Daily NEWS Srilanka

Up-and-coming singers Dimanka Wellalage and Sandun Perera who were coming back after finishing a music show in Minuwangoda area last night had met with two serious traffic accidents.

The two vehicles concerned were being driven by
their drivers separately and because of high speed one vehicle had swerved away from the road while simultaneously the other vehicle too had deviated to a side in Nilpanagoda area. Though both artistes had escaped serious injuries, the two vehicles however were seriously damaged. Some photos of the incident, from below

Cricketer T.M. Dilshan who was served a warrant by courts for not having appeared for a maintenance case recently, finally came to courts and told media that he could not be present that day because his lawyers had made a blunder on the date. Simultaneously he has added that he was not prepared to pay his former wife the monies he earned with the sweat of his brow. He also said that he had paid a sum of 300 lakhs and that he pays a sum of 40,000 every month and that media which slings mud at him is making up this story.

However, cricketer T.M. Dilshan's former wife Mrs. Nilantha Withanage has addressed the media for

She states that Dilshan has not paid 300 lakhs any day although he has told the media that he had done so. According to the case filed against Dilshan he had bestowed a house worth 8 million and an old car only as divorce redress and had paid only 20,000 a month for the child and that since then he had not taken interest during the past 9 months to visit the child or to speak to him at all, she says. She further says that Dilshan has not even come to see a match of her son who she says has skills in cricket. She adds that he has not even remembered to wish the child for his birthday and that it is she who even buys and gives him sports equipment.

She further mentions that she has had to make her way to courts once again as Dilshan has refrained from making the maintenance payment of 20,000 for the last 4 months which he is deemed to pay according to law. On that occasion she says that she asked for just 1 percent of Dilshan's monthly earnings of 25 million for her son and that he had objected to make that payment in which instance the courts ordered him to pay 40,000 and she added that as he had not appeared for that maintenance case he was ordered to be taken into custody. She states that she on no occasion had requested for money from time to time though Dilshan has exposed so to the media. She finally says that although it was said that he was not able to be present in courts because his lawyer forgot to record the date, at the time that date was announced Dilshan, Dilshan's father as well as attorneys-at-Law were all present in courts and that the story of 'having forgotten' is just a woven up story. Her full story, from below

(Courtesy -- srilankamirror.com)  

Former Minister Mahindananda Aluthgamage after obtaining divorce from his first marriage has entered into marriage today (28) for the second time, political sources have reported.

53 year old Mahindananda born in 1964 has wedded a daughter of former Prime Minister 'Dimu' Jayaratna

The wedding function was held at the former Minister's residence in Rajagiriya and several politicians had graced the occasion while former Prime Minister 'Dimu' and his son Anuradha Jayaratna were the attesting witnesses, it is reported. Though the couple entered into marriage on a legal basis this way, they had both lived together during the past few years together. Arrangements for a party is supposed to take place in this house tonight. After the wedding the former Minister would be spending his honeymoon at Galle Face Hotel in Galle Face and would be joining in the United May Day Rally which is to be held closeby, it was learned.

Samanthrabadra Thera is a monk who from time to time creates various sensational incidents. Why is this? Sri Lanka is a very traditional society. There are no philosophers in this traditional society. No scholars. No men of letters. There is a set of monks known as theras who are live being confined to a small framework. When a person is born  with a good opinion, a good philosophy, who has good

* How do you say that there are no educated people or philosophers in this society?

   Lord Gauthama Buddha is a great sensational character in Bharatha society.

   Ambapali is a well-known prostitute during Buddha's time. Lord Buddha was invited to partake in an alms-giving at her house. If a prostitute in Colombo would come and invite me and if I attend the alms-giving ... would this society favour it my obliging her. But Lord Buddha went to Ambapali's house. Sensational. pure. There's nothing strange to protect as such ... He was pure.

* During the past a certain female sought legal action saying that she has a child by you. Now where is that child? Actually what happened?

   Yes ... sometime back there was a rumour that I have a child. Then where is that child? When legal assistance was sought it was proved through law too that this story was false. Later that female offered flowers offered flowers and asked for forgiveness. That's all.

* Sirisadaham Ashram is a mansion that goes beyond a temple. Is a luxurious mansion such as this suitable for a genuine thera?

