Budget deficit down 38%, tax revenues up 41% to August
Oct 16 (EN) Sri Lanka tax revenues rose 41% to 2,348 billion rupees in the eight months to August 2024, at a rate higher that the full year 35% target, and current expenses only grew 3%, amid higher tax rates and monetary stability. Total revenues also grew 41% to 2,557 billion rupees, with non-tax revenues rising to 209 billion rupees from 158 billion rupees last year, according to pre-budget fiscal report.
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Another group of foreign nationals arrested over alleged online scams
Oct 16 (AD) A group of foreign nationals, who were staying under suspicious circumstances at a hotel in the Chilaw area, has been arrested over suspicions of being involved in online financial scams. The arrests were carried out based on information received by the Puttalam Divisional Crimes Unit, according to police. Police Media Division said that among the arrestees were 4 Malaysian males, 3 Ethiopian males and a female, a Kenyan female and a Chinese man.
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Video: Parliamentarians fail to understand struggles of poor
Oct 16 (DM) None of the parliamentarians elected by the people understand the struggles of the country's innocent poor, Janasetha Peramuna Leader Ven. Battaramulle Seelarathana Thera said. Addressing the media after inspecting the sudden floods in the Katunayaka area, the Thera said that once parliamentarians come into power, they tend to prioritise their close relations. "No solutions have been given by the politicians for the issues of the innocent people," he said.
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යුතුකම් ඉටු කරන ගම්මන්පිල
Former Parliamentarians repeater guns returned to MoD
Oct 16 (TM) The repeater guns purchased by former Parliamentarians from the Ministry of Defence under the programme to allow MPs to purchase two repeater guns have been returned to the Ministry. Ministry had informed the Secretary General of Parliament Kushani Rohanadheera in August of this year that MPs would be allowed to purchase two repeater shotguns each from their personal funds, and retain them even after they are out of office. The Daily Morning queried Defence Ministry
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Parents should be alert as such teens vulnerable to self- harm, substance use
Oct 16 (DM) Depression among adolescents are high, and parents should be vigilant as they are predisposed to self- harm and substance use, an expert said. Teenagers with depression are more vulnerable to turn to risky or self- destructive behavior, said Dr. Jayan Mendis, Consultant Psychiatrist and Former Founder Director of National Institute of Mental Health. “When the child realizes that they are changing, they seek various methods to deal with internal stress or change.
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Prez urges education reform to align with global demands for future growth
Oct 16 (PMD) Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake emphasized the need to rebuild SL’s education system in alignment with global demands to achieve the country’s educational goals. He pointed out that children must be equipped with knowledge to improve the nation’s human capital for SL’s future progress. The President further highlighted that the responsibility of creating the workforce needed by the world over the next decade falls on
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Cuba to pay attention over medicine production in Sri Lanka
Oct 16 (DM) Cuban govt is paying attention to the production of medicine in SL, Cuban Ambassador to SL Andres Marcelo Gonzalez Gorrido said. He mentioned this during discussions held at the PM's office recently, while conveying the greetings of the Cuban govt to Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya. Further, strengthening the almost 65-year-long diplomatic relationship between SL and Cuba, resuming the stopped mosquito control projects implemented under Cuban aid,
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A low productivity trap? Strengthening skills, jobs, and public sector efficiency in SL
Oct 16 (IPS) SL experienced six consecutive quarters of negative economic growth up to the third quarter of 2023. This downturn has had a direct impact on the labour market, leading to lower wage rates and discouraging workforce participation and skill development. As a result, productivity levels continue to fall, creating a vicious cycle known as the low productivity trap, which hampers further economic recovery. Against this backdrop, second session of IPS annual flagship publication
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Injunction issued preventing any hindrance to Sri Lanka’s first cable car project
Oct 16 (AD) Court of Appeal has issued an interim order against the Gampola Divisional Secretary preventing her from interfering with the activities of the first cable car project in Sri Lanka, which is being built in the Ambuluwawa area. This order was issued by the Appeals Court after considering a petition filed by a private company alleging that their project is being unduly hindered by the said official.
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Video: Retirement is temporary, not ready to quit politics: MR
Oct 16 (DM) Former Prez Mahinda Rajapaksa said that he is not ready to retire from politics and that his retirement is temporary. "I thought about not contesting the general elections, but politicians never truly retire," he said. Commenting on the upcoming general elections, former Prez said that everything is ready and that the SLPP will easily secure victory. "I did not listen to the statement made by Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayaka claiming that politicians are starting to retire.
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CCTV : Choon Paan driver snatches chain from woman in Dehiwala
Oct 16 (NW) The driver of a Choon Paan, a three-wheeler selling bakery items, has been arrested for chain snatching in Dehiwala on October 11. CCTV has emerged showing the suspect parking the three-wheeler in a by-lane and approaching an elderly woman from behind, after which he is seen snatching the chain and fleeing using the vehicle. Police investigations have found that a gold chain valued at Rs. 200,000 had been snatched from a 60-year-old woman.
