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Ex-Speaker passes away

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Former Speaker of Parliament – Joseph Michael Perera, has passed away at the age of 81.

The former Gampaha district MP was born on 15 September 1941, and served as the 17th Speaker of Parliament from December 2001 to February 2004.

He served as an elected member of the Ja Ela Urban Council (UC) from 1964 to 1967, after which he was appointed as the Vice Chairman of the UC until 1970.

He then served as the Chairman of the Ja Ela UC from 1970 to 1971.

Mr. Perera served as the Chief Organiser of the United National Party (UNP) for five years from 1971 to 1976, and was elected as an MP to the First National State Assembly until 1977.

Prior to being elected as an MP to the First Parliament of Sri Lanka in 1978, Joseph Michael Perera was elected as an MP to the Second National State Assembly from 1977 to 1978.

Perera remained an MP of the first Parliament for 10 years, from 1978 to 1988.

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Heavy rainfall over 100mm expected today

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The Department of Meteorology says that the showers or thundershowers will occur at most places of the island during the afternoon or night today (April 30).

Showers may occur in Southern and Western provinces and Puttalam district in the morning too.

Heavy showers of about 100 mm are likely at some places in Central, Sabaragamuwa, Uva, Eastern and North-central provinces.

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

Misty conditions can be expected at some places in Centraland Uva provinces during the morning.

The Intertropical Convergence Zone, where winds from the Northern Hemisphere and Southern Hemisphere converge, is affecting the island’s weather.

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Travel ban for ex- NLB Director

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The Colombo Fort Magistrate’s Court issued a travel ban on Thusitha Halloluwa, who had previously served as a Director of the National Lotteries Board (NLB).

Magistrate Nilupuli Lankapura issued the ban following a request from the Colombo Fort Police made over an ongoing investigation into allegations of misappropriation involving NLB assets.

Halloluwa, who served from 2017 – 2019, is accused of the fraudulent use of an iPhone, iPad, charger, and an Apple MacBook computer valued at 478,307.03 rupees.

The investigation was initiated based on a complaint filed by the Assistant General Manager of the National Lotteries Board on October 21, 2024. 

Colombo Fort Police presented these details to the court, leading to the issuance of the travel ban.

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New endemic snake species discovered

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A new species of snake, endemic to Sri Lanka, has been discovered in the biologically rich Maragala mountain range near Monaragala. 

The species belongs to the genus Dendrelaphis, which is part of the colubridae family. With this discovery, the number of Dendrelaphis species found in Sri Lanka rises to eight—six of which are endemic.
The newly identified snake, named Dendrelaphis thasuni (locally referred to as Thasunge Haldanda), honors Dr. Thasun Amarasinghe, a leading expert in reptile and amphibian research, for his two decades of contribution to the field.

These snakes are diurnal by classification but have adapted to a completely nocturnal lifestyle. Their coloration closely matches the foliage of their habitat, and they are known for their remarkable speed and agility.

The discovery was made by a team of Sri Lankan and international researchers, including Anusha Attanagoda, Dr. Anselm de Silva, Dr. Gernot Vogel (Germany), Sitar Udayanga, Champika Bandara, Majintha Madawala, Dr. L. Lee Grismer (USA), and Suranjan Karunaratne.

The Maragala mountain range is recognized as a biodiversity hotspot, home to an impressive range of endemic flora and fauna. Of the 67 reptile species identified in the area, 30 are endemic, as are five of the 18 recorded amphibian species. Eighteen species of reptiles and amphibians in the region are currently listed as threatened on the IUCN Red List.

Researchers believe the region harbors many more undiscovered species, underscoring its ecological importance and the need for continued conservation efforts.

(Excerpts : dailynews.lk)

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