Nov 13 (CT) As economic pressures have been mounting in the past few years, so has the high degree of frauds and scams, perpetrated online in the country. Yesterday, Ceylon Today unravelled an incident where authorities had shut down a Scam operation targeting foreign nationals, based on a complaint made by the Korean Embassy in SL; resulting in the arrest of 59 locals, including a Director and a Manager allegedly for their involvement in online fraud. more..

Nov 13 (Island) Sri Lanka is now at the crossroads with a new regime in formation that has to choose from different social and economic pathways for the country. In the US, Trump is back with a fascist tide that is likely to sweep the world. In this context, what will become of the long journey of free education in Sri Lanka? The trend in Sri Lanka after the open economy reforms of the late 1970s has been defunding free education, leading to the slow implosion of the education system. more..

Nov 13 (CT) I recently wrote on the NPP’s final rally in Pasaiyoor and the Federal Party’s final rally in Muthirai Chanthai, beating the midnight deadline on articles for tonight. It is unfortunate that there should be such a deadline because one can write any lie and not be challenged till after the election. At the NPP rally I saw a massive crowd and reported that. Just barely before midnight, I saw in tomorrow’s Daily Mirror the following, cleverly datelined the 11th: For some strange reason President more..

Nov 13 (FT) The visionary behind India’s successful Incredible India campaign V. Sunil last week opined that SL should explore on building a brand with a multi-dimensional approach that extends beyond scenic attractions, focusing instead on an experience-driven narrative that resonates with the interest of travellers. Speaking at the first-ever South Asian Tourism Leadership Forum of the SL Design Festival 2024, more..

Nov 13 (Island) Prices of all varieties of rice are soaring and the large-scale millers are laughing all the way to the bank. Successive govts have vowed to tame the Millers’ Mafia, which always has the last laugh. The people, who expected the NPP govt to get tough with the powerful millers given to exploiting rice consumers and farmers alike, are utterly disappointed. Instead of taking on the unscrupulous millers with might and main, the incumbent govt is floating like a bee and stinging like a butterfly. more..

Nov 13 (SO) The 9th Worldwide Week of Italian Cuisine hosted by the Italian Embassy will be launched on 16 Nov at Villa Roma for the Press and media operators. Followed by promotional initiatives at Cinnamon Life, Cinnamon Grand, Shangri-La and Taj Samudra the following week celebrating the authentic tastes of Italian cuisine. The initiatives will align with the theme of the 9th Worldwide Week of Italian Cuisine which is Mediterranean Diet and Italian Culinary Roots: Health and Tradition. more..

Nov 13 (FT) The 49th Annual International Convention on Quality Control Circles (ICQCC), organised by the SL Association for the Advancement of Quality and Productivity (SLAAQP), was inaugurated in a colourful event at the BMICH, Colombo. Taking place from 11 to 13 Nov at the Mount Lavinia Hotel, the Convention, themed Beyond Boundaries: A Quest for Quality and Productivity and Innovation, welcomed a gathering of over 2,000 delegates from 14 member more..

Nov 13 (FT) The Hong Kong International Arbitration Centre (HKIAC), the premier dispute resolution services provider in Hong Kong, entered into a MoU with the SL National Arbitration Centre (SLNAC), thereby paving the way for a closer collaboration between the parties in facilitating and promoting alternative dispute resolution processes in the region. The MoU was entered into on 21 October, coinciding with the start of the highly successful Hong Kong International Arbitration Week more..

Nov 13 (CI) Try not to fall off your chair, but NZ have not played a single ODI since Dec 2023. It's not that much of a shock if you've been following what's happening to the sport (essentially, T20 is the format beloved of capitalists, Tests are still the purists' big love, and ODIs have become the forgotten middle child). But still, 11 months without a match is a long time, so New Zealand will have some jogging of the memory to do. more..

Nov 13 (ICC) SL have appointed former South Africa batter Neil Mckenzie as a consultant coach ahead of their crucial two-Test series against the Proteas starting later this month. The former right-handed batter shall join the visiting team between Nov 13 and 21, as confirmed by SLC, ahead of the first Test in Durban. Mckenzie, who played 58 Test matches between 2000 and 2009, racked up over 3253 runs for South Africa. He also aggregated nearly 20,000 runs in first-class cricket. more..

Nov 13 (DN) The ODI series opener between SL and NZ will be worked off today at Rangiri Dambulla International cricket stadium commencing at 2.30 pm. Two teams will play without their key bowlers leg spinner Wanindu Hasaranga and paceman Lockie Ferguson both had injuries and are out from this ODI series but Sri Lanka with home advantage with their current form of ODIs have more confidence to win the series. Meanwhile selectors have brought in right arm leg spinner Dushan Hementha more..

