Nov 1 (DM) People in this country want many things changed pretty fast. Now it’s not merely a system change that’s needed; these are just loose words. People are looking for an architect of change. That individual is so hard to find. This is because people in politics don’t know when to retire. When talking about change it’s good to borrow from American sport. Sports authorities and even sponsors of sporting events in America believe it’s not good for the game if the same champion remains more..

Nov 1 (CT) The train derailment saga in SL isn’t so much a series of unfortunate events as it is rather an indication of systemic neglect. There has been an alarming pattern of derailments that goes beyond mere inconveniences for the public. It isn’t hard to imagine the chaos as delays pile up and passengers are stranded for hours, often left pondering the reliability of a system that is failing in its most fundamental promise: getting them from one station to another without derailing. more..

Nov 1 (TM) In September, SL voters elected the new Prez with high hopes. To see the system change that they demanded, the next big step is the Parliamentary Election through which the Govt will be formed. In this context, various groups have come forward in support of various candidates. Some of these groups support the idea of forming a majority NPP Govt led by its Leader, Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake, while some think that more..

Nov 1 (TM) With the caretaker Govt going through its learning curve and Parliamentary Election around the bend, the Govt’s attention may be fixated on multiple crisis, be it about Udaya Gammanpila, who released the committee reports linked to the 2019 Easter Sunday attack, or responding to the former Prez Wickremesinghe’s criticism of alleged failure to enact public sector pay increments which he had planned, or dealing with the complex affair of negotiating with the IMF. more..

Nov 1 (CT) I am still of the opinion that the profile of the candidate list presented for the forthcoming general election by the NPP is not that strong, so that they can meet the set benchmark. That is why; I raised this concern through the articled titled should we lower the bar, so that less qualified juniors from NPP can jump over? However, in practice, we are in the process of making the change. When it is a process, we are not able to stop at one step and take a rest or turn back. more..

Nov 1 (CT) During his tenure as Prez, it was likely that former Prez Maithripala Sirisena made setting up Commissions his hobby. Therefore, when perusing his time as Prez of SL from 2015 to 2019, he was most known for the Commissions that he set up which include Special Prez Commission to Probe Corruption of Former Govt, a 3-member Special Prez Commission to Investigate the Bond Scam at the Central Bank, and CoI on more..

Nov 1 (CT) MV X-Press Pearl, en route from India’s Hazira Port to Singapore with 1,486 containers, caught fire 9.5 nautical miles off Colombo’s coast. The blaze lasted 12 days, eventually sinking the vessel along with 278 tons of bunker oil, 50 tons of gas, and various hazardous materials. This maritime disaster led to plastic pellets and toxic debris washing ashore, causing significant environmental damage. Incident adversely affected livelihoods of the western coastal fishing community more..

Nov 1 (Island) The ongoing US presidential race has got down and dirty so much so that trash and garbage trucks have been dragged into the propaganda war between the Republicans and the Democrats. The two sides are attacking each other, according to Rafferty’s rules. On Sunday, a comedian who spoke at a Republican rally happened to remark that US territory of Puerto Rico was a floating island of garbage and unwittingly provided grist to the propaganda mill of more..

Nov 1 (DM) A new face entering the Parliamentary Elections as a candidate of the NDF is Ranil Willaddarage, Managing Director of the popular clothing brand GFlock. As an entrepreneur himself, Willaddarage envisions to end poverty by creating job opportunities and nurturing entrepreneurs. In a candid interview, Willaddarage spoke about his decision to enter politics, why Ranil Wickremesinghe is a capable leader and what needs to change to encourage entrepreneurs to develop their more..

Nov 1 (Island) During the 57th Session of the UNHRC, Sri Lanka restated its opposition to HRC Resolution 51/1; a carryover of Resolution 46/1. These Resolutions were consistently rejected on grounds that the evidence gathering mechanism within the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) is an unprecedented and ad hoc expansion of the Council’s mandate and contradicts its founding principles of impartiality, objectivity and non-selectivity. more..

Nov 1 (FT) Colombo stock market has seen a whopping Rs. 612 billion rise in value since the election of Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake in an apparent vote of investor confidence on the prospects for listed equities. On 20 Sept, the day before the 2024 Prez poll, CSE’s market capitalisation was Rs. 4 trillion, having lost Rs. 184 billion in value year to date. Come 31 Oct, the market capitalisation had jumped by more..

Nov 1 (ST) Two exceptional divers from the diving powerhouse Bishop’s College, senior national champion Kithmi Marambe and junior national champion Yashodha Pilapitiya, secured top honours, leading the Boyd Place School to victories in both the Senior and Junior Girls National Overall Championships at the 48th National Diving Championship, organised by the Sri Lanka Aquatic Sports Union (SLASU) and held at the Sugathadasa Stadium Swimming Pool Complex last week. more..

