News Today
Concern over Rosie, Handunnetti losses
Social media is concerned by the election defeat of certain candidates who have been raising a voice on behalf of the future of the entire nation.
Many have tweeted that Rosie Senanayake should have been a must in the new parliament, as she is a proponent of children’s and women’s rights as well as women’s representation in politics.
Despite the UNP’s big win from Colombo, she failed to make it to parliament.
Another candidate whose defeat has led to much worry is JVP’s Sunil Handunnetti, a strong opponent of corruption and fraud.
Samantha Vidyaratne, Wasantha Samarasinghe and K.D. Lalkantha, also of the JVP, too, could have added new strength to the new parliament, according to social media.
Mahinda Samarasinghe, who confronted war crimes allegations against the Mahinda Rajapaksa regime before the UN, too, was defeated.

 

News Today
Review of election results The United National Party (UNP) has secured majority seats after obtaining some 5,098,927 votes (45.66%) at the General Election 2015. The United People’s Freedom Alliance (UPFA) obtained some 4,732,669 votes (42.38%) and managed to secure 83 seats out of all districts. The Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) secured four seats after obtaining 543,944 votes (4.87%), while the Illankai Tamil Arasu Kachchi (ITAK) secured 14 seats after obtaining some 515,963 (4.62%) votes. The Eelam People’s Democratic Party (EPDP) secured one seat after obtaining some 33,481 votes. Party Seats (Without the National List)

 

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Preferential votes- General Election 2015 Preferential Votes - Polling District - Matale UNP 1.Wasantha Aluvihare 75,926 2.R. Aluvihare 74,785 3.R. Kavirathna 41,766 UPFA 1.Lakshman W Perera 79,309 2.Janaka Bandara Tennakoon 61,920 Preferential Votes - Polling District - Hambantota UPFA 1.Namal Rajapaksa 127,201 2.Mahinda Amaraweera 84,516 3.Chamal Rajapaksa 80,621 4.D V Chanaka 51,939 UNP 1.Sajith Premadasa 112,645 2.Dilip Wedarachchi 65,391 JVP 1.Nihal Galappaththi 12,162

 

News Today
Counting of votes begins
Additional Election Commissioner R.M.A.L. Rathnayake stated that counting of votes with regard to 2015 General Election commenced at 4.30 this evening.
He further stated that transporting of ballot boxes from the polling centres to the respective counting centres have commenced by now.
The Additional Commissioner also stated that heavy showers have not obstructed the proceedings of the election duties.
Meanwhile, the District Secretaries of Galle, Nuwara Eliya and Polonnaruwa districts stated that the voter turnout for their districts were at 70% when the voting concluded at 4 PM.

 

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Party membership of Susil and Anura Yapa suspended; UPFA election operations unit also removed from SLFP premises
The SLFP membership of Anura Priyadarshana Yapa and Susil Premajayantha has also been suspended.
Letters informing them of this decision have been sent to them with the signatures of the Chairman of the SLFP President Maithripala Sirisena.
Accordingly Minister Duminda Dissanayake has been appointed as the Acting General Secretary of the SLFP while former minister Professor Vishwa Warnapala has been appointed as the General Secretary of the UPFA.
The letters sent to Susil Premajayantha and Anura Priyadharshana Yapa says that they have reportedly been acting against the reputation and sustainability of the party.
President Sirisena had also stated that they have been siding with groups acting against the Party leadership.

 

News Today
Hiru once again crowned as the most popular website in Sri Lanka
The websites managed by the Asia Broadcasting Corporation , namely Hiru News.lk and Hiru FM.lk won both the main awards at the “Best Web. LK 2015” Awards ceremony.

Best Web.lk is the award ceremony held for selecting the best web-sites. Accordingly hirunews.lk was selected as the most popular web-sites and hirufm.lk web site was chosen as the most popular entertainment website.

According to an evaluation made by the specialists of LK Domain institute which is affiliated to Moratuwa University HiruFM.lk was awarded the "Best  Sports and Entertainment Web site" based on the advances technology, the design and the user friendly inter-phase adopted by the Hiru web sites.

 

News Today
President pledges to form UPFA govt.
Maithripala Sirisena says that as the executive president, he can intervene and get a parliamentary majority for the UPFA to form a government if it comes very close to gaining the 113 seat requirement.
He stresses this in his letter to his predecessor Mahinda Rajapaksa today (13).
If the UPFA can form a government, the PM should be a SLFP senior who has so far been denied the position, says president Sirisena.
He names Nimal Siripala de Silva, John Seneviratne, Chamal Rajapaksa, Athauda Seneviratne, A.H.M. Fowzie, Susil Premajayantha and Anura Priyadarshana Yapa as being eligible.
The president seeks Rajapaksa to demonstrate his cooperation, flexibility, benevolence and blessings before the country for the sake of the country, people and the SLFP.

