Nov 23 (ST) This week�s parliamentary polls recorded the lowest voter turnout in SL�s recent electoral history. Over 5.3 million registered voters failed to participate in the elections, and islandwide voter turnout reached a record low since 2010. In the 2020 parliamentary elections, 3.9 million people failed to vote. There was a wide range of issues that resulted in this outcome. �My elderly mother did not exercise her vote this time more..

Nov 23 (DN) �We want to help our athletes reach international level and bring honour and fame to the country. I have to look after not only athletics but also all other sports,� said newly appointed Deputy Sports Minister Sugath Tillekaratne, who assumed duties at the Sports Ministry yesterday. The former 400m athlete, who represented Sri Lanka in the 1996 and 2000 Olympics, said, �We have a big responsibility to uplift sports from grassroots to national and international levels. more..

Nov 23 (FT) A showroom of Al Wazzah Tea, the first ever exclusive pure Ceylon Tea brand in Saudi Arabia was inaugurated by Ambassador of SL, Ameer Ajwad, in the heart of Riyadh on 18 Nov. The showroom, which displays a range of Ceylon Tea products and functions as an outlet, addresses a long-standing demand for a dedicated facility for pure Ceylon Tea in Saudi Arabia. Ambassador Ameer Ajwad referred to this facility as a significant milestone of the Ceylon Tea industry in KSA. more..

Nov 23 (FT) The Urban Development, Construction and Housing Ministry yesterday formalised supplementary agreements for a Chinese-funded housing initiative worth 552 million Yuan (approximately $ 75 million). The project aims to provide 1,888 houses for low-income families and 108 homes dedicated to veteran artists, underscoring a commitment to addressing housing needs across diverse communities. The signing ceremony, held at Sethsiripaya, Battaramulla, more..

Nov 23 (FT) Ambassador of SL to Saudi Arabia, Ameer Ajwad met with the Deputy Minister of Investment for Int'l Relations of Saudi Arabia and Deputy CEO of the Saudi Investment Promotion Authority (SIPA), Sara Al-Sayed and briefed her on the investment opportunities available in the Port City Colombo. Ambassador Ameer Ajwad elaborated on investment opportunities readily available in Sri Lanka in sectors such as agriculture, aquaculture, tourism, ICT, pharmaceutical sector and more..

Nov 23 (CT) The ceremonial opening of the Tenth Parliament was historically significant for several reasons, marking a departure from traditions upheld for over half a century. The Tenth Parliament welcomed 160 new MPs, entering the House for the first time. Additionally, it made history as the legislature with the highest number of female MPs, with 22 women representatives now. Another notable change is the absence of military honours, more..

Nov 23 (GV) Hundreds of thousands of terrified Rohingya refugees flooded onto the beaches and paddy fields of southern Bangladesh in August 2017. When the refugees � almost 60% of whom were children � poured across the border from Myanmar into Bangladesh, they related accounts of the unspeakable violence and brutality that had forced them to flee. Those escaping attacks and violence in 2017 joined around 300,000 people already in Bangladesh from previous waves of more..

Nov 23 (GV) Universal Children�s Day is celebrated on Nov 20 every year globally and honours the youngest members of society by recognising children�s unique rights and needs. While the purpose has evolved since its inception, its core mission remains the same: to create a world where every child is cherished, protected and given a fair chance to thrive. Universal Children�s Day was established by the UN in 1954 to promote the welfare of children worldwide and raise more..

Nov 23 (Island) The Gas Cylinder (New Democratic Front-NDF) has exploded and the Telephone (SJB) is in a tangle over the National List (NL) appointments, and it is likely to take longer than expected for them to name their NL MPs. They are full of ambitious members vying for the NL slots. The SJB had been able to appoint only its General Secretary Ranjith Maddumabandara as an NL MP at the time of writing. The UNP-led NDF secured two NL slots in the 14 Nov general election, and more..

Nov 23 (CT) Earlier this month, Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake warned the large-scale rice mill owners that the govt would take measures to import rice should the mill owners fail to ensure the availability and the affordability of the rice varieties. Following the Parliamentary Election a Nadu rice shortage in the country is being observed, despite the Keeri Samba saga being somewhat relieved. To address the shortage, the government � as promised � is taking measures to import 70,000 MT of Nadu more..

