Author: Buzzer Editorial

Sri Lanka began counting its elephants in the wild in an island-wide census on Saturday (17) with a focus on conservation efforts.The census is being conducted by the Department of Wildlife Conservation after a hiatus of 13 years. The last elephant census in 2011 showed that there were 5,879 wild elephants in Sri Lanka.Since then Sri Lanka has lost many elephants due to gun shot wounds, electrocution and being struck by trains. Government data show that the highest number of tuskers have been killed in the Anuradhapura District.1,310 officers will be involved in the Anuradhapura Wildlife Zone for the census, Deputy…

Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) Matara District Member of Parliament Karunadasa Kodithuwakku has decided to support opposition leader Sajith Premadasa in the upcoming presidential election.

The Commissioner General of Elections, Saman Sri Ratnayake, has emphasized the need for stringent regulation of election finances, warning against the commercialization of the democratic process.Speaking at a conference held in Colombo yesterday (17), Mr. Ratnayake asserted that the choice of the country’s leadership should not be influenced by financial transactions.He stressed the importance of ensuring that voters remain participants in the democratic process rather than being reduced to mere consumers during elections.The Elections Commissioner General also expressed concerns that the expected outcomes from the laws regulating election expenses have not been fully realized as anticipated by the Election Commission.“You…

For the first time in Sri Lanka, six prominent Election Observation Organizations, namely, Transparency International Sri Lanka (TISL), People’s Action for Free and Fair Elections (PAFFREL), Campaign for Free and Fair Elections (CaFFE), Centre for Monitoring Election Violence (CMEV), Hashtag Generation, and the Institute for Democratic Reforms and Electoral Studies (IRES) have established a Campaign Finance Observation Online Tool to observe the campaign expenditures of election candidates at the Presidential Election 2024.The tool named “Chanda Salli Meetare” aims to advocate for the effective implementation of the Regulation of Election Expenditure Act of 2023, empower citizens with vital information to make…

Thirty-four (34) Sri Lankans who have been victims of human trafficking remain to be rescued from Myanmar, State Minister of Foreign Affairs Tharaka Balasuriya said.The minister revealed this during a media briefing held today on the recent release of 20 Sri Lankans from illegal camps in Myanmar, who are currently in Thailand.“The rescued students are in good health condition, although they will have to be sent for counselling,” Balasuriya said, adding that he has spoken to them over a video call.Sri Lankan authorities are working to repatriate this group to Sri Lanka as soon as possible, he said. Meanwhile, the Sri…

Prevailing showery condition are expected to continue in the south-western part of the island due to the low-level atmospheric disturbance in the vicinity of Sri Lanka.Very heavy showers about 150 mm are likely at some places in Western and Sabaragamuwa provinces and in Galle,Matara, Kandy and Nuwara-Eliya districts.General public is kindly requested to take adequate precautions to minimize damages caused by temporary localized strong winds and lightning during thundershowers.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared a public health emergency of international concern (PHEIC), its highest level of alert, due to a new variant of the mpox viral disease in Africa.The WHO on Wednesday said mpox cases have been found in 13 African countries and its new form is spreading. It is the second time in two years the organisation has issued the alert for the disease.It comes after an outbreak of the viral infection in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) that has spread to neighbouring countries.the emergency committee met and advised me that in its view, the situation constitutes a public…

Prevailing showery condition are expected to continue in the south-western part of the island due to the low-level atmospheric disturbance in the vicinity of Sri Lanka.

Galle Marvels team captain, former national team wicketkeeper Niroshan Dickwella has been found guilty of using cocaine during a doping test conducted by the Sri Lanka Anti-Doping Agency during the LPL tournament that ended yesterday (15th August)He is currently suspended from all sports-related activities (including training).

An Australian Federal Court judge has slammed the Home Affairs Department for failing to properly scrutinise a Sri Lankan diplomat who confiscated a staffer’s passport and gave her just two days leave in three years.Sri Lanka’s former deputy high commissioner to Australia has been ordered to pay $543,000 in unpaid wages and interest to a domestic worker and now faces a large fine for breaches of employment laws.Himalee Arunatilaka, who served in Canberra from 2015 to 2018, denied her employee, Priyanka Danaratna, minimum pay and conditions during time in Australia, the court found.Justice Elizabeth Raper found Ms Danaratna worked from…