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Speaker W.J.M. Lokubandara is to reconsider the fate of the five financial bills passed in Parliament under controversial circumstances on Thursday.“I need time to study the fate of the five bills before signing them,” Mr. Lokubandara told The Sunday Times yesterday throwing open the possibility that the Bills intended to raise taxes on mobile phones, tobacco, and vehicles, may have to go back to Parliament’s Order Paper.

Defence committee: India denies claim

India’s Foreign Ministry declared yesterday that it had no information about the setting up on an India-Sri Lanka Committee on defence as announced by the President’s office in Colombo.Indian Foreign Office spokesperson Navtej Sarna was quoted in the ‘Hindu’ newspaper yesterday as saying the recent meeting between officials of the two countries “was part of a regular exchange of visits between officials of both countries”.

Security for Athas: US Senate intervenes

The US Senate Foreign Relations Committee has urged President Mahinda Rajapaksa to “fully and immediately” restore the security detail and police guard provided for The Sunday Times Defence Correspondent and Consultant Editor Iqbal Athas and to “fully and credibly investigate” the threats and intimidation against Mr. Athas and his newspaper.