Author: Buzzer Editorial

Sri Lanka Samagi Jana Balavegaya legislator Thalatha Athukorala has announced her resignation in Parliament.Athukorala is the sister of one-time United National National Party general Secretary Gamini Athukorala, and a party stalwart.“If we are to win this election, we have to join forces,” Athukorala said in an impassioned speech, in which she lamented the splitting of the UNP.Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa was too much in a hurry to become leader, she said drawing parallels with the rise of Gotabaya Rajapaksa. “All the drowning snakes and mongooses (nai-mugati) have clung on the SJB log (kote) to avoid drowning.”(Colombo/Aug20/2024)

Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) member Bandula Lal Bandarigoda was sworn in as a Member of Parliament this morning (21st), filling the vacancy created by the removal of former Galle District MP Manusha Nanayakkara.Bandarigoda took his oath before Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena following the commencement of parliamentary proceedings at 9:30 a.m. today.The vacancy arose after the Supreme Court, on 9th August 2024, upheld the SJB’s decision to expel Manusha Nanayakkara and National List MP Harin Fernando from the party. This decision rendered both parliamentary seats vacant. The court dismissed petitions filed by Nanayakkara and Fernando challenging their expulsion.On 18th July 2023,…

The Meteorology Department reports that showers or thundershowers will occur intermittently in the Western, Sabaragamuwa, Southern, and North-Western provinces, as well as in the Kandy and Nuwara-Eliya districts.Fairly heavy rainfall exceeding 75 mm is expected in some areas within the Western and Sabaragamuwa provinces and in the Galle and Matara districts.Additionally, showers or thundershowers are anticipated in several locations in the Eastern, Uva, and North-Central provinces during the evening or night.Fairly strong winds ranging from 30 to 40 km/h are likely over the western slopes of the central hills, as well as in the Northern, North-Central, and North-Western provinces, and…

Former President Maithripala Sirisena has completed the payment of Rs. 100 million in compensation to the victims of the 2019 Easter Sunday attacks. On August 16, Sirisena paid the final installment of Rs. 12 million, fulfilling the Supreme Court’s order to compensate those affected by the tragic events.In January 2023, the Supreme Court of Sri Lanka ruled that Sirisena and several former government officials were liable for failing to prevent the attacks despite prior intelligence warnings. The court ordered Sirisena to pay Rs. 100 million, with a deadline of August 30, 2024, to settle the outstanding amount.Other officials, including former…

Sri Lanka announced their playing XI for the first Test against England at Old Trafford. The 28-year-old Milan Rathnayake is confirmed to make his Test debut, having impressed the selectors back home. Rathnayake has a stellar first-class record, with 81 wickets in 40 matches at 32.08, with three four-wicket hauls and a five-wicket haul. While the pacer was named in both New Zealand and Ireland squads, he was yet to make his international debut. “The conditions are quite different to Asian countries,” Sri Lanka’s skipper Dhananjaya de Silva said. “We wanted to play a few matches, but that’s what we get. We didn’t go with the…

His Holiness Pope Francis has appointed His Lordship Most Rev. P. Anton Ranjith, Auxiliary Bishop of Colombo as the Apostolic Administrator of the Diocese of Batticaloa.The Apostolic Nunciature in Sri Lanka in a press statement announced that Pope Francis has accepted the resignation of His Lordship Bishop Joseph Ponniah, who was the pastoral governance of the Diocese of Batticaloa.His Lordship Bishop Joseph Ponniah had tendered his resignation citing health reasons.

Sri Lanka secured a dominant eight-wicket consolation victory over series winners Ireland in the third one-day international at Stormont.In contrast to the opening two matches, Ireland’s batters struggled from the off as Achini Kulasuriya dismissed Sarah Forbes and Amy Hunter in the first two balls of the match.Kulasuriya continued to rip through Ireland’s top order as skipper Orla Prendergast departed to leave the hosts on 10-3.As wickets continued to tumble, the Irish needed a knock of 35 from all-rounder Arlene Kelly and late runs from Alice Tector (17), Freya Sargent (16) and Aimee Maguire (10) to reach a paltry 122…

Tamil Progressive Alliance (TPA) MPs Palani Digambaram and Velu Kumar have been caught on camera engaging in a brawl while participating in a debate on local television.Video footage of the incident shows the two MPs speaking to each other in a derogatory manner leading to a physical brawl.The MPs were later separated by the television staff in an attempt to contain the situation.TPA MP Velu Kumar had recently pledged support for President Ranil Wickremesinghe in the upcoming Presidential Election.Meanwhile, MP Palani Digambaram along with TPA Leader Mano Ganesan has extended support for Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa in the election.

Nearly two months have passed since two CT scan machines and two MRI machines at Colombo National Hospital experienced technical faults, significantly impacting patient care. Chanaka Dharmawickrama, President of the Government Radiology Technologists Association, reported that these machines remain unrepaired, causing considerable disruption to surgery and treatment services.The affected equipment includes CT scan machines in both the outpatient and main radiology departments, as well as MRI machines in the outpatient department and the neurosurgery unit.In response to inquiries, Colombo National Hospital Director Kumara Wickramasinghe stated that a team from Japan is scheduled to arrive to repair one of the machines.Additionally, some…

Independent presidential candidate Janaka Ratnayake submitted a formal complaint to the Election Commission today, expressing concerns over the selection process for a Presidential Candidate debate organized by PAFFREL, an election watchdog.Ratnayake criticized the decision to select only six out of the thirty-nine presidential candidates for a debate scheduled for the 7th of next month. He argued that this selection process is unfair to the remaining thirty-three candidates, as it disproportionately promotes the chosen six and provides them with undue media coverage.”We have explained to the Commissioner General about this injustice and expressed our protest today,” Ratnayake stated. He further demanded that…