   Actually during Buddha's time there were mansions. Here too a place of a mansion has been built up. During Buddha's time Vishaka built the Vihara Dhatu mansion. The Lovamahapeya in Anuradhapura has 7 stories. It was a great royal tradition that existed during Buddha's period. Big temples were built. Europeans are astounded by seeing those. Buddhist tradition is not a begging tradition. It's a valuable tradition that bestowed many an artistic creation to the world. Here it's a wonderful place ... therefore people scorn at it. What we want is not to built a beautiful temple. To develop a new opinion to the society.

* But thera ... Prince Siddhartha abandoned palaces such as Ramya, Suramya and Subha and strived to seek the way to emancipation. Do you want to create palaces by living in the Dhamma that was so discovered?

   Yes ... it's true. It's true that prince Siddhartha left the three palaces of Ramya, Suramya and Subha and attained Buddhahood. But after attaining that state where did Bosathano go once again to? Was he in a drain? Was he at the root of a ficus tsiela? Was he present at Poorwarama of Jetawanarama? A person realises truth after abandoning everything. The person who thus abandons everything and realises everything has nothing more to grab. Even whether he's in a stack of diamonds or on top of an ant hill ... he has understood reality.

* How many under-developed, ancient and Raja Maha Viharas in a ramshackled state in this country even though you make mansions like this? How many temples there are where proper alms are not received and where a mat or pillow is not available?

   It's like this ... There are enough people in this country to build temples. But there aren't people who build opinions. It's because we put forward those opinions that it becomes a sensation.This isn't a temple. What's built here is an opinion. These are royal traditions which we have seen in the village chetiya in the temple. But you have to wander around the world. You have to know about those. You don't need to build small temples anew. Now there are too many temples in the country. But no human resources have developed. There are temples today ... but no monks. There are dogs in dharma shalas. I am against those. Dharma shalas should not be places where dogs should take refuge. On Poya days only the dogs are chased away and the dharma shalas are cleaned up and it's given to upasaka ammas. Then after that the dogs take refuge in the dhamma shalawas once again. These are the things that should be changed.

* There are many young bhikkus who reside in Santhabadra Thera's Ashram. Weren't there many allegations launched in relation to the subject of homosexuality about these young monks?

   Those who are ordained here are the young crowd ... those who are somewhat well-to-do ... those who are educated ... those who have gone to campus. There are even doctors who have ordained and are among us. That's what should happen. If not, the Sasana will not become a reality by ordaining those who have nothing to eat and drink. After they follow their education they go back to their homes. People who can't understand these things insult these young bhikkus.

* Aren't there young bhikkunis in this ashram itself?

   Yes ... the female has a similar status in the Buddha Sasana. There's no issue about it. Anybody could get ordained. We must provide that opportunity. Now one and a half years before we ordained young females. All of them have understood this dhamma. This crowd of  bhikkunis at this ashram is under the governance of Kusuma Bhikkuni. We don't ordain according to our whims and fancies. Only if we develop these things that this dhamma will remain intact. If not there will be a big collapse in the Sasana.

* Isn't there a difference in the hue of the robe of these bhikkunis?

   The reason for that is that monks here are dressed in yellow robes. When travelling abroad the monks too wear long-sleeved robes. In such instances the monks dress in the colour of their robes and the bhikkunis wear a red-type of long-sleeved robe. If not both parties become indistinguishable. There's no big difference in the dress of a bhikku and a bhikkuni. After shaving the head it's difficult to distinguish. It's for that reason that bhikkunis adorn themselves with long-sleeved red-coloured robes.

* 'Wassane heene' is not a Buddhist devotional song as such. Why did you act in it?

   This is not the first visual. This is the second visual where I appeared in. I participated in a song made by Iraj in 2008. This new song ... a good theme. It's a problem in society that is discussed here. If the young crowd can be directed towards the dhamma from a creative angle ... there's nothing wrong in it.

* Don't you admit that acting is something wrong for a bhikku?

   It's wrong if a bhikku involves himself in acting, isn't it. Acting is taboo. If a bhikku communicates with the camera and utter dialogues in the presence of an actor ... it's acting. If not I change gestures in front of the actor. That's acting. If not ... staying seated means not acting.

* An image of yours is created beside Lord Buddha's image. Why is this?

