A live bomb has been found in the Weerakodithola Reserve in Karuwalagaswewa, Puttalam.&nbsp;&nbsp; According to police sources, the discovery was made after an individual, who had entered the reserve to collect firewood, provided information about the suspicious device.&nbsp;&nbsp; Following a report to the Puttalam Magistrate's Court, an order was issued to defuse the bomb. The disposal operation was carried out successfully by the Special Task Force (STF).&nbsp;&nbsp;

Live bomb found In Weerakodithola reserve In Puttalam

Four schools in the Deniyaya Education Zone have been temporarily closed following the outbreak of a viral illness similar to influenza, which is currently spreading within the area under the jurisdiction of the Medical Officer of Health Division in Deniyaya. Deniyaya Zonal Director of Education, Nishaka Hettigoda, confirmed that the closures were implemented to prevent further transmission of the virus among students.&nbsp;&nbsp; The affected schools are Deniyaya National School, Deniyaya Saint Matthew's Bilingual School, Deniyaya Rajapaksa Vidyalaya, and Siddhartha Primary School in Pallegama. The schools will remain closed for two days, today (07) and tomorrow (08).&nbsp;&nbsp; The decision was made following instructions from the Southern Provincial Governor’s Office to safeguard public health and prevent an escalation of the outbreak.

Four schools In Deniyaya temporarily closed 

The All Ceylon Restaurant Owners’ Association has announced price increases for several food items with effect from midnight today (07). Accordingly, prices of Fried Rice, Biryani and Nasi Goreng will increase by Rs. 25. The association also said restaurants using LAUGFS gas cylinders will increase:<ul><li>Plain tea by Rs. 5</li><li>Milk tea by Rs. 10</li><li>Short eats by Rs. 5</li></ul> Chairman Harshana Rukshan stated that eateries using LAUGFS gas are struggling with rising LP gas costs.However, prices of Egg Roti and Paratha will remain unchanged.

 Prices of several food items to increase from midnight

The Department of Meteorology has issued an ‘Amber’ advisory for severe lightning covering several parts of the country until 11.30 p.m. today (07). The warning applies to the Central, Sabaragamuwa, Uva, North-Central, North-Western, Southern, Western and Eastern provinces, as well as Vavuniya district. The department said thundershowers with severe lightning are likely after 1.00 p.m., with temporary localized strong winds also expected. The public has been advised to take precautions to minimise damage caused by lightning activity.

