricket has taken strides towards wiping out chucking in domestic and school cricket. The ICC's clampdown on suspect actions at the international level spurred a renewed effort to curb throwing domestically, last year. The board had empowered coaches and umpires to root out bad actions, and also bolstered the remedial process for bowlers believed to bowl with a bent elbow. more..

June 2 (CT) 16-year-old schoolgirl, Maniyam Vithusha who went missing last Thursday from Kilinochchi was found on Sunday evening. She was found at the Vavuniya bus stop searching for a bus to go home. Vithusha was apprehended by the Police and produced before the Vavuniya Magistrate. Accordingly, Vithusha was handed over to children's home following the Magistrate's order. She went to visit her mother who works at an orphanage in Kilinochchi on more..

June 2 (ST) Commissioner General of the Department of Registration of Persons R.M.S. Sarath Kumara has appealed to school principals to expedite the applications for National Identity Cards (NIC) for schoolchildren due to sit the GCE O/L exam in December. The appeal came as the number of applications for NIC�s for the school candidates were found to be lower than the amount due. Though some 225,000 applications had been received, some 175,000 more were due. more..

June 2 (PTI) A provincial minister, who supports former president Rajapaksa's political comeback, will be grilled by authorities for allegedly asking people to stone to death officials of a special police unit. DV Upul, a minister from the Southern Provincial Council, in a public speech warned that officials of the FCID must be stoned to death for carrying out investigations against members of the Rajapaksa regime. more..

June 3 (SO) The resignation of Director General of Customs has sent shockwaves across political circles. The DG has stated he resigned on personal grounds although some websites have said there was a ministerial hand behind the resignation. Finance Minister Ravi Karunanayake swiftly responded to allegations levelled against him by media, stating that he would take legal action against those who published what he termed as slanderous reports connecting him and more..

June 3 (CT) By now, the article Practical Solutions To Curb The Rate Of Rape would have made its rounds. I am willing to entertain the idea that the aforementioned article was written through genuine concern for the state of women in Sri Lanka, and for this sentiment I congratulate the author. However, the saying that there are many ways to skin a cat rings hollow in this particular instance as the approach Muhammed Fazl adopts is harmful to women, reinforces the inferiority of more..

June 3 (SL) The country was given a rude awakening recently to the sad reality of violence against women. With Vithiya�s rape and murder, many started talking about law reforms related to cases of this nature to expedite the legal process to bring the perpetrators to justice without delay. Amongst many demands, women�s rights organizations and civil rights organizations have been asking for a separate court to hear more..

June 3 (CT) Long ago, perhaps not so long ago, and to be more precise, at a particular occasion between 1828- 1910, Leo Tolstoy said the following, �What a misguided world where the rich, who live off the labour of the poor, consider themselves benefactors of the poor�. Keeping those words of wisdom aside, let�s take the history of slavery in the USA. The southern states took the critical decision to secede from the union due to the issue over the expansion of slavery into the new western states. more..

June 3 (NS) Dilan Perera, the former State Minister, assisting the Real Minister Sajith Premadasa, explained that he was forced to resign because nobody outside his family was aware that he is Premadasa�s assistant. �I carry a laminated copy of my appointment letter everywhere I go. I have not been invited to a single function as Sajith�s deputy. The situation is untenable,� the forlorn Dilan said. Acting President Ranil says all SLFP ministers in his 25 percenter Cabinet will be eligible for more..

June 3 (CT) Pathmanaba EPRLF General Secretary, Thirunavukkarasu Sritharan said a political solution to the ethnic question should be based on equality, autonomy with right to self-determination. "Many had a wrong impression about the right to self-determination thinking that it encourages only secession. It is a misconception! Accordingly, a federal solution will be the most suitable in the current scenario. more..

June 3 (Island) President Maithripala Sirisena has recently pledged to bring the killers of journalists to justice. This is something long overdue and we hope he will carry out his promise. His predecessors, too, wept buckets for journalists who were either killed or injured in attacks, but they, true to form, reneged on their promises to have those crimes probed for obvious reasons. A crucial election is drawing near and politicos of all hues are falling over themselves to woo the media, which more..

June 3 (Island) The Pen of Granite: A Richard de Zoysa 25th Year Memorial by Vihanga Perera, Manikya Kodituwakku and Dhanuka Bandara, has been written by a new generation of English literati who probably never knew Richard de Zoysa personally. One can see that they have judged Richard by the propaganda disseminated by his political associates. One can hardly blame the authors for that when I, a journalist of Richard�s generation and who knew JVP well to boot, more..

June 3 (Island) It is rather unfortunate that our politicians or political analysts have so far not attempted to make an in-depth analysis of this dastardly crime which has incited such violent reaction, almost a revolt against the State. What must be inhibiting them may be the possible charge of arousing racial hatred that would be leveled against them especially at a time when we are all out to go ahead with reconciliation. But if reconciliation is to be based on truth, more..