Dec 5 (AD) The Administrative Secretary of SLPP Renuka Perera has been released on bail by the Colombo Magistrate’s Court. He was arrested by the CID for allegedly posting false information on social media regarding Mahaviru (Maaveerar Naal) commemorations in the North. A team of CID officers had visited Renuka Perera’s residence this morning and took him into custody after recording a statement regarding the matter. He was subsequently produced before Colombo MC. more..

Dec 5 (CT) Big changes to the latest Test rankings following stirring victories for England in New Zealand and South Africa over Sri Lanka. Harry Brook has re-emerged as Joe Root’s biggest challenger for the mantle of best Test batter in the world after the England star made good ground on the latest ICC Men’s Test Player Rankings. Brook scored his seventh Test century when making a superb 171 during the first innings of England’s eight-wicket victory over New Zealand more..

Dec 5 (TC) The Commonwealth Observer Group (COG) has released its final report on Sri Lanka's Sept 2024 presidential election. SL govt officially received the report following its parliamentary election on November 14. The COG, led by former President of Seychelles, HE Danny Faure, and 14 other eminent people from across the Commonwealth, provided immediate, medium-term, and long-term recommendations to contribute to the strengthening of electoral processes in SL. more..

Dec 5 (EN) Sri Lanka net foreign assets moved to positive territory in October 2024, with about US$ 63 million over its reserve related liabilities, after two years of deflationary policy with interest rates to match. Central Bank’s reserves became negative by 4.6 billion after rate cuts were enforced by inflationary direct and open market operations. The central bank also borrowed reserves through swaps, and also busted a special more..

Dec 5 (AD) A young woman has been clubbed to death by a person in the Ketawala area of Siripagama police division. The incident had occurred last morning and the girl who was injured in the attack was admitted to the Gilimale Hospital. She was later pronounced dead after being transferred to Ratnapura Teaching Hospital for further treatment. The deceased was a 23-year-old resident of Ratnapura area. The investigation has revealed that victim was involved in a romantic relationship more..

Dec 5 (SLN) The SL Navy seized 02 Indian fishing boats and apprehend 14 Indian fishermen while they were poaching in Sri Lankan waters, during a special operation conducted in the sea area north of Mannar in the dark hours of 04th December 2024. The Navy continues to conduct regular patrols and operations in Sri Lankan waters to curb illegal fishing practices of foreign fishing boats, taking into account the impact of those practices on the livelihood of local fishermen. more..

Dec 5 (DM) Health Ministry is grappling with a shortage of multiple drugs, including several essential drugs, a senior official said. Medical Supplies Deputy Director General Dr. G. Wijesuriya said while the shortage has affected several hospitals, the situation is under control as measures are being implemented to address the issue. “There are about 130 drugs currently in shortage at the Medical Supplies Division, while more..

Dec 5 (NW) SL Embassy in Lebanon has made necessary arrangements to evacuate 55 vulnerable Sri Lankan workers from Lebanon on a group basis, due to the conflict with Israel. SL Embassy said the evacuation is being carried out in association with the International Organization of Migration (IOM). Accordingly, the latest group of 26 Sri Lankans were repatriated to Colombo last evening. Appreciating the assistance of the IOM in Lebanon, SL Embassy expressed hope in working together to more..

Dec 5 (TM) All former MPs have vacated their houses at the Madiwela Housing Complex, allowing the allocation of residences to newly elected parliamentarians. According to the Secretary-General of Parliament Kushani Rohanadeera, 40 new MPs have received houses, while 20 re-elected MPs were reassigned their previous accommodations. The handover of official residences began on 3 Dec, following instructions from the new Government to clear houses more..

Dec 5 (NW) The govt has decided to relocate several public institutions currently housed in rented buildings to state-owned premises, aiming to reduce the financial burden of high rental payments. Minister Sunil Handunnetti announced the decision in Parliament today. Highlighting the extent of rental expenses, he revealed that the National Gem and Jewellery Authority pays Rs. 5 million monthly, while the Ministry of Commerce incurs a staggering Rs. 6.5 million monthly rental cost. more..

Dec 5 (NW) St Cross College at the University of Oxford has welcomed Venerable Wadigala Samitharathana as the first Sri Lankan Buddhist monk to attend the university in 105 years. Venerable Samitharathana, a Glorisun Scholar, is pursuing an MPhil in Buddhist Studies at the college, marking a historic milestone for both Sri Lanka and Oxford. St Cross College is one of the constituent colleges of the Uni of Oxford in England, known for its vibrant and diverse academic community. more..

Dec 5 (Island) Former Foreign Minister Ali Sabry has hit back hard at those who found fault with him for referring to the LTTE as a terrorist organisation. Responding to critics, the former MP has issued a statement reiterating that the now defunct LTTE as a terrorist organisation. “Recently, I was criticized by some individuals, particularly certain members of the diaspora who are completely out of touch with ground realities more..