   Anyone can make a statue. This is not the first statue made in the world when a bhikku is among the living. King Ajasatta made a statue from red sandalwood at the time when Lord Buddha was living. 3 statues of Mr. Henry Olcott was created at the time he was among the living. So this one was just another one. Donors make statues. People worship me when I am among the living. Offer flowers. Pay homage. That's their wish.

* For all these things you receive big donations from overseas don't you? What is this talk about a contract that you are trying to distort this Theravada Buddhism?

  There's no such contract. There were many stories woven about me by several people. Even today those are said ... and tomorrow it will be so. Many stories are woven about round a prominent character in Sri Lanka. All this is gossip. when various stories are woven, I take up all those things with much equanimity.there are no contracts involved in aid given by people to the temple. All that is received because of the dhamma. If a person is doing his job properly ... has a good vision ... good policy; earning money is that much of a big thing.

* Some people say that you carry out a large part of work to spread Mahayana in this country with necessary adjustments.

   Those are false rumours. When people want to sling mud ... they say various types of stories. Fish, meat is not consumed in in Mahayana Buddhism. No garlic is eaten ... no red onions. Dried fish, Maldive fish, fish, meat ... nothing of the sort is eaten.

* But in the birthday celebration you celebrated it in a grand scale by bringing all this fish and meat ... made a cake of so many kilos. Was that done to give the impression that we aren't the Mahayana category?

   Yes ... that's true. Even when alms are brought to this temple, fish and meat are brought. Even on the occasion of a birthday all those things are given. Then is it Mahayana or Theravada here? Therefore we need not explain as to what tradition we belong to. Many people said many stories. I challenged them to come to discuss this. But ... none of them came.

* Haven't you achieved the status of Arahat?

  Yes, I have become an Arahat.

* In that case you would have no hopes about any of these things or desires ... don't you?

   Yes, because I have achieved the state of Arahat ... there's no hope about anything. Achieving that state means that every target has been finished. Therefore there is no target ... hope within him. The dhamma says that mythology within society would be destroyed. A new creative idea would be introduced to society. Intellectuals will be created for the society. Will be made prosperous ... made educated.

* If you give sermons like that ... and achieved status of Arahat ... why so many desires and run after mansions, temples, expensive robes, lavish almsgiving festivals?

   The problem is not with material assets in the country. Whether an attachment is created with these? or whether these things are grabbed with greed is the question! The point is that I have no attachment to any of these things. I utilise these things without any attachment to those things as such. I have no lust with me ... no craving. Whatever people say ... I have no attachment for any of these things.

Dishani Jayamali Karunaratna (courtesy -- deshaya.lk)  

Indicating that an experiment conducted as the Priority Lanes System for buses carried out recently from Rajagiriya Junction to Ayurveda Junction turned out to be a success, the government has taken a decision to implement a permanent Bus Priority Lane in order to encounter traffic congestion. As such, only buses would be plying in that particular lane within the relevant time-
period. The proposal brought forward in this connection by Minister Patali Champika Ranawaka was approved by the group of Ministers. As such, in future during busy periods it has been arranged to operate the Bus Priority Lane System in the undermentioned sections of roads:

1) The Bus Priority Lane in Galle Road -- from Moratuwa to Ratmalana and from Wellawatta Bridge upto Colpetty spreading out towards Colombo;

2) The Bus Priority Lane along Parliament Road -- from Parliament Junction via Rajagiriya, Borella, Maradana and Pettah upto Colombo Fort spreading out to Colombo.

3) The Bus Priority Lane in Colombo -- from Air Force Roundabout in Chittampalam A. Gardiner Mawatha upto Colombo Pettah spreading out towards Colombo.

4) The Bus Priority Lane from Thummulla Junction upto Museum Junction spreading out towards Colombo.

5) The Bus Priority Lane from Eye Hospital Roundabout upto Thummulla Junction spreading out from Colombo.

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Though it is true that President had subjected the Cabinet for a discussion to hand over management of essential services to be carried on during the event of a strike to Mr. Sarath Fonseka, President has not taken a decision to hand over such a post, Minister Mahinda Amaraweera informed at a media briefing held yesterday. Joining this occasion what Minister S.B. Dissanayaka said was that President mentioned of such
a position only by way of fun. Minister Amaraweera in that instance explained that the media have reported a statement made by Cabinet Spokesman Minister Rajitha Senaratna by misunderstanding it. 

