Nov 11 (EN) SLPP’s younger members are pushing for more liberal ideas in a globalized world from within, says Milinda Rajapaksha, a party activist and vocal leader representing the group. Following the currency collapse, shortages and high inflation under the Prez Gotabaya Rajapaksa, the party split with a faction supporting ex-Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe in the last election, while its own candidate Namal Rajapaksha trailed far behind. The younger members are undaunted and more..

Nov 11 (Island) EPDP has denied the NPP’s claim that its leader Douglas Devananda sought a ministerial portfolio in a future NPP govt when he met Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake to exchange views on proposed fisheries projects and poaching carried out by the Indian fishing fleet in SL waters. In a strongly-worded statement, the EPDP has contradicted a declaration made by JVP National Organiser and former MP Bimal Ratnayake during a public rally held in Jaffna in support of NPP more..

Nov 11 (EN) Sri Lanka’s private credit grew 88.9 billion rupees in Sept 2024, on top of 135.1 billion rupees in August, while credit to govt declined. Credit to govt fell to 8,016 billion rupees in September from 8,058 billion rupees in August. Credit to state enterprises rose marginally by 5.8 billion rupees to 657.4 billion rupees. Central bank credit to govt fell 9.2 billion to 1,745 billion rupees. It is not clear whether the negative number came from govt deposits in banks, more..

Nov 11 (TM) The Electricity Consumers Association (ECA) accused the CEB of submitting incorrect data to the Public Utilities Commission of SL (PUCSL) and repeatedly delaying electricity tariff revisions, with the commission allegedly adopting a lax policy in response. ECA General Secretary Sanjeewa Dhammika said that although the electricity tariff revision should have taken place in September of this year, more..

Nov 11 (EN) Indian Navy submarine INS Vela arrived in Colombo on Nov 10 on a three-day visit, India’s High Commission (embassy) in Colombo said. INS Vela a Kalvari-class diesel-electric submarine, commissioned on Nov 25, 2021. The visit is classified as an Operational Turn Around (OTR), where the submarine will replenish provisions, the Indian embassy said. The crew will have the opportunity of visiting places of interest in and around Colombo. more..

Nov 11 (TM) The mid-corridor rate would be suited for the role of policy rate instead of a single policy rate as it would ensure liquidity developments, Bloomberg Economics said. Accordingly, the IMF has recommended that the Central Bank should move to a single rate to improve transmission of monetary policy replacing the two policy rates. There are two rates, the standing deposit facility rate (SDFR) - the minimum rates paid by the CB for the absorption of overnight excess liquidity more..

Nov 11 (ST) With more than 1.76 million registered voters across 15 electorates, the Colombo District is second only to Gampaha in terms of the voter count. Voters can choose from among 18 candidates to Parliament. The importance that all main political parties attach to the district is evidenced by the heavyweights they are fielding. The NPP candidates are being led by PM Harini Amarasuriya. more..

Nov 11 (DM) As SL stands on the cusp of a potential tourism boom, industry leaders are calling for a unified approach to drive demand for the destination while preserving its unique, authentic edge over competing markets. Tourism leaders emphasised that SL could double or even triple tourist arrivals over the next few years. They shared these insights at the inaugural South Asian Tourism Leadership Forum, held last week as part of the Colombo Design Festival at Cinnamon Life. more..

Nov 11 (Island) Sri Lanka are crafting a formidable T20 side that promises to be as hard to crack as a coconut by the time the 2026 T20 World Cup rolls around, says star all-rounder Wanindu Hasaranga. With SL co-hosting the tournament alongside India in Feb 2026, the national team has been on a hot streak this year, winning ten of the 11 series played at home across all formats. In just 15 months, they aim to be an outfit no opponent can easily topple. “This team has been together for about 3 yrs. more..

Nov 11 (DM) With the campaign period of the general election drawing to a close, the political parties are busy wrapping up propaganda activities. Former Fisheries Minister Douglas Devananda who is the leader of EPDP is contesting the election in the Jaffna district as usual. He shared his views on the recent meeting with President Anura Kumara Dissanayake and his plan for future dealings with the new govt. Q: What is unique about this general election? more..

