Nov 11 (DM) With the campaign period of the general election drawing to a close, the political parties are busy wrapping up propaganda activities. Former Fisheries Minister Douglas Devananda who is the leader of EPDP is contesting the election in the Jaffna district as usual. He shared his views on the recent meeting with President Anura Kumara Dissanayake and his plan for future dealings with the new govt. Q: What is unique about this general election? more..

Nov 11 (DM) Seasoned politician, economist and an academic Dr. Harsha de Silva who is contesting from the SJB from the Colombo District warns the NPP govt that it should not be acting up to follow the IMF programme with regard to the debt crisis just to please the international lender. He underscores that with a social market economic policy his party is following and the experience they have gathered, SJB is ready to help President Anura Kumara Dissanayake’s govt. more..

Nov 11 (CI) Roughly 20 days after the women's team won the T20 World Cup, and about a week after the men's Test team completed a whitewash of India at home, NZ's cricketers continue to do the near-impossible. On this occasion they defended 108 all out on a tricky - but far from unplayable - Dambulla surface. Lockie Ferguson bowled only two overs before having to leave the field because of a calf injury, but he claimed more..

Nov 11 (Island) On 8 October this year, the Cabinet media spokesman Vijitha Herath announced the new JVP/NPP Govt’s decision to strongly reject the US-UK draft resolution tabled by the UK at the recent session of the UNHRC, extending the mandate of an external evidence-gathering mechanism established by its 2022 resolution 51/1. On the following day, Sri Lanka’s Permanent Representative to the UN explained to the Council that Sri Lanka considered the latest draft as lacking consensus, more..

Nov 11 (DM) Former Minister Rajitha Senaratne says that it is only the former Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe that can review the country’s economy but not any other leader. “When Ethiopia went bankrupt few months ago, the IMF wanted them to follow Ranil Wickremesinghe’s method in stabilising the economy of SL. This shows how much confidence the IMF has with Wickremesinghe’s performances,” he said. According to Dr. Senaratne it was he who stopped Wickremesinghe more..

Nov 11 (Island) Almost all extrajudicial killings have remained unsolved in this country because they have been reduced to mere political slogans. During election campaigns, politicians gain a great deal of political mileage by shedding copious tears for the victims of barbaric violence and promising to ensure that justice is served, but they forget their promises after winning elections and being ensconced in power. This is the name of the game in Sri Lankan politics. more..

Nov 11 (TM) Sri Lanka has long struggled with rice shortages, a critical issue given that rice is the nation’s staple food. The country’s dependence on rice makes any disruption in its supply a direct threat to food security. In the 2022-2023 period, SL witnessed a severe rice shortage, driven by a combination of poor govt policies and hoarding by business owners. This crisis underscored the urgent need for a more robust, long-term approach to managing the nation’s rice supply. more..

Nov 11 (CT) On 6 Nov, four former SL Customs officers were sentenced by the Colombo High Court to 35 years of rigorous imprisonment (RI) for accepting a bribe of Rs 125 million, highest recorded bribery amount in SL history. This sum, seized during a raid conducted by the CIABOC, is considered the largest bribe nabbed by the commission to date. Convicted officers were alleged to have accepted this bribe alongside more..

Nov 11 (DM) Former Mayor of Kolonnawa Ravindra Udayashantha has entered the fray to contest under an independent party at the upcoming Parliamentary Elections. Having served as the mayor from 2011-2016 under the SLFP ticket, Udayashantha now feels that it is better to contest under an independent party because people have started to reject traditional political parties and politics altogether. In a candid interview with the Daily Mirror, Udayashantha spoke about his plans to develop Kolonnawa more..

Nov 11 (DM) One of the most experienced politicians in the country and Chairman of the SJB Imthiaz Bakeer Markar says that his party has prepared the plan to get the country out of the present crisis and place it on the right track and for that the party has the most experienced, talented, innovative and young team. Planning to enter the Parliament from the SJB National List Markar revealed the internal struggle that was carried out to bring about a system change within his original party UNP. more..

Nov 11 (TM) Sri Lanka enters another phase of its political evolution with the upcoming General Election loaded with over 8,800 contestants. The game comes following a Prez Election where 38 contestants competed. Despite its complexity, the Prez Election 2024 was held without women candidates, and the less number of women in the competition continues in the upcoming Parliamentary Election as well. more..

