Sri Lanka’s Deputy Foreign Minister Arun Hemachandra has announced that the Supreme Court of Saudi Arabia has set aside the death sentence imposed on Sri Lankan national Anojan Sivarasa. In a statement issued on social media, the Deputy Minister said the Saudi Supreme Court had set aside the judgment imposing the death penalty on October 13, 2026. Hemachandra described the development as a major relief for Sivarasa, saying it followed sustained diplomatic and legal efforts by the Sri Lankan government. The Deputy Minister expressed his appreciation to the Saudi Arabian government for its cooperation in the matter. He also thanked Sri Lanka’s ambassador, the secretary and officials of the Foreign Ministry, the chairman and members of the Sri Lanka Bureau of Foreign Employment, and the Sri Lankan and Saudi legal teams for their efforts. The announcement marks a significant development in Sivarasa’s legal case, although further details regarding his legal status and the next steps in the proceedings have not been disclosed.(Newswire)

15 Easter Sunday attacks convicts sentenced to 220 years rigorous imprisonment each ift.tt/NkYvH1J

BREAKING: The Supreme Court rules that former IGP Deshabandu Tennakoon and two other police officers violated the fundamental rights of Ravi Seneviratne and Shani Abeysekara by acting on a political agenda during an investigation linked to the Easter Sunday terror attacks.

🚨 "අපේ ළමයිව මරන්න නම් දෙන්න එපා සර්..." Desperate parents gathered outside the Mahara Prison complex are pleading with security forces as the operation continues. "Please don't let them kill our children, Sir," emotional parents appeal to security personnel amid the tense situation outside the prison.

Former Sri Lanka IGP Pujith Jayasundara sentenced to death ift.tt/hJKy3qo

Former Navy Commander Admiral of the Fleet Wasantha Karannagoda was arrested by the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC) today. newswire.lk/2026/07/03/forme…

Senior monk faces arrest order over alleged sexual abuse of minor – Police ift.tt/C4Lh6j1

Sri Lanka’s creditors are unlikely to classify the recent USD 2.5 million Treasury fund diversion incident as a technical debt default, Deputy Minister of Finance Anil Jayantha Fernando told Parliament today, citing advice from the government’s financial and legal advisors involved in the debt restructuring process. Responding to questions raised by Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa, Fernando said the incident is likely to be treated as a cybercrime matter rather than a failure or refusal by the Sri Lankan government to repay its debt obligations. “Although the funds remitted by Sri Lanka were not received by the Australian creditor, this does not indicate an inability or hesitation by the government to repay debt,” Jayantha said. “Given the close relations between Sri Lanka and Australia, and because this is a cybercrime incident, advisors have informed us that Australia and Paris Club members are unlikely to consider this a debt default,” he said. Fernando said debt restructuring advisors had been consulted to determine whether the incident could be classified as a technical default, while investigations were continuing to establish the nature of the fraud. According to the timeline presented in Parliament, Fernando said the Sri Lanka Computer Emergency Readiness Team (CERT) was informed of the matter on Jan. 9, 2026, while the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) was copied on the same day. Australia Export Finance, the creditor involved, informed Sri Lankan authorities on March 23 that the funds had not been received, he said. The following day, the Director General of the External Resources Department lodged a written complaint with the CID, while the Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU) of the Central Bank was informed on April 1. Fernando rejected allegations that the government had withheld information from Parliament regarding the incident. “There was no attempt to avoid reporting facts to Parliament,” he said, adding that authorities decided to wait until more information became available through investigations, particularly regarding possible officials involved and internal control issues. He said all findings would eventually be presented to Parliament. Premadasa questioned why Parliament had not been informed earlier, given the timeline of events. Fernando also addressed public speculation surrounding the death of the ministry official linked to the matter, urging both the opposition and the media to avoid spreading unverified claims. This came in response to questions raised by Premadasa seeking clarification on claims that the deceased official was the first to identify and report the Treasury fund diversion to authorities. “Not only does it mislead the public, but it also creates a bad situation,” Fernando said, declining to confirm or deny the claim. The deputy minister said investigations by the CID, involving the Finance Ministry’s External Resources Department and the Public Debt Management Office were ongoing, adding that the continued service of the ministry secretary would not hinder impartial investigations. “I am not prepared to present baseless information until investigations are complete,” he added. (Newswire)

Use fuel, electricity sparingly: Govt requests public ift.tt/EMortZQ

Fuel prices increased from midnight today Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (Ceypetco) has announced a sharp increase in fuel prices with effect from midnight today. Accordingly, Auto Diesel has been increased by Rs. 79 to Rs. 382 per litre, while Super Diesel has risen by Rs. 90 to Rs. 443 per litre. Petrol Octane 92 has been increased by Rs. 81 to Rs. 398 per litre, and Octane 95 by Rs. 90 to Rs. 455 per litre. Meanwhile, the price of Kerosene has been raised by Rs. 60 to Rs. 255 per litre.

Airbus bribery case: Mahinda Rajapaksa in trouble over bribery claims ift.tt/Uetag7x