Though President had made such a proposal in order to minimise public pressure at a time such as a strike by employing the professional experience and know-how that Mr. Sarath Fonseka possesses for the purpose of maintaining essential services with the co-operation of the three Forces, it was stated at that point that there are no legal provisions required to bestow such a position or appointment.

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As a result of the prevalent heaty weather conditions high temperature values exceeding all other days is reported from various parts of the island. Changes in environmental systems which were in operation all over the country during the past 2 years have
contributed in bringing about a drastic rise in heat both during daytime as well as nighttime. 

The Weather Department say that the highest temperature recorded in history was reported day-before-yesterday (26) from Polonnaruwa. That value was Celsius 38 degrees and in certain areas in Polonnaruwa District the value has come close to 45 degrees or would be even more, it was mentioned. While the normal temperature in Nuwara Eliya remains at a value of 13 to 17 degrees Celsius, by now a sweltering heat has been felt in Nuwara Eliya. Already Nuwara Eliya has achieved a rise of a value of 24. 

As there is a possibility that farmers engaged in preparing land for cultivation purposes, school children and those employed outdoors could be subjected to dehydration, health authorities issue advice to drink water as much as possible and to cut down on moving about in the open from 10.00 in the morning till 4.00 in the afternoon. Shown below are maximum heat values and minimum heat values in several areas according to weather reports issued today 23rd:

Date: 28/04/2017

Town                               Heat value (Celsius degrees)

                                        Maximum            Minimum

Anuradhapura                        36                       26

Batticaloa                                33                       27

Colombo                                 33                       27

Galle                                       31                       27

Jaffna                                     34                       27

Kandy                                     32                       22

Nuwara Eliya                          24                       11

Ratnapura                               33                       25

Trincomalee                            36                       26

Mannar                                    33                       29  

Matara Roshan the chief suspect in the incident where a police officer was killed in Maspotha, Kurunegala in the month of November, 2016 having shot him dead had died this afternoon in Hambantota from gun-shots received after an exchange of shooting, it is understood. 

A special team of police officers had travelled from Colombo to Hambantota to nab this criminal known as D.K. Chaminda alias Matara Roshan. On the occasion when he was cornered a an exchange of gunfire between the two parties had taken place. In this instance the suspect was killed by police gunshots. During this battle 2 police officers have sustained injuries and by now they have been admitted to Hambantota Hospital.
Hambantota to nab this criminal known as D.K. Chaminda alias Matara Roshan. On the occasion when he was cornered a an exchange of gunfire between the two parties had taken place. In this instance the suspect was killed by police gunshots. During this battle 2 police officers have sustained injuries and by now they have been admitted to Hambantota Hospital. 

On the occasion when 3 police officers of Kurunegala Headquarters had gone to check a certain vehicle under suspicion parked at a hotel in Welagane, Maspotha, Kurunegala and 2 of those who were travelling in the vehicle had opened fire in which instance the sub-inspector had died while a police sergeant and a driver police constable sustained injury and had to be hospitalised. This firing had taken place last November 15th between 10.00 and 10.30 in the night. It was Sub Inspector Lansakara Herath Mudiyanselage Dassanayaka, a 59 year old living in Dharmapala Road, Nagolla, Wanduragala, Kurunegala who was attached to Kurunegala Police Headquarters who died from gunshot injuries. He was to retire in the month of March, 2017. 

2 individuals had come to the festival hall known as Paradise situated in Welagane area, Maspotha, Kurunegala on the day of the tragedy around 6.30 in the evening in a luxury type white-coloured Hybrid vehicle. These 2 persons who had come to this festival hall had requested for a room from the manager of the hotel to spend that night. Though a room was not given to spend the night since it was a festival hall, having assumed that they were respectable people the manager had provided them with a room for them to spend the night. These two visitors who wanted lodging had told the manager that they would be leaving the early morning the following day (16). 

In the meantime the Kurunegala Police Headquarters had police had received a phone call that night on the Emergency No. 119 in the form of a complaint from a rent-a-car company regarding a luxury car of the Hybrid-type and white in colour which had been stolen. The complaint further said that the said vehicle has been parked near a hotel in Maspotha area, Kurunegala according to a check carried out across GPS technology. There had been several owners of this vehicle and the last owner had been a rent-a-car firm. This vehicle had been rented out and had been taken away without being handed over to the firm. 

