The Fort Magistrate’s Court has granted bail to Duminda Nagamuwa, Secretary of Frontline Socialist Party, Joseph Stalin, Secretary of Sri Lanka Teachers Union, Father Jeevantha Peiris and Nalin Gunawardena, who were accused of forcibly entering the Presidential Palace.
They have been released on bail on personal bail of Rs 05 lakh each.
The interim budget report prepared by revising the adopted budget for the year 2023 is to be submitted to the Parliament on August 31. It is reported that President Ranil Wickremesinghe will present the interim budget to Parliament as the Minister of Finance.
After the presentation of the budget, 03 days have been reserved for the debate on the budget report. Accordingly, the budget debate will be held on September 01, 02, 03.
Reuters reports that former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s return to Sri Lanka will be delayed by another two weeks.
Earlier, the former president’s close friends had told the media that he would come to the island on the 24th. However, it was later reported that his arrival would be delayed.
Reuters reports that Rajapaksa is ready to come to the island in the first week of next September and further states that if his security is confirmed, he will come to Sri Lanka even before then.
Reuters reports that the cost of living in Thailand has led to the ex-president’s trip to Sri Lanka hastening.
The Ministry of Finance has informed the Examinations Department of Sri Lanka not to hold any examination for public service recruitment. Apart from this, it has been notified to suspend the results of the recent recruitment competitive exams.
Due to the current financial crisis, the payment of salaries of public servants has also gone into crisis and due to this, the government is engaged in an effort to reduce the number of public servants.
The Ministry of Education says that due to this decision, it has not been possible to release the results of the examination for the selection of aesthetic subjects, home economics and English teachers for public schools held last February. The education authorities say that the examination department has not yet been notified to release the results as the recruitments have to be done if the results of the relevant examination are released.
According to this year’s budget proposals, the recruitment of government employees has been suspended.
It has been a year since Mangala Samaraweera, who was a revolutionary in Sri Lankan politics, passed away. Mangala Samaraweera passed away on August 24 last year due to being infected with Covid.
A special event has been organized in Matara tomorrow (26) to commemorate the first year. The Mathaka Mangala commemoration ceremony has been arranged to be held that day at 03:00 pm at the Old Holland Trade Center, Nupe, Matara.
There, a discussion will be held involving Professor Rohan Samarajeeva and Shehan Maleka Gamage and it will be moderated by Randula de Silva.
A feature related to Anushka Udana (Wasthi Production) has also been included.
Today and tomorrow, a special almsgiving will be held at the Bolgoda house for the first year.
A letter has been sent to US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken and USAID head Samantha Power asking them to take necessary measures against the repressive laws in force in Sri Lanka. 10 US Congressmen have signed this letter.
Pointing out that the right of citizens to protest must be protected and the use of violence against peaceful protesters and journalists must be immediately stopped, the Congressmen request the Secretary of State and the head of USAID to put pressure on the Government of Sri Lanka through all possible means.
The Congressmen emphasize that all possible measures should be taken to stabilize Sri Lanka and immediate steps should be taken to provide relief to the Sri Lankan people through USAID.
The Ministry of Finance has issued an announcement suspending the import of over 300 items. President Ranil Wickremesinghe as the Minister of Finance has signed this announcement.
According to this decision, the import of the relevant goods will be implemented from August 23.
A person who stole 03 kg of rice and some other items has been arrested by the Borella police. The arrest was made based on a tip given by the security guards of the store.
The suspect, a resident of Dehiwala area, has told the Police that his two children have been starving without food for 04 days. Further, he has mentioned that these items were stolen to quench their hunger.
It is reported that the sub-inspector who investigated this incident has reimbursed the value of the relevant goods and released the suspect.
Due to the economic crisis that has ensued in the country, the prices of essential commodities including food have risen to a level that the ordinary people can no longer afford and due to this, such thefts are reported daily.
OV
As the Political sources say, the former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, who is currently staying in Thailand, is ready to come to Sri Lanka in early September.
Mr. Rajapaksa’s nearby ones had previously announced that he would be coming to Sri Lanka tomorrow(24). Therefore, a group of the members of the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) were ready to make the welcoming of the former President at the Bandaranaike International Airport.
However,it was later reported that the arrival of the former President has been delayed by two weeks.
The security of the former President and his family members has been considered these days and the Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka (HRCSL) had informed President Ranil Wickremesinghe in a letter to urgently consider providing the security and the facilities for the former President.
OV
The issuance of fuel for stations is being restricted on a daily basis all over the island, leading to a potential reemergence of fuel queues in the future, revealed the Petroleum Distributors’ Association.
Following the implementation of the QR Code system for fuel issuance, the fuel queues ended and now there are no queues at any station. With the implementation of the national fuel pass system there is a clear decline in the number of people coming for fuel, stations owners said.
As of now, the daily issuance of fuel has been restricted, and it would be problematic as the stations belonging to the Indian Oil Company (LIOC) are receiving fuel without any shortage but those of the Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CEYPETCO) are not, the Union pointed out.
MIAP