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Facelift for Jaffna's roads

Construction of roads in the Jaffna peninsula have been stepped up with a number of roads being carpeted.
 
Heavy vehicles involved in road construction projects are seen lining up at a filling station in Chunnakam, Jafffna.
 
Pix by N.Parameswaran

Teacher remanded for assaulting student

A teacher at Kokawala Central College in Gandara was arrested for assaulting an 11 year old student yesterday, Police said.

 The suspect has been remanded until June 6 by the Matara Magistrate.

Two die as van slams into truck

Two persons were killed and third injured when the van they were traveling slammed head on into an oncoming truck at Dambulla during the early hours of this morning, police said.

The injured person is currently undergoing treatment at the Dambulla Hospital.

They had left Kattankudi in the Batticoloa District and were heading for Colombo when the accident took place.

Boy student meets watery grave

A fifteen year old student from Vavuniya drowned in the swimming poll at Jaffna Central College this morning, police said.

The boy, a student from Vavuniya Tamil Maha Vidyalaya who had been in Jaffna　　　to attend a swimming meet had drowned when he along with a group of friends had decided for an early morning swim in the pool.

The boys had been housed at the Central College premises　　prior to the swimming meet, police said.　

The dead boy has been identified as Hari Haran.

Karu to undergo further treatment

 UNP MP Karu Jayasuriya and Mrs Jayasuriya involved in a road accident in Hambantota have returned to Colombo for further treatment, spokesmen for his office said.

 He said Mr Jayasuriya had received only minor injuries,but would be consulting a medical professor today regarding further treatment.

 They were on their way to Kataragama when the accident took place at Mirijjawila last evening.

Wearing of uniforms for private bus crews to be monitored

The Private Transport Ministry has instructed flying squads to monitor the dress code made mandatory for private bus crews, a national news agency reported.

Punishments for talking on the phone while crossing roads

Police have warned pedestrians not to cross roads talking over mobile phones, the national news agency reported.

The agency which quoted police sources said measures were being taken to punish those  who crossed raods while talking on mobile phones.

Scourge of religious child abuse

Research carried out by the BBC Sinhala service has revealed that over the last decade, nearly 110 Buddhist monks have been charged for sexual and physical assaults on minors in Sri Lanka.

The BBC report however suggests that  according to figures from Sri Lanka's National Child Protection Authority (NCPA), only three Buddhist monks have been convicted of child abuse in Sri Lanka in recent history.

The report also added that  it was not only  Buddhist monks that  stand accused - about 20 Roman Catholic and Protestant priests have been arrested or investigated for sexual abuse of minors over the last 10 years in Sri Lanka.

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Lankan asylum seekers arrive

A group of 32 Sri Lankans who failed to gain asylum in the United Kingdom were returned to the country earlier today.

The group made up of 22 Tamils, eight Muslims and two Sinhalese arrived at the Bandaranayake International Airport (BIA) in a chartered flight from London, officials said.

They added that the group was escorted by British police officers and immigration officials as they landed at the BIA at 8.45 am.

Every member of the group is currently being questioned by sleuths from the Criminal Investigation Department, officials added.
 

Grade 1 applications accepted from June 1 to June 30

Applications for grade one admissions in government schools will be accepted from June 1 to June 30, Ministry of Education said.