Nov 12 (DN) SL and Myanmar recently discussed enhancing cooperation in the Trade, Economic and Investment sectors between the two countries. SL’s Ambassador to Myanmar, Prabashini Ponnamperuma held meetings with the Chief Minister of Yangon Region, U Soe Thein and Mayor and Chairman of Yangon City Development Committee, U Bo Htay on Oct 30 in Yangon, Myanmar. Discussions were centered mainly on enhancing cooperation between 2 countries more..

Nov 12 (NW) A brawl was reported between supporters of former MP Rishad Bathiudeen and former State Minister Kader Masthan in the Pattanchivur area in Vavuniya last night. According to the Vavuniya Police, two persons were injured in the clash and admitted to the Vavuniya Hospital. It is reported that both Kader Masthan and Rishad Bathiudeen were to hold their final political rallies in view of the Parliament Election in the said area. Supporters of Kader Masthan had attacked more..

Nov 12 (FT) We have all heard the tragic stories of child victims—whether through news reports, social media, or articles—stories that bring public attention to the horrific realities of child exploitation and violence in our island. However, what we don’t realise is the lasting harm caused by media coverage. By exposing sensitive details, it creates a multitude of complications, both legally and personally, for the victims themselves. more..

Nov 12 (NW) Former SL cricketer TM Dilshan, who is contesting in the upcoming parliamentary election from the Kalutara District, has denied claims that he has not renounced his dual citizenship. Dilshan confirmed that he has relinquished his Australian citizenship to qualify for the Sri Lankan Parliament election. Addressing the rumors surrounding his citizenship status, Dilshan remarked, “Various people are spreading rumors that I have not renounced my citizenship because they are more..

Nov 12 (DM) All schools are to be handed over to the respective Grama Niladhari officers today (12) after classes end, in preparation for the parliamentary elections scheduled for Thursday (14), the Education Ministry said. Ministry said that the announcement was made last Friday (8), according to which all schools will be closed from tomorrow (13) in preparation for the elections on November 14. Schools are expected to reopen on Monday (18) after the elections. more..

Nov 12 (BS) The ground beneath you may seem stable, but the Earth is in a state of constant motion. While we have a solid understanding of the Earth's surface, its interior remains largely unexplored. Even with all our technological advancements, we still haven't developed probes capable of reaching the Earth's crust, which is just 35 km deep. To uncover the mysteries of the Earth's core and mantle, we rely on indirect methods. more..

Nov 12 (Island) Police yesterday said that they suspected that the deadly shooting in Ambalangoda on Sunday (10), which claimed the lives of a husband and wife, was linked to ongoing drug-related conflicts. The couple, who were riding a motorcycle in Urawatte, were gunned down by two unidentified assailants who were also riding a motorcycle. The victims, who were fatally shot in what police suspect was a targeted attack. The deceased have been identified as a married more..

Nov 12 (DM) Secretary to Ministry of Power and Energy was issued a notice to appear before the Supreme Court on Nov 19 to explain why his actions should not be considered contempt of court. A 2-judge bench of the Court of Appeal, comprising Justice Murdu Fernando and Justice Gamini Amarasekera, issued this order during the hearing of three Fundamental Rights petitions challenging the legality of business transactions involving LTL Holdings (Pvt) Ltd, a leading engineering more..

Nov 12 (CI) Wanindu Hasaranga has been ruled out of the ODI series against New Zealand, having sustained an injury to his left hamstring while bowling, in the second T20I, on Sunday. Hasaranga was seen hobbling through his later overs, and was also limping between the wickets while running. He has been replaced in the ODI squad by Dushan Hemantha, another legspin-bowling allrounder. Hemantha has played five ODIs and has recently been among the wickets for the SL A team. more..

Nov 12 (AD) The website of SL’s Meteorological Department is currently being restored after a cyber attack disrupted its services early last week. SL Computer Emergency Readiness Team (SL CERT) said that they’re currently managing the response and recovery efforts. Senior Information Officer at SL CERT Charuka Damunopola said the attack was reported on November 01, noting that “Due to this cyber attack, changes were detected on the Meteorological Department’s official website. more..

