Dec 6 (USE) This year, the US Embassy in SL proudly marks the 20th anniversary of the English Access Scholarship Program (Access), a free, transformative initiative that has empowered over 1,300 SL youth with English language skills, leadership development and cross-cultural connections since its inception. Launched globally in 2004 by the US Dept of State, the Access Program provides economically disadvantaged students aged 13 to 15 with a robust foundation in English more..

Dec 6 (ST) As a deep depression in the Bay of Bengal battered SL with gale-force winds and heavy showers, bringing about several deaths and injuries to numerous people, it was all aspects of trauma that came under extensive discussion at the National Trauma Conference 2024. The three-day conference from Nov 28-30, organised by the Trauma Secretariat of the Health Ministry in collaboration with the WHO on the theme Trauma to Triumph: Building Connections & Collaborations more..

Dec 6 (FT) In a critical update to the ongoing litigation between Hamilton Reserve Bank (HRB) and Govt of SL, the Court has set deadlines to address Sri Lanka’s motion for a 45-day additional stay moved recently. The requested stay aims to facilitate the completion of SL’s sovereign debt restructuring, a process the nation asserts is at a critical juncture and essential to its recovery. Earlier this week Judge Denise Cote of more..

Dec 6 (TM) Sri Lanka’s campaign at the ASBC Asian Elite Men and Women Boxing Championships in Chiang Mai, Thailand ended in disappointment on the fifth day of the competition as two medal contenders were eliminated in the quarterfinals on Wednesday (4), delivering contrasting performances. In the Men’s middleweight (75 kg) division, SL’s youngest participant Yazmin Muhammad Usaith, 20, lost a hard-fought bout to Chinese Taipei’s Liu Cheng-En by a 4:1 split points decision. more..

Dec 6 (DN) Julie Hope of Cyclone Aquatics, based in Dubai, lit up the National and Junior National Short Course Swimming Championship by setting her third junior national record by the end of the second day of the SL Aquatic Sports Union (SLASU) conducted competition continued at Isipathana College Swimming Pool yesterday. Hope, the Dubai-based swimmer, training with Janaka Prasad’s Colombo Swimming Academy, broke the Under-15 Girls 200m Freestyle record with a stunning time of more..

Dec 6 (TM) Introducing a board wealth tax in Sri Lanka is currently unfeasible due to limited legal and institutional capacity, along with low political support for new taxes, a Colombo-based policy think tank said. According to the think tank Arutha, having a nationwide wealth tax in SL is not feasible due to legal issues and institutions, and there is low political support. It said that existing wealth tax proposals are tailored to advanced economies more..

Dec 6 (DN) SL Under-19 team, led by Vihas Thewmika, will meet the India U-19 team in the Asia Cup semi-final today at Sharjah Cricket Stadium, commencing at 10:30 a.m. SL youth team finished the league round with an unbeaten record, having back-to-back three wins, while the India team, led by Mohamed Amaan, lost to Pakistan in their first group match but fought back strongly to win the next two matches against UAE and Japan, finishing in second place in points table to reach semi-final. more..

Dec 6 (FT) The UK-SL Trade Mission, co-organised by the International Trade Centre (ITC) and SL Export Development Board (EDB), successfully concluded its Jaffna program on 4 Dec. This initiative highlighted the export potential of women-led businesses in SL, particularly in the Northern region. The program, part of the UK Govt-funded SheTrades Commonwealth+ program, provided a platform for women entrepreneurs in SL to connect with UK buyers and explore new trade opportunities. more..

Dec 6 (Island) SL is facing a severe rice shortage, and the situation is bound to take a turn for the worse unless remedial action is taken forthwith. The country has produced enough paddy, according to the Dept of Agriculture, and the govt itself has said there are sufficient stocks of paddy! If so, why has a rice shortage occurred? Minister Wasantha Samarasinghe told Parliament that rice millers had agreed to release 200,000 kilos of rice daily to be sold at the maximum retail price more..

Dec 6 (CI) South Africa's status as the Rainbow Nation is down to the diversity of its people, but for the visitor, the place has a broad range of experiences it can push you through too. The first place I'm staying in, the building has a colonial-gothic edge to it. Inside, the vibe is abandoned mental asylum, replete with the kind of elevator where you shut the door and a metal grille slides across, plus corridors out of Stanley Kubrick's The Shining, & over-large bathrooms that look like more..

