DIFFERENT PRIORITIES IN THE SINHALA AND TAMIL PRESS |
Tamil Headlines
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Virakesari: Six, including Ishara Sewwandi, arrested; caught in a special operation in Nepal; arrangements made to bring them to the country today | “We will continue to support Sri Lanka’s multi-sector development” – Chinese President Xi Jinping assures Prime Minister Harini Thinakaran: No change in electricity tariffs; existing rates to remain in effect for the upcoming quarter – Government announces | Health services at a high standard; many diseases eradicated – Health Minister Nalinda Jayatissa at the WHO Regional Conference |
Thinakkural: Over Rs. 390.2 billion in illegally acquired assets by underworld gangs to be confiscated! This year alone, 354 pounds of gold, 72 vehicles, 36 houses, and 37 acres of land have been taken over by the state, according to the Police Media Spokesperson | Ishara Sewwandi, arrested in Nepal Thamilan: ‘Ganemulla Sanjeewa’ murder mastermind Sewwandi arrested! The group caught in Nepal; Jaffna resident also apprehended | ‘Bus Lalith’ arrested in Dubai |
Sinhala Headlines
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Lankadeepa: Ishara Sewwandi fled the country on a boat from Jaffna: the passports were made using a dummy; has stayed in India for three weeks and fled to Nepal; has spent Rs. 7 million to flee the country; was caught in a flat in Kathmandu; six caught through Olugala’s mission | PUCSL halts the increasing of the electricity bill: “no changes for three months to come” – Chairperson states Divaina: Sewwandi re-emerges from Nepal: “I thought Olugala Sir would someday come and arrest me” – The mastermind behind Sanjeewa’s murder, who was caught with five others, states; ‘Gampaha Baba’ of Padme’s gang has tried to get out by bribing ASP Olugala for Rs. 5 million; Ishara has forged passports in the name of Thakshi from Chavakachcheri in an attempt to flee to Europe: ‘J.K. Bhai’ has taken [Sewwandi] to Nepal in a boat; a three-day mission in Nepal by ASP Olugala |
Mawbima: Ishara Sewwandi, who is linked to the murder of ‘Ganemulla Sanjeewa’, caught in Nepal with a “dummy-woman”; she has been staying in a flat on top of a mountain: all six arrested to be brought to Sri Lanka today? | Approval for increasing the electricity bill, denied Dinamina: Sewwandi, who was arrested with five others in Nepal, was smuggled out of the country by ‘Kehelbaddara Padme’: she has been in hiding for eight months; the whole gang to Sri Lanka today or tomorrow Aruna: Padme has given Rs. 6.5 million to Sewwandi to flee the country: she left by sea three days after Sanjeewa’s murder; another woman, similar to Sewwandi’s appearance, caught in Nepal Anidda: This paper is published on Fridays only |
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TAMIL PRESS PRIORITIES |
Photo credits: Newswire
Providing basic salary through an incentive system is wrong; salary revision needed – MP Jeevan stresses
Virakesari, Thamilan
Ceylon Workers’ Congress (CWC) General Secretary Jeevan Thondaman stated that it is wrong to offer the entire basic salary for plantation workers based on an incentive model without any increase in the actual basic salary.
He argued that this approach is flawed because crucial benefits like maternity pay, the Employees’ Provident Fund (EPF), and the Employees’ Trust Fund (ETF) are all calculated based on the basic salary.
Thondaman also highlighted a significant difference between the promises in the President’s ‘Hatton Declaration’ and the current implementation of programs, which he claims focus only on the 10% of the Hill Country population who are plantation workers.
