Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) General Secretary Sagara Kariyawasam has raised serious concerns regarding the circumstances surrounding the death of former SriLankan Airlines CEO Kapila Chandrasena, describing the situation as “suspicious.”&nbsp; Speaking to the media after a press briefing at the party office, Kariyawasam highlighted troubling issues related to Chandrasena’s bail and the individuals who appeared as surety signatories to secure his release. He pointed out that Chandrasena was released on bail, yet a court order was reportedly issued on 7 July for his arrest afterward.&nbsp; Furthermore, there are claims that a request has been made to keep him in remand custody until the case concludes a process that could take several years, given the prolonged nature of legal proceedings. Kariyawasam questioned the legitimacy of the sureties involved, stating, “Kapila Chandrasena was granted bail while he was in remand custody.&nbsp; The question is who found and provided these two sureties for him? It is being alleged that they are fake sureties. A person in remand custody cannot search for sureties on his own. Therefore, an immediate investigation must be conducted into who arranged these sureties.” He further suggested that the arrangement of these sureties might be linked to a larger conspiracy. “There are CCTV cameras within the court premises; this matter must be investigated. Who provided these sureties within the court complex? Were prison officials involved? Or were officials from the CIABOC behind it? There is serious public suspicion about how the Commission came to know that these two individuals were suitable sureties.” Kariyawasam called on the authorities to urgently investigate the process through which the sureties were arranged and to clarify the circumstances surrounding Chandrasena’s death. The allegations have raised questions about potential irregularities within the judicial and institutional processes involved in the case.

SLPP questions circumstances surrounding Kapila Chandrasena’s death

A US judge has ordered the release of a document purported to be a suicide note written by convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein a month before his death. A copy of the handwritten note unsealed on Wednesday mentions a months-long investigation that "found nothing", and says "it is a treat to be able to choose one's time to say goodbye". Epstein's former cellmate claims he found the note tucked into a book after Epstein tried to kill himself in July 2019. Epstein was found dead in his cell a month later. The BBC has not verified that the note was written by Epstein, and US authorities have not commented. His death, which was ruled a suicide by authorities, came as he awaited a sex-trafficking trial. The purported note was placed under seal as part of criminal proceedings involving the former cellmate, Nicholas Tartaglione, who was being held in the cell at the time while awaiting trial for four murders. Tartaglione is a former police officer convicted of quadruple murder who was at one point accused by Epstein of attacking him, which he denied. He first mentioned the note's existence last year on a podcast. A scan of the note in the court document unsealed on Wednesday shows a handwritten sentence saying, "They investigated me for month - FOUND NOTHING!!!", and mentioned years-old charges. "It is a treat to be able to choose one's time to say goodbye," the note says. "Watcha want me to do - Bust out cryin!!" it continues. "NO FUN - NOT WORTH IT." The note amounts to only seven lines of text, leaving uncertainty over its purported meaning. The US Department of Justice (DOJ) did not immediately respond to the BBC's request for comment. A DOJ spokesperson previously told NBC News in a statement that the department had not seen the note. They highlighted the DOJ's "exhaustive effort" in collecting and publicly releasing millions of other Epstein-related files in recent months. The note was accompanied by a May 2021 letter submitted to the court by John A Wieder, a former lawyer for Tartaglione. The lawyer described the note as "the original document" that federal Judge Kenneth M Karas ordered be provided to the court at that time. The New York Times had petitioned the judge in White Plains, New York, to unseal the note, arguing there was no need to keep it secret. The newspaper was also seeking other documents that the judge did not rule on. Federal prosecutors have also pushed for the note to be released, saying that there was no longer a compelling interest in keeping it under seal and that Tartaglione's public statements about the note "constitute a waiver of the need for continued sealing". In his order unsealing the note on Wednesday, Judge Karas concluded that the note "is subject to the presumption of public access". "The Court comfortably concludes that public access to the Note promotes 'a measure of accountability' as well as ensures that the public will 'have confidence in the administration of justice,'" Karas wrote. He added that the court agrees that Tartaglione's repeated public discussion of the note's contents "constitutes waiver of the attorney-client privilege as to the document" and that sealing is not justified on that basis. Security failures at the prison on the night of Epstein's death were identified in a federal report and there has been a constant stream of speculation about how he died. Source : BBC

