Nov 6 (Island) Political propaganda is double-edged. Hence the need to handle it carefully lest it should backfire. One may recall that before the 2019 presidential election, a prominent Buddhist monk blundered by asking SLPP candidate Gotabaya Rajapaksa to act like Hitler. The then Opposition made Gotabaya out to be Hitler incarnate thereafter. JVP/NPP stalwart Lal Kantha, addressing a campaign rally in the run-up to the September presidential election, pledged to vest villagers more..

Nov 6 (ST) Sanath Jayasuriya is known as an explosive opener who revolutionised limited overs cricket with fearless aggression. But now, as head coach of the SL national team, Jayasuriya faces a new challenge: transforming a side that has struggled to find its footing in the years following the retirement of legends. After a rough start, including a T20 series defeat to powerhouse India, something unexpected began to unfold— more..

Nov 6 (FT) Sri Lanka is set to host its inaugural marine summit, Voyage Sri Lanka 2024 on 26 Nov, a landmark event aimed at bringing together marine industry leaders, policymakers and innovators to explore the future of the country’s marine sector. This pioneering summit will dive into sustainable practices, technological advancements and export opportunities in the industry, making it an essential forum for professionals in the marine, boat-building, and offshore sectors. more..

Nov 6 (FT) Salesforce, the world’s leading customer relations management (CRM) solutions powered by AI technology and capabilities, reinforced its commitment to digitally transforming businesses in SL, aligning with the country’s 2030 vision for a digital SL. Leveraging Salesforce’s cutting-edge innovation around Artificial Intelligence (AI) and automation, Salesforce said it will revolutionise customer experiences for businesses across industries in SL, unlocking significant more..

Nov 6 (FT) Top blue chip John Keells Holdings (JKH) reported continued growth momentum across all businesses in the second quarter except the leisure segment. “During the quarter under review, SL continued to witness a stable macroeconomic environment with all key indicators supporting a sustained growth trajectory,” noted JKH Chairperson Krishan Balendra. Group revenue in 2Q rose by 20% to Rs.76.96 billion with increases across all businesses, particularly the Bunkering and more..

Nov 6 (ST) SL Foreign Employment Bureau (SLBFE) under the Ministry of Labour has plans to appoint an independent body to sort out the issue between D.D.P. Senanayake, General Manager (GM) SLBFE and National Audit Superintendent R.A.D.N. Gunasekara. SLBFE’s new Chairman, Kosala Wickramesinghe said that he is well aware of the issue between these two parties and will appoint an independent body to resolve it. He added that both parties had presented their case. more..

Nov 6 (TM) SJB Leader Sajith Premadasa criticised the Govt’s failure to fulfil its promises of tax reduction, fuel price reduction and eliminating queues for passports. Addressing a gathering in Avissawella, Premadasa emphasised that the Sri Lankan people are in need of actual public service, not media spectacles. “JVP led NPP Govt led by Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake is supplying amusements to the country. more..

Nov 6 (DN) “We had a good team commitment to win the Hong Kong cricket sixes title” said skipper Lahiru Madushanka after returning home yesterday. After a lapse of seven years Hong Kong Sixes tournament was conducted this year with the participation of 12 teams. Sri Lanka first time won the Hong Kong sixes title in 2007 under the leadership of Indika de Saram who is at present member of the National selection committee. In fact credit should go to the selection committee more..

Nov 6 (Island) When the team sheets for the Hong Kong Sixes hit the table, not a soul gave Sri Lanka a shot. Their squad didn’t boast any glittering stars, and it seemed every spectator, organizer, and sponsor had set their hearts on a blockbuster India-Pakistan final. After all, these two nuclear-armed neighbours rarely clash in bilateral series, so global events like this become a rare opportunity for fans to watch them go at each other’s jugular. But the SL selectors had pulled a clever rabbit more..

Nov 6 (FT) Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) Chamber of SL has issued an urgent plea to Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake for substantial reforms to the country’s debt recovery processes, particularly under the Recovery of Loans by Banks Act No. 04 of 1990. Chamber’s letter highlights how economic shocks and an aggressive debt recovery landscape are pushing many MSMEs to the brink of collapse, more..

Nov 6 (FT) Newly listed Digital Mobility Solutions Lanka, (PickMe) has reported a group’s revenue of Rs. 1.39 billion in the 2Q of FY 2024/25 an increase of 47% from a year ago. Company also announced a one rupee interim dividend for FY25. The company said the increase in revenue was driven by volume growth. Total movements facilitated on the platform during the second quarter of 2024/25 increased by 42% against the total movements recorded in the corresponding period of previous financial yr. more..

Nov 6 (TM) CID has arrested an individual who is suspected to have circulated a doctored image of a fake currency note of the Rs. 5,000 denomination featuring an image of Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake on it. Police said that the 38-year-old was arrested on Monday (4). The suspect, identified as a resident of Korathota in Athurugiriya, is employed as a salesperson, according to the Police. The suspect was remanded by the Kesbewa Magistrate following his arrest, more..