Dec 5 (DM) Farmers can take any action regarding damages to crops by wild animals within their cultivated lands, Minister of Agriculture, Livestock, Land and Irrigation Lal Kantha said today. He told Parliament that damages to crops by wild animals, especially toque monkeys, has been a serious issue with some even calling it toque monkey terrorism. The Minister said that damages caused by wild animals have been an issue not only to farmers but the public as well. more..

Dec 5 (EN) People with disabilities, especially women and girls, are often vulnerable during climatic, weather and natural disasters UNFPA in Sri Lanka has said. “Persons with disabilities face heightened risks during disasters, with women and girls often bearing the brunt due to gender and other biases,” UNFPA SL Representative Kunle Adeniyi said. In a message on social media to mark the International Day of Disabled Persons on December 3, Adeniyi said UNFPA SL supports them, more..

Dec 5 (EN) More than 60 Sri Lankans, including military officials, have been included in a list submitted by the International Truth and Justice Project (ITJP) seeking sanctions and travel bans for human rights and economic crimes in the country and multiple universal jurisdiction cases. The submissions have been sent to the govts of the US, UK, Australia, and Canada as well as the European Union and the United Nations, more..

Dec 5 (FT) The Court of Appeal, on 11 Sept, ordered former MP Hirunika Premachandra to appear in person before the Court of Appeal yesterday for an inquiry into a Contempt of Court application filed against her by young business leader Hardy Jamaldeen. In the application, Jamaldeen claimed that Premachandra committed the offence of Contempt of Court by criticising an order issued by the Mount Lavinia Magistrate’s Court concerning him during a press conference held on more..

Dec 5 (DM) Most lunch boxes and water bottles available in the local market are not suitable for children to store their food, PHI Union Chairman Upul Rohana said. Many of these products contain Bisphenol A (BPA), an industrial chemical used in the production of polycarbonate plastics, epoxy resins and metal products. Due to the widespread use of single-use plastic products in the local market, Rohana urged the public to purchase and use plastic items marked with number 5 more..

Dec 6 (GV) The recent electoral victory of the NPP has ushered in a wave of optimism and speculation regarding the country’s economic trajectory. Amid a backdrop of economic turbulence, the NPP’s promise of transformative change resonates deeply with a population yearning for stability and growth. However, the challenges facing the new administration are as daunting as they are urgent. SL’s economy has endured significant hardships in recent years including a sovereign debt crisis, more..

Dec 6 (CT) Sri Lanka has been under the influence of neoliberal, open economic policies and authoritarian political tendencies over several decades, followed by political populism in the recent past. As is well known, poor governance has been an integral part of the political landscape of the country during this period. The adverse economic, social, political, cultural and environmental issues that arose as a result of the above policies and increasing mismanagement of public affairs more..

Dec 6 (DM) Those strolling along the Dehiwala beach heading towards Mount Lavinia will be greeted sensorially by one of Colombo’s unfortunate garbage disposal sites. To pinpoint the exact location: It lies just beyond the area where the canal meets the beach, with fishing boats scattered along the shoreline and wooden houses, primarily belonging to fisher-folk, lining the coast. It was Patrick Hengst, a Dutch national more..

Dec 6 (ST) Dr. George Neufeld is a Canadian citizen, who has a PhD in Computer Science and Mathematics, and has served at PwC in Canada. His extensive service in the area of Change Leadership has also been acknowledged by Brian Mulroney, one of the former Prime Ministers of Canada. George is not only a frequent visitor to Sri Lanka but also a matured intellectual who has knowledge about many areas of our political economy, covering the good, the bad, and the ugly all. more..

Dec 6 (DM) The bus plying from Kaduwela to Colpetty- bearing the route number 177- stopped briefly at Rajagiriya to pick more passengers. That was when an individual boarded the bus and accepted a mobile phone that he had left in the bus which was now being returned to him by the driver. When the mobile phone owner offered some money to the driver for keeping his phone safe, the conductor of the bus intervened and said “If we are going to accept money as a reward, more..

Dec 6 (TM) In this period of fiscal crisis, the new NPP Govt has set out its policies of tightening public expenditure budgets, especially in terms of entitlements, allowances, and privileges granted to MPs, ministers, and former presidents. Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake, as an MP in 2022, criticised the privileges of new State Ministers of the Ranil Wickremesinghe Govt at the time, especially amid the prevailing economic hardships more..

Dec 6 (CT) As SL prepares for the festive season, the Govt’s proactive measures to ensure the availability of essential food items reflect a commitment to safeguarding both consumer access and affordability. However, the complexities surrounding rice and coconut supplies highlight the need for long-term reforms and strategic planning to avoid future crises. Minister of Trade Wasantha Samarasinghe’s announcement that rice millers will supply 200,000 kg of rice daily through more..