Nov 12 (FT) Frontline Socialist Party (FSP) General Secretary Kumar Gunaratnam and Sarvajana Balaya Alliance leader businessman Dilith Jayaweera have called on Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake to deliver justice to JVP members who lost their lives in the 1987–1989 insurrection, including JVP leader Rohana Wijeweera. Speaking at the FSP’s annual November Heroes Commemoration (Il Maha Viru Samaruma) more..

Nov 12 (AD) US Dept of State’s Special Envoy for Global Youth Issues, Abby Finkenauer, has arrived in SL on Tuesday for an official visit. “Proud to welcome US Special Envoy for Global Youth Issues Abby Finkenauer to SL! Her work as an advocate for youth voices around the world highlights the incredible role young people play in shaping a brighter future here.” “Our US-SL partnership is committed to empowering youth as leaders in areas that truly matter—from economic growth more..

Nov 12 (NW) A ministry-level inquiry is to be conducted into the inclusion of political-related questions in the second term examination paper of a school in Kalutara, Ministry of Education announced. Education Ministry said that the Secretary to the Ministry Thilaka Jayasundara has issued a directive to the relevant authorities in this regard. Accordingly, an inquiry is to be conducted into the inclusion of political-related questions in the second term general knowledge exam paper more..

Nov 12 (AD) Chairman of the Election Commission, R.M.A.L. Ratnayake, stated that the counting of votes for the general election will commence at 4.15 p.m. on Nov 14. He made these remarks during a special press briefing held today, where he provided updates on the general election. Ratnayake also informed that the results from polling areas and district-level results will be released to the media only after being re-checked and approved by more..

Nov 12 (CT) As part of the expansion project, the Government has issued a call for bids for the construction of a new Airport Facility Complex at Colombo Airport, Ratmalana. The project, valued at an estimated Rs 3,979 million, is expected to be completed within 540 days. This bid invitation, under BID NO. 067/T/2024, has been announced by the Chairman of the Standing Cabinet Appointed Procurement Committee (SCAPC) on behalf of Airport & Aviation Services (SL) (Pvt) Ltd. more..

Nov 12 (AD) Supreme Court has ordered the extension of the interim injunction issued preventing the execution of a gazette notification issued by the Ministry of Wildlife and Forest Conservation under the previous govt to release 168 acres of land from the Vidataltivu Nature Reserve associated with the Wilpattu National Park for the establishment of a shrimp farm. Accordingly, the interim order was extended until 29 July 2025 when a petition filed challenging the former govt’s decision more..

Nov 12 (FT) I have worked with all the Executive Presidents except Prez Gotabaya Rajapaksa in different capacities during my tenure in the public service and even afterwards. The way they managed or rather mis-managed the economy was different from one to the other. Late Prez Ranasinghe Premadasa’s management style was unique, flawless and foolproof. He monitored and followed up each and every decision he made. We used to keep a piece of paper and a pencil beside more..

Nov 12 (FT) Having saddled the nation with a disastrous International Sovereign Bond (ISB) restructuring that ballooned debt repayments by billions, the CB Governor now pushes for lifting the import ban on personal vehicles – a blatant kowtow to the IMF’s imperial agenda. Two days after the Governor’s remarks Minister Vijitha Herath announced that the import ban on all vehicles will be lifted by 1 February 2025 as previously proposed by unelected Ranil Wickremesinghe admin. more..

Nov 12 (EN) Campaign for SL’s parliamentary elections scheduled for Nov 14 ended at midnight on Monday with Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake’s ruling NPP is seen favourite despite strong criticism by opposition over experience of NPP members. SL’s 17.1 million voters will select 196 legislators through direct constituencies in the election, while 29 seats are reserved for a national list, bringing the total number of seats to 225. more..

Nov 12 (LS) The Colombo North Crime Division has arrested the Officer in Charge (OIC) of the Kochchikade Police Station. The arrest was made following a complaint alleging that the OIC obstructed a group of police officers, including a sub-inspector, who were assigned to remove election-related posters. The OIC allegedly threatened the officers, accusing them of selectively removing posters for a Gampaha candidate, and obstructing them from carrying out their duties. more..

Nov 12 (DM) A total of 2,000 incidents of cyberbullying have been reported so far this year, according to the SL Computer Emergency Readiness Team (SLCERT). SLCERT engineer Charuka Damunupola, revealed that there has been a significant rise in cybercrime activities, with over 9,500 complaints filed in recent months. He stated that 981 of these cases involved sexual abuse, highlighting the growing concerns over online safety, particularly for vulnerable individuals. more..

