Dec 15 (ST) For the first time in Sri Lanka’s history, a foreign govt, the most powerful one in the world at that, has publicly acknowledged corruption by two SL citizens. On Thursday, the US Department of State declared that Udayanga Weeratunga and Kapila Chandrasena have been publicly designated for their involvement in significant corruption. Weeratunga, a cousin of former Prez Mahinda Rajapaksa, more..

Dec 15 (ST) A new Speaker will be announced on Tuesday following the resignation of the recently elected Speaker, Asoka Ranwala. His resignation follows criticism regarding the authenticity of his educational qualifications. The Secretary to the President officially informed the Secretary General of Parliament, Kushani Rohanadeera in writing, that the President had accepted the resignation of the Speaker. Mr Ranwala on Friday informed the President in writing of his decision more..

Dec 15 (TM) The expansion of the East Container Terminal (ECT) at the Colombo Port is set to be completed by June 2025, 18 months ahead of its intended timeline, Deputy Minister of Ports and Civil Aviation Janitha Kodithuwakku said. Kodithuwakku confirmed the acceleration, attributing it to successful negotiations with the contractor to expedite construction. The ECT, a critical component of Colombo Port’s South Harbour, is designed to accommodate ultra-large container ships, more..

Dec 15 (ST) With Sri Lanka’s current batch of 750,000 passports due to run out between July and September next year, depending on the daily issuance rate, the Public Security Ministry will seek Cabinet approval to allow an expert committee to propose how best to replenish stocks. The issue was now “a real tangle” which made even calling a new tender problematic, Public Security Minister Ananda Wijepala admitted. more..

Dec 15 (SO) The city hotels are looking at the best season after 2018 as forward bookings for 2024 end seems very positive, said President Hotels Association of SL (THASL), M. Shanthikumar. He said that the city hoteliers hope to complete the 2024 year averaging around 60% occupancy while the hotels outside Colombo should average over 70%. He, however, said that if the Minimum Room Rate was implemented for City Hotels the yield would be higher but now the rooms rates are more..

Dec 15 (SO) Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake will undertake a State visit to India from Dec 15 (today) till 17 at the invitation of Prez of India, Droupadi Murmu. This is the first bilateral official visit undertaken by Prez Dissanayake after his assumption of office in September this year. Prez is scheduled to meet Indian Prez Murmu and hold bilateral discussions with Indian PM Narendra Modi and other Indian dignitaries on a range of bilateral issues of mutual and regional interest more..

Dec 15 (TM) The Ministry of Agriculture has assured that the recently-arrived fertiliser stock meets all required quality standards. Agriculture Ministry Secretary D.P. Wickramasinghe stressed that the fertiliser had been tested in international laboratories prior to shipment and would not have been accepted if it did not meet these standards. He further confirmed that samples would be taken upon its arrival in Sri Lanka to verify its quality. The Govt on Thursday (12) received more..

Dec 15 (ST) Sri Lankans who reside abroad and have subscribed to the country’s Treasury Bills and Treasury Bonds by remitting funds back home are exempted from paying income tax on the interest derived from those investments, Inland Revenue Department (IRD) said. The announcement came a day after the govt announced the conclusion of its international bond restructuring exercise, bringing closure to one of the most complex and challenging sovereign debt restructuring processes. more..

Dec 15 (TM) Parliament officials are awaiting a decision from Prez Dissanayake or PM Amarasuriya to commence investigating the credibility of educational qualifications submitted by MPs. The resignation of Speaker Asoka Ranwala amid controversy over his educational qualifications has sparked discussions about the importance of verifying the credentials of MPs. Several Opposition MPs have insisted that Govt investigate more..

Dec 15 (ST) Lo and behold the Cardinal comes bearing gifts of coconuts heralding new joy for the govt in its efforts to assist in providing a continuous supply of nuts to the local market made available to consumers at Sathosa outlets at guaranteed prices (Rs.130). While it is not clear the extent of coconut lands owned by the Catholic Church, a cashew and coconut estate in Mundalama, Puttalam owned by the Church with an extent of about 700 acres will be supplying the first consignment of coconuts more..

