Sri Lanka’s cabinet has approved awarding a contract to China Petroleum Pipeline Engineering Company Limited to build an aviation fuel storage complex and a dedicated transport pipeline to Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) in Katunayake.

The project is valued at 40.84 million US dollars alongside 8,548.75 million Sri Lankan rupees, inclusive of applicable taxes, minister Nalinda Jayatissa said.

The project involves building an aviation fuel storage tank complex with a total capacity of 92,000 cubic meters and related facilities at Muthurajawela.

A dedicated fuel transport pipeline will be constructed to link the new Muthurajawela storage facility directly to the aircraft refueling terminal at Katunayake.

The contractor will also carry out required modifications and upgrades to the existing terminal installations at Muthurajawela.

“Bids were invited following the international competitive bidding procedure, and three bids were submitted,” Jayatissa said.

Initial approval for the project was granted at a cabinet meeting on July 29, 2024, to establish a direct, secure fuel link between the supply hub and the country’s main international airport.

Aviation fuel is currently moved to Katunayake primarily by road bowsers and rail wagons, creating logistical bottlenecks, higher freight expenses, and safety risks.

The dedicated pipeline system is expected to ensure an uninterrupted, cost-effective supply of jet fuel to airlines as flight frequencies expand at the Katunayake gateway.

The Colombo Fort Magistrate’s Court was informed today (22) that former Director of the State Intelligence Service (SIS) Major General (Retd.) Suresh Sallay, who was arrested in connection with the Easter Sunday attacks and is currently receiving treatment at the Colombo National Hospital, has developed a condition known as enlarged heart and has had a medical device fitted to manage the condition.

The information was disclosed based on a medical report prepared by a nine-member medical panel assessing Sallay’s health condition.
The case against three suspects, including Major General Suresh Sallay, in connection with the 2019 Easter Sunday attacks was taken up before the Fort Magistrate’s Court today.

Deputy Inspector General of Police Shani Abeysekara and Additional Solicitor General Dileepa Peiris appeared for the prosecution.

The court was told that Suresh Sallay has been hospitalized since June 7 and has been receiving treatment at the emergency care unit attached to the Cardiology Unit of the National Hospital.

According to the medical report, Sallay has an enlarged heart and a device has been fitted to control the condition. The prosecution also told the court that approximately Rs. 4 million in public funds had been spent on the device.

The Magistrate intervened when the prosecution referred to Suresh Sallay as an alleged “killer,” stating that he remains a suspect and has not been convicted of any offence.

The Additional Solicitor General subsequently apologized to the court and continued his submissions.

The court was further informed that Sallay’s cardiac and mental health conditions are currently stable and that he could be discharged once his dental condition is resolved. A medical panel is scheduled to meet on September 28 to determine whether he should remain hospitalized.

The prosecution also raised concerns over passwords to Sallay’s laptop and mobile phones, stating that the passwords had not yet been provided despite a court order. The defence argued that military intelligence personnel regularly change their passwords as a security measure and may not retain them for long periods.

The prosecution maintained that statements had been recorded from Sallay regarding the passwords, but that he had repeatedly stated that he could not remember them.

Defence President’s Counsel Shavindra Fernando also criticized the ongoing investigation, alleging that investigators were now relying on statements made by politicians after failing to make progress through their own investigations.

After considering the submissions, the Colombo Fort Magistrate ordered that a report on the progress of the investigation be submitted to court on October 21.

The Permanent Trial-at-Bar on Tuesday (22) delivered its verdict in the case against 24 accused, including Naufar Maulavi, over their alleged involvement in the 2019 Easter Sunday terrorist attacks.

Announcing the judgment, the three-judge bench comprising Navarathna Marasinghe, Ramanathan Kannan and Sujeewa Nissanka found 15 of the accused guilty under 23,270 charges, including conspiracy and aiding and abetting the Easter Sunday attacks.

The court sentenced each of the 15 convicted individuals to 220 years of rigorous imprisonment.

In addition to the prison terms, the court also ordered that all movable and immovable properties belonging to the convicted individuals be confiscated by the State.

The verdict was delivered by the Permanent Trial-at-Bar after lengthy proceedings in one of Sri Lanka’s most closely watched terrorism cases.

Of the 24 accused who faced trial, 15 were convicted while nine were acquitted and released by the court.

The Harrow West MP Gareth Thomas has launched a petition calling for a direct flight service between London and Jaffna International Airport, citing the difficulty faced by British Tamil families making the journey to the North-East.

