A passenger has died when a three-wheeler was driven ignoring traffic lights collided with a train at the Kudahakapola railway crossing in Ja-Ela.
The accident took place last night and the deceased was a 31-year-old resident of Dekatana, Kelahala.
The driver of the three-wheeler had fled the scene following the accident, police said.
The train was traveling from Colombo Fort to Chilaw when it collided with the three-wheeler, police said.
A student of Nattandiya Dhammissara National School has died due to the Covid virus infection yesterday.
The deceased has been identified as B. M. T. Manisha Kumari, a Grade 6 student of the college and a resident of Tabbowa.
She died while receiving treatment at the Intensive Care Unit of the Marawila Hospital for two days.
She was admitted to the hospital on the 28th due to symptoms of Covid after returning home from school and tests revealed that she was infected with Covid.
The Cabinet of Ministers will be briefed today (31) on the US $ 200 million loan facility to be provided to Sri Lanka by Pakistan, the Ministry of Finance said.
Trade Minister Dr. Bandula Gunawardena recently visited Pakistan and during the visit it was discussed on obtaining the relevant loan.
The loan will be used to import rice, cement and medicines required for the country, said Trade Minister Dr. Bandula Gunawardena.
He added that the relevant imports will be made by the Sri Lanka Chamber of Commerce.
The Ceylon Electricity Board says that 160 megawatts has been added to the national power grid that was lost in recent days.
The board said that 160 megawatts was added after repairing the turbine at the Lak Vijaya power plant in Norochcholai.
The list of Vaccination Centers open/operating today is attached herewith.
Please recheck with PHI in the area before going to the centers as there could be slight changes (additions / Reductions).
Renowned artist and media personality Buddhadasa Vithanarachchi has decided to migrate to Australia.
His friends in the field of art have posted on social media in this regard.
He is an artist who made a colorful contribution to the development of teledramas, stage dramas, etc.
Leading poet Kapila Gamage said his departure from Sri Lanka would be a vacuum impossible to be filled.
Pettah coconut oil importers say that there is a plan to launch a racket to mix palm oil with coconut oil.
Coconut oil importers say that some businessmen are preparing to make huge profits during the festive season by importing palm oil into the country under reduced import duty and mixing it with coconut oil.
The importers say that the President has intervened to increase the import duty on palm oil due to the issuance of substandard coconut oil during previous weeks and that there are plans to reduce that tax than coconut oil again.
An import duty of Rs. 225 per kilo on palm oil and Rs. 125 per kilo on coconut oil has been imposed.
Coconut oil importers say that if the tax on palm oil is reduced compared to coconut oil, coconut oil will inevitably be sold mixed with palm oil.
It is reported that tickets were not issued today for vehicles entering the Expressway from the Kottawa Interchange on the Southern Expressway.
This is due to the fact that 15 cashiers who worked at the Kottawa Interchange have been infected with Covid.
The Ministry of Health says that the new set of health guidelines will be released tomorrow (31).
The Deputy Director-General of Health Services, Dr. Hemantha Herath said that the existing health guidelines will be revised and a new set of health guidelines will be issued tomorrow in the wake of the increase in the number of Covid cases.
Specialist Dr. Hemantha Herath urges the public to act responsibly as the number of Covid infections reported in the next two weeks will depend on the way people act these days.
The Ministry of Power and Energy has decided to purchase electricity from private power plants.
Power and Energy Minister Gamini Lokuge has stated that the relevant proposal will be presented to the Cabinet tomorrow.
He has also said that he is currently taking steps to buy oil directly to the CEB through Indian Oil Company tomorrow and the day after tomorrow.
A decision will be taken tomorrow (31) regarding the amount of oil required for power generation for the next week, the Minister said.
The appointment of new members to the Parliamentary Committees is scheduled to take place on the 8th.
These committees were also abolished after the recent end of the parliamentary session.
The government has also focused on removing members of parliament from the new committees who were appointed to the main committee during the last parliamentary session and did not attend any meetings.
New members will be appointed to fill the vacancies in the Committees including the Committee on Public Enterprises and the Committee on Public Accounts.
The Minister of Education Dinesh Gunawardena has requested the relevant authorities not to make any power cuts during the time period of the GCE Advanced Level Examination.
Accordingly, there will be no power outages during the GCE Advanced Level examination from February 07 to March 5, the Minister said.
He also said that the time for releasing results after the GCE Advanced Level examination will be halved and in addition, the time taken to process admissions to universities will also be halved.
Accordingly, students will be able to save about a year wasted due to corona, he said.
90% of doctors in Sri Lanka have been fully vaccinated and even their children have been vaccinated against Covid, says Prof. Suneth Agampodi, Public Health Specialist, Infectious Diseases and Epidemiologist, Faculty of Medicine, Rajarata University.