Nov 12 (DN) Maligakanda Magistrate Lochani Abeywikrema yesterday ordered to record statements from 18 Ministers of the previous government, including then Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe and then PM Dinesh Gunawardena, regarding the substandard drugs purchase case. Magistrate gave these orders when Deputy Solicitor General Lakmini Girihagama requested the Court’s permission to more..

Nov 12 (EN) Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake said the govt expects to complete the third review for the IMF loan by early Feb 2025 and present a full year budget in the same month. The third IMF review was to be completed by October, but the parliament election has delayed the process after the Sept 21 prez poll and upcoming parliamentary election. “Two days after the (Parliament) election, an IMF delegation will come to SL. We will complete 3rd review by the end of Jan or early Feb,” more..

Nov 12 (Island) A video that went viral yesterday captured a tense standoff between former Minister Harin Fernando and the police in Bandarawela. Fernando, who was campaigning with his supporters, was seen wearing T-shirts resembling the jersey of international footballer Lionel Messi, emblazoned with the football legend’s number, which is the same as the one assigned to Fernando by the Election Commission.” The police, along with officials from the Election Commission, more..

Nov 12 (AD) Colombo Additional Magistrate has ordered the Inland Revenue Dept (IRD) today (11) to expedite its investigations into actress Piumi Hansamali and Aura Lanka Chairman Viranjith Thambugala. The directive came as the case filed by the IRD under Section 190 of the Inland Revenue Act was brought before the court. The investigation seeks to determine if any offenses under section 190 of the Inland Revenue Act were committed by the two individuals in question. more..

Nov 12 (FT) SJB Colombo district candidate S.M. Marikkar has sharply criticised the current NPP Govt’s handling of the country’s economy and its failure to meet the promises made to the public. Marikkar argued that the Govt’s current path would prevent foreign investors from coming to SL, hinder production, and restrict the growth of exports. He warned that continued borrowing could lead to higher inflation, rising commodity prices, and escalating fuel costs in the coming year. more..

Nov 12 (FT) In the latest polling by the IHP SL Opinion Tracker Survey (SLOTS) conducted from August to November, 74% of Sri Lankans named the economy as their top concern. Inflation (44%) and jobs/unemployment (40%) followed closely. The SLOTS poll asks respondents to name the top two problems facing the country, with responses being unprompted. Corruption and high taxes were also cited as priority issues by more..

Nov 12 (DN) The Board of Investment (BOI) will encourage low-carbon emission, environment-friendly Industries aiming to protect the environment, said BOI Director General (DG) Renuka M. Weerakoone. The BOI will provide knowledge and training to professionals to build low-carbon, environment-friendly Industries in the future and for the Factories currently in operation, into environment-friendly, green Industries. This was revealed at the presentation of Research more..

Nov 12 (Island) 35th November Heroes’ Commemoration of the Frontline Socialist Party (FSP) was held yesterday at the New Town Hall in Colombo. The General Secretary of the FSP, Kumar Gunaratnam said the event marked the anniversary of the massacre of an entire generation who yearned for justice. “Over 60,000 comrades, including Rohana Wijeweera and Upatissa Gamanayake, were killed. They all represented the political vision of the JVP, the main political party of more..

Nov 12 (DM) Sri Lanka is expected to rank among the world’s fastest-growing travel destinations in 2025, with tourism spending forecasted to increase by 40 percent, according to the 2024 WTM Global Travel Report, published in partnership with Tourism Economics. The report positions SL as Asia’s leading destination for tourism spending growth next year, followed by Laos, at 30% and Cambodia, at 29%. “The slower travel recovery of China is weighing on the regional outlook in Asia. more..

Nov 12 (DM) Policy consistency is key to achieving US $ 8 billion in apparel exports next year, up from an estimated US $ 5 billion in 2024, according to Joint Apparel Association Forum (JAAF). The industry body cited inconsistent govt policies as a primary reason SL has fallen behind latecomers such as Cambodia in apparel exports. JAAF noted that largely due to inconsistent policies, SL has not attracted any large-scale foreign direct investment in the apparel sector since the late 1990s. more..