As such, Sub Inspector Dassanayaka, Police Sergeant Ubhayakoon Bandara and Police Constable cum Driver Subhasingha who were engaged in mobile patrol that night set off day-before-yesterday night towards Maspotha area in a police jeep. The police officers who arrived at Paradise Hotel in Maspotha where the said vehicle was parked could note the white-coloured Hybrid type vehicle. The police officers then informed hotel employees that they need to meet those who came in that vehicle. 

On contacting them they had shown relevant papers of the vehicle and their identity cards to the police officers. However, the sub-inspector and the 2 police officers had informed them that they wish to inspect the room where they were staying. When the room on the top floor of the festival hall was being inspected by the police officers and were engaged in this activity one of the suspects promptly removed a pistol from inside a travelling bag and had started firing non-stop and had fled with his colleague. The sub-inspector had sustained gunshots in his chest region and had succumbed when being taken to hospital. The police sergeant had sustained injury to one of his legs while the police constable cum driver had faced gunshots in his abdomen. 

On this occasion the 2 suspects had scaled a wall in the hotel about 3 feet in height and had managed to jump into a large piece of land where asbestos sheets were stored while in the process of their fleeing, police constable cum driver Subasingha who was already injured had pursued the suspects. He had on making contact with one of the suspects he had wrestled with him with the idea of arresting at least one of them. On that occasion his uniform too had got torn in the process and even his shoes and belt had fallen off. The suspect concerned had thus wrestled with the police officer and finally made a getaway with his colleague breaking a netted barbed-wire fence. The two of them who got across the fence had even though fallen into a somewhat shallow lake had managed to flee from there too. The pistol used to fire at the police officers was taken away by the other suspect who fled from the scene, it was revealed at police investigations. 

The suspect taken into police custody is a resident of Ratmalana, it is learned. It was he who had wrestled with the police constable cum driver and had tried to make his getaway, the police have been able to understand. This suspect is an underground member of Colombo known as 'Reha' and as he is connected to the incident of shooting down a person near Mahara Courts a few months before this and the police were able to find that he is hiding in Kandy area. After police having  uncovered information that he is in Kandy he had found lodging at this festival hall when returning to Colombo with a friend of his who was a former member of the Special Task Force resident in Matara. It was learned that it was this former member of the Special Task Force who had shot the sub-inspector and others. It was also revealed that he was an underground leader known as Matara Roshan. It was revealed at police investigations that he remained at the hotel until he received a telephone call from his wife who had gone to Kandy. Because of a clue they had sniffed of that it was risky for the suspect to remain in the rented out house in Kandy where he was remaining in hiding with his wife he had sent his wife to attend to matters related to removing household effects in the house to move away from the location they were residing. The suspect who sent his wife away to Kandy in the bus had found lodging at this hotel to set off to Kandy with his colleague by hiring a lorry from Kurunegala no soon that he received a call from his wife, it was reported at that time. 

Police have uncovered reasons which contributed this underworld leader to get involved in crime from the year 2002 as well as details of how he turned into a criminal and today's raid was conducted as a result of investigations carried out throughout the past.

A special investigation is underway about the case of a young mother of Singhapitiya in Gampola being collectively raped and about those who released a video in that connection to the internet. 

This mother of 1 child supposed to be the wife of a
disabled soldier had encountered the said mishap because of 10 comrades of the soldier himself. She has told police that the 10 youth were those who joined her husband in drinking. These 10 persons who waited for an opportunity when the husband was not at home had come there one after the other and had engaged as husband and wife and during this sex activity they had been cruel enough of even going to the extent of videoing the proceedings with the mobile phone, she had said. 

She had subsequently informed her relatives those days about this incident which had taken place about an year before this and had lodged a complaint with Gampola Police and the police in turn managed to arrest all ten after inquiry. Later after being produced before Gampola Magistrate Court they have been remanded. Whatever it is, they had not been given bail continuously when the case was being heard throughout an year. Having spent a long period of time in remand custody they were finally allowed bail last month and had thus come out. 

Later with the motive of taking revenge from this lady they had released the collective rape video concerned to the internet, it is said. It is in this manner that she had once again visited the police to record this issue. According to this fresh complaint a special investigation was commenced by the Criminal Investigation Department. It is suspected that after the incident where the lady was subjected to collective rape by 10 persons including youth of the area when this young lady was with her child at home an year ago, one of them (or several others) had got together and released the said video to the internet. By now a chief lady police inspector and a team from the CID have arrived in Gampola and have recorded evidence, it is reported.

