Dec 5 (TM) Sri Lanka is on the cusp of entering 2025 with a new Govt in place and with higher revenue targets in hand under the IMF programme. Achieving a primary surplus in 2025 is also one of the main targets for achieving debt sustainability. The new NPP Govt has mooted the tax relief it will provide to the people through the Pay-As-You-Earn (PAYE) Tax and the removal of Value-Added Tax (VAT) on certain essential items as mentioned in its economic policy statement. more..

Dec 5 (ST) Recently a Professor had been invited for a Zoom meeting and then got a call that a code had been sent on his WhatsApp with the caller insisting that he share the code to join the meeting. He had done so reluctantly only to find that his WhatsApp had been hacked. His students had received a message saying he was in trouble and needed money and many had responded. When he found out and told the students not to respond to that fake message, it was too late. more..

Dec 5 (Island) Monday’s police attack on a group of Development Officers (DOs), who are attached to state-run schools as teachers, during a protest near the Education Ministry, Battaramulla, has given the public a foretaste of what is to come. Governments in this country readily go to any extent to safeguard their interests and nip protests in the bud to prevent them from snowballing. Only President Gotabaya Rajapaksa chose to handle protests differently; he even designated an area near more..

Dec 5 (DN) SL’s rising swimming star, Rushalee Dissanayake of Musaeus College, made a remarkable start to the National and Junior National Short Course Swimming Championship at the Isipathana College Swimming Pool Complex yesterday, setting a new junior national record in the Girls U-15 400m Freestyle. Competing in the opening event of the day, Dissanayake clocked 4:55.52, breaking the previous record of 4:56.12, held by South Asian Games medalist Hiruki more..

Dec 5 (Island) The picturesque coastal city of Port Elizabeth, nestled in South Africa’s Eastern Cape, holds bittersweet memories for Sri Lanka. This cricketing haven, with its slow-paced pitches, has often played to Sri Lanka’s strengths, earning them a respectable record. But it’s not all sunshine and rainbows. This is the ground where Sri Lanka’s World Cup dreams in 2003 turned into a nightmare against Australia. more..

Dec 5 (TM) The seven-month long deadlock between Sri Lanka Rugby’s Competent Authority Dr. Shemal Fernando and seven provincial unions, which dragged the sport in unprecedented fashion to Aluthkade, ended yesterday (4), after both warring parties had reached a long-overdue settlement before the Court of Appeal. This was confirmed to The Daily Morning Sports by Western Province Rugby Football Union (WPRFU) Secretary Waruna de Silva. He said as per the arrangement more..

Dec 5 (GV) Polling by the Institute for Health Policy’s (IHP) SL Opinion Tracker Survey (SLOTS) reveals that 75% of Sri Lankans believe the income gap between the rich and poor is a very big problem and another 21% think it is a moderately big problem. This sentiment was consistent across demographic groups including age, gender, ethnicity, urban/rural residents and socio-economic status. However, respondents who intended to vote for or did vote for Ranil Wickremesinghe were somewhat more..

Dec 5 (CI) The headline is that both teams are in with a shot at making the World Test Championship final, but neither have secured a place. Unhelpfully for South Africa, the WTC points system doesn't reward hefty winning margins, so although they crushed Sri Lanka by 233 runs in Durban, it still only goes down as a simple win. Still, they have arrived in Gqeberha full of confidence. Another win here, and their path to that final clears up significantly. A win for Sri Lanka, meanwhile, more..

Dec 5 (DN) Nadeeka Hemanthi etched her name in history as the first SL woman to win an international gold medal in powerlifting. Competing in the Masters 1 (69kg) weight category at the Asian Classic Powerlifting Championships in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, she achieved an extraordinary milestone by lifting a total of 310kg to claim the overall gold medal. Hemanthi’s victory was hard-fought, outperforming younger competitors from Chinese Taipei, who took home silver (287.5kg) and bronze (270kg). more..

Dec 5 (ST) Severe weather conditions, including flash floods and strong winds, that prevailed in the North and Eastern provinces this week left 11 persons dead and 385,000 persons affected from over 100,000 families. The heavy downpour with strong winds that commenced earlier this week due to a low pressure situation in the Bay of Bengal caused severe damage to crops, livestock and property. more..

Dec 5 (FT) Action was filed in the Commercial High Court of Colombo by DSI through their Attorneys Sudath Perera Associates against the entity Lakpa Footwear Ltd., with its headquarters based in Horana. The action was filed for the infringement of DSI’s Fun Souls trademark and brand and the shoe design on the basis of trademark infringement, unfair competition, and passing-off. D. Samson & Sons Ltd, widely known as DSI, is a leading homegrown brand and manufacturer of footwear, apparel, and more..