Nov 6 (FT) Colombo Additional Magistrate Bandara Ilangasinghe has ordered the issuance of summons to SL Public Utilities Commission (PUCSL) former Chairperson Janaka Ratnayake and his wife, Kumari Yasoda Silva, to appear before the court on 10 Dec. The order issued on Monday relates to the non-payment of over Rs. 3 million in Value Added Tax (VAT) owed to the Govt. The case stems from allegations that a computer service provider, managed by couple in Kirulapana area, more..

Nov 6 (DN) The SL’s Embassy in Brussels together with Siddhalepa Ayurveda Resorts and Spas organised an event titled A Journey of Healing and Rejuvenation, to promote SL’s wellness tourism sector and Ayurveda. The event held in Brussels was attended by over 25 leading professionals from the wellness tourism sector including outbound tour operators, travel agents, travel writers, journalists and enthusiasts recently. SL’s Ambassador to Belgium, Chandana Weerasena provided more..

Nov 6 (DM) Plans are afoot to file legal actions within the next few days against those who were involved in defaming former Rtd. Senior DIG CID Ravi Seneviratne (presently Secretary Ministry of Public Security) and Rtd. Director CID SSP Shani Abeysekera (presently Director Crimes SL Police). Those who were responsible in endorsing unreasonable recommendations against the said duo more..

Nov 6 (DM) Court of Appeal today upheld the four-year rigorous imprisonment sentence imposed by the Colombo High Court on former Deputy Minister Shantha Premaratne for soliciting and accepting a bribe in 2007. While affirming the High Court’s conviction and sentence, the two-judge bench of the Court of Appeal, comprising Justices Sampath Abayakoon and P. Kumararatnam, observed that the prosecution had proven the charges in the indictment against the appellant beyond a more..

Nov 6 (CT) Executive Director of the PAFFREL, Rohana Hettiarachchi, said it has been reported that out of the 8,000 election candidates, about 7,000 have not engaged in any campaign activities. He stated that according to election monitors islandwide, less than 1,000 candidates have conducted election campaigns. He also mentioned that apart from the candidates of five major parties, none of the other parties and independent groups have engaged in election campaigns. more..

Nov 6 (NW) The IPL player registration officially closed on November 4, 2024, with an impressive total of 1,574 players (1,165 Indian and 409 overseas) signing up to be part of the mega TATA IPL 2025. Player Auction, which will be held over two days on Nov 24 and 25 in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. The list includes 320 capped players, 1,224 uncapped players, and 30 players from Associate Nations. The detailed list is as below: Capped Indians (48 players), Capped Internationals (272 players) more..

Nov 6 (DN) Nine members of NZ’s 15-man squad for the white-ball series (T20I and ODI) arrived SL on Nov 4 to participate in five matches (Two T-20s and three ODIs) and against SL to be played at Dambulla and Pallekele. Michael Bracewell, Josh Clarkson, Lockie Ferguson, Zak Foulkes, Dean Foxcroft, Mitch Hay (wicket keeper), Henry Nicholls, Tim Robinson, and Nathan Smith included for the first batch of players. The players will straight go to Dambulla and their training will commence from tomorrow. more..

Nov 6 (DM) SL Customs announced the launch of its new tracking system for Customs Declarations (CusDec) and containers, which is available online for the public from today. The initiative is part of SL Customs' ongoing commitment to streamline services and support the efficiency of the nation’s trading ecosystem. This tracking system enables traders and stakeholders to monitor their cargo clearance processes more..

Nov 6 (BBC) Migrants stranded for years on the remote Indian Ocean island of Diego Garcia will be offered the right to come to the UK, under a govt proposal. Around 60 SL Tamils have spent more than three years in a makeshift camp on the island, which hosts a secretive UK-US military base, after becoming the first people ever to file asylum claims there. The govt has previously opposed bringing the group to the UK and complex legal battles have been fought for years over their fate. more..

Nov 6 (EN) A container terminal built by India’s Adani group and John Keells Holdings in Colombo Port has received the first batch of quay and yard cranes, the project’s SL partner has said. “The construction and installation works on the West Container Terminal (WCT-1) at the Port of Colombo is progressing well,” Krishan Balendra, chairman of JKH told shareholders in an interim report of the group. “The first batch of quay and yard cranes arrived in Sept 2024, following more..

Nov 6 (TM) SL’s new govt expects to restructure the power sector to reduce the electricity rates by 30% in the next one-year period, Senior Consultant to President Prof. Anil Fernando said. He said that the govt has not officially announced that it won’t proceed with the state-owned enterprises (SOE) restructuring. “We 100% agree with the restructuring (of SOEs), we are doing it and we will clearly state how we are doing it,” he said. more..

