Dec 14 (DN) Today marks Unduvap Poya, the final full moon of the year, celebrated in the month of December—a time that also commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ. This sacred day reminds us of the shared spiritual essence across traditions, as both Buddhism and Christianity emphasize love, compassion, and the value of life. Princess Sanghamitta was a charming and accomplished young woman, only sixteen years old when she married Prince Aggribrahama. more..

Dec 14 (DN) Charith Asalanka smashed an explosive 56 off 24 balls, with 5 fours and 5 sixes, as Jaffna Titans cruised to a comfortable 40-run win over Colombo Jaguars in the Lanka T-10 Super League on Thursday. The match, held at Pallekele, was the only game played on the second day (12). Asalanka was named Player of the Match for his match-winning knock. This was Jaffna Titans’ second consecutive win, during which they registered the highest team total so far in the tournament, more..

Dec 14 (ST) The high number of rejected votes in the recently concluded parliamentary elections has drawn the attention of EC. “The community and political party members showed great interest in understanding why votes were rejected in the last parliamentary elections, so I requested that the sealed document containing the report be opened to examine the exact reasons behind the rejection of ballot papers,” more..

Dec 14 (DM) Less than four months ago,, the results of this country’s Presidential election brought a smile to Lankan faces. The relatively young leader of the NPP, popularly known as AKD, was elected President. Until this time AKD had commanded just three MPs. At the General elections which followed in November, the NPP won a two-thirds majority. It left the political opposition in disarray. Under a parliamentary electoral system, one does not expect system change. more..

Dec 14 (Island) Fisheries Minister Ramalingam Chandrasekar has sought to address an issue that is expected to figure in talks between Prez Anura Dissanayake and Indian PM Narendra Modi shortly. Dissanayake is scheduled to leave for India tomorrow on a state visit. Minister Chandrasekar is reported to have said the longstanding fisheries dispute between SL and India could be resolved only if the Indian fishers stop bottom-trawling. A prerequisite for solving any problem is to more..

Dec 14 (ST) One of the Twitter messages posted by the US Prez Donald Trump caught the international media attention this week. The message reads as follows: “The idea that the BRICS Countries are trying to move away from the Dollar while we stand by and watch is OVER. We require a commitment from these countries that they will neither create a new BRICS Currency, nor back any other Currency to replace the mighty U.S. Dollar or, they will face 100 per cent tariffs, and should expect to more..

Dec 14 (ST) Deflation? The only word I understand is deflating a cycle tyre, laughed Kalabala Silva, the often-agitated academic. During a Thursday morning phone conversation, we were discussing the latest economic term to describe the country’s economy. Last week, the Central Bank said Sri Lanka had entered an era of deflation. There are three terms that govern rising or falling prices via the Cost of Living (COL) – inflation (when prices rise), deflation (short definition – when prices fall) more..

Dec 14 (ST) In September 2008, UPFA Kegalle District MP Anuruddha Polgampola tendered his resignation following allegations of trafficking a person to Japan by disguising his assistant. He had also been interrogated by Japanese Immigration and Emigration officials at Narita International Airport. The MP resigned in accordance with a decision by the JVP Central Committee. He was instructed to vacate his seat due to his alleged more..

Dec 14 (CT) Effective communication plays a vital role in governance. If communication is clear and effective, it contributes to promoting transparency and building trust between those holding power and the people who are being served. It helps citizens to better understand the policies and decisions of govts, thus fostering a sense of accountability. For any govt to function smoothly and efficiently and make decisions so that everyone benefits, the trust of its citizens is essential. more..

Dec 14 (CT) The Public Utilities Commission of SL (PUCSL) has announced public consultations on electricity tariffs for January to June 2025. Starting on 17 Dec, this process gives people a chance to share their views on the CEB's proposal to keep tariffs at current levels. This consultation is not just a bureaucratic step but an opportunity for citizens to weigh in on decisions that directly affect their lives. For many, the CEB’s proposal to keep rates unchanged is disappointing. more..

Dec 14 (DM) The current controversy surrounding Speaker Ashoka Ranwala’s higher educational qualifications evoke memories of an earlier controversy of a similar nature concerning a prominent person associated with the LTTE. The rumpus then was about the LTTE political strategist Anton Stanislaus Balasingham who was frequently referred to as Dr. Balasingham in the media. This was widely disputed by members of more..