Dec 15 (ST) A storm has been brewing within SL football circles over the substantial salary package of the CEO of the Football Federation of SL (FFSL). The appointment, reportedly made bypassing standard protocols, has sparked discord among members of the FFSL Executive Committee, the body collectively responsible for approving such decisions. According to insiders, the terms of the CEO’s employment—now over three months into the role—are yet to receive necessary approval more..

Dec 15 (ST) Govt has made it compulsory for all local and foreign non-governmental orgaisations operating in SL, including those that have registered under the Companies Act, to register with the National Secretariat for Non-Governmental Organisations. The registrations have been made mandatory under the Voluntary Social Service Organisations (Registration and Supervision) Act No. 31 of 1980. Accordingly, all foreign NGOs operating or intending to operate in SL should register more..

Dec 15 (NW) Seventeen SL nationals in Israel are being deported for violating their employment agreements, according to Sri Lanka’s Ambassador to Israel, Nimal Bandara. The deportees had entered Israel on agricultural work visas but were caught working in bakeries after leaving their designated workplaces. Israeli authorities detained the individuals during inspections, as the country closely monitors foreign labor practices to ensure compliance. more..

Dec 15 (ST) Just three days after the International Olympic Committee (IOC) imposed a funding suspension on the National Olympic Committee of SL, its General Assembly convened on Friday and decided to call for an early election in March next year. Election of office bearers are scheduled for March 31. However, this move conspicuously avoided addressing the core issue at hand: allegations of financial misappropriation and more..

Dec 15 (SO) Nadeeka Hemanthi achieved what many would deem impossible, defying all odds to become Sri Lanka’s first female powerlifting gold medallist at the Asian Championships in Uzbekistan. But her journey to this victory wasn’t just about lifting weights; it was about lifting herself out of a life of poverty and hardship, driven by unwavering discipline, determination and sacrifice. Born to parents Sunil Premaratne and Premila Malkanthi, Hemanthi grew up in an environment where more..

Dec 15 (EN) The European Union is allocating 175,000 euros (53.8 million rupees) to provide emergency humanitarian assistance to people affected by cyclone Fengal across Sri Lanka. The funding will benefit over 37,000 people in some of the hardest-hit areas in the eastern and northern provinces, EU in Sri Lanka said. This EU funding will support SL Red Cross in delivering assistance to address the basic needs of people who have lost their homes or livelihoods. more..

Dec 15 (TM) SL has experienced a severe reduction in the supply of medicines, with shipments falling from 2,000 consignments last year to just 750 this year. This represents a sharp 62.5% reduction in the receipt of medicines. The delay in receiving consignments is mainly attributed to the slow procurement process, as the officials follow the established procurement guidelines. It is also learnt that the new officials who have been more..

Dec 15 (DM) The process of re-checking and updating the information of all MPs on the parliamentary website is underway following the discovery that some titles were fake, an informed source said. The parliamentary authorities have also decided to call for explanations from those in charge of updating information on the web. Meanwhile, the Communication Department of Parliament said that the title of Dr. was mentioned before the name of the Minister of Justice & National Integration more..

Dec 15 (AD) SL Customs says that weevils (Gullo) have been detected in 50,000 Kg of imported rice while issues with product information labels have been detected in another 25,000 Kg of imported rice. Accordingly, the respective importers have been ordered to re-export the relevant rice consignments or face confiscation of defective stocks. It was revealed that two containers of imported rice contained defective stocks, while another container had labels tampered with—new labels affixed over old ones, more..

Dec 15 (AD) Three names have been proposed for the position of Speaker of SL’s Parliament following the resignation of MP Asoka Ranwala from the position, according to political sources. Sources indicate that the names of Deputy Speaker Dr. Rizvie Salih, MP Lakshman Nipuna Arachchi, and MP Nihal Galappaththi have been proposed as candidates to become the new Speaker. This follows the controversy surrounding former Speaker Ashoka Ranwala’s doctorate, which led to more..

Dec 15 (Island) On Dec 1 TV bulletins beamed and the print media published next day news of the presentation of the KT Chitrasiri report on parliamentary and presidential privileges to Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake. A smiling president was shown on television screens accepting the gift-wrapped report from the retired SC judge who with two others, retired Ministry Secretary D. Dissanayake and retired District Secretary CT Bulumulla had been tasked by more..

