President And Opposition Leader Hold Talks On Constitutional Reforms

President Mahinda Rajapaksha and Opposition Leader Ranil Wickramasinghe continuing there discussion on the proposed Constitutional Reforms for the second day today and agreed to discuss further on abolishing the Executive Presidency and replace it with an executive prime minister responsible for the Parliament.Today both leaders along with the senior party members discussed on changing of the present proportional representation electoral voting system and decided to work to implement a new electoral voting system based on the present one and the old one.

Addressing the media after the discussions held at Temple Trees the opposition leader Ranil Wickramsinha said that the views also exchanged on implementing the independent commissions.

Nursing Instructors To Resigned From Government Training Schools If?

Nursing Instructors who are involved in continuous strike these days warned the health authorities today that they will resigned from the Government Nurses training collages and joined Private Nurses training collages if the authorities further  keep blind eye on their demand.Around 253 Nursing Instructors launched a strike on 01st of July demanding to re instate their over time period which was amended through a public circular on the year 2009.

Dengue Patients Are In Rise

One thousand seventy three Dengue patients were reported during the weak between 02nd of July to 09th of July and Four patients were died according to the Sri Lankan Epidemiology Unit.With this number around 19,828 dengue patients reported during this year and there were 140 dengue deaths.

 Meanwhile Ministry of Health last weak decided to activate the Act on preventing breading mosquitoes with the help of Ministry of Defense as the number of Dengue patients reporting are in increase.

National Hospital Minor Staff Strike Crippled Hospital Services

Minor Staff of the Colombo National Hospital launched four hour strike this morning as a protest against the transferring of a union leader to another hospital leaving hospital work including clinic and surgeries to standstill.The four hour strike launched around 8 a.m ended at 12 noon after the acting Health Ministry secretary Dr.P.Mahipala canceled the transfer of the Union leader T.Somaratna according to the National Hospital sources.

Minister Weerawansha Ended His Fast After President Intervened

Housing and construction minister Wimal Weerawansha who launched an indefinite fast to death campaign last Thursday in front of the UN Office in Colombo  ended his fast this evening after president Mahinda Rajapaksha visited him and offered him a glass of water to drink.Fasting Minister drank the water and ended up his fast and afterward s he was taken to the Army Hospital for treatment.

This noon Minister Weerawansha made a special statement for  the media and said that he will not giving up his fast even if President intervenes, till UN Secretary General Ban Ki Moon abolished the three member Advisory Panel he appointed to inquire on the alleged war crimes against Sri Lanka.

Before president Rajapaksha visited the fasting  Minister Defense Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksha and several Ministers and Government MP'S visited the fasting minister.

UN Secretary General Again Urged Sri Lankan Government To Bring Back Normalcy At UN Offices

United Nations Secretary general Ban ki moon again urged to Sri Lankan authorities to bring back  the  situation around UN Offices in Colombo to normal  to ensure the continuation of the UN work in Sri Lanka.Sri Lankan Minister of Housing and Construction Wimal Weerawansha is involved in fast to death campaign in front of the UN Office in Colombo since Thursday morning demanding the abolition of the three member advisory panel appointed by the UN secretary look in to the alleged war crimes in Sri Lanka.

 How ever the UN secretary Moon said that he appointed the three member advisory panel to advise him on Sri Lanka according to the joint statement signed with the SL Government and it is not a panel to investigate on Sri Lanka according to the UN News .

Budget Passed With Majority Votes

The Budget for the year 2010 was passed today at the Parliament with 68 majority votes.139 MP's including of the  opposition United National Party (UNP) MP Abdul Carder voted in favor of the budget 71 Opposition MP's voted against the Budget.