Dec 6 (CI) Ryan Rickelton scored a first Test century in his eighth match and became the eighth batter for South Africa to bring up a hundred in 2024 on an evenly shared day at St George's Park. After choosing to bat first in blustery conditions, South Africa teetered on 44 for 3 in the morning session but a 133-run fourth wicket stand between Rickelton and Temba Bavuma, who brought up his third successive score over fifty, more..

Dec 6 (Island) Dr. Ganeshan Wignarajah, in his capacity as an advisor to the SL President, and member of the Geopolitical Cartographer board, as mentioned in the latest Indo-Pacific Defence Forum, dealt with the ongoing economic-political-social crisis here. Dr. Wignarajah, who had served as the Executive Director of the Lakshman Kadirgamar Institute (LKI) during the Yahapalana administration, quite confidently asserted (i) economic mismanagement (ii) Chinese loans and more..

Dec 6 (Island) Things seem to be moving well in our beloved country and this is a great change from how things were before September and in the past years. We could only wring our hands in consternation and cry out “When will our lives improve? When will Sri Lanka rise to be the country, we older ones knew?” We witnessed wanton extravagance in govt spending; corruption all across the political and bureaucratic boards, and the poor getting poorer and more destitute. more..

Dec 6 (TM) Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake yesterday stressed that he regards the media not as outsiders but as an integral part of the effort to build a better State and improve the lives of all citizens. He made these remarks during a meeting held with the heads of electronic media organisations at the Prez Secretariat. Prez highlighted that the people expect a good political culture and elected the current Govt to fulfil that expectation. He invited all media organisations to collaborate more..

Dec 6 (CT) As SL prepares for the festive season, the Govt’s proactive measures to ensure the availability of essential food items reflect a commitment to safeguarding both consumer access and affordability. However, the complexities surrounding rice and coconut supplies highlight the need for long-term reforms and strategic planning to avoid future crises. Minister of Trade Wasantha Samarasinghe’s announcement that rice millers will supply 200,000 kg of rice daily through more..

Dec 6 (TM) In this period of fiscal crisis, the new NPP Govt has set out its policies of tightening public expenditure budgets, especially in terms of entitlements, allowances, and privileges granted to MPs, ministers, and former presidents. Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake, as an MP in 2022, criticised the privileges of new State Ministers of the Ranil Wickremesinghe Govt at the time, especially amid the prevailing economic hardships more..

Dec 6 (DM) The bus plying from Kaduwela to Colpetty- bearing the route number 177- stopped briefly at Rajagiriya to pick more passengers. That was when an individual boarded the bus and accepted a mobile phone that he had left in the bus which was now being returned to him by the driver. When the mobile phone owner offered some money to the driver for keeping his phone safe, the conductor of the bus intervened and said “If we are going to accept money as a reward, more..

Dec 6 (ST) Dr. George Neufeld is a Canadian citizen, who has a PhD in Computer Science and Mathematics, and has served at PwC in Canada. His extensive service in the area of Change Leadership has also been acknowledged by Brian Mulroney, one of the former Prime Ministers of Canada. George is not only a frequent visitor to Sri Lanka but also a matured intellectual who has knowledge about many areas of our political economy, covering the good, the bad, and the ugly all. more..

Dec 6 (DM) Those strolling along the Dehiwala beach heading towards Mount Lavinia will be greeted sensorially by one of Colombo’s unfortunate garbage disposal sites. To pinpoint the exact location: It lies just beyond the area where the canal meets the beach, with fishing boats scattered along the shoreline and wooden houses, primarily belonging to fisher-folk, lining the coast. It was Patrick Hengst, a Dutch national more..

Dec 6 (CT) Sri Lanka has been under the influence of neoliberal, open economic policies and authoritarian political tendencies over several decades, followed by political populism in the recent past. As is well known, poor governance has been an integral part of the political landscape of the country during this period. The adverse economic, social, political, cultural and environmental issues that arose as a result of the above policies and increasing mismanagement of public affairs more..

Dec 6 (GV) The recent electoral victory of the NPP has ushered in a wave of optimism and speculation regarding the country’s economic trajectory. Amid a backdrop of economic turbulence, the NPP’s promise of transformative change resonates deeply with a population yearning for stability and growth. However, the challenges facing the new administration are as daunting as they are urgent. SL’s economy has endured significant hardships in recent years including a sovereign debt crisis, more..

