The Bodu Bala Sena organisation has give a deadline as the 18th May  the deadline to remove all unauthorised structures in the Kuragala sacred area. Otherwise a group of 5000 would surround the sacred area. This had been added by a Buddhist monk and a person had come and threatened the archaeological officials who were present at this sacred area engaged in the destruction of unauthorised structures. This story was related by one official who was present at the sacred area.

The group had come in a van having the Bodu Bala Sena organisation logo. There had been a number of Buddhist monks in the van who have identified as monks from temples in Kandy and Pepiliyana. This incident had been reported to the police.

K. Ratnayake, a member of the SEP Political Committee and World Socialist Web Site International Editorial Board, opened the meeting by noting the contrast between its theme, “Fight for international socialism to defeat US imperialist war drive,” and that of the various May Day rallies organised by pseudo-left and nationalist parties, all of which were committed to defending imperialism and the crisis-ridden capitalist system.

Former Chief Executive Officer of 'Deyata Kirula 2013' was arrested by the CID in connection with an alleged fraud of Rs. 39 mn in the Deyata Kirula 2013,police said.

Deyata Kirula CEO Ms. Kanthi Gunawardana was later produced before Colombo Fort Magistrate Thlina Gamage who ordered that she be remanded till May 15.

The High Command of the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC) which met yesterday has decided to seek a meeting with President Mahinda Rajapaksa to discuss issues faced by the Muslims in the East.

SLMC General Secretary Hassan Ali told the Colombo Gazette that the SLMC leadership will first meet with the Chief Minister of the Eastern Province to gather information on Muslim relate issues in the area.

He said that once the information is collected the SLMC leadership will seek a meeting with the President to discuss solutions to the issues.

The decision by Britain’s Queen Elizabeth II not to attend the Commonwealth summit later this year in Sri Lanka is related to the island nation’s poor human rights record, the United National Party said.

The November meeting has been mired in controversy, with Canada threatening to stay away unless Sri lanka investigates suspected war crimes committed by its troops in 2009.

United National Party (UNP) MP Ravi Karunanayake said the queen might have attended the summit “if we didn’t have these governance and human rights issues”.

The Public Utilities Commission (PUC) has approved the revised electricity tariff proposal based on the directive given by the President to grant concessions to low income customers, the Secretary of the Power and Energy Ministry said.  

Following the electricity tariff increase, President Mahinda Rajapaksa stated in his May Day speech that the increase will not apply for bills below 60 units while those using 61 to 180 units will receive a 25% reduction of the fuel surcharge.

The former Diyawadana Nilame of the Dalada Maligawa Sudantha Bandara Senanayake had filed four cases against the present Diyawadana Nilame Pradeep Thilanga Deva Bandara for not submitting the annual reports on income and expenditure at the Additional Magistrates Courts in Kandy.

The case was however was taken up by the Chief Magistrate of Kandy at the Chief Magistrates courts. The Chief Magistrate Manilal Waidyatillke had not taken the cases for trial for two reasons, had dropped all cases. According to him the former Diyawadana Nilame Sudantha Bandara Senanayake had filed these cases in revenge and anger and the other reason is to file such action it could be made the Commander of Devalayas through the Commissioner General of Buddhist affairs’

The Deputy Chairman of the Akurana Pradeshiya Sabha has been arrested in connection to an assault, the Police Media Spokesperson SP Siriwardena told Ceylon Today online.

He further stated that the Deputy Chairman of the Akurana Pradeshiya Sabha has assaulted a fellow member of the Council.

SP Siriwardena added that the suspect is due to be produced before the Magistrate’s Court.

The International Monetary Fund says that Sri Lanka needs to address the losses incurred by the Ceylon Electricity Board.

Delivering a lecture in Colombo Tuesday evening, the IMF's resident representative in Sri Lanka, Dr. Koshy Mathai, said, that failure to do so would result in Sri Lanka failing to reach its economic potential.

Minister of Telecommunication and Information Technology Ranjith Siyambalapitiya says that when there is a strong leadership and clear-cut procedure the entire world can be overcome.

The Minister made this statement while participating at a function in Yatiyanthota on Wednesday. The minister was participating in a function to hand over a school building to students.

The building was constructed at a cost of Rs.3.7 million.