Nov 1 (ST) Liquid Island Sri Lanka, the exclusive distributor of World’s leading Syrup Monin, recently hosted a special visit from Felipe Valencia Santander, Beverage Expert from Monin in the Middle East to SL. With over 100 years of expertise in syrups and beverage solutions, Monin is a family-run French company now present in over 150 countries. Renowned for their innovative beverage solutions, speed of use, quality and taste consistency, Monin offers the widest range of more..

Nov 1 (FT) Ceylon Agro Industries (CAI) Ltd. (Prima Group SL) was honoured with the National Award of Excellence for Best Supply Chain Practising Organisation, along with a Special Commendation Award in the Large Scale Commendation category, at the National Supply Chain Excellence Awards 2024. Organised by the Institute of Supply and Materials Management in partnership with Ministry of Industries and Industrial Development Board, these accolades recognise industry leaders more..

Nov 1 (FT) In a partnership grounded in creativity, commerce, and culture, Cinnamon Life at City of Dreams and SL Design Festival (SLDF) are set to redefine Colombo’s identity as an influential creative and business hub. This collaboration brings fresh energy to SL’s creative industries, cultivating a vibrant, globally engaged ecosystem of innovators, manufacturers, thinkers, academics, entrepreneurs, and designers that bolsters local talent while elevating Colombo’s global reputation. more..

Nov 1 (TM) Coalition for Educational Development (CED) organisation urged all political parties and independent groups and candidates to outline their plans for the national education system ahead of the upcoming General Election. CED Prez Dr. Chandana Bandara highlighted the critical need for political parties to prioritise education policy development and address ongoing issues within the sector. more..

Nov 1 (PMD) Hindu devotees around the world celebrate Diwali with great devotion, symbolizing the victory of light over darkness. This festival represents hope, joy, and the triumph of good over evil, bringing communities together in a spirit of unity and celebration. In Sri Lanka, the people have been searching for light in the dark for decades after gaining independence. Now, fresh hope is emerging as the realization of their long-held hopes. We have entered an era of renaissance, more..

Nov 1 (NW) The investigation into the unregistered luxury vehicle connected to former State Minister Lohan Ratwatte has revealed significant findings according to SL Police. Here are five key facts surrounding the case: 1. Vehicle suspected to be assembled in Sri Lanka in Parts. Police suspect that the luxury vehicle was smuggled into the country in three separate parts and later assembled in Sri Lanka. This method is often used to avoid detection by authorities. more..

Nov 1 (ST) Most of the election campaign finance submissions released for public review last Thursday, do not meet the Election Expenditure Act 2023 requirements. The new finance regulation, implemented for the first time in SL’s electoral history, sets out the criteria that candidates must follow when declaring their expenses for elections they participate in. These include information on donors, more..

Nov 1 (AD) STF has arrested two accomplices of the underworld figure known as Army Chooty, who is responsible for managing the drug operations of Nandun Chintaka, also known as Harak Kata. The suspects were arrested while in possession of 7.4 kg of heroin and 1.17 kg of ‘ice’ drugs, also known as crystal methamphetamine, with an estimated street value exceeding Rs. 285 million, according to the STF. Based on information provided by army intelligence, more..

Nov 1 (FT) Wilderness and Wildlife Conservation Trust (WWCT) of SL, a leader in research and conservation of the SL leopard, has been nominated for the prestigious Earthshot Prize 2024. This global award, launched by Prince William and renowned biologist Sir David Attenborough in 2019, celebrates five visionary initiatives each year that contribute to the restoration and regeneration of our planet. WWCT’s nomination is a testament to its unwavering commitment to leopard conservation, more..

Nov 1 (AD) Former State Minister Lohan Ratwatte, who was arrested by Mirihana Police in Kandy, has been remanded until Nov 7 by the Nugegoda Additional Magistrate. Ratwatte, initially arrested in Kandy, was brought to the Mirihana Police Station before being presented to the magistrate this evening (31). Police said that the former state minister was arrested in Kandy over an incident of discovering an unregistered car at his wife’s house in the Mirihana area of Nugegoda. more..

Nov 1 (DN) SL athletes have a packed schedule in 2025 with 11 major international events, including the World Athletics Championships from September 13-21 in Tokyo. Sri Lanka Athletics is preparing top athletes with a focus on the World Athletics Championships, while the South Asian Senior Athletics Championship is also a key event next year, scheduled to take place in Ranchi, India, on April 5-6. Additionally, the World Indoor C'ship from March 21-23 in Nanjing, China, more..

Nov 1 (DN) Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake stated that Ministers in the upcoming Parliament will not be provided housing in Colombo. The Prez said so while participating in a public rally. Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake further said a Cabinet of less than 25 Ministers will be formed after Nov 14. Not only that, but also privileges given to Ministers will be cut in a large amount with the aim of transforming them into public servants. more..

