Jan 4 (FT) DesignOne’s Avinya Academy School in Bandaragama has received global recognition for its architectural designs, being awarded with an honourable mention at the prestigious Architecture MasterPrize 2023. The award ceremony will take place on 18 Nov 2024, at the renowned Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao, Spain. Despite the challenging economic conditions and the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic in SL, the Avinya Academy has emerged as a beacon of hope and a symbol of resilience. more..

Jan 4 (TM) Claiming that they are seriously concerned about the way the Police works in the case of the islandwide operation Yukthiya (Justice) aimed at eliminating drug trafficking and organised crime, Bar Association of SL (BASL) stated that they would be taking up the issue with all stakeholders including Prez and Defence Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe and Public Security Minister Tiran Alles. The islandwide operation Yukthiya, which was announced a day in advance, more..

Jan 4 (EN) The Sustain-Able Climate Action Challenge saw young Sri Lankan inventors present their solutions to waste problems, to potential investors. EcoSort, from the Uni of Sri J'pura, won the competition with their smart dustbin for waste segregation. MiswaLanka from the Wayamba University of SL won 1st Runner up for their biodegradable natural toothbrush. And CollectorLK from the Uni of Peradeniya won 2nd Runner up for their waste management mobile application. more..

Jan 4 (AD) A large consignment of foreign cigarettes worth approximately Rs. 2.71 million has been impounded by the officers of Police Narcotics Bureau (PNB) at BIA. A businessman, 48, was arrested for attempting to smuggle in the contraband. He had arrived at the BIA from Muscat in Oman via Oman Air flight OV-437 at around 4:51 a.m. on Thursday (4). PNB officers found 135 cartons containing 27,120 sticks of foreign cigarettes in the luggage belonging to the said businessman. more..

Jan 4 (AD) As per President Ranil Wickremesinghe’s directives, measures have been initiated to enhance the medical allowances provided by the President’s Fund, increasing them from 50% to 100%, effective from January 01, 2024. Mr. Sarath Kumara, the Secretary of the Prez’s Fund, announced that in line with the President’s guidance, services offered to the public by the President’s Fund will be expanded from the year 2024, the President’s Media Division reported. more..

Jan 4 (AD) A court order has been issued preventing trade unionists of the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) from entering several locations of importance in Colombo, including the Presidential Secretariat. The relevant court order was issued by the Colombo Fort Magistrate’s Court against CEB trade union leader Ranjan Jayalal and others, from entering the premises of the Presidential Secretariat, the Ministry of Finance, the President’s House and the Central Bank of SL (CBSL). more..

Jan 4 (TM) All Ceylon Bakery Owners’ Association (ACBOA) said that it was yet undecided on increasing prices of bakery products even though the cost of transportation has increased with the recent increase in the VAT. ACBOA President N.K. Jayawardena said that no decision had been taken to increase prices of bakery items as claimed by several parties. He also said that even though the recently implemented VAT increase did not apply to wheat and wheat flour, transportation cost more..

Jan 5 (DM) As of Jan 1st, 2024, both the import of gold coins and the supply of locally manufactured jewellery are subject to a VAT of 18% in SL. This is a significant change from the previous regulations, which exempted these items from VAT. Here’s a Breakdown of the New VAT Rule and its Implications. What it means: For Importers of Gold Coins: Any gold coins imported into SL after Jan 1st, 2024, will be subject to an 18% VAT on top of the customs duty and any other applicable taxes. more..

Jan 5 (DM) GCE A/L Exam began on Jan 4 with candidates sitting for the examination while carrying high hopes for the future. It is important that these candidates go to the exam centres with a positive frame of mind because education is now perceived as a long journey where the end part of it might even be completed in a foreign country. The present situation in SL is bleak with the rulers squeezing the life out of citizens by imposing so many taxes and making living in SL close to unthinkable. more..

Jan 5 (TM) Even though music has always been viewed as a form of entertainment, with adequate support and appropriate reforms, it can be converted into a source of jobs for musicians and a source of income for the country. However, achieving that, among other things, requires Govt support and more exposure. According to a violinist specialising in North Indian and Western classical musical styles and a concertmaster of more..

Jan 5 (CT) With an entire family dying by suicide, after allegedly consuming a poison and another two, from different areas, following same method of ending their lives, the Police are now suspecting that all seven deaths were as a result of mass suicide incited by a religious cult, operated by a person who was initially found dead after consuming poison. Ruwan Prasanna Gunaratne, a 46-year-old man, died of poisoning, while temporarily residing in Makumbura, Kottawa. more..

Jan 5 (Island) I started my Cry on the morning of Jan 1, 2024. The date is propitious, calling for kiribath at breakfast and much communication in friendship and bonding. The group of four digits depicting the year has a good appearance to it of even numbers and a zero. But do these two prophetic signs hold good for SL? Not at all! We Ordinaries are in for a hard time. We have suffered different difficulties since the onset of Covid-19 – four years in all; the worst being the total mismanagement of govt, more..

