Oct 28 (DM) Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake vowed once again that the perks and benefits of the past heads of state would be scrapped completely, no matter what. Addressing an election rally, he said it is not the duty of people to look after former presidents. He said the former presidents had been ensured benefits in terms of circulars, a parliamentary act and constitutional provisions. "We are exploring the possibility of amending the circulars and the Act," he said. more..

Oct 28 (NW) SL is experiencing a rise in WhatsApp account hacks, with cybercriminals using verification code manipulation to gain access to accounts and defraud contacts. In recent incidents, users have reported receiving unexpected WhatsApp verification codes. Scammers then contact users, posing as friends or acquaintances, to request the code, which, once shared, grants hackers control over the account. A Colombo businessman, who recently fell victim to the scam, described his experience: more..

Oct 28 (EN) SL govt has been losing a significant amount of money due to not following a proper procurement process, members of the National Procurement Commission have told Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake. Prez�s Marxists JVP in the past had revealed a raft of corrupt practices in govt procurement procedures and unsolicited projects. JVP also has pledged legal action against the past corruption, while implementing a proper more..

Oct 28 (FT) Dr. M.T.A. Netzband-Miller has been connected with Arugam Bay since 1977 and now lives there permanently. In this interview, he speaks about why he chose Arugam Bay to establish his tourism venture and shares insights on the potential of tourism in SL, his adopted country. Q: Please introduce yourself and your contribution to tourism in SL. A: I am Dr. M.T.A. Netzband-Miller; 75 years of age, who grew up in different countries. My mother was from Netherlands and more..

Oct 28 (NW) Former Minister Lohan Ratwatte has denied links to a car, without number plates, that was found in the parking lot of a house belonging to his wife in Mirihana, it was reported. During questioning, Lohan Ratwatte had revealed that the vehicle had been brought to the property by his Coordinating Secretary, who recently died by suicide in Kandy. The vehicle in question was found at a house in Mirihana belonging to Ratwatte�s wife, during a probe conducted on Saturday more..

Oct 28 (Island) People�s Struggle Alliance (PSA), led by FSP, called on their former colleagues in the govt to conduct a thorough investigation immediately into issues related to the procurement of passports and allegations of fraud involving public funds. PSA�s Colombo District candidate, Pubudu Jayagoda, contesting next month�s parliamentary election, warned that the govt�s coffers would lose millions of US dollars due to a questionable deal more..

Oct 28 (AD) Colombo Stock Exchange (CSE) has been placed as the second best performing equity index in Asia. CSE has secured the second in Asia as of 25 October 2024, with the ASPI boasting an impressive year-to-date return of 29.65% in USD. This outstanding performance underscores the resilience of SL�s capital market and its growing appeal to both local and international investors, with the daily average turnover for the week ended 25 Oct 2024, standing at Rs. 3.058 billion. more..

Oct 28 (FT) Lanka participated at the Commonwealth Heads of Govt Meeting (CHOGM) 2024 held in Apia, Samoa from 24-26 Oct. Theme of the CHOGM 2024 was One Resilient Common Future: Transforming our Common Wealth. The Commonwealth, a voluntary association of 56 independent states, is one of the world�s oldest political association of states that work together towards the shared goals of peace, democracy, and prosperity. The organisation is home to more..

Oct 28 (AD) Leader of Sarvajana Balaya alliance and Gampaha District parliamentary candidate, entrepreneur Dilith Jayaweera says that he and his team are dedicated to creating a respectable public service. During a public meeting, he highlighted the importance of forming a strong opposition to achieve this goal. �What should we do to create a respectable public sector in order to elevate the living standards of the people, especially the living standards of the govt employees? more..

Oct 28 (Island) The National Medicines Regulatory Authority (NMRA) has banned the use of Depo (Depo-Provera)�a contraceptive injection intended for humans�on dogs, cats, and other animals in SL. The decision follows a coordinated campaign by animal welfare organizations and veterinary professionals who highlighted the misuse of the drug as both harmful and inappropriate for veterinary care. The campaign, launched earlier this year, was led by the State Veterinary Surgeons� more..

Oct 28 (DN) Former Minister Mahinda Amaraweera stated that senior officials at the Finance Ministry, by withholding funds from the Paddy Marketing Board (PMB), allowed the rice mafia to exploit both farmers and consumers. He said that during his tenure as Agriculture Minister, he repeatedly requested funds from the Finance Ministry to enable the PMB to purchase paddy. However, senior officials, along with more..

Oct 28 (Island) US Ambassador Julie Chung met with newly appointed Governor Nagalingam Vedanayagam last week in Jaffna to discuss potential collaborative efforts between the US and SL. Ambassador Chung highlighted several areas for potential cooperation, including economic opportunities, infrastructure improvements, and agricultural development. During her visit, she also toured the American Corner in Jaffna, where she interacted with young Sri Lankans involved in more..

