Oct 26 (CT) After reviewing the economy’s performance during the first two years of its stewardship IMF noted that without reforming governance economic stability and economic growth would be slow and shaky. Although a noticeable measure of economic stability had been achieved the reviewers noted that growth prospect was still at knife’s edge. But even before IMF stepped into the scene the aragalaya youth already identified the fundamental sickness that was debilitating more..

Oct 26 (DM) When ordinary citizens are brought before the law it is seen as a stigma, and shame. Times out of number, when officials are caught out -either embezzling funds, accepting bribes or any other offences; when produced before the court, these individuals tend to cover their faces in shame. But the same cannot be said of our politicians. Being arrested seems to be akin to a badge of honour to these dishonourable persons who grace the highest legislative body in our country. more..

Oct 26 (DM) This is the fourth part of an extended article focusing on SL’s newly elected President Anura Kumara Dissanayake. In the first part of this article, the early years of Anura’s eventful life were delved into in some detail. In the second part, AKD’s steady growth as a political leader within the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) was related to some extent. In the third part, Anura’s rise to the leadership position of the JVP was recounted. more..

Oct 26 (DM) The can of worms that was opened by the PHU leader, Udaya Gammanpila with regard to the Easter Sunday attacks seems to have been overshadowed by the US travel advisory due to a purported plan by certain individuals to launch a similar attack on Israeli tourists in SL. Nevertheless, only a small group of anti-NPP individuals seems to want to take his narrative seriously. He demanded last week that Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake release the reports of two committees more..

Oct 26 (CT) With the recent development of a tense situation in Arugam Bay, the Terrorism Investigation Division (TID) has reportedly arrested two individuals on suspicion of allegedly planning to attack Israeli nationals in Sri Lanka. Stemming from the arrests, while one could heave a sigh of relief for the time being thinking that the worst may not come by, the arrests of the two suspects raise doubts and suspicion on the real ground situation. This is perhaps why Diplomatic Missions such as more..

Oct 26 (TM) Examination-related fraud has become a growing concern in SL’s education system, affecting not only students but also parents, teachers, and stakeholders of the entire education sector. The issue extends beyond isolated cases of fraud committed by candidates to include misconduct by officers responsible for exams. From leaking question papers and circulating them on social media to negligence by exam officers, more..

Oct 26 (ST) At an office in Frankfurt, Germany’s commercial capital, a group of South Asians – mostly Indians with a few from Nepal and Bangladesh – had gathered to interact with a group of visiting journalists – seven from India, and one each from Bangladesh, SL and Nepal to share experiences of living and working in Germany. I was among the group of senior journalists sponsored by the German Federal Office and hosted by the Goethe Institute on a familiarisation tour to more..

Oct 26 (ST) The US govt is on track to spend more than $1 trillion on interest payments this year 2024. This is a historical record of skyrocketing interest costs of the US govt. After reading that news, I was concerned about US public debt service obligations. Unlike ours, US debt has detrimental implications all around the world because all the countries in the world have lent to the US. Spending some time, I browsed the Internet sites to find out the annual debt service costs of the US. more..

Oct 26 (Island) Cass means here the metaphorical socks of govt servants in general. Particularly in the last couple of months many officers in govt departments were not working even at half or quarter steam when they really should be at full steam when at their office desks, doing their work with as much speed and power as possible, as the idiom defines. Many persons who went to get work done at a government office were treated with the least amount of courtesy, nay outright more..

Oct 26 (ST) Following a fatal collision between an oil tanker train and elephants, SL Railways is considering temporarily suspending night-time operations of goods trains in areas known for elephant crossings. The decision comes after two elephants were killed and one injured in a collision between an oil tanker train and elephants crossing the rail track in an area between Gal Oya and Hingurakgoda in the early hours of Friday. The incident also resulted in the derailment of more..

Oct 26 (ST) Incomplete expressway from Kadawatha to Mirigama is creating a slew of issues including flash floods. Gampaha residents say flooding in the district was the worst in recent memory and that filling up of land without building drainage is the cause. The heavy rains lasting for more than a week, flooded the Gampaha town, including an area of the hospital. The flooding is becoming worse every year due to filling up more..

Oct 26 (Island) Gastronomically speaking, nothing could be considered closer to the hearts of Sri Lankans than rice and coconut, or haal and pol. They have become a collocation in Sri Lankan cuisine and culture. These two commodities, which are also an integral part of SL’s culinary heritage, even have the potential to break govts. It was an increase in the price of a measure of rice that triggered a tsunami of public anger in 1953, leading to a hartal, which shook the then UNP govt more..

