Nov 13 (TM) Telecommunications Regulatory Commission of SL (TRCSL) has called for explanations from telecommunication service providers regarding promotional text messages being sent by candidates contesting in the Parliamentary General Election scheduled for tomorrow, it is learnt. Meanwhile, the Election Commission has held discussions with the regulator (TRCSL) and requested that it inquire more..

Nov 13 (FT) In its latest edition, leading business magazine LMD reports that there’s been a surge of optimism following the recent Presidential Election. Citing the latest results from the monthly LMD-PEPPERCUBE Business Confidence Index (BCI) survey, the magazine notes: “Optimism in corporate circles has surged following the 21 September presidential election, marking a positive swing in economic sentiment under the new executive.” As PepperCube Consultants observes in LMD, more..

Nov 13 (Island) Sri Lanka’s preparations for the three-match ODI series against New Zealand have been dealt a blow as key leg-spinner Wanindu Hasaranga has been ruled out with a hamstring strain. Hasaranga’s absence leaves a significant gap in SL’s bowling attack, as his wicket-taking ability has been instrumental in SL’s recent success. In his place, Dushan Hemantha has been drafted into the squad, while Jeffrey Vandersay is expected to play in today’s first ODI here in Dambulla. more..

Nov 13 (FT) In a renewed commitment to support SL’s economic recovery and trade expansion, the European Union (EU) Ambassador to SL Carmen Moreno highlighted the EU’s dedication to fostering economic stability in the country during a recent meeting with the EDB Chairman Mangala Wijesinghe. Accompanied by Deputy Head of Mission Lara Bredal, Moreno stressed the importance of anti-corruption and governance reforms to attract further EU investment. more..

Nov 13 (DN) Board of Investments Chairman Arjuna Herath says that SL is ready to welcome investments. “I must say Sri Lanka is now open for business from a perspective of having political stability being established. We also have the economic stability being established with our governor supporting the stabilization of the economy. We are now about to lift import limitations that we had and we believe we will be ready to welcome investments to this country” more..

Nov 13 (FL) Campaigning for the 10th parliamentary elections in SL closed at midnight on Nov 11, with major political formations making fervent last-minute pitches to garner support from the 17 million voters. There are nearly 9,000 candidates vying to get elected to parliament in the Nov 14 election. With many veterans, including former Presidents Ranil Wickremesinghe, Gotabaya Rajapaksa, and Mahinda Rajapaksa, more..

Nov 13 (DN) The ODI series opener between SL and NZ will be worked off today at Rangiri Dambulla International cricket stadium commencing at 2.30 pm. Two teams will play without their key bowlers leg spinner Wanindu Hasaranga and paceman Lockie Ferguson both had injuries and are out from this ODI series but Sri Lanka with home advantage with their current form of ODIs have more confidence to win the series. Meanwhile selectors have brought in right arm leg spinner Dushan Hementha more..

Nov 13 (ICC) SL have appointed former South Africa batter Neil Mckenzie as a consultant coach ahead of their crucial two-Test series against the Proteas starting later this month. The former right-handed batter shall join the visiting team between Nov 13 and 21, as confirmed by SLC, ahead of the first Test in Durban. Mckenzie, who played 58 Test matches between 2000 and 2009, racked up over 3253 runs for South Africa. He also aggregated nearly 20,000 runs in first-class cricket. more..

Nov 13 (CI) Try not to fall off your chair, but NZ have not played a single ODI since Dec 2023. It's not that much of a shock if you've been following what's happening to the sport (essentially, T20 is the format beloved of capitalists, Tests are still the purists' big love, and ODIs have become the forgotten middle child). But still, 11 months without a match is a long time, so New Zealand will have some jogging of the memory to do. more..

Nov 13 (FT) The Hong Kong International Arbitration Centre (HKIAC), the premier dispute resolution services provider in Hong Kong, entered into a MoU with the SL National Arbitration Centre (SLNAC), thereby paving the way for a closer collaboration between the parties in facilitating and promoting alternative dispute resolution processes in the region. The MoU was entered into on 21 October, coinciding with the start of the highly successful Hong Kong International Arbitration Week more..

Nov 13 (FT) The 49th Annual International Convention on Quality Control Circles (ICQCC), organised by the SL Association for the Advancement of Quality and Productivity (SLAAQP), was inaugurated in a colourful event at the BMICH, Colombo. Taking place from 11 to 13 Nov at the Mount Lavinia Hotel, the Convention, themed Beyond Boundaries: A Quest for Quality and Productivity and Innovation, welcomed a gathering of over 2,000 delegates from 14 member more..

