Nov 2 (Island) CCTV cameras would be installed at every police station across the country to strengthen monitoring and oversight of police activities, ASP F.U. Wootler said. He said procurement for the project was already under way and arrangements would be made to monitor police stations through footage recorded by the cameras. The move is expected to improve transparency and accountability at police stations, particularly amidst concerns over the treatment of suspects in police custody. more..

Nov 2 (NW) A SriLankan Airlines flight travelling from Melbourne to Colombo declared an emergency before landing at BIA following the activation of a smoke warning in the aircraft’s cargo hold. In a statement, SriLankan Airlines confirmed that Flight UL605, which was scheduled to arrive in Colombo at 11.20 p.m. on Nov 1, declared the emergency prior to landing. The airline said the aircraft landed safely at BIA, with all passengers and crew disembarking without incident. more..

Nov 2 (DM) CB Governor Dr Nandalal Weerasinghe said that the financial policies necessary for the country must be implemented decisively, regardless of whether the public favours or opposes them. He said that avoiding necessary economic policies simply because they are unpopular could cause serious harm to the country in the long run. Speaking at a lecture at Uni of Kelaniya, he said that with the Central Bank now operating as a more independent institution, more..

Nov 2 (DM) SLPP MP Namal Rajapaksa has questioned the protection afforded to people in State custody, alleging that individuals are being beaten, tortured and dying while under State custody. In a post on X, Rajapaksa said that although a person's freedom could be restricted, their fundamental rights to life, dignity and protection could not be taken away. He stressed that the State has s duty to protect every life in its custody and that duty is not optional. more..

Nov 2 (NW) Former Secretary to the Ministry of Cooperatives and Internal Trade, Gamini Kithsiri Dias Amarawardhana, has been arrested by the CIABOC over alleged corruption involving the purchase of chairs for the Polgolla Mahinda Rajapaksa Hospital. The former Ministry Secretary was arrested by its investigation officers at around 9.45 a.m. today. The arrest follows allegations that the suspect arranged for chairs to be purchased from a private company having submitted the lowest quotation while more..

Nov 2 (Island) Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa yesterday accused the govt of attempting to curtail the fundamental and human rights of the people through two new Bills, aimed at combating terrorism and organised crime. Addressing an event at the Sri Subodhirajarama Viharaya, in Gallalla, Polonnaruwa, Premadasa said citizens had the right to practice their religion, hold political beliefs, join political parties, express their views, hold meetings and engage in peaceful protests. more..

Nov 2 (EN) State-owned Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC) has raised fuel prices effective from November 2, pushing key transport fuel prices higher. Under the revised pricing, 92 Octane Petrol increased by 10 rupees to 424 rupees per litre, while 95 Octane Petrol rose by 15 rupees to 490 rupees per litre. Auto Diesel was raised by 5 rupees to 397 rupees per litre, Super Diesel advanced by 15 rupees to 543 rupees per litre, while kerosene remained unchanged at 285 rupees per litre. more..

Nov 2 (DM) Clarifying media reports suggesting widespread damage to vehicles parked at Hambantota port due to lightening strike, a statement by the Port said the lightning strike severely damaged one vehicle and caused minor damage to three others. Statement said that Hambantota Int'l Port’s (HIP) Emergency Response Unit (ERU) promptly extinguished a vehicle fire caused by a lightning strike, preventing it from spreading to surrounding vehicles and avoiding further losses. more..

Nov 2 (NW) Further details have emerged regarding the death of a 27-year-old remand prisoner who was shot by a prison officer at the Dumbara Prison in Pallekele, Kandy, with relatives raising concerns over the circumstances surrounding his death. Prisons Commissioner Senaka Pallathtenna stated that the inmate was shot while allegedly attempting to seize a firearm from a prison officer. Incident occurred at around 8 p.m. on Sunday, when the prisoner reportedly attempted to escape from the prison. more..

Nov 2 (FT) Overseas Realty (Ceylon) said it has launched the development of Havelock City Residences, the fifth and final phase of Havelock City, bringing the vision of one of Colombo’s iconic integrated mixed-use projects closer to completion. Official launch of Havelock City Residences was celebrated at a glamorous launch event held on 29 Oct 2026 at Hilton Colombo, attended by an exclusive gathering of invited guests. Demonstrating strong market confidence even before its official launch, more..

Nov 2 (NW) SL Air Force (SLAF) has successfully supported a high-risk hostage rescue operation in the Central African Republic, securing the release of three civilians who had been held captive for more than eight months. Operation was carried out recently by the SLAF Aviation Unit serving under the UN Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in the Central African Republic (MINUSCA). Three Mi-17 helicopters were deployed for the mission, more..