Dec 6 (TM) Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake yesterday stressed that he regards the media not as outsiders but as an integral part of the effort to build a better State and improve the lives of all citizens. He made these remarks during a meeting held with the heads of electronic media organisations at the Prez Secretariat. Prez highlighted that the people expect a good political culture and elected the current Govt to fulfil that expectation. He invited all media organisations to collaborate more..

Dec 6 (Island) Things seem to be moving well in our beloved country and this is a great change from how things were before September and in the past years. We could only wring our hands in consternation and cry out “When will our lives improve? When will Sri Lanka rise to be the country, we older ones knew?” We witnessed wanton extravagance in govt spending; corruption all across the political and bureaucratic boards, and the poor getting poorer and more destitute. more..

Dec 6 (Island) Dr. Ganeshan Wignarajah, in his capacity as an advisor to the SL President, and member of the Geopolitical Cartographer board, as mentioned in the latest Indo-Pacific Defence Forum, dealt with the ongoing economic-political-social crisis here. Dr. Wignarajah, who had served as the Executive Director of the Lakshman Kadirgamar Institute (LKI) during the Yahapalana administration, quite confidently asserted (i) economic mismanagement (ii) Chinese loans and more..

Dec 6 (CI) Ryan Rickelton scored a first Test century in his eighth match and became the eighth batter for South Africa to bring up a hundred in 2024 on an evenly shared day at St George's Park. After choosing to bat first in blustery conditions, South Africa teetered on 44 for 3 in the morning session but a 133-run fourth wicket stand between Rickelton and Temba Bavuma, who brought up his third successive score over fifty, more..

Dec 6 (CI) South Africa's status as the Rainbow Nation is down to the diversity of its people, but for the visitor, the place has a broad range of experiences it can push you through too. The first place I'm staying in, the building has a colonial-gothic edge to it. Inside, the vibe is abandoned mental asylum, replete with the kind of elevator where you shut the door and a metal grille slides across, plus corridors out of Stanley Kubrick's The Shining, & over-large bathrooms that look like more..

Dec 6 (Island) SL is facing a severe rice shortage, and the situation is bound to take a turn for the worse unless remedial action is taken forthwith. The country has produced enough paddy, according to the Dept of Agriculture, and the govt itself has said there are sufficient stocks of paddy! If so, why has a rice shortage occurred? Minister Wasantha Samarasinghe told Parliament that rice millers had agreed to release 200,000 kilos of rice daily to be sold at the maximum retail price more..

Dec 6 (FT) The UK-SL Trade Mission, co-organised by the International Trade Centre (ITC) and SL Export Development Board (EDB), successfully concluded its Jaffna program on 4 Dec. This initiative highlighted the export potential of women-led businesses in SL, particularly in the Northern region. The program, part of the UK Govt-funded SheTrades Commonwealth+ program, provided a platform for women entrepreneurs in SL to connect with UK buyers and explore new trade opportunities. more..

Dec 6 (DN) SL Under-19 team, led by Vihas Thewmika, will meet the India U-19 team in the Asia Cup semi-final today at Sharjah Cricket Stadium, commencing at 10:30 a.m. SL youth team finished the league round with an unbeaten record, having back-to-back three wins, while the India team, led by Mohamed Amaan, lost to Pakistan in their first group match but fought back strongly to win the next two matches against UAE and Japan, finishing in second place in points table to reach semi-final. more..

Dec 6 (TM) Introducing a board wealth tax in Sri Lanka is currently unfeasible due to limited legal and institutional capacity, along with low political support for new taxes, a Colombo-based policy think tank said. According to the think tank Arutha, having a nationwide wealth tax in SL is not feasible due to legal issues and institutions, and there is low political support. It said that existing wealth tax proposals are tailored to advanced economies more..

Dec 6 (DN) Julie Hope of Cyclone Aquatics, based in Dubai, lit up the National and Junior National Short Course Swimming Championship by setting her third junior national record by the end of the second day of the SL Aquatic Sports Union (SLASU) conducted competition continued at Isipathana College Swimming Pool yesterday. Hope, the Dubai-based swimmer, training with Janaka Prasad’s Colombo Swimming Academy, broke the Under-15 Girls 200m Freestyle record with a stunning time of more..

Dec 6 (TM) Sri Lanka’s campaign at the ASBC Asian Elite Men and Women Boxing Championships in Chiang Mai, Thailand ended in disappointment on the fifth day of the competition as two medal contenders were eliminated in the quarterfinals on Wednesday (4), delivering contrasting performances. In the Men’s middleweight (75 kg) division, SL’s youngest participant Yazmin Muhammad Usaith, 20, lost a hard-fought bout to Chinese Taipei’s Liu Cheng-En by a 4:1 split points decision. more..