News
Yohani meets fellow Sri Lankan Jackie in India

BY S VENKAT NARAYAN
Our Special Correspondent
NEW DELHI, October 9: Sri Lankan singer Yohani, who became an Internet sensation after the release of her Manike Maghe Hithe cover, recently had a fangirl moment during her visit to India last week., glimpses from which she shared on her Instagram profile on Thursday.
The 28-year-old singer shared a set of pictures with Bollywood star and former Miss Sri Lanka Jacqueline Fernandez on her Instagram profile on Thursday.
Sharing the pictures, Yohani captioned them: “#starstruck … #SriLankan.” In the comments, the singer wrote for Jacqueline: “Thank you for all the support. Means a lot.” Replying to which, the Kick actress wrote: “So, so proud of you.”
Yohani became a star with Manike Maghe Hithe, a popular cover of a song that went viral and is everywhere. In India, it became a rage after several top Bollywood stars, including Amitabh Bachchan and Priyanka Chopta shared it with millions of their followers on Twitter. YouTube was flooded with the hit song’s versions in many Indian languages.
She performed in Gurugram near New Delhi and Hyderabad last week.
In interviews with leading TV channels and newspapers, Yohani said she wants to learn Hindi and work in Bollywood with top musicians like AR Rahman.
Jacqueline Fernandez, who was crowned Miss Sri Lanka 2006, made her debut in Bollywood with the 2009 film Aladin. She went on to feature alongside Salman Khan in several films like Kick and Race 3. The duo will once again collaborate for Kick sequel. The actress has also starred in films such as Murder 2, Race 2, Housefull 2, Housefull 3, Judwaa 2, Mrs Serial Killer and Drive to name a few.
The actress’ impressive line-up of films includes Bachchan Pandey alongside Akshay Kumar and Kriti Sanon. She has signed Ram Setu with Akshay Kumar and Nushrratt Bharuccha. She will be seen in Attack, opposite John Abraham. The actress will star in Rohit Shetty’s Cirkus, starring Ranveer Singh, and Bhoot Police with Saif Ali Khan, Arjun Kapoor and Yami Gautam. She will also feature in Badshah’s music video Paani Paani. She was last seen in the song Dil De Diya from Salman Khan’s film Radhe.
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Business
President invites exporters to rise again from the economic setback

President Anura Kumar Disanayake invited Sri Lankan exporters to rebuild and thrive on a robust economic foundation.
The President emphasized that our country faces the challenge of capturing market share from a position of relative weakness. He pointed out that, to overcome this, external support had to be sought. In this regard, he highlighted that the government is prepared to provide assistance for recovery based on the current economic stability.
President Anura Kumar Disanayake made these remarks at the 26th Presidential Export Awards Ceremony.
The 26th Presidential Export Awards, organized by the Sri Lanka Export Development Board (EDB), was held on Friday (07) at the Bandaranaike Memorial International Conference Hall (BMICH) under the patronage of President Anura Kumar Disanayake.
The main objective of the awards ceremony is to recognize exporters who have made significant contributions to the economic development of Sri Lanka.
The Presidential Export Award, presented by the President, is the highest honour for Sri Lankan exporters who have made significant contributions to the export sector and economic development.
The Presidential Export Awards program, initiated by the EDB in 1981, has been held annually to recognize Sri Lanka’s top exporters. The awards ceremony for the 2023/24 financial year took place this year.
A total of 14 major awards and 51 awards in the categories of production and services were presented, with recipients gaining the opportunity to use the Presidential Export Award logo as a marketing tool for three years.
President Anura Kumar Disanayake further emphasized the critical importance of the trust placed in Sri Lanka by international economic stakeholders to stabilize the country’s economy. He noted that the global market economy is interconnected, not entirely independent.
He further pointed out that the primary challenge facing Sri Lanka is securing a substantial share of the market amidst the current global division of markets and the ongoing competition to reclaim market shares.
President Anura Kumar Disanayake noted that the global market has become an interconnected network. He emphasized that in order for the country to become a key participant in this market, it must engage in trade agreements that are beneficial to Sri Lanka. He cautioned that aggressive, reckless approaches to market penetration would not be successful, stressing the need for strategic, thoughtful engagement.
The President further stated that the government is already taking steps to provide the necessary technical support for Sri Lankan exporters to enter the market with high-quality products. He highlighted the government’s focus on supplying new goods and services in response to global changes, in line with international market trends.
Regarding the reduction of electricity bills, the President mentioned that the government is prioritizing renewable energy sources to maintain long-term stability in energy costs. He added that efforts are underway to lower costs and ensure stable pricing over the next few years.
President Disanayake also emphasized that the government is committed to playing a pivotal role in advancing the nation’s economy to new heights. He noted that even small or misguided decisions can have significant negative impacts on the economy, and therefore, decisions regarding the economy must be made with great caution and foresight.
In his remarks, the President assured that the government is fully committed to fulfilling exporters’ requests, which are vital to strengthening the nation’s economy and maintaining a strong economic foundation.
Finally, the President invited Sri Lankan exporters to unite in strengthening the economy, stressing the importance of collaboration and mutual understanding to navigate the challenges of economic recovery and growth effectively.
The ceremony was attended by several distinguished individuals, including Minister of Industry and Entrepreneurship Development Sunil Handunnetti, Minister of Labour and Deputy Minister of Economic Development Anil Jayantha Fernando, Minister of Energy Kumara Jayakody, Deputy Minister of Industry and Entrepreneurship Development Chathuranga Abeysinghe, Secretary to the Ministry of Industry and Entrepreneurship Development Thilaka Jayasundara, Chairman and Chief Executive of the Export Development Board of Sri Lanka Mangala Wijesinghe, Chairman of the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce Duminda Hulangamuwa, along with various Ministers, Deputy Ministers, Parliamentarians, foreign diplomats, Secretaries to the Ministries, and members of the EDB.
[PMD]
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