Jan 5 (CT) Following excavation work done in the Kandarodai area, also known as Kandurugoda, in the Jaffna Peninsula, it has come to light that a colony had existed in this country before 750 BC. This old colony had spread around 1 km from the Kandurugoda Temple, which is situated close to Chunnakam town in the Jaffna Peninsula. This particular excavation had been undertaken with the consent of Dept of Archaeology by more..

Jan 5 (CT) The centrepiece of the events during the year 2023 is undoubtedly Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe, who agreed to become President and accepted the challenge to resuscitate the economy of the bankrupt nation. The partial success of Prez Wickremesinghe’s rescue act during the year recalls what Hollywood actor Denzil Washington said about good and bad parts of our life: “Black or white, good parts are hard to come by. A good actor with a good opportunity has a shot, without more..

Jan 5 (ST) As we are at the doorstep of 2024, I thought of looking back at the most difficult years that we passed through and looking ahead at the New Year’s challenges that we must deal with. We have an ambitious vision to make a rapid journey towards a prosperous economy in 25 years, while it all depends on the decisions we take and choices we make today. In this respect, it is apt to make an assessment of where we were this year and where we would be in the coming year. more..

Jan 5 (Island) What SL has achieved since it declared itself insolvent is hailed by some with much optimism. The relative stability currently experienced is presented by the Governor of the Central Bank as the outcome of a united effort from the outset (The Island, Dec 26, 2023). The focus of that collaborative effort was on monetary policy as stated by the Governor who went on to add, “Now the CB has independence that insulates monetary policy from political interference more..

Jan 5 (FT) SL’s top tyre maker CEAT Kelani Holdings has completed an investment of Rs. 475.97 million in a High Tension (HT) metering roof-top photovoltaic panel solar power plant as part of the company’s efforts to reduce the carbon footprint of its manufacturing operations at its Kelaniya complex. 2.4 MW solar power plant installed by Regen Renewables Ltd. on the factory roof will produce 59.61 GWh in its operational period, offsetting about 21% of CEAT’s consumption of electricity more..

Jan 5 (ST) A Cabinet decision made at the height of a shortage to import 50,000 metric tonnes of GR11 rice as a substitute for the popular keeri samba came too late as stocks could not arrive in time to tide over the scarcity during the festive season. The Cabinet approved imports last week. State Trading Corporation (STC) has now asked the Finance Ministry for instructions on whether to continue with the purchases, more..

Jan 5 (TM) The Prez of SL last Wednesday announced that Sri Lanka will contribute to a coalition effort to secure the Bab el-Mandeb Strait and the Red Sea for safe navigation of commercial shipping. According to President Wickremesinghe, who is also the Minister of Defence, and the Minister of Finance, among other portfolios, SL Navy is to dispatch a vessel to join what may be one of the multinational efforts to protect the vital lines of communication from non-state actor attacks, more..

Jan 5 (Island) UNP is in overdrive to shore up what remains of its image with an eye to the next election. It is bragging that the country has posted a primary surplus after a lapse of more than two decades. It insists that credit for this be given to Prez Wickremesinghe, who is also the Minister of Finance. A positive primary balance is no mean achievement for an insolvent nation. As for the countries troubled by staggering outstanding public debt, achieving a primary surplus more..

Jan 5 (FT) SL Tea Board Chairman Niraj de Mel outlining plans for 2024 insisted on the need for a strategic, unified approach to achieve common industry objectives, emphasising the importance of collaboration over working in isolation. With the successful inaugural Colombo Tea Auction for 2024, he expressed optimism disclosing that market sentiments are promising for the upcoming year. The tea auction for 2024 was initially more..

Jan 5 (FT) Social media users yesterday took to the platforms to voice their disgust against the Colpetty Police for allegedly conducting an intrusive stop and search of two youths on 28 Dec. Public outcry stemmed from a viral message circulated by the father of one youth detailing the harassment faced by his son. According to the message police officers manning a Police Post at the Colpetty junction had stopped the three-wheeler the two youths and a female were travelling in around 8.45 pm more..

Jan 5 (FT) Business magazine LMD has announced that its Sri Lankan Of The Year (SLOTY) for 2023 is Asian Games gold medallist Tharushi Karunarathna. LMD says: “The golden run of athletes on the international stage mercifully brought back the smiles of a nation starved of success for decades and something to cheer about during challenging economic times.” “For the talent, courage and dynamism she demonstrated to underline her status as Asia’s best, Tharushi Karunarathna more..

