10jili bet

10jili bet Inside Britain’s worst benefits blackspot where drug gangs take over homes & kids suffer ‘Victorian’ levels of poverty

Bowser scores 16, Furman takes down South Carolina State 68-64

GREENVILLE, S.C. (AP) — Cooper Bowser scored 16 points as Furman beat South Carolina State 68-64 on Saturday. A jumper from Tom House gave Furman a 64-62 lead with 35 seconds remaining and the Paladins closed out the win by going 4-for-4 from the free-throw line. Bowser added three steals and four blocks for the Paladins (10-1). Eddrin Bronson scored 11 points while going 3 of 8 from the floor, including 2 for 6 from 3-point range, and 3 for 4 from the line. Nick Anderson had 11 points and shot 3 for 9 (1 for 5 from 3-point range) and 4 of 4 from the free-throw line. Drayton Jones led the Bulldogs (5-7) in scoring, finishing with 15 points. Omar Croskey added 13 points for South Carolina State. Davion Everett also had 12 points, 10 rebounds and three steals. The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar .‘We drew because of me’ - Kounde takes blame after Barca held

GREENVILLE, S.C. (AP) — Cooper Bowser scored 16 points as Furman beat South Carolina State 68-64 on Saturday. A jumper from Tom House gave Furman a 64-62 lead with 35 seconds remaining and the Paladins closed out the win by going 4-for-4 from the free-throw line. Bowser added three steals and four blocks for the Paladins (10-1). Eddrin Bronson scored 11 points while going 3 of 8 from the floor, including 2 for 6 from 3-point range, and 3 for 4 from the line. Nick Anderson had 11 points and shot 3 for 9 (1 for 5 from 3-point range) and 4 of 4 from the free-throw line. Drayton Jones led the Bulldogs (5-7) in scoring, finishing with 15 points. Omar Croskey added 13 points for South Carolina State. Davion Everett also had 12 points, 10 rebounds and three steals. The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar .LAS VEGAS — Mark Sears scored 24 points and No. 9 Alabama beat No. 6 Houston 85-80 in overtime on Tuesday night in the opener of the Players Era Festival. After squandering an eight-point lead with 8:53 left in the game, and allowing Houston to force overtime, Alabama outscored the Cougars 7-2 in the extra frame for the win. Houston’s LJ Cryer, who led all scorers with a career-high matching 30 points, had a chance to win the game but missed a mid-range baseline jumper with two seconds remaining. Grant Nelson had 13 points and 10 rebounds, and Mouhamed Dioubate had 10 points and 16 rebounds for Alabama. Emanuel Sharp finished with 14 points while J’Wan Roberts added 11 for the Cougars. Takeaways Alabama: The game was the Tide's third in a row against a Top 25 team. After losing at then-No. 13 Purdue 87-78, they beat then-No. 25 Illinois 100-87 on a neutral court in Birmingham. Houston: Sharp came into the event leading the Cougars and the Big 12 Conference with a nation’s second-highest 3-point shooting percentage of 73.3% (11 of 15). The sophomore wasn’t as sharp against the Tide, though, finishing the game hitting 2 of 6 from long range. Alabama forward Mouhamed Dioubate (10) and Houston forward Joseph Tugler (11) contest for a rebound during the first half of an NCAA basketball game Tuesday, Nov. 26, 2024, in Las Vegas. Credit: AP/Ian Maule Key moment With 24 seconds left in overtime and the Tide leading 84-80, Houston’s Joseph Tugler drove the lane but had his shot blocked by Alabama’s Derrion Reid. Roberts then fouled Reid, who made one of two free throws to extend the lead to five and essentially seal the win. Key stat Alabama took 41 free-throw attempts and made 30 of them, while Houston had five players commit four or five fouls. Both Sharp and Milos Uzan fouled out of the game for the Cougars. Up next Alabama will face Rutgers in the second round of the event on Wednesday, while Houston plays Notre Dame in its second-round game. _

NFL Thanksgiving: Picks for Dolphins-Packers, Bears-Lions, Giants-Cowboys. Will Miami be the big upset?

3 Top Energy Stocks to Buy in 2025Battle For Legacy: Bow & Arrow hits Uddhav where it hurts

About our daughter born 1998,​ 5’4” absolutely beautiful,​ fair,​ slim and graduated in Accounting and Finance from the University of London. She is working abroad in an International Company. Bodu Govi parents seek a handsome and educated son from locally or overseas. Email : r​a​n​j​a​n​i​e​d​@​h​o​t​m​a​i​l​.​c​o​m B225323 Academically and professionally qualified caring son is sought by Govi Buddhist professional parents living in Sydney,​ Australia for their 32 years old daughter who is 5’4” tall,​ very pretty,​ fair,​ well accomplished and employed as a Lawyer. Please reply with family details and horoscope to p​r​i​y​a​d​a​r​s​w​a​l​@​g​m​a​i​l​.​c​o​m B225143 Academically and professionally qualified groom,​ sought by B/​Visva respectable parents in Matara,​ for their pretty daughter 1989 born,​ 5’1” height,​ Software Engineer at a leading telecom company in Colombo. Reply with your family details and horoscope. 0412233964 /​ p​r​o​p​o​s​9​3​1​@​g​m​a​i​l​.​c​o​m B225356 Academically and professionally qualified partner with sober habits is sought by Doctor mother for her daughter,​ 1985,​ Attorney-at-Law LLB,​ LLM (Lon),​ 5’4”,​ Salagama /​ Govi Buddhist. Kindly reply with family details & horoscope. Email : m​p​r​o​p​8​5​@​g​m​a​i​l​.​c​o​m B225056 Academically and professionally qualified slim son between 1991 – 1994 is sought by B/​G retired parents from Jayawardanapura born 1993,​ 5’3” educated in a leading school in Colombo,​ BSc /​ MBA employed in a foreign based SL company. Forward details,​ copy of horoscope and contact number. m​p​r​o​p​1​9​9​3​@​p​r​o​t​o​n​.​m​e B225257 Academically and professionally qualified well-employed teetotaler /​ non-smoker son from Sinhala Bodu family within Colombo sought by parents for their well-mannered B.Sc Special,​ Chartered Accountant,​ ACA,​ ACMA (UK),​ 1986,​ pretty smart Chief Manager daughter in a leading finance company attached to a state bank in Colombo. She drives her own brand new car. Elder brother is a Doctor (Surgeon),​ younger sister also a Chartered Accountant. Caste immaterial. Inherits assets and dowry. Reply with non-malefic horoscope and family details. s​a​m​a​r​a​s​i​n​g​h​a​@​g​m​a​i​l​.​c​o​m B225137 Academically and professionally qualified well-employed teetotaler /​ non-smoking son from Sinhala Bodu family within Colombo sought by parents for their well-mannered daughter B.Sc. Special,​ Chartered Accountant,​ CISI (UK)ACA,​ FCA,​ 1992,​ pretty smart Associate Director daughter in a Global Company attached to the Colombo Office. Inherits assets and dowry. Caste immaterial. Elder brother is a Doctor (Surgeon),​ elder sister also a Chartered Accountant. Reply with horoscope and family details. s​a​m​a​r​a​s​i​n​g​h​a​@​g​m​a​i​l​.