Nov 26 (Island) In a rare move selectors have picked two players from Jaffna in SL U-19 team for the U-19 Asia Cup which will commence in UAE this week. Jaffna Central speedster Ranjithkumar Newton and St. John�s College paceman Kugathas Muthulan are the two players from Jaffna in the team skippered by Thurstan College player Vihas Thewmika. St. Benedict�s batsman Sharujan Shanmuganathan is the deputy to Thewmika. Thewmika, is one of the eight players from Colombo schools more..

Nov 26 (DN) Supporting the govt�s digitalisation drive, Dialog plans to commence commercial operations of its 5G network in early 2025, said Navin Pieris, Group Chief Officer, Dialog on the sidelines of the launch of NCE Export Awards -24, event launch held in Colombo. Over 100 exporters will be awarded at the event to be held on Dec 6 under the patronage of Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake. Pieris said the company is awaiting the commercial license from the TRC to more..

Nov 26 (MFA) 32 Sri Lankan nationals who were victims of human trafficking and stranded in Myanmar have been rescued on 25 Nov following a successful, coordinated process. The rescued Sri Lankans had been lured into cybercrime operations and became victims of human trafficking. Govt of SL will coordinate with the International Organization for Migration (IOM) for their early repatriation to Sri Lanka. more..

Nov 26 (ST) Police on Friday informed the Mt. Lavinia Magistrate�s Court that two witnesses, one of whom is a deputy minister in the new govt, were yet to give statements over the case involving the new trade minister, Wasanatha Samarasinghe, despite several phone calls and letters. The Fraud Investigation Bureau is investigating allegations that Trade Minister Wasantha Samarasinghe has used a forged deed to lease out a Dehiwala property with a two-storey building more..

Nov 26 (FT) PickMe, SL�s leading digital mobility solutions company, recently entered into a strategic partnership with the University of Moratuwa (UoM) to strengthen human resource development and operational excellence in driving innovation in the logistics sector. MoU was signed by PickMe CEO Jiffry Zulfer and UoM Vice Chancellor Prof. N.D. Gunawardena. As part of the collaboration, PickMe will offer Management Trainee placements to 10-15 graduates each year from UoM�s BSc (Hons) more..

Nov 26 (TM) Leave taking by university academic staff including for both sabbatical and postgraduate studies has drained universities of academics, the FUTA claimed in a backdrop where talks are ongoing to commence recruitments. �A large number of academic staff, around 500 to 600, have taken sabbatical (one year of paid leave after seven years of work or two years of no pay leave following seven years of work) and more..

Nov 26 (FT) As part of the Voyage Sri Lanka 2024 initiative, a group of 20 potential foreign investors from countries including India, Saudi Arabia, Maldives, France, Japan, Thailand, the US, and Cambodia visited the Trincomalee and Hambantota Ports on 24 and 25 November. The visits aimed to showcase Sri Lanka�s potential as a hub for maritime investments and its growing blue economy. The delegation explored the opportunities across various sectors, such as, more..

Nov 26 (FT) The Vice Minister of the International Department of the CPC Central Committee (IDCPC), Sun Haiyan yesterday paid a courtesy call on Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake at the Presidential Secretariat. During the meeting, the IDCPC Vice Minister extended her congratulations to Prez Dissanayake on his victory in the Prez Election and his party�s resounding success in the General Election. She commended the transformative changes in Sri Lanka following these wins, more..

Nov 26 (FT) The Federation of Information Technology Industry SL (FITIS), the apex body for the nation�s ICT sector, has welcomed the Government�s bold decision to establish a dedicated Ministry for Digital Economy. FITIS said this move, championed by Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake in his capacity as Minister of the newly formed portfolio and supported by a capable Deputy Minister Eranga Weeraratne, represents a historic milestone in SL�s journey toward digital transformation. more..

Nov 26 (FT) Access Engineering (AEL) has diversified into the renewable energy sector hot on the heels of a groundbreaking venture in radiopharmaceutical. The company has entered into a Power Purchase Agreement with the CEB on Friday under the Net Plus Plus scheme for a 6.6 MW solar photovoltaic (PV) installation which will operate with a validity period of 20 years. AEL�s first exposure to renewable energy was in 2018 when it began work on largest wind power project more..