Nov 2 (EN) Fitch Ratings has taken the following actions on the National Long-Term Ratings of eight SL banks following recalibration of the agency’s SL national rating scale in the wake of the recent sovereign rating upgrade. The National Ratings of all other SL banks are not affected by this review. The banks’ National Ratings consider their creditworthiness relative to other issuers in the country. National scale ratings are a risk ranking of issuers in a particular market designed to more..

Nov 2 (DM) Patients seeking treatment at private hospitals and medical centres are at risk due to a shortage of essential and life-saving medicines, Consultant Physician Dr. Chamal Sanjeewa has warned. Dr. Sanjeewa, President of the Medical Professionals' Alliance for Medical and Civil Rights, said several medicines needed to treat patients during emergencies were currently unavailable in the private sector. He said the shortage had affected medicines that private hospitals, nursing homes more..

Nov 2 (FT) This article explains in simple terms why tourism development is a complex task, far more challenging than many of the seemingly straightforward solutions being suggested today. It looks at the bigger picture and why successful tourism development requires much more than attracting more tourists, targeting high spenders or launching promotional campaigns There is much discussion these days about the future direction of SL tourism. Almost everyone seems to have an opinion about what should be done. more..

Nov 2 (FT) Multilateral lenders such as the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank continue to commend Sri Lanka’s recovery from the devastating crisis of 2022. From their macroeconomic—or bird’s-eye—view, the picture looks encouraging. Budgetary numbers are improving, reforms are progressing, inflation remains in single digits despite recently exceeding the Central Bank’s upper limit, foreign reserves are rising, and economic growth of 5% suggests a firm recovery. more..

Nov 2 (ST) The Govt will present a welfare-oriented budget for next year while factoring in additional expenditure due to the ongoing crisis in West Asia and the possible impact of El Nińo, a senior govt official said. Budget 2027 will include a pay hike for public sector employees, with salaries expected to increase by Rs 20,000 for those in the lowest scales and up to Rs 80,000 in the higher scales, he said. more..

Nov 2 (TM) Met Dept warned fishing and naval communities against venturing into specified deep-sea areas as Cyclone Murasu is expected to intensify and bring strong winds and rough seas. In a warning issued by the Natural Hazards Early Warning Centre at 3 p m yesterday, the deep depression over the south-eastern Bay of Bengal had intensified into a cyclone named Murasu. The system was located near latitude 12.1° North and longitude 85.3° East at 11.30 a.m. yesterday. more..

Nov 2 (AD) Ceypetco has announced a revision of fuel prices, effective from midnight today (1). Accordingly, the price of Auto Diesel has been increased by Rs. 5 to Rs. 397 per litre, and the price of Super Diesel has been increased by Rs. 15 to Rs. 543 per litre. Meanwhile, the price of Petrol 92 Octane has been increased by Rs. 10 to Rs. 424 per litre and Petrol 95 Octane has also been increased by Rs. 15 to Rs. 490. Meanwhile, price of kerosene also remains at Rs. 285 with no price change. more..

Nov 2 (FT) President Anura Kumara Dissanayake has pledged further tax cuts in next month’s Budget, saying the reductions would be made without jeopardising the Govt’s revenue target. Addressing the National Convention of the National Intellectuals Organisation (NIO) at the P.D. Sirisena Grounds in Maligawatta, Prez said the Govt had met its revenue targets, unlike in the past, when projected State income was not fully realised. more..

Nov 2 (NW) SL Police have sought public assistance to identify and arrest a suspect wanted in connection with the shooting death of a restaurant owner in Soysapura, Mount Lavinia. Restaurant owner was shot dead on Oct 20, and investigations are being conducted by the Mount Lavinia Divisional CIB. Police have released CCTV images and video footage of a suspect believed to be connected to the killing. Members of the public with information about the suspect have been requested to contact more..

Nov 2 (PMD) Appointment letters were presented to 2,819 trainee nurses from the 2020 student nursing cohort, who completed the three-year Higher Diploma course at nursing colleges under the Ministry of Health and Mass Media, recruiting them to the health service as Grade III nursing officers. The ceremony was held at Temple Trees this morning (1), under the patronage of Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake. The 2,819 nursing officers appointed today had sat GCE A/L Level exam more..