Holding provincial council elections immediately: Tamil national parties plan to meet today to discuss the matter
Virakesari Representatives of Tamil nationalist political parties are scheduled to meet today (15th) in Jaffna to urge that the long-delayed provincial council elections be held promptly. The discussion is also expected to cover a political solution for the Tamil people and the creation of a new constitution. The meeting comes as the National People’s Power (NPP) government has yet to fulfill its election promise to hold the polls within a year of assuming office. While parties such as the Tamil Eelam Liberation Organization (TELO) and the People’s Liberation Organisation of Tamil Eelam (PLOTE) are expected to attend, the Tamil National People’s Front (TNPF) has not been invited, and the participation of the Illankai Tamil Arasu Kadchi (ITAK) remains unconfirmed. |
Indian High Commissioner and Tilvin Silva meet; discussions held on various issuesVirakesari
A special discussion was held between Indian High Commissioner Santosh Jha and Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) General Secretary Tilvin Silva at the JVP head office in Pelawatte. They discussed the success of the program to provide housing ownership documents to the people of the Hill Country, with the High Commissioner assuring future assistance for related projects. Future Indian investments and donations, and India’s experience in the agricultural, information technology, and industrial sectors were also discussed.
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No connection between the cabinet reshuffle and the release of containers – Minister Nalinda Jayatissa
Thinakaran, Thamilan
Cabinet Spokesperson Nalinda Jayatissa rejected allegations that the recent cabinet reshuffle is connected to the ongoing investigation into the release of 323 containers from the port without any inspection.
Speaking at the cabinet media briefing, Jayatissa responded to a question about the change in Minister Bimal Rathnayake’s portfolio by stating that the investigation is being conducted independently and has no connection to the reshuffle.
He clarified that the cabinet changes are part of a broader restructuring effort to streamline ministries and improve administrative efficiency as the government prepares its budget and implements its policies.
SINHALA PRESS PRIORITIES |
Photo credits: Ada Derana
Minimum wage of the private sector raised to Rs. 30,000
Lankadeepa, Dinamina, Aruna
The Cabinet has granted approval to increase the National Minimum Wage for private sector employees, concurrently with the increase in salaries for public sector employees, as per a proposal in the 2025 Budget.
Accordingly, the monthly minimum wage for private sector employees will be increased to Rs. 30,000 starting from January 1, 2026.
This increase in the monthly minimum wage must be applied to all statutory payments, such as Employees’ Provident Funds (EPF), Employees’ Trust Funds (ETF), overtime, gratuities, maternity benefits, and holiday pay.
Bail granted for Shasheendra Rajapaksa
Lankadeepa, Divaina, Dinamina Colombo Chief Magistrate Asanka S. Bodaragama, yesterday (14th), ordered former State Minister Shasheendra Rajapaksa, who was arrested by the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC) on corruption charges and held in remand custody, be granted bail under strict conditions. Considering the bail application made by President’s Counsel Anuja Premaratne, who stated that his client had been held in remand custody for over 70 days and was suffering from severe illnesses, the magistrate ordered the release of the suspect on a cash bail of Rs. 50,000 and three surety bails of Rs. 2 million each. |
Manusha Nanayakkara’s anticipatory bail request dismissedDivaina, Dinamina, Aruna
Colombo Chief Magistrate Asanka S. Bodaragama, yesterday (14th), rejected the anticipatory bail application filed by former Minister Manusha Nanayakkara requesting to be released on anticipatory bail, claiming that the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC) was preparing to arrest him. The Chief Magistrate rejected the application, stating that it did not contain sufficient grounds to prove that the CIABOC was preparing to illegally arrest the petitioner. The attorney who requested anticipatory bail on behalf of Nanayakkara informed the court that his client would appear before the CIABOC today (15th) to provide a statement.
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Cabinet approval granted to import Ponni Samba
Dinamina, Aruna
Cabinet Spokesperson Minister Nalinda Jayatissa stated that cabinet approval has been granted to import Ponni Samba rice (GR 11), which is considered a substitute for Keeri Samba rice.
The minister made the statement at the cabinet media briefing held yesterday (14th) at the Department of Government Information.
