Jan 6 (DM) Nations around the world issue travel advisories for the protection of their citizens. They (advisories) warn against visiting particular countries for one reason or the other. Presently, the US has issued travel advisories to its citizens against visiting Israel (one of its closest allies), West Bank and Gaza, as terrorist groups, lone-actor terrorists and other violent extremists continue plotting possible attacks in Israel, the West Bank and Gaza. The warning adds, violence could occur in Israel, more..

Jan 6 (DM) The ringing in of a new year is a time for reflection, re-appraisal and renewal. The year 2024 marks the 94th anniversary of universal franchise and the 76th anniversary of Independence from Britain for the Island nation. 2024 also marks the 15th anniversary of the end of its three decade long civil war. The effects of this lengthy war were felt in all parts of the country which affected all of its people. While there is no denying that the war impacted on all the people of SL more..

Jan 6 (Island) The ongoing nationwide drug bust, called Yukthiya or Justice, continues to yield sizeable quantities of narcotics daily, and the drug distribution networks have reportedly suffered major setbacks. Many substance-dependent individuals are said to be going through the agony of withdrawal, which, in some cases, could be so intense as to drive the sufferers to suicide. The police are said to be sending them to rehabilitation centres. Operation Yukthiya must go on until its goal is achieved. more..

Jan 6 (CT) The answer to the above headlined question is that the bulk of the general public don�t really know and have no idea whom to turn to. They also fear reprisals from their so called protectors and are unwilling to push back against police brutality and corruption. The appalling story below happened to my son and his girlfriend on the evening of the 28th of December. This is therefore a first hand account and does not rely upon hearsay by a third party. more..

Jan 6 (CT) With the issues pertaining to the quality of medicinal drugs and the exposure of the human immunoglobulin scam rocking the public�s faith in the State health service, the unprecedented death of a patient, at the National Hospital Colombo, due to an alleged mix-up of a gas, which needed to be administered to a patient following surgery, could only ensure the loss of public trust in its capability of healing. more..

Jan 6 (FT) Former PUCSL Chairperson and Presidential hopeful Janaka Ratnayake warned that economy will contract by a further 4% this year. �The economy contracted by 9% last year and is projected to contract by 4% this year,� he said. Given the circumstances, Ratnayake questioned the Govt�s decision to impose an 18% VAT on citizens already grappling with the challenges of a contracting economy. �Due to the misguided belief of leaders who think the nation can be developed by more..

Jan 6 (FT) The Centre for Cyber Safety and Education, the charitable foundation of ISC2, and ISC2 Colombo Chapter, in collaboration with STEMUP Educational Foundation, have announced a groundbreaking memorandum of understanding (MOU) aimed at enhancing cybersecurity awareness and education among Sri Lankan school students. This collaborative endeavour also seeks to empower the next generation of cybersecurity professionals by engaging volunteers from universities. more..

Jan 6 (DN) �We are very happy to have the services of our SLC overall cricket consultant Sanath Jayasuriya, fielding coach Upul Chandana, and batting coach Thilina Kandamby. All three are great past cricketers who know each other very well, working closely, providing much-needed boost to our team,� said Sri Lanka�s new ODI skipper Kusal Mendis at the pre-match press conference for the Zimbabwe ODI series which will begin at the R. Premadasa Stadium at 2.30 pm today. more..

Jan 6 (Island) During the South Coast peak season of January through March of 2024, the Galle Concerto series gives impetus to a symphony of heritage and contemporary festivals in art, food, literature, and music. Leading Lankan and int'l culture makers will be headlining the events � speaking, presenting and creating on topics pertinent and inspiring to SL & the global momentum in 2024. The festivals are independently led, with the coming together of a Concerto of events more..

Jan 6 (CI) Like cartoon villains hanging in mid-air having just run off the edge of a cliff, both SL and Zimbabwe could have big, dramatic drops in their near future. SL bombed their World Cup campaign to finish ninth and failed to qualify for the Champions Trophy in 2025. Zimbabwe are smarting from even bigger failures - first, they did not qualify for last year's ODI World Cup despite being hosts for the qualifying tournament, more..

Jan 6 (TM) Key challenges in the coming year will include finalising Sri Lanka�s debt restructuring, ensuring growth, and the national elections, while the two biggest long-term challenges are migration and the impact on health and education, said Economist Umesh Moramudali. Looking back at 2023, he said that while there had been some stabilisation of the economy and some economic recovery, there were concerns as well, especially in terms of how the crisis had affected people, more..

Jan 6 (TM) A significant proportion of loaders (nattamis � people engaged in carrying and loading weights as their occupation) in Pettah suffer from chronic widespread pain and stress � due to lifestyle and occupational factors, and which are associated with psychological distress, and which adversely affect the activities of daily life and the quality of life. Yet, they continue to work despite the pain and tend to use substances as a pain relief method. These findings were made in a research paper more..