The mattress on which the youth Lahiru Janith Dissanayaka had slept after having taken an overdose of Viagra in MP Wimal Weeravansha's home down Mangala Mawatha in Hokandara which incident created a big uproar sometime back was an item of legal production in court and in the instance when the case in this connection was heard today (26) at Kaduwela Magistrate Court, the Magistrate concluded that the mattress was no longer
necessary for examination and thus handed it over to the owners. 

This case was heard by Kaduwela Magistrate District Judge Mr. Prasanna Alwis when it was revealed that the medical report in relation to the death of this boy is further delayed. When reason for the delay was inquired, it was learned that after the report by the Analyst on parts of the deceased's body, they were directed for a special examination and it was arrival of results of that medical report which has caused the delay. 

The Magistrate who mentioned that it was not necessary to keep the mattress on which the youth slept lying in courts any further then informed that its owner Wimal Weeravansha remove it from there and Attorney-at-Law of Weeravansha's party Mr. Premanath Dolawatta consented to take custody of the mattress and hand it over to the owner. The case was postponed for hearing till June 28th.

Information -- Airangi Edirisingha

News about former Sri Lanka Cricket captain and outstanding player being issued a warrant by courts was reported. The reason for it is that he had

Though according to court decision Dilshan has to pay a sum of Rs. 40,000 on a monthly basis on behalf of his son studying at Royal College, Dilshan's former wife Nilanka Withanage had complained that he has withheld payments for the past few months. The court has made the judicial decree a few years before this about this matter regarding maintenance after considering facts such as Dilshan who could boast of a massive fortune such as Rs. 2,500 lakhs worth of property and lands, a monthly income of Rs. 120 lakhs, that he is paid a sum of about Rs. 1,260 lakhs a month by Sri Lankan Cricket and an income of Rs. 3,000 lakhs by signing for the IPL contract for the period 2008 - 12.

Dilshan has 3 children from tele-actress Manjula Thilini whom he wedded after that and Dilshan came in for public praise during the past for various social work of having donated lakhs of money and houses to the helpless. As such, a contradiction is observed in flaunting such sacrifices made for the whole world to see and the interest shown towards his first child.

Colombo Chief Magistrate Mr. Lal Bandara issued a warrant requesting that Thillekeratna Dilshan be taken into custody and produced before courts on 24th for not having appeared in courts and subsequently having filed a motion through a counsel Dilshan had finally appeared in courts yesterday (25), in which instance the warrant issued was withdrawn. Dilshan has informed that he was unable to be present in courts because his lawyers had failed to record the relevant dates properly. The case is to be heard once more on 31 May.

The referred to son of Dilshan who is schooling at Royal College participated  in a tour of India with the Under 11 team representing the CCC Cricket Academy and became the Man of the Match by displaying skill with both bat and ball alike. He had managed to collect 141 runs with the bat in 7 matches as 25-0-38-5. It was also reported that he is following in his father's footsteps as a future budding, skilled cricketer.

Pitiduwe Thera who has been involved in unconventional activities for the sake of popularity is these days appearing in a scene of emitting rays for commercial publicity of a music video and during the process of rumours spreading around him, a certain statement uttered by Pitiduwe Thera about an year ago seriously criticising the Pope too has been subjected to criticism and is in circulation. In order to prevent this criticism, Siri Sadaham Ashram of Pitiduwe Thera has complained to Facebook and thus removed the video
containing that story, it is reported.

President of Cathlic Vibhavanaya Society, Mr. Chirantha Amarasingha has even made a press release in this connection and this is what appears there: 'A thera who calls himself Samanthabadra who became the subject of many a dialogue during the past few days came under severe public criticism when he appeared in a music video in a scene  emitting rays which contained a provocative sexual scene. A video tape in which this person was engaged in a sermon where he defames the Catholic doctrine as well as His Holiness Pope Francis on 11th May 2016 emerged in the social network. 

