Nov 10 (AD) The UGC says that all universities across the island will remain closed on Nov 13 and 14, in view of the 2024 General Election. This has been communicated to all Vice Chancellors of universities, Rectors of campuses and Directors of institutes in writing by the UGC Vice-Chairman, K.L. Wasantha Kumara. The letter states that in order to secure the voting rights of the university students, the commission at its meeting held on Nov 7 decided to inform of the declaration more..

Nov 10 (DM) A shooting incident was reported at the Lotus Tower during a musical show last night, police said. A private security officer associated with the musical group was injured in the shooting. Details of the person or persons involved in the shooting have not yet been disclosed. The injured security officer was admitted to the General Hospital, Colombo. The Lotus Tower management stated that the injured individual was part of the musical event’s organising group and had no connection to more..

Nov 10 (NW) SriLankan Airlines has canceled multiple flights in recent days due to technical issues with several aircraft, the airline confirmed. The airline said the cancellations are necessary to prioritize passenger safety while its teams work to resolve the issues and restore normal flight schedules. Affected passengers have been provided with meals and hotel accommodations, according to SriLankan Airlines, which is coordinating alternative travel arrangements to help passengers more..

Nov 10 (TM) Govt is set to re-open the Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) procurement process for the establishment of a Floating Storage Regasification Unit (FSRU) and an LNG pipeline, which was cancelled by the previous administration led by former Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe. In Aug 2023, the then Cabinet suspended the long-delayed LNG procurement process for the establishment of the FSRU and LNG pipeline. more..

Nov 10 (ST) Colombo’s stock market is predicted to go up further after the general election on Nov 14, several industry analysts said. A senior stockbroker said that the new Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake has still not incurred major expenses in his office in the past five weeks. “This is seen as a positive. The tourist arrivals are trickling in. The Lankan rupee and the tea exports have strengthened,” he added noting that all these have contributed to investor confidence. more..

Nov 10 (Island) Kahawatte Plantations PLC (KWPL) is entering an exciting phase of transformation, aligning its vision with modern, sustainable and innovative practices. As a leading Regional Plantation Company in Sri Lanka, KWPL stands poised to redefine plantation management by combining traditional stewardship with forward-thinking strategies, reinforcing its role as an influential and adaptable player in Sri Lanka’s agricultural sector, a news release said. more..

Nov 10 (TM) As the nadu rice shortage continues to intensify across the country, the Govt has announced it will not be importing rice to stabilise the market, leaving millions of households grappling with rising costs and dwindling availability of the staple grain. Despite growing concerns over food security and price hikes that are squeezing family budgets, the Trade Ministry has ruled out any plans for importing rice to ease the current scarcity. more..

Nov 10 (Island) This year has been nothing short of a joyride for SL’s top-order dynamo, Pathum Nissanka. He’s been the man with the Midas touch, transforming matches into memorable wins and notching up milestones as if they were entries on a to-do list. In all formats, Pathum’s consistency has become the backbone of SL’s resurgence. Sure, Kamindu Mendis has stolen some of the spotlight, equalling Sir Don Bradman himself—no small feat. But Pathum has quietly carved his own more..

Nov 10 (ST) Sri Lanka Masters hockey team departed for Auckland, New Zealand, to represent the nation at the Masters Hockey World Cup 2024, taking place November from 6 to 16 at the prestigious National Hockey Centre in North Harbour. This global event, featuring teams from 26 countries, offers SL a significant opportunity to compete on an international stage and showcase its hockey talent. This marks the third time SL Masters will participate in this prestigious tournament, more..

Nov 10 (SO) The Stubbs Shield, a prestigious school boxing championship with a remarkable 105-year history, has been the cornerstone of SL boxing. However, since its integration into the All Island National School Games under the Ministry of Education in 1992, the championship has faced challenges that have diluted its status and compromised its standards. The 105th edition of the Stubbs Shield saw nearly 500 participants from 132 schools, including entrants with no prior more..

Nov 10 (Island) Whether the participation of monks in representative politics is permissible (or proper), has been a matter of periodic discourse in the media. In preparing this note, I can claim no expertise (nor authority), on the discipline or set of rules for the Maha Sangha. Incidentally, I personally prefer to be considered as one who seeks to follow the Dhamma, rather than as a Buddhist. The ordained ones have themselves chosen to enter the Community referred to collectively as more..