Oct 28 (MoD) Defence Secretary Air Vice Marshal Sampath Thuyacontha (Retd) visited the SL Army Headquarters located at the Defence Hq Complex, Sri J'pura, Kotte today. This is the first official visit undertaken by the Defence Secretary to the Army Headquarters since assuming office as the Secretary to the Ministry Defence. Defence Secretary was respectfully received by the Adjutant General of the Army, Major General Chamila Munasinghe set with a Guard of Honour upon his arrival. more..

Oct 28 (TC) Last August, a foundation stone laying ceremony was held in Brampton, Ont. for a Tamil genocide monument in the city. The memorial�s architectural design was selected from among 100,000 submissions and finalized by the National Council of Canadian Tamils in 2022. It represents a significant victory for SL Tamils, both in Canada and globally. Tamil separatists fought a three-decade long civil war against SL govt more..

Oct 28 (NW) PM Dr. Harini Amarasuriya said that while former Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe announced a Cabinet decision to increase public servant salaries, the necessary procedures to implement this decision were not followed. Amarasuriya said, �Although Ranil Wickremesinghe claims that a decision was taken to raise the salaries of public servants, when reviewing this Cabinet decision, it�s evident that it was not approved with consent from Treasury or officials from Ministry of Finance. more..

Oct 28 (DM) The Sri Lanka Railways Station Masters' Union (SLRSMU) has decided to initiate immediate trade union action in response to the recruitment of Station Masters in violation of traditional recruitment procedures. Cabinet approval has been granted to appoint Station Masters and Railway Controllers every five years following an internal departmental examination. The union has announced that this trade union action will commence within the next 72 hours. more..

Oct 29 (TM) Power changes people, and SL has seen its share of such change and the ill effects it brings for democratic governance. It is evident that the public has placed their trust in the NPP, which carried JVP leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake to change the island�s political landscape by electing him Prez, a month ago. However, NPP�s shine may be wearing off, with the small caretaker Govt scrambling to deal with day-to-day governance, while delivering election promises more..

Oct 29 (CT) The expected shenanigans of the Rajapaksas and Wickremesinghe have started with renewed vigour with the General Election 2024 looming. Pathetic as it may appear it is reminiscent of drowning men shrieking for help. Sadly, none are listening or even prepared to help. When the racist Udaya Gammanpila appeared from the woodwork to cast aspersions that the retired DIG of the Criminal Investigations must take the blame for not preventing the Easter Sunday attack it more..

Oct 29 (DM) Former Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe contested as an independent candidate under the gas cylinder symbol and garnered 17% of votes at the last Prez Elections. Even though he came forward to rebuild the country back to its former glory, opposition factions accused Wickremesinghe for allowing individuals with alleged cases of corruption to escape scot free while also safeguarding the Rajapaksas. more..

Oct 29 (DM) The results of Saturday�s Elpitiya Pradeshiya Sabha election cannot be taken as an indication of the results of the forthcoming Parliamentary election scheduled for Nov 14, as some suggest, since the two elections are different in several aspects. Main among the differences is the election in Elpitiya was held under the mixed electoral system � a system that combines the First-Past-the Post (FPP) and the Proportional Representation (PR) systems � whereas more..

Oct 29 (DM) Canadian PM Justin Trudeau said on Oct 23, that Canada will significantly reduce the number of new immigrants. He said so after he was severely criticized for his plan to allow 500,000 new permanent residents in each of the next two years. Critics said that such a large-scale entry will only exacerbate the on-going housing and civil amenities crisis in the country. Trudeau has now fixed new targets for immigration. For 2025 the cap will be 395,000 new permanent residents; more..

Oct 29 (TM) State-run CEB is at a crossroads regarding its fuel procurement practices. Pressure to introduce competitive bidding is mounting, fuelled by rising fuel costs and concerns over transparency. While officials and unions defend the current arrangement with the CPC, the potential for reform remains on the table. In the current context, SL�s thermal power generation, which relies on fossil fuels, more..

Oct 29 (Island) The govt is being very rational in its actions whether in dealing with the economy, the travel advisories or the reconciliation process, and is reaping the rewards. Its victory at the local council election in Elpitiya is an indication that its popularity after a month in power is continuing and that it is not confined to Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake alone but extends to the NPP itself. The margin of victory on this occasion was much greater than the last time it faced such local elections. more..

Oct 29 (CT) Sri Lanka�s archaeological heritage, a profound testament to the nation�s history, is facing a crisis. A recent report titled Analytical Report on the Protection and Conservation of the Archaeological Heritage of National Importance of Sri Lanka � Volume I reveals the gravity of the situation. Compiled by the Bauddhaloka Foundation with leading archaeologists and heritage experts, this report highlights the rampant destruction of historical sites across eight districts in SL. more..