This particular video began to circulate on a Facebook Page allocated to Catholics under our organisation and the Ashram of Samanthabadra became upset about this and proceeded to withdraw the said video by commenting that it was his intellectual property. Is this the manner in which an arahat who possesses a gatha to worship him comport himself? In that context Samanthabadra states that Christian priests are liars, that the person adorning himself with a top-hat in Vatican is someone who comes from the heritage of pontiffs who crucified Lord Jesus those days and therefore he and other Christian priests are now waiting until Lord Jesus returns ... once more to crucify him. 

As a Catholic organisation we mention that matters expressed by Samanthabadra is utterly false and we thoroughly look down upon that statement of his. We emphasise that there is no connection at all between the incumbent Pope or Pharisees who crucified and put Lord Jesus to death or the Pope for that matter because priests who came down from Lord Jesus's disciples were able to remove the Pharisees and that was with Roman Emperors embracing Christian religion. 

It should be understood in simple form that Christianity is something that developed in opposition or contrary to matters put forward by the person called Samanthabadra. He should know that the priests are being subjected to crucifixion, being beaten under the principle of present-day priest, chief, servant principle and is something in existence with priests sacrificing their lives and not something that existed such as those days with others being crucified. Further, a series of rules are in force within the Catholic Church to prevent blemishes that may occur at the hands of priests and to prevent the presence of Catholic priests endowed with Samanthabadra's type of mentality. 

It is clear that it is not the Buddhist philosophy which Samanthabadra is following and it is also very clear that he is involved in misleading Buddhist public towards religious extremism while Lord Buddha has not mentioned to attack other religions or persons. Samanthabadra is someone who is trying to destroy Catholic - Buddhist cordiality in Sri Lanka and he does so for the motive of nothing else but to gain popularity through censure and to seek extremist benefactors for the temple being built on 58 acres. What happens when a dog suffering from Hydrophobia is left wandering? What is the action that should be adopted? Why do Maha Nayaka Theros not take action about people like this? Blasphemy of persons of this nature applies to we Catholics including the entire public who respect the noble doctrine of Buddhism and to all citizens of this land'.

Some uproar has flared up in the social media about a Sri Lankan youth working in South Korea about whom no trace could be found since April 16th. 26 year old Shashen Shanaka Jayasekera is a resident of Baddegama, Galle.

About 3 years before this he clinched first position in the all-island competitive exam to be eligible to proceed to Korea. He was a clever young man and a bachelor. He had constantly been

What his uncle Jayantha Illeperuma has remarked was that someone has made his way to Shashen's Facebook and had distorted it. In the meantime on investigations conducted by Korean Police a dead body suspected to be his has been announced. A pair of shoes, a purse and a corpse have been found near a mountain forest range close to Tegu in South Korea and suspicion has emerged that the dead body and the items found as belonging to Shashen.

This is what Shashen's uncle Jayantha Illeperuma had to say about his disappearance: "My younger sister's son went for a job in Korea about 3 years ago. It was at a firm in the town of Tegu that he worked. This boy's mother also is working in the country of Cyprus. He always speaks with his mother. He had attended a musical show on April 16th close to a vihara in Tegu held on behalf of Avurudu.  But after that he had not spoken to his mother. Mother told me that there is no information about son and to inquire about him. Complaints were made to Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Employment Bureau. But even upto date there's no information about him. Various types of news keep streaming in from Korea. But we don't know whether those are true or not.

Even before his disappearance, several things are observed in his Facebook. It is also understood that his mobile phone is with a provincial police station in that country. Mention is made about the pair of shoes and the purse. What I feel is that he is being held back by some people. We also feel that someone has gained entrance to this child's Facebook and has made various comments. It's mentioned about the impermanence of life in his Facebook. He's not a child like that. Attention on this matter has still not been focused on this by Ministry of Foreign Employment. I plead from everyone to help in finding this child who is missing in Korea".

A piece of news has these days created some sort of a sensation across the social media in connection with the birthday occasion of the grand-daughter of Civil Aviation Cabinet Minister of Mahinda Rajapaksa's regime, Priyankara Jayaratna. What has caught the attention for this piece of news to circulate is the modern blue-coloured Benz car valuing about Rs. 40 million which has been gifted

The Minister's grand-daughter Jovinya Marasingha was the recipient of this posh vehicle as her very first birthday present at the occasion of the birthday celebration which was held at exquisitely decorated Water's Edge at Battaramulla recently. Some photos of the occasion, from below  

As a result of the strike launched by 6 Petroleum Trade Union Collective from last night vehicles have queued up near fuel stations, it is reported. There is a risk that fuel stocks would be over and its distribution would stop by today 24th or 25th tomorrow.