Nov 23 (CT) The govt plans to adopt new affordable methodologies for freshwater fisheries, in a bid to uplift the rural economy and to transform the freshwater bodies into a main hub in the economic lifeline of rural folk, who depend on fisheries as their livelihood, said Chairman of the National Aquaculture Development Authority (NAQDA), Kithsiri Dharmapriya. Dharmapriya said this during a discussion, regarding more..

Nov 23 (DM) At the first sitting of the 10th Parliament on 21 Nov -a star-studded event the public witnessed in Parliament, a wide array of academically qualified members entered the House. Quite in contrast to occasions when members of the House which at times, brought its standing to the level of St. John�s Fish Market. Among the many pleasant surprises we witnessed that day was the simplicity of the event. Leading the way was newly elected President Dissanayake himself. more..

Nov 23 (TM) With the new Govt and Parliament now established, the milestone marker on SL�s political history is firmly set. However, the manner in which SL is governed over the next five years will show, if the milestone is also a turning point for the small Indian Ocean island nation. Prez and the Govt shoulder the aspirations of a nation, with the commencement of the 10th Parliament yesterday. The public expectation is that it will also mark a new chapter in the island�s political culture. more..

Nov 23 (TM) In the recent Parliamentary General Election, the voter turnout dropped significantly compared to the Prez Election earlier in 2024. While 79% of eligible voters participated in voting at the Presidential race, only 69% cast their ballots in the Parliamentary Election, resulting in over five million eligible voters abstaining. Reasons for this decline include a lack of trust in the system and doubts about more..

Nov 23 (CT) The people of SL have acted decisively, rejecting entrenched political norms in favor of transparency, simplicity, and corruption-free governance. Yet, the election of figures like Rohitha and Chamara underscores a complex reality: marginalized communities may continue to rely on these politicians for access to basic services and support. Despite their perceived histories, these individuals have often stepped in to address urgent needs when officials have failed in the past. more..

Nov 23 (DM) As many observed before, the Nov 14 Parliamentary election has produced many firsts. The NPP led by Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake has been credited for all of them. A political party winning the highest number of seats at district level with and without bonus seats, a party winning majority seats in the greatest number of districts, a party winning highest number of national list slots (18), a single party winning two-thirds of seats in Parliament (159 seats) under the PR system, more..

Nov 22 (FT) I was appointed as the Vice Chancellor of University of Ruhuna on 09.03.2019 for the first term and on 09.03.2022 for the second term. I have completed 5 years and 8 months in these two tenures as VC. I faced Easter Sunday bombings, COVID-19 pandemic, economic crisis and political instability during this period. There were funding cuts up to 495 million rupees in the recurrent grant during this period of five years to UOR in addition to the moratorium in all forms of recruitment. more..

Nov 22 (AM) Taking a swipe at the NPP, SJB General Secretary Ranjith Maddumabandara stated that efforts are underway to appoint the most qualified candidates to the party's National List. He emphasized that the SJB's National List has been carefully prepared with consideration of all relevant criteria. He also noted that, so far, he is the only National List MP nominated by the party out of the five seats it secured in the General Election, with the remaining nominations yet to be finalized. more..

Nov 22 (NW) Former Minister Harin Fernando says he does not believe that the former Cabinet could be held responsible for the importation of inferior Immune Globulin vaccines. Speaking to the media, Harin Fernando said that on a daily basis between 60-70 Cabinet papers are submitted to the Cabinet of Ministers. He further revealed that the Cabinet papers are created by the relevant ministry secretaries and given to the subject minister, more..

Nov 22 (TM) Sri Lanka has been recognised as an Advancing country in the Global Cybersecurity Index (GCI), which highlights its commitment to enhancing cybersecurity practices across multiple pillars. The Global Cybersecurity Index (GCI) published by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) serves as a trusted benchmark for assessing countries� commitment to cybersecurity on a global scale. The fifth edition of the Global Cybersecurity Index (GCI) 2024 provides a comprehensive assessment more..

Nov 22 (DN) The graduation ceremony of the 3rd batch, who followed the National Security and Strategic Studies Course (NS&SS) 03/2024 of the National Defence College (NDC) of Sri Lanka was held at the Kotelawala Defence University (KDU) auditorium in a grand scale on November 18, 2024 with the presence of Air Vice Marshal Sampath Thuyacontha (Retd), the Secretary to the Ministry of Defence as the chief guest. Thirty-three senior Officers participated in this year�s course, more..