Nov 13 (FL) Campaigning for the 10th parliamentary elections in SL closed at midnight on Nov 11, with major political formations making fervent last-minute pitches to garner support from the 17 million voters. There are nearly 9,000 candidates vying to get elected to parliament in the Nov 14 election. With many veterans, including former Presidents Ranil Wickremesinghe, Gotabaya Rajapaksa, and Mahinda Rajapaksa, more..

Nov 13 (DN) Board of Investments Chairman Arjuna Herath says that SL is ready to welcome investments. “I must say Sri Lanka is now open for business from a perspective of having political stability being established. We also have the economic stability being established with our governor supporting the stabilization of the economy. We are now about to lift import limitations that we had and we believe we will be ready to welcome investments to this country” more..

Nov 13 (FT) In a renewed commitment to support SL’s economic recovery and trade expansion, the European Union (EU) Ambassador to SL Carmen Moreno highlighted the EU’s dedication to fostering economic stability in the country during a recent meeting with the EDB Chairman Mangala Wijesinghe. Accompanied by Deputy Head of Mission Lara Bredal, Moreno stressed the importance of anti-corruption and governance reforms to attract further EU investment. more..

Nov 13 (Island) Sri Lanka’s preparations for the three-match ODI series against New Zealand have been dealt a blow as key leg-spinner Wanindu Hasaranga has been ruled out with a hamstring strain. Hasaranga’s absence leaves a significant gap in SL’s bowling attack, as his wicket-taking ability has been instrumental in SL’s recent success. In his place, Dushan Hemantha has been drafted into the squad, while Jeffrey Vandersay is expected to play in today’s first ODI here in Dambulla. more..

Nov 13 (FT) In its latest edition, leading business magazine LMD reports that there’s been a surge of optimism following the recent Presidential Election. Citing the latest results from the monthly LMD-PEPPERCUBE Business Confidence Index (BCI) survey, the magazine notes: “Optimism in corporate circles has surged following the 21 September presidential election, marking a positive swing in economic sentiment under the new executive.” As PepperCube Consultants observes in LMD, more..

Nov 13 (TM) Telecommunications Regulatory Commission of SL (TRCSL) has called for explanations from telecommunication service providers regarding promotional text messages being sent by candidates contesting in the Parliamentary General Election scheduled for tomorrow, it is learnt. Meanwhile, the Election Commission has held discussions with the regulator (TRCSL) and requested that it inquire more..

Nov 13 (DM) The scheduled restructuring of SL’s Board of Investment (BOI) into three new entities under the Economic Transformation Act (ETA) is facing delays and may even be shelved by the incoming govt, according to top lawyer. The ETA which was enacted on 9 of Aug this year was initially aimed to transform the BOI into three distinct bodies— the Economic Commission, Invest SL, and Zones SL. Key parts of the Act which includes restructuring of BOI was only set into operation within more..

Nov 13 (DM) With an aim to boost FDI flows into the country while fostering inter-regional trade among SAARC nations, Board of Investment (BOI) is exploring the creation of country-specific industrial parks tailored to the needs of SAARC nations. The proposed country-specific industrial parks are aimed at addressing concerns around economic and political risks associated with single-market operations by enabling businesses of SAARC nations to establish offshore bases more..

Nov 13 (HT) An advertisement by Sri Lankan Airlines showcasing the Ramayana Trail, a journey through the iconic locations connected to the story of Ramayana, has won hearts on the internet. The five-minute advertisement shows a grandmother narrating the story of the Hindu epic to her grandson from a children's book. The grandson asks about the island where Ravan took Sita after kidnapping her. The grandmother then tells him the story of the kingdom of Ravan in modern-day SL. more..

Nov 13 (FT) The Colombo stock market yesterday apparently revved up for tomorrow’s Parliamentary Election with the benchmark ASPI momentarily touching 13,000-points mark and turnover crossing Rs. 4 billion. Mid-day the ASPI surpassed 13,000-points level but closed the day at 12,988 points, up 0.9%. The active S&P SL20 gained by 0.85%. Turnover was Rs. 4.3 billion involving 132.3 million shares. Investor sentiment remained bullish ahead of Thursday’s General Election at which more..

Nov 13 (DM) Five leading liquor manufacturers including W. M. Mendis and Co. Limited will face imminent risk of losing its liquor production licence, if an accumulated tax arrears of Rs.8.5 billion is not settled by Nov 30th. Department of Excise following instructions of the Treasury issued a fresh warning by early November reminding five large scale liquor producing plants in the country to settle the dues more..

Nov 13 (FT) Sri Lanka's tourism sector continued its robust rebound with over 61,000 arrivals in the first 10 days of November, bringing the year-to-date (YTD) to over 1.68 million. These figures mark significant progress towards the 1.7 million arrivals mark for 2024, with the country poised for a busy winter season. The early November influx included 42,148 tourists during the first week and another 6,021 between 8-10 Nov; indicating the sustained interest in Sri Lanka as a destination. more..

