Northern Provincial Council Chief Minister C.V.Wigneswaran has urged the government to stop acquiring lands in Valikamam North under the guise of developing the Palaly Airport and Myliddy Fisheries Harbour. Chief Minister Wigneswaran met Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe in Colombo on Monday (15) accompanied by Northern Provincial Council Ministers P. Aynkaranesan and T.Kurukularaja. The government agents from all five districts in the Northern Province also participated at the meeting.

Former President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga and Minister of Resettlement D. M. Swaminathan also participated at the meeting which had lasted for nearly two hours. Wigneswaran's delegation also submitted a detailed report on the areas identified for development activities in the North to the Prime Minister. The Chief Minister's report specifically mentions resettlement, rehabilitation, restoration and building of reservoirs, agriculture, education, and livelihood assistance for former militant cadres.

Chief Minister Wigneswaran pointed out to the Prime Minister, citing the development activities, that soon after the end of war the Security Forces in the North had acquired several fertile agricultural lands and lands in the coastal areas hampering even the fishing activities, " The people in Valikamam North are disturbed over the decision by even the new Government to continue with the land acquiring activities in Valikamam North under the guise of development activities. Palaly and Myliddy areas have remained economically vibrant in the pre-war situation. Most of the IDPs from the Peninsula are from Valikamam North. So they want to return to their original places and the government should stop its plans of acquiring land in Valikamam North and handover back those lands to the IDPs," Wigneswaran said.

Responding to the Chief Minister, Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe elaborated to him on the government's plans to develop the Northern Province. The Prime Minister stated that the International conference of the donor countries would be held in Colombo shortly and the government would seek the assistance from the donor countries for the development activities of the Northern Province.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has awarded Sri Lanka a $17 million grant for its proposal, “One Vision, One Shield,” aimed at strengthening pandemic preparedness and response.

In response to Daily Mirror story headlined ‘AKD, Harini clashes over UGC Chairman appointment?’ in yesterday’s edition, the Prime Minister’s Office sent the following clarification.

The latest financial disclosures from the Election Commission reveal that Sajith Premadasa and the Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB), lead in campaign spending for the 2024 Presidential Election, with a total expenditure of Rs. 1.13 billion.

Chanu Nimesha, the Secretary of Women's Affairs of the Sri Lanka Socialist party, has created history by becoming the first transgender individual to contest an election in Sri Lanka. Nimesha will contest from the Kegalle District.

The Department of Immigration and Emigration will visit the southern coastal belt in early November to look for any overstaying tourists from countries like Russia and Israel, where an influx of tourists are expected in the emerging South season for Christmas, the Daily Mirror learns.

The elite Special Task Force (STF) have heightened security in Colombo, Weligama and Ella as well, a day after the US Embassy in Colombo gave a warning of a possible terror threat in Arugam Bay, a senior defence source told Daily Mirror last evening.

While refuting claims by former President Ranil Wickremesinghe that his government had allocated funds required to increase public sector salaries, President Anura Kumara Dissanayake said that no such funds had been allocated.

A Fundamental Rights petition has been filed before the Supreme Court seeking an order preventing Ranjan Ramanayake from contesting the parliamentary election scheduled for November 14.

Claiming that Sri Lanka has come a long way in terms of undertaking reforms which have led to some hard won gains, the International Monetary Fund (IMF)said they could move fast towards the third review which will come up soon.

The Election Commission has decided to mark the voters' index fingers for this year's general elections, Commissioner General Saman Ratnayake announced. He said the elections are scheduled for November 14, 2024.