- President Anura Kumara Dissanayake says an allowance will be provided for school children who are unable to purchase stationary books and equipment. He stated that this allowance will be provided when the new school term begins at the end of January next year.
- As per data released by the Central Bank of Sri Lanka (CBSL), US$ 2,533.7 million has been recorded as tourism earnings from January to October 2024. This marks a significant 59% increase compared to the same period in 2023, where US$ 1,593.4 million was recorded as tourism revenue.
- The Department of Motor Traffic (DMT) says that the courts have temporarily suspended over 3,000 driving licenses during the time elapsed this year (2024). The Commissioner General of Motor Traffic, Nishantha Anuruddha Weerasingha, stated that a total of 3,249 driving licenses have been temporarily suspended since January this year due to court orders following trials for various traffic violations committed by motorists.
- The Ministry of Education (MoE) has announced that all schools across the island will remain closed on November 13 and 14 due to the 2024 General Election. The closed schools are scheduled to reopen on November 18.
- The Chairman of the Election Commission R.M.A.L. Rathnayake requests all the voters in Sri Lanka to exercise their franchise in the upcoming General Election. He stated that as voting is a right granted to people by the country’s Constitution, the public should cast their votes.
- Sri Lanka has recorded an 11.7% increase in workers’ remittances from January to October 2024 compared to the same period in 2023, according to latest figures released by the Central Bank of Sri Lanka (CBSL).The cumulative figure for the period from January to October 2024 stands at USD 5,431.5 million, reflecting this significant growth.
- Former President Ranil Wickremesinghe says despite the International Monetary Fund (IMF) having projected Sri Lanka’s growth to be moderate in 2024-25, at around 3%, it was at 4.4% at present. Speaking at a public event, the former President said that Sri Lanka’s growth has the potential to reach 5% next year.
- Sri Lanka Police says it has so far received 340 complaints related to the upcoming parliamentary election. Police Media Spokesperson DIG Nihal Thalduwa stated that a total of 364 individuals, including 11 candidates and 356 supporters, have been arrested for election law violations.
- The Ministry of Education has issued a circular for school principals and relevant education authorities to oversee and minimize the adverse effects of school social media groups, introduced following the Covid-19 pandemic. The circular states that as reports of negative effects of school groups on social media platforms like WhatsApp, Viber, Telegram etc., introduced for students’ use during the Covid-19 pandemic have been reported, the relevant principals and education authorities are instructed to act as admins of said groups to reduce such negative effects.
- Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya convened a meeting with senior officials from key government institutions, under the Ministry of Technology and public sector institutions providing information technology services. The Prime Minister underscored the importance of advancements in science and technology within the ministry and reviewed the ongoing progress of IT services to foster Sri Lanka’s development.
