August 11, Colombo (LNW): The Election Commission has received 51 complaints in the last 24 hours related to the 2024 Presidential Election.
Of these, 25 were lodged with the National Election Complaint Management Centre, and 26 with District Centres.
Since July 31, a total of 320 complaints have been recorded, including one act of violence. The majority of these were directed to the National Centre.
August 11, Colombo (LNW): The Commissioner General of Inland Revenue has issued a warning to taxpayers about a fraudulent scheme involving individuals impersonating Inland Revenue officers to extort money from businesses.
The Commissioner clarified that all tax recoveries are handled through official legal channels with prior written notifications.
The Inland Revenue Department is not liable for payments made to these impostors and has reported the matter to the police.
Taxpayers are urged to verify tax payment requests by contacting the nearest Inland Revenue office directly.
August 11, Colombo (LNW): Former England cricketer and coach Ian Bell is set to join Sri Lanka’s support staff for their upcoming tour of England.
This move follows a request from interim head coach Sanath Jayasuriya, who highlighted the importance of local expertise in adapting to English conditions.
Bell’s extensive experience is expected to provide crucial insights into English pitches and weather, bolstering Sri Lanka’s preparations for the challenging tour.
August 11, Colombo (LNW): Gampaha District Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) MP Sudarshini Fernandopulle has reportedly declared her support for Sajith Premadasa, the Leader of the Opposition and the Samagi Jana Balawegaya’s (SJB) Presidential candidate, in the forthcoming election.
She made this announcement during a press conference in Colombo this (11) morning.
Meanwhile, former Minister Vijith Wijayamuni Soysa has pledged his support for President Ranil Wickremesinghe, having previously contested under the Samagi Jana Balawegaya banner but failing to secure a parliamentary seat.
August 11, Colombo (LNW): The Election Commission of Sri Lanka has published a special gazette specifying the election symbols allocated to recognised political parties and independent groups.
This notice, endorsed by the Commission’s Chairman, confirms the symbols that will appear on ballots in the forthcoming elections.
The gazette categorises symbols into those currently assigned to political entities and those reserved for future use, in accordance with the Parliamentary Elections Act, No. 01 of 1981.
August 11, Colombo (LNW): Sri Lanka’s official poverty line has experienced a significant threefold increase over the past decade, according to a recent report by the Department of Census and Statistics.
The poverty line rose from Rs 5,223 in 2012-2013 to Rs 17,014 by January 2024. The economic crisis of 2022 accelerated this rise, pushing inflation to unprecedented levels.
By May 2024, Colombo had the highest poverty line at Rs 17,608, followed closely by Gampaha at Rs 17,517 and Nuwara Eliya at Rs 17,169.
Districts such as Monaragala, Kilinochchi, and Hambantota recorded lower figures.
The official poverty line reflects the minimum income required for basic living expenses.
August 11, Colombo (LNW): Egypt’s Foreign Minister, Badr Abdelatty, met with his Sri Lankan counterpart, Ali Sabry, in Cairo to discuss enhancing trade and investment relations, as well as recent developments in the Gaza conflict.
Abdelatty praised the progress in bilateral cooperation, particularly the political consultations held in Colombo and the reactivation of the Egyptian-Sri Lankan Parliamentary Friendship Association.
He encouraged further Sri Lankan investment in Egypt’s manufacturing sector.
Sabry expressed interest in deepening economic, cultural, and counter-terrorism cooperation, with both sides agreeing to bolster tourism exchanges and benefit from Egypt’s expertise in training tourism and archaeology professionals.
August 11, Colombo (LNW): In the first four days of August, Sri Lanka saw 26,889 tourists arriving, as per the Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority (SLTDA).
Indian visitors led the way, comprising 14.6 per cent of the total with 3,922 arrivals.
The United Kingdom followed with 3,350 arrivals, representing 12.5 per cent. Significant numbers also came from China, France, Germany, Italy, and the Netherlands.
From January to August 4th, the country welcomed 1,224,948 tourists, marking progress towards the annual target of 2.3 million visitors.
August 11, Colombo (LNW): Atmospheric conditions are favourable for development of evening thundershowers in the island during the next few days, and showers or thundershowers, therefore, may occur at times in Western an Sabaragamuwa provinces and in Galle and Matara districts, the Department of Meteorology said in its daily weather forecast today (11).
Showers or thundershowers will occur at several places elsewhere of the island during the evening or night as well, the statement read.
Fairly heavy showers above 75 mm are likely at some places in Northern, North-central, Eastern and Uva provinces.
General public is kindly requested to take adequate precautions to minimise damages caused by temporary localised strong winds and lightning during thundershowers.
Marine Weather:
| Condition of Rain: |
| Showers will occur at several places in the sea areas off the coast extending from Puttalam to Matara via Colombo and Galle. Showers or thundershowers may occur at a few places in the other sea areas around the island during the afternoon or night. |
| Winds: |
| Winds will be westerly to south-westerly and wind speed will be (30-40) kmph. Wind speed can increase up to 50 kmph at times in the sea areas off the coasts extending from Mannar to Pottuvil via Puttalam, Colombo, Galle and Hambantota. |
| State of Sea: |
| The sea areas off the coasts extending from Mannar to Pottuvil via Puttalam, Colombo, Galle and Hambantota may be fairly rough at times. Temporarily strong gusty winds and very rough seas can be expected during thundershowers. |
August 10, Colombo (LNW): The Central Environment Authority (CEA) is urging devotees attending the Kandy Esala Perahera to dispose of waste responsibly, emphasizing the importance of environmental protection during the festival. Director General Hemantha Jayasinghe highlighted that the Perahera typically generates around three tons of polythene, plastic, and other solid waste daily.
To address this, a comprehensive waste management program, led by various institutions, has been in place for many years. Jayasinghe encourages devotees to use designated waste disposal sites and reduce the use of non-biodegradable materials like polythene and plastic, helping to minimize the environmental impact of the event.