Sep 15 (DM) SJB is practising cheap politics by hurling a false allegation that there is a political deal between independent candidate Ranil Wickremesinghe and NPP Candidate Anura Kumara Dissanayake, UNP Deputy Leader Ruwan Wijewardene said. �It is clear that the SJB is displaying political bankruptcy when one considers the kind of allegation its members are making,� he said. �Anura Kumara Dissanayake is coming up with various statements from time to time. more..

Sep 15 (CT) SL is expected to include Oshada Fernando in place of Nishan Madushka for the upcoming two-Test series against NZ, set to commence in Galle on Wednesday (18). Oshada excelled in both innings during the recent 4-day match against South Africa �A�, scoring a century in the first innings and contributing 80 runs in the second, which laid the groundwork for SL �A�s victory. Oshada has had a fluctuating presence in the Test squad, with his last appearance in a Test more..

Sep 15 (TM) The Finance Ministry remains uncertain on the expected foreign exchange outflow following the relaxation of vehicle import restrictions and its potential impact on SL�s foreign exchange reserves. Stating that he had seen news reports to the effect that the Government had decided to relax vehicle import restrictions, Deputy Secretary to the Treasury Priyantha Rathnayake however said that he did not have any other information in this regard. more..

Sep 15 (NW) An inquiry has been initiated following the emergency landing of a backup helicopter escorting Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe. The SL Air Force�s Bell 412 (SUH 522) made a sudden landing in a paddy field in Eppawala yesterday. No injuries or damage to property were reported. The Air Force is investigating the cause for the emergency landing. A senior official from the President�s Security Division told Lankadeepa that the helicopter encountered a technical issue. more..

Sep 15 (Island) Colombo Archbishop Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith last week said that Pope Francis has endorsed the continued struggle to uncover the truth about the 2019 Easter Sunday bombings. During a holy mass marking the 150th jubilee feast of St. Maria Church in Negombo, the Cardinal noted that four years have passed since the Easter Sunday attacks. �Yet, we have not been able to ascertain the truth. No leader has genuinely attempted to uncover it. more..

Sep 15 (AD) The new school term for the academic year 2025 is scheduled to commence on Jan 2, 2025. Minister of Education Susil Premajayantha stated that significant improvements have been made to the academic calendar and examination schedule for the upcoming years. Furthermore, he mentioned that in order to address past delays, the ongoing third school term will include an additional two weeks in Jan 2025, for ensuring a complete and uninterrupted academic year. more..

Sep 15 (ST) SL�s apparel industry is currently on a rebound with order books keeping factories busy and having plans of increasing its workforce by about 10-15% this year. The industry is also expected to brace for a spillover of orders from Bangladesh should the crisis there aggravate. Export figures are indicating an increase in production and revenue with order books looking healthy and factories fairly busy, JAAF spokesman Yohan Lawrence said. more..

Sep 15 (TM) International election monitoring groups are on high alert as Sri Lanka prepares for its Prez Election on 21 Sept. European Union Election Observation Mission (EU EOM) has begun its monitoring and the Commonwealth Observer Group (COG) will follow suit. The EU EOM will oversee all stages of the election process to ensure compliance with national and international standards. more..

Sep 15 (ST) Sri Lanka Bureau for Employment (SLBFE) is facing serious bribery and corruption allegations owing to malpractices due to system manipulations leading to a nearly Rs.2 billion fraud. A former employee of SLBFE, Roshan Hashim, who held the position of Consultant IT for the Bureau, alleged that this system was manipulated by officials in the SLBFE, leading to a nearly Rs. 2 billion fraud with a major loss of Rs.567 million for the Bureau last year. He said that early last month more..

Sep 15 (ST) Of the 22 divisional secretariat divisions in this district, threats from wild elephants exist in 21 and special measures have been adopted to avoid an untoward incident, Anuradhapura District Secretary G.R. Wimalasooriya told the Sunday Times. �We want to make sure that the 636 polling centres and 95 counting centres function efficiently,� he said. While 35 counting centres will count postal votes, others will count ballots cast on polls day, he added. more..

Sep 15 (ST) Sri Lankans have transformed the electoral landscape unprecedentedly as the country enters the final week of campaigning for the prez election on Sept 21. This phenomenon encompasses several interesting facets, not manifest before, and is reflected in many parts of the country. Among some of the salient features are: The fact that a prez poll this time around is not visible as one drives from Colombo to this sacred city, more..

Sep 16 (TM) Sri Lanka will this week vote at one of the most decisive elections for the island in the 21st century. Our embattled island moves ahead with complex debt and bail out support agreements with bilateral creditor and multinational agencies, while cost of living remains high and poverty grows fast. Over the last month or so, Sri Lankans have been swamped with political manifestos, some ranging into the hundreds of pages, of the leading candidates, and also national strategic plans more..

