Davos 2025: Special address by Donald J. Trump

Davos 2025: Special address by Donald J. Trump, President of the United States of America

Jan 23, 2025 WEC 2025

• Donald J Trump makes a special address at Davos just three days after being inaugurated as the 47th president of the US.
• Trump says his administration is working to fix the 'economic chaos' and will make the US 'stronger, wealthier and more united than ever before'.
• He vows to bring down oil and gas prices, eliminate regulations, introduce tax cuts for domestic producers and bring in tariffs on foreign goods.

This is an AI-generated transcript of President Trump's full address at Davos 2025.

This has been a truly historic week in the United States. Three days ago, I took the oath of office and we began the Golden Age of America.

The recent presidential election was won by millions of votes and all seven, every one of them, all seven swing states. It was a massive mandate from the American people, like hasn't been seen in many years.

And some of the political pundits, even some of my so-called enemies, said it was the most consequential election victory in 129 years. That's quite nice. What the world has witnessed in the past 72 hours is nothing less than a revolution of common sense.

Our country will soon be stronger, wealthier and more united than ever before, and the entire planet will be more peaceful and prosperous as a result of this incredible momentum, and what we're doing and going to do.

My administration is acting with unprecedented speed to fix the disasters we've inherited from a totally inept group of people, and to solve every single crisis facing our country.

This begins with confronting the economic chaos caused by the failed policies of the last administration. Over the past four years, our government racked up $8 trillion in wasteful deficit spending and inflicted nation wrecking energy restrictions, crippling regulations and hidden taxes like never before.

The result is the worst inflation crisis in modern history, and sky-high interest rates for our citizens and, even throughout the world, food prices and the price of almost every other thing known to mankind went through the roof.

Likewise, the cost of servicing the debt is more than 230% higher than was projected in 2020. The inflation rate we are inheriting remains 50% higher than the historic target. It was the highest inflation, probably, in the history of our country.

That's why from the moment I took office, I've taken rapid action to reverse each and every one of these radical left policies that created this calamity – in particular with immigration, crime and inflation.

On day one, I signed an executive order directing every member of my cabinet to marshal all powers at their disposal to defeat inflation and reduce the cost of daily life. I imposed a federal hiring freeze, a federal regulation freeze, a foreign aid freeze, and I created the new Department of Government Efficiency.

I terminated the ridiculous and incredibly wasteful Green New Deal – I call it the Green New Scam; withdrew from the one sided Paris climate accord; and ended the insane and costly electric vehicle mandate. We're going to let people buy the car they want to buy.

I declared a national energy emergency – and that's so important – a national energy emergency to unlock the liquid gold under our feet and pave the way for rapid approvals of new energy infrastructure.

The United States has the largest amount of oil and gas of any country on Earth, and we're going to use it. Not only will this reduce the cost of virtually all goods and services, it will make the United States a manufacturing superpower and the world capital of artificial intelligence and crypto.

My administration has also begun the largest deregulation campaign in history, far exceeding even the record-setting efforts of my last term.

In total, the Biden administration imposed $50,000 in additional regulatory costs on the average American household over the last four years. I have promised to eliminate 10 old regulations for every new regulation, which will soon put many thousands of dollars back in the pockets of American families.

To further unleash our economy, our majorities in the House and Senate – which we also took, along with the presidency – are going to pass the largest tax cut in American history, including massive tax cuts for workers and families, and big tax cuts for domestic producers and manufacturers.

And we're working with the Democrats on getting an extension of the original Trump tax cuts. As you probably know, by just reading any paper, my message to every business in the world is very simple: Come make your product in America and we will give you among the lowest taxes of any nation on Earth.

We're bringing them down very substantially, even from the original Trump tax cuts. But if you don't make your product in America, which is your prerogative, then very simply you will have to pay a tariff – differing amounts, but a tariff which will direct hundreds of billions of dollars and even trillions of dollars into our Treasury to strengthen our economy and pay down debt.

Under the Trump administration, there will be no better place on Earth to create jobs, build factories, or grow a company than right here in the good old USA. Already Americans’ economic – you can see, I think, maybe even in your in your wonderful, wonderful room that you're all gathered together, so many of my friends – but Americans'... the economic confidence is soaring like we haven't seen in many, many decades. Maybe not at all.