​c​o​m B225135 Academically and professionally qualified well-mannered son from a respectable family is sought by Bodu Govi parents from Colombo suburb for their professionally qualified (BSc Accounting and Finance,​ Master of Commerce (University of Sydney),​ CIMA),​ fair,​ very attractive,​ 27 years old (97/​06) daughter,​ height 5’3”,​ educated in a leading International school in Colombo,​ working in Australia,​ holding a management position. She inherits Family assets. Please reply with family details and a copy of horoscope to Email: p​r​o​p​o​s​a​l​9​7​s​a​@​g​m​a​i​l​.​c​o​m B225226 Academically and professionally qualified,​ caring ,​ and well mannered son sought by Buddhist parents living in North America for their professionally qualified daughter born in April,​ 1994 and currently working. For further information please send family details and horoscope to s​p​r​o​p​o​s​a​l​3​8​@​g​m​a​i​l​.​c​o​m B224234 Academically and professionally qualified,​ well mannered caring son living in the USA sought by B/​G respectable parents for their daughter,​ born in 1995,​ 5’0” tall,​ and a Software Engineer residing in the USA. Please respond with family details and horoscope to: r​h​b​p​r​o​p​o​s​a​l​@​g​m​a​i​l​.​c​o​m B225364 Academically and professionally qualified,​ well mannered son is sought by respectable B/​G parents living in Nugegoda for their smart,​ pretty,​ fair daughter with height 5’6” BSc graduate and ACCA qualified,​ currently working in Australia as an executive in a multi-national firm. She inherits substantial assets,​ Kuja Dosa in horoscope. Please reply with family details and horoscope of the son. Email – s​s​9​6​m​a​y​.​p​r​o​p​o​s​a​l​@​g​m​a​i​l​.​c​o​m B225081 Academically /​ professionally qualified partner,​ sought by G/​B parents for pretty daughter 1986,​ 5’4” Engineer living in Europe,​ visiting Sri Lanka shortly. Younger age proposals considered. Reply with details and horoscope. s​i​l​v​e​r​l​i​n​e​p​r​o​p​o​s​a​l​@​g​m​a​i​l​.​c​o​m B225091 Academically,​ professionally qualified,​ loving son is sought by respectable Sri Lankan,​ Sinhala,​ Buddhist parents living in Canada for the daughter,​ 4’10” height,​ 1997 Dec. born,​ grew up with Buddhist values,​ charming personality,​ Canadian citizenship,​ electrical engineer,​ graduated and employed in Canada. A son from Canada or the USA is preferred. Please reply with horoscope and family details – p​r​o​p​2​4​c​a​n​@​g​m​a​i​l​.​c​o​m B225368 Affluent business parents from Colombo looking for their daughter professional qualified with MBA – UK University. She is very fair slim 5’3” height born in 1978 Dec. working as a Senior Manager with 6 figure salary,​ studied in Colombo reputed School. Assets house,​ lands,​ etc. TP. 0113485991,​ Email : 1​9​7​8​p​r​o​p​@​g​m​a​i​l​.​c​o​m B225183 A caring and academically qualified son who is on a potential professional pathway below 30 years from a decent family background is sought by Sinhala Buddhist Govi/​Salagama parents for their pretty,​ well-mannered,​ caring daughter,​ 25 years,​ height 5’3”,​ who was brought up with Sinhala Buddhist values to get married after a decent relationship. She is an Australian resident,​ completed her higher education and employed in Australia. Please reply to : n​i​m​a​l​i​1​9​7​4​0​1​@​g​m​a​i​l​.​c​o​m​ with full family details and horoscope copy. B225342 A respectable professional parents in Kandy seek an academically and professionally qualified well-mannered son for their 1988 born 5.5ft height,​ MBBS Doctor daughter working in Sydney,​ Australia. She is charmingly beautiful,​ pleasant,​ kind-hearted and brought up with Sinhala Buddhist values. Kindly respond with family details and a copy of the horoscope. S​h​a​n​k​u​l​a​r​a​t​n​@​g​m​a​i​l​.​c​o​m B225217 BG retired parents seek an educated,​ unmarried son for their youngest daughter. 1994/​6,​ 5’2”,​ BSc. Special Degre from a state university and reading MBA. Working as an Executive in the Private Sector. Please send family details,​ contact number and horoscope to : p​r​o​p​f​o​r​1​9​9​4​@​g​m​a​i​l​.​c​o​m B225048 Bodu Govi Nugegoda 29,​ 5’5” slim and fair father retired Manager of a private bank seeks professionally qualified or well established businessman for daughter educated in leading girls’ school graduated from APIIT in Business Management and CIM. Inherits house and substantial investments. Horoscope essential. k​u​s​u​r​i​2​8​@​g​m​a​i​l​.​c​o​m B225125 Bodu Govi parents residing in Colombo suburbs are seeking an educated,​ kind hearted,​ partner from a decent family with sober habits preferably residing in USA or Canada for 1991 January born 5’2”,​ kind hearted and beautiful daughter with slim built. She has completed a PhD. Degree in Chemistry in USA and she is currently working as a Postdoctoral Researcher in a leading University in USA. Her mother is a retired Principal of a Technical College in Sri Lanka and her father is also a retired Instructor in a Technical College. Her brother is an Electrical Engineer from Moratuwa University. Send the family details with horoscope to : w​a​w​e​l​a​0​9​9​@​g​m​a​i​l​.​c​o​m B225348 Buddhist /​ Govi parents (No particular concern about caste/​religion) residing in Colombo looking for a good looking,​ well mannered /​ broughtup and professionally /​ academically qualified person above 5’3” for our fair,​ very well mannered,​ pretty daughter. She was born in 1997 and the height is 5’3”. She has already completed her MBBS in NSW and presently working at a hospital in NSW itself. Her education was at a prestigious private girls school /​ International School in Colombo. Kindly reply to h​a​r​r​y​m​1​2​0​5​@​g​m​a​i​l​.​c​o​m B225117 Buddhist,​ Govi parents from suburbs of Colombo seek suitably qualified partner for their daughter born 1989,​ July,​ 5’5” tall,​ fair in complexion,​ very pleasant with BSc. & MBA,​ employed in the private sector. Horoscope available if needed. Please reply to b​a​m​a​r​a​c​2​5​7​@​g​m​a​i​l​.​c​o​m B225060 B/​G a well-established,​ respected business family from Kandy,​ seeking a handsome,​ kind hearted,​ and well-mannered son for their daughter born in 1993,​ 5’1”,​ beautiful,​ educated and currently in Europe for professional and academic pursuits. She attended a reputed girls’ school in Kandy,​ furthered her studies with Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees from a state university in Sri Lanka and subsequently worked as a university lecturer. Reply with family details. Email: s​l​p​r​o​p​o​s​a​l​9​3​3​@​g​m​a​i​l​.​c​o​m B225222 B/​G family seeks a son for our daughter born in 1989,​ 5’5”,​ fair,​ studied at a leading Buddhist Girls School in Colombo,​ holds BSc. and MBA working in an IT Company. House inherited. Got legally separated with no encumbrances. Business family preferred. Details to s​h​a​n​t​h​i​k​u​l​a​s​e​n​a​@​g​m​a​i​l​.