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DIFFERENT PRIORITIES IN THE SINHALA AND TAMIL PRESS |
Tamil Headlines
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Virakesari: “We will submit proposals for revision of tariffs; if 30% is implemented, it can be managed” – Secretary of the Ministry of Finance Harshana Suriyapperuma | U.S. Thinakaran: This newspaper was unavailable at the time of publishing FrontPage |
Thinakkural: U.S. tariff reduction for Sri Lankan exports: U.S. President Donald Trump has officially Thamilan: 30% tariff for Sri Lanka; President Trump announced the tariff details | Pakistan’s Field Marshal Munir to visit Sri Lanka |
Sinhala Headlines
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Lankadeepa: Three SDIGs receive death threats from Dubai; complaints filed with IGP | Jayewardenapura Hospital grappling with multiple challenges: new director appointed while the current director was on medical leave; shortage of specialists worsens: one doctor remanded, another has resigned Divaina: “More taxes may be added to the newly imposed 30% tariff” – Finance Secretary Harshana Suriyapperuma; “We secured the reduction thanks to our honest talk and we still have the opportunity to negotiate further” – Governor Nandalal Weerasinghe | “The highest reduction among taxes given to Sri Lanka” – Deputy Minister Arun Hemachandra; “President Trump must understand that the world has changed” – Brazilian President Lula states responding to Trump| “We must identify new markets; import tariffs were reduced as a result of the government’s discussions” – Minister Wasantha Samarasinghe | “It would be more advantageous to enter into a trade agreement with the U.S.” – Prof. Wasantha Athukorala Ada: “95% of criminal cases lost due to weaknesses in police investigations: success rate falls from 63% to 5%” – HRCSL Commissioner Attorney-at-Law Nimal Punchihewa |
Mawbima: “Talk to the U.S. to reduce the tax” – President issues directives to officials; “No intention to increase taxes on U.S. products” – Senior Consultant for Economic Affairs and Finance Duminda Hulangamuwa | Dinamina: Trump reduces tax to 30% from the previous 44% | “Sri Lanka has received the highest tariff reduction in the region” – Secretary of the Ministry of Finance Aruna: The 30% Trump tariff: “The apparel industry is in danger” – Joint Apparel Association Forum (JAAF) | “We are in a good place” – CBSL governor | “This is a big relief” – Secretary of the Ministry of Finance Anidda: New information on the Easter Sunday attack revealed: Sarah had been taken away by an army major; Zahran’s brother, who spoke to Haadia, has been shot; the woman who disclosed the location of the Sainthamaruthu house also killed; fears grow that investigations may expose involvement of government personnel |
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TAMIL PRESS PRIORITIES |
Photo credits: Ceylon Today
All 65 skeletons fully exhumed from the mass grave; exhumation temporarily halted; to resume on 21
Thamilan, Thinakkural, Virakesari
All identified 65 human skeletons at the Chemmani mass grave site were fully exhumed and handed over to medico-legal officers and placed under court protection. The second phase of the exhumation was halted temporarily yesterday (10th), and it will recommence on July 21st.
Thinakkural: Speaking to reporters, Attorney-at-Law V.S. Niranjan stated the above mentioned facts, and added that the matter of the alleged threat to the complainant has been brought to the magistrate‘s attention. Attorney-at-Law Ranitha Gnanarajah also claimed to be the source of the above mentioned information.
Massive protest to be held across North and East demanding
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“33,000 prisoners are kept in 36 prisons” – Prisons commissioner
Virakesari, Thamilan Prisons Commissioner and Media Spokesperson of Prisons Jagath Chandana Weerasinghe claimed that |
“Disclose the conditions behind the tariff reduction” – Thalatha
Virakesari
Addressing a media conference yesterday (10th), General Secretary of the UNP Thalatha Athukorala stated that they are happy over the reduction of the U.S. tariffs for Sri Lanka. She noted, however, that the conditions for such reduction are not known and have not yet been revealed.