Sep 16 (DM) How will we look back on the elections of 2024, in a decade or two from now? The upcoming prez and parliamentary elections, I argue, will be as significant as the general elections of 1956. I write below not about the spectacle of elections, which in SL is always full of excitement and engagement, but the political economic changes that follow elections during great historic moments. General elections of 1956 signalled a tremendous shift in the political economy of the country. more..

Sep 16 (ST) Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe, contesting as an independent candidate, has projected himself as the most suitable person to carry out economic reforms and has called on voters to vote for him to secure their own future. Amidst a busy election campaign schedule addressing rallies across the country and other meetings, President Wickremesinghe on Thursday met with journalists of Weekend newspapers. more..

Sep 16 (CT) Today (14 Sept, both on the BBC and Al Jazeera) the Holy Father, Pope Francis, urged the faithful to vote for the less evil of the two major US presidential candidates who are against life. Kamala Harris is openly for abortion while Trump is waffling � against one day and for the next. The pontiff said not welcoming migrants � seemingly referring to Trump � is a grave sin, and compared Kamala Harris� stance on abortion to an assassination. I am elated. For in the 2018-2020 elections more..

Sep 16 (DM) Often, elections are shaped more by emotional impulses, rumours and popular narratives rather than a reasoned assessment of a candidate�s capabilities, policy initiatives or leadership qualities. This trend underscores the complex nature of electoral politics, where leaders with proven track records or sound economic strategies can be overlooked in favour of those who resonate more with change or short-term promises. Promises minus clear means of fulfilment are empty. more..

Sep 16 (ST) With just one week to go before the 2024 prez election, candidates are making their final pitches to voters as they vie for the opportunity to govern Sri Lanka for the next five years. Sunday Times sister paper Irida Lankadeepa sat down with Opposition Leader and SJB prez candidate Sajith Premadasa this week to talk about his vision for the country and future plans should he emerge victorious. more..

Sep 16 (CT) As we walk on the streets of SL, we see them everywhere�skinny, frail and often covered in sores, limping or scavenging through garbage. These street dogs, once man�s best friend, now live in the shadows of society. They roam our streets without homes, love, or care, only to be greeted with neglect and cruelty. In a world where empathy seems to be fading, the lives of these dogs should stir our collective conscience. Street dogs in Sri Lanka live in harsh conditions. more..

Sep 16 (DM) 2024 prez election campaign has now reached its peak. In two days time -on Wednesday midnight- all campaigning will come to an end. In this election, we see many similarities and differences from the prez election of 2019. Expatriate professionals have returned from abroad to campaign on behalf of a particular candidate. At the same time during the present presidential polls, we have three main candidates and a plethora of others contesting the election. more..

Sep 16 (Island) Former Justice Minister Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe, who is running for Prez, has dropped a bombshell. Taking part in a Sirasa TV programme, the other day, he hinted at the possibility of some world powers having had a hand in the Easter Sunday terror attacks, which snuffed out about 270 lives and left more than 500 others injured, in 2019. He said he had opposed the handing over of the strategically important Hambantota Port to China, in 2017, and warned Yahapalana Cabinet that more..

Sep 16 (Island) During the reign of King Parakramabahu (1153-1186), SL earned the distinguished title of the granary of the Orient, reflecting its unparalleled agricultural abundance. The island�s breathtaking landscapes, fertile soil, and bountiful resources�including precious stones, renowned tea, rubber, and coconut�alongside its strategic deep harbours, made it a crucial hub in maritime trade. These resources drew foreign powers� attention, and SL experienced more..

Sep 16 (ST) As he enters the final lap of a punishing election campaign schedule, NPP prez candidate Anura Kumara Dissanayake took a few questions from the Sunday Times on his hopes to build a better country and move ahead with the times while allaying fears of violence if he wins Saturday�s prez election. Q: What are the main issues that you have identified in the county that need to be addressed urgently? more..

Sep 16 (Island) Indra Rupasingha, a senior value chain consultant at Vivonta Green Tech, has collaborated with the World Bank on intercropping spice crops, coffee, and tea. His expertise, enriched by Scandinavian and European agricultural systems, includes environment-controlled agriculture, organic production, and animal husbandry. His extensive experience is further demonstrated by his roles as Director at SL State Plantations Corporation, General Manager at John Keels Plantations more..

Sep 16 (ST) All that is wrong in Sri Lanka�s culture of political servility is encapsulated by the spectacle of a young girl walking up to the stage of an election propaganda meeting in one of Colombo�s elite corners a few days ago and offering (outgoing?) Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe a red rose while asking Sir as to whether, in the event of an opposing Dissanayaka-led NPP or the Premadasa-led SJB victory at the Prez elections, he would again save the country when that fails. more..