​c​o​m B225115 B/​G mother from Southern Province seeks a respectable educated partner for their daughter born in 1988,​ 5’3” /​ PR holder /​ Ph.D qualified professional employed in a reputed company in USA. Please reply to: u​s​a​p​r​o​p​o​s​a​l​0​0​7​@​g​m​a​i​l​.​c​o​m B225273 B/​G parents from Wadduwa seeking educated professionally qualified son for their daughter 1998,​ 5ft. Degree in Tourism and Hospitality Management Sri Lanka and UK. Postgraduate Diploma (Tourism and Hospitality Management) Singapore. Currently works in Qatar. Pretty,​ open-minded,​ social,​ kind-hearted. Legally separated from a brief marriage in name only,​ as the plaintiff. Father Agricultural Officer Department of Agriculture. Mother – Director at Government Institution. Reply with horoscope to m​a​r​r​i​a​g​e​p​r​o​p​o​s​a​l​s​1​2​4​@​g​m​a​i​l​.​c​o​m B225284 B/​G retired respectable parents Gampaha seek educated well mannered son with similar status same caste 1991/​7 pretty fair slim 5’4” BSc Engineer (Moratuwa) and MSc. Software Engineering daughter. Please reply with Contact numbers. Horoscope u​d​a​r​a​1​9​5​4​@​g​m​a​i​l​.​c​o​m B225340 B/​G WP Pre School Teacher 30 yrs 5ft pretty fair smart slim well mannered daughter inherits immovable property. Parents seek academically professionally qualified son prefeably overseas below 35yrs reply family details with horoscope s​u​b​a​m​a​n​g​a​l​a​m​1​9​9​4​@​g​m​a​i​l​.​c​o​m B225333 B/​G Wp Attorney-at-Law 35 yrs 5ft smart slim well mannered daughter inherits immovable property previous registration only to signature not lived-together parents seek smart well mannered professional below 40 yrs reply family details with Horoscope p​r​o​p​m​a​n​g​a​l​a​m​2​2​@​g​m​a​i​l​.​c​o​m B225331 B/​G well respectable business family from Galle Seeks a Well mannered,​ educated,​ Well professional Son from a respectable Family for 1988,​5’4” well charactered,​ daughter,​ completed MSc. in Marketing and Fashion designing. Willing to migrate. Assets are inherited. Kuja in 4th house. Reply with family details horoscope and contact number. h​e​l​l​o​c​h​a​t​z​1​2​3​@​g​m​a​i​l​.​c​o​m B225185 Catholic,​ Sinhalese,​ professional parents seek decent professionally qualified partner for daughter,​ born July 1990,​ 5’8”,​ pretty and of medium complexion. She is an Engineer based in London. Primary and Secondary education in Colombo and graduated from UK. She has a very pleasing down-to-earth personality and was brought up to respect our culture. She is a UK/​SL dual citizen. Assets in SL and the UK. Seek someone already living in the UK or willing to migrate. Differences immaterial. p​r​o​p​o​s​a​l​d​m​r​k​@​g​m​a​i​l​.​c​o​m B225251 Christian parents living in Ontario looking for a practising Christian partner,​ professionally educated,​ employed and teetotaller /​ non-smoker for their ‘92 Canadian born,​ professionally educated and employed daughter. Individual should be below the age of 37 and citizen of North America. Please respond to d​u​n​h​i​n​d​a​2​4​@​o​u​t​l​o​o​k​.​c​o​m B225352 Colombo Govi /​ Karawa Buddhist parents from banking industry are seeking a suitable partner for their daughter born in 1998. She is slim pretty 5’3” height completed her 2 degrees in BSc Applied Science and LLB,​ working in a reputed bank in Sri Lanka. She has one elder brother who is an engineer from University of Moratuwa and younger brother is studying computer science in J’pura University. Please reply with horoscope,​ telephone number with family details to : s​d​s​c​o​l​o​m​b​o​3​@​g​m​a​i​l​.​c​o​m B225097 Colombo suburbs Bodu Karawa/​Govi mixed caste retired Bank Officer father and mother in Govt. Service seek a suitable virtuous,​ Graduate son for their height 5’3” daughter born in April 1996. She is pleasant,​ virtuous and religious and works in the Govt. Sector as a Doctor. Please be kind enough to send the horoscope and all the particulars with the first letter. Email – h​a​r​s​h​i​6​5​p​r​o​p​@​g​m​a​i​l​.​c​o​m B225127 Dec. 1990,​ 5’3”,​ completed PhD in Chemistry from a University in the USA and working in a company. Parents expecting an educated son. Please reply to: r​u​n​i​r​m​a​l​@​y​a​h​o​o​.​c​o​m​ 0112984896,​ 0774751102. B225145 Educated,​ respectable parents in the South looking for an educated,​ well-mannered,​ professional for their charming,​ good-looking,​ well-brought-up Science Graduate daughter working as an English Lecturer at a reputed private educational institution. Born in 1995,​ fair-complexioned,​ 5’3” tall,​ interested in music,​ plays piano and guitar and enjoys cooking. Possesses valuable assets. Not interested in migrating. Contact with horoscope and family details. Email: m​y​p​r​o​p​o​s​a​l​t​d​s​@​g​m​a​i​l​.​c​o​m B225069 Employed partner living here or overseas is sought for a loving marriage for height 5’ educated,​ pleasant younger looking sister born in 1971 in Western Province. Her husband is deceased and no children. Caste,​ age differences are immaterial. Malefic horoscope. Email: r​a​j​i​k​a​b​b​5​0​2​@​g​m​a​i​l​.​c​o​m B225221 Father seeks a partner for his daughter Bodu Govi 1993/​11,​ 5’3” resides in Melbourne,​ Australia working as an Engineer (with PhD) in a multinational company. Those who are engaged as Doctor,​ Engineer or Accountant residing in Australia is special. Email : m​m​k​.​p​r​o​p​o​s​a​l​2​4​@​g​m​a​i​l​.​c​o​m B225087 GB professional parents seek a professionally qualified,​ respectable TT/​NS son for their pretty,​ fair,​ kind daughter UK Law graduate,​ born 1983 Dec. Substantial assets UK and Sri Lanka,​ earning a high salary. Please email your son’s and family details to: a​n​u​p​a​8​3​4​@​o​u​t​l​o​o​k​.​c​o​m B225109 Gorgeous,​ young looking,​ family orientated,​ fun loving,​ supportive educated at a prestigious University in UK from an affluent family,​ Australian dual citizen G/​B based in Colombo,​ willing to relocate,​ seeking a kind,​ loving,​ generous partner aged 43-58. s​o​u​l​m​a​t​e​p​r​o​p​o​s​e​@​g​m​a​i​l​.​c​o​m B225172 Govi Buddhist parents from respectable well established family residing in Colombo seek professionally qualified well mannered partner with sober habits with sound family background without encumbrances age below 35,​ for their well accomplished MBA qualified fair and pretty daughter with substantial assets born in 1994,​ 5’2” height studied at a leading school in Colombo working in a managerial capacity in a renowned private institute. Reply with horoscope and family details and contact numbers to: d​r​d​1​9​6​1​3​@​g​m​a​i​l​.​c​o​m B225236 G/​B parents seek preferably Doctor Engineer son for their 33+,​ 5’1” MBBS (SL) doctor daughter fair slim attractive personality. Inherits valuable assets. r​k​d​s​0​1​2​3​4​@​g​m​a​i​l​.​c​o​m B225376 G/​B Specialist doctor parents from Colombo seek a professionally qualified partner for their 28 year old 5’3” fair pretty medical doctor daughter in Australia. She had her primary education in two leading schools in Colombo and completed her medical degree in a reputed University in Australia. Kindly reply with family details to : l​u​c​a​.