Category: Featured Headlines

Speculation is rife that Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa will enter into a political alliance with former President Maithripala Sirisena, informed political sources said.

This development has taken place against the backdrop of rising tensions between the SLPP and the SLFP within the ruling alliance.

Both Premadasa and Sirisena have expressed their admiration for each other in public and this has given strong indications that a political allince between the two is being discussd.

However, Sirisena’s possible affiliation with the SJB-led opposition has been greeted with mixed reactions among parliamentary group members of the party.

Some even fear that Sirisena will be offered the premiership in a future SJB government.

Meanwhile, opposition stalwart Sarath Fonseka’s supporters have launched a campaign indicating that the former Army Commander will be appointed the Prime Minister under Premadasa’s presidency.

This campaign has also sparked concerns among some senior members of the SJB who are of the view that it is “inappropriate” to talk about the premiership at this point.

The Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) today urged the government to initiate an independent investigation into allowing the MV X-press Pearl vessel that caught fire in Sri Lankan waters, claiming that the whole episode involving the ship was suspicious.

JVP Leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake told a news conference that the government should reveal all the facts with regard to this whole incident involving the ship to the people and take proper action against the political authority and the officials responsible for the disaster, one of the worst the country had faced.

“It is reported that there was some smoke in the ship when it reached Sri Lankan waters. The ship has been denied entry to two other ports. It is suspicious that who gave permission to the ship to enter Sri Lankan marine territory. What are the reasons for making such a decision,” he asked.

MP Dissanayake said it was suspicious that why the authorities failed to douse the fire or tow it to deep seas before it sank and added that all these issues should not be allowed to submerge with the ship.

“There was a time when ships carrying hazardous substances and waste were sunk in African seas with the support of corrupt rulers of some African countries. People raise doubts whether the same thing is happening in Sri Lanka. We heard one minister saying that Sri Lanka would receive compensation. We doubt if the government has made it a source to earn dollars by sinking ships. The government should give a clear response to this issue,” he said.

He said a huge damage has been caused to the marine environment that could not be restored or repaired for decades and the fishery industry is also in deep crisis due to this disaster.

A young Tamil man, who was arrested by the Sri Lankan Intelligence Division last night at a house in East Iruthayapuram, Batticaloa, has died in detention this morning.

The body of Chandran Vithusan, 22, who was arrested outside his house in East Iruthayapuram by people who identified themselves as intelligence officers at 10.30pm last night, has been handed over this morning.

Vithusan came out last night when a friend called him over the phone and asked him to come out. The young man was then arrested by the so-called intelligence officials who were standing in the street.

According to the people of the area, the youth was severely beaten by the officials.

The parents were informed this morning that Vithusan had died of an illness. However, relatives insist the young man was beaten to death by the officials.

A probe has been launched into the death of a 22-year-old suspect who had fallen ill while in the custody of the Batticaloa Police.

An officer attached to the Batticaloa Police told Colombo Gazette that the suspect was arrested at 02 am today.

Batticaloa Deputy Superintendent of Police, L.R. Kumarasiri, who arrived at the scene of the incident, began the investigation into the death. Eravur Circuit Magistrates Court Judge, Jeevarani Karuppaiyapillai, has began conducting a murder investigation into the death.

A police team was formed today, led by Eravur Police Station Officer-in-Charge, SW Jayantha, who are currently investigating the incident.

The Batticaloa Forensics Team is conducting inquiries and the body is being kept at the Batticaloa Teaching Hospital for an autopsy report.

The United States government, through the US Agency for International Development (USAID), has airlifted 880,000 pieces of personal protective equipment (PPEs) and 1,200 pulse oximeters to COVID-hit Sri Lanka, the USAID website said.

The donation is part of US efforts to send emergency medical supplies the Maldives, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka to help save lives, stop the spread of COVID-19, and continue to meet the urgent health needs across South Asia, the agency said.

This new airlift follows three shipments of COVID-19 relief supplies by the U.S. Government to Nepal and the delivery of seven emergency air shipments to India to help contain the COVID-19 pandemic, it added.

“In Sri Lanka, this assistance includes 880,000 vital pieces of personal protective equipment and 1,200 pulse oximeters to support frontline healthcare workers and others most affected by the current outbreak. The United States and Sri Lanka have worked closely together to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic since its outset, and USAID’s assistance has benefited millions of people in all 25 districts and nine provinces across the country, providing life-saving treatments, strengthening clinical care, and mobilizing critical supplies to bolster the response. The U.S. Government has previously provided $11.3 million to assist Sri Lanka’s COVID-19 response and recovery, including a donation of 200 ventilators to care for critically ill patients.”

This airlift exemplifies the United States’ whole-of-government response to ensure assistance reaches people who need it quickly. The State of California’s Office of Emergency Services generously donated commodities, USAID sourced PPE from the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the Department of State procured the aircraft being used for transport.

USAID is coordinating additional shipments for South Asia in the coming weeks.

USAID is also working closely with the private sector to help address the immediate health needs in the region. USAID will leverage its experience with a range of private sector partners—from manufacturers to investors, from multinational companies to small- and medium-sized enterprises—to meet the critical needs arising from the COVID-19 pandemic.

Fonterra Brands Lanka has clarified the reason behind Anchor butter not having Tamil wording.

The company said that Anchor butter product packaging is fully compliant with the packaging regulations of Sri Lanka.

“We understand and empathise with the recent concerns regarding the languages used on the pack,” Fonterra Brands Lanka said.

Fonterra Brands Lanka noted that Anchor butter is a multi-market product, made, packaged and exported from New Zealand to multiple countries in East and South East Asia.

“The same pack is made available to Sri Lanka. Hence, the product packaging includes the commonly spoken language in these respective countries. We respect diversity and place our customer requirements at the highest importance,” Fonterra Brands Lanka said.

Meanwhile, the Consumer Affairs Authority (CAA) of Sri Lanka said there was no complaint over the label displayed on the Anchor butter product.

The Chairman of the Consumer Affairs Authority Shantha Dissanayake said that if there is a complaint then the matter can be looked into.

An image of the product was shared on social media drawing strong criticism