Oct 7 (EN) Sri Lanka’s China-backed Hambantota International Port said it has seen a 40 percent in roll-on-roll-off vehicle transshipments in the third quarter of 2024, compared to the second. Vehicles handled rose from 125,526 units in the second quarter to 175,583 units in the September quarter. “We experienced an increase in the arrival of high and heavy vehicles from our contracted clients, which has significantly contributed to the port’s revenue,” he said in a statement. more..

Oct 7 (TM) Former MP and member of the JVP politburo, Wasantha Samarasinghe has alleged that former Minister Tiran Alles was involved in coercing deals related to passport and visa schemes. Samarasinghe claimed that Alles’s actions resulted in increased visa fees, with profits being shared between the Govt and a private company. Samarasinghe stated that the investigation has uncovered how the profits were divided and who benefited both directly and indirectly. more..

Oct 8 (TM) With Sri Lanka still at economic crossroads, the role the incumbent Govt has to play, is one that needs to be executed with care and planning. It must not be forgotten that despite the landmark win that the NPP and newly-minted Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake won at the Prez Election last month, they reached victory with only 42% of the electorate's vote. It is evident that the caretaker NPP Govt is only now coming to terms with the governance realities of Sri Lanka. more..

Oct 8 (CT) As the world celebrated Teachers’ Day yesterday (6), we must take a moment to reflect on a pressing issue in SL: the severe shortage of teachers, particularly in Science and Mathematics. This shortage has become a significant concern over the years, affecting students’ academic performance and the country’s long-term growth. While there are around 241,000 teachers currently working in govt schools, the gap in Science and Mathematics education is becoming increasingly alarming. more..

Oct 8 (CT) The UNP is at a precarious point of time in history. Having driven the independence movement of British Ceylon and introducing the Executive Presidency to the country, the UNP has played a principal role in shaping SL's political ecosystem. Having governed the nation for 38 years of the 76 years since Independence, as the sole ruling party or as a part of a wider coalition, the UNP has proven to have an unmatched legacy in Sri Lanka. more..

Oct 8 (DM) As a concerned and patriotic citizen of SL, I am writing to share my thoughts regarding the upcoming election and the critical importance of selecting the best possible candidates for our nation’s future. SL is at a crossroads where strong, ethical, and experienced leadership is paramount for addressing the pressing challenges our country faces. It's vital that political parties adopt transparent and democratic processes when nominating individuals for parliamentary elections. more..

Oct 8 (DM) Nomination week for Parliamentary election that commenced last Friday (4) is to end next Friday. This election is being held hot on the heels of a Prez election which catapulted the leader of the NPP Anura Kumara Dissanayake who rode on the slogan system change, to the topmost post. It was the current economic crisis which broke out in 2021 and the resultant popular uprising against the establishment in 2022 where millions of people took to the streets for 4 months more..

Oct 8 (TM) Despite announcements of several price changes of essentials such as eggs, the failure to manifest as direct relief in consumer prices has brought to light the inconsistencies in the consumer market in the country. With a significant drop in the price of eggs in the market at present, being available at around Rs. 30 in the main markets of the country, there is inevitably an anticipation of a cascading more..

Oct 8 (CT) With Anura Kumara Dissanayake assuming office as the 9th Executive Prez of SL, a wave of fresh hopes and excitement is immensely visible among people that his tenure will see an end to corruption and boost local industries and agriculture. However, SL’s road to recovery is not straightforward and the upcoming General Election on 14 Nov will play a crucial role in determining the country’s future. The General Election will not only decide who will govern alongside the Prez, more..

Oct 8 (Island) Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake, addressing a group of Easter Sunday terror victims, their family members, Catholic priests including His Eminence Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith, and others, at the Katuwapitiya Church, on Sunday, pledged to expedite investigations into the 2019 carnage and ensure that justice would be served fast. In saying so, he only repeated one of his election promises. Prez should have addressed the specifics of some issues the Church had raised about the 2019 more..

Oct 8 (ST) In the midst of missiles raining revenge on Israel, fears increased this week of a full-blown war erupting in West Asia. Hours before America had warned, “Iran was preparing to launch ballistic missiles against Israel.” Iran’s Khamenei had not arrived at his decision rashly nor on impulse. Two months ago, Hamas leader Haniyeh had been killed in an airstrike in Teheran by Israeli forces. Iranians had taken to the streets shouting revenge, revenge. On Aug 5, Khamenei added voice to more..

Oct 8 (DM) Prez Dissanayake was careful not to rock the boat when appointing new Ministry Secretaries, notably retaining the Finance Secretary—a positive sign of his balanced and pragmatic approach. However, he has also appointed two honorary advisors, emphasising his commitment to public service and expert counsel over political gain. In today’s complex world, high-ranking politicians require knowledgeable advisors for effective decision-making on key issues. more..