​a​r​i​2​0​0​0​@​g​m​a​i​l​.​c​o​m B225354 Looking for an academically and professionally qualified son,​ age between 33-39 and height above 5’7”. Proposed daughter 33,​ 5’2”,​ studied overseas up to postgraduate,​ currently working in Sri Lanka. She is an independent,​ forward and down to earth person with a kind-heart. She is legally separated from a very short marriage. She can settle in any suitable country if need arises. m​p​r​o​p​o​s​a​l​4​6​8​@​g​m​a​i​l​.​c​o​m B225075 Looking for a suitable man who is interested in marriage for a 36 yrs. (born in 1988),​ old single lady. The lady is an Australian citizen working for Queensland Education. Considering any race but must be practicing Catholic. Encourage people who lived or currently live in Australia,​ UK,​ America. Email: p​r​i​f​d​o​2​0​2​3​@​h​o​t​m​a​i​l​.​c​o​m​ B225270 Matale,​ Upcountry,​ Radala,​ 1993/​11,​ 5’4”,​ slim,​ fair,​ educated (BSc. in IT) and employed at BOC. Mother seeks an educated,​ unmarried partner for their youngest daughter. Please send family details,​ contact number and horoscope to : p​r​o​p​f​o​r​1​9​9​3​@​g​m​a​i​l​.​c​o​m​ B225042 Melbourne-based retired Government Servant parents are seeking an academically and professionally qualified match for their only daughter,​ a 5’ tall critical care Nurse,​ born in April 1990. She works in ICU at a public hospital in Melbourne,​ holds a Degree from Victoria University,​ is an Australian citizen,​ and owns her own home. Preference for Australian residents. Please reply with family background and horoscope to : m​a​r​r​i​a​g​e​p​r​o​p​o​s​a​l​4​9​@​g​m​a​i​l​.​c​o​m B225067 Moor parents from Colombo looking for a groom for their doctor daughter who is currently in her final years in a leading university. She is 26 years 5’3” slim and fair. Please send details to: n​i​k​a​h​p​r​o​p​o​s​a​l​9​9​2​@​g​m​a​i​l​.​c​o​m B225139 Piliyandala,​ BG,​ born 1976,​ never married lady with post grad qualifications,​ well employed in edu field,​ multi talented individual,​ seeking a suitable partner for an early marriage,​ prefer to relocate. Reply b​e​g​i​n​m​y​2​0​2​0​@​g​m​a​i​l​.​c​o​m B225374 Professionally qualified Buddhist parents Colombo District,​ seek an educated,​ well mannered son from a respectable family for their only daughter LLB (London),​ an Attorney at Law,​ currently studying for a master’s Degree. Born in June 1996,​ 5’3” tall,​ Brought up with good Values,​ educated at a Girls School in Colombo -07-. Presently Works in a Chamber of Senior Lawyer. Contact With Family Details. Not Interested in Horoscopes,​ reply via e-mail: S​a​k​k​p​1​9​6​0​@​g​m​a​i​l​.​c​o​m B225208 Professionally qualified well-mannered son with sober habits & willing to settle down in Australia is sought by B/​K parents of respectable family in Colombo suburbs for their daughter,​ Postgraduated in Finance & Accounting in Australia. Currently settled down & employed in Melbourne,​ Born in July 1994,​ 5’2”,​ pretty & fair,​ please reply with full family details & horoscope copy to p​r​o​p​o​s​a​l​2​0​2​0​k​s​@​g​m​a​i​l​.​c​o​m B225316 Professionally qualified well-mannered son with sober habits & willing to settle down in Australia is sought by B/​K parents of respectable family in Colombo suburbs for their daughter,​ 1990 August born,​ pretty & fair,​ 5’4”,​ Doctor MBBS with Postgraduate qualifications in Australia. Please reply with full family details,​ contact details & copy of horoscope to – a​u​s​p​r​o​p​o​s​a​l​2​0​2​5​@​g​m​a​i​l​.​c​o​m B225313 Professionally qualified,​ caring son is sought by respectable G/​B parents for their educated,​ pretty daughter born in 1988,​ Aus/​SL dual citizen. Please reply with family details/​horoscope. p​r​o​p​s​r​2​0​2​2​@​g​m​a​i​l​.​c​o​m B224669 Professional parents (Doctor/​Engineer) residing in the USA seek a suitable partner for their well-raised,​ professionally qualified and attractive daughter. She is a 26-year-old medical doctor (graduate of a US medical program),​ standing 5’7” tall. We are looking for a kind-hearted,​ well-mannered and caring professional – preferably a medical doctor – with a respectable family background. Please respond with family details and contact information. Email: j​a​y​a​3​i​@​y​a​h​o​o​.​c​o​m B225241 Respectable Christian Sinhalese professional parents from Colombo seek for their 1998 born,​ 5’7” tall,​ fair and well-mannered MBBS Doctor daughter,​ a kind,​ Christian professional son of sober habits with similar educational background. Please direct responses to m​a​p​r​o​d​a​7​7​@​g​m​a​i​l​.​c​o​m B225050 Roman catholic parents seek a partner for their daughter,​ 88’ born,​ academically qualified from private university and professionally qualified as Chartered Architect,​ currently residing in the UK. She inherits valuable properties in Sri Lanka. Please reply all your family details to c​o​u​n​t​r​y​p​r​o​p​o​s​a​l​@​g​m​a​i​l​.​c​o​m B225228 SBG professional parents seek honest responsible son academically professionally qualified well employed from an English speaking background for their daughter 22 years,​ 5’2”,​ fair,​ pretty,​ broadminded kind hearted caring. She has graduated in Business Studies with 1st Class. Employed at reputed company,​ this request is with an understanding to buildup a healthy relationship hoping for better progress. Kindly respond with details. a​p​s​a​r​a​w​i​j​a​y​a​w​a​r​d​e​n​e​@​g​m​a​i​l​.​c​o​m B225148 Seeking a loving,​ family-oriented man for a genuine,​ meaningful relationship. Born in 1971,​ she’s a beautiful,​ confident widow who values love,​ loyalty and deep connections. Her ideal match is caring,​ down to earth,​ independent,​ and taller than 5’3”. Looking to build a lasting bond based on trust,​ affection,​ and shared happiness. If you’re ready for love,​ contact her at a​e​r​o​d​e​s​t​i​n​y​6​3​@​g​m​a​i​l​.​c​o​m​ B225053 Sinhala Buddhist Karawa parents seek a kind,​ never-married partner from a respectable Sinhala Buddhist family for their daughter,​ 31+,​ 5’3”,​ slim,​ pleasant with valuable assets. He should be well-employed in Canada or Sri Lanka,​ or pursuing postgraduate studies (eg,​ PhD). If in Sri Lanka must relocate to Canada. She is in a postgraduate business administration program in Canada and works part-time. Email: c​a​n​p​r​o​p​1​9​9​2​@​y​a​h​o​o​.​c​o​m B225166 Sinhala Buddhist Karawa respectable parents in Galle seek an academically and professionally qualified well mannered caring son for their dental surgeon daughter born in 1989,​ fair complexion,​ 5 feet 3 inches in height. She is currently employed at a Government Hospital and inherits substantial assets. Please reply with full family details and horoscope copy to : m​p​r​o​p​o​s​a​l​4​3​2​@​g​m​a​i​l​.