Oct 3 (DM) Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardene informed Parliament on the appointment of new members to the COPE and COPA. Accordingly the new members of COPE include MPs Jagath Kumara, Janaka Wakkumbura, Lohan Ratwatte, Indika Anuruddha, D.B. Chanaka, Anura Kumara Dissanayake, S Rasamanikam, Eran Wickramaratne, Harsha de Silva, Rohitha Abeygunawardana, Nimal Lansa, M. Musharaff, Nalin Bandara Jayamaha, S. M. Marikar, more..

Oct 3 (TM) Despite the reduction of petrol prices last Saturday (1), the All-Island Three Wheeler Drivers and Owners� Association said it is not possible to reduce the current three-wheeler fares with the weekly quota remaining at five litres per week. Association President Lalith Dharmasekara stated that unless the petrol quota is increased to at least five litres per day for six days a week, amounting to 30 litres per week, more..

Oct 3 (TM) When questioned by the media on the probability of SLFP joining hands with the newly formed New Lanka Freedom Party (NLFP) founded by MP Kumara Welgama and supported by former President Chandrika Kumaratunga, former President and incumbent SLFP Leader MP Maithripala Sirisena was reluctant to give a direct answer, saying that he would leave such decision to the future, but adding that such alliances would be needed in the times ahead. more..

Oct 3 (TM) Ceylon Tobacco Company (CTC) has increased the price of a cigarette by Rs. 5. Accordingly, the new price of a Gold Leaf cigarette will be Rs. 85, while the new price of a Benson & Hedges cigarette will increase to Rs. 90. The main reason for the increase in cigarette prices is the social security scheme introduced in the last Budget that came into effect last Saturday. Meanwhile, the National Authority on Tobacco and Alcohol (NATA) urged the Minister of Finance � more..

Oct 3 (EN) SL�s move to cut the price of petrol below that of diesel moving away from long term policy of mis-pricing diesel which is more expensive to import than petrol, has drawn fire from passenger transport operators in the country. Due to a long term policy of under-pricing more expensive diesel compared to petrol most public transport and goods transport vehicle use the more expensive and polluting fuel instead of the cheaper petrol more..

Oct 3 (TM) The Ceylon Estate Staff Union (CESU) yesterday (2) warned that estate workers would opt for an islandwide strike unless they are invited to another round of discussions with the plantation companies within this week regarding a salary hike. CESU General Secretary Robert Francis said yesterday that they would engage in an islandwide strike if they are refused appointments to meet the officials of the Employer�s Federation of Ceylon (EFC). more..

Oct 3 (DM) A group of New South Wales (NSW) MPs have assured the SL expatriates living in Sydney that they will table SL�s Human Rights violation report at their next parliament session. Members of the Legislative Council Peter Primrose and Anthony D Adams together with the Member of NSW Parliament, Jamie Parker met the SL group led by Jagath Bandara on Wednesday, September 21 at the McKell room in NSW Parliament House. Bandara said that their request to more..

Oct 4 (DM) Against a huge increase in electricity tariff having been announced last month, the authorities are warning of longer hours of power cuts in the country, citing the unprecedented foreign exchange crisis. In spite of the Public Utilities Commission of SL (PUCSL), the country�s power regulator having cited last month�s tariff increase as 75% on average, the effect of it on the individual bills circulated among the domestic consumers paint a different picture. more..

Oct 4 (TM) According to historians, there were, in the past, two terrible ravages of the Sri Lankan countryside. The first was consequent to the invasion by an Indian potentate called Magha in the early centuries. The second was when Lord Torrington ordered the devastation of Uva Wellassa after the rebellion of 1818. The fields of Wellassa (the land of a hundred thousand paddy fields) were sequestered and destroyed as punishment for being the epicentre of the Kandyan revolt. more..

Oct 4 (TM) Although it is uncommon to hear claims of possible famines in the present day and age, food insecurity is still one of the main pressing issues that the economic crisis has worsened, while malnutrition poses a real threat to a considerable share of the population. Reports of schoolchildren fainting in school allegedly due to hunger or malnutrition and claims that pregnant women are not receiving proper nutrition more..

Oct 4 (CT) Jesus was a supremely and radically free human being. He was not a slave, a serf, a follower of anybody or under any authority human or divine. There was nothing, no commandment or tradition, no law or regulation that could bind him down. He did not give his companions and his group a constitution or a set of rules to follow. At the end of his earthly carrier of just 3 years, he gave them one, only one, commandment or rather a guideline. �Love one another as I have loved you.� more..

Oct 4 (DM) Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe during the weekend revoked a previous Gazette notification that declared several areas of Colombo as HSZs, but not before the original proclamation caused an uproar. On Saturday, first thing upon returning from a visit to Japan and the Philippines, the president issued a new extraordinary gazette notification, revoking the previous order, of which legality was challenged by a myriad of groups, including the National Human Rights Commission. more..

