Oct 28 (AD) Consular Affairs Division of Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in partnership with the Dept of Examinations, has launched an online service for the authentication of O/L and A/L exam certificates issued. The online authentication services are accessible for O/L and A/L exam certificates which were issued from the year 2001 onwards. Under the new online system, individuals can apply for authentication of O/L and A/L exam certificates through Consular Affairs Div�s online platform. more..

Oct 28 (DM) One�fifth of SL�s total landmass, particularly the areas in the central hills- is prone to landslides according to a study by the National Building Research Organization (NBRO). According to the NBRO study, around 13,000 square kilometers of lands spread over in Badulla, Nuwara-Eliya, Kandy, Matale, Ratnapura, Kegalle, Kalutara, Galle, Matara and Habantota- are landslide �prone. The study has found that incidences and frequency of landslides are growing, and more..

Oct 28 (DM) Sports Minister Roshan Ranasinghe, in a letter to the ICC, has denied the repeated allegations of political interference in Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) and claimed that SLC is using the name of the sport's world governing body as a shield for their wrongdoing. Minister and SLC officials have been at loggerheads since last year, with the Minister teasing legal action against SLC officials based on the recent findings of the national audit office more..

Oct 29 (CT) The cat is out of the bag. Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe has said, both presidential and parliamentary elections, will be held next year. Under the Constitution, the former is due next year, but the parliamentary polls are due only a year later. By combining both, the wily Ranil, as he is at times known, has served notice on the Rajapaksas� SLPP under-writer of his govt. The message is this: Either we swim together, or sink together. Yet, sinking is easier for both under the circumstances. more..

Oct 29 (SO) Tourism in Sri Lanka is gradually recovering after a trifecta of crises � Easter attack, Covid-19 and the economic collapse � virtually decimated the industry. It was reported in the media that over 77,000 tourists have visited Sri Lanka in the first 22 days of Oct 2023 alone. Tourism officials expect to record over 1.5 million tourist arrivals by end 2023, a respectable figure, but a far cry from the three million arrivals envisaged for 2023 in pre-Covid days. more..

Oct 29 (SO) Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva said that Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe has departed from traditional methods and introduced a series of policies and programs tailored to the current needs, taking appropriate action in accordance with them. These programs may not be widely popular, but they are essential for the nation�s well-being. Q: How do events like the IMF�s approval of the second loan tranche and more..

Oct 29 (Island) The first part of the title needs no elaboration. The second part is an unfolding question that has many answers to it, and which one of them will eventually prevail also depends on multiple factors. Objective circumstances, agency roles and subjective leadership moves are all at play. The simplest way to exit in politics is to resign. No amendment, no majority, or no referendum is needed. The last Prez, Gotabaya Rajapaksa, unwittingly established a new precedent more..

Oct 29 (ST) How much more ironic can it get than when there is a call for the resignation of the UN Secretary General on the very day the world body celebrates its founding? UN Secretary General from Portugal while condemning the nonstate actor Hamas for drawing first blood in the latest cycle of bloodletting in West Asia, referred to the suffocating occupation of Palestinian territories for 56 years. During UN Day, the UN Security Council debated a ceasefire to the raging war more..

Oct 29 (TM) Exploring the option of floating storage capacities has become a focal point in the ongoing debate surrounding the Trincomalee Oil Tank Farm. The State-run CPC has decided to consider this alternative to mitigate the persistent shortage in petroleum storage, a move that has reignited long-standing concerns about the Govt�s inaction regarding the dormant tanks at China Bay in Trincomalee. more..

Oct 29 (ST) My dear Ramesh, I thought I must write to you when I heard that you had been appointed the new Minister of Health. However, I am not sure whether I should congratulate you on your new appointment, or extend my sympathies to you because you are taking over a thankless job that can only ruin your political career. Not so long ago, we thought the change would never happen. That is because, when the telephone chaps brought a motion of no confidence against your more..

Oct 29 (CT) Care work and housework sustains families and communities. It enables people to enter the workforce, contributes to economies as well as to individual and societal wellbeing. Globally, and in SL, women spend more time on unpaid care work than men. Yet, their contributions are often undervalued, and the challenges they face are often overlooked. Unpaid care work is all unpaid services provided by individuals within a household or community for the benefit of its members. more..

Oct 29 (TM) Political crosswinds that appear to be gaining momentum seem to have influenced the election-averse Prez to finally relent and hint at a poll sometime soon. Addressing the party faithful during the UNP's Annual Convention last week, Prez called on grassroots organisers to gear up for an election next year but stopped short of describing exactly what type of an election he had in mind. While the LG Polls are already long due and a Prez Poll is anyway scheduled in the latter part more..

Oct 29 (Island) Last week�s removal of Health Minister Keheliya Rambukwella from his position was not altogether unexpected. True, he had predictably weathered a motion of no confidence in parliament last month after a three-day debate, thanks to the pohottuwa�s voting strength. Although he had the confidence of 113 members of the SLPP and a 40-vote majority, he obviously did not have the confidence of Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe who replaced him at the health ministry with more..

