29 April 2025 | Vol. 11, #71

DIFFERENT PRIORITIES IN THE SINHALA AND TAMIL PRESS

Virakesari:  “How did the President know what I told the commission?” – Former President Ranil questions Bribery Commission officers | “Prove the allegations” – SLPP General Secretary Sagara Kariyawasam | Bomb scare at Russian Embassy in Colombo: Security forces deployed for search operation | Former President Ranil Wickremesinghe records three-hour statement at Bribery Commission | CA dismisses Prasanna Ranaweera’s writ petition | Five sentenced to death, two given life imprisonment for murder of Mattakkuliya youth | “No statement has been taken from me regarding the incident” – Maithripala Sirisena testifies in attempted murder case against him

Thinakaran: Former Uva Province Chief Secretary arrested for 2021 Chinese fertiliser import scam – Bribery Commission steps in | “Three former ministers to be arrested soon” – President Anura Kumara Dissanayake | Senior journalist P. Krishnasamy passes away | Presidential Secretariat informs five former presidents to return extra vehicles by the deadline | Postal voting ends today | New Pope to be elected; Official ceremony begins on May 7: Vatican announces | 331 people arrested with drugs in special operation | Protest demanding justice for Sivaram and Rajeev Varman’s commemoration

Thinakkural: Bomb threat at Russian Embassy? Laptop sparks major stir | “How did the President know what I told the commission?” – Former President Ranil questions CIABOC investigators: expresses doubt over justice in investigation | “Ranil and Sajith have a chance to become President in another world” – PM Harini says this government will not fall | “Since we fought against the LTTE, fighting this government is no big deal for us” – Udaya Gammanpila | “Two years for Gota, six months for JVP” – Sumanthiran | Ex-President Chandrika [Bandaranaike Kumaratunga] lodged a complaint

Thamilan: “One-third of the people are poor, says World Bank” – Opposition Leader Sajith [Premadasa] accuses government for lying about economic progress | Prasanna Ranaweera’s writ petition rejected | Chandrika files complaint over campaigning without official permission | 606 tons of waste pile up in Kandy city – Crisis in disposal operations | Today set as a special day for ballot card distribution

Lankadeepa: Rs. 1.3 billion paid for a fertiliser consignment that never arrived: Uva Province Chief Secretary remanded; “the former minister and officials will be brought to court” – CIABOC | Sri Lanka gets in the way of two proposals from India; “We will not allow proposals that harm the country; no need for the Rameshwaram – Colombo bridge and the Mannar – Trincomalee highway” (Sic.) – Vijitha Herath

Divaina: Former Additional Secretary of the State Ministry of Agriculture remanded over a substandard fertiliser incident during Gotabaya’s tenure

Ada: Former Additional Secretary of Agriculture remanded over the incident concerning the Chinese fertiliser consignment; allegations that the government incurred a loss of Rs. 6.9 million by his issuance of orders to reopen the halted letters of credit; revelations that the suspect is working as the Secretary of the Uva Province

Mawbima: CIABOC reveals investigations into the Chinese fertiliser consignment; former Additional Secretary of Agriculture (Mahesh) Gammanpila, remanded | Government service election candidates have illegally taken the April salary – A complaint from the Ceylon Teachers’ Union; “institution heads must be held accountable if salaries were paid” – Commissioner General of Elections

Dinamina: The Chinese garbage fertiliser ship incident: Former Additional Secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture remanded | Rs. 52.9 million has been spent on Urumaya deed distributing ceremonies during Ranil’s tenure – A report from the Presidential Secretariat states

Aruna: Uva Provincial Chief Secretary remanded for making wrong decisions to import organic fertiliser during Gotabaya’s government

Anidda: This paper is published on Fridays only