Oct 26 (ST) As the southernmost landmass along the Central Asian Flyway for migratory birds, Sri Lanka attracts over 200 winter visitors, who start arriving from the end of August. Many of the migrants are already here but bird lovers are on the watch out for that special migrant in October. “The Indian Pitta, known as avichchiya in Sinhala, is one of the migratory birds that arrives in October, particularly in the second half of the month,” says ornithologist Jagath Gunawardena. more..

Oct 26 (FT) W.M. Mendis & Company Ltd, in a statement says it is fully committed to settling its liabilities despite challenges. In response to media reports in recent times about the company not settling its VAT liabilities leading to three of its directors being subjected to punishment by court. In its statement, the company said the VAT liability in question pertains to the period from 2016 to 2019. Of the total liability, approximately Rs. 1.6 billion comprises penalties and interest, more..

Oct 26 (FT) President Anura Kumara Dissanayake yesterday met with the European Union (EU) Delegation, led by EU Ambassador Carmen Moreno in Colombo. The Prez informed the EU Delegation about SL’s current security situation, highlighting recent measures to improve safety for tourists and residents. He assured that security protocols in key tourist areas are strengthened with more law enforcement and emergency services deployed. The European Union is a critical partner for SL, more..

Oct 26 (CI) Drift, dip and turn, these are the main attributes one would associate with spin bowling. Then at times there is pace, which is added to the mix when variations such as arm balls come into play. West Indies' Gudakesh Motie, for example, has an excellent quicker one, bursting through flat and straight clocking in at around 100kph. But what do you get when you combine all these? Well, Alick Athanaze might have the answer. more..

Oct 26 (FT) Colombo stock market yesterday enjoyed another day of high turnover before finishing the week on the up. Turnover yesterday amounted to Rs. 4.7 bill, marking the second consecutive session of over Rs. 4 bil. Over 135 million shares traded. HNB (Rs. 1.39 bil), Sampath (Rs. 1 bil), and JKH (Rs. 442 million) dominated turnover. The active S&P SL20 gained by 1% and ASPI by 0.35%. During the week, ASPI finished 1.7% gain and the S&P SL 20 by 3.8%. Turnover averaged Rs. 3 bil. more..

Oct 26 (EN) Iranian Ambassador to SL has pledged to support the island nation on trade and technology among many other sectors. President Anura Kumara Dissanayake met Iranian Ambassador, Alireza Delkhosh on Friday (25) at the Presidential Secretariat and discussed bilateral relationship between the two countries. Prez Dissanayake emphasized the longstanding relationship between Sri Lanka and Iran and expressed his desire to strengthen ties between both countries. more..

Oct 26 (FT) Former Prez Mahinda Rajapaksa visited New Magazine Prison in Welikada yesterday to meet with former MP Johnston Fernando, who was remanded on 23 October. Fernando was arrested by the CID in relation to an unregistered BMW vehicle, illegally assembled in SL, which was discovered in the car park of Hilton Hotel. Police has indicated that the vehicle in question may have been reported stolen in UK. more..

Oct 26 (DN) Sri Lanka, having clinched the ODI series 2-0 against the West Indies, will aim for a clean sweep in the third match today at the Pallekele Int'l Cricket Stadium, commencing at 2:30 pm. In the first match, Sri Lanka emerged victorious by five wickets via the DLS method, while in the second game, they once again recorded a five-wicket win, chasing 190 runs in 38.2 overs in a 44-over game due to rain interruption. Sri Lanka skipper Charith Asalanka is in terrific batting form, more..

Oct 26 (DN) Jayden de Silva of Stafford International School claimed victories in both the junior national men’s 100m Butterfly and 200m Backstroke on the opening day of the National and World Aquatic Short Course Championship Selection Trial, organized by SL Aquatic Sports Union (SLASU) at the Isipathana College Swimming Pool Complex in Colombo yesterday. At just 14, De Silva clocked a personal best of 1:02.91 in the 100m Butterfly to secure first place and continued his winning streak more..

Oct 26 (Island) SL’s national cricket team is considering an early dispatch of some players to South Africa ahead of their upcoming two-match Test series against the Proteas. With an increasingly packed international calendar, the team faces a tight window between the home ODI series against NZ and the Test series in South Africa, making pre-tour adjustments essential. Plans are underway to send Test specialists to SA early, allowing them to acclimatize to unfamiliar playing conditions. more..

Oct 26 (Island) The Elpitiya Pradeshiya Sabha election is held today to elect 29 local councillors.Chairman of the Election Commission, R.M.A.L. Ratnayake said that voting would take place from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. Eight registered political parties and one independent group are contesting. A total of 55,643 eligible voters are expected to cast their votes at 48 polling centres. “Those who were eligible to vote according to the 2018 voter registry can participate in this election,” he explained. more..