Severe lightning advisory issued for several provinces

Israel struck Beirut on Wednesday (May 6) for the first time since agreeing to a ceasefire with Hezbollah last month, with Israel saying it targeted a commander of the militant group’s elite Radwan force in the city’s southern suburbs. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defence Minister Israel Katz announced the action in a joint statement. Israeli media reported that the commander was killed in the strike, but there was no immediate confirmation from the Israeli military or Hezbollah. The Lebanon ceasefire has underpinned a broader US-Iran truce, with a halt to Israeli strikes in Lebanon being a key Iranian demand. As Iran and the US say they are drawing closer to a deal to halt their conflict, the strikes threaten the ceasefire that halted Israeli attacks on Beirut. Israeli troops have remained in areas south of the Litani River and strikes continued in southern Lebanon. Iran ally Hezbollah has responded by firing and launching armed drones towards Israeli soldiers. Israel earlier on Wednesday called for residents to evacuate several villages north of the Litani River, which could represent an expansion of Israel’s zone of action. Talks between Israel and Lebanon have continued, but have largely been at the ambassador level. Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam said on Wednesday that it was premature to talk of any high-level meeting between Lebanon and Israel. HIGH LEVEL MEETINGS PREMATURE Salam, in comments reported by Lebanon’s National News Agency on Wednesday, said shoring up a ceasefire would be the basis for any new negotiations between Lebanese and Israeli government envoys in Washington. Washington last month hosted two meetings between the Israeli and Lebanese ambassadors to the United States. Hezbollah strongly objects to the contacts. Since Hezbollah triggered the war by opening fire in support ⁠of Iran on March 2, the Lebanese administration led by Salam and President Joseph Aoun has initiated Beirut’s highest-level contacts with Israel in decades, reflecting deep divisions between the Shi’ite Muslim group and its Lebanese opponents. Announcing a three-week extension of the ceasefire on April 23, US President Donald Trump said he looked forward to hosting Netanyahu and Aoun in the near future, and that he saw “a great chance” the countries would reach a peace deal this year. Salam said Lebanon was not seeking “normalization with Israel, but rather achieving peace”. “Our minimum demand is a timetable for Israel’s withdrawal,” he said, adding that the government would develop its plan to restrict weapons to state control - an effort aimed at securing Hezbollah’s disarmament. Aoun said this week the timing was not right for a meeting with Netanyahu. Lebanon “must first reach a security agreement and a halt to the Israeli attacks, before we raise the issue of a meeting between us,” he said. TRADING BLOWS Israel has carved out a self-declared security zone extending as deep as 10 km (6 miles) into southern Lebanon, saying it aims to protect northern Israel from Hezbollah militants embedded in civilian areas. Lebanon’s Health Ministry said on Wednesday an Israeli airstrike killed four people including two women and an elderly man in the town of Zelaya in southern Lebanon. The Israeli military said Hezbollah had launched explosive drones and rockets towards Israeli soldiers in southern Lebanon, injuring two Israeli soldiers. It also said the Israeli air force intercepted a hostile aircraft before it crossed into Israel, and announced strikes on Hezbollah infrastructure in several areas in Lebanon. More than 2,700 people have been killed in the war in Lebanon since March 2, the Health Ministry says. The Israeli military says Hezbollah has fired hundreds of rockets and drones at Israel since March 2. Israel has announced 17 soldiers have been killed in southern Lebanon, along with two civilians in northern Israel. Source: Reuters

Israel strikes Beirut for the first time since ceasefire, senior Hezbollah commander killed

The Harry Potter TV series has been renewed for a second season, with filming set to begin in autumn of this year, HBO has confirmed. While the network did not announce a title for the second season, it’s believed that the series will adapt the second book in JK Rowling’s wildly popular saga, The Chamber of Secrets. The first season of the series, Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, is due to premiere Christmas this year on HBO Max. Writer Jon Brown, who worked on the first season and is also known for his work on Succession, has been promoted to co-showrunner alongside season one showrunner Francesca Gardiner. HBO previously announced they plan to adapt all seven books in Rowling’s series over the course of a decade, with each season covering one book. In a statement, Gardiner said the return to filming for season two this autumn is part of plans for “overlapping production schedules” as season one finishes. She added that bringing in Brown as co-showrunner was “key to maintaining our momentum”. “I’ve loved working with Jon from the very first day we met... I have huge admiration for his writing, but he’s also a brilliant collaborator and a lovely person.” Gardiner also serves as executive producer alongside director Mark Mylod of Succession fame, who directed multiple episodes of the first season. Brown also expressed his excitement to continue his work on the series, thanking Gardiner and HBO “for putting their faith in me to continue this remarkable journey”. “Seems you’re never too old to get your invitation to Hogwarts,” he added. Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone will cover Harry’s first year at Hogwarts, coming to terms with a new world of magic while grappling with his identity as a wizard. The first trailer for the series was released in March this year, featuring beloved moments from the books, iconic set pieces, and glimpses of more of the central characters. Young actors Dominic McLaughlin who plays Harry Potter, Arabella Stanton as Hermione Granger, and Alastair Stout as Ron Weasley, were part of an open casting call of more than 30,000 children before being chosen for the titular roles. There has yet to be a casting announcement for Harry’s arch nemesis Lord Voldemort, but Oscar winner Cillian Murphy and actor Andy Serkis have been among the names floated for the role. Last month, Ralph Fiennes who played the original Dark Lord told BBC’s The Claudia Winkleman Show that Doctor Strange star Tilda Swinton would be “fantastic” to take up the mantle. Season one has been filming since July 2025. HBO chairman Casey Bloys revealed last November that writing for the second season had already begun amid season one’s production. A premiere date has not been set for season two. The Chamber of Secrets plunges Harry and his friends deeper into the dark mysteries of Hogwarts in their second year, bringing them face to face with dangerous creatures and old enemies. Source: BBC

