News

Foreign Ministers to gather in Colombo next week

Published

2 years ago

October 6, 2023

editor

A number of Foreign Ministers are scheduled to arrive in Sri Lanka next week to attend the Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA) hosted by Sri Lanka.

Ministers of Foreign Affairs of the IORA as well as other senior Ministers of IORA Member States and Dialogue Partners will arrive in Sri Lanka next week for the 23rd IORA Council of Ministers which Sri Lanka is hosting on October 11 in Colombo.

The Council of Ministers meeting in Colombo will see the participation of 16 Ministers including the Foreign Ministers of Bangladesh, India, Iran, Mauritius, Malaysia and South Africa.

Meanwhile, other ministers and senior level delegates will participate from Australia, Comoros, France, Indonesia, Kenya, Madagascar, Maldives, Mozambique, Oman, Seychelles, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Somalia, Tanzania, Thailand, United Arab Emirates and Yemen (member countries) and from China, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Germany, Italy, Japan, Republic of Korea, Russian Federation, Türkiye, United Kingdom and United States of America (dialogue partners).

Foreign Minister Ali Sabry will chair the Council when the current Chair, Foreign Minister of Bangladesh will hand over the chairmanship to the Foreign Minister of Sri Lanka.

The Council of Ministers is the highest decision making body of IORA.

The Council will be preceded by the 25th meeting of the Committee of IORA Senior Officials (October 9-10) which will be chaired by Foreign Secretary Aruni Wijewardane.

Today, IORA’s membership has expanded to 23 Member States and 11 Dialogue Partners. Sri Lanka will assume the chairmanship of IORA for the period 2023 to 2025 at the 23rd Council of Ministers’ Meeting.

The Secretary General of the Indian Ocean Rim Association Dr. Salman Al Farisi and the directors of the IORA Secretariat in Mauritius will also participate in the meeting.

The visiting Ministers will also make a collective call on President Ranil Wickremesinghe and hold bilateral discussions with their Sri Lankan counterpart Foreign Minister Ali Sabry as well as with other Ministers, during their stay in Sri Lanka.

News

Thushara Upuldeniya granted bail

Published

14 minutes ago

July 9, 2025

editor

The Colombo Magistrate’s Court has granted bail to suspended Prisons Commissioner General Thushara Upuldeniya.

Upuldeniya was previously remanded over allegations of facilitating the unlawful release of an inmate from Anuradhapura Prison under the guise of a presidential amnesty.

News

Wimal appears before CID

Published

28 minutes ago

July 9, 2025

editor

National Freedom Front (NFF) leader and former MP Wimal Weerawansa appeared before the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) to provide a statement regarding remarks he made about a shipment of 323 containers linked to a provincial governor.

He was summoned to record a statement in connection with multiple complaints received over his comments made during a media briefing on January 29.

Following his remarks, Western Province Governor – Hanif Yusoof lodged a complaint with the CID on January 30, claiming he was targeted through social media posts.

Police said that several other parties have also filed complaints related to the same incident.

News

Neurosurgeon’s daughter granted bail

Published

31 minutes ago

July 9, 2025

editor

The Colombo Magistrate’s Court has ordered the release on bail of Hemali Wijerathna, daughter of Dr. Maheshi Surasinghe Wijerathna, a consultant neurosurgeon at the Sri Jayawardenapura General Hospital, who is currently in remand custody.

Colombo Chief Magistrate – Tanuja Lakmali Jayatunga ordered that the suspect be released on a personal bail of Rs.500,000.

She was arrested by the Keselwatta Police and produced before court.

Meanwhile, the case filed by the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC) against her for allegedly threatening CIABOC officers is scheduled to be taken up again today (July 09).