Upon my election, it was just announced a small business optimism skyrocketed by 41 points in a single month – that's the highest ever, there's never been anything like that.

SoftBank has announced between a $100 billion and $200 billion investment in the US economy because of the election result. And just two days ago, Oracle, SoftBank and OpenAi announced a $500 billion investment in AI infrastructure. Other companies likewise have announced billions, and billions, and billions –adding up to trillions – of investment in America, in the United States.

And it's also reported today in the papers that Saudi Arabia will be investing at least $600 billion in America. But I'll be asking the Crown Prince – who's a fantastic guy – to round it out to around $1 trillion. I think they'll do that because we've been very good to them.

And I'm also going to ask Saudi Arabia and OPEC to bring down the cost of oil. You got to bring it down, which frankly, I'm surprised they didn't do before the election. That didn't show a lot of love by them not doing it. I was a little surprised by that.

If the price came down, the Russia-Ukraine war would end immediately. Right now, the price is high enough that that war will continue. You've got to bring down the oil price. You're going to end that war.

They should have done it long ago. They're very responsible actually – to a certain extent – for what's taking place. Millions of lives are being lost. With oil prices going down, I'll demand that interest rates drop immediately. And likewise, they should be dropping all over the world.

Interest rates should follow us. All over, the progress that you’re seeing is happening because of our historic victory in a recent presidential election, one that has become quite well known throughout the world.

I think a lot of things are happening to a lot of countries. They say that there's light shining all over the world since the election, and even countries that we aren't particularly friendly with are happy, because they understand what … there is a future and how great the future will be under our leadership. America is back and open for business.

And this week I'm also taking swift action to stop the invasion at our southern border. They allowed people to come in at levels that nobody's ever seen before. It was ridiculous. I decided a, and declared to do – and very, very importantly – a national emergency on our border immediately halted all entry of illegal border crossers, of which there were many, and began promptly returning the illegal trespassers back to the place from which they came.

That action, as you've probably seen, has already started very strongly. I've deployed active-duty US Military and National Guard troops to the border to assist in repelling the invasion. It was really an invasion. We will not allow our territory to be violated.

After four long years, the United States is strong and sovereign and a beautiful nation, once again. It's a strong sovereign nation. In addition, I'm pleased to report that America is also a free nation, once again.

On day one, I signed an executive order to stop all government censorship. No longer will our government label the speech of our own citizens as misinformation or disinformation, which are the favourite words of censors and those who wish to stop the free exchange of ideas and, frankly, progress. We have saved free speech in America, and we've saved it strongly with another historic executive order.

This week, I also ended the weaponization of law enforcement against the American people and, frankly, against politicians, and restored the fair, equal and impartial rule of law.

My administration has taken action to abolish all discriminatory diversity, equity and inclusion nonsense. And these are policies that were absolute nonsense throughout the government and the private sector.

With the recent, yet somewhat unexpected, great Supreme Court decision just made, America will once again become a merit-based country. You have to hear that word: merit-based country.

And I've made it official, an official policy of the United States that there are only two genders, male and female. And we will have no men participating in women's sports and transgender operations, which became the rage, will occur very rarely.

Finally, as we restore common sense in America, we're moving quickly to bring back strength and peace and stability abroad. I'm also going to ask all NATO nations to increase defence spending to 5% of GDP, which is what it should have been years ago. It was only at 2%, and most nations didn't pay until I came along.

I insisted that they pay, and they did because the United States was really paying the difference at that time and it was unfair to the United States. But many, many things have been unfair for many years to the United States.

Before even taking office, my team negotiated a ceasefire agreement in the Middle East, which wouldn't have happened without us, as I think most of the people in the room know. Earlier this week, the hostages began to return to their families. They are returning, and it's a beautiful sight, and they'll be coming in more and more. They started coming back on Sunday.

Our efforts to secure a peace settlement between Russia and Ukraine are now hopefully under way. It's so important to get that done. That is an absolute killing field. Millions of soldiers are being killed. Nobody has seen anything like it since World War two. They're laying dead all over the flat fields. It's a flat field, farmland, and there's millions of Russians and millions of Ukrainians, and nobody's seen anything like it since World War Two. It's time to end it.