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Oct 16 (AD) The Court of Appeal has issued an interim injunction preventing the execution of an arrest warrant issued against the Chairman of the Selection Committee at Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC), former SL cricketer Upul Tharanga. A two-member Appeals Court judge bench issued the injunction today, after considering a writ petition filed by Upul Tharanga. On Oct 8, the Matale High Court issued an arrest warrant against the Chairman of the Selection Committee at SLC,
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Revenue Deputy Commissioner arrested for accepting Rs. 200,000 bribe
Oct 16 (DM) A Provincial Revenue Dept Deputy Commissioner in the Eastern Province was arrested on bribery charges after accepting a bribe of Rs. 200,000. Bribery Commission said the arrest was made at the Batticaloa office, following a complaint by a resident. The complainant had purchased a 65-perch land in Batticaloa for Rs. 10 million, having already paid Rs. 600,000 in stamp duty. However, after the land's value was re-evaluated by the Provincial Revenue Dept at Rs. 26.5 million,
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Rs. 3,000 allowance to be credited to pensioners’ accounts from today
Oct 16 (PMD) Pensioners receiving their pensions through post offices and sub offices will be able to access their funds from 18th. Dept of Pensions is set to distribute a monthly interim allowance of Rs. 3,000 to all pensioners starting today. Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake, who looked into the delays in disbursing the proposed monthly interim allowance of Rs. 3,000 for pensioners, has recently directed that the necessary funds
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Sri Lankan attorney Vincent Perera sworn in as new Attorney General of Seychelles
Oct 16 (SNA) The new Attorney General of Seychelles, Vincent Perera, was sworn in on Wednesday at State House. Perera said, "Together with my team, I will pledge that I will be contributing to the best of my abilities to see that the rule of law in this beautiful country is upheld." He revealed that "there are changes in the system we operate that I intend to bring through my experience of working in other jurisdictions, so I have to beef up the prosecutors with the necessary skills."
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Non participation in BRICS summit: Did President succumb to any pressure?: SJS
Oct 16 (DM) Samagi Jana Sandanaya (SJS) today questioned as to whether Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake and Minister of Foreign Affairs Vijitha Herath have decided not to participate in the Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa (BRICS) summit 2024 due to pressure by any foreign force. The question was raised by SJS candidate for the General Elections and former MP Eran Wickramaratne at a media briefing. "We are happy to note that SL has applied for BRICS
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Uncovering identities of 53 LTTE militants in Kokkuthuduvai mass grave
Oct 16 (DM) Time and time again, there comes a murmur of yet another mass grave having been discovered in SL. These chance discoveries occur most often during construction of buildings or when laying underground pipelines for water supply. The skeletal remains get exhumed, are used in several court proceedings and thereafter the murmur becomes a whisper which eventually gets buried in barrage of other news that takes precedence.
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Health experts sound alarm over spike in waterborne diseases
Oct 16 (DM) As torrential rains result in flooding across SL, health experts are raising alarm over a spike in waterborne diseases, which spread through contaminated water. When contacted by the Daily Mirror, Senior Consultant Physician Dr. Ananda Wijewickrama said the waterborne diseases like dengue, leptospirosis, hepatitis A, typhoid, and diarrheal diseases could spread in the aftermath of flood situation. "The onset of the rainy season dramatically increases the risk of several
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Police seek public assistance to identify deceased persons in separate cases
Oct 16 (AD) Police is seeking public assistance to identify two deceased individuals related to two separate incidents in Homagama and Kegalle areas. With regard to the first case, Homagama Police had received a complaint on Oct 1 regarding the discovery of an unidentified body. The facts related to the deceased was reported to the Homagama Magistrate’s Court, and a magisterial inquiry was conducted. The body was then placed in the Homagama Hospital mortuary for
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වියදම් මුදල අඩුවෙයිද? වැඩිවෙයිද?
What should we expect of our MPs?
Oct 16 (FT) Several years ago, I was at what was perhaps the inaugural meeting that launched the rankings of MPs by Manthri.lk. I recall a panel comprising the parliamentarians who had the highest rankings. A leading question from the moderator about research support confused a young MP on the panel. He had achieved his high rank by asking lots of parliamentary questions about the various problems faced by his constituents. He could not understand what research support had to do
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This election is about the Opposition
Oct 16 (FT) Nominations for the 2024 Nov 14 parliamentary elections were closed island wide, on 11 October. Altogether, around 690 nomination papers have been accepted for the 52 electoral districts. Phenomenal rise to power of the JVP/NPP at the September Prez elections has sealed the fate of over two dozen politicians, some of whom would not have wanted to leave politics yet. Not very surprisingly, since the 1936 State Council elections when D.M won the Hambantota seat,
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Now, Herath dares Udaya to release Easter carnage committee reports
Oct 16 (Island) If Udaya Gammanpila had access to documents on the Easter Sunday attacks that the current administration does not have, he should hand them over to the govt without asking the govt to release them, Minister Vijitha Herath said. He said Gammanpila had been a Cabinet Minister of the govt of Gotabaya Rajapaksa and that he should have pressed the former Prez to release documents pertaining to PCoI on Easter Sunday attacks.
