Author: Buzzer Editorial

Karu Paranawithana, a former deputy minister, is tipped to be appointed to the parliamentary seat vacated by SJB’s Thalatha Athukorale.Paranawithana is presently a politburo member of Patali Champika Ranawaka’s URF.Athukorale announced her decision to resign from parliament in a speech to the House this morning (20).

Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) Matara District MP Karunadasa Kodithuwakku has decided to crossover to the opposition in the Parliament. Delivering a special statement in Parliament today (21) to announce the decision, the MP declared that he will be supporting Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa in the upcoming presidential election, for the benefit of the country’s future and the economy.After concluding his speech, Kodithuwakku took his seat among the opposition MPs in the Parliament. Kodithuwakku had entered parliament after securing 114,319 votes in the 2020 general election from the Matara District, under the SLPP ticket.

An Inspector of Police and a Constable have been arrested by the Colombo Crime Division for possessing over 1 kg of heroin in Piliyandala.Police said the suspects were arrested while arriving in a car at a parking lot of a supermarket in Piliyandala.The arrested officers are reportedly attached to the Moratuwa STF Camp Intelligence Unit.The 35-year-old Inspector was arrested on charges of aiding drug trafficking, while the Constable is charged with possession of heroin.

The iconic hat worn by the titular character in “Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom” fetched $630,000 at auction on Thursday alongside movie memorabilia from “Star Wars”, “Harry Potter” and “James Bond” productions.There were 37 bids for the iconic hat won by Harrison Ford, who played the intrepid archaeologist, Dr Henry Walton “Indiana” Jones, Jr., according to the auction housePropstore. Released in 1984, the Steven Spielberg-directed film was nominated for two Academy Awards and grossed $333,107,271 worldwide. The film was set in India in 1935 and Ke Huy Quan, who starred in the Oscar-winning “Everything Everywhere All at Once” beat out 6,000 other kids…

Pakistan’s former prime minister, Imran Khan, currently imprisoned on various charges, has applied to become the next chancellor of the prestigious University of Oxford, according to his party.Khan, who served as prime minister from 2018 to 2022, recently marked one year in prison on charges ranging from corruption to inciting violence—accusations he claims are politically motivated to prevent his return to power.Sayed Zulfikar Bukhari, the London-based spokesman for Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party, confirmed the application, stating, “Imran Khan had given instructions to submit his application, and now the scrutiny process will begin.” He added, “While the post is largely…

Residents of Porto Velho in the Brazilian Amazon have scarcely seen sunlight for days as a dense cloud of smoke from forest fires engulfs their city.“We are struggling to breathe,” said Tayane Moraes, a 30-year-old teacher and one of the 460,000 inhabitants of the city near the Bolivian border.On Tuesday (Aug 20), the concentration of cancer-causing microparticles, known as PM2.5, reached 56.5 micrograms per cubic meter of air in Porto Velho—11 times the limit recommended by the World Health Organization, making it the worst air quality among Brazil’s major cities.Inhaling PM2.5 is known to increase the risk of lung cancer,…

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…