Oct 8 (CI) Confidence, data-driven insight, and a little bit of luck. These are the core tenets of Sanath Jayasuriya's coaching philosophy, which have worked well enough for him to be handed the reins of SL's men's national team, following roughly three months in the role in an interim capacity. Those 3 months, while not being a runaway success, included a home ODI series win against India, a home Test series win against NZ more..

Oct 8 (Island) Diplomatic missions that took a keen interest in the outcome of the presidential election have lost no time in reaching out to Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake after his victory. Prior to the election it appeared that former president Ranil Wickemesinghe was the favourite of the Western bloc of countries. They made frequent public statements commending the president for his handling of the economy which were supplemented by similar supportive statements by the IMF. more..

Oct 8 (SO) A key member of the NPP Economic Council, Dr. Harshana Suriyapperuma said the Govt is set to provide income tax and VAT relief as soon as possible and confirmed that tax relief is imminent. Following the General Election and with the introduction of the new Budget, necessary changes will be implemented to ease the burden on the public, he said. We are working with every stakeholder to address the barriers. We will act immediately wherever relief can be provided more..

Oct 8 (DN) SL’s men’s football team, led by goalkeeper Sujan Perera, has left the island to face Myanmar in two crucial matches on Oct 10 and 13 in Yangon. This will be the first time in 14 years that these two teams meet on the field, and the matches are set to be noteworthy for both sides. Myanmar is currently ranked 167th in the FIFA World Rankings, while SL, after improving their ranking for the first time in eight years, sits at 200th. Despite the gap in rankings, SL hopes to put up a strong fight. more..

Oct 8 (DN) Charith Asalanka won both Player of the Final and Player of the Tournament Awards at the National Super League (NSL) limited overs cricket tournament after the final between Colombo and Jaffna which the Colombo team won by 92 runs at Dambulla. Colombo team scored highest team total of 413 for 6 wickets while Jaffna team in their chase made 321 all out. Apart from Asalanka’s double century Colombo opener Avishka Fernando and Jaffna all rounder Lahiru Madushanka scored more..

Oct 8 (FT) The rise of SL Rupee’s strength against the US Dollar is nearing the 10% mark aided by a recent spike following the election of Anura Kumara Dissanayake as the Prez. As of last week, according to the CB, the SLR has appreciated against the US Dollar by 9.6% year to date (YTD). In comparison, the YTD appreciation as of 13 Sept was 7.3%. Analysts said the currency has gathered strength since the 21 Sept Prez election more..

Oct 8 (FT) Hayleys Fabric, SL’s largest and leading textile manufacturer, has been recognised for its exceptional leadership in sustainable chemical management by receiving the prestigious ZDHC Torchbearer Award. The award was presented by Zero Discharge of Hazardous Chemicals (ZDHC) South Asia Region Director Prasad Pant at the fifth ZDHC South Asia Regional Conference on Sustainable Chemical Management in the Fashion Industry held in Chennai, India on 25 Sept. more..

Oct 8 (TM) The authorities should urgently pay attention to long overdue requests for a system for consumers to distinguish chemically refined oil, which is often sold as coconut oil, as more and more such oil products are entering the local market, local coconut oil manufacturers urged. Pointing out that millions of kilograms of such oil had entered the local market by the end of August of this year, they said that the requests made since 2019 seeking a system to properly label them have not been fulfilled. more..

Oct 8 (ST) Authorities are warning about an alarming increase in financial scams targeting bank customers and are urging people not to divulge personal banking information to unauthorised parties. While an exact estimate of funds defrauded through such scams in recent weeks is as yet unavailable, police said it runs into millions of rupees. Computer Crimes Investigation Division of CID recently arrested 2 Ukrainian nationals more..

Oct 8 (TM) SL’s condominium industry sees a rise with increased prices in the second quarter of 2024 as new projects by major developers jumped by almost 50% in the quarter, data showed. According to the price index for new condominiums, an upsurge in prices of new condominiums within the Colombo district was observed during Q2 of 2024. The condominium market survey showed the index reached 240.9 during the quarter recording a quarter-on-quarter growth of 14.3%. more..

Oct 8 (Island) With three major competitions conducted by World Athletics taking place in the Asian continent next year, SL Athletics is looking forward to send teams for the all three events including the World Indoor Championships in 2025. While Sri Lanka have not fielded a team for the World Indoor C'ships after Himasha Eshan competed in Portland, USA in 2016, delays in obtaining US visas (transit) prevented them from taking part in the World Relay C'ships in more..