Nov 6 (FT) Just a few weeks ago, SL elected a new Prez, Anura Kumara Dissanayake, with high hopes for real, lasting change. But real change isn’t something a Prez can achieve alone. If we truly want to see our nation thrive, we need to come together in the upcoming General Election to build a strong, united parliament that supports the Prez’s vision: A Thriving Nation – A Beautiful Life. This isn’t just about filling seats in parliament; it’s about building a govt that’s capable of making more..

Nov 6 (FT) A fresh controversy has erupted following reports that SL’s Central Bank (CBSL) injected nearly Rs. 100 billion into the banking system by 25 October. Given that money printing was the major cause of the country’s financial crisis, this news has sparked considerable attention. CBSL has defended its actions, arguing that these liquidity injections do not equate to money printing. CBSL asserts that these liquidity injections were necessary to address persistent imbalances among banks. more..

Nov 6 (AD) A businessman has reportedly been found dead under suspicious circumstances in the Muslim Colony area of the Polonnaruwa police division. Investigations commenced following a information received by the police about a man found collapsed on the ground last night. The man had already passed away by the time his son brought him to Polonnaruwa Hospital. The deceased, a 46-year-old resident of Muslim Colony in Kaduruwela, was identified as a more..

Nov 6 (NW) PM Dr. Harini Amarasuriya recently met with key figures from the International Cricket Council (ICC) Anti-Corruption Unit (ACU), including Sumathi Dharmawardena, President’s Counsel, the newly appointed Independent Chair of the ICC ACU, and Alex Marshall, (CBE, QPM) General Manager of Integrity and Human Resources, ICC. During the discussion, Alex Marshall noted SL’s progress in combating corruption in cricket over the past seven years, emphasizing the importance more..

Nov 6 (FT) Last December, a group of ultra-religious Israeli soldiers turned a Palestinian home in the Gaza city of Beit Hanoun into a Chabad House. The structure at the centre of the Arugam Bay terror scare is also a Chabad House. Chabad House is not a synonym for synagogue. It is a religious space belonging to a particular Jewish sect, the Chabad-Lubavitch Hasidic Movement. Founded in the 18th Century among more..

Nov 6 (NW) Colombo Magistrate’s Court has ordered the CID to launch an investigation into the incident of a false report being published on the internet about Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake during the last presidential election. The incident is regarding the publishing of a false medical report on the Internet regarding the illness of the current Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake during the last prez election. Colombo Magistrate’s Court ordered the CID to conduct a comprehensive probe, more..

Nov 6 (DM) The govt today refuted curtailing security detail of former President Chandrika Kumaratunga as claimed by her. Minister Vijitha Herath told the media briefing to announce Cabinet decisions that Ms. Kumaratunga had been provided with security detail of 57 officials while stating that her security had not been reduced to 30 as claimed by her. He said certain former Presidents had been provided with security detail of some 180 to 100 security personnel. more..

Nov 6 (NW) Doctor Shafi Sihabdeen of the Kurunegala Teaching Hospital, who was acquitted of all charges linked to his arrest and detention in 2019, says he will initiate legal action against those responsible for making false allegations against him for political propaganda. Dr. Shafi Sihabdeen said his family had severely suffered due to the incident and trial that took place for over 5 years. Extending his gratitude to lawyers, more..

Nov 6 (AD) Former Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe has been named as a respondent of the writ petition filed with the Court of Appeal challenging the previous govt’s decision to purchase passports from two foreign companies. Wickremesinghe has been named as a respondent of the relevant writ petition filed by Epic Lanka Pvt Ltd, through a motion submitted by the petitioning party, when the petition was taken up before the two-member Appeals Court judge bench comprising Justices more..

Nov 6 (EN) Sri Lanka’s new govt is compelled to continue the same fuel price formula implemented under the previous govt, Cabinet Spokesman Vijitha Herath said, backtracking from the earlier stance. When the fuel prices were reduced last month, Herath said the fuel price formula was not used to compile the prices. “We are compelled to go with the price formula due to previous agreements,” Hearth said on Wednesday. “So now we are going ahead with the price formula.” more..

Nov 6 (AD) Three individuals, including the wife of a wealthy businessman, have been arrested in connection with the murder of the owner of Kempitiya Walawwa in Kegalle. The victim was found tied up and strangled to death on Oct 27. Later, police found his wife who had also been tied up. According to police, the murder was carried out with the intent to robbing cash and gold jewellery from the house however, they had only managed to steal Rs. 10,000 in cash & victim’s gold ring. more..

Nov 6 (DM) The govt will not change the Muslim Marriage and Divorce Act (MMDA), Minister Vijitha Herath said today. He said that any Act with regard to Islam or Buddhism will be amended only after consulting the respective religious leaders. Minister said the govt has not taken any decision to change the Muslim Marriage and Divorce Act and no decision will be taken to that effect. "No need has arisen to change the Muslim Marriage and Divorce Act at this juncture either," he said. more..