Nov 11 (DM) Nimal Lanza, a candidate contesting the general election under the gas cylinder symbol, speaks to The Daily Mirror about the current status of the economy, and what lies ahead. Q: How do you find yourself in the fray for the general election which is being conducted in a new context ,where traditional parties have been rejected by the people? A: That is a challenge in the aftermath of the defeat at the prez election. But, we are overcoming that challenge gradually. more..

Nov 11 (DM) Canvassing for the upcoming General election of 14 Nov ends tomorrow. Since 1947, when then Ceylonese first voted in the first parliamentary elections, our country has gone through seventeen General elections according to the Election Commission of this country. In all of these elections, prior to the 1977 General election which then Premier J.R. Jayawardene won with a 5/6 th majority; all governments which ruled the country, governed in alliance with other minor parties. more..

Nov 10 (ST) The month-long campaign by political parties and groups ends at midnight tomorrow for Thursday’s parliamentary elections. The first result after the vote count, Election Commission Chairman R.M.A.L. Ratnayake, said, could be expected at around 11 p.m. on Thursday night. He said he hoped the counting would be over, and all results declared by Friday evening. That is if there are no prolonged recounts. more..

Nov 10 (NW) Finance Ministry announced that there are no plans to close down SL Thriposha Ltd, the state-owned company that supplies nutritional supplements to mothers and children across the country. The ministry’s statement came after Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa claimed the govt intended to shut down the company, which serves as a key resource in combating malnutrition. At a recent gathering in Homagama, Premadasa criticized the govt, alleging a deceptive plan more..

Nov 10 (ST) The Kalutara district consists of eight polling divisions; Agalawatte, Bandaragama (Millaniya), Beruwala, Bulathsinhala, Horana, Kalutara, Mathugama and Panadura. The NPP has been holding campaign meetings in the district urging people to elect a strong NPP govt to advance President Anura Kumara Dissanayake’s agenda. “Instead of building ministries that benefit our peers and colleagues we want to develop ministries that serve the public. more..

Nov 10 (DM) The Iranian national, charged by the US Department of Justice (DoJ) on Friday in a murder-for-hire plot to assassinate then-candidate Donald Trump and an American journalist critical of Tehran, was also tasked with targeting Israeli tourists in SL, the DoJ said. The 51-year-old Iranian national Farhad Shakeri, an asset of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), “was tasked with targeting Israeli tourists in SL” more..

Nov 10 (ST) Gampaha District was a former stronghold of the SLPP during the last general elections, has undergone significant changes since then. Some key candidates have dropped out, while others have crossed over to other parties to contest. The district which consists of 13 electorates has more than 1.8 million voters, the highest number in any electoral district. A total of 19 MPs are to be elected from Gampaha. Former SLPP legislators such as Prasanna Ranatunga, Sisira more..

Nov 10 (TM) Approximately 400 weapons have already been handed over in response to a Govt directive aimed at civilians possessing firearms for personal protection, according to a well-placed Govt source. This measure comes amid a review process intended to enhance regulation and oversight of privately held arms. Ministry of Defence initially required all licensed firearm holders to surrender their weapons and ammunition to the Commercial Explosives, Firearms, and Ammunition more..

Nov 10 (CT) A special discussion was held on Friday at the Presidential Secretariat, chaired by Dr Nandika Kumanayake, Secretary to the President. The meeting was attended by officials from the Irrigation Dept, National Water Supply and Drainage Board, and related Ministries. It focused on determining whether the salinity barrier is contributing to floods that have caused significant agricultural damage. It was decided that a comprehensive study is essential to more..

Nov 10 (DM) The vehicle owned by Samagi Jana Sandanaya (SJS) National Organiser and national list nominee Sujeewa Senasinghe has been cleared by the govt analyst as being genuine. Senasinghe said that the vehicle was handed over to the govt analyst yesterday and later released. "They wanted to subject my vehicle to a test by the govt analyst as they were suspicious that it was illegally assembled. However my vehicle was returned to me after it was determined that the vehicle was genuine," more..