​c​o​m​ B225105 Sinhala Buddhist professional parents from Colombo seek a caring,​ dependable,​ professional son with sober habits for their 27 year old daughter,​ Attorney-at-Law and LLB holder from Faculty of Law Colombo. She is 5’6” tall,​ fair,​ smart and attractive. Please reply with full details and horoscope to: w​s​r​m​e​n​d​i​s​8​@​g​m​a​i​l​.​c​o​m B225093 Sinhala Buddhist/​Catholic parents living in USA seek a suitable partner preferably below 36 yrs of age presently residing in the USA for their highly accomplished and good – looking daughter with an outgoing personality living and working in New York City she is 34 years old with an MBA from a leading US school presently working in a top US company as a director. If u are willing to proceed this matter please send details of your son & the family to n​i​m​a​a​r​i​y​a​w​a​n​s​a​@​g​m​i​a​l​.​c​o​m​ so that we could follow the same in return. B225338 Sinhala Roman Catholic respectable parents from Colombo suburbs seek a professionally qualified partner preferably from Australia for their daughter born in 1991 smart pleasant and kind-hearted 5’2” in height educated in a leading International School in Colombo and completed her bachelors and Master’ from reputed foreign Universities currently she is working as an Auditor in well-established Accountancy firm in Australia she is visiting Sri Lanka in December. Please respond with full family details to Email: s​t​a​n​t​o​i​n​e​4​2​3​@​g​m​a​i​l​.​c​o​m B225293 Sinhalese Christian /​ R/​C parents seek suitable partner for daughter born 1986/​5’2” fair slim educated in a Christian School qualified,​ works as Senior H.R. Executive,​ differences immaterial. n​t​n​i​k​i​t​h​@​g​m​a​i​l​.​c​o​m B225191 S/​B grandparents living in Sri Lanka looking for a suitable partner for their beautiful 21 yrs. old granddaughter brought up with S/​B values. She is a Final Year undergraduate in Sydney. Family lives in Canberra. Her father is a Consultant Physician. Younger sister will enter university next year. They are dual citizens. They will be in Colombo in December till mid-January. If interested call on 0112302705,​ 0772839028 or write to: m​a​n​t​h​r​i​m​@​g​m​a​i​l​.​c​o​m B225201 Virtuous partner with one of the Planets Ravi,​ Shani,​ Kuja-Kethu in the 2nd Cage is sought for Bodu-Govi,​ age 28,​ height 5’2”,​ pleasant looking,​ Executive Bank Officer daughter working in a private bank,​ residing in Gampaha District. Expect true details. n​a​l​i​a​l​w​i​s​1​2​@​g​m​a​i​l​.​c​o​m B225309 Virtuous son living overseas specially is America,​ Australia or Finland in sought by parents for pretty daughter born in 1996 and in America for her higher studies. 011-2924087 B225194 We are seeking academically and professionally qualified son for our daughter in 1992 to build a relationship leading to marriage. The daughter is 5’5” in height,​ now She is an Accountant at Park Road Colombo 05 in the private sector and final year of studying to be a Qualified Chartered Accountant and Master in Colombo University. She is graduated pretty educated,​ kind hearted,​ and well mannered. She is a very sociable character with a great sense of humane qualities and discipline,​ very talented girl. p​w​e​e​r​a​s​i​n​g​h​e​1​9​9​2​@​g​m​a​i​l​.​c​o​m B225370 1991 B/​K Matara 5’3” pretty Graduate daughter (BSc. in Fashion and Apparel Design) and currently working in an educational sector in Colombo. Parents seek a suitable partner. Please respond with family details and horoscope. p​a​d​m​a​3​5​1​2​@​g​m​a​i​l​.​c​o​m B225157ATLANTA (AP) — Jimmy Carter, the peanut farmer who won the presidency in the wake of the Watergate scandal and Vietnam War, endured humbling defeat after one tumultuous term and then redefined life after the White House as a global humanitarian, has died. He was 100 years old. The longest-lived American president died on Sunday, more than a year after entering hospice care, at his home in the small town of Plains, Georgia, where he and his wife, Rosalynn, who died at 96 in November 2023, spent most of their lives, The Carter Center said. “Our founder, former U.S. President Jimmy Carter, passed away this afternoon in Plains, Georgia,” the center said in posting about his death on the social media platform X. It added in a statement that he died peacefully, surrounded by his family. Businessman, Navy officer, evangelist, politician, negotiator, author, woodworker, citizen of the world — Carter forged a path that still challenges political assumptions and stands out among the 45 men who reached the nation’s highest office. The 39th president leveraged his ambition with a keen intellect, deep religious faith and prodigious work ethic, conducting diplomatic missions into his 80s and building houses for the poor well into his 90s. “My faith demands — this is not optional — my faith demands that I do whatever I can, wherever I am, whenever I can, for as long as I can, with whatever I have to try to make a difference,” Carter once said. A moderate Democrat, Carter entered the 1976 presidential race as a little-known Georgia governor with a broad smile, outspoken Baptist mores and technocratic plans reflecting his education as an engineer. His no-frills campaign depended on public financing, and his promise not to deceive the American people resonated after Richard Nixon’s disgrace and U.S. defeat in southeast Asia. “If I ever lie to you, if I ever make a misleading statement, don’t vote for me. I would not deserve to be your president,” Carter repeated before narrowly beating Republican incumbent Gerald Ford, who had lost popularity pardoning Nixon. Carter governed amid Cold War pressures, turbulent oil markets and social upheaval over racism, women’s rights and America’s global role. His most acclaimed achievement in office was a Mideast peace deal that he brokered by keeping Egyptian President Anwar Sadat and Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin at the bargaining table for 13 days in 1978. That Camp David experience inspired the post-presidential center where Carter would establish so much of his legacy. Yet Carter’s electoral coalition splintered under double-digit inflation, gasoline lines and the 444-day hostage crisis in Iran. His bleakest hour came when eight Americans died in a failed hostage rescue in April 1980, helping to ensure his landslide defeat to Republican Ronald Reagan. Carter acknowledged in his 2020 “White House Diary” that he could be “micromanaging” and “excessively autocratic,” complicating dealings with Congress and the federal bureaucracy. He also turned a cold shoulder to Washington’s news media and lobbyists, not fully appreciating their influence on his political fortunes. “It didn’t take us long to realize that the underestimation existed, but by that time we were not able to repair the mistake,” Carter told historians in 1982, suggesting that he had “an inherent incompatibility” with Washington insiders. Carter insisted his overall approach was sound and that he achieved his