Sri Lanka News : InfoLanka News Room

Oct 27 (Island) In about ten days, on Nov 5, the US will have its quadrennial presidential election along with its biennial House and Senate elections. The presidential election is literally down to the wire, and the two candidates, Kamala Harris and Donald Trump, are fighting it out at the margins in the so called seven swing states. At the time of writing, it is a total toss up and there is no certainty about the outcome. In a presidential election year, American voters mark their ballots more..

Prevention is better than cure

Oct 27 (TM) Israel’s unilateral war against Hamas following the terror outfit’s attack on its soil in Oct 2023 that claimed hundreds of Israeli lives as well as hostages, mostly youth attending a music festival, not only triggered direct combat in Gaza, Syria & Lebanon, resulting in extreme consequences for millions of people, but as of yesterday there is now a distinct possibility of nuclear power Iran being dragged into what is transforming into a deadly regional conflict with massive global more..

AKD Govt completes an eventful month...

Oct 27 (TM) Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake (AKD) and his Govt last week hit the one-month mark since ascending to office. A look at the first month of AKD’s work as Prez is indicative of the multiple challenges faced by the occupant of the country’s highest office as SL continues to tread on the economic recovery path. While heading an Interim Govt until the formation of a proper govt after the upcoming Parliamentary Elections, more..

Alarm over alerts

Oct 27 (ST) A cascade of Western security alerts this week hit SL’s travel industry hard, just as it was picking itself up after a protracted legal battle to restore order to the country’s tourist visa issuance system. US kicked it off on Wednesday, saying it had received credible information warning of an attack targeting popular tourist locations in the Arugam Bay area. Pointing to the serious risk posed by this threat, the US embassy in Colombo imposed travel restrictions on its personnel while more..

Hoppers, koththu and roti

Oct 27 (ST) My dear Dilith, I am writing to you after seeing the tricks you and others in your party are getting up to these days to try and get into the next Parliament. Paradise being a democracy, you are allowed to do so. However, the people and tactics you are using suggest that you have doubts about the intelligence of our voters. I can guess where you got this idea from. It was after you helped Gota maama win his election. Your network produced a snake from the Kelani river claiming more..

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Editorial: Bad news on tourism front

Oct 27 (Island) The week that has passed brought bad news to the domestic tourism industry that has demonstrated some favorable arrival numbers this year despite the visa fiasco that marked the tail end of the previous regime. With the winter season approaching, hoteliers and the many others active in this industry, vital in terms of both employment and foreign exchange earnings, were looking forward to a boom in arrivals to shake off the ill effects of Covid, Easter Sunday attacks, aragalaya and more. more..

A call for unity and proactive measures

Oct 27 (CT) Sri Lanka’s tourism industry appears to have faced never-ending blows to its substantial growth for the past several years. On 21 April 2019, Easter Sunday, suicide terrorist bombings that took place in three churches and three hotels in SL killed around 277 people (including 8 suicide bombers) and wounded more than 400 people as per the information provided by Police Headquarters. At least 40 foreign nationals and 45 children were reported to be among the dead. more..

SLPP infighting comes into the open

Oct 27 (ST) Internal divisions within certain political parties are coming out in the open during the campaign for the 2024 parliamentary elections. SLPP is also facing such issues. These internal divisions came out into the open once more in an embarrassing fashion during a meeting organised in Pudaluoya on Friday evening. The meeting was held with the SLPP National Organiser Namla Rajapaksa in attendance. However, some of the party members more..

Final warning for Sri Lanka Rugby

Oct 27 (SO) In a significant development for Sri Lanka Rugby (SLR), World Rugby has granted an extension to hold the postponed election of office bearers or Annual General Meeting (AGM) under a new Constitution until Jan 31, 2025. The original deadline of Nov 8, 2024, was set following long-standing administrative and governance issues but became challenging to meet due to ongoing legal proceedings. The extension came in response to an appeal from SL’s Competent Authority for more..

New boxing champ raises eye-brows

Oct 27 (SO) Yazmin Usaith has already made waves in SL boxing, securing his place as a rising star in the sport. The southpaw from Central Province, Kandy, representing St. Sylvester’s Boxing Club, claimed the gold medal in the 2024 Layton Cup Boxing Tournament just a few days before his 20th birthday. His remarkable victory, which came after defeating seasoned SL Army boxer and international gold medalist KG Pathmasiri in the final, has put him in the spotlight. more..

