Nov 20 (FT) The US District Court for the Southern District of New York has recently granted Sri Lanka’s motion to extend the stay of litigation involving the nation’s defaulted international sovereign bonds (ISBs) until the end of this month. This decision marks the third extension in the high-stakes legal case brought against Sri Lanka by Hamilton Reserve Bank Ltd., which claims over $ 240 million in unpaid bonds. more..

Nov 20 (DN) Agriculture Commissioner General Rohana Rajapaksa stated that the government has already credited Rs.1292 million to farmers accounts under the programme of providing fertilizer subsidy for paddy farmers. He said that this allocation was made to 109,000 paddy farmers in 22 districts. According to the Agricultural Commissioner General, the most beneficiaries of this fertilizer subsidy were reported from Ampara District and Rs.291 million has been provided to 19,900 farmers. more..

Nov 20 (Island) Former Chairman of the Election Commission, Mahinda Deshapriya said that the appointment of Ravi Karunanayake, as a National List (NL) member, was in line with the Parliamentary Election Act 01 of 1981. Deshapriya pointed out that appointment couldn’t be challenged under any circumstances. According to Article 99 A, those who had been included in the NL, and defeated candidates, could be accommodated in the Parliament. more..

Nov 20 (Island) In a counter smuggling operation to prevent illegal pharmaceutical drugs from coming into the market, a large quantity of smuggled medicines had been seized by the Customs Revenue Task Force last week from a warehouse in the Colombo Port, Customs media spokesperson, who is also an Additional Director General of Customs, said. The official said the drug was widely abused by drug addicts and, therefore, had a very high demand in the market. more..

Nov 20 (DM) Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) signed revised MoUs with Eastern Uni of SL (SEUSL) and South Eastern Uni of SL (SEUSL) last week, reinforcing its commitment to supporting the educational and career aspirations of undergraduates. SEC began its partnership with national universities in 2008 through the signing of MoUs, and the MoUs were initially signed with the EUSL and the SEUSL in 2010. This marked the start of a lasting partnership aimed at nurturing more..

Nov 20 (FT) A fresh cohort of Cabinet Ministers officially assumed duties yesterday, marking a pivotal moment for the new Govt’s agenda. Each Minister expressed a commitment to systemic reforms, addressing both immediate crises and long-term structural issues. Here are some of the key comments. Trade, Commerce, Food Security, and Cooperative Development Minister Wasantha Samarasinghe pledged swift action more..

Nov 20 (DN) A staggering over USD 1.5 billion mixed development project centering around the Jaffna Lagoon which would have been the biggest single-ever investment in the region and a golf resort project with a theme park in Beragala to the tune of USD 1 billion had to be folded up due to the then Ministers, politicians in the area demanding a commission, diaspora investor, Dr. Vasudevan Rasiah said during the sidelines of the Jaffna Trade Show launch to be held in January. more..

Nov 20 (DN) The second day of the Ritzbury-sponsored 53rd Sir John Tarbat Junior Athletic Championship, organized by SL Schools Athletic Association, saw 3 new meet records at the Kotawila Sports Complex in Matara yesterday. Sinura Salgado from St Benedict’s College, Kotahena, set a new record in the Boys Under-14 600m, completing the race in 1:29.8, breaking the previous record. In the Boys Under-12 High Jump, KWS Pabasara from Vijitha MMV Dickwella cleared 1.55m, more..

Nov 20 (DM) The Asian Development Bank (ADB) today approved a USD 200 million policy-based loan to further help the Govt of SL strengthen its financial sector, ADB said. This second subprogram of ADB’s Financial Sector Stability and Reforms Program builds on the stabilization and crisis management measures put in place under the first subprogram approved in 2023. “Sri Lanka has made good progress in stabilizing macroeconomic conditions and improving the fiscal situation. more..

Nov 20 (DM) Access to information and strategic branding are pivotal for SL to emerge as a premier wedding destination for Indians, according to Vandana Mohan, India’s first female event manager and founder of the Wedding Design Company. Speaking at the inaugural South Asian Tourism Leadership Forum, Mohan, the wedding planner of Bollywood star couple Deepika Padukone and Raveer Singh, emphasised SL’s potential to tap into India’s booming destination wedding market. more..