Dec 15 (Island) Cricket, often referred to as the gentleman’s game, has weathered countless storms, but few have been as turbulent as the dark clouds of corruption. The sport’s integrity was dealt a body blow when Hansie Cronje, of all people, was caught in the tangled web of match-fixing by Delhi police in 2000. What followed was a six-month-long soap opera of stunning revelations, during which some captains were dethroned, more..

Dec 15 (Island) It is more than two weeks since the matter of the Speaker, Asoka Ranwala’s doctorate, or lack of it, was raised in public. If he does have one, it is sufficient time for him to have produced the necessary evidence and laid to rest the ongoing speculation. When my daughter acquired a doctorate from a university in England, she was ceremoniously presented with an ornately inscribed scroll, on thick, parchment paper , along with a foolish hat. To me, a non-academic, more..

Dec 15 (DM) In the wake of the controversy over the qualifications of certain politicians in the ruling party, Deputy Speaker Dr. Rizvie Salih has shared his qualifications on social media. He said in a post on Facebook that he believed it was essential to maintain trust and accountability in leadership and in that spirit, he was sharing his professional qualifications openly. "I believe it is essential to maintain trust and accountability in leadership. In that spirit, I wish to share more..

Dec 15 (SO) Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake’s first State visit to India starting today marks yet another historic milestone in the age-old links between the two neighbouring nations. It is also Prez Dissanayake’s first official visit abroad. It also adheres to a time-honoured tradition among SL leaders to choose India for their first official foreign visit. Indeed, over the years, the relationship has grown by leaps and bounds regardless of the parties and persons in power in both Colombo more..

Dec 15 (TM) Honourable MP Chamara Sampath Dasanayake is very much in the news these days, not for anything he did or not, but refreshingly, simply for being who he is. The outspoken SLFP MP, being one of the handful who were lucky enough to make it back to Parliament in the face of the NPP juggernaut that decimated the Opposition, speaks volumes about his popularity in the Uva region. To further add to the man’s interesting persona, he probably remains oblivious to the comparisons being more..

Dec 15 (ST) A huge diplomatic gaffe came to pass this week when PM Harini Amarasuriya thanked Taiwan, China’s arch-enemy, for an incredibly generous donation given—and said so in the presence of the Chinese Ambassador Qi Zhenhong to boot. The event was the handing over of clothing material for school children by the Govt of China to the Govt of SL. Instead, Dr. Amarasuriya thanked the Republic of China (ROC)— more..

Dec 15 (CT) As I write this article on [former Speaker] Asoka Ranwala’s claimed doctorate allegedly without having one, he has resigned promising to produce the evidence and admitting no error or false claims on his part. We need to wait and see if he produces the evidence. However, I think too much is said about it in a country where academic standards are low and academic jealousies high. It ought to be different but we are born into this cesspit and must accept that more..

Dec 15 (CT) The controversy regarding the educational qualifications of the Speaker has now been unresolved for far too long and it’s irking not just the Opposition but the general public who have placed their trust in the new Govt. The more the issue is unresolved, the more the opposing political forces gain foothold to stand against the Govt with an overwhelming majority. Meanwhile, SJB is now considering submitting a No-Confidence Motion against the Speaker. more..

Dec 15 (CT) Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake and his Govt faced its first major setback last week since assuming office, with the resignation of JVP-led NPP MP Asoka Ranwala from the post of Speaker less that a month after being appointed to the post, following the controversy over his educational qualifications – especially the doctorate he claims to possess. The first order of business for Parliament that convenes for two days more..

Dec 15 (ST) Prez Anura Kumara Disanayake spoke this week on Int'l Anti-Corruption Day detailing the number of bribery and corruption cases that have crashed at the hands of the CIABOC and asked what purpose laws serve if there is no enforcement of them to rid the country of the twin menaces. It is noteworthy that this day (D9) comes back-to-back with Int'l Human Rights Day (10). He and his party relied heavily on the anti-corruption slogan from every platform all these years, more..

Dec 15 (ST) My dear Mr Ranwala, I am writing to you because you are the talk of the town now. For the good part of a week and a half, all we talked about was you and your qualifications. You even managed to take attention away from more pressing issues such as rising rice prices and Anura sahodaraya’s upcoming state visit to India. In that period of time, you managed to create a Degree of confusion, quite literally. Even people like Deshapriya, Devasiri and Nandasiri more..