Oct 25 (DM) British High Commission in SL expressed confidence that SL authorities will soon address the terrorism threat, while reaffirming its support to the govt. “This is a very serious situation, and authorities are working on it. We fully support the govt in addressing this issue,” British HC Andrew Patrick said. UK Foreign Office updated its travel advisory for SL following a warning issued by the United States, cautioning UK citizens about the elevated risk of terrorist attacks. more..

Oct 25 (TM) Former Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe requested all parties to refrain from politicising the reports related to the Easter Sunday terror attacks. He noted that during his tenure, requests had been made to look into the revelations (that certain local intelligence officials were complicit in the attacks) that were aired on Channel 4, following which he had appointed a 3 member committee (led by retired SC Judge S. Imam, more..

Oct 25 (FT) The Colombo stock market yesterday saw its turnover jump to an eight-month high of Rs. 4.8 billion, thanks to heavy trading on the back of improved investor sentiment. The near Rs. 5 billion turnover involved 124.7 million shares. JKH saw trading worth Rs. 450 million followed by Sampath Bank (Rs. 406 million), and Commercial Bank (Rs. 257 million). The active S&P SL20 gained by 1.55% and the ASPI by 0.94%. Colombo Bourse experienced sustained bullish momentum more..

Oct 25 (DM) While refuting claims by former Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe that his govt had allocated funds required to increase public sector salaries, Prez said that no such funds had been allocated. He said funds are usually allocated through the budget or Vote on Accounts presented in Parliament to allocate additional funds for various expenditure heads. Prez said the decision to increase public sector salaries was taken in haste just before the postal voting for the last Presidential election. more..

Oct 25 (TG) Police arrested the leader of Tamil National People’s Front (TNPF) as he stood outside a store in Jaffna, accusing him of violating election regulations. Party leader Gajendrakumar Ponnambalam was in Nelliady, Jaffna, when police arrested him. Video footage shows a police officer, speaking entirely in Sinhala, confront the party leader on the streets. “I was merely standing on the pavement waiting for a shop owner who I know to come for me to buy something,” more..

Oct 25 (FT) A group of 22 Israeli nationals yesterday departed from BIA, after security warnings were issued regarding potential terrorist threats in Arugam Bay. The first warning was issued by the US Embassy, followed by Israel National Security Council, advising their citizens to Arugam Bay or leave SL due to credible intelligence of a possible attack targeting tourists. Israeli nationals were safely escorted to the BIA and boarded Fly Dubai flight FZ 570, which departed for Dubai at 3:03 a.m. more..

Oct 25 (EN) IMF in talks with SL’s new administration on its priorities and is working towards the next review to continue its Extended Fund Facility program with the island. A SL delegation, led by CB Governor, Finance Ministry Secretary, and Prez’s Advisor on economic matters, Duminda Hulangamuwa, is currently engaged in these talks. “Under the programme we have elements which address some of the priorities of more..

Oct 25 (DN) With the ongoing rains, dengue cases have increased by 10.5%, according to the National Dengue Control Programme. This spike occurred during the week from October 14 to 20, with 627 dengue cases reported from various locations across the country during this period. Since the beginning of this year, a total of 41,591 dengue cases have been reported nationwide, along with 20 deaths. Of these cases, 42.5% or 17,686 have been reported from the Western Province. more..

Oct 25 (DM) The elite STF have heightened security in Colombo, Weligama and Ella as well, a day after the US Embassy in Colombo gave a warning of a possible terror threat in Arugam Bay, a senior defence source said. Security continues to be strengthened in Arugam Bay since the first alert was given by US and other countries to SL’s intelligence community weeks ago but measures have been taken to keep security heightened in Colombo, Weligama & Ella as well until further notice. more..

Oct 25 (TM) Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake stated that the Govt has taken all necessary measures in response to recent intelligence reports and assured the security of all citizens. He made these remarks while addressing a public meeting yesterday. “It is our responsibility to ensure the safety of our citizens. We’ve been enhancing security in various areas. Not only that, the intelligence agencies acted swiftly on more..

Oct 25 (FT) IMF promotes a floating exchange rate mechanism. CBSL Governor Dr. Nandalal agrees with it, I think. Some economists too insist that CBSL cannot regulate the exchange rate, hence should allow the rupee to float. SJB has a different idea. They say that they allow first floating the currency to permit market forces to reveal the equilibrium rate, and then stabilising that rate through CBSL intervention. I am not sure about the ideological stance of Prez Anura Dissanayake as more..

Oct 25 (FT) SL Bureau of Foreign Employment (SLBFE) has been in the limelight both in the print and electronic media during the past few months not for good reasons. The Sunday Times exposed mega corruption allegations to the tune of Rs. 2 billion causing a massive loss of Rs. 567 million to the SLBEF. The modus operandi of this scam had been in operation for a number of years and the legitimate revenue receivable from the domestic workers for their mandatory training had been deposited more..