Nov 13 (TM) Visiting foreign election observers recommended taking down any online messages that violate election laws prior to the commencement of probes on related election law violations. “We first recommend removing any online messages that may violate election laws,” election observer and former Chief Election Commissioner of India Syed Nasim Ahmad Zaidi said at a press conference in Colombo yesterday (12) ahead of the Parliamentary General Election tomorrow (14). more..

Nov 13 (DM) International Olympic Committee (IOC) has called for the immediate suspension of Secretary General of the National Olympic Committee of SL (NOCSL) Maxwell de Silva following the conclusions and the recommendations submitted by the NOC Ethics Committee. Jerome Poivey, Associate Director, Institutional and Governance Services IOC NOC Relations Dept in an email dated Nov 11, 2024 has urged Suresh Subramaniam, President, more..

Nov 13 (FT) I have always been struck by two distinct moments in history. First, in June 1865, during the tenure of Prez Abraham Lincoln, slavery was abolished in the US. And yet, there were slaves who were reluctant to embrace the associated freedoms. They appeared to be too attached to their chains. Then, in July 1945 C.W.W. Kannangara introduced an act in parliament to ensure free education for all Sri Lankans. He was compelled to debate for hours extolling virtues of this more..

Nov 13 (FT) President Anura Kumara Dissanayake has directed that all political appointees to the diplomatic service be recalled. The political appointees are expected to complete their assignments before 1 December 2024. The President and his Govt apparently do not want to take any chance with political appointees of former govts. Anyone who survives the recall and remains at post would undoubtedly have astounding political sophistry! more..

Nov 13 (EN) SL’s energy sector is expected to undergo significant changes, guided by social and economic reforms under the island nation’s new President Anura Kumara Dissanayake and his Marxist-leaning NPP govt. Here are five potential implications to the sector after the Nov 14 parliamentary elections: 1. Focus on Renewable Energy Expansion: The NPP’s policy platform strongly emphasizes environmental sustainability and energy independence. more..

Nov 13 (DM) The United States embassy in Sri Lanka today rescinded the travel restrictions for Arugam Bay on October 23. "U.S. Embassy Colombo has lifted travel restrictions issued on Oct 23, 2024, for Arugam Bay. The U.S. Embassy in Colombo encourages all U.S. citizens to review the Travel Advisory for Sri Lanka, maintain vigilance, be aware of your surroundings and report suspicious activity and emergencies to local authorities (119)," the Embassy said in a statement. more..

Nov 13 (DM) The tragic death of Jivon Zoro Singh, a bright 15-year-old boy from a leading international school, who mysteriously fell to his death at the Altair building, has sparked much controversy and speculation on all forms of media including parents and children. While many were quick to label the incident as a suicide, Jivon's family categorically denies these claims, adding that there has been a great deal of misinformation more..

Nov 13 (AD) A luxury vehicle valued at around Rs. 30 million and suspected to have been illegally assembled has been seized by the Matara Division Criminal Investigation Unit (CIU) after being found hidden at a residence in the Vitharandeniya area of the Tangalle Police Division. One suspect has been arrested in connection with the incident. Based on a tip-off received regarding a suspicious vehicle hidden in the house, officers from the Matara Division CIU had searched the residence more..

Nov 13 (DM) The govt has announced a new initiative to issue copies of birth, marriage and death certificates to Sri Lankans living abroad through SL embassies, aimed at providing greater convenience to the expatriate community, the PMD said. The programme will be launched as a pilot project across seven selected foreign missions, including the embassies in Kuwait, Japan and Qatar and the consulates in Melbourne (Australia), Toronto (Canada), Milan (Italy) and Dubai (UAE). more..

Nov 13 (TM) SL sees low cigarette sales in the third quarter of 2024, as its main tobacco manufacturer struggles with higher prices and excise duties in a market replaced by smuggled cigarettes. Ceylon Tobacco Company (CTC)’s sales volume during the three months ended 30 September was lower than in the same period last year. CTC has recorded a volume sale of 1.39 billion cigarette sticks in the first nine months of more..

Nov 13 (NW) The United States today lifted the security alert on the Arugam Bay area, following close collaboration with the Sri Lankan Government, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said. Issuing a statement, the Foreign Ministry said the decision was the result of close collaboration with the Sri Lankan side and the immediate and extensive security measures put in place by the Ministry of Defence, the Ministry of Public Security and related agencies. more..

Nov 13 (PMD) The newly appointed Board of Directors of the Information and Communication Technology Agency (ICTA) will convene for their first meeting this afternoon (13). Dr. Hans Wijeyasuriya, recently appointed by Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake as the Principal Prez Advisor on Digital Economy, will chair the board in a non-executive role. Dr. Wijeyasuriya’s leadership reflects a commitment to strengthening SL’s digital economy, aiming to boost economic growth, more..