And here in America, we have big events coming up. Next year, we have the 250th anniversary of America's founding. I'm so honoured to be president during that. That's been a big event. They've been talking about it for ten years.

We also have the World Cup, and I understand Gianni Infantino is in the room. He was very instrumental in helping us get it. He's there with you someplace, I think, and I want to thank him for that. And then we have the Olympics coming up, which I was instrumental in getting also in my first term.

And who would have known that by skipping a term, I would get the Olympics? I was upset, I said, ‘You know, I got the Olympics to come and I won’t be president.’ But it turned out, through a stroke of luck, or whatever you might call it, that I'm going to be president during the World Cup and the Olympics and the 250th anniversary. So that's going to be three big events.

And we've accomplished more in less than four days – we have really been working for four days – than other administrations have accomplished in four years. And we're just getting started. It's really an amazing thing to see, and the spirit, and the light over our country has been incredible.

Under the last administration, our nation has suffered greatly, but we are going to bring it back and make it greater, bigger, stronger, better than ever before. I want to thank everybody for being with you. I would have been there myself, except the inauguration was two days ago. I thought it might be a little bit quick to make it the first stop, but we'll get there one day.

We hope to get there, but I do appreciate I heard the audience is fantastic – and many of my friends are in the audience – and I will be taking questions now from some very distinguished people. Thank you all very much.⍐

Displaced Palestinians begin to return home to devastated northern Gaza

Displaced Palestinians begin to return home 

BEIRUT — Palestinians displaced from northern Gaza began a long-awaited journey home Monday morning after Israel and Hamas resolved a hostage dispute overnight that had threatened the fragile ceasefire agreement. Hamas provided Israel with the names of living hostages to be released in the first phase of the deal, saying that eight of the 33 hostages are dead, according to Basem Naim, a senior official with the group.

Video footage showed throngs of people walking along the coastal al-Rashid road, marking the first time since the early weeks of the 15-month war that Israel has allowed Palestinians to cross the Netzarim Corridor, which splits the enclave in two, and enter the north, where some of the worst fighting and destruction has happened.

Hamas called the return a “victory” against what it said were plans for the forced displacement of Palestinians.

Israeli troops had been blocking passage along the corridor because an Israeli hostage, 29-year-old Arbel Yehud, was not among the female captives Israel said Hamas had agreed to release first. A spokesman for the Qatari Foreign Ministry said the two sides had reached an “understanding” for Hamas to release Yehud and two other hostages before Friday. Three more hostages will be released Saturday, according to a statement from the Israeli prime minister’s office.

The statement, issued Sunday, said Israel had also received a list detailing the status of all the hostages who are to be released in the first phase of the ceasefire, including whether they are alive or dead. Israeli officials and families of hostages have sought that information since the deadly Hamas attack of Oct. 7, 2023. David Mencer, a spokesman for the Israeli prime minister’s office, confirmed Monday that eight of the hostages are dead and said their families have been notified.

Seven living hostages have already been freed since the ceasefire began, and 18 more, as well as the remains of the eight who died, are to be released in the coming weeks.

In Lebanon, a ceasefire that was set to expire Sunday was extended to Feb. 18, according to the White House and the Lebanese government. The extension came after Israel said it would not withdraw its troops from southern Lebanon by Sunday and as Lebanese civilians, encouraged by Hezbollah, marched into occupied villages, where many were met with Israeli fire. Twenty-four people were killed and 134 injured, Lebanon’s health ministry said Monday.

Here’s what else to know

Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said the ceasefires with Gaza and Lebanon will be “strictly enforced.” In a statement on social media, he said anyone who threatens Israel’s military or violates the rules “will bear the full consequences. We will not allow a return to the reality of October 7th.”

The European Union is lifting some sanctions against Syria, French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot said Monday, as part of a process that E.U. leaders have called a “step-for-step” approach to Syria linking sanctions relief to conditions, including that the country’s new Islamist leaders govern inclusively.

President Donald Trump said over the weekend he wanted Jordan and Egypt to take in more Palestinian refugees as part of a plan to “clean out” Gaza, a controversial approach previously advocated by Israel’s right wing and military hard-liners.