Nov 2 (Island) Salary and wage rates for workers across Sri Lanka experienced positive growth up to Sept 2026, with the informal private sector significantly outpacing public sector adjustments. According to data from the Central Bank’s Statistics Department, the Nominal Wage Rate Index for the informal private sector (2018=100) rose to 213.3 in Sept 2026, marking a notable 10.3% increase compared to 193.3 recorded in the same month of the previous year. more..

Nov 2 (ST) The revised State-Owned Enterprise (SOE) Act will enable loss-making state enterprises to go public on the Colombo Stock Exchange (CSE), a deputy minister said. Sri Lanka will divest and restructure its SOEs to eliminate commercial distortions, Deputy Minister of Finance and Planning Prof. Anil Jayantha said, addressing the Capital Market Industry Forum on Tuesday titled From Resilience to Sustainable Growth: The Future of Sri Lanka’s Capital Market. more..

Nov 2 (TM) Litro Gas Lanka is discussing with LAUGFS Gas PLC the possibility of supplying Litro gas cylinders to LAUGFS customers amid continuing difficulties in obtaining supplies, as the company assures its own customers of uninterrupted availability, it is learnt. Litro Gas Lanka Chairman Channa Gunawardana said that discussions were underway to identify a solution to ensure an adequate supply of gas, more..

Nov 2 (Island) A decade ago, in a bid to revive SL cricket, Thilanga Sumathipala was willing to give Chandika Hathurusingha a blank cheque. He even changed the board’s constitution to allow the Head Coach to serve as a national selector. The current administration seems willing to give Gary Kirsten a similarly free hand. Good on them. Judging by the performances in Pakistan, he appears to be pulling the right strings. Often, it is the simple things that go unnoticed. more..

Nov 2 (FT) The country spent $ 1,871 million on motor vehicle imports during January-September, Central Bank of SL (CBSL) data showed, about 10% of the $ 18.7 billion spent on merchandise imports in the period. “Expenditure on motor vehicle imports, including both personal and commercial vehicles, amounted to $ 188 million in Sept 2026, representing a 34.4% decline compared to Sept 2025,” the CBSL said in its External Sector Performance report for September, more..

Nov 2 (FT) Govt rejected all bids for a $ 100 million dollar-denominated Bond offered to local and diaspora investors after bidders sought yields of about 12%, a clear sign of the cost Sri Lanka will face when it returns to international capital markets, former CB Deputy Governor Dr. W.A. Wijewardena said. Speaking at CA SL’s 28th Annual Tax Oration on Thursday, Dr. Wijewardena said the Treasury had issued the bond to test the market and had planned to increase it to $ 300 million. more..

Nov 2 (FT) SL is set to strengthen its int'l air connectivity for the European winter tourism season, with several airlines introducing new services or increasing capacity on routes linking the island with Russia, France, Central Asia and Switzerland. Flights operated by Russia’s Azur Air to MRIA are scheduled to commence today (2), while French carrier French Bee is expected to begin services to BIA in December via the Maldives. S7 Airlines is also scheduled to launch direct flights from Siberia more..

Nov 2 (TM) The recent dip in SL’s apparel export revenue is the result of external macroeconomic pressures and weaker consumer spending in key Western markets rather than domestic operational failures, according to Deputy Minister Chathuranga Abeysinghe. He added that the Govt was working to diversify market reach while ensuring that trade concessions such as the EU GSP+ remained protected. more..

Nov 2 (DN) Muditha Lakshan smashed a blistering a 16-ball 52, but SL fell agonisingly short as Hong Kong pulled off a thrilling one-run win in their seventh-place play-off at the Hong Kong Cricket Sixes tournament in Mong Kok, Hong Kong, yesterday. It was not the finish SL had hoped for after arriving at the tournament with ambitions of making a strong impression. Their campaign began on a bright note with a one-wicket win over Bangladesh, but defeats to Scotland & Oman more..

Nov 2 (ST) The smooth corporate handoff of HSBC Sri Lanka’s retail banking portfolio to Nations Trust Bank (NTB) with the approval of the Central Bank has hit a wall of consumer friction. While the Rs. 18 billion deal may have been considered a business transaction in boardrooms, the reality is, thousands of the nation’s highly paid professionals including doctors, engineers, pilots, and corporate executives find themselves embroiled in an expensive administrative hassle. more..

Nov 2 (FT) Govt said it will look to stronger tax administration and compliance, rather than new or higher tax rates, for its near-term revenue gains as it targets tax revenue of at least 17% of GDP by 2031. “In the near term, emphasis should be placed on increasing the productivity of existing taxes through stronger administration, rather than relying primarily on new or higher tax rates,” Finance, Planning & Economic Dev more..