Nov 13 (SO) The 9th Worldwide Week of Italian Cuisine hosted by the Italian Embassy will be launched on 16 Nov at Villa Roma for the Press and media operators. Followed by promotional initiatives at Cinnamon Life, Cinnamon Grand, Shangri-La and Taj Samudra the following week celebrating the authentic tastes of Italian cuisine. The initiatives will align with the theme of the 9th Worldwide Week of Italian Cuisine which is Mediterranean Diet and Italian Culinary Roots: Health and Tradition. more..

Nov 13 (Island) Prices of all varieties of rice are soaring and the large-scale millers are laughing all the way to the bank. Successive govts have vowed to tame the Millers’ Mafia, which always has the last laugh. The people, who expected the NPP govt to get tough with the powerful millers given to exploiting rice consumers and farmers alike, are utterly disappointed. Instead of taking on the unscrupulous millers with might and main, the incumbent govt is floating like a bee and stinging like a butterfly. more..

Nov 13 (FT) The visionary behind India’s successful Incredible India campaign V. Sunil last week opined that SL should explore on building a brand with a multi-dimensional approach that extends beyond scenic attractions, focusing instead on an experience-driven narrative that resonates with the interest of travellers. Speaking at the first-ever South Asian Tourism Leadership Forum of the SL Design Festival 2024, more..

Nov 13 (CT) I recently wrote on the NPP’s final rally in Pasaiyoor and the Federal Party’s final rally in Muthirai Chanthai, beating the midnight deadline on articles for tonight. It is unfortunate that there should be such a deadline because one can write any lie and not be challenged till after the election. At the NPP rally I saw a massive crowd and reported that. Just barely before midnight, I saw in tomorrow’s Daily Mirror the following, cleverly datelined the 11th: For some strange reason President more..

Nov 13 (Island) Sri Lanka is now at the crossroads with a new regime in formation that has to choose from different social and economic pathways for the country. In the US, Trump is back with a fascist tide that is likely to sweep the world. In this context, what will become of the long journey of free education in Sri Lanka? The trend in Sri Lanka after the open economy reforms of the late 1970s has been defunding free education, leading to the slow implosion of the education system. more..

Nov 13 (CT) As economic pressures have been mounting in the past few years, so has the high degree of frauds and scams, perpetrated online in the country. Yesterday, Ceylon Today unravelled an incident where authorities had shut down a Scam operation targeting foreign nationals, based on a complaint made by the Korean Embassy in SL; resulting in the arrest of 59 locals, including a Director and a Manager allegedly for their involvement in online fraud. more..

Nov 13 (Island) It is a matter of fact, though truly unfortunate, that most political conversations in our country, more often than not, start and end with issues on corruption. The intrigue and controversy surrounding the operations of India’s Adani Green Energy Ltd in the country is not an exception. This year, Sri Lanka entered a power purchase deal with Adani Green Energy Ltd. In terms of the agreement, the country will purchase electricity from the company over 20 years. more..

Nov 13 (CT) In a remarkable testament to the value of democracy, election officials go to extra mile to ensure every citizen’s vote counts, no matter how remote the location. This commitment brings to mind the Election Commission of India’s publication, Belief in the Ballot, which chronicles many such inspiring stories. One chapter, If We Cannot Fly, We Will Walk, tells of election officials braving mountainous terrain and more..

Nov 13 (TM) SL’s history and future is inevitably linked to the ocean that surrounds the island nation. This fact is often forgotten and overlooked by SL policy-makers, officials and the public. Many Sri Lankans conveniently forget that we are indeed islanders and have limited their conscience and focus to matters of land. We are an island nation in the Indian Ocean, comprising about 1,340 km coastline (mainland) and an Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) which is about more..

Nov 13 (ST) Donald Trump broke the mould of American politics to stage a historic comeback to the White House, the first time a president had ever made a non-consecutive return to power for over hundred and thirty years. It was an amazing victory that Trump had pulled off against his female rival Kamala Harris, who, along with her inane horse-laugh, was fired and shown the door—in no uncertain terms—by more than 70 million American people. Pollsters had boosted her ego by more..