Nov 1 (DN) SL opening batsman Pathum Nissanka has achieved new career-high ratings to rank among the top ten batters in the ICC rankings for both ODI & T20 formats after the successful WI home series. Nissanka, 26-year-old right-hand opener, reached 7th position in the ICC ODI ranking with 695 points, while he is at 8th position in the T20 ranking with 658 points. Nissanka was named the T20 Player of the Series for his consistent performances, scoring 104 runs with a high score of 54. more..

Nov 1 (AD) Chinese Govt has decided to further provide a batch of Emergency Humanitarian Materials worth Rs. 400 million to SL, the Chinese Embassy in Colombo said. This aid comes in addition to a recent Emergency Assistance of Rs. 30 million in cash handed over to the President of Sri Lanka for flood relief efforts. Meanwhile, PM Dr. Harini Amarasuriya held a meeting with Qi Zhenhong, the Ambassador of China to Sri Lanka, at the PM’s Office on Wednesday (30), more..

Nov 1 (EN) Transparency International SL (TISL) has formally filed a complaint over appointment into Palmyrah Development Board (PDB) during the election campaign period, citing the move as violating the election laws. The recent appointments made at the PDB in Jaffna appear to contravene current election laws, TISL said, citing that the ruling party has approved swift changes in several new board members as well as chairman twice within the gap of 12 days. more..

Nov 1 (DM) In a landmark disciplinary action, Supreme Court suspended a lawyer from practicing law for five years following findings that he failed to appear before the High Court in a criminal matter where he was appointed as the assigned counsel by court. This ruling underscores the apex court’s stance on the critical responsibilities and ethical obligations that lawyers carry when entrusted with court as the assigned counsel. Assigned counsel are lawyers appointed by the court to represent more..

Nov 1 (EN) Sri Lanka aims to conclude its debt restructuring process by year-end, with expectations for a prompt exit from the default rating category soon after, Central Bank Governor Nandalal Weerasinghe said. “To complete the process, certain procedures must be followed, including documentation, due diligence, and related formalities,” Weerasinghe said. “It will take 2-3 weeks to complete the debt exchange and more..

Nov 1 (AD) PM Dr. Harini Amarasuriya assures that former Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe will be summoned to provide evidence regarding the Central Bank bond scam in 2015. PM went on to say that NPP-led govt would initiate legal action against every person who misappropriated public funds. Commenting further, Dr. Amarasuriya added: “Ranil Wickremesinghe has claimed that I am not well versed in the Constitution and offered to teach me about it. Should I attend his lessons? more..

Nov 1 (AD) The Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC) has announced a revision of fuel prices effective from midnight today (31). Accordingly, the price of Petrol 95 Octane has been reduced by Rs. 06 to Rs. 371 per litre, while Super Diesel has also been reduced by Rs. 06 to Rs. 313 per litre. However, the prices of Petrol 92 Octane, Auto Diesel and Kerosene remain unchanged, according to Ceypetco. The new fuel prices are as follows: Petrol 95 Octane – Rs. 371 (reduced by Rs. 6); more..

Nov 1 (DN) The govt has decided to recall 16 diplomatic staffers appointed during the previous administration based on familial and political ties, with immediate effect. Foreign Affairs Ministry announced that these officials have already been notified and are expected to return to SL shortly. Among those being recalled are Dr. Lalith Chandradasa, Consul General in Los Angeles, USA; Anura Fernando, Consul General in China; more..

Nov 1 (DM) Former captain Mahela Jayawardena joked about a future in politics, saying that he and his friends would have to contest under the ball guard symbol. Speaking at the Chamber of Young Entrepreneurs Leadership Forum 2024, Jayawardena said, “I hope that you all vote for me on the 14th!” After a brief silence, Jayawardena continued, explaining, “Everyone is wondering which party. A few of my friends, and we thought we’d try this out. We thought we’d create a party and more..

Nov 1 (FT) After reviewing the economy’s performance during the first two years of its stewardship, IMF noted that without reforming governance, economic stability and economic growth would be slow and shaky. Although a noticeable measure of economic stability had been achieved the reviewers noted that growth prospect was still at knife’s edge. But even before IMF stepped into the scene the Aragalaya youth already identified the fundamental sickness that more..

Nov 1 (FT) As the common saying goes Success has many fathers but failure is an orphan. And, in recent times, no other political career has been as successful as that of Prez Anura Kumar Dissanayake. Hailing from rural Thambuttegama, with no pretension to so called SL elite status, member of a putatively Marxist political party (an ideology seemingly out of step with the modern world in many aspects) and having received only about 3% of the general vote at the Prez poll more..