S. Rubatheesan

Time to move beyond visa violations, though. Nineteen foreign nationals, including 12 Chinese, six Bangladeshi and three Indian nationals, were arrested by the Central Criminal Investigation Bureau during a raid in Maradana last night for allegedly staying in Sri Lanka without valid visas. The raid was carried out at a building in the Technical Junction area. The suspects are due to be produced before the Maligakanda Magistrate’s Court today. #SriLanka

With my colleagues @tharushineethr1 @rubatheesan @maligasj from @TimesOnlineLK Time to accept we have a problem.

Full story (it's long but comprehensive) here: sundaytimes.lk/261101/news/i…

Here's a refreseher: There were 13 narrow-body planes to be phased out between 2014 and 2020 on expiry of their lifespan. On June 19, 2013, six A330-300 aircraft with seating for 300 were bought from Airbus during 2014/2015 on sale-and-lease back. On June 28 the same year, SriLankan signed to buy four A350-900s with seating for 330 directly from Airbus, to be delivered in 2020/2021. And, on September 27, 2013, and November 12, 2014, SriLankan signed to acquire four more A350-900s on operating lease to be delivered in 2016/2017. Soon, SriLankan was in dire financial straits. The group’s net loss which was US$ 47.1 million in 2015/2016 rocketed to US$ 90 million 2016/2016. It owed US$ 45mn to the Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC) and US$ 15mn to Airport and Aviation Services Ltd (AASL) by March 2016. So bad was its financial situation that SriLankan could not pay the total base rent (the minimum amount of rent that is due under the terms of a lease) of US$ 174.96mn for the four A350-900 aircraft for 12 years at US$ 1.215mn per month per aircraft. They were to be delivered in 2016 and 2017. sundaytimes.lk/200209/news/a…

Full story in @TimesOnlineLK sundaytimes.lk/251214/news/n…

...other government, or an international organisation, to do, or to abstain from doing, any act; or propagating war, or violating territorial integrity, or infringing the sovereignty of Sri Lanka or any other sovereign country, commits the offence of terrorism.”

The proposed bill also defines an offence of terrorism as “any person who, intentionally or knowingly, commits any act that will result in either provoking a state of terror; intimidating the public or any section of the public; compelling the Government of Sri Lanka, or any...

My colleagues, @rubatheesan, reports this week that the new anti-terrorism bill is ready. Titled “Protection of the State from Terrorism Act, No. of 2026″, it has been published by the Ministry of Justice and National Integration to replace the current Prevention of Terrorism Act

This is the story @TimesOnlineLK broke today about the NPP government minister being investigated by the Bribery Commission. #SriLanka #corruption #bribery sundaytimes.lk/250817/news/b…

The reopening of a mass grave in Chemmani, Jaffna, raised mixed hopes among the war-affected communities in the North, particularly the relatives of enforced disappeared persons. by @rubatheesan sundaytimes.lk/250615/news/c…

This is a SERIOUS issue, flagged by my @TimesOnlineLK colleague, @maligasj. The Right to Information Commission is struggling. The NPP govt's main partner, the JVP, is an original backer of independent commissions. Action is needed. sundaytimes.lk/250427/news/t…