Gammanpila accuses India of attempting invasion of Lanka

Leader of Pivithuiru Hela Urumaya (PHU) Parliamentarian Udaya Gammanpila yesterday accused India of attempting a direct invasion of Sri Lanka by building a bridge between the two countries.

Gammanpila said the ruling party members were making contradictory statements about the proposed bridge connecting Sri Lanka with India.

Addressing the media at PHU headquarters, Gammanpila said Higher Education and Highways Minister Lakshman Kiriella had given assurances that the controversial bridge would not be built, but his Cabinet colleague and Entrepreneurship Development Minister Kabir Hashim, addressing the recent Islamic Economic Summit in Indonesia unequivocally, had said that the bridge would be built. But, back in Sri Lanka Hashim had backtracked.

"Whom are they trying to fool?" Gammanpila asked.

"Although the Sri Lankan government make contradictory statements at different places, Indian government has been repeatedly announcing that the bridge will be a reality.

"Indian Highways Minister Nithin Gadkar, making a special statement in Lok Sabha on Dec. 16, 2015, affirmed that the Hanuma bridge between the two countries would be built and the Asian Development Bank had approved a loan of USD 5.2 billion to India for the purpose, the PHU leader said.

Gammanpila said: "When I questioned Kiriella in Parliament on March 23, 2016 about the Indian Minister’s statement and money allocated by ADB for the purpose, an irate Prime Minister shot back asking me whether I understood Hindi as the Indian Minister had made the statement in the Lok Sabha in his mother tongue.

Kiriella urged me to believe what the Prime Minister said.

Since there were objections from Sri Lanka, Indian government was bearing 100 percent of the cost of the bridge project, Gammanpila said.

Brother abducts sister for 7 lakhs ransom

A 17-year-old boy who hid his own sister and demanded Rs.700,000 from his father over the phone with a changed voice was arrested by the Gampaha Police.

The suspect was the eldest in the family of three children. Police said his mother had gone abroad for employment leaving the children in the care of their father.

His father told police that his son who wanted Rs.500,000 to form a music group was displeased with him when it was refused. He said his 15-year-old daughter had gone missing after she went to a nearby boutique and that he searched for her with the help of the neighbours but to no avail. He said even the suspect joined the search. He stated to police that he received a call demanding a ransom of Rs.500,000 to release his daughter.

However, when the Women and Children’s Bureau of the Gampaha Police initiated investigations of his complaint, the disappeared girl returned home at about 9pm on Saturday (6) and told her father that the abductors who kept her at a house in an unknown area brought her by trishaw and left at the junction.

When the police questioned her at length, she made a clear breast of the incident and told that her brother took her to one of her friend’s house. The suspect young man admitted that he planned to get a ransom from his father who refused his request for Rs.500,000 to organize a music group.(Tilakaratne Dissanayake)

Basil Rajapaksa granted bail

Former Minister Basil Rajapaksa, who was arrested and remanded on charges of misappropriation of state funds, has been granted bail by the Colombo High Court.

The decision was made when the case was taken up for hearing this morning (08).Rajapaksa was brought to the Kaduwela Magistrate’s Court, a short while ago, reporter said.

He was arrested by the Financial Crimes Investigations Division (FCID) on July 18 regarding the alleged supply of building materials to district councils when he was the minister of Economic Development. Rajapaksa was admitted to the Merchants Ward of the National Hospital in Colombo with the permission of the prison doctor on July 19.

Veteran Actor Vijaya Nandasiri passes away

Veteran Actor Vijaya Nandasiri, who played the main role in several Sinhala movies and Tele dramas passed away this morning at the Kalubowila Teaching Hospital.

He was 72 years of age at the time of his passing away.

He has had a varied career beginning in theater and extending into film as a dramatic actor; his most recent roles have been steeped in comedy and include credits in Sinhala sitcoms.

Nandasiri was briefly a catering officer at the Katunayake Airport in the late-60s as his acting career developed.

Over the next years he played the character of king Maname in a drama, and appeared in Singha Bhahu, Mahasara and Ratnawalee. 

Nandasiri finally achieved fame in 1971 in the play Ran Kanda. Nandasiri is married to actress Devika Mihirani. They met on the set of Subha Saha Yasa in 1974, and have two children, Navanjana and Rasanjana Suchitra.

Pakistani Air Force Chief Arrives In Sri Lanka

Chief of Air Staff of Pakistan Air Force Air Chief Marshal Sohail Aman arrived in Sri Lanka on a two-day official visit on the invitation of the Commander of the Sri Lanka Air Force Air Marshal G.P Bulattsinghala.

