Dec 11 (AD) The Indian High Commissioner to SL Gopal Baglay says that India has never responded to a crisis or supported a country in crisis with the swiftness and strength that it did during the unprecedented crisis in SL. Joining the At Hydepark, the outgoing Indian diplomat in Colombo also discussed the vision for the advancement in bilateral relations between SL and India, with the anticipated economic growth of India. more..

Dec 11 (AD) Initial data shows that lightning strikes on the Kotmale to Biyagama transmission line had caused the island-wide power breakdown yesterday (Dec. 09), a spokesman for the CEB said. However, speaking during today’s parliamentary session, State Minister of Power and Energy Indika Anuruddha stated that two separate inquiries would be carried out by the Ministry of Power and Energy and the CEB into the island-wide power breakdown that occurred yesterday (09). more..

Dec 11 (DM) Women police officers have faced injustice when receiving promotions even though all the other aspects such as recruitment, training, deployment and retirement are the same as male police officers, a Parliamentary committee has revealed. This was disclosed when the Select Committee of Parliament to look into and report its recommendations to ensure gender equity and equality with special emphasis on looking into gender-based discriminations and more..

Dec 11 (DN) Though SL’s financial climate is slowly improving, exporters continue to navigate difficulties. While interest rates have eased and imports are allowed, exporters still grapple with various challenges. This was opined by National Chamber of Exporters (NCE) Chairman Jayantha Karunaratne at their 30th awards ceremony in Colombo on Friday. Exporters now grapple with new issues, such as unreasonable taxes imposed at an inappropriate time, impacting their operations. more..

Dec 11 (SO) The 24th edition of the annual Journalism Awards for Excellence will be held at the Mount Lavinia Hotel on Tuesday (12). The awards night is organised by the Editors’ Guild of SL in partnership with the Sri Lanka Press Institute and its affiliated unions, the Newspaper Society of SL, Free Media Movement and the SL Working Journalists Association. The annual event is held to recognise professional excellence in journalism and award those who excel in it. more..

Dec 11 (TM) The Electricity Consumers’ Association (ECA) stated that they would lodge a complaint with the CID regarding the islandwide power outage on Saturday (9). The ECA charged that the CEB and the Ministry of Power and Energy have not yet acted to implement the recommendations made by PUCSL in 2022 to prevent sudden islandwide power outages, following a spate of several incidents. more..

Dec 11 (VD) Sri Lanka was shaken near Kalmunai, Ampara District, Eastern Province, by an earthquake of magnitude 5.1 only 9 minutes ago, India's National Center for Seismology (NCS) reported. The quake hit at a great depth of 366.2 km beneath the epicenter near Kalmunai, Ampara District, Eastern Province, Sri Lanka, early morning on Monday, December 11th, 2023, at 3:41 am local time. The strength of the earthquake may have been tempered by its relative great depth below the surface, more..

Dec 11 (DM) Despite the military personnel being withdrawn from the historic Mihintale temple, the police personnel assigned to the site will continue their duties, refuting claims of their removal, police said. Police said some reports claimed that according to the decision to remove the military officers who were deployed for various purposes at the Mihintale Rajamaha Vihara, the police officers who had been deployed there for a long time will also be withdrawn. more..

Dec 11 (AD) The former chairman of the Public Utilities Commission of SL (PUCSL) says the Ministry of Power & Energy has neglected the gazetted orders aiming to prevent island-wide power outages. Janaka Ratnayake, in a statement, said the Extraordinary Gazette 2296/38, published in Sept 2022 when he was in office as the PUCSL chairman, had issued 7 recommendations to the CEB and the Power & Energy Ministry pertaining to preventing major power failures. more..

Dec 11 (DM) A 67-year-old man, who served as the watchman of a church in Hatton, was brutally hacked to death during an attempt to steal cash from the church's donation box. Hatton Police initiated investigations following a tip on the suspicious death of church watchman near the railway station road in Hatton last morning. Preliminary investigations revealed that an unidentified assailant had entered the church premises and attacked the guard with a weapon, resulting in his tragic demise. more..

Dec 11 (TM) The Ministry of Defence (MoD) will move to withdraw nearly 250 members of the armed forces who were deployed to carry out maintenance and support duties at the historic Mihintale Raja Maha Viharaya, State Minister of Defence Premitha Bandara Tennakoon said in Parliament. The move follows an escalation of a dispute between the Government and the Chief Prelate of the Mihintale Rajamaha Viharaya more..

Dec 11 (FT) The transparency in Sri Lanka’s ongoing IMF program improved in November following the publication of several supporting documents with the 2024 budget, according to the latest update of Verité Research’s IMF Tracker. The supporting documents have provided information on the progress of six commitments which were previously classified as unknown. Five of the commitments have now been reclassified as met and one – the tax revenue target, as not met. more..

