The Wildlife officials took measures to relocate a wild elephant and a calf illegally detained at Kandalama ancient residence in Meerigama, to the Udawalawe Elephant Orphanage.
Wildlife officials found the elephants when they have been brought to Kandalama ancient residence en route to another location.
Director General of Wildlife Conservation Department H. D. Ratnayake said that a case has been filed against the persons involved in illegal detention for breaching the Fauna and Flora Protection Ordinance.
The officials have filed a case against the alleged persons at Meerigama Courts.
Wildlife Officials commenced an investigation following a tip off by environmental organizations.
Environmentalist Ravindra Kariyawasam said they have received information regarding elephants and tuskers detained in several ancient residences.
Indian Minister of shipping G K Vasan states that the delay for the 2nd round of Indo - Sri lanka fisheries discussions is as a result of the actions of the Sri Lankan government.
However, when we contacted the deputy Minister of fisheries Sarath Kumara Gunarathna regarding the statement made by Indian Minister of shipping, he stated that there is no such delay.
The United National Party has made a request to the Elections Commissioner requesting permission to display digital boards at election offices of candidates with their name and preferential number.
Meanwhile, the time period given to obtain temporary identity cards will end from the 21st of this month and hence the public without valid identification documents are requested to obtain their ID’s before the deadline.
External Affairs Minister Prof.G.L. Peiris left the country yesterday morning for Myanmar ahead of President Rajapaksa’s arrival for the two-day official visit.
Prof. G L Peiris will then travel to Geneva on the 4th to lead the Sri Lanka delegation at the UN Human Rights Council’s 25th regular sessions.
The Minister will address the UN HRC member States on March 5 and present Sri Lanka’s case.
Sri Lanka’s Special Envoy on Human Rights Minister Mahinda Samarasinghe is also a part of the Sri Lankan delegation to Geneva.
President Mahinda Rajapaksa will leave for Myanmar tomorrow to participate at the BIMSTEC Summit where leaders of seven Asian States will meet.
President Rajapaksa will also meet with Indian Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh and Myanmar leaders on the sidelines of the sub-regional grouping.
The members of the BIMSTEC grouping which is the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation, are Bangladesh, India, Myanmar, Thailand, Bhutan, Nepal and Sri Lanka.
Commemoration of the 70th death anniversary of veteran scholar Kumarathunga Munidasa was held on the road.
Previously the commemoration ceremony was held annually near the memorial of Kumarathunga Munidasa at Dikwalla – Wawuru-kannala – Dikhena area.
However, organiser of the ceremony, Dikwalla Budu Raja temple, venerable Diwalle Thissa thero stated that the ceremony was held on the road since the Dikwalla Divisional secretary has ordered no one to site the area.
Kumar Sangakkara's 17th ODI hundred was everything Sri Lanka needed to win the ODI series with a game in hand.
But since their opponents were always going to pose a threat to their 289-run total, they also needed Bangladesh's batsmen to come up with a string of needless dismissals to ensure the 2-0 win.
Having gone down by 61 runs in Mirpur, Bangladesh lost their first bilateral ODI series at home since December 2011.
President Mahinda Rajapaksa will open the Deyata Kirula exhibition at Kuliyapitiya today.
The annual exhibition which is being held for the 8th successive year is sponsored by the Economic Development Ministry.
The National Heritage Ministry has taken steps to design its Deyata Kirula main exhibition stall outlet as a replica of the ancient Yapahuwa Fort.
The National Heritage Ministry stall at the Deyata Kirula National Exhibition was created as a collaborative effort of all Departments and institutions under the National Heritage Ministry.
Meanwhile, Police Media Spokesman SSP Ajith Rohana said all measures have been taken to ensure the safety and protection of visitors to the 8th Deyata Kirula National Exhibition.
SSP Ajith Rohana said visitors are also bound to behave decently within the exhibition premises and while travelling to the venue.
Update : Friday, 21 February 2014 - 8:36 --------------------------------------------------------- Deyata Kirula begins tomorrow; 6000 policemen deployed for security
Police Media Spokesman SSP Ajith Rohana says that over 6000 officers have been deployed on duty in the Deyata Kirula exhibition premises which is scheduled to open in Kuliyapitiya tomorrow.
Addressing a media briefing held in Colombo this afternoon, the SSP said that 1000 policemen will be deployed in civvies while another 2000 will be deployed on duty relating to vehicular traffic handling.
The SSP also urged visitors to avoid carrying traveling bags when they enter the exhibition premises.
The Police Media Spokesman said that 433 policemen will be deployed to keep vigil regarding thieves within the exhibition premises.
A UNP female MP had sought an oral answer from Wildlife Resources Conservation Minister Vijith Vijithamuni Soyza to her question about a building project that is constructed in a five acre land near the Eastern boundaries of the Giritale National Park in Minneriya.
When the question was asked in parliament today, Minister Vijithamuni Soyza said that the question is irrelevant to his subject.
At that point, the Opposition Leader intervened in the mater to explain the question and his intervention led up to a heated situation in parliament.
However our news team checked the UNP female MP’s question in which she had referred to a national park as the Giritale National Park.
Later our news team found that the UNP female MP had referred as the Minneriya Giritale National Park to a natural forest reserve.
Cabinet Spokesman Minister Keheliya Rambukwella said that several pro Sri Lankan countries are thinking of bringing a counter resolution against the US sponsored anti Sri Lankan resolution during the Geneva Human Rights sessions.
Minister Rambukwella disclosed the idea of the pro Sri Lankan countries during the media briefing to inform the Cabinet decisions held at the Information Department today.