SINHALA PRESS PRIORITIES |
Photo credits: Daily Mirror
New information comes to light on the Easter Sunday attacks: Sarah [Jasmin] was taken away by an army major
Anidda
Speaking in parliament on July 9 during a debate held on the Easter Sunday attacks, SJB MP Mujibur Rahman claimed that Sarah Jasmin – believed to have died in the Sainthamaruthu bombing – was alive, and had been taken away at the time by a military officer, Major Subasinghe. Rahman also submitted a report to parliament indicating that a Mobitel SIM card was obtained in Sarah Jasmin’s name on April 1, 2020, even after DNA reports had confirmed her death. He further questioned whether the investigations led by officials such as Shani Abeysekara and Ravi Seneviratne are not progressing due to fears that doing so would expose the involvement of individuals within the current government. Speaking at the debate, Minister of Public Security and Parliamentary Affairs Ananda Wijepala stated that Sivanesathurai Santhirakanthan alias Pillayan was aware of the attacks while in prison, and that the State Intelligence Service had failed to act even after the Taj Samudra Hotel reported that Abdul Jameel, a suicide bomber on an intelligence watchlist, had arrived at the hotel.
An additional DNA test to confirm Sarah’s death?
Dinamina The CID is considering a fourth DNA test to verify the death of Sarah Jasmin, the spouse of one of the 2019 Easter Sunday bombers, due to new, suspicious findings from the current probe. While the first two DNA tests conducted after the Sainthamaruthu safe house explosion failed to identify her remains, a controversial third test in 2022 concluded she was deceased based on a single fragment of a spinal bone. However, the current CID investigation has reportedly discovered that this crucial bone fragment is now missing from the Government Analyst’s Department, and the judicial medical officer involved has also raised concerns about the sample. The report notes that the third DNA test was initiated during the Gotabaya Rajapaksa administration after the original CID investigative teams were changed, and contradicts earlier testimony at the Presidential Commission and intelligence reports suggesting Jasmin’s death had not been confirmed. |
Death threats from Dubai to three SDIGs
Lankadeepa It is reported that three Senior Deputy Inspector Generals of police (SDIGs) involved in operations against underworld crime have received death threats via phone calls. Police sources state that, angered by the suppression of their activities, a group of underworld gang leaders based in Dubai has been intermittently calling and threatening the three senior officers. The officers in question have already lodged a complaint with the Inspector General of Police (IGP) regarding the matter. |
COMMON PRIORITIES: SINHALA & TAMIL PRESS |
Photo credits: AsianMirror
Previous tariff was 44%: Trump’s tariff brought down to 30%
Aruna, Ada, Anidda, Dinamina, Divaina, Lankadeepa, Mawbima, Thamilan, Thinakkural, Virakesari, Thinakaran
U.S. President Donald Trump has announced the implementation of a 30% tariff on all goods imported from Sri Lanka, effective from August 1. The policy was conveyed in a letter signed by Trump, which was sent by the White House to President Anura Kumara Dissanayake the day before yesterday (9th). In the letter, Trump noted that the 30% tariff is still lower than the rate necessary to eliminate the existing trade deficit with Sri Lanka. Despite the tariff and the significant trade imbalance, the U.S. expressed its hope to continue its trade partnership with Sri Lanka for many years to come.
Newspapers also report that the reduction granted is higher compared to other countries in the region, and that Sri Lanka will consider further negotiations with the U.S. on the matter.
Meanwhile, Aruna reports that the Joint Apparel Association Forum raised concerns that the tariff would put Sri Lanka’s garment exports at risk.
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Common priorities: Additional stories
1. “The imposition of the 30% tariff could lead to serious issues” – Opposition Leader Sajith [Premadasa] – Aruna, Divaina, Mawbima, Ada, Virakesari, Thamilan, Thinakkural
2. The price of imported milk powder increased – Aruna, Dinamina, Divaina, Lankadeepa, Mawbima, Ada, Thamilan, Thinakkural
3. Suspicious vehicles around Chemmani – Anidda, Thinakkural
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