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Japan – SL sign Exchange of Notes for JDS scholarship

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Yesterday (July 02), the Foreign Ministers of Japan and Sri Lanka Kamikawa Yoko and Ali Sabry, signed the Exchange of Notes for Human Resource Development Scholarship (known as JDS) in Tokyo during his official visit to Japan, marking a new milestone for JDS in Sri Lanka.


Through the Exchange of Notes, the Government of Japan has provided a grant aid worth approximately Rs.578 million (304 million Japanese Yen) for this project. This project aims to train young promising administrative officers in the public sector at various universities in Japan and develop their knowledge and skills in order to qualify them as future national leaders in their respective fields. Under the project, 17 public sector officials will be sent to pursue a 2 to 3 year Master’s or PhD degree programs commencing in 2025. Their research areas include Public Policy, Macroeconomics, Public Finance and Investment Management, Industry Development Policy and Investment Promotion, and Urban and Regional Development.

Since its inception in 2010, JDS project has supported 222 public sector officials from Sri Lanka. The project will contribute not only to enhancing individual capacities but also to improving institutional capacity of the public sector, thereby supporting healthy and sustainable development of Sri Lanka. We sincerely hope that JDS fellows will play indispensable roles in navigating Sri Lanka’s administration towards full-scale economic growth that we all anticipate coming following the recent agreement on the debt restructuring with the official creditors.

‘JDS fellows are also expected to further solidify the foundations of the bilateral relations with Japan as a bridge between both countries by utilizing their human network developed through academic and social activities while in Japan. In this regard, we welcome the launch of the JDS Alumni Association by the JDS returnees in March this year. We have high hopes for the JDS Alumni Association to facilitate the sharing of knowledge they gained in Japan and encourage collaboration among relevant ministries and agencies, thereby promoting ingenuity in overcoming various difficulties and in ultimately achieving Sri Lanka’s prosperous development. We also hope that the JDS Alumni Association will serve as a vital hub for strengthening our bilateral relations,’ a statement issued by the Japanese embassy in Sri Lanka notes.

It adds that with the signing of the Exchange of Note, the commitment to JDS is renewed with the hope of energizing and solidifying the bilateral cooperation between the two countries.

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Passengers jump from plane’s wing after fire alert on Spain flight, triggers panic

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Wildfires have broken out on an island and in towns near Athens in Greece, with blazes also being sparked in Turkey and Syria.

The Hellenic Fire Service and local authorities said that two villages – Tsakeoi and Limnionas – had been evacuated on the island of Evia after the blaze started late on Friday.

One fire service official said more than 160 firefighters, 46 trucks and five aircraft were deployed in southern Evia to put out the fire.

Southern Evia, to the east of Athens, was one of several regions in Greece placed on high alert for wildfires over gale-force winds forecast for today.

Images from Koropi, a town to the southwest of Athens, also show houses burnt down and helicopters dropping water on burning forests.

It marks the latest wildfires to break out in Greece – where blazes are common during the summer – as it tackles strong winds and dry conditions amid an early summer heatwave in southern Europe.

Officials have linked the conditions to at least nine deaths across the continent.

A wildfire broke out in Achlia on the island of Crete on Wednesday, forcing thousands of residents and tourists to evacuate – with some taken to a nearby basketball arena and hotels in safer parts of the island.

The fire service official told Reuters on Friday that the fire in Crete was largely contained.

Meanwhile, blazes have also broken out on Turkey’s west coast – the latest in a series of blazes which started in late June – as well as its southerly neighbour Syria.

At least five fires have been reported in Izmir after extreme heat, strong winds and low humidity. Two people have been killed by the blazes, while tens of thousands have been evacuated.

Fires also flared on both sides of the Turkish-Syrian border on Friday, with a new blaze reported near the town of Dortyol in Turkey’s border province of Hatay.

According to Syria’s Civil Defence, wildfires have spread across large parts of mountainous areas in the Latakia province.

The government department added that conditions have hampered efforts to bring the fire under control, and noted unexploded ordnance could be in some of the areas affected.

Source: SKY NEWS

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CBSL extends Perpetual Treasuries suspension for six months

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The Central Bank of Sri Lanka (CBSL) has decided to extend the suspension of Perpetual Treasuries Limited (PTL) from carrying on the business and activities of a Primary Dealer for a further period of six months.

The extension is with effect from 4.30 p.m. on 05th July 2025, in order to continue the investigations being conducted by the Central Bank of Sri Lanka.

The suspension has been extended by CBSL acting in terms of the Regulations made under the Registered Stock and Securities Ordinance and the Local Treasury Bills Ordinance.

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Kataragama Basnayake Nilame pressured over complaint against Kapuwas’ donation misuse

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It has been reported that Dishan Wickramaratne Gunasekara – the Basnayake Nilame of the historic Ruhunu Kataragama Maha Devalaya, is facing pressure including from several parties including political circles to withdraw his complaint lodged against the custodians (Kapu Mahattaya) of the devalaya.

The issue had arisen after it was discovered that some custodians were collecting money into their own tills instead of allowing them to be deposited in the official donation box.

Public discussion about the transparency of the temple’s donations intensified after the Basnayake Nilame had begun using a portion of the funds for community projects like hospital construction.

Traditionally, devotees often handed donations directly to the custodians, but the Basnayake Nilame had urged the public via media to place offerings only in the official donation box managed by the Ministry of Buddha Sasana, Religious and Cultural Affairs.

He subsequently arranged a proper audit of all such donations for the first time.

In response, some custodians had reportedly begun pressuring devotees near the official box to hand over donations to them instead.

Upon learning of this, the Basnayake Nilame had lodged a complaint with the Kataragama Police, arguing that diverting funds from the official box amounts to fraudulent misappropriation.

Acting on the complaint, police arrested 02 custodians who were collecting offerings near the official box.

However, other custodians then surrounded the police station and pressured the officers to release the arrested individuals, resulting in their release.

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