Lewis century gifts West Indies consolation victory in Sri Lanka

Oct 27 (CI) After a series in which they consistently failed to get the rub of the green, the stars finally aligned for West Indies as they ended their tour of Sri Lanka with a morale-boosting win. Evin Lewis, playing his first ODI since 2021, struck an unbeaten 102 off 61 balls, as West Indies chased down a DLS-adjusted target of 195 in a rain-reduced game of 23 overs with eight wickets to spare. In fact, they got required runs with an over to spare. more..

Netball: Unbeaten Sri Lanka reach third consecutive Asian final

Oct 27 (ST) Reigning Asian champions and six-time titleholders, Sri Lanka, stormed into their seventh consecutive final at the Asian Netball Championship, defeating one-time champions Hong Kong by a commanding 71-47 at the Koramangala Indoor Stadium in Bengaluru, India last evening after leading 36-21 at halftime. The undefeated Sri Lankan squad started strong, establishing an early 13-9 lead in the first quarter, with Thishala Algama accounting for most of the points. more..

Rowing: Royal regain Roy-Tho Regatta after five years

Oct 27 (ST) Royal College celebrated a historic victory in the 53rd Royal-Thomian Regatta, defeating their traditional rivals, S. Thomas’ College, by a significant margin of 44-8. The event, known as the world’s longest inter-school regatta, concluded at the Colombo Rowing Club at Beira Lake last evening. After a five-year gap, Royal claimed the title once again, with their last win dating back to 2019. Led by Nevan Perera, the Reid Avenue School crew dominated the competition, more..

පාස්කු ඉරිදා ඛෙදවාචකයට දඬුවම්...

SL eye third ACC title against strong Afghans

Oct 27 (ST) SL ‘A’ head coach Avishka Gunawardene is optimistic about his team’s chances in today’s final of the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) Men’s Emerging Teams Asia Cup 2024 against Afghanistan ‘A’ at Al Amerat Cricket Stadium, located 15 km south of Muscat, Oman. After suffering a narrow defeat to Afghanistan in their opening group match, Gunawardene views the setback as a crucial learning experience. Team rebounded impressively, winning their next 2 group games more..

Coconut production hit by 40% drop

Oct 27 (ST) SL’s coconut production has seen a drop of 40% and this is notably felt at the Coconut Auction in Colombo where numbers have dwindled significantly primarily attributed to the effect of the ban on fertiliser application, white fly disease and increased exports. This significant drop in coconuts is due to the ban on fertiliser application several years back and the effect of this is being felt only now, an official at the Coconut Development Board told The Sunday Times Business. more..

NPP wins big in Elpitiya PS election

Oct 27 (DM) The NPP has achieved a major victory in the Elpitiya PS election held on Saturday. With a strong showing, NPP secured 17,295 votes, the highest number of votes among all parties, and won a total of 15 seats. Out of 36,305 valid votes cast, the NPP gained a clear majority, while other parties like SJB and the PA won fewer seats. SJB received 7,924 votes & secured 6 seats, PA received 2,612 votes & won 2 seats. more..

Passing the torch; SL’s next batting dynamos

Oct 27 (Island) When we think of world-class SL batters, Kumar Sangakkara shines brightest. His numbers are simply otherworldly with a Test average of 57. That’s the stuff legends are made of. And it’s not just about the home turf heroics – Sanga’s average away from home was over 51, a feat only the finest achieve. Then there’s Mahela Jayawardene. A maestro in his own right, although he narrowly missed the 50-mark. It was a bitter pill to swallow when his average dipped below 50 more..

Former MP Lohan Ratwatte’s vehicle involved in accident

Oct 27 (AD) A vehicle reportedly belonging to former MP Lohan Ratwatte has been involved in an accident at the Dangahamula Junction, within the Wariyapola Police Division. Following the accident, a heated altercation had reportedly occurred between local residents and the occupants of the vehicle. The disagreement soon escalated into a physical altercation, with both parties involved in a scuffle. Adding to the tension, local residents alleged that multiple weapons were found inside vehicle, more..

