lankanNews

Russia has expressed its displeasure over the US decision to designate former Navy Commander Admiral of the Fleet Wasantha Karannagoda.

Sri Lanka has rejected the U.S. decision to designate Admiral of the Fleet Wasantha Karannagoda and also expressed its ‘grave concern’ about the decision, the foreign ministry said.

When former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa fled the country, both India and the United States requested him to remove Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, MP Wimal Weerawansa said.

In response to a request made by the Leader of Opposition Sajith Premadasa to walk the talk and thereby put into practice what he had talked of, President Ranil Wickremeinge yesterday told Parliament those in Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) will walk towards a common journey with him soon.

Russia has expressed its displeasure over the US decision to designate former Navy Commander Admiral of the Fleet Wasantha Karannagoda.

Sri Lanka has rejected the U.S. decision to designate Admiral of the Fleet Wasantha Karannagoda and also expressed its ‘grave concern’ about the decision, the foreign ministry said.

When former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa fled the country, both India and the United States requested him to remove Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, MP Wimal Weerawansa said.

Justice Minister Wijeyadasa Rajapaksa’s revelation in Parliament yesterday over one Chamara Gunasekera being the recipient of a US 250 million dollar bribe to bury the X Press Pearl compensation claim sent shockwaves amongst politicians and journalists who were hurrying to find who the name was connected to locally.

In response to a request made by the Leader of Opposition Sajith Premadasa to walk the talk and thereby put into practice what he had talked of, President Ranil Wickremeinge yesterday told Parliament those in Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) will walk towards a common journey with him soon.

Chairman of the Independent Television Network Sudarshana Gunawardana today said he had instructed the General Manager of ITN to immediately start an inquiry on the alleged sexual harassment case of a former employee at the News and Current Affairs Division at ITN.

NPP MP Vijitha Herath today revealed that USD 5 million which was credited to a Union Bank account belonging to the GAC Shipping Ltd. in Sri Lanka as part of the compensation for the New Diamond disaster had been transferred to an overseas account and hence demanded an investigation into the incident.

The national coffers are reported to have incurred huge losses when implementing Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s rehabilitation/improvements of the 100,000 km road programme,

Minister of Justice Wijeyadasa Rajapaksha dropping a bomb shell in Parliament regarding container ship MV X-Press Pearl and New Diamond today, revealed that a sum of US dollars 250 million has been credited to the bank account of one Chamara Gunasekera as a bribe to prevent the operator of the ship X-Press Pearl to prevent the Sri Lanka government from securing damages.

Two years after the MV X-Press Pearl container ship caught fire in Sri Lankan waters, local authorities continue to take a snail-paced approach to file a compensation claim. The inferno is reported as the single worst incident of chemical and plastic pollution at sea.

Chairman of the Independent Television Network Sudarshana Gunawardana today said he had instructed the General Manager of ITN to immediately start an inquiry on the alleged sexual harassment case of a former employee at the News and Current Affairs Division at ITN.

With reference to the comments by Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa on the legitimacy of the mandate of President Ranil Wickremesinghe to hold that office and the demand for a Presidential election to seek a fresh mandate, Former Parliament Secretary General Priyanee Wijesekera has responded with the following facts.

The highly controversial Antiterrorism Bill is subject to amendments and changes in Parliament and as such no one should have any fear or feeling of threat from the proposed Bill, Justice Minister Dr. Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe said.

Justice Minister Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe said he got hold of details regarding the transfer of US $ 250 million to the foreign account of a Sri Lankan as a bribe to obstruct the legal process related to X-Press Pearl disaster and directed the police to initiate investigations into it.

While refuting reports on social media, the Lanka Indian Oil Company (LIOC) said there need not be any fears of explosions due to petrol being kept filled to full tank capacity in vehicles due to the rise in atmospheric temperature in the coming days.

The Central Bank today said a shortage of Rs.5 million worth cash bundle was discovered in one of its vaults during the currency operations on April 11, 2023.

State Minister of Finance Ranjith Siyambalapitiya yesterday said that measures would be taken to further relax import restrictions on many other goods in the future.

At a time when the country is depending on the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and its international partners to bail Sri Lanka out of its worst ever economic crisis, there are serious questions as to why the government has failed to claim massive compensation of US 6.4 billion dollars from the X-Press Pearl Disaster.

A Cabinet decision has been taken not to grant permission for the holding of musical performances, political meetings or other activities at the Galle Face Green, except for religious activities, with effect from April 20.

Shanthi Pushparaja (Real name withheld), mother of three children who was taken to Oman promising a job as a house maid is one of those nearly 90 Sri Lankan women who went to the Middles East and ended up in Oman with no way to come back home. Shanthi’s husband who was living in the North and looking after the three children, died suddenly leaving no one to look after the three kids.

