Category: Breaking News

India’s FM Jaishankar meets former President Ranil in Muscat

Posted on | by TELO Admin

Indian External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar has met with former Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe on the sidelines of the 8th Indian Ocean Conference in Muscat on Sunday (16).

“Glad to meet former President Ranil Wickremesinghe on sidelines of 8th Indian Ocean Conference,” Jaishankar posted on ‘X’ (formerly Twitter).

The eighth Indian Ocean Conference (IOC) is being held in Muscat, the Sultanate of Oman, under the theme ‘Voyage to New Horizons of Maritime Partnership.’

The eighth edition of the conference addresses ways to enhance maritime partnerships, improve trade links, support sustainable development and issues related to maritime security and ensure freedom of navigation, in addition to benefiting from modern technology to enhance port security and governance.

Meanwhile, Sri Lanka’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment & Tourism, Vijitha Herath is also attending the 8th Indian Ocean Conference (IOC) being held 16-17 February 2025, in Muscat, Oman.

The Indian Ocean Conference is a flagship consultative forum for countries in the Indian Ocean region, organized annually by the Ministry of External Affairs of India, in association with the India Foundation.

UNP to contest several municipal councils under ‘elephant’ symbol in LG polls

Posted on | by TELO Admin

The United National Party (UNP) has decided to contest several municipal councils under its iconic “Elephant” symbol in the upcoming Local Government Elections.

This decision was reached during a working committee meeting held on February 14 at the UNP headquarters, Sirikotha, under the leadership of former President and party leader Ranil Wickremesinghe.

During the meeting, new appointments were made, and key topics such as the upcoming elections and the current political situation were discussed.

As part of their strategy, it has been proposed to contest four municipal councils under the “Elephant” symbol.

These include the Colombo, Kandy, Galle, and Nuwara Eliya municipal councils. The proposal received majority support from the Working Committee members, who believe these councils offer a strong chance of success for the party.

In addition, the UNP is considering alliances with other political parties to contest in other local government institutions.

Discussions are ongoing about the possibility of contesting under a separate symbol, and a final decision on this matter is expected to be made before February 20.

Meanwhile, the UNP has also been engaged in talks with the ‘Samagi Jana Balawegaya’ (SJB), with several rounds of discussions already held between the two parties.

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Japan extends grant aid to two humanitarian projects in North

Posted on | by TELO Admin

Japanese Ambassador Akio Isomata on Tuesday signed two grant contracts under the “Grant Assistance for Grassroots Human Security Projects (GGP)” with two NGOs, Humanitarian Development Organization (HDO) and Nuffield School for Deaf and Blind, during his first trip to the Northern Province, a press release issued by the Embassy said.

The signing took place in the presence of Northern Province Governor, Nagalingam Vethanayahan, at the latter’s office in Jaffna.

The Government of Japan has allocated USD 173,659 (approx. Rs. 50 million) for these projects to enhance medical and educational facilities in the Northern Province. Supporting development in conflict-affected areas remains a priority in Japan’s official development assistance to Sri Lanka, particularly in promoting mitigation of vulnerabilities.

HDO is implementing the “Project for the Construction of a Medical Ward for Palai Divisional Hospital”, which will improve healthcare services in the Kilinochchi District by constructing a new inpatient ward at Palai Divisional Hospital. The hospital, serving 14,927 resettled individuals, currently suffers from severe overcrowding and inadequate hygiene facilities.

The “Project for the Improvement of Nuffield School for the Deaf and Blind in the Northern Province” aims to create a safe and comfortable learning environment for children. The Nuffield School is the only Tamil-language institution providing free education and residential facilities for deaf and blind children from all over Sri Lanka. This project will also enhance power supply safety, sanitation, and hostel facilities in the school.

Ambassador Isomata reaffirmed Japan’s commitment to supporting vulnerable communities and sustainable growth in Sri Lanka, particularly in the Northern Province.

US Ambassador visits SLPP Office

Posted on | by TELO Admin

US Ambassador to Sri Lanka, Julie Chung, has reportedly visited the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) Office this morning (14).

Ambassador Chung had arrived at the SLPP office at around 10.00 a.m. this morning and engaged in discussions for over an hour and a half.

Her visit followed a request to meet with the SLPP members.

During her visit, the ambassador engaged in discussions with the SLPP National Organizer Namal Rajapaksa, SLPP General Secretary Sagara Kariyawasam, along with former Members of Parliament Sanjeewa Edirimanne, C.B. Ratnayake, and Jayantha Ketagoda, as well as Member of Parliament, D.V. Chanaka.

Meanwhile, in a post on ‘X’, Chung stated that she met MP Rajapaksa and SLPP officials as part of the embassy’s cross-party outreach.

“The U.S.-Sri Lanka partnership has long been based on trust, respect, and shared democratic principles. Under President Trump, we’ll be focused on advancing America’s interests and fostering global partnerships for a stronger, safer, and more prosperous future,” she said.

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Ex-EPDP MP arrested in Kerala

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Former Vanni District MP Kulasingam Thileepan, who represented the Eelam People’s Democratic Party (EPDP), was arrested by the Tamil Nadu police in India on 12 February.