ලොහාන්ලාගේ අනතුර වීඩියෝ කළ...

CEB proposes 6% electricity tariff revision for December

Oct 27 (AD) The CEB has submitted its proposal for a possible tariff revision in December to Public Utilities Commission of SL (PUCSL), marking the third quarterly review for the year. According to the PUCSL, the upcoming electricity tariff adjustment is expected to be a modest increase, anticipated at 6% across all sectors. PUCSL Director Jayanath Herath noted that a reduction ranging from 4% to 11% had initially been considered, but the current proposal suggests a moderate 6% adjustment. more..

Student dies after reportedly jumping onto moving train

Oct 27 (DM) A 17-year-old student of a leading got school in Colombo 7 reportedly committed suicide by jumping onto a moving train near Dematagoda Railway station, police said. The student, a resident of Beruwala, had died on admission to Colombo National Hospital after being hit by a Colombo bound express train from Nanu Oya. Grade 12 student arrived in the Maradana area to participate in a special programme in the school. Dematagoda Police are investigating the incident. more..

Tourism sector raises concern about illegal Israeli businesses in Arugam Bay

Oct 27 (ST) This week, US Embassy issued a security alert barring its personnel from travelling to Arugam Bay and advising US citizens to avoid the area based on credible information warning of an attack targeting popular tourist locations there. UK and Australia quickly updated their travel advisories based on US alert. Then, Israel’s National Security Council called on its citizens to immediately leave Arugam Bay more..

IMF technical expert in Sri Lanka Customs to enhance administration

Oct 27 (EN) An IMF has visited Sri Lanka Customs head office and had discussions with internal and external stakeholders of Customs in a move to enhance administration, officials and IMF said, amid allegation of significant leakages in revenue from import and export businesses. SL Customs, one of the three key revenue collection bodies of the govt, has already recorded more than 1 trillion rupee revenue so far this year, surpassing last year’s record 975 billion rupees. more..

Threat to Israelis: No bombs or explosives with Lankan suspects

Oct 27 (Island) No firearms or explosives were found in the possession of three Sri Lankans arrested following intelligence reports indicating potential security threats to Israeli nationals in Sri Lanka, police sources said on Friday. According to police intelligence, Indian intelligence agencies had alerted SL authorities in early October about possible attacks on Israelis in the country. At that time, 168 Israeli nationals were present in Sri Lanka, with only four staying in Arugam Bay. more..

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Lanka allowed to join as partner member of BRICS; will join group’s development bank

Oct 27 (ST) Sri Lanka’s application to join the BRICS as a full member was not accepted, in view of the group’s decision to maintain the membership at nine, Foreign Affairs Minister Vijitha Herath told the Sunday Times. However, he said permission had been granted for Sri Lanka to join as a partner membership country. Mr. Herath said that permission had also been given to join the BRICS’ New Development Bank, which provides financial assistance to member countries. more..

Sri Lanka safe but worries over future tourist bookings

Oct 27 (ST) The Sri Lankan tourism industry is concerned about future bookings due to the series of travel advisories by the US and several other countries which generate travellers to the country, while Sri Lanka Tourism has urged tourists to visit saying they are safe. At the moment except for a few there have not been any cancellations by tourists visiting the Arugam Bay on the east coast, Tourist Hotels Association of Sri Lanka President M. Shanthikumar said. more..

A few Israelis remain in Sri Lanka surfing town despite terrorism warning

Oct 27 (Reuters) The last of the Israelis left in a scenic surfing hotspot in SL said they felt safe and would stay put despite a warning from the Israeli govt to immediately leave due to the threat of a possible terrorist attack. Israel's national security council called on Israelis on Wednesday to get out of tourist areas in the south of the Indian Ocean island nation, saying it had information about a terrorist threat focused on tourist areas & beaches. more..

Israeli citizens in Sri Lanka: Removal of arrival slips complicates tracking

Oct 27 (TM) The decision to eliminate arrival and departure slips, a legal requirement for all passengers entering and leaving Sri Lanka, from 1 May, has raised significant concerns regarding national security, particularly in locating Israeli citizens currently in the country. SL Immigration & Emigration Officers’ Association Secretary K.P. Manawadu had addressed this issue in a letter to the Controller General of the Department of Immigration and Emigration on 30 April. more..