US judge releases Jeffrey Epstein's purported suicide note

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt has announced the birth of her second child. "On May 1st, Viviana aka 'Vivi' joined our family, and our hearts instantly exploded with love," Leavitt said in a post on Instagram. "She is perfect and healthy, and her big brother is joyfully adjusting to life with his new baby sister. We are enjoying every moment in our blissful newborn bubble," she said. Leavitt has served as press secretary since President Donald Trump returned to office last year. Other members of the Trump administration are expected to hold the regular briefings while Leavitt is on maternity leave. This is Leavitt's second child with husband Nicholas Riccio. Her son, Nicholas, or "Niko," will be two years old in July. Leavitt left her role as press secretary for maternity leave in April, but when the 24 April shooting at the White House Correspondents' Dinner occurred, she returned briefly once more to update the press on the situation. Earlier this week, Secretary of State Marco Rubio stood in to hold a White House briefing. He at times called the briefing "chaos" and joked about not knowing the names of reporters. It is not clear how long Leavitt will be away from the White House. Source : BBC

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt announces birth of baby girl

The Special Presidential Commission of Inquiry has officially commenced its preliminary investigations into coal procurement activities spanning from 2009 to 16 April, 2026.&nbsp; The commission was established to examine alleged irregularities and potential illegal activities associated with coal imports, electricity generation using coal, and related operations during this period. The commission is based at the 5th Floor, Magistrate’s Court Complex, Hulftsdorp Courts Complex, situated at Sanchi Arachchi Garden, Court Road, Colombo 12.&nbsp; It has called on the public and relevant institutions to submit any pertinent information or evidence related to the investigation before the deadline of May 22, 2026. Appointed by President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, the commission aims to shed light on any misconduct or irregularities in the coal procurement process that may have impacted the country’s energy sector and public resources.

Presidential Commission probing coal imports begins investigations

Millions of football fans in India and China face uncertainty over whether or not the World Cup will be shown in their countries as broadcasters have yet to reach deals with football's governing body, Fifa. It is unusual for TV rights deals to not be agreed for an event of this scale with just weeks to go before it is due to start. Such agreements are typically settled months, if not years, before the opening ceremony. Local media in both countries have said Fifa and broadcasters are still wrangling over the cost of showing the games. Fifa told the the BBC that talks in China and India "are ongoing and must remain confidential at this stage", without commenting on the fees involved. A total of 180 territories have now completed deals with Fifa, the global football organisation said. But a handful have yet to secure the rights to broadcast the 2026 World Cup, including India and China - which together account for around a third of the world's population. Fifa's initial offer to state broadcaster China Central Television (CCTV) for rights to the tournament was reportedly as high as $300m (£220m). Fifa has now lowered the price to between $120m and $150m, according to state-controlled newspaper Beijing Daily. But that is still more than double CCTV's budget for the event, the paper said. Beijing Daily said that as China has not qualified for the tournament there would be less interest in the event amongst football fans in the country. The paper also noted that the time difference between China and North America means that many high-profile games will be played in the early hours of the morning for Chinese fans. Deals between China and Fifa were struck far earlier for recent World Cups. Fifa announced in November 2017 that it had reached an exclusive agreement with CCTV to broadcast both the 2018 and 2022 World Cups. While an agreement has not yet been struck between Fifa and an Indian broadcaster, local media reported this week that a deal was likely to be announced soon. Source : BBC

