News
Church leaders welcome release of parish sacristan

The Catholic Church leaders have welcomed the release of a parish sacristan on Feb. 9, a month after he was detained on the suspicion of planting a hand grenade inside his church.
Selvadore Francis Munindran and three others, including a nine-year-old child, were detained on Jan. 11 after a live grenade was found inside the All Saints Church near Colombo.
The grenade recovery and arrests happened three days ahead of the local Church’s commemoration of the 1,000th day of the 2019 Easter Sunday bombings.
Colombo Additional Magistrate Rajindra Jayasuriya ordered Munindran’s release after the government’s legal representative told the court that no criminal charges were being pressed against the suspect due to insufficient evidence.
The three other suspects in the case were released a week earlier.
Malcolm Cardinal Ranjith had protested the arrests of “innocent people” in the case and even boycotted the official Independence Day celebration. He also met Munindran while he was under detention on Feb. 4.
Church officials say police arrested those who reported the crime than identifying the real culprits.
Munindran was instrumental in preventing a blast at the church, said Father Jude Chrisantha, the archdiocesan director of mass communication.
“He is a gentleman and the Cardinal Ranjith had visited him to express the Church’s gratitude to him,” he said.
Neville Abeyratne, the President’s counsel and attorney-at-law said that although it was initially reported that the hand grenade was planted by church workers, their innocence had now been confirmed.
“There is no need for the Catholic church or the cardinal to keep a bomb in the church,” he said.
Abeyratne called for further investigations to uncover the truth behind the incident and the arrests of the real culprits behind it.
He said the incident reveals “a dangerous situation that raises serious suspicions” because the grenade was found near the residence of Cardinal Ranjith.
The Catholic Church, led by Cardinal Ranjith, has been highly critical of the manner in which the Sri Lankan government went about the investigations into the Easter bombings and the conspiracy behind them.
Nuwan Fernando, a Catholic businessman from Colombo, pointed out that the grenade incident had come days after Cardinal Ranjith had hinted at the possibility of another politically motivated attack.
“We believe that politicians wanted to create a misleading story but God prevented it from happening,” said Fernando who was present at a rally marking the 1,000th day of the Easter Sunday bombings. (UCAN)
News
Turkish Naval Ship TCG BÜYÜKADA departs island concluding her visit

The Turkish Naval Ship TCG BÜYÜKADA which arrived in Sri Lanka on a formal visit, departed the island on 18 Jun 25.
The Sri Lanka Navy bade customary farewell to the departing
ship at the Port of Colombo, following naval traditions. Upon leaving, the Turkish Naval Ship engaged in a successful Passage Exercise (PASSEX) with SLNS Gajabahu in Colombo seas. The PASSEX involved training exercises in communication and tactical maneuvering, concluding with the traditional cheer ship salute.
Meanwhile, the Ambassador of the Republic of Turkey to Sri Lanka, Semih Lütfü Turgut, accompanied by the Commanding Officer of the visiting ship, Lieutenant Commander Anil
BİLGİN met with the Commander of the Navy, Vice Admiral Kanchana Banagoda at the Navy Headquarters on 13 Jun 25. The cordial discussion mainly focused on several matters of
bilateral importance and it importance of the occasion.
During her stay in Colombo, crew members of TCG BÜYÜKADA took part in several programmes including sporting events organized by the Sri Lanka Navy, aimed at enhancing mutual cooperation. In addition, they also explored some tourist attractions in the island.
Further, personnel of Sri Lanka Navy had the opportunity to visit the Turkish Naval Ship gaining insights into the ship’s operational capabilities.
Meanwhile, the enhanced cooperation and interoperability fostered through this nature of port calls made by foreign naval ships will provide a strong foundation for the Sri Lanka Navy to
collectively and effectively respond to emerging trends and challenges in the maritime fraternity.
News
Students of Nittambuwa Sanghabodhi National School visit President’s House

A group of students from Nittambuwa Sanghabodhi National School visited the Presidential Secretariat and the President’s House on Wednesday (18).
The visit was facilitated under the ‘Vision’ programme series, a collaborative initiative for schoolchildren organised by the Presidential Secretariat, the Ministry of Education and the Department of Communication of the Parliament of Sri Lanka.
As part of the visit, the students toured the Old Parliament building located within the Presidential Secretariat and received a briefing on the history of parliamentary democracy in Sri Lanka.
The students and teaching staff were also briefed on the Clean Sri Lanka initiative, spearheaded by President Anura Kumara Disanayake, as well as on the functions of the executive branch and the importance of the rule of law.
To symbolically emphasise the importance of environmental preservation, K.M.N. Kumarasinghe, Senior Additional Secretary to the President, presented the school with a valuable plant sapling.
Among those in attendance were Colonel Dhananjaya Senarath, Deputy Director of the Tri-Forces Security Operations Coordinating Unit; N.A.L. Wijerathna, Principal of Nittambuwa Sanghabodhi National School; and members of the school’s teaching staff.
News
President commends the service of outgoing Treasury Secretary Mahinda Siriwardana

President Anura Kumara Disanayake on Wednesday (18), lauded Mahinda Siriwardana, the outgoing Secretary to the Treasury, for his exemplary service, stating that it is the responsibility of public officials to strive to prevent adverse outcomes and contribute to positive change.
The President particularly commended Mr Siriwardana’s exceptional dedication and commitment in expertly navigating the nation’s economy through the transformative period following the recent economic crisis, ultimately achieving significant economic victories for the country. President Disanayake expressed his gratitude for Mr Siriwardana’s invaluable contributions.
These remarks were made by President Disanayake at a farewell ceremony organised at the Presidential Secretariat on Wednesday (18) morning to mark Mr Siriwardana’s retirement from his post as Secretary to the Treasury.
The President highlighted the need for a new value system focused on individual merit in an era where material possessions often overshadow genuine human values. He stressed that the country requires a public service driven by humanity and empathy towards others, fulfilling its duties rather than one marred by excessive consumerism and corruption.
President Disanayake further emphasised that the public service should not be an inaccessible mechanism aloof from citizens. He underscored the importance of considering the impact of decisions on people’s lives when making policy choices. The President concluded by stating that young public officials have much to learn from the distinguished career of Mr Mahinda Siriwardana, a senior public servant with extensive experience and profound understanding.
In his address, Mr Siriwardana described his three-year tenure as Secretary to the Treasury as the most significant period of his professional life. He thanked the President for maintaining confidence in him and allowing him to continue in the position despite a change in government leadership, noting that the President’s support was a great source of strength. Mr Siriwardana added that the country might not have overcome its economic crisis without President Anura Kumara Disanayake’s faith, resilience and boundless dedication.
During the ceremony, the President also presented Mr Siriwardana with a token of appreciation for his outstanding service.
The event was attended by Dr Anil Jayantha Fernando, Minister of Labour and Deputy Minister of Economic Development; Dr Harshana Suriyapperuma, Deputy Minister of Finance and Planning; Dr Nandika Sanath Kumanayake, Secretary to the President; Dr Hans Wijayasuriya, Chief Presidential Adviser on Digital Economy; Duminda Hulangamuwa, Senior Presidential Adviser on Economic Affairs; other government officials; and family members of Mr Siriwardana, amongst other invited guests.
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