News
Damitha claims she only got about Rs 800,000 as donations during Aragalaya
By Chaminda Silva
Popular actress and a leading figure in the aragalaya movement, Damitha Abeyratna told the media that she only received about 800,000 rupees from well-wishers during the anti-government protests. These funds were spent on the daily activities of the protests, she said.
“People didn’t take to the streets for the fun of it. They did so because politicians had failed. The unprecedented economic crisis is the reason why protests occurred,” she said. Abeyratna said she had no intention of contesting elections although she considered herself more capable than most MPs.
“Some people say that I received around two million rupees from well-wishers. This is not true. I got only about 800,000. My husband is Tamil, his mother is Sinhalese. Just because I am married to a Tamil person doesn’t make me an LTTE supporter as some people claim,” she said.
Abeyratna said Thilini Priyamali, arrested for embezzling large amounts of money from the rich and the powerful, had not given her any money and that she had not deposited money with Priyamali.
“Priyamali called me when my brother’s son was hospitalised after an accident. She said she wanted to help. I don’t accept help from people not known to me for private matters. Priyamali again called me and said if I deposited 500,000 rupees with her, she could double it. I think anyone who pays attention to news knows that this is too good to be true. A person can’t double your money unless she/he is engaged in risky businesses,” she said.
The Indian Naval Ship (INS) Sahyadri which arrived at the Port of Colombo on a formal visit on 04 Apr 25, departed the island today (07 Apr). The Sri Lanka Navy bade customary farewell to the departing ship at the Port of Colombo, following naval traditions.
During the ship’s stay in Colombo, crew members of INS Sahyadri took part in several programmes organized by the Sri Lanka Navy, aimed at enhancing mutual cooperation. In addition, they also explored some tourist attractions in the country. Further, personnel of Sri Lanka Navy had the opportunity to visit INS Sahyadri, gaining insights into her operational capabilities.
Latest News
Advisory for severe lightning issued for Sabaragamuwa, Central and Uva provinces and in Hambanthota district
The Natural Hazards Early Warning Centre has issued an Advisory for Severe Lightning for the Sabaragamuwa, Central and Uva provinces and in Hambanthota district.
The advisory issued at 02.00 p.m. today [07 April 2025] is valid for the period until 11.00 p.m. 07 April 2025
The public are warned that thundershowers accompanied by severe lightning are likely to occur at several places in for Sabaragamuwa, Central and Uva provinces and in Hambantota district. There may be temporary localized strong winds during thundershowers. General public is kindly requested to take adequate precautions to minimize damages caused by lightning activity.
ACTION REQUIRED:
The Department of Meteorology advises that people should:
Seek shelter, preferably indoors and never under trees.
• Avoid open areas such as paddy fields, tea plantations and open water bodies during thunderstorms.
• Avoid using wired telephones and connected electric appliances during thunderstorms.
• Avoid using open vehicles, such as bicycles, tractors and boats etc.
• Beware of fallen trees and power lines.
• For emergency assistance contact the local disaster management authorities.
The report of the “Census of Population and Housing 2024,” conducted by the Department of Census and Statistics, was officially handed over to President Anura Kumara Disanayake this morning (07) at the Presidential Secretariat.
This preliminary report has been prepared based on island wide data collected between October and December 2024.
The report provides details on Sri Lanka’s population, its growth and the distribution of the population across districts.
The information gathered through the census is vital not only for the government but also for other institutions in formulating policies and development plans essential for the country’s progress. Significantly, for the first time in the history of census-collecting in Sri Lanka, data collection was carried out using tablet computers and user-friendly mobile devices.
The event was attended by Deputy Minister of Finance & Planning, Harshana Suriyapperuma, Secretary to the President Dr. Nandika Sanath Kumanayake, Secretary to the Ministry of Finance Mahinda Siriwardana, Director General of the Department of Census and Statistics D.D.G.A. Senevirathne and several other officials.
INS Sahyadri sets sail from Colombo
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Advisory for severe lightning issued for Sabaragamuwa, Central and Uva provinces and in Hambanthota district
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