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PM set to visit China tomorrow

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Sri Lanka’s Prime Minister, Dinesh Gunawardena, is set to undertake an official visit to China from March 25th to 30th, following an invitation from Chinese Premier Li Qiang, announced foreign ministry spokesperson Lin Jian on Friday.

During the visit, Prime Minister Gunawardena will have significant engagements, including meetings with Chinese President Xi Jinping, Premier Li, and Zhao Leji, the chairman of the National People’s Congress Standing Committee (The third-highest member of the Chinese Communist Party).

He will also be the chief guest at the Boao Forum for Asia Annual Conference being held at Boao in South China’s Hainan Province.

The event will focus on how the international community could work together to deal with challenges and shoulder responsibility, a statement issued by the organisers said.

The leaders will have an in-depth exchange of views on continuing China-Sri Lanka traditional friendship, deepening political mutual trust, expanding practical cooperation, as well as international and regional issues of common interest, the spokesperson said.

China and Sri Lanka are neighboring countries that share traditional friendship. Since the establishment of diplomatic ties in 1957, the two countries have always helped each other, setting a good example of equal treatment and friendly coexistence between countries, Lin said.

In recent years, China and Sri Lanka have witnessed frequent high-level exchanges, enhanced political mutual trust, increasingly close exchanges and cooperation in economy, trade, culture and other fields, and sound communication and coordination on international and regional affairs, Lin noted.

Last October, Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe attended the third Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation in Beijing, where President Xi had an in-depth exchange of views with him, and they reached an important consensus on developing China-Sri Lanka relations, Lin said.

Noting that China attaches great importance to the development of bilateral relations, Lin said China stands ready to work with Sri Lanka to jointly promote high-quality Belt and Road cooperation, and push for new progress in developing China-Sri Lanka strategic cooperative partnership featuring sincere mutual assistance and lasting friendship.

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Lohan Ratwatte transferred to prison hospital 

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Former State Minister Lohan Ratwatte, who was arrested and remanded on charges of using a luxury car illegally imported from abroad and assembled in Sri Lanka, has been transferred to the prison hospital.

He was arrested by Mirihana Police on October 31 in Katugastota, Kandy.

Ratwatte was subsequently produced before the Acting Magistrate of Nugegoda from the Mirihana Police Station, and was ordered to be remanded until November 7.

However, the Acting Magistrate granted permission for Ratwatte to receive treatment at the prison hospital.

Police said that the former state minister was arrested in Kandy over an incident of discovering an unregistered car at his wife’s house in the Mirihana area of Nugegoda.

The car without registered number plates was found on October 26, 2024, according to police.

Police had found the luxury car in question during an inspection carried out based on information received by the police headquarters that there is a luxury car without number plates in a three-storied house in the Embuldeniya area in Mirihana, belonging to Shashi Prabha Ratwatte, the wife of former State Minister Lohan Ratwatte.

During the investigation, both Ratwatte and his wife had explained to the police that his mother-in-law resides in the said house. They had claimed that the car had been brought there three weeks ago by Ratwatte’s private secretary, who was recently found dead with gunshot injuries in the Katugastota area of Kandy.

(AdaDerana)
(This story, originally published by AdaDerana has not been edited by SLM staff)

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Bell 412 helicopter on standby for KDU bus accident patients

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The Defence Secretary has directed the Sri Lanka Air Force to keep a Bell 412 helicopter ready at the Diyatalawa Air Force Base for the potential airlift of patients injured in the recent bus accident to Colombo for further treatment if needed.

The accident, which occurred at Ambagas Junction on the Dunhinda-Badulla road around 7:45 AM on November 1, involved a bus carrying 42 people from the Kotelawala Defence University’s (KDU) Southern Campus. Among the group were 36 students from the 39th KDU Intake, three lecturers, an instructor, a senior military officer, and the bus driver.

Two female students, residents of Kurunegala and Nivithigala, tragically lost their lives. 

The remaining 40 were admitted to the Badulla General Hospital, with seven in the ICU and one in critical condition.

KDU’s Vice-Chancellor confirmed that arrangements for the funerals will be made with university support. 

Preliminary findings suggest a mechanical fault may have caused the accident, with a detailed investigation underway.

The Ministry of Defence has expressed condolences to the victims’ families and commended the prompt rescue efforts of local residents, as well as the swift response by Dr. Palitha Rajapaksa and the hospital staff.

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(Previous News : November 01, 2024 11.28 am)

2 dead in Badulla bus tragedy

Two persons have been reported dead after a bus carrying a group of university students had toppled across the road at Dunhinda Road in Badulla this morning (Nov. 01).

The accident had occurred between the third and fourth kilometer posts on the Badulla-Mahiyanganaya main road, near the Dunhinda access road, after the bus collided with a bund.

According to reports, the bus was carrying a group of students from the Southern Campus of the General Sir John Kotelawala Defence University (KDU), who had been on a field trip.

Over 30 persons injured had been rushed to the Badulla Hospital, reports say.

(Pic : Accident 1st)

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Doctors at Karapitiya Hospital begin 24-hour strike over internal threats

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Doctors at the Karapitiya Teaching Hospital in Galle have commenced a 24-hour token strike, according to the Government Medical Officers’ Association (GMOA).

GMOA Treasurer Dr. Ubhaya Bandara Warakagoda stated that the strike was initiated in protest over threats made by a doctor against several other doctors of the hospital.

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