Let NPP govern country for a year to reveal its true nature: Anuradha Jayaratne
Oct 23 (DM) The NPP, led by Prez Anura Dissanayake, should be allowed to govern freely for at least a year to reveal the true nature of the current govt, former State Minister Anuradha Jayaratne said. He said that no one should rush to take over the govt before that time. Jayaratne pointed out that the current govt made history by borrowing Rs. 60 billion within just 24 days, but yet failed to pay the teachers' salaries on time. He warned that the country's economic situation could worsen
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India, Sri Lanka discuss fishermen issue and India-funded projects
Oct 23 (AD) The Indian High Commissioner to Sri Lanka, Santhosh Jha, has met with the Secretary to the President, Dr. Nandika Kumanayake at the Presidential Secretariat. Their discussions yesterday (22) focused on resolving the on-going fishing issues in the Northern Sea, according to the President’s Media Division (PMD). Both parties emphasized the need for a long-term solution that would address the concerns of fishermen from both countries while fostering cooperation, the PMD said.
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Video: Police respond to potential threats to tourists in Arugam Bay
Oct 23 (DM) SL Police addressed the situation in the Arugam Bay area following the US Embassy in Colombo's travel advisory for its citizens. Embassy had imposed a travel restriction on its personnel to Arugam Bay until further notice after receiving information about a potential attack targeting popular tourist locations in the area. DIG Nihal Thalduwa said that several reports had been received in the past few days regarding
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Mobile coconut sale from today at Rs. 100-120 each
Oct 23 (DM) Following a mobile coconut sales programme, the Coconut Development Authority (CDA) will provide coconuts at a retail price between Rs. 100 and Rs. 120 from today. CDA said that the mobile coconut sales programme was launched to offer consumers affordable prices. The first phase of the programme was launched in Colombo, Sri J'pura Kotte and the Kaduwela Municipal Council areas. Mobile coconut sales vehicles have been deployed near the Welikada Police Station in Colombo,
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More details revealed after Kelaniya Uni. Student falls to death
Oct 23 (AD) It has been revealed that the student who fell to his death from an upper floor of the C.W.W. Kannangara Hostel at the University of Kelaniya had been consuming alcohol excessively. The student had been drinking alcohol within the university premises. He also mentioned that an alcohol-fueled party had been held last night to celebrate a fellow student’s birthday. After the party, the intoxicated student was taken to his room located on the fourth floor of
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Johnston Fernando remanded for use of illegally assembled luxury car
Oct 23 (NW) Former Minister Johnston Fernando has been remanded until October 30 over the alleged use of an illegally assembled luxury car. The Fort Magistrate’s Court today issued the order for the former minister to be remanded, following his arrest by the CID earlier today. Johnston Fernando was arrested after he had reported to the CID to provide a statement regarding the vehicle.
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Oct 23 (DM) SJB candidate Rehan Jayawickrama today cautioned against Israeli nationals running illegal business activities in some parts of SL. He said the following in his X message: "The illegal activities of certain Israeli business owners have persisted for far too long. Despite numerous appeals to various gots to put an end to this and ensure fair play, these requests have been ignored. Now, we are facing a serious security threat that could derail SL’s tourism recovery efforts.
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Israel issues travel warning to parts of Sri Lanka over terrorism threat
Oct 23 (Reuters) Israel's national security council called on Israelis on Wednesday to immediately leave some tourist areas in southern Sri Lanka over the threat of a possible terrorist attack. The agency said the warning pertained to the area of Arugam Bay and beaches in the south and west of SL, and stemmed from current information about a terrorist threat focused on tourist areas and beaches. The security council did not specify the exact nature of the threat and called on Israelis
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මනාප නැති ඡන්දෙ සෙනසුරාදා!
Simplifying personal income taxes
Oct 23 (FT) The deadline to file personal income tax returns for the Year of Assessment 2023/24 is 30 Nov 2024 and is fast approaching and many individuals are in a panic trying to figure out their tax status and tax compliance obligations. This article intends to address in an FAQ format some common but important questions individuals have with respect to their tax obligations. At the outset it must be noted that the tax payment deadlines on a self-assessment basis have already lapsed for
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Relevance of neutral foreign policy
Oct 23 (FT) The front page of the Daily FT (9 Oct) carries a front page report titled Sri Lanka reaffirms neutral diplomacy. The report states: “Cabinet Spokesman and Foreign Minister Vijitha Herath yesterday had assured that Sri Lanka maintains balanced diplomatic relations with all countries, reaffirming its policy of friends of all and enemy of none.” Quoting the Foreign Minister, the report states: “There is no favouritism. We do not consider any country to be special.