Newly confirmed U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth spoke to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu by phone Sunday. According to a readout released by the secretary’s office, the pair discussed the “unbreakable bond that exists between the United States and Israel” and reaffirmed the U.S. commitment to Israel’s self-defense.

Hazem Balousha contributed to this report.

A conversation that cannot be delayed

The Island 2025/01/27

Academic Freedom:

by Anushka Kahandagamage

The recent cancellation of the lecture ‘How to Fight Against the IMF Austerity Programme,’ organised by the International Youth and Students for Social Equality (IYSSE-Sri Lanka) at the University of Peradeniya, sparked a buzz about academic freedom in the country—though not to a significant extent.

In Sri Lanka, academic freedom is a topic that is rarely discussed and often understood in a limited sense, which diminishes its significance. However, I believe academic freedom is closely linked to the overall spirit and practice of democracy in society and should be integrated into the education system not only at the tertiary level, but also at earlier stages of education.

The discourse

The discourse on academic freedom, as I understand it, is closely tied to the entire education system. Violations of academic freedom can occur due to factors such as the privatisation of education, militarisation of education, cuts to the budget for the humanities and social sciences, politicisation of the university system, and issues related to gender and diversity, among others. Together, these factors can create an ecosystem in which academic freedom is at serious risk.

State Interference and Politicisation

One of the most pervasive forms of violating academic freedom is state interference in academic matters and the politicization of universities. The state can intervene in the university system at various levels, such as threatening academics who speak out against the government or other nation states with close ties to it, especially when those states are involved in human rights abuses and war. At the same time, discouraging and banning research which are seen as a threat to the existing power structures or creating an eco-system in which scholars are scared to conduct research and write on specific themes.

Another form of politicisation of universities that also impacts academic freedom is the direct and indirect interference of state and professors in authority in the recruitment process. The decline in the standards of faculty recruitments is a pressing concern within the academic landscape. University academic departments, if which many come under humanities and social sciences, increasingly adopt the practice of recruiting individuals with bachelor’s degrees for positions as lecturers and assistant lecturers. Sri Lanka stands out as possibly one of the very few countries in South Asia where individuals, armed only with a bachelor’s degree, can commence teaching sociology or any other discipline in universities and oversee dissertation research at the undergraduate level. This shift in recruitment practices has consequences for the academic rigour within university departments. These recruitments are often based on favouritism from academics in positions of power or political interference. They are frequently made to bring in passive academics who are submissive to the system and have little understanding of what academic freedom truly means.

Privatisation of Education

While the privatis x+ation of education has been a topic of discussion in many left-wing academic circles for a long time, a solution does not seem imminent or likely in the near future. Privatisation will affect the autonomy of the education at all levels, setting the agendas relevant to market forces and obstructing critical and innovative thinking, which foster human values and challenge the foundation of market-driven society and forms of authoritarianism. Further, privatisation of education undermines academic freedom, as its focus is to maintain the exploitative capitalist system and justify it.

Budget Cuts in Humanities and Social Sciences

All over the world, Humanities and Social Sciences departments of Universities are facing budget cuts. Whenever there is a deficit of funds, universities tend to eliminate some departments and reduce the size of those within the Humanities and Social Sciences by laying off faculty and cutting budgets. For example, in 2022, I experienced the consequences of budget cuts to the humanities firsthand, when the University of Otago, which I was attending at the time, was struggling with funding. It affected many departments within the Humanities and Social Sciences. These are forms of violating academic freedom—the freedom to study and research subjects that students and faculty are passionate about, and for academics to have stable careers. However, by eliminating some departments from the university system or reducing the capacity of departments within the Humanities and Social Sciences, the very concept of academic freedom becomes invisible within the system.

Militarisation of Education

Militarisation of education and academic freedom lies in contrast to each other. Militarising education will have serious consequences. On one hand, it will diminish the value of other knowledge systems. On the other hand, military institutions will foster compliance rather than critical thinking, producing citizens who unquestioningly obey authority and power. This shift would lead to a society where injustice goes unchallenged and human rights violations become commonplace. This is particularly concerning because education in this situation will play a crucial role in shaping ideologies that reinforce military structures.

