Incumbent President Ranil Wickremesinghe will officially announce his candidacy for the Presidential election next month, Minister Manusha Nanayakkara said today.

“A story is being spread by many, including the Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB), that President Wickrmesinghe will not be contesting the Presidential election that is to be held this year. However, Wickremesinghe will deliver a blow to all those who make such a claim, as he will seek another term. He will officially announce his candidacy next month,” Minister Nanayakkara told a media briefing.

“Wickremesinghe has proven his capability by accepting the Presidency at a difficult time for the sake of the county. He did so when many others avoided it. Many others ran away from the responsibility and only thought of their political future,” he added.

Also, he said Wickremesinghe will not be contesting from a single party but will represent many forces at the Presidential election.

Meanwhile, SJB Mulkirigala organizer Nimal Fransiscu obtained UNP membership today. He obtained his UNP membership from party Chairman Vajira Abeywardene at the party headquarters in Sirikotha.

Minister Nanayakkara, who referred to the situation, said many in the SJB are frustrated about the effort made by outsiders to take over the party.

“Those who were in the Viyathmaga are joining the SJB and are trying to take over the party. Many in the SJB are leaving the party as a mark of protest,” he said.

“Some are questioning us as to why SJBers did not get on to the UNP stage on May Day. However, there is no hurry for such an eventuality. There are SJB MPs who are waiting to join at the right time. They will join as a group or individually. There are others in the SJB who call for a merger with the UNP. They will abandon the SJB leader and join us if their demand is not met,” he also said.

Dr. S. Jaishankar, the External Affairs Minister of India, is slated to arrive in Sri Lanka on June 20 for an official visit, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced.

The chair of the Sectoral Oversight Committee on National Security Hon. Sarath Weerasekara has stated that an external mechanism has been established in Geneva, Switzerland for past 2 years according to resolution 46/1 in order to collect evidence related to war crimes against those heroes and political leaders who were accused of committing war crimes. He further stated that, in a report recently published by the said mechanism, it has been stated that they have a significant amount of evidence against the military leaders of this country.

Minister Harin Fernando today (14) revealed that an election is scheduled to take place on October 05 this year. He made this announcement during a press interaction in Galle. Expressing confidence in the outcome, Minister Fernando asserted that President Ranil Wickremesinghe would emerge triumphant in the forthcoming election.

Whilst revealing that Russian law allows that country to recruit foreigners to its military in accordance with signed contracts, Sri Lankan foreign Minister Ali Sabry yesterday said the Russian government wants local servicemen and the Sri Lankan government to uphold these contracts they have signed with their foreign employers.

Two young boys drowned while bathing in the sea off the beach close to the Negombo town last evening, Police said. The boys aged 14 and 17 are residents of Negombo.

The Sri Lanka Navy seized a multi-day fishing craft suspected be transporting heroin during a deep-sea operation conducted approximately 400 nautical miles (740 km) south of Sri Lanka.

After the 24-hour postal trade union strike, the United Postal Trade Unions Front (UPTUF) has decided to resume another countrywide trade union action on June 24 if a favorable response is not received from the Finance Ministry, UPTUF convener Chinthaka Bandara said.

The government is set to establish 25 District Industries Promotion Councils covering the entire island in support of local Micro, Small and Medium Industries (MSMEs).

Speculations are raised on whether President Ranil Wickremesinghe is once again on the search for a two thirds majority in Parliament. That is mainly due to media disclosures of recent pro-government discussions held to explore the possibility of holding a referendum in July.

Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa would have faced the same fate as that of former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa if he had been elected as President in 2019, Presidential Advisor Ashu Marasinghe said today.

A group of retired Inspector General of Police (IGP) and retired Senior DIGs yesterday voiced their disapproval of the decision made by former Senior DIG Ravi Seneviratne and former Director of Criminal Investigation Department former SSP Shani Abeysekera to join the National People’s Power (NPP).

State Minister Shantha Bandara has been appointed as the Acting Minister of Mass Media with immediate effect. The appointment was made by the President this evening as Mass Media Minister Bandula Gunawardana has left the country on an official tour.

SLPP National Organizer Namal Rajapaksa cautioned the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) and the Tamil people to be mindful of politicians who change their policies suddenly to grab votes.

Former Parliamentarian Ranjan Ramanayaka was acquitted from the case filed against him over a financial fraud promising to marry a female teacher in Kandy. The ruling was given by Kandy Chief Magistrate Chamara Wickramanayake.

Two Sri Lankan Tamil Canadians have been arrested by Thellipallai police over a complaint lodged by a lawyer that they attacked him within the Mallakam court premises. Police took them into custody on Tuesday (11). Produced before the Magistrate, they were remanded.

The ongoing renovations in Sri Lanka’s Northern railway track from Maho to Anuradhapura will help to reduce Colombo-Jaffna journey time to around 5.5 hours from the current 7.5 hours, Transport Minister Bandula Gunawardana said.

The Intentional Monetary Fund (IMF) announced the completion of the second review under the 48-month Extended Fund Facility (EFF) Arrangement, allowing Sri Lanka to draw SDR 254 million (about US$336 million).

The approval of the IMF’s second review for Sri Lanka will pave the way for stronger policies and sustainable growth, said State Minister of Finance Shehan Semasinghe.

Three eminent environmentalists together with the Bishop of Mannar Rev. Fr. Bastian have filed a fundamental rights petition before the Supreme Court against the procurement and construction of the proposed 250 MW Mannar Wind Power Project in Mannar that is reported to have been awarded to Adani Green Energy Pte. Ltd.

The United Postal Trade Unions Front (UPTUF) is set to launch a 24-hour trade union action from tonight due to the failure to fill more than 6,000 existing vacancies in the postal service. UPTUF convener Chinthaka Bandara informed the Daily Mirror that no recruitments have been made to any grades in the postal sector since 2018.