Nov 11 (DM) Seasoned politician, economist and an academic Dr. Harsha de Silva who is contesting from the SJB from the Colombo District warns the NPP govt that it should not be acting up to follow the IMF programme with regard to the debt crisis just to please the international lender. He underscores that with a social market economic policy his party is following and the experience they have gathered, SJB is ready to help President Anura Kumara Dissanayake’s govt. more..

Nov 11 (CI) Roughly 20 days after the women's team won the T20 World Cup, and about a week after the men's Test team completed a whitewash of India at home, NZ's cricketers continue to do the near-impossible. On this occasion they defended 108 all out on a tricky - but far from unplayable - Dambulla surface. Lockie Ferguson bowled only two overs before having to leave the field because of a calf injury, but he claimed more..

Nov 11 (Island) On 8 October this year, the Cabinet media spokesman Vijitha Herath announced the new JVP/NPP Govt’s decision to strongly reject the US-UK draft resolution tabled by the UK at the recent session of the UNHRC, extending the mandate of an external evidence-gathering mechanism established by its 2022 resolution 51/1. On the following day, Sri Lanka’s Permanent Representative to the UN explained to the Council that Sri Lanka considered the latest draft as lacking consensus, more..

Nov 11 (DM) Former Minister Rajitha Senaratne says that it is only the former Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe that can review the country’s economy but not any other leader. “When Ethiopia went bankrupt few months ago, the IMF wanted them to follow Ranil Wickremesinghe’s method in stabilising the economy of SL. This shows how much confidence the IMF has with Wickremesinghe’s performances,” he said. According to Dr. Senaratne it was he who stopped Wickremesinghe more..

Nov 11 (Island) Almost all extrajudicial killings have remained unsolved in this country because they have been reduced to mere political slogans. During election campaigns, politicians gain a great deal of political mileage by shedding copious tears for the victims of barbaric violence and promising to ensure that justice is served, but they forget their promises after winning elections and being ensconced in power. This is the name of the game in Sri Lankan politics. more..

Nov 11 (TM) Sri Lanka has long struggled with rice shortages, a critical issue given that rice is the nation’s staple food. The country’s dependence on rice makes any disruption in its supply a direct threat to food security. In the 2022-2023 period, SL witnessed a severe rice shortage, driven by a combination of poor govt policies and hoarding by business owners. This crisis underscored the urgent need for a more robust, long-term approach to managing the nation’s rice supply. more..

Nov 11 (CT) On 6 Nov, four former SL Customs officers were sentenced by the Colombo High Court to 35 years of rigorous imprisonment (RI) for accepting a bribe of Rs 125 million, highest recorded bribery amount in SL history. This sum, seized during a raid conducted by the CIABOC, is considered the largest bribe nabbed by the commission to date. Convicted officers were alleged to have accepted this bribe alongside more..

Nov 11 (DM) Former Mayor of Kolonnawa Ravindra Udayashantha has entered the fray to contest under an independent party at the upcoming Parliamentary Elections. Having served as the mayor from 2011-2016 under the SLFP ticket, Udayashantha now feels that it is better to contest under an independent party because people have started to reject traditional political parties and politics altogether. In a candid interview with the Daily Mirror, Udayashantha spoke about his plans to develop Kolonnawa more..

Nov 11 (DM) One of the most experienced politicians in the country and Chairman of the SJB Imthiaz Bakeer Markar says that his party has prepared the plan to get the country out of the present crisis and place it on the right track and for that the party has the most experienced, talented, innovative and young team. Planning to enter the Parliament from the SJB National List Markar revealed the internal struggle that was carried out to bring about a system change within his original party UNP. more..

Nov 11 (TM) Sri Lanka enters another phase of its political evolution with the upcoming General Election loaded with over 8,800 contestants. The game comes following a Prez Election where 38 contestants competed. Despite its complexity, the Prez Election 2024 was held without women candidates, and the less number of women in the competition continues in the upcoming Parliamentary Election as well. more..

Nov 11 (DM) Nimal Lanza, a candidate contesting the general election under the gas cylinder symbol, speaks to The Daily Mirror about the current status of the economy, and what lies ahead. Q: How do you find yourself in the fray for the general election which is being conducted in a new context ,where traditional parties have been rejected by the people? A: That is a challenge in the aftermath of the defeat at the prez election. But, we are overcoming that challenge gradually. more..