The public’s understanding of what is ‘common sense’ would be conditioned by military values. Against a background where military institutions are handling or influencing higher education, the idea of academic freedom will diminish. For an example, in any country, the military will generally align itself with the state. In this kind of situation, research which may be critical of the authoritarian state will not take place within the premises of territory education institutes, which are run by the military. The same applies more generally to all other territory education entities in countries under heavy military influence.

New Normal

The lack of updated knowledge within academic institutions often leads to an environment where critical thinking is marginalised, and discussions on academic freedom are suppressed, erased or the university community is unaware of its existence. When faculty and students are not encouraged or equipped with the latest knowledge, they are less able to critically engage with contemporary issues or challenge the status quo. This stifles the kind of intellectual inquiry that is central to academic freedom.

In Sri Lanka, there is a growing trend of uncritical thinking becoming the norm, both among academics and students. Many academics, particularly those in positions of authority, are reluctant to voice opinions that challenge the prevailing political, social, or economic systems, or rather they intend and make an effort to sustain the very system which supress the critical thinking. This is partly due to fear of political or institutional repercussions, and partly because many have become accustomed to a system where conformity has become the easy way and is also profitable socially and financially.

Students, who are following in the footsteps of their passive and unvocal professors, lack, even the mere ability to see the injustice of the system and to understand the importance of academic freedom. Instead of becoming creative and responsive critical thinkers, these students would more likely choose the easy way: get the degree certificate and leave the university. This lack of intellectual challenge diminishes the role of universities as spaces for critical thought and social progress, effectively erasing important conversations about academic freedom, democracy, and justice.

Against this backdrop of silence, submissive academics are becoming the new norm. In societies like ours, which are healing from institutionalised violence are deeply undemocratic, and have experienced widespread human rights violations from both the state and other parties, constant dialogue and action are needed to foster a healthy democracy and intellectual growth. As academic freedom diminishes, so does the capacity for meaningful discourse and social change. Without a vibrant exchange of ideas, universities become less places of learning and more sites of conformity, where questioning the system is seen as dangerous or unnecessary.

First batch of imported salt arrives in Sri Lanka

January 27, 2025

The first batch of imported salt, totalling 1,485 metric tons, arrived in Sri Lanka today, the State Trading Corporation (STC) announced.

The Cabinet of Ministers had recently approved the import of 30,000 metric tons of salt.

The move was to address the current shortage of salt in the local market due to challenges faced by local salterns during the recent monsoon season. 

As such, Cabinet approval has been granted for the import of salt from India until 28 February 2025. 

Meanwhile, providing an update on the salt imports last week, STC Chairman Ravindra Fernando said an additional 12,500 metric tons is expected by January 31. 

He further said that two importers have been authorized to import salt from India to meet the country’s demand. (Newswire)

Coconut shortage: Govt. in discussion with pvt. sector on imports

27 Jan 2025 | BY Sahan Tennekoon TM

The Government is considering the importation of coconut pieces required for export industries, stated the Ministry of Trade, Commerce, and Food Security.

This, following calls from coconut exporters for permission to address the anticipated coconut shortage.

Speaking to The Daily Morning yesterday, Deputy Minister of Trade, Commerce, and Food Security R.M. Jayawardena stated that a final decision on coconut imports is yet to be made. However, he mentioned that discussions are ongoing to allow companies or exporters to import coconuts according to their requirements. “We have held several discussions on this matter, but a final decision has not been reached,” he said.

He clarified that whole coconuts will not be imported; only coconut pieces will be allowed. He also noted that while the coconut harvest would be sufficient for consumption, its use in various industries and commercial purposes has created a shortage. Furthermore, he assured that coconuts from State-owned lands (Janawasama) would not be auctioned, but would instead be sold at Sathosa outlets for consumer purposes.

The Deputy Minister added that coconut prices could be maintained at a concessionary level from March onwards, as the coconut harvest begins to enter the market during that time. “We have two seasons for coconut harvesting. The first season begins in March, which increases the supply to the market. This will help us stabilise the prices at a favourable level,” he explained.