The former MP had travelled from Sri Lanka to Chennai and was attempting to obtain a visa to travel to a European country using a forged passport when he was apprehended in Kochi, Kerala.

Investigations revealed that, in addition to the passport he submitted for travel to Europe, he possessed another passport, which he had used to travel from Sri Lanka to India. Following these findings, the Tamil Nadu police took him into custody.

After being presented before a court in Kerala, he was remanded in judicial custody and detained at Bhupalpally Prison.

Two months ago, Thileepan was also arrested by the Vavuniya police in Sri Lanka in connection with an alleged fraud case. He had reportedly accepted Rs. 3 million from an individual in Vavuniya, promising to secure a land deal but failed to deliver.

During his previous arrest, he was granted bail after agreeing before the Vavuniya Court to repay the amount in ten instalments. However, while on bail, he left the country, leading to his arrest in India.

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Investigation Launched Into Namal Rajapaksa’s Law Degree Amid Complaints

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Acting IGP Attorney-at-Law Priyantha Weerasooriya says that an investigation has been launched by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) regarding how MP Namal Rajapaksa obtained his law degree.

The Acting IGP adds that he has received several complaints about Namal Rajapaksa’s successful completion of the law examination, alleging that it was problematic.

He says that an inquiry would be conducted with the recommendation of the Principal of the Sri Lanka Law College.

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Indian Envoy Meets JVP’s Tilvin Silva

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The High Commissioner of India to Sri Lanka Santosh Jha met with Tilvin Silva, General Secretary of the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) on Thursday (13) evening.

The Indian High Commission said that they met to discuss and exchange views on strengthening India-Sri Lanka relations.

The meeting focused on enhancing bilateral ties and cooperation between the two nations.

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Lasantha Wickrematunge’s Daughter Accuses AG of Undermining Justice: Critiques BASL’s Double Standard

Posted on | by TELO Admin

In a letter to President of the Bar Association of Sri Lanka Anura B. Meddegoda, daughter of late Sri Lankan journalist Lasantha Wickrematunge critiques what appears to be a double standard in the way the Bar Association has handled two separate high-profile cases involving the alleged failure of the Attorney General’s office to properly pursue justice.

The writer, who has long advocated for justice for her father Lasantha Wickrematunge, who was murdered in 2009, has accused the Attorney General of sabotaging critical investigations, including that of her father’s killing.

She said that while the Bar Association publicly protested the Attorney General’s decision to not charge a Special Task Force officer involved in the 2022 killing of Mahesh Indika Prabath, the same vigor was not applied to the case of her father’s murder, despite what she describes as overwhelming evidence of state-sponsored involvement.

The letter pointed out a recent interview to a local media outlet in which Meddegoda claimed that the Bar Association was “at the forefront” of standing up for human rights. The writer, however, questioned Meddegoda’s commitment to justice, citing his failure to publicly address the long-delayed prosecution of those responsible for her father’s murder.

The letter also raises serious concerns about the Attorney General’s handling of multiple investigations, including the infamous Mahara prison killings, and the destruction of police records related to her father’s case. The writer accuses Ranasinghe of neglecting vital evidence, including doctored police records, and of making decisions without fully investigating or considering all the facts.

She calls for the impeachment of the Attorney General, accusing him of undermining the rule of law.

She urges the BASL to take a firm stance for justice, not just for her father, but for all victims whose cases have been mishandled or abandoned under Ranasinghe’s watch.

Local authorities elections bill inconsistent with Constitution: Sri Lanka SC

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The Supreme Court has ruled that clauses 2 and 3 of the Local Authorities Elections (Special Provisions) bill, in particular, are inconsistent with Article 12(1) of Sri Lanka’s Constitution, the Speaker of Parliament said.

“The majority of the [3 judge] bench had held that the Bill read as a whole and in particularly Clauses 2 and 3 is inconsistent with Article 12(1) of the Constitution and can be only passed with the special majority required under paragraph (2) of Article 84,” Jagath Wickramaratne told parliament.

Wickramaratne announced on Friday that he had received the determination of the Supreme Court on the Bill titled “Local Authorities Elections (Special Provisions)” challenged in the Supreme Court under Article 121 (1) of the Constitution, which had been heard before a bench of three Judges.

The remaining Judge of the bench had held that The Bill as a whole or any provision thereof is not inconsistent with the provisions of the Constitution and may be enacted with a simple majority of Parliament.

Which US Project for Sri Lanka Was Cancelled by Elon Musk’s DOGE?

Posted on | by TELO Admin

Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) has terminated several projects it deemed wasteful, including a climate adaptation initiative in Sri Lanka.

In a post on ‘X’, the Department announced the cancellation of 199 projects, highlighting two specific terminations.

“Great coordination across 35 agencies over the last two days to terminate 199 wasteful contracts saving USD250 million, including:

Contract for ‘Asia Pacific – Sri Lanka climate change mitigation adaptation and resilience coordinator services for forest service’
Workshop for ‘Intercultural communication diversity dialogue circle communicating across differences,’” the post stated.

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