Nov 22 (CI) For SL and new head coach Sanath Jayasuriya, the last few months have certainly been winning ones, with the few blips - a 3-0 T20I series reverse against India, and losing the first two Tests in England - swiftly forgotten thanks to the morale-boosting wins and performances that followed. But observers of SL cricket over recent years will know better than to get carried away. After the twin peaks of 2014's T20 World Cup win more..

Nov 22 (AD) The strike action launched by all academic and non-academic staff trade unions, along with student unions affiliated with the University of Ruhuna, demanding the immediate removal of the Vice Chancellor, entered its fourth consecutive day today. All academic and non-academic trade unions affiliated with the University of Ruhuna had announced a continuous strike commencing from Nov 19, demanding the immediate removal of the university�s VC. more..

Nov 22 (DM) The Disaster Management Centre (DMC) and the Examinations Department have initiated a joint programme to mitigate potential disasters during the 2024 A/L examinations. The Meteorology Department has forecast the possibility of a low-pressure system developing over the Bay of Bengal in the coming week. This initiative aims to create a conducive environment for students to successfully face the examinations by minimising disruptions caused by potential disasters. more..

Nov 22 (CT) Legal provisions should be further strengthened to safeguard patients from quacks, the Govt Medical Officers� Association (GMOA) said following the arrest of a person who had impersonated a medical practitioner at District General Hospital, Matale. GMOA Spokesman, Dr. Chamil Wijesinghe said yesterday that his outfit hoped to bring the issue before the newly appointed Health Minister. �There have been similar incidents reported from several other hospitals more..

Nov 22 (NW) Excavation work commenced yesterday in search of treasure in a land near the Central Expressway under construction in the Wanduramba area in Veyangoda. The measures were taken on a court order issued by the Attanagalle Magistrate�s Court. The said location has been excavated on multiple occasions over the years, by treasure hunters, claiming that there was treasure at the site. The security forces had also arrested several people with equipment more..

Nov 22 (NW) Former State Minister Sivanesathurai Chandrakanthan alias Pillayan says the CID's probe against him related to British media Channel 4�s documentary on the 2019 Easter attacks, was political revenge. Pillayan expressed regret that a govt department was conducting a probe into baseless allegations. �Departments like the CID must work intelligently, without acting on whims of certain individuals,� he said. more..

Nov 22 (EN) Sri Lanka�s tea production fell 8 percent to 21.15 million kilograms in October, data showed, while exports were up 14% to 20 million kilograms. In the 10 months to October production was 217.65 up 0.5% to 216.49 million, Ceylon Tea Brokers said. Exports were up 1.7% in the 10 months to 203 million kilograms. Export earnings in October 2024 were 126 million up 32.6% from 95 million in 2023. Earnings in the first 10 months were 1.1 billion dollars, against 1 billion last year. more..

Nov 22 (DM) Veterinarians at the Thai Elephant Conservation Centre in Lampang are planning to trim the tusks of Plai Sak Surin (Muthu Raja), the 29-year-old elephant that was brought back to Thailand from Sri Lanka, to help improve his quality of life. The decision came after the elephant�s long and heavy tusks began affecting its daily activities, forcing it to lift its head to prevent them from dragging on the ground, especially when navigating hills or avoiding obstacles. more..

Nov 22 (TM) National Medicines Regulatory Authority (NMRA) is currently consulting with the Attorney General (AG) to address ongoing legal challenges that have stalled efforts to regulate medicine prices in SL. The regulatory body is seeking legal guidance after a court injunction blocked its attempts to enforce price caps on pharmaceuticals already in the market. According to NMRA Chairman Dr. Ananda Wijewickrama, more..

Nov 22 (AD) Professor Gomika Udugamasooriya has been appointed as the Senior Advisor to the Prez on Science and Technology. Prof. Udugamasooriya, who is affiliated with the Uni of Houston and the MD Anderson Cancer Research Center in the US, received his appointment letter today at the Presidential Secretariat from the Secretary to the Prez Dr. Nandaka Kumanayake. An alumnus of D.S. Senanayake College in Colombo, he holds a specialized degree in Chemistry more..

Nov 22 (MFA) Sri Lanka was among 31 members elected to the UN Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL) by the UN GA. SL contested for a seat from the Asia Pacific Group, and secured 177 votes. This was the second highest number of votes within the group, and second highest overall among the thirty one members elected. Other member states elected from the Asia Pacific Group to the UNCITRAL are Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Viet Nam, China, Japan & Korea. more..