Dec 5 (DM) Most lunch boxes and water bottles available in the local market are not suitable for children to store their food, PHI Union Chairman Upul Rohana said. Many of these products contain Bisphenol A (BPA), an industrial chemical used in the production of polycarbonate plastics, epoxy resins and metal products. Due to the widespread use of single-use plastic products in the local market, Rohana urged the public to purchase and use plastic items marked with number 5 more..

Dec 5 (FT) The Court of Appeal, on 11 Sept, ordered former MP Hirunika Premachandra to appear in person before the Court of Appeal yesterday for an inquiry into a Contempt of Court application filed against her by young business leader Hardy Jamaldeen. In the application, Jamaldeen claimed that Premachandra committed the offence of Contempt of Court by criticising an order issued by the Mount Lavinia Magistrate’s Court concerning him during a press conference held on more..

Dec 5 (EN) More than 60 Sri Lankans, including military officials, have been included in a list submitted by the International Truth and Justice Project (ITJP) seeking sanctions and travel bans for human rights and economic crimes in the country and multiple universal jurisdiction cases. The submissions have been sent to the govts of the US, UK, Australia, and Canada as well as the European Union and the United Nations, more..

Dec 5 (EN) People with disabilities, especially women and girls, are often vulnerable during climatic, weather and natural disasters UNFPA in Sri Lanka has said. “Persons with disabilities face heightened risks during disasters, with women and girls often bearing the brunt due to gender and other biases,” UNFPA SL Representative Kunle Adeniyi said. In a message on social media to mark the International Day of Disabled Persons on December 3, Adeniyi said UNFPA SL supports them, more..

Dec 5 (DM) Farmers can take any action regarding damages to crops by wild animals within their cultivated lands, Minister of Agriculture, Livestock, Land and Irrigation Lal Kantha said today. He told Parliament that damages to crops by wild animals, especially toque monkeys, has been a serious issue with some even calling it toque monkey terrorism. The Minister said that damages caused by wild animals have been an issue not only to farmers but the public as well. more..

Dec 5 (Island) Former Foreign Minister Ali Sabry has hit back hard at those who found fault with him for referring to the LTTE as a terrorist organisation. Responding to critics, the former MP has issued a statement reiterating that the now defunct LTTE as a terrorist organisation. “Recently, I was criticized by some individuals, particularly certain members of the diaspora who are completely out of touch with ground realities more..

Dec 5 (NW) St Cross College at the University of Oxford has welcomed Venerable Wadigala Samitharathana as the first Sri Lankan Buddhist monk to attend the university in 105 years. Venerable Samitharathana, a Glorisun Scholar, is pursuing an MPhil in Buddhist Studies at the college, marking a historic milestone for both Sri Lanka and Oxford. St Cross College is one of the constituent colleges of the Uni of Oxford in England, known for its vibrant and diverse academic community. more..

Dec 5 (NW) The govt has decided to relocate several public institutions currently housed in rented buildings to state-owned premises, aiming to reduce the financial burden of high rental payments. Minister Sunil Handunnetti announced the decision in Parliament today. Highlighting the extent of rental expenses, he revealed that the National Gem and Jewellery Authority pays Rs. 5 million monthly, while the Ministry of Commerce incurs a staggering Rs. 6.5 million monthly rental cost. more..

Dec 5 (TM) All former MPs have vacated their houses at the Madiwela Housing Complex, allowing the allocation of residences to newly elected parliamentarians. According to the Secretary-General of Parliament Kushani Rohanadeera, 40 new MPs have received houses, while 20 re-elected MPs were reassigned their previous accommodations. The handover of official residences began on 3 Dec, following instructions from the new Government to clear houses more..

Dec 5 (NW) SL Embassy in Lebanon has made necessary arrangements to evacuate 55 vulnerable Sri Lankan workers from Lebanon on a group basis, due to the conflict with Israel. SL Embassy said the evacuation is being carried out in association with the International Organization of Migration (IOM). Accordingly, the latest group of 26 Sri Lankans were repatriated to Colombo last evening. Appreciating the assistance of the IOM in Lebanon, SL Embassy expressed hope in working together to more..