State Minister of Finance Ranjith Siyambalapitiya yesterday said that measures would be taken to further relax import restrictions on many other goods in the future.

A Cabinet decision has been taken not to grant permission for the holding of musical performances, political meetings or other activities at the Galle Face Green, except for religious activities, with effect from April 20.

Despite possessing enviable social indicators at the time of Independence in 1948, Sri Lanka, at 75, is a “failed state”, former President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga said on Sunday.

President Ranil Wickremesinghe is expected to make a fresh call for a national government on April 25 when Parliament takes up the debate on the IMF extended Fund Facility (EFF) agreement.

Whilst stating that he together with MP Rauff Hakeem initiated an effort to bring UNP and SJB under one umbrella, MP Mano Ganesan said they had to abandon the idea since the SJB leadership did not respond.

President Ranil Wickremesinghe assured Sri Lanka’s commitment to principles of “comparable treatment” when engaging with its creditors in the upcoming debt restructuring process.

U.S. Ambassador Julie J. Chung said yesterday that her country does not have any intention of setting up a military base in Sri Lanka.

Shanthi Pushparaja (Real name withheld), mother of three children who was taken to Oman promising a job as a house maid is one of those nearly 90 Sri Lankan women who went to the Middles East and ended up in Oman with no way to come back home. Shanthi’s husband who was living in the North and looking after the three children, died suddenly leaving no one to look after the three kids.

Finance Ministers of the three creditor countries-India, Japan and France will hold a press briefing in Washington on Thursday to announce Sri Lanka’s debt restructuring negotiations process, the IMF has announced

The government will soon set up a Road Maintenance Fund (RMF) with initial funding of Rs. 100 million to make all main and inter-provincial roads toll-paying roads, Transport and Highways Minister, Dr. Bandula Gunawardana said.

U.S. Ambassador Julie J. Chung said yesterday that her country does not have any intention of setting up a military base in Sri Lanka.

U.S. Ambassador Julie J. Chung said yesterday that her country does not have any intention of setting up a military base in Sri Lanka.

The opposition Samagi Jana Balawegaya is in a quandary following the Daily Mirror article tilted ’’Sajith loses grip on a dying SJB?’’ which was published on April 4, 2023 on its newspaper and online platform.

SJB MP Nalin Bandara Jayamaha today confirmed that some members from the SJB will cross over to the government after the New Year.

The government will soon set up a Road Maintenance Fund (RMF) with initial funding of Rs. 100 million to make all main and inter-provincial roads toll-paying roads, Transport and Highways Minister, Dr. Bandula Gunawardana said.

Those party members who try to divide and destroy the Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) will be brought before a disciplinary Committee, Leader of the Opposition Sajith Premadasa said over the weekend.

Several Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) MPs are willing to support President Ranil Wickremesinghe and will do so as a group if the party fails to take a decision, SJB MP Rajitha Senaratne said today.

Issuing a statement regarding the recently gazetted ‘Anti Terrorism Bill’, the Bar Association of Sri Lanka (BASL) today announced that it would not hesitate to challenge any bill that would deem to undermine the Rule of Law and the Liberty of the Citizen in the country.

The Peradeniya Police launched investigations after a preschool teacher was hacked to death this morning, while she was on her way to the school at Kobbekaduwa, in Peradeniya.

One of Zimbabwe’s most influential diplomats, Uebert Angel, who was charged with a gold-smuggling scheme, has reportedly been stripped off his diplomatic status, foreign media reported.

Some Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) MPs are willing to support President Ranil Wickremesinghe and will do so as a group if the party fails to make a decision, SJB MP Rajitha Senaratne said today.

Issuing a statement regarding the recently gazetted ‘Anti Terrorism Bill’, the Bar Association of Sri Lanka (BASL) today announced that it would not hesitate to challenge any bill that would deem to undermine the Rule of Law and the Liberty of the Citizen in the country.

The PAYE tax payable by an employee who draws Rs. 200,000 a month is Rs. 7,500. His savings stands at Rs. 5,800 from the current fuel and gas price reduction. As such, he or she has to pay only Rs. 1,700 as payee tax, Cabinet Spokesman and Mass Media Minister Dr Bandula Gunawardana said yesterday.

Amidst talks about a snap presidential election, former Election Commission’s Chairman Mahinda Deshapriya said yesterday that, in his opinion, such an election could be conducted only during the latter part of next year.

The Midigama Police has launched investigations to arrest the suspects wanted over the shooting of the owner of Cheeky Monkey restaurant in Midigama.

The Labour and Foreign Employment Ministry announced today that the ministry had decided to increase the duty-free allowances for goods purchased at the airport duty-free complex by migrant workers depending on the amount of money they had remitted, Minister Manusha Nanayakkara said.