Nov 26 (ST) The new govt is grappling with one of its first major issues to ensure sufficient rice availability at the maximum retail price ahead of the festive season, amid allegations that large-scale millers are hoarding paddy. In the short-term, 70,000 metric tonnes of Nadu rice will be imported before mid-next month. The Paddy Marketing Board has not stocked enough paddy during the previous govt�s tenure, more..

Nov 26 (Island) Delivering his inaugural policy statement to Parliament, Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake dealt mostly with the economy and, in particular, the IMF agreement. The problem he faces is that the former govt agreed to terms with the IMF that did not consider the impact on the people, but gave priority to meeting fiscal targets. The President acknowledged that the govt had no alternative but to continue with it as the country had gone too far down the road to change direction. more..

Nov 28 (ST) Finance Minister of the Yahapalana Govt when the CB�s bond scam scandal broke out, Ravi Karunanayake had used his manifest skills to outwit his leader and party colleagues in the Ranil led New Democratic Party to steal a march over fellow contenders and sneak into Parliament through the National List, it was claimed this week. He had, it was alleged by furious colleagues, staged a cloak and dagger operation to get his name gazetted as an approved National List MP and more..

Nov 26 (Island) Taxes and tariffs increase in leaps and bounds, placing heavy burdens on the public, in this country, but reductions therein come in dribs and drabs, if at all. Govts are very efficient when they squeeze the public dry, but their high-octane performance is sadly absent when they are required to grant their victims some relief. The same holds true for the private state sector, which also keeps the prices of essential goods and services artificially high, making the adverse impact of more..

Nov 28 (TM) The commencement of duties of the new Govt armed with a robust mandate provided at back to back Prez and Parliamentary Elections is a clear indication that Sri Lanka has spoken; empowered by a movement for change. There is much to accomplish, and the aspirations of a nation rests on the shoulders of a very new Govt, and a Parliament which has been replenished and revived with new blood. One of the key reasons that SL stumbled many times and fell into crisis more..

Nov 28 (TM) The future of key legislative reforms and proposed amendments in Sri Lanka remains uncertain, as the new Govt has yet to decide whether to proceed with the previously drafted bills or to revise them entirely. With several critical bills having already passed through various stages in Parliament, there is increasing concern that the ongoing political transition could delay or alter their course. more..

Nov 28 (CT) Sri Lanka stands at a critical juncture in its history, as Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake rightly highlighted during his speech at the inauguration of the Tenth Parliament. His call to establish a satisfactory and efficient public service is a timely intervention that touches on one of the most pressing issues facing the nation today. The dual challenges of public dissatisfaction and an unfulfilled State workforce underscore the urgency of reforming the public sector. more..

Nov 28 (CT) NPP (National People�s Power) clinches a historic landslide victory, redefining the political landscape in 2024 Parliamentary elections by securing 159 seats out of the 225 seats parliament (1) and getting a record breaking by obtaining 61.56% of the total votes [2]. However, the inexperience in governance and nepotism seems to have started affecting the progress of the new government and the mandate given by the people to eliminate corruption. more..

Nov 28 (DM) The Anura Alai or wave that engulfed the Tamil nationalist stronghold of Jaffna was the focus of this column published last week. (Anura Alai (Wave) engulfs Tamil Nationalist Stronghold of Jaffna).The JVP led NPP made history by polling the highest number of votes in Jaffna as a single party in the November 2024 parliamentary poll. The NPP won three of the six seats in Jaffna described as the cultural capital of SL Tamils. more..

Nov 28 (DM) Delivering his first policy statement during the inaugural session of the new Parliament on Nov 21, Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake stressed that nobody would henceforth be above the law. This, assurance of establishment of the rule of law in the country is a commendable statement which, if implemented would resolve almost all problems faced by the people except for the economic issues. SL is a country where impunity enjoyed by a particular group of people who more..

Nov 28 (DM) The phenomenon of grey divorce or divorce involving a couple above 50 years of age, drew public attention globally in 2021 when the great entrepreneur and philanthropist Bill Gates (65) and his wife Melinda Gates (57) divorced. People wondered how a power couple like Bill and Melinda Gates could fallout after 27 years of an apparently happy and fruitful marriage. But soon it was known that Bill Gates was a womaniser and a close associate of the sexual offender more..

