Oct 29 (TM) NPP administration stated that it would retain the Prevention of Terrorism Act as amended (PTA), as the issue, according to them, lies not in its existence but its misuse – the latter scenario where the onus is on political vengeance as opposed to reliable intelligence. Several parties including both local and int'l organisations have been urging the SL authorities to repeal the PTA,
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Govt’s duty is security, not show: President on recent terror threat
Oct 29 (FT) Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake on Sunday countered Opposition criticism related to national security and recent intelligence reports of a potential terrorist threat targeting Israeli tourists in SL. “Our rivals have become overly excited. They seem to believe that even a small incident could lead to the Govt’s collapse. As soon as there were reports of a possible terrorist attack, they eagerly held press conferences, almost celebrating the idea that something might be going wrong
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Former PUCSL Chief calls for 30% electricity tariff cut
Oct 29 (FT) Former Public Utilities Commission of SL (PUCSL) Chairman Janaka Ratnayake called for an at least 30% reduction in electricity tariff, arguing that the latest proposed revision from the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) is unjustified given the utility’s recent profits. He highlighted that the CEB recently submitted a proposal for a modest 5-11% tariff revision to the electricity regulator for the third quarterly review of this year. “On average this revision is around 6%,” he said,
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Sri Lanka exceeds last October’s tourist arrivals in first 27 days of month
Oct 29 (DM) SL surpassed last October’s total tourist arrivals within the first 27 days of this month, indicating the potential for a double-digit growth trajectory. However, the country is projected to miss its monthly target, while the full impact of the recent travel advisories remains to be seen. SL welcomed 117,141 tourists during this period, with the daily average reaching 4,339 arrivals, up from the 4,233 daily average
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Prez proposes Cabinet less than 25
Oct 29 (TM) Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake announced his intention to form a streamlined Cabinet of Ministers comprising fewer than 25 Members. He highlighted the growing public disillusionment with politics, and labelled the current political landscape as tainted by unethical practices. Prez said: “For too long, politics has been treated as a business. What we see in the Parliament often resembles a spectacle – members jumping around, welding chillie powder, bringing knives, and
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Rs. 10 million contract killing averted
Oct 29 (DM) An individual suspected of preparing to destroy a woman on a contract of Rs. 10 million was taken into custody by the Organised Crime Investigation Unit of the CID during a raid in Habaraduwa area. The suspect had in his possession a locally made shotgun with provision for T56 cartridges and six rounds of ammunition at the time of arrest. The inquiries revealed that the suspect had been ready with weapons and waiting for an opportunity to gun down the woman.
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පත්තරේ විස්තරේ
Lanka attracts Russian tourists amidst Western travel warnings
Oct 29 (Island) SL’s former Ambassador in Moscow, Udayanga Weeratunga, announced that this week Russian tourists would begin arriving at the Mattala International Airport. Weeratunga said that the first group left Domodedovo Airport, in Moscow, on board Red Wings airline flight WZ 3077 yesterday afternoon. According to him, six flights would be operated from six airports in Russia to Mattala, on a weekly basis, under an agreement worked with relevant parties.
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Lumbini Tea Factory achieves world’s first group regenagri certification
Oct 29 (FT) Lumbini Tea Factory Deniyaya was awarded the world’s first group regenagri certification for regenerative agriculture practices on behalf of the 1,515 dedicated contract farmers through the assistance of the USAID. regenagri is an international regenerative agriculture program for securing the health of the land and the wealth of those who live on it. Control Union Inspections Ltd. SL Managing Director Roshan Ranawake handed over the certification to
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Next cultivation season: Govt to buy paddy directly from farmers
Oct 29 (TM) In a bid to stabilise soaring rice prices and curb the oligopoly of large-scale rice mill owners, Govt announced plans to buy paddy directly from farmers beginning next season. Govt intends to procure between 300,000 to 400,000 metric tonnes of paddy under the guidance of Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake. This substantial purchase is aimed at reducing the dependency on a few influential rice mill owners, who
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Devananda backs NPP
Oct 29 (Island) EPDP leader Douglas Devananda has declared that his party would back Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake’s NPP in the next Parliament. Having disclosed that he had met Prez Dissanayake, the former Minister said that the NPP leader’s stance on the ethnic issue hadn’t changed and he was confident of working with the new leader. The ex-parliamentarian claimed that his party would be able to secure as many as 10 seats in the Northern and Eastern electorates.
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Sri Lanka slips in digital nomad list
Oct 29 (ST) SL has slipped into the least-liked countries for digital nomads from being the best paradise for digital nomads, 3 years ago. In Jan 2022, Club Med listed SL as the second-best country for digital nomads to visit. At the time, over 50,000 digital nomads occupied the island. Club Med listed Colombo as the fourth in the best places in the world to be a digital nomad with a total index score of 238 out of 320. 30 m digital nomad population in 2022 has now risen more than double to 80m
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ගම්මන්පිල එළියට දැමූ වාර්තාවේ...
How Maris Stella defended All Island Schools Games Athletics title
Oct 29 (Island) Maris Stella College Negombo successfully defended the boys’ overall title of the All Island Schools Games Athletics Championship concluded at the Sugathadasa Stadium last week. They secured a 34 points lead over nearest rivals Lyceum International Wattala to bag the championship. There were a number of outstanding performances from the boys from Negombo but overall it was a collective effort that had powered the Western Province stronghold to the title.
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Three local Shuttlers excel in int'l arena
Oct 29 (DN) Three SL’s most prominent badminton players Dumindu Abeywickrama, Rasindu Hendahewa and Ranithma Liyanage recently made their mark in international competitions, asserting their presence on the world stage. Competing in two prestigious tournaments, Dumindu, Rasindu and Ranithma all delivered commendable performances, highlighting SL’s growing influence in the sport. This is a good show by Sri Lanka's promising shuttlers who are aiming for the next Olympics slot
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NGOs spend billions unchecked
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
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Rubber industry targets doubling export income to USD 2 Bn by 2030
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
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Discussion held on advancements in Colombo Port City project
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
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Gammanpila wants Channel 4 doc source unmasked
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
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Dunith is an asset to the team, says spin coach Piyal
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.
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Did Gamman go where angels fear to tread by exploding Easter bombshell
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
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සිම්පල් ප්ලෑන් තියෙද්දිනේ මේ…
Haycarb triumphs at ARC International Awards 2024
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,
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Locals fear effects would spill over to next season
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,
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EDB targets $ 5 billion service export revenue by 2030
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.”
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SL Design Festival 2024: Uniting creativity and commerce with India as partner nation
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
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Editorial: Economy overtaxed
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.
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නලින්ද ජයතිස්ස
SL’s heritage in peril: A call for urgent action
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.
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Prez addresses another central challenge
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.
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Fuel procurement: CEB going down a slippery slope?
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,
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Why does Canada want to restrict immigration?
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;
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Elpitiya, a wakeup call for amending LG Election Act
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
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'Colombo has the most underprivileged communities in the entire country'
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.
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Let them settle down
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
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Backpedalling on the PTA?
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
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