World Cup fans in China and India face broadcast uncertainty

The US State Department has said it will start to revoke the passports of Americans who owe significant amounts of child support. The department announced that parents who have outstanding debt of more than $2,500 (€1,844) in child support payments could be impacted, but would be targeting those "significant outstanding" debt. The State Department said it is using "commonsense tools to support American families and strengthen compliance" with US laws in an approach it said would enforce parents' "legal and moral obligations to their children". Those with such debt were advised to arrange payment to relevant state agencies to prevent passport revocation. Once a passport has been revoked, it will no longer be able to be used for travel. Those whose passports are revoked won't be eligible for a new one until their child support debt has been paid, the State Dep:artment said. "This action supports the welfare of American children by exacting real consequences for child support delinquency under existing federal law," the department said in a statement. Passport revocations for unpaid child support of more than $2,500 is allowed under a rarely-enforced 1996 federal law. Previously, the consequence was only doled out when people with such debt sought to renew their passports. With the new policy, the State Department said it will work with the US Department of Health and Human Services to identify those with outstanding debt and revoke passports. The department did not state when the policy would start to be enforced but the Associated Press reported it would begin on Friday. The BBC has contacted the State Department. Those who are outside the US at the time of revocation will need to visit a US embassy or consulate to get an emergency travel document allowing them to reenter the country, the AP reported. Source : BBC

US to revoke passports of parents with child support debt

When film star-turned-politician C Joseph Vijay's newly-formed political party won the most number of seats in the recent election in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu, it was hailed as historic. But five days after Monday's vote-counting, political uncertainty prevails in the southern state, with no clarity on when a new government could be formed or who would form it. Vijay's party Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) won 108 seats - leaving him 10 seats short of a majority in the 234-member assembly. India's main opposition Congress party, which has five seats, has pledged support. But Vijay has to win support from at least five more members and there is still no clarity on who they would be. On Wednesday, the superstar called on the state Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar and staked claim to form the next government. He met the governor again on Thursday. Hours later, the governor's office put out a press release explaining that "the requisite majority support in the legislative assembly, essential for forming the government, has not been established". Indian media reports say the governor has insisted that Vijay submit proof that he has the support of 118 legislators needed to form government. Some TVK leaders and its allies have criticised the governor's refusal to invite Vijay to form the government. But analysts say the governor's priority is to ensure the formation of a stable government which will be able to prove its majority in the assembly. Some constitutional experts, however, say there is enough precedent where the governor has invited the single largest party or coalition to form a government and given them time to prove their majority on the floor of the house. They say it is unfair to deny Vijay that opportunity. Vijay's spectacular rise has been compared with that of matinee idol MG Ramachandran, who broke away from the established Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) to form his own party - All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) - and become chief minister in 1977. The state has, for decades, chosen between the DMK and the AIADMK and the TVK demolished that duopoly to emerge as the single largest party in the state election. The actor's party defeated the powerful incumbent DMK, led by MK Stalin. In the past 48 hours, as uncertainty over the fate of TVK has continued, Indian media reports have hinted at all sorts of permutations and combinations that could be used to form a new government, including one that could see bitter rivals DMK and the AIADMK joining hands. But some analysts say Vijay may still be able to win over some of the smaller parties and independent legislators to cobble together the magic number of 118 seats and form the government. Tamil Nadu has long seen cinema mixing with power and Vijay has followed in the footsteps of film stars Ramachandran and his successor J Jayalalithaa who led the state for decades. However, unlike them, he doesn't have any political experience. Popularly known as "Thalapathy" Vijay (General Vijay), the 51-year-old actor has appeared in 69 films and is among India's highest paid stars. Soon after launching TVK in 2024, he announced that he would retire from films to pursue politics full-time. Source : BBC

Political uncertainty in India state as film star winner falls short of majority

The Department of Meteorology has issued an advisory for severe lightning in the Western, Sabaragamuwa, Central, North-western, North-Central, Uva, and Southern provinces and the Ampara, Batticaloa, Mannar, and Vavuniya districts today (08).&nbsp; Per the advisory, effective until 11.30 pm, red alerts have been issued to 21 districts and amber alerts to four districts. Thundershowers accompanied by severe lightning are likely to occur at some places after 1.00 pm, while there may be temporary localized strong winds during thundershowers. The public is requested to take adequate precautions to minimize damage caused by lightning activity.