During his stay, Air Chief Marshal Sohail Aman will call on President of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka Maithripala Sirisena, Prime Minister Ranil Wickrasinghe and meet the top military leadership of the country including Secretary Defence and the Services Chiefs, says a press release received here Sunday from Colombo.

Air Chief Marshal Sohail Aman will also hold discussions on matters of professional interests with his Sri Lankan counterpart, Air Marshal G.P Bulattsinghala.

The visit of Pakistan’s Air Chief underscores the historic ties and friendly cooperation between the two countries. The visit will provide both sides an opportunity to review ongoing cooperation and collaboration, and to discuss ways and means to enhance continued cooperation between the two countries.

Air Chief Marshal Sohail Aman joined Pakistan Air Force and graduated from PAF Academy in 1980. After completing Fighter and Operational Conversion Courses, he flew various types of fighter aircraft on PAF inventory including F-16s. As a distinguished fighter pilot and Combat Commander, he also evaluated fifth generation fighters like Gripen and Eurofighter Typhoon.

He has commanded a Fighter Squadron, Combat Commanders’ School, a Fighter Base and Central Air Command of the Pakistan Air Force. The Air Chief having vast experience of flying has a grand total of over 3000 fighter hrs to his credit.

(Associated Press Pakistan)

Michael Phelps earns his 19th gold medal

eam USA's swimming team are celebrating a double victory tonight after winning two gold medals. Michael Phelps takes home his 19th gold after winning the men's 4x100m freestyle relay. 

 The 31-year-old, 22-time Olympic medalist, swam the second leg of the relay for Team USA - despite not competing in any freestyle events at the U.S. trials or in the preliminaries in Rio.

He was cheered on by his girlfriend Nicole Johnson, who was sat with their son Boomer, and Phelps' mom Deborah.

Phelps has been a part of the relay team since 2004 and was keen to get revenge after losing to France in 2012.

Instead, France came in second while Australia was third.

The team more than made up for a debacle at the 2015 World Championships in Kazan, Russia, where the US failed to even qualify for the final of the 4x100 free relay.

Phelps swam second for Team USA, taking over from Caeleb Dressel who was trailing behind France in second place. Phelps managed to overtake France with a split time of 47.12 while Ryan Held and Nathan Adrian, who has an even better split of 46.97, brought the victory home.
The gold is Phelps's 23rd Olympic medal which includes 19 golds, 2 silvers and 2 bronzes.
The swimmer appeared at the Olympic pool with red marks all over his body - caused by 'cupping' therapy which has become popular among swimmers and other athletes in Rio.
'Cupping', is used to help blood flow in sore or problem areas for swimmers. Some techniques involve heated cups, which Phelps favors.  He even included footage of himself having the treatment in his new promotional called Rule Yourself.

Lankan woman runs over elderly man in Cyprus

A Sri Lankan woman has been arrested after she allegedly accidentally ran over and killed an elderly man she was tasked with caring for in Cyprus. 

Nicolas Psillides, a 90-year-old resident of Nicosia, was killed on Thursday afternoon after his carer, 39, reversed the car at their apartment building parking area, not realising he was standing behind the vehicle. 

The accident happened around lunchtime when the woman was dropping him home to the apartment in Pallouriotissa and was attempting to park the car, the Cyprus Mail reported. Psillides was transferred to Nicosia general hospital where he died of his injuries at 3pm.

Sri Lanka's Kimiko finishes 4th in heat

Sri Lanka's Kimiko Raheem finished fourth in her women's 100m back stroke heat of the XXX1st Olympic Games swimming competition at Olympic Aquatic Centre today.

Competing in lane two of heat number two of her pet event, the 17-year- old Lankan lass clocked an unimpressive one minute and 4.21 seconds to secure only the fourth place.

She was nowhere near her personal best and finished way behind Claudia Lau of Hong Kong who won the race in 1.0127.

Claudia was placed third at the halfway mark turn at 50m in 29.81 seconds but had a better second lap to catch the lead held by Alicja Tchorz (29.55 after 50m), who eventually settled for the second place in 1.01.31. The third place of the heat was wan by Alexus Laird in 1.03.33, well ahead of Raheem, who was in the fourth place right throughout the race.

The heat one was won by Gaurika Singh of Nepal (1.08.45). American Kathleen Baker who won the heat four had the best timing among all 34 competitors who took part in this event under five heats - 58.84 seconds.

Australian Emily Seebohm who returned a timing of 58.99 seconds won the heat five.

The heat three of women's 100m backstroke was won by Olivia Smoliga in 59.60. Raheem was placed only 28th out of 34 in the overall ztiming list.