Nov 20 (TM) The ITAK expressed hope for power devolution, land rights including the release of military-occupied private land, and justice for alleged war era crimes which stem from the conflict, following the election of a new Govt. “While it is too early to form any expectations from the new Govt, we still expect certain issues such as land rights, power sharing or devolution, and justice for (alleged) war crimes, to be addressed,” more..

Nov 20 (TM) Sri Lanka’s new govt should do everything to regain the ‘B’ credit rating by 2027-28 to pay back its creditors including the IMF through affordable market borrowings, World Bank SL Lead Economist Gregory Smith said. Speaking at a webinar by London based Overseas Development Institute (ODI) on Monday, he said that the govt should do everything they can to regain a ‘B’ rating as the IMF goes from putting money to taking money out in a few years’ time. more..

Nov 20 (FT) President’s Office yesterday announced the appointment of career diplomat Aruni Ranaraja as the new Foreign Secretary. She succeeds Aruni Wijewardane, who served in the post since May 2022. A career Sri Lanka Foreign Service officer, Ranaraja counts 28 years of service in the Foreign Ministry. She has served both at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Sri Lanka Missions abroad, in various capacities including as SL’s Ambassador to the Netherlands and the Philippines. more..

Nov 20 (FT) Ceylon Federation of Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) expressed optimism that the Govt will provide a favourable resolution to their appeal against the enforcement of the Parate law, as the temporary suspension is set to expire on 15 Dec. Federation revealed that its members had engaged in two rounds of discussions with key members of the Got’s Economic Council, including Prez’s Senior Consultant more..

Nov 20 (TM) There is a three-way face-off between the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), and the Int'l Cricket Council (ICC) over the Champions Trophy 2025. Pakistan is the official host of the ICC Champions Trophy and preparations are in full swing in the country despite all the security issues. India travelling to Pakistan for the ICC event was never on the cards, but it is the ICC, whose future course of action is under the microscope. more..

Nov 20 (FT) Teejay Lanka announced it will be expanding its business operations in Egypt under a new entity incorporated on 19 November 2024. It will engage in manufacturing fabric, manufacturing services, and trading activities. In the first half of FY25, Teejay Group, SL’s first multinational textile manufacturer, recorded a Profit after Tax of Rs. 0.9 billion. The Group revenue reached a notable Rs. 32.7 billion, recording an 11% increase compared to the first half of the previous year. more..

Nov 20 (PO) Pakistan 'A" gained a 143-run first innings lead against Sri Lanka ‘A’ after they were bowled out for 258 on day two of the first four-dayer at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium on Tuesday. In turn, Sri Lanka closed the day with 77-1 on the board in their second innings and with a deficit of 66 runs. Gritty half-centuries from Hussain Talat (56), Rohail Nazir (55) and Ali Zaryab (55), which included five fours each, put Pakistan 'A' ahead of SL ‘A’ after they resumed their first innings more..

Nov 20 (DN) We want to develop our sports to a high level to compete with other countries and our vision is to produce talented, professional players with high standards said New Sports Minister Sunil Gamage after he assumed duties at the Sports Ministry yesterday. This is a very important Ministry with lot of responsibility while development of Sports and Youth generation guide to make sustainable practices ensures a prosperous tomorrow said new Sports and Youth Affairs Minister Gamage. more..

Nov 20 (CI) Persistent rain in Pallekele meant the final ODI between Sri Lanka and New Zealand was washed out, with SL, who had won the first two games, taking the series 2-0. This is SL's fifth ODI series win this year. It was an anti-climactic end to a game that had begun with much promise, courtesy a fresh pitch that was expected to suit the batters as opposed to the more sluggish surfaces served up in the first two games. more..

Nov 20 (Island) In a way it was a great thing for the country that the NPP scored an emphatic victory at the Nov. 14 general election. Now the JVP-led NPPers can have no excuses for not being able to fulfill their promises as would have been the case if the preceding September Prez election outcome was repeated with the combined Opposition having the lion’s share of the vote, which would have left the country with a virtual hung Parliament of no benefit to anyone other than creating more..

Nov 20 (Island) JVP-led NPP asked for a mandate to clean up Parliament, and received a mammoth majority for that purpose. Its stalwart bragged that they had asked for brooms but the people had given them bulldozers. A fish is said to rot from the head down, and therefore Parliament has to be cleansed as a national priority. Let the clean-up begin! One can only hope that the latest regime change will not lead to another false dawn like the one described in Orwell’s dystopian novella, more..