Nov 13 (CT) After Easter Sunday massacre by the Islamic State on 21 April 2019, SL faced another terrorist threat. Working with their U.S. counterparts, the threat was successfully disrupted by the SL security and intelligence community. According to the U.S. Dept of Justice, Iran’s intelligence service, Iranian Guard Corps (IRGC) recruited an int'l drug trafficker Farhad Shakeri, 51, to coordinate an attack against the Israeli more..

Nov 13 (DM) Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake recently accused certain media institutions of propagating fake news. His grouse was over two incidents of media coverage. The first is the media reports about the govt printing fresh money, which the Central Bank itself has refuted. The second was the criticism of the govt’s handling of the terror alert on the Israeli tourists in Argum Bay. The President, who rightly claims that the right course of action had been taken upon the alerts – more..

Nov 13 (DM) Campaigning at the General Elections has come to an end. So far, whether it be in the north, south, east or west of the country campaigning has been on a low key. Only the NPP-JVP combine has held any mega election rallies. After this year’s election, there will be no large-scale clearing up facing municipal and local government workers. The only large-scale rallies, were organised mainly by the president’s coalition of partners -the NPP/JVP combine. more..

Nov 12 (TM) SL’s two state banks will only require about Rs. 150 billion out of the allocated Rs. 450 billion for the capitalisation requirements following the completion of debt restructuring, CB Governor Dr. Nandalal Weerasinghe said. Speaking at the HSBC Market Outlook for 2024, he said that according to the latest assessment done by the Central Bank on the two state banks, one-third of the allocated Rs. 450 billion will be sufficient to address any capital shortfall arising from more..

Nov 12 (AD) DIG Nihal Thalduwa announced that approximately 64,000 police officers will be deployed from today to ensure security during the general election across all constituencies. He stated that “13,383 polling stations have been set up for the total 13,314 constituencies. To cover this period, we deploy police officers on duty on the day of the election and the day after, and if necessary, even after that.” The deployment includes nearly 3,200 STF officers prepared for duty, more..

Nov 12 (DM) For the past few decades, every political party has failed to amend the Muslim Marriage and Divorce Act (MMDA) and prioritise the rights of women and children in the community. Many Muslim women, including victims of the MMDA, have endeavoured to shed light on injustice and discrimination as a direct result of the lack of reform in the Act. However, efforts to reform the act have been undermined by more..

Nov 12 (CT) People’s Struggle Alliance (PSA) will support the NPP if the govt brings forward a new people-centric Constitution but will not form a coalition govt, PSA Colombo District candidate Swastika Arulingam said. She said this in response to a question raised regarding a possible formation of a coalition govt if NPP wins the upcoming General Election. Arulingam said that there is a need to draft a new constitution, which is more inclusive of rights and concerns of all ethnicities more..

Nov 12 (DM) Sri Lanka has reported a notable increase in cases of Hand, Foot, and Mouth Disease (HFMD) in recent days. Dr. Deepal Perera, a consultant pediatrician, noted that HFMD cases have risen among schoolchildren. He explained that viral infections, especially HFMD, tend to spread more during the colder season, particularly between Nov and Dec. Dr. Perera advised parents to keep children with symptoms—such as small red or white blisters on their hands, feet, or in their more..

Nov 12 (WN) MK Stalin, the chief minister of the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu, has written to Indian External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar, highlighting the increasing frequency of arrests of Indian fishermen by the SL Navy. In a letter, Stalin highlighted that the number of Indian fishermen arrested by the SL Navy this year is the highest in 7 years. SL Navy maintains that Indian fishing boats are poaching in SL waters more..

Nov 12 (MK) Pakistan A extended their dominance on Day 2 of the 1st Unofficial Test against SL A, taking a good 143-run lead in the first innings at the Rawalpindi Stadium on Nov 12. Sri Lanka A, in response, ended the day at 77/1. It happened after the hosts were all out for 258, with Hussain Talat (56), Rohail Nazir (55), and Ali Zaryab (55) leading the charge with half-centuries. Their efforts ensured Pakistan A maintained an upper hand despite losing wickets at regular intervals. more..

Nov 12 (EN) SL’s state-run CEB’s re-structuring faces execution risk, Fitch Ratings said, while confirming its ‘BB+(lka) rating on expected state support. “The new Electricity Act includes provisions to unbundle CEB’s generation, transmission and distribution into separate entities,” Fitch said. “We believe the unbundling will improve CEB’s efficiency and competitiveness. The utility is already preparing separate financials, maintains separate bank accounts and is in the process of allocating more..