Nov 10 (AD) Computer Crime Investigation Division (CCID) of the CID has uncovered a large-scale online financial scams racket in Colombo. A total of 59 suspects, including two persons who headed the racket, were arrested on suspicion of orchestrating the scheme. The scammers targeted foreign nationals, defrauding victims of an estimated Rs. 300 million. Korean Embassy in SL filed a complaint with the CID more..

Nov 10 (ST) The long-delayed local council elections are set to take place in January next year, with the Election Commission due to start preparations soon after the parliamentary poll. The elections were earlier estimated to cost more than Rs eight billion, and the Election Commission will send new estimates to the Treasury to obtain funds for the conduct of the election, according to Election Commission Chairman R.M.A.L. Rathnayake. He said EC had previously asked for Rs. 8 bil more..

Nov 10 (AD) The UGC says that all universities across the island will remain closed on Nov 13 and 14, in view of the 2024 General Election. This has been communicated to all Vice Chancellors of universities, Rectors of campuses and Directors of institutes in writing by the UGC Vice-Chairman, K.L. Wasantha Kumara. The letter states that in order to secure the voting rights of the university students, the commission at its meeting held on Nov 7 decided to inform of the declaration more..

Nov 10 (DM) A shooting incident was reported at the Lotus Tower during a musical show last night, police said. A private security officer associated with the musical group was injured in the shooting. Details of the person or persons involved in the shooting have not yet been disclosed. The injured security officer was admitted to the General Hospital, Colombo. The Lotus Tower management stated that the injured individual was part of the musical event’s organising group and had no connection to more..

Nov 10 (NW) SriLankan Airlines has canceled multiple flights in recent days due to technical issues with several aircraft, the airline confirmed. The airline said the cancellations are necessary to prioritize passenger safety while its teams work to resolve the issues and restore normal flight schedules. Affected passengers have been provided with meals and hotel accommodations, according to SriLankan Airlines, which is coordinating alternative travel arrangements to help passengers more..

Nov 10 (TM) Govt is set to re-open the Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) procurement process for the establishment of a Floating Storage Regasification Unit (FSRU) and an LNG pipeline, which was cancelled by the previous administration led by former Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe. In Aug 2023, the then Cabinet suspended the long-delayed LNG procurement process for the establishment of the FSRU and LNG pipeline. more..

Nov 10 (ST) Colombo’s stock market is predicted to go up further after the general election on Nov 14, several industry analysts said. A senior stockbroker said that the new Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake has still not incurred major expenses in his office in the past five weeks. “This is seen as a positive. The tourist arrivals are trickling in. The Lankan rupee and the tea exports have strengthened,” he added noting that all these have contributed to investor confidence. more..

Nov 10 (Island) Kahawatte Plantations PLC (KWPL) is entering an exciting phase of transformation, aligning its vision with modern, sustainable and innovative practices. As a leading Regional Plantation Company in Sri Lanka, KWPL stands poised to redefine plantation management by combining traditional stewardship with forward-thinking strategies, reinforcing its role as an influential and adaptable player in Sri Lanka’s agricultural sector, a news release said. more..

Nov 10 (TM) As the nadu rice shortage continues to intensify across the country, the Govt has announced it will not be importing rice to stabilise the market, leaving millions of households grappling with rising costs and dwindling availability of the staple grain. Despite growing concerns over food security and price hikes that are squeezing family budgets, the Trade Ministry has ruled out any plans for importing rice to ease the current scarcity. more..

Nov 10 (Island) This year has been nothing short of a joyride for SL’s top-order dynamo, Pathum Nissanka. He’s been the man with the Midas touch, transforming matches into memorable wins and notching up milestones as if they were entries on a to-do list. In all formats, Pathum’s consistency has become the backbone of SL’s resurgence. Sure, Kamindu Mendis has stolen some of the spotlight, equalling Sir Don Bradman himself—no small feat. But Pathum has quietly carved his own more..

Nov 10 (ST) Sri Lanka Masters hockey team departed for Auckland, New Zealand, to represent the nation at the Masters Hockey World Cup 2024, taking place November from 6 to 16 at the prestigious National Hockey Centre in North Harbour. This global event, featuring teams from 26 countries, offers SL a significant opportunity to compete on an international stage and showcase its hockey talent. This marks the third time SL Masters will participate in this prestigious tournament, more..