Oct 25 (wsws) Over the past two weeks, police officers have illegally visited and questioned one of the Socialist Equality Party (SEP) candidates running for northern Jaffna district in the Nov 14 parliamentary elections. The harassment began on Oct 12, one day after election nominations closed, when two police officers in civilian clothes visited the home of SEP Jaffna district candidate Rasarathinam Thirugnanavel. They arrived at about 5 p.m. and demanded to know his whereabouts. more..

Oct 25 (DM) A Fundamental Rights petition has been filed before the Supreme Court seeking an order preventing Ranjan Ramanayake from contesting the parliamentary election scheduled for Nov 14. Mahinda Senanayake, an Independent candidate contesting the General Elections from the Gampaha District filed this petition challenging the Election Commission's decision to accept the nomination paper submitted by Ranjan Ramanayake to contest the upcoming General Elections from more..

Oct 25 (EN) Sri Lanka will revisit and discuss the Adani renewable energy project when a got delegation visits New Delhi in January next year on the invitation of Indian govt, a ruling NPP member said. The renewable energy deal, which was given to India’s Adani group without any tender, has been challenged in Sri Lanka’s Supreme Court over environmental concerns amid industry experts citing expensive tariff. more..

Oct 25 (BBC) Canada has announced a sharp cut in the number of immigrants it allows into the country in an effort to pause population growth, marking a notable shift in policy for the Justin Trudeau govt. As part of the changes, Canada will reduce the number of permanent residents in 2025 from a previous target of 500,000 to 395,000 - a 21% drop. PM Trudeau said his govt didn't get the balance quite right when it bolstered immigration post-pandemic to address labour shortages. more..

Oct 25 (DM) All railway employees are to be provided with a free train travel pass to be utilised between their area of residence and workplace, the Ministry of Transport announced. In a statement, the ministry said Minister of Transport Vijitha Herath has issued a directive to the relevant officials in this regard. Pointing out that Railway Employees are constantly criticised by the public, the Transport Ministry said the new travel pass is being granted as a step to changing this situation. more..

Oct 25 (DM) On Oct 27, families of the disappeared will mark the Day of Commemoration of the Disappeared in Raddoluwa. For as long as 33 years, families of persons subject to enforced disappearances have continued their struggle for justice. This year, as the families gather to commemorate their loved ones for the 34th year, they also invite President Anura Kumara Dissanayake to attend the event. more..

Oct 25 (NW) Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake criticized former Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe’s recent comments about provisions for increasing salaries of public sector employees. Wickremesinghe had claimed that funds had been allocated for a salary increase for public servants before the presidential election. Dissanayake disputed this, stating that no such allocations were made by Wickremesinghe’s administration. “There were no funds allocated for a salary increase for state employees by more..

Oct 25 (DM) In the wake of security threats on Israelis in SL, special security measures have been implemented, and search operations conducted by the Police and STF at the Pallekale Int'l Cricket Stadium ahead of SL's practice session. The third and final ODI between SL and WI is set to take place tomorrow, with both teams scheduled to hold practice sessions today at the stadium. Meanwhile, security at several hotels in Kandy providing accommodation to Israeli tourists has been more..

Oct (DM) A tense situation was reported yesterday afternoon as local residents gathered outside the Pamunugama Police Station to protest against the alleged assault of two youths in police custody. Residents claim that police brutally assaulted the two young men, who were arrested last Sunday for allegedly breaking into a home in the Pamunugama area and stealing a gold necklace. The suspects, aged 20 and 24, were arrested at their workplace. The parents of the youths and more..

Oct (EN) A container terminal built by Sri Lanka Ports Authority has been named a special project by the cabinet to give tax benefits Minister Vijitha Herath said. Private terminals in the port are given tax benefits under a Strategic Development Project law. The excessive length of tax breaks as well as exempting senior official’s companies from personal income tax under the SDP when people earning above 100,000 rupees are taxed has become a contentious issue. more..

Oct (AD) The Election Commission has made public the document detailing the expenses incurred by candidates who contested the last prez election. Accordingly, the prez candidate of the SJB, Sajith Premadasa’s expenses are the highest in the 2024 prez election, with the figure exceeding Rs. 1.12 billion. Specifically, he has spent a sum of Rs. 936,258,524 as a candidate, while the SJB has contributed Rs. 194,087,715 to this expense. more..

Oct (NW) Victims of foreign job scams have been paid compensation of Rs.105.6 million during the first nine months of 2024, SL Bureau of Foreign Employment (SLBFE) said. The compensation was paid following the prosecution of individuals and unregistered foreign employment agencies involved in overseas job scams. 570 cases were filed in Court against foreign employment fraudsters from January to Sept, while it had resolved 1,177 complaints out of the 3,351 that were received. more..