Oct 4 (CT) SL women have often faced marginalisation, been accorded a secondary status in society, and become victims of sexual and gender-based violence. In fact, a key manifestation of gender inequality and powerlessness is in physical, mental and sexual violence against women. Women�s low representation in the political processes over a long period of time, i.e., less than 5% representation in provincial councils more..

Oct 4 (CT) SL Govt has at last responded to the long-needed tax reduction relief during the worst economic crisis. For decades, local and international organisations have claimed that sanitary napkins should not be taxed, but the Government had taken no action to lower the taxes. They are required to wear sanitary napkins for about a week straight, ranging from young children to early aged people. There is no option. However, the overall import tax on sanitary napkins was 42%, and more..

Oct 4 (Island) Piteous appeals of the victims of last week�s fire that destroyed more than 80 shanties at Thotalanga are still heard. The govt has promised relief and alternative accommodation for the poor families in distress. One can only hope that it will not renege on its pledge. Politicians� promises are said to be like the piecrust; they are made to be broken. The media is losing interest in the Thotalanga fire and its victims. The same is true for the ordinary people, who take refuge in escapism, more..

Oct 4 (ST) When over-rated politicians of dubious character resurrect the dead to defend their indefensible actions, one can understand why some Aragalaya protesters demanded that the ostentatious building at Diyawanna Oya be closed until the country could find a far more worthy lot of free-loaders. A couple of weeks or so ago Minister Prasanna Ranatunga had dragged the name of Trotskyist politician, the late Dr Colvin R. de Silva, a highly-respected lawyer, orator and historian, more..

Oct 4 (GV) A few months ago, the area surrounding the Prez Secretariat was home to an unprecedented resistance. The occupation at Gotagogama marked 124 days of nonviolent struggle and vibrant community. The struggle area stood in absolute juxtaposition to an urban landscape that has displaced historic communities, in defiance of the corruption that underlies Port City, and in confrontation with key political establishments. But by Aug 10, skeletal remains of more..

Oct 4 (SO) Lasantha Gunawardena is a known businessman in the developing town of Thambuttegama. Gunawardena is the heir of his father�s business Gunawardena Stores and in recent times he had also expanded his business by setting up a wholesale store in the city�s economic centre. He was in the habit of conducting his business transactions through one particular private bank in the Thambuttegama Town. more..

Oct 4 (FT) The Colombo stock market suffered an ominous start for the new month of October as the active S&P SL20 index plunged by 5% forcing the suspension of trading though slightly before the scheduled closure. �Market turns downbeat with retail sell-off in heavyweights triggering circuit breaker,� said Asia Securities whilst First Capital said: �Market nosedives as retail favourites hit the skids.� CSE ended yesterday with S&P SL20 down by 3.68% or over 166 points and more..

Oct 4 (ST) A greater section of the local football fraternity are pointing fingers to now-defunct administration of Football Federation of Sri Lanka (FFSL) headed by Jaswar Umar, for the present calamity of the sport in the country. This comes aftermath a series of exchange in opinions by two parties, one mainly by a collaborated faction of former presidents of FFSL, Anura de Silva and Ranjith Rodrigo, who was also the vice president under Umar�s administration. more..

Oct 4 (Island) Asian Games medallist and Olympian Damayanthi Dharsha, who witnessed the ongoing Western Province Schools Athletics Championships, expressed shock over the highly disorganized manner in which the four-day event is being conducted at the Sugathadasa Stadium. Dept of Education, Western Province, the organisers of the event, which began on Sunday, were failing in their duty to conduct events on schedule and, in a shocking turn of events, more..

Oct 4 (DM) SL�s headline consumer prices could turn a corner in October from a likely peak in September, due to higher base effects last year and the back-to-back deceleration seen in monthly food prices since July. However, the consumers are far from being able to catch a breath, as they will continue to confront double-digit prices through the end of next year. Data showed that the food prices, which account for the biggest share of the inflation basket, have been slowing for three months in a row more..

Oct 4 (FT) Over a dozen have been subject to strict action by the capital market regulator Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) for misconduct some of which taken place over a decade ago. As per different notices posted on the SEC�s web site, around 16 persons had been either warned or subject to compounding, without an admission of liability as provided for under section 51A of the SEC of SL Act No. 36 of 1987. more..

Oct 4 (FT) Global leader in research, analytics and technology solutions to financial services sector Acuity Knowledge Partners (Acuity) is to double its work force in Sri Lanka to 1,000 in three years as talent and operations in the country have been exceptional. Founded in Sri Lanka in 2003 as Amba Research but with change of ownership twice since, Acuity has expanded globally with offices in the UK, US, India, Costa Rica, and China and serving 500 global institutional customers. more..

