Oct 17 (DM) The newly appointed EDB Chairman Mangala Wijesinghe urged the country to broaden its export base by targeting high-tech sectors, as part of a broader strategy to boost export revenue. Wijesinghe, in his first speech since assuming duties, highlighted the need for SL to follow the path of countries such as Singapore and South Korea, in developing advanced industries. �We should diversify and focus more on high-tech industries like electronics and pharmaceuticals,� more..

Oct 17 (Island) SL tackles its economic recovery and development, regulatory policies across key sectors�trade, energy and agriculture�are set to play a pivotal role in determining the nation�s global competitiveness, Institute of Policy Studies, Research Fellow, Dr. Manoj Thibbotuwawa said. Speaking on the topic How Regulatory Policies Could Shape Global Competitiveness at a discussion held at the IPS recently in Colombo, he said, whether carefully crafted or more..

Oct 17 (TM) Committee for Protecting the Rights of Prisoners (CPRP) condemned the alleged direction given by Attorney General to the Director of CID to conclude the case, claiming that such would thwart the process of meting out justice and in turn create a conducive environment for criminals to evade justice for offences committed by them and also afford criminals� impunity. CPRP issued an official statement in this regard more..

Oct 17 (FT) SL Ambassador to Thailand Wijayanthi Edirisinghe recently attended a high-level event on regional trade and agricultural transformation in Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) countries, as a guest speaker. The event was organised by the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) in collaboration with BIMSTEC and the Research and Information System for Developing Countries (RIS). It was a valuable platform for more..

Oct 17 (FT) Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation (SLBC) will use Rs. 1.5 billion raised from land sales to other State agencies as part of a broader restructuring plan, including the launch of a voluntary retirement scheme (VRS) for employees. The proceeds come from the sale of SLBC land in Ekala, with a portion already transferred to the UDA for Rs. 1,286 billion. Cabinet of Ministers this week had earmarked these funds to revamp the loss-making broadcaster into a profitable entity. more..

Oct 17 (FT) The Cabinet of Ministers has approved a proposal by President Anura Kumara Dissanayake to re-establish the Food Policy Committee, originally established in 2022. This Committee is tasked with ensuring the continuous availability of essential food items in the market and controlling the cost of living. The move comes as part of the Govt�s efforts to mitigate rising food prices and supply chain disruptions, which have been a pressing concern for many Sri Lankans. more..

Oct 17 (DM) A team from the Army Commando Regiment recovered the body of a young man who had been brutally murdered and disposed of at the Mini World's End (Punchi Lokanthaya). Information revealed by Madolsima police indicates that the murder had been committed on Oct 1. Following the incident, two suspects have been arrested by the police. During police interrogations, it was disclosed that the 22-year-old victim was murdered by the two apprehended individuals, more..

Oct 17 (FT) PHU leader Udaya Gammanpila announced yesterday that he will only hand over the two unpublished reports related to the 2019 Easter Sunday terror attacks if the Govt publicly commits to publishing them. Gammanpila expressed concern over the Govt�s intentions, warning that he would release the reports himself by 21 Oct if they were not made public within a week of his submission. more..

Oct 17 (EN) The arrest of Chinese, Indian and Thai nationals in multiple locations who were apparently targeting financial systems and banks in third countries have left authorities wondering whether Sri Lanka is becoming a cyber crimes hub. �We have to see if Sri Lanka is a cyber crimes hub,� Minister Vijitha Herath said, �and whether our financial system is being affected by this.� The Police have arrested over 200 foreign nationals, mainly Chinese, who were housed in several locations, more..

Oct 17 (DM) In what seemed like an interesting development within the SJB, The party leadership had refused to accept the resignation letter submitted by Samagi Vanitha Balawegaya National Organiser Hirunika Premachandra while Ms. Premachandra insisted that she had to focus on her campaign in Colombo. SJB General Secretary Ranjith Madduma Bandara told a media briefing that the party refused to accept the resignation letter submitted by Ms. Premachandra and more..

Oct 17 (DM) Admitting the fact that the Central Bank has issued treasury bills of Rs. 465.1 b during the period between Sept 27 and Oct 15, a top economist of the govt said, it was not an additional loan obtained by the new govt as alleged by some but it is a routine practice of the CB to issue treasury bills for debt servicing. Prez's Adviser Prof. Anil Jayantha said that Rs. 400b out of the total of Rs. 465.1b has been utilised for debt servicing. more..

Oct 18 (CT) It is commonly phrased by almost everyone from the school teacher to the Prez of the country that the nation�s future is its children. And if that is the case, the future of SL seems to be an obese one, for child obesity has become a severe issue in the country. The latest figures on childhood obesity from the Family Health Bureau�s National Nutrition Month Summary Report 2024 reinforce this grim reality. Obesity among schoolchildren has risen from 2.7% in 2023 to 3.1% in 2024, more..

