- The Examinations Department announced that it has been decided to temporarily suspend the ongoing 2024 G.C.E. Advanced Level Examination. Accordingly, the subjects which were scheduled to be held on November 27, 28 and 29 have been suspended, the Commissioner General of Examinations Amith Jayasundara said.
- The National Building Research Organisation (NBRO) has issued a ‘Level 3 (Red)’ Landslide Early Warning for several divisional secretariat divisions (DSDs) in Kandy, Matale and Nuwara-Eliya districts urging the residents of these areas to evacuate to safer locations. Accordingly, the Level -3 warning, valid for the next 24 hours.
- The Disaster Management Centre (DMC) says that the prevailing inclement weather conditions in the country have so far affected 77,670 persons from 22,532 families across 15 districts. It said that the bad weather-related incidents have resulted in the dead of one person and injured another 05.
- The Steering Committee of the Ad Hoc Group of Sri Lanka Bondholders has announced its support for the restructuring terms of all 11 series of Sri Lanka’s c.$12.55 billion in outstanding sovereign bonds, as detailed in Sri Lanka’s Exchange Offer and Consent Solicitation Memorandum published today.
- Sri Lanka’s new president, Anura Kumara Dissanayake, should address the country’s many human rights problems by fulfilling and building upon pledges he made in recent election campaigns, Human Rights Watch has said in a letter to the president. Human Rights Watch said in a statement that in his election manifesto, Dissanayake pledged to repeal the Prevention of Terrorism Act, remove abusive provisions of the Online Safety Act, establish an independent Directorate of Public Prosecutions separate from the attorney general’s office, aggressively combat corruption, and revise economic policies to promote equity.
- The Monetary Policy Board of the Central Bank of Sri Lanka (CBSL) has decided to implement a single policy interest rate mechanism, the Overnight Policy Rate (OPR), transitioning from its dual policy interest rate mechanism with effect from today (27 November). This has been introduced as announced in the Central Bank’s Annual Policy Statement in January 2024 and the subsequent announcement in September 2024 of the planned implementation of the single policy interest rate mechanism.
- Sri Lanka has announced the official launch of the exchange of its outstanding International Sovereign Bonds (ISBs) totaling approximately USD 12.55 billion, as of 25 November 2024. This follows the approval of the terms and conditions of the Invitation by the new Cabinet of Ministers of Sri Lanka, which was formed on 18 November 2024, Sri Lanka’s Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development said in a statement today.
- Most Venerable Karagoda Uyangoda Maithri Murthi Thero has been appointed the Mahanayake Thero of the Amarapura Chapter.
- Sri Lanka’s new government has responded to allegations over the lack of Muslim representation in its Cabinet of Ministers. “We didn’t form the Cabinet according to the race, religion or the cast. We have selected the persons who are very much capable to hold those ministerial portfolios,” Cabinet Spokesman, Minister Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa said.
- The Pakistan Cricket Board, in consultation with Sri Lanka Cricket, has postponed the last two 50-over matches of the Pakistan Shaheens-Sri Lanka ‘A’ series due to a political activity in the federal capital. The last two matches were scheduled for Wednesday and Friday at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium. Both boards will collaborate to finalise new dates to complete the series.