Nov 10 (CI) On a turning Dambulla track, SL's spinners claimed six wickets between them, kept a leash on the scoring rate, and restricted NZ to 135 all out. It should have been a straightforward chase, even despite the conditions. But it needed a cool head, which is what captain Charith Asalanka provided with his 35 not out off 28. SL got home with six balls to spare, and 4 wickets in hand, although result was never super tense. more..

Nov 10 (ST) The SL cricket team has experienced a resurgence in recent months, with strong performances on the field. However, those who bring the action to viewers watching from the comfort of their homes–production crew and local commentators–have been left in limbo, awaiting payment for their work. According to multiple sources from the team working for Innovative Production Group (IPG), led by Anil Mohan, the company that holds the production rights more..

Nov 10 (CT) Say, what is the irony of the ongoing campaign for the Parliamentary Polls that is only days away, on 14 Nov? The UNP-NDF campaigners of predecessor Ranil Wickremesinghe, who came a distant third in the Prez Poll of September have been endlessly declaring that he would return to office sooner than later – and that the nation would want him back, the same way it had sought him out (?) at the height of the economic crisis in 2022. In comparison, the campaign by more..

Nov 10 (Island) Readers who had the opportunity of watching the YouTube report of the concession speech of Kamala Harris, defeated by Donald Trump at the Nov 5 U.S. Prez election, would have been treated to an exceptional performance by an exceptional woman, her voice hoarse from the whirlwind 13-week campaign during which she sought what is arguably the world’s most powerful job. Immaculately dressed and groomed as she always was during her term as Vice Prez more..

Nov 10 (CT) President Dissanayake made a smart decision to dissolve parliament after winning the presidential election on Sept 21. The national legislature was dissolved on Sept 24, and the election has been scheduled for Nov 14, 2024. Parliamentary elections in Sri Lanka are increasingly becoming predictable regarding winners and losers. The Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) wanted a two-thirds majority in 2020, and the SLPP-led coalition won a two-thirds majority. more..

Nov 10 (ST) The battle for preferential votes at the parliamentary election is on, and candidates have come up with some catchy phrases so that the voters remember them. The Sunday Times put together a list of some of the catchier ones. A Kandy District candidate contesting under the New Democratic Front (NDF) with the gas cylinder as its symbol opted to use a phrase often used by the opposition for their campaign. more..

Nov 10 (ST) My dear voters, I thought of writing to you again because you will be going to the polling booths for a second time in less than two months to cast that all-important cross on the ballot paper on Thursday. It is a task which is as decisive as what you did in September. I hope you will take it as seriously as you did then. I say so because, looking around you, you may sometimes wonder whether there is an election at all. The enthusiasm which we saw at the last election appears to more..

Nov 10 (ST) Is it the calm before the storm as parliamentary elections next week take their course in unusual quietness? Our team of reporters who fanned out to the cities and the countryside have the following conclusions: (1) those new voters of the JVP/NPP are not particularly impressed with the per-formance of the new administration; (2) they feel this alliance is unaccustomed to governance and finding its way; (3) the new administration has been unable to ramp up on their campaign pledges; more..

Nov 10 (TM) With the country inching towards this week’s Parliamentary Elections that will decide its next govt at a crucial and decisive time, Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake (AKD) has taken it upon himself to engage in district-level public rallies in support of his party, the JVP-led NPP, at the upcoming polls. The reason for Prez AKD to personally engage in the JVP/NPP campaign is further indication that the country’s politics more..

Nov 10 (TM) The US has completed what could only be termed a Prez Election for the ages, with Republican challenger, former President Donald Trump emerging triumphant and creating history in the process. Trump, who until election day was projected as running neck and neck with Kamala Harris, ultimately won by a formidable margin and became the first US Prez in over a century to make a comeback and win a second term. For us Sri Lankans, this particular Trump win appears to more..