primary objectives — to “protect our nation’s security and interests peacefully” and “enhance human rights here and abroad” — even if he fell spectacularly short of a second term. Ignominious defeat, though, allowed for renewal. The Carters founded The Carter Center in 1982 as a first-of-its-kind base of operations, asserting themselves as international peacemakers and champions of democracy, public health and human rights. “I was not interested in just building a museum or storing my White House records and memorabilia,” Carter wrote in a memoir published after his 90th birthday. “I wanted a place where we could work.” That work included easing nuclear tensions in North and South Korea, helping to avert a U.S. invasion of Haiti and negotiating cease-fires in Bosnia and Sudan. By 2022, The Carter Center had declared at least 113 elections in Latin America, Asia and Africa to be free or fraudulent. Recently, the center began monitoring U.S. elections as well. Carter’s stubborn self-assuredness and even self-righteousness proved effective once he was unencumbered by the Washington order, sometimes to the point of frustrating his successors. He went “where others are not treading,” he said, to places like Ethiopia, Liberia and North Korea, where he secured the release of an American who had wandered across the border in 2010. “I can say what I like. I can meet whom I want. I can take on projects that please me and reject the ones that don’t,” Carter said. He announced an arms-reduction-for-aid deal with North Korea without clearing the details with Bill Clinton’s White House. He openly criticized President George W. Bush for the 2003 invasion of Iraq. He also criticized America’s approach to Israel with his 2006 book “Palestine: Peace Not Apartheid.” And he repeatedly countered U.S. administrations by insisting North Korea should be included in international affairs, a position that most aligned Carter with Republican President Donald Trump. Among the center’s many public health initiatives, Carter vowed to eradicate the guinea worm parasite during his lifetime, and nearly achieved it: Cases dropped from millions in the 1980s to nearly a handful. With hardhats and hammers, the Carters also built homes with Habitat for Humanity. The Nobel committee’s 2002 Peace Prize cites his “untiring effort to find peaceful solutions to international conflicts, to advance democracy and human rights, and to promote economic and social development.” Carter should have won it alongside Sadat and Begin in 1978, the chairman added. Carter accepted the recognition saying there was more work to be done. “The world is now, in many ways, a more dangerous place,” he said. “The greater ease of travel and communication has not been matched by equal understanding and mutual respect.” Carter’s globetrotting took him to remote villages where he met little “Jimmy Carters,” so named by admiring parents. But he spent most of his days in the same one-story Plains house — expanded and guarded by Secret Service agents — where they lived before he became governor. He regularly taught Sunday School lessons at Maranatha Baptist Church until his mobility declined and the coronavirus pandemic raged. Those sessions drew visitors from around the world to the small sanctuary where Carter will receive his final send-off after a state funeral at Washington’s National Cathedral. The common assessment that he was a better ex-president than president rankled Carter and his allies. His prolific post-presidency gave him a brand above politics, particularly for Americans too young to witness him in office. But Carter also lived long enough to see biographers and historians reassess his White House years more generously. His record includes the deregulation of key industries, reduction of U.S. dependence on foreign oil, cautious management of the national debt and notable legislation on the environment, education and mental health. He focused on human rights in foreign policy, pressuring dictators to release thousands of political prisoners. He acknowledged America’s historical imperialism, pardoned Vietnam War draft evaders and relinquished control of the Panama Canal. He normalized relations with China. “I am not nominating Jimmy Carter for a place on Mount Rushmore,” Stuart Eizenstat, Carter’s domestic policy director, wrote in a 2018 book. “He was not a great president” but also not the “hapless and weak” caricature voters rejected in 1980, Eizenstat said. Rather, Carter was “good and productive” and “delivered results, many of which were realized only after he left office.” Madeleine Albright, a national security staffer for Carter and Clinton’s secretary of state, wrote in Eizenstat’s forward that Carter was “consequential and successful” and expressed hope that “perceptions will continue to evolve” about his presidency. “Our country was lucky to have him as our leader,” said Albright, who died in 2022. Jonathan Alter, who penned a comprehensive Carter biography published in 2020, said in an interview that Carter should be remembered for “an epic American life” spanning from a humble start in a home with no electricity or indoor plumbing through decades on the world stage across two centuries. “He will likely go down as one of the most misunderstood and underestimated figures in American history,” Alter told The Associated Press. James Earl Carter Jr. was born Oct. 1, 1924, in Plains and spent his early years in nearby Archery. His family was a minority in the mostly Black community, decades before the civil rights movement played out at the dawn of Carter’s political career. Carter, who campaigned as a moderate on race relations but governed more progressively, talked often of the influence of his Black caregivers and playmates but also noted his advantages: His land-owning father sat atop Archery’s tenant-farming system and owned a main street grocery. His mother, Lillian, would become a staple of his political campaigns. Seeking to broaden his world beyond Plains and its population of fewer than 1,000 — then and now — Carter won an appointment to the U.S. Naval Academy, graduating in 1946. That same year he married Rosalynn Smith, another Plains native, a decision he considered more important than any he made as head of state. She shared his desire to see the world, sacrificing college to support his Navy career. Carter climbed in rank to lieutenant, but then his father was diagnosed with cancer, so the submarine officer set aside his ambitions of admiralty and moved the family back to Plains. His decision angered Rosalynn, even as she dived into the peanut business alongside her husband. Carter again failed to talk with his wife before his first run for office — he later called it “inconceivable” not to have consulted her on such major life decisions — but this time, she was on board.”My wife is much more political,” Carter told the AP in 