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Cardinal re-emphasises full probe into Easter Sunday attacks
Oct 23 (DN) Colombo Archbishop Malcolm Cardinal Ranjith stated that he was not satisfied with the investigations and the reports conducted into the Easter Sunday attack and therefore a formal impartial and transparent investigation was required. He emphasised the need for a formal investigation as there is a problem with the authenticity of the investigation committee reports related to the Easter attack. “Do a real investigation to find the
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Govt raises spending cap for Bribery Commission raids by Rs. 100mn
Oct 23 (DM) To strengthen its fight against corruption, the govt yesterday raised the maximum expenditure limit for raids conducted by the CIABOC by Rs. 100 million. Accordingly, the limit of the Commission’s raid advance account which previously stood at Rs. 50 million will now be raised to Rs. 150 million. Cabinet this week approved Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake’s proposal to revise the expenditure cap considering the complexities and high stakes involved in bribery cases.
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India-SL ferry service operates smoothly
Oct 23 (DM) The passenger ferry service between Nagapattinam in India and Kankesanthurai (KKS) near Jaffna is currently operating smoothly, IndSri Ferry Service Pvt. Ltd Managing Director, Niranjan Nandagopan said. He said that the ferry service operates four days a week with full capacity as usual. The passenger vessel, Sivagangai, resumed its ferry service between the two countries in Oct 2023. Operations were relaunched on Aug 16, 2024, after a brief pause.
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‘750,000 passports to be brought in stages’
Oct 23 (TM) Govt announced that they would be bringing 750,000 new passports in stages amidst complaints of passport shortages. “There is no shortage of passports, so don’t panic,” Minister Vijitha Herath said. “We will be bringing 750,000 new passports in stages,” he said. Meanwhile, Herath also said that 7,500 new passports will be arriving on 26 Oct and that another batch of approximately 42,000 new passports
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CPC yet to supply naphtha to KCCP?
Oct 23 (CT) Reliable sources have reported that the Kelanitissa Combined Cycle Power Plant (KCCP) may face shutdown if naphtha is not delivered by Thursday at 10 a.m. Although the tanks were scheduled to be filled, this process has not yet commenced, according to internal sources. It has emerged that the planned transfer of naphtha to the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) on Monday (21) was cancelled, as the Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC) prioritised exporting the fuel.
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SL Economic Summit to be held in Jan 2025
Oct 23 (DM) SL Economic Summit, the flagship event of the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce (CCC), is rescheduled to be held on 28-29 Jan 2025. The Summit was initially to be held on Nov 2024, but has been postponed in light of the forthcoming General Election. Under the theme Shaping SL’s Future: Transformational Growth Rooted in Sound Economic Policies, the Summit will provide an essential platform for discussing the path forward at a time when SL’s economic and political landscape
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පත්තරේ විස්තරේ
Lifting of motor vehicle import ban: No impact on local vehicle assembly industry
Oct 23 (DN) The systematic lifting of the motor vehicle import ban would not have a negative impact on the local automobile assembly industry, said John Keells Group President, Retail, Charitha Subasinghe at the launch of the BYD Colombo Motor Show 2024 which will be held from December 6 to 8 at the BMICH. He said that the new Govt too has indicated that they would permit a systematic import of motor vehicles and this is highly laudable. Subasinghe said that vehicle imports would have
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21 Sri Lankans for Abu Dhabi T10 League
Oct 23 (DN) 21 Sri Lankans have been picked for the upcoming Abu Dhabi T10 League 2024 the most popular T -10 tournament. Abu Dhabi T10 League will be a ten-team league this season and will be played from November 21 to December 2 at Abu Dhabi Cricket Stadium. This is good opportunity for Sri Lanka players to get exposure before inaugural Lanka T -10 super league tournament which will be worked off from Dec 12 to 22 where six teams will be competing at this event.
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New Digital Affairs Ministry in the offing
Oct 23 (TM) The Govt has proposed to establish a Ministry of Digital Affairs in order to promote the development of digital infrastructure and prevent cybercrime. “We will be opening a new Ministry for Digital Affairs in order to improve the digital infrastructure and prevent cybercrimes,” Minister Vijitha Herath said. Herath said that in order to improve digital infrastructure and develop a safe digital environment,
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Hela and Reebok’s partnership to capitalise on apparel industry’s verticality
Oct 23 (FT) Hela Apparel Holdings, the publicly-listed fashion conglomerate headquartered in Sri Lanka, recently announced an exclusive long-term partnership with Authentic Brands Group to design, manufacture, and sell Reebok-branded outerwear across the UK and Europe. This collaboration marks a significant milestone in expanding the Hela Group’s offering to the fashion industry by fusing its design, manufacturing and distribution expertise with Reebok’s iconic style.
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No justice for Easter victims under new Govt: Rajitha
Oct 23 (CT) Former Minister Rajitha Senaratne claimed, 22 Oct, that delivering justice to the families of the Easter Sunday terror attack victims is not possible under the administration of the new Prez, Anura Kumara Dissanayake. He criticised the NPP, stating that their focus was solely on gaining power, using the Easter Sunday attack as a pawn in their political manoeuvring. He further argued that the govt led by former Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe was the only solution to the country’s
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'ගම්මන්පිල කළේ තනිකර රඟපෑමක්'
Maris Stella and Lyceum win, Joseph Vaz penalized as Ayomal, Madushani bag...