Nov 10 (SO) It is always difficult to identify a single issue that resonates with voters at election time and political parties often pin their hopes on a number of issues to get the electorate’s endorsement. This is often a hit-and-miss process, but sometimes leaders and parties zero in on the most pressing issues with almost 100 percent accuracy. This was the case with the recent Presidential Election in the US, where winning Republican candidate Donald Trump correctly identified the economy and more..

Nov 9 (EN) Sri Lanka’s remittances coming from its overseas expatriate workers gained 13.9% to $587.7 million in Oct 2024 compared to the same month last year, helped by more expatriates using the official banking channels. The total remittances in the first 10 months of this year also crossed $5.4 billion with a 11.7% gain compared to $4.7 billion in the same period in the last year, the latest data showed. more..

Nov 9 (Island) Officials managing animal health in Sri Lanka were cautiously resuming pork sales after successfully containing the spread of African Swine Fever, Dr. G.A.D. Nandasiri, Deputy Provincial Director at the Department of Animal Production and Health for the Western Province, informed The Island on Friday. In late October, the govt issued a gazette notice prohibiting the transport, slaughter, and sale of pigs, infected with African Swine Fever, to curb the outbreak. more..

Nov 9 (DM) With heavy inter-monsoonal rain beating the country, the election authorities have decided to work out extra plans along with the Disaster Management Centre (DMC) to conduct polling of the General Election next Wednesday without any impact from a possible disaster situation, an official said. DMC and the Election Commission held a meeting yesterday to discuss possible disaster mitigation measures for the conduct of the General Election. Polling will take place on Wed more..

Nov 9 (Island) The misuse of state property has decreased drastically compared to the situation prior to the 21 Sept prez election, Rohana Hettiarachchi, says Executive Director of the PAFFREL. Hettiarachchi said that overall the prez election had been one of the cleanest elections SL had ever seen. “The massive misuse of state property was the only problem with the September presidential election. We even went to court more..

Nov 9 (Island) The period of silence prior to the 14 Nov general election commences from midnight on 11 Nov, Commissioner General of Elections Saman Sri Ratnayake has said, warning that any candidate who violates it will have to face legal action. “I urge all candidates and their supporters not to campaign during the silent period. We have observed during recent elections that some candidates and their family members continued campaigning during the period of silence. more..

Nov 9 (Island) Ceylon Teachers Union (CTU) announced that teachers who performed election duties during the prez election in September had not received payment for their services. CTU General Secretary Joseph Stalin noted that the same teachers have now been called upon to do parliamentary election duties. “We have inquired from the Election Commission about the delay in payment, and they informed us that zonal education offices had not yet provided the necessary more..

Nov 9 (DN) Amid rising concerns over the resurgence of measles in Sri Lanka, the Health Ministry has launched a measles-rubella vaccination programme in 12 targeted districts. The campaign, set to run for four weeks from November 8, aims to curb the spread of the disease, which had previously been eradicated in the country. A series of public awareness programmes took place from November 4 to November 9, focusing on educating the public about the vaccination initiative. more..

Nov 9 (Island) A large numbers of Hindu devotees gathered at the Kandhasami Kovil in Vavuniya on Thursday to witness the Suranporu performance, a Hindu ritual.Suranporu is the culmination of the week-long Kanda Shasthi Vratam festival and is held on the sixth or seven days after Diwali. Devotees flocked braving heavy rains and prompting the police to divert traffic along alternative routes. The Suranporu performance is based on the legend of Murugan, also known as Kanda, more..

Nov 9 (ST) Despite govt assurances that it would be able to end the long queues for passports by mid-October, massive queues have been observed at the Dept of Immigration and Emigration (DIE) over the past week, as many who hope to go abroad continue to face severe inconveniences owing to backlog of prospective passports that are yet to be issued by the Dept. With no end to these long queues in sight, DIE announced more..

Nov 9 (DM) The total auction offerings crossed the 6.0 million kilogramme mark, after a lapse of five months. The weak market sentiment continued amidst a selection of well-made/good quality teas continuing to realise a premium price. The Ex-Estate offerings comprised of 0.8 million kilogrammes. The overall quality of tea showed no significant change, with a higher availability of teas of fair average quality. The Best Western BOP/BOPFs – A small selection of teas, more..