Oct 29 (Island) Election fever is running high, and not many seem concerned about the sorry state of the economy. Politics has taken precedence over economics and blinded politicians and voters alike to the harsh economic reality. It is doubtful whether the disturbing news about a delay in the next review of the Sri Lanka-IMF programme has received adequate public attention. As things stand, the release of the next tranche of the IMF loan will be delayed. more..

Oct 29 (FT) Celebrating its milestone 15th edition, the Academy of Design�s (AOD) flagship event, SL Design Festival (SLDF), stands as a testament to resilience, renewal, and the country�s forward-looking vision. Amid SL�s many challenges, SLDF highlights the transformative potential of creative industries as a catalyst for progress. Through AOD�s investments in education, collaborative projects, and focus on grassroots innovation, the festival advances initiatives more..

Oct 29 (TM) Export Development Board (EDB) plans to escalate service sector revenue to $ 5 billion by 2030, after the sector recorded $ 3.1 billion in 2023 and the ICT sector recorded $ 1.2 billion. �There are 85,000 ICT sector proposals available in SL. We are planning plenty of infrastructural facilities, training and development to facilitate the ICT sector, with the target of increasing the service export revenue to $ 5 b by 2030.� more..

Oct 29 (ST) The security remains tight in Arugam Bay with regular checks on vehicles and those passing by the area, while the few remaining tourists have moved out since they were alerted about the travel advisories. The villages here first came to know about the possible security threats after they saw additional checkpoints manned mainly by the Police and the STF. In addition, the Army and the Navy too were deployed. While the fishermen were earlier told not to go to sea, more..

Oct 29 (FT) Haycarb PLC, a leader in activated carbon manufacturing and a member of the Hayleys Group, announced that its 2023/24 Annual Report has been honoured with two prestigious awards at the 38th International ARC Awards, headquartered in New York. Themed Thriving Together, the report won a Gold award in the Cover Photo/Design category and a Silver award in the Non-Traditional Annual Report category. Hailed as the Academy Awards of Annual Reports of the financial community, more..

Oct 29 (ST) Even as Arugam Bay�s famed surfing waves receded this off season leaving the sleepy coastal town to slumber on, it was rudely awoken to find itself turned into a hotbed of international intrigue, and the target of an imminent terrorist attack, with its multi-religious residents held hostage to terror as a result of an insufferable Israeli presence. In June this year, Prez Ranil had appointed a committee of three headed by retired HC Judge Jayaki de Alwis to inquire into more..

Oct 29 (DN) Dunith Wellalage is a good player and an all-rounder we�ve got after a long time and he is an asset to the team, said SL spin coach Piyal Wijetunge. Wellalage has a lot of skill. He is still raw, only 21-years-old and he is only learning how it is to play at international level. His skill levels are very good and his dedication is also very high . A spinner actually matures at the ages of 27-28. For him to be performing at such an early age I think he has a good future ahead of him. more..

Oct 29 (TM) Leader of the PHU Udaya Gammanpila yesterday called on the Govt to initiate an investigation to uncover the identity of an individual who claimed to be a retired Govt official in the UK�s Channel 4 documentary on the 2019 Easter Sunday bombings that alleged possible involvement of the SL intelligence services in the attacks. Gammanpila presented findings from an investigation conducted by a committee more..

Oct 29 (AD) A meeting was held at the Presidential Secretariat between Secretary to the Prez Dr. Nandika Kumanayake, and Managing Director of CHEC Port City Colombo (Pvt) Ltd Xiong Hongfeng. The discussions centered on the progress of the Colombo Commercial City development project, with a focus on new strategies to address anticipated economic challenges. In a display of corporate social responsibility, CHEC Port City Colombo (Pvt) Ltd also announced a donation of Rs. 3 million more..

Oct 29 (DN) The current income from Sri Lankan rubber product exports is around USD one billion and one of the main objectives of the industry is to increase the income to USD two billion by 2030 said Rubber Technology and Development Dept, Rubber Research Institut Head, Dr. Dilhara Edirisinghe at the second day of the TechBiz Rubber Week hybrid event. Over 85% of local rubber products are exported to US and EU countries, tyres & gloves being the main products more..

Oct 29 (DM) The local and international NGOs registered with the National NGO Secretariat - have committed to spend as much as Rs.30 billion this year, yet more than double this amount is spent by such organisations which are unregistered, warranting the need to enact the proposed NGO Regulation & Supervision Bill as early as possible, an informed source said. The bill which was drafted by previous govt is now more..