Oct 29 (TM) Allegations have been circulating regarding the misuse of permits issued for migrant workers by the Ministry of Labour and Foreign Employment in order to import Electric Vehicles (EVs), with Sri Lanka Customs seizing a number of vehicles that have been imported to the country via this permit recently. The Sunday Morning dove into the impact of such corruption at a time the country is undergoing economic difficulties. more..

Oct 29 (CI) In the foothills of the highest peaks in the world, Dharamsala hosted the highest-scoring World Cup game of all-time as Australia held off New Zealand in a 771-run thriller that reached giddying heights and featured records galore. Travis Head made a stunning 59-ball century as he and David Warner clubbed 118 runs in the opening powerplay and shared a staggering 175-run opening stand to underpin Australia's mountainous 388, becoming the first side in ODI history more..

Oct 29 (SO) Promising Sri Lankan chess player Osini Devindya Gunawardena, who won a gold medal for the country for the first time at the World Youth Chess Tournament held in Egypt, returned home yesterday morning. Chess exponents from 75 countries contested the championship from October 14 to 27 with Osini a grade six student of Wycherly International School in Colombo making history and giving Sri Lanka the first gold medal at a major international event. more..

Oct 29 (CI) Scott Edwards once more dragged his team from the abyss, but it was the bowlers who led the victory charge as the Netherlands held firm in their defence of a middling total of 229 to record an emphatic 87-run win over Bangladesh. The result sees Bangladesh all but eliminated from the semi-final contention, while the Dutch have yet another famous victory to add to their collection - one that, aside from its impact on this tournament, in the grand scheme of cricket as a sport more..

Oct 29 (EN) Sri Lanka�s state-run National Housing Development Authority has accumulated losses of nearly 20 billion rupees with five billion run up over the last 5 years, according to information revealed at a parliamentary panel. In 2011, 10 billion rupees of loans were disbursed through state banks under scheme called Upahara without collateral, COPE was told by the current Chairman of NHDA. About 3 billion of the loans given through the scheme were in arrears. more..

Oct 29 (ST) A memoir by a former Indian diplomat who served as India�s Consul General in Jaffna confirmed what many locals speculated in close circles with regard to a proposed visit by Indian Premier Narendra Modi to the iconic Nallur Kandaswamy temple. The visit had earlier been changed at the last minute due to what officials referred to as unavoidable circumstances. In his memoir, From the Village to Global Stage, more..

Oct 29 (ST) The first unofficial Test match between SL Emerging XI and the visiting Bangladesh Emerging XI concluded at the Rangiri Dambulla Stadium in a tame draw yesterday, after much of play was interrupted by rain. SL Emerging XI, set to chase a massive target of 351 runs for victory, was struggling on 69 for 5 when heavy rain and bad light put a stoppage to proceedings. The outcome of the match was visible when play ended on day 3 with SL Emerging XI ending the day on 298 for 7 more..

Oct 29 (SO) SL wrapped up the fourth Asian Para Games in China with a bang, securing a total of 11 medals. Among the athletes who stood out on the final day was Saman Maduranga Subasinghe who dashed into his best performance this season to clinch the bronze medal in the men�s 400m race (T47) yesterday. Clocking in at 50.37 seconds, Subasinghe�s swift run not only marked his season�s best but also contributed to SL�s medal tally, making it the country�s fourth bronze in the Games. more..

Oct 29 (ST) SL could consider a change for their sixth World Cup group fixture against Afghanistan tomorrow as they continue the hunt for a reliable opening partnership. Pathum Nissanka, with four consecutive half centuries, has shown strong defiance with the bat but his senior partner Kusal Janith Perera has failed to live up to the billing, forcing the team management to make a change for the Afghanistan game. more..

Oct 29 (AD) The remains of the SL woman, Anula Jayathilake who was killed in the Israel-Hamas conflict, have been brought to the island this morning (28). Her relatives had arrived at BIA to receive the casket. Meanwhile, a group of officials of the Foreign Employment Bureau too were present. Her body was identified by the relatives at Petah Tikva in Israel earlier this week. On October 22, it was reported that a decision had been taken to carry out a DNA test to confirm the identity more..

Oct 29 (Island) Hatton National Bank (HNB) and The National Chamber of Exporters (NCE) have officially renewed their partnership, reaffirming their commitment to bolster the Sri Lankan economy, with a special focus on the export sector, te two organizations announced in a news release. �NCE, the exclusive chamber promoting exporters in Sri Lanka, has found a formidable ally in HNB, known for its tailor-made financial products and services for exporters. more..