Harry Potter TV series renewed for second season at HBO

The Lanka Private Bus Owners’ Association has accused the government of wasting approximately Rs. 7 billion of public funds on the new Metro Bus initiative. Chairman Gamunu Wijeratne asserted that the Metro Bus project is essentially a rebranded version of the Sri Lanka Transport Board’s (SLTB) existing system. Wijeratne warned that the scheme would further damage the country’s passenger transport infrastructure, which he claims was already devastated by the SLTB. “It is because of the SLTB that passenger transport in Sri Lanka was destroyed. Now, by introducing Metro buses, this government is doing the same again.&nbsp; This is how the Treasury is being wiped out. This is a national crime,” he emphasised. He further argued that the new buses would not resolve the systemic inefficiencies plaguing public transportation but would rather replicate past failures, ultimately draining taxpayer resources without delivering meaningful improvements.

Rs. 7 bn wasted on metro bus initiative, says private bus operators  

Ted Turner, the media maverick and philanthropist who founded CNN, a pioneering 24-hour network that revolutionized television news, died peacefully Wednesday, surrounded by his family, according to a news release from Turner Enterprises. He was 87. The Ohio-born Atlanta businessman, nicknamed “The Mouth of the South” for his outspoken nature, built a media empire that encompassed cable’s first superstation and popular channels for movies and cartoons, plus professional sports teams like the Atlanta Braves. Turner was also an internationally known yachtsman; a philanthropist who founded the United Nations Foundation; an activist who sought the worldwide elimination of nuclear weapons; and a conservationist who became one of the foremost landowners in the United States. He played a crucial role in reintroducing bison to the American west. He even created the Captain Planet cartoon to educate kids about the environment. But it was his audacious vision to deliver news from around the world in real time, at all hours, that really made him famous – once his idea finally took off. In 1991, Turner was named Time magazine’s Man of the Year for “influencing the dynamic of events and turning viewers in 150 countries into instant witnesses of history.” Turner eventually sold his networks to Time Warner and later exited the business, but continued to express pride in CNN, calling it the “greatest achievement” of his life. “Ted was an intensely involved and committed leader, intrepid, fearless and always willing to back a hunch and trust his own judgement,” Mark Thompson, Chairman and CEO of CNN Worldwide, said in a statement. “He was and always will be the presiding spirit of CNN. Ted is the giant on whose shoulders we stand, and we will all take a moment today to recognize him and his impact on our lives and the world.” Turner was “a legend, he revolutionized the television business by creating the first 24-hour news channel right here at CNN,” Wolf Blitzer said Wednesday morning as he announced Turner’s death on-air. “We’re all here doing this because of Ted,” Blitzer’s co-anchor Pamela Brown said. “He was the original,” Christiane Amanpour said. “He made us all proud, he made us all hopeful, and he made us all strive for his vision of a better world.” Just over a month before his 80th birthday in 2018, Turner revealed that he had Lewy body dementia, a progressive brain disorder. In early 2025, Turner was hospitalized with a mild case of pneumonia before recovering at a rehabilitation facility. Turner is survived by his five children, 14 grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren. Source : BBC