Sep 16 (DN) Isipathana College pulled off a thrilling 34 points (one goal, three tries, four penalties) to 29 (three goals, one try, one penalty) victory over St. Peter�s College in the Dialog �A� Division School Knockout Rugby Championship final at Sugathadasa Stadium yesterday. Entering as underdogs, Isipathana handed the Peterites their first defeat of the season after leading 20-12 at halftime in a hard-fought contest. Isipathana�s wing, Abdul Aziz, set the tone in the 16th minute, more..

Sep 16 (ST) The scene couldn�t have been any less Sri Lankan. The skies were ashen and the clouds heavy; the harsh gusts of wind warned that winter was on its way. SL�s support staff wore hoodies and woolly hats; even the English fielders clung to handwarmers. Yet, the awful weather couldn�t keep SL�s fans away. Nor could it keep Pathum Nissanka quiet. As he nudged the ball past backward point � declaring SL emphatic winners of the third Test � smiles lit up South London and lion flags more..

Sep 16 (DM) Sri Lanka Chief Selector Upul Tharanga said that Kusal Mendis will take on the role of wicketkeeper-batter for SL's upcoming Test series against New Zealand. This decision comes as Dinesh Chandimal remains sidelined due to a back injury sustained during the recent tour of England. The two-match Test series between SL and NZ is set to take place from Sept 18 to Sept 30 at the Galle International Cricket Stadium. more..

Sep 16 (DN) The New Zealand Test cricket team, led by paceman Tim Southee, arrived on Saturday to play two Test matches at the Galle International Cricket Stadium, commencing on the September 18. The one-off Test match between Afghanistan and New Zealand, scheduled at Greater Noida near New Delhi, was washed out last Friday due to continuous rain for five days. This was the eighth time in Test cricket history that a match has been abandoned without a single ball being bowled. more..

Sep 16 (DN) Sri Lanka Women�s �A� team fast bowler Malsha Shehani took 4 wickets for 12 runs, but Bangladesh Women�s A won by 10 runs in their third T20 match at SSC Grounds yesterday. Bangladesh Women�s �A� were struggling at 97 for 9, with Shathi Rani top-scoring with 26 off 21 balls. Her innings came to an end with a return catch taken by the experienced right-arm medium fast bowler Malsha Shehani, who bowled brilliantly to restrict Bangladesh to below 100 runs. more..

Sep 16 (ST) Most Northern voters, particularly young people, are as yet undecided whom to vote for in the prez election. For Sriharan Abilash, 20, of Aralay North, this will be the first time he is going to cast his vote, but he is not sure. �I�m going to wait for a couple of more days to decide." He expects a stable economy and a boost for the rural economy since many districts in the province lack infrastructure and job opportunities for more..

Sep 16 (CT) SJB presidential candidate Sajith Premadasa has pledged to usher in a transformative era for Sri Lanka�s healthcare system following 21 September. Speaking at a health conference held in Colombo, he stated, �After the 21st, we will have the opportunity to address the critical issues that have long plagued our health system.� Premadasa emphasised that transforming Sri Lanka�s healthcare infrastructure cannot rely solely on traditional public investment and funding. more..

Sep 16 (ST) An IMF delegation will arrive in Sri Lanka two weeks after the presidential election is concluded to make an assessment for a new staff-level agreement and review the ongoing programme. They will meet with the elected president and discuss any changes that the administration hopes to propose to the ongoing IMF programme, Finance Ministry officials said. �One of their main concerns is the country�s political stability, without which the economy will not be stable. more..

Sep 16 (CT) Sri Lankan Muslims join their fellow believers worldwide in celebrating Milad-un-Nabi, commemorating the birth of Prophet Muhammad with a spirit of unity and brotherhood. Prophet, known as Al-Amin (The Trustworthy), earned the unwavering trust of those around him through his integrity and character. His sacrifices for upholding justice, humanity, and righteousness are immeasurable. Core teachings of Prophet Muhammad emphasise mutual more..

Sep 16 (TM) The reported electricity tariffs revision for October may be impacted due to the absence of members at the utility regulator, Public Utilities Commission of SL (PUCSL), it is learnt. CEB Chairperson Nalinda Illangakoon said that the next electricity tariff revision would be made in October. When asked as to whether the absence of members of the PUCSL would affect the implementation of the tariff revision, he said: "Of course. But, it is out of our line. We will be submitting the proposal to more..

Sep 16 (TM) While the University of Sri Jayewardenepura (USJ) was temporarily closed last week due to a violent altercation between two student groups, the university administration yesterday claimed that there was no political motive behind the dispute. This, following reports that a dispute involving students affiliated with the JVP from the Management Faculty and those associated with the FSP from the Arts Faculty, more..