Nov 18 (Island) The removal by the police of a Buddha statue from a famous temple plunged Trincomalee into turmoil, on Sunday. Police stepped in amidst tension over an attempt by the Coast Conservation Department to take action against a building near the Sri Sambuddha Jayanthi Bodhiraja Vihara, in Trinco. Monks of the temple and devotees staged a protest, claiming that they were restoring a Dhamma school building. more..

Nov 18 (NW) President Anura Kumara Dissanayake called on the Govt Medical Officers’ Association (GMOA) to support the continued maintenance of economic stability, during a meeting held this morning (17) at the Presidential Secretariat. The discussion was convened following a request by the GMOA. During the meeting, Prez asserted that while the economy, which had collapsed in 2022, has now been stabilised, preserving that stability remains a key priority of his govt. more..

Nov 18 (AD) The Chief Prelate of the SL Amarapura Maha Nikaya, Most Venerable Karagoda Uyangoda Maithri Murthy Thero, has sent a letter to the Prez regarding the incident in which police removed a Buddha statue from a temple premises in Trincomalee. The letter states that the Sri Sambuddha Jayanthi Bodhiraja Viharaya in Trincomalee has been in existence since 1951 and is a duly registered temple under the Department of Buddhist Affairs as a temple belonging to more..

Nov 18 (TM) GMOA will continue its trade union action until a concrete plan and a timeframe on implementing the Govt’s response to doctors’ demands are declared. GMOA Media Spokesperson Dr. Chamil Wijesinghe said, where he stressed the importance of the Govt’s promises being implemented. GMOA informed that following the discussion held with Prez yesterday, an emergency Executive Committee was convened. more..

Nov 18 (DM) The Govt’s latest decision to raise the plantation workers’ wages has been made without any consultations with industry personnel, senior representative of the plantation sector said while asserting the move could impact the output. He said the proposed wage increase should have been linked to productivity. “Over the course of many years, we have observed that every time a wage increase is given, around 10,000 estate workers stop working regularly,” he asserted. more..

Nov 18 (EN) Sri Lanka’s manufacturing sector expanded in October, registering a value of 61.0 on the Purchasing Managers Index compiled by the central bank, up from 55.4 in September. “This increase was broad-based, with all sub-indices contributing positively to this expansion,” CBSL said. The expansion in the New Orders sub-index was driven by the manufacture of food & beverages sector, with many companies receiving production orders for the upcoming festive season. more..

Nov 18 (Island) Germany reaffirmed its continued commitment to SL’s health security and research collaboration through the renewal of funding under its Global Health Protection Programme (GHPP) — a move seen as strengthening both the country’s disease preparedness and its broader economic resilience. Speaking at the inauguration of the IDEANet One Health Forum 2025 at Colombo University on Monday, German ambassador to SL, Dr. Felix Neumann, highlighted that more..

Nov 18 (NW) Senior Attorney-at-Law Gunaratne Wanninayake has informed court that he cannot enter into mediation over the incident involving a police constable at the Mount Lavinia Magistrate’s Court premises last month. His legal team told court on Monday (17) that a formal investigation must take place instead. Submitting further reports along with six consolidated statements, the Mount Lavinia Police said both parties were summoned before the Mediation Board on Nov 8, but more..

Nov 18 (DM) Sri Lanka Customs (SLC) informed the Court of Appeal that all BYD vehicles previously detained by the Department have now been released, in line with the agreement reached between the parties at the earlier hearing. Deputy Solicitor General Chaya Sri Nammuni, appearing for the SLC, conveyed this position when several writ petitions filed by John Keells CG Auto (Pvt) Ltd were taken up more..

Nov 18 (DN) The promising off spinner Traveen Mathew had a fine figures of 3 for 21 while Nuwanidu Fernando hit unbeaten 47 in 27 balls as SL ‘A’ registered 7 wickets win over Hong Kong in their Asia Cup Rising Stars T-20 fixture played at West End Park Int'l Cricket Stadium Qatar yesterday. SL 'A' chasing a target of 118 reached it comfortably in 13.5 overs with Nuwanidu Fernando leading the way scoring sparkling 47 in 27 balls with 4 fours and 3 sixes well supported by opener Nishan more..

Nov 18 (ST) Attorney General has ruled that all state financial transactions must follow the Public Financial Management Act (PFMA). The AG’s opinion has been conveyed to Speaker Jagath Wickramaratne, who sought a clarification from him on whether it is the Anti-Corruption Act (ACA) or the PFMA that prevails when it comes to governing recruitments and funding of the CIABOC. The Speaker sought the clarification from Attorney General Parinda Ranasinghe after more..