Accordingly, the minister added that the cabinet approval was granted for a joint proposal presented by the Minister of Agriculture, Livestock, Land and Irrigation K.D. Lalkantha, and the Minister of Trade, Commerce, Food Security and Cooperative Development Wasantha Samarasinghe, based on the recommendations of the Food Policy and Security Committee, to exempt the importation of Ponni Samba rice from the requirement of obtaining import control licenses.
COMMON PRIORITIES: SINHALA & TAMIL PRESS |
Photo credits: Sri Lanka Mirror
Ishara Sewwandi fled the country on a boat from Jaffna: the passports were made using a dummy; has stayed in India for three weeks and fled to Nepal; has spent Rs. 7 million to flee the country; was caught in a flat in Kathmandu; six caught through Olugala’s mission
Lankadeepa, Divaina, Mawbima, Dinamina, Aruna, Virakesari, Thinakaran, Thinakkural, Thamilan
Following a joint operation conducted by the Sri Lanka Police and the Nepal Police in three locations approximately 15 km from Kathmandu, Nepal, six Sri Lankan suspects, including Ishara Sewwandi, who is linked to the murder of underworld figure ‘Ganemulla Sanjeewa’, are scheduled to be brought back to the country today (15th) or tomorrow (16th).
Two officers from the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) are scheduled to leave for Kathmandu, Nepal, today (15th) to bring these suspects back to Sri Lanka.
The arrests were the result of an operation led in Nepal by a team headed by Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Olugala in collaboration with the Nepalese Police.
Reportedly, another woman who had been among the arrested suspects closely resembles Ishara Sewwandi.
Excluding Ishara and the said woman, the other arrested suspects include two residents of Jaffna.
The remaining two suspects are residents of Colombo and Gampaha.
It is stated that they are accomplices of the notorious underworld figure ‘Kehelbaddara Padme’.
It has also been revealed that they are involved in a drug network.
The CID believes that the female suspect who resembles Ishara Sewwandi is important for the investigation and that much information will be revealed after questioning her upon her arrival in the country.
Lankadeepa highlighted in their headline that Sewwandi had spent Rs. 7 million to flee the country, while Aruna, in their headline, highlighted that ‘Kehelbaddara Padme’ had given Rs. 6.5 million to Sewwandi in order to flee the country.
She had reportedly fled the country via boat to India and proceeded to flee to Nepal after staying in India for three weeks.
Sewwandi had also forged passports under the name of a look-alike in order to flee to Europe.
No change in the electricity bill – PUCSL decides
Lankadeepa, Divaina, Mawbima, Dinamina, Aruna, Virakesari, Thinakaran, Thinakkural, Thamilan
The Public Utilities Commission of Sri Lanka (PUCSL) has decided not to increase the electricity bill for the next three months.
Accordingly, Chair of the PUCSL Prof. K.P.L. Chandralal stated that the current electricity tariff will continue to remain in effect.
Chandralal made this statement at a media briefing held yesterday (14th) morning to announce the final decision regarding the revision of electricity tariffs.
The request for the tariff increase was included in a proposal submitted to the PUCSL last September, and the request was made with the aim of covering an expected deficit during the period from October to December.
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Common priorities: Additional stories
1. Prime Minister Harini Amarasuriya meets Chinese President Xi Jinping – Lankadeepa, Divaina, Mawbima, Dinamina, Virakesari, Thinakaran, Thinakkural, Thamilan
2. Former Navy Commander Ulugetenne granted bail – Lankadeepa, Mawbima, Dinamina, Virakesari
3. “There’s no reason or necessity for me to construct a building in Kataragama” | “The building complex in Kataragama does not belong to me” – Gotabaya Rajapaksa – Divaina, Mawbima, Thinakkural, Thamilan
4. “Underworld figure ‘Bus Laliya’ with allegations concerning 10 homicides against him and was caught in Dubai to be brought to Sri Lanka soon” – IGP – Divaina, Dinamina, Aruna, Thinakaran, Thamilan
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