2021. He won a state Senate seat in 1962 but wasn’t long for the General Assembly and its back-slapping, deal-cutting ways. He ran for governor in 1966 — losing to arch-segregationist Lester Maddox — and then immediately focused on the next campaign. Carter had spoken out against church segregation as a Baptist deacon and opposed racist “Dixiecrats” as a state senator. Yet as a local school board leader in the 1950s he had not pushed to end school segregation even after the Supreme Court’s Brown v. Board of Education decision, despite his private support for integration. And in 1970, Carter ran for governor again as the more conservative Democrat against Carl Sanders, a wealthy businessman Carter mocked as “Cufflinks Carl.” Sanders never forgave him for anonymous, race-baiting flyers, which Carter disavowed. Ultimately, Carter won his races by attracting both Black voters and culturally conservative whites. Once in office, he was more direct. “I say to you quite frankly that the time for racial discrimination is over,” he declared in his 1971 inaugural address, setting a new standard for Southern governors that landed him on the cover of Time magazine. His statehouse initiatives included environmental protection, boosting rural education and overhauling antiquated executive branch structures. He proclaimed Martin Luther King Jr. Day in the slain civil rights leader’s home state. And he decided, as he received presidential candidates in 1972, that they were no more talented than he was. In 1974, he ran Democrats’ national campaign arm. Then he declared his own candidacy for 1976. An Atlanta newspaper responded with the headline: “Jimmy Who?” The Carters and a “Peanut Brigade” of family members and Georgia supporters camped out in Iowa and New Hampshire, establishing both states as presidential proving grounds. His first Senate endorsement: a young first-termer from Delaware named Joe Biden. Yet it was Carter’s ability to navigate America’s complex racial and rural politics that cemented the nomination. He swept the Deep South that November, the last Democrat to do so, as many white Southerners shifted to Republicans in response to civil rights initiatives. A self-declared “born-again Christian,” Carter drew snickers by referring to Scripture in a Playboy magazine interview, saying he “had looked on many women with lust. I’ve committed adultery in my heart many times.” The remarks gave Ford a new foothold and television comedians pounced — including NBC’s new “Saturday Night Live” show. But voters weary of cynicism in politics found it endearing. Carter chose Minnesota Sen. Walter “Fritz” Mondale as his running mate on a “Grits and Fritz” ticket. In office, he elevated the vice presidency and the first lady’s office. Mondale’s governing partnership was a model for influential successors Al Gore, Dick Cheney and Biden. Rosalynn Carter was one of the most involved presidential spouses in history, welcomed into Cabinet meetings and huddles with lawmakers and top aides. The Carters presided with uncommon informality: He used his nickname “Jimmy” even when taking the oath of office, carried his own luggage and tried to silence the Marine Band’s “Hail to the Chief.” They bought their clothes off the rack. Carter wore a cardigan for a White House address, urging Americans to conserve energy by turning down their thermostats. Amy, the youngest of four children, attended District of Columbia public school. Washington’s social and media elite scorned their style. But the larger concern was that “he hated politics,” according to Eizenstat, leaving him nowhere to turn politically once economic turmoil and foreign policy challenges took their toll. Carter partially deregulated the airline, railroad and trucking industries and established the departments of Education and Energy, and the Federal Emergency Management Agency. He designated millions of acres of Alaska as national parks or wildlife refuges. He appointed a then-record number of women and nonwhite people to federal posts. He never had a Supreme Court nomination, but he elevated civil rights attorney Ruth Bader Ginsburg to the nation’s second highest court, positioning her for a promotion in 1993. He appointed Paul Volker, the Federal Reserve chairman whose policies would help the economy boom in the 1980s — after Carter left office. He built on Nixon’s opening with China, and though he tolerated autocrats in Asia, pushed Latin America from dictatorships to democracy. But he couldn’t immediately tame inflation or the related energy crisis. And then came Iran. After he admitted the exiled Shah of Iran to the U.S. for medical treatment, the American Embassy in Tehran was overrun in 1979 by followers of the Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini. Negotiations to free the hostages broke down repeatedly ahead of the failed rescue attempt. The same year, Carter signed SALT II, the new strategic arms treaty with Leonid Brezhnev of the Soviet Union, only to pull it back, impose trade sanctions and order a U.S. boycott of the Moscow Olympics after the Soviets invaded Afghanistan. Hoping to instill optimism, he delivered what the media dubbed his “malaise” speech, although he didn’t use that word. He declared the nation was suffering “a crisis of confidence.” By then, many Americans had lost confidence in the president, not themselves. Carter campaigned sparingly for reelection because of the hostage crisis, instead sending Rosalynn as Sen. Edward M. Kennedy challenged him for the Democratic nomination. Carter famously said he’d “kick his ass,” but was hobbled by Kennedy as Reagan rallied a broad coalition with “make America great again” appeals and asking voters whether they were “better off than you were four years ago.” Reagan further capitalized on Carter’s lecturing tone, eviscerating him in their lone fall debate with the quip: “There you go again.” Carter lost all but six states and Republicans rolled to a new Senate majority. Carter successfully negotiated the hostages’ freedom after the election, but in one final, bitter turn of events, Tehran waited until hours after Carter left office to let them walk free. At 56, Carter returned to Georgia with “no idea what I would do with the rest of my life.” Four decades after launching The Carter Center, he still talked of unfinished business. “I thought when we got into politics we would have resolved everything,” Carter told the AP in 2021. “But it’s turned out to be much more long-lasting and insidious than I had thought it was. I think in general, the world itself is much more divided than in previous years.” Still, he affirmed what he said when he underwent treatment for a cancer diagnosis in his 10th decade of life. “I’m perfectly at ease with whatever comes,” he said in 2015. “I’ve had a wonderful life. I’ve had thousands of friends, I’ve had an exciting, adventurous and gratifying existence.”

