The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) opened a roofing factory in Ampara on Wednesday.

USAID alongside a local company called Building Solutions have together invested approximately US $800,000 to build a factory to fabricate corrugated steel roofing and silos, said the US embassy in a statement.

The general secretary of the Bodu Bala Sena said his organisation would put forward policies to ensure the growth of the Sinhalese population on the island.

Daily Mirror reported Galagodaaththe Gnanasara Thera as saying he had a “vision of making rules and regulations” as there were several areas of the island that had a lower population of Sinhalese people.

Stating that his organisation’s political party would be aiming for every Sinhala family on the island to vote for them, he further said laws would be put in place to ensure the growth of the Sinhalese.

India’s Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) has banned a film about murdered Tamil journalist Isaipriya, on grounds that it may damage relations with Sri Lanka, reports the Hindu.

Though a formal notice is yet to be issued, actor S V Shekar, the Regional Chairman of CBFC, said “certification of a movie cannot be given if it could strain friendly relations with a neighbouring country”.

The head of Buddhist nationalist organisation Bodu Bala Sena (BBS) has been arrested in Sri Lanka, reports the Daily Mirror.

BBS chief secretary Galagodaatte Gnanasara Thera had an arrest warrant issued for participating in a protest outside the bribery commission, which is currently investigating financial crimes committed by the previous government.

The Sri Lankan military hosted an event earlier this month to “educate” the women of Kilinochchi about personal hygiene, reports the Sri Lankan army.

Some 200 women were “educated on ‘Personal Hygiene’” earlier this month, according to the Sri Lankan army website.

Photograph Tamil Guardian

The Sri Lankan president, Maithripala Sirisena visted Jaffna on Monday following last week's protests over the rape and murder of a school girl in Pungudutivu.

The family of murdered schoolgirl S Vithiya have said that they are experiencing ongoing harassment and have requested to be relocated.

Vithiya’s mother and brother told Sri Lankan president Maithripala Sirisena during his visit that they feared for their safety and wished to be moved.

Mr Sirisena told the family that they would receive aid from the President’s fund and that he would discuss the issue of the family’s security with Northern Province chief minister C V Wigneswaran.

Criminal Investigation Division (CID) officers arrived in Jaffna on Saturday to probe whether protests over the rape and murder of a Pungudutivu school girl involved "anti-national groups" who were trying to destablise the Jaffna peninsula, the Sunday Times reported.

Vithiya, who went missing after school on May 13, was found dead with her hands and feet tied to logs the next day. Arrests have been made regarding the incident as demonstrations were held across the North-East, demanding prompt action against the perpetrators.

Peaceful protests calling for those responsible to face justice turned violent on Wednesday, as distrust and scepticism over whether the Sri Lankan police and legal system would ensure justice increased, following the escape of one of the suspects to Colombo. The suspect was later found and returned to Jaffna police station.