Media Freedom Has Been Suppressed – Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe

This week, The Sunday Leader spoke to former President of the Bar Association and UNP MP Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe about the recently released draft Code of Ethics for Media, and what implications such a Code would have from a legal perspective.Following are excerpts from the interview:

Opposition queries why DIG arrested under PTA and not penal code

The Opposition, while expressing doubts about on-going investigations regarding the senior DIG arrested on charges of murdering a businessman, yesterday asked why the rest of the police team had not been taken into custody.

UNP HANDS OVER DRAFT CONSTITUTION TO SLFP.

The United National Party’s proposed draft constitution was handed over to the General Secretary of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP), Maithripala Sirisena at the SLFP headquarters in Colombo today (21). UNP General Secretary Tissa Attanayake, MPs Ravi Karunanayake and Wijedasa Rajapaksa were also present.

UNP to meet SLFP tomorrow

The main opposition UNP is to meet with the SLFP tomorrow at the SLFP headquarters in Colombo to discuss the UNP’s proposed draft constitution.The UNP has already held discussions with several political parties on the matter and is in the process of continuing the discussion.

Top 10 sexist moments in politics:

Top 10 sexist moments in politics: Julia Gillard, Hillary Clinton and more.....
The 'Julia Gillard Kentucky Fried Quail' menu is the latest sexist attack on the Australian PM. But it's the same for women in politics everywhere. Here are 10 of the worst examples.. 
By Emine Saner The Guardian, Friday 14 June 2013 18.14 BS

Govt,a training centre for goons: UNP

The opposition United National Party today said the government had become a training centre for goons.It was referring to the incident in which a UPFA member of the North Western Provincial Council had allegedly forced a female teacher to kneel down for advising his daughter on Friday.

UNP not informed of Bill to abolish PC’s power to merge

With the government expected to present an Urgent Bill to strip the Provincial Councils of the power to merge, as provided under the 13th Amendment to the Constitution today, the UNP has decided that it would take a decision only after being officially informed.

Fishermen’s deaths due to storm: Ministers must resign – Sajith

Public funds hould not be wasted on the Disaster Management Ministry if it could not save the people from natural disasters, UNP Hambantota District MP Sajith Premadasa says.Addressing a gathering in Beruwala after offering his condolences and making cash donations to the bereaved families of fishermen killed by a recent storm, Premadasa said that nearly 70 fishermen had perished due to inclement weather as they had not been informed of the stormy weather before setting sail.

Provincial, Presidential polls UNP to form broad political alliance

The UNP Working Committee yesterday decided to form the broadest possible alliance, with other political parties, in the run up to 2014, with strong speculation that President Mahinda Rajapaksa would call an early Presidential Election.