Jan 5 (DN) The SL Aquatic Sports Union formed a 42 member national pool after the National Short Course Swimming Championships which concluded last week. Akalanka Peiris and Ganga Senevirathne secured top positions for their outstanding performances. In the men’s pool with 23 members, 23-year-old Akalanka Peiris claimed the highest FINA points, amassing an impressive 757 in the list. Currently training in Australia, Peiris earned FINA points for 50m Backstroke event. more..

Jan 5 (DN) Zimbabwe’s ODI team, led by Craig Ervine, is ready to face the challenge against SL during the ODI series, set to commence tomorrow (6) at the R. Premadasa Stadium from 2.30 pm onwards. Zimbabwe team arrived last Wednesday, starting their training session yesterday evening at the R. Premadasa. Susil Ramanayake, the liaison officer to the Zimbabwe team, mentioned that both captains Kusal Mendis and Craig Ervine, will brief the media at pre-match press conference more..

Jan 5 (Island) The wait is over for Dhananjaya de Silva (DDS) as he has been finally given the distinction of captaining the nation’s Test cricket team becoming just the 18th man to do so. The 32-year-old has been captain in waiting and was supposed to take over from Dimuth Karunaratne at the end of the last Test Championship cycle but was sidelined by the national selection panel, yet another more..

Jan 5 (DM) The number of individuals registering with the Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN) in Sri Lanka has reached nearly 01 million, according to the Inland Revenue Department. Previously, in the fiscal year 2022, there were only 204,467 personal tax files. However, the latest data indicates a remarkable surge, with the number now approaching the one-million mark. Moreover, the Department reported a notable uptick in the number of tax-paying companies. more..

Jan 5 (DN) Two new teams, the Prisons Department and Kotelaawala Defence University (KDU) are expected to take part in the National Baseball Championship for the first time which will commence tomorrow at Diyagama Mahinda Rajapaksa Sports Complex grounds. The final will be held on Jan 21. The President of the SL Baseball Association Asanga Seneviratne said there are 19 teams which will take part in this major tournament and hope to see good competition among these teams. more..

Jan 5 (FT) The Govt has reduced the Special Commodity Levy on imported rice significantly. The Special Commodity Levy rice imported under HS Code 1006.30.29 is cut from a hefty Rs. 65 per kilogram to a mere one rupee. The move comes amid a severe shortage of Keeri Samba rice in the marketplace. The Extraordinary Gazette by the Finance Ministry noted that the revised levy will come into effect from 2 Jan to 21 Jan to incentivise increased imports of substitute rice variety. more..

Jan 5 (AD) A total of 28 leaders who held top posts in the Joint Trade Union Alliance at the Katunayake Airport have been sent on compulsory leave on the orders of the chairman of Airport and Aviation Services Limited (AASL) Chaminda Athula Galketiya. The trade union leaders are accused of sending letters to airlines that have flight connections with Sri Lanka, in an attempt to disrupt all air services. Emphasizing that they have no legal or moral rights to take such measures, more..

Jan 5 (FT) Prez assured that public servants would receive economic relief after the Thai Pongal celebration, indicating an extension of economic relief measures to the entire population with the stabilisation of the country’s economy. Speaking at the Jaffna & Kilinochchi District Coordinating Committee meeting during his 4-day visit to Jaffna, he unveiled plans to elevate the economic growth rate to 3% by the end of more..

Jan 5 (Island) UNICEF, together with WHO, will assist the Ministry of Health in implementing a supplementary measles immunization activity (SIA) in Sri Lanka to control the ongoing measles outbreak, amidst over 700 measles cases reported in the country since May 2023. The SIA will be launched in two phases; the first phase will commence on 6 Jan, targeting 6-9-month-olds in nine identified districts with a high population density, where measles cases were reported including more..

Jan 5 (Island) The govt had to take immediate steps to address the issue of inordinate delays in holding GCE O/L and A/L exams, General Secretary of the CTU Joseph Stalin said. Stalin said that GCE A/L exam, which should have been held in 2023, had commenced yesterday (4).The exam would go on till the end of the current month and it would take another three to four months for the results to be issued, Stalin said. “We don’t know when the students can enroll in universities,” more..

Jan 5 (TM) GMOA demanded an impartial and immediate inquiry into the death of a patient which was allegedly caused by the administration of carbon dioxide (CO2) at the National Hospital of SL (NHSL), Colombo. The 62-year-old from Nugegoda, who was reportedly admitted to the hospital for breast cancer surgery, died last week due to the alleged administration of high levels of carbon dioxide. Health trade unions alleged that post-surgery, patient was mistakenly given CO2 more..

Jan 5 (TM) Claiming that they would welcome any individual with an unblemished political practice, irrespective of their current political affiliations, to their Party, JVP led NPP stated however that there is no preparation to form alliances with other political groups or parties. With the Presidential Election scheduled to be held this year (2024), the possible crossovers of politicians and formations of political alliances are currently being talked about. NPP MP Vijitha Herath said that more..