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DIFFERENT PRIORITIES IN THE SINHALA AND TAMIL PRESS |
Tamil Headlines
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Virakesari: “The government has no solution; the people have realised it” – Ranil | Cardinal pays his respects to the pope Thinakaran: “We will catch the thieves in the North as well. No one who plundered people’s money can escape” – Minister Bimal Rathnayake states in Vavuniya |
Thinakkural: Is the government using underworld groups to eliminate its opponents? Who was behind the murder of Dan Priyasad? – The Podujana Peramuna raises questions Thamilan: “Many crimes committed by Pillayan! Will be revealed soon” – JVP General Secretary Tilvin Silva |
Sinhala Headlines
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Lankadeepa: The Chamara Samptha case: “The bank account was removed at the behest of the chief minister” – The lawyer of the deputy chief secretary of the Uva Province states; “This is in revenge for not giving school bags” – Legal director of the CIABOC | Rivers of people flow to Kandy: “Refrain from coming to Kandy until further notice” – Kandy divisional secretary requests Divaina: Those on visa-free travel facilities to leave India before April 27 – India informs all Pakistanis in India; time extended for those on visa for medical issues; Indian government decides to suspend the Indus Water Treaty with Pakistan; Pakistani air space closed for Indian aircrafts; Pakistan retaliates: all Indian defence advisors to leave before April 30 – Pakistan informs Indians; all trade connections halted immediately Ada: Main suspect in the Dan Priyasad murder arrested |
Mawbima: Vehicles with pilgrims to Kandy [for the Dalada exposition] stop mid way: three elderly devotees die; queues extend 10km; people inconvenienced by the halting of the special train service to Kandy; number of pilgrims who have arrived in the city exceeds 400,000 | India cuts water supply to Pakistan following Kashmir attack Dinamina: The number of people in queues increases to 400,000 per day; refrain from coming for the exposition today and tomorrow; a sticker for those who are already standing in queues; additional military troops called in – Police states Aruna: The doors of Kandy close for devotees: “No space for newcomers to visit the Dalada exposition” – SDIG of the Central Province Anidda: Requests to extend period to fulfil IMF conditions |
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TAMIL PRESS PRIORITIES |
Photo credits: Facebook
Is the government using underworld groups to eliminate its opponents? Who was behind the murder of Dan Priyasad? – The Podujana Peramuna raises questions
Thinakkural, Thamilan
The Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) stated that there is a suspicion that underworld groups are being used by the JVP to eliminate anti-government forces. Meanwhile, the party further stated that Dan Priyasad, the person who was shot dead, was involved in activities against the current government, and therefore his death is suspicious. This was stated by the party’s General Secretary Attorney-at-Law Sagara Kariyawasam, while addressing a press conference held at the SLPP headquarters in Battaramulla on Thursday (24th). He emphasised that Dan Priyasad was a local government candidate of the Podujana Peramuna and was a well-known social activist against corruption and fraud, and that there are some reasons to be suspicious about his murder.
“We will catch the thieves in the North as well. No one who plundered people’s money can escape” – Minister Bimal
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“Confiscate Ibrahim’s properties. Compensation should be paid to the victims” – Champika Ranawaka
Virakesari “Several Muslim youths arrested on suspicion following the Easter Sunday bombings are still in prison. Ibrahim, the father of the two main bombers, is out. His properties should be confiscated, and compensation should be paid to the victims of the bombings”, stated Leader of the United Republican Front and former MP Patali Champika Ranawaka. He made the above remarks while addressing a public meeting held in Colombo. He further stated that Archbishop Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith warned the government that the main mastermind of the bombings should be announced before April 21 or else they would take to the streets. Thereafter, the president had stated that the main mastermind would be announced before April 21; however the president did not announce anything on April 21, and the people were deceived, he noted. |
“Many crimes committed by Pillayan! Will be revealed soon” – JVP General Secretary Tilvin Silva
Thamilan
General Secretary of the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) Tilvin Silva stated that Pillayan has been arrested on charges of kidnapping and abducting a former chancellor of the Eastern University, for which there is evidence, and that Pillayan did not commit this crime only but committed murders during his association with the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam and after that had committed various murders for various reasons and was involved in other crimes as well. He made this statement while participating in a mega rally held in Bandarawela yesterday (24th). He continued by saying that they have never lied and that they have only said what they can do. He clarified that although a big campaign was carried out during the election period that there would be political revenge that would cause great chaos in the country if the NPP came to power, nothing like that has happened so far.
SINHALA PRESS PRIORITIES |
Photo credits: Newsfirst.lk
Puttalam candidate caught with 85 ballot papers
Mawbima, Dinamina, Anidda
A candidate from the Sarva Jana Balaya Party contesting for the Puttalam Municipal Council was arrested yesterday (24th) with 85 ballot papers in her possession. The police stated that the ballot papers, issued by the Puttalam returning officer for the local government election, were found in the suspect’s possession during a joint raid conducted by the assistant election commissioner of Puttalam and the police in the Rathmalyaya area. It was revealed that the ballot papers were allegedly handed over to the suspect by a postal worker, who is now believed to have fled the area.