Oct 18 (DM) Sri Lanka is now trying to walk on a straight line in terms of putting the country in order. Many moons ago and many govts before this, ambitious people who walked crooked and disregarded ethics entered Parliament easily. Now we see the new government in place attempting the unthinkable; trying to reinvent a nation that many thought didn�t have a future. This writer uses the word unthinkable instead of impossible. This is because there is some hop more..

Oct 18 (DM) Q: What exactly transpired when signing nominations? A: I have been working as the SJB Gampaha District organiser for 20 years. I served as the Mayor for seven years, four years as a provincial councilor and 12 years as a MP from the Gampaha District. So I signed nominations for the upcoming Parliamentary Election as the Organiser for the Gampaha District. We are under immense pressure when we sign more..

Oct 18 (DM) With the victory of Anura Kumara Dissanayake (AKD), SL sees a ray of hope in eradicating corruption and increasing political accountability. The people of SL are confident that it will be their interests that will be paramount for the new Prez. Behind the scenes of the elections hubbub, the desolate Colombo Port City has been gathering media attention over the last month, given the milestone of onboarding 100 (secondary) investors and the opening of The Mall. more..

Oct 18 (CT) When Anura Kumara Dissanayake (AKD) won the presidency with 42% of the votes, all opposition parties undermined it by stating that 58% of voters were against him, so it was not a win as the majority were against him. At the same time, hardly anyone in opposition wanted to appreciate and value 42% based on the 3% of the votes that the AKD obtained in 2019, an unprecedented jump. I understand the above is not a relevant assessment at all. The victory marked a turning point more..

Oct 18 (FT) Chamod Kavindu, is a prime example of the human cost of the Royal College rugby program, much in the news recently, since Daily FT�s exposure based on complaints of parents of the 1st XV squad of 2024. A student from humble beginnings, his rugby performance in the junior tournaments landed him an invitation to play for Royal College with a sports scholarship. The only son in his family, there were high hopes that more..

Oct 18 (TM) SL�s backyard, the Indian Ocean Region (IOR) is a dynamic space with many opportunities and challenges, many of which a new Govt in Colombo will need to get accustomed to navigate, quickly. SL is still in a transitional period, following a shock to its political and economic system, and with a new Prez at the helm. And with Parliamentary Election around the bend, the composition of the next Legislature and Govt still unpredictable, the island nation needs to move swiftly more..

Oct 18 (CT) Although it is natural for incidents of catastrophic consequences to sway the public attention or distract the public for a longer period of time, Sri Lankans tend to get too distracted and miss the bigger picture in the process. A fine example of this high distractibility presented itself recently when the French agency CLS � a subsidiary of the French Space Agency (CNES) � revealed that approximately 500,000 litres of pollutants are released into Sri Lanka waters every month. more..

Oct 18 (Island) It is interesting and revealing to see how the aims of the original Aragalaya protesters who were motivated solely by love of country are being realised surely and steadily. When they raised their cry of GotaGoHome, which was meant for Gotabaya Rajapaksa to relinquish the presidency which he had messed up, Cassandra for one smiled indulgently and said to herself: that will never happen. But what seemed impossible did happen. He did not go to his home however; more..

Oct 18 (FT) In a bid to revitalise the agriculture sector and tackle pervasive rural poverty, President Anura Kumara Dissanayake called for a long-term, unified national plan. Speaking at a progress review meeting for the Agriculture, Lands, Livestock, Irrigation, Fisheries, and Aquatic Resources Ministry on Wednesday, Prez emphasised the need for a comprehensive approach to re-organise the country�s disordered agricultural landscape. During the meeting, more..

Oct 18 (CI) Pathum Nissanka sent Sri Lanka's chase screaming out of the blocks, before Kusal Mendis and Kusal Perera put on a clinical and unbeaten 106-run stand for the second wicket. For a team that had never before beaten West Indies in a T20I series, this chase was almost too effortless to believe. Each of the top three produced sparkling innings, as the hosts galloped to the target of 163 with 12 balls remaining, in front of a packed more..

Oct 18 (FT) Commercial High Court of Colombo on 9 Oct issued two enjoining orders against a restaurant identifying itself as The King Crab, following claims of unfair competition by the renowned SL restaurant chain Ministry of Crab. Senior Counsel representing Crab Corp Ltd, the registered SL entity of Ministry Of Crab, made submissions to Court that The King Crab restaurant was utilising the distinctive yellow and black colour combinations, and most significantly a yellow crab logo more..