Jan 6 (FT) Country�s gem and jewellery industry is ready to glitter as much as possible when it kicks off the 3-day Facets exhibition today at the Cinnamon Grand, Colombo amidst fresh challenges arising from the new VAT regime. Staged for the 30th year, Facets 2024, aims to make a bigger impact with the introduction of several new dedicated pavilions for the first time. They include Sustainable Pavilion, Sapphire Maste-rpiece more..

Jan 6 (FT) Colombo stock market ended its first week of the New Year on a positive note though suffering net foreign inflow. ASPI saw a 15% gain and the active S&P SL20 by 0.9%. Average turnover for the week was Rs. 609 million down from Rs. 725 million in the previous week. On Friday, ASPI gained 22 points (+0.2%) while the S&P SL20 index edged 8 points higher. The CSE in 2023 ended with the ASPI up 25.5% and S&P SL20 by 16.4%. The average daily turnover amounted to Rs. 1.7b. more..

Jan 6 (DN) Urban Development Authority (UDA) with the assistance of the Asian Development Bank will invest over Rs. one billion to develop Sigiriya/Dambulla and Trincomalee as tourism zones. Minister Prasanna Ranatunga said that this project was stalled due to the C-19 pandemic and the economic crisis that followed. �We will commence this project this year and initially invest Rs. 320 million this year. Under this project locations identified in Sigiriya/Dambulla & Trinco cities more..

Jan 6 (DN) SL Golf has announced that eleven top-seeded golfers will compete in two trial rounds on Monday and Tuesday, Jan 8 and 9, at the Royal Colombo Golf Club. The purpose of these trials is to select two players to represent SL in the upcoming 37th Bangladesh Amateur Golf Championship, scheduled to take place from Jan 31 to Feb 3 at the Kurmitola Golf Club in Dhaka, Bangladesh. To be considered for selection, players must achieve a gross score of three over par or less on more..

Jan 6 (CT) In light of the mass exodus of people due to the country�s economic crisis, there has been a notable increase in complaints received by the Central Bank, pertaining to the submission of fraudulent documents related to the Employee Provident Fund (EPF) to foreign embassies and diplomatic missions for visa applications. A senior officer from the CBSL revealed that individuals are using these counterfeit documents when applying for visas and seeking employment abroad. more..

Jan 6 (DN) Peradeniya Teaching Hospital Director Dr. Arjuna Thilakaratne said that around 5,000 patients who have been recommended by doctors to undergo an organ transplant to sustain life, die every year because they cannot find the organs. He says that it is possible to use the organs of brain-dead patients while receiving treatment in a hospital to save the lives of these patients, but due to ignorance more..

Jan 6 (DN) Telecommunications Regulatory Commission of SL (TRCSL) has called upon the public to take an active role in verifying the registration status of their mobile phones before making a purchase. �This initiative aims to empower consumers and enable them to make informed decisions when choosing a mobile device,� said TRCSL�s Deputy Director, Menaka Pathirana. Samsung SL commends this recent initiative undertaken by the TRCSL, a significant move more..

Jan 6 (FT) Minister Tiran Alles ordered an investigation to be conducted regarding an alleged intrusive stop and strip search carried out by the Colpetty Police on two youths on 28 Dec sparking widespread condemnation. Minister taking to X said stern action will be taken against any wrongdoers if identified to ensure accountability and justice. Incident came to light when a message by the father of one youth detailing the harassment faced went viral on various social media platforms more..

Jan 6 (DM) The government is in the process of evolving fresh legislation to curb or eliminate the distortion of core religious teachings by some individuals creating social tension, Minister Vidura Wickramanayake said. He made these remarks in response to a query about the controversial preacher who provoked some of his followers to commit suicide in his sermons. Wickramanayake said the Cabinet appointed a committee to look into such religious cults led by various individuals. more..

Jan 6 (FT) The committee appointed to prepare a comprehensive national social security system covering all workers met this week under the patronage of Minister Manusha Nanayakkara. The committee, appointed on a proposal made by Minister Nanayakkara to the Cabinet of Ministers seeking permission to prepare a comprehensive national social security system covering the entire workforce, including the formal and informal sector was approved. more..

Jan 6 (EN) According to the latest released survey by the DCS, the most commonly reported reason for increases in average monthly expenditure in households, accounting for 99.1% of replies, was an increase in food expenses. �Among households that reported an increase in their average monthly expenditure, most commonly reported reason, accounting for 99.1% of responses, was the increase in food expenses. more..