Dec 14 (Island) As I have said with great relief before this, news in our land is good and actually excellent when compared with what spurts forth from other countries. The new government seems to be going seriously about its business of looking to the welfare of you, me, and more so our poorer brethren. Recent news of int'l gatherings had foreign VIPs voice their satisfaction in the way the country’s new leaders are settling down to their governing. What’s with the world then? more..

Dec 14 (DM) The moral high ground occupied by NPP govt has been threatened by the issues surrounding the title Dr. used by Speaker Asoka Sapumal Ranwala after many people started questioning and challenging the authenticity of it. The sudden eruption of this controversy seems to have left the NPP at a loss and even an otherwise witty Minister Nalinda Jayatissa who is also holding the same title but in the medical field, evaded the questions posed by the journalists on more..

Dec 13 (DM) Even though the required stocks of rice have been imported into the country, releasing these stocks to the local market has been difficult due to an increase in Customs duty charged per kilogram, a rice importer said. An importer from the Pettah market in Colombo mentioned that he had imported 500 tons of rice in 20 containers. "As requested by the govt, we imported the rice stocks before Dec 20. However, we are now facing difficulties in releasing the stocks from Customs," more..

Dec 13 (CT) CEB Chairman Tilak Siyambalapitiya stated that the torrential rains over the past two weeks have positively impacted the CEB. He also outlined future plans to reduce electricity costs through a strategic policy framework, emphasising the introduction of additional LNG plants to cut costs by 50% by 2028. Heavy rainfall during Nov and Dec filled catchment areas, while many raised the question of why fuel-based electricity production was not reduced and hydropower used instead. more..

Dec 13 (Hindu) The enduring fisheries conflict in the Palk Bay — which impacts fisher folk of northern Sri Lanka and daily wage fishermen of Tamil Nadu — can be decisively resolved only if the Indian side stops using the destructive bottom-trawling method, according to SL’s Minister of Fisheries Ramalingam Chandrasekar. The fisheries conflict has remained a key diplomatic issue between India and Sri Lanka for many years. more..

Dec 13 (PMD) Canadian Govt has expressed its strong commitment to supporting SL’s initiatives to combat corruption and fraud. This assurance was conveyed by Eric Walsh, the High Commissioner of Canada to SL, during a meeting with the Secretary to the President, Dr. Nandika Sanath Kumanayake, at the Presidential Secretariat today (12). High Commissioner Walsh emphasized Canada’s readiness to share its expertise and experiences in preventing corruption and fraud, more..

Dec 13 (NW) Minister of Ports Bimal Rathnayake says it is important that India’s Adani Group commences development of the West Container Terminal of the Colombo Port. Speaking to the media during a tour of the Colombo Port yesterday, Minister Rathnayake said objections were only raised on the Adani Group’s wind power project in Mannar as it is not feasible for SL. Commenting on the Port project, Minister said that an issue has arisen regarding funding, more..

Dec 13 (ABC) SL's former Deputy High Commissioner to Australia has been ordered to pay a further $117,000 to a domestic worker she paid less than 90 cents a day for three years in Canberra. Priyanka Danaratna came to Canberra in 2015 from Sri Lanka to work as a domestic servant for Deputy HC Himalee Arunatilaka, until she escaped in 2018. She could not read or speak English, and had her passport confiscated more..

Dec 13 (AD) U.S. Assistant Secretary for South and Central Asian Affairs at the Dept of State, Ambassador Donald Lu, along with Deputy Assistant Secretary for Asia and the Pacific at the U.S. Dept of the Treasury, Robert Kaproth, and Deputy Assistant Administrator of the Bureau for Asia at the USAID, Anjali Kaur, recently concluded a successful visit to Sri Lanka. During their visit, they engaged in high-level discussions with Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake, PM Dr. Harini Amarasuriya, more..

Dec 13 (AD) Fraud Investigation Bureau (FIB) has informed the Colombo Magistrate’s Court today that it has initiated an investigation into several candidates that contested the last Prez Election and their representatives who have failed to submit proper expense reports as mandated under the Regulation of Election Expenditure Act. FIB today presented facts before the court in relation to seven complaints filed by the EC regarding non-compliance with the Election Expenditure Act. more..