Dec 11 (ST) Sri Lanka cruised to a comfortable 7-wicket win against cricketing minnows Japan and open their ACC Under-19s Asia Cup campaign in style at the ICC Academy Ground 2 in Dubai yesterday. With the easy victory over Japan SL now tops Group ‘B’ where Bangladesh and United Arab Emirates are also part of. Electing to bowl, SL took off to a fine start by claiming three early wickets conceding only 8 runs by the fifth over, before skittling out Japan for a paltry total of 75 runs. more..

Dec 11 (FT) Govt and the Opposition yesterday got vocal over the increase in the rate of VAT from 15% to 18% from 1 Jan 2024 and the removal of exemptions of nearly 100 products and services. Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa yesterday said the Govt’s move to increase the VAT is unjust. Premadasa said the people are now suffering the consequences of the Govt’s inefficiency since 2020 leading to the decline in Govt revenue and more..

Dec 11 (FT) Growth theories tell us that to produce goods and services, a must for sustained economic growth, several factors should get together. One is the physical capital in the form of machinery, buildings, roads, infrastructure facilities, and so on. Another is human capital which takes several forms: manual labour, intellectual workers, technical knowhow, and managerial skills. A third is the level of technological advancements. An economy desirous of producing goods and services more..

Dec 11 (FT) I come from a family of pet lovers. From my very young days, I remember our home, full of pets and always as an extension of the family. It has therefore been second nature for us to appreciate them and care for them. SL being a predominantly Buddhist country is known to show care for animals, and many families have pets. However, with the increase in wealth and social status of people, and with the surging influence of social media, the country has seen a trend towards owning more..

Dec 11 (EN) There will never be an alliance between Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe and opposition leader Sajith Premadasa, the latter has told parliament, denying reports of a coming team-up of the two rivals. “Some organisations that propagate falsehoods have gotten together, having taken money perhaps from the govt, and are saying Ranil and Sajith are teaming up. Ranil and Sajith will never come together,” Premadasa said speaking parliament Monday. more..

Dec 11 (CT) Nearly 31 families, comprising 140 members were affected by a landslide that occurred in Koslanda, early yesterday. This area comes under the Haldumulla DS Division, Assistant Director of DMC, Badulla District E.M.L. Kumara said. The displaced families have been accommodated in a school and were being provided with cooked food. He said six houses in the landslide location were completely damaged. He said thankfully, DMC acted promptly and evacuated the people on detecting signs of a landslide. more..

Dec 11 (EN) Six investors have expressed interest in buying stakes in SriLankan Airlines, Minister Nimal Siripala De Silva said. “A pre-bid meeting is held before, for the purpose of providing more information for the investors. In one such meeting, six investors have expressed their interest in buying stake,” he said. “Since the investors are familiarising themselves with the information, they have submitted an Expression of Interest to extend the deadline, to the middle of January.” more..

Dec 11 (DM) Trade unions representing health professionals have raised concerns that the recent arrests made by the CID in connection with the import of substandard Immunoglobulin injections are only targeting lower-level individuals, while the masterminds behind the scandal remain at large. Representatives of the health trade unions emphasized that the involvement of key figures such as the former Minister, health secretary, and NMRA officials cannot be ruled out more..

Dec 11 (CT) Human Rights Commission of SL (HRCSL) released 3 important guidelines and recommendations to the State and relevant authorities yesterday, to mark International Human Rights Day. This year’s International Human Rights Day celebrated under the theme Freedom, Equality, and Justice for All, fell on 10 Dec. HRCSL launched three main guidelines and recommendations in the presence of representatives from the State, law enforcement authorities, governmental and non-governmental more..

Dec 11 (DM) Desirée Cormier Smith, the U.S. Special Representative for Racial Equity and Justice, is set to embark on her inaugural journey to South Asia, with Sri Lanka as a focal point. From Dec 11 to 15, she will traverse the cultural landscape of Colombo, Nuwara Eliya, and Kandy, engaging with diverse communities to bolster the US govt's commitment to advancing human rights and equality in SL. During her week-long visit, Special Representative Cormier Smith will engage in crucial meetings more..

Dec 11 (DM) The entire population of SL is to be registered with the police in the wake of increased crimes, Minister Tiran Allas told Parliament today. Responding to a question raised by MP Mano Ganesan that the Tamil community, especially those in Colombo are being registered by the police. "We have decided to register the entire population irrespective of the ethnic groups they belong to. I will see to it that registration forms printed in all three languages will be distributed," he said. more..

Dec 11 (FT) Port City Colombo is preparing for an enchanting evening of music and joy as the De Lanerolle Brothers join forces with the National Unity Orchestra for a captivating performance tonight (11) at Port City Colombo. The invitees will be treated to an exclusive showcase, promising an unforgettable experience. This event aims to immerse attendees in the festive spirit, with the National Unity Orchestra serenading the audience with a delightful repertoire of holiday classics, more..