Nov 25 (PMD) Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake emphasized that simply reinforcing institutional frameworks is insufficient for effective disaster management. Prez stressed the need to establish mechanisms to deliver practical solutions at the grassroots level. Speaking at the swearing-in ceremony of Deputy Defence Minister Aruna Jayasekara today, Prez highlighted the importance of empowering local govt institutions to prevent disasters in vulnerable areas and develop more..

Nov 25 (EN) SL is just emerging from a default after large volumes of money were printed to target a narrow policy rate, in the pursuit of instant growth (potential output) and denying monetary stability to the people. From 2015 in particular SL very narrowly targeted a policy rate despite being a reserve collecting central bank. Targeting a mid-corridor rate is the same as printing money to maintain a single policy rate. The label is different but the required inflationism is the same. more..

Nov 25 (AD) Public Utilities Commission of SL (PUCSL) has granted the CEB an extension of two weeks for electricity tariff revision submission until Dec 6, 2024. In a letter to the CEB, the PUCSL further stated that accordingly, considering time taken for tariff approval process according to the SL Electricity Act of 2009, approved Tariff Methodology and Tariff Review Procedure Rules, earliest possible date for tariff approval more..

Nov 25 (IPS) A woman�s right to live free from violence is upheld by int'l agreements like the 1979 Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women and the 1993 UN Declaration on the Elimination of Violence against Women. The International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, observed on Nov 25th, 2024, serves as a significant platform to raise awareness about gender-based violence. Globally, one in three women experiences physical or more..

Nov 25 (CT) The main commemoration ceremony for Armed Forces Remembrance Day 2024 and the Poppy Flower celebration took place yesterday under the patronage of Anura Kumara Dissanayake, the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of SL. The event was held at the Cenotaph War Memorial at Viharamahadevi Park, Colombo. Organised annually by the SL Ex-Servicemen�s Association in collaboration with the Armed Forces, the event honours and remembers the war heroes more..

Nov 25 (Reuters) SL's central bank is expected to renew easing of interest rates on Wednesday, with a reduction of a quarter percentage point, as it looks to boost economic growth during SL's recovery from a lingering financial crisis. The median estimate in a Reuters poll of 13 analysts and economists predicts the central bank will reduce the Standing Deposit Facility Rate (SDFR) and the Standing Lending Facility Rate (SLFR) by more..

Nov 25 (AFP) The father of two suicide bombers in SL's horrific 2019 Easter attacks was not a candidate for any post during the island nation's recent parliamentary elections, govt documents showed, contrary to claims circulating on social media. Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake's JVP party told AFP that entrepreneur Mohamed Ibrahim was included in the party's list of nominees in 2015 but the party has had no affiliation with him since the attacks. Give him a vote, read more..

Nov 25 (AD) Jaffna District Independent MP Archchuna Ramanathan, who inadvertently sat in the seat designated for the Leader of the Opposition during the inaugural session of the Tenth Parliament, has apologized for the incident. The apology was made during the workshop held in Parliament today for newly elected MPs. MP Ramanathan explained his actions and expressed regret for the misunderstanding caused by his decision to sit in the designated seat for the Opposition Leader. more..

Nov 25 (DM) Fort Magistrate Thanuja Lakmali today ordered the CID to release former MP Sujeewa Senasinghe�s controversial luxury vehicle, which was in CID custody, to its owner. The Magistrate directed the CID to release the vehicle to its lawful owner, Sujeewa Senasinghe, observing that the SUV had been imported to the country legally and following due procedures. At the onset of the inquiry today the CID filed a report before the court submitting that their investigations had revealed that more..

Nov 25 (AD) PM Dr. Harini Amarasuriya stated that in order to restore the Parliament as a supreme institution, which has faced public scorn and disapproval in the past, the MPs must act with the awareness that they are the representatives of the people. PM made these remarks during the inaugural session of the awareness workshop on parliamentary procedures for new members of the Tenth Parliament, held this morning. In her address, PM Dr. Harini Amarasuriya congratulated more..