Nov 18 (Island) For the 18th consecutive year, Ceylon Agro Industries Ltd (Prima Group SL) has partnered with SLC to sponsor the Prima Under-15 SL Youth League (SLYL) 2025. The sponsorship presentation was held at the auditorium of the SSC on Monday evening. SLYL is organized under the National Pathway Program of Sri Lanka Cricket, and the tournament provides players a national-level platform to perform and elevate to the next level in a bid to reach the national stage. more..

Nov 18 (DM) The govt’s recent budget, with its well-intentioned promise to build a more equitable society, has brought a familiar refrain: higher taxes on businesses. The new mandate, which subjects every business with a monthly turnover of 3 million LKR to an 18% VAT, is presented as a progressive tool. The objective is noble to fund social programmes and provide a financial lifeline to our most vulnerable citizens. No one can argue with the goal of lifting people out of poverty. more..

Nov 18 (TM) In the wake of allegations that the Education Ministry did not adequately consult the teachers’ trade unions (TUs) on the upcoming education reforms – particularly the extension of school hours – the Ministry stated that while it had provided multiple opportunities for the unions to present their views, certain unions had however failed to engage meaningfully. Ministry Secretary Nalaka Kaluwewa said that the Ministry had more..

Nov 18 (DN) SL’s promising batsman Pavan Ratnayake has been added to SL squad for the T20 tri-series in Pakistan which will commence today at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium. Pakistan will meet Zimbabwe in the opening match today. 23-year-old right handed player Ratnayake who made his debut in ODI on Sunday has been added to the T-20 squad following several members of the team having fallen ill. Skipper Charith Asalanka and Asitha Fernando both having fever while Wanindu Hasaranga more..

Nov 18 (TM) In the wake of reports that the Govt plans to overhaul the Right to Information (RTI) Act, No. 12 of 2016, the RTI Commission states the current plan is to revise the existing fee structure, not amend the Act. RTI Commission's Director General K.D.S. Ruwanchandra clarified that fees for official record requests under the RTI Act are determined through a gazette notification, and therefore, any changes would require amending the relevant gazette rather than altering the Act. more..

Nov 18 (FT) Free Trade Zone Manufacturers' Association (FTZMA) has agreed on a general wage increase of Rs 3,000 for workers in 2026, following a decision reached by a majority of member companies at a Special General Meeting held on 28 Oct. In a notice issued to member firms, Association said the proposed increase reflects the current economic environment and the cost pressures faced by export manufacturers, more..

Nov 18 (FT) Vidullanka PLC said that it has acquired a 30% equity stake in SAFE Power International Ltd, a company which secured the licenses to develop a 10MW wind power plant in Alankuda in Kalpitiya. The transaction concluded on 14 Nov, which saw Vidullanka investing Rs. 225 million to secure the stake from Arinma Power Ltd, the promoters of the proposed Alankuda wind power project. This acquisition marks Vidullanka’s entry into wind power development in addition to more..

Nov 18 (FT) In a groundbreaking moment for Sri Lanka’s creative and event marketing industry, Ride Colombo 2025 has been honoured with the Platinum Award at the prestigious MarCom Awards 2025, under the category of Strategic Communications – Digital Marketing Campaign. This marks the first time in history that a Sri Lankan initiative has won a MarCom Award, setting a new benchmark for excellence in digital communication and creative strategy. more..

Nov 18 (FT) SLT-Mobitel Mobile said yesterday it has set a new benchmark in Sri Lanka’s digital journey achieving the highest-ever 5G speeds in the country, exceeding 10Gbps recently, on its advanced 5G Standalone (SA) ready network, under TRCSL 5G trial approval. The milestone surpasses previous records and demonstrates SLT-Mobitel’s commitment to driving Sri Lanka’s digital evolution with cutting-edge technology and future-ready connectivity. more..

Nov 18 (FT) Green Tape, Sri Lanka’s cutting-edge integrated digital procurement ecosystem, has reached a major milestone with the execution of its 10,000th tender; underscoring the growing shift toward transparent, accountable, and sustainable business practices. The tender, for the supply of electronics and computer hardware, was called by Alliance Finance Company PLC, and the successful bidder was Leosys Corporation, which joined the platform in late 2024. more..