Last week, the Ceylon Chamber of Coconut Industries highlighted that Sri Lanka’s continued decline in coconut production might necessitate the importation of coconuts for domestic consumption. They also called for the inclusion of substantial fertiliser subsidies in the upcoming Budget.

Yoshitha Rajapaksa granted bail

January 27, 2025   

Yoshitha Rajapaksa, the second son of former President Mahinda Rajapaksa, who had been remanded in custody, has been granted bail after being produced before the Colombo Magistrate’s Court this morning (27).

Accordingly, he was ordered to be released on two surety bails of Rs. 50 million each by Colombo Additional Magistrate Manjula Rathnayake, following an extended hearing of the facts.

The Additional Magistrate, who also imposed an overseas travel ban on Rajapaksa, ordered the Immigration and Emigration Controller to be informed in this regard.

Meanwhile, Yoshitha Rajapaksa was ordered to appear at the Sri Lanka Police Financial Crimes Investigation Division on the last Sunday of every month, also ordered against the influencing of any witnesses in the case.

The Additional Magistrate, while declaring his decision, ordered that the suspect be released on bail in accordance with the provisions of the Bail Act, as the prosecution has failed to present sufficient and satisfactory evidence to warrant further remand.

On January 25, Yoshitha Rajapaksa was arrested by CID officers in the Beliatta area under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, and produced before Aluthkade No. 5 Additional Magistrate Pavithra Sanjeevani. Accordingly, he was remanded under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act until January 27 after being produced before the Colombo Additional Magistrate.

This followed the recording of a statement before the CID.

The arrest came after the Attorney General notified the CID on January 23, stating there was sufficient evidence for Yoshitha Rajapaksa to be named as a respondent in a land case valued at Rs. 34 million.

The case involves Yoshitha’s grandmother, Daisy Forrest Wickremesinghe, also known as ‘Daisy Achchi’, at Sirimal Pedesa in Ratmalana.

The primary suspect in the case, which is still pending, is Daisy Forrest, who is also Yoshitha Rajapaksa’s grandmother.

Rajapaksa family’s financial deals probed as multiple money laundering cases against Yoshitha

January 27, 2025   

The Colombo Magistrate’s Court today (27) granted bail to Yoshitha Rajapaksa, the second son of former President Mahinda Rajapaksa, who was remanded under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act. 

The decision came after a lengthy hearing presided over by Colombo Additional Magistrate Manjula Ratnayake.

Rajapaksa was released on two surety bails of Rs. 50 million each, with additional bail conditions imposed. These include an overseas travel ban, monthly reporting to the Financial Crimes Investigation Division (FCID) on the last Sunday of each month, and a strict directive to avoid influencing witnesses.

During the trial, the court was told that the charges against Yoshitha Rajapaksa stem from multiple investigations related to alleged money laundering activities. 

Additional Solicitor General Dilipa Peiris, representing the FCID, presented evidence linking the suspect to suspicious property transactions, including the purchase of a Rs. 350 million house in Sirimal Mawatha, Ratmalana, in 2012.

Investigations revealed the property was acquired in the name of Daisy Forrest, the grandmother of the suspect, who had worked in modest positions such as a hospital employee, teacher, and hostel warden, Peiris stated, noting that her declared income was insufficient to support such a purchase, and her statements to police were inconsistent, suggesting involvement of undisclosed funds.

The Additional Solicitor General mentioned that further inquiries uncovered the deed to the property in the possession of an individual, Palitha Gamage, who claimed it was given to him by former President Mahinda Rajapaksa. 

The Additional Solicitor General argued this demonstrated an attempt to obscure the true ownership of the property and highlighted concerns over undisclosed income and the circulation of laundered money.

He also detailed Yoshitha Rajapaksa’s income as a Navy Lieutenant from 2006 to 2016, where his monthly salary of Rs. 73,000 was directly credited to his account without withdrawals. The prosecution questioned how such limited income could justify the purchase of a high-value property.

President’s Counsel Sampath Mendis, representing the defendant, countered that the investigation into the property transaction began over eight years ago and has not reached a conclusion. He noted that the primary suspect, Daisy Forrest, was released on bail without being remanded, and argued that it was unfair to hold Yoshitha Rajapaksa in custody when the main suspect had been granted leniency.

