Lorry, Podi Menike collision leaves two dead

Two people died when a lorry collided with the Podi Menike express train at an unprotected railway crossing in Wijayarajadahana Ambanawathuyaya yesterday, the Police said.

The train was heading to Badulla when the accident occurred around 7 a.m yesterday. The two people in the lorry died on the spot. The victims were identified as W. Nimal Seneviratne (54) and B. P. Sarath (49) of Mawanella.

The railway crossing does not have a gate or lights except for a warning notice. A group of school children who were walking on the road at the time of the accident had shouted and warned about the approaching train, but the lorry had already crossed the railway line. The lorry was thrown into the air after the collision. The postmortems of the victims were to be held at the Wathupitiwala Hospital yesterday. Meerigama Police is investigating.
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Time magazine stopped at Customs

Time magazine, carrying a cover story comparing the Myanmar Buddhist Monk Wirathu and his organization 'Buddhist 969' to the Bodu Bala Sena (BBS), has been withheld by customs at the Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA).
The Myanmar Government has taken steps to ban the July issue of Time, as the cover page of the magazine portrays the Monk with the headline describing him as 'The Face of Buddhist Terror.'

It is reported that as a result of the activities carried out by the 'Buddhist 969' organization against the Muslims of Myanmar, over 140,000 residents of Myanmar have been displaced, and over 200 people have lost their lives.
The Wall Street Journal, meanwhile, reports that most of those who died were Muslims, while the 'Buddhist 969' organization carried out attacks against mosques, Muslim businesses and properties, thereafter sticking posters and stickers of their organization over the desecrated property.It is said the article carries comparisons between the BBS and the Myanmar Buddhist organization, and has also cited similarities between self-immolation attempts by monks. The Myanmar Government claims the magazine has been banned ‘in order to prevent the recurrence of racial and religious riots’.

When Ceylon Newspapers queried about the BIA Customs withholding the magazines, Minister of Mass Media and Information, Keheliya Rambukwella said he was unaware of the Customs having done such a thing, and said he would look into the matter and then comment on it.

Central PC dissolution by Friday- Keheliya

The Central Provincial Council is likely to be dissolved by this Friday, Mass Media and Information Minister Keheliya Rambukwella said today.

Addressing a media briefing in Kandy a short while ago, Minister Rambukwella said Chief Minister Sarath Ekanayake had already handed over the relevant documents to Central Province Governor Tikiri Kobbekaduwa.

Government sources confirmed that two provincial councils were to be dissolved within the coming week and they include the Central and North Western provinces.

ICC ‘regrets’ Hindi intro .

The ICC while expressing regret over the playing of a Hindi song during the introduction of the Lankan team at the opening ceremony of the ongoing Champions Trophy tournament in England, said that it would take the up the issue with the event management company responsible for handling the opening ceremony.

Sri Lanka Cricket said that the International Cricket Council Tournament Director Chris Tetley has written to SLC regretting the incident, in response to concerns raised by Sri Lanka Cricket secrearty Nishantha Ranathunga in a letter sent to the ICC Chief Executive Officer.

Following is the full statement by Sri Lanka Cricket

This is with reference to the Hindi song which was played while the Sri Lankan National Flag was paraded onto the field, at the opening ceremony of the ongoing ICC Champions Trophy in England. As concerns raised by the Secretary of Sri Lanka Cricket, Mr. Nishantha Ranatunga to the ICC regarding the above matter, The International Cricket Council Tournament Director Chris Tetley has written to SLC regretting the incident. He further stated that the ICC will take this matter for discussion with the Event Management Company who were entrusted to handle the opening ceremony.

Sarath Manamendra admitted to hospital after being attacked .....

The leader of the Nawa Sihala Urumaya Sarath Manamendra has been admitted to the accident ward of the National Hospital in Colombo after being attacked.
Director of the Accident Ward Dr. Kapila Wickramanayake said Manamendra was recieving treatment in Ward 72.

CID questions DIG Vass Gunawardene

Police sources said the CID is questioning Colombo North DIG Vass Gunawardene over the alleged abduction and killing of a businessman in Bambalapitiya.

In this connection three policemen were arrested by the CID. The incident was reported on May 22 and the businessman’s body was found in Dompe