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Minister challenges Opp. Leader to come clean on container clearance issue

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“People like Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa, who protect thieves, do not understand the value of public trust. Only we know its value. We challenge those who accused us of container clearance to come forward and file a proper complaint,” Transport, Highways, Ports and Civil Aviation Minister Bimal Ratnayake said.

Speaking to the media yesterday (30), he stated that the Customs Department has issued a statement saying that there was no clearance of Governor Hanif Yusuf’s or any of his company’s containers.

“We challenge Sajith Premadasa of the Samagi Jana Balawegaya to file a proper complaint if he can, as it was his MPs who accused Governor Hanif Yusuf.”

“We are saying, if you have any accusations against us, make them properly. Do not spread rumours.Do not say it was on social media or Facebook. Make a direct accusation.”

Meanwhile Customs Media spokesperson Seevali Arukgoda at a press conference yesterday stated that the questioned containers were cleared on January 18, 2025, and it was done under a post-clearance audit without any external influence. He added, “By that morning, around 2900 containers had accumulated in the port.”

Arukgoda further emphasised, “Among these, 2800 containers had been delayed for 7-8 days due to a lack of lorries for transport. The committee reviewed the relevant documents and released the containers under post-clearance audit. No external influence was involved and the committee acted according to the guidelines provided by senior management.”

The questioned containers mainly contained raw materials needed for industries. Media reports claimed that the release was done for a single organization due to political connections, but these allegations are entirely false. None of the containers belonging to that organization were cleared without inspection.

Arukgoda further addressed the accusations by saying, “There were accusations that the containers might contain weapons, gold, or drugs. However, in my 35 years of service, including during the LTTE war, no weapons have been smuggled through containers. There have been no previous instances of gold smuggling through containers, and the majority of the successful drug seizures done by Sri Lanka Customs were based on received intelligence.”

(dailynews.lk)
(Except for the headline, this story, originally published by dailynews.lk has not been edited by SLM staff)

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COVID subvariants spreading in Asia detected in Sri Lanka

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The Medical Research Institute of Sri Lanka has confirmed that the COVID-19 variant currently spreading in the Asian region has also been identified in the country.

Dr. Jude Jayamaha, a specialist in viral diseases at the Medical Research Institute, stated that patients infected with the Omicron subvariants LF.7 and XFG are being reported locally.

Dr. Jayamaha explained that this finding was confirmed through research conducted on biological samples collected from several hospitals across the island.

However, he emphasized that there is no need for undue fear regarding these COVID-19 variants.

Health authorities have also stressed the importance of vulnerable groups—such as pregnant mothers, the elderly, and those with chronic illnesses—following health guidelines, including wearing face masks and avoiding crowded places.

Dr. Jayamaha reiterated that new COVID-19 variants emerge periodically, and health authorities are continuously monitoring the situation, so the public should remain calm.

(newswire.lk)

(This story, originally published by newswire.lk has not been edited by SLM staff)

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Anudi misses out from Miss World Quarter-Finals

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The Miss World organization has announced its quarter-finalists, selecting 40 contestants from across Asia, Europe, Africa, and the Americas.

Sri Lanka’s Anudi Gunasekara, was not selected in the top 40, despite being recognized for her impressive performances in the Multimedia and Head-to-Head challenges.

The top 40 consisted of 10 contestants each from Asia & Oceania, Europe, Africa and the Americas.

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Fuel prices unchanged

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The Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC) announced that there will be no revision of fuel prices for the month of June 2025.

Accordingly, all fuel prices will remain unchanged for June, it said.  

Existing fuel prices (per litre):

Auto Diesel – Rs. 274
Super Diesel – Rs. 325
Petrol 92 Octane – Rs. 293
Petrol 95 Octane – Rs. 341
Kerosene – Rs. 178

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