Severe lightning warning issued for multiple provinces

The Research Vessel Dr. Fridtjof Nansen has completed a comprehensive marine scientific survey in the Sea of Sri Lanka, marking a significant milestone in strengthening the country’s understanding of its ocean resources. The vessel departed Colombo after several weeks of data collection, contributing valuable insights into fish stocks, marine ecosystems, and oceanographic conditions. Operated under the EAF-Nansen Programme of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and Norway, the vessel's mission aimed to gather critical scientific data to support sustainable ocean management.&nbsp; As the only research vessel flying the UN flag, the Dr. Fridtjof Nansen serves as a unique platform fostering international cooperation, bringing together researchers and fisheries management agencies from partner countries. Equipped with advanced technology, the vessel collected data on pelagic and demersal fish populations, water temperature, currents, nutrient levels, and dissolved oxygen, among other parameters. The mission also explored underutilized marine resources such as cephalopods and mesopelagic species, examined marine pollution including microplastics, and conducted nutritional and contaminant analyses of seafood. Additionally, the survey provided hands-on training opportunities for Sri Lankan researchers, strengthening national capacity in fisheries science and oceanography. Norway’s Ambassador to India, Sri Lanka, Bhutan, and the Maldives, May-Elin Stener, highlighted Norway’s pride in partnering with Sri Lanka and FAO through the EAF-Nansen Programme to promote sustainable ocean planning grounded in scientific research.&nbsp;&nbsp; This survey builds on previous expeditions conducted in Sri Lankan waters in 1978-1980 and in 2018, providing updated data essential for understanding evolving marine ecosystems and fish stock dynamics. The collaboration involved scientists from Sri Lanka’s National Aquatic Resources Research and Development Agency (NARA) and experts from Norway’s Institute of Marine Research (IMR), which manages the vessel’s scientific activities and training. The findings from this mission will support Sri Lanka’s compliance with international reporting obligations, including marine mammal observations required to maintain access to global seafood markets.&nbsp; The analyzed data will inform future fisheries management and policy development, ensuring the sustainable utilization of Sri Lanka’s ocean resources for generations to come.

SLPP questions circumstances surrounding Kapila Chandrasena’ ...

US judge releases Jeffrey Epstein's purported suicide note

US judge releases Jeffrey Epst ...

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White House Press Secretary Ka ...

Presidential Commission probing coal imports begins investigations

Presidential Commission probin ...

World Cup fans in China and India face broadcast uncertainty

World Cup fans in China and In ...

US to revoke passports of parents with child support debt

US to revoke passports of pare ...

Political uncertainty in India state as film star winner falls short o ...

Political uncertainty in India ...

Severe lightning warning issued for multiple provinces

Severe lightning warning issue ...

UN research vessel completes key marine survey in sea of Sri Lanka

UN research vessel completes k ...

US judge releases Jeffrey Epstein's purported suicide note

US judge releases Jeffrey Epst ...

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt announces birth of baby g ...

White House Press Secretary Ka ...

Presidential Commission probing coal imports begins investigations

Presidential Commission probin ...

World Cup fans in China and India face broadcast uncertainty

World Cup fans in China and In ...

US to revoke passports of parents with child support debt

US to revoke passports of pare ...

Political uncertainty in India state as film star winner falls short o ...

Political uncertainty in India ...

Severe lightning warning issued for multiple provinces

Severe lightning warning issue ...

UN research vessel completes key marine survey in sea of Sri Lanka

UN research vessel completes k ...

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Political uncertainty in India state as film star winner falls short o ...

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