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1 week ago | 
island.lk | Sahan Weerasooriya |Rex Clementine
The ancient ritual to choose the 267th Pope of the Roman Catholic Church commenced yesterday within the hallowed, frescoed walls of the Sistine Chapel. One hundred and thirty-three Cardinals, representing 70 countries, are now cloistered in prayer and contemplation, tasked with selecting a successor to Pope Francis, who passed away on Easter Monday at the age of 88. According to Canon Law, any baptised Catholic male is technically eligible to be elected Pope.
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1 week ago | 
island.lk | Sahan Weerasooriya |Hiran H.Senewiratne
CSE trading turned red within the first half hour of market open yesterday, as local government election results showed that the ruling party had no clear majority. Besides, India reportedly made multiple missile strikes on Pakistani targets, which it said was linked to the killing of tourists in Indian-administered Kashmir. The All Share Price Index went down by 111 points, while the S and P SL20 declined by 34 points. Turnover stood at Rs 3.2 billion with six crossings.
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1 week ago | 
island.lk | Sahan Weerasooriya |Rex Clementine
The College of Cardinals will gather beneath Michelangelo’s frescoed ceiling at the Sistine Chapel on Wednesday, tasked with the solemn duty of choosing a successor to Pope Francis, who passed away a fortnight ago. While papal conclaves can stretch over days, recent history suggests the white smoke may rise swiftly – possibly before the bells ring across Colombo for the Sunday mass.
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2 weeks ago | 
island.lk | Sahan Weerasooriya |Hiran H.Senewiratne
Hayleys PLC, one of Sri Lanka’s foremost diversified conglomerates, has announced its plans to raise up to Rs. 7 billion through a debenture issue, marking one of the largest corporate debt offerings scheduled for Q2 2025. This strategic initiative has received in-principle approval from the Colombo Stock Exchange. At the core of this transaction, HNB Investment Bank (HNBIB) plays a leading role as Joint Placement Agent to the issue, alongside Commercial Bank of Ceylon PLC.
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2 weeks ago | 
island.lk | Sahan Weerasooriya |Lynn Ockersz
Many thousands in the annual grades race,Are brimming with the magical feel of success,And they very rightly earn warm congrats,But note, you who are on the pedestals of power,That 30,000 or more are being left far behind,In these no-holds-barred contests to be first,Since they have earned the label ‘All Fs’,And could fall for the drug-pusher’s lure,Since they may be on the threshold of despair…Take note, and fill their lives with meaning,Since they suffer for no fault of theirs.
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2 weeks ago | 
island.lk | Sahan Weerasooriya |Hiran H.Senewiratne
The government’s completion of the staff level agreement recently with the IMF and the slight easing of global trade war tensions pushed the CSE to green territory yesterday. The IMF ordered that electricity reforms be implemented as part of the recommendations that will qualify the country for the next tranche of financial relief, market analysts said. Amid those developments both indices moved upwards. The All Share Price Index went up by 69.9 points, while the S and P SL20 rose by 27.2 points.
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3 weeks ago | 
island.lk | Sahan Weerasooriya |Hiran H.Senewiratne
The trade war situation owing to the US’ reciprocal tariffs on many countries, including Sri Lanka, continued to create some global economic uncertainty. This resulted in volatile situations for local and foreign investors in the stock market yesterday, analysts said. Amid those developments the CSE started on a positive note but due to acute profit- takings a mixed reaction was seen in the market. The All Share Price Index went down by 11.9 points, while the S and P SL20 rose by 18.8 points.
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3 weeks ago | 
island.lk | Sahan Weerasooriya |Lynn Ockersz
With his limbs ripped off in a blast,Mounting challenges await the Gaza boy,And though he will be winning good hearts,When he cries that Mum can’t be held now,The stony silence of the civilized world,In the face of his stepped-up mute suffering,Should be seen as another frontier of agony,And herein we have the conclusive evidence,That hearts are made numb by unending savagery.
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3 weeks ago | 
island.lk | Sahan Weerasooriya |Hiran H.Senewiratne
Dialog Enterprise, the ICT corporate solutions arm of Dialog Axiata PLC, has partnered with the National Chamber of Exporters of Sri Lanka (NCE) as the official Digital Technology Partner to empower Sri Lankan exporters with cutting-edge digital solutions and Technology expertise. This collaboration aims to equip exporters with advanced technology-driven capabilities to enhance efficiency, drive innovation, and improve competitiveness in global markets.
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3 weeks ago | 
island.lk | Sahan Weerasooriya |Rex Clementine
Catholics across the globe are mourning the passing of Pope Francis at the age of 88. Widely regarded as the “Pope of the People,” Francis broke with tradition and breathed new life into the papacy with his humility and compassion. From the moment of his election, Pope Francis made it clear that his pontificate would be defined not by opulence but by service. Eschewing the grandeur of the Apostolic Palace, he chose to live in a modest room at the Vatican guesthouse.
