Chess is very popular in Sri Lanka. Well over 500 players, mainly children and young people, took part in the 12th Dhamso International Chess Festival in 2025. A A C B Amarasinghe scored 9 points from 10 rounds to win the tournament. | Photo: From left: Mr Nuwan Karunakalage, Mr Chamin Dennis Livera, CM A A C B Amarasinghe, Mr …
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Founder’s Briefs: An occasional series where Mongabay founder Rhett Ayers Butler shares analysis, perspectives and story summaries. In a move hailed as a long-overdue conservation victory, Sri Lanka has formally declared Nilgala — a sweeping mosaic of grasslands, forests and sacred sites — as a protected forest reserve, reports contributor Malaka Rodrigo for Mongabay. Spanning more than 40,000 hectares (100,000 acres), Nilgala is now …
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Sagarika Hitihamu – Senior Research Officer Hector Kobbekaduwa Agrarian Research and Training Institute (HARTI) The Hector Kobbekaduwa Agrarian Research and Training Institute (HARTI) is currently conducting a research study titled “Strengthening Livestock Extension Services: Identifying Challenges, Gaps, and Developing Strategies to Enhance Dairy and Goat Production in Sri Lanka.” The study was carried out in the Northern Province, with primary …
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New Delhi: The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) on Thursday strongly criticised sections of the global media for what it described as “selective” and “unverified” reporting on the recent Air India crash that killed 260 people, urging the public and media to refrain from spreading premature or speculative narratives. In a strongly worded statement issued, AAIB Director General G V …
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In the lead-up to the landmark launch of City of Dreams Sri Lanka – South Asia’s first integrated resort – the appearance of Mr. Shah Rukh Khan was a key highlight of the celebrations. Unfortunately, due to unforeseen personal reasons beyond his control, Mr. Khan is no longer able to attend. “The launch event will continue as a landmark celebration, …
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A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed this morning (15) at the Presidential Secretariat between STEMedical of the USA and the Sri Lanka Institute of Biotechnology (SLIBTEC) to establish a laboratory with internationally recognised accreditation. The MoU for this $15 million investment project, conducted under the guidance of the National Initiative for Research and Development Commercialisation (NIRDC), was signed by …
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A discussion on the preliminary budget framework and development direction related to the submission of proposals for the 2026 Budget was held this afternoon (16) at the Presidential Secretariat between President Anura Kumara Disanayake and officials of the Ministry of Finance. Accordingly, the President inquired from the Ministry of Finance officials about the current progress in preparing the upcoming budget. …
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“As a result of negotiations with the United States, the previously imposed tariff rate was successfully reduced. Discussions are ongoing to secure the maximum possible concessions” – President President Anura Kumara Disanayake stated that, as a result of recent discussions with the United States, the previously imposed reciprocal tariff rate was successfully reduced from 44% to 30%. He further emphasized …
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President Anura Kumara Dissanayake today (10) met with Dr. Chris Elias, President of Global Development at the Gates Foundation, for high-level discussions focused on key areas critical to Sri Lanka’s development. The meeting, held at the Presidential Secretariat, explored collaborative efforts in agricultural modernisation, nutrition, digital public infrastructure and rural technological integration. Central to the discussions was the Inclusive Digital …
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Secretary to the President, Dr. Nandika Sanath Kumanayake, instructed relevant officials to submit a conceptual proposal within two weeks for a joint plan to establish a national mechanism for treatment and day-care centres for children with autism and neurodevelopmental disorders. These instructions were given by the President’s Secretary to the relevant officials during a discussion held yesterday (09) afternoon , …
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