Dec 13 (AD) Two unidentified individuals who had arrived on a motorcycle have reportedly opened fire at a three-storey house located on Veedi Mawatha in Kandana. During the shooting incident, several bullets had also hit nearby houses while it is reported that a T-56 assault rifle had been used to carry out the shooting. The gunmen had targeted a residence belonging to Ranjith Kumara, also known as Kandane Konda Ranji. It is said that the individual known as Konda Ranji more..

Dec 13 (DN) Parliament will meet only on Tuesday, Dec 17, and Wednesday, Dec 18, said the Secretary General of Parliament, Mrs. Kushani Rohanadeera. The parliamentary business with regard to that week was decided at the Committee on Parliamentary Business held on the 6 th Dec under the chairmanship of the Hon. Speaker. Parliament will meet at 9.30 a.m. on Tuesday, Dec 17, and the time from 9.30 a.m. to 10.30 a.m. has been allotted for Questions for Oral Answers. more..

Dec 13 (DM) Claiming that the govt will not shield anyone who errs, for any reason, Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake said today anyone found guilty of wrongdoing will face the consequences. "Our govt is not here to shield anyone who errs, for any reason. Be it within the broader framework of the country or within our administration, anyone found guilty of wrongdoing will face the consequences. We will not hesitate to act more..

Dec 13 (AD) SJB parliamentary group, led by Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa, has commenced signing the Motion of No Confidence against the Speaker of Parliament. The SJB alleges that the Speaker, both before and during his campaign for the 2024 parliamentary election, and throughout his tenure as an MP and as the Speaker, has used the title Dr. alongside his name. According to the SJB, this implies he holds a B.Sc. in Chemical and Process Engineering from the Uni of more..

Dec 13 (FT) The SLFP has decided not to contest future elections under the National Democratic Front (NDF) alliance. The decision was confirmed by SLFP Treasurer Lasantha Alagiyawanna yesterday. Alagiyawanna clarified that the party’s Senior Vice President Faiszer Musthapha’s nomination to the National List was part of a pre-election agreement between the parties. Alagiyawanna dismissed allegations of conspiracy surrounding the appointment by coalition partner, the UNP, more..

Dec 13 (EN) SL’s weekly coconut auction was not held for the second consecutive week due to a lack of coconuts, an official has said. “We did not receive enough [coconuts] to have an auction,” a Coconut Development Board official said. Minister of Trade Wasantha Samarasinghe told parliament on December 5, that there was no shortage in the market for coconuts but a shortage being artificially created by a mafia. Samarasinghe was replying to a question raised by SLPP MP D V Chanaka. more..

Dec 13 (FT) Relatives of the late Major General Janaka Perera, including his brother have filed a formal complaint with the Ministry of Public Security, urging a renewed investigation into the circumstances surrounding his assassination and that of his wife, Wajira Perera. The couple was killed in a suicide bombing on 6 Oct 2008, in Anuradhapura. Priyantha Perera, a family member, revealed that the relatives have suspicions about the involvement of a particular regional politician more..

Dec 13 (DN) Minister Lal Kantha while thanking Russia for granting a consignment of 55,000 MT of Potassium Chloride fertiliser yesterday said that arrangements have been made to distribute the stock among farmers promptly. He said that the farmers are receiving the fertiliser in addition to the fertiliser subsidy and the Russian grant of fertiliser to SL at this critical juncture will help boost production too. more..

Dec 13 (NW) Russian Ambassador Levan S. Dzhagaryan has alleged that a European country blocked a consignment of free fertilizer to be granted to Sri Lanka under the World Food Programme. The Russian Ambassador revealed the details while addressing an event held to mark the official handing over of free mineral fertilizers to Sri Lanka. Ambassador Dzhagaryan said the Embassy was waiting for the arrival of this consignment of fertilizer for over 2 ˝ years. more..

Dec 13 (Island) Defence Secretary Sampath Thuyacontha (Retd) graced the induction ceremony of the Beechcraft King Air 350 aircraft held yesterday at the SLAF base in Ratmalana as the chief guest. Australian High Commissioner to SL, Paul Stephens, and Commander, Joint Agency Task Force (JATF) Operation Sovereign Borders (OSB), Rear Admiral Brett Sonter, were also present at the induction ceremony. The aircraft was recently handed over to the SLAF by the Australian govt. more..