Oct 26 (TM) In response to allegations by teachers’ unions on schools’ overcharging students for smart boards, a Ceylon Principals’ Union (CPU) representative and a serving Govt school principal Piyasiri Fernando claimed that several factors are taken into account while deciding on the relevant charges. “While we do sometimes collect a charge for smart boards, we have to understand that not all schools are equal,” more..

Oct 26 (Island) The notion that Sri Lanka has missed the bus in gaining a firm foothold on the global manufacturing value chain is not true because there are still so many opportunities for the country to tap and increase its export-driven economic growth, Prof. Premachandra Athukorala said. “That’s an old-fashioned idea because if SL manufacturers can offer a relative cost advantage on their components, parts or accessories manufactured in SL to go into a finished product of an iconic global brand, more..

Oct 26 (FT) Indian PM Narendra Modi extended his gratitude and appreciation to the scholars and monks in Colombo for joining in the celebration organised by the High Commission of India in Colombo to mark the recognition of Pali as a Classical Language by the Govt of India (GoI). In a post via ‘X’ he noted, “Glad that the Indian Govt’s decision of conferring Classical Language status on Pali has ignited a spirit of joy among those who believe in the thoughts of Bhagwan Buddha. more..

Oct 26 (AD) Three police officers attached to the Pamunugama Police Station have been interdicted over the incident of allegedly assaulting two youths in the Pamunugama area in Wattala. A tense situation was reported near the Pamunugama Police Station last night as a group of local residents had protested in front of the station claiming that two youths arrested by its officers were brutally assaulted. On Sunday, two individuals were arrested on suspicion of breaking into a house more..

Oct 26 (DM) Public Utilities Commission of SL (PUCSL) called for a public consultation this week, to review the Long-Term Generation Expansion Plan for the CEB, covering the 2025-2044 period. Discussions of the consultation will focus on the CEB’s plan, which analyses the electricity generation systems, projected demand growth and the suitable technologies required to meet that demand during the period. Additionally, discussions will also address the environmental challenges, more..

Oct 26 (FT) SL Tourism Development Authority (SLTDA) Chairman Buddhika Hewawasam said the sector remains resilient in the face of recent security advisories issued by foreign embassies. “Although the security situation initially generated concern, the hyped-out tone has now eased with no medium or long-term impact expected on tourism industry and targets,” he said. Hewawasam believes the situation will stabilise further in the coming days. more..

Oct 26 (NW) McDonald’s Corporation and International Restaurant Systems (Pvt) Ltd have reached a mutually agreed-upon legal settlement, officially ending their franchise relationship in SL. The agreement marks the conclusion of a partnership that saw McDonald’s operations managed locally by International Restaurant Systems (Pvt) Ltd for several years. In a joint statement, both parties expressed their gratitude to the SL public for their unwavering support more..

Oct 26 (FT) In response to recent reports of foreign nationals operating businesses without proper authorisation and overstaying their visas, SL Tourism Development Authority (SLTDA) Chairman Buddhika Hewawasam stressed that all foreign-owned tourist establishments must abide by the country’s legal framework. “If there are illegal, tourist-run businesses operating in the country, the law and order has to be enforced irrespective of nationality,” he told the Daily FT. more..

Oct 26 (Reuters) Sri Lanka met this week with its bondholders in Washington to discuss a debt exchange as SL aims to emerge from default as soon as possible, CB Governor Nandalal Weerasinghe said. He said the talks, which happened on the sidelines of the IMF/WB meetings in Washington, aim to quickly get SL out of this default category. Citibank will act as dealer manager to take charge of a consent solicitation, more..

Oct 27 (SO) Post-pandemic, SL has become a tourism hotspot, with every media outlet from CNN to Conde Nast Traveller singing the island’s praises. This is a remarkable recovery, given that three major crises – Easter Sunday attacks, the Covid-19 pandemic and the economic meltdown – dragged tourism in SL almost to zero. But SL is too good a destination to be hidden from the rest of the world. Word has got around that SL is more stable and peaceful than ever and more than 1.5 million more..

Oct 27 (CT) The victory of NPP at the recent presidential election in SL has changed the political landscape of the country. It has given rise to the expectation of a novel and fundamentally different approach towards governance. The electorate expects the govt and the state to move away from an autocratic, nepotistic, and militaristic approach, which was the central demand of the Aragalaya movement. One of the key themes of the NPP campaign was the fight against corruption, more..

Oct 27 (CT) SL’s tourism industry appears to have faced never-ending blows to its substantial growth for the past several years. On 21 April 2019, Easter Sunday, suicide terrorist bombings that took place in three churches and three hotels in SL killed around 277 people (including 8 suicide bombers) and wounded more than 400 people as per the information provided by Police Headquarters. At least 40 foreign nationals and 45 children more..