Nov 20 (CT) The first PM DS Senanayake had it in good measure, among the minority communities. It waned till 2022, particularly among the Tamils. The current Prez, even as he sought to give it a fresh breath, created the scope and opportunity in the Sept 2024 elections. In the General elections of Nov 2024, Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake had made bold to throw in the gauntlet to secure the firmest grip on the nation’s polity. What commenced seemingly as a toehold in the Northern turf, more..

Nov 20 (DM) Among the 21-member Cabinet of Ministers sworn in before Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake there are 13 new faces in the parliament assuming responsibility for their respective portfolios. Many would agree that the newly appointed Cabinet, unprecedentedly, is the most qualified in the Sri Lankan political history. In comparison to previous govts, the new cabinet comprises individuals who are Uni academics and reputed professionals. more..

Nov 20 (TM) The NPP achieved a historic victory in the Parliamentary General Election held on 14 Nov, marking a significant shift in SL’s political landscape. Winning a whopping 159 out of 225 Parliamentary seats, the NPP gained strong support from voters across the country – from the North to the South – who were eager for a system change and fresh leadership. This victory came after a years-long campaign that focused on more..

Nov 20 (TM) With SL pushing for change in the political landscape and its culture, the time may be right to review the entry of lawmakers to the Parliament via the National List. Sri Lankans have sent a clear message that they want a change in politics and the style of governance. While it is yet premature to predict how the newly-crowned JVP-led NPP will approach governance, there is a no denying that the public has overwhelmingly voted to replace legacy political figures, dynasties and more..

Nov 20 (DM) Whether you voted for the victorious NPP/JVP alliance, you didn’t’ or stayed at home, as did a good number of Opposition voters, there is no gainsaying that the just concluded general election of 2024 is a milestone. It is not just the sheer scale of the victory, though numbers are mind-boggling too. The NPP won 159 seats in Parliament, the most resounding victory since the proportional representation came into effect. But numbers tell only a partial story. more..

Nov 20 (DM) In January this year, the Children and Young Persons (Amd) Act No. 39 of 2022 was amended to extend protection of all children up to age 18. The Govt repealed article 71(6) of the Children and Young Persons Ordinance 1939 which confirmed the right of any parent, teacher or other person having lawful control or charge of a child … to administer punishment to him. Even though such milestones have been acknowledged, more..

Nov 20 (DM) SL, as the late MP R. Sampanthan was to say is at a critical juncture. First it voted out, its war-winning Prez -Mahinda Rajapaksa. Next, in 2022 it chased out past Prez Gotabaya also a Rajapaksa, whose economic policies or lack of them, drove the country into defaulting its int'l debt payment. In September this year at the Prez elections, Anura Kumara Dissanayake, the left-leaning leader of the NPP -a coalition of the JVP and its affiliated student and worker unions more..

Nov 20 (CT) Following the landslide victory of the NPP in the 2024 General Elections, yesterday marked the swearing-in of the new Cabinet comprising 23 members. Later this week, on 21 Nov, the inaugural session of the 10th Parliament of Sri Lanka will take place, signalling a new era for the political landscape of the country. This new era starts with many firsts. This General Election marked the first time a single political party secured a two-thirds majority in Parliament. more..

Nov 19 (EN) Ambika Samuel, the first Malayaha woman to secure a seat in SL’s parliamentary election, says others from her community will follow. “I am the first to enter politics from here, and my brothers and sisters will undoubtedly follow,” Samuel told reporters. Samuel was elected to the parliament at the general election held on Nov 14 from the Badulla district representing the NPP party. She is the daughter of plantation worker parents, and has been a grassroot level social activist. more..

Nov 19 (NW) Former Canadian High Commissioner to SL David Mckinnon has called out the lack of coverage on SL’s Nov 14 parliamentary elections by Canadian Press. In a statement on social media, Mckinnon said that given other political events in recent days, it is no surprise that the extraordinary results of SL’s Nov 14 parliamentary elections did not dominate headlines in Canada, but they should get some attention, as SL has at other times, especially when trauma is involved. more..