News

US Ambassador influenced Prez GR as part of its regime change plot – Wimal

Published

4 years ago

2022/08/3

Wimal Weerawansa

National Freedom Front (NFF) leader Wimal Weerawansa, MP, has alleged that US Ambassador Julie Chung constantly applied pressure on the then President Gotabaya Rajapaksa not to deal with the growing protest movement that finally led to his ouster.

The former Industries Minister said so on Swarnavahini on Monday night.

President Rajapaksa vacated the President’s House on July 13.

Weerawansa said that Ambassador Chung exploited President Rajapaksa’s plans to settle down in the US after the completion of his first term. MP Weerawansa said that the President feared he wouldn’t be able to be with his son, daughter-in-law and his grandchild if he responded to the threat.

Denial of US visa compelled President Rajapaksa to take refuge in the Maldives and then Singapore where he is residing now.

Lawmaker Weerawansa said that on one hand the US influenced the President while others involved in the operation, such as the Bar Association of Sri Lanka (BASL), received USAID financial backing. Weerawansa explained the circumstances the US exploited the financial crisis, and rising public resentment towards the previous government, to carry out, what he called, its regime change operation.

MP Weerawansa told The Island that those who had been surprised by his accusations, directed at the BASL, shouldn’t forget that the Bar Association had no qualms in accepting sponsorship from the Perpetual Treasuries Limited (PTL), even after it perpetrated of treasury bond scams in 2015 and 2016.

BASL President Saliya Pieris, PC, recently said that in addition to the BASL, the Justice Ministry as well as the Attorney General’s Department received financial assistance over the years. Reference was made to funding received during 2015 -2019 while denying accusations the BASL engaged in any clandestine activity. This was in response to the recent Hiru interview conducted in response accusations relating to the conduct of the BASL (SF)

Members of Intake 36 of Kotelawela Defence University recently conducted a ‘home garden’; project in support of the needy in Colombo. It was meant to encourage families to utilize available land for productive activity.

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News

Animal Welfare Draft Bill to be Gazetted

Published

15 hours ago

2026/06/24

Priyan

A specialists committee has been appointed by the Secretary to the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, Lands and Irrigation adhering to the decision of the Cabinet of Ministers dated 29.12.2025 for submitting appropriate recommendations analyzing the provisions of the draft bill formulation in regard to Animal Welfare.

Based on the recommendations of the said Committee, the Legal Draftsman has been instructed at the meeting of the Cabinet of Ministers held on 18.05.2026 to prepare the final bill on the animal welfare.

Wherefore, the Legal Draftsman has formulated the draft bill and the clearance of the Attorney General has been received in the connection.

Accordingly, the Cabinet of Ministers granted approval to the resolution furnished by the Minister of Agriculture, Livestock, Lands and Irrigation to publish the said draft bill in the
Government Gazette Notification and subsequently forward the same to the Parliament for its concurrence.

News

Legal provisions on marking voters using indelible ink during elections removed

Published

15 hours ago

2026/06/24

Priyan

Under the legal provisions for elections in this country since 2004, it is mandatory for voters who come to mark their votes to verify their identity through a valid identity card, and it is also mandatory for all such voters to be marked with an appropriate mark using indelible ink. The dual purpose of these two functions is to prevent a voter from voting more than once in a single election.

It has been observed that having to follow two different
methods at the same time to achieve the same objective hinders the efficiency of the duties performed at the polling stations and also incurs additional costs to the government.

Therefore, it has been deemed appropriate to remove the legal provisions regarding the use of indelible ink and marking the voter with the appropriate mark from all election acts.

Accordingly, the development activities of the province, as well as national security, will benefit. Therefore, the Cabinet of Ministers has approved the resolution furnished by the
President to take necessary steps to remove the legal provisions

• Section 36 of the presidential Election Act, No 15 of 1981
• Section 38 of the Parliamentary Election Act, No 01 of 1981
• Section 36 of the Provincial Council Election Act, No 02 of 1988
• Section 53 A of the Local Government Elections Ordinance (262 Authority)
• Section 21 of the Referendum Act No 7 of 1981

News

Showers will occur in the Western, Sabaragamuwa and North-western provinces and in Galle, Matara, Kandy and Nuwara-Eliya districts

Published

16 hours ago

2026/06/24

Priyan

WEATHER FORECAST FOR 24 JUNE 2026
Issued at 05.30 a.m. on 24 June 2026 by the Department of Meteorology

Several spells of showers will occur in the Western, Sabaragamuwa and North-western provinces and in Galle, Matara, Kandy and Nuwara-Eliya districts. Showers or thundershowers may occur at a few places in the Uva province and in Ampara and Batticaloa districts after 2.00 p.m.

Fairly strong winds about (30-40) kmph can be expectedat times over the Western slopes of the central hills, the Northern, North-central, North-western and Southern provinces and in Trincomalee district.

The general public is kindly requested to take adequate precautions to minimize damage caused by temporary localized strong winds and lightning during thundershowers.