British Tamils have strong family, cultural and community ties to the region, the petition says, with travel to Jaffna meaning visiting relatives, attending weddings and funerals, taking part in religious festivals and maintaining connections across generations.

There are currently no direct flights between London and Jaffna. Passengers can fly to Colombo but must then travel a further 400km, taking six to seven hours by road or rail. That additional journey is particularly difficult for elderly passengers, families with young children and those travelling for important family occasions, the petition says.

A direct service would make journeys quicker, help families stay connected across generations, make travel more accessible for elderly relatives, support cultural and religious ties, and support tourism, investment and economic development in the North-East, it argues.

The petition calls on the British government, Sri Lankan authorities, airlines and London airports to work together to explore and support a viable service, and specifically asks the Department for Transport, the Civil Aviation Authority, airlines and London airports to secure one.

Thomas represents a constituency with one of the largest Tamil populations in Britain. Earlier this month he asked the Foreign Secretary whether the department had discussed with international partners the establishment of an independent international investigative mechanism for the Chemmani mass graves. The Foreign Office did not answer the question directly, saying it had “encouraged consideration of international assistance as excavations continue”.

A short runway and an occupied perimeter

Jaffna International Airport, formerly Palaly Airport, sits 16km north of Jaffna near Kankesanthurai. It was built by the Royal Air Force during the Second World War and later taken over by the Sri Lanka Air Force, which used the base for the fleets that bombed the Tamil homeland throughout the armed conflict. It reopened to commercial flights in 2019 after decades of military use.

The airport’s single runway is 1,400 metres long. Long-haul aircraft capable of flying to London require substantially more, and services at present are limited to domestic flights from Colombo’s Ratmalana airport and routes to India, with IndiGo operating from Chennai. The Sri Lankan Airport Aviation Authority has been working to extend the runway, with Indian financial assistance.

That expansion is contested on the ground. The Sri Lankan government has issued written notices to acquire ancestral land at Myliddy for the airport’s expansion, which residents have refused to surrender, saying they will not accept alternative land or compensation. Land there was seized when residents were forcibly displaced in June 1990 and the area designated a High Security Zone, and the airport perimeter remains within it.

In July the deputy defence minister told the Sri Lankan parliament that the Civil Aviation Authority, through the Air Force, had advised that further land around the 774.98-acre airport would be required for future international aviation expansion, alongside 1,661 acres to be permanently acquired for military infrastructure and not returned to their Tamil owners.

Landowners in Valikamam North have protested weekly for months at Myliddy and at Palaly Junction, demanding the return of land held since their displacement.

India has extended financial assistance of Rs. 300 million for the passenger ferry service between Nagapattinam and Kankesanthurai for another year, its High Commission in Colombo said on Friday.

The latest assistance marks the third consecutive year of financial support from India for the ferry service, which resumed in August 2024.

“The financial support is being extended under the Viability Gap Funding mechanism, amounting to nearly LKR 300 million annually,” the High Commission said in a statement.

“The assistance is aimed at ensuring the affordability and operational sustainability of the service by covering key logistical and operational costs, on terms similar to the previous year.”

Since resuming in August 2024, the ferry service has facilitated the movement of around 52,000 passengers, significantly contributing to cultural, economic and social exchanges between India and Sri Lanka.

The service represents an important milestone in revitalizing maritime connectivity between the two countries, the High Commission said.

The continuation of financial support for the ferry service also aligns with the shared vision for enhanced maritime connectivity, as reaffirmed during the visit of the President of Sri Lanka to India in December 2024 and the visit of the Prime Minister of India to Sri Lanka in April 2025, it said.

“Future plans include rehabilitation of Kankesanthurai Harbour under overall Indian grant assistance of USD 65 million, as well as exploration of additional routes and services that could further expand maritime connectivity and deepen economic and people-to-people linkages between India and Sri Lanka.”

Deputy Chief of Mission (DCM) David Myers has assumed his position in September the US Embassy in Sri Lanka said.

“David brings extensive diplomatic experience across Asia and beyond and joins Ambassador Eric Meyer and our U.S. Embassy team in advancing the U.S.–Sri Lanka partnership.”

His appointment follows Eric Meyer’s as ambassador earlier this month.

Myers previous assignment was at Embassy Skopje, North Macedonia, where he served as Acting DCM and Political-Economic Section Chief.

Prior assignments include tours in Guangzhou, China; Phnom Penh, Cambodia; Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam; and Moscow, Russia, the embassy said.

Before joining the US Department of State, David was a lawyer specializing in antitrust law.

He worked for the US Department of Justice’s Antitrust Division in Washington, DC; the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission in Melbourne, Australia; and various private firms.