Terror threats: Govt claims situation under control

Oct 27 (TM) In light of recent terror threats, Public Security Ministry Secretary Ravi Seneviratne has confirmed that security measures have been significantly enhanced nationwide. “The situation is currently under control,” he said, emphasising that authorities were actively implementing precautions to address any potential risks. Seneviratne said that with the support of all security forces, Sri Lanka had been able to bring the situation under control. “This threat is not just targeted at SL; more..

Plot to attack Israelis backed by a foreign power

Oct 27 (ST) Police have averted what would otherwise have turned out to be a massacre of Israelis in a synagogue in Arugam Bay on the southeast coast. The attacks had been planned for a day between Oct 19 and 24 during a largely attended religious event that was taking place, according to intelligence sources. They said investigations were underway to ascertain to what extent a foreign power was backing the plot more..

Shoot the Messenger or Shoot Yourself in the Foot?

Oct 28 (DM) Last Wednesday, we exposed Udaya Gammanpila when he attempted to embarrass the govt and garner some attention to himself, along with the govt’s response to his claims. We do not want to see the new Prez—born from the hopes and aspirations of the people, and poised to comfortably win the parliamentary elections and rule the country for next five years—lose his credibility so swiftly due to drama orchestrated by disgruntled politicians over a report by a politically motivated more..

Petty politics shouldn’t divert attention from justice to Palestine

Oct 28 (DM) The Middle East, more realistically East Asia, is now virtually a tinder box. Over the past decade or so Israel has assassinated a number of Iranian scientists. Iran protested the provocations but took no retaliatory action. Perhaps this emboldened Israel to attack the leader of Hamas earlier this month, while he was a guest of the Iranian govt. At this point, Iran retaliated. Hundreds of missiles rained down on Israeli military targets. Some cities too were hit. more..

FTZs have become places of misery

Oct 28 (CT) Free Trade Zone (FTZ) workers have long faced significant challenges financially, gender-based violence and sexual harassment and exploitation, but their plight during election time is especially concerning. Of the 80,000 FTZ workers in SL, 22% were unable to vote in the recent Prez Election, according to several civil organisations supporting their welfare. Nowhere else in the world would workers lose their attendance more..

National security & Border control

Oct 28 (TM) The recent disruption of day-to-day life and tourism in SL due to heightened risk warnings by several foreign nations, has pushed the island nation's porous border control system, and its Foreign Affairs apparatus back into the spotlight. With the US issuing a security alert for tourists, and officials regarding visiting the west-coast surfing magnet – Arugam bay, the warning opened a can of worms for the local tourism industry and the Govt, who were both left with their pants down, more..

The urgent fight against child sexual abuse

Oct 28 (GV) As defined by the UN Int'l Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC), a child is any person under the age of 18. This period of life for any child is supposed to be marked by safety, love and development. However for many children, these formative years are marred by abuse – an alarming reality that society must confront head on. According to statistics from the National Child Protection Authority (NCPA) for the first six months of this year, there were 4,380 child abuse more..

IPKF in Sri Lanka: A diplomatic blunder

Oct 28 (SO) A few days ago, Jaffna Teaching Hospital paid tribute to 21 civilians including patients and doctors who were gunned down by the IPKF personnel on Oct 21, 1987. The portraits of all 21 victims were displayed within the Hospital decorated with garlands to mark the 37th anniversary of the horrible incident. Indian Foreign Minister Subramaniam Jeyshankar, a career diplomat was functioning as a special official more..

President AKD! Constitutionalising social rights, Sine-Qua-Non for Sri Lanka!

Oct 28 (CT) Economic crisis has been long in the making. In response to the crisis, govt implemented dramatic austerity measures. People’s protests were a challenge to the existing economic order, authoritarian rule and in effect the deficiencies of the constitution. It was apparent that austerity as the only solution to economic recovery has been further driving the economy down the abyss. SL’s economic policies and the legal frameworks have been failing to secure the lives of ordinary people. more..