CNN founder Ted Turner, a pioneer of cable TV news, dies at 87

Prime Minister (PM) Harini Amarasuriya announced that the government is planning to introduce significant reforms in the higher education sector, aligned with recent reforms in primary and secondary education. Making these remarks in parliament in response to questions from MP Manjula Sugath Rathnayaka, the Prime Minister highlighted ongoing efforts to improve the education landscape. She explained that a specialized expert committee, established six months ago, has been working to identify issues within higher education. Based on their report, necessary reforms will be implemented to address these challenges. Regarding recent university admissions, the Prime Minister stated that 281,810 students sat for the 2025 G.C.E. Advanced Level Examination, with 176,538 qualifying for university entry. The distribution across subject streams includes 32,935 in Biological Sciences, 23,012 in Physical Sciences, 39,608 in Commerce, 58,269 in Arts, and other specialized streams such as Engineering Technology and Bio-Systems Technology.&nbsp; An estimated 42,937 students are expected to gain university admission.The government is committed to maintaining the quality of higher education and has prioritized improving university facilities. It has also decided to keep the intake levels for first-degree admissions consistent with previous years. In terms of new academic programs, the University of Ruhuna will introduce a course in Geographic Information Systems, while the University of Peradeniya will launch Electronic and Intelligent Systems Engineering from the 2025/2026 academic year, enrolling fifty students in each program. Preparations, including setting cut-off marks and registration procedures, are already underway. Responding to questions about preschool education raised by MP K. Kader Mastan, the Prime Minister stated that most preschools are privately managed, limiting the government’s ability to offer permanent staff appointments or salaries. However, steps are being taken to provide allowances to volunteer teachers in selected preschools through Provincial Councils. She also announced that by 2027, comprehensive reforms to preschool education are planned, in collaboration with the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Women and Child Affairs. A national policy to regulate preschool education, based on recommendations from the National Education Commission, is scheduled for 2026. This policy will include teacher guidelines, activity manuals, and provincial-level teacher training programs. Regarding volunteer teachers, the Prime Minister reaffirmed that the existing policy, based on a 2007 Cabinet decision, limiting volunteer teachers to a maximum of 4,700 teacher aides, will continue to be enforced.

Live bomb found In Weerakodithola reserve In Puttalam

Four schools In Deniyaya temporarily closed

Four schools In Deniyaya tempo ...

Prices of several food items to increase from midnight

Prices of several food items ...

Severe lightning advisory issued for several provinces

Severe lightning advisory issu ...

Israel strikes Beirut for the first time since ceasefire, senior Hezbo ...

Israel strikes Beirut for the ...

Harry Potter TV series renewed for second season at HBO

Harry Potter TV series renewed ...

Rs. 7 bn wasted on metro bus initiative, says private bus operators

Rs. 7 bn wasted on metro bus i ...

CNN founder Ted Turner, a pioneer of cable TV news, dies at 87

CNN founder Ted Turner, a pion ...

Govt. to introduce major higher education reforms aligned with school ...

Govt. to introduce major highe ...

Four schools In Deniyaya temporarily closed

Four schools In Deniyaya tempo ...

Prices of several food items to increase from midnight

Prices of several food items ...

Severe lightning advisory issued for several provinces

Severe lightning advisory issu ...

Israel strikes Beirut for the first time since ceasefire, senior Hezbo ...

Israel strikes Beirut for the ...

Harry Potter TV series renewed for second season at HBO

Harry Potter TV series renewed ...

Rs. 7 bn wasted on metro bus initiative, says private bus operators

Rs. 7 bn wasted on metro bus i ...

CNN founder Ted Turner, a pioneer of cable TV news, dies at 87

CNN founder Ted Turner, a pion ...

Govt. to introduce major higher education reforms aligned with school ...

Govt. to introduce major highe ...

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Four schools In Deniyaya temporarily closed

Four schools In Deniyaya tempo ...

Prices of several food items to increase from midnight

Prices of several food items ...

Bringing the news paper to your fingertips

Severe lightning advisory issued for several provinces

Severe lightning advisory issu ...

Israel strikes Beirut for the first time since ceasefire, senior Hezbo ...

Israel strikes Beirut for the ...

Harry Potter TV series renewed for second season at HBO

Harry Potter TV series renewed ...

Rs. 7 bn wasted on metro bus initiative, says private bus operators

Rs. 7 bn wasted on metro bus i ...