 

News Today
Hrithik to play lead in Aashiqui 3
Aashiqui released in 1990 but its songs are still a rage. There is hardly anyone who hasn’t swayed to its melodious beats. They are simply amazing.
Aashiqui 2 thus had a huge pressure on it to match up to the musical brilliance of the original. And the film went beyond the original with its music. Even today people listen to its songs on loop.
Now we hear Aashiqui 3 is in the offing too and guess who’s playing the lead? Hrithik Roshan.
Times of  India reports that Bhushan Kumar and the Bhatts are once again coming together to make the next sequel of this musical superhit franchise and Hrithik is to play the lead.
Hrithik has recently shot for the recreated 'Dheere Dheere Se' song for Bhushan and we wonder if it's during that shoot that Hrithik and Bhushan decided to work together. Well, till we get a confirmation, all that we can say is, it can't get better for the audience.

 

News Today
Rajapaksa Will Not Be Appointed Prime Minister, Sirisena Informs (SEE FULL LETTER)

 

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Large chameleon caught in Nawathegama
A large  chameleon was caught recently in Nawathegama , Moragawewa area. The chameleon which was caught by the area residents was nearly 1 1/2 foot long and had weighed more than 300 grams.

People who caught this said that they had never seen such a colorful chameleon before.

Now the chameleon has been handed over to the wild life authorities.

 

News Today
SA to play four Tests on 72-day India tour
South Africa will play three Twenty20 internationals, five ODIs and four Tests on a 72-day tour of India this year, according to the schedule released today.

The tour, which runs from September to December, will be South Africa's longest trip to India and will feature their first Twenty20 international against India in India and the first four-Test series between the two teams in India.

The second Test in Bangalore, scheduled to start from November 14th, is also likely to be AB de Villiers' 100th Test.

De Villiers has played 98 Tests so far and is not a part of South Africa's squad in the ongoing Test series against Bangladesh. 

 

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DFCC and DFCC Vardhana amalgamate

 

News Today
Update: Aim is not to build dynasties, but to make every family rich #GenElecSL
The United National Front General Election manifesto which aims to rebuild the country within 5 years under the Five-fold action plan was launched this morning.
The launching ceremony was held with the participation of UNF leaders led by Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe at the Viharamahadevi Park in Colombo.
The UNF five-fold action plan has given priority to create an economy with modern trends with a humane approach than that of Left winged or capitalist economies, which in turn would make every citizen rich.
The development of economy, eradication of corruption, restoring freedom, investment on infrastructure and uplifting education are also among the goals of the UNF election manifesto.

 

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How to develop tourism industry? – Paddy Withana speaks (video)
Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority Chairman Paddy Withana joined adaderanabiz.lk for an exclusive discussion and revealed the latest plans to develop Sri Lanka’s tourism industry.

 

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Gold, platinum prices drop to 5 year low with speculation over US interest rate rise
World gold prices have fallen to its lowest in more than five years in anticipation of a US interest rate rise this year.

The price has fallen four percent to as low as 1,088 dollars an ounce in Asian trade, the lowest since March 2010.

Analysts said talks of US interest rate rise has led investors to sell the precious metal.

Platinum lost as much as five percent to 942 dollars an ounce, its weakest since February 2009.

 

News Today
YouTube sensations now on Emirates in-flight entertainment
This summer, Emirates’ award-winning ice entertainment system debuts two famous YouTube channels ‘Cute Girls Hairstyles’ and ‘Brooklyn & Bailey’. Known for their hairstyle tutorials, fashion and beauty vlogs, the two channels have over 5 million subscribers and over half a billion views combined on YouTube.
Families gearing up for their summer break can look forward to seven episodes from Brooklyn & Bailey’s YouTube channel on the Emirates in-flight entertainment system – ice Digital Widescreen –on channel #1479. Cute Girls Hairstyles’ YouTube channel will debut on Emirates next month.
Passengers can watch both channels on the ice Digital Widescreen, the latest Emirates’ in-flight entertainment system on all Airbus A380s, Boeing 777-200LRs and selected Boeing 777-300ERs.

 

News Today
Birds throng at Thabbowa Lake
Those traveling along Puttalam – Anuradhapura road can behold the scenery of the Lake Thabbowa as a paradise of local and exotic birds.

Thousands of local and exotic birds have flocked near the road as well as the centre of the lake, where it has become a common sight to see visitors thronging in the area to photograph the spectacle.