News
Papal Conclave begins as Catholics await new Shepherd
The ancient ritual to choose the 267th Pope of the Roman Catholic Church commenced yesterday within the hallowed, frescoed walls of the Sistine Chapel. One hundred and thirty-three Cardinals, representing 70 countries, are now cloistered in prayer and contemplation, tasked with selecting a successor to Pope Francis, who passed away on Easter Monday at the age of 88.
According to Canon Law, any baptised Catholic male is technically eligible to be elected Pope. But for centuries, it has remained the privilege of the College of Cardinals to choose one from among their own—and this Conclave will be no exception.
The solemn proceedings began with a Holy Mass at St. Peter’s Basilica, led by Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, Dean of the College of Cardinals. From there, the Cardinals walked to the Sistine Chapel, where they took a sacred oath of secrecy. Then came the time-honoured declaration from the Master of Liturgical Celebrations, “Extra omnes” Latin for “everyone out.” From that moment, the Cardinals were cut off from the outside world, their only task: to discern the will of the Holy Spirit and elect the next Pope.
The Vatican guesthouse, now serves as their temporary home.
Yet despite sharing walls and faith, many of the Cardinals barely know each other – more than 80 percent of the electors were appointed by Pope Francis himself over the last decade. Since the pontiff’s death, the Cardinals have gathered not only to mourn but also to mingle, to talk, to get to know each other.
Amid the swirl of speculation, one name continues to rise above the rest: Cardinal Pietro Parolin. As the Vatican’s Secretary of State and a seasoned diplomat, Parolin is a trusted lieutenant of Pope Francis and known to most of the electors, thanks to his global travels on behalf of the Holy See. Though he may lack the popular touch of his predecessor, his deep knowledge of Church governance and steady hand in diplomacy have made him a frontrunner.
Yet, if charisma is the currency, then few can rival Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle of the Philippines—dubbed the “Asian Francis.” A man whose ministry has been forged not in marble halls but in Manila’s dusty alleyways, Tagle once rode public buses as Bishop of Imus and shared humble meals with the poor. His rise would mark a shift toward the Global South and a Church that, as he puts it, “listens more, judges less, and walks with the broken.”
The Sistine Chapel now waits for white smoke. The world watches and prays. We may not know who will be the next Pope, but it is safe to guess whoever who emerges on the balcony after ‘Habemus papam’ echoes around St. Peter’s Square, will chose the name Francis II, as a mark of respect to his predecessor over other popular Papal names like Benedict, John, Gregory and Clement.
by Rex Clementine
Representatives from the ’The Ceylon Chamber of Commerce’ met with Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya on Wednesday [24th of June] at the Parliament premises.
During the meeting, discussions focused on the Sri Lanka Economic and Investment Summit 2026 (SLEIS 2026), which is scheduled to be held on 12 and 13 October 2026. Attention was also given to digitalization initiatives, the introduction of digital technologies in schools under new education reforms, and the transformative role of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Sri Lanka’s education sector.
Representatives of the Chamber noted that the summit would serve as an important platform for encouraging both local and foreign investment, while also contributing to the shaping of the country’s future economic policies.
The meeting was attended by Krishan Balendra, Chairman of The Ceylon Chamber of Commerce; Vinod Hirdaramani, Deputy Vice Chairman; Shiran Fernando, Secretary General and Chief Executive Officer; Aliki Perera, Deputy Secretary General and Chief Operating Officer; and Anagi Rodrigo-Weerasekera, Chief Economist and Head of Economic Intelligence, along with several other representatives.
[Prime Minister’s Media Division]
A discussion to review the progress of the housing project under which 4,700 houses are being constructed for the Malayagam community with Indian assistance was held this afternoon (24) at the Presidential Secretariat under the chairmanship of the Chief of Staff to the President, Prabath Chandrakeerthi.
Under this housing programme, 2,026 houses are to be provided to families identified by the National Building Research Institute (NBRI) as being at disaster risk. The remaining houses are expected to be allocated to eligible workers residing in the plantation sector.
Accordingly, the houses will be provided to Malayagam community families living on estates belonging to 22 Regional Plantation Companies, as well as estates under the State Plantations Corporation, Janawasama and Elkaduwa Plantations.
For the construction of each house, the Government of India has allocated Rs. 2.8 million, while the Government of Sri Lanka has contributed Rs. 400,000.
During the discussion, Chandrakeerthi instructed officials to ensure that the housing project is completed before the end of this year. He further directed that land identified for the construction of houses be released without delay and that the National Building Research Institute provide the necessary reports to identify suitable land for the project.
The housing project is being implemented jointly by the Ministry of Plantation and Community Infrastructure, the National Housing Development Authority, the State Engineering Corporation and the Plantation Human Development Trust.
Among those present were Additional Secretary (Development) of the Ministry of Plantation and Community Infrastructure, K. S. Wijayakeerthi; Director General (Engineering), N. D. N. Pushpakumara; Director General (Planning), W. A. K. S. Damayanthi; the Secretary General of the Planters’ Association; and officials from the National Housing Development Authority, the State Engineering Corporation, relevant institutions and plantation companies.
(PMD)
It has been reported that Attorney at Law Rakitha Rajapakshe, the son of former Minister of Justice Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe, has been arrested by the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC) over alleged links with the underworld.
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