Mendis also emphasized the delayed progress of the investigation, highlighting that case files were forwarded to the Attorney General’s Department in 2018 but remain unresolved. He urged the court to release the suspect on bail under appropriate conditions.

In his ruling, Additional Magistrate Manjula Ratnayake emphasized the importance of freezing assets involved in money laundering cases. However, he noted that the property in question had not been frozen. 

While acknowledging the seriousness of the case, the Additional Magistrate stated that the prosecution failed to provide sufficient evidence to justify further remanding the suspect.

The Additional Magistrate dismissed the prosecution’s argument that public unrest and the gravity of the charges warranted continued detention, stating that remanding a suspect requires substantive evidence rather than generalized claims.

Based on the facts presented, the court ruled in favor of releasing Yoshitha Rajapaksa on bail, while reiterating the need for continued investigation into the allegations.

However, the Additional Solicitor General Dilipa Peiris, representing the FCID, stated to the court that this case is part of a broader investigation involving three separate money laundering allegations against Yoshitha Rajapaksa. These include:

-The purchase of a Rs. 50 million worth house in Dehiwala
-Investments in the CSN Channel
-The purchase of the Rs. 350 million Ratmalana property

The investigations will continue under the FCID, with further court proceedings expected, Ada Derana reporter said.⍐

 

Govt. accused of facilitating exploitation of paddy farmers

by Norman Palihawadane and Anuradha Hiripitiyage The Island  2025/01/27

Farmers’ associations and political parties are flaying the government for its failure to set a certified price for paddy and leaving small-scale farmers vulnerable to exploitation by powerful rice millers.

Both the National Freedom Front (NFF) and the Frontline Socialist Party (FSP) have blamed the government for prioritising the interests of the big-time millers over those of struggling farmers.

The NFF has accused the government of deliberately withholding a minimum price for paddy as a favour to millers who allegedly supported the ruling party during elections.

Karunathilaka Herath, leader of the NFF’s Farmers’ Wing, said, “President Anura Kumara Dissanayake claims to be the son of a farmer, but he has failed to offer a solution to the paddy crisis. The government has bowed not only to multinational corporations but also to five leading millers in the country.”

Herath said that the government had reneged on its campaign promise to support the agricultural sector. “A few months have passed since the government was formed, but farmers have been left to fend for themselves, just as they were under previous administrations. Paddy harvesting has already begun, but farmers are without a proper price for their produce. Prices vary widely from district to district, leaving farmers uncertain and desperate,” he said.

The Frontline Socialist Party’s Farmers’ Struggle Movement (FSM) said that the current system benefited millers disproportionately at the expense of farmers.

Addressing the media at the FSP headquarters, in Nugegoda, FSM National Organizer Vimal Wathtuhewa said: “Paddy harvesting is underway in key agricultural districts like Ampara, Batticaloa, Monaragala, Trincomalee, and Hambantota, but the government has failed to announce a guaranteed price. Mill owners are taking advantage of this and setting prices arbitrarily, leaving farmers with significant losses.”

Wathtuhewa said that the government’s allocation of Rs. 500 million for purchasing paddy, was inadequate to meet even four days’ worth of national rice consumption. Claiming that President Anura Kumara Dissanayake had attributed the rice shortage to ‘data distortions’, Waththuhewa argued that the real issue was due to flawed decision-making and the government’s reliance on inaccurate data.

“Even with adverse weather damaging approximately 40,000 hectares, Sri Lanka can still produce around three million metric tons of rice annually, and that amount is enough to meet the country’s annual consumption requirement of 2.4 million metric tons. The idea that data distortions caused the rice shortage is misleading,” he said.

“Five major mill owners collectively release 1.2 million kilos of rice daily into the market, while the national daily rice consumption is 6.5 million kilos. If these mill owners withheld rice for just four to five days, it would create a severe food crisis,” he said.

Both Herath and Wathtuhewa called on the government to act immediately to protect farmers and ensure food security.

“The government was elected to serve the people, not a handful of powerful mill owners. It’s time to address the real issues and ensure farmers receive a fair price for their paddy,” Wathtuhewa said.⍐