He points out that while the medical community is taking the vaccines and surviving from covid, some are still risking their lives following the rumors on social media and not listening to what doctors are saying.
The professor also revealed that the global number of child deaths associated with COVID-19 has exceeded 14,000.
The professor says the death warrants for a significant number of Covid child deaths were written by their own parents.
He alleges that anti-vaccine activists were behind those deaths.
The list of Vaccination Centers open/operating today is attached herewith.
Please recheck with PHI in the area before going to the centers as there could be slight changes (additions / Reductions).
The main competitive regions of the Beijing Olympics, Changjiaco and Yanjing have already opened their respective Winter Olympic Villages.
All the facilities required for sportsmen and sportswomen, foreign agents, and journalists have been established in these villages.
More than 300 athletes and officials from more than 20 countries & regions were welcomed to the Olympic Village on the 27th.
The Beijing Olympic Village is expected to attract nearly 1,700 athletes and officials from 44 countries.
High-quality accommodation, food, supplies and other support services are available 24 hours a day on these premises, which ensure the safety of the athletes and all others.
Meanwhile, the Chinese team representing China at the Beijing Winter Olympics was officially announced on the 28th.
It is noteworthy that the participation of Chinese athletes is highest in this year’s festival.
The World Health Organisation has said the potential danger to humans from NeoCov, a type of coronavirus that spreads among bats in South Africa, requires further study.
The WHO said, “Whether the virus detected in the study will pose a risk for humans will require further study,” as quoted by news agency TASS. The WHO also said it was working closely with the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE), the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the UN Environment Program (UNEP) to “monitor and respond to the threat of emerging zoonotic viruses.”
“Animals, particularly wild animals are the source of more than 75 percent of all emerging infectious diseases in humans, many of which are caused by novel viruses. Coronaviruses are often found in animals, including in bats which have been identified as a natural reservoir of many of these viruses,” the WHO said.
Lasantha Alagiyawanna, Minister of State for Cooperatives, Marketing Development and Consumer Protection has also been diagnosed with the Covid virus.
That was after a Covid investigation conducted by the Minister today.
Several ministers and MPs, including the Speaker of Parliament, are currently receiving treatment for Covid infection.
So far there are 46 MPs and ministers representing the parliament have been infected with Covid.
A soldier serving in the Haputale STF camp has died after being shot to his head this afternoon.
The soldier, who was on security duty at the camp, was shot in the head and the manner in which the shooting took place is still a mystery.
The body was taken to the Diyatalawa Hospital. A senior police official said a forensic medical examination would be able to clarify some details about the shooting.
Award-winning film director Vimakthi Jayasundara has been named the official jury member of the Berlin International Film Festival.
This is the first time a Sri Lankan has been selected to represent the official jury at the Berlin International Film Festival.
The Berlin Film Festival, which began in 1951, is being held for the 72nd time this year. This Non-Specialized Competitive Film Festival is one of the three most competitive film festivals in the world.
Earlier, Felix Premawardena (1994 Christian Jury) and Ashley Ratnavibhushana (1998-2005 Netpak Jury) represented Sri Lanka at the film festival. However, as those juries were independent juries, Vimukthi Jayasundara became the first Sri Lankan to represent the official jury.
Along with Vimukthi Jayasundara, Italian Gaia Fera and Sherbano from Afghanistan will also represent the official jury at this year’s Berlin Film Festival.
The 90-year-old Venice Film Festival, the Cannes Film Festival, which started 76 years ago, and this 72nd Berlin Film Festival are the three major film festivals in the world. Dr. Lester James Peiris was the first to make an official jury representation at one of the three major film festivals. He represented the official jury at the 1992 Cannes Film Festival.
After L. J. Peiris, award-winning film director Vimukthi Jayasundara became the first person to represent the official jury at a major film festival as well as the Berlin Film Festival.
President Gotabaya Rajapaksa says it is the fundamental duty of young officers to develop their skills and move forward in their careers.
The President made these remarks addressing the Commissioning Parade of the Sri Lanka Air Force held at the Sri Lanka Air force Base – Katunayake, today (29).
“You must work hard to continuously improve your knowledge, further develop your skills, and learn from the lessons imparted through your experience,” the President said.
The President commended the Air Force for over 70 years of service to the motherland and for its service to the nation building as well as national security. ‘As a technical arm of the military, the Air Force demands absolute competence and your professionalism, too, must therefore be outstanding’, President Rajapaksa said.
Pointing out the value of trustworthiness and discipline in officers, the President said that it could have a profound effect on the genuine concern that exists for other ranks under a respective leadership. The President further said that he would do everything possible for the well-being and success of the officers.