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New govt to strike fuel supply deal between CPC, CEB for power generation
Oct 16 (DM) CEB has decided to strike a fuel supply deal with the CPC to receive fuel for power generation in the future instead of the plan initiated by the previous govt to do so through an open bidding process, an official said. The last govt, towards the tail end of its term, has taken a decision to call for bids from different fuel suppliers such as the Corporation, LIOC and Sinopec for fuel supply. However, there is a change of govt by the time the documentation process of that decision
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Oct 16 (TM) The non-radical approach by Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake is pushing up the rupee due to improving investor sentiment, Bloomberg said. Accordingly, the rupee which was volatile and fell in the run-up to the Prez Election, has been appreciating since then. “Our foreign exchange decomposition model suggests improving investor sentiment is pushing up the currency, the main reason - new prez’s recent steps suggest that he’s not as radical as the market was thinking”
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Back on table: $5 billion road, rail link between India and Sri Lanka
Oct 16 (LM) Discussions are in the final stages for a $5 billion road-and-rail link between India and SL with India set to bear the cost of the strategic project, said the island-nation’s environment secretary Prabath Chandrakeerthi. This is the first big bilateral infrastructure project announced by the island nation since the recent election of Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake amid efforts by New Delhi to counter Chinese influence.
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Delayed expenditure report submission: 2 Prez candidates blame postal delivery
Oct 16 (TM) Prez candidates Ven. Battaramulle Seelarathana Thera and Sarath Keerthirathna attributed the delay in submitting their campaign expenditure reports to the Election Commission (EC) to the time required for postal delivery. EC stated on Monday (14) that three Presidential candidates – Seelarathana Thera, Keethirathna and Pakkiyaselvam Ariyanethiran – have failed to make the relevant submissions within the specified period which ended at 12 midnight on 13 Oct.
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Law enforcement: Police to probe harassment of female lawyers
Oct 16 (TM) Police will investigate claims of harassment of female lawyers while visiting clients in Police stations. “We are going to carry out investigations into the alleged harassment of female lawyers in Police stations,” Police Media Spokesperson, DIG of Police Nihal Thalduwa, said yesterday in response to queries raised by the media on female lawyers being harassed. “Lawyers have the right to represent their clients and if this is occurring, we will take action.”
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පත්තරේ විස්තරේ
Legal stability key to boosting Indian investments in Sri Lanka: Santosh Jha
Oct 16 (DM) Indian govt’s ability to promote investments in SL among Indian investors depends on the creation of a welcoming and conducive ecosystem, along with legal and regulatory stability, according to Indian High Commissioner, Santosh Jha. Fair treatment of investors is also crucial to attracting Indian investments into the country, he said. Delivering the keynote address at 45th National Conference of Chartered Accountants in SL, Jha emphasised the importance of a welcomingmore..
Gem industry calls for urgent policy reforms
Oct 16 (ST) While SL’s gem and jewellery industry has enormous potential to become a significant foreign exchange earner for the country and a generator of employment across the island, urgent policy reforms are required to reverse the changes that have hindered growth, weakened global competitiveness, and led businesses to consider moving operations abroad. Newly elected President of SL Gem and Jewellery Association (SLGJA), Akram Cassim made these remarks during
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Personal accounts hit by online scams
Oct 16 (DM) Amidst the mounting cases of online scams in SL, Police warned that online scammers hacked only personal accounts and that no incidents of hacking accounts of banking systems or financial institutions had been reported in SL or anywhere in the world. DIG Nihal Thalduwa said several incidents of hacking personal accounts of people had been reported where millions of rupees had been defrauded by scammers.
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Yohani’s debut album Kella accepted for Grammy consideration
Oct 16 (FT) South Asian pop sensation, Yohani yesterday announced that her debut album Kella consisting 14 tracks composed entirely by herself has been accepted for consideration in the Best Global Music Album Category at the 67th Annual Grammy Awards. “This one is for Sri Lanka, for our stories, our sounds, and for everyone who believed in the dream of taking Sri Lankan music from home to the world,” Yohani de Silva shared via a post on her Instagram yesterday.
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Shangri-La Hambantota hosts Junior Golf C’ship after five years
Oct 16 (DN) Hambantota Regional Junior Open Golf Championship will tee off at the Shangri-La Hambantota golf course this Friday, with the practice round beginning on Thursday. The tournament marks a return to Hambantota after a five-year break, and will run until October 20. This three-day junior event features top SL golfers, including leading WAGR rankers Kaya Daluwatte, who is based in India, and Reshan Algama, fresh from his appearance at the Asia Pacific Amateur
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