Oct (ST) Board of Trustees of the Gangaramaya Temple in Colombo, along with its student monks, has established a memorial trust in honour of the late Venerable Galboda Siri Gnanissara Thera—the chief incumbent of the temple until his passing on August 2— to continue his legacy of supporting the educational journey of children from underprivileged and low-income families. Named the Venerable Galboda Siri Gnanissara Memorial Scholarship Trust Fund, the initiative is spearheaded by more..

Oct (DM) Sri Lanka has overtaken Malaysia to become the second largest transnational education (TNE) partner for UK- based universities by accounting for a whopping 10 percent of overall UK TNE enrollments last year. This indicates that TNE is increasingly becoming a key avenue for higher education in SL, as it addresses longstanding issues prevailing in SL’s higher education sector including accessibility, more..

Oct (DM) The second semi-final will be played between Afghanistan A and India A later today. The final of the tournament will be held on Sunday (27). Chasing 136 to win, SL ‘A’ achieved the target in the 17th over. For the winning team, Ahan Wickramasinghe returned undefeated on 52 off 46 balls, which included four fours and a six. Wicketkeeper-batter Lahiru Udara, opening the innings, scored a quick-fire 43 off 20 balls, hitting two fours and four sixes. Earlier, opting to bat first more..

Oct (FT) Following Daily FT’s assertion that the responses to a recent spate of articles in this newspaper on multiple issues concerning Royal College, Colombo should come first from the Principal of the school and not the Royal College Union (RCU), Principal Thilak Waththuhewa this week issued the following statement. In light of recent articles published by Daily FT, I, as the Principal of Royal College Colombo, find it necessary to address certain points and more..

Oct 25 (AM) The State residence used by TNA Leader R. Sampanthan since 2015 will be returned to the state on 17 Nov, family members of the late TNA leader have informed the Ministry of Public Admin. Sampanthan passed away on 1 July 2024. The residence is located on Mahagamasekara Mawatha, Col 7, and sits on a land of one and a half acres. It was handed over to Sampanthan in 2015 by the Good Governance Govt, when he was the Opposition Leader. more..

Oct 25 (AD) Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake met with the South African High Commissioner, Sandile Edwin Schalk, this morning at the Presidential Secretariat in Colombo. During the meeting, the Ambassador presented a greeting message from the Prez of South Africa and reaffirmed South Africa’s commitment to strengthening bilateral relations with SL. He also expressed continued support for applying South Africa’s peace and national reconciliation model in Sri Lanka. more..

Oct 25 (DM) The recent deaths of six elephants killed in a train accident in one night, four in Galgamuwa and two close to Habarana on Sept 28th, have once again brought attention to the topic of elephants and trains. While the number of elephants killed by trains annually in SL is around 5% of reported elephant deaths by all causes, it generates much media attention and social discourse. Consequently relevant authorities are more..

Oct 25 (DN) President’s Counsel Prasantha Lal de Alwis has been appointed as the new Principal of Sri Lanka Law College, effective October 22. His appointment was made by Chief Justice Jayantha Jayasuriya, following the retirement of the college’s former Principal, Dr. Atula Pathinayake. PC de Alwis holds both his LLB and LLM from Colombo University. He began his legal career in 1983 as a State Counsel at the Attorney General’s Dept, where he served until 1990. more..

Oct 25 (TM) Following a meeting held at the Trade Ministry yesterday, stakeholders of the poultry industry, including egg producers and traders, have reached an agreement to sell eggs at a retail price below Rs. 41. The decision comes after discussions with the All-Ceylon Egg Producers’ Association (ACEPA) and other key industry participants. ACEPA President Sarath Rathnayake stated that the Govt recognised the high costs associated with producing an egg and agreed to provide more..

Oct 25 (DM) Five years after the Easter Sunday carnage claimed the lives of over 250 individuals, SL authorities are still struggling to find the mastermind behind these deadly attacks. Families and survivors of the attacks have continued to live with trauma and unhealed wounds while demanding justice for those who have parted since Apr 21, 2019. After various commissions and reports, another controversy arose when more..

Oct 25 (FT) SJB national list candidate Imthiaz Bakeer Markar has sharply critiqued the NPP and its leader, Prez Anura Dissanayake at a press conference yesterday where he expressed concerns about the rapid shift in political behaviour and the dangers of continuing traditional political practices. Bakeer Markar noted that this year’s Presidential election reflected the public’s frustration and opposition to conventional politics, with people voting against the established order. more..

Oct 25 (DM) Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake stressed that no businessman will be permitted to exploit the situation by unfairly raising the prices of rice. He made this statement today during a discussion with rice mill owners. Prez also announced that the govt will support small and medium-scale rice mill owners in enhancing their capacity to help stabilise the rice market. Prez noted that since the govt invests significantly in promoting agriculture, irrigation & fertiliser subsidies, more..