Oct 4 (ST) A SL youth employed in New Zealand died this week in a motorcycle accident while on holiday in Galle. He was identified as Sahan Diluka, a resident of Kahaduwatta. The accident occurred at the Kahaduwatta junction when Diluka and two pillion riders were returning home in the early hours of Tuesday after buying some kottu roti. Diluka�s mother K.A. Ilangathilaka, a Galle Municipal Council member, said her son had studied at Auckland Uni and had excelled in hospitality management. more..

Oct 4 (ST) SL�s sporting scene has been sitting pretty with Cricketers and Netballers cementing their statuses as Asian Kings and Queens. The double delight only became a triple triumph this Thursday (29), when the women�s basketballers also joined the champion�s club when the cagers were crowned as South Asian Basketball Association (SABA) champions. Kayesha Siriwardana, a member of the winning team, more..

Oct 4 (FT) Japan�s GTN � Global Trust Network has assured Labour and Foreign Employment Minister Manusha Nanayakkara that it will facilitate measures to provide over 1000 caregiver jobs for Sri Lankans. Minister Nanayakkara who is visiting Japan in a bid to secure more job opportunities for SL youth held discussions with GTN � Global Trust Network Chairman Hiroyuki Goto, Skilled Labour Division Manager Yuka Kuwahara and top officials of the frontline management. more..

Oct 4 (DN) SL women�s team led by Chamari Atapattu will meet Thailand in their Asia Cup T-20 cricket tournament today at the Sylhet Int'l cricket Stadium Bangladesh. SL lasses started with defeat by the India in their opening game while their second game Sri Lanka fought back strongly to win the game by 11 runs (D/L method) against UAE at the same venue. SL women�s head coach Hashan Tillekaratne said SL batters are not up to the expectations so far in this tournament and more..

Oct 4 (DM) BOI enterprises accounted for US $ 6.6 billion of merchandise exports during the Jan-Sept period, up 16 percent compared to the corresponding period of 2021, the apex investment promotion agency said. The merchandise export income to SL during the Jan-Aug period was US $ 8.8 billion, up 12% from a year ago. The export data for October are yet to be published. According to the BOI, 15 key performing sectors, which have shown over 19% of average growth in exports more..

Oct 4 (FT) Marking the International Day for Universal Access to Information, on 28 Sept the Right to Information Commission of SL held a series of discussions in collaboration with the District Secretariat of Jaffna, Press Clubs of Jaffna, Mullaitivu and Kilinochchi and academics of the Northern Province on 28 and 29 Sept. At the meeting at the DS of the Jaffna presided over by the RTI Commission and the District Secretary Kanapathipillai Maheshan together with DSs, more..

Oct 4 (FT) Tourist arrivals fell by 21% in September in comparison to August suffering the lowest inflow for the year so far, dealing a fresh setback to triple-crises-hit industry�s hope for a robust revival in the upcoming winter season. As per provisional data only 29,802 tourists arrived in Sept, largely due to the negative portrayal of the current situation in the country. Industry stakeholders claimed the exaggerated negative publicity more..

Oct 4 (DM) T�rkiye has insisted that they will not sign a resolution on SL presented to the UNHRC and that a sponsors� list which was circulated earlier was not accurate. Turkish Ambassador to SL, Demet Şekercioğlu said that T�rkiye (formerly known as Turkey) has not co-sponsored any resolution adopted on SL at the UNHRC, neither in the past, nor during the ongoing 51st Session of the Council. Furthermore, she noted that T�rkiye has made an intervention in the interactive dialogue on SL more..

Oct 4 (EN) Sri Lanka parliament�s Committee on Public Finance had denied approval for tax breaks given to a foreign investment project over the failure of the Board of Investment to given an analysis of the benefit and impact on the economy. Under Sri Lanka�s Strategic Development Act, unusually long tax breaks can be given to companies unlike other tax laws where rules pre-set and predictable. Under a plan to raise Sri Lanka�s tax collection the SDA was at one time suspended. more..

Oct 4 (FT) Eva, the market leading sanitary napkin brand, said yesterday it has come forward to put an end to period poverty among schoolgirls with the introduction of Eva Dream. Exclusively available in all schools across the country, Eva Dream is a quality and affordable pad which seeks to address the national need of the hour. The launch of new product comes a day after the Govt announced it was waiving of all duties on five raw materials and import of intermediate goods for more..

Oct 4 (FT) JVP Leader and MP Anura Kumara Dissanayake called on the Govt to include provisions in the proposed 22nd amendment to the constitution that will ban MPs from crossing over in parliament. According to Dissanayake, the constant changing of camps by MPs has contributed to the serious decline of SL politics. �We have a culture of MPs crossing over for various reasons such as to obtain Ministerial positions, benefits, money, land, houses and even to evade legal proceedings. more..