Oct 18 (Island) The JVP/NPP leaders got criticising others down to a fine art during their Opposition days. Now, the boot is on the other foot, and they have had to contend with living under the microscope; their political opponents are treating them to lectures on good governance! If the members of the previous dispensation think they can rally public support by moralising and taking on the new govt, they will soon realise that theirs is an exercise in futility. more..

Oct 18 (FT) SL Institute of Directors (SLID) is set to host the highly anticipated International Director Conference on 29 Oct, at the Oak Room, Cinnamon Grand Hotel, Colombo, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. The event, which will be held under the theme The Courage To be Bold, has been curated to inspire business leaders to go above and beyond and lead with confidence in an ever evolving global landscape. Featuring over 20 foreign and local thought leaders from a variety of industries, more..

Oct 18 (DN) SLC recently organized a series of workshops to enhance the skills of local umpires, match referees, and umpire trainers, led by former ICC Elite Panel Umpire Simon Taufel. The training program conducted at the High Performance Center of the R. Premadasa Cricket Stadium from Oct 6th to 14th, focused on further enhancing match officiating standards in Sri Lanka. Taufel, a five-time ICC Umpire of the Year, conducted separate sessions for different Match Official groups. more..

Oct 18 (ST) �You sell tea in Jaffna town, but my fiance has a restaurant in Canada,� a woman tells her boyfriend in an advertisement for emigration services. �I�m ending things.� Among youth in the North and East, emigrating has become a dream, but most end up with the nightmare of trying to recover their money from the many visa scammers that prey on their desperation. Mr. Kandanraj is a fisherman in Mannar, more..

Oct 18 (FT) Govt yesterday announced an increase in taxes on certain imported goods, effective from 14 Oct to 31 Dec 2024. This move comes under the directive of Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake, who also serves as the Finance Minister. Under the new regulations, a special merchandise tax will apply to several key imports. Whole and flaked Mysore lentils, as well as yellow lentils, will now incur a tax of 25 cents per kg. Additionally, a special commodity levy of Rs. 302 per kg more..

Oct 18 (DN) SL women�s football team is ready to take the field today (Friday) at 1:15 PM SL time for their first match in the SAFF Women�s Championship to be held at the Dashrath Stadium in Nepal, where Sri Lanka will battle against the Maldives. Both teams are eager to make a strong start in this seven-nation tournament, which will run until October 30. SL is placed in Group B, alongside Nepal, Bhutan, and the Maldives, while Group A features India, Bangladesh, and Pakistan. more..

Oct 18 (FT) SL�s hopes for substantial debt relief from its recent bondholder agreement are fading, according to the latest Verit� Research. The country, which entered a crucial debt restructuring agreement in Sept 2024, had been banking on a 30% reduction in its net present value (NPV) of debt under the so-called IMF baseline scenario. However, Verit�s latest findings reveal that SL is more likely to receive a much lower 19.8% debt reduction. more..

Oct 18 (CT) The Queens of Asia are set to commence their title defence against the Philippines in the opening match of the Asian Netball C'ship today at the Koramangala Indoor Stadium in India. The defending champions are determined to start their campaign on a high note, reinforcing their status as a powerhouse in Asian netball. With a strong roster and a history of success in regional competitions, six-times the Asian Champions enters the match with high expectations. more..

Oct 18 (DN) Sri Lanka �A � head coach h Avishka Gunawardena did an excellent job by producing good players for the National team during his coaching role with the Sri Lanka A team. This time he accompanied the A team for ACC men�s T -20 Emerging teams Asia Cup cricket tournament in Oman which will commence today. This team is prepared to deliver a commendable performance in this tournament said coach Gunawardena the former Sri Lanka dashing opener. more..

Oct 18 (Island) As Sri Lanka faces the aftershocks of multiple crises, including the COVID-19 pandemic, economic downturn and the Easter Sunday attacks, the country�s education sector has become a key battleground for securing long-term economic recovery, according to IPS Research Fellow Dr. Bilesha Weeraratne. IPS stakeholders explored the critical role of education in building a skilled workforce, while also highlighting the immense challenges that must be addressed to more..

Oct 18 (EN) Former Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe has called for voters to send experienced members back to parliament in the upcoming general election, saying those who worked with him have the necessary expertise. �Without experience, you cannot run the Parliament, you cannot achieve the goals we have been set. Those who worked with me have the expertise to solve the economic challenges,� Wickremesinghe said making a statement on Thursday. more..

Oct 18 (CT) The maximum amount a candidate can spend per voter in this year�s General Election will range from Rs 82 to Rs 115. EC has issued a circular setting out the maximum spending limits for candidates� campaign expenditures during the 2024 General Election. These limits apply to candidates, political parties, independent groups, and National List candidates, with variations depending on the district. All future national elections will be more..