Oct 23 (Island) Ambagamuwa Central hurdler Ayomal Akalanka capped the five-day All Island Schools Games Athletics Championship with a new national junior record to bag the best athlete title in the boys’ category at the Sugathadasa Stadium on Tuesday. The athlete trained by veteran coach Anura Bandara clocked 51.16 seconds to break his own 400 metres hurdles record (51.26) established at the National C'ships. In the girls’ category Nannapurawa MV Bibila athlete Madushani Herath
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Election campaigning begins as parties tout prize fighters
Oct 23 (ST) With the Election Commission (EC) having issued preference numbers to candidates this week, campaigning for the November 14 general elections is now in full swing. Accordingly, the main political parties are now beginning to commence large scale campaign rallies throughout the country. The National People’s Power (NPP) held its first public rally in Tangalle yesterday under the leadership of Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake to formally kick off its elections campaign.
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There are cases where SL politicians seek benefits for their interests: Outgoing Amb.
Oct 23 (DM) Outgoing Japanese Ambassador Mizukoshi Hideaki, speaks about how bilateral relations evolved during his time. He also responds to questions about the business environment of Sri Lanka for Japanese investors. Q: You are now the departing ambassador. You have been in SL for the last three years. You witnessed the worst times in SL in terms of our economic situation. So during this tenure of 3 years,
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Sri Lanka aims for Series win today
Oct 23 (DN) After a convincing victory in the first ODI, Sri Lanka will take on West Indies in the second ODI at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium today commencing at 2.30pm. Sri Lanka team led by Charith Asalanka will aim to maintain their momentum and seal the series while Caribbeans will be eager to bounce back, level the series and force a decider but confident home team is expected to make plans to defeat opponent to win the series with one game to spare.
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Sri Lanka predict bright future for Wellalage
Oct 23 (Island) SL have long been nurturing a pool of young talent, and it seems the next big name in the cricketing world is left-arm spinner Dunith Wellalage. With his potential clear for all to see, many believe he could play a pivotal role in the ongoing series against the West Indies. The future indeed looks bright for this rising star. Having made his debut two years ago as a 19-year-old, Wellalage has already left a mark, bagging two five-wicket hauls against the formidable Indian team.
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Sri Lanka Tourism targets 4 m visitors, $ 8.5 b revenue by 2030 under new strategy
Oct 23 (FT) The newly appointed leadership of Sri Lanka Tourism has set ambitious targets to boost the industry, aiming to attract 4 million tourists and generate $ 8.5 billion in revenue over the next five years. Speaking at the World Tourism Day 2024 celebration event held at the Cinnamon Grand yesterday, SL Institute of Tourism and Hotel Management (SLITHM) and SL Convention Bureau (SLCB) Chairman Dheera Hettiarachchi
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Port City Colombo spearheads growth of IT industry in Sri Lanka
Oct 23 (FT) Port City Colombo said it is progressively facilitating the growth of a robust digital ecosystem that would uplift the SL economy. In line with the Govt’s vision to establish a $15 billion digital economy by 2030, Port City Colombo aims to support the country’s ambitious growth targets by attracting leading technology companies from across the world to set up business operations. With a strong emphasis on enhancing job creation and providing a globally competitive regulatory
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Top official calls for timely and meaningful World Tourism Day celebrations
Oct 23 (FT) A top official expressed dissatisfaction with the delayed organisation of this year’s World Tourism Day celebrations, calling for future events to be timely and impactful. Speaking at the national event held at Cinnamon Grand yesterday, SL Institute of Tourism and Hotel Management (SLITHM) and SL Convention Bureau (SLCB) Chairman Dheera Hettiarachchi criticised the decision to mark World Tourism Day 2024 nearly a month after its official date, 27 Sept.
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ශානි, රවී හිරකරන්න ගම්මන්පිල මේ...
Court of Appeal suspends ban on Ceylon Motor Sports Club
Oct 23 (FT) The Court of Appeal yesterday issued an interim order suspending the decision taken to ban the Ceylon Motor Sports Club (CMSC) as a club and formally issued notice on the respondents’ returnable on 3 December. The Court of Appeal bench comprised Justice Bandula Karunarathna and Justice Sasi Mahendran. CMSC is one of the oldest motor sports clubs in Sri Lanka and is the member on behalf of SL recognised by the world governing body of Motor Sports for over 60 years, FIA.
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Who are the would- be new guards of Sri Lanka and what are they saying?
Oct 23 (DM) The old guard has collapsed is the popular catchphrase after Anura Kumara Dissanayake’s presidential election victory. If the result of the prez poll is the basis of that assumption, it is an oversimplification. True that the well-funded candidacy of Anura Kumara Dissanayake defeated equally two well-funded candidates who represented roots in the UNP and traditional old-guard politics, but the duo collectively polled one million more votes than the winner.
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