Dec 5 (DN) The energy efficiency testing laboratory, funded and established by the Republic of Korea, was officially inaugurated in Ja-Ela on Nov 28. The Korea-donated facility is poised to transform energy efficiency testing and certification in Sri Lanka, bringing substantial benefits to the nation’s industries, producers, and consumers. Miyon Lee, Korean Ambassador to SL, attended the event and delivered a congratulatory address. Emphasizing the lab’s importance, more..

Dec 5 (FT) With impending removal of restrictions on vehicle imports early next year, industry experts have urged the Govt to prioritise the importation of new vehicles over used ones, warning of significant environment, economic, and technological repercussions if outdated vehicles flood the market. The potential reintroduction of used vehicles has drawn criticism from experts, who highlighted challenges posed by older more..

Dec 5 (ST) Two people, a father and a daughter, were killed in an accident when an overloaded canoe capsized in Munnakkarai, part of the Negombo lagoon, last Sunday. A group of seven was loaded onto a canoe that could only hold three, the police said, and were being taken on a joy ride through the mangroves, despite warnings against adverse weather conditions. While five commuters were rescued, a father and a daughter, Ranil (50) and Nethmi (19) Fernando were killed more..

Dec 5 (FT) The 21st Annual General Meeting of the SL-Russia Business Council (SLRBC) of The Ceylon Chamber of Commerce was held recently. The event was graced by the presence of Chief Guest Russian Ambassador Levan Dzhagaryan. Delivering his address, Ambassador Dzhagaryan highlighted the significant trade, tourism, and cultural collaborations between SL and Russia, emphasising that Russia continues to play a pivotal role in SL’s tourism sector & export trade. more..

Dec 5 (DM) Lion Brewery (Ceylon), leader in SL’s brewery market, has unveiled a groundbreaking Rs.4 billion state-of-the-art craft beer innovation centre, marking a first for the country. This facility, dedicated to the research and development (R&D) of craft brews, focuses on incorporating local ingredients, including the iconic Ceylon Tea. Lion Brewery (Ceylon) CEO R.H. Meewakkala highlighted that the facility is expected to increase the company’s export share from 15% to 20% more..

Dec 5 (Island) Minister of Women and Child Affairs Saroja Savithri Paulraj has been appointed as the new Chairperson of the Women Parliamentarians’ Caucus of the Tenth Parliament. This appointment was announced during the Caucus’ first meeting, which took place on December 3, 2024, under the patronage of PM Harini Amarasuriya. The session, held at Parliament, was attended by several key figures, including Deputy Chairpersons of Committees Hemali Weerasekara, more..

Dec 5 (TM) Sri Lanka is building its foreign reserves to cover its debt obligations of $ 5 billion for the next 12 months, as foreign inflows in 2025 will create a healthy liquidity in the domestic foreign exchange market, CB Governor Dr. Nandalal Weerasinghe said. He said that import coverage is a traditional measurement of foreign reserves in a country while another measurement is represented by the country’s needs over more..

Dec 5 (PMD) Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake met with MPs from ITAK today (4) at the Presidential Secretariat. During the discussion, the ITAK MPs brought to the President’s attention the longstanding challenges faced by the people in the Northern and Eastern regions. MPs Sivagnanam Shritharan, Pathmanathan Sathiyalingam, Shanmugam Kugathasan, Shanakiyan Rasamanickam, Gnanamuthu Srineshan, Kaveenthiran Kodeeswaran, Elayathamby Srinath, and more..

Dec 5 (DM) Cinnamon Hotels of the John Keells group, in partnership with the Swiss Hotel Management Academy (SHMA), this week officially launched the operations of its hospitality education initiative branded Cinnamon Hospitality Academy. The launch marks a notable cornerstone for the local hospitality education sector, as the programme involves a collaboration with the EHL Hospitality Business School and Swiss Hotel Management School, both of which are ranked as more..

Dec 5 (CT) Colombo District NPP MP Samanmalee Gunasinghe stated that the NPP’s economic policy is designed to safeguarding the rights of the people. Speaking during the debate on the Govt’s Policy Statement yesterday, Gunasinghe remarked that the Govt’s economic strategy is people-focused and aims to deliver tangible benefits to the population. She highlighted that Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake had outlined a vision for building an economy with active public participation. more..

Dec 5 (TM) The SJB has raised concerns about the appointment of Dr. Hans Wijesuriya as the Chief Advisor to the President on the Digital Economy, alleging that the latter was involved in suppressing key evidence in the murder investigation of rugby player Wasim Thajudeen. Speaking in the Parliament, SJB Opposition Parliamentarian Mujibur Rahman criticised the appointment, claiming that it undermines the ongoing investigations into the said high-profile case. more..

Dec 5 (NW) The Excise Department has issued 361 liquor licenses from Jan 1 to Oct 6, 2024, Chief Govt Whip and MP Bimal Rathnayake revealed today (4) in Parliament. In his statement, Rathnayake alleged that the distribution of these licenses was politically motivated. “I can clearly state that these licenses were issued by former Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe to facilitate political crossovers in exchange for political bribes,” MP asserted more..