Maxeon Solar Technologies Announces Third Quarter 2024 Financial Results

When VHS tapes hit the scene in the ‘80s, people thought cinemas would die a natural death in a matter of a decade. But what happened was just the opposite; VHS faced a natural death and CDs took over by the 2000s to be quickly replaced by the DVDs and Blu-ray. Then the internet gave us Netflix and the rest is history. Forty years later, theatres are still relevant. IMAX and 3D have broadened cinematic possibilities thanks in part to innovative technology, big studio budgets and all-star casts. But this is not about commercialised cinema. Instead, we went in search of two cinema halls well past their glory days that have survived (in some form) to the present day. Although the stories are different, they lend a unique perspective to Sri Lanka’s shifting socio-political narrative down the years. Welcome to the Ritz and the Rio – a tale of two cinemas. Ritz cinema transformed The Ritz is in the heart of Borella. Covered in billboards, the theatre stays relevant showing Sinhala and Kollywood releases. The Gallery downstairs has been converted to a pub, while the balcony has been converted into one entire floor for screenings. The lobby of the Ritz cinema is decorated with posters of silver screen classics like Sweep Ticket and Maruwa Samaga Wasey. Between the theatre’s ‘vomitories’ stood a defunct 35mm projector; a reminder of the cumbersome analogue era. Rakith Sugathadasa is the current proprietor of the Ritz cinema which has been in his family for three generations. As a millennial, he is well aware of the challenges to small independent theatres. One issue, he says, is parking. Decades ago, not many people owned cars and so building parking lots were not given much attention when designing commercial buildings. Rakith’s grandfather opened the Ritz in 1959 but passed away two years later and the cinema was rented out till 1980 after which Rakith’s father managed it until 2007. In its heyday, the Ritz was a massive theatre with a seating capacity of 700. “After the popularity of multiplexes, I decided to make it into a 116-seater. That’s why the Ritz survived and the Lido cinema didn’t,” Rakith said. One of the main Sinhala movie centres since the ‘80s, the Ritz cinema is an independent cinema and is part of the Lanka Film Distributors (LFD). Only five film circuits have the authority to release local and foreign films in Sri Lanka – They are the MPI, EAP, CEL, LFD which are owned by the private sector, and the Rithma Film Circuit owned by the Government under the National Film Corporation. In a world of multiplexes the Ritz keeps running due to its budget rates, according to Rakith. “We also have a bar and restaurant downstairs, so that is also one reason we are still surviving”. The Ritz upgraded to digital in 2016 to keep up with the times because analogue is just not feasible to operate. “35mm film costs Rs. 300,000 per single cinema, but a circuit can distribute to every cinema digitally for under Rs. 500,000. Moreover, film rolls are a hassle to operate”. Rakith said he hopes to upgrade the theatre and is still managing the Ritz cinema since it’s a family heirloom. “I grew up here. The Ritz is just a hobby. I have other businesses,” he said with a smile. “At the end of the day, the cinema is not marketable by itself. Films are what drive the market. We have a consistent crowd and sometimes get houseful in the weekends or during holidays”, he added. Rio theatre: flawed beauty In downtown Slave Island stands a decaying building—a flawed beauty and a tragedy of Sri Lanka’s dark past. The Rio theatre and hotel opened its doors in 1965 and featured Sri Lanka’s first 70mm Todd-AO projector. The Todd-AO 70 mm widescreen film format was developed by Mike Todd and the Naify brothers. The Todd AO also marked the beginning of what later became ‘Surround Sound’. The Rio’s first screened the musical South Pacific which was attended by the then Governor General William Goppalawa and a 20-year-old Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga. During its heyday the Rio screened 70mm hits such as Can Can, Alamo, Sound of Music, Cleopatra and West Side Story. In the 60s, the Rio cinema became a popular entertainment hub for Colombo families as it featured amenities such as restaurants and ice cream shops. “But the good times came to an end quickly when the Film Corporation took over all distribution and importation of films and then the quality of movies began its decline from then,” Rathnarajah ‘Thambi’ Navarathnam, proprietor and manager of the Rio cinema, said. “Hollywood didn’t want to deal with a monopoly; they were big enough to ignore Sri Lanka and the 360 cinemas islandwide dropped to a mere 140 in the following years. However, to save the industry, a few private entities were once again allowed to import films. Torched The Rio was torched during the communal riots of 1983 just as many other Tamil-owned businesses. The cinema was rebuilt but the once-magnificent 70mm Todd-AO was replaced by the basic 35mm projectors, marking the end of an era. Rio earned a bad reputation after its fall from grace. The fact that the old cinema is being used as a ‘cruising’ spot is an open secret. The 35mm projectors are handled by an old-time technician who splices martial arts films, exploitation movies and R-rated shows into one continuous roll which are screened thrice a day. The Rio in recent years has also become the haunt for artistes, anarchists and bohemian-types. Several large murals have taken up the walls and the hotel section has been rented out to raves, parties, rock concerts and galleries. The Goethe Institut and Techno Worlds undertook minor restoration efforts and closed off much of the unsafe parts of the building. Contrasting fates The stories of the Rio and Ritz are part of our continuous internal struggle as a nation. The contrasting fates summarise the duality of Sri Lanka’s journey—adaptation and decline, resilience and abandonment. While the Ritz thrives through modernisation and community relevance, the Rio stands as a haunting reminder of missed opportunities and the scars of history. Together, they challenge us to confront the choices that have shaped not only our cultural institutions but also our collective identity. In cinema, as in life, transformation often requires vision and effort, while ruin comes easily, borne of neglect or misguided decisions. The Ritz and the Rio are not just cinemas; they are reflections of who we are, where we have been and the possibilities that lie ahead. Whether we learn from their stories or repeat the patterns they represent, remains to be seen.InterDigital Declares Regular Quarterly Cash Dividend