Oct 8 (DM) The prices of the confectionery items in SL, which have gradually decreased following the economic downturn, are now facing the risk of rising again, due to the potential supply chain disruptions caused by the developments in the Red Sea, the Lanka Confectionery Manufacturers Association (LCMA) said. Though no immediate price hike is expected, the impact on the key material imports and their costs would likely have a hit on the pricing, as SL is entirely dependent on imports more..

Oct 8 (FT) Senior Professor Hareendra Dissabandara is returning to the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) as its new Chairman, following the appointment to the top post in the capital market regulatory body by Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake as Finance Minister. Prof. Dissabandara previously served as SEC Director General from 2012-2013 as well as its Financial Services Academy and Capital Market Education & Training Division Director from 2008-2012. more..

Oct 8 (CT) President of the All Ceylon Explosives Dealers’ Forum, Surya Kumara Wijeratne, urged the appointment of a Prez Commission to conduct a comprehensive investigation into the alleged fraud that occurred during the issuance of licences to sell explosives under the previous Govt. He alleged the previous regime, particularly officials from the Defence Ministry, were involved in defrauding billions of rupees in importation, more..

Oct 8 (FT) Shiromal Fernando explains how high performance paints not only beautify but also preserve the structural integrity of modern buildings. Amid Colombo’s rapidly evolving skyline, maintaining the longevity and appeal of modern buildings has become increasingly critical. For structural engineers like Shiromal Fernando, the challenge goes beyond aesthetics—it’s about safeguarding buildings against harsh weather conditions and ensuring their durability over time. more..

Oct 8 (DM) Over 9,000 incidents related to cybercrime activities have been reported between Aug and Sept this year, SL Computer Emergency Readiness Team (SLCERT) said. SLCERT engineer Charuka Damunupola said that there has been a significant increase in cybercriminal activities, noting that more than 9,000 complaints have been filed recently. Alarmingly, 80% of these cases involve social media platforms, thus highlighting the growing vulnerabilities that users face online. more..

Oct 8 (FT) The plantation sector workers will receive their long-awaited revised daily minimum wage of Rs. 1,350 along with an additional allowance of Rs. 50 for each extra kilo of harvest from 10 Oct. The move follows recent negotiations between Regional Plantation Companies (RPCs), trade unions, and the Wages Board, culminating in an agreement with the Estate Sector Wage Control Council at the Labour Dept. “As per the latest Gazette, RPCs must pay a basic wage of Rs. 1,350 effective 10 Oct,” more..

Oct 8 (DM) While saying that a comprehensive investigation is underway into the tragic death of a 24-year-old woman at the Wijaya Kumaratunga Memorial Hospital in Seeduwa, hospital authorities dismissed claims of a vaccine being administered to the woman. A top source of the hospital said the hospital is awaiting the results of the Govt Analyst's report, which would further shed light on the actual cause of the death. However, reports suggest that family members have claimed of a link of more..

Oct 8 (TM) SJB member, Harshana Rajakaruna called for the handing over of the UNP Leadership, presently helmed by former Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe, to SJB Leader, Sajith Premadasa. SJB is a breakaway faction of the UNP. At the recent Prez Poll, Premadasa was somewhat a close runner up while Wickremesinghe was a distant third. Since the Poll, various efforts are underway to unite the two Parties with the view that more..

Oct 8 (TN) Over 50 Pakistani prisoners have been repatriated from SL after years-long imprisonment in the foreign country. The repatriation comes after the successful efforts by the Ministry of Interior via three months of coordination SL authorities as directed by Mohsin Naqvi. A chartered plane brought back the prisoners back to Pakistan, which included five women and 51 men. Speaking on the occasion, one of the repatriate women thanked the govt for bringing them back to the country. more..

Oct 8 (PMD) Country Director of the ADB Resident Mission in SL, Takafumi Kadono, along with a delegation, met with Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake today (7) at the Presidential Secretariat. The discussions focused on ADB’s ongoing commitment to support SL’s economic and social development. During the meeting, the ADB reaffirmed its dedication to continuing its projects in SL, with particular emphasis on bolstering key sectors crucial to the nation’s recovery. more..

Oct 8 (Island) Former Cabinet Minister and PHU leader Udaya Gammanpila has urged Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake to take hold of two reports that dealt with the 2019 Easter Sunday attacks. Gammanpila has said that Prez Dissanayake should get in touch with Attorney General Parinda Ranasinghe in case he couldn’t obtain the same from Saman Ekanayake, Secretary to former Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe. more..

Oct 8 (FT) 21 September was a day of many firsts in SL. Millions of people went to the polls to vote in the first Prez elections since mass protests forced the country’s last elected president, Gotabaya Rajapaksa, from office in 2022. 1, 2 It also marked the first time in SL’s history that a second round of counting had to take place after none of the candidates secured the 50% margin required for victory. A count of the second-choice votes revealed the biggest shock in decades. more..