A total of 153 cadets who completed their training under six categories of courses in a span of three and a half to four and a half years passed out today. This marks the first time in the history of the Air Force that a large number of officers have passed out at one time.
The President pinned Flying Official Badges to 22 Air Force Flight Officer Cadets and six female Flight Officers. Fourteen officer cadets who excelled in all courses received awards from the President.
The President also posed for a group photo with the passing out officers after witnessing the performance by the Air Force Military Band.
The Commander of the Air Force, Air Marshal Sudarshana Pathirana, presented a souvenir to the President and the President placed a note on the book for special guests at the Air Force Base.
Defence Secretary General Kamal Gunaratne, Commander of the Air Force Air Marshal Sudarshana Pathirana, Members of the Air Force Board of Management, officers, other ranks and relatives of the new officers were also present.
Five out of four persons have died and one went missing after drowning while bathing in Garandi Falls in Ampitiya, Bandarawela.
A senior official in charge of the Bandarawela area stated that the accident took place this evening.
Police say that a group from Galle who came to bathe had met with the accident.
A Sri Lankan father, his young daughter, and his son have been found dead in Huntingdale, Perth, Australia. It is suspected that this is a double homicide and a suicide.
Police suspect that the father has killed his children and committed suicide.
The deceased have been identified as Indika Goonetileke, a Sri Lankan, his 6-year-old son Kohan and 4-year-old daughter Lily.
The bodies of the two children were lying on the bed and the body of the father was found inside the house around 6.30 pm yesterday and was found by a family member.
Gunathilaka, a city planner, posted a video on social media six weeks ago about his recent struggle with depression. He said he posted the video to help others learn about it.
“People who have known me well for a long time, I’m sure they do not think I’ve depression … but I’m recently realized that I’m depressed.” He has stated in it that he is taking treatment.
“Because the unpleasant signs of mental health problems or depression affect not only you but those around you, I think you should take medication to help with that.”
He has also said, ‘Suicide is not the solution … Try to reach out to people, talk to people, seek help, if you are successful, see what you can do before making a tough decision that you could not reverse.’
About two days ago, he released a photo of himself and his two children holding hands on the beach and watching the sun set.
Mr. Goonetileke is a founding member of the Royal College Alumni Association of Western Australia. He is also known as a talented singer.
Assistant Commissioner of Police Alan Adams said the 40-year-old father was found dead in the garage of his home and the two children were inside.
Their mother had arrived at a pre-arranged place to take their children and immediately informed the police as there were no children there. The police had gone to the house and inspected it accordingly.
The family member found the shocking sight in the house on Essington Street, and the first responders were shocked before the mother arrived.
‘I will most likely not go into family situations based on the grief and trauma that a subset of this family is experiencing at the moment, it will only make it worse,’ Mr. Adams said
The principal of Sri Sumangala Boys’ School in Panadura has been remanded after being caught by the Bribery and Corruption Commission for accepting a bribe of Rs. 150,000 to admit a child to grade one.
That is after the principal was produced before Panadura Magistrate Mr. Lahiru N. Silva today.
The principal had taken the bribe last evening. He initially demanded Rs. 200,000 to admit the child of the complainant to the first grade for the year 2022 and obtained Rs. 50,000 as an advance. The Bribery Commission states that the principal was arrested while collecting the balance.
Steps have been taken to reduce the price of imported samba rice sold by the Sathosa by Rs. 2 per kilo.
Trade Minister Bandula Gunawardena says that a kilo of imported samba rice was sold at Rs. 130 by the Sathosa will be sold at Rs. 128 from today (29).
Meanwhile, the Consumer Affairs Authority has issued a gazette notification removing the maximum retail price for local water bottles.
Police have launched an investigation into the death of a 15-year-old student who fell from the 7th floor of an apartment complex in Bambalapitiya.
The student, who was studying at an international school, had died while returning home from school last evening.
The father of the child is a businessman and the mother is a housewife. At that time, the mother had gone to Wellawatte to attend an alms giving function of a friend.
Investigations have revealed that the child had come home from school and called his mother and had fallen from the building and died after that call.
A senior police officer said that there was a problem with the death as there was a four-foot safety barrier at the place where the child had fallen from the top floor of the 07 storey apartment building and it was not easy to fall or jump from that barrier.
Police say further investigations are being carried out, even checking data from the building’s security camera system and an analysis of the child’s mobile phone.
President Gotabaya Rajapaksa inaugurated the newly constructed Bodhighara at the Thalpitiya Bodhi Rajamaha Vihara in Wadduwa.