Nov 11 (DM) Canvassing for the upcoming General election of 14 Nov ends tomorrow. Since 1947, when then Ceylonese first voted in the first parliamentary elections, our country has gone through seventeen General elections according to the Election Commission of this country. In all of these elections, prior to the 1977 General election which then Premier J.R. Jayawardene won with a 5/6 th majority; all governments which ruled the country, governed in alliance with other minor parties. more..

Nov 10 (ST) The month-long campaign by political parties and groups ends at midnight tomorrow for Thursday’s parliamentary elections. The first result after the vote count, Election Commission Chairman R.M.A.L. Ratnayake, said, could be expected at around 11 p.m. on Thursday night. He said he hoped the counting would be over, and all results declared by Friday evening. That is if there are no prolonged recounts. more..

Nov 10 (NW) Finance Ministry announced that there are no plans to close down SL Thriposha Ltd, the state-owned company that supplies nutritional supplements to mothers and children across the country. The ministry’s statement came after Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa claimed the govt intended to shut down the company, which serves as a key resource in combating malnutrition. At a recent gathering in Homagama, Premadasa criticized the govt, alleging a deceptive plan more..

Nov 10 (ST) The Kalutara district consists of eight polling divisions; Agalawatte, Bandaragama (Millaniya), Beruwala, Bulathsinhala, Horana, Kalutara, Mathugama and Panadura. The NPP has been holding campaign meetings in the district urging people to elect a strong NPP govt to advance President Anura Kumara Dissanayake’s agenda. “Instead of building ministries that benefit our peers and colleagues we want to develop ministries that serve the public. more..

Nov 10 (DM) The Iranian national, charged by the US Department of Justice (DoJ) on Friday in a murder-for-hire plot to assassinate then-candidate Donald Trump and an American journalist critical of Tehran, was also tasked with targeting Israeli tourists in SL, the DoJ said. The 51-year-old Iranian national Farhad Shakeri, an asset of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), “was tasked with targeting Israeli tourists in SL” more..

Nov 10 (ST) Gampaha District was a former stronghold of the SLPP during the last general elections, has undergone significant changes since then. Some key candidates have dropped out, while others have crossed over to other parties to contest. The district which consists of 13 electorates has more than 1.8 million voters, the highest number in any electoral district. A total of 19 MPs are to be elected from Gampaha. Former SLPP legislators such as Prasanna Ranatunga, Sisira more..

Nov 10 (TM) Approximately 400 weapons have already been handed over in response to a Govt directive aimed at civilians possessing firearms for personal protection, according to a well-placed Govt source. This measure comes amid a review process intended to enhance regulation and oversight of privately held arms. Ministry of Defence initially required all licensed firearm holders to surrender their weapons and ammunition to the Commercial Explosives, Firearms, and Ammunition more..

Nov 10 (CT) A special discussion was held on Friday at the Presidential Secretariat, chaired by Dr Nandika Kumanayake, Secretary to the President. The meeting was attended by officials from the Irrigation Dept, National Water Supply and Drainage Board, and related Ministries. It focused on determining whether the salinity barrier is contributing to floods that have caused significant agricultural damage. It was decided that a comprehensive study is essential to more..

Nov 10 (DM) The vehicle owned by Samagi Jana Sandanaya (SJS) National Organiser and national list nominee Sujeewa Senasinghe has been cleared by the govt analyst as being genuine. Senasinghe said that the vehicle was handed over to the govt analyst yesterday and later released. "They wanted to subject my vehicle to a test by the govt analyst as they were suspicious that it was illegally assembled. However my vehicle was returned to me after it was determined that the vehicle was genuine," more..

Nov 10 (AD) Computer Crime Investigation Division (CCID) of the CID has uncovered a large-scale online financial scams racket in Colombo. A total of 59 suspects, including two persons who headed the racket, were arrested on suspicion of orchestrating the scheme. The scammers targeted foreign nationals, defrauding victims of an estimated Rs. 300 million. Korean Embassy in SL filed a complaint with the CID more..

Nov 10 (ST) The long-delayed local council elections are set to take place in January next year, with the Election Commission due to start preparations soon after the parliamentary poll. The elections were earlier estimated to cost more than Rs eight billion, and the Election Commission will send new estimates to the Treasury to obtain funds for the conduct of the election, according to Election Commission Chairman R.M.A.L. Rathnayake. He said EC had previously asked for Rs. 8 bil more..