This strike has been launched by 6 Petroleum

Petroleum Trade Unions Collective has announced that a continuous strike would be launched from tomorrow (24) against selling resources belonging to Petroleum Corporation. This was announced at a media briefing held today (23) by Mr. Ashoka Ranwala, President of Petroleum Collective. This

He also announced a note of warning saying that by tomorrow morning that not a single bowser would be leaving from Kolonnawa closure and that all transport activities of Muthurajawela Oil Tank Complex would break down totally. Though activities of the refinery would be in operation on a temporary basis, Kolonnawa pumping activities would come to a total standstill and that if government is not to take a proper decision after one day, refinery activities too would come to a standstill and that issuing fuel for aircrafts at Katunayaka too would be stopped, Mr. Ranwala quipped. He has also mentioned that until a confirmation of safeguarding Petroleum Corporation property the strike would be in continuous operation.

Whatever it is, Minister Chandima Weerakkody who had a special discussion on this matter informed that no room has been left to hand over Trincomalee Oil Tanks to India and has said that 4 governments had been only transacting business on a tax agreement from the year 2003. He further stated that he had called for a discussion with Trade Union Collective tomorrow 24th and that they are are taking action by misunderstanding matters and that there is no reason for alarm as such. He also said that he believes that those societies would not launch anything that would inconvenience the government. Whatever it is, what Petroleum Collective has informed is that they would not go in for talks with the Minister over their issue.  

MP Wimal Weeravansha who created news by attracting public attention by engaging in a fast recently when under remand has addressed a weekend newspaper after being released on bail and in that interview he has said that he starved himself

This is what he said about it: "I didn't think that I would be bailed out when I fasted. Then in that case my lawyers would stop asking for bail, isn't it? When something is rejected, lawyers bring forward another proposition. I fasted to awaken a strong public opinion about this political hunting. That was to protest against this hunt launched by the government to create a political barrier. I think that someone in jail hasn't many opportunities as such to protest against. There's only one method to make a protest when jailed. That's the protest shown by starving. That I did. That was done for the purpose of launching a protest to awaken the public against the continuous process of political hunting of this government bent on a pariah agenda.  

A sad incident is reported from Mankadawala area, Saliyapura in Anuradhapura where a mother of 5 children died of a heart attack in the process of offering Mathaka Vasthra on the occasion of the final rites being performed on the body of her son;
not being able to bear the loss of her son. 

Priyankara Priyadarshana, her 33 year old son living in Mankadawala, Anuradhapura had died because of a heart ailment. His mother Hewagamage Daya Malani (60) had suffered a sudden shock as a result of his death and from the day she got news of his unanticipated death had been suffering from serious pressure and had collapsed had passed away during the process of offering Mathaka Vasthra Pooja. It is assumed that she had died because of a heart attack. 

The son who had died is the fifth from among her 6 children. He had been employed in an administrative grade in a private establishment and was the father of 1 child. After news of the son's sudden bereavement fell on the mother's ears she had been crying by the side of his dead body and saying "My son there's no use of my living ... I'll also come to join you my son!" Before the final rites of the deceased child was conducted the Sangha had arrived at the funeral house and while in the process of offering Mathaka Vasthra in the company of relatives of the family she had collapsed at the spot. 

The people who had gathered there thinking that she had fainted because because of not being able to bear the loss of her son had then taken her away from the spot and had sprinkled water on her face trying to bring her back to normal. Since these efforts did not bring expected results a certain doctor who was present at the funeral rites had examined her pulse. The doctor who observed that her pulse had stopped had urged the crowd there to dispatch her to Anuradhapura Teaching Hospital promptly for treatment. Relatives of the family who took prompt action had transported her to Anuradhapura Teaching Hospital in which instance the doctors who checked her had announced that she had passed away.

Subsequently the other 2 sons and daughter not being able to understand this sorrowful demise of their mother who was not able to bear up the loss of their brother were admitted in a state of shock to Anuradhapura Teaching Hospital for treatment. In order to specifically determine as to what reason this mother of 6 had died, a postmortem was expected to be carried out yesterday (20) at Anuradhapura Teaching Hospital mortuary. 

Information -- Mahesh Wijeysuriya