Jan 6 (FT) SL has secured its place among the 13 affordable vacation destinations globally in a recent compilation by Fox News. The list highlights budget-friendly options and positions SL as an ideal location for travellers seeking scenic hikes and diverse experiences. Describing the country, the report highlights the opportunity to get up close to native wildlife, specifically mentioning breath-taking elephants. Additionally, it emphasises the chance to visit pristine beaches and soak up the sun. more..

Jan 6 (EN) Sri Lanka�s gross official reserves went up by Rs. 829 billion to US$ 4.4 billion in Dec 2023, official data showed, helped by loans from multilateral lenders including the IMF. Sri Lanka�s gross official reserves include monetary reserves collected by mopping up or sterilizing current flows against central bank held treasuries and reducing domestic credit which does not increase either domestic or foreign debt official, as well as loans taken by Treasury, which increases net debt. more..

Jan 6 (CT) On 3 January, the lifeless bodies of a young man and a woman were found in Maharagama and Yakkala. The body of the young man was found in a room of a guest house and the woman�s in her home. Both individuals were found dead following ingestion of poison. The deceased woman was a 21-year-old student who was about to enrol in a State university and the 34-year-old man was from Wathugedara, Ambalangoda. more..

Jan 7 (SO) They say that only two things cannot be avoided in life � death and taxes. Yes, taxes are very much in the news these days in SL due to the recent moves by the Govt to increase tax revenue. A debate is raging in the media as well as on the political stages on the imposition of VAT at 18% and also on the mandatory registration for the Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN) at the Inland Revenue Department (IRD). Unfortunately in both cases, authorities have failed to convey more..

Jan 7 (TM) An interesting news titbit caught our attention recently. It stated, quoting the All-Ceylon Bakery Owners� Association, that seasonal cake sales had dropped by 75% last month compared to the year before. Then again, another news item last week pointed to a probable cause for that � it stated that people�s salaries and wages had significantly dropped in actual value during the course of last year. The extent of the drop was startling as a Rs. 100,000 salary/income in January 2023 more..

Jan 7 (TM) A new year usually dawns with fresh hope for a fresh start. However, this time around, the new year dawned last week with many anticipated challenges for Prez, his Govt, and the people alike on the economic front due to the increase of VAT. People woke up in the new year to learn of fuel and LP Gas price hikes and resultant price hikes as well as increases in prices of a host of other goods and services. more..

Jan 7 (FT) Remittances carry vast economic implications for recipient countries at both macro and micro levels. The choice to send remittances through formal channels such as banks, registered money transfer operators, and online platforms, as opposed to informal avenues like Hawala/Undiyal operators or family networks, plays a pivotal role in achieving positive outcomes for migrants, their families, and the broader society of these nations. The recent foreign currency crisis and more..

Jan 7 (FT) Johannes Voet (1647-1713), the celebrated lawyer from the Netherlands, among other things, is credited with adapting many of the primary Roman legal principles and concepts to suit the spirit of his time and clime. The illustrious jurist�s well-earned fame long outlived the man, not only in Holland but also in countries with legal systems that have been enriched by the Roman-Dutch law. Going by the annual Bacchanalian homage our legal fraternity pays the great jurist, more..

Jan 7 (TM) With nearly three weeks having lapsed since the commencement of the Yukthiya operation by the Police, concerns and allegations about irregularities in law enforcement processes continue to boil to the surface. Yukthiya was initiated in December, spearheaded by newly-appointed Acting IGP Deshabandu Tennakoon, following a directive from Minister Tiran Alles. more..

Jan 7 (SO) Although SL is nowadays an island paradise, the country was torn apart during a civil war for multiple decades not too long ago. During that period, SL Air Force (SLAF) had a large budget and, therefore, over the years many aircraft and helicopters were acquired. In 2009, LTTE were finally defeated and peace prevailed. Obviously a lot of damage had been done and the economy had to be rebuilt. As a side result of this, the following years large cutbacks had to be made by the SLAF, more..

Jan 7 (Island) Benjamin Franklin, a founding father of the United States of America and a drafter and signer of its Declaration of Independence wrote centuries ago that our new Constitution is now established, and has an appearance that promises permanency; but in this world nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes. Though the inevitability of death and taxes has now assumed the garb of a hoary clich�, its validity remains unchallenged to this day. more..

Jan 7 (SO) SL�s new cricket team selection committee has been hit into a corner to retain one of the most appallingly undisciplined players, Kusal Mendis, as the captain of the team for the home series against Zimbabwe that commenced yesterday. With even his menial public conduct brought into question after he smashed the glass door of a rival club Bloomfield at a domestic match last week, Mendis had tactically nothing to prove as a team leader on the field at 2023 WC more..