The President visited the Thalpitiya Bodhi Rajamaha Vihara last evening (28) and received blessings from the Mahanayake of Kotte Sri Kalyani Samagri Dharma Maha Sangha Sabha Most Ven. Dr. Ittapana Dhammalankara Thera and Anunayake Most Ven. Kotapitiye Rahula Thera.
The President then unveiled the new signboard of the temple and the newly constructed Bodhighara.
Minister Rohitha Abeygunawardena, Parliamentarians Lalith Ellawala, Sanjeeva Edirimanna, Anupa Pasqual, Defence Secretary General Kamal Gunaratne, and the members of the Dayaka Sabha were also present.
The retired doctor from Piliyandala who was arrested in connection with the incident of a hand grenade recovered from All Saints’ Church premises in Borella recently, has been responsible for similar acts at a private hospital in Narahenpita and the Bellanwila temple, Secretary to the Ministry of Public Security Retired Major General Jagath Alwis said as reported by Daily Mirror in its online edition.
In a video clip released to the press, he said that the doctor had got another person who was arrested from Embilipitiya, to plant the bombs inside these places. The video shows Mr. Alwis flanked by IGP C.D. Wickramaratne and Senior DIG, Western Province Deshabandu Tennakoon.
“However, it is yet to be ascertained as to how these individuals secured these bombs,” he said.
Sri Lanka will take steps to import essential medicinal drugs from India under the line of credit next month, a Minister said as reported in Daily Mirror today.
State Minister of Production, Supply and Regulation of Pharmaceuticals Prof. Channa Jayasumana said he, along with Finance Minister Basil Rajapaksa, held talks with the Indian High Commissioner Gopal Baglay on the sidelines of the Indian Republic Day celebrations.
“We discussed arrangement for the use of the credit line to import pharmaceuticals from India,” he said.
India has offered US 1 billion credit line for the import of food and pharmaceuticals. Prof. Jayasumana said the Central Bank had also released over US $ 16 million to open Letters of Credit to import essential drugs, and therefore a risk of any imminent shortage would not arise.
The National Investigation Agency of India has filed a case against five persons, including a Sri Lankan woman, for raising money through forged documents to further the activities of the LTTE.
Arrested were the woman Lechchuman Mary Francisco along with Keniston Fernando, K. Baskaran, Johnson Samuel, and L. Sellamuttu.
Born in Sri Lanka, 51-year-old Lechchuman Mary Francisco, moved to Canada several years ago and became a permanent resident there. The woman entered India in December 2019 on a one-year valid tourist visa.
She stayed in India, citing the reasons as COVID-19 lockdown. She then rented a house in Shakti Colony in Anna Nagar. She hid her nationality and forged documents to obtain a rental house, which she used to obtain an LPG connection in her name. Using the LPG connection, she also obtained an Indian passport and a voter ID card.
She was arrested on a tip-off while trying to fly to Bangalore. The investigation was transferred to the National Investigation Agency of India (NIA) after it was revealed that she had links with members of the LTTE who were active at the time.
According to Indian sources, the case has been handed over to the NIA in view of a major conspiracy and international repercussions.
She was arrested at the Chennai airport while preparing to board a flight to Mumbai. The suspect was found in possession of an Indian passport obtained using forged documents.
According to Indian sources, the probe was intensified following another arrest in October. That is, in Sabsena, with the arrest of a former LTTE intelligence officer in connection with a firearms racket.
According to Indian sources, the men were playing an active role in trying to revive the LTTE.
The NIA stated that the accused had taken money from the Mumbai Fort branch of the Overseas Bank of India. The money was being withdrawn to revive and continue the LTTE’s activities.
An Indian intelligence official has said that the LTTE in Sri Lanka has remained silent since its collapse.
However, in the last two to three years, there have been various signals that they are trying to re-awaken themselves, according to Indian reports.
According to Indian sources, they are trying to use their court case in Tamil Nadu to spread their message, especially targeting the youth.
According to those reports, the LTTE proponents hope that background necessary to re-launch their operations in Sri Lanka will be able created from Tamil Nadu.
Earlier this month, the Tamil Nadu CID’s crime unit found a Sri Lankan-made pistol in Madurai used by a Sri Lankan drug lord Angoda.
The Angoda lokka died of a heart attack in July 2020. The Indian CID has said that the five-bullet pistol was buried by a Madurai lawyer and that his father was a pro-LTTE activist.
According to Indian reports, the agency has stated that there was a connection between Sabesan and the arrested boss who was arrested for being involved in drug and arms smuggling from Pakistan.
Latest Local and Foreign News Updates and Investigative articles on Local, FOreign, Business, Politics, Environment, Technology and many more.
© 2021 All Right Reserved.
Designed and Developed by Dr. Media.
