The Colombo Municipal Council Public Health Department (CMCPHD) has instituted legal action against the Senior Assistant Registrar of the Colombo University Management Faculty found to be full of puddles infested with mosquito larvae. The university panjandrums should hang their heads in shame.

Several school principals in Colombo have been warned for not destroying mosquito breeding places at their institutions. Why can’t teachers, past pupils and students make an effort to keep their schools clean? They hold colourful

At the annual convocation of the University of Sri Jayewardenepura, the keynote speaker asked a pertinent question that has grappled educationists, parents and students over the past four decades: “Are students being taught or trained to pass tests or are they trained to be creative and have a thirst for knowledge.”

These thoughts (meant to provoke policy makers) were raised by Prof. Uditha Liyanage, Director, Postgraduate Institute of Management, University of Sri Jayewardenepura delivering the convocation address

JVP-led trade union of the Sri Lanka Transport Board (SLTB) yesterday demanded the remittance of Rs. 3,400 million, deducted from employees to the Employees Provident Fund or face legal action soon.

General Secretary of the All Ceylon Transport Workers’ Union Sepala Liyanage told The Island that according to an internal audit report of the SLTB, it had not remitted Rs. 680 million to the EPF from June 2010 to May 2011.

British Parliamentarian Simon Danczuk says he will confront President Mahinda Rajapaksa on the investigations into the death of Khuram Shaikh, the British national killed in Tangalle in 2011.

Danczuk is due in Sri Lanka later this week as part of a Commonwealth Parliamentary Association delegation visiting Colombo.

Danczuk told The Daily Telegraph he will raise concerns of a cover-up in the investigations when he meets the President.

A panel of independent United Nations experts have begun investigating new or existing cases of disappearances in Sri Lanka and several other countries.

The UN Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances met in New York to review under their urgent action procedure, 17 reported cases of enforced disappearances that have occurred in the last six months, as well as more than 400 newly reported or existing cases in more than 25 countries including Sri Lanka, a UN statement said.

A British parliament delegation began a one week visit to Sri Lanka on Monday amidst concerns being raised in Britain over human rights issues in Sri Lanka.

The British all party delegation will visit the north of the country which suffered the brunt of the 30 year war between the army and the Tamil Tiger rebels, British Parliamentarian Simon Danczuk, who is part of the delegation, told Xinhua.

He said that the delegation will also have talks with government and opposition members in the country as well as civil soc

A report has been handed over to the Sri Lankan Human Rights Commission by railway authorities on measures that can be taken to minimise the accidents caused by unprotected level crosslngs.

The Sri Lanka Human Rights Commission had requested the railway authorities to submit a report on the accidents that occured as a result of unprotected level crossings as well as suggestions to minimise

the accidents.

The North East Inter-faith Forum for Reconciliation (NEIFR) has launched a programme to establish ‘Committees of Conscience’ in the Anuradhapura, Polonnaruwa, Trincomalee, Ampara, Batticaloa, Jaffna, Mullaitivu, Vavuniya, Mannar and Puttalam Districts.

The launch of the first Committee of Conscience in the Anuradhapura District, took place at the Anuradhapura National Tourist Resort Auditorium recently.

Young people from four Commonwealth Pacific countries have completed a one week Training of Trainers’ course in human rights and democracy.

The training conducted by the Commonwealth Secretariat’s human rights and youth affairs programmes took place in Port Vila, Vanuatu from 8 to 12 July 2013 and drew twenty-four participants from Papua New Guinea, Vanuatu, Solomon Islands and Fiji Islands.

DMK MPs will stage a protest in front of the Parliament complex on August eight pressing the Centre to boycott the CHOGM meeting in Colombo in November, insisting the implementation of 13th amendment of the Sri Lankan Constitution, among other demands.

The protest would be led by DMK parliamentary leader T R Baalu, a party release said.

Tamil Eelam Supporters Organisation (TESO) meeting held on July 16 here resolved to stage a state-wide demonstration on August 8, pressing for certain resolutions.