Nov 15 (FT) Minister Dr. Anil Jayantha Fernando said that the Budget 2026 was formulated on the principles of clean politics, inclusivity, and sustainable growth, aiming to strengthen investor confidence while ensuring no citizen is left behind in economic recovery. He said the Govt has maintained clean politics as a core principle in preparing the Budget 2026, which he described as essential to creating a conducive environment more..

Nov 15 (NW) SL’s tourism and worker remittance inflows posted strong growth in Oct 2025, reflecting continued recovery in both sectors. Tourist arrivals rose to 165,193 in Oct 2025, up from 135,907 in the same month last year — a year-on-year increase of 16.7%. Arrivals for the Jan–Oct period climbed to 1.89 million, compared to 1.62 million in 2024. Tourism earnings also improved, reaching USD 186.1 million in Oct 2025, slightly higher than USD 185.6 million recorded in Oct 2024. more..

Nov 15 (FT) Cabinet recently approved directing the Legal Draftsmen to prepare a draft bill to establish SL National Film Council, repealing the SL National Film Corporation Act No. 47 of 1971, to modernise cinema regulation and promote film culture in the country. Nearly five decades after the establishment of the SL National Film Corporation, Cabinet recognised the need to update the institutional framework to reflect significant changes in technology, society, politics and the economy. more..

Nov 15 (CT) ITAK MP Shanakiyan Rasamanickam told Parliament on Friday that the party will abstain from voting on the 2026 Budget, describing the decision as a serious political message both locally and internationally. He said the move is a gesture of goodwill and trust in Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake, expressing confidence that the Prez will address long-standing Tamil concerns, including a new Constitution reflecting more..

Nov 15 (NW) Passengers will soon have the option of paying bus fares using bank-issued credit and debit cards, with the new system set to take effect from Nov 24, Minister Bimal Rathnayake announced in Parliament. The facility will be available on buses equipped with electronic ticket-issuing machines, allowing passengers to swipe their cards instead of using cash. Minister said the move is part of ongoing efforts to modernise public transport and improve convenience for daily commuters. more..

Nov 15 (CT) The Sri Lankan Embassy in Israel has confirmed that a Sri Lankan national was murdered by a foreign national in Tel Aviv. Sri Lanka’s Ambassador to Israel, Nimal Bandara said that Israeli authorities have not yet released the suspect’s identity. He visited the Salameh Police Station in the Tel Aviv District on Thursday (13) morning to meet the investigation team. Two Sri Lankans who were with the victim at the time of the incident have also been questioned. more..

Nov 15 (CT) Minister Chandana Abayarathna, said that a Parliamentary Select Committee will be appointed to resolve the delimitation of wards (electorates) in order to hold the PC Elections. Minister stated that proposal to appoint the Select Committee will be presented to Parliament next week. Minister emphasised that the Govt intends to resolve any issues regarding the time frame for delimitation after the committee is appointed, and to subsequently hold election promptly. more..

Nov 15 (DM) A video showing a foreign female tourist being sexually harassed by a SL man has gone viral on social media. The tourist, who had been driving a tuk-tuk reportedly encountered the man after she stopped the vehicle. In the video, the man is seen exposing his genitals and attempting to sexually harass her. The tourist is heard expressing fear and shock over the incident. She had been recording her surroundings during her travels and captured the incident on camera. more..

Nov 15 (Island) Apropos The Island exclusive reports headlined NPP govt. urged to reconsider decision to abolish concession granted to military families (11 Nov) and Reverse move to abolish concession granted to military families: Ex-Chief of Defence Staff (14 Nov), Defence Ministry said that General Sir John Kotelawala Defence Uni (KDU) hadn’t decided to abolish the 50% concession granted to the children of service personnel. more..

Nov 15 (DM) Rasika Peiris, Special Grade Officer of the SL Administrative Service, has assumed duties as the new Commissioner General of Elections this morning. Election Commission said that his appointment follows the retirement of Saman Sri Ratnayake, who concluded his public service on 13 Nov 2025 after reaching the mandatory retirement age of sixty. Ratnayake had served as Commissioner General of Elections since 16 Oct 2019, marking the end of a long and more..

Nov 15 (FT) Colombo stock market fell sharply in early trading yesterday before gaining ground to close the week flat. The ASPI closed a marginal 0.01% lower, down 1.71 points to 23,459.75 and the S&P SL20 lost 22.22 points to close 0.34% lower at 6,435.93. Market turnover was over Rs. 5.6 billion on over 218.7 million traded. Foreigners were net sellers with a net outflow of over Rs. 5.9 million NDB Securities said during the week, ASPI and S&P SL20 gained 0.5% and 0.9% respectively, more..