Nov 18 (TM) SL expects to increase its tourist arrivals from China in the first quarter of the year, with the opening of a Consulate General office in Chengdu, Sichuan Province in China, Minister Vijitha Herath told parliament. “We expect next year, in the first quarter, to open a Consulate General office in the city of Chengdu, China. There are Consulate General offices operating in a few cities across China at present,” Herath said more..

Nov 18 (Island) The govt has been continuously demonstrating an ambivalence to the implementation of the 13th Amendment to the constitution under which the provincial council system has been established. In its election manifesto, the NPP said it did not agree that provincial councils were the answer to the ethnic conflict. However, it also recognised that the Tamil and Muslim communities believed the provincial council system was in their interests. more..

Nov 18 (Island) NPP govt is busy building walls of secrecy. It has already erected quite a few of them around vital pacts and MoUs it entered into with some foreign powers. This is in sharp contrast to what Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake and other JVP seniors asked the previous govts to do while they were Opposition MPs. They demanded that such agreements and MoUs be made public immediately. Opposition has called upon the govt to disclose the contents of a defence MoU more..

Nov 18 (GV) There is, quite rightly, a public outcry when a tusker is killed. There are probably less than two dozen mature tuskers left on the island, if that. This year over 350 wild elephants have been killed to date, with over 100 humans also succumbing to the conflict. Since 2010, almost 5,000 elephants have died and this number is continuing to rise. A recent census (final results still pending) conducted in 2024 estimated that there were between 6,000 and 7,000 wild elephants in Sri Lanka. more..

Nov 18 (CT) Ceylon Today commemorates its 14th anniversary today, at a time when print media stands at a pivotal moment, both for the nation and for the entire landscape of information and communication in SL. In a time when algorithms are shaping the very fabric of perceived reality, trapping citizens in echo chambers that dissolve the boundary between fact and fiction, print media and journalism stand as a sentinel against sensationalism and bias, delivering clear information unbiased, vetted, more..

Nov 18 (SO) The 36th commemoration of the JVP’s November Martyrs is not only a moment to remember its leaders who sacrificed their lives for the oppressed, including JVP founder Rohana Wijeweera, but also to reflect on the journey of the party they built. Over the decades, the long serving General Secretary of the JVP, Tilvin Silva has guided the party through imprisonment, political splits, and immense challenges, more..

Nov 18 (DM) Sex education has been a taboo topic in Sri Lanka. But perverseness strangely is not. A man could simply expose his private parts and harass a foreigner, and those who have been going to town against sex education are nowhere to be seen. But such incidents are enough proof to justify why this country needs comprehensive sex education. Every time the topic of sex education emerges, many influential people protest against the govt. They talk about more..

Nov 18 (TM) In next year’s (2026) Budget that has been presented, the Govt has allocated Rs. 5 billion to settle the outstanding arrears of statutory payments – EPF, ETF, gratuity allowances and taxes – owed by 10 State-owned enterprises (SOEs). Total arrears stand at Rs. 11 billion, a staggering amount that shows the deep financial struggles faced by these institutions. Among these SOEs are notable entities like Lanka Sugar Company Ltd, State Plantations Corporation, Rupavahini Corp, more..

Nov 18 (TM) Despite fuel price reductions and increments approved for welfare schemes over the last year, the cost of living (CoL) for the common man remains unbearable. The prolonged effect of such austerity has led to many questions about why the Govt has failed to provide the relief it promised, while seeking clarity about the State’s plans to address the issue. Following the double whammy of the Covid pandemic and more..

Nov 18 (ST) The Head of the Catholic Church in Lanka, Cardinal Ranjith Malcolm, in a pulpit blast last Sunday, made a scathing attack on govt plans to radically reform education and enthrone literature promoting LGBTQs as the third sex of the human species in school classrooms, with students brainwashed in their formative years to accept this freak deviation of nature as part and parcel of natural life. There were no three sexes of all species on earth that Noah boarded on his Ark before more..

Nov 18 (CT) The JVP held its 36th commemoration of November Heroes at the Viharamahadevi Open Air Theatre on Thursday (13). The stage arrangement – mise-en-scčne, the bright red painted background with a single large beaming figure of Rohana Wijeweera wearing a Che Guevara Beret with a white star (Che’s Beret star was deep red). The stage accommodated the party’s Politburo and Central Committee heavy wights. It was theatre for the core ranks of JVP veterans. more..