Oct 29 (EN) 5.6 billion rupees was allocated from the Treasury for the supply of medicines, the newly appointed health minister said. �Additionally a memorandum will be forwarded to the cabinet to obtain provisions for the supply of medicines for the next two months,� minister Ramesh Pathirana said. �An urgent action plan to settle all outstanding bills of govt hospitals is being prepared in consultation with the Treasury,� Pathirana told a news conference at the National Blood Transfusion Centre more..

Oct 29 (Island) Chairman of COPF, SJB MP Dr. Harsha de Silva, has called for the opinion of the Attorney General within four weeks concerning the contracts made by ten business companies currently active in the Colombo Port City. Following an inquiry conducted last week by the COPF, it was revealed that there are ten business companies operating within the Colombo Port City, and concerns have arisen regarding the manner in which these companies entered into contracts. more..

Oct 29 (TM) Controversy has erupted in Sri Lanka following the shocking revelation by the Auditor General�s Dept of an astounding million-dollar loss attributed to the puzzling absence of substantial evidence provided by the SL Air Force (SLAF) during its crisis management of the MV X-Press Pearl ship from 21 May to 19 Aug 2021. The latest available audit report conducted by the National Audit Office (NAO) of the AG�s Dept more..

Oct 29 (AD) Notorious underworld figure Nilantha Kumara, alias Tangalle Sudda, has confessed to nearly 20 murders, police said. The suspect had reportedly confessed to the murder of 19 persons while being interrogated by the CCD, following his recent arrest. Furthermore, Tangalle Sudda had also reportedly confessed to having carried out several hits for other ill-famed crime lords, including Makandure Madush. The suspect was recently arrested by the Crime Investigation Unit more..

Oct 29 (SLN) Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) destroyer AKEBONO (DD 108) arrived at the Trincomalee harbour on an official visit today (28). Upon her arrival, the ship was welcomed by the SL Navy in accordance with naval traditions. The 150.5 m long destroyer serves in JMSDF and she is manned by 172 as crew members. She is commanded by Commander Hisato SOTOKAWA, who is also expected to call on Commander Eastern Naval Area, Rear Admiral Suresh De Silva more..

Oct 29 (ST) The govt has taken a firm policy decision to suspend the Strategic Development Projects (SDP) Act until the structures and processes are in place, and on the long term replace it with a new law. These structures and processes will evaluate the effectiveness of the offered incentives including tax holidays or tax exemptions for investors, they divulged. Efforts are underway to suspend the Act initially in the midterm and later abolish it by enacting more..

Oct 29 (ST) Lycamobile�s French companies were on Thursday fined 10mn euros by a Paris court for money laundering and VAT fraud. Group�s former CEO Christopher Tooley also received a prison sentence and a heavy fine for complicity in the VAT fraud. Lycamobile, owned by Subaskaran Allirajah, has said it disagreed with the decision and had appealed. Four months after the trial ended, the court ruled that the companies had knowingly participated in a complex & elaborate system more..

Oct 29 (TM) The much-discussed Chinese geophysical and seismic scientific research vessel Shi Yan 6 will commence a joint two-day survey tomorrow (30) with a team of scientists from the NARA and the Ruhuna University onboard, it is learnt. According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA), the Shi Yan 6 was yesterday (28) authorised by the Govt to survey the western waters of the island on 30 and 31 October with a team of SL scientists onboard. more..

Oct 29 (DM) During the UN General Assembly on Friday, Sri Lanka expressed its support to a resolution urging an immediate humanitarian truce in the Israel-Hamas conflict, with the goal of achieving a cessation of hostilities. The resolution also called for unhindered humanitarian access to the Gaza Strip. The 193 members of the UN General Assembly (UNGA), which met in a resumed 10th Emergency Special Session, voted on the draft resolution submitted by Jordan and more..

Oct 29 (TM) The total credit portfolio of the country in terms of the number of credit facilities decreased by 7.1% Year-on-Year (YoY) during 2022 due to the drop in credit growth amidst the challenging operating environment observed during the year. CRIB Annual Report for 2022 revealed that whilst the total outstanding credit balance increased by 7.9% YoY to Rs. 15.9 trillion by end-2022 from Rs. 14.5 trillion in end-2021, the total number of credit facilities decreased by 7.1% YoY to more..

Oct 29 (ST) First signs of a rift within the ruling UNP�SLPP govt has come to the open. Some claim it is a storm in a teacup. Most others, however, say that the SLPP, the predominant partner, is angry with Prez Ranil over Oct 23 ministerial changes. The main thrust of these changes was to replace Health Minister Keheliya Rambukwella, who was at the end of a multitude of allegations over the poor management of health sector. more..

Oct 29 (DM) It is all too familiar that Sri Lanka has a problem in meeting its budgeted revenue targets. Recently, a govt MP who voted in favour of the budget last year, said that the tax increases that were required to achieve the revenue targeted for 2023 were never practical. This was to explain why govt revenue was hugely off target this year. The multiple flaws in his understanding and argument were explained in a fact check published in the Daily Mirror of Thursday, October 26. more..