Nov 15 (FT) Indo–Lanka Handicraft and Cultural Festival 2025 was inaugurated yesterday by India’s High Commissioner to SL Santosh Jha at the Havelock City Mall, Colombo. The festival is jointly organised by the National Crafts Council of SL and Swami Vivekananda Cultural Centre (SVCC), cultural arm of the High Commission of India. The inauguration ceremony was graced by Minister Sunil Handunnetti, and Deputy Minister Chaturanga Abeysinghe and National Crafts Council more..

Nov 15 (FT) Hayleys Group said it had sustained its strong growth trajectory during the first six months of the financial year ending 31 March 2026, generating a Profit Before Tax (PBT of Rs. 13.33 billion, a 5% year-on-year (y-o-y) increase compared to the corresponding period of the previous year. Consolidated revenue grew by 13% to Rs. 138.89 billion during 2Q, supported by commendable growth in domestic businesses, which was complemented by the group’s resilient export businesses. more..

Nov 15 (FT) CoPF, chaired by MP Dr. Harsha de Silva, has reviewed the draft report on the Appropriation Bill for the 2026 financial year, noting that it aligns with the IMF program commitments. Committee highlighted both improved fiscal space from higher 2025 revenue and fresh challenges ahead as vehicle import–driven revenue slows. The draft report prepared under Standing Order 121(5)(i) on the Appropriation Bill for more..

Nov 15 (FT) Dialog Axiata announced strong results for the nine months ended 30 September 2025, across its Mobile, Fixed Line and Digital Pay Television businesses, achieving positive revenue growth of 6% year-to-date (YTD) to reach Rs. 133.1 billion for the first nine months of 2025. This was despite the continued strategic scaling down of its low-margin international wholesale business. Core revenue for the period reached Rs. 128.9 billion up 18% YTD. On a quarter-on-quarter more..

Nov 15 (DM) Colombo High Court sentenced a father who pleaded guilty to raping his 14-year-old daughter to 12 years of rigorous imprisonment. As the accused admitted to the charge before court, sentence was imposed without any fine or compensation order. According to the facts revealed, during the December school holidays in 2018, the accused had raped his 14-year-old daughter when no one else was at home. He had also intimidated the victim and restrained her, warning her more..

Nov 15 (ST) This year’s budget for the estate workers being almost similar to last year’s budget proposal which went unimplemented has prompted trade unions and workers to express displeasure and mistrust about the proposal. The difference between last year’s budget proposal and this year’s is that there has been an increase of Rs 50. Unions have expressed their concerns regarding the proposal as the more..

Nov 15 (FT) In a move to strengthen the country’s fuel security, the Cabinet this week approved constructing new storage tanks and replace aging ones at the Kolonnawa and Muthurajawela terminals, enabling the Ceylon Petroleum Storage Terminal Company (CPSTL) to maintain a minimum petroleum stock sufficient for 45 days. It was approved to finance the project using CPSTL’s own funds, recognising the critical importance of ensuring a continuous and stable supply of more..

Nov 15 (FT) A major milestone in Colombo’s, transformation into a regional hub is set to unfold with the development of the 34-storey Colombo Gateway Tower One at Port City Colombo, a state-of-the-art office infrastructure by a Singapore-led investor consortium spearheaded by Canary Wharf Holdings Ltd. Slated to break ground in May 2026, with an anticipated completion in June 2029, Canary Wharf is the development arm of Investment Advisory firm Platinum Advisors Ltd,. more..

Nov 15 (Island) Recently, an elephant drive was launched in the Hambantota District with the aim of mitigating the human–elephant conflict (HEC). However, the real question is whether HEC can truly be mitigated through elephant drives. Decades of scientific research in SL have consistently shown that such drives are not only ineffective but also waste public funds and severely disrupt elephant social structures. Some authorities assert that they are conducting this particular drive more..

Nov 15 (FT) If you were looking to assess the quality and condition of governance in Sri Lanka of late, how well would you set about it? An analytical survey of the relevant (and sometimes irrelevant) stats as essayed by Verité or Advocata, et al.? Or a finger on the popular (or often unpopular) pulse as enterprised by LMD’s biz confidence index? There are times when the good sense of the usual metrics – managing key macroeconomic indicators, boosting public or investor confidence and more..