Dalada exposition to take place every year: A proposition from the governor of Kandy
Lankadeepa, Dinamina Governor of the Central Province Prof. S.B.S. Abayakoon stated that he intends to discuss with the chief prelate of the Malwathu Asgiri Ubhaya Maha Viharaya and the diyawadana nilame regarding the possibility of providing the public with an opportunity to see and worship the tooth relic every year, considering the immense public participation in the Dalada exposition. Speaking to the media regarding the crisis situation that arose as hundreds of thousands of people flocked to Kandy for this year’s Dalada exposition, the governor stated that if the people were given an opportunity to attend an annual Dalada exposition this kind of situation would not have arisen. |
Rs. 21,791 million of EPF investment lost – A national audit report reveals
Dinamina A report issued by the National Audit Office states that the Employees’ Provident Fund (EPF) has not received any benefits for the amount of Rs. 21,791.88 million invested in various companies. The report states that as of December 31, 2023, the fund had not received any returns for investments in ordinary shares of 15 listed companies worth Rs. 17,401.39 million in 2023, and for investments in ordinary shares of nine listed companies worth Rs. 4,390.49 million since 2019. |
Requests to extend period to fulfil IMF conditions
Anidda
Representatives of Sri Lanka to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) have requested to extend the period given to fulfil the conditions in relation to the fourth review of the IMF Extended Fund Facility with Sri Lanka. No reports are available so far regarding what these conditions are and whether the IMF agreed to extend the given period of time.
COMMON PRIORITIES: SINHALA & TAMIL PRESS |
Photo credits: AM113/Shutterstock
April 26 declared a national day of mourning for the pope| President offers condolences at Vatican Embassy | Cardinal Ranjith pays his respects to the pope
Lankadeepa, Divaina, Ada, Mawbima, Dinamina, Aruna, Virakesari, Thinakaran, Thinakkural, Thamilan
The Government of Sri Lanka has decided to declare April 26, 2025 a National Day of Mourning in view of Pope Francis’ funeral. Issuing a statement, Secretary of the Ministry of Public Administration, Provincial Councils and Local Government S. Alokabandara stated that all state institutions and offices are informed to fly the national flag at half-mast on April 26. The Vatican announced that the pope’s funeral has been scheduled for Saturday (26th) in front of St. Peter’s Basilica.
Divaina, Ada, Dinamina, Virakesari, Thinakaran and Thinakkural report that President Anura Kumara Dissanayake expressed his condolences on the passing of His Holiness Pope Francis at the Embassy of The Vatican in Sri Lanka. The president was warmly received by the Apostolic Nuncio to the Vatican in Sri Lanka His Eminence Archbishop Brian N. Udaigwe.
Lankadeepa, Ada, Mawbima and Virakesari report that the Archbishop of Colombo His Eminence Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith, who is currently at The Vatican City to attend the funeral of the late Pope Francis, has paid his last respects to His Holiness Pope Francis.
The main suspect in the Dan Priyasad murder arrested
Lankadeepa, Divaina, Ada, Mawbima, Dinamina, Aruna, Virakesari, Thinakkural
The police stated that the main suspect in the shooting and killing of political activist Dan Priyasad was arrested in Wellampitiya yesterday (24th). The police suspect that notorious underworld kingpin Mohommad Najim Mohommad Imran alias Kanjipani Imran, who is currently taking refuge in Dubai, ordered Priyasad’s killing. A father-son duo who were imposed with a travel ban in relation to Priyasad’s murder are also reported to be missing. Dan Priyasad was fatally shot at the Laksanda Sevana Housing Complex in Wellampitiya on Tuesday (22nd) night.
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Common priorities: Additional stories
1. LG elections to be held on May 5 and 6: schools to be closed – Lankadeepa, Divaina, Ada, Mawbima, Dinamina, Anidda, Thinakkural, Thamilan
2. “Refrain from coming to Kandy until further notice” – Kandy divisional secretary requests | Four who attended the Dalada exposition have died | Kandy filled with garbage due to the Dalada exposition – Lankadeepa, Ada, Mawbima, Aruna, Anidda, Thinakkural, Thamilan
3. Man who killed and left the body of a woman in a bus stop gets death penalty – Lankadeepa, Divaina, Ada, Dinamina, Virakesari, Thinakaran
4. “The Pahalgam terrorists will be punished” – Modi | Pakistanis in India asked to leave; India cuts water supply to Pakistan following the Kashmir attack – Lankadeepa, Divaina, Mawbima, Aruna, Thinakkural
5. “Even those who voted for them have had enough of this government” – Wickremesinghe – Divaina, Ada, Dinamina, Virakesari
6. Shani Abeysekara included in the Easter attack investigation committee – Mawbima, Dinamina, Virakesari
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