Dec 11 (ABC) Minimum English language requirements for international students will be increased, and more restrictions will be applied to stop onshore visa hopping as the federal govt seeks to curb the number of migrants living in a permanently temporary state in Australia. Alongside a clampdown on international student and graduate visas, the govt will also create a new temporary Skills in Demand visa to attract highly skilled workers more..

Dec 11 (TM) The Consumer Affairs Authority (CAA) Act No. 9 of 2003 is to be amended so as to prevent rice mill owners from unfairly raising rice prices by hiding stocks of rice, the Ministry of Agriculture said. Speaking to the media, Minister of Agriculture and Plantation Industries Mahinda Amaraweera charged that certain rice mill owners are currently working to create a shortage of rice with the intention of raising rice prices during the upcoming festive season. more..

Dec 11 (TM) Lanka Private Bus Owners’ Association (LPBOA) yesterday expressed its frustration that it is yet to receive the Transport Ministry’s approval to install a walkie-talkie system in private buses in order to combat harassment reported within the vehicles. LPBOA Chairman Gemunu Wijeratne said that this project would be launched in weeks to come with the support of a private sector company. He also said that even though the LPBOA had requested the approval of more..

Dec 11 (TM) The 1,000 National Schools project, launched by the Education Ministry, has come to a standstill despite the expenditure of a colossal sum of money amounting to around Rs. 2.2 billion since 2021. The initiative to establish 1,000 national schools, conceived by former Education Minister G.L. Peiris, was designed to address the surging demand for admissions to national schools, often perceived by parents as being better equipped to deliver more..

Dec 11 (AD) SSP Nihal Thalduwa has assured that a cadre of 25 police personnel will remain at Mihintale, thereby ensuring that there lies no threat to the security of the sacred site. Thalduwa stated that although the army personnel stationed at Mihintale were withdrawn on Sunday (10), no such decision has been taken with regards to the police personnel. “The State Minister of Defence said that the personnel belonging to the army, navy and civil defense service which come under more..

Dec 11 (Island) Deputy Secretary of Uththara Lanka Sabhagaya Gevindu Cumaratunga, MP, said that the move to base proposed educational reforms at provincial level would lead to unnecessary problems. Cumaratunga, who is also the leader of Yuthukama civil society group, warned of dire consequences if the government succeeded in its bid to do away with the concept of national colleges, particularly at a time various interested parties were pushing for the full implementation of the 13th Amendment more..

Dec 11 (EN) SL’s ministry of industries wants to ensure commercially-ready products and services are produced by university research, by facilitating partnerships with factories and entrepreneurs. After a currency crisis, SL’s govt is in a drive to boost its trade balance by increasing exports. “Our export basket hasn’t changed recently, partly because our small and medium entrepreneurs don’t have sufficient research and development facilities (like the multinationals) to innovate more..

Dec 11 (DM) A Sri Lankan national who tried to leave for Canada with a forged Canadian travel document, which had received for Rs.4 million, was nabbed by the Immigration authorities at the BIA last evening. The male passenger who had come to board a SriLankan Airlines flight UL217 for Doha was arrested at the emigration counter at the BIA departure terminal as the officials felt suspicious about his Canadian passport. He was to board another flight to Canada from Doha. more..

Dec 11 (AD) Third Reading of the VAT (Amendment) Bill was passed in Parliament with amendments today. Bill was passed with a majority of 45 votes, with 100 MPs voting in favour, and 55 voting against the Bill. Accordingly, the House approved a hike in VAT up to 18% from the current 15%, ahead of the IMF preparing to approve the second tranche of a $2.9 billion bailout for the crisis-hit country. Earlier today, Second Reading of the Bill was passed with a majority of 57 votes. more..

Dec 11 (AD) A fire has reportedly broken out in a building belonging to the Anuradhapura Teaching Hospital. Accordingly, a fire was reported in the Methsiri Sevana building of the Anuradhapura Teaching Hospital earlier today. Two fire engines were subsequently deployed from the Fire Brigade of the Anuradhapura Municipal Council to help extinguish the flames. While immediate measures were taken to douse the fire and evacuate all patients who were within the premises, more..

Dec 11 (DM) Plans have been made to bring wealthy tourists to Sri Lanka in the coming year. The officials of the Ministry told this to the Sectoral Oversight Committee on National Economic and Physical Plans during a recent meeting. The Committee also directed its attention towards bringing 5 million tourists to SL in 2024 and in the simultaneous preparation of infrastructure development. Addressing the Committee, officials of the Ministry of Tourism and Lands mentioned that more..

Dec 11 (AD) The list of items removed from Value Added Tax (VAT) exemptions list, with effect from 1 Jan 2024, was presented to the Parliament today. Meanwhile, the amended list of items exempt from the VAT was also tabled in Parliament today. The aforementioned lists were tabled in the House ahead of the vote on the Third Reading of the VAT (Amendment) Bill this evening. Third Reading of the VAT (Amendment) Bill was passed, with amendments, by a majority of 45 votes, more..