Nov 15 (CI) Babar Azam hit his first international century in more than two years, as Pakistan's senior batters made light work of chasing down the target of 289. SL's middle order had dragged the total to 288 for 8 after they'd lost early wickets. But on a flat Rawalpindi track, they never looked like defending their score, particularly after their opening bowlers were wayward. Pakistan got home with 10 balls to spare, and 8 wickets more..

Nov 15 (FT) Sri Lanka has officially welcomed DENZA, the premium new energy vehicle (NEV) brand from the BYD Group marking its first foray into South Asia, in an exclusive event at Waters Edge on Wednesday. Introduced through a strategic partnership with John Keells CG Auto (JKCG Auto), the launch positions DENZA as the country’s latest contender in the luxury electric mobility space, blending European-inspired design with cutting-edge NEV technology. more..

Nov 15 (CT) In New Delhi recently, SJB Leader Sajith Premadasa, committed his party to the full implementation of the India-inspired 13th Amendment, which guarantees a Provincial Council (PC) form of intermediary administration between the federal govt and the Local Councils. Around the same time back home, ruling JVP General Secretary Tilvin Silva was telling his audiences how they would be dumping the PC system under their promised new Constitution, more..

Nov 15 (Island) SL lawmakers, more often than not, are in the news for the wrong reasons. Most of them do not seem to take their legislative duties and functions seriously if their flippant attitude as well as misconduct is any indication. Their theatrics and facetious remarks that pass for witticism make their parliamentary speeches assume the characteristics of low comedies. Worse, debates are replete with unparliamentary language, which has apparently become the norm. more..

Nov 15 (CT) Prez cum Financed Minister Anura Kumara Dissanayake’s 2026 budget has won kudos from several independent observers. Since he and NPP took over the reins of govt pragmatism had been the guiding philosophy of the rulers and as a result the economy has speedily moved over from crisis to stability. Although the budget’s expected growth rate target of 7% by the end of 2026 borders on exaggerated optimism in the context of IMF’s reduced growth rate of only 3.1% and more..

Nov 15 (TM) After 3 years of upheaval, an unprecedented default, gruelling IMF negotiations, and the painful climb back through fiscal tightening, Sri Lankans appear to have stopped expecting miracles from their budgets. What people look for now are smaller mercies such as proposals that ease the cost of living, incentives that give them a bit of breathing space, and, if fortune allows, a lighter tax burden in a year when both direct more..

Nov 15 (CT) The Govt’s proposal in the 2026 Budget to channel public funds towards an attendance allowance for plantation workers has stirred a lively debate. On the surface, it appears a humane intervention: a vulnerable workforce receives an immediate income boost, helping families who have long struggled on wages that barely meet subsistence levels. Yet beneath that compassion lies a more complex and uncomfortable question; should taxpayers shoulder a portion of wages more..

Nov 15 (DM) Speaker Jagath Wickramaratne on Monday has said that an investigation will be conducted by the office of the Secretary General of Parliament regarding the use of unparliamentary language used by some MPs during the previous day’s sessions. It is not clear as to why the Speaker wants to investigate the usage of unparliamentary language of certain members on a particular day while it has been a common occurrence in the House for a long time. more..

Nov 15 (CT) As Pakistan reels from a fresh wave of terror attacks — and New Delhi grapples with its own blast — cricket has once again found itself on the frontlines of regional insecurity. The Sri Lankan team, touring Pakistan during the explosions, for the One Day International and T20 Triangular series, initially wanted to return home but ultimately chose to stay, determined to finish the match for the spirit of the game. more..

Nov 15 (DM) In the countries of South Asia, cricket is looked on as a cultural phenomenon, far more than just another sport. It transcends class and party politics. It evokes images of cricketing giants of the past, and draws comparisons with cricketing maestros in other parts of the world. Cricket is deeply intertwined with the region’s identity, and has brought us together as South Asians –India’s unexpected victory against the mighty West Indies at the World Cup 1983 was a milestone and more..

Nov 15 (DM) Sri Lanka’s fifth executive president, Mahinda Rajapaksa, will celebrate his 80th birth anniversary this week. Mahinda, born on Nov 18, 1945, served two terms as president from Nov 2005 to Jan 2010 and from Jan 2010 to Jan 2015. He was also sworn in as PM on four occasions: April 2004, Oct 2018, November 2019 and August 2020. This is the second of a two-part article commemorating the 80th birthday of Mahinda, whose full name is Mahendra Percy Rajapaksa. more..