Dec 5 (EN) Only a few candidates and political groups have submitted their income and expenditures related to the recently concluded parliament election campaign with only two days remaining before the deadline. Election Commission (EC) has set deadline to submit the income and expenditure reports for Dec 6. EC said in terms the Regulation of Election Expenditure Act enacted last year, failure to submit election expenditure reports on or before 12 midnight on Dec 6, 2024 more..

Dec 5 (DN) Horana Sri Palee Campus has been gazetted as the Faculty of Mass Media of the Colombo Uni. PM Harini Amarasuriya has issued this gazette announcement. Its departments are gazetted as Dept of Mass Media Studies, Dept of Language Studies, Dept of Computer Studies and Dept of Performing Arts Studies. Established in 1996 as the West Board of the Colombo Uni in Horana, it conducted undergraduate and postgraduate courses in media and performing arts studies. more..

Dec 5 (TM) SL Govt Officers’ Trade Union Association (SLGOTUA) stated that if any public servants are dismissed due to a request from the IMF or a Governmental decision, it should only take place after discussions with all the relevant parties and after ensuring adequate compensation for the affected employees. Senior Prez Advisor Duminda Hulangamuwa recently said that the country would have to downsize its public sector employees more..

Dec 5 (FT) A fundamental truth or axiom that many economists and development experts ignore in their models is the role of ordinary people in building a country’s economy and contributing to its development. The size of an economy’s Gross National Product is not simply the outcome of land, labour, capital and technology, but above all it depends on the collective synergy pumped out of the feeling of connectivity of the populace towards a nation’s struggle for economic growth and more..

Dec 5 (FT) When the NPP party swept into power just a couple of months ago, it did so on a wave of hope and promises of change. Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake’s campaign was built on sharp critiques of past economic mismanagement and vows to steer the country towards a more equitable future. Yet, in a move that has surprised many supporters, the new Govt has chosen to accept the IMF bailout terms negotiated by its predecessor—a decision that underscores scale of the challenges it faces. more..

Dec 5 (NW) The govt’s interim Vote on Account for the initial 4 months of 2025 shows an allocation of close to Rs.1,402 billion for maintaining state affairs, such as recurrent and capital expenditure, public debt servicing, and debt restructuring expenses. The Vote on Account for the first 4 months of 2025 was presented to the Parliament today. The highest allocation has been made for the Ministry of Transport, Highways, Ports & Civil Aviation, amounting to Rs. 220.06 billion. more..

Dec 5 (DM) People, industrialists and entrepreneurs have volunteered to pay taxes where there was a long queue on Sept 31 to pay taxes while the online App of the Inland Revenue Dept is congested with so many people trying to log in to pay taxes, Minister Sunil Handunnetti said. He said that tax payers have offered to pay taxes willingly because they have approved the progamme of the govt and that it is a great strength. Minister said some industrialist had personally requested him to take steps more..

Dec 5 (AFP) Cash-strapped SL vowed Thursday to complete its long-delayed foreign debt restructure within the month before a 2025 budget adhering to strict revenue targets set by the IMF. The island nation defaulted on its $46 billion external debt in April 2022 after running out of foreign exchange to finance even the most essential imports such as food and fuel. Its economy has recovered after getting an IMF rescue more..

Dec 5 (AD) Former State Minister Lohan Ratwatte and his wife Shashi Ratwatte have been granted bail today by the Nugegoda Magistrate’s Court. Accordingly, the court set a cash bail of Rs. 25,000 for each individual, along with two personal bonds of Rs. 1 million each. Additionally, the police confirmed that the court has issued an overseas travel ban on Lohan Ratwatte. Lohan Ratwatte and his wife were arrested over the charges of using a luxury car illegally imported and assembled in SL, more..

Dec 5 (NW) The Director General of Health Services, Dr. Asela Gunawardena has urged the public to avoid unnecessary use of antibiotics. Dr. Asela Gunawardena made the request during a media briefing held at the Health Promotion Bureau yesterday to mark World Antimicrobial Awareness Week. He further said that antibiotics should only be taken under the guidance of a qualified medical practitioner, strictly adhering to the recommended dosage and duration. more..

Dec 5 (EN) Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake has assured autonomy for the state-run Board of Investment (BOI) in attracting clean investments without any political favoritism, his office said. SL has been lower ranked in ease of doing business due to several layers of red tapes, bribes, and political favoritism in attracting foreign direct investment (FDI) in the past. Govt sources said, govt is in the process of digitizing FDI more..

Dec 5 (DM) A group of schoolchildren from Colombo, who were on an excursion to Hanthana mountains during the school vacation and had lost their way, were rescued by the police and the army. The students, aged between 16 and 17 were from Kiribathgoda and Colombo. They had started their ascent from Sarasavigama in Peradeniya on Wednesday (4). Affected by the thick mist and cold weather, several of them had experienced muscle cramps due to fatigue. more..