Another stage of the programme carried out as per a concept of Colombo District Parliamentarian R Dumindha Silva to provide stationary and school equipment to students of low income earning families was held in Mihindusenpura in Dematagoda.
Accordingly steps were taken by MP R Dumindha Silva to distribute stationary and school equipment to 1500 students.
This programme supports students in the entire Colombo district with the intention of further increasing the education levels of students who are faced with financial difficulties.
Students and Parents who were present at the event thanked Parliamentarian R Dumindha Silva for his yeoman service.
31 shops were completely destroyed in a fire which erupted in a tire store in Pudalu-Oya this morning. Police stated that the reason for the fire is yet to be ascertained.
The Police says that school students should be more cautious when uploading photographs to social networking websites including facebook.
Speaking at a media briefing that was held yesterday in Colombo Police Media Spokesperson SSP Ajith Rohana stated that facebook has turned out to be a main reason that causes issues within families.
Minister Keheliya Rambukwella speaking at the cabinet decisions media briefing held yesterday also spoke regarding incidents triggered by social media.
Three policemen attached to the Minuwangoda police station were interdicted after the mother of a suspect died suddenly as police attempted to arrest the suspect.
Police went to a house at Poragoda in Minuwangoda on Tuesday night to arrest a suspect in connection with an assault.
Police had entered the house through its back door as family members did not respond to the police call to open the front door.
When the suspect’s mother learned that police came to arrest her son, she suddenly fell ill on the spot.
Later police took her to hospital in the police jeep but she was pronounced dead after hospitalizing.
Later an inquiry was held on the instruction of a Gampaha Division SP to ascertain whether the officers who visited the suspect’s home had over acted beyond their duty.
On the outcome of the inquiry, one police sergeant and two constables were interdicted today.
The Registrar General’s Department has decided to discontinue the services of an additional district registrar who had given assistance to irregularly alter the name in the birth certificate for obtaining the first number in the preferential number list.
Thimbirigasyaya Divisional Secretariat additional District Registrar has thus been discontinued from employment.
Registrar General E. M. Gunasekera told our news team that this disciplinary step had been taken after an initial inquiry.
The Registra General’s Department launched a special probe with regard to some candidates subtly altering names for obtaining early numbers.
It was revealed that two candidates contesting at the provincial council election from the Colombo and Gampaha Districts this time had submitted their names altering them in the birth certificates in an irregular manner.
Reports say that Shivanka Wijegunawardhana contesting from the Colombo District under the UNP ticket and Kuruppu Aarachchigey Kamal Nayanakaantha Kuruppu contesting from the Gampaha District for the Western Provincial Council have thus altered the names.
The fast-unto-death begun by 3 Sinhala Raavaya monks in front of the Colombo Fort Railway Station in protest against cattle slaughter was concluded last night.
The Sinhala Ravaya Monks said that the fast was ended after an additional Presidential Secretary came to the fasting site and gave a written pledge to formulate relevant legal draft documentation for stopping cattle slaughter.
However our corresponded reporting from the site said that at the time of ending the fast the health condition of the three Sinhala Raavaya monks was critical.
Subsequently these monks were admitted to the national hospital.
The walk the Sinhala Raavaya launched from in front of the Kandy Sri Dalada Maligawa in protest against cattle slaughter on the 9th this month reached Colombo Fort on the 16th.
Subsequently they began a fast-unto-death in front of the Colombo Fort Railway Station.
During the fast the police arrested a monk who was charged with attempting to commit suicide.
However when our news team inquired, a national hospital spokesperson stated that the condition of the monks was not serious.
The UNP alleges that the Chinese firm which was given the contract to build the Colombo Harbour City is a firm that has been included in the black list published by the World Bank.
Speaking at a press conference held in Colombo today UNP Parliamentarian Dr. Harsha De Silva stated that this Chinese firm was black listed due to fraud committed by the firm during several other projects that it undertook elsewhere in the world in the past.
The Secretary General of the UN Ban Ki Moon has been invited to engage in a tour of Sri Lanka.
Minister of Youth Affairs and Skills Development Dullas Alahepperuma has extended this invitation to the Secretary General of the UN to attend the World Youth Summit which will be held in Sri Lanka this May.
The minister had invited the Secretary General of the UN when he met with Ban Ki Moon at the UN Headquarters in New York.
In a statement issued by the UN, it was stated that Minister Alahapperuma and the Secretary General of the UN Ban Ki Moon had engaged in discussions regarding the issues faced by the youth including unemployment.
The statement issued by the UN also stated that the Secretary General of the UN had focused on ending violence and guiding youth towards peace and reconciliation.
However, during the daily media briefing held at the UN headquarters yesterday, the spokesperson for the Secretary General of the UN did not state whether Minister Dullas Alahepperuma had extended an invitation to the Secretary General of the UN Ban Ki Moon to tour Sri Lanka.
He stated that it is not the tradition of the UN to publish such information.
Three policemen attached to the Minuwangoda police station were interdicted after the mother of a suspect died suddenly as police attempted to arrest the suspect.
Police went to a house at Poragoda in Minuwangoda on Tuesday night to arrest a suspect in connection with an assault.
Police had entered the house through its back door as family members did not respond to the police call to open the front door.
When the suspect’s mother learned that police came to arrest her son, she suddenly fell ill on the spot.
Later police took her to hospital in the police jeep but she was pronounced dead after hospitalizing.
Later an inquiry was held on the instruction of a Gampaha Division SP to ascertain whether the